Creatures

Whistle stop blog post, as I am up to my neck in *stuff*. My polar bear pattern in 'Mollie Makes Weddings' - on Amazon UK here and Amazon USA here.

My kitten pattern in the latest issue (37)  of 'Mollie Makes'. Available as a 'real' magazine here or as a digital download here.

Off  to Cinderhill Farm soon to do the first workshop of the year on March 8th - there are two places left, if anyone fancies it, details are here . I can count on one hand the amount of times I've been anywhere since November last year, so I am very much looking forward to my adventure. Not to mention seeing my dear friends, meeting my workshop students and cooing over the newborn lambs. 

I'll also be launching my first kits, 'Slinky Fox' at the workshops. It's been a long process, but I will soon be bringing out kits on a regular basis. I will return with photos of lambs. And chickens. and more pigs. And goats.

Around the Wrekin

Having been cooped up working for several weeks, enduring the UK storms, I was driven to go rambling yesterday, when the sun came out and the temperature rose. I explored a lane a mile away, to see if I could do a circular walk. The Wrekin popped up round every corner; there it is nestling under the clouds.

  

So long since I wandered down a quiet lane for a proper walk, my legs a bit wobbly from lack of exercise.

I haven't taken so many photos since Andy went - oh I've gone through the motions, but without the enthusiasm of old. What quiet joy to find myself immersed in snapping the countryside.

Something round every corner, and finding the most delightful little scenic bridge.

There's the Wrekin again, popping it's head up.

 

Lots of trees down, fallen giants succumbing to the recent high winds. I walked all afternoon, using the Wrekin and the Long Mynd as my landmarks. I underestimated the distance though and it was a long trek without a map.

For the first time since moving to Shropshire nearly two years ago, I felt a real connection with the landscape and I cannot adequately express what relief and hope it has given me. Even though six miles was somewhat too far for an out of practise wanderer.

Needle felt workshops

It's going to be another busy year with workshops - the first one of 2014 commences with one of my favourites, at Cinderhill Farm in the beautiful Forest of Dean on Saturday March the 8th. We will be making moon gazing hares.  Last time there was morning coffee and homemade baked stuff, a hot lunch with the farm's own free range pork and the speciality of the farm, Deb's high tea. Which last year looked like this...

It's an all day class, with all materials, use of tools and all food included in the price of £60 per person. Vegetarian/allergy  options can be provided.  This year the farm shop, the Pie House, is open, with local  produce. the farm pies and gift wares on sale. There are only eight places available and we are half booked now, so if you want to secure a place, please contact Debs directly via the farm contact form.

Then there are several four hour workshops at Chipping Norton Fibreworks and Oxford Fibreworks throughout the months, making a variety of things depending on the time of year. Candy Buns are the spring design.

And a new venue for me, the Buckinghamshire Summer School, where I will be teaching larger classes for two days. August the  7th is beginners and August the 8th is intermediate, with a discount for anyone booking both classes.

On the 7th the design is little chickens and on the 8th you can make a slinky fox. All materials and use of tools included.

Later in the year, I'm thrilled to be making a repeat visit to the glorious 'Hope and Elvis' studios, in Nottinghamshire, making the perennial favourites, Acorns and Toadstools', in October. Last year's two days were fantastic experiences for me and we had lovely feedback. The studios are situated in the stunning Welbeck Estate (think Downton Abbey, but more so). Apart  from the workshops, there are simply gorgeous shops, a gallery and I can personally vouch for the food at the Limehouse Cafe.

These are the confirmed workshops, but there are more in the pipeline. All details of these can be found on my workshops page, where you can visit the various websites and contact the organisers to book directly. Hope to see some of you there, it's always great to meet up with blog readers face to face.

Woolly scrimshaw

Some of the new designs I worked on over the Christmas period, looking at antique scrimshaw folk art and converting the style into my own versions. 

Hellebores for you

One year on since you went, my darling boy. You took part of me with you that night and I would gladly give all of me to have you here now. Always missed, always in my heart.

