Little Easter Goose

One small grey goose waddled off to a new home.

Walter.

 He really is very small indeed...

There are still some spaces left on my May 10 chicken brooch workshop at the Fibreworks Oxford. If you'd like to keep me company, please contact the shop via the website.

Kangaroos & birdy things

Just before we moved (again) last year I created my most complicated pattern so far - 'Jack', a kangaroo for the Australian magazine 'Felt'. I had to make an initial one to work out the basic pattern and then a second one in order to do the demo photographs. Haven't had anyone contact me yet to tell me they've made one though! You can buy the magazine as a back issue here, if you want to try making your own.

Jack one *SOLD*

Jack two *SOLD*

 Another couple of little things left over from last year, a little button wheel goose -(*sold*)

- and a vintage style owl clip. Despite their small size, each one took around four hours to make. So for the first time in ages, I've been able to update my shop with needle felt, not art. 

 

A Couple of Swells

This is a much loved character, Mr Lavender, as he was back in 2008. He travelled a long way to a gallery for an exhibition and failed to sell for the princely sum of £65. (He has since doubled in price). He later became a part-time actor in the second 'Puddletown Tales' book, 'Peggy's Lost Pennies' as a toyshop owner.

By then he had aquired a smart new waistcoat.

I was asked by one of my regular customers if the original was for sale. As none of my Puddletown people are going to be sold - unless things get really bad - I offered to make a copy. So, Mr Lavender the First -

- and Mr Lavender the Second.

He is a little smaller, but has the same kindly, humorous look. Now he's about to bring pleasure to his new owner, who is delighted with him - which is always nice.

"We're a couple of swells

We stop at the best hotels

But we prefer the country far away from the city smells

We're a couple of sports

The pride of the tennis courts

In June, July and August we look cute when we're dressed in shorts

The Vanderbilts have asked us up for tea

We don't know how to get there, no siree

No, siree.

We would swim up the Avenue but we haven't any lake

So we'll walk up the Avenue

Yes, we'll walk up the Avenue

Yes, a walk up the Avenue's what we'll take."

(From 'Easter Parade' by Irving Berlin)

Doppelganger

'Don't worry old chap, not much longer to go!'.

Another week, another radio appearance! Back briefly on Radio Oxford, with the lovely Jo Thoenes, available on the BBCiPlayer until July 19th, blethering on about this blog. Fast forward to about 2.20 minutes in, after the 'F1WAG'.

RADIO OXFORD INTERVIEW

Jeanne D'Arc Living

Oooh...ahhh...look! What is this assortment of loveliness I see before me? It is an elegantly wrapped packet from Betty and Violet, a vintage sewing and collectibles shop full of irresistible delights, whose exquisite blog I follow.

It is the January edition of Jeanne D'Arc Living magazine and it is the most beautiful magazine I have ever owned - until the other day that spot was saved for the wonderful Selvedge. This just creeps past it on the utterly delectable scale. I was lucky enough to win it in a Betty and Violet giveaway and I am smitten. Actually, to call it a magazine is to do it a disservice; it is more of a softback book, large and thick, simply jam-packed with sumptuous photos and ideas - and stunningly designed.

Danish in origin and with a European country accent, it is over 150 pages of lavish articles of interest - from interiors to cooking, gardening to decorating. Like Selvedge, it has a particular delicious smell which makes one want to bury one's nose in the spine. In this January edition, there is an entire section devoted to flavoured salt. Pure happiness.

The writing style is fresh and original, a pleasure to read and blissfully unpretentious. I am beginning to tire of certain popular *country lifestyle* magazines, whose articles I think are becoming a little formulaic and stylised.

Another refreshing aspect is that there is no advertising in the main magazine - just a couple of tasteful pages at the back. This means you get proper value for money and uninterrupted articles which are not visually disfigured or distracting.

'Jeanne D'Arc Living' is available worldwide through certain sites and distributors and happily for us in the UK, through the Betty and Violet site, who offer yearly subscriptions or single editions. They also have a limited amount of back issues, though you might have to fight me for them.

Snowdrop likes it too. She says she has read all of my Selvedges and that big pile of books.

I am not sure if I entirely believe her.

For the record, I haven't stopped loving Selvedge; I just think I love Jeanne D'Arc Living a tiny bit more.

Violets and Camellias

Back to some kind of normality at last and a final deadline to clear; this year's order for Teddy Bears of Witney. Sadly, due to the silly amount of work I had on, I was unable to do as many editions as I did last year and only just managed to get these two sets ready in time for the 2011 catalogue.

Rather stupidly I didn't order in a large batch of pink wool when I made the first Camellia and when I re-ordered from the same stockist the dye batch had changed. Only slightly, but enough to make me grind my perfectionist teeth with frustration. See how the righthand merino is slightly bluer than the lefthand one?

Thankfully I spotted what looked to be a better match on the Tigerlily Makes blog and after a few emails, a sample was winging it's way to me in the post. It was, happily, almost identical to the original pink and I was able to order enough to finish the two remaining models - thank you Lisa for such super service and good luck with your new online felt making boutique.

And a finished trio of 'Sweet Violets'. Despite the simplicity of the design, these actually take far longer to perfect than my other creatures.

Naturally, this being me, I was somewhat late in making the remaining models and spent seven days needle felting like fury. But in the end, we were all ready for delivery.

Boxed up and raring to go.

It is always such a pleasure to visit the shop and see what new bearish treasures are in stock. My little girls are going to be in distinguished company.

And they have their own slot in the beautiful catalogue. As far as I know, they have not sold out yet - but this is the only shop I am able to supply and at present I am so busy catching up with back orders that they are all that is available at present, so if you do want one of my creations now, then they are the people to contact.

I quite forgot to tell them - and you, lovely readers - my other snippet of news, that a couple of months ago I was accepted into the British Toymakers Guild after submitting an application which was judged acceptable by the committee. Which is nice.

Griselda the Witch-Goose

Phew, just in time!

Twenty three hours of work...

I think we both need a beer! Happy - whatever you choose to celebrate tonight.

A pair of chaps

Funny how deadlines creep up on you...the next few days are going to be intense (er) . I am five toys down and on my last painting.




Mr Lavender was the first piece I made for the Green Gallery order. I think he is a retired actor, now living in genteel poverty, but who still has a way with the ladies.




Pippin was a bit of a tricky one, black is an absolute bugger to work with, if you'll pardon my language - it seems to pick up more stray (non-black) bits than white. I am not over fond of penguins myself, and Pippin has a calculating look in his beady glass eye...but I am going to make more, as I know that there are penguin lovers out there.




Although his flippers are quite cute and as they are jointed with strong waxed cotton, he can march all the way to whatever Pole penguins come from...I always forget.




I am now going to disappear for a few days and get my act together. Quick march!