Kelly Casanova Weaving Lessons

Kelly

Chocolate and date muffins

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3/4 cup pitted and chopped dates
100g butter at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk at room temperature
1/2 cup chopped cooking chocolate or choc chips
3/4 cup boiling water
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
1 + 3/4 cup self raising flour
Preheat oven to 180 degrees (C). Line a muffin tin with patty pans (paper cases).
Pour the boiling water onto the chopped dates and add the butter in pieces so that it melts. Stir. 
Add sugar then leave to cool a little.
Mix in the egg, vanilla and soda dissolved in the milk.
Sift flour into the liquid and stir until just combined. Add the chocolate last and stir through lightly.
Half fill your cases for average sized muffin or fill 3/4 for large muffins.
Bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until golden brown.
These are equally good eaten warm or cool. Enjoy!

So much to love

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Some random things that are making me happy at the moment (isn’t Spring wonderful?!)
Abundant roses.

In so many beautiful shades of colour.

Some new tops for me, and about time too! I brought out the trusty Ottobre 303 pattern again. This one is a round neck.

And my first attempt at a v neck which turned out so well I’ll definitely be doing it again.
Life has been such a flurry of sewing, needlework, exercise (yay!), homeschooling, worship, love and art that I rarely seem to be able to share much of it here anymore. I’m enjoying life so much more right now than I have for some time, I’ll have to share more about that with you soon.
Until then, thanks for reading….

Craft storage and yummy bread

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When I think of creating storage space I dream of beautiful wooden cabinets and ornate armoires bursting with perfectly arranged and inspiring objects. The reality is a homeschooling family (especially with a mad crafter as principal!) will accumulate a lot of stuff and need solutions whatever the family budget may be, which in our case does not allow for armoires!
My solution to our craft tool and paper build up in our dining room/kitchen, where all the schooling action happens, was more plastic drawers. While not as aesthetically pleasing as wood, the price difference is massive.

 The advantage of plastic is having deep, clear drawers, it’s accessible to little ones and you won’t be  upset at it being banged around a bit. This unit is also on wheels, so simple to move.

I printed out some paper labels to keep track of items in drawers, though little ones who can’t read will quickly memorise which drawer holds their precious colouring pencils!

I just finished reading The Rhythmn of Family which is Amanda Soule’s latest book and found the wheat, honey and oat bread recipe to be really delicious. The book was interesting as Amanda and her husband have an interesting outlook on life, but I think I gain a lot more inspiration from literature that is God centred rather than nature centred, after all God made nature and I worship Him but not nature itself. Just my opinion, and if you need some motivation within your home life and with your children Amanda’s books do help to remind you to get outdoors and appreciate your surroundings as well as live more naturally which is a good thing.

Happy day to you, God bless you all šŸ™‚

Cubbyhouses and perspective

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We spent a lovely afternoon with some friends the other day. My girls had such a great time playing in the beautiful wooden cubbyhouse on the hill, leading to a slide down to the huge sandpit and a big trampoline.
The girls were reluctant to leave, (there is also a playground directly across the road from the house) and as we did a sort of sadness crept over me.


Image credit


We don’t have a cubbyhouse or sandpit. Our trampoline is old and coming apart. Our backyard is a fair size by city standards, but there is no room for a swing set or other play equipment.
Yep, I was feeling like we aren’t providing for our children well enough because of our financial situation.

And then today I received a letter in the mail that was such a timely reminder that I’m sure God is prodding me! One of my sisters – in – law is a religious sister and currently lives in Kolkata, India. She writes a letter a month and we get a copy. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind my sharing these brief extracts from her letter.

“One form of poverty that I can’t bear is to see women in raggy clothes that expose their bodies. Sickness, hunger, homelessness don’t strip them of their dignity anywhere as much as nakedness does, and when I see them that glimpse remains as a very painful picture in my memory”.


“… India which is a mix of great progress and primitive poverty. What is considered normal here is a shock to outsiders”.

So I gathered a couple of camping tarps, headed out to the garden and cleared a little patch beneath some branches and between the lavender and arum lilies. One of the tarps went on the ground, the other suspended by branches.

