Buttons & Booties

Out of Hibernation!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 12 Jul 2015 23:27:00 +0000

As the winter chill settles in, I have found a warm nook to sit and write my first blog post in a little while. Life has been very busy but I've managed to rustle up some time to reflect and boy has a lot been happening!

A Quick Update

Samuel is 10.5 months old and is almost walking! He is chatting, laughing non-stop and is a blur of activity. I'll share a video of my little man with you next week.

The renovation project I shared with you a month ago, see post A Monster Overhaul, is almost complete. It's completely unrelated to sewing, to I'm not sure if you would like to see our other building projects. Leave a comment for me if you would like me to do a blog post on this.

BEFORE

The website. It is coming! Here is a sneaky preview......hopefully we will have it up and running soon. Are there any features that you would like to see on our website? Let me know!

Back to the Blog

Seemingly everyone is expecting a little bundle of joy shortly and clearly baby season is well and truly on its way. Heartburn was of the many charming effects of pregnancy I encountered. Up until the moment my little man was born, I had a burning in my chest (turned out giving birth gave instant relief!) and it seems a lot of mums-to-be are also having problems with it these days! A quick google search told me that heartburn affects up to 80% of women from the second trimester! You poor things, I know how you all feel!

After chatting with a lot of these mums-to-be, I decided to put together a list of the things I found the most helpful for "extinguishing the burn".

HEARTBURN

Why does Heartburn happen?

There are a couple of reasons:

Your baby is growing. As they get bigger, your uterus squashes your stomach and squeezes the contents upwards. This means that the acid in your stomach can spill over.
Hormones - the reason for everything joyous in pregnancy it seems! Just like all of the other joints and muscles in your body, the ones surrounding your stomach are relaxing. Unfortunately, the valve between your stomach and oesphagus also relaxes and this enables stomach acid to flow upwards instead of being restricted to the stomach. These hormones are important in ensuring you have an easier birth when the time comes and if given the choice, I'll take the better birth!

Tips for Heartburn

Don't drink your beverages with your meals (drink them in between)

The reason behind this is, when you eat, your stomach generates stomach acid to break down the food. If you dilute this acid with water, your stomach will create more and this will make your heartburn worse.

Try not to eat before you sleep

Maybe you already did this before you were pregnant, but the idea is that this way, your body isn't digesting while your lying down. Sam basically sat on my stomach the entire time he was in utero, so I was never hungry but a lot of women feel the complete opposite!

Elevate your head when you sleep

In case your body does need to digest overnight, this will stop the acid from leaking out! A European pillow was perfect for me.

Sleep on your left side

This is normally suggested as it's beneficial for bubba because it minimises the chance of reducing the blood flow to your baby by squashing your major blood vessels. Bonus is, it also reduces heartburn as it keeps the junction between the stomach and the oesphagus above the stomach acid level (therefore preventing it from leaking out).

Drink milk

I'm not sure for the reason behind this but it works (I was even sipping milk during labour so I wasn't distracted from the task at hand)! I think it the science behind must have something to do with the "stickyness" of the milk and it weighing the acid down. Don't take my word for it though!

Avoid acidic food, chocolate, caffeinated drinks and fried food

You are probably already trying to eat healthily to give your bub the best start but in case your cravings include any of the above, they can trigger heartburn. Unfortunately, this rules out everything delicious!

Try an antacid

These work by neutralizing the stomach acids and are generally considered safe in pregnancy. When my heartburn was particularly pesky, I'd take Gaviscon. It's made from all natural ingredients, which is why I was the most comfortable using it.

Hopefully there is something here that works for you because there is nothing fun about heartburn! Let me know if you have any other tips or tricks that have worked for you.

Phoebe

We are Walking!!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 25 Jun 2015 08:24:00 +0000

I know it has been so long since you have heard from me! Life has been so busy. I promise to make more of an effort from now on though.

Something very exciting has happened and I wanted to share it with you all!! Sam is almost 10 months old and look how clever my little man is!!

This is our new trick. It started about 2 weeks ago and he is getting better everyday......almost ready to let go :)

How old was your little one when they started walking?

Phoebe
xo

A Monster Overhaul

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 20 May 2015 03:31:00 +0000

Don't you love those weeks, when everything happens or needs to happen all at once? These are the weeks when you realise just how many things you have said 'yes' to and you gain perspective on how busy your life is. Well, I'm having one of those weeks!!

In November last year, Mr J and I, said 'yes' to a very, very big task. On top of parenthood and our day jobs, we decided to give a renovation a try! In the end, it wasn't a little cosmetic renovation, it was a monster overhaul.

Hallway before the renovation

Living Room before the renovation

Demolition Day!

We are mid renovation at the moment, with decisions on finishings flying left, right and centre. You can probably understand why I'm having a busy week but I can't wait to see the finished product!!

Raising the house

The new living room

A new stair well

Sparkly New Roof!

New weatherboard - the house isn't yellow!!

