Uniqart

Assume The Recovery Position.....

2012-01-31T09:51:00.000-08:00

A big thank you to all you well wishers, your thoughts mean a lot to me. Just a quick note to say my man is now home, looking much better and complaining about being covered in sticky residue from the various hospital plasters/attachments, so he can't be feeling too terrible! A very lucky escape indeed.

Home Is Where The Heart Is.......

2012-01-29T23:31:00.000-08:00

Last week I took my daughter to feed the swans and ducks on our local lake. This time, I think we had just about every swan in the area clamouring for our few slices of stale bread, and things got pretty heated. If you have never seen a couple of swans having a punch-up, let me tell you it is quite spectacular, involving lots of standing up in the water, flapping of enormous wings and pecking of beaks. Of course I did not have my camera with me that morning....

In the distance I noticed a pair of swans who were not interested in the bread, they just had eyes for each other and were participating in a pair-bonding display. This is like a courtship dance with the swans making elegant shapes with their necks and wings and mirroring each other's movements. It was truly beautiful to watch, especially when you think that swans mate for life. A recurring movement between the swans was the bending of their necks and touching of beaks, which I noticed made the shape of a heart...which in turn gave me an idea for a felt model. The above is the result and I am quite proud of it, having designed it entirely on my own. It will be for sale in my Etsy shop shortly.

On a more serious note, while it is easy in 'Blogland' to make it seem that everything in your world is happy and pretty with nothing ever going wrong, sometimes something happens that brings you down to earth with a bump. I've been having a pretty stressful time lately due to a couple of things going on - one involving extensive visits to the dentist (ouch!) and the other involving my day job which I don't feel at liberty to discuss, despite my inner outrage. Yesterday however, something happened which topped it all - my partner of 17 years was home from Belgium for the weekend but was feeling quite wonky since early Saturday morning. He checked himself in to the Emergency Dept at lunchtime yesterday and I got a phone call two hours later to tell me that he'd been whisked up to CCU with a heart attack. They'd dealt with it incredibly fast, cleared the offending artery, gave him a stent and he should be home within a couple of days. It was a lucky escape - he could have had this happen while on his own in Belgium or while driving to or from there. It kind of puts things in perspective - your loved ones are what matters, everything else is just decoration.

Dogalicious!

2012-01-26T23:31:00.000-08:00

Two little pugs, present and correct, ready to go on a journey to Canada. The smaller one is made from felt and has a bed, bowl, food and bone, as well as a smart red polkadot neckerchief.

The larger one is knitted and has wool jointed legs and a real leather collar with ID disc. These are a commission - if you would like a tiny pug of your own, don't hesitate to get in touch!

The acrylic of Smudge is coming along slowly but surely. In the photograph her muzzle is covered in sand, which I am having to 'edit'. Also had to re-work part of her mouth as the alignment of her teeth in my original sketch was slightly out - that's the beauty of acrylics, if you make a mistake it is so easily corrected!

The First Cuckoo Of Spring......

2012-01-23T23:30:00.000-08:00

Here is the project that has been causing me worry for months now - I have been churning it over in my mind wondering how I was going to accomplish a miniature cuckoo clock that had moving components. Well, turns out it wasn't quite as difficult as I envisioned, although it did entail a lot of very fiddly work.

The bird is attached to a coiled wire which in turn is attached by a carpet tack at the back of the hole. The doors are hinged with thread and do actually shut enclosing the bird inside. The bird was made using a small strip of yellow icord and then knitting a tiny triangle of blue which was sewn on for the back and wings - he has a tail (which after all that work can't be seen!), embroidered eyes and the tiniest beak.

The clock face was embroidered and the hands are tiny slivers of card with a pin through the middle to anchor them - the base of the clock is made from several pieces of foamboard glued together so the pin holds very firm - and the hands can be moved.

The pendulums were knitted and are attached with some old necklace chain.

I am so very relieved this has worked out OK - again, I have to point out that it is only 3 inches tall! My poor eyes!

During the day I have been working slowly and steadily on the dog portrait. I tend work from the eye outwards, although spent a fair amount of time on the nose yesterday. Seems fine so far.....

Sometimes Things Just Turn Out Right.......

2012-01-22T04:35:00.000-08:00

It feels like a very long time since I painted an acrylic animal portrait and I was wondering if it might be tricky getting back into it. I also decided (through sheer laziness) to just sketch this one out by eye - usually when it is a commission I either use the grid system to transfer the image onto the board or occasionally print off the section of the reference photo I want in the size I want and trace the important features. It feels a bit like cheating, but I always think that the person paying me to paint their child or pet is expecting the finished portrait to be a decent likeness and this guarantees results.

It doesn't mean I can't make a decent sketch, it is just a bit of added insurance. However, the above painting was sketched out 'properly' and although I had to fix a couple of minor errors in proportion along the way, once the first layer of paint was blocked in I was really pleased with the way it is turning out already. I don't think I will ever tire of painting dogs!

The knitted cuckoo clock is coming along nicely too - remember, this is 3 inches x 2 inches, so you can imagine what fun I will have making the cuckoo and putting some hinged doors on that hole at the top....

And this sad little pug needs to be stuffed and have his ears and tail sorted out. He is due to go to Canada - long journey for a little chap!

Now I Can Get On!

2012-01-19T04:39:00.000-08:00

As I seem to be unable to get on with one project while another sits unfinished, I sat up last night and completed this crochet lace scarflet. I can't call it a shawl as despite adding three extra rows, it did turn out quite small. I followed the pattern to the letter but perhaps my crochet tension is a lot tighter than other people's - must be all that amigurumi where the stitches have to be as tight as can be!

I washed it, blocked it, fell in love with it!

Especially as it matches my favourite t-shirt and floaty cardigan combination! So it was worn today and will stay in my small personal collection of pretty scarves. However, if you would like one made for you, do get in touch - it is such a delicate and adaptable design, I would be happy to crochet it again.

Now that is out of the way, I can get on with the paid work! The basic construction of the cuckoo clock is complete and now I have to begin knitting it's cover. And this afternoon, like a big box of chocolates waiting to be opened, I can start on the acrylic dog portrait - I can't wait!

Must Learn To Prioritise!

2012-01-18T08:05:00.000-08:00

Firstly, yes, putting a dinner plate inside a hat when blocking does result in the perfect beret shape!

Very pleased with that result, we shall use that tip again!

Suddenly the work has started piling up again. I have made a start on the basic structure of a knitted cuckoo clock - this is going to take some doing, especially as I want to have the cuckoo actually go inside it's doors....a step too far? We'll give it a go! Also got some tiny LED light for inclusion in the mini chandelier, also for the animated film. That will (supposedly) be the last item for the animation- I know I have moaned for England over getting all these tiny things designed and made, but it has been great fun and I know I will miss the challenges.

As well as the above there are three little dog sets to be made and a dog portrait to be painted.......

...so why am I still fiddling about with this crochet scarf? Hopefully it will be complete by tonight and I can concentrate on the other projects. I'm also hoping that blocking will work it's usual magic and a beautiful scarf will emerge from what currently looks like an old dish rag.....

What's For Dinner?

2012-01-15T23:27:00.000-08:00

Just finished this cute beret knitted in a combination of Noro Kureyon...and the other cheaper one that looks like Noro whose name escapes me right now. Can you see the join?

When knitted it looks like a beanie - in order to make the beret shape, the pattern advises blocking it over a dinner plate. Which is what's inside right now. Can't wait to see if it works when the hat is dry and the plate removed!

As far as painting is concerned, after the brief hiatus over Christmas, it's back in the saddle with an acrylic dog portrait - hooray! Haven't done a dog portrait in acrylics for a very long time, I'm looking forward to it.

More, More, More!

2012-01-13T10:19:00.000-08:00

A little titivation was required by the animator..so now we have some candlesticks and a toasting fork. We have decided that basically we are still a pair of little girls making dollshouse furniture and calling it work....I can think of worse ways to pass the time!

Just finished this amazing shawl using a pattern form this month's Knit magazine. Bizarrely, all their photographs of it are from the wrong side, which is a shame as the pattern is truly beautiful. I was planning on putting this up for sale on Etsy, but.......

...it looks so pretty on, look at those lacy patterns and the gorgeous aqua and cream shades of the cotton yarn....

....but do I really need yet another shawl? Would I wear it?

But it's so pretty.......look, help me out here, put it to the vote, sell or keep?

A Little Bird Told Me.......

2012-01-11T09:53:00.000-08:00

Here is the finished watercolour painting of a pair of sparrows on Boston Common. I thoroughly enjoyed this work - sparrows have to be one of my favourite types of bird and I never tire of painting them. I managed to get quite a few reference photographs of sparrows while we were in Boston - they were just so tame, it was possible to get within a few feet of them without them flying away.

Not too sure what to do next - perhaps more in the same vein, as it's been a while since using watercolours and I do so love them!

Watch The Birdie!

2012-01-08T23:25:00.000-08:00

This is the painting I have been working on slowly and steadily over the past week, squeezing in time whenever I could. Still got a way to go but I am really happy with it so far, in particular with the little sparrow at the bottom. Whilst I am reasonably satisfied with the top sparrow, who is supposed to be the main focus of the picture, the 'background' bird has turned out far better. It was one of those moments yesterday whilst looking at the day's progress that I could hardly believe it had come out of the end of my paintbrush. Let's just hope I manage to keep it clean until it's completion - as with all paintings on a pure white background, I am having trouble with little splashes of paint when I clean my brush - all very well telling me to be careful or to cover the part I am not working on, when you are 'in the moment' that all falls by the wayside!

Come Sit By The Fire......

2012-01-06T10:03:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I spent the whole evening working out how on earth to make a grate out of florists wire - took a couple of attempts - and then the rest of the time knitting fire. This was quite fun - I knitted a square of garter stitch in black and sewed it up in a random 'lump' before adding the glowing coals with embroidered yarn. I then knitted three different flame shapes using red, oranges and yellow and sewed them on top of the coals. They have been wired for movement as of course this is for the animation.

All that's left to do is to somehow fashion a yarn toasting fork...I think it will have to have a wire base and then be wrapped as I cannot knit one!

Next is the dreaded cuckoo clock - I have left this to last as I have not the faintest idea of how to go about it!

Grate!

