On Monday, my tiniest baby turned one – beautiful Daisy is now a whole year (and four days at the time of writing) old. I marked the occasion by opening a packet of flower-topped cupcakes from Waitrose (I have two children, a husband who works twelve hour days and I work from home – I wasn’t even going to pretend to try baking) and weeping into the crisps, while peering at pictures of her as a newborn. As every mother will know, when the birthdays roll around you’re transported straight back to the delivery room, Tardis-stylee. The delicate weight of a newborn being placed in your arms for the first time, the instant need to soothe and protect, that indescribably addictive smell that comes with a new baby (the one that makes you sniff their heads ALL the time), the first few minutes spent staring at each other, as if the rest of the world has disappeared (the sheer relief that after the last seven hours / twenty-four hours / three days it’s all over) – these are all things that I can remember at the drop of a hat, and things that I hope I never forget. She’s grown in the last year from a snuffly newborn, into an inquisitive, affectionate and comical baby – Daisy, my sweetpea, you are one!
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| “Come here and give me some birthday sugar….” |
I know all the magazines and books like to make it seem like the norm to celebrate your childs first birthday with big parties, bouncy castles, magicians, troops of performing animals and fanfares, but in all honesty, I don’t see the point. They haven’t got a clue what’s going on, and invariably fall asleep just as you wheel out the birthday cake – there’s plenty of time for huge celebrations when they get older. I knocked up some decorations, stocked up on cake from Waitrose and invited the Grandparents and Godparents. And that was pretty much us…
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| Garland made from doilies and washi tape |
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| Sunshine garland from Kitschy Digitals and lanterns from , erm, the Hobbycraft sale section. Ahem. |
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| Honeycomb paper balls from Papermash |
The sunshine garland came from the Kitschy Digitals website, and if you’ve never been there, I strongly urge you to go, immediately! Developed by Danielle Thompson of Thompson Family-Life (one of my absolute most favourite blogs in the entire world), it’s an absolute goldmine of blog and web design elements, garlands, printable scrapbook pages and more. I can’t do it justice with a description – just go and visit! The honeycomb balls came from one of my favourite online shops, Papermash, and I made the ‘1’ garland with doilies from eBay (there are literally hundreds, but I used these ones) and different washi tapes. Nothing fancy, and slightly wonky, but I think that just adds to the homemade-ness….
Presents were tricky. We’ve already had Christmas and Easter, and we’d kept all of Ben’s old toys, so there really wasn’t anything she needed, and the thought of yet more plastic tat filling up our already squashed-up home made me want to have a tantrum. In the end, we went for the practical options – books…
… clothes….
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| So keen on her dungarees set from Lilly and Sid that she decided to put them on immediately |
…. the odd noisy toy (gah!) and other practical bits and pieces. I wanted to make her something as well, as Ben’s got a few bits and pieces I’ve made him over the years, so I thought it was only fair to even things up a bit. I had a rough idea that I wanted to make something rattle-y and jingle-y, but wasn’t sure exactly what. I did some doodling, and pottered about on the internet for a bit, and came up with a cunning plan.
Q: If you take a selection of jazzy fabrics, add a few templates, mix things up with some wadding and a few pet toys, what do you get?
A: A pretty happy one year old, as it turns out…
They took me ages. Literally, ages. I’m not bad at sewing, just impatient and nervous, and on the whole, I’d rather not be doing it, so I procrastinate, and twirl my hair round my finger, and make a lot of tea. And after three days of doing this, suddenly I find that I’ve got a rattly star and cat, and a jingly moon. With embroidered smiley faces. Obviously. Ahem.
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| Because every child needs a geometric cat |
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| Who wouldn’t love to own a smiling moon? |
The star is actually two different patterns on each side, because I didn’t have enough of either fabric. So I chose both. More is more when it comes to florals, right?
I think I like the moon best – he (there is no logic behind me assigning him a gender) just looks so friendly and cheery. I was pretty pleased with the cat, and I do love the fabric, but I’m not convinced the face shows up as much as I would have liked. On the whole, though, as I am the Queen of unfinished projects (no, my Mum still does not have her knitted cushion….), I was just proud that I managed to not only complete them, but in time for her birthday. Phew!
Happy first birthday, Daisy Belle. We love you!
I love the cat! Happy birthday Daisy x
Thank you! 🙂 x
So cute! Happy birthday!
Thank you so much!
She is just perfect. Also those toys are BEAUTIFUL. I totally agree about 1 year old parties – i think it's nice to do a small family thing, but babies do not need belts and whistles. Just hugs and love and presents!How much would you mind if I stole this idea – or alternatively commissioned you to make me some?!!
I'm pretty much never, ever sewing again, so please, feel free to steal the idea – make sure you post some pictures on your blog though!Thank you for your lovely comment 🙂 x
Oh! Such lovely presents! Can't believe little Daisy is a whole 365 (+ some more by now) days old! 🙂
The moon! The moon! Oh I love it, just love it. Happy Birthday Daisy xx
Those plushes are so aborable!! That is such a good idea. My friend's daughter is turning 1 at the end of the month and I think that I might make her something.
Happy Birthday to Daisy. Looks like a great party. Might steal some ideas for Bea's in June (gulp) x