Pajama Bottoms for Alizée

Today I sewed pajama bottoms for Alizée. She had chosen her fabric a couple of weeks ago. I used an old pajamas as a pattern. I know, I know, I never use a pattern. Claude convinced me. He was right. :-)

Snowman, Santa Claus and Polar Bear...

A little before Christmas, Miranda did a little painting. I adore the fact that my darlings take advantage of the material available at home. For me, having stuff to do arts and crafts, to paint, to sew, to draw is essential. So we have interesting stocks scattered all over the house. There's a lot of stuff in the index cards desk saved from trash by a good man (ours, of course!). We have a complete wardrobe filled with pearls, boxes, sturdy cardboard, canvas, gouache, brushes, fancy scissors, markers, pebbles, shells. In the basement we also have boxes of wrapping paper (very useful for crafts), ribbons (new, leftovers, recycled pieces -hurray for 2nd lives!). I have loads of fabrics (a full dresser), papers (an indecent quantity, I swear), acrylic paints, glues of many types (a full basket). I didn't mention yarns, stickers and scrapbooking, stamps, embossing, calligraphy material. For a fraction of a second, I'm ashamed of myself. Pssshttt, it's gone, already. Guilty doesn't stick probably because «it's our hobby», it allows us to create, to invent, to please, to learn more about ourselves, to put a little beauty here, there, and there too. Anyway, if I have to cut on something, I'd rather wear the same clothes for a couple of seasons and put my creativity at full throttle. It's a choice. I can deal with it. Easily...

Oh Xmas Tree, Oh Xmas Tree!

I experiment with lots of things, including our Xmas tree!




Oh, and sweet baby Jesus was brought by Miranda on her last shopping spree :-)
Mystery solved!

Masks From Bonaventure (Gaspésie)

I've discovered Gaspésie a couple of years ago and I adore it. Wide spaces, proximity to the sea, breathtaking landscapes, pebbles on all beaches, small villages, it's pretty different from the big city which I adore as well; as you can see I'm a woman full of contrasts!

These masks, painted by Miranda remind me wonderful souvenirs from Bonaventure, a nice village close to la Baie des Chaleurs. I found this place on the Internet where my daughters and I have spent half a day painting masks. Since then, I crave to go on vacation and stop by different similar places. Haven't found what I'm looking for, yet...

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!

Alizée creates surprising things. And this mural is exactly like that. She told me she worked hard to get this shape as she placed the photos one by one. Click on the picture to see it larger. You will see that those girls are really having fun. What a great idea to print the photos with different colored filters. Lots of work, hmmm.... of fun!

Bread

Today's artistic creations are Claude's delicious hot buns. The bread he makes has different shapes but today, they were muffins-like. With Nutella, mmmmm...

It's the girls who told me that Saturday's blog could also include Claude's creations, not only theirs. I must admit that my husband is an artist at heart. His cuisine is divine, his furnitures fit perfectly, his sense of humor is really funny and his love is endless (ok, the latter isn't related but I adore that he loves me so much... :-)

With a Little Umbrella

In our home, sweet home lives a 16 year-old (in 18 days) who just started her driving lessons. 16 is a big jump, a giant step because of that. So she's learning the meaning of all the road signs and is way more interested by what's happening to our feet while driving (learning to drive with a standard car seems to be "something"...). Well, mademoiselle is getting older. That's what happens to all of us everyday, but somehow, it seems that at times, in our life, it shows a little more.

She's helping out too. Tonight as we were getting ready for dinner, she agreed to prepare Claude a drink. A drink, a real one, with al-co-hol! She carefully followed the recipe (ice, lemon, coke, rhum -a little more, ok, that's fine, stop, that's plenty!). You can admire her creation, decorated with a nice little umbrella!

Eau la la

I envy my Mimi... She came back from her father's with a collage a few weeks ago and it's wonderful. I'm well too organized when I do collages while my little one (well, not so little, she's growing up and growing up!) can easily let go and creates spontaneous groupings that are fresher, more complex also. I absolutely need to work on that.

So I woke up this morning with a desire to cover our other TV blanket, but instead of the traditional quilt so calculated, with the colors so organized, I've decided to go bananas... A little... Hmm, we'll see about that. I should consult my daughters to know their trick :-)

Mister Penguin

Alizée has had a little something for penguins for a couple of years now. Here's a handmade one, done with papier mâché. She also has stuffed penguins, stickers, pictures, books, figurines and all and all... He is quite chic with his bow tie and seems to be on the verge of saying something, with his open beak. His left foot is almost moving, probably because he wants to go dancing or something. Cute, isn't he?

