Make-a-costume-osaurus.....

Hello and welcome all, hope you are all in super health.

 

The eldest Mr Chander is slowly settling in well to his nursery school and new routine.  He seems to be enjoying meeting new friends, and the wonderful variety of tasks he performs daily.  He does seem to love the sand and water and painting, judging by his uniform every day....

 

Anyhow, Halloween is approaching, and I decided to make a costume for his preschool party.
Master Chander has two major loves - trains and dinosaurs.  He loves Thomas the tank engine, but I think I'm a better seamstress than I am an architect with cardboard and glue; so a dino outfit it was to be.

Having googled "homemade dino costumes", I decided to "freestyle a costume for him. I purchased a cheap furry blanket from a bargain store in a suitably garish blue; and I recycled a "Mr Tickle" tabard (which he never used), for orange fabric and velcro.  Waste not want not, eh? I also used a few scraps of felt too if necessary.

I used one of his sleep suits and drew out a pattern in four sections. I tried, wherever possible, to use the already stitched edging in the blanket as edging on the suit. I made a tail, with the orange "mr tickle" arms as decoration, with orange bony plates along the back. I also made a hood which was a bit lopsided, but never mind, with the same orange detailing and felt eyes. Finally, I made an orange belly with ricrac detailing - and used Velcro to allow easy access in and out for toilet stops! I was so pleased with how it turned out and it only took about 5 hours of making time.

 

Master Chander wore it yesterday - it unbelievably stood up to the challenge and I was very chuffed with some compliments aswell from the nursery staff and parents alike! I would certainly give costume making a go again; it was great fun and most importantly,the smile on my son's face was priceless! After a making mojo sojourn, I am now ready for the push for Chrimbo with some crochet makes.....
 See you soon. Em

Absence makes....

Apologies for not posting recently - we have been rather busy here at Casa Chanders of late.  If you ask me why, I probably couldn't tell you everything we've been up to - I just know that the little slice of blogging/making time has been sorely squeezed of late.  It's very frustrating because without that time , I think I get a little dolally - it's amazing how my ramblings on here can keep me content.


Anyway, I have managed to finish one of my Chanders "specials"  - a chirpy little granny pram blanket for a friend's new arrival. I am also starting a little costume sewing for the eldest Master Chander....but more of that later....take care....

simple pleasures:

 Apologies for no recent posts  - last week was a busy week between working, resting and playing. Unfortunately, there was little in the way of crafting too.   Disappointing. 

Today, I'd thought I'd share my current simple pleasures  (obviously inspired by point number four below):

1. Listening to water pouring into my mug for my daily morning cup of tea.

2. Drinking the aforementionned mug of tea.

 

3. Stewing fruits and veggies for Master Chander number two, who is weaning with an appetite the size of Wales.  It's good to see, but I can't keep up with him.  And I can't resist a little stewed apple and pear.....
 

4. Reading Ravelry for great inspiration; and visiting the Dorset Cereals website - particularly the competitions; mini quizzes (especially Word Up!) and especially the "simple pleasures section" (to be found here http://tokens.dorsetcereals.co.uk/questions). I love it when websites like this don't take themselves too seriously. And they do make a lovely muesli.

5. Finding this pattern for tapestry granny squares in this month's Cross-stitcher - a project for the future, methinks. Love, love,love it. I'm slowly gathering supplies - realistically a project for next year, but who knows....

What's floating your boat this weather?

Crochet update....

 

Aah, crochet. As the nights get darker earlier, so the littlest Chanders' go to sleep a little earlier, and I can gather the wool and hook in my arms, to cosy into the sofa and do a little crochet before bed beckons. But still, not as much as I'd like, as Mr Chanders is on night duty and by the time I have all the household necessaires completed, I'm often flagging. Anyway, this isn't a moaning post, rather a little reminder of what I have started; and what remains to be done.

1. The "Big Round" Blanket.... a rather satisfying little project; so far I have 11 squares completed. I'm happy with the colours and the pattern thus far; but it has taken a little bit of a backseat for...

2. Baby blankets - I realised, last week, that two of my closest chums are both expecting little ones soon; so I have started one baby blanket - the usual suspects of colour (namely, my Cath K inspired colours), although the yellow is a little more sunshine than the usual lemon. The yarn, however, is acrylic: I was so pleased with my previous experience that I'm happy to use it for gifts.

3. The "South Bay Shawlette" - nothing has changed with this; but I'm putting it on to (gently) encourage me to get a MOVE ON and finish this (particularly as this will form part of a pressie for a dear one come Christmas)

4. The girlie blanket : again, another potential gift for December for a special young lady - I'm now onto my second square, as you can see. I just love the simplicity of granny squares; I never get bored from them.

