Natal homemade? É possível?

Este Natal, numa altura em que os meninos se apercebem dos desejos consumistas que rodeiam a época, decidimos fazer diferente. Não vamos comprar nada, com excepção das luzes da árvore, pois as do ano passado desapareceram entre mudanças de casa.
Até agora, tem sido muito produtivo e divertido, com todos os membros da família a ajudar. O pai tratou da árvore, eu cosi alguns enfeites com restos de tecido, os meninos penduraram na árvore. Tem sido assim. E ainda falta cobrir o vaso e fazer o presépio.




Para os presentes, cada um terá apenas um brinquedo que vou ser eu a fazer. A famíla encarregar-se-á de enchê-los das coisas que vêem na TV.
Vamos fazer os doces também em conjunto. Normalmente, só faço filhoses de abóbora, talvez este ano tenha vontade de mais.



É esta a recordação do Natal que lhes quero deixar. Um momento de família. Doce, quente, generoso, paciente, colorido, esperançado, sem supermercados, filas, birras, centros comerciais e excessos. Será que vou conseguir? 





Pedaços do meu fim-de-semana

Os meninos folhearam livros de culinária e quiseram experimentar "esparguete preto". O pai fez-lhes a vontade e cozinhou um delicioso esparguete sepia di nero com cavalinha. Comeram tudo com grande alegria, porque era novidade.
Experimentaram outro novo sabor: queijo camembert.
Para sobremesa, uma fatia de um bolo delicioso que inventei, e já é o segundo numa semana. Tudo porque comprámos na cooperativa agrícola uma saca de 5 kg de pêros bravo-esmolfe. Fiz tudo a olho, açúcar amarelo, ovos, azeite, mel, nozes e amêndoas, canela e os aromáticos pêros.
Ficou delicioso!
Este fim-de-semana, para me distrair, criei dois novos bonecos: o ursinho Francisco e a boneca Amália.
A lareira esteve sempre acesa, pois a casa arrefeceu muito nestes últimos dias.
Tenham uma boa semana!



















Hard decisions

In order to mantain my sanity, I have to make some decisions. I prefer to see them as reajustments. In the next few days I will be deep working to finally have a week vacation. I am tired. So tired that I have been living like a machine. Need to low speed, breath the cold autumn air outside, stick to what is essential. A Pega-Rabuda is one of my priorities, but in a different way.
Today, I closed my other blog A Raia Miúda. There's no sense in having two brands, mostly when toys, dolls and books are what I prefer to do.
My Armazém will also have a conceptual adjustment: from now on, I will not sell fabrics. Perhaps this is one baby step to having finally to close the shop, I really don't know.
Regarding my creations, unfortunetely, I will be selling on etsy website and stick to it, which is a big thing. I will not be accepting orders for this or that. My creativity process runs another way. I am not a machine, neither a professional sewer. I love to create to one person, to know what she likes, does in life, which emotion led her into me. I will embrace this kind of challenge with all my love and care. Thanks for your support.

New pillows for an old sofa

Now, I have to refurnish the sofa seat and the little pillows - 3 of them. Oh my god, this will be a great adventure. I am so glad that my husband doesn´t want to know about my decoration crazy ideas ;)







Hopes and fears

The last few days have been hellish at the agency where my day job is. The work to do before Christmas is a lot and customers expect quick results: many and good ones.
I have only managed to sew at night and at early, early morning, as a kind of ritual that keeps me calm and gives me the comfort that these days have not given me.
Today, I got up early morning, planted a plum tree, an apricot tree, feed the chickens, dogs and cats and watered everything around. Still wiped two washing machines, made ​​lunch: a simple tagliatelle with fresh tomatoes and a handful of garden herbs: basil , chives and a good drizzle of olive oil . It's at the simple things that are grown the best flavors.
During the afternoon, I returned to work, but at a slower pace: I hate working in the afternoon, I am a morning person. While expecting some answers from the office, I finished a dress that was waiting and made a beautiful cushion.
I am preparing a series of cushions to redecorate the living room. Next week I expect to show you the results.
This will be my plan for the next months: sew for me, myself and I. It's very sad to be selling one or two things per month in Portugal. Makes me wonder about my future, about my expectations, about my resolutions, about having to sell only abroad.
And when something good happens, I just wish a new sewing machine :). A professional one, a machine that sews perfectly everyday, that quilts, that sews many layers of fabric together. But how?
Meanwhile, here are some of the last things I did last days.