2012-01-05T04:39:00.000-08:00

The knitted fireplace is just about done - all that is needed now is a black backing as the flue, a grate with fire in it and perhaps a set of pokers etc. All? That's quite a bit really, but the donkey work is done and I quite enjoy making the fiddly bits and pieces.

The tiles were knitted individually and sewn in place - thank goodness they fit without the aid of maths - then a darker blue 'grouting' was embroidered around them. Note to self, next time, if there ever is a next time, do the embroidery before attaching the hearth as it is very tricky negotiating the corners.

Still not been able to get near my paints this week - too much to do around the house. However, after de-Christmassing the place yesterday which took three hours (three hours - how depressing was that!) I should have a free afternoon today at last. I can't wait!

Happy 2012!

2012-01-02T09:18:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! It's been a lovely Christmas break but unfortunately over far too soon - it's back to work at the day job tomorrow and I don't want to go! There wasn't much time for arts & crafts over the last 10 days and I would dearly like a few free days to do more. I did manage to make this little bag for my new phone - it's been so long since I replaced my phone that I didn't know they no longer make them the right shape to fit in the special little phone-pocket in my handbag. As I am very hard on my phone, jamming it into pockets together with keys and dog treats, dropping it in mud, dropping it on concrete, using it in the rain...you get the idea...it seemed sensible to give it a fighting chance to last as long as the last one by making it a protective case. This was sewn from a scrap of gorgeous watery-blue cotton, lined with bright pink felt with an appliqued goldfish on the back. I'm sure it won't stay looking like this for long....

I've also managed to put the finishing touches to this scarf which was knitted well before Christmas but needed the fiddly-diddlies to arrive from China. Now it has the sweetest little mother-of-pearl buttons sewn all over it, each one with a tiny flower design on it. Pretty and practical, it can be buttoned in place however it's new owner pleases.

I've made a fair bit of headway with this miniature fireplace - now it needs some knitted tiles to go around it as well as a grate with knitted logs and flames.....nothing too difficult, eh? We were watching Sherlock on tv last night when I saw exactly the right kind of fireplace tiles I want to make for this - I just wonder how to condense them into 2 cm squares!

I did manage to fight my way through the debris and get to my desk for some painting a few days ago. I've had this picture in mind since we went to Boston and photographed these tame sparrows in a bush in the park. I know they are common little birds with no fancy plumage, but I just love them - they are such characters and I spent ages hand feeding them at Boston Harbour last year.

I got given this spectacular necklace by the lovely Sybille from Magpie Magic as a combined birthday/Christmas present. It is so pretty and I have enjoyed wearing it over the holidays with no fear of it getting pulled apart by little fingers or covered in goodness-knows-what - the hazards of working in an infant school. It's been great wearing decent clothes and staying clean for a fortnight - the worst I've been covered in has been a bit of mud from dog-walking and gardening. That all ends tomorrow, back to wearing the scruffy clothes.......

Finally, daft photograph of the week. I can't leave anything soft and fluffy around without the dog thinking it's a custom-made pillow for him. Nothing says comfort like a stuffed octopus apparently....

Christmas Crafting Too...

2011-12-28T23:48:00.000-08:00

Let's be brutally honest, sometimes when you are presented with a gift to unwrap that has been hand-made by one of your children, doesn't your heart sink just a teeny-tiny bit in anticipation of something you are going to have to enthuse about but that you aren't really that keen on? Well, no false enthusiasm from me this year that's for sure - both of my daughter's gifts to me were spectacularly good and I love them to bits. First was this beautiful owl cushion, which is not only incredibly cute (and in mode apparently..) but also matches the colour scheme in our living room perfectly. So he has pride of place on the sofa, overseeing all the other, lowlier, cushions.

Second gift was this amazing silk painting - can you tell that 'Up' is one of Stacie's favourite films? Film reference aside, she has produced a lovely piece of work, and again in colours that will fit right in - this time the blue and silver match our kitchen, so after all the Christmas debris is cleared away, I will hang this above our dining table for all to see.

I am constantly amazed at the detailed and intricate work Stacie produces when she is at Bell's Piece on a Monday - I know she must get a fair bit of guidance, but it is always very apparent that what she makes is her own work and knowing how tricky she finds any task involving fine motor skills, I am so impressed with the results.

As for me, painting and crafting has had to take a back seat over the past few days - I'm starting to get withdrawal symptoms! I have a painting in mind but cannot get near my desk, both physically and time-wise......sooo frustrating! I am knitting the fireplace however, and so far we have the hearth and and the mantlepiece section. It would go a lot faster if I didn't keep falling asleep on the sofa in the evenings - curse you, Christmas toddies.....

Christmas Crafting....

2011-12-26T05:25:00.000-08:00

I have a friend who likes penguins...so I made her a penguin. This is using a pattern from the book 'The Artful Bird'.

He needed an egg.....so I gave him an egg.

He goes to his new home this afternoon - I hope he likes it there!

I saw some fantastic hot air balloon decorations made from baubles on the Epbot blog - I tried to make some...they didn't turn out so well. Best not look too close!

All Done!

2011-12-24T05:09:00.000-08:00

I'm worried....it's lunchtime on Christmas Eve and I appear to be ready for Christmas! What happened? Usually it's a matter of tearing around like a headless chicken from dawn to dusk, but we've done the last minute food shopping, bought all the presents, tidied the house.....all I have left to do is a tiny bit of finishing off on a sewn gift.

Above is an orchid which is currently flowering in my bathroom. I bought this many months ago for half price from a garden centre as it was way past it's best. I've never tried growing orchids before, and basically just put it on the bathroom windowsill and hoped for the best - it has certainly flourished from some healthy neglect!

The raspberry beret is finished and drying from being blocked. I absolutely love it and am very glad I had too much of this yarn - this one is just for me, to go with the scarf. I could knit matching wristwarmers......

I doubt I will be posting anything further between now and Boxing Day - have a peaceful and very Merry Christmas.

Blue Jellyfish No.9

2011-12-22T10:04:00.000-08:00

The bauble-balloons are on hold for now (glitter drying...) so I got on with some proper work instead. This is the ninth blue jellyfish, painted in watercolour. It's going into my Etsy shop now - I notice from my 'stats' that my blue jellyfish are always being looked at - let's hope it's by prospective buyers!

Getting Your Priorities Straight.........

2011-12-22T07:45:00.000-08:00

It's 3 more sleeps before Christmas Day and what am I doing? Last minute present wrapping? Preparing food for the festivities? Giving the house a thorough cleaning before the weekend?

No, of course not, I'm faffing around with Christmas baubles trying to make miniature hot air balloons, that's what I'm doing. And not making a very good job of it either may I say. Are these last minute presents? Errrrrm, nooo, not necessarily, but they could be if they turn out ok......

Oh all right, I confess, it's just more fun making things than doing all that festive prep. I'm just going to whip up a batch of mince pies to compensate, OK?

Last Minute Gift......

2011-12-21T00:14:00.000-08:00

While I actually have bought, wrapped and sent presents for extended family, I wanted to make an extra little something for my great-niece who I shall meet for the first time next week at a big family get-together.

I've always loved this little Japanese pattern, which crochets up to about 6 inches high - just right for tiny hands. I've used Sirdar Baby Bamboo in a nice creamy shade, which is soft without being fluffy.

The eyes are securely sewn on felt (no risk of ingestion!) and the bow is also sewn in place. I do hope she likes it!

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas......

2011-12-18T09:03:00.000-08:00

...and I am starting to panic! Still, at least the tree is finally up and decorated, so that's one job out of the way. I wish I was one of these organised people who have their presents bought and wrapped by about October and their tree up on the 1st December, but it never seems to happen. Oh well, I think we'll get there, hot, sweaty and dishevelled, but Christmas will go ahead.

After waiting for the extra ball of yarn, then discovering a fatal flaw in the border pattern and having to unpick about 2 inches of knitting...then discovering I didn't need the extra ball after all (can you tell I am just a teeny bit stressed today?)..the pink shawl was finally finished last night. It's still drying after being blocked - takes twice as long in the winter - but I can't wait to wear it, it's so pretty! And that spare ball of yarn will not go to waste - I've already started a matching beret....

(Excuse my slipper in the corner of the picture - at least it matches!)

On Getting Back To Normal.......

2011-12-15T10:13:00.000-08:00

As today is my umpty-umpth birthday and I'm tired, I decided to spend the afternoon doing what I wanted instead of charging around like a loon which has been the pattern of the past few weeks. So after a nice nap and a brisk but cold dog walk across muddy fields, I started Blue Jellyfish No.9 - nine! Never thought I'd paint so many of these things, but they do seem popular. This is the very beginning stage, with the jellyfish body and frills painted loosely in watercolour and salt sprinkled to get a nice lacy effect. It felt good to play with watercolours again.....

While I wait for the yarn to finish my scarf, I have returned to the animation work. Can you guess what this is going to be? No, not a miniature Stonehenge (who else loved that scene in Spinal Tap?) but a miniature fireplace. It took a whole evening to model the pieces around which to knit, using plenty of foam board and double sided tape. Doesn't look like much now, but once the knitting is done and the decorative 'tiles' put in place, it will start to take shape. Anyone know how to construct a knitted grate and a toasting fork? How about knitted fire?? I'm looking forward to the challenge!

I Hate Waiting!

2011-12-14T10:10:00.000-08:00

So.......three rows before completing this scarf, I ran out of yarn. I was very calm about it, although the air was blue... An extra ball is on it's way but I so hate waiting! I want to see how it looks when it is all done and stretched out, as currently it is tightly scrunched up on the needle and I can't get an idea of what it will be like. It's a little gift from me to me...well tomorrow is my birthday after all!

This sneak preview is of a birthday gift for someone else but although the knitting part is done, I am waiting for some little extras which need sewing on....they are coming from China, so it might take a while.

So in the meantime, I had better get on with something else - frustrating or what!

Nothing To See Here.....

2011-12-13T07:20:00.000-08:00

I'm a bad blogger this month - nothing to show, nothing interesting to say...sigh.....
Since finishing all the pre-Christmas commissions, I have kind of switched off due to sheer exhaustion more than anything else. I haven't done any painting - I attempted to re-kindle some enthusiasm for the peacock, but I am afraid the spark has gone and that will have to be hidden away probably never to be finished. I want to paint, but now it's the last week of term and there is a lot going on at work as well as trying to organise our own family Christmas here. If I could have back the time spent queuing in the post office waiting to send parcels, that would be nice........

