Busy Doing

Well I keep thinking of posting here but then finding another thing to do instead (not that the thing I find to do isn't often a version of time wasting if I'm completely honest, but I'm starting to feel more productive again which is wonderful).

I've managed some sewing recently which tends to be the most difficult thing to fit in. I made a new skirt for myself from a thrifted sheet which I have not managed to get a good picture of. I used some of the same sheet to make a skirt for my daughter which she picked out to wear the other week to the farmers market so I took a picture of her balancing along the edge of a flower bed to capture it. You can't tell that there's a band of pink at the top of the skirt because on this particular day my girl decided to pair the skirt with a yellow with little black polka dots dress that I made back in March and never blogged about (it's from a nice simple and free pattern at BurdaStyle, can't find it now since they've redesigned but it's called the Vivienne I think if you find a project made from it you might be able to download the pattern there). That's my girl, that outfit made me feel so happy!

The thing that I've been doing a lot in the evenings (which is the time I use for blogging when I manage it) is canning. Mostly I've made several kinds of jams, the most recent being the Apple/Blueberry/Blackcurrant jam last night.

Now that we have a ridiculous amount of jam I thought maybe I should try something else and have made my first attempts at pickles. So far I've made a few jars each of pickled green beans and cucumbers (I added some red onion and carrot to the cucumbers as I didn't have as many as I'd thought I would and needed extra in the jars). I had some cucumbers that weren't going to work for the kind of pickles my husband and daughter usually eat so I looked around at some recipes online (cucumber relishes and some Branston style sandwich pickles) and came up with my own version. (I won't post the recipe until such time as we've found out what it tastes like and determined whether it's edible!)

There has also been some knitting but I don't have photos to share of that, and also I need to be asleep in bed, so goodnight all!

Hibernation

Well it seems to be February already. I believe this happened last year too. Perhaps for me January is a time to regroup before heading into the new year for real? I've been trying to finish up overdue Christmas presents (not with great success I might add) and trying to figure out how I want to prioritise this new year. Not sure I've come to any great conclusions yet, but I'm getting there.

In the meantime there has been snow play with my daughter. She has discovered snow angels, and decided that snow is not barrier to making "sandcastles"!

Indoors we've also been crafting. While at a holiday crafting event at our local library before Christmas my daughter discovered rubber-stamping and was fixated. So I have dug out my own collection of stamps (from when my own obsession began in high school), got some supposedly washable stamp-pads and there have been some fun times stamping and experimenting with mixed media (painting then stamping, stamping and drawing with crayons etc).

I've done some knitting. This photo is of a pair of fingerless mitts that go up to my elbows using leftover yarn from my Gathered Cardi. I love the cardi, and I was glad to have the sleeves not too long for when working but I do find my forearms getting cold when out and about so this fills in the gap. I tried several patterns before spotting the simpler and gratifyingly quick one I used. I should to a proper finished object post when I've got some good finished object photos.

I also managed my first sewing project of the new year -- an addition to my cloth pad stash made with the off cuts from making pyjama trousers. Love these! I notice there's a new free pattern for cloth pads up at the BurdaStyle site, but I know there are lots of others around and about if you search. I made my own pattern based on pads I already had.

Of course all important at this time of year is the comfort of food and drinks. Tea and toast is one of my favourites. I'm loving these mugs bought at the farmers market (unfortunately this one got broken already, I'm seeing it as an opportunity to support a local business!).

In the cold weather soup and bread is a must. This is some soup made from leftover potato and cheese bake with an onion, turkey broth and some corn added in!

One of my goals, that I've really been working toward for a while as you might guess from previous posts, is to make our bread products with occasional supplementation from local bakeries (the toast with the tea is bought I must admit -- multigrain wholewheat sourdough, yum). It's going pretty well (although I did buy some crumpets at the supermarket last week... I have to try making those again and see whether I can master it).

The bread with the soup is made using the naan bread method found in the Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day book -- it's a great way to make a flat bread quickly on the stove. Cut off a small piece of dough, roll it out and put in a warmed buttered frying pan and cook with a lid on flipping part way through. So good.

craftiness in the blood

My daughter has been very interested in my sewing, knitting and crochet for a long time. Now of course she wants to help me constantly. Partly inspired by Soulemama* and partly by memories of my own sewing projects my mum set up for me as a child, I helped my daughter do her first sewing project. I found some cross-stitch fabric (which has holes she can poke the needle through built in) which I put into an embroidery hoop. She chose some embroidery floss (blue first as it seems to be her favourite at the moment) and threaded up a cross-stitch (blunt tipped) needle for her.

