How to make a puppet theatre: reusing magazines and a box

An epmty box: cut a hole in the bottom for the child to put her hands through! 

Take out old magazines and leaflets ... make sure nothing important is cut up!

Stick different coloured papers to the outside of the theatre.

The process takes time if the box is big so either choose a small box or  plan to continue on another day,

Sew the curtains... hard work lady! We had to work on it past bed time but the result was great!

But hey.. wait a minute... we forgot to take a photo of the finished project before handing it to the school .... oooohhhhhhhhh! We'll ask for permission to photograph it later. The material used for the curtains were two old t-shirts. We even attached strings so we could open and close them as a proper stage! We used two kebab sticks and a drinking straw to keep the curtains in place.

A lovely rag ball and two egg cosies to entertain the children.

Today was a very busy day. My aunts babysat my son and while Raquel went to school I managed to clean as much as I can... a much needed thing but which always comes last when the children are present. We prefer to spend the time together usually. In the afternoon I went to an in-service course as I intend to go back to work. The computer lesson was a bit complicated today and too much thinking made me get a headache... lol ... a taste of what will happen next September.

Here is an update of the crafts I have been doing last month. We were playing in my friend's field and noticed we had some rags, some foam, and I had my needle work box with me. So I cut six oval shapes, the shape of a rugby ball, that means pointed on two sides. I sewed them together leaving a hole to fill with foam. It was ready in less than an hour, filled the ball and stitched up the opening. The children had a lovely time playing with it!

Rag ball... an old pair of jeans, an old pair of trousers, a left-over from a skirt... all made this lovely ball come true!

Egg cosies to give as gifts...

These egg cosies were made from left-over yarn. All hand knitted! All you have to do is knit a straight piece, decrease at the top and pull all stitches together. Add some hair. Knit two small hands and add details. Creativity is so much fun!

Two more cakes... Miguel's birthday cakes. The first one to celebrate at home, the second to celebrate at the mother and child group. Yummy cakes! We ate a lot but could not finish them so we gave some to my aunts and friends too.

Falling asleep.... while still on foot!

How about a day out in your friends' farm? That really tired out little Miguel! He could not wait until we finished eating and fell asleep while he was on foot :)

Happy Birthday Raquel!

Raquel's cake was a success! I made it... yes I did! It took a lot of hard work but it was all worth it! Her school friends were really amazed to see the cake and the party organiser hardly wanted to cut it up... what a pity she said!

A ballet lesson... really enjoyed watching the little ballerinas!

This was a little update on my blog... I haven't updated it for a while. A lot of things happened and I am always so busy. Now with the good weather I can't stay inside ... I just keep finding excuses to go out with the children and enjoy the warm weather with them.

San Anton Gardens

These lovely gardens are in Balzan, Malta. This is the president's palace garden. This gift from Japan is really lovely and makes a beautiful monument in this garden. It is worth a visit. The President's Kitchen Garden is also lovely. Children can see the vegetables grown there and a few farm animals. It was a lovely outing and we enjoyed it. This was a lovely family outing two months ago.

On Saturday we have been to the beach for the first time I guess this year. The children longed to swim but the waters were invaded with jellyfish and it was not warm enough to let two coughing children swim. We had a lot of fun on the sand and got our first sunburn unfortunately.

I would like to write more often in this blog but I am so busy going out with the kids that I hardly have time to come here. My husband also spends a lot of time on the computer as he is still studying. I hope I will have time to upload this week's photos. I am going to try to do some house work now as tomorrow a priest will be coming to bless our house, as is the tradition in Malta. After Easter all priests go out with Holy water to bless as many houses as they can. It is a difficult task as the population grows and the number of priests gets smaller. Some are even too old to visit apartments without elevators... but most of the Maltese catholic people wait eagerly for the priest to bless their home and they clean and get the house to look at its best for the occasion. Well, I do look forward for it but I don't make a fuss about the cleaning bit :) I just can't watch my children get upset inside on a bright sunny day! We all go out and try at least not to leave a mess.

Hope you all had a nice Easter!

Funky eyelash yarn toilet roll cover! Suits all styles!

I just finished knitting this gorgeous dress for the doll! It looks gorgeous... almost makes me want to keep it for myself. It would be lovely in my aunt's summer house! It's on sale right now but if it does not sell I'll be happy to keep this one. It's original as I made up the pattern from my fantasy. The hat and the scarf make it so chic!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=390392961990#ht_500wt_949

Carnival costumes and celebrations in Malta

Here are my little ones all dressed up for carnival festivities! The little one is dressed as a spider, a very naughty one and has to be held by princess Snow White to be captured in a photo!