I have been knitting, but am awaiting some little bits and pieces to arrive in the post before I can finish off a commissioned scarf. I am currently knitting myself a rather tasty little shawl/scarf using that raspberry pink yarn, but that needs another day or so before it's done.

So I am sorry to be so dull.....hopefully in a couple of days I will have something more interesting to show. I'm also hoping to hold a little giveaway at some point between now and the New Year, just need to decide what it will be.

Yawn....I'm boring myself here, so time to stop!

Starting Over......

2011-12-07T07:34:00.000-08:00

Quite a few weeks ago, before the various pieces of commissioned work, I was in the middle of painting this using my lovely set of Derwent Inktense pencils and colour blocks. It all seems a very long time ago and I feel that I have forgotten the method of working I was using as well as losing all momentum and enthusiasm. Recently, several people have asked me if I have more than one painting on the go at the same time - the answer is 'no' and this is the reason why. I find it very hard to go back to a picture once the initial excitement has died down. While I am 'in the moment' there is a certain rhythm to the work - I get to know exactly which colours and brushes I need and how to obtain the effect I am after. After a protracted break, especially one during which other paintings using other mediums have been completed, it's hard to get back into the mindset of the abandoned work. I will give this one a go, if only for the fact I put an awful lot of effort into getting it this far, but my heart's really not in it.

My yarn stash has remained fairly static for a long time, new yarns being bought strictly for commissioned projects rather than just because they look pretty. However, this week I have cracked and bought some scrummy raspberry pink Louisa Harding yarn from Stash Fine Yarns sale with a view to knitting myself a lacy shawl/scarf. The tiger striped sock yarn was for a possible commission which fell through, but I couldn't resist it's rich oranges and have a germ of an idea for a new knitted creature. For the time being however, I have a couple more things to knit for other people, after which I can hopefully get back to knitting for my own pleasure for a while!

Proud Mum

2011-12-02T23:20:00.000-08:00

I don't know if any of you check out the links to the right of your screen, but one of them leads to my son's blog, which if you are in to quirky art, might be right up your street. This week he took a huge leap and went freelance after several years of working in a shop during the day and slogging through the night on his artwork. I'm hoping that he will get plenty of job offers as his art is of a very high standard.

So high in fact that he was asked recently to submit a painting to the New York Society of Illustrators for inclusion in an exhibition and auction in aid of the Drawing Dreams Foundation. You can imagine the excitement in our house on that day - I nearly burst with pride! The painting was duly painted and sent off, and both his girlfriend and I insisted that he had to go to New York to see his picture in his first major exhibition. Tickets were booked, he leaves today....except sadly the exhibition has been put forward a month! So he will miss his moment of glory, which is a crying shame, but at least he gets to see New York in the run up to Christmas - cold comfort, but I'm sure they will have a fantastic time.

George has also got a print for sale in aid of the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, all profits going to the charity. If you loved Back to the Future when you were growing up as he did, you will love his illustration!

I'm so very proud of him!

Grab It While You Can!

2011-12-01T23:28:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow (Saturday 3rd December) I shall be selling my wares at a Christmas Fair (Tavistock Infant School, Fleet, 2.30 p.m.) and as I know that the little knitted creatures usually fly off first, I'm warning anyone who has been umming and ahhing about buying something from my Etsy shop to get in quick to avoid disappointment! I shall be shutting the Etsy shop tonight until the fair is over, which gives you most of today to think about it.

I will also have five paintings in the Fleet and District Art Society Exhibition today and tomorrow - check it out, it;s usually a good little exhibition. Being held at the Harlington Centre, Fleet, Hampshire from Friday 2nd Dec noon until 5.30 p.m. tomorrow.

Talk about spreading yourself thin..............

Constructive Criticism

2011-11-30T09:56:00.000-08:00

Two days ago I thought this painting was finished but wasn't quite sure. It helped to have a friend, who is the least arty person I know, mention that the bit above the sun needed lightening up - which then made me look at it again and realise she was right. Also, as she is non-arty and usually impressed with anything I do, no matter how bad, for her to notice a fault meant it was glaring.
Then my son, who is arty, mentioned tonal values and unifying the painting by bringing more orange into the sky...and I knew that he was right as he has a pretty keen eye for these things himself.

So after an afternoon of working on this, I can confidently say that it is now finished. I always find it so odd that you can work on a painting so closely but never see something that needs correcting even though it is right under your nose. Once I spent hours drawing and painting a Greek house, only to have my tutor point out that the perspective of every single line of it was completely wrong - could I see it? Nope! But once it was mentioned, suddenly it was clear that it looked like the crazy house from a fairground. Do any of you have this problem or is selective blindness just peculiar to me?

Christmas Dove

2011-11-28T03:42:00.000-08:00

This is the first post I have added since getting a new computer - boy, was it tricky! My last computer blew up when we had a power cut a few weeks ago and I have been struggling along with an old reconditioned one, so thought it time to replace it. But technology has moved on in leaps and bounds and half my trusted programmes now no longer work or if they do, it involves a great deal of convoluted jiggery-pokery (technical term....) I do so hate getting a new computer as it takes weeks to get it fine-tuned to how I like it. On the other hand, having a lovely smart screen that I can actually see properly now is a big bonus!

This bird is made of felt and has a little red heart sewn to his chest.

The tops of his wings, head and tail are all embroidered with gold thread and he hangs by some clear filament.

He will be on my stall at Tavistock Infant School Christmas Fair this Saturday - always assuming I make it that far. I have 5 paintings that need framing to go in the local Fleet & District Art Society exhibition on the same day and in the meantime I am sitting here off work with an extremely painful infected tooth and unable to get on with anything constructive. Perhaps it is my body's way of telling me it's time to slow down. If I can only hold out for 5 more days, I'll slow down then.......

Almost There....

2011-11-24T13:08:00.000-08:00

From being one of the most daunting paintings I have undertaken for a while, this has suddenly become very close to being finished. It has been quite a challenge - I didn't realise how many colours and nuances of hues would be in this when I agreed to take it on - but it has also been enormous fun. Such a change of pace after using coloured pencils for most of the year!

Christmas Flocking.......

2011-11-22T23:27:00.000-08:00

One has flown the nest, three more have gathered.....they must have heard about the mince pies in the kitchen.

Well, It Made Me Laugh......

2011-11-21T23:28:00.000-08:00

When I saw this dinner mat in Boston, I had to have it for my dog, despite it being the only one in the shop and hanging up as a display. They kindly got it down for me and knocked 50% off the price as it had two tiny holes where it had been hanging - it was meant to be! I think Clovis identifies with the sentiment 100%.......

I finally got an uninterrupted afternoon yesterday and made some serious headway with the sunset painting - it is really coming together now and I am starting to like it. Phew!

Oh Poor Rudolph!

2011-11-20T08:45:00.000-08:00

I liked this pattern I invented so much, I knitted another one for sale in my shop. This one bears more of a resemblance to a reindeer than a stag - different yarn I think.

So if you'd like a mini hunting trophy for your mini stately home (he's roughly 4 x 4 inches, that's 10 cm x 10 cm) then come and visit my shop.

After a horrendously interrupted week which did nothing for my creative juices, yesterday I finally managed to make some decent headway on this painting. I discovered that adding 'flow enhancer' to the paint water helps to get the colours blending as they should - I find canvas a very difficult ground to work on as it's rough texture does not suit my style of painting. Thankfully this now seems to be going in the right direction.

Why I Rarely Get Bored.........

2011-11-16T05:08:00.000-08:00

This week I have painted a silk tie with a picture of a water flea.......

.....knitted a television.........

.....and started a very large acrylic painting of a sunset. This is just the blocked in painting, no detail or proper painting yet, just the basic colours and shapes in place ready for the hard graft. It's been a very long time since I painted anything this bright or as large, so I can feel those rusty cogs creaking as I get back in the swing of it.

This is the last of the outstanding Christmas commissions (for now!) - I've worked very hard since coming back from holiday, but it's been worth it to get it all done in plenty of time. If anyone is thinking about asking me to make/paint anything else as a Christmas present, grab me now while there are still a few weeks left!

The People's Potatoes - Now For Sale

2011-11-14T03:36:00.000-08:00

After the book launch party of last week, I now have a box of books here for sale. This book can be obtained through various other sources, but if you buy it here, I get to keep a little bit of commission!

As you can see, the book costs £20 (overseas buyers may like to buy it through my Etsy shop where the price is in dollars) plus post and packing.

The book is a hardback, beautifully published with lovely glossy pages which show off my paintings really well. Apart from the illustrations, the text is interesting and informative, with a first section telling you how to grow and look after your potato plants, and the second section containing a 'top 100' varieties of potato, with all my paintings.

There are 100 of them.....yes, 100 paintings which represent 18 months of my life!

I promise to sign each copy if you want me to, just let me know. To order the book, either e-mail me at c_bletsis@yahoo.co.uk or go straight through Etsy.

Monty

2011-11-13T04:15:00.000-08:00

Here is the other portrait in the pair, ready to go off to it's new owner. Once again, this has been executed using Derwent Drawing Pencils, with white acrylic for the highlights. This picture whizzed along - sometimes they just flow and it is surprising how quickly they are completed. Perhaps because I enjoyed it so much due to it's resemblance to my old dog.

Next on the easel is something totally different - a large bright acrylic, yet another Christmas commission. It will be strangely liberating to paint something large and loose - all my work for the past year or so has been so tight and detailed.

Table for Two.......

2011-11-11T07:45:00.000-08:00

....yup.

Christmas Bird...

2011-11-09T08:07:00.000-08:00

I'd been asked to make a bird out of Christmas fabric, which gave me the perfect excuse in Boston to visit the discount fabric store not once, but twice. It was hard to choose between all the wonderfully festive prints, but I had to go with small patterns and colours that coordinated best, so that narrowed it down quite a bit.

His wings and tail have been embroidered with gold thread, and he has a delicate gold crest on top of his head.

He stands about 6 inches high, so will be a fine addition to the Christmas tree next month. I was hoping to make a few more before the festive season....not too sure whether that will happen or not with the workload I have!

I've been working on the other Cairn terrier portrait this week, which is coming along nicely - Derwent pencils don't like being photographed under artificial light however, but you can see enough. This has been a bit of a poignant job - this dog's face resembles my late Jasper so much that I find myself getting a little tearful at times. Silly I know, but drawing something is a very intimate process as you are exploring every aspect so closely.

