knock knock... toc toc...

que hi algu???
Despres de tant de temps em pregunto si encara deu haver algu que visita aquest blog! Han passat moltes setmanes des de l'ultim post i es que hi ha hagut bastant de moviment per aqui. La tornada a la universitat, la maquina de cosir que va decidir fer vaga i de sobte van venir uns marejos i una son tipus narcoleptica que no em deixava fer res. I aqui esta la rao:

Hello? Anybody there? I wonder if there are still any readers left after all this time of absence...! There has been a few weeks well passed since my last post and it is because many things happened here. Going back to college, my sewing machine going on strike and me starting to feel a bit sick and nauseous and with a deep deep feeling of wanting to sleep everywhere anytime. Yes, this is the reason why...:

Un nen que ve de cami! Fa 4 dies que vam saber que es un nen. No m'esperava pas que m'ensenyessin una ecografia en 3D a les 16 setmanes i va ser una bona sorpresa. Sembla mes un alien que no pas un nen encara! Per sort ja em trobo molt millor, ni vomits ni nausees ni cansanci (pero sense ganes d'estudiar...). Intentare reemprendre la feina que em va quedar per fer amb la maquina de cosir i espero poder actualitzar aquest blog una mica mes sovint.

A baby boy on its way! We found out it's a boy 4 days ago. I didn't even expected them to show it to me on 3D at 16 weeks and it was a nice surprise. It looks more like an alien than a human now... Fortunately I'm feeling much much better, no vomits, no nausea, no tiredness... I just don't feel like studying and writing essays...! I will try finish some of the projects I had to leave and bit by bit I hope to be bale to update this blog more regularly.

De moment vull fardar de mare. Tinc una mare que fa els jerseys mes macos del planeta i sense seguir cap patro! Em sembla que jo vaig comenc,ar a fer dos sense patro i els dos me'ls va haver d'acabar ella... 

Aquest el va fer en un parell de dies estant aqui de visita per a aquesta nova adicio. 

Encara no he pogut trobar botons (va cordat pel darrere) i potser intentare fer una ullada durant la propera visita a Barcelona.

I am going to show off a bit today... My mum knits the cutest jumpers in the planet and she doesn't follow any pattern. I think I tried to start 2 jumpers once without a pattern and she had to finish both of them for me... This one is for the new addition. I still haven't found any buttons for it so I might keep an eye open for them during my next visit to Barcelona.

Ens estem preparant per Nadal ara, sera molt tranquil aquest any... el passarem aqui a Irlanda i nomes serem nosaltres tres quatre... Quins plans teniu per Nadal?

We are getting ready for Christmas now, it's going to be quiet this year... we're staying in Ireland and it's going to be only the three four of us... What are your plans for Christmas?

Goodie Swap 2011

I finally finished the goodies for both my partners in the Goodie Swap 2011 that Cindy organized. Each participant will get 1 mug rug and 1 goodie from each of her 2 partners. I just finished the goodie for my second partner and now they'll have to wait for their post to arrive.

Ja he acabat els regals per l'intercanvi que la Cindy va organitzar, Goodie Swap 2011. Cada participant ha de fer un mini-individual i un altra coseta a dues altre participants. Ja he acabat la "coseta" per la segona companya i ara les dues hauran d'esperar a rebre'ls.

individual per la companya 1

mug rug for partner 1

moneder per la companya 1, seguint el tutorial de Noodlehead

Gathered clutch from Noodlehead tutorial

individual per la companya 2

mug rug for partner 2

cistelleta per la companya 2

basket for partner 2

Espero que tot els agradi...

I hope they like them...

Buttons...

Fa poc que he tornat d'unes mini-vacances al sud d'Anglaterra: Salisbury, Torquay, Falmouth i Truro, si mai no hi heu estat us ho recomano!
A Falmouth vaig trobar una botigueta plena de tresors, i vaig trobar aquests botons fets amb closca de coco.

I'm not long back from a short break in the south of England, we visited Salisbury, Torquay, Falmouth and Truro, so so beautiful!
I found a shop full of treasures in Falmouth where I found these cute buttons made of coconut shell.

M'agraden els botons artesanals i de moment a la meva (petita) col.leccio ja en tenia dos fets amb fang.

I like handmade buttons and I already had 2 clay ones in my rather small collection.