I want the camera please! 

A walk by the beach on such a lovely winter day! It looked like Spring was around  on Friday. We're back to winter today :(

Our Visit to Gozo. The Light House!

A walk to the light house... what a fantastic view of Gozo! This island, just a few minutes away from the main island is full of natural beauty. It is fun to visit and we try to go as often as we can. This time we went to the light house to take a few photos. Miguel was sleeping so I took Raquel to the top of the hill to see the light house. We enjoyed taking photos of each other. She took some photos of me, wearing the red scarf and hat I knitted. She wore the aran hat and the pink scarf which my mum had knitted when she was two. We treasure this scar. She has a matching hat which I found this week at last. I really looked everywhere for the matching hat but only found it when I finally decided to pull the drawer out. And we found the white scarf too! The carpenter must have left too much space behind the drawers that we could not notice the scarf and hat were hiding there. Next time I know where to look for them :)

A long long time ago I could even knit some dolls and pay attention to their details! I am putting this old photo in my blog because these are two of my favourite dolls. It took me a whole week of knitting after coming home from work. If I try to do one now it will take me months... so I gave up on dolls and try to concentrate on my little treasures... my children!

Will try to upload the carnival photos soon!

Trying to sell online! Toilet roll cover and doll :)

Another doll's dress finished, hat ready, details in place... looks gorgeous! Will sell this one too on a site. It is hard to find time to read about etsy shops but it interests me a lot. Will not have much time to write and post next week. I am planning to do some spring cleaning and to organise my son's second birthday party. Will have to remember to buy candles, balloons and whatever I can remember for the party. The worst of all is that this week it is carnival week so we will go out almost every day!

Well, I have to find time to keep little one occupied... right now he looks pretty sleepy... must I clean, knit more items to sell, hang the clothes, do the beds? Where do I start from while he sleeps... the most difficult task to perform while he is awake is washing the floor so that is the best thing to do while he is tired. He must be tired after walking along all the Birzebbuga coast! We left the buggy at home today and jogged, walked or ran all the way!!
Good day to all my readers and Happy Carnival to all the children around the world who will be celebrating this weekend! Enjoy it!

http://visitmalta.com/carnival?l=1

I have been really busy knitting and oops! Forgot to take pictures of the lovely socks I made. I sold them to my aunts so I am sure they won't mind if I took a photo of the socks when I visit! I am knitting more pairs but with the house work and minding the children it's hard to finish off the things I start. I am knitting two scarves now, one for my son and one for my niece. One is almost finished and the other is less than half way. Today I sold one of the dolls. I am so happy... as if I won the lottery :)










How did you spend Valentine's day? I made my husband a lovely card for valentine's day. We spent the day at home as he was working a night shift that night. He  said we can celebrate it on another day. My aunts offered to baby sit on a day we choose so we can go on a romantic meal. I hardly ever go out without them. I won't be swallowing my meals just for once!

Scenes like these drive some mothers crazy but they are quite normal and necessary for the child!


 I tend to eat my meals like a dog in a hurry! That's because my little one makes such a disaster during meals. Miguel tries to climb on the table and grab someone else's drinks and food. We're working hard on it but it's not easy. He also learnt to climb into the high chair but I tell him off as I am sure he can fall any time. Moreover he cannot get down and tries to jump off as if he was sky diving! He's really afraid of nothing. Raquel is becoming a little more educated and has got some manners mastered now. At least she knows that at a restaurant she must not put her hands inside the plates and eat like a monkey :) Children go through that phase and it is quite natural for them. It helps them psychologically to enjoy their meal. Exploring is fundamental for the children to discover what the food feels like. Many parents don't like it. I don't like it but I do accept that behaviour even though I feel like fainting when I see the food flying to the floor.

Raquel is back from school now and I have to have a look at what she is doing. She's doing her home work. In Malta everyone gets home work from five years upwards. God helps the teacher if she fails to give them some, even after an outing! She would get bad reports from parents. I think that play time is important for the children but since the system is what it is we have to comply. Therefore she has to do home work and even extra work when she gets things wrong. We leave play time for Saturday and Sunday but sometimes I give her 30 mins study time so she does not fall back. It's tough but it is for her own good after all. I am trying not to over-do it. Hope I am doing the right thing.

Wish you all a good day, afternoon or night wherever you are. May God bless you!