Potato Party!

2011-11-07T23:35:00.000-08:00

Last night I went to the launch party of The People's Potatoes which was held at the Waitrose Conference Centre in Bracknell. It took us a while to find it - who knew that Waitrose own a trading estate the size of a small principality? They even have their own sports and leisure centre....

No surprise to find the buffet was a selection of potato crisps and small jacket potatoes! There was also lots of champagne on offer.

Copies of the book were everywhere, and the cover design had been made into placemats!

There was a small slideshow about the process of writing the book - and I got presented with an enormous bouquet!

After that, it was more mingling and I had to sign lots of books - that was the most peculiar feeling, people asking me for my autograph. I think I like it!

So that is over, now we just have to sit and wait for the book to become a best-seller...talking of which, I should have my box of books for sale by the weekend, and they will be available for mail order through this site or my Etsy shop. I promise to sign your copy too........

Archie...

2011-11-06T04:44:00.000-08:00

Here is a portrait of a little Cairn terrier, waiting now for the portrait of his partner in crime. This has been executed in Derwent Drawing pencils, but due to the neutral grey of the background which was echoed a great deal in the colour of the dog's fur, I have also used black Chinese brush pen for the deepest darks and white acrylic to make the highlights and white hairs really stand out. This was quite a difficult one for me because of the background colour, but I am so pleased I persevered as I think it works well. His little pal is a nice shade of ochre, so should be a lot easier to draw!

Tomorrow is the day of the launch party for The People's Potatoes book. I have my smart blouse and trousers ready, and am trying to remain calm although I am really quite excited. You can see the book for sale here - first sighting of it in the market place! More on the launch after it happens....

Quail

2011-11-03T14:10:00.000-07:00

Another Christmas project completed - this quail has been made for a friend of mine. I've used a cute fabric that looks like newsprint, with various shades of amber and brown for the wing and tail 'feathers'.

I'm slowly working my way through the list of projects to be completed before Christmas - it's not looking quite so daunting any more!

Back to Work....

2011-11-01T09:17:00.000-07:00

The first of the Christmas orders is complete - feels like a while since I did one of these.

Always fun to pose them in life-like positions - watch out Mr. Mouse!

I'm having a little difficulty with this - the dog itself is a joy to draw, but the colour of the background is proving troublesome as it is the same tone as a lot of the dog's facial hair. I'm sure once the whole thing is more established it will be fine......

The People's Potatoes

2011-10-29T13:34:00.000-07:00

How amazing to finally see the book I illustrated that has been about three years in the making! I got my copy delivered to me today by the author and it feels very strange to see my work in print - and in such quantity, 100 paintings!

The illustrations have come out extremely well - I can hardly believe that they were my work, it feels such a long time ago that I spent so many hours, weeks, months, painting nothing but spuds!

The book will be available for sale at various outlets, but I will also have a box of them here soon and will have them for sale on my Etsy shop or just e-mail me at the above address. The book costs £20, plus post and packaging. More info when the time comes.

Back From Boston....and look what I got!

2011-10-28T09:09:00.000-07:00

For a long time I have wanted a Mason drinking jar - don't ask me why, I just fancied the idea of drinking out of a jam jar with a handle. But they don't exist here in the UK and to get one shipped over from the USA cost silly money. I even begged a friend to look for one on her trip to San Fransisco earlier this year but to no avail. So you can imagine how happy I was when we had only been in Boston for a few hours last week and when visiting the supermarket opposite the hotel, discovered this! It contained stuffed peppers, but they have been decanted into tupperware, the labels carefully peeled from the jar and I can now sit and drink my iced tea from a jelly glass - I'm easily pleased! Also note the big pile of fabric behind - our hotel was opposite a discount fabric shop so I took the opportunity to stock up - this lot cost me about £18, which is so cheap compared to the UK.

We had a fantastic week in Boston - the weather was glorious as you can see and we did some of this.......

....which was such fun we had to go back at the end of our visit to the aquarium and do it again. The next day we spent whale watching......

...we saw just the one large female hump-backed whale, but she gave us quite a display.

This time we knew where to sit on the boat to get the best view, and even Stacie managed to get an unobstructed sighting.

Well worth the freezing trip back on the boat afterwards!

It being the week before Halloween, there were plenty of pumpkins and decorations to be seen. Stacie had great fun looking round the costume shops and especially visiting Salem, where there were plenty of these to be seen.....

We felt a bit under-dressed!

We visited Quincy market several times and stuffed our faces with all sorts of dishes, from corn dogs to moussaka....

Hard to find a spare table though, and we had to eat off our laps most of the time.

We also got about 60 reference photos between us of these.....so once the Christmas rush is over (I came back to a slew of commissions - no rest for me between now and Christmas!) there will be some more jellyfish paintings.

Wow!

2011-10-19T10:00:00.000-07:00

We have had a pretty good October, lots of warm weather and sunshine, and while it is colder this week and rained this afternoon, we also got treated to this beautiful rainbow. It stretched round the corner of the house, and was so clear, with another rainbow just visible above it. Let's take that as a good omen for a fun and relaxing half term!

Bluebird......

2011-10-17T09:20:00.000-07:00

With a holiday fast approaching, I am letting the arts and crafts slide a little - I'm up to date with the commissions I wanted to get done before I leave, and there are more waiting in the wings for when we return. I'm currently working on a pair of fabric birds for a friend, which are being made in shades of blue with touches of silver embroidery. Fortunately no great urgency!

My computer also died on me this weekend after we had a power cut on Saturday afternoon. I don't know if the power cut was the cause but it's a bit coincidental. Luckily, a colleague's husband took it away and managed to transfer all my files onto a reconditioned computer which is getting me by, but has meant a lot of re-installing various programmes and it is still not how I want it...but better than nothing!

I'm off to Boston soon, so the blog will go quiet for a bit......any of you Americans know where I would be able to buy a Mason drinking jar? I'm still hankering after one......

Hunting Trophy.....

2011-10-12T08:39:00.000-07:00

This knitted stag's head measures a mere five inches from antler tip to antler tip. Which means the head is just under two inches from forehead to nose - pretty darn small!

I have been wondering how I was going to make this ever since I got the commission, but when it came down to it, it just came out right first time, which was amazing. I must admit I have been thinking about it for a quite a while, so maybe subconsciously my brain was planning the whole thing - who knows, I'm just grateful it worked out!

I have to add a little wire to the inside of the antlers - fabric stiffener was not up to the job of keeping them upright for long. Not a problem!

If you fancy having your own mini-trophy, don't be afraid to ask. Although maybe decapitating Rudolph just before Christmas might not be in the best possible taste.........

You Shall Have A Fishy........

2011-10-11T09:04:00.000-07:00

Since knitting the aquarium, I have had the idea for a goldfish mobile in my head and it had to be made. It took a while - firstly, the fish are fiddly to knit being made of fine crochet cotton and also have lots of tiny orange sequins sewn on to their bodies. Secondly, I had to search my bead stash fruitlessly for the beads I wanted and then search eBay, order and wait for them to arrive.

But we got there in the end and it is really cute. It doesn't want to be photographed though - it has taken me the best part of the afternoon endlessly trying new locations around the house and garden, various lighting sources, and the pictures are still not great. The day is overcast and using the flash bleaches the colours.

You get the idea nevertheless, and try to imagine them all 'swimming' merrily in their little shoal at each tiny waft of a breeze.

They are going into my Etsy shop today - you'd better be quick, I'm tempted to keep them!

On the needles at the moment.....at miniature stag's head mounted on a plaque. One of those things that you make up as you go along and then cannot quite believe how well it turned out when it is stuffed and sewn - definitely more by luck than judgement! Just the antlers to figure out - watch this space....

Daisy, Daisy......

2011-10-10T08:05:00.000-07:00

I have to admit, this weekend I had a bit of a meltdown, panicking about not getting everything done before I head off on holiday. I was not fun to be with, as my daughter would surely testify. Swears got sworn, voices were raised, objects got thrown about - it was like having a malevolent poltergeist in the house. However, after managing to drop my purse, complete with all cards, cash and important bits of paper, into the dog's water bowl (don't ask....) it was time to take a very deep breath and calm down. Some chill out time feeding the swans and geese at the local lake, followed by an hours very physical gardening did the trick. So it was with great relief I found that I had finished the above portrait before teatime yesterday. Which means I only have a couple of small projects left and over a week to complete them in.

Daisy the dog was a lot of fun to draw, once again using Derwent Drawing Pencils. It's been a few months since having a dog portrait to do, and it felt good to get back in the groove as it were.

If you want to commission a portrait or a knitted animal as a Christmas present, time is running out - I work on a first come, first served basis, and will not be able to guarantee completion in time if orders come in after the middle of November, so the earlier the better. If only to prevent my daughter having to hear that kind of language again.....

Cats & Dogs.....

2011-10-09T08:19:00.000-07:00

Here is the animation cat in his final form. The stripes add a certain something - I like him!

I've also been knitting a custom order, this tough guy with his piratical coat and comfy bed. Actually, I think he looks more lugubrious than tough....

must be that hangdog expression!

I'm trying to fulfil all outstanding commissions before taking a week off for a well-earned holiday. Then hopefully I shall return refreshed and raring to go when faced with all those rush-job Christmas commissions that always seem to materialise in November.....I can't criticise, I haven't even thought about Christmas shopping yet as I am almost spectacularly disorganised each year, although I do already have Christmas cards which I bought in the Janaury sales.....

It's Finally Happening......

2011-10-06T23:12:00.000-07:00

After 18 months of very hard work and a further 18 months of waiting, the potato book is to be published at the end of this month, with a launch party being held at Waitrose HQ the first week of November. I'm very excited at the prospect of seeing the book, but filled with trepidation at attending the big 'do'. Seeing as I am the sole illustrator, there will be a fair amount of focus on me.....which I don't mind in small amounts, but well, y'know.... Good excuse to buy a new outfit though!

I will have a number of copies of the book to sell from home and will have further details about this when the time comes...I might even sign them for you!

I forgot to mention this last week - I've had a few enquiries about the pattern for the knitted fox stole. Seeing as how it is very doubtful I will have time to knit any more for sale in my shop over the next few months, I have painstakingly transcribed my horrendous scrawl from notebook to legible pattern, which is now for sale in my Etsy shop.

