Henna belly!

My dear friends are so thoughtful and gifted me a session with a henna artist to get my belly painted to celebrate the end of my pregnancy. I wanted to do something special for my last pregnancy and wasn't sure if I would get around to making a belly cast this time around.
I spent this past Valentine's Day evening getting my belly painted. The tree is significant to this pregnancy and the sweet babe we will hopefully meet very shortly. I think the artist did an amazing job, she even offered to paint Sophie's hand. I am so grateful for my caring friends :) It really meant a lot to me and it wouldn't have happened without them.
I was hoping baby would stay put until Friday so the henna would darken enough to get some fun pictures. I had some pretty intense warm up contractions for several hours on Thursday night and though that may not happen, but we were blessed with a little more time.
I think I am the only mama in history still wanting to be pregnant at 39 weeks 5 days.

A Mama Blessing Felt Tapestry

This picture is before felting. The colors are better shown here, bright and beautiful.


After felting.

A few weekends ago a few of my dear friends came over for a felting Mama blessing party. We got the idea from the summer 2011 issue of Living Crafts magazine to make a wet felted tapestry for the new baby on the way.
I was joking with my friends about what their husbands were thinking when they left their homes with bubble wrap and spray bottles and huge bags of roving in every color imaginable...."Your going to what kind of party?"

None of us had very much experience in wet felting and it felt like we were pretty much just winging it, but it turned out really great. It was a wonderful collaboration of materials and ideas and friendship that I will always cherish and remember. I plan to frame it in a large embroidery hoop and hang it on the wall where the new baby will be able to see and enjoy it.

It was so nice to get together for a few hours kid free, with some crafting some tea and cupcakes and of course best of all, uninterrupted conversation which is so very hard to come by when our children are always around.
I am so thankful for my fiber loving friends. We are already talking about making more in the near future, preferably in the warm sunshine......outdoors....... with margaritas ;)