So why did I decided to share with you our interesting little side project?? I wanted to apologise for my absence!! The renovation has used up all of my clever this week and left me stranded for Thursday's tutorial. Never fear, I will return next week refreshed and ready to share!!

Phoebe
xo

Like Father, Like Son.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 12 May 2015 02:54:00 +0000

When Sam was first born, consensus was that he looked like neither Mr J nor myself!! People would say he had my ears or Mr J's nose, but overall he was his own little person.

As he is getting older, he is definitely starting to look like his dad!!

Celebrating Mr J's bday last month

Most amazing however, is how similar Sam looks to Mr J, when he was the same age (no wonder I barely get a look in!!).

Mr J - 1 day old

Mr J - 8 months old

Mr J - 6 months old

Mr J - 4 months old

Maybe as Sam grows he might get a little bit more of mum but I'm okay if he doesn't.......just look how beautifully cheeky his dad was as a little boy!

Me with my Nana

Mr J (in yellow)

Does your little one take after one parent ore than the other?

Phoebe
xo

Jungle Elephant Quilt Tutorial - Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 07 May 2015 00:00:00 +0000

The second instalment of our lovely elephant quilt. Last week we pieced together the quilt top using the pattern that was linked in the tutorial. Today, we are going to finish the backing, binding and quilting of the Jungle Elephant Quilt.

1. Cut the backing fabric 2" larger than the quilt front, in all directions.

2. Tape the backing fabric, right side down, to the floor using masking tape, smoothing out any creases as you go. Lay the wadding on the backing fabric, with the quilt top, right side up, on top. Smooth out any creases and tack the three layers together, using quilter's safety pins, working from the centre out.

3. Quilt as desired. We have quilted simply by stitching in the ditch, along the blocks and the small fabric 7 squares and fabric 8 strips, using orange cotton.

4. Create binding from the strips of Fabric 5 and bind the quilt by hand or with the sewing machine.

I hope your little bundle of joy enjoys their beautiful Jungle Elephant Quilt.

Phoebe

See the first instalment of this series - Jungle Elephant Quilt, Part 1

For the Mum Who thinks she is Failing

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 05 May 2015 00:30:00 +0000

You're not.

I know motherhood can be hard. I know it can be overwhelming. I especially know it can be lonely. But I know you're not failing. You know why I know? Because I've been there. I've felt like my little boy deserved more attention and more patience. I've convinced myself that I wasn't doing a good job because his storybooks sit there unread. I've gotten annoyed when he just wouldn't sit and play with his toys. I've felt guilty because I've forgotten to wash his teeth one day. All this and my baby is only 8 months old!

I was prepared for the tough days my newborn would bring - the tiredness, the hormones even the sore who-ha. But I hadn't put much thought into how I would feel when my baby became a little boy. How much should he eat? Can he drink water? What's that rash? Why won't you sleep? Are you teething? Should you be walking by now? Please stop crying. Don't pull mummy's hair. What do I say when he chucks a tantrum? Should I take his dummy away? Please sleep safely. Motherhood is tough, I won't lie. Afterall, I've never met another mother who spouted that "motherhood is the easiest thing I've ever done".

You're not failing.

A fellow, stay-at-home mum blogger, summarised the difficulty of motherhood perfectly -

In Motherhood, nothing is about mine

You don't simply wake up in the morning, you don't eat when you're hungry, you don't even get a little bit of work done when you want. Everything needs a strategy because your life now revolves around a little human. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't change a thing. It's just easy to miss the simplicities of pre-motherhood days and easy to understand the frustrations we sometimes now face.

Perhaps, divert your energy and focus on your accomplishments for the day. All of the smiles, meals made, nappies changed, tickle time, milestones reached, hugs and kisses, and more. Rachel at Findingjoy.com wrote that "We make mistakes. We’re out of breath, racing, and exhausted, but truly not failing. Failing means stopping. Not getting up, not trying, not giving. That’s not you." Nothing could be more true.

Admitting that motherhood is hard, doesn't mean you are doing it wrong. You are not failing. You are simply rising to the hard tasks and growing as a mum. Forgive yourself and try again to tomorrow!

Phoebe

Jungle Elephant Quilt Tutorial - Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 02:15:00 +0000

With Mother's Day on almost here, I have been inundated with quilt patterns. Luckily, that means patterns galore!! So, here is another one for you. These quilts were made for a beautiful set of twins, whose Dad wanted a surprise gift for Mother's Day! The coordinating fabrics are perfect for a little boy and girl during the cold months! Again, this is a relatively simple quilt, with lots of straight lines and sharp corners.

What you will need:

Download the Jungle Elephant Quilt Pattern here
5 coordinating fat quarters
Backing fabric
Binding fabric
Wadding
Coordinating thread

**Note - you will need the pattern for the necessary quantities and measurements of fabrics and quilt blocks. The pattern is available for a small fee on my Etsy store.

