Thoroughly Modern Milly

Some designs take a long time to hatch - I've been meaning to work out a mole design for two years, but what with my book jobs and things, I've only just got round to it. Luckily I had made a little sketch at the time - in *shock horror* the back of a picture book...

I absolutely do not condone drawing in books, but this was an old battered ex-library copy which I picked up from a charity shop after a trip to the dentists, two bus rides away from the village. Happily my bus home stopped right outside a pub, so I popped in for a pint while I was waiting for it and read my book. It is an old favourite and I hadn't got a copy. It's the most beautiful story for children, dealing with bereavement and not at all mawkish or pro-religion of any kind.

Here, Mole is passing on the gift of making paper chain moles, which Badger in turn taught him. And finding myself with pencil but without sketch book, I drew a mole of my own on the endpaper and called her Milly.

In real life, moles are not at all the sweetly shy characters they are often portrayed as; they are quite fierce and territorial. It's rare to see one alive or dead, but I did find the skull of one last year. It is tiny.

See how sharp the teeth are? All the better for killing worms with.

The dark patches are, I am afraid, dried skin and flesh.

So Milly, although only 6 inches tall, is practically life sized.

And like so many of my little people, she will soon be making the long trip across the pond to someone in America. But I get to keep her for a few weeks longer - which is nice.

Simple Stamping

I've been meaning to have a dabble with fabric printing for ages ('Printing by Hand' being a much neglected Christmas present from two years ago) and have finally been galvanised into action by a great find in a charity shop - and only £1!

In mint condition, they are beautifully simple shapes which offer a huge range of possibilities and combinations. I had meant to cut my own blocks, but here was the perfect excuse to have a little indulgent play. I cut up my last length of tea stained cotton into test samples.

I was a bit stuck for fabric paints - all I had were an old set which someone gave me years ago, most of which were dried up, and some odd jars found back in 2007 in the legendary Burford skip. I managed to make a 1970's shade of orange.

And started stamping. I don't have the kind of mind that does measurements very well, but I improvised with my own system of cocktail sticks.

Which worked for me.

What fun! Good music lined up on the stereogramme, tea in a Matt Grimmitt mug. Fat ginger cat in the background.

A larger block took quite a while to stamp. No wonder the real stuff is so expensive.

I was childishly pleased with the results, simple and rustic as they were and pegged them up proudly.

A few days later I had another go - finding out the hard way that neglecting to check each time for stray blobs results in a bodge.

Unlike needle felting, which can usually be saved, there is no going back with fabric printing and you have to concentrate all the time.

However, with no black or white to tone down my rather limited and garish palette, printing is at a temporary halt while I save my pennies for some new Speedball inks. Which gives me time to think about what I'm going to do with it.

Music to print to

Midlake - The Trials Of Van Occupanther

Midlake - The Courage of Others

Espers - Espers 11

Threads & Stitches

Such lovely kindness! After I left a rather pathetic little comment on Chrissie's blogpost about the Threads of Feeling exhibition at the London Foundling Museum, she sent me the gorgeous booklet which accompanies it. Is that not generosity personified?

It's beautifully presented and so interesting. I find the subject of childhood poverty and abandonment particularly hard to deal with, so I don't think I'd have been capable of going to the exhibition itself, but from a textile angle, it's a treasure trove. Do read Chrissie's account of her visit, and if you don't already know it, discover a really great blog. (And I am not just saying that because she gave me a book, though it is the quickest way to my heart).

I am gradually whipping my long neglected sewing skills back into shape - two Goosies are waddling off to new homes in the USA and across the UK.

Once I'd finally got the pattern sorted out and stuffed what felt like half a sheep's worth of wool into them, I had the final pleasure of using sumptuous pure silk thread to embellish the seams.

Decoration - more enjoyable than construction? Discuss.

Dolores

Dolores. Likes knitting, port and lemon and smart shoes that don't quite fit her right.




Sits all day clicking her needles and watching the world go by. Has a mean streak.





And a rather disgruntled look on her face.





Is off to America to live with Janet, where she will eat cake and watch Red Cardinals and Humming Birds. Lucky, lucky Dolores!

Yes, I have finally updated my Etsy shop with a few things - it's good to be back in the saddle at last!

Puddletown Moleskine prelims

First Puddletown ideas 11 Feb 2009

(All pictures can be viewed at much larger size by right clicking your mouse)

Goodness Heavens! I was completely overwhelmed at the amazing response to my little book announcement - and so touched to read such kindness, from 'old' blog friends I feel I've known forever, to all of you who commented for the first time and new followers. Thank you does not seem enough, but thank you all so very much anyway!

First Puddletown ideas 11 Feb 2009

It has been a hard secret to keep; I had my first meeting at Templar in February 2009, where it was loosely proposed that together we should create this little world (it didn't even have a name then). And as it was a new approach to all of us, creating models which would fit in a pop up scenario, there was no definite book offer. I simply went away and did some brainstorming in a little Moleskine.

First Puddletown ideas 11 Feb 2009

All I was required to do initially was draw whatever I felt would be in the world, so I set to work First I did little craft ideas for possible scenery and props, (at that point we knew there would be needle felted toys, but not how much of the rest of the book would be physically 'made'). Here I drew several toadstool and fungi models, of which one was eventually chosen to be made for the first book.

First Puddletown ideas 11 Feb 2009

A good many trees and landscape bits were drawn. One tree made it to final production.

First Puddletown ideas 11 Feb 2009

To begin with, I only made a few small 'props' - we didn't even have the main characters then, though we were certain geese would be a main feature. These props and a few toys I lent to the Templar sales team, were packaged nicely as a proposal to show at various book fairs. If feedback was good, I would hopefully get commissioned. If not...

First Puddletown ideas 11 Feb 2009

I also had to design some 'backdrops' and scenery settings. I have to confess, this was the easiest and most enjoyable part for me, l could draw little, lonely landscapes - well for a long time! I only ended up painting one of these.

First Puddletown ideas 12 Feb 2009

Still not decided on story lines, we juggled various ideas - here we have Custard eating trifle at a party he was afraid to go to. Eventually elements of this ended up in the second book 'Peggy's Lost Pennies'.

First Puddletown ideas 12 Feb 2009

More unused landscapes - who knows if they will also make a later appearance?

First Puddletown ideas 16 Feb 2009

This is the first sketch for what would become a much larger and slightly changed artwork that does feature in 'Mrs Mouse's Cupcakes', the background of the first spread.

First Puddletown ideas 16 Feb 2009

I never did get to make this sun - I've always liked the idea of suns, moons and stars hanging tenuously from a thread. In fact, nearly everything I drew in this batch of sketches ended up 'on the cutting floor' and you just have to be thick skinned about it. People often refer to producing a children's book a being 'a dream', but the reality is that it is a business, it is a job, and ruthless editing is often necessary to create something saleable for the market place.

First Puddletown ideas 16 Feb 2009

Of course, these were just the start of a much larger body of work needed, once we had two stories figured out.