Gifts

January 8th Scavenger Photo Hunt - Gift/s

I had planned on sharing things I had crafted as gifts however sadly one of the recipients still hasn't received her pressies due to the previous tier 4 conditions and now the latest lockdown we are dealing with. I don't want to spoil the surprise, so her gifts are all stashed safely together ready and waiting for when we can all get together again.

So, I thought I would share a 'stocking present' to Himself and I from Eldest and his lovely partner. Each one of us received a carefully chosen woodland creature, however they were 'naked' so every little animal was lovingly given a wardrobe of warm tweeds and woollen scarves.

They were the first thing we opened on chrimbly morning and I found it hard to put mine down (which in case you had not already guessed is the Hare!) I kept stroking her lovely felted ears and admiring her fringed kilt and warm shawl.

The rather dapper Mr Badger is Himself's and he loved him immediately. Mrs Hare and Mr Badger are tree decorations however, when the tree was packed away, these two remained out and will do so from now on.

They linked their arms and explored their new surroundings, taking in the air and checking out the hyacinth bulbs then wandered along the small aloes and cacti on the window ledge.

They even checked out a few houses, I suspect they will move around a bit until they find the spot they like the most 🥰 - as you can tell, I am still besotted by them!

2020's chrimbly day was a very different one, it will have been for most folk, Mrs Hare and Mr Badger brought such a lovely moment of joy and will continue to do so through 2021.
 

Right, that was a minute of light-hearted waffling, I am off to see what the others have shared - until next time - stay safe xx

That creative buzz

Thank you every one who joined in the conversation about all things Millie - I really enjoyed not only making her but reminding myself of things I did know and learning lots that I did not! There was a touch of sadness as I pushed the parcel into the postbox - although I know she was not mine, I did rather fall in love with her and her story!

It brought back happy memories of toy making when the boys were little and re-intensified my love of making small things with lots of detail.

I have been happily invited to display and sell some of my tiny folk makes - so I took down some needle felted creatures and...

...my latest fun size makes - knitted brooches. I have already sold some which has delighted me and I have had such lovely feedback - it really gives you that buzz of HaPpInEsS :) 

My small but happy display of tiny-folk-makes :)

Any hoo, yesterday I suddenly wanted to make a knitted bear (no I don't know why either) and to soothe that need, I ruffled around in a basket full of odd yarns and wool. It was a bit of a pot luck selection but I found a warm cream coloured yarn and began.

Knitted flat, there is an awful lot of increases and decrease to create the tubby tum shape and the little short legs - I am as I type, just taking a break from stuffing the fellow before adding facial details and potentially other fun things like a scarf or a patch or both! (just looked at the photo and flattened out ted looks like a rather anemic turkey 😆)

I think my creative mojo has returned - it took a year's sabbatical but I can feel the well overflowing with the need to make/create/bake/sew/knit/crochet - there is only small (but vital problem) I only have two hands!! 

Any hoo, where this leads to is - have a good Friday and a lovely weekend, speak to you soon xxxxx

ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ  ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ  ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ  ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ   ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ 

February's Five on Friday - gratitude

Morning all - my five this month are ...

friendship - I wrote yesterday on this - refinding friends and reforging friendships - precious.

Rediscovering a forgotten craft - I am needle-felting at the moment - a string of cartoon creatures and mini monsters - the rhythmic stabbing of a small waft of fleece until it turns into magical folk with their own characters really makes me happy.

A good book - just read one - a true story of survival through walking, just started another - the jury is out on this one, it may improve.

The scent of hyacinths - still filling the room with gentle ribbons of perfume although this present pot has almost reached the end of it's life, there is another waiting in the wings to fill the space.

The simple pleasure of conversation.

These - and other small gems - have made my day, my week, my life all that much better.... and you? What has made your day that little sweeter?

**

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Lagom Hygge

Another wild day outside, curtains of hail or rain rush by at breakneck speed, crashing into buildings and cars, leaving wet and white sheets of icy pellets. The wind, compliant, throws bedraggled leaves into the air, pulling woolly hats off and tugging at coats and scarves.

A day for inside.

So - I have reached for some comfort crafting - colourful and soft.

I have little monsters in mind ....

I've been comfort baking - peanut and oat crunchies - still soft and warm from the oven, cooling on the rack for this afternoon's knit and natter.