This weekend we have been enjoying each other's company. As it was St. Paul's feast, Raquel was not at school and we decided to go out. First the decision was to go to Mellieha, then we ended up in Gozo to our favourite restaurant. Later we took Raquel to see the light house. Miguel slept in the car and given that the place is not very safe for toddlers Simon stayed in the car with him. The road is steep and uphill and the edges are not guarded with a fence. After that we went to the playing field at Munxar where I met a friend I had not seen for around a year. Our children played together and had a lot of fun while I could sit and watch sometimes... until little one woke up and started running around. Unfortunately efforts to make these playing fields safe were useless as they are situated on a main road and nobody put a gate on any of the entrances of the play area. A child might just run out at any time so you have to be extra careful with toddlers. The best playing fields are those which can be closed completely like in Sliema and Naxxar. The children don't know it is dangerous so we have to take care. It is not easy as sometimes their behaviour is unpredictable.

Yesterday we spent the day cooking rabbit stew, pancakes and watching TV. I am very sorry for what is happening in Greece. The common people always have to pay for BIG mistakes which they did not commit. Poverty in Europe is a shame and that is where they are heading to... what a pity. It is a beautiful country which I must take my kids to visit when they are a bit older. I think if Zeus was real he would be throwing lightening arrows to the people in power!

How to make a simple paper party bag!

This is a simple idea of how to make party bags. They cost much less than the ready-made plastic ones and it's much fun to make for the birthday princess/prince!

1.  Take an A4 paper and use masking tape to reinforce the handle piece. Stick it from side to side. 

2. Glue the edges and fold unequally, leaving a 1cm gap. Fold the gap inwards.  Also glue and fold the bottom part to make the bag more secure. It will keep the toys and sweets from running out through the bottom!

3. With my special scissors I cut the handles. Fold the paper bag just below the masking tape. Make  half an oval shape.

4. When the party bag is finished you can ask your child to decorate them as she wishes. I never heard Raquel saying she's tired of putting stickers but it happened today!

It is eco-friendly too!

Sunday 5th February

We have been out all day on Sunday. We celebrated dad's and my brother's birthday but as usual I keep forgetting... sorry brother... I forgot your gift :) Hope to see you soon again on Sunday or any day if you wish to come here. The cake was great but the meal was not well cooked. A little monster decided to turn off the oven for me and the chicken was only half cooked! What a pity!

I have spent many hours knitting this week. I have made these two hats, a pair of socks and will make another pair soon! 

Finally I got these two items ready and for sale on ebay. They are lovely and took hours to make but it seems that no one appreciates or all the world has gone poor! No bids for days puts you off trying to do something to help your own financial situation :( Thank God we are not that low but it would have been nice to be able to sell. It's such a satisfaction to be able to earn something! I can't make them at a lower price, they are the cheapest I can put them. Postage costs are something I cannot avoid.

Flying high!

My little ones a few weeks ago had fun riding this helicopter! They are such a handful but they have given us so much love and happiness! Who knows what they are thinking while they are playing? They look happy and that is what matters most!

Things I make for my little ones.

Here is my little prince wearing a sweater I knitted for him in double knitting yarn. We went to take some photos in the playing field. He likes it there. He can run in his comfortable warm clothes!

Now I am knitting this dress for Raquel! It looks quite big. Hope it fits well. The problem is that I used different wool and needles than the pattern... so the hope is that the finished project is not out of proportion. At the moment I am knitting a pair of bed socks, a couple of hats... I start a thing and then I continue another... I must start to finish them all off one after the other. 

I do sell some items online but I am not selling these items. I notice that on some sites people stress that their items come from a pet free home. Well what's the problem with the pets? Mine does not sleep in the wardrobes and does no damage to the clothes or toys. Ok maybe you can find a pet-hair somewhere sometimes on my clothes but it never killed anybody! So why worry if the seller has pets at home?

Today I did not work much as I was busy making a cake for my dad's and brother's birthday. We also went to the mechanic to check our car speedometer as it looks like it's showing the wrong numbers... we're hardly moving and it shows we are going fast! We'll get it fixed on Monday morning he said. Then we went to a birthday party... it was such a busy day and time flew so quickly! I had a good time talking to a friend while waiting for Raquel to come out of the party too. I thank God all the time for my family, my friends and even for the problems I have... because they are things I can handle. God bless all those who read my posts. May you have peace in your heart. That leads to happiness. Worry is a waste of time and jealousy is madness. So I take life one day at a time and try to enjoy each minute.

Hand knitted jacket for a little princess.

Raquel's jacket finally fits! I made this jacket from a pattern but used a different yarn type! The result was a bigger jacket which had to wait in the wardrobe a couple of years at least! It looks gorgeous on her... I have some more yarn... maybe I'll knit her pyjamas in this fur-like yarn. It cost me around 6 euros worth of yarn and 3 for the pattern. I'm so proud of the things I make. I owe it all to my grandma Maria and to my aunts who helped me learn how to knit even though I was left handed. It was very hard at first but now I can do whatever I want... or almost. There are a few difficult patterns which I did not manage to make and I will not try them right now. I just can't concentrate on something with two little tots running and spinning around like bumble bees :)

Wild flowers in the kitchen.

