Saturday 27 April 2013

Über Tyrannen und wie sie entstehen...

Ich habe endlich mal wieder ein Buch fertig gelesen. Und zwar eins, dass ich schon seit gefühlte Ewigkeiten mal lesen und mal nicht lesen wollte. Es ist schon ungewöhnlich einen Buch so ambivalent gegenüber zu stehen, dass man noch nie in der Hand hatte. Aber als dieses Buch publiziert wurde, ging es mit so viel Medienpräsenz einher, dass man schon den Eindruck hatte, man kenne die Kernthemen bereits.

Das Buch, um den es hier geht, ist diese hier:
Warum unsere Kinder Tyrannen werden (Michael Winterhoff)

 Heiß diskutiert und immer noch sehr kontrovers. Beim lesen merkt man, dass der Herr Winterhoff sehr von seiner Meinung überzeugt ist (einerseits hätte mich das ja gewundert wenn es nicht so wäre, denn in sämtlichen Interviews den er gegeben hatte, kam er als sehr standfest in seiner Meinung rüber, andereseits ist Reden immer noch anders als Schreiben...). Und es ist nicht von der Hand zu weisen, dass bestimmte Verhaltensmerkmale von Kindern heutzutage zunehmen - oder es scheint zumindest so als wenn es so wäre.

Insgesamt ein sehr interessantes Buch (wenn man so was mag, und das tue ich). Ich finde die Beobachtungen die er gemacht hat bzw. 'Erfahrungsbeispiele' sehr treffend und bin mir sicher, dass jeder Leser fast alle Situationen mal im Freundes-/Bekanntenkreis/Lebensumfeld mitbekommen haben dürfte - sei es auch nur im Kindergarten, auf dem Spielplatz oder sonstwo. Die Rückschlüsse die Herr Winterhoff danach trifft werden Meinungen spalten, das ist den Leser beim Lesen der ersten Seiten klar. Und wenn das Buch zum Gesprächsthema im Freundeskreis wird, wird dieser Punkt noch deutlicher. Was man da heraus nimmt, ist jedem selbst überlassen. Und auch, ob man die andere, darauf heraufbauenden Bücher lesen möchte.
Ich, für mein Teil, bin am überlegen...

Wednesday 24 April 2013

Trotz die gerade herrschenden Temperaturen ...

... habe ich unendlich viele Fleecereste die weg sollen/müssen. Da war es mir auch gestern schnuppe, dass für heute zum Glück wieder Frühlingswetter angesagt war und habe mich endlich an den Poncho und Mütze für Little Miss Madam rangesetzt.

Es ist wieder ein No Sew Poncho geworden, nur die Größe der Fleeceteile habe ich halbiert, die ausgeschnitte Vierecke von 10x10cm auf 5x5cm verkleinert und die Knotenteile bei 1cm Abstand geschnitten statt die 2,5 die ich sonst bei 'Erwachsenengröße' mache. Die Mütze habe ich schon lange auf meine 'ToSew' Liste gehabt, das ist die Fleecemütze mit Krempe von EmLis. Und weil ich noch ein wenig mit der Overlock üben wollte, habe ich die meisten Nähte damit gemacht. Nur den Kreisteil habe ich 'ganz effe' drauf gesteppt, da ich es immer noch nicht drauf habe, vernünftig in Rund mit der Overlock zu nähen. Anschliessend ein paar Reste zurecht geschnitten und mit einem kleinen Knopf als Blütenmitte auf den Hut genäht als nettes Detail - ich finde, das hat die ganze Sache schön abgerundet.

Jetzt hat die Madam einen 'frischen Morgenwind Kinderwagen Outfit' - und sie sieht in diesem Kombi wirklich wie eine kleine Madam aus!


Tuesday 9 April 2013

Blog Language is changing ... Blog Sprache wird Verändert

I love writing in english, it's my 'mother-tongue', I went to british schools, it's the language I am trying to teach my kids - English Is Home.

However, I have been viewing the blog statistics the last few months. Even though there are a lot of clicks from people in english speaking countries, the most amount of clicks are currently coming from Germany (hah, never imagined that, eh? No followers, but enough readers apparently ;-)). That's why I am writing this post, to let whoever is reading this know that I am changing the language to german in this blog (any objections, please comment!). I'm not sure whether or not I should change the language for the other blog as well (see this post: http://nessies-time-fillers.blogspot.de/2013/04/off-topic-arent-i-brave.html) but for now  I will be keeping the other blog as it is.



Ich liebe es, auf Englisch zu schreiben: es ist meine 'Muttersprache', ich habe britische Schulen besucht, es ist die Sprache, die ich meine Kinder beizubringen versuche - Englisch ist ZuHause.