She's only two and it was her first try so I mostly held the hoop for her and reminded her which side to work from with each stitch, but she retained creative control so far as where the needle and thread went. It may not actually be complete yet because she wanted to add some pink and more blue. I think she did a pretty good job with her "crochet" as she keeps insisting on identifying it! (I scanned this as an experiment hence the blotchy bits where the canvas isn't quite flat.)

* I'm adding this to the Creative Family Pool at Flickr where you can find lots of photos posted by people inspired by soulemama's book The Creative Family. (I went to one of the book events when the book came out in the spring time. I find Amanda's book and blog constantly inspirational.)

Party!

We had a little birthday party for my daughter at the weekend (at last, only just over a month since her birthday). My organization skills in general leave a lot to be desired, but my drive to provide food at social events is strong so party favors didn't get finished but we had more than enough food to be in danger of spoiling our dinner (it was a late afternoon party).

The picture shows the selection of sweet baked goods I made (with help from my daughter who loves to pour and mix and press the button on the food processor and call for "more choc'ate").

The leftmost cookies are the Honeyed Chocolate Chip Cookies that I spotted on the Baking Bites blog last week. When I noted that honey makes the cookies moist and therefore less prone to going dry and stale I thought that was perfect for my purposes since I could make a batch a day or two ahead to spread the baking out. I used to make a honey and ginger cookie quite often when I was at uni which I'd all but forgotten about, this brought the memory back and I added maybe half a teaspoon of ginger to the dough. I might add more ginger another time for my taste, as it was it gave that slight hint that makes you think "there's something in here I wasn't expecting but I can't put my finger on what it is".

The other cookies are two variations on the Flourless Nut Butter Cookies which I've made several times before. I made a double batch with peanut butter to which I added some cocoa powder and chopped chocolate. Also made a single batch with almond butter which I tried putting a spoonful of jam (some strawberry rhubarb I made a while back) in the middle and a little chocolate on some too. I personally like the almond butter ones much better than peanut, and the jam and chocolate topping was really yummy.

Finally the birthday cake! I took two banana bread recipes I've made and liked in the past and combined elements from both to make a spiced banana coconut cake with molasses then baked it in an 8x8 square baking tin. Should have taken notes, it came out very nice and moist and tasty.

I had intended a flourless chocolate cake too (since some guests don't do flour or dairy). When that didn't happen I thought I'd better put chocolate on top of this cake (after all I had been told there needed to be chocolate by the birthday girl). I had the end of a batch of ganache in the fridge and threw in some extra chocolate and melted them together and spread it on top. Not the most picturesque but it worked for us!

There were some more healthful food options - hummus with carrots and socca for dipping plus lots of fresh fruit.

The party was nice and small and relaxed. We went to the common in town with friends, sat at and around a picnic table, ate and chatted. There was singing to the birthday girl, and she got to open some presents, eat cake, kick a ball around, pet a dog and play with bubbles.

I made her a big footed bunny (using a pattern from WeeWonderfuls) with a pinafore to match the one I made daughter for Easter (which daughter was suitably impressed with when she noticed). Unfortunately I didn't quite manage to finish so we still need to sew on a face, I shall be asking for input from the new owner (there has already been a vote for blue eyes) who is quite appalled at the face with no face. I imagine that once the face is in place the bunny will get her own photo shoot and blog post.

I almost forgot!

I edited the photos and then forgot to upload and blog about this dress I made for my daughter back in June (which, incidentally seems to have disappeared of the face of the earth since so perhaps that's why I forgot). I was reminded when I caught sight of this dress made using the same tutorial.
It's made from an old shirt of my husbands using this tutorial.

I made another from a blue checked shirt found at the thriftstore as a gift for a friend of ours who is very into The Wizard of Oz (Dorothy dress!). Forgot to take a photo of that one though.

This was a satisfyingly quick and effective project (since a lot of the fiddly stuff is already done in the shirt, case in point being buttons and button holes).

Another time I will attach the shoulder straps/sleeves closer together (at least in the back) because they slip down a lot as they are in this dress. I think this one runs a bit big on my daughter but that just means space to grow, and/or means she can wear it over warmer clothes in cooler weather, (well, assuming I can find it again anyway).

finally a FO

I'm so excited to have actually finished sewing something (and something for me too) for the first time in ages! I actually finished a week or so ago when my husband took our daughter off to visit his parents leaving me home alone for hours for probably the first time in 2 years (and this hot on the heels of me getting to go to the cinema by myself to see Mama Mia which felt wonderful).

