Beaches & Beasties...

Whilst I went straight back to work after our brief holiday, I have had time to start a small watercolour.  This is of Corblets beach in Alderney, the beach that has the biggest waves.  I took many reference photos of the waves, but not many of them turned out as well as I had hoped!  I feel very rusty painting again - I have not done much lately and it shows.  However, it is very enjoyable to be painting somewhere I love and I am slowly getting back into the swing of it.

I've also knitted another one of these - I had a brief hiatus from the animation work and a zombie was what I wanted to make.

This pattern never fails to amuse me!

I am currently crocheting another monster, quite difficult when using fluffy yarn, I can't see what on earth I'm doing!

Mummy Knows Best...

When I started this zombie/mummy I thought it would be a breeze to knit as it didn't have clothes, just bandages.  What did I know?  Three days to knit nine feet of a strip only 6 stitches wide.  It didn't help that I'd chosen a slightly thinner yarn to get the effect I wanted. I even snuck my knitting in to work to do while I was overseeing readers!  It then had to be made to look old and dirty, so I scrunched it into a ball and soaked half  in cold tea, then rinsed it in order to blur the edges.  While the bandage was damp, I dabbed at it with red Inktense colour block to get random 'bloodstains'.  A day hung over the radiator to dry and then it was time to laboriously wind the bandage around the doll, making sure the interesting bits still showed (wound, guts, eyes) yet the bandage was secure enough not to fall off.

Quite labour intensive but definitely worth it - and I think Gladys would agree.  Look, she is so smitten with him she's offering him her heart, flirty old thing....

On the needles now....a washing machine.  Is it OK that I am kind of excited to make a small washing machine?  I have plans for the door and interior to make it look as realistic as I can - I'm hoping they will work!

Watch Out, She's Coming To Get You!

People who say knitting is boring (peasants!) really don't know what they are talking about!  This has been a project over the past couple of weeks and has been such fun to make!  Lots of little detail - look at that shoe, the little detachable heart and the flowery hat! 

My next task is a stained glass window....in wool....no, I'm not sure how I'm going to do that either but it will be entertaining to find out!  Knitting dull? Never!

Sheep, Sunshine & The Undead...

I think the grass meadow is finally done on this - it took long enough!  Now I need to find my tin of vintage letter stencils - I've just had half the living room out and it wasn't where I thought it was.  So now I really don't know where I put it - no good ever comes of being tidy!  I'm far better organised when I am disorganised...

Unbelievably, the sun has been shining for three days straight and it is as if Spring has sprung overnight.  I've been putting in a bit of work in our new pond/shed area over the weekend.  There are now plants in the pond, more plants in the gravel and in pots, plus I can finally put out my little table and chair set.  Once the leaves are green and everything has grown, I think it will be a pretty little hideyhole in the summer.

In between knitting beer barrels (finally done!), I have been knitting a lady zombie.  She's not quite finished yet, but I am loving how she looks already.  I think it's the hat.....

Santa's Slay.....

Looks like Christmas might be in jeopardy - someone has culled Santa's team of reindeer!  Yes, including Rudolph!

These are what I have been working on this week, despite all sorts of distractions.  I could have done without having to help build a shed or the evening brown out two days ago.  Knitting by candlelight is NOT fun!

Don't know why I didn't think of it but adding a red nose to a hunting trophy is the icing on the cake - maybe next Christmas I will make some more like this.  This one is on it's way to NY.

It's been a busy week - I had a stall at my school's Christmas fair on Saturday which was a complete waste of time as I sold one item.  I guess I just cannot compete with a tombola and a lucky dip!  Consequently, I have some things left over that were made especially, so they are up for sale here now.

A nice festive zombie?

Who comes apart in your hands?  If you would like one of these, do get in touch - they are going for £25 plus postage.

Here's the other one - slightly smaller and with different coloured clothes.

Still with the tear-and-share option!

This little guy will be in my Etsy shop later today - not time to list him this morning, I have to go to the day job!

One a brighter note, I four paintings inthe local exhibition last weekend and sold three.  Amazing result!  Not only that, I won Best in Show as voted for by the public with this picture:

Brilliant, that made my week!