Allerdings habe ich durch die Blog Statistiken von den letzten Monaten gesehen, dass hauptsächlich Leser aus Deutschland sich auf meine Seite verirren/landen, auch wenn es Leser aus anderen englischsprachigen Länder gibt (keine Followers, aber anscheinend genug Leser ;-)). Deswegen dieser Post für die unsichtbare Leser: ich ändere die Sprache für diesen Blog zu Deutsch (falls jemand Einwände hat, bitte kommentieren!). Noch bin ich unsicher ob ich das gleiche für mein anderen Blog mache (siehe diesen Post: http://nessies-time-fillers.blogspot.de/2013/04/off-topic-arent-i-brave.html), aber noch bleibt da alles beim Alten.

Eine Notiz hierzu vorweg: meine Deutsche Grammatik (manchmal auch Satzbau) ist, na ja, interessant *gg*. Also bitte keine perfekte Texte von mir erwarten, für Deutsch fehlt mir das Sprachgefühl.

Monday 8 April 2013

Even Music Notes Need a Home...

Until yesterday, the music notes of Son #2 'lived' in a simple tote bag that was given to me by some chemists down town. Yesterday we discovered that the bag had a huuuuuuge hole. So it was time to move house ;-)

First I thought of making a simple tote bag, just like the one he had before. But then, thinking about how Son #2 dragged his bag around the floor and tried to hold his violin case with the other hand, I decided I should make one that he could wear as a shoulder bag, even diagonally if he wanted. Then, while cutting the fabric to size, I thought that a top lid would also be helpful to prevent his notes from falling out when flinging the bag to the floor (as he usually does).

The bag is made out of stretch cotton, 2 pieces 30x40cms (including seam allowances), the lid was cut on eye measurement but a tiny bit wider than the body of the bag. The straps are 4cm wide (16cm wide fabric, folded on both sides to the center and then in half again) and are as long as son needs it, so the bag itself hangs on hip-height (it's apparently 'cooool'). The straps themselves are sewn onto the base of the lid and the lid can be clipped shut with attached KamSnaps. I also applied some music notes to the front and back, they are made out of fleece and stitched to the cotton using a wide zig-zag stitch (this looked the nicest when trying this out on scraps. A plastic folder (A4) with clear sheets for notes, a thick-ish book of notes and his 'homework' diary fit in there easily. Another folder and book would probably also fit in.

Son #2 is thrilled to bits with it and can't wait until next week where he can show it off in the music school!

Saturday 6 April 2013

Denim Bootees

Hah - this blog is '1'today and I even managed to make something new that can be posted!

Yesterday/today I tried out another one of Klimperklein's sewing patterns (see the first one I tried out) meaning that now I only have two to have a go at. The pattern I tried out was to create some Baby Bootees.

Again the pattern was delivered as an eBook (pdf file) along with detailed instructions (german) and photographs of each step. At first I was a bit petrified, as there were more steps to follow than the baby trouser pattern. But once you start it's great and a whole lotta fun! Her instructions include a whole set of fabric templates for mixed bootee sizes (eg. german size 16/17, 18/19, ...), a list of different materials and utensils that are required as well as useful expertise tips on creating the bootees, here and there, while following the step-by-step instructions. The sewing is a bit fiddly but not an impossibility for a beginner.

The baby bootees can be made out of leather or normal fabric with a lining. Klimperklein recommends using woven fabrics for the outside (cord, denim, ...) and furry fabrics, wool, fleece, etc. for the inner lining. A recommended seam allowance is mentioned but has to be added to the templates by yourself. I spent the most time on this part. The tracing of the different parts doesn't take that long but ensuring that an equal seam allowance is kept for each part does prolong the needed time somewhat. I have never ever been as particular about keeping an even allowance with any other project before, however, seeing that a 'miss' of 1-2mm would change the fit of the bootee completely was motivation enough to do it properly, if I'm going to try it at all.

Luckily enough the sewing of the different pieces was easy if that was done. The pattern involves bending one fabric in a different direction than the other whilst sewing, so if your allowance is identical for everything, you just need to match the edges up, sew on the marking line for the seam that you see. And all the while you know that you are also sewing on the marking line you don't see!

Enough of the background: here are the fabric details ;-)

Outer fabric: Denim (from an old jeans of mine)
Inner lining: purple fleece, will keep her feet warm whilst in the baby wrap during the early spring weeks.
Bias tape in light pink-white checks for the edges.

(They even fit!)

Friday 5 April 2013

Off Topic - Aren't I Brave?

As an early birthday present for my blogs, I've now included a photo into my blogger profile *winkwinknudgenudge* But it looks a bit more nicer than just having the standard logo entered in there.

Anyhow, this blog is turning one tomorrow! I still remember how nervous I felt upon writing my first blog entry. Even if I am only writing for myself at the moment, maybe the time will come where I promote the posts a tiny bit more.

