Swinging moods of blogspot... For comforting - Fishcakes

Today my blog is trojan free.... fuffiness of blogspot amazes me, indeed. One day it's fine - another - it's not. But - who cares. I visit here once in a while (for this heck trojan thing that none of my computer scientists friends and family members understands and can stop).

To comfort myself in face of capricious blog space, I want to recall one of my favourites: Fishcakes by uber-tallented and endowed with a peculiar sense of humour Voz Perkins . I like her doodles since I saw them, quite some years ago, on flickr (yes, there was a time, when I was doing doodles myself....) Kid's Kitchen Set with an apron embroidered with her "I Cook" and "I Bake" monsters, and coordinated set of recipe cards is still the coolest cooking/ baking set ever.
(And I LOVE Mahar Drygoods for great taste for children's toys, accessories and costumes - I've taken the photo of Voz's kitchen set from their site - thank you)
The sketcheress produced a lot of goods for last two years - you can see them (and buy them) here and many other places, too.

"Stay for Lunch" series with her whimsical monsters looks delicious - I can't wait to see them in person.

elephants that entertain

Can environmentally friendly clothing be beautiful? Can earth-friendly toy be cute? But of course. And can it be affordable? Absolutely. Maybe not in Poland, but some other places, it can.
I like Entertaining Elephants for the simplicity of the outfits they offer.

Peasant dress is one of their long time hits (I've seen this company about 5 years ago) - large paisley on black background is my favourite, and would LOVE to have such a tunic with puff sleve for myself (I fancied myself riding a bike in this tunic and leggins, with a shawl waving -, no, maybe this shawl isn't great idea for I have no intention to be another Isadora Duncan. But the tunic stays.)

Or dress with decorative hem - maybe it would be great as a tunic too - made of double layer of silk printed in birds. What is the best: this dress is not cute - it's just beutiful dress also a mother would want to have.
Maybe that's the key for my choice for children's clothes - I like only those clothes I wouldn't mind wearing.

And their have an excellent logo - putting it in front of each item, with no woven labels was excellent idea. And it's also environmentally friendly.

Among toys my favourite is this set of tableware - all made of recycled milk jugs!
It seems that the quality of outfits haven't changed but their website have and now it's much more sophisticated than it used to be - from a shabby chic to modern chic, cool.

Peter Pan

It's spring at last - everything is young and beautiful again, finally. It gives me new strenght - and I know I'm not the only one.
I haven't been here for soooo long, blogging I mean. Too much things to do here and there - even making softies was neglected, as well as writing about it. Well, almost neglected - exept few custom orders (one lady with a magpie asked for my magpie decorations! thank you - I love these toys) and some knitted toys for friends I haven't make any. And any photo - that's worse. Yes, making toys is an important vein of my soul, but I had to chose between some other works and adventures (like renovating). I'll be back soon.
And among all this work and adventure I've came across the book Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie again - this time in English, not in translation, and in the same time - a movie from 2003 and I must say I'm enchanted by both. The novel is much more sarcastic, and bitter, magic and touching in the same time, and though the movie has some good parts too - it's just an adaptation. But I love it! Peter Pan in a movie is not an archetype of youth and joy, but much less demonic than in a book when it's heartless, gay and innocent child who meets joy, and loneliness, and death, and loss. Thank goodnes for good casting - at least it has few qualities of an original: he has gorgeous smile that lights stronger than 100W lightbulb and is corky. I do not quite agree with current tendency to turn every story into romance - there's so much more in a book. On the other hand - maybe it's actually the most important thing under the sun and those children are great. Anyway - I'm enchanted.
The story about Peter Pan still has the power to captivate children: Ada wanted me to tell her at goodnight few times about Peter Pan, flying girl Wendy, Captain Hook and - the most of all - Crocodile!

Every child is precious

Today I've been in an orphans house "House in a Boat" runned by Gajusz Foundation (I do not know whay I can not make a html for linking it), a NGO foundation that's running also a hospice for children. (I put their banner on my site. There is also auction site of the foundation at allegro.pl with their nick "Hospicjum_Dzieci").
So when I went to this house, I took Leelee and Hadrian and fox Florence for the children - residents. I made a purse and miniature Puka I had made as a toy for Florence.
But speaking of children: so far there are only three of them there, but it's gonna be 9 - all of them are more or less disabled. I feel shame that I didn's go there earlier and that I feared this visit. Because I did. Unnecessary. These children are so cute, vivid and funny! They deserve to be loved and cared. Not just by social workers and employed nurses, but by parents - adopted, if not by parents by blood. Or families - adopted also. Unfortunately, our social care system is not helpful to arrange adopted families for those children, or family houses. And that's a pitty. No, actually, more than a pitty. So far I do not know how to help to solve this problem.
But the best thing will be circle of friends - and I believe in this I can help. Actually EVERYONE can help.
I like the name of this house "House in a Boat" - for it's double meaning: the city it's located is Lodz, which means Boat also. They have quite lovely place, with a small backyard and garden, with a kindergarden as the closest neighbour. I hope they'll settle there nicely as soon as possible. They just have to familiarize the neighbours with their presence. With the presence of Strange Strangers, in many ways.
1o% of every sold toy item, I want to give them. That's a pledge. I think it will be better to focus of one charity - until I'm very reach :)

matrix got me!!!!!! silly Aloutka! and children of the silence

After checking Krista's blog as almost every day (I wrote few blogs ago that I like her without actually knowing her in person), I've learned that her Hillary is already on our side of the reality. She named her baby Hillary Marie - good name. Have I mentioned that I'm an expert (in a way) in names and tradition of christening? Well, my PhD is all about it, heheheh :)
And - silly me - I was moved to tears by the information and beautiful photo of happy mother and daughter. CONGRATULATIONS, KRISTA AND HILLARY MARIE!"
Sniff, sniff...
I know the reason - though Ada is the most wonderful daughter in the world, she's not a newborn anymore. She is a big toddler, running around, speaking words that are not just her private language but each day more understandable, loudly singing, laughing, putting nappies on her head for fun, wanting to draw in my notecard, to be giggled, posing before the mirror, etc. She is growing fast, imitating grownups, almost grownup herself! I'd just like to feel this feeling of having newborn again! It was such a great thing to birth her and to have her in my arms. Well, I see that labor and storm of hormones made a gap in my memory and I don't remeber any discomfort or pain of pregnancy, heheheh. Besides, and that's another thing, Ada was very silent and calm baby from the beginning, and even midwifes in hospital were surprised by her zen meditative mood. So were our neighbours and landlords - everybody expected rush and loud. She just had her eyes opened but spoke a little. Child of the silence.
Omph, I'm back to myself - that's better. I'll better go finish birthday present for our young neighbour!
And I wouldn't be me if I hadn't noticed the information that Krista is already home! I have to check the information but it seems in Canada women come back homes after just labor! Or a one day. In Poland women are kept at least 3 days in any case. Very interesting.... I'll use it in my medical anthropology lecture. Next semester, of course :)