Further Down The Rabbit Hole...

Let's start with the most normal thing I have been working on this week.  This is the other half of a double pet portrait, and has to be the most unusually marked cat I have ever drawn.  My painting is only half finished but I think it shows that this feline looks like he's been at the lipstick or possibly drinking strawberry milkshake!  He has a pink ring around his mouth and I have been worried about it all week, to the extent that I have been covering the picture while not working on it so that no-one in the house makes any remarks that might affect my confidence.  However, after some concerted effort yesterday, I am finally passed the panic stage and looking forward to completing it very soon.

In a very surreal scenario, I am knitting a portrait of a knitted cat.  I know, it just gets weirder and weirder but there is method in the madness that will become plain one day.  In the meantime, I'm just enjoying the ride....

This evening sees the start of the new series of The Walking Dead (we are a week behind here in the UK) and I am so excited as it has to be my most favourite tv series since Lost.  No coincidence that I have been working on a knitted zombie this week!  I just love this pattern, it amuses me every time I make it.

I'm available for all your knitting needs, no matter how strange, just get in touch!

The Perils Of Working In Miniature...

I nearly gave up last night.  This microscopic seahorse nearly got the better of me.  I've been crocheting with fine cotton for most of my life and making doilies, flowers and the like is not really a problem - my eyesight isn't what it used to be, but I now wear glasses and cope just fine.  However, following a 3D pattern is a different matter, especially in a varigated yarn.  There were several false starts, one head thrown away, and as moment where I wondered if I would be able to complete this commission at all.  However, after a mental pep talk, some serious concentration and taking it slow, I managed to get that darn head made, and once I was on to the body section it was plain sailing.

This is part of a wedding cake topper - I also have to make a very tiny bouquet out of shells. I think I might give it a day...

So after that, I went on to knit a very small flower pot - this is for the animated film.  This was not such a problem -I've made a few of these and can whizz them off in less than an hour.  The base is a ketchup container pinched from Ikea - unused of course!

Finally, by way of a rest, I moved on to knitting the jacket for my current zombie.  I came across some fabulous wool/alpaca yarn at the weekend for a mere £2 per ball.  Now I wish I had bought a selection of colours, it is such gorgeous stuff to work with.

If you see some poor woman with glasses like Mr.Magoo, clutching her knitting with a look of desperation on her face, that would be me....

Connie & Some Other Work...

Yesterday I completed this half of the current commission.  I am very pleased with how this has turned out, particularly considering the poor quality photograph I was given to work from. This has been worked using Derwent Drawing pencils and a fair bit of white acrylic paint.  The other half of the portrait is of a cat - another challenge as it has the most unusual colouring to it's mouth I have ever seen...

Just added this to my Etsy shop - a little bracelet with a cute pug bead in the centre.  There will be more of these coming up, I just need to find the time!

Perhaps I'd have more time if I didn't mess about making hats for the Innocent Big Knit - this is my own design, crocheted from some varigated blue yarn.  I'd like to do more but just can't fit it in time-wise, so the three I made will just have to be posted off.

Currently knitting a zombie - well, Christmas is on it's way y'know, and who doesn't want a cuddly zombie in their stocking?

Pick & Mix

Today's post contains a bit of everything!  First, here is some cute yarn I bought from Yarn Paradise.  I can thoroughly recommend this website - the choice of yarn is incredible, the prices are cheap (as long as you don't mind buying in bulk, but bulk can sometimes only mean 2 or 3 balls) and the shipping is by DHL and fast.  I'm not sure what I will make with pink yarn threaded through with little dolls, but whatever it is, I can't wait!

I finally got around to sewing a food bowl and toy for this little cat, so now he is up for sale in my Etsy shop.  He's one of a kind, seeing as he is a reject from the animated film - just too big!

This zombie is also finished - I have a summer fair coming up so am trying to build my stock up a little.  I'm not sure if anyone else likes kntted zombies as much as me - we shall see!

