Families

I've always secretly wanted a large family. Not Brady Bunch large, but certainly more than one child. To many of my friends this might seem so strange. But I come from a small family, a small immigrant family. So Christmas times were always small and contained.

Last Christmas we were amazed at how much joy Victoria gave every member of our family. Yes there are times when raising a child is hard work, but when we see the joy that she gives people, we know she is worth it.

Tori and Uncle David Christmas 2009

Anyway, I am not too sure whether the universe will bless us with a large family, but we have recently been blessed with knowing that we are expecting baby #2. Currently gestating, due for a February 2011 release.

As you can imagine, pregnancy can turn your world upside down and as a result I have scaled back my markets and this Friday is my last day with stock in at incub8r on Smith Street. Exhaustion is certainy an understatement at the moment, and I have four more weeks of teaching left.

I plan to resume my offline business opportunities when I can get a hold on what is happening to me and work out how I am going to manage a toddler, a baby and sewing regularly for a business.

There are lots of reasons why I haven't posted until now. But those crafters that know me in real life, know that something has been happening.

I promise you that I won't woe you of stories of gestation and labour, but there might be a gratuotous belly shot in the near future.

Where did my baby go?

Sitting making a batch of baby shoes for an exciting new store last night and I found myself wondering where my baby had gone ... remembering the first pair of shoes I made for her in August 2008.

She is no longer a toddler she is a little girl with opinions and lots of attitude. At the moment her language is developing fine and every once in a while she will have a full conversation with you, but it still sounds like jibberish. At the end she will say "ok"?

Anyway, back to the shoes ... I try and do things in batches, so I was busy making baby shoe "tops" from all the material I had cut out previously. I line them with wool batting for extra warmth and breathability. I found that lined with polyester batting and they tended to get a bit stinky a bit too fast.

I love the Kokka bat fabic, the durability is excellent as it is a medium weight fabric and it looks so cute!

I still have some prototype shoes made in this fabric kicking around and except for the time when she got out onto concrete, they have survived Tori and the washing machine quite well.

I might have to make her a pair of shoes for winter, at the moment her feet are enjoying not having much on them when she is inside.