 

5. And finally: a new stash - this is some Debbie Bliss "Prima" cotton that I procured from my favourite eBay seller, aileen55, over the past while. I'm loving the colours; a little muted compared to my regular taste - I'm hoping to use these for either some Chrimbo gifts, or failing this, a cushion cover or two.

 

Anyway, that's the latest goings on in my woollen wonderland. We shall see how things pan out over the next month or two. Have a super weekend. Em

The princess of china...

 

Good Monday folks, I hope you are all well.  I just thought I would share a little car-boot and charity shopping with you.  Mr Chanders (for the first time and probably the last) joined me with the little ones early on Saturday morning to our local sale; not early enough for me; but I made an exception as such enthusiasm should not be trampled on.  And then, we went to a couple of local favourite charity shops.  The plate above was from one of the shops; I love it because my mum has the exact plate; a gift from my paternal grandfather as she admired it , when he lived in England.  So I was rather pleased to snap it up; perfect and with a plate hanger already attached.  Maybe the two plates shall  be reunited one day....

 

 

This is a much larger plate; very simple in style; again in another charity shop; for a few pence.  A lovely, simple design; not fussy and will hold a few sandwiches or buns; and in perfect condition.

 

 

Finally, my favourite. I love jugs, with a mini collection on my kitchen windowsill; and managed to pick up this lovely blue and white Spode example at the car boot from a lovely lady. It had a little chip already fixed; but nothing bad enough to put me off for a pound or two. I love the blue and white china; but it's getting harder and harder to find at boot sales and charity shops. So the windowsill has a new recruit to the Jug brigade; and I am two plates richer. Anyway, time to go; my sofa, two little chaps, a book and a blanket are calling.....take care.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mrs Chanders Bakes - Mark two....

Hello all, and welcome.  What a very quiet week it has been, full of fun and mundane:  train looking and cooking; dinosaur bashing and washing.  And a bit of baking.

 



It was my mum's birthday this week.  Yesterday to be precise.   I had already given her a delicious linen clutch courtesy of Ms L Guinness for a birthday present (markedly reduced courtesy of a sales website) in August, so she could use it on her hols.   But I didn't want to go to see her yesterday "with my arms the one length", so I rustled up this little beauty.

 

 

It's exactly the same as the anniversary cake I made in July for the "Ruby Murray Curry Night", but with pastel flowers and ribbon, instead of red.  And an obligatory doily.

 



 

Inside, a delectable victoria sponge with buttercream, recipe courtesy of my old favourite, Mary Berry. I knew it was tasty enough when Dad said "Aye, it's not bad".  I was a little sad to eat her, to be honest.  Anyway, looking forward to the weekend - Mr Chander is off; no studying to be done; might even get to the local car boot sale.  To be honest, I'd be happy with the whole family, snuggled on the settee, watching a film..... 

 

Vegetable soup....

 

A little Friday foodie post, if that's okay today. I love to cook nowadays - when I was a student, I would burn toast; but when you have to feed a family your culinary skills have no option but to improve. I know I definitely have - I've also lost "the fear" - the fear of messing up, of your food tasting like the culinary equivalent of the bad auditions in the X factor. It's also the fear of the unknown - of not knowing how to make something, thereby thinking it must be tricky.

Take soups, for example. I love soups for lunch, and if I'm out and want something light, I'll often go for a soup option, particularly those fancy blended varieties, with a bit of homemade bread. My mum makes one type of soup - vegetable broth made with some shin and stock; she makes it every Saturday in the winter; and her mother before her. It's my childhood in a bowl.

I decided I wanted to make a bit of soup without meat - and couldn't believe how easy it was - I used Mary Berry's "Winter Vegetable Soup" for inspiration, and tweaked it a bit. Basically, I used a couple of leeks; celery (I love celery in soup); potatoes; a couple of garlic cloves; onions and a couple of carrots; I cooked the leeks in butter in a big saucepan for around 8 minutes; then added the rest of the chopped vegetables for the same time; and then added about 1.2L of chicken stock (just using stock cubes) and let it simmer for around 25 minutes. Then I blended the soup et voila!



A veritable feast of veggies.

 

The first time I made it, I couldn't believe how tasty and simple it was. And now I make my vegetable soup nearly every week. I tend to use whatever vegetables I have in the kitchen: always leeks and celery, onion and garlic; but I've added parsnips/carrots/potatoes/butternut squash/sweet potato (Master Chander likes the sweet potato variety!) - whatever I have that's fresh and available - it also makes it slightly different each time. It's great for hubby to bring to work as well; and healthy too. I've never frozen it (because there's usually not enough left) but I think it probably would be okay. To me, the blending makes it that little bit more delish but that's just a personal preference.

Next stop will be to make the bread with it! Take care...