1. Cut the necessary quantity of squares and strips from your fat quarters.

2. Assemble blocks 1 and 2, as directed in the pattern and sew in place with a 1/4 " seam. Press seams flat.
**Tip - to ensure your blocks line up perfectly, try pinning the rows together before you sew them.

3. Attach the blocks together in required order, to create rows 1 -5, using a 1/4" seam. Press seams flat.

4. Attach the rows together, using 1/4" seam. Press seams flat.

And that is the quilt front finished!

Next week, we will complete the quilt by adding the wadding, backing fabric, quilting the front and binding.

Phoebe
xo

A Love for Chocolate

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 28 Apr 2015 00:32:00 +0000

Now, I didn't mention this in my last post but Easter Bunny didn't find us this year. Sam was sick, awake and crying for most of the night and scared away the Easter Bunny. But never fear, once he was better, he tasted chocolate for the first time and he loved it!! Just check out his little face....

He managed to get through the ears of the Lindt bunny before a bout of the mummy guilts attacked and I put it away for later. Mr J and I helped he most of his stash though!!

Was this your little one's first Easter? Did you give them a taste of chocolate or did the idea of feeding them sugar stop you? Share a picture if you have one!!

Phoebe

A Mucky Mat

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 23 Apr 2015 05:46:00 +0000

Now that Sam has decided that he would like to feed himself, meal times are starting to look a little like this:

So, I decided that my white tiles could no longer bear the tomato paste, cheese and pasta that it was being covered in!! I headed to my local Spotlight store for fabric inspiration for a Mucky Mat!! I initially thought that raincoat fabric would be ideal, however a recent sale had seen it sell out (just my luck!!). I even saw mucky mats for sale for $39.95, but I knew I could make something better at a lower price. Then I struck gold.......tablecloth fabric (with an extra 40% off). I purchased 1.5m, took it home, hemmed the edges and now my floor stays clean!!

Best of all, when it isn't being used at meal times, Sam can play with it. At the moment it makes a funny noise, but when he grows up a little more, it'll be great to zoom around his little matchbox cars.

Do you need one of these or have you created something else??

Phoebe

And We Are Up!!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 21 Apr 2015 01:32:00 +0000

After a very busy week of sewing, I am now out from under my rock!! I can't believe an entire week flew by without me posting a blog. We have been inundated with orders for Mother's Day!! What do you think of this beautiful quilt, which I mailed today?? It is for the pending arrival of a little, baby girl in 5 weeks.

In Sam related news, he has reached a very exciting milestone - STANDING!! Such a clever boy. As a result, sleep time has become a bit of a battle. It is quite funny though, when I walk into his room and he is crying because he can't figure how to sit back down!!! How could you ever be cranky with that face though!!

Phoebe
xo

5000 Kilometre's Later!!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 07 Apr 2015 00:00:00 +0000

First off, a belated, Happy Easter to everyone. You may have noticed that I have been unusually quiet with my blogging over the past fortnight and this is because we have been on a little family holiday!! We had so much fun road tripping down the east coast of Australia. A lot of people thought we were crazy driving in the car for so long with a 7 month old baby. The truth is, Sam was fantastic in the car. He loves his car seat and the motion of the car puts him to sleep! So, my advice is if you have a little bubba, who doesn't mind being in their car seat, definitely add a family driving holiday to the list of your things to do. The family time is great but it is also refreshing to get out and about.

So where did we go and what did we do? We drove from Brisbane to Melbourne, and back again. We stopped in to see Mr J's family in Armidale, NSW, and then down to Wahgunyah, Victoria, to see Sam's Grandy.

At Mr J's family farm

The Dish at Parkes

An afternoon of fine wine and cheese at All Saints Winery

Sam with his Grandy

We continued down to Melbourne where we met a baby Gorilla, baby elephant and orang-utans at the Melbourne Zoo. We also explored dinosaur fossils at the Melbourne Museum and watched our football team, the Roar, play Melbourne City.

We then tracked even further south to venture along the Great Ocean Road. Words cannot explain how breathtakingly beautiful this part of our country is. It is a must see. We stopped in at Bell's Beach, saw the lighthouse from the 90's television show, Around the Twist and of course, we marvelled at Twelve Apostles. We stayed the night at Apollo Bay and our only regret is that we didn't give ourselves more time here.

The view from our room at Apollo Bay

On the way home, we stayed with Sam's Great Auntie in Canberra and stopped the night in Port Macquarie. Unfortunately, the energy for our homeward trip was diminished as Sam picked up a virus while we were in Melbourne. With Sam spiking temperatures of 39.5 degrees and not sleeping, it made for a very tired, stressed and unhappy Mum and Dad! But in the end, we made it home safely.

Visiting the War Memorial

Visiting the Telstra Tower

Sam tasted Nutella for the first time - he definitely like it!

