Did you miss me? I was making a new puppy cot mobile...

I have been incredibly busy making stuff, of late. Which is good, as it makes me feel purposeful. Although that means also not much blogging, and a tiny bit of stress - remember? full time job, toddler, husband, etc.
In particular, I spent a considerable amount of time sewing a new puppy cot mobile for a friend's newborn goddaughter. I'm also in the process of making a coordinated height chart, which will hopefully be ready this week - I say hopefully because I've been hopeless in estimating timing for this project... I thought it would have been another 'nice 'n' easy' one, but since I've sewn most of it by hand, it has obviously taken me soooo long! But I was determined not to make the same mistake I made before by sewing everything by machine and losing a bit of that 'handmade' touch.
Remember my bird cot mobile? Well, I wanted the same low-tech system and retro feeling.
My friend's brief read simply: "Cute puppies and lots of warm colours, please", so I imagined a bunch of doggies playing in the park, and I started doodling what I wanted to recreate.

The puppy mobile and height chart project on paper

For the central piece, around which my puppies happily play, I have chosen to use the tree template published by Homemade by Jill because my last one was only "inspired" by it and ended up twisting a bit.
I have also chosen to use felt again (I can't get enough of the stuff!), as it is really easy to use and sew (no hems, hurrah!!!), beside giving an immediate playful and warm feeling.
About a month, and a thousand blanket stitches later (give or take), this is the result.

The height chart is coming along nicely, so stay tuned...

Low-tech bird mobile

My friend Rachael is about to have a baby... she has endured some 18 months of living in a caravan, including a good chunk of her pregnancy (no, she is not a particularly peace&love, tree-hugger sort of girl, and she likes her shower, but she had to go through this hippie period while her house was being built).
I thought, given that her new house was self-built, maybe I should be making a handmade, low-tech present for the new baby, so to keep in theme.
I saw this super-cute owl mobile on Homemade by Jill, and I wanted to make something similar.
So I came up with this bird mobile (can you recognise the birds from the felt playhouse? ah ah! well spotted! They were designed by a blogger, Country Kitty, who makes really sweet things - you can find the template of the birdies in this Italian online magazine, Country Dreams).

I started sewing the birds by hand, using blanket stitches, but boy! it was taking ages and I was going to see my friend the day after! So one little bird was lovingly hand-stitched and the others had to be sewn by machine...I have to admit, the hand-stitched one looks so much prettier...Note to self: next time try not to rush through a project (but why good ideas pop into my mind only two days before an event???).
Anyhow, my friend loved it and said that she was thinking of decorating the nursery with birds so, did I read her mind?

Spot the difference!

On another subject, World Book Day is coming up soon and, guess what?, I have to come up with a cute, easy and quick to make costume based on a book character for little monkey...

I have a couple of ideas, but do you have any suggestions based on toddlers' books???
Any help greatly welcome!