Hutch, Sweet Hutch....

I got my carrot and lettuce to snack on and a nice smart des-res.....

...with a cozy interior that is just the right size for me and my pal.  What more could a mini-guinea pig ask for?

Yes, We Have No Bananas......

.....but we do have our first tiny tomatoes!  They are about the size of a marble but something is happening at last.  The larger varieties however are still getting taller....

The largest plant is nearly five feet tall - I am expecting some seriously big tomatoes to match the vines or I shall have words with them!  They are finally putting out flowers at least.

We do have peas though - we ate our first yesterday and there were enough for each of us to have a spoonful - but they were delicious and so sweet.

Elsewhere the potatoes, sweetcorn, radishes, beans and courgettes are doing nicely especially after a couple of days of much needed rain at the weekend.

I've been labouring over a mini hutch for the tiny guinea pigs - who knew it would take so long!  The wire for the front is crocheted silver thread which was then woven.  It still needs some legs and a means of fastening, then it is finished.

On the easel is a piece of work that I have had in mind for months but not had the time - it's a painting of a fellow blogger's horse and I'm doing it just for fun.  This is in watercolour and I am trying to keep it clean and simple.

Interesting...

This is the tiger painting so far - it's quite pleasing how it is coming along using the Inktense colour blocks as paints rather than as drawing implements.  I love how the ink remains clear and smudge free once it has dried which allows layers of colour to be used over and over again.  I also like how it runs into itself (top right) when used wet on wet.   It's great that it doesn't leave any discernable drying lines - very pleased with the nose which was done in several layers of yellow ochre, orange and shades of red.

It is also forcing me not to be quite so precious with my detail - something I am very guilty of! Whilst I love painting in high detail using tiny brushstrokes, it is excellent to use a looser style once in a while - refreshes the brain and you learn new techniques along the way.

However, in the other side of my creating, tiny detail is order of the day.  These guinea pigs are two inches long, fully jointed and waiting for their hutch.  No wonder I need glasses!

Cornucopia.....

The last jellyfish painting was part of a swap with the talented Sybille at Magpie Magic in exchange for one of her gorgeous necklaces. It arrived in the post yesterday and I adore it.  I am afraid the photo does not do it justice - the weather is overcast and wet today and I just cannot get a decent picture even with my daylight lamp. The necklace is very long, with a triple strand at the bottom and is full of wonderful treasures - an ammonite, glass beads, wooden beads, filagree, pieces of shell, beads that look like shell, you name it, it's on there.  I already own another of Sybille's necklaces which also has a enthralling collection of matching and coordinating beads and bits - they are always a pleasure to wear as they not only look good, you can spend hours admiring all the little details!  I would highly recommend her jewellery - it's all original, beautifully made and always fascinating.

Last week I also got sent a little parcel with some delicious beads in it from another talented lady, Jo Sacker.  She made these for me as part of the exchange a few months ago for a knitted dog and sofa. As she has moved house and was in a bit of disarray as far as bead-making facilities were concerned, it took a while to complete the deal - but I think you'll agree it was well worth the wait.  I am planning to make a bracelet with these very soon.

The postman also brought me some scrummy rust coloured sock yarn and some guinea-pig coloured eyelash yarn.  This little guy just needs a set of back legs - and then a little friend and somewhere to live!

It's that time of year again, fruit is starting to ripen and our local pick-your-own farm opened last weekend.  We took a trip up there yesterday and were pleased to discover that not only were the strawberries ripe and luscious, there were plenty of gooseberries as well.

So today is a jam making day - we ran out of last years' jam about a month ago, and I had to resort to buying a jar of raspberry jam for my daughter's breakfast toast - she wasn't keen on the home-made marmelade or  elderflower jelly.  She'll be all right for a while with this little lot....

And finally, I have no painting commissions on the go at the moment so it's an opportunity to have a little play with the Inktense pigment blocks. 

It's been quite a while since I painted a tiger so I am thoroughly enjoying this.  The black markings are being painstakingly painted with black Inktense diluted to make ink, the rest of the picture will hopefully be a bit more free and colourful.  The great thing about Inktense is that once dry, the colour can be painted over time and again with no ill effects, so as long as you plan what you are going to do, great depth and vibrancy of colour is possible.

I'm off to continue this while I have the time!

Try This One For Size...

Cannot believe I knitted a two inch guinea pig.  His head and legs move too.....

Now I have to do it all over again.....

...twice!

Loose Ends Tied Up...

This is the first knitted pig I made using someone else's pattern....not much good for animation and I am not keen on it at all.  Ok for a child's toy I suppose.  So I have had to put my thinking cap on and come up with this instead....

A bit different I think you will agree!  The head swivels and the tail is wired for stop frame animation.  And when she lies down with her belly exposed....

..she is ready for her piglets with those snap fastener nipples!  Now I just have to work out a piglet pattern...my head hurts!

Today I finally got closure on the saga of the damaged jellyfish painting.  After having to send the packaging to Royal Mail's customer service dept and explaining that I had to sell the picture with a discount, I received a nice little cheque today which just about covers how much I was out of pocket.  Thank you Royal Mail, I feel duly compensated.

