Project 18: A cardigan for my father's wife

My father's wife had sewn several things for me and in one instance she finished a jacket that just wouldn't wanted to be finished. So I decided to make here a sleeveless cardigan she can wear while working. Keeping her warm and hands free at the same time. I adjusted a pattern I found online (insert link), bought yarn (way too much) and started knitting. It came out rather nice I can say. I crocheted around the arm openings to ensure the edges wouldn't roll in too much

Project 17: Congratulations card

Friends got married and I tried to make a card with my ScanNCut. Only the machine acted up and nothing came out as I wanted. In the end I took a pair of scissors, looked at pinterest and made this card.

Project 16: Alexei as the "fou de roi"

Alexei wanted to be the "fou de roi" for carnaval in March. Couragous, how many kids would dare so.
He looked great

Project 15: Alesya as a fairy

Carnaval in March.
Made Alesya's outfit - end result beautiful

Project 14: Creative diary

For years I have been creative and did not keep track of everything I made. So I wanted to keep a creative diary in the form of a blog. Also this year I have challenged myself to finish/do 52 projects and this blog is a way to follow my projects. As have now finalized 17 projects, decided to name my blog project number 14. So over the next days will need to blog on projects 15 - 18. Stay tuned.

Project 13: Cushion cover for Slava's friend

Slava's bycicle was to small. And it was too early for either a birthday of Christmas gift. His friend saved the day. Her bicycle was to small for her and she goodhearted let Slava use it. We went to return the bike with a small gift: a cushion cover made from African fabrics and her name on it. Small detail - both sisters now each have their own cushion cover. She was very happy with it.

Project 12: Photography course

I bought a fancy photo camera in 2007. I took lots of lovely pictures with it, however I never took the time to read the manual and get myself acquainted with all the features it has. Nor do I take pictures in the manual mode. So time to change this. I signed up for a one-day photo course in Geneva and I loved it. We had some theory in the morning and after lunch we walked through Geneva. We had four sets of pictures to take: 1) portrait; 2) landscape (for which we went to Parc the Bastion); 3) city life and 4) more city life focusing on taking pictures of people. The latter was a real challenge as I am not used to take pictures of people I don't know.

There was a feedback session a week after the course during which we would receive feedback on our best 12 pictures. Some of the pictures were well received, others less. Some were well organized, maybe too well as the instructor asked me if I have all my garden magazines neatly organized, adding that my house myst be really nice and organized and neat. This really made me laugh, as I don't have garden magazines, nor is my house very neat. With three kids??? So take home message is to take more pictures and try to have them less structured/organized.

Shopping girls

Reflections

Southern style

Trees in window

City landscape

Lemon coconut cupcakes

Sunday was Alexei's birthday and he choose the menu. For desert he wanted a fruit salad which made completely sense as we were going to have a raclette. Clearly he had forgotten about the 10 candles, no way I can stick these in a fruit salad, although come to think of it, I could have cut a big slice of pineapple and stuck the candles in it.

So I made 2 dozen of cupcakes, half chocolate and half something without milk ..... mmm what to make this time. I wanted something sweet, but not to sweet and a creamy touch. I took the basic recipe for cupcakes and replaced the milk with coconut milk and lemon juice. The result: delicious.

Recipe

Ingredients:
110 grams butter (one stick)
200 grams of sugar (one cup)
2 eggs
275 grams of flour (3 cups)
1/2 a packet of baking powder (4 grams, 2 teaspoons)
100 ml coconut milk (less than half a cup, 0.4 cup to be more precise)
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Preparation:
Pre-heat your oven of 180 degrees C (350 degrees F)
Cream the butter and the sugar.
Add the eggs one by one.
Mix the flour with the baking powder.
Add the flour alternately with the coconut and lemon.
Line you muffin pan with paper cupcakes.
Fill the muffin pan and place your cupcakes in the oven.
Bake for 25 minutes until golden.

Notes:
The recipe requires more sugar (225 grams) but used less.
If you mix the coconut milk and the lemon juice it will curd, this does not change the taste, just the texture

Project 11: A cushion cover for Alesya's friend

Alesya's friend invited her over for a play date. It was also the day of her birthday, so we needed a gift. Why not make one ourselves, Alesya agreed. So while she was having her siesta I cut up some fabric,and as I was sewing it all together thought something was missing.

So I added some pink fabric tiny strips on two sides of the cushion cover. As I was sewing I also ironed out all the seems so it would look nicer once stitched on the seems.

To finish off, cut her friend's name from vinyl and Alesya helped me ironing the letters on the cushion cover.

Both Catalina and her parents loved the home made gift.

Project 10: Blue bed cover finalized

My bedcover is finished and it turned out so beautiful. The fabric catching some sun makes it even more stunning.

Finding the right colour for the outer trim was quite a challenge as where I live fabric stores are not widely available.

Am very happy the way this has turned out.