Doll Project Number 1

I met up with Nina yesterday and we were remembering all of the amazing dolls from the first doll project that we took part in. It was in 2004/5 and organised by Jackie Parsons of Bo Peep Kids, who makes lovely sock dolls and monkeys.

For the first month we each made the beginnings of a doll, on month 2; we each posted the doll to the next person on the list and so, at the end, our dolls were returned to us complete having been worked on and added to by everyone in the project.

There were 10 of us in all, all designer makers and I've found all of the photos that I had - such a shame that I don't have pictures of all of them.

1. Me, Maud who you can see further back in another posting with all of her additions.
2. Petra Boase, This was the first I got so it has very little done on it and it was the hardest for me to do.
3. Isabel Stanley, Sweet little Noriko came in a beautiful box. I made her a pink satin dress. Nina made her a beautiful face - you can see a picture of her completed on Jackies website
4. Jo Gordon, I can't believe that I don't have a photo of this one, I made a blue and white spotty skirt - she was called Maybeline! and she was delicious - there is a photo on Jackies site too.
5. Cecilie Telle. I loved this one - so funny, I think she and Maud would sit nicely together but I have no idea how she ended up as she still had to go to another four people after me.
6. Emma Eardley. WOW! Golden boots, she was quite a lady! I gave her a face which was terrifying to do, I was worried I would give her the wrong personality. Some later in the project gave her a nice hair do.
7. Ken Eardley, I think Ken started his doll off with the ceramic face, my mum knitted her a shawl which we decorated with bright buttons.
8. Rachel Eardley, No photo and this was a real good'un.... Darn it! If I remember it correctly; she had a vintage badge face and was quite tiny and lived in an entirely collaged room. I made a fridge room a cigar box.
9. Jackie Parsons ballerina sock doll; she had a tiny heart embroidered onto her bottom. I made her tiny knitted stripy top which buttoned up the back.
10. Nina Mankin, A dainty little fairy with teensiest handmade cardigan. I made her a little clutch purse!

I'll see if I can track down some more pictures of them...... I had a look to see if I had many photos of the second doll project and I only have 2 which is rubbish. There were some really good ones in there - whoops!
I'll be starting on my third doll project later in the summer - looking forward to it.

Hello My Little Friend! Monty.

A new little friend has come to live with us, he is the sweetest (and naughtiest) little kitten! We brought him home with us last weekend after a lovely wedding anniversary holiday on the Norfolk Broads - he is a good souvenir! He has utterly won my heart and sleeps on my lap at every opportunity (including now), I can't promise that I won't go kitten bonkers and take photos of him all the time, he is so pretty.

Pin-on Pets

At last, I have some Little Errol and Squeaky Beryl enamel badges - I am very excited about them, I have been planning to make them for a few years, they have been a long time in coming.
Little Errol is 2cm high, has a clasp pin backing and he is pinned onto a card with a drawing of his home in a pet shop.
Squeaky Beryl is 2.5cm high, has a brooch backing and she is on a pet show card (winning 'best in show', of course, because she is a bit bossy and can be quite a show-off. Dancing Ernie came 2nd for his fancy foot-work and high spirits, and Little Errol came a poor third because he didn't make any effort and still had cake mixture and mud on his trousers and paws).

We launched them at the weekend at Pulse (a trade show at Earls Court, London), so they'll be in the the shops in the next few months. My Mum has worn her Squeaky Beryl badge every day for the past week!

Sleeping Babies Illustration

Finished today! Here is a sneak preview of part of one of the new cards I'm designing at the moment. I've drawn the Sleeping babies for the header of a Friendship Tokens card - it has lots of other tokens drawn on it too, it'll be launched at the start of June with the other new designs but I couldn't resist putting this bit up here now - well it does fit with the little creature theme!

Little Errol Illustration

For the first few years that I made Little Errols, they were all sorts of colours, a real mix and match, more recently they became much more uniform with the mustards, raspberry and greens wining out. This picture is a nice reminder of the craziness of those first few years, especially a funny, extra furry, almost luminous pink one that went, very fittingly, to the colourful Suzi of Twisted Twee (The best kiddies things ever). Perhaps it is time to make some more super colourful creatures.... (best wait until the Open Studios and Pulse trade show are out of the way). This Saturday I am planning to go in search of woolen blankets so I'll look out for some bright ones.

Cockpit Arts Open Studios in May

We're having Working Open Studios in a few weeks; a bit different from the Christmas Open Studios where we stop work and turn the studios into stalls, for this one, those of us that are taking part are keeping our studios running for a behind the scenes view; which for me will mean the floor and all surfaces being covered in scraps of fabric and threads and maybe not that much room for anything else! I have made plenty of small soft creatures including a handful of (the very rare) Mini Matchbox Monster Babies.
I'm busy at the moment adding the finishing touches to lots of new card designs* ready to be launched at the trade show Pulse at the start of June, it's nearly time to send them off to the printers, but this drawing and design work is leaving very little time for sewing so I'll be glad to have the chance at the Open Studio.

Please come along and say hello. I'm in Studio 305, Cockpit Arts Deptford.

*I have also designed some tiny enamel brooches that are being made right now - I am so excited about them! One is of Little Errol and one of Squeaky Beryl and they will be mounted on a card with a drawing of a friendly pet shop along with care instructions. I'll put a picture up here when they arrive in 3 weeks or so. (Did I mention that I was excited about them?!)

Anna's Summercoat Squirrel

News from a favorite of mine. Anna has sent a photo of Summercoat Squirrel who was a special commission for her. It looks like he has a very, very nice life!