What did I learn from travelling with baby? I had to be organised. We still cooked all of Sam's food but this meant visiting Woolworths at almost every stop. Mr J threw in an esky, which was great, as none of our food was wasted. I also packed the baby Panadol and thermometer, which turns out were lifesavers.

In the end, our trip was a success (even if bub was sick towards the end). We have made some special memories and seen a beautiful part of our country. Better yet, our travels were done in a way that let Sam see five of his Great Grandparents over Easter!! What a lucky little boy.

Phoebe
xo

Dino Patch Quilt - Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 26 Mar 2015 00:00:00 +0000

The second instalment of our lovely Dinosaur quilt. Last week we pieced together the quilt top using the pattern that was linked in the tutorial. Today, we are going to finish the backing, binding and quilting of the Dino Patch Quilt.

1. Cut the backing fabric 2" larger than the quilt front, in all directions.

3. Quilt as desired. We have quilted simply by stitching in the ditch, along the blocks and the small fabric 7 squares and fabric 8 strips, using orange cotton.

4. Create binding from the strips of Fabric 5 and bind the quilt by hand or with the sewing machine.

**If you are going to personalise your quilt, like I have in the photos, this must be done before starting this tutorial.

I hope a special little boy enjoys your beautiful Dino Patch Quilt.

Phoebe
xo

See the first instalment of this series - Dino Patch Quilt, Part 1

What an Adventure!!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Over the weekend, we we went exploring, on my new bike!! Mr J surprised me with a beautiful vintage push bike for Christmas and this weekend was our first family ride. As my bike is just for cruising (it has no gears), Sam is perched behind Mr J and he loved every second of our outing. It gave him a whole new perspective on the world, although I think he might be a bit little for his seat, so we might wait a couple of weeks until we venture off again.

Getting outside is so good for little one's (and for mum and dad) and the earlier you start the better. Research has shown that a walk in the afternoon sun can help bub to better identify day from night (say goodbye to your little night owl!). Outdoor activities also promote a healthy, active lifestyle, with stronger bones and better immunity, for bub when he grows up. And, if you still need to be convinced to get outside and play, then how about it tires them out, so they sleep better! The stimulation from looking at the sky, trees and birds as well as the sounds and smells, wears bub out. Just be careful you don't overstimulate bub, otherwise you may end up with an overtired baby!

As always, safety comes first. Can you believe, I've seen mum's riding their bikes while wearing their baby's in a baby carrier? Imagine what would happen to bub if mum stacked it!

Sam's bike seat cost $74 and was simple to fit to the bike (a small cost for his safety, don't you think?). Just like mum and dad, Sam has a helmet ($30) to keep his noggan safe. We also slip, slop, slap and slide, along with applying mosquito repellent (MooGoo Tail Swat is our favourite).

What other outdoor activities do your little one's love doing?

Phoebe
xo

Dino Patch Quilt Tutorial - Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 19 Mar 2015 00:00:00 +0000

I am on a bit of a roll with quilts at the moment, so here is another pattern for you. This quilt was made for our beautiful godson on his Christening Day. There isn't a little boy out there who can escape the wonder of dinosaurs and this quilt is made to match their little imaginations! Again, this is a relatively simple quilt, with lots of straight lines and sharp corners.

The best thing about this quilt is that it gives you an excuse to channel your inner child and use your imagination. Go on the hunt for fun fabrics, with a range featuring a panelled fabric.

What you will need:

Download the Dino Patch Quilt Pattern here
6 coordinating fabrics + 2 plain, complementing fabrics
Backing fabric
Wadding
Coordinating thread

**Note - you will need the pattern for the necessary quantities and measurements of fabrics and quilt blocks. The pattern will be available free for the next month for my avid readers and for a small fee on my Etsy store thereafter.

1. Cut the necessary quantity of squares and strips from your fabrics.

2. Assemble blocks 1 - 5, as directed in the pattern and sew in place with a 1/4 " seam. Press seams flat.
**Tip - to ensure your blocks line up perfectly, try pinning the rows together before you sew them.

3. Attach the blocks together in required order, to create rows 1 -5, using a 1/4" seam. Press seams flat.

4. Attach the rows together, using 1/4" seam. Press seams flat.
5. Attach the fabric strips along either side of the quilt front, using a 1/4" seam and press seams flat.

6. Attach the fabric strips along the top and bottom of the quilt front, using a 1/4" seam and press seams flat.

And that is the quilt front finished!

Next week, we will complete the quilt by adding the wadding, backing fabric, quilting the front and binding.

Phoebe
xo

Click here to see Part 2 of this Tutorial.

Motherhood

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 17 Mar 2015 07:01:00 +0000

We are almost at 7 months and I feel like time is whizzing by. I look back at the photos of Samuel when he was brand new and I really struggle to remember how tiny he was.

I am so happy that we took the time to make paint impressions of Sam's foot and hand, otherwise I would never remember just how little he was.

It is amazing how much Samuel is learning every day. His favourite sound is "B". He will babble bub bub bub, all day! He is also very ticklish and his laugh is the best sound in the entire world.