The pattern is NewLook 6490. The fabric is some I found a while back at the thrift store (and I have quite a bit left over for another garment).

I made the shoulder straps much wider than the pattern (which suggests using 1/4-3/8" ribbon or lace) 'cause I like to wear a bra and not show too much of it off.

I'm not sure whether you can tell from the photo but the top part of the shirt is two overlapping sections, very handy for a nursing mama! The fit is a little weird to me because the top section ends way before my breasts actually do, but actually I think that works!

Christmas Outfit

Christmas Outfit
Originally uploaded by commonplaceiris.

I hope all who observe it had a wonderful Christmas Day yesterday (well I hope everybody had a wonderful Day regardless too).

I finally got an outfit made for my daughter for a special occasion again, yay! I missed for last Christmas, her birthday (and the Easter dresses were supposed to be for earlier in the year...). I'm especially pleased because at the moment she didn't have another new dress to wear as she has all the other times.

The pattern is Simplicity 4304. I used some green fabric that's been sitting in my stash for years (used some of it for a Christmas dress for our niece about 3 years back!) and a thrifted pillowcase for the pinafore. Since I did all the sewing Christmas Eve and morning it's not the best job ever but I think it looks good once the pinafore's on. (I actually still have to add buttonholes and buttons to the pinafore, it's done up with safety pins here...).

Now off to have a fun time on Boxing Day with the dancing and the mumming and the caroling and the socializing.

Links for 2007-09-01 to 04 [del.icio.us]

• If you can handle the mess: fun things to do with toddlers - ParentDish
  A few fun ideas in the post. I was hoping there'd be more comments too, oh well.
• angry chicken: not made in china.
  great blog post about toys for children in light of all the recalls recently of toys made in China includes ideas for making toys, where to buy safe toys and how to talk to family and friends about the kinds of things to get your children for gifts
• Results of the cold brew coffee experiment - Slashfood
• Cold Coffee Drinks Without Special Equipment - Instructables
  I am intrigued by this cold brew coffee idea. Not that I'm a coffee drinker myself, but my husband is and I've thought of trying to figure out making him iced coffee in the summertime so this is on my list of things to try.
• How to construct a slash pocket - Instructables
Useful tutorial for incorporation into my favourite trouser pattern.

• Simply Recipes: Perfect Popcorn Recipe
Not that I don't know how to pop corn, but this has a few tips I hadn't come across before.

• Tutowlrial
  A picture tutorial for sewing a cute little owl found via Domesticali
• BBC NEWS World Asia-Pacific Miscarriage prompts Japan pledge
  "Japan's health minister has pledged to address the shortage of doctors in the country after a woman in labour was turned away by eight hospitals."
• BBC NEWS Health Ovary removal 'raises brain risk'
  "Women who have ovaries removed before the menopause could be increasing their risk of both Parkinson's Disease and memory problems, research suggests.
  "Removing one or both ovaries at a young age doubled the risk.
  "Sex hormones made by the ovary may be protecting the brain, said experts from the US Mayo Clinic."
• What do you think of Attachment Parenting? - ParentDish
  "These days, I don't hear much about AP v. traditional parenting. Is it just because I'm out of the baby loop, or is it because like me with the twins, parents have decided to take and use the best of both worlds?"
• BBC NEWS Health Junk sleep 'damaging teen health'
  "Too many teenagers are damaging their health by not getting enough sleep and by falling asleep with electrical gadgets on, researchers say.
  "A third of 12 to 16-year-olds asked slept for between four to seven hours a night. Experts recommend eight hours."
• 25 Worlds Weirdest Animals
  Found via parentdish definitely worth a look!
• BBC NEWS In Pictures Beards and Moustaches: Your photos
Fun, pictures from the 2007 World Beard and Moustache Championships!

• BBC NEWS Health Confusion over diabetes testing
"Diabetics could be giving up vital home blood sugar checks because they believe they are of no use, says a researcher.
"Psychologist Dr Elizabeth Peel interviewed type 2 diabetes patients, and found that many were confused over what to do with the results.
"Writing in the British Medical Journal, she said that some doctors simply ignored detailed records kept by diabetics, compounding the problem."

