Creative Space...

Is has been so long since I have graced Kirsty's Creative Space.  Just under a year I believe.

Hopefully I can be welcomed back into the fold after such a hiatus:)

I am again working on my toys for Thread Den.  Doing variations of my Pussycat Doll and Monsieur Rabbit.

This little Monsieur has limbs for the first time, but his trademark face still prevails. He is for the Easter Market and will be adorned with an egg.  I have not decided yet whether it will be a crafted egg or an actual egg?  Mmmggh any ideas??? 

And this little Pussycat doll will not be holding a kitten this time but rather a fish. 

As it is the Childrens book festival in Melbourne this week I have been totally inspired by my favourite childrens book Cat and Fish by Neil Curtis and Joan Grant.

It is a beautiful beautiful book about a cat and a fish who are best friends but are, of course, from different worlds.

So I was thinking that Pussycat could hold a little fish, sounds easy enough, but I do have a tendency to complicate my toys, that's for sure. 

I like all my faces to be distinguished, yet matching within the range and of course significant to my style of embroidery. So a fish with a face like this.....??? Well maybe, somehow.

So that is my creative space for today.  For more be sure to pop over to Kootoyoo...

Childrens Book Festival in Melbourne...

This Sunday 3rd April 10am to 4pm at the State Library.

There will be a petting zoo, performers and Children's book authors in Conversation.

Check out the Wheelers Centre and the State Library website for program details.

The Busy Little Bee Award...

The Busy Little Bee award does not go to me.

As you see I have been terribly un-busy.  

Although, I do think a LOT about potentially busy things.

These ideas stay firmly in the mind.

 But if there was an award for 'thinking' creative thoughts

Then I would win this kind of award.  

Because I have many ideas and are always thinking them.  

However-

 For actually producing these ideas in a tangible way.......

mmmgghh, that is where I have fallen a little short.

 And so, sadly, the Busy Little Bee award does not go to me!

If there was an award for sitting on the couch, watching Mad Men

and knitting complicated diamond patterned shawls.

I would win, hands down.

Unfortunately no such award is in existence.

Lastly

There is one award I am in the running for-

The Glandula Fever award goes to..........

Me.

I win this one, no contest.

Because I am very good at being sick with Glandula Fever.

The illness that goes on and on.

But never fear, Nurse Fifi is here.

And now if I could just teach her to read

my obscure miniature Latin medical book

then I will surely be cured.

And back to the business of Toy making.

I'm Celebrating Julia...

Warning Politics! The below entry contains absolutely nothing to do with Craft.

Wow! A history making day for Australia as our first ever female Prime Minister is sworn in by our first female Governor-General.  What an amazing day. It is with happiness that I celebrate not only the fact that she is a woman- but that she sits to the left of the labour party, is clearly intelligent and handles herself better than any other politician I can speak of.  

When an unmarried, childless woman who speaks straight from the heart and holds genuine care for the health and education of ordinary Australians steps up to such a high position- I'm thinking that is quite a feat unto itself and is something to truly celebrate indeed. 

Go Julia.

(Now if we could just get rid of Tony Abbott and let Julie Bishop lead the opposition then the next election will become a Julie and Julia battle and I think that sounds like a much more interesting contest.)

Mr Abernathy and Co...

I really love checking out the art of Matte Stephens on Etsy.

Are they not splendidly clever characters?

Sigmund Abernathy taking a ride through Central Park On Thunder Bolt On his first Trip to the United States

The Duke Of NY 

The Duke Of NY riding his bike

Vivienne riding her bike

I love a smoking fox, I truly do!

You can visit Matte's blog here..

Creative Space XVI...

Today I am playing along with Kirsty's Creative Space and revealing to you all my Knitting project for my friend Katarina using this divine mohair from Wool Baa in Albert Park.

The only problem is- my knitting keeps magically, frustratingly, camouflagingly disappearing!

Let me show you how...

Mon evening 9.55 pm.

We all know that it is extremely difficult to prise a Birman off knitting.

However did you know that it is next to impossible to even FIND your knitting when it is hiding beneath a Birman?

Wed evening 8.49 pm.

It took me an entire 20 minutes of hair pulling searching last night to locate my knitting when it had magically morphed into my flokati rug.

Thurs morning 9. 46 am

And as recently as a few minutes ago my knitting was swallowed up by this seemingly innocent fluffy stool.

If only I had known how much adversary everyday household items would pose to my knitting.

Would I have still chosen cream coloured Mohair at such peril?

Be sure to check out Kootoyoo for more Creative Spaces.

The Selling of the Dolls....

It is official, my dolls have all sold.  I never really knew if they would or not, but they have and I am very pleased.  Especially because they have gone to wonderful loving homes.  And that is important.  I like to think of my little cloth friends tucked up somewhere warm and cosy, being admired and looked after well.

Otherwise I may not have been able to part with them at all.
They are being sold almost exclusively through Thread Den right now, but this blog has helped of course.  I have been tentatively thinking about having an Etsy store or a Made It perhaps, but I must confess to you all that I don't love sitting at a computer for hours working things out.  I know many clever people that can do this with ease.  But it is just not my bag.

Perhaps you creative computer people out there can send me some positive internetishness brainwaves?

So now I guess I shall begin creating some new ones. I have become a little obsessed with the Pussycat Dolls, which were so admired. (Below) And as always there would have to be a Red Riding Hood in there.  I thought it may be interesting to work in porcelain again, which I have not done for 10 years.  Maybe a porcelain sailor girl with tattoos????

Anyway just a thought.  In the meantime I am planting out my veggie garden and adding some more to my herb garden (chamomile, peppermint and echinacea).

Hopefully the garden and the dolls will flourish all at once. :)