Cupcakes for Clara

a boy tea party

Working on a stitched felt illustration for an invitation commission. The client in question is an almost one year old little boy (well his mum actually!) who is having a boy tea party for his birthday. 

The idea for the invitations is to create a piece of fabric artwork that can be kept and hung on the wall maybe, then make prints of it for the actual invites. Then each card will have a little felt number one glued down over the printed number one. 

I'm really pleased with it so far - teacups, cupcakes, stripes - what more do you need?

naked no more

I'm not getting distracted from work by making doll dresses. I'm not. Honest. Well, maybe just a teensy bit. But it does make her pretty don't you think?

Thank you hop skip jump for selling your poppy doll pattern, it's just lovely. And I found someone else who can't resist her either...

She honestly barely puts her down, it's very sweet. 

And just because I can't resist showing another photo of my girl and her dolly...

Ack! She's so squishable! 

Now, I'm sure that dolly will need a Christmas dress too...

felt family

I've finally finished my felt family picture. I'm thrilled with it, and it was so much fun to stitch. 

It was never really meant to be a family portrait as such, but I did base it on a holiday photograph from Lyme Park, so I suppose it is in a way. 

 I knew that I wanted to embroider words around the edge, but I wasn't sure what to write. It took me days to realise that I wanted just that. Words. Words that remind me of our lovely wintery holiday. 

And Matilda just loves it. She stares for ages, well ages for a baby at least, pointing and saying 'baby' 'da' and 'me-me-me'. 

The back, of course, is not quite so neat! 

It hasn't found it's permanent home yet, I'm just not sure which wall will suit it best. But I'm sure it will find it's own way there. 

And just because I am a teensy bit proud of myself for making it, you will forgive me for showing it off with one more photo - won't you?

she has a face

and she was instantly snapped up by a cheeky girl. Now if only she had some clothes! 

(Made using hopskipjump's poppy doll pattern.) 

why

can I not sew quicker?!

the bers

Well, it's that time of year again. The 'bers'. The wonderful bers. 

September, October, November, December. 

Autumn, Winter, Christmas, Halloween, Bonfire Night. 

Leaves, snow, rain, scarves, hats, earmuffs, skating, walking, parks, hot chocolate in takeaway cups, soup, open fires, hot waterbottles, Christmas films, candles. 

Oh, how I love the bers. 

And I've been working on some autumnal type stitchery...

Two lovely dolls from the brilliant poppy doll pattern by Fiona of hopskipjump. It's so easy to follow and beautifully designed. 

I changed the hair from the pattern to add bunches. I love the size of these dolls, and the long slender limbs. Thank you Fiona.

The picture you can see in the background is a Clara felt applique. She is spinning in the autumn leaves, and I'm loving stitching it. It was based on this little sketch that Tom drew...

I'm not sure whether to embroider the words or not yet. I guess I'll see how I feel about it when the picture is finished.  And just for fun here are some close-ups of tiny in progress stitching...

Oh, but surely summer isn't quite over yet? There must still be a little bit left. I think it's here...

Happy bers to all x

weekend bliss

loving :: putting a huge blackboard up in the kitchen to keep miss wriggly pants happy whilst we're cooking.

loving even more :: blue chalk lips

basting

How is it possible that I did not know about basting? No-one ever told me about it. Mum... how come you never told me about it - I blame you!

Basting. Wow! Neat and professional looking. Makes it seem like I know what I'm doing.

Pins. Pah! Who needs pins. Pins you must now surrender forever more to basting. I'm sorry little shiny things, but it's the end of the line for you . Although maybe I can use you first so that I get the basting right? Yep, that'll do it!

elephant wellyphant

Wow! I have never seen a child be as much in love with a book as Matilda is with this one. Actually two... Elephant Wellyphant and Octopus Socktopus by Nick Sharratt. They're great!

Oh my gosh, they are so funny. We checked them out of the library and had to renew them maybe three times! Then I finally realised, oh yes, I can actually buy these!! I think I kind of forgot that we didn't just have to keep borrowing them, and that we could have our very own copies.

Elephant Wellyphant ::

Octopus Socktopus ::

Buy them... I swear you'll love them! (Or borrow them at least three times from your library!)