I love flowers and gardens. These flowers look lovely, yet they grow on their own in an abandoned garden. It is a private garden so don't worry, I don't go picking flowers from public places... but there is someone who picks flowers from my front yard! 

I just can't enjoy a single flower if I leave it in the plant. I hope to catch the thief and explain to him that it takes time to wait for a flower to grow, money to buy the bulbs and a lot of dedication even if it is a very small front yard, around one square metre. They are my flowers after all. 

Today I took Raquel to school in the rain. Both our umbrellas broke so we had to go all the way under the broken umbrellas, sheltering ourselves as best as we could. Then took the car to the mechanic, went to have a coffee at a restaurant with a play area so little one could play while we sat. Then I knitted a bonnet but still have to attach the ribbons to it. I will be able to sell it as soon as it is ready. In the afternoon I cooked some kosksu, a traditional Maltese recipe (pasta bead soup) and it tasted really great. Dinner is ready too... baked fish, caponata and baked potatoes with rosemary and fennel seeds. I know all the traditional recipes by heart. The herbs are smelling so nice! I had some frozen basil and fresh mint and marjoram. I can't grow basil right now because it is too cold. The mint plant was dying because I forgot to water it. Hope it does not die.. maybe new sprouts will grow if I water it regularly soon!

It's time to continue my next project now... another bonnet for baby! 

Thanks for looking :)

My hand made items for sale

I have relisted some items on internet. Here are the links:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/390386144047?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649#ht_500wt_949

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/390386147107?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649#ht_500wt_949

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/390386145306?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649#ht_500wt_949

Thanks for looking!

A Sunday spent with the family.

We spend most Sundays surrounded by my family. Sometimes my brother and sister come, but my father and his sisters, my aunts are always there! We enjoy the day cooking, talking, watching television and knitting or crocheting together. The children play in the back yard and the dog sits beside the heater. I thank God for all of this! It was a cold day today! We have stayed inside all the time but enjoyed each others' company just the same.

Thanks to my brother, my computer is working again. It is very old though and he's been warning me soon it will only be good to be thrown away! I'm hoping it lasts a bit longer as I am not working now and don't feel like spending a lot but who can live without this blessed machine nowadays. It is very important to me as I keep contact with the rest of the world through it. It's a meeting place, a shopping centre, a place to display my crafts... a whole world of entertainement!

This photo is of my first baby... lol... Sam will always be a baby! No matter how old he gets he still keeps asking for cuddles. Miguel likes him a lot and feeds him everyday, not that the dog is unable to feed by itself, but it likes being treated like a baby! I wonder why some people are afraid of dogs. It's more likely to be hurt by other people than by a dog. He is still happy to see you after spending a day waiting for you to come back from work or from a day out! Some children found Sam nine in 1998. It was a stray dog, full of fleas and ticks. It was only a few weeks old and could hardly walk. No one would take him home as all mothers refused to allow their children to keep it. I thought I would find him a home... yes of course mine! I took it inside, spent a whole evening washing it and with my mother's help we removed all the tiny creatures from it's wounded body. It had patches of fur missing because some 20 fleas were drinking its blood on one spot! The wounds healed within a few days... and the dog which I thought was grey turned whiter and whiter as I washed it again and again! Sam gives us lots of love. The house has never been empty with it around. We celebrate it's birthday in July :)

<center><a href="http://thepinkslippers.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo310/shabbycreations2/blogbadge-8.png"
border="0" /></a><center></center></center> Is one of the blogs I like and follow. I admire this mother of eight! She must be a great woman! I will stop complaining of tiredness. I only have two children.

A day full of fun!

Today we have been out all day at the indoor play area. The children enjoyed jumping around at the play area while I could watch and relax for an hour. We went to have a meal and a coffee later with friends. We really had a good time. I even took my knitting and crochet with me and managed to finish a bun holder to sell. Now I will give the children a bath. They love bathing so much especially with the heaters on. It's very cold today and even the dog tries to cuddle up. We don't have heating inside our house so when we turn on a heater everyone goes near it to get warm!

Ponchos, hand crocheted in double knitting yarn. All proceedings for charity!

