Pardon the way that I stare, there's nothing else to compare...

How I relish early to mid 1900's children's illustration. One of the and my, all time favourites Mabel Lucie Attwell. It's the Boo Boos! I was very lucky to have the best part of this 1918 Fairyland book, sent to me as a gift. It made my day. Each of these drawings had been beautiful coloured in by a little darling, some time ago. Fortunately, I was able to get an erasure and clean them up. Thank you Tracey. x
Oh, look at those bunnies!

This has to be the most darling of pictures ever drawn!

Makes me want to colour them in!

Speaking of gifts, this unexpected delight came in the post this last week too, from my dear friend michele ... she knows I have the needle felting 'bug'...

Onto Betty Bunny...

I made her a little felt pinny. She is a sweet, fluffy little thing.

On my travels this week, I couldn't resist this book...

It has lots of pictures of dogs,

which inspired me to make this...

meet Doug. Doug the Dog, I just like saying that!

He has a charming little gingham scarf with a bell attached.

So, as you can see, I am needle felting for Britain. Not sure how long it will last, but I am enjoying the challenge while it lasts.

~0~

And finally, both my etsy and madebyhandonline shops are well stocked at the mo, if you fancy taking a look.

Thank you so much for all of your encouraging and very lovely comments. So very much appreciated.

Thanks for stopping by. x

You're calling to me, I can't hear what you've said...

Needlecases a plenty here... The base fabric I use is very, very old French handwoven linen for all of the cases...it will never wear out!

I finished the 'Peter and Pamela Prim' needlecases too...

Opened out...I have tried to keep a simplistic look to them. Peter Prim here, showing off his very handsome chest...

Pamela below, I admit doesn't look too happy with life...she does, however, crack a smile when she has had a glass of sherry, in polite society, so I am told.

She may look a little miserable, but she does have flowers growing from her dress.

Back to Peter again, who looks fine and dandy in his shirt with 3 buttons.

and onto 'Bunny Prim', tapping her big long feet to a tune in her head. (No, I've not been at the sherry).Back, lovely old French cotton.

I have lots of 'makes' here

and here

Finally, I have been very inspired over the last few months by the beautiful needle felted creations of domenicamoregordon

So I decided to take the plunge and have a go.

Donald Dog...

and Beatrice Bunny.

I would love to make a collection of vintage inspired bunnies, with long, long ears, not enough hours in the day though.

As you can see they are good friends, but I think he likes her more, than she likes him.

Thanks for stopping by. x

'Threads of Feeling' brooch winners

Hello!
Thank you, thank you so much for all of the most sweetest comments ever. I think this Exhibition has touched all of our hearts.
First though, I wanted to tell you about a little incident that happened this week.
As you know I was so pleased to find Wonkey Donkey. So pleased that he accompanied me on a visit to my Mum and Dads, so I could show him off to them. We were happily chatting away at the kitchen table, when I noticed that their little dog 'Poppy' was chewing something...thankfully I investigated to find 'Wonkey' revolving around her mouth. She had pinched him out of my handbag on the floor. Well, I started wailing in distress, rather like a child, I have to admit. I handed Wonkey to Mum, who was loudly "oh no...ing" and Dad, who is as deaf as a post saying, "what? What's happened"? What a flaming carry on. Thankfully the little so and so, had only chewed Wonkey's legs....so like the Toy Doctor in Toy Story 2, I set about repairing them, as there was enough left of everything to be able to piece his legs together with emery board splints. He is now as good as new.
My Mum felt so bad about the whole incident that today she gave me 'Dixie...Dixie Donkey'. Mum said that Donkeys should never be alone! Here they are making friends...not too friendly though I hope!
Well, back to the point of the post and here are all the names for the 'Threads of Feeling' four brooches giveaway...

I closed my eyes and picked out four little folded papers...

and here we are:

grrl + dog

Silke Scheller

Swirlyarts

and

Velma

Please let me have your details and I will pop in post asap.

Thank you to everyone for commenting, I wish I could send you all a brooch.

Thanks for stopping by. x

A star so bright you blind me...

As promised, a post about our visit to foundling museum yesterday, to see the 'Threads of Feeling' Exhibition.
We travelled to London, we finally arrived at Russell Square and to my delight there is a 'Carluccio's Cafe', love that man and his coffee.

Around the corner ...

to The Foundling Museum.

I was expecting to be a little melancholy viewing the exhibits, but I must admit to becoming upset at times. One Registration paper, documenting the clothing of a child had 'meanly draped' written at the bottom and this really hit home. (Picture below).

Take a look at the online exhibition here it is very good.

As photography is not allowed, I bought the Exhibition Book. I so desperately wanted to pick the exhibit Ledgers up and leaf through there textural goodness. The hand written script, the wax seals, the crumpled, folded paper of the 1700's, I could tell that the feel of each book was a joy to behold. It fills me with sorrow though, that the contents hold stories of so many lives filled with sadness and loss.

Here, an image from the book, of linen or cotton printed with dots and flowers, with accompanying note : Foundling 8959 a girl, Florella Burney', 1758

Postcards...I also purchased two pieces of the fabric that has been produced for this exhib. (hand silk screen printed) from the fabric of Florella's small token textile piece. One of which is to keep and the other... I have made four brooches with the above fabric, as four 'Giveaways', along with the accompanying 'Florella' postcard. Just four small seperate tokens of my appreciation for all the support and wonderful comments, feedback and Followers I have been lucky enough to receive.

Just leave a comment and next Sunday I will pull four names from the hat.

I have applied to each of the brooches the text 'love, hope and happiness'.

Thanks for stopping by. x

You dance to the music like nobody does...

Hello,

I have been a making! I had a splurge of creative energy, probably because I had some great news and was accepted as a Maker with madebyhandonline The brainchild of two lovely ladies, Sarah James and Katie Honnor from Bovey Tracey, Devon... bringing together a community of makers, to promote the crafts industry and to sell directly online. There is a list of makers and I am on the third page if you fancy a butchers. There are some very fine wares, some of which are made by the wonderful jennifer collier

~O~

Bought this book from Oxfam Bookshop for £2 and it was the best £2 I have spent in a very long time...inspiration, inspiration, inspiration, pages of it...

This little book got me wanting to draw with my sewing machine, so I picked up where I had left off with my 'Prim' drawings....I pencilled these folks a good while ago, in a now, dog chewed sketch book. The male of the species being Peter Prim and the female, Pamela Prim.

From paper to fabric...Wip needlecases,

I'm really enjoying working on a new theme and there is lots of space with these characters to build and let things evolve.

~O~

Holly, our daughter has to visit an Exhibition at Alexandra Palace, London tomorrow (Sunday), so the current husband and I are using the opportunity to drop her off and then carry onto the foundling museum for the Threads of Feeling Exhibition. I will post asap.

~O~

Last but certainly not least, I had to show you Wonkey Donkey, who has recently come to stay! When wound up, his head nods and his tails spins, very fast....I adore him.

Thank you so much for stopping by. x