Now we are nine

Well, the birthday weekend is over and I think it was a success. We had a swimming party (did you guess that already?). I made the cake. Icing is not a medium I'm totally comfortable with and I don't find it at all relaxing, but I get a request each birthday and I can't refuse a creative challenge! The cake sponge for my daughter is always pink!

The notebook I made Sadie has already started being customised, so I guess she liked it! She also recieved one of these beautiful colour in posters by Scandi from her friend Ruby, which will look great framed on her bedroom wall, I just have to try not to be too precious about letting my nine year old colour it in!

The pens she used to colour in the notebook were another gift; Berol Felt Tips. I love them anyway (school/stationery nostalgia!) but they will now for ever be associated in my mind with John Thorpe MBE (Leeds Civic Architect) and my recent visit to his studio in a Leeds Owl Trail capacity. He colours in his amazing maps with his trusty berol pens, mapping and planning places and spaces in Leeds.

A place for lists

My big girl will be nine this weekend, which I have to admit is quite scary, time really is flying by! My mum says she is just like me (she says it in a "you get what you deserve" kind of way!), but along with the bad habits there are plenty of good ones she's picked up: a few of which are her love for stationery, lists (bad or good?) and books.

There is always a reading or note book stuck to her face while she sleeps when I go in to switch off her light, and much to my annoyance pen marks all over her bedding. It's great, though, that she chooses to spend her time that way.

I've just made her this notebook as a little something extra. I did the doodle a while ago but haven't done anything with it. I thought it would make a good notebook cover which she can colour and customise at will and then fill with lists!

I might just make another for me!