Softies

Lowly Worm and his friends

Meet the Lowly Worm

Now, with any kind of good fortune, you will already know the Lowly Worm from your childhood or from belonging to another’s childhood, having read Richard Scarry’s books. The bestchildrens’ books ever. One of my favourite characters was, and is, the Lowly Worm. And now I finally have my own. with thanks to resources provided by Lynn Carson . I am now in love with him and am considering making him a wife. Stay tuned.

ps Although I am a very independent worm, I do need help tying my shoe.

I can sit down without using my arms
I can stand by myself
The room where I was born yesterday

And suddenly there was love. A sweet friend for Lowly. Her name is Lively.

Lively wearing her wig

Off to do our civic duty in the Canadian election April 28, 2025

A quick trip to the Alps, the origin of my Tyrolean hat, by the way,

It’s been a great week. but so very sleepy now. Off to bed.

A few new friends
I just can’t decide…hmmmmm

The iPhone (or any other phone for that matter) Holder

What I can no longer live without and have perhaps 4 active holders around my house. They easily hold iPads in landscape as well.

The little tab at the top will hold your charge cable in place.

Cord Keepers

If your life is like mine, keeping track of the too many cables and cords in my life ihas become chaotic. Here is method #1 : little circles of fused fabric in fun colours, with velcro closures.

Below is my preferred method, #2: I sewed some glasses cases from felt and added the names of the cords enclosed. I also label my cables with a sticker. they no stack neatly in my drawer and each one is different, so easy to find. Oh happy day

And just one more thing for today…

As I always say, you can never have too many lobsters. And bears. You need lots of those.

Seagulls

I just can’t help it. I love birds and I especially love seagulls. This pattern is from Oddnest on Etsy. I’ve made so many I’m losing count. Check them out here on the stuffed animals page. They are made like this: Body and feet: felt. Legs are clothesline top with knots for knees. Cotton beak and wings which are buttoned. Embroidery floss tufts and tails. Stuffed with polyfil and weighted with polypellets. Some have hats and shoulder bags filled with fish.

These guys are sitting just staring at me on the windowsill in my sewing room. They are asking me to make more, so what ever can I do????

So here’s the thing. Rain. The remnants of Hurricane Beryl were due here, so naturally, the seagulls needed rain hats. See how nice and dry they are? The gull on the far right is ready to fly off to a new home in the Maritimes, so has packed a carry bag with cod.

Finally, an update from me.

Home sweet home!

This is the heart of our home and where the sun shines the brightest. Over the years, and particularly these pandemic ones when we are home so very much, it has filled with all sorts of Banana Productions creations. These include the not very fancy, but functional re-upholstered couch cushions, the hot tub wall art and a few bits of quilty things and paper flowers. Shadow is still with us, thank goodness. she loves this sunny, warm area too.

I have a new toy

I think the new toy is, at least in part, to blame for my absence here. That and a slow computer which I have had fixed with and upgrade to my desktop Mac and the addition of a MacBook Air (bliss)

The New Toy is pictured below. Cricut maker 3. Santa brought it to me last Christmas (2021) and it has occupied a whole lot of my time. A considerable chunk was spent learning how to use it and I still feel I have a long way to go, but I can navigate the software quite comfortably now and feel confident in trying new things. My most favourite is working with paper and cardstock. I have a Cricut page which you can get to via the Menu at the top and if I learn this site a bit better, perhaps I can add a link right here. Yes!

All Things Cricut

My New Toy: the Maker 3. Here it is below set up in my room ready to go. I’ve had to do a significant re-org to allow for paper, card stock, glues, vinyl, HTV, sublimation paper, acrylics, mats, rollers, wires, crepe paper, hot glue gun and sticks, specialty markers and a fancy heat press. And that is just the short list. I can now make my own greeting cards at a cost of about $120.00 per card, not including my time… lol But all well worth it for the pleasure it all brings. I find I can combine Cricut functions with my sewing projects too, which adds to the creative possibilities. Take a look below at Mark’s new iPad case, for example.

Mark has his own iPad now and so needed a case for it. Heat Transfer vinyl cut by the Cricut and a foam lined case made by me with a velcro closing fit the bill.

I promise to post more often. Really. Meanwhile, go check things out. There are new additions in many of the pages.

Shark Attack

Well it’s been awhile and with lots of good reasons,  but suffice it to say life has been full lately. Finally some down time today and a chance to dig out the fleece and create something fun for a special little guy who is turning 5. He already has a grey one but this fellow (pattern from Abby Glassenberg) is bigger and better and bluer and comes with its own lunch!

Happy birthday dear Tom!

A beautiful blue shark with his lunch swimming nearby

A beautiful blue shark with his lunch swimming nearby

photo 4

A big shark and dome little fishied

A big shark and some little fishies

Down by the sea again: I can’t help myself… I love the mermaids! And they have some new friends.

I can’t wait to give these to some special friends… so please keep things quiet!! Check out the shiny seahores and fishes… more on that later. The Fish, you see, may become shark food down the road. Ouch for the fish.

 

 

 

Mermaids in the making

photo 5        photo 4

 

 

And all in a row, ready for the pool

photo 2 photo 1

Shiny, happy Sea horses

image photo 3

imageJust hanging out in their basket, waiting for the right conditions.