Talking of knit and natter - I must really complete this final mitten, but....

I suspect I will play with colourful fleece instead,

... chat and eat more than I should!

**later**

Now, the day ends - as it began - with squally sharp showers reeking havoc with folk scuttling along the pavement trying to get home before the next onslaught.

And yes, no knitting done but plenty of playing (carding) of fleece making it fluffy and ready to create little monsters :)

A day of Lagom Hygge  and it felt good :)

 

'Bear'ly 'hare'ing along

The house is gently quiet, I can hear the occasional vehicle trundle by, the tap tap of the rain on the roof and as usual the radio entertaining itself in the kitchen.

I am contentedly drawing and designing patterns for an upcoming idea I have - shall see how it plays out - but first my mug is empty and that needs rectifying.

What are you up to today? Not sure what the weather's like where you are, but yet again it is wet here. There is a damp looking female blackbird hopping up the pathway - good thing the cats are fed up and have gone back to bed!

Best get on, out this afternoon at knit and natter - except I'll be taking needlefelting, working on a commission at the moment - a BooBoo the Bear keyring.

Yea gods, they are playing festive songs on the radio - gah!

Totoro forest spirits

Inspired by the magical creatures of My Neighbour - Totoro and the need for a subject for a mini-workshop ... these fellows were created.

Meet Totoro (large grey) Chu-totoro (blue) and Chibi-totoro (smallest little forest spirit).

 

A really good way to spend a couple of evenings - one to practice and the second to share the knowledge :)

I rather like needle felting :)

blogging - when in reality ....

........what I should be doing is needle felting!

Edited to add - gosh you are a sharp eyed lot! I shall put back the word that had been there but I remember deleting coz I miss counted! Cant get away with AnYtHinG with you around (thank you xxxx)

I thought I would pop in and catch up with the Scavenger photo hunters - thank you everyone, again there has been such a lovely selection of photos and stories - I look forward to reading them each month :D

Here, for your delectation and delight (and groans of despair!) are November's words...

Post/mailbox

Decay

Secondhand
Strand

Fold

My own choice

We will show and share our stories and pictures 

Friday 30th November

This will be the last one for 2018 - December always gets a little busy!

We will start again in the new year x

Enjoy!

And if you are new, tempted or have forgotten - the gentle rules of our game are:

A photograph inspired by a word, words inspired by the photo.

It can be a freshly captured image or one from the archives - all you need to do is waffle a few words to accompany it.

Try to think out of the box - not always easy and not compulsory - but adds a little zing to the ol' grey matter :D

The needle felting I should be doing?

A Hare checks his back foot whilst hare waiting for ears and front legs......  (blurred to keep his identity a secret - he has been commissioned for a gift)

til next time - with love xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ooh you foxy thing!

I am (ashamedly) quite into my social media. Probably a little more than I should be. However, according to the boffins, I am part of the growing raft of the more mature user while the younger (and previously thought of) more typical user - is drifting off to other more 'snappy', 'instant' and 'what on earth is up' type social networking platforms.

Any hoo - where this is leading is to the fact, I comment and chat within the various media platforms and over the years have 'met' and made friends with people far and wide. Susan - you are one good example of a 'far-away-friend' :)

I have been following a felting page which makes me smile when I see the fuzzy creatures appear, especially as I have such a soft spot for not only the fuzzy-ness of them but what is being created. Foxes, squirrels, bumblebees and rabbits. So, when I left a comment on a June post - I found I was lucky enough to have won this wonderful fellow ... 

So thank you Linda from Feltology - he is so sweet and fuzzy and I know just the coat he is going to snuggle up to and sleep on. Thank you xx

Have you 'felt' the magic recently?

So,

what do you when you have 100 and 1 things to do?

Do you start on your list....?

Do you finish what you have left half done

 on the dining-room table/desk/summerhouse/kitchen?

Do you finish tidying up?

Nope - don't be silly!

You rediscover lost things - like a bag of fleece tops and a felting needle 

and you sit down with a large mug of tea and make....

First a toadstool 

then swiftly followed by

 a red haired fairy in your favourite colours - well, 

that is what I would do, 

if I were you!

Then find you have made a fairy with attitude

and she turns her back on you!

Nice one :)

Have you ever suddenly been taken by the magic

and created something out of the blue?