But look, his arms, legs and head come off and his stomach falls out - what's not to like??  If you'd like a zombie too, please get in touch and assure me I am not the only one....

This was another idea I saw in a magazine recently - minature seaside planting.  I'm really pleased with how this turned out - the planter held some tired daffodil bulbs for the past year and needed rethinking.  The two plants are actually from the Alpine section of the garden centre, but when put with some pebbles, gravel and shells, look suitably seasidey.

This is still as far as my tomatoes have got - plenty of flowers but not much else as yet.  I suspect I have already lost in the Great Tomato Race - we can't compete with a warm Devon greenhouse!

And finally, if you have seen the new sweetener Stevia on the shelves of your local supermarket and wondered what it is made from, here is the plant.  I am a sucker for unusual plants and when I saw this a couple of weeks ago, could not resist.  If you break off a leaf and chew it, at first it tastes kind of like grass (mmm, grass..) but then when you have really pulped it, the sweetness comes out.  I don't think you are meant to do this!  I read yesterday that you are supposed to harvest your leaves at the end of the summer, dry them in the sun (in the UK???) and then make infusions out of them with boiling water, rather like tea, then the end result can be used to sweeten drinks etc.  If there are any leaves left by autumn, I shall give this a go.

Next on the needles, three bluetits.  Rather like buses, you get none for ages then three come along at once....

Feeling Almost Human...

No, it's OK, you don't have to keep watch any more, I promise things have calmed down here! In fact, we are feeling more like this....

The mongoose and the lemur sunbathing were a couple of the animals we saw at Beale Park on Wednesday before I had my run in with the builders.  We were fascinated by the way the lemur just sat in the lotus position and embraced the sunshine - I think he as the right attitude to life!

So, It's Saturday and as of lunchtime the builders have left until Monday and all is peaceful.  I've cleaned the house, been outside and planted some seedlings and tidied up the jungly bits.

The new grass is starting to grow, there are flowers on the beans, tomatoes and grapevine and it's all beginning to look pretty.

I've had time to make orange cupcakes for tea - with glitter just for Stacie!

Later I shall be clothing this little guy.  Am I odd that I love knitted zombies?  This pattern amuses me so much.

I also have to knit a radiator......not sure how yet, this could be a tricky one!

Never Smile At A Crocodile...

 ....or four alligators!  Finally finished this lot and they are now ready to fly across the Atlantic to their home state. Next time I design college scarves, I will think twice about adding a glove puppet feature and fancy texture - these took weeks!

Little Pixie now has her coat and collar and is eagerly awaiting the arrival of her three companions - now the scarves are finished, perhaps they will come sooner rather than later.

Never one for the conventional, I now have two zombies which will be on my stall at a Xmas fair this weekend - who doesn't want a knitted zombie in their stocking on Christmas Day?

Finally, here is a little bed waiting for it's occupant.

If anyone asks me if I had a nice weekend, I can honestly say 'yes', but boy, am I tired!

Guts Ache....

You know that feeling when you are really wound up, like there is something gnawing at your guts?

For some people that's a real problem.....

If ever a knitted toy summed up how I feel today, this one is it!  I've had very little sleep for days now, more stress over the past month than a person should ever be given at any one time, and very little support from those around me....I promise not to go on the rampage zombie-style, tempting though it might be!

I did have lots of fun last night watching The Walking Dead and joining in with this little fellow....BLURGHARGHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Zombified.......

I've come to the conclusion I am not your average lady-of-a-certain age - my favourite TV programme at the moment is The Walking Dead and this knitting pattern is just the best thing I've made for a long time.  Maybe it's the proximity of Halloween - which is going to be extra exciting for us this year as we will be spending it somewhere very special - or just my natural grisly leanings, who knows!

Not only do this zombie's guts spill out, his arms come off too.

In fact, he totally goes to pieces...not unlike me at the moment trying to organise a holiday and things are NOT GOING SMOOTHLY! 

All this chap needs now is some tattered clothes - will I have time before Halloween? Maybe....

This pattern can be found in the most excellent book Knit Your Own Zombie - lots of fun to be had here for those of a certain disposition!