Sigh......

2011-10-04T23:11:00.000-07:00

Poor old fat cat, didn't pass muster. So I had to take him apart, disembowel him a little and re-assemble him into a curled up sitting position.

I do hope he proves satisfactory this time round.
Do you notice the very old album cover he is sitting on? Many moons ago I bought a record player so that I could dig out all my old vinyl records and listen to them again but the player itself only had a tinny internal speaker that sounded like...well, those old portable record players of my youth. So I bought some speakers...only to find they only had one jack whereas the player had two holes. So I bought a splitter jack from good old Amazon and prayed it would do the job and hooray, it did! So now I am re-discovering the joys of Caravan, plus many more, and being amazed that I still know the words to songs I haven't heard in years and years!

Daisy here is nearing completion - hopefully she will be done by the end of the week. Such a cute looking dog, I am enjoying drawing her.

Fat Cat!

2011-10-03T23:29:00.000-07:00

Way back, months ago, this first creature I knitted for the animated film was a fluffy cat. Recently, the animator was advised by her tutor not to use the fluffy cat as the fur would leave 'fingerprints' when being animated - remember the original King Kong and his rippling fur?

So I was asked to come up with a saggy, baggy, lazy cat who would probably spend it's time sleeping in front of the fire. Hopefully, this chap will acceptable - he's well stuffed, with a few extra rows of knitting to add the bulk and curved back. But he can also be moved to stand....

...and sit. Although I am a bit dubious as to what he's doing here, it looks more like he needs his litter tray or a dose of wormer!

Progress Report....

2011-09-30T23:41:00.000-07:00

Don't you just love it when a picture makes quick progress without any major hiccups? It's been a while since drawing a dog, it's good to be doing it again. This is the first of my Christmas commissions so far - still time if you want a pet portrait for a loved one.

I've taken a couple of evenings off from the knitting scenery for the animated film and have been producing goldfish with a view to making a mobile. Not too sure if it will come out as I envisage, but we'll have a go!

The Eyes Have It...

2011-09-29T04:32:00.000-07:00

Many times I read that other animal artists always start their paintings with the eyes, and if they don't go well, then the painting might as well be scrapped. I have to wholeheartedly agree - the eyes are the essence and character of all animals, capture them on your paper and you are half-way there. So I was very pleased upon starting my latest commission yesterday when the eyes turned out just right - phew!

It is always a bit spooky to see a pair of disembodied eyes peering out from a blank page though - I feel I should check behind to see where the rest of the dog is!

I forgot and nearly sent the aquarium off without a knitted tub of fish food! That would never do, poor things. This is about an inch and a half tall and embroidered with the fish and words. The weird things I have knitted this year....

Are We Nearly There Yet?

2011-09-27T08:12:00.000-07:00

Here is the finished knitted aquarium, ready to be used in the animated film. I had a terrible time trying to photograph it...indoors...

...outdoors......with flash......

...and without flash....

Anyway, I hope you can get the general idea of it from these pictures. It is quite cunning within - under the (hinged) lid, there are three horizontal wires strung between the struts. From these wires, the fish can be hung and will move from left to right.

Each fish has had a fine piece of wire inserted through their mouth right the whole length of their body and secured with a 'barb' at the end. From the mouth come 'bubbles' which are beads threaded down the wire. Each wire has enough leeway to be bent or straightened, thus making the fish go up or down, and at the top of the wire is a little hook so the fish can be facing either way depending on how hung.

Someone suggested adding a little light...which if I had access to one of those tiny LED's found in Christmas novelties I might well have done, but on the other hand, I am not sure the animator would have approved!

Now people, any ideas on how to knit a 3 inch high working cuckoo clock?

More of Stacie's Art.....

2011-09-26T13:02:00.000-07:00

My daughter came home today bearing this lovely piece of work.. For those of you who don't know, Stacie has Down's Syndrome, so anything involving fine motor skills takes a great deal of effort and concentration for her. This is a painting on silk of the Queen of Hearts that she did while at Bell's Piece, Farnham, where she goes each Monday to work in their art studio. I'm so impressed with the quality of what she produces when she is there, and I know that it has been all her own work. Maybe she can take over some of my commissions one day!

Look at this monster that has set up home in my front garden! It's about 2 inches long and it's web was about 3 feet wide. We'd better watch out...I've seen Arachnophobia, I know what can happen......

The knitted aquarium is now complete - pictures tomorrow when the sun is out and the light is good.

So Far, So Good....

2011-09-25T04:20:00.000-07:00

This is the knitted aquarium so far - nothing is attached yet, the weed and pebbles will be more artistically arranged when it is completed and there will only be three fish, all of which will be suspended in swimming positions. I still have to construct the front struts and lid, but cannot do that until I buy some florists wire tomorrow. The aquarium is a mere 3 x 6 inches, resting on a 5 inch high base, which should give you the idea of just how small I am knitting. Despite the headaches this has caused, it has been quite a fun item and I am looking forward to using my goldfish pattern in other projects in the future.

Shiny, Shiny.......

2011-09-22T23:34:00.000-07:00

After a couple of weeks of not having enough time to paint, which was almost physically painful for me, I have now got back into the routine of working at the day job in the mornings and creating enough time in the afternoons to paint. On the drawing board at the moment is a fairly ambitious project of a peacock - it was going to be a flamingo which would have been far less labour-intensive, but hey, this took my fancy instead. I am using the Derwent set of Inktense pencils and colour blocks - still not tired of them! This promises to take quite a while if I am to achieve the detail I want - in the meantime, some actual paid work is on the horizon so I may have to shelve the peacock for a while.

Tallking of paid work, we are now nearly into October and Christmas is becoming visible on the horizon. If you've been thinking that you'd like to commission something from me as a Christmas present, now is the time to get in touch before it's too late. As much as I'd like to spend all my time painting and knitting, there are only 24 hours in the day and the month before Christmas gets pretty hectic, so to guarantee you get what you want in time, grab me now!

Still working on the knitted aquarium - the cabinet stand is complete and I am now knitting the base and back and still pondering how to attach it all without it collapsing - bearing in mind there will be wires strung across the top to suspend the fish from. Here are the fish - one new bright orange one and all now with tiny sequin scales. All three are roughly an inch and a half long.

Fish & Family

2011-09-20T08:27:00.000-07:00

Here are the first fish for the knitted aquarium - all my own designs once again as any patterns I have are far too large. The goldfish here are roughly one and a half inches long and cute as a button - I want to knit lots of them and have them hanging from a mobile! The aquarium itself is on it's way - I have cut out a suitable box for the base and prepared the bottom and sides of the actual tank from foamboard. Now I need to get knitting to cover them all and also figure out a way to keep the pieces of tank together as there will not be any actual glass or even cellophane to anchor them - reflections when filming are bad!

Considering what an arty family I come from, it always surprises me that so few of the younger members have inherited any artistic ability. However, my niece in Athens, Greece, is a talented jewellery maker and has finally (after over a year of badgering her) opened a shop on Etsy. It's very new with not much in there at the moment as she is still uploading all her photographs, but it's worth taking a look. Inspired Life is the name, keep an eye on it...

It Works!

2011-09-19T05:16:00.000-07:00

It only took 2 hours last night to construct a fully working, anatomically correct, peeing doll! This is for use as a visual aid at work for the little boy I work with as we are trying to toilet train him asap.

You can see the full post on my other blog, Ups About Downs, with all the glorious detail. Warning, it contains a photo of a boys bits made of felt.......

I took this in to work today for a first demonstration in order to give the little boy an idea of what was required...he was not impressed! We'll get there eventually...I hope!

Soft Greens...

2011-09-18T08:07:00.000-07:00

After the knitted chair marathon, I finally got around to knitting the second wristwarmer in the soft and delicate green Fiberspates yarn. These wristwarmers are my own design, using the lace border from the green scarf as a flared ruff around the base of the glove, the main part of the glove being plain stocking stitch with a little vintage mother-of-pearl button at the wrist.

I felt the yarn is so beautiful with it's subtle changes in hue that it would be a shame to detract from it with too much lace. It also has a slight angora type fluffiness to it. These wristwarmers are lovely and soft to wear as well as being nice and warm. They are going into my Etsy shop very shortly!

With the day job back in full swing and all sorts of everyday tasks to get done, I haven't had much time for painting over the past couple of weeks, which is incredibly frustrating. I did have the odd half hour here and there to paint a little still life of various pieces of fruit that I gathered from my garden - the last pear, a sprig from the only bunch of grapes that hasn't been made into jelly, one of the very last blueberries and one of the many, many apples on our tree. I used a piece of Khadi paper that was free in an art magazine months ago - interesting stuff, very absorbent and sucked up pigment like a sponge, leaving the colours quite muted. Hopefully this coming week I will be able to make more time to pick up a paintbrush before the withdrawal symptoms get too intense!

Knitting-wise, I'm having to design my own goldfish as any patterns I have turn out far too large. After a few false starts, I think I have a working pattern now so we are good to go for the knitted aquarium.

I also want to make a little felt doll that will actually pee to use as a visual aid for my new little boy at work....I've had a fortnight of changing nappies and think it's time we moved on! Of course, a peeing doll may not work, but I'll give it a try.......

Happy Dance!

2011-09-15T04:43:00.000-07:00

I came home from work this morning to find my copy of The Artist Magazine had arrived in the post....got a little excited when I saw them advertising 'Win a Just Add Water set' on the cover...got more excited when I saw the half page article in the centre of the magazine......then I saw the last page! Full page ad, with my picture as the main illustration. I'm sure it's not dignified for a lady of a certain age to dance around the kitchen whooping her head off, but I did it anyway.....

Must restrain myself and not stand next to the magazine rack in Smiths tomorrow pointing at the art mags and gloating.....

P.S. It's in Leisure Painter & Artists & Illustrators magazines too!

At Last!

2011-09-14T12:46:00.000-07:00

Here are the completed armchairs plus a matching footstool and coordinating scatter cushions. Each armchair measures exactly 8 inches tall, with the seat being 2 inches off the ground.

These involved an incredible amount of knitting as the basic structures are completely covered, as well as the patterned seat cushions. I'm really pleased they ended up so uniformly the same and really quite sturdy. I'm also glad I got these out of the way first before tackling the other items of furniture required, as I think these might have been the most labour intensive.

