No 2 and No 3

Last week we flew over to Jersey for the Textile Showcase.  There were a few locations for the exhibitions which we had to hunt out, non of them had any indication on the outside that there was anything going on inside.  Not sure if we missed anything but we gave it our best shot and quite enjoyed ourselves.  There was plenty of time for exploring the island again and even a long visit to the Durrell Zoo.  Friday night was the Gala dinner and I finally managed to catch up with Kim Thittichai who I have been missing like ships in the night for quite some time!  I sat next to Fran Griffith, also a tutor at the event and also quite a near neighbour of ours.  Other than having a couple of phone calls mid dinner to let us know the house alarms were activated everything went well!! Beautiful weather too. The only things I came away with was a skein of hand dyed merino yarn for Olivia and a lovely old big key.

The past couple of days I have made another couple of the little birds from Frowning Francis.

My DAW Partner and I have sorted a proper venue out, at last!!  It may be too late to change the catalogue address but we are only over the road from the farm where we were going to be anyway and a few signs will sort that out.

Today I am layering up some fibres and see where they take me.

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And Now to Frowning Francis

I must be on a roll!!   I have a bought a few patterns as and when I see them and this was another one I wanted to do.  (I really will go back to making my own stuff soon honest!!)

I just adore Frowning Francis' stuff, don't you just love the name? This again came up at Doll Street Dreamers and I thought they would be great to sell on, I'm allowed to do six a year for resale, anything to add to the charity coffers.

I used the black cloth in the little tent thing again but it has a velvety texture and picks up everything, not great when you play with textiles!!

It was also a great excuse to dig out all the metal I had been hoarding and use the Big Shot to embellish them.  (Use, use, use!!!)

I can't give him a name, I think that would be up to the new owner should someone want to buy them.  For now just Number 1 will do.  He's about 9 inches from beak to tail and 7 inches high including twiddly bits.

Perhaps this Open Studio thing is starting to become reality.


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Pas de Deux

For the past three weeks I have been a part of a class online with Doll Street Dreamers making a pair of dolls by Barbara Schoenoff called Pas de Deux.

This is my pair finished today.

The girl is 20 inches and boy, as he's bowing, is 18 inches.

Some time ago I bought a Country Casuals jacket in a charity shop for £4.  Not because I would wear it, it was bright pink!, but because I liked the fabric.  The Georgian style flamboyance leant itself to the fabric rather well.  It's the over skirt and jacket, (not the beading, I did that).

I used cotton for the shirts but everything else in the costuming is silk.  (Another tick in the USE box!! )

I know you know I like making my little people but please believe me when I say I can not stand dolls.  I absolutely hate them.  Punch and Judy will send me running, china faced dolls I want to drop forcefully on the floor and those horrid baby newborn type things will have me screaming.  But the art dolls I have been making are something else.  For a start the majority are trolls and hardly lifelike!  With this pair it was the costuming that caught my eye.

I used to love my Sindy, not because she was Sindy but because I could dress her (Tiny Tears was forcefully put in the bottom of the wardrobe and never saw the light of day), I could make her something other than she was supposed to be.  The school play season was very exciting, but I was only interested in back of house never front.  I love the DVD's where you have the extras that include the making of scenes including the wardrobe.

Anyway I suppose this pair have satisfied a little bit of the wardrobe/dressy uppy type person within me.  At least it's another something to shove in a corner for the Open Studios!! (Don't forget you can click on photos for larger ones.)

I hope you have a great weekend.  We have another visit from Livvi coming, she's changing so fast even in two weeks!

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The Final Three and Home Again

I had great fun finishing of the last three of the Marotte sceptres. 

This one had a bit of a problem with wild hair until I severely combed it through and thinned it.  Now it's only moderately out of control, but that's good!  The top hat sort of helps to control it. 

 I think years of peering through too much hair has made him a little short sighted so he needed glasses too.

Of course one of them had to actually be a jester so this one volunteered.  I think she does it rather well. 

And of course the tricorn hat helps too. 

 And finally I found a flapper lurking around at the end of the queue waiting for some adornment.

Feathered headband, bob haircut and bead rope necklace.

I was glad to end last week.  There was enough going on for me and all sorts of other things kept crawling out of the woodwork but it did keep us occupied.  I will find out the results of all the tests and procedures I had done tomorrow but the main thing is I don't have stomach cancer so that was a relief.

Our trip to Gothenburg was wonderful.  You will have to forgive me but the only photos I took was of a herd reindeer who happened to be running past us at the time and it was rather blurry as I hadn't had my camera out until that point!  I told you I don't do photos.  Anyway it was bitterly cold outside, ferociously hot anywhere inside and absolutely 100% all Christmas.  We've come home and are relishing in the peace of no Christmas earworms blasting out at us from every speaker available!!!  Totally loved the place though and the people were great, every single one of them spoke perfect english and were so helpful.  The food was on a par price wise with here but the alcohol was astronomical, £7.50 for a small glass of house wine.

Other than the appointment with the consultant tomorrow morning we have a blank weekend planned and I'm looking forward to going into the studio for a play.  I won the new book Approaches to Stitch from Maggie Grey and it's absolutely fantastic and very inspiring.

Have a great weekend whatever you are doing.


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Another Week, Another Book

I've made another little book, this one should be called Arsenic and Old Lace!  It's not quite 3 inches square with similar pages to the other one and leather spine. 

They would make cute mini albums or records of event books, if you're brave enough to write in them.  I'm hoping to make a few for next year and the Art Weeks and they may even make some money for charity!  Just have to pull my finger out and make them now though I have tea stained a few sheets of paper ready for when the mood hits.  

Elsa moaned that you don't see how small they are from the photos.  Here's one of them both together next to a reel of thread.  

I've also completed two of the marotte or jester's scepters. I do love the rummaging through all the bit's I've collected and putting some of it to use! 

This one has the feel of Janice from the Muppets about her.  A cousin perhaps.

Today I will try and finish the other three and then clear the mess from all that rummaging!

I have a bit of a horrid week coming up which I am not looking forward to and then John is taking me Christmas shopping which I am looking forward to!  I hope you have a great week ahead!

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