• Top 50 Sites for Kids - The Amusement Park of the Web : All My Faves Blog
  AllMyFaves blog has "rounded up 150+ sites that will provide the children with hours of endless entertainment." (via http://www.parentdish.com/ )
• knittywhipped: Monkey Hooters!
  this blogger found someone's purl free monkey variation and made a pair. I'd been wondering how a purl free pair would look, and suspecting I might prefer them that way and I think I was right! So, next pair of monkeys I make I plan to do this way.
• Lamaze International: The Lamaze Institute for Normal Birth
• Simply Recipes: Tomatoes!A granola recipe from my mom's hippie youth - Slashfood
  This looks like a good ratio of stuff to oil and sweetener and I've been meaning to try my hand at making my own granola.
• The explosion of vileness that followed her death Libby Purves - Times Online
  A reflection on the media reaction after the death of Princess Diana -- I really appreciated reading this article. I was remembering that time and how it seemed to me as though people were rather missing what was important in all the hysteria.
  

Links for 2007-08-24 to 26 [del.icio.us]

• The Meal Assembly Network
  I've heard of this meal assembly thing before:
  

  "A meal assembly kitchen is the ultimate partner in helping busy families get healthy, tasty dinners prepared. The typical kitchen has 12 to 16 stations that look like salad bars. Each station includes all of the ingredients necessary to put together a main entrée that serves 4 to 6. The ingredients are already chopped, sliced, and/or cut. Customers follow detailed instructions at each station and assemble the ingredients into freezer-ready bags. Buying and preparing the ingredients, as well as cleaning up the mess, is the responsibility of the meal assembly kitchen. The customer typically assembles 12 meals, and takes them home in a cooler or a laundry basket for storage in the freezer. Actual cooking happens at home."

  I like the idea but I don't think I'd actually do it -- but if I had more freezer space and could clear the time it'd be good to try and put stuff together like this at home sometimes for those nights when I don't want to cook but I don't want to eat take-out.
• He has your... fear of veggies | Health & Fitness | Reuters
  

  "In a large study of identical and fraternal twins, researchers from University College London found that nearly 80 percent of children's tendency to avoid unfamiliar foods was inherited."

  I was interested to hear the part about fear of new foods, and the idea of just keeping giving children a new food until it's a familiar food and then they may find it's ok, or even that they like it! I know that for me (somewhat picky eater that I am) I've gotten more able to stomach foods through forcing myself to take a few bites. My mum always used to do this with vegetables we didn't like. We had one bites worth on our plate that we had to try then we could have more if we liked, or not. It hasn't got me to like swede but I could eat it if needed!
• Breakthrough in obesity battle - 25 Jul 2007 - NZ Herald: New Zealand National news
  

  "The scientists have shown that if a mother is undernourished, her children's bodies are set up to cope with a life of scarcity.
  "But the energy-dense "hamburger and milkshake" diet of modern Western society is likely to result in children who are likely to become fat - unlike those from mothers who eat a balanced diet during pregnancy."

• Neonatal Doc: Loss
  A wonderful post from a neonatologist - a quote:
  

  "After years of seeing various types of pregnancy and newborn loss, I have decided that there are really no good words of comfort at such a time. The loss is so final, so absolute, so irrevocable, that only time can lessen the wound and even then often not completely heal it. We can express our condolences to the family and offer to do anything we can for them, but beyond that we seem relatively powerless."

  Some great comments too. Made me cry, but in a good way. I'm so glad we also had wonderful staff at the hospital where our first daughter was born, and died.
• Craving for junk food ‘begins in the womb’ - Times Online
  
• not martha - more tiny kitchen storage
  a neat idea for storing utensils -- a good way to keep them out of reach from little hands!
  
• Pattern for “Chunky Braided Scarf” « Butterfly Morning
• Bust Alteration
  A handy how-to on altering sewing patterns to fit your bust size.
• SO busy sewing › Red Instead BLOG
  
  Found the link for bust alteration at this blog post, there are some other handy links there too.
• Six weeks without a wash: The soapless experiment | the Daily Mail
  An article about a woman who decided to try an experiment which I think was recorded for a tv show:
  

  "for 40 days and 40 nights, there has been no showering, no hair washing, no teeth cleaning and no deodorant.
  "She has ditched her make-up and hair styling products, and allowed herself access to just three outfits (her running kit, a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, and one summer dress)."

  I found this interesting; I think she went a little overboard, but still. It's good to hear what was good and what was bad about cutting all that stuff out. Clearly she felt all the chemicals she'd been putting on and in her body as part of her daily routine were not doing her a lot of favours (her IBS symptoms improved during the experiment, and her skin seemed much healthier), but at the same time). It was interesting to hear that as long as she was away from other people (and societal expectations) she felt " felt really healthy and good about [her]self" and that when she was tested at the end of the experiment she didn't show a great increase in bacteria and suchlike which confirms we probably don't need to be sanitizing our hands every five seconds!
  