I'm still learning how to use this blog and today I found out why my posts appear without a title! Simply because I had not noticed the empty space at the top of the screen! It must be the rush of the day. Little one is always buzzing around looking for naughty things to do... like dropping crisps and trying to sweep the floor :) He's so funny! I can not stop following him though while I'm a the computer as it's easy for him to get hurt. The playpen became quite useless as he can climb out of it like spider man! Raquel is quiet now but we're insisting on her to take care of her things rather than let them lie around. It's not an easy job but she's learning. Children grow so fast and learn so quickly... all it takes is motivation!

I can't stop thanking God for what we have and who we are.  Today I met a friend of mine who has been to Africa. I was amazed by the stories she related from her first hand experience. God bless all children and all the volunteers who give their precious time for them.

I appeal to all those who can help a voluntary organisation to help by sending a donation if they cannot spare time. I am not able to give help to poor children as mine still need so much attention. Maybe one day when they grow up I'll be able to visit a poor country and give some of my time too. At the moment I am potting some plants to sell through a bazaar for Kenya. A friend of mine also crocheted ponchos and my aunt is trying to sell them through her shop. Prices vary according to sizes. If you are interested please leave a message. Other colours are available on request. I can list them on ebay for you when they are ready.

This is one of my daughter's bags. It used to be a shirt! Recycling is better than using new material as it saves money and you can be proud you did not waste an unwanted or damaged thing! My little princess was really happy with this bag! We used it to carry food, clothes or toys sometimes. Everyone liked it especially because her name was written on it :) Now I'm knitting her a dress, trying to finish a blanket and planning to do some favours for her First Holy Communion. Still have to decide what to do and I will have a look at all the old and new patterns I have at home! A huge pile that takes hours to examine. In the meantime the children can play around me. I thank God for all the blessings he gave me. Of course I am very busy but I am happy.

This week we are staying at home. Raquel and I are both unwell. Can't wait until we go out again as I don't like staying indoors too much but on the other hand I thank God that it's only a cough and it will be over in a few days!

In the meantime I can teach her how to read, how to knit and spend more time with her. We can bake a cake together roo :) Raquel loves cooking and eating too!

My favourite cake is the marble cake, using olive oil instead of margarine. It's yummy and no one ever notices it does not contain butter or margarine! 

Another crocheted item, very delicately crafted indeed! It's a ballet crochet bun holder. I sold this on ebay but I plan to make some more! I would have liked to do some crochet or knitting today but I'm feeling like lazying around today. After all it's Sunday and I should rest a bit. Tomorrow I've got plenty to do. Clothes to put in their places, washing and the worst job of all... trying to keep the house in order. With two little ones around it looks like Tasmania has been visiting!

Scarves and cold weather go together! It is very rare to be this cold in Malta. It's rare that I go out wearing scarves, but this year I do go back and fetch one when I open the door. The north winds are so cold! My children are keeping their hats and scarves on too which is unusual! We all love to be warm! 

The cold weather, wind and rain won't keep us inside today. We have already been to visit friends this morning and now we're going to get a haircut. I made an appointment for all of us! We need it badly as I often forget to make the phone call to the hairdresser. 

Wish everyone a nice and warm day! 

Cakes are my passion! But they do take a lot of time and patience to make! I don't do them for sale but when my children's birthdays come I always try to do my best to impress them. Of course I don't allow them to choose a complicated thing. A simple round or square cake can be cut in many shapes and easily covered  with this sugar paste icing. You just roll it with a rolling pin. Anyone who wishes to do a similar one don't give up! It is simple and impresses the kids!

Raquel helping with sugar paste icing!

Birthday cake ready!

Today I have been to the mother and child group organised by the parish church. It is so much fun for both children and parents! The children can play, draw, sing and meet their peers while we can have some tea or coffee... not in peace though as the children's laughter and screams brighten the day! It's a pity many women do not come as they think their children are too little or because they say they are too busy to come! I'd rather see my children happy than do one hour of house work. I do all the necessary work later. Its' not the end of the world after all!




At the moment there's a lot going on in the Maltese islands. We are preparing for a very big festivity. It's carnival time and all the Maltese would be looking at the shops for carnival costumes for their children. Even adults dress up sometimes. I like to buy costumes online but sometimes the sizes are tricky. Like a couple of years ago I bought this lovely costume which said it would fit a 4 year old... but it did not! That's where golden hands come in handy! I went to a crafts shop and bought a yellow stretchy fabric. I added it to the sleeves and pants and no one could tell it was not part of the costume! There is Raquel posing for photos on one of the carnival floats. They are awesome!!! They are all hand made with papier mache! At night they are lit up and they're simply beautiful!

Raquel posing on the carnival float!

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One of the floats in Floriana, near the capital city Valletta. There were so many. I wonder what this year's floats will look like! I only hope the weather is good!