4 Simple Goals

So here we are, the end of summer. Ha! If you could call it that. It had it's moments admittedly, but they seemed few and far between. Today it was sunny, but there was a very noticeable chill in the air. It felt as though summer couldn't even be bothered to see it's last day through and had made way for autumn early. It was lovely.

It also reminded me that I'm overdue another simple goals post. I completed the last four a while ago, but I've been so busy with the dressmaking that there didn't seem any point in setting myself even more goals. I'm looking forward to completing these though.

-1-

Finish the dresses!

I'm very close to finishing now. Only one dress left to go and then I release them in to the wild of my poor, neglected and empty Etsy store. Eeep!

-2-

Go camping

We're going in just over a week and I CAN'T WAIT! I just hope the weather holds out.

Source

-3-

Make bread

I haven't done this in forever and I've recently got a hankering for hot bread rolls the way my dad used to make. I like the type of goals I can eat.

Source

-4-

Pick up Pip's baby blanket again. 

Remember this? It never got finished and I am determined to finish it before she leaves home.

Previous Goals

1. Take body measurements

Done and it wasn't as painful as I thought. Still can't fit into my pre-pregnancy skinny jeans though. Let's be honest, I may as well stick those babies on to eBay *sniff*.

2. Cut out dress patterns in different sizes

Done. It was boring.

3. Make test dress

It was only a basic t-shirt dress, but I made it in bright yellow fabric to add some sunshine to the grey summer days. It's now one of my favourites. 

4. Cut out pattern pieces for second dress

And again, done. This was a very dull set of goals.

Well would you look at that. I completed them all. Go me!

Alessi - 5 months

Another month, another post.

Still no laughter. If you pretend to bite her toes or tummy she'll break out in the biggest grin and come out with an old man cough, but that's it.

She's on the verge of getting mobile. She can't quite roll over yet, but she's working on it. I am both excited and dreading it.

She's also finding her voice. From Mariah Carey style squeals to blowing raspberries she's finally learning that grizzle noises aren't the only noise she can make. Thank god.

The teething continues to chug along quietly. We have constant, CONSTANT drool which gets everywhere. It's like living with a Saint Bernard.

This week we start weaning. I know it's early, but she's ready. We first tried her with a couple of samples that came through the post, baby porridge and fruit puree and yesterday I gave her some baby rice. She went nuts for all of them so today we start for real. Just as soon as I can be bothered to make some apple puree.

She no longer hates being left on her tummy now that she can lift her head up properly. You can see her trying to figure out how to move forward, but instead she just ends up spinning around in circles.

She pretty much lives in bodies and tights these days. With the unpredictable and often crappy weather we've had this past month, it's just easier and more practical.

And that hair..that crazy hair that I love so much is getting longer by the day. That's more hair to stick up at all angles. Hair that won't be tamed no matter what we try.

The answer?

Take her tights off her legs and stick them on her head. 

Thank you husband for that genius idea. 

I think that she's starting a new phase with her daytime naps too. For the last month or so she's been having regular naps that you could set your watch by. I was grateful for these as they were pretty much the only chance I got to sew. 

But for the past few days, she's been going longer between sleeps. I'm guessing this is perfectly normal, but if I'm honest, I'm a bit gutted. Those half an hour naps were my chance to reboot, recharge and just catch my breath. 

Ah well. I'm sure we'll both feel more settled once we get our heads around this new phase. It's the figuring them out that can be a little stressful. 

She's actually down right now and as it took an age to get her there I really ought to blast my to do list while I can. See you next month for another update, hopefully it will start with "she's laughing!".

The Plan

I can't remember if I've already mentioned this on here before, but at the moment I'm working on a small collection of dresses to sell in my Etsy shop.

It's slow going though. Initially I had wanted to have them all finished and ready to go for the start of August. No such luck. I envisioned myself being able to do a lot more around Pip than I've actually managed to. The reality however is that I can only really get things done while she's asleep. Which is a shame because she only cat naps during the day so it feels as though she's waking again just when I'm getting warmed up.

So I've been doing a bit here, a bit there. Sewing during naps, while Dan puts her to bed in the evenings and when I can find a spare moment during the weekends. Progress maybe slow, but it's steady and I'm on track to have them up and ready to go next month. There's no launch date at the moment though, that will depend entirely on Pip as naturally, her needs must come first.

I'm excited and nervous. If this goes well there's no reason why I can't make a modest, but viable living from dressmaking and that's been my dream for the last seven years.

It won't be easy though and as with the dresses themselves, it will probably be slow going. Strap yourselves in!

Had a shit day?

Be grateful.

2012 - The year of the slug

It's been a while since I wrote anything garden related, January to be exact. Back then I was pregnant with Pip and knew that I wouldn't have the time or the energy to do much this year. 

That said, I've managed to return the lawn to it's former glory following a winter of frosts, heavy rain and escapee chickens. I also made myself a fire pit so that we could sit out on warm, balmy evenings with a cider. 

The less said about those "warm, balmy evenings" the better.

So my plan was to get the lawn back to a decent state so that we could sit out there on sunny days, grow a few hardy veggies and some low maintenance flowers to give us something pretty to look at. 

Ha.

Ok, so the lawn was a win as the photo above proves. However, those "hardy veggies" (pumpkins and courgettes) stopped growing when they were re-potted outside and then got eaten by slugs. As did my sunflowers.

Most of my sweet peas didn't even germinate, I later found out that, that was because the bastard slugs were also coming into the conservatory at night and eating them! I got a few going in the end after putting cling film over the pots, but even those didn't do great after being transferred outside.

So around May time, I gave up and left the garden to it. 

Really, the only thing that has grown well this year are my peppers and that's only because they are indoors away from the elements and slimy garden critters. 

I have weeds growing in the flower bed, weeds growing in pots..hell, even my welly boots have given up the ghost.

Oh and do you want to hear something infuriating funny? That extension I made for the coop to give the chickens some shelter from the wind and rain is now apparently not good enough for them. Today during the thunderstorms, Margot, Maureen and Hen could be found under the tree, huddled and slowly getting wetter by the minute. Queue unimpressed face. 

It took me ages to get the wood for that! Even longer to measure it up and get it cut and put together (I was heavily pregnant so the going was slooow). 

And you know something else? If I forget to bring in their food bowl at night (which is often), when I go to refill it each morning, it'll always have a big, fat slug sitting in it. Seriously what's with all the slugs this year? They are the most pointless, disgusting creatures on the planet and they make me gag. Bleugh!

Anyway, rant over. This is pretty much where I am with all things green fingered. I've missed not going out and getting my hands dirty this year, but spending time with Pip while she's so little is priority number one. And at least the most important thing got done. The lawn is no longer mossy and muddy. 

When we do get a warm enough day, we can now sit under the shade of the chestnut tree and watch the chickens be silly.

So you know, it's not all bad.