Super Hero Capes & Masks!

It's always hard to think of cool things to get for my niece and nephew for Christmas and Birthdays. They usually want something plastic and 'current' and it will be of no interest in a few weeks so I don't really like to go along with that.

The problem then is, that if I get them something that I like, preferably wooden or fabric, they think it's boring, or don't understand what it is, so then there's no point. This was emphasised in a present that I got for my niece one year (a loom knitting kit) when I got an answermachine message saying 'thank-you-for-my-present-auntie-Amy-whatever-it-is'.

So this year, due to the success of my superhero masks at recent Christmas markets, and my nephews obsession with spiderman and the fact that he wears his costume as often as he can, I thought it would be a good idea to make them personalised superhero masks and capes.

I thought blue would match my nephews favourite spiderman outfit....

Whilst red is often my nieces favourite colour. I had to, of course, go for spotty linings. 

They were VERY pleased with them, and they fitted perfectly!

My niece didn't take hers off all day, which was great as she was the one I thought would be less keen!!

Superheros in action in the playground!

Crazy Llama Mobile

I've been making llama mobiles for a while, which with mountains, a sunshine and cacti were pretty cool - but then I was given a water bottle with some crazy embroidered llamas on it.....and well....I couldn't ignore it, I had too use it as inspiration for a crazy llama mobile!!

Here are how some of them turned out.....

Climbing Volcan Aconagua - Antigua Guatemala

Although it was only a couple of weeks ago, it already seems like ages since my summer holidays - traveling around the south east of Mexico, a quick hop to Caye Caulker in Belize, and then Guatemala.

One of the highlights of Guatemala was climbing Volcan Aconagua (3976m). I've climbed a fair few volcanoes and mountains over 4000m before, and been lucky enough not to struggle with the altitude, so didn't expect anything different this time, but clearly I've got a lot older since I last climbed that high!!

The walk started easily enough, up through some corn fields, but it was a steep, scrabbly path that just kept on going up and it was hard! We started hiking at 2,500m, climbed until 3,700m where we camped for the night, with just a last little bit to climb in the middle of the night for sunrise.

Despite the hard walk, lack of oxygen, and freezing cold, it was an incredible sunrise, combined with the feeling of ebing on top of the world, and with Volcan Fuego smoking excitingly next to us (it had last erupted 2 months before our hike!!).

Here are some photos.....

Starting the hike

Our accommodation for the night

Just a few volcanoes around!

Almost at the top for sunrise

Such a stunning view!

We made it!

Volcanoes, the moon and volcano shadow! So cool!

The cloud quickly rolled in!

Volcan Fuego silently smoking away...

The nicest part of the walk as it was flat!!

A view over the valley

Backpacking Adventures

I am very excitingly off on some backpacking adventures tomorrow, for a few weeks, and so am now doing all sorts of things I can think of to put off packing.

This is not as bad as it sounds - I have actually almost packed, I just need to wash a few last bits, and add in a few extra things I've just thought of to take.

I am however, trying to be very good, and not just keep adding things I think of!!

I got my trusty Lowe Alpine 55l rucksack back in 2002 and have taken it all over the world with me on various adventures, and it's been great. The only problem (apart from it now being very old and worn) is that it is surprisingly roomy, and so if I have space, I tend to fill it!

So as I now go on more weekend/long weekend trips (Can't wait for retirement!!) rather than month/year long trips, I have replaced my trusty old favourite with a new Lowe Alpine 45l carry on. It's lightweight, has the right amount of padding and pockets, and is surprisingly roomy, whilst still fitting into hand luggage size guidelines. 

I have so far taken it as hand luggage on a Ryanair and British Airways flight and there has been no question it's within the size allowed. 

Now as I really am one of those people who will pack stuff if there is space in my bag, and then get annoyed later, I decided that I can do 3 weeks backpacking in Central America with hand luggage only. It's going to be hot, so I can fit a lot of sundresses, bikinis and shorts in my hand luggage space. 

Slightly bulkier but definite essentials also include my snorkel & mask, hammock, mosquito net, and a big box of English Breakfast tea. 