Now, any suggestions on how to construct a knitted aquarium?

Toucan Play At That Game......

2011-09-13T07:34:00.000-07:00

At the end of July I was asked by Derwent to submit a painting using a completelely new product in order to select the illustration for the tin. You may remember the mess I got in during the brief warm weather while using these waxy crayons!

Unfortunately, my painting was not selected - I'm not overly disappointed as next year the Inktense selection tin will have 3 of my paintings on it, and I already have an illustration on the Just Add Water collection. It does mean that the toucan painting can go up for sale on Etsy today.

Pick A Peck Of Pickled Pepper......

2011-09-12T09:37:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe how much picking, washing, chopping,dicing, slicing, boiling, stirring, sterilising and bottling I have done over the past four days! Above is the end result - 9 jars of grape jelly (one has been given away), a big batch of beetroot chutney and a big batch of apple and green tomato chutney...and half a bottle of Pontack. Pontack is elderberry sauce, to be used in cooking stews, gravies, game and the like - this was the first time I have attempted it - quite a bit of work for a mere half bottle, it had better be good!

There is a punnet of rosehips still lurking in the kitchen and the apple tree is still full, but I think that is enough for now. It's been fun foraging the hedgerows and making supplies to get us through the winter, but unless I plan on feeding the entire street, it's time to call it a day. There is, however, half a pound of sloes in the freezer waiting to be turned into another bottle of sloe gin - I don't think the first bottle will hang around for long. Why has it taken me this long to discover the stuff, it's amazing!

Oh yes, in the background of the picture you can just about see my son's rice wine brewing in it's container..now that is pure rocket fuel!

With all the above going on, there has been no time for painting which must be rectified this week. As far as knitting is concerned, I'm still labouring over the second armchair, with a footstool yet to be constructed. If The Borrowers ever move into our house, they will find themselves living in the lap of luxury. Did anyone else read those books and secretly wish they were real?

Oy Cheeky!

2011-09-08T23:25:00.000-07:00

That's the trouble in our house, you get a new chair and there's always some hairy mutt comes along to investigate......

...well, look at you, taking advantage when nobody's looking!

Don't get too comfortable, you are off to be the topper on a wedding cake very soon. I do hope they put a cover down first, I wouldn't want a slice of cake with dog hair on it!

Grapes!

2011-09-07T23:16:00.000-07:00

I may have failed miserably with my tomatoes this year, but the grapes have produced a bumper crop - I picked 12 1/2 lbs of them yesterday! That's over 2 lbs more than last year. I think they could have stayed on the vine a bit longer, but unfortunately the blackbirds have discovered them and also we have workmen coming to fix the guttering this week and I would cry if I came home to find my grapes crushed and mangled by ladders.

So this weekend will see a production line of grape jelly, apple & tomato chutney (got to get rid of all those green ones somehow) and beetroot chutney. If we get snowed in again this winter, we can live on jam and pickles......

No, No, Not The Comfy Chair......

2011-09-07T08:12:00.000-07:00

One miniature armchair complete - I photographed it on top of my armchair so you can get an idea of the scale.

Take A Seat.....

2011-09-04T23:30:00.000-07:00

Here are the armchairs so far - the basic structure done and dusted. I had to re-do the arms as the animator thought the original one was too low and in hindsight, I agree. Luckily, I had only done the one when I was told this, so it wasn't a huge chore to re-model. The bases are parts of a cardboard box stuffed with newspaper and the sides are pieces of foam board - wonderful stuff for this kind of thing as it is strong yet very light and easy to cut. Now comes the fun part - cushions, buttons, fringes, tassels and scatter cushions!

A change of subject here but it is something that really bothers me. I get quite a few enquiries about the patterns I use in my crafts or asking for other arts & craft advice. Now I was brought up to be polite and helpful, and will always bother to reply - sometimes at great length - as I feel happy to share information where I can. What bothers me is that after spending my time either writing out guidelines to making something that I don't have a written pattern for, or going to the trouble to send on links to books, or in one case, writing an essay on drawing for beginners, nobody bothers to say 'thank you'. If I was chatting to you on the phone or in the street, you wouldn't just walk off without a word once you'd obtained the information you needed. So why is it OK to do that over the internet? Hmmmm, something to think about.

Reef

2011-09-02T09:53:00.000-07:00

I am so glad I managed to finish this in time before going back to the day job. It has been painted in Inktense pencils and colour blocks, using a photograph taken by a friend of mine for reference. In the photo, I really liked the bright colours and the swooping shapes of the fish amongst the anemones - hopefully I have managed to capture this in my painting.

This picture will be going into my Etsy shop later on.

Feeling Blue.....

2011-09-01T02:15:00.000-07:00

I feel dreadful today......just took the dog to the vets to have his teeth cleaned. Not only have I had to deny him food and water this morning as it will be done under anaesthetic, which meant he followed me around whining for two hours, but I had to witness him fall to pieces when he realised I was leaving him at the vets. Poor Clovis, lying on the floor shaking, scrabbling to get to the door - not the best image to be left with as I walked away.

However, I know that in a few hours I will pick him up and he will be minty-fresh instead of having breath that could gas you at twenty paces. I hope he forgives the betrayal!

Not long left of the summer holidays - I am back at the day job on Monday. I am trying to get as much done before then as I can - the fish painting is progressing nicely although I am heartily sick of sea anemones!

The chairs are time consuming as they involve a lot of straight knitting and are quite large compared to what I usually make. It's been interesting working out how to make them as strong as possible without losing the soft knitted look - thank goodness for foam board! I think the difficult bit is over now, although I really wish I'd written the pattern for the back section on a piece of paper instead of the foam board...I have to make cushions to the same specifications! I think it's still fresh in my memory though.

Now to get some last minute cleaning done until it's time to get Clovis - I told them to call me if he starts howling & creating afterwards (which he will). Lay your bets now as to how soon it will be before they want me to take him back!
Clovis Update
Just got my poor dog back from the vets, in a right sorry state. Not only is he confused and shaky after a general anaesthetic, he's had two teeth out and apparently was a heavy bleeder. This I can tell from the sanguine staining all round his face and ears, poor love - bathtime whenever he's ready. So it's no walkies for a day and crummy vet's tinned food plus antibiotics for a while. He is NOT impressed! I'm not impressed by the staggeringly large bill either but better that than a very poorly dog later on.

Sweet Surprise!

2011-08-31T08:07:00.000-07:00

I have admitted many times on this blog that I am not the most organised of gardeners and the fact that anything grows at all in my garden is sometimes a miracle. Last week we had quite a bit of rain....it was torrential for days, and the last thing on my mind was watering the plants outside. Which was all well and good for everything except the poor melon vine in the little plastic greenhouse....whoops! After the rain cleared up, I noticed a dried up yellow mess where the vine had once been and had to accept that I'd killed it without it ever having born fruit. However, today when I was actually looking for something else in there, I noticed something nestling on top of the earth in the melon pot.........

Wow! It was small, about 4 inches across, but perfect in every other way. It must have been hidden by the leaves when they were alive because as far as I knew, there were no fruit.

It was DELICIOUS!

Augh!!!!

2011-08-30T07:41:00.000-07:00

These two armchairs are a far cry from the simple softies that I knit for my dog sets! These are having to be built with almost the same principles as real armchairs in order for them to a) fit the knitted people being used in the animation and b) have some substance so they don't collapse and move about when being animated. The above is just the basic structure - they will later need the cushions complete with patterns, buttons and fringing. Luckily I had the presence of mind to make them in tandem with each other because I'd never remember how to do this a second time around! Hopefully writing the pattern instructions on a piece of interior structure won't come back to bite me in the posterior later on.......

I'm not labouring over the chairs during the day however - while the light is good I am having fun with fish, yet again using the Inktense colours because I just love them. Got to fit in as much as I can before going back to work next Monday - also planned for this week is a trip to the dump; haircuts for me and my daughter, the dog being sent to the vets for a teeth-cleaning, and some last minute jobs round the house. Where did the summer holiday go?

Leaf Green Lacy Scarf

2011-08-27T08:01:00.000-07:00

During the brief hiatus inbetween knitting tiny curiosities for an animated film, I have been working on this soft green lacy scarf. It has been knitted using a delicate leafy-green slightly varigated yarn from Fiberspates - I don't know any more than that, as it was in one of their bargain mixed bags at a show last year. I know it's a natural wool as it has that lovely warm slightly sheepy smell to it (am I the only person that could just sit and inhale that for hours?).

It has a deep slightly scalloped lace border at either end, with the centre panel being a simple repeating pattern.

It is going into my Etsy shop now, and I will be making some wristwarmers to match it....when I have the time as I have to knit some small furniture first!

Something To Crow About!

2011-08-26T05:03:00.000-07:00

While at the seaside the other day, the lady we visited gave me a fascinating book full of patterns to make fabric birds. Whilst many of them weren't really my 'thing', I was very taken with the crow and decided to have a go.

The patterns were a little intimidating, with instructions such as 'enlarge by 117%' - huh? - and as it is an American book, some of the products used were unfamiliar to me, but I soldiered on and luckily had an old skirt of my daughter's in the charity shop pile which was perfect for this project.

Ultimately, once I'd started to make the bird, I discovered it wasn't as hard as I had originally thought, just a little fiddly when it came to sewing the many, many fabric loops for the feathers. My sewing machine and I have a bit of a love/hate relationship, especially when it comes to re-winding the bobbins and re-inserting them....but after a Basil Fawlty moment (without beating it with a tree branch!) we got there.

The feet were tricky - the only suitable wire I had in the house was very hard to bend and I couldn't quite get the shape of the toes that I wanted. Then it said to wrap the feet with florist's tape, which I had never heard of, let alone had in the house. Instead, I used insulation tape, which gave him great big ostrich feet....so this morning I visited the florists and picked up some tape and did it properly. Wow, that's good stuff and it takes acrylic paint beautifully!

I've threaded a long strand of fishing filament through the wings in order to hang him up as if in flight, but the pattern also could be made with folded wings and the bird standing.

I wish I had the time at the moment to make a few more of the birds from this book - there is a flamingo pattern I quite fancy! One day, definitely.