  The article ends with her summing up:
  

  "the experiment worked in that I proved to myself there is no need for all these beauty products on which I've been frittering away so much money. My desire for them was all in my mind, not an actual physical need.
  "It showed me that for years I've been using excessive amounts, and, at the same time, potentially putting my health at risk because of all the chemicals they contain.
  "I was amazed to find that the point when my skin looked its best was after a month of not using anything at all. As a result, I've become far more moderate in what products I use and what I am prepared to spend money on.
  "A bar of soap, organic shampoo and conditioner, and a basic moisturiser are all I need now. I no longer wash my hair every day and I no longer feel self-conscious if I'm not done up to the nines.
  "If people didn't notice when they had me standing next to them during the experiment, I'm sure they won't be aware of small things that would once have got me down, such as a bad hair day or a minor skin outbreak."

• Knitty: Fall 2006 - red herring
  
  Another CookieA sock pattern for my to-do list -- I've been wanting to try colour work again. I'm intimidated by it because of the tension issue but love all the possibilities that would open up if I could master it.
• Choc Fudge Shortbread on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
  This sounds tasty, need to make fudge first though!
• eat me, delicious: Chocolate Orbit Cake
  This looks so incredibly chocolaty and rich, mmmm.
• Vanana Cookies (Vegan Banana Peanut Butter Cocoa Cookies) » vanesscipes
  These look yummy. [I made some - posted on flickr]

And a couple more tasty looking recipes to try some time:

• Sausage-stuffed portobello mushrooms - The Boston Globe
• Creamy corn chowder with very little cream - The Boston Globe

I ordered pattern cards from weewonderfuls before going to bed on Monday night and they arrived in the mail today. (What service, I don't know how she does it with two small children and all.) They're so cute! I wasn't sure whether to get them or not, after all I can't keep up with all the things I want to/need to do these days as it is. However, one of the things I have been doing recently is knitting and that's partly because it's something I can put in my handbag and pull out when I'm in the car, or we're out and the girl is otherwise engaged. These pattern cards are for little soft toys that are hand stitched so I can hopefully do the same with them. Also, as I mentioned, they're cute so how could I resist?

Links for 2007-08-23 [del.icio.us]

• Design*Sponge: bloggers' guide to online shopping: part one
• Design*Sponge: bloggers' guide to online shopping: part two
• BBC NEWS | Magazine | Is stealing wireless wrong?
• Peace+love+pants= my fav bolero!*TUTE!!! lotsofpics!*
  via Craftzine
  
• TUTORIAL: Singlet Style Shopping Bag (like the plastic shopping bag)
• button shirt to toddler dress recon *NEW MINTY FRESH TUTORIAL*
  via Craftzine
• Radical Cross Stitch » Blog Archive » Easiest Baby Hat Ever - Tutorial
  found Craftzine
• My Weblog: Mousey and his bed
  found via Craftzine, a cute little toy idea to make
• Craftzine.com blog: Brother CS-6000: Good Beginner Sewing Machine
  
  A very timely post for me, with a link to a roundup of sewing machine recommendations/reviews from last year. Been thinking for a while of buying myself a new sewing machine but deciding which to buy is keeping me stalled and procrastinating.
• How to Make Freezer Jam - Instructables
  I'd never heard of freezer jam before, intriguing!
• Make/recycle your own paper! - Instructables
• Make your own onestringbag - Instructables
• Lazy Line Dry - Instructables
• Recycled Mini Dry Erase Board - Instructables
• Secret Agent Josephine » Baby Bug Flash Cards
  
  Secret Agent Josephine has been inspired to make alphabet flashcards, inspired by/for her daughter and very generously she is currently sharing them with people who visit her blog (though eventually they should be available for purchase). Wonderful artwork (she does this professionally as well as out of love after all).

Links for 2007-08-22 [del.icio.us]

• BBC NEWS | World | Europe | The secret history of the Nazi mascot
  
  Fascinating story of a Jewish boy who escaped into the forest when the rest of his town was massacred by the Nazis. After he was handed over to police a soldier helped him by introducing him to the other soldiers as a Russian orphan and he was adopted as a kind of mascot:
  
  "To this day, Alex Kurzem has no idea why Sergeant Jekabs Kulis took pity on him. Whatever his motives, it certainly helped that Alex had Aryan looks. And together, they kept the secret.
  
  "'Every moment I had to remind myself not to let my guard down, because if ever anyone found out, I was dead. I was scared of the Russians shooting me and the Germans discovering I was Jewish. I had no-one to turn to.'
  