Off to pack now.....photos to follow in a few weeks!!

Custom Mobile Orders

I love when customers come and know exactly what they would like, and I am able to make it for them! Its great when they have such strong ideas about what they would like, and even better when I am able to make it for them, and see their excitement when they get it.

I've had a few great custom orders recently! Here are some photos of them:

This lady wanted one of my circus themed mobiles, with the bunting round the top, in a very beautiful mix of pasetel colours, and with a unicorn, a dog, an owl, a bunny, an elephant and a penguin! So cute!

This lovely customer again knew exactly what they wanted - birds native to Cyprus, a sun, moon, stars and rainbows. It was very fun to create some new birds and I especially love how the Kingfisher turned out!

I'm always happy to make new custom mobiles, so if there is ever anything you think of that you'd like made into a mobile, please do let me know!

New Circus Mobile

Wow it's been 2 months since I posted anything! Apologies - I don't know where the time has gone!

So I'm always coming up with new ideas for mobiles, and quite often have an idea in my head for ages before I actually get round to making anything.

So I had the idea for a circus mobile in my head for ages but was a bit worried about making it as I am totally against anyone using animals for performances in any sort of way - but then I thought 'hey elephants aren't pink for a start, so none of my mobiles are totally realistic and my ideas of how to present the animals was so exciting that I wanted to try.

So here it is:

What do you think?

Crazy Spring Snow

I love snow! I turn into a child and start jumping up and down as soon as I see snowflakes falling, and spend half the year dreaming of our annual ski trip and how big the snow drifts will be.

We've had more than our normal share of snow this year, and particularly in March, and I've spent a lot of time out wandering in it.

Here are some of my photos:

Kensington Palace Gardens - Cycling Home

My poor tomatoes - they've since died :(

Snow encroaching on the hallway inside our block

A ridiculous forecast for March!!

Playing in the garden in my newly made giant jumper dress. 

Hammersmith Bridge

Walking the Thames at low tide

The Thames was frozen at the edges!

Deep snow!

Crazy icicles under our balcony!!

New for 2018!!

So it seems to have become tradition, that about this time every year, I come up with a new item to sell. Sometimes it's replacing something I've discontinued, but mostly because I think now is when I think about stopping hats until October ish again, so feel I'll have some empty space on my stall (this is never the case!!!).

So as we live in a very small flat, and I am definitely taking up more that my fair share of storage space in here, I have decided to stop selling cushions. They are very bulky, and also very stressful to have on my stall when it is wet/windy as there is risk of mud!!!

But it turns out I have been secretly hoarding a lot of the organic cotton prints I use for the cushions. So instead, and carrying on with the baby theme, I have decided to make some organic cotton dribble bibs, and bunny teethers.

I embroidered some for a friend's nephew!

Such cute prints!!

I found some non snagging velcro, and have trimmed it into circles so there are no sharp edges!

Very cute and chewable!!

A Sneaky Ski Weekend

Since I work in a school, and don't fancy going skiing amongst the half term craziness, we have to make do with skiing long weekends - which is actually plenty long enough to get into it and enjoy it.

As it was stupidly cheap to fly, and we thought it would be quiet after the New Year holiday, we went on Thursday for a sneaky ski long weekend. As in previous years, we flew to Geneva, and then got the hour and a bit transfer to Avoriaz, to take advantage of the Portes Du Soleil ski area.

Although this is the 3rd time we've skied in the Portes Du Soleil area, it's so massive that we discovered many new areas and runs this year, all with stunning mountain scenery.

Here are some photos:

From London (and I'm sure most other places in the UK) it's so easy. Flight = 1 hour 20 mins (+1 hour time difference on the way), transfer  = 1 hour 20 mins ish depending on the number of drop offs, lift up to Avoriaz = 5 mins and viola, you're in Avoriaz village. We always rent apartments from Air BnB right in the village, and the whole place is ski in ski out. Plus then you're right in the middle, so it's easy to get to the farthest edges of the ski area. 

I would highly recommend it for a weekend, or a week even!