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 Creative Weekend Just Past

It was the creative weekend over the last Friday, Saturday and Sunday run by Myfanwy Hart. It's an online gathering which Myfanwy is hoping to run monthly to encourage you to do something creative even if for just 15 minutes.  Any kind of creative counts! Painting, stitching, photography, baking, the list goes on, or you can follow some or all of her prompts.

My effort this month was something that has been floating around in my head for quite sometime and I chose the weekend to put everything else aside and make it.

From the front.

It's made from Khadi and banana paper and is 3 x 4.5 inches (8 x 11 cm).

The thing is, if you can see it you probably can't read it.

With a skewered and beaded spine.

What it actually says is, "Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as the attitude you bring to life," by John Home. 

I hope you like it.


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Cecil has Graced Us With His Presence.

Other than the odd baby cardie or several and one or ten hats, booties etc and a blanket or quilt to add to the pile I have actually been doing other bits too.

This is Cecil.

He's Cedric's brother and where Cedric likes wandering and not staying still for long Cecil is very much Lord of his own manor.  He likes the finer things in life and collects exotic things that Cedric kindly brings back for him from his travels.

I'm not quite sure where is manor is in the garden but he always seems to be smartly turned out so I'm sure he has at least one dressing room in there.

Have a great weekend!

We Have New Neighbours

During all the excitement going on around here I actually noticed this little busy chap (or Chapette).

When we had the conservatory re built on the side three years ago it narrowed the corridor down the side of the house.  There was a little robin box left on the fence line but it's always been empty.  I've been trying to train the holly and ivy to help conceal it hopefully to give it enough cover for a nest builder to find it acceptable. We seem to have some interest!

And just to show how close the box is, from my window to the box is about 4 feet.

They have been very busy as that amount of leaves and fluff has only taken a couple of days to build up.  There are always Blackbirds, Wrens, Dunnocks and Robins flying up and down that corridor and we have plenty of sparrows nesting just to the front of my room.  That is where I sit, usually facing to the left of picture but, as you can tell, using the machine too.  I spend a lot of time in there and I'm hoping that my presence doesn't put them off nesting, they know I'm there and I don't intend to stop using the space!  Robins are very sociable and there are usually several nests in the local garden centre so they will, and should, become used to me.

I'm just off to sneak back in there and hopefully do some sewing so I have something more creative to show you very soon.

Our New Arrival

Elsa started having contractions in the very early morning of Valentines day but they didn't mount to much.  She still had them all through the weekend and on into Monday.  They finally started to make more of themselves later in the day but Elsa was still pushing through like the wonderful, strong girl she is until last night.  When she finally decided she'd had enough and needed some pain relief Mike drove her in (apparently is was rather bumpy!!) and she was admitted to the maternity ward.  Half an hour later this beautiful little bundle arrived.

No name as yet, they're waiting to meet her for a while first but she is so lovely and seems a peaceful and content little thing.  I hope she stays that way!!  Even John seems more than a little smitten with her though he's yet to be brave enough to hold her.  All in good time! I have a feeling we could have a little bit of spoiling going on in our future!!!


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What Happened Next

All the needle-felting and doming mesh and stitching was made up into another chest, upright this time.

No, I can't find the place where you can rotate a picture by degrees on this silly Mac so you will have to put up with it wonky.  A view from the side.  It's a triangular chest so looks a little strange from this angle.

And the inside with it's silk lining.

It was fun to make!

This is a photo of my little tent thing I bought as I had several people ask about it.  It's 50 cms square and came with the lights.  Mind you they are not the greatest of photos as I did take the above rather quickly just to shove them on here as we have a man due to fiddle with the internet aerial any moment and I wanted to just post this quick!!

As I mentioned before the base materials, the prefelt, wool, organza, scrim and yarn came from The Threadstudio as part of the monthly Needlefelting Club.  Great for having all these things arrive in the post colourways already chosen!!!

Don't forget too if you fancy a creative break away you can join Dale in Italy in October this year, just go to this link to find the details. http://www.abruzzoschoolofcreativeart.com/dale-rollerson.php  I am so looking forward to going!!!

John took me to the Craft 4 Crafters Show at Exeter last Thursday.  I didn't have much of a list of things to buy and when I saw things I liked I realised I had the already at home!!  Saved a fair bit of cash but as it's my year of USE that's good.

Have a great week!

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Doing Well So Far

Yesterday I managed to put some of these materials together.  This is a collection of items from The Thread Studio's Needlefelting  Club.

A little layering with the prefelt, wool and scrim.

A scoot around with the embellisher.

Today I stitched over the top with the sewing machine which made it dome slightly.  I wanted to add another element and first was going to use copper sheet but thought this brass mesh was nicer.  Because of the doming of the fabric I also dapped the mesh circles into domes.  Cute eh??

They were stitched on, a plus side to the mesh though the copper sheet would have stitched too.

After adding some beads I have now started to layer them onto another prefelt I have run through the embellisher with some more of the wool and a chiffon overlay.

As I'm running on 3 hours sleep a night at the moment I think I will put this aside and pick it up again tomorrow now.  I'm used to erratic sleep patterns but also know when stopping is a better option than picking out stitches the next day!!! 