Round the corner

 

 

  

 

I don't seem to get out much, but I am looking forward to spring and exploring a little more. Walking is hard, as that is when I feel Andy's absence most. He could be just out of sight, waiting for me around a corner, as he so often did. I walk around the corner and and he is not there. But I still have my camera to keep me company and bear witness. And I still have my life long love of landscape and nature.

Emerging

        

    "Oh God, your sea is so great and my boat is so small"

 (Breton fisherman's prayer)

Christmas has for many years been my least favourite part of the year and I knew that this one, my first without Andy and my first on my own, would be particularly rough. So I took a Sabbatical from online life and avoided the season as far as possible. Life for me went on as normal. I have been cloistered away in this little cottage for the last eleven months, grieving in solitude and trying to find a new way of life. It has been a struggle, but work has always been my lifeline and so it proved to be again. I used the time to explore new designs and plan a business that will hopefully enable me to stay here. 

Many people sent me cards and good wishes. Some hoped that I would be spending Christmas with friends or family. I did have invitations to stay with friends, but I would not have been good company and needed to face things on my own, fight my own demons. Thank you to everyone for the kind thoughts, which are so much appreciated, even if I have not celebrated the season.

My boat is very small and the ocean I'm sailing on seems unbelievably vast. But I learned to steer it, alone, at a young age and slowly I am learning to sail solo again. 

That's been a rather busy November - four workshops, two patterns and lots of work related stuff in-between. Back to dear Oxford again, where I attended a concert at the beautiful Victorian church of St John the Evangelist on the Iffley Road. I once had a student bedsit up there, when I was a hungry art student.  Odd to go back again, but the concert was very enjoyable, performed by the talented and energetic members of the Magdalen College School orchestras.

The church was packed with proud parents snapping away, so I wasn't able to get many photos myself, but I did love the painted ceiling.

 

The next day there was another workshop at the lovely Fibreworks Oxford.

So pleased that someone returned for more and brought some 'homework' she had done since the last session.

 It was a Christmas theme and everyone made trees.

Well, nearly everyone - there was a robin, a Christmas cottage and a sweet toadstool house as well.

My final workshop of the year was my first Shropshire one. Held in such a nice venue, at Rustic and White in Wyle Cop, filled with vintage treasures and with parts of the shop dating back to Tudor times.

Pleasantly surprised to find that we'd filled all twelve spots and were actually oversubscribed. 

This was an all day session and also Christmas themed. There were one or two people there who read this blog, so if they are reading this, it was great to meet you. 

As well as bringing two suitcases of wools, as usual I did my best to supply as many beads, findings and decorative bits as possible, which does result in a  bit of a crafty mess at the end of the day!

 

After several hours of industry, fuelled by hot drinks and cake, there was a simply gorgeous batch of trees. I started everyone off with the same measurement guidelines, showed them the basic method and let them loose. Despite starting with more or less the same amount of wool, a wide variety of trees appeared, each bearing the maker's personality.

 

So that's it for the year and I am already booked to do more next year. I'll be posting some dates soon.

Mice and more mice!

They are everywhere! I was commissioned to make a copy of Mrs Mouse, from my book 'Mrs Mouse's Cupcakes'. I made the first one about four years ago and it was intriguing to see how the second one was so much better than the first. Can you tell which is the old one and which the new? I will put the answer at the end of this post.

And now for the gentlemen. Another pattern, this time for 'Crafty Magazine', of the Town Mouse and the Country Mouse. Or Hugo and Joe, as they are now known.

It was a bit of a challenge to come up with a simple pattern, incorporating several elements and two similar but slightly varied designs to fit into a reasonable amount of steps, but challenges are goods and after some pencil chewing and hair pulling, I think I managed it.

There are a limited amount of 'Crafty' to buy from their site here. Or, for digital users, you can buy the download here. Otherwise, it will be in most WHSmiths, supermarket sections or good newsagents. Have fun! 

(The new Mrs Mouse is on the left hand side of the picture).