I posted a video of Sam's commando crawl, a couple of weeks ago and now I think we must be only days away from crawling. Just last week, he started planking and doing downward dog. He really is putting my abs to shame!!

He absolutely adores our animals. I'm not sure how they feel about Sam's increasing mobility, as he beelines for them whenever they lie down! Particularly Lucy, our Golden Retriever who recently broke her foot.

Solids are going well. Sam loves his food but I'm not sure if he has an off switch! He has liked most foods (except for Weetbix) including broccoli, zucchini, chicken soup and peanut butter. He is so funny when munching with his two front teeth! Sadly, egg hasn't been so kind and he has had a small reaction, twice.

Some stats:

Weight: 9.1 kg

Likes: labels, mum's earrings, silly faces, dad's funny noises, food, bath time, mum and dad's bed

Dislikes: when all the food is gone and getting changed

Favourite Toy: Mt Franklin Water Bottle (why did we bother buying toys?)

Favourite Food: Mango (Chocolate Custard is high up there though)

Some updates on the Mum front:

Samuel is fantastic at feeding now - he knows what's happening as soon as I unclip my bra! We are experiencing some frustration with on and off feeding due to distractions, but his feeds are down to 10 minutes, so the frustration isn't long lasting!

My hair continues to fall out and I am surprised that I'm not bald. What is interesting though, is that I can't notice a difference with the thickness. One thing is for sure, between me and the two dogs, our vacuum is getting a work out!

Sam's night time sleeping seems to have regressed slightly. He has always been a good sleeper, sleeping 12 hours through the night from 6 weeks old (with no night time feeds). This past week, bed time has been not as smooth, with plenty of grumbles and crying through the night. He is asleep while he is crying though, so I wonder whether it might be nightmares?

I'm not doing so well with the weight loss. Ligament, pelvic floor and nerve problems, incurred during Sam's birth, have prevented me from exercising. I tried to compensate by changing my diet, but it has still been hard.

Phoebe

Getting Old....

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 12 Mar 2015 02:46:00 +0000

Our little family has been very busy this past fortnight with birthday celebrations as both Sam's Pop and Nana turned 50!! Initially, both were in denial about their impending special day but eventually they embraced the celebrations and lots of fun was had by everyone.

Nana's 50th

To celebrate Nana's birthday, we headed up to Maleny for a weekend away with Mr J's side of the family. We had booked months in advance, so you could imagine our disappointment when a cyclone decided to make it's way down the coast on the same weekend! Heavy rain, some flooded roads and a little mudslide made the drive up the mountain a little hairy.

Rain, rain and more rain

Mr J and Uncle C made the most out of the rain

Birthday dinner

Fortunately, the terrible weather was a blessing in disguise. The house we had booked had water damage so we were upgraded! Bonus! The house was beautiful. The view was gorgeous. While our plan for a bush walk and picnic were scrapped, we played boardgames and watched television. On the Sunday morning, after the rain had stopped, we went out for breakfast at a beautiful little cafe called Secrets on the Lake. It was gorgeous. The restaurant is perched in the treetops, overlooking the lake. We were seated in a beautiful gazebo, complete with binoculars! I highly recommend a visit if you are ever in the area.

Birthday breakfast at Secrets on the Lake

Nana was a little emotional though. I'm still unsure if it was the overwhelming feeling of turning 50 or the valuable family time that got her teary, but she definitely enjoyed herself. Overall, the weekend was perfect! Nana continued her birthday celebrations with a trip to Egypt (she will be back soon)!!

Pop's 50th

To celebrate Pop's birthday, we spent the weekend on a houseboat on the Tweed River with my side of the family. Unlike our weekend in Maleny, cyclonic weather wouldn't have had a silver lining and thankfully we were blessed with beautiful sunshine. The weekend was full of relaxation, boardgames, fishing and swimming. The water was crystal clear and a perfect temperature, we even spotted a couple of dolphins. Sadly we weren't too lucky with the fishing. We caught a couple of small whiting and bream but caught more stingrays!!

Early morning on the river

Beautiful

Mr J and Pop had a great start to the weekend, when 10 minutes into our holiday they jumped into the dinghy, zoomed off and then the motor conked out. After 20 minutes paddling against the current, they eventually realised the fuel switch was turned off!! It was great entertainment.

Our boat was the second biggest in the Berger Houseboats fleet, with 4 bedrooms and fold out sofas, it would normally sleep 9 quite comfortably. However, with the position of the beds, those who are taller than the average Joe, sleep squished in the foetal position. As there was no room for the port-a-cot, Sam, Mr J and I shared a double bed. For just 70cm long, Sam took up the room of another adult!! Mr J and I were squished on the side of the bed, so Sam could sleep uninterrupted and horizontal......I did question my logic but a tired baby is worse than tired parents!!