Miranda, Author

Miranda has been fascinated by books since she was really young. So much that, without warning, she learned to read on her own, at the age of 4. It was not enough. She rapidly started writing books. At first, illustrated books, like this story about an elf who didn't want to work, as a Christmas gift. Then, she wrote short stories.

Now she writes poetry. She looks for the right word, plays with rimes, uses a rich vocabulary. I am a lucky mother; I receive poetic love letters from my little teen. I love her so much!

Who knows what she'll write at 16, 20, 30 years old?

Armor for Her

My daughter Alizée has always been an artist. She was born with a gift, a talent and I envy her, sometimes. It's so easy for her to use her hands to create. They do exactly what she wants them to do. Mine are awkward and lack poise.

At her high school, arts are very important. Her teachers have inspired her, helped her progress. She worked on her gift, her talent.

A few years ago, Alizée and other students from her school had to create an armor for a woman. They also had to create it with the personality of a specific woman in mind. The photo doesn't show as clearly the details, but if you click on it, you could see it better. It's definitely art. Congratulation and and thank you to the Collège St-Maurice art teachers, they contribute to the artistic development of fantastic girls.

And art is paramount.

Handbag

Last Saturday, without any warning, Miranda has decided to sew. No pattern, of course, pure creativity, right? I'm still astonished to see my daughters sewing. We must admit it's not the most "popular" teen activity. But come on, sewing is really extraordinary. You start with pieces of fabric that seem inert and then you create that useful or decorative object. It's a little like starting with pieces of wood to build a piece of furniture.

I enjoy working with my sewing machine and there again I'm surprised by the easiness my daughter has taming the beast. Not that it is tough to work with it, but when it goes beep-beep, it's not the best moment and it could be discouraging. Well, at home we have the privilege to have a sewing machines specialist: Claude! One day I'll list all the jobs he had done in his life, you won't believe it. Sewing machines have no secrets to him. He was born amongst them.

Sewing has always been a fun thing to do and I can see that my girls have sensed that and know how great sewing is. It's useful of course, but when we enjoy what we do, we don't really care about the fact that it's handy, it's just fun...!

Zooooooom...

Last year, Alizée took part in an incredible activity; paint a real car. A volunteer agreed to let students paint her car. Previously, the girls worked on a small-scale car made of clay. The dynamism on the art level at her school is unbelievable. It had been an uncommon experience which she will remember for a long time, especially since the clay car is lying on a dresser with other art, in the basement, or, if you prefer, in Alizée's domain!

Spring, Spring, Are You There?

Yeah, spring, are you there for good? Yes? Sure about that? You won't change your mind in a couple of days, right? Great.

Miranda did this "wallpaper" last year and it reminds me the pleasure I get when I do gardening. Especially since I learned to take it easy, otherwise, my back hurts too much... I've reduced my "play" area, it helps.

Gardening drawings. Notice the ladybug on the yellow flower, pretty (click on the picture to enlarge). Miranda has this funny details meticulousness. Other particularity, the colors of my gardening tools are exactly the same. These fresh drawings, spring-ish are on her art wall in her bedroom (next to Mighty Cat). Wait 'til I show you her Toutânkhamon, a piece of art!

Recycling Superman

Since she was 4, Alizée has had a little crush on Superman. What am I saying? She's hooked on the super hero! At 5, for Halloween, I found her a Superman costume. Saying that it was worn would be minimizing the thing. Time flew but her passion is still there. It took different shapes but the interest is definitely present. So much that instead of saying goodbye to the old costume, it ends its days recycled into a cushion, an idea and creation by Alizée. Isn't it ingenious the way she included the cape to the cushion ? Unconventional sewing is a family thing...

Mighty Cat

Miranda has been the cat's best friend forever. What's sad for her is that her sister and mother are allergic to animals so it's out of the question to have any at home. And, hum, animals and I aren't exactly pals if you see what I mean... Luckily for Miranda, at her dad's place, two nice cats are part of the family. To compensate, here, we have the chance to see her drawings of kitties here and there, which is cool. Notice the mouse (top right) and the funny cat watching it matter-of-factly. Too cute!

Stuffed Heart

A mother's love is supposedly unconditional. Right, but what about children's love towards their mom? I don't know about you, but personally, my daughters love me, nothing less than tremendously.
When my daughter discovered the wonderful world of sewing (am I having a certain influence here?), I received this fabric heart filled with love -bien sûr- with an embroidered "Mom" that means what it means. It's Alizée (yes, the great winner of the Radio-Canada contest Fais ton Kif-kif!) who offered me this love present a few years ago.
Isn't love wonderful? But when it comes from the flesh of your flesh, it goes straight to your heart, wets your eyes and gives you the shivers for a while. I look at this little red heart and I know. I know that our love is unconditional, both ways. I can't ask for anything better. Nothing...