5.2.10

Thank you around the world


Fiddlesticks Hill

This was going to be a shameless plug post to punt a couple of my needle felt creations, but rather wonderfully they were snapped up almost as soon as they were listed in my Etsy shop, and since then I've been cracking on with breaking deadlines; non-stop studio work all day every day. This little landscape I named 'Fiddlesticks Hill' as it was so fiddly to make. The tree trunks were smaller than your wee finger nail and needle felting them was a *bit* of a challenge. However, I do like making alternative worlds and am very pleased that someone else is now enjoying it.



Instead, I will attempt to be more polite and say thank yous to kind bloggers who have tagged me or given me awards over the last few months. I simply don't have the time to respond to these as they come and I am taking the lazy way out, hoping they will forgive me. So in no particular order, thank yous and virtual cake to my blog friends from around the globe -


Dedicated Anglophile Elizabeth in California of Elizabeth Rhiannon is Visiting, (crumbs, that was back in July 2009, sorry Elizabeth!)



Claire in the UK of
Created and Felted (lovely felted pod bags)
Coinsguylady, of the
Hogscald Holler (rug hooking and banjo picking in the Ozark mountains, USA, a wonderful blog)
Twiglet of Twiglet who makes all kinds of sweet craft treasures

Rossichka from Bulgaria, of Out of the Shell, who is a professional puppeteer and has a wonderful imagination
Kari in America who weaves exceptional art basketry, of Karibaskets
And finally to Yarrow in the UK of Retreat (which was back in November, so more apologies)


If I have left anyone out, then you may have two slices of virtual cake and blame my faulty memory.

So while I am catching up with my P's and Q's, many chocolately thanks to my witty and funny friend Soozcat in the USA of Laundry Fairy, who (not for the first time) sent us a box rammed with Dove chocolates which Andy has become partial to - there were many and now there are few - and only because they have been hidden.


They have been moved to my nice new purse (emergency supplies) which, as you can see, was much needed; such kindness from Mlle Miracle of '
A Perfect Day', thank you for such a soft, lovely gift in my favourite red and not only that...



...but a new needle holder, which is already in use, I can never have enough needles (or holders).



Lastly but absolutely not leastly, big warm fluffy thank yous to my dear friend Janet in Virgina USA,,of The Empty Nest. Not content with making me a warm pumpkin scarf last year, she made me some mittens for my ever cold hands, in some of my favourite colours; not modelled by me as my fingernails are not fit to be seen. I really can't express how touched I am -


- especially as she has also adopted Oscar, who, alas, had to be sold. Groceries can't be bought with felt animals, unfortunately. I was so sad to put him up for sale, and so happy when I found he would be going to live with Janet. He spent Christmas with us, and has been mauled by a cat, so he's already had some adventures.


Farewell and safe journey Oscar - don't forget everything you've learned.


28 comments:

Claire said...

Just love "Fiddlesticks Hill" Gretel. Looks like an interesting place to visit. The candy coloured trees, are they edible?

Janet Metzger, Artist said...

OMG...Gretel..I feel like I have just adopted a baby from a far away country and can't wait to meet our 'Oscar' for the first time. I promise to be a good 'Mum' to him..lots of play time, long naps, good food and lovely play dates with the other blue elephants in the neighborhood...oh yes, there are many ;-) I will keep you posted on his progress with lots of photos.
your friend,
Janet

Natasha said...

Love your little hills, Absolutely gorgeous!

rossichka said...

Thank you, Gretel, for your kind words! I find the "Fiddlesticks Hill" absolutely lovely! Do you know who lives there - in the tiny house among the trees?:)

jfidz said...

Love 'fiddlesticks hill' - of course it has absolutely nothing to do with the name!

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

I love his knees.

Elizabeth Rhiannon said...

Oh geez, Miss Gretel, no need for thanks but you're more than welcome. I just think you're one of the best photographers I've seen, your felt creations and artwork are magickal and entertains my inner child (that should be 'outer') and your blogs are wonderful...so, 'thank you'! Stay well, friend :)

BumbleVee said...