  "Young Alex saw action on the Russian front, and was even used by the SS to lure Jewish people to their deaths."
• Neither Hip Nor Funky » Freezer Paper T-shirt Tutorial
  
  I've seen so many great freezer paper stenciled projects at flickr, and on various blogs, and would love to have a go myself sometime. This isn't the only tutorial out there, but it looks like a good one so keeping it handy for later.
  
• Simple and Elegant dress
  
  A tutorial for making one of those dresses that's got lines of elastic running around the chest/bust, but using lengths of elastic rather than elastic thread which somehow seems more do-able.
• Techniques with Theresa - Seaming knitting - knitty.com
  
  Seaming is not my strong suit so I figure I can never have enough resources handy when I need them.
• Toddlers are capable of introspection :: UC Davis News & Information ::
  
  Scientists have demonstrated that dolphins, monkeys and even rats can engage in some form of "metacognition," or an awareness of their own thought processes. But developmental psychologists have assumed that human children do not develop this capability before about age 5. Lyons and Ghetti have toppled that assumption by teaching 3- and 4-year-olds to communicate their awareness of their thought processes using pictures rather than words. "We've shown that even very young children can think about their thinking," Ghetti said. "The reason we haven't appreciated it before now is that the studies that have been used to test for it have been too verbally demanding."
  
  This reminds me of reading (and listening to a show on Radio 4) about early childhood memories a while back -- experts say lasting memories aren't formed until a child is verbal and can describe them. However in a survey of people in the UK a huge number of people reported pre-verbal memories. I know people who have really early memories - strong visual images in particular. I suspect the experts don't know everything!
  

All the following links I found via CRAFT:

• » Blog Archive » Winding a skein into a centre-pull ball
  
• Bella Dia: Doodling with Embroidery
  
  I so need to give this a try. Seems as though I could make something pretty a bit at a time without thinking too much -- exactly the kind of crafty project I crave these days!
  
• Naptime Knits: froggy
  cute knit and felted frog pattern
  
• SockPixie: Jewel (Free Baby Hat Knitting Pattern)
  cute little hat with a border of mitred squares
  
• DIY Shrinky Dinks. » Curbly | DIY Design Community
  
• Bella Knitting: Duplicate Stitch Tutorial
  
• How to Make a Gathered Skirt with Knit Waistband
  
• U-handblog: Pricing your bags or other crafts to sell.
  
  I don't know that I'm likely to be in a place to try and make stuff to sell any time soon (or ever) but this seems like a useful reference point if you or I ever are contemplating such a thing.
  
• The Knitting Zone - Easy Sock Blockers / Stretchers
  
  

Links for 2007-07-31 through 2007-08-05 [del.icio.us]

• Burma: A plight we can ignore no longer - Independent Online Edition > Asia
• Burma: Forgotten and locked in the shadow of the past - Independent
• Pregnancy Depression May Affect Baby
  '"Anxiety and depression don't predict [a baby's] total sleep, but do predict sleep problems and disruptive sleep," says researcher Thomas O'Connor, PhD, associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York. "The babies may sleep just as long, but they wake up more often and they have trouble falling asleep."'
• Sew,Mama,Sew! Blog » » Interfacing Guide from Amy Butler
• Wheat-Free Baking Recipes
• BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Orangutans use 'charades' to talk
  "Researchers from St Andrews University have shown that the animals intentionally modify or repeat their signals to get their messages across.
  "The scientists said they believed all great apes could have this capability, suggesting that the skill may have evolved millions of years ago."
• Soft Drinks Linked To Increase In Heart Disease | Scientific Blogging
  "Drinking more than one soft drink daily — whether it's regular or diet — may be associated with an increase in the risk factors for heart disease."
• Magnetic Capsules Protect Insulin Cell Transplants in Type I Diabetes | Scientific Blogging
• Green Toys Brand Toys - Platsic Toys Made From Corn!!
• Soaker pattern - Just Jussi: New free pattern
• Scientists issue warning about chemical in plastic - Los Angeles Times
  "In an unusual effort targeting a single chemical, several dozen scientists on Thursday issued a strongly worded consensus statement warning that an estrogen-like compound in plastic is likely causing an array of serious reproductive disorders in people.
  "The compound, bisphenol A or BPA, is one of the highest-volume chemicals in the world and has found its way into the bodies of most human beings."
• CorePsychBlog: Who Cares about Estrogen Dominance?

