Gift for a little friend

I've just finished making one of my little beenie bears for the daughter of a dear friend of mine who lives in Germany. The bear is filled with rice and gets heated in the microwave to warm up little bodies on cold nights. I figured I'd better send it now before the weather warms up in the northern hemisphere and she doesn't have a need for warm little buddy!



I enjoyed making the gift a lot and it made me think about how I'd like to restock my long neglected and empty little Bubala Etsy shop. The slippers, blankets, toys and pyjama bags above are some of my other favourite things to make for babies and children. Lately I've been hand embroidering the child's name onto bears I've made as gifts (as in the top pic), and I'm wondering now if I should consider offering this as an option on the other items. What do you think?

A little bit of kindness

I finished making this little baby set recently for my friend Alison who has bought quite a few of these now as presents for newborns, this one for a girl, and blue sets for boys.



Alison has always been so supportive of me and my hobby/little business. Words of kindness and encouragement can turn your day around, don't you think?



I had a conversation with a dad friend today (quick conversation, that is, with 2 year olds around!) about having a positive attitude, viewing the glass as half full etc. He and his wife were actively trying to be calmer and nicer, aiming to do 5 things a day that they thought might please each other.

It made me think about how a little bit of kindness can go so far, whether it's towards a stranger, a friend or our children. Occasionally when I see a potentially difficult late afternoon with my children coming up I stop and promise myself that I will try my best to be patient and not yell, to think about the fact that they are tired and hungry and just not able to cope so well at the moment. I try to be kind. Sometimes I fail miserably, as I guess most parents do, but I'm going to try a bit more.