I aixo no te res a veure amb botons, pero avui m'he topat amb un llibre molt intressant (una altra de les meves passions son els contes infantils...). Un llibre que es diu The Rabbit Problem escrit per l'Emily Gravett. Ja tenia aquest d'aquesta autora i em va agradar molt.

And this has nothing to do with buttons, but I wanted to share it with you anyway, it's a book I found today (here's another of my passions: children's books): The Rabbit Problem by Emily Gravett. Check this one too by the same author.

TUTORIAL, a quick and easy quilt , un quilt rapid i facil

Nell is Hana's best friend, or besht fend, as she calls her. This quilt is for Nell and it was supposed to be finished the day after I started  piecing it. The same day Nell came for a sleep over. It's pretty easy to make and very quick, but my machine decided to lock up and I couldn't finish the quilting, and I was almost finished! I have a second machine that a friend lent me, so I could finish it a couple of days later.
today Hana is going for a sleep over (her very first sleep over!!!) at Nell's and she'll bring this as a present.


Nell was asking me was it a "magic quilt". I said: of course! I only know how to make magic quilts and they are the best because you will only have nice dreams when you sleep under one of them. 
She went: wooooow...

La Nell es la millor amiga de la meva filla. Aquest quilt es per la Nell i se l'havia d'endu la setmana passada quan va venir a dormir a casa. No el vaig poder acabar perque se'm va bloquejar la maquina de cosir. Es molt facil i rapid de fer, i el vaig poder acabar un parell de dies despres amb la maquina que una amiga em va deixar. Avui la Hana anira a dormir a casa de la Nell (el primer cop que se'n va a dormir a casa d'una amiga!!!) i li portara aquest quilt com a regal.

La Nell em va preguntar mentres l'estava fent si era magic. Jo li vaig dir: es clar que si, nomes ser fer quilts magics jo, i son els millors perque quan et tapes amb ells no tindras mai cap malson. Es va quedar parada i va dir: uaaaaaau...

I used a charm pack and did the following

He utilitzat un charm pack i he fet el seguent

cut 36 squares in half

talleu 36 quadres per la meitat

I sew three rectangles together lengthwise and made 24 units like this

Vaig cosir tres rectangles aixi per fer 24 unitats com aquesta

I sew a Kona white piece of 5"x3 1/2" on 15 unit

Vaig cosir un rectangle de 5"x 31/2" de tela Kona blanca a 15 unitats

I placed them on the floor to find a nice arrangement and 

sew the remaining units to the white rectangle from the side unit

Vaig posar-les al terra per veure com quedaven mes be

i vaig cosir les unitats restants al rectangle blanc del costat 

After pressing, I cut strips of more white fabric 33 1/2"x 4 1/2" 

and join the panels together

despres de planxar, vaig tallar mes tires blancques de 33 1/2" x 4 1/2" 

i vaig cosir totes les tires juntes aixi

I used a 100%cotton sheet from Ikea for the green border.

2 strips of 33 1/2" x 5 1/2" to which you sew one unit at each end, 

and 2 strips of 41 1/2" x 5 1/2".

Vaig fer servir un llenc,ol de 100% coto d'Ikea per fer el marc.

Vaig tallar dues tires de 33 1/2" x 5 1/2" a les quals vaig cosir una unitat a cada extrem,

i dues tires de 41 1/2" x 5 1/2".

I kept a very simple quilting in the centre, following straight lines along the white strips

and diagonal lines along the units and free motion on the border. 

He fet un encoixinat simple al centre, nomes seguint linees rectes a les tires blanques i en diagonal aobre les unitats i encoixinat lliure al marc verd.

At each corner a sew a spiral

A cada cantonada vaig cosir un espiral

And of course, a label to remember that night full of fun, lots of stories and only good dreams...

The little verse about the rain is Nell's. She said that to her daddy one day looking out the window, when she wanted to go outside to play and it was very windy... isn't it fantastic? she was only 3!

I com no, una etiqueta per recordar aquella nit tan divertida, amb molts contes i cap malson...

Aquest vers es pot traduir mes o menys aixi:

la pluja, la pluja, la pluja...

la pluja fara neteja i s'endura el vent.

Aixo es el que va dir la Nell un dia al seu pare quan mirava per la finestra i feia molt de vent. 

