Wednesday, January 27, 2010

New projects and a birthday still life


So my husband turned 40 and the cake and our little celebration were a success. I took this picture of the card we gave him, on which my daughter meticulously copied his name. The whole scene just seemed a little like a sign of the times around here. Decadent chocolate cake and wobbly new handwriting, hooray!



One of today's projects was a little flip book for me to take to the hospital when I deliver the new guy. I was trying to think of things to help me through labor, and I decided that some pictures to help keep my eyes on the prize and remind me of how the whole thing ends might be helpful. I had some of my favorite pictures of the first hours of my daughter's life printed out, then sewed some typing paper together with a little paper cover and stuck the pictures inside. Nothing fancy and nothing that can't get accidently thrown away at the hospital after the birth, but hopefully it will help provide a reminder of what I have to look forward to when I need it.

Finally, this project was actually yesterday's, but had to soak in plastic bags until today. I was probably a little nutty to think "oh, a day of being snowed in at 35 weeks pregnant with my 3-year-old. Let's use permanent dye in our kitchen!" But it turned out well, and she had a blast. I had purchased a Jacquard brand tie-dye kit a couple months ago, wanting to make some things for the new baby that weren't the hopelessly bland boy clothes available in the stores, but hadn't gotten around to using it yet. We dyed a whole pile of clothes (some favorites pictured, I couldn't get them all in) and my more methodical efforts at pattern and color were equally matched by Dorothy's haphazard wads of rubber bands and dye in final beauty. They all turned out great! I've already washed them twice, so as not to accidently contaminate our other laundry later, and the colors seem to be very fast. I was really pleased with the kit, which was easy to use and not expensive. In addition to shirts for the baby, of course we did a shirt for Dorothy and a tank top for me, and even some little baby pants and one gown that had ugly-color issues. I think I might embellish a few of them a little more with some iron-ons or some stamps (I already did the fleur de lis above), but even if I never get around to it the project was worthwhile. And Dorothy told her dad, "it was FUN!"

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