Added a couple of girly faux flowers, patchwork blanket and pretty yarn, and that’s it! They were so delighted and I was humbled.

I looked around the garden and gave thanks for the great things we do have, because there are so, so many.

Ottobre 301

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Summer sewing – yay!
Ottobre 301 pattern again. This time I left the sleeves off and added binding instead.

Fabrics are white Stella and spotty Stenzo from the Crafty Mamas shop. I used freezer paper and textile medium with Jo Sonja paint to stencil on the little squirrel. The stencil came from here and there are heaps of fantastic stencil potential there!

Embroidery progress

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Slowly but surely I’m working on what will be my final piece for my stumpwork course assessment.
Although it’s a lot of work I am getting so much out of this project.

 I never really imagined using so many varied techniques and materials in one piece before and am feeling like I have just received my embroidery licence and can do what I want for the first time!

Although it’s primarily a stumpwork project I’m incorporating silk ribbon embroidery, beading and surface embroidery. Although I drew a detailed design I find myself deviating from that by experimenting and just “winging it”. I can’t wait to see the end product, it’s really exciting. 

Thank you God for…

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I’m going to try to post my thanksgiving here every Friday and would love for you to join in. My purpose in doing this is to remind myself of all the good in my life and to acknowledge that I owe all of this goodness to our Creator. I notice a lot of people say “Thank God it’s Friday”, so Friday it is!

I’m not so great at maintaining what I start but if some of you join in perhaps I will be motivated.
You can post as many or as little thank you’s as you like, with or without photos. Then simply link up your blog post with Mr Linky so we can read your thank you’s!


Thank you God for…..


– A renewed motivation to encourage the children in their art and craft pursuits.

– The return of my voice! I really missed singing while I was sick and it feels wonderful to be on the mend.

– Giving me the rare luxury of starting my day with a brisk walk.

– Surrounding me with the encouragement I need at this time to organise my home and my life.

Sewing for the girls

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We had a 6th birthday here last week so some pretty sewing was in order. First up – a tee shirt dress adapted from Ottobre 303 Creative Workshop pattern. The pattern and fabrics are from the Crafty Mamas shop.
Little sisters are allowed to get birthday presents even if it’s not their birthday! (Or so I’m told)
I used the Ottobre pattern again, this time as a simple tee with contrast sleeves and neckband. 
The birthday dress. To cut a long story short, I used a Sis Boom pattern from the book and was very disappointed with the baggy and ill fitting results. Before throwing the towel in and cutting it up to salvage the special fabric (recognise the skirt fabric Carol?) I decided to totally wing it and try a major fix.
I took the dress in at the sides, added a pleat to the front, added binding to the skirt and eliminated some of the waist bagginess and bulk. Bingo! I have alteration skills I didn’t even know I had!
The dress is treasured, and I mean treasured. You know the coolest part? My husband took the birthday girl on a trip to the coast and he said so many people stopped them in the street to admire the dress and her hair accessories (also Mama made). Hearing that really made my day!
I made this hair barrette by deconstructing a faux flower, sewing it back together, adding a button and hot glueing it all to a metal barrette. Very simple, very pretty.
For this one I wrapped a cheap plastic headband in cheap gingham craft ribbon, then glued on the pre – purchased roses. 
If you’d like a tutorial for the hair accessories I’m happy to oblige – just ask!

Encouraging podcasts

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I’m so into listening to podcasts at the moment because I can learn and receive encouragement and motivation while I’m doing something else. I like to multitask, so listening while using my hands (whether it’s work or creative time) is quite fulfilling.
I thought I’d share some links that might be helpful to you too:

Homeschool.com has podcasts mostly relating to homeschooling but also to organisation, motivation and family issues.

The Fly Lady website has links to regular blog talk radio programs about organising your home, nutrition, fashion, body image, self esteem etc.

Live 365 gives you access to so many free online radio stations – I could describe some genres but there are just so many! For the children I play nursery rhymes, piano solos and Christian music and for me I love celtic, sacred hymns and whatever I feel like listening to at the time!  Good music can really help to lift the mood in your home, I find it so helpful and inspiring.

I’m having camera issues – I have so much to show but it will have to wait until I sort out the camera šŸ™‚