Nomes tenia 3 anys!

preparant-me per una fira de Nadal - getting ready for a Christmas market

Aquest any vull tenir una paradeta al mercat de Nadal de Kinvara. Nomes dura dos dies i crec que seria una bona oportunitat per veure com aniria la cosa si ho fes mes sovint.
De moment estic fent postals i punts de llibre, pero tambe tinc altres projectes a la llista.

They all come with their envelope in a plastic sleeve

Totes van amb un sobre dins d'un sobre de plastic

and my stamp on the back

i el meu segell al darrere

This year I'd like to take part in the Christmas market in Kinvara, it only runs for two days, so it will be a good opportunity to have a taste and see how it would be if I decided to this on a regular basis.
I'm making lots of cards and bookmarks at the moment, but I also have other little projects in the list.

WINNERS! GUANYADORES!

Thank you all for entering this giveaway! There was a total of 24 comments.
Moltes gracies per participar en el sorteig! Hi ha hagut 24 comentaris.

The first winner who gets the 7"x5" book handmade by Una is:
La primera guanyadora qu s'endu el llibre gran fet per l'Una es:

Centdesitjos said... 17

Primer de tot... i que no se'm passi per la emoció...
FELICITATS IRINA!!!!
I ara Ohhh!! Jo ja ho tinc pensat!!! Sí, sí, m'encantaria la llibreta per a fer un petit dietari pels meus peques... tinc moltes cosetes guardades de tot el procés i alguna foto... i esperen que trobi el lloc ideal per a enganxar-ho... i és clar... la teva llibreta seria molt especial!!!
Una abraçada i feliços 33!!!
Gisela

and the second winner who gets the 5"x4" book is:
i la segona guanyadora que s'endu el llibre petit es:

Sarah @ FairyFace Designs said... 1

Ooh those books are so pretty Irina! I would use it to draw quilt ideas in, always have to have a notebook with me for when inspiration strikes!



Congratulations to Gisela and Sarah. I will send you both and email to ask you where should I post these books.

Moltes felicitats Gisela i Sarah. Us enviare un email per demanar-vos on he d'enviar aquests llibrets.

I had a really nice birthday. I didn't organise and party but I had all I wanted! My little one went to playschool in the morning, and my partner rushed to town "to get me something", so I had all the house for myself and plenty of time to finish a commissioned quilt top.
El dia del meu aniversari va ser molt maco. No vaig organitzar cap festa pero vaig tenir tot el que volia! Al mati vaig portar la petita a l'escola i el meu company va marxar corrents a "comprar-me alguna cosa". Vaig tenir tot el mati per a mi i vaig aprofitar per acabar de cosir un quilt que m'han encarregat.

(it is now completed, I'll post some more photos)

(ara esta acabat, ja posare mes fotos)

When he came back, he brought me sushi for lunch, chocolates, a bunch of lilies which are filling the house with their fresh smell (I think I'll be buying lilies all the time now), and the second series of Nurse Jackie... I went to pick up Hana and we spent a lot of time outside because the weather WAS GREAT AND IT WASN'T RAINING!!! (it rained the day before and the day after!)
Then he cooked the best sesame chicken for dinner and sate beef! and we had a very nice birthday cake (good old Marks&Sparks...). 

look at the "d" of "birthday"...

mireu la "d" de "birthday"

Quan va arribar, m'havia portat sushi per dinar, bombons, un ram de lliris i la segona temporada de Nurse Jackie. Vaig anar a recollir la Hana i vam passar tota la tarda a fora perque va fer un dia fantastic i no va ploure gens (va ploure el dia abans i el dia despres).

EL meu company va fer el sopar, pollastre al sesam i vedella amb salsa sate, i vam menjar un mini pastisset d'aniversari.

she thought it was her birthday!

es pensava que era el seu aniversari!

and this is my self-bought present!

i aquest es el regal que em vaig fer!

Gracies per llegir el meu blog!

Thanks for reading my blog!

It's my birthday! Faig anys! - GIVEAWAY/SORTEIG!

Doncs si, el dimecres 17 em ficare un altre any a la butxaca! Recordo quan vaig fer els 11 i els 22, ara toca 33! m'agrada quan repetim xifres... tinc un dilema al cap, no se si celebrar-ho amb una mini festa o no... per una part m'agrada tenir gent a casa i fer una festa, pero si soc jo el centre d'atencio ja no m'agrada tant... Qui va ser que va dir: "si vols ser el centre d'atencio en una festa, no hi vagis!" Elisabeth Taylor???
No se que fare...