Early morning selfies

Pop isn't the emotional type, but he definitely enjoyed having the family in the one place for the entire weekend!! I think we may have started an annual tradition.

I don't think that getting old is too bad, it gives you more reason to spend time with those you love most!

Phoebe

Our Favourite Bib Tutorials

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 05 Mar 2015 05:06:00 +0000

Bibs are one thing your baby uses for a decent amount of time! They can also be a pretty cute accessory. So we have found our favourite bib tutorials for you to try!!

Dual Panel Bib - by Buttons and Booties. Simple and easy, this is the best pattern for mums short on time.
Vintage Bib - by Buttons and Booties. A gorgeous accessory, complete with buttons and tie up. Suitable for both boys and girls.
Bandana Bib - by Buttons and Booties. The must have accessory for little lads.
Baby Apron - by Cherry Plum. A very practical idea for those messy eaters.
Ruffle Baby Bibs - by Rain and Bows. A gorgeous, vintage inspired bib, complete with ruffles. This is perfect for a beautiful baby girl.
Reversible Baby Bib - by Things for Boys. This bib pattern is definitely not just for boys!

Do you have a favourite pattern? I would love to see some of your creations.

Phoebe

What Being a New Dad is Really Like

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 03 Mar 2015 04:57:00 +0000

Samuel has just hit the six month mark, and I can’t believe how quickly the time has raced past. It seems like just last week I was in the hospital with Phoebe and a new born baby, completely overwhelmed by the whole experience and situation I was in as a new Dad. And now here we are, Sam’s eating solids, smiling and laughing, starting to crawl, getting his first teeth, and developing his own personality.

When Phoebe asked me if I would write about my experience as a Dad so far, my first thought was that maybe I should wait until I’d been a Dad for a bit longer and had something to write about! But then I thought about all the changes that have happened over the last six months, all the troubles, the achievements, the feelings and growth of both Samuel and our family, and I realised I had more than enough to write about.

The hard bits

Let’s get this out of the way up front. Of course there have been some tough times. We’ve introduced a new baby into our family, and our whole world has changed. There have been some late nights (despite having a baby who has been a good sleeper from the start), a couple of allergy scares (he doesn’t agree with egg), a tumble off the bed (at this point we realised he could roll), and the fact that we now accept our clothes will usually be covered in drool and vomit.

There are the nappy changes, having to pack a full car of baby things for a single night away, having to plan things around his sleep, and generally having less time to ourselves. But worst of all for me, was going back to work, and missing out on seeing him for most of the day. Often I find that when I leave in the morning he’s still sleeping, and when I get home at night I only have an hour or so before he’s off to bed. I know that it’s not all rainbows and sunshine during the day at home, but sometimes I feel like I’m really missing out.

Having said all of that, I find it hard to really come up with ways in which Samuel has made our life difficult.

Incredible growth

One thing that is hard to explain, and something that I think has to be experienced, is the phenomenal rate of growth and development of a baby. You hear so often about how quickly kids grow up, and to cherish the time with them while they’re little, and from the outside you even see babies of friends and relatives physically growing quickly. I thought I understood that prior to being a Dad, but now I think I really know what they mean. To see Sam at home every day, and to witness the amazing transformation from a new born baby, to a little human who is constantly learning and achieving new things – it truly is amazing.

Every week and every day he changes and figures out how to do something new. Every day his personality develops more, and I can’t express how much I love being a part of that. From the first time his eyes focussed on me, to the first smile, the first time he rolled over, the first giggle, to the first time he played a game with me (peek-a-boo). It’s all incredible, and I can’t wait to see what’s to come.

Family dynamic

Phoebe’s labour was very difficult, and has caused ongoing issues which requires regular physio. So you could have forgiven her if she had had trouble emotionally as a new Mum. And as a new Dad, I wanted to ensure that I did whatever I could to be there for both her and Samuel in the early weeks and months.

But despite the difficult labour, Phoebe has been amazing right from the start, and as new parents I like to think we’ve adapted well and are doing a decent job! Things have definitely changed from when it was just the two of us, and for Phoebe that’s meant being in full-time Mum mode. For me, it’s been more about what I do when I’m at home and what my priorities are. When at home it’s about spending time with Sam so Phoebe can take a break, or helping Phoebe with whatever needs doing.

And when I’m not at home, I’ve found my priorities changing so that I want to get home to spend time with my family. I still enjoy the odd beer after work, and going to football, but getting home to spend time with Phoebe and Samuel has become very important to me.

Life as usual

A final point about being a new Dad is that having a new baby changes your life dramatically. But that doesn’t mean you have to cut out things you enjoyed previously, or that time with friends or trips away become a thing of the past.

Prior to Samuel being born Phoebe and I both decided that we wouldn’t let having a baby mean that we spent all our time at home, or stop doing the things we enjoyed. And we’ve held ourselves to that. Within the first six weeks I think Sam had been to the movies with Mum, to a live football game, camping, coffees with other Mum and bubs, and plenty of family visits. And since then we haven’t slowed down.

