DRESSMAKING, INDEPENDENT, SEWING

Tilly and the Buttons Stella Pyjama Bottoms

by Em Makes and BakesLeave a Comment on Tilly and the Buttons Stella Pyjama Bottoms

ACS_0677Disclosure: This blog post features gifted fabric from Crafty Sew and So. All words are my own and based on my personal experience of using the product.

Autumn is my favourite time of year; the weather turning cooler, pumpkin spice lattes, and an excuse to wrap up warm in lots of cosy jumpers and pyjamas. Each year I like to treat myself to some new loungewear ready for snuggling up on the sofa as the nights get colder. Pyjama bottoms with a big jumper and slippers are essential autumn and winter wear for me! Continue reading “Tilly and the Buttons Stella Pyjama Bottoms” →

CREATIVE, DIYS, SEWING

Toy Pram Bedding DIY

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I’d been eyeing up an Olli Ella wicker toy pram for ages for H before I managed to find one in the sale. So many toy prams are pink and flowery, which really isn’t my style, and so I love how gender-neutral the Olli Ella ones are. After the pram arrived, I thought back to my own toy pram that I’d had as a little girl, and the cute bedding that my own Mum made for it, and instantly decided that I’d carry on the tradition.

This make uses leftover monochrome fabrics from the crafting I did for H’s nursery two years ago. I really love how they pop against the white wicker. This is also a really quick make, it took me just over an hour to make all of these items, meaning it’s the perfect nap-time craft! Continue reading “Toy Pram Bedding DIY” →

BABY, FEATURES, MOTHERHOOD

Ditching the Disposables: An Honest Guide to Cloth Nappies

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Ditching the Disposables: An Honest Guide to Cloth Nappies

ACS_0452I couldn’t let Real Nappy Week pass without a blog post dedicated to cloth bums. It was about this time last year (probably Real Nappy Week 2018!) that I began to look into using reusable nappies for H. I’d first considered them when I was pregnant but (wrongly) assumed that I’d struggle as I didn’t have a tumble drier.

For the first 7 months or so of H’s life, she was in disposables. I started off with a well-known brand of nappies, and then made the switch to eco-disposables when she was around three months old. I know there are a lot of mixed views on eco-disposables, but for me the fact that they were plastic-free and didn’t contain any nasty chemicals was a big selling point. I’m not sure what prompted me to look into cloth nappies again a few months later, but I was instantly intrigued (and admittedly taken with all the pretty prints available!). Continue reading “Ditching the Disposables: An Honest Guide to Cloth Nappies” →

FEATURES, MOTHERHOOD

The Juggle is Real: 12 Months as a Working Mum

by Em Makes and BakesLeave a Comment on The Juggle is Real: 12 Months as a Working Mum

ACS_0449This month marks a full year since I returned to work after my Maternity Leave. I don’t know what’s scarier, how quickly that year has gone, or the realization that I’ve been back for twice as long as I was actually off work?

I returned to my day job when H was six months old. Looking back, I don’t know if I was ready to leave her, but right from the moment I discovered I was pregnant, the plan was always to do Shared Parental Leave with Mr Makes. However hard it would be, I consoled myself with the fact that by returning to work, I was giving H the opportunity to have some bonding time with her Daddy.

I get so many messages on social media about how well I’m balancing everything. It means the world to be so supported and know that there are people cheering you on. However, I fear that sometimes I make it all look too straightforward, and that’s not the reality. There are admittedly some perks to going back to work; hot cups of tea, the ability to go to the loo whenever you want, and being referred to by your actual name (and not just ‘H’s Mummy’). But in general, being a working mum requires a lot of juggling! Continue reading “The Juggle is Real: 12 Months as a Working Mum” →

CREATIVE, DIYS, MOTHERHOOD

Easter Treat Bag DIY

by Em Makes and BakesLeave a Comment on Easter Treat Bag DIY

ACS_0430The nights are getting lighter, the shops are full of chocolate eggs, and I’m in definite need of a long weekend; it must be Easter! Although it’s not H’s first Easter, this year she’ll actually be able to have a little bit of chocolate.

I wanted to make something to make her first Easter egg even more special, and this treat bag is the perfect size. The DIY is super simple, and could easily be tweaked for a birthday gift bag too! Continue reading “Easter Treat Bag DIY” →

FEATURES, HOME

Does it Spark Joy? Decluttering the Marie Kondo Way

by Em Makes and BakesLeave a Comment on Does it Spark Joy? Decluttering the Marie Kondo Way

50250771_1422544564547040_7685761306661486592_nHave you spent the first few weeks of the year asking if your possessions spark joy? Have you been refolding all your clothes, and organising all of your drawers? Since watching Marie Kondo, Tidying on Netflix, I’ve been spending my January doing just that. I first discovered Marie a few years ago, when I read her book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying and was first introduced to the KonMari method. I had mixed views about it; I loved the principle of only keeping items which you truly loved, but struggled with some of her other views on things like not relegating old t-shirts to wear as nightwear! Reading her book did give me an urge to tidy, and that I did, however I never really committed to it. Continue reading “Does it Spark Joy? Decluttering the Marie Kondo Way” →

FEATURES

Looking Back at 2018

by Em Makes and BakesLeave a Comment on Looking Back at 2018

49319516_2039053276178084_273294060444188672_n2018 feels like it’s gone by in a flash, but as I think back to everything that has happened this year, there has been a lot going on.

The year started with some big decisions about returning to my day job; although I knew that I’d always return, and the rough timescales, submitting my formal confirmation on 1 January felt like a huge deal at the time. There were a lot of tears over the following days as I wondered if it was all going to be ok. My first blog post of the year was sharing Harper’s birth story, and the reaction was so positive. I wasn’t sure that it’s something you would all be interested in, but I was genuinely touched by all of the people who took the time not only to read it, but also to send such lovely messages. Continue reading “Looking Back at 2018” →