Links for 2007-07-20 & 21[del.icio.us]

joybucket: Peek-a-Boo Bunting Tutorial
found via Craftzine, a tutorial for a baby quilt that attaches to a stroller so the baby can't kick it off. Excellent idea!

Mandela turns 89 and launches 'a robust force for good' | Guardian Unlimited
Nelson Mandela marked his 89th birthday today with the launch of a group of world-renowned leaders who plan to use several Nobel peace prizes and "almost 1,000 years of collective experience" to tackle global crises that governments are unable or unwilling to confront."
Using their collective experience, their moral courage and their ability to rise above nation, race and creed, they can make our planet a more peaceful and equitable place to live," said the former South African president.

perfect pikelets ~ My Way or the Highway » Wear it. Eat it. Deny you are responsible.
Mmmm, pikelets.

By request. on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
A great knitted top (cardigan/jacket) seen at flickr. I think this would make a great garment for a nursing mother -- may need to make myself one!

Your Gamete, Myself - Egg Donation - Reproduction - In Vitro Fertilization - Infertility - Women - Peggy Orenstein - New York Times
An interesting look at the implications of egg donation.

Magazine Box Tutorial - a photoset on Flickr
found via Craft

Snicket Socks - MagKnits, your friendly online knitting magazine
"These socks were inspired by the dress Violet Baudelaire (Emily Browning) wears in the movie Lemony Snicket – A Series of Unfortunate Events. I wanted to translate the net-like sleeves into knitting.

BBC NEWS | From Our Own Correspondent | Losing the taste for China's delicacies

BBC NEWS | Health | Healthy weight link to longevity
"Keeping a healthy weight may help people live longer by limiting brain exposure to insulin, say US scientists."

Celtic Braid Socks: Tuulian omia juttuja:
Another sock pattern, this one with a nice celtic looking cable pattern

Black Dog Designs
A collection of knitting patterns from the blogger of the blog Black Dog Knits
. Quite a few I would like to try sometime, probably going to stick with the socks for now (and there are several sock patterns that caught my fancy there.

Shetland Lace Rib Sock Pattern: Stitches of Violet
And, yes, another knitting pattern for socks!

Links for 2007-07-19 [del.icio.us]

• No-Knead Bread - OregonLive.com
  I made some of the no-knead bread after it was in the NYTimes a while back and the second batch came out really nicely and I've been meaning to make more. It's a great way to make bread for someone like me who doesn't have much time to bake, but plenty of time to let things hang around to mature for a day! And I'm entering a bread baking phase at the moment.
• BBC NEWS | UK | Education | The dead parrot curriculum
• Guardian Unlimited | A precious provision
  "We were unlucky in the tragic hand dealt to our son, but blessed to have had British healthcare "
  This article resonated with me. It made me remember after my first daughter died at birth (I had a 40% placental abruption at 23 weeks) getting the hospital bill for the delivery and the autopsy and everything: Obviously those people who took care of us and our baby and were doing there jobs so well deserve to be paid, but (especially as someone who grew up in the UK and still hasn't got used to the way it works in the USA) it seems unthinkable that I should have to look at a bill for that when my baby just died. And thankfully we have good health insurance, but what if we didn't? In the midst of that experience or some other unexpected turn your life upside-down event I think people should be able to focus on the very real things happening in their lives and not have to worry about what their insurance will cover, and how to afford the rest. The money wasn't really a headache for us in our situation, but it could have been, and it certainly made me think.
  
• Knitty: Spring 2007 - Clessidra Stockings
  I think my mum would love these, she likes nice long socks. The question is should I just send her the link to the pattern or should I attempt to make her some for Christmas?
• Summer Express: 101 Simple Meals Ready in 10 Minutes or Less - New York Times
• Warming Report Warns of Increased Flooding - New York Times
• Dewey? At This Library With a Very Different Outlook, They Don’t - New York Times
• V-Neck Hippie Dress w/ 6 Strips - theElektron
  found via :Craft
• Top 7 Tutorials for Making Your Own Shopping Tote
  found via :Craft
• Tickle Turdle Wool Wrap Pattern
  I've been knitting wool soakers for my daughter since before she was actually here to wear them but I've never tried to crochet one. I'm definitely much more of a knitter, but I do crochet sometimes and I hear the crochet soakers make up faster and may be a bit denser too. (Of course I should also work on my ripple blanket again one of these days.)

