You're My Lobster...

 A while back I bought a lovely little book - Mini Amigurumi Ocean by Sarah Abbondio - and enjoyed making a few of the cute little creatures when I had a minute or two spare.  One of them was this adorable little lobster, who now graces the cistern in our marine themed downstairs loo!

A friend of mine saw him and asked if I would make this: 

 

A miniature crochet lobster wearing a Santa hat...it's a good job I have known this person for decades so am hardly surprised at the request! 

Peanut...

 This is my last piece of commissioned painting before Christmas - a wooden disc with a portrait of the bear Peanut on it.  This can be used for a Christmas tree ornament or hung up on view all the year round.  I deliberately made it un-Christmassy!  The disc is only about 2.5 inches across, so most of this had to be painted with the assistance of my magnifying lens headset.

This is the back of the disc, a watery pattern.  When the ornament is sent off to it's recipient, it will have a better hanging cord, not a piece of old string!  The string was used while the varnish was drying.

So while I have a few painting commissions waiting in the wings for after Christmas, it's time to take a bit of a break and re-charge my batteries while geting ready for Christmas and my impending 60th birthday.  60?  I never thought I'd make it past 40!

Baby Bear Bauble...

Painted yesterday with the aid of magnifying lens head set - no way could I paint this without help!  For sale in my Etsy shop.

Christmas Is Coming...

Goodness, November already - where did the year go?

This is a commission I have had on the back-burner for months as I have had other more pressing work to get on with.  However, last night I made the lamb and completed the set - hooray!

These amigurumi figures are from a pattern by Carolyn Christmas of Gourmet Crochet and have to be the cutest things I have seen in a long while.  I wish I had the time to make a set for myself!

Selling Like Hot Cakes...

...or something like that.  Third one this week, available in my Etsy shop.

Just made prints of this one available on Society6 - they can be seen here.

On Finding The Time...

 I'm thoroughly bored with just how much time organising Christmas takes, especially when you seem to be doing it single-handedly.  There are things I would much rather be doing - like painting this wolf for instance.  I started this acrylic last week and it is still very much in the early stages.  It is proving to be complicated as the fur is a mixture of white, brown and black hairs, but that's the kind of challenge I like.  Taking time out to shut myself off and paint for a couple of hours keeps away the Christmas madness!

I bought this gingerbread house kit for Stacie and I to make together as we have done in years gone by.  However, she told me she didn't want to do it (grr...mumble...) so I thought I would knock it up by myself.  Yeah....this is the last year I shall be doing a gingerbread house.  I thought it might be easier if I decorated the walls and roof first before assembling it as my piping skills leave a lot to be desired at the best of times.  Turns out I'm not much good at piping on the flat either, it's all a bit shaky and without the fun of having Stacie help me, it just became a chore.  I think we'll just eat the thing...

On the needles: a Niffler - yeah, I haven't got a clue either, I'm winging it.

Ennui...

Now that Christmas is over, I want to get back to normal but we have another week of everyone home and being without routine.  I don't do very well without routine.  I have been knitting a complicated lace scarf but have made a serious error somewhere due to knitting under the influence of alcohol.  I can't face sorting it out just yet, so am knitting a simple triangular scarf using some self-patterning wool I bought a couple of months back.  It's only cheap & cheerful, but I do like the effect - Mr.B says it makes me look clever.  I didn't hit him.

There were some terrific books for me under the Christmas tree, I can't wait to get stuck in.  I've already read Steal Like An Artist in one sitting - inspirational stuff.

When I was a child, we always had a new jigsaw puzzle at Christmas - it used to be set up on a fold-up card table with a felt top that was basically only ever used for jigsaws.  This year I got given a jigsaw puzzle for the first time in years.  I'm having a spot of bother - look at the next photo to see why.

And the picture of the picture is about 2 inches long and in black & white.  This could take a while!

I'm longing for things to get back to normal so that I can get back to the easel.  Or even get near the easel.

Tis The Season To Be Jolly....

 Not that I'm feeling all that jolly at the moment - weary I think is the word!  Not much crafting going on this week due to Christmas preparations and the new addition to our family.  I did knit the 'Christmas tree' neckwarmer in a different yarn, Jester, which has integral bobbles.  Not sure I am quite so keen on it - I think the yarn has to be quite thick for this pattern to really work.

Yesterday was spent doing a bit of baking - mince pies to last us over the next few days and some stollen muffins using a recipe in December's Simple Things magazine.  I can highly recommend the muffins, absolutely delicious, although I wouldn't like to think of how many calories are in them...