Well yes, I'll be a year older on Wednesday 17th! I remember when I turned 11 and 22, so now it's 33! yeah! I like when you get the same digits... I'm still deciding whether to celebrate it with a party or not. I like having people at home and throw a party, but not when I'm the centre of attention... Who said "if you want to be the centre of attention in a party, just don't go", Elisabeth Taylor???
Argh... I don't know what I'll do yet...

De totes maneres aqui si que ho celebrare amb un sorteig, per que no? Com sabeu he trobat una altra aficio,  enquadernar llibres, i aquest divendres vam anar a veure la paradeta de llibres de l'Una. No vaig marxar amb les mans buides i aqui podeu veure el que podeu tenir a les vostres amb una mica de sort.

Anyway, I will celebrate here all right! You know I've discovered bookbinding recently, don't you? Well we went to the farmer's market on Friday to see Una at her stand. Of course I didn't leave with empty hands! So here you can see what you can have in your hands with a bit of luck.

5"x7" book with 76 pages 

llibre de 12.5x17.5 cm amb 76 pagines

3"x4" book with 62 pages

llibre de 7.5x10cm, de 62 pagines

M'encanten els llibres i llibretetes, en tinc un fotime! Una per escriure coses que no vull oblidar, des d'una recepta fins el nom d'un llibre, una pel.licula, una adrec,a, alguna cosa que he llegit i m'ha agradat... En tinc un altre per escriure totes les frases divertides que comenc,a a dir la Hana. Una altra on estic escrivint com va creixent des que va neixer, vaig escriure un durant tot l'embaras... 

en tinc molts per a tot!

I love little books and notebooks, I have so many! I have one where I write things I don't want to forget, like the name of a book, a recipe, a film, something nice that I've read, the address of some interesting place... I also have one to write down all the funny things Hana is starting to say. I have a journal that I'm writing about her since she was born, (it will be for her).  I also wrote one during my pregnancy...

I have books for everything!

So here's the deal:

1. Write a comment telling me how you are going to use this book if you win, will you use it to write recipes, as a journal, to write funny stories...?

2. If you decide to blog about this giveaway, you can have an extra entry by writing another comment with the link of your post.

I'll announce 2 winners on Monday 22nd of August!

note: you don't have to be a follower at all to enter this giveaway, everybody is welcome! but I'd rather have people who really like my blog to become a follower, so if you like what you see you know what to do! Thanks!

Que heu de fer:

1. Escriure un comentari dient-me com fereu servir aquest llibre, com a diari, receptari, etc...

2. Si decidiu correr la veu sobre aquest sorteig al vostre blog, podeu tenir una altra oportunitat escrivint un altre comentari amb el link del post.

Sabreu qui son els 2 guanyadors el dilluns dia 22 d'Agost!

nota: No cal ser seguidor per entrar en aquest sorteig, tothom es benvingut! pero prefereixo tenir seguidors a qui realment els agradi el meu blog, aixi que si us agrada el que veieu ja ho sabeu!Gracies!

handmade book - llibre fet a ma

He apres que cada grup de paper doblegat es diu "signatura". El meu llibre te 12 signatures.

I learnt that each group of 4 folded sheets of paper is called a "signature", 

so my book has 12 signatures.

Cinta de lli encerada

Waxed linen thread

I chose this ribbon after choosing the paper for the covers. Turquoise and brown, perfect!

Vaig escollir la cinta despres d'escollir el paper per les cobertes. Turquesa i marro, perfecte!

sorry it was night time and had no natural light!

era de nit i no tenia llum natural!

After the ribbon was stuck to the first page on either side, I made the covers.

Despres d'enganxar la cinta a la primera pagina de cada costat, vaig fer les cobertes.

A piece of triangular paper for the corners makes a nice finish.

Un troc, de paper triangular per les cantonades fa un bon acabat.

Anice touch: a page of very thin paper before start writing away...

Un bon detall afegit: una pagina de paper molt fi abans d'escriure...

And here's my book!

I aqui teniu el meu llibre!

thank you Una!