Things are different than they used to be, but we still make time to do the things we enjoy, and now we can share it with the newest member of the family.

The next six months

Looking back at the first six months, and how much has happened, I’m looking forward to watching Sam’s growth over the next six months. But I certainly won’t be wishing it away, or looking forward too far. Because now I really understand how quickly they grow up, and I’m going to enjoy every second of it!

A Wonderful 6 Months - Picture Board

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Happy half birthday to my beautiful baby boy! It's hard to believe he came into the world 6 months ago, time has passed so quickly. I hope you enjoy this special edition of our Picture Board!!

Weekend in Maleny for Nana's 50th

First swimming lesson

Getting the hang of feeding myself

Nana turns 50!!

Weekend in Maleny for Nana's 50th

Hanging with Dad

Weekend in Maleny for Nana's 50th

Lunch with Hunter and Freddy

Mastering this crawling thing

Bandana Bib Tutorial

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 25 Feb 2015 23:51:00 +0000

Who doesn't love the bandana bib? Let's face it, there aren't too many accessories for little boys out there but I believe that the bandana bib is the perfect combination of functionality and accessory. Although, I can guarantee that Sam will be wearing his bandana bibs long after he grows out of their functionality!

What you will need:

40 cm of knit fabric (I used used a jersey knit but you could use any fabric but the knit fabric is absorbent on its' own)
40 cm flannel
5 cm of ribbing
Coordinating thread
Bandana Bib Free Downloadable Pattern

1. Download the FREE Bandana Bib Pattern. Cut a bib panel, using the pattern, from both the knit fabric and the flannel. Cut 2 lengths of ribbing 1.5" wide and join together using a 1/4" seam.

2. Tack the knit and flannel pieces together with wrong sides together.

3. Fold the end of the ribbing over by 1/4" and sew in place. Align the edge of the ribbing with the edge of the bib, right sides together. Attach using 1/4" seam, ensuring you don't pull the ribbing tight.

4. Sew the ends together, ensuring that the hemmed piece is closest to the bib face.

5. Turn the bib over. Fold the ribbing in half, then fold it over the edge of the bib and pin in place. When pinning, place the pin in the ditch created by the seam which attaches the ribbing to the bib.

6. Stitch in the ditch to attach the ribbing. To give the bib a store bought appearance, stitch along the middle of the ribbing to finish off.

7. Attach studs where indicated.

Now you're ready to dress your little guy with some swagger!!

Phoebe
xo

P.S Keep an eye out for the upcoming, matching Harem pants pattern!!

Beto Bike Seat Cover Tutorial

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 19 Feb 2015 00:00:00 +0000

You might have read a couple of weeks ago that for Christmas, Santa bought me a bike!! Well, after a ride or two, I decided that Sam's little bike seat wasn't nearly as comfortable or cute as it could be......so I made a little cover for it.

What you will need

60 cm print fabric
60 cm thick wadding
15 cm binding fabric
Coordinating thread
Beto Bike Seat Cover downloadable pattern

1. Assemble the bike seat cover by placing the back cotton panel, right side down. Next, position place the wadding and finish with the front cotton panel, wrong side down.

2. Tack around the edges to hold in place.

3. Join the 2” strips and create a length of binding (find out how here). Attach the binding to the bike seat cover, covering the tacking stitches (find out how here).

4. Create buttonholes, where indicated on the pattern, to form holes for the seat belt straps.

5. Stitch along crease lines, where indicated on the pattern, to ensure seat cover fits snuggly on seat.

Voila. What a beautiful way to make bike riding fun again!!

Phoebe

Fit Mum Revolution!!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 17 Feb 2015 00:00:00 +0000

With Sam not far from being 6 months old, the excuse "I've just had a baby" is starting to wear thin when talking about my weight. Sadly, I don't think the age old "you won't put weight on while you're breast feeding" has panned out for me. But never fear, I've decided it's time to shift the "baby weight" and transition back into the healthy, proactive lifestyle I was living before my world changed into nappies, vomit and sleep deprivation.

Now I know that walking is free (we also have two dogs that need to be walked daily) but I also want to get out there, meet other mums and maybe incorporate Sam into my exercise. So I've done some research and it's amazing what is out there.

KangaWorld

KangaTraining; An indoor cardiovascular, flexibility and strength workout. It involves floor work, standing muscular exercises and dancing, all designed to incorporate baby wearing into the workout regime.
ReaktivKanga: Outdoor group walking using hand weights and wearing your baby.

Bubby Pilates

A workout focussing on toning, gentle strengthening and increasing flexibility plus mobility. Incorporates bub into movements using rhymes, baby sign, baby massage and parachute play.

Stroller Classes
An innovative stroller fitness class aimed at increasing cardiovascular fitness.