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Just a Quick Heads Up

Myfanwy Hart has started a group called Create Something Every Day and sometimes, like this weekend, there will be an extra push.  The main link is http://createaday2014.wordpress.com/ and there is also a private Facebook page which you can ask to be a member of, ask any member or me so Myfanwy can approve you in.
There is no limit to where you come from or what you create or in what media.  You can paint a picture, sew a panel, sculpt a figure, design a garden flower bed, bake a cake you just have to try to create something and post about it.

I'm off to see what I can rustle up as the prompts start later this morning and carry on over the weekend.  Join us if you can!

I did manage to experiment with some babywipes, moulding paste, mount board, silk, beads and stitch and make this little casket in the week.

I wanted to see where else I could do other than books with a little structure, I enjoy building things!! It was only an experiment but I did enjoy it so I see some more in my near future.

Have a wonderful weekend!


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Three Little Books

Those book parts I readied last week have now been made into books.

This first one is 8.5 cm x 11 cm.  Board, gold leaf, beads, leather and metal elements. 30 double sided antiqued pages.

And it opened.  It has a beaded page marker but I don't seem to have photographed that.

This one is the same with silver leaf and some turquoise chips added.

And you can see the page marker here.

And finally this one is the same size again with a mix of metal leaf.

Open again.

They are all going into the Dorset Art Weeks box and if I don't sell them then they can go onto Etsy.  All the money from small items like these will be going towards the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance and Combat Stress charities so hopefully someone will like them!

I bought myself one of those photographic tent things quite cheaply to try and help with my appalling photographic skills.  These were all taken with my point and shoot on auto, it certainly evens out the tones and glare! It even came with some little lights.  Very pleased with it.

Have a great weekend!


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Happy New Year

Happy New Year!!  I had an interesting start as I was on a starve diet for the end of December and New Year ready for more tests on the 2nd January (Champagne is classed as a clear liquid, right??).  All done and the plus is the consultant is happy he's found nothing untoward so far.  Minus side is he still hasn't found where I keep bleeding from.  Sometime in the next week or so will be swallowing a capsule camera and being the hospital guinea pig for their new equipment which is still being set up.  He should then see parts that normal doctors cannot reach!!! Should be an interesting experience!

As you can probably imagine I haven't been in too much of a mood for creating but I did do some prep work for some more little books which you will see when I have finished.

We did have Chris come back from Australia with quite a few gifts.  One was a glass bottle with some bits in he had found.

Unfortunately the little bottle broke on its way back but I had a thought and made this little guy.

Who sits in the bottle like this.

And then is trapped in with the top soldered on.  I think I just ned to make a few little charms to make sure he doesn't escape and cause more mischief. (Total height 5 inches).

Do you remember the necklace Black Beauty below?

Well it will be on tour with The Beadworkers Guild for the next year so if you go to any show where they have a stand, keep an eye open for it and let me know.

I have chosen another word for this year.  It will be USE.  I want to use my time more wisely, use the things I already have, use the experience of the Open Studios to focus and perhaps even use this poorly tummy experience to get on top of my health.  I'm sure there will be a few other uses for the word use too.

Have a great weekend.


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Time!

Yes that thing that keeps slipping away!  Where does it go when we're not looking?  You know the expression that someone has too much time on their hands?  Could they not buddy up with someone who doesn't and share?   

Part of my collection of defunct fob watches.

Anyway, I found one of the only photos I took whilst we were in Sweden the other week and it's of the herd of reindeer wandering around the Liseberg.  I know it's an aftershot but aren't they lovely? 

I bought a Sizzix yonks ago and haven't really done much in the way of fabric with it but then there were some offers on for the dies and I bought an apple core one.  I didn't really see the point in spending money on dies for squares, rectangles and triangles when they can be cut easily and far more economically with a ruler.  This is a shape that's not easily cut at all so I went for it and with a pack of Hancock's fabric made this little flimsie. 

It's funny I happened to mention on Facebook that Hancock's used to be so wonderful in having free international postage offers now and then, providing you spent a lot but who doesn't.  As their name had been linked on the post they must have seen it as a couple of days later, miracle of miracles, they had an international postage offer of half price postage!  Nice of them to remember us, I hope it was profitable for them.  

I have been taking part in Dawn Schiller's PocketFae class and yesterday I finally managed to sit upright and make this little guy, hence all my watches out.  This one was in a Tim Holtz fob as I wanted to practise first.  I'm 50/50 on liking him or not.  I can make quite a few adjustments when I make the next one but it's very, very difficult when the depth is so shallow.  

I've had a very bad week with the tummy unfortunately including a point where John found me collapsed on the hall floor unconscious.  He and Elsa have had me wrapped in cotton wool all week and I have to see my consultant again today.  I am taking it easy but we have sort of cancelled Christmas this year and, as I said at the beginning, time has just disappeared. What we have will have to do as I don't have the breath or energy to go out at all.  

It has been a strange year for us but, as always this time of year, we will put it to bed with the great excitement of the clean page of a new one in just over a week.  If I don't 'see' you on Facebook or have the time to do another post on here have a fantastic, healthy and happy Christmas and New Year.  XXX

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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