The end of the 2006...

Hope you all had a good Christmas. Here is my festive picture I was supposed to post on Christmas Eve, to wish everyone a merry Christmas. Well, I've finally found a few moments to myself to update the Blog!! It is our family advent calender made for us by my talented Mum, she is a quilter, amongst other things and nurtured my love of crafts from a very early age. I know she is now itching to start teaching my daughter to knit. She's just a bit to young at the moment, things still need to be instantaneous, guess she takes after me.



I have had a bit of an enforced break from crafting over the festive period, so I don't have anything recent to show you. However, this is another present I managed to get finished in time for Christmas. It's a needle felted fairy. She has a wire armature, allowing her to be posed. My daughter would like one exactly the same so I had too take a few photographs before I wrapped her up. I'm quite new to needle felting, and I haven't made my mind up whether it's something I'll stick with yet. It's very time consuming and I usually draw blood at least once, but it's a great craft to do on your knee whilst watching telly.

My husband bought me The Crafter's Companion for Christmas, so although I have been unable to get stuck into any new projects, I have been busy reading and gaining inspiration. It's a great book, I love to read about what inspires other artists. I also liked reading about different people's studio space, although I did get a bit jealous. I'm still operating off the dining room table, having abandoned the garage as a bad idea. 2007 is the year I get my own dedicated studio space!!! ( I hope....I have plans ).

Have a good new year everyone!!!!

Still making Christmas presents!!

Sorry it's been so long, I don't seem to have any spare time at the moment, and my little lad will no longer leave me in peace when I'm on the computer. He's either pressing buttons or demanding the cbeebies website!! Just thought I'd show some more presents I've been working on.

I made a couple of felt crowns for some little girls I know, who love to dress up. This is one of them.

The felt hat is for my daughter, I was going to save it for a Christmas present, but I needed to check the size as I was felting, so she already has it. She looks very cute in it, I did try and take some photo's of her wearing it but she felt the need to dance at the same time, so they're all a bit blurred. I might enter it into the felting forum competition. This is only the second hat I've done, the first was on Vivienne Morpeth's workshop. I think if I ever do another I will felt it inside out, as I do with bags, because there is a bit of a ridge on the join, which really bugs me.


The monkey is a present for my 2 year old son. This is the second monkey I've made as the first was a bit of a disaster, very ugly!! I showed the first to my little boy to gauge his reaction. He gave it a hug, but when I asked if he wanted it he replied "nope" and gave it right back to me, he hasn't been anywhere near it since. Hope he's more enthusiastic about this one on Christmas morning. The little coat is felted. I'm quite pleased with how monkey no. 2 turned out, but I want to have a go at a third, as he needs a few adjustments. However, that will have to wait until after Christmas, I have at least 4 more presents to make!!!!



Here is a Christmas angel my Mum made for my daughter to hang in her bedroom, it is hung at the end of her bed so the angel watches over her as she sleeps. Isn't she pretty, I think she was inspired by seeing my daughter as an angel in the school nativity. Thank you Mum.

Grrrrr!

I had just finished a fairly lengthy blog and then the computer got stuck and now it's all gone and I have to start again. Don't you just hate it when that happens. I shall now 'save as draft' after every paragraph.

This week my thoughts have been with the Kim family. I have been following the news via various blogs which I regularly visit. Each morning I have logged on to Google reader, hoping for news of their safety. Today it was good news, Kati and her 2 girls had been found safe. I hope tomorrow I will log on to discover that James has also been found safe and well.

I have not posted recently as I have been a busy bee, preparing for my craft fair which was on Sunday. I did OK, but I had a rubbish pitch. I think because I'd booked it late, they had squeezed me in, so my stall was at a 90 degree angle to the rest of the stalls!! Completely threw me when I came to set out the table top.

Here are some bits and pieces that I was madly making last week. I forgot to take photographs before the fair, so these are the ones that came back home with me. The little recycled purses sold well, as did the felted brooches and necklaces.




Whilst at the fair I bought another Christmas present, this lovely Snow Queen crown for my 4 year old daughter. Now I just have to felt a snow queen dress to go with it! I'm thinking white merino wool onto white chiffon, with a surface decoration of tussah silk top. Might save that project for after Christmas. There's just not enough hours in the day.


After a long period of no felting I have finally got back into the swing of it. It took a move indoors to get the ball rolling, as it was just too bloomin' cold in the garage to nurture any creativity. I am now felting on the dining room table which requires tidying up after myself, I'm really not very good at that, but I'm trying.


Here are some Christmas trees I wet felted. I felted around a cone shaped resist with merino wool, and a bit of silk noil (for snow). My daughter is keen to make mini decorations for them. The inspiration for these came from Stephanie's blog, Little Birds Handmade. She makes these delightful little trees from various fabrics. I thought I'd have a go at making some, but add my own twist.