What We Wore to Clara's School Enrollment Party

When Clara came out of her room this morning, she had picked by herself the very first dress I have ever sewed, two and a half years ago. For her. Still looking good, but getting shorter year by year.


2012


2010

Or is it the girl growing?



I must say, that I had a nice little feeling of pride that we all wore something made by my hands to this special party.



Carolina wore her Flagstaff Jacket (blogged here).



I wore one of my skirts from the beginnings of this blog.
(And a shirt my own mama gave me, I must confess)



Photos by Hubby (not in the picture, nothing spouse-made...)

Carolina's Butterflies

Once I start sewing, I can't stop. Especially if it is easy, quick, useful and for the girls. Clara got her gym sack yesterday and as Carolina caught a little cold in this cooler weather now, she was in for some Mama-sewing today.



A baby hat and a baby bandana from Lotta Jansdotter's book Simple Sewing for Baby to keep Carolina warm (and the fluids at bay that come out of her nose and mouth at the moment). Carolina got a similar hat as a gift from Mama K. in January (blogged here) and wore this cute thing all through winter and spring and got a lot of tips of the hat for it. Her new mama version is a tad bigger, but also pink (of course).



And it has little butterflies.

Just a Bag

The beginning of school for Clara offers sewing opportunities for useful things. Sure, you could buy it, but what is better than sewing something that is really required.



Like a gym sack.
Matching her school bag. Yes, horses, fabric picked by the school girl herself. It is just a simple, easy-to-sew drawstring bag, I found an instruction in soulemama's book The Rhythm of Family. But it is something mama-made. In this new school world.

Pink Moment of the Week

First day at school.



A special day for all of us, but especially (of course) for Clara.

Your Weekly Yarn Graffiti

Found opposite the Oldenburg Theater.



ghost dog. again.



Is that the corresponding opposite to my one and only yarn graffiti (Knitty Titty Graffiti blogged here)?

Light on Yoga, Light on Me

I am a Kundalini yogini (as taught by Yogi Bhajan) with all my heart and soul, but sometimes I teach weekend retreats at an Hatha Yoga ashram near the North Sea. Last time I taught Shakti Power, Carolina was a tiny bean inside me, this time I went with the whole gang. While I was
teaching, Hubby took great care of the girls, and we even had some sunny family time at the sea.



I think, the Ashram gurus shared some of their light.

The Studio

It's been nearly four months now since we moved into our new home, and I still haven't shown you a view of my studio. Glimpses here and there, but not a proper view. I took a while to get sorted there, step by step and I never considered it finished enough to show it to you. But of what use is "perfect"? All the while, projects have been started and finished there and the studio has started to have its own rhythm. As the creative heart of the house. My creative heart and soul.



It is divided into two parts - the left is for crafting...



(it has a pink wall, of course)



...and the right side is for yoga.



(even though the crafting side spreads out more and more...)



I knew from the start that I wanted this to be my studio, with its lovely and relaxing view onto patio and garden (even though I can count the times I had/took the time to enjoy it yet).

Inviting it is.



Shine on.

Pink Moment of the Week

A new - weekly - category!
Let's see where I will find the pink.



Premiering with Pink Chard - great this week in Green Smoothies, roasted or in chard lasagna.

Your Weekly Yarn Graffiti

ghost dog did it again!



On the way to my prenatal yoga class last night, I saw that I had overlooked some yarn graffiti before.





Unraveled already.



Not far away from the new crochet graffiti, in front of the birthing home where I teach, this one year old graffiti (first blogged here) is still there, battered, weather-beaten and disheveled.



But still standing.

Garden Parties

Savouring the last days of summer at friends' and family's gardens,



enjoying the beauty of small tortoiseshell



and red admiral butterflies.

Your Weekly Yarn Graffiti

The Oldenburg Crochet Guerilla put some colourful touches on the city. Not so very far away from last week's scene of the yarn (blogged here).





And again this tag:



Alias.

Planting

After Clara and her Papa cleared the patch of weeds last night, we could go on planting the greens we got from the herbary yesterday. We only have a little place reserved for it in the garden, but it is a place.



Carolina went for the watering can...


... and the patch!
(note: wear a lot of white when working with soil)

Clara planted her flowers and I planted my herbs. Clara: Mama, I am much better at gardening than you - my flowers stand tall and your herbs are all flat!



And we already had our first gardening success!



Just kidding: the zucchini was a gift from a yoga student of mine.

To the Herbary

For my birthday I got a voucher from two friends/yoga students for an organic herbary (their website here) in Oldenburg. Eventually I got myself and the girls organized to go there (actually it is just a 15 minutes walk...). On the way to the herbary we even met one of the friends who gave me the voucher - a good day for green energy.





An overwhelming variety of plants!





To make it easy I asked a lady who worked there what she could suggest for our garden. We got herbs like rosemary and thyme, cilantro, lemon balm, yarrow for bellyache tea and leafy greens like rocket and red chard. Clara had her own ideas about "her garden" and wanted flowers.



We went home with flowers with funny German names: "Maedchenauge" - Girl's Eye (English Tickseed) and Fetthenne - Fat Hen (English Sedum).



Two chicks with girly eyes.

Work in Progress

Little baby nap time.



Big Mama crafting time.