While we are talking about damaged items (bit of a recurring theme so far this year), today I have gone from this:-

to this:-

I know, it's a four-wheel drive but I figured if you can't beat them, join them!  More to the point, I can now cart about the dog, art equipment, garden supplies, stuff for the tip, and even my family, without having to jam it all in with a shoe-horn.

Regarding the tomato challenge with Soggibottom blog - I'm not going to win but at least my tomato plants are big and healthy.

Not a flower to be seen as yet though.

Unlike this thing which has been struggling under a shrub for years and never flowered.  We cut theshrub down a few months ago and now this oriental poppy has several buds.  I can't remember what colour it is supposed to be so it will be a nice surprise.

Don't forget the giveaway - it's open until Sunday.

Fluffy and Feathery......

After having a success with the first experimental fluffy guinea pig, I have made another one, ginger this time with a white blaze on his forehead and little white feet.  He has the squeaker inside and wool jointed legs and comes with a cosy bed, carrot and food bowl.  This one will be going on Etsy shortly.  I'm liking the fluffy ones, they almost look real!

I'm hopelessly out of practice when it comes to making jewellery at the moment - over the past year or so the knitted commissions have kind of taken over.  So it has taken me a while to finish this necklace, whereas a couple of years ago it would have been finished in an afternoon. 

This consists of a little hand-made black wire nest lined with soft black feathers and ribbons and sprinkled with shiny black beads, containing one speckled egg.  Hanging from beneath the nest on a small chain are a couple of matching black feathers, and the main chain features black faceted glass beads and black star-shaped plastic beads. When worn, the nest kind of rests on one's cleavage!  I am not planning on putting this on Etsy as I have craft fairs coming up, but if you are interested in buying it before then, it will be £15 plus postage - just drop me a line.

33 RPM

Here is the top-down t-shirt sweater knitted in Rico Poems yarn - what lovely stuff that is!  This was a really quick knit - probably less time to knit than it is taking me to iron the thing! 

It's been a long time since I knitted a guinea pig.....I seem to remember there was a mad rush on them at the last Christmas fairs I did and then a hiatus until now.  This one already has a home - he really is very cute with his tufty long hair and beady brown eyes.  He has a squeaker and fully jointed legs and likes to eat peas.  If you would like a guinea pig, short or long-haired, any  colour, do get in touch - I'm temporarily between commissions so get your order in while you can!

I have quite an extensive collection of vinyl albums which haven't been touched for years now - my stereo broke and with the advent of CD's and MP3 players, I just never got around to replacing it.  But today I received a pre-Christmas present from me to me of a record and tape player - it looks vaguely similar to one I used to have in my teens!  The difference is that using this one I can transfer all my neglected albums on to the MP3 player - yay!  In the meantime I am listening to albums by Dr. Hook, and Manhatten Transfer - hands up if you remember either of them!  The sound seems so tinny but wonderfully nostalgic...I'm fifteen again....haha!

That's Better!

All guinea pigs have been sold - I am taking orders for more, but please leave plenty of time if you require them for a special day.

Hooray! The squeakers arrived just in time, so the four little guinea pigs have been stuffed, had their voices inserted and been sewn together. Just for good measure, I've given each of them a carrot and a lettuce leaf each to keep them sustained until they find some new homes.

If you fancy owning one of these or one just like it, e-mail me to the address above and I will be happy to oblige. They will cost £12 including p&p.

p.s. sorry about the pretty awful photo - it's very early in the morning and dark as night outside, so relying on electric light isn't the best way to photo these.

Allsorts...

All too quickly Christmas is almost upon us, and with it the usual round of school fairs. Having signed up for a few, I realised that with all the potato painting and various other commissions this year, I haven't got very much new stock. Time to start sewing.....five little purses done so far, fully lined with matching felt and just awaiting some zipper charms to complete them.


Here are the two little pets finished and ready to be sent off, together with their food bowls, carrots and lettuce. Excuse the bad picture - light just reflects off the white wool and it's far too windy to go outside for a photo session. I am planning more guinea pigs....but with squeakers this time.


Finally about an afternoon's work from completion is the dog portrait I have had on the go for weeks now when I had spare time from potatoes. It is for the mother of a child I help at work, and he firmly put me in my place last week when I dropped into the conversation that the picture of his dog was nearly finished.

"Well, you've had enough time to do it!"

Quite.
I would point out that when I was given this commission there was no time limit attached and the lady was well aware that the potato illustrations came first, and I have done 91 potatoes.....but to argue this point with a 6 year old? Best not!

Don't You Love It When That Happens?

I've often said that it is an excellent creative nudge when you get asked to make something you wouldn't normally do. This is a mini-me of a late guinea-pig (it has ceased to be...) which I gaily agreed to take on without the slightest idea of how I was going to do it. However, with a bit of pattern cannibalism once again, with some initiative thrown in, here he his and I love him! I think there should be more, a whole herd of guinea pigs....do you think they would be good sellers?