The Christmas cake has been iced as well, but not fully decorated as yet - thinking the decorations need replacing, so yes, the day before Christmas Eve is the day to look in the shops for cake decorations, isn't it!

Thankfully I managed to complete all Christmas commissions in plenty of time, and now just have the one to work on over the next few weeks.  I'm having to make up this composition from many photos, age the children, add the dogs and hope to goodness it all pans out in the end.  I have the finished picture in my head, so that always helps, I'm not working totally without a clue!

In the meantime, Daisy, our new dog is settling in well.  Apart from an incident on the second day concerning the postman - which I don't want to talk about just yet - she is a cracking little dog.  It took a few days for her to calm down, but that's understandable when you have been brought up in a home then suddenly put into boarding kennels and then into an RSPCA rehoming centre with all the big scary dogs.  She's clean around the house, very friendly and loving, had absolutely no manners at all but in the space of a week has learned to sit quietly while her harness is put on, stop pestering for food at mealtimes (well, almost) and that no-one will play with her unless she drops the toy nicely.  Pretty good going so far!  Our resident hound, Clovis, has been remarkably tolerant - he tried ignoring her in the hope she would go away and that didn't work, so now he is allowing her to sit next to him on the sofa, sniff his sniffs on walks, and hasn't shown any signs of jealousy.  Well done old man!

Needs A Fairy...

 As a last minute gift idea, I thought I'd knit the Christmas tree neck warmer that features in the latest Knitty.comhttp://knitty.com/ISSUEw15/index.php   It is a brilliant pattern, very effective indeed.  I didn't put the bead decorations on this one as the recipient is a big burly bloke, but would like to make another with the beads on it.

I did have a couple of false starts - couldn't find the aran wool I was sure I had, so used some ordinary DK which was too thin & had to be doubled up - but despite this I would dispute the sentence on the pattern saying this can be knitted in a day.  Yes it could if you did nothing else all day!  It took me three evenings of about 4 hours work each.  However, that's a minor gripe - I love this and think it is very clever.

Excuse the rubbish photos - it's early in the morning and I have to wrap the neck warmer up for posting very shortly!

Not getting much else done at the moment - we've just adopted a second dog so the house is in a bit of an uproar as we all settle in to a new routine.

Oh Christmas Tree...

Usually I hold off until my birthday (Dec 15th, presents welcome....) to put the Christmas tree up, but this year we found the perfect one a week earlier and bought it rather than wait. 

I'm not in the colour-coordinated professional looking decorations camp - it's chuck everything on there, fill all the spaces, who cares if it matches.  Most of the decorations hold memories - there are a few clay & glitter ones made by my daughter over the years, an angel made from mother of pearl that was on a gift when we lived in Greece, a knitted Santa made by my late mother, some fancy ones given to me by children I have taught over the years, and glass baubles that have lasted over 30 years.

Each year I do add to the collection - this year I found glass flamingoes in Paperchase.  These are not going back into the box when Christmas is over however!

Shiny!

Here is the completed goldfish purse - I want to say that was fun, but towards the end it really wasn't!  Each sequin has been laboriously handsewn in place, and I'm not sure just how many of those sequins are now scattered around our living room!

He has a cotton print inner, and there is a hint of stuffing between the felt and cotton to give it a nice rounded fishy shape.

Like that.

One of those projects that will remain a one-off - I'm really pleased with the result, but not sure I want to do it again...unless you pay me of course!!

And finally, may I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a healthy, Happy New Year!

2014 was not one of my best years in some respects - months of building hell next to our house, lack of painting commissions for the first part of the year, misery at the day job culminating in handing in my notice, the loss of a good friend, and quite a lot of irritating things to deal with.  But it did have it's very good points - the release and good reception of the Nudinits animation (two and a half years hard work!), catching up with some old school friends in the summer, and some very exciting changes for the new year - going totally freelance and finally realising my lifetime dream.  Thank you for sticking with me through it, putting up with the moans and wails, sharing the good bits and giving me the impetus to work hard in order to have something to show you all.  Here's to 2015!

Tree's Up!

We're a little late, but the tree is finally in place - we found the perfect little tree for our sideboard (it has to be out of the way of big doggy tail-wags!) and put it in place yesterday. Lovely to get out the old familiar decorations, some going as far back as when my children were babies.  Each one brings back happy memories and I am glad I thought to keep them when we had to leave Greece with virtually nothing but the shirts on our backs some 20 years ago.

