Four for Five

My little K turned five the other day.

The last month has been a flurry of finishing tasks (here and here) - as well as making the obligatory cake - or should I say cakes!  This year (and only this year) we had to do four!

Firstly there was a plate full of mini cupcakes to take to her preschool. 

Then there was a lolly cake for Playcentre.  This one definitely won the prize for simplest cake of all, you can find a recipe here.  K even added to the enjoyment by having her face painted as a zebra!

We had family around over Easter - K has five little girl cousins, all similar in age.  So to celebrate with them we had pizza and more cake!  This chocolate version (with matching icing) came from this great Sophie Gray book, as did my pizza base recipe. 

Then on her actual birthday she had friends and other grandparents around to enjoy a great pirate rumbustification.... with another chocolate cake!  This was the most planned of all and the one that K had specifically requested.  Needless to say we are still eating cake and trying to wear off some of the after effects!

As part of the pirate fun my H set up a 'plank' off our farm ute for the children to jump into a 'sea' of bags.  This was a huge hit with the children!

I purchased a number of pirate themed party pieces but did make a pinata in the shape of a treasure chest.  I used a beer bottle box and added one layer of paper mache over the joins and holes.  This was just the right amount of strength as they took a few turns each to burst it.

My super mother-in-law makes cupcakes for K's birthday every year - and this time they were 'X marks the spot' themes.  Yum!

A final image is of K and her cousins (oldest is 6 and youngest nearly three) waiting at the bar for their fluffies (hot milk with chocolate).  We're hoping that this is not a sign of things to come!

Point of sewing interest - all are wearing me-made clothes!  K couldn't wear her class picnic blouse as it was in the wash.

Exploring the waves

Last week we had a few days away - we went down to Cromwell and then further south to visit my family.  We had lovely weather and it was a good chance for K to explore new and familiar places. 
It was a great opportunity to give her one of her birthday presents, just a little early, an explorer vest and matching hat!

The fabric is the same tan coloured drill, with small animals embroidered on it, that I used last autumn to make K a music box dress.  I had originally planned to make the vest in red, but the image of a fisherman stirred in my mind!

I lined the vest in a light blue print with kites and used bias binding left over from the nurse's uniform I made recently to edge the armholes.

The pattern for both the vest and the hat are from Oliver + S 'Little Things To Sew' (again!) and they work so well together that I'm surprised I hadn't thought of it earlier!

I took these pictures with K standing on the back of her Pop's boat - but be reassured the boat was on land.  Unfortunately we caught no fish on our exploration of Lake Dunstan but K is imagining how big the one that never even bit our hook was...

Here she is with her Pop out on the boat - wearing a very safe vest instead!  Love the hat inside the hoodie look!

Next time... maybe... the fish will come home with us!

Two more items for my tally in the 'Cover to cover' challenge from 'Bartacks and Singletracks' (numbers 8 and 9) and numbers 83 and 84 in my O+S count!

 

Little Houses

My daughter K has a great preschool and although she's only been there a year she will miss it when she goes off to school soon.  So just as we did for her Playcentre, we've made a gift for them...

Yes - the little houses from my favourite book (as mentioned in the last few posts, repeatedly!)  Oliver + S Little Things to Sew - in case you forgot!

Mine do look quite different as I chose bright colours - but I still like how they look - well except for the over-large door on the house above!

 

I got extra creative for the blue 'shed' as the tractor was the only wheeled item I could find in my fabric stash.  A shed should work well for farm kids anyway.

Preschool has a large mat with roads and house on it, so these will add a extra dimension to the children's play.  I hope they can use them!

And more houses from a while back I haven't shared yet...

Back at Christmas time Santa made some houses for K using the 'Storybook Lane' panels by Kelly Le Creel.  Now Santa did two silly things - he forgot to purchase the pattern to go with them, and then he forgot about Liesl's awesome houses in LTTS.

Santa made these using Kelly's basic pattern (here) but adapted some to open up.  They look good, but could have been so much better!  It took Santa a while to work out how to do the finger puppets - but he made them work very well - they can both stand on their own and be used as a puppet, having an internal 'hole'.  A LOT of work for Santa.

There are many more puppets but I couldn't find them to photograph today - off on their own adventure!  I also have another background piece that can be used with the puppets.

The foam houses are number 7 in my 'Cover to cover' challenge from Bartacks and Singletracks and number 82 in my O+S count!

 

Who would like to come and play at our house?

Nurse

As with my previous post I'm working my way through the Oliver + S 'Little Things To Sew' book with some gusto at present.  So much so that I have made two bias trimmed aprons!

Only one is shown here - as the other is tucked away for K's upcoming birthday - and she has no idea!  This one is a farewell gift for Playcentre.  I made the smallest size and although it is a bit small on K it fits fine.

Medical set from our local Toy Library

I found some cheap blue poly/cotton blend from Harald's in Christchurch and used some to make my first puppet theatre.  Then I had my great idea - the fabric would be perfect for a nurse's uniform!  Originally I was going to adapt the 'Sleepover Pyjamas' by Oliver + S, but the bias-trimmed apron from LTTS seemed so much easier.  The only adaption to the pattern was the 'v' neckline - a very simple change.

I made my own bias binding and 1/2 metre of fabric made enough for two aprons, comfortably.  I placed the side pockets too high but they should be fine for some of the wee people at Playcentre (ages 0 to 5).  I used velcro at the back.

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The word 'NURSE' was done by writing the words in erasable maker then zig-zagged over with a 2mm wide and very short length stitch.  I did interface the fabric behind the words to give it more strength.  It really finishes off the outfit!

Another finished item for the 'Bartacks and Singletracks' 'Little Things to Sew - Cover to Cover Challenge'.  Number six!

And number 81 in my O+S count...  I love these patterns!