Fireworks

New Year's is the big holiday here in the former Soviet Union. It is celebrated with lit and decorated evergreens, Grandfather Frost, gifts, festive foods and, perhaps most importantly, fireworks.

While it seems that Georgians believe that any night is a good night to set off a Roman candle, the firework frequency increased significantly the last week in December.  We spent New Year's Eve with some friends, and the guys decided that they needed to be part of the fun.  So last night around 8 p.m., we set off our own fireworks.

We spent the rest of the evening playing games and eating brownies, but these old fogeys were in bed by 11.  About 45 minutes later I was awakened by what sounded like a heavy rainstorm, complete with occasional pops of thunder.  In fact, it was a hail of smaller fireworks being set off simultaneously all over the city, punctuated by the occasional larger blast.  I'm sure some of the fireworks were government-sponsored, but most were probably just private displays for family and friends.  This was the view from our upstairs balcony:

It lasted about 20 minutes and then, like when you pop corn, the pops came slower until they finally died out altogether (I assume ... they were still going when I dozed off again).

Happy New Year!

Sewing for me!

UPDATE: See more information on these projects at my new sewing blog, The Itinerant Seamstress.  

Since May, I've lost 29ish pounds.  It's the thinnest I've been since about 1/3 of the way through my pregnancy with Natasha, and only 10 pounds away from my pre-kids weight.  It feels pretty awesome, but it also means that I don't have any clothes that fit.  So I've been motivated to try sewing for myself, with some wearable results!

This is the new Liesl & Co. Late Lunch Tunic.  It does not fit me quite right, and the pattern itself is, I think, not the best shape for my body type.  But I sewed it and I think that is pretty cool.  (Also, look - those are skinny jeans.  My first ever!)

I sewed this top from a pattern I drafted myself, using a top I already own.  That top is the miracle top - it fits across a 20-lb range.  I retired it only because it developed a few holes from so much wear.  This purple top is made out of a rayon lycra knit and was my first "draft" of the pattern.

I was pleasantly surprised by how this one turned out: the Lisette Traveler Tunic/Simplicity 2246.  I want to make another one in a more fun fabric and maybe with a different collar.

I think this is my biggest coup - skinny cords from the Sew Liberated Simple Skinny Jeans pattern.  I had to make a bunch of modifications to the pattern to get it to fit me, but even with all of that, it probably took me seven hours from start to finish.  I had to let out the legs on the sides, but (yay) I had to take in the waist and hips A LOT.  I also had to lengthen the pants about five inches and raise the back yoke so they wouldn't be totally indecent.  They work with flats and boots, and after a full day's wear they still stay up!  Hopefully they will hold up in the wash too.

Sewing again

In an effort not to turn this into a sewing blog, I haven't been blogging each individual item that I've made lately.  But I do want to show them off, so I will cram them all into this post.  Of note is that I've been trying to sew more for myself lately.  I will save those for another post (check back tomorrow!)

Kwik Sew nightgown in flannel.
I made three of these - one for each
daughter and one for my niece.

My new favorite pattern - the
Oliver+S Playtime dress. This one is in
interlock knit.

Another Playtime - embroidered corduroy. 

Playtime back.

Fleece mittens from Little Things to Sew book

Oliver+S Music Box jumper, modified, for a friend's daughter.

More Playtimes in fine-wale corduroy.

Oliver+S Art Museum vest
and trousers for G for Christmas

A Davy Crockett costume for a friend's son, sewn using
the Oliver+S Nature Walk pattern and some finicky
faux suede.

Ballet bunnies

A couple weeks ago, the girls' ballet class performed a short dance to the Dance of the Snowflakes from the Nutcracker.  Natasha is one of the more advanced dancers in the class (I swear, this is what the teacher told me -I'm not just bragging), and so she was supposed to be a snowflake.  But she was sick and missed three rehearsals.  Since she didn't have time to learn the snowflake dance, the teacher had her be a bunny instead (Zoia missed a few rehearsals too, but she was always destined for bunny-dom).

Neither girl was very pleased about this, as the snowflakes got to wear proper tutus and the bunnies had to wear ears and made-by-me bunny tails.  I thought they looked adorable but they were very grumpy.  We used the camera to take video (which I can't get to upload for some reason) during the performance, so all I have is this photo of my reluctant rabbits.  I was so proud of the tails (which I made out of tulle), but they hated them :(

First snow

Maybe the last, too.  Tbilisi isn't a particularly snowy city.  But on December 12, we got about 3/4 of an inch.

To say Natasha was thrilled would be a major understatement.

The kid covered the playground with snow angels.  She wasn't even wearing snow pants - when I let her out it was already pretty late and I figured she'd play for 20 minutes.  Wrong.  Wearing just jeans and tights, she laid in the snow and flapped her little arms and legs for nearly an hour.

I was cold just looking at her, but she reminded me of the days when I could run around in the snow until I couldn't feel my rear and still have to be coaxed to come inside.  Kids really do keep us young.  Younger, anyway.

Zoia wasn't really into it, but now I know that she was just about to get sick again.  I'm sure she would have enjoyed it more, had she been healthy.