It's been a busy week - my son moved out (finally!) last weekend which was surprisingly emotional for me. I'm so pleased he is able to afford to go at last and start his life properly, but it was sad too.

I've been knitting madly, trying to get the last Christmas bits done for Nudinits - you'll have to check out their advent calendar on Twitter and Facebook to see what I've been up to.

Nothing on the easel at the moment - no time!  I'm hoping during the Christmas period I will be able to get the paints out. I miss it.

Tomorrow is the last day at the day job - after 11 years, that too will be quite a wrench.  However, I am not enjoying my current role there, I don't feel I am contributing anything other than being a childminder which makes me very unhappy, so it is definitely time to go. I am extremely excited to be starting a new chapter in my life, hopefully making a go of the arts and crafts full time.  There are some interesting things scheduled for next year - who knew naughty knitting could lead to a career change!

So, lots of changes this month - it all seemed to happen at once.  Perhaps 2015 will be a good year to make up for 2014!

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

The tree is finally up, the presents have been bought and there is a goose in the freezer.  The workload is still heavy but all the Christmas commissions are finished and sent.  Today is my last morning at the day job, so as from tomorrow, I can start to feel a little more festive and less like I want to crawl into a corner and cry!

For those of you who like to play Christmas Chicken and you live in the UK, there is still a tiny opportunity left to buy something from my Etsy shop and have it sent tomorrow in time for Christmas....

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!

Pair Of Cheeky Chops....

This was a fun little commission!  A pair of tiny felt pugs with their very own sofa and rug to jump about on, together with some bones in bowls.  I do enjoy making things from felt but have not had the time to do so for far too long - I must make time once the Christmas rush is over.

As these are based on a couple of real dogs, I was asked to make these piratical bandanas for them - I am guessing they really are cheeky boys!

Talking of Christmas, can someone stop the clock for a while, I am struggling!  Too much work and far too many presents to be bought with no idea of what to get.  One year I would like to be ready in October - but I don't think that will ever happen!

Surmounting Problems...

This is an interesting one - the photos I am working from are not very good for portrait reference.  The main pose is an over-exposed picture, printed off a computer.  The other pictures I have show the dog's colour and character but the poses are pretty bad.  So I am having to combine them all in order to get the finsihed painting.  While I am working on it, I feel that it is pretty dreadful and that I really am not achieving much.  However, when I put it back on the easel and look at it from afar, I am so pleased with how it is coming along.  So I will just have to bite the bullet and keep on doing what I am doing and hope for the best!

With Halloween over, it is now time to start making preparations for Christmas (I can hear you all groaning, I did too!)  I traditionally make my Christmas cake at the end of October/beginning November and then 'feed' it with brandy on a weekly basis until just before Christmas.  By that time, it's probably not a good idea to drive if you've eaten a slice!

These little wall lights look deceptively simple don't they...don't be fooled!  They have given me a headache this week - knitting them was fine, but then I had to find something to go inside the shades to keep the shape.  After days of wondering if I could justify spending far too much money on a bulk pack of sauce pots  (what would I do with the 246 left over???) I finally found some plastic shot glasses locally which cost pence.  Then I had the problem of assembling it all so that the shades remained horizontal - there were tantrums last night as my theory of sewing a button to the wire and then to the shades collapsed in failure, with glue and tape not helping.  I slept on it and had a bit of an epiphany - so simple it's laughable, a couple of disks of thick double sided tape stuck either side of the centre and job done.  Phew!

Boxing Day.....

Boxing Day is my favourite day of the holiday period - the pressure has gone, Christmas Day has passed successfully, we eat leftovers in Bubble & Squeak for dinner, we get to play with our new toys, and all is calm.

I managed to finish the chicken hat, after adding a couple of little extra touches that weren't in the pattern - the red embroidery around the eyes and beak.  It is also lined with black felt to prevent an itchy head.  The recipient is very pleased with his gift and threatens promises to wear it today. (What have I done?)  As said recipient is still asleep, the hat is modelled here by Rowdy, the stuffed dog that lives on the back of our sofa.

Another thing we do on Boxing Day which has become a bit of a tradition in our house is to go and have a look at the sales in a neighbouring town.  We never buy anything in particular, but I always like to visit Paperchase and pick up my cards and tree crackers at half price in readiness for next year.  It's the only pre-Christmas shopping I am ever organised enough to do....

I generally find some other glittery tat that tickles my fancy - this year it's a silver sparkly plastic flamingo.  She already looks very at home on the little table under a pot plant.

It's also the day to make a start on the Christmas cake...........yum!