Seaside Interlude II

2011-08-25T08:32:00.000-07:00

You don't get to the coast for two years, then it's twice in a fortnight....
This is Bosham (pronounced Bosem) just outside Chichester. We paid a visit there yesterday and had a glorious day in the sunshine, although the sea itself was far, far away as the tide was out. Fish and chips for lunch, an icecream cone while sitting on a churchyard wall, even a surprise bead shop to potter in - a very good day out!

Delectable........

2011-08-23T09:59:00.000-07:00

Here are the macaws, finally finished. I wasn't too sure where I was going with this, but the journey was terrific fun. Just about as I had completed the final brushstroke on the second macaw, I noticed a drop of painty water on the paper that wasn't supposed to be there. That's when I discovered that Inktense colours really are permanent! I used my head this time and tried bleach on a spare scrap of paper - which didn't work - neither did trying to cover it with white paint. So rather than have a faded blue splodge smack-bang in the white area, it morphed into a sprig of leaves...which I actually quite like in the end as it contributes to the composition nicely. Sometimes accidents really are 'happy'. This will be for sale on Etsy later in the day.

Fine

Stash Fine Yarns have a 3 for 2 sale at the moment - I couldn't resist this gorgeous pale mint green & white yarn. I don't know what it will be yet, but it had to be mine.

We have a giant sofa and a large 'cuddle' armchair, but this is where he chose to sit. As long as you are comfortable Clovis!

Polly's Progress...

2011-08-19T02:52:00.000-07:00

The macaws are slowly taking shape - this is such fun; I can lose whole chunks of the day painting subjects like this and when I emerge it is suddenly tea-time and nothing is cooked. I'm better prepared for this nowadays and cook before picking up a paintbrush.

Notice the droplets at the bottom left of the painting - they aren't still wet, I've painted them that way. When I was a child, my parents took me to an exhibition and there were a set of paintings which were about five feet square of solid colour with water droplets painted all over them. I remember studying the technique intently, storing it away for future reference. It's been used many times on various different pictures.

One such painting was the cover illustration for a book on potatoes that I did 100 paintings of spuds for a while back. Yesterday I discovered that the first proofs are back from the printers and it should be finalised and in print next month. At last, 18 months of hard work will finally be made public - I can't wait!

Messy Old Bird!

2011-08-17T09:48:00.000-07:00

After using these Derwent Inktense pencils and colour blocks for 3 commissioned paintings, I still haven't got enough of them - the colours you can achieve are so bright and vibrant with much less effort than using watercolours. This is my own piece of work, just for fun - and for sale eventually of course.

How did I get paint up to my elbow? I have absolutely no idea, I'm just grateful it didn't splurge all over the paper!

Seaside Interlude

2011-08-15T09:23:00.000-07:00

After working so hard lately, it was good to get away yesterday and head to the sea for the day. We wanted to go and see the Historic Dockyards at Portsmouth and visit the HMS Warrior. It was a lovely surprise to discover that included in the ticket was a trip on a boat around the harbour to see all the various ships docked there. The sea was smooth, the sun was shining, what could be better?

There were war ships both old and new....

...this is HMS Warrior.

We weren't too sure what these elderly gentlemen were doing, but were relieved to see later on that they had recruited a full crew on the oars - with just two of them, they were going nowhere!

Just outside the Warrior was a Punch and Judy show - we had to stop and watch as I don't think Stacie had ever seen one before. She thought it hilarious at least!

Everything on the Warrior was sparkling clean, tidy and shiny. It was fascinating to see how well equipped it was for battle, with cannons both on deck and below, and each deck being well stocked with guns of every size and plenty of cutlasses. The shiny brass tracks on the deck are for the cannons to be moved around during fighting without gouging holes in the wooden deck.

After a break for fish and chips on the waterfront - something I haven't done for years - we went back to visit the Mary Rose museum. Unfortunately the hull of the Mary Rose, one of Henry VIII's ships, was closed as they are still getting it preserved and renovated as well as building a new museum around it. We got to see many of the items salvaged from the wreck and Stacie had fun trying on some clothes in the style of that era - here she is in a Henry VIII jacket. I think we nearly took that one home with us!

Very tired by now, we walked to take a look at the HMS Victory, Admiral Nelson's flagship. We knew this might be a bit difficult for Stacie to walk around due to steep and narrow stairways so didn't plan on going inside.

However, after asking one of the guides how tricky the stairways were, he told us that we could go and have a look and one of the other guides would let us off if Stacie found it too hard. Famous last words....we discovered that once on there, you had to follow the set route, and after we had gone down one deck, there were no guides to ask, so we had to keep on going around the whole ship, with the stairs getting steeper and steeper and we ended up in the bowels of the ship which was very claustrophobic with the extremely low ceilings and the lack of light. Poor Stacie ended up in tears but struggled manfully on until we eventually came across the exit and daylight!

It was fascinating though - funny how much of it I remembered from a school trip I was taken on many decades ago.
Don't worry about Stacie, after a bit of a sit down in the shade followed by a cherry ice-cream cone back on the sea front, she was fine...and slept in the car the whole way home!

Flutterby....

2011-08-13T23:49:00.000-07:00

Last night I crocheted this Large White butterfly (pattern from my favourite book, 75 Birds, Butterflies & Beautiful Beasties to Knit & Crochet) with the idea that it would be appliqued onto these....

But it lived up to it's name and was too large. I suppose it will have to be a brooch instead! The wristwarmers are my own 'design' and just for me - for when the weather gets a bit cooler on those dog-walking mornings.

Back to Knitting!

2011-08-11T03:23:00.000-07:00

After a week or so of not being able to use knitting needles, I'm almost back to normal now. This flowery garland started out as a long length of 'French Knitting' made out of sheer frustration as that was about all I could do craft-wise last week. Then came the knitted leaves and flowers and a little woolly necklace/skinny scarf was born. It's going inot my Etsy shop today.

I have been painting so much over the past fortnight but just cannot show any of it as it is for Derwent. I have been using a selection of their Inktense pencils and colour blocks in juicy tropical colours - once the commissioned pictures are complete, I think I will have a go and paint something with them just for fun. Not that these weren't fun - I'd rather be painting than doing pretty much anything else!

Bandit at 12 O'Clock!

2011-08-09T04:35:00.000-07:00

With the amount of art work I've had over the past couple of weeks, I felt I had been neglecting my daughter a little. So when we were flicking through the current issue of Handmade Living in W.H.Smiths today and she showed an interest in a sock-raccoon, it seemed a good opportunity for a little mother/daughter time.

Grey socks were unavailable in the local shops, luckily there was a raggedy pair in the airing cupboard at home. Tempers got a little frayed initially -one of the shelves of books above the sewing machine's storage place collapsed, and then my daughter seemed to lose the ability to cut in a straight line. However, once we had found a pair of scissors that she could manage, we were off and running.
I would point out that what looked like a really quick and simple pattern was surprisingly tricky - sock is not a great fabric to sew with. The sewing machine choked a few times and there were a couple of holes that needed cobbling together. We got there in the end and after a couple of hours of sewing, stuffing and assembling, Stacie was very pleased with the end result - I have a feeling he will be making his way into her bed tonight!

...Nothing To See Here....

2011-08-06T04:26:00.000-07:00

There has been no knitting this week - the ungainly finger bandage has prevented that. However, I did manage to crochet a new blanket for Clovis in some blue and red mohair yarn that has been hanging around here for years as it is too bulky & itchy for jumpers. As you can see, he likes it but is still using his old blanket as a pillow! I don't know why they say 'it's a dog's life' to mean hardship - seems a cushy number to me!

I have been painting alot this week but unfortunately cannot show any of it at the moment. It's all for Derwent packaging and I have been enjoying it immensely as all the pictures have a jungly theme and involve lots of bright colours.

Who doesn't love a bargain? When it's a double-bargain, it's even better. Yesterday I received a money off voucher in the post from our local garden centre as I belong to their loyalty scheme. Today we went and perused the 'death row' aisle - plants that are on offer as they are either pot bound or just finishing their first flowering and in need of some tlc. I got £17 worth of plants reduced to £12.99 (the big millet was full price) and with the voucher, all I had to pay was 35p. Now that's the kind of shopping I like!

Life Goes On...

2011-08-03T05:06:00.000-07:00

Despite the mangled hand (still looking ghastly but not nearly so painful), there are still things to be done. At the weekend I tried bottling some plums as I was given a very large bagful. Today I tried making pickled pears - we have a tree in our garden which is full of pears but none of us are very keen on eating them raw, so I am always looking for ways to make them a bit more palatable. This recipe is from the River Cottage Preserves cookbook - my one gripe is that the quantity of vinegar/sugar mix are stated to be enough for two jars, but was really enough for only one - I had to quickly boil up another lot which may not be quite as spicy. I'm also a bit concerned that the fruit float and are not covered by the vinegar, but perhaps they will sink with time as the plums did. I also made four pounds of plum jam, but no-one wants to look at that - we have about 50 jars of jam, marmalade & chutney all perched on the top of the kitchen cabinets like crows in The Birds!

Before the hand incident, I finished re-knitting the lilac collar. This time I DID cast on loosely but with the cotton yarn it still didn't have quite as much give to it as it should to make the points really long. It is still quite pretty and is a fast knit.

I may try knitting it again at a later date in a wool based yarn to see of that makes a difference when it is blocked.

Thankfully, although I can't knit for the time being, I can still hold a pencil and a brush, so the artwork is able to continue - phew! And the dog has been forgiven - I can crochet at least so am making him a new blanket.

Disaster!

2011-08-02T04:00:00.000-07:00

Yes, you may well look ashamed of yourself. Did you really have to chase that cat out of the front garden this morning? In your excitement, did you forget you were still on the flexi-lead? As I was in the middle of opening the front door, I wasn't holding the lead properly and had to grab the nylon part to stop you from running into the road. There are about 5 metres of nylon tape on that lead and when they are pulled through your hand at speed, they do this......

I won't show you what is under the bandage, suffice it to say that's an inch long open wound where the skin was ripped off. Shall we mention the bruised and swollen knuckle on my ring finger too? It hurts y'know and I am supposed to paint 3 high quality illustrations over the next few days for a big pencil company. Think on that when I can't afford to buy you treats because they won't accept the wobbly daubs I'm likely to produce....now, how about a bath and a trip to the vet just for the hell of it?*

*Please don't think I would really punish my dog for his transgression - I'm used to his idiotic behaviour when faced with some small furry creature, but his timing today was abysmal!

A Little Bird Told Me....