Whew... poor Oscar is probably getting out in the nick of time if a cat has taken a fancy to him! It sounds like Janet will look after him well....

yeh... awards...I don't know.... I just can't seem to get to them either.... never know what to say..feel guilty if I don't pass them to everyone... I wish they had never been invented...unless they are just to stick on a sidebar and "be" .... for those who are happy as clams to play along or to get them....

Soozcat said...

Hehehe... send those chox into the Witness Protection Program, they're not safe! :)

I'm glad you like them. (And that Andy likes them.)

frayed at the edge said...

Oh dear, now I'm going to have to visit all the blogs you mentioned!! And as for the chocolates - I'm suffering severe deprivation trying to fit back into most of my clothes - and Malcolm ate my Mars bars (to save me from myself!!)
ps you'll notice I've commented with my google ID, rather than frayedattheedge - I don't know if it's blogger or typepad, but I'm having problems - I'm not a happy bunny!!
ps, almost forgot to say I love Fiddlesticks Hill

Anonymous said...

...and there was me thinking Mrs Fiddlesticks when I saw Fiddlesticks Hill ;)

Glad to hear you are busy F:)

Twiglet said...

You deserve all the awards - your work is just perfect and your blog is a delight so keep sqeezing in a little time to inspire us! I must admit I don't like the "chain" involved in awards but I just wanted you to know we all love your work!!

zette said...

Hello Gretel !
Your little hill is so lovely ! I admire your work so much ! I also do needle felting, but not as well as you do... I love particularly your polar bears and gooses !
Last thing: this message is from France ( excuse my English...)
Elisabeth
http://le-cabas-de-za.over-blog.com/

Yarrow said...

Aaaw, a lovely post and I will help myself to a lovely slice of cake, thank you :)

I always love your work and understand how fiddly little pieces are. I've actually made some needle felt hair recently! One piece was an incredible Audrey Hepburn beehive!!!

I hope those deadlines are being met and keep up the great work :)

Frances Tyrrell said...

I love your felted pincushion world with its twisty path and shapely trees, so satisfying compact and complete. No wonder we all want a piece of your creations!

Casey said...

so very cute! :)

SmitoniusAndSonata said...

Oscar looks very brave in a knobbly-kneed sort of way . And he's going to a good home .

coinguyslady said...

I love you work very much.I would love for you to write a post about how you take pictures of your work.What you use for a backdrop,lighting and other info.

I do some felting too and I can't get very good pics.

Anonymous said...

Fiddlesticks Hill is so cute! It looks a bit like the hill we live on!!

Flávia Leitão said...

I'm in love with your Fiddlesticks Hill! What amaizing work! Congratulations!!!!

Suze said...

Just to wander up that hill would be magical. A beautiful piece of another world, Gretel...I adore "Fiddlesticks Hill". And good luck to Oscar, I'm sure he'll soon adapt to his new home.

Acornmoon said...

Your creations are always a joy to behold, I can see Fiddlesticks Hill as a ceramic.

It is a pity that you did not make it to the NEC, if you ever do it would be lovely to have a cuppa together.

Mlle Miracle said...

You're welcome, Gretel! I hope this new needle holder will be useful and allow you to create new wonderful creatures. And don't worry about Oscar, he's a wise guy, like all the elephants.
Your little worlds amaze me, like all the tiny things!

Janet Metzger, Artist said...

Oscar loved my pie and he and I did some research and found references to cream cheese as far back as 1754 in areas such as Lincolnshire and the southwest of England. In England cornstarch is called corn flour...does that ring a bell?

Merisi said...

I read all your after Christmas posts now,
you have been working so hard! Your shelves also look so organized, I am tempted to invite you here ... ;-)

Thank you for this latest post especially, I love that you give all those links to artists special to you!

Hugs,
Merisi

Kari Lønning said...

I don't get over here as often as to your Cotswold Peeps .. so as I read down and discovered the mention ... Thank-you! I never knew anything about needle felting before Twitter. I LOVE seeing your small creations. One day, maybe one of them will live with me.

PussDaddy said...

I love fiddlesticks!

PussDaddy

Rowan said...

Your felted creations are amazing, so small and intricate. Oscar is so sweet, lucky Janet to be having him to live with her. Bon voyage Oscar!