I was delighted to have a chance to try out the new Hanami pattern from StraightGrain.   The name Hanami means flower watching, which is something we make a tradition of around here.  Every spring, near the end of September, we have a Hanami picnic at the local memorial gardens.  This involves frolicking, cups of tea, biscuits and sitting under abundant cherry blossoms.  The...

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I snuck away with E to spend some time making things with friends.  H was a tad jealous and so we ended up making little houses too.  As we were all out of big match boxes, the little ones had to do.  We used the tutorial from Coloured Buttons with the kids picking out shapes, colours and ribbons and adults manning the glue...

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"Amy, crazy ladies have been leaving stuff on our door step again*.  I found this casserole dish.."  It turns out that crazy lady is me.  Mum had passed this dish onto me, finding it had become too heavy for her wrists.  It was on the front seat of the car and I hastily put it on the step rather than drive it around...

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I've done it again.  I don't mean making zippered pockets for presents either.  I wrapped the present and then remembered to take the photo.  You can see the wrapping paper behind as evidence.  To make matters worse, it's not even the second time I've done this.  It's the third. E chose the fabric for her friend's present.  Upon seeing it 'finished'  told me...

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I adore vintage educational aides.  There is even a word for it. Realia - Tools used to connect learners with the focal point of a lesson. Sometimes the very patina and tone teaches just as much about a time as it's subject.   I would guess that the europe at a glance is sometime before WW2 as many of the former eastern communist block...

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There are little signs of an impending spring.  Some of the signs are quite literal.  I asked E to make a label for the dark box holding our bulb glass.  I think she did pretty well - as you can see the box holds a bolb, glas and wota.  There is nothing like children's spelling to to remind you of how your accent...

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