2011-07-31T07:36:00.000-07:00

What do you do when asked to knit a tiny blue-tit but the patterns you have are either too large or too ugly? Wing it of course!

He's fractionally over 2 inches long, has a jointed head and wired wings for animation purposes. He was very tricky to make, as my fingers (which aren't large by any means) still got in the way when assembling him.

I think this may be the last of the outdoor creatures for this commission - next on the agenda, inside the house....

Were The White Trousers Such a Good Idea Today?

2011-07-30T04:12:00.000-07:00

I have trouble staying clean at the best of times - at some point in my life it became a well established family joke. Sometimes I bring it on myself though - I'm currently working on this picture using some waxy/water-soluble crayony things. I discovered yesterday that whilst they are glorious to work with, blending beautifully and creating rich washes of colour when water is added, they also melt with the warmth of your hands as you work. After the first five minutes and getting black crayon all over my hands, I sat and wrapped each one with a little masking tape jacket. That helped a bit, but somehow I still managed to get the stuff everywhere by the time I'd finished - luckily, the paper I am working on stayed clean!

Today we visited the local pick-your-own farm - we just cannot resist the fresh sun-warmed strawberries and raspberries, and today we also picked some plump and juicy blackcurrants. The currants were a tad over-ripe - quite a few burst when touched and I ended up covered in sticky purple juice...even in my shoe somehow! These are destined for a yummy blackcurrant pie for pudding today...mmmm

While enjoying a brief hiatus from knitting miniature oddities for animation, I thought this little shawlette looked cute and would be nice in some cotton yarn from my stash. Unfortunately, being a typical Sagittarian, I plunged straight into knitting it without reading the little extra pattern notes on the previous page - does anyone read these? Be honest now!
So I missed the part about casting on very loosely (that should have been written where it said cast on x amount of stitches, especially for people like me who rush headlong into things*...) and only realised my mistake when trying to block the darn thing. The points aren't pointy enough and there are some annoying puckers. I will have a go with a steam iron and see if I can beat it into submission....if not, it's back to the beginning and re-knitting it. Will I never learn?

My trousers are still clean though....

*It was.....I have to learn to read things properly!

Blue Jellyfish No.8

2011-07-27T09:36:00.000-07:00

I think this is the final blue jellyfish in this series - I'm not bored with doing them, just think I would like some different 'poses' so will wait until we re-visit the New England Aquarium later in the year and hopefully take lots of new reference photos.

This painting is slightly different in that the background has been achieved by laying clingfilm over the wash while it was still wet and leaving it to dry. When removed, the clingfilm has left marks in the form of wave ripples - I like this one particularly as it looks like the surface of the sea in sunlight when viewed from under the water. It is for sale in my Etsy shop now.

Next on the agenda - I have been sent some samples of a new product by Derwent with which to create a painting that may or may not feature on the tin. This is by selection process, so I had better pull out all the stops and produce something good! I can't tell you what the product is....mainly because I don't know myself, just that they are crayons. I've been sent a very limited palette of colours, so this is quite a head-scratcher....

School's Out!

2011-07-26T08:24:00.000-07:00

The tomato challenge with Soggibottom blog was officially over several weeks ago. Down in Devon they have been picking tomatoes in such quantities they've been giving them away. So far here in Hampshire, I have this one ripe tomato, together with a lot of very large plants with very small, unripe tomatoes on them. I think the extremely wet and dull July we had stopped their progress, particularly as they are outside, not in a greenhouse. Never mind, we'll get to eat them eventually!

Today was my last day at work for a few weeks until the new school year in September - we were all ready for it, especially as for the last few days we have been changing classrooms around, cleaning, moving furniture, and in my case, painting murals. So hopefully as of tomorrow I will have plenty of time to get back to some arts and crafts, which have been sadly neglected of late.

Meet Mollie

2011-07-20T23:18:00.000-07:00

This is Mollie - she belongs to the lady who bid the highest in an auction in aid of the Greyhound Rescue to buy a knitted replica of her dog made by me.

This is mini-Mollie, complete with fancy red collar, bed, blanket and toys.

I think I have caught her likeness - as much as a 6 inch knitted toy can!

If you would like your dog replicated in yarn, or know someone else who would, do get in touch - I'm always willing to take on new commissions.

What to do with a Spare Bee.....

2011-07-19T04:58:00.000-07:00

...make a felt flower and sew him on it for a brooch! As soon as I find a brooch backing to fit, this will be going into my Etsy shop.

Buzz If You Like But Don't Sting Me.....

2011-07-17T23:24:00.000-07:00

Well, the honey bees were deemed to be unsuitable for animation purposes - too large (!) and not very cuddly, so I had to try again with bumble bees this time. Who knew bees could cause such a headache! I tried and tried to get them smaller, but stripes and small don't go together, even when embroidered on to plain black knitting. We eventually reached a compromise with these bees which are just under an inch long yet still have all the required detail.

Having spent three evenings on bees, I feel drained! Time to give my eyes and hands a break and make something slightly larger...

Buzzy Bees....

2011-07-15T23:55:00.000-07:00

How to make a beehive.........hmmmm....this took many days of pondering and mental gymnastics to figure out a way, In the end, it was constructed from three sections in the shape of the base of a 4 sided pyramid, each stuffed and with a card insert at the bottom. They were then sewn together, the top section having a shaped top for the roof to be attached to. The little 'step' was made from a few stitches picked up and knitted in garter stitch,and the door is embroidered. The feet are large wooden beads covered in yarn. The whole thing is 5 inches tall.

It's a little rustic, but I quite like that - looks like it has been well used.

The bees were another matter. The pattern I have from a book would have meant giant killer bees of about 2 inches long, so I tried to scale it down and design my own version. They still came out about an inch long as with the stripes and the shaping, it was impossible to get them any smaller without losing detail. I even used tapestry wool in an attempt to keep the size down, but to no avail. I just hope they will be suitable for animation purposes.

Blue Jellyfish - Variation on a Theme

2011-07-14T05:28:00.000-07:00

The nice thing about people knowing you are 'arty-crafty' is that when they clear out their cupboards, they pass on items that they think might be of use to you. Sometimes they are, sometimes they aren't, but I never refuse a donated object as they generally find a purpose some day or other.

Last week I was kindly given a bag of plain silk scarves and ties. I could see how I may use the scarves but was at a bit of a loss over the ties. However, my first experiment at painting on fabric with Inktense colour blocks has been surprisingly successful. The tie has one of my blue jellyfish on it, carefully hand painted over a turquoise wash of colour. It took a little while to get the hang of not using the colour too wet (unless the spreading effect was required) and extra care had to be taken over the tentacles (tentacles?) as the fabric moved and expanded when damp, but it turned out pretty well. So well in fact, I shall be putting it in my Etsy shop later today and am quite looking forward to painting more ties in different designs!

Leave Those Beans Alone!

2011-07-12T23:31:00.000-07:00

So that's who has been chomping on my vegetables! A fun little pattern from the Birds, Butterflies & Beautiful Beasties book, together with a 'mini-me', both to be used in an animation. Now can anyone tell me how to set about knitting a bee-hive?

I love finding little surprises when out walking the dog. A pair of bright sunflowers in the middle of a bean field fall into that category.

Was it a bird that dropped a seed or was it planted together with the beans? We'll never know!

N.B. Just as well I photographed the sunflower when I did - when I went there the next day, I discovered it had been ripped up by the roots and shredded along the pathway. There are some nice people around here....

Meadow

2011-07-11T09:40:00.000-07:00

This painting took a lot longer than anticipated - the loose painterly style I was aiming for turned as usual into a highly detailed and labour intensive piece of work. I don't mind though, I am quite pleased with the result.

This was painted in Derwent Inktense colour blocks, with touches of Inktense pencil at the end to add depth within the plants. It will be for sale in my Etsy shop shortly, or alternatively you can get in touch with me directly.

The field where I took the reference photos for this work is just full to the gills with wild flowers - there are more and more each day, different ones coming up all the time. There are even some sunflowers amongst them all - walking the dog has become such a floral pleasure this summer! Perhaps I will remember my camera in the morning and get some more photos to work from...

Interesting........

2011-07-10T08:32:00.000-07:00

As you know, one of my daughter's favourite occupations is feeding the local bird population. These days she tends to do this on a Thursday with her careworker, but last week this expedition was rained off. So we went this morning to visit Fleet Pond instead.

Amongst the usual swans, mallards and Canada geese, there were some birds I didn't recognize at all. Luckily I'd had the forethought to take the camera along, so snapped a few pictures for reference when we got home.

Apparently they are Egyptian Geese, although are actually more of a duck than a goose. Not native to the UK, the population here originates from escapees of parks and ornamental ponds. Unusual and quite attractive birds and they have a weird mooing quack which sent my daughter off into paroxysms of laughter, as you can hear on the video - if it loads!

I did take the camera along to the Fleet Carnival dog show this morning too, but as my dog was terrified by the crowds and loudspeaker system and lasted about ten minutes on the perimeter of proceedings before being taken home, there are no pictures of his shame.....

Not Enough Hours in the Day......

2011-07-06T22:58:00.000-07:00

I thought this would be a quick and loose painting, taking no more than a couple of days. As usual, the painting had other ideas and turned into what it wanted to be, which this time was obviously a highly detailed and laborious view of summer wild flowers. I am using the Inktense pigment blocks as paints because I thought they would give a bright and vibrant result which was what I had in mind for the poppies. However, for some reason, they have ended up strangely muted with a kind of 'old' look to them....which luckily I quite like! There is still a great deal of work to go into this, but for the next couple of days I have not time - it's the Tavistock Summer Fair tomorrow and I will have a stall there and of course, am totally unprepared.

I have taken a short break from commissioned work and tried to knit up a few farmyard friends for sale on my stall. Despite knitting until midnight most nights, I have only managed to produce the above.

There may or may not be a fourth piglet when the set is completed - depends on how long I can stay awake this evening!

Beryl and Martha are ready to go though. I have adapted the animation design to be more child-friendly, not a wire in sight. The feet have been crocheted and stiffened with fabric stiffener - not the greatest of results, they need a bit of balancing to stay upright, but at least no-one can hurt themselves. These two still have the egg-laying feature.

If these knitted creatures do not sell tomorrow, they will then be available on my Etsy shop over the weekend. Should you ever wish to commission one of these items, do get in touch, I can always stay up a bit later.......