Trucks

This little video was taken a few days ago. Ben is teaching Jasper about trucks. My little boy is obsessed with trucks. I never knew the difference between a backhoe and a frount end loader before Benjamin came into my life :)

I put a new doll up for sale on Natural Pod. Her name is Eva. I knew an Eva in my childhood and she really liked pink. I don't usually do my dolls in all pink, I think the market is saturated with pink for girls. But, sometimes it's pretty darn cute. Like my boy and trucks..lots of little girls just like pink. Is it us as parents that push it on them? I don't think so. I mean go into any kids shop or toy store and you are bound to see the stereotypes but there is some reasoning behind it. I used to think it was social conditioning that had boys playing trucks and girls wearing pink but I know ,as a parent myself, I certainly didn't encourage it. I make dolls for goodness sake!! It seems to just be something innate, from when Ben was about 9 months old his face would light up when a truck rumbled past. And his first word...truck.

Wool Glorious Wool

This beautiful handspun wool was sent to me from a customer wanting to use it on her daughter's custom doll. I love the result! I am quite the wool collector, perusing wool shops is really one of my top favorite things to do in life. I get so excited when I see a new wool and can immediately imagine the doll I will create with it, or the sweater that my Nonna will knit with it. This wool comes from the Spun Monkey it is very delicious!

Experience

A few days ago John and Ben went into Vancouver leaving me alone with Jasper for the whole day. When Benjamin was this age I remember feeling so proud if I managed to get a load of laundry done. Now, alone with Jasper, I went and did a massive grocery shop (at the bg yellow store..has anybody checked out their kids clothes? Organic baby clothes..at the big yellow store!! who knew?!) did 2 loads of laundry, made cookies, finished up a doll, organised Ben's playroom and my new workroom AND managed a shower. Hmmm, if I knew then what I know now..lol! I'm sure mom's with 3 children say the same thing about mom's that only have 2 children!

This pic is of ben's new playroom that used to be my old workspace. I moved my workroom downstairs to seperate my work from home. I have an lady starting to work for me on Tuesday 3 days a week doing some cutting and sewing, I really like her and hope that this will work out. More about that on my next post, Ben is begging me to make voices for all his trains...again!!

Business

This week has been really interesting. John and I have been looking at the business side of the dolls, material costs, time costs, etc. It's all a huge mathematical equation. I am so impressed with my husband and his business knowledge, I have no idea about this stuff. I'm so lucky to have him.

I should be posting a new 12'' tomorrow, I just have to make her clothing today and I'm working on 2 14" dolls, one for sale and one custom fairy. I look forward to doing the fairy, the customer supplied the hair (yarn) and it's a beautiful handspun cotswald yarn, all twirly and bumpy..it'll look great. This pic is of my new pouchy dolls that I just put up for sale on naturalpod.com, some of them use my new fabric from superbuzzy.

Blanket Dolls

This week I've been working on these blanket dolls. They are really fun to make and so snuggly to hold. I love the simplicity of their design. I decided some time ago to make my blanket dolls using only organic materials. These dolls are meant for babies and we all know how much babies love to 'explore' their toys (ie chew) so it was important for me that these dolls have no chemicals on them. I also made them so they can be washed by making their head extra firm as to not lose shape while washing. I just ordered in a heap of organic velour that I am going to experiment dying so that I can get some different colours. I got a natural dye kit from Maiwa in Vancouver that I'm itching to use. Fun times!

Comfort

I think I have a 'high need baby'. The little man doesn't ever want to be put down, he's fussy and irritable and is constantly wanting to eat! It's a good thing he's so cute I tell you, even his crazy seal pup looks make me melt! Jasper is the total opposite of what Benjamin was as a baby. I could even tell this when he was inside my belly, kicking about, always moving. I've come to really appreciate slings. I am a self confessed sling junky, owning 8 different types of carriers in total. By far my favorite is the Karma baby carrier, you just pop him in and out, it folds up small and best of all it's in organic cotton! I love it, it gives me comfort. I've been able to sew with him in the sling, play with Benjamin, and even make an apple crisp! (not around the oven though..that's bad..) Anyway, Karma slings are available at www.naturalpod.com in the baby section. Not that I'm trying to sell you anything, I just really love this sling and want to spread the joy :)

Oh jeeze, 10 days since my last post... the shame!

I've been shipping the gals off to different publications for their 'holiday gift guide' issues. I don't want to say which ones, because who knows what can happen between now and then. I'd feel a bit embarrassed if I was talking about them and then for some reason it doesn't happen :) Anyhow, I let you know when it happens.

It's been blanket doll time here at chez Platt. The school store at the VWS starts up soon and I need to stock up on my smaller items, ie blanket and pouchy dolls. (*oh my goodness! I just peeked into my sling and baby Jasper gave me his second ever smile..sniff, sniff!*) I did make a large doll too, Celeste, who is one of my favorite dolls that I've ever made. Next week I start to work on some baby dolls.

We went to Vancouver for a short visit and to stock up on fabrics, thread and such. We stopped into the aquarium for Benjamin and took in the dolphin show. This is a shot from the seal exhibit. The aquarium is one of 3 things I miss about Vancouver (1. ikea, 2. sushi and 3. the aquarium) There are people I miss too, obviously, but these are my three things.

Cute!
My dad came to visit recently. I caught the two boys having a nap on the couch.

New Website

Just a quickie as I am doing this at 1am while typing with one hand, holding baby Jasper. Here is the mock up for my new website! I wanted something fresh and cute and am working with an illustrator and design team at aeolida. I just wanted to add some illustrations to the site but it still operates using a wordpress design. So, soon, I will be shutting down my blogger site and moving things over to my wordpress/ bamboletta.com site blog. This way I'm all in one place. I think I'll still keep my flickr account open though.
I also met up with a mutual friend of my friends (if this makes sence) to start working for me making some clothes and my more simple dolls. She is a really great mama and has the nicest energy about her. I've got a great feeling about this 'relationship'. She went to costume design school in NS and is so full of knowledge about pattern drafting and construction, I'm sure she'll teach me a thing or two! We are going to meet up weekly and work together..lol, while our babies (hopefully) sleep! This week she is constructing some new dresses for my 14" dolls..I'm so excited. I gave her some olive and tangerine coloured organic fabric to work with, we'll see what we can come up with.
I'm posting a new doll this afternoon on www.naturalpod.com, she is very sweet and her name is Bree :) This week I am working on getting some more blanket dolls and pouchy dolls made.