Bee Nice...

This felt brooch has been waiting for it's knitted bee for weeks and weeks - it had to get pushed to the back burner due to other more pressing work.  It's done now and will be winging it's way to Boston!

It's Dirty Work...

I have spent the past week transforming this....

...into this.  The grass after the winter (I won't even deign to call it a lawn) was sparse, waterlogged and full of moss.  Usually I re-seed it in the Spring, but that never seems to last, so I thought I'd try re-turfing.  First I had to dig up all the old grass & earth, break up the clods and level it out.  This took about five days as I did a little at a time - I know my limitations!  By Sunday it was ready for the turf.  Turf was delivered yesterday - the lorry driver and I discovered that the passage that leads to our garden was too narrow for the pallet with the turf on it...so we unloaded it all and the driver very kindly helped me take the rolls of turf into the garden.   Then after lunch I set to laying the turf - wow, that was very hard work!  At one point I thought I might very well throw up my lunch...
But it is done now - let's hope it lasts because I'm not doing this again!

Apaert from grubbing around in the dirt, I have been making some felt flower brooches as I have a request for a couple.  Now they just need the addition of bees...

Otis Again...

I have finally managed to source some hardwood discs without holes drilled in them in order to make some painted brooches.  Here is Otis the bear again, painted & varnished and ready to go.  I will take better photos when there is daylight as I cannot escape the reflection of the flash or overhead light when taking pictures after dark!

Busy Bee!

Here's a little Christmas commission, hot off the needles! It's a felt flower brooch with a little knitted bumble bee perched on top.

The bee is about an inch long, but although he is so tiny, he still has eyes, legs, antennae and gauzy wings.  There was some very unlady-like language going on as I struggled with those legs!

The flower is made from two shades of stiffened felt, cut and sewn on to a brooch back.

He'll be winging his way to Denmark tomorrow - by post though, not under his own steam!

I Can See Clearly Now...

The first time I needed glasses I was finding that I didn't want to paint or read but couldn't understand why.  Now, about ten years on, I can recognise the signs so was more than ready when the time came for an eye test this month.  I got my new glasses two days ago (zebra frames! Zebra!!) and the improvement has been remarkable - well, I have been using the glasses I got 4 years ago for all close work so it's not surprising really.

So, painting is once more something that I want to do - plus it's been quiet this week, no stress.  I'm still attracted by swans and am enjoying this little watercolour immensely.

I made this brooch which was a freebie in this month's Mollie Makes.  Took about five minutes but I love the clever way it works.

So much so that I had a go at making a fabric flower from scraps I had lying around.  Also made a little coin purse with a small scrap of Japanese fabric - you've got to love a deer in a crown....

Currently on the needles...pampas grass.  Not as difficult as it sounds, in fact it's a little boring!

If You Have An Aversion To Chocolate....

...you get given a nuigurumi dung beetle!  In our house we have one who can't eat chocolate, one who doesn't want chocolate and two who really shouldn't eat chocolate, so whilst there are a few Easter treats lurking, we don't have a mountain of chocolate eggs this year.  This beetle is for my son who is on a major keep fit kick at the moment and is trying to stay away from unhealthy food.  I need to point out here that he is also very into bugs - the choice of a beetle wasn't totally random on my part!

This is sewn out of felt from a Japanese pattern and is just about life size.  The legs are made from black jewellery wire and caused no end of problems while being sewn in!

I have totally fallen in love with this clever little brooch pattern and have made several of the things for anyone I think might appreciate one - I am fascinated to watch the perfect shape of a rabbit emerge every time I knit one, and the little hidden pocket just makes me smile.  This one is just for me!

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

...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.

Little Green Lizard....

Yesterday morning I had a wonderful surprise just before I left for work...there was a hammering at the door (no niceties from our postman!) and a big parcel was handed to me. Inside was a cornucopia of delights! Laura (bead artist extraordinaire) is moving house and had sent me lots of craft bits and pieces that she no longer needed.....but that I certainly can use. I'm always amazed at the generosity of my blogging friends - thank you Laura!

So after a long day at work, I was finally able to come home and play with my new toys! I found some tiny green beads amongst the many and made a little green lizard and tested my new glasses to the max - no eyestrain, yay!



But he was so small, he needed a home....so I dug out my felt, made him a banana leaf to sit on (strengthened by the stiffener fabric in my new treasure trove) and sewed a brooch backing on - tadaaah!! It was great to make something not knitted and to take a break from painting just for one day. He'll be going onto my Etsy shop later...

Bits & Pieces

It feels like a long time since I posted any artwork on here - I've not been idle, but there are no paintings on the go at the moment. What with the end of term being manic and struggling along on my broken foot, I've not felt very creative. The above are a couple of watercolour sketches I did in the garden at the weekend - turned out well considering!

I am, however, painting the toucan treasure chest - I guess that can be considered art. It is taking a very long time as I have chosen to incorporate ferns in my rainforest....tedious and time consuming, good job they are pretty!

These are some little flower brooches I gave to colleagues at work as 'thank you' presents - I'm moving up a year together with the class, so will have a different teacher & assistant to work with. These flowers were basically experiments which I decided to use in this way rather than have them kicking around doing nothing. I'm currently knitting rather a lot of the red roses - I have an idea germinating in my head but not quite formulated yet, involving roses, grey mohair & a shrug. It may just deteriorate into a giant woolly bouquet!

African Violet

Carrying on with the felt flowers, a little African Violet brooch, with embroidered leaves.
£5 + p&P SOLD