Links for 2007-07-18 [del.icio.us]

• Sew,Mama,Sew! Blog » Tutorial ~ Zippered and Slip Pocket Tutorial
• Sew,Mama,Sew! Blog » Tutorial ~ Lining Tutorials
• BBC NEWS | Health | Breech birth women 'choice call'
• BBC NEWS | Health | Right foods 'may help drugs work'
  "Combining medicines with the right food could improve the effectiveness of drugs and reduce the costs of treating patients, experts say."

Links for 2007-07-17 [del.icio.us]

• The authors every teenager should read - Independent
  I'm not sure I agree with how they've classified some of the authors. Still, lots of people I haven't read (or even heard of) so lots of ideas for my overflowing booklist!


• Instructables The Book Apron
  "Keeps your cookbooks or other how-tos clean! Clear plastic, polyester ribbon and rickrack can be wiped clean of batter with a damp sponge."
  I definitely need one of these for cooking (also a good book stand) since I'm plenty messy in the kitchen.


• Instructables : Green" Re-usable Grocery Bags
  "These re-usable grocery bags will help you answer the question "Paper or plastic?" from your grocer, and help save waste and those landfill stuffers you're accumulating. The bags have handles to allow them to be placed on a grocer's plastic bag holder, i
  I like the idea of being able to slip them onto the bag holders in the grocery store (although I don't think that the place I shop at most often has bag holders... maybe I just never used them because I always have my own bags there).


• morsbags sociable guerilla bagging
  I love the idea of guerrilla bagging as a means to reduce the use of plastic bags, not sure I have the right personality for it though. I'm loving all these tutorials and patterns for making bags I've been coming across though because more bags are always useful in my opinion!


• Instructables Sewing Organizer
  "This is a great organizer for any tailor/seamstress and also it's kind of an art on the wall."
  I've seen something like this on a blog somewhere before (blanking on where right now), a wall mounted spool holder. This one's extra fancy with places to store other bits and bobs. too.
  

Links for 2007-07-16 [del.icio.us]

• Suburban CEO - Think outside the cubicle.
  linked to in this post at ParentDish
  Apparently "[t]his site is for every woman who wants to stay at home with her children but has had to reluctantly admit that she often feels frazzled, overwhelmed and not totally fulfilled. This site will help you identify the five missing pieces from modern life as an at-home mom and become CEO of your own life." That sounds interesting to me (although I'm not sure I'm going to agree with everything there) so I'm planning to go back and read more.
• Effect of spearmint (Mentha spicata Labiatae) teas on androgen levels in women with hirsutism. Herbal Science Research
• Instructables Toasty slippers"These slippers are made from recycled woolen blanket, recycled fleece fabric and scraps of brightly coloured fabric from my stash! I have a pair with red polka dot binding, they are so comfortable and keep my feet nice and warm."

Links for 2007-07-15 &14 [del.icio.us]

• camera case interior on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
  A sewn padded digital camera case with zippered interior pocket for batteries! I need one of these (been using my old 35mm film camera case with batteries loose in the bottom for oh two and a half years now, ho hum...)
• Sew,Mama,Sew! Blog » Tutorial ~ Bag Straps
• Sew,Mama,Sew! Blog » Tutorial ~ Bag Straps, A Variation
• ColorBlender.com Your free online color matching toolbox

links of the day

Links for 2007-07-06 [del.icio.us]

ON THE JOB / Life at the intensive care nursery: Making a living amidst parents' worst nightmares

Two-Hour Tote Bag - BeSewStylish

This looks like a simple sewing project that results in a nice, fairly roomy bag to use to carry supplies to the beach or park.

hedgie bias tape bag on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Another cute tote bag (this one's a little smaller), there's a link to a tutorial. I love the hedgehog embroidery on this one, it's what initially caught my eye.

Instructables - Ice Cream Pint Cozy

One of those things that I could totally make myself but it's so nice to find someone else has done the thinking and written it up so I don't have to! A good gift idea for my husband too as he eats straight from the pint tubs more often than me.

Instructables - Gift Bags for Bottles

Another one of those projects I could have figured out for myself, but someone's made it that bit easier for me! So nice not to have to think more than necessary when there's a baby draining your brainpower.

What I've learned about what to do when your wallet is stolen. - not martha
A very informative blog post which I hope never to need to use. But just in case....

It's Easy Being Green: playhouses with a conscience - ParentDish

Need to come back to this link when my daughter's a bit older. Although for inside the house my brother and I used to do very nicely with the clothes horse and sheets and blankets quite often!

Links for 2007-07-05 [del.icio.us]

BBC NEWS | Health | Organic food 'better' for heart

"A ten-year study comparing organic tomatoes with standard produce found almost double the level of flavonoids - a type of antioxidant."