I started with the first blog in one of my numerous sleepless nights during the pregnancy with Little Miss Madam. I'm all for writing down your thoughts and bringing certain things down to paper (even if it is only virtual paper). This blog is dedicated to things I do/create in my freetime, even if it is not much that I do and also not that professional. At the end of the first year I have to admit, it's great clicking through the archive and seeing all the work that has been done, regardless of how good or bad it may be. To be honest, I didn't imagine me updating the blog as regularly as I have done and am pretty chuffed for having done so.

 My other blog, opened only recently, however, was opened for me to have a place to gather all the rest of the stuff I would like to write down and doesn't fit to the theme this blog. Why does it have to be a blog and not a simple notepad/diary? Well, because I can reach it from anywhere, anytime - without having to remember to bring the writing stuff along. With smartphones, laptops and WLAN fully integrated into my daily life, there's nothing more pratical for the diary stuff.

So, how am I and this blogging sphere going to continue on? No idea! I am thinking of an optical update (basically changing the design and layout ;-)), maybe I'll also dare to blog a bit in german (even if my grammar is terrible). But here's to another year of blogging - I'm looking forward to it!

My other blog: This Is the Life

Thursday 4 April 2013

Mobile Cover with 'Lift Function'

In February I made Son #1 a media player lift cover, inspired by the tutorial from Jule (see this post for more info and the link to the tutorial). Husband's birthday is nearing fast and he has wished for a new smartphone, which I bought today. The covers that were on offer for his new phone were, well, not that nice and I decided, along with Son #1, that I should make him a cover instead.

As Husband is not that into skull and bones, I opted for a grey coloured stretch cotton and fleece for the inner lining (this combination worked well for Son #1's cover). This time I also had the overlock available and a good reason to rethread the machine, replacing the coloured threads (see my blog page Tips & Tricks & Other Stuff: Getting Started with the W6 Overlock) with four white ones (I'm getting brave now, aren't I? ;-))

Again I adapted a few things to suit my/husband's need as compared to the instructions in the tutorial from Jule. The 'lift' was attached a third of the way down to the inner front of the cover and not taken into the hem. This made the lift itself long enough to fold over the top of the cover and be attached to the front with a KamSnap, adding a bit of additional precaution against the smartphone accidentally falling out of the cover.

Not that that would be a problem this time. It's a tight fit, so much so that I am a bit unsure of whether or not I tackle the whole thing again. The overlock stitch seems to be a bit more tighter that the normal stitch I use with the sewing machine. Or the stretch cotton is not 'working' as I imagined it to with the fleece as lining. Maybe I will wait until Husband's birthday - then he can try it out and decide for himself.



Monday 1 April 2013

Easter Time Again

This Easter we had no long visiting list to tick off as we went. Mother-in-law invited to Easter Dinner and in the evening we dropped by my grandparents. Today we were also invited to dinner by friends.








As Mother-in-law asked for me to bring a trifle dessert and nothing else, no Easter Lamb was required there. But I baked one for my grandparents and friend. And another one for the grandparents of Son #2's friend, as I was feeling in a baking mood on Saturday. 

This year I did not only drape fake grass around the lamb but added some Easter sweeties as well.

For those interested in the recipe, here is how I make mine (I got it from Chefkoch, submitted by lone_bohne, here it is in German):

A packet of butter (in Germany they are 250g)
250g sugar
375g plain flour + one packet of baking powder OR 380g self-raising flour (never tried that one myself though, as in Germany you don't really get self-raise, unless you go to the English Shop or something similar)
1 packet of vanilla sugar
5 eggs
5 tbsp milk
1 packet of lemon zest

You basically mix the butter until soft, then add the sugar and lemon zest and mix, then sift the flour into the bowl and mix. The original recipe states that you should add the eggs one at a time and mix them before the rest are added but I never do, I add them all at once to mix in and the results are also very good. Then the five tbsps of milk are mixed in and off you go. 200°C in a preheated oven for 35-40 minutes. When the lamb has cooled off, dust as you wish with icing sugar. You get 3 lambs out of this mixture easily!

My tips for baking Easter lambs:

  • Grease the tins well! Easter lamb tins have two parts that are held together with special tin clips. Even if the tins state that they are non-stick - do not believe. I've done that before and ended up with numerous headless lambs before eventually greasing.
  • Coat the lamb part of the tins with very fine, dry breadcrumbs. If you haven't got that to hand, lightly coat with sifted flour (but really lightly). This helps getting the lamb out of the tin in one piece after baking.
  • Especially when using plain flour and baking powder - fill the tin with the mixture but leave 2-3 cm space up to the rim - otherwise the mixture will start dropping down the sides of the tin about minute 20...
  • Before easing the lamb out of the mould after baking, using a sharp cake knife, slice off the cake that has risen above the tin (the Easter lamb tins 'stand on their heads' during baking) - it's easier to do this then than when you have prised the lamb out - and ensures that it stands straight and not lopsided ;-)