Strollfit: Cardio drills, strngth training exercises and stretching are the focus of this class, whilst pushing bub in the pram.
Strollga: A yoga-inspired class utilising the pram as a prop to enable modified yoga poses

Baby Boot camp

Outdoor, gym style, boot camp classes incorporating bub as weights and resistance.

One thing is for sure, there are no more excuses!! I'll keep you updated on my endeavours. Have you tried any other the mum and baby orientated classes? What would you recommend?

Phoebe

I'm Beautiful Nightie Tutorial

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 12 Feb 2015 00:00:00 +0000

With Valentine's Day coming up I wanted to make a nightie to feel beautiful in. Afterall, it's quite difficult to feel sexy when you're in one of those standard, run of the mill, nursing nightgowns. So after some dedicated research on Pinterest, I found this:

I loved it so much, I re-created a breast-feeding friendly version. As usual, the downloadable pattern will be available free for you all, for the next month.

What you will need:

1.5 m fabric (I used Japanese Lawn but any cotton or knit fabric will work)
50 cm wide lace
Ribbon, if desired
I'm Beautiful Nightie Pattern
2 Press Studs

1. Cut and assemble the pattern. Follow the instructions in the grey box for fabric preparation.

2. Take Piece A and align one piece of lace with Edge 1, right sides together. Stitch the top half, using a 1/4” seam. Repeat with other lace strip and Piece B.

3. With Edge 1 of pieces A and B touching, pin together the position where the lace from Piece A intersects with the lace from Piece B. Sew in place, using a 1/4” seam, with the lace wrong side down and fabric right side up. Trim overhanging lace and zigzag the exposed edge. Repeat step 2 where the lace from piece B intersects with piece A.

4. Create 4 small pleats along the centre of the long edge of pieces A and B. (this enables your breasts to sit nicely in the top of the nightie).

5. Place the straight edge of piece AB against the nightie front panel, right sides together. Pleat the nightie front panel as you pin it to piece AB, so that both pieces of fabric are the same width. Sew together using 1/4” seam.

6. Place the nightie front and back panels, right sides together and stitch along both side seams, using a 1/4" seam. Before sewing, ensure that the top corners of the back panel, align with the top corners of pieces A and B. Zigzag the edges to finish.

7. Create a bottom hem by folding the bottom edge up by 1/4" and ironing, then folding another 1/4”, ironing and sewing in place.

8. Join the 2 x 2.5” strips and create binding. Pin the binding to the top edge of the nightie, leaving a 10cm tail on both ends, above the lace. Fold the short edge of each tail over by 1/4”, iron, fold another 1/4" and sew in place.

9. Take the remaining binding and cut two 25 cm lengths. Fold one short edge, of each piece, over by 1/4", iron, fold another 1/4” and sew in place. Using a 1/4" seam, sew along the open edge to create a strap. Position the straps under the binding on the back of the back panel, aligning it with the binding tail.

10. Stitch on binding and straps.

**Tip - before going to the next step, try the nightie on and see how it fits. I added a couple of darts in pieces A and B to make it contour to my body shape better.

11. Add press studs over the top of the hemmed short edges of the straps.

**If you didn't need to make the nightie breastfeeding friendly, at step 10 leave a 14.5 cm tail instead. Place the end of the tail under binding on the back panel (step 11) and stitch in place.

How beautiful and feminine is that! Just in time for Valentine's Day....

Phoebe

Going Commando!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 10 Feb 2015 00:00:00 +0000

I am a very proud mum this week. My little man is on the go, slowly mastering the commando crawl. I must admit that whilst I am overwhelmingly proud, I am also apprehensive about the future and scared at how quickly he is growing up! We are in the midst of baby proofing the house. Do you have any advice for this novice parent??

Phoebe
xo

Tight Turns - Quilt Tutorial Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 00:00:00 +0000

The second instalment of our beautiful chevron quilt. Last week we pieced together the quilt top using the pattern I had linked in the tutorial. Today, we are going to finish the backing, binding and quilting of the Tight Turns Quilt.

1. Using the floor, lay the rows in the numerical order you sewed them. Refer to the diagrams in the pattern and the below photo for placement and rotation of the blocks to ensure you create the chevrons.

2. Stitch together rows 1 and 2. Press all the seams to one side, in the same direction

3. Repeat with the remaining rows.

**Try pinning the rows together before sewing, to ensure you match the seams.

4. Cut the backing fabric 2" larger than the quilt front, in all directions.

5. Tape the backing fabric, right side down, to the floor using masking tape, smoothing out any crease as you go. Lay the waddin on the backing fabric, with the quilt top, right side up on top. Smooth any creases and tack the three layers together, using quilter's safety pins, working from the centre out.

6. Quilt as desired. We have quilted simply by stitching in the ditch, along the chevrons and 1/4" either side of this, using green cotton thread.

7. Create binding from the binding fat quarters and bind the quilt. See here for directions.

Enjoy your beautiful quilt!

Phoebe

Did you miss out first Tight Turns tutorial? You can find it here.