Work in Progress

I am taking a delightful on-line workshop from Terri Brush.  These little guys will be living in their own special little worlds eventually.  I love taking workshops because you always learn new things even if you have been doing similar work.

   

 A little Valentine Snowman

   

Corsages and Gnomes

It all began with finding this amazing vintage holiday corsage at the church bazaar.  I had a tip-off from a friend who helps organize the fair that there would be something there that should come home with me (nice to have friends in high places).  I got there early and found this great corsage which had been mounted on an amazing image of this lady from the 1960's? posing with the same corsage and a really cool Christmas tree hat.  And all this was mine for $2.00?!

Now I just have to make the hat and you can be sure that I will for next year.

But this year I saw this corsage designed by Kay Whitt who wrote the book Sew Serendipity.  The corsage was featured in the premier issue of a new magazine called Stitch. Craft. Create.  I just loved the pin and the technique she used to get all the scrunchy woolen petals.  And it was just lucky that I had the exact same hand-dyed silk ribbon in my stash that a friend has sent me several years ago.  In addition,  I actually had some over-dyed wool very similar to the wool that was used in the example.  So I made one of these wonderful corsages for myself and have worn it every chance I get.  It's over the top but I feel so very festive wearing it with my favorite white coat.

Here is a little of my obsession with gnomes and a little gnome display that I put together for the holidays.  Lighting is a little weird and the best I can do with my nine year old digital camera (that's practically vintage in camera years!).  This gnome village is a happy little place.

It's Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas

My daughter had a request this year for a crazy tacky Christmas sweater.  There are some very cool ones out there on e-bay but incredibly expensive so off to the Thrift Store I go.  I found this nice red cardigan for $5.00... all wool too.  A bonus.

After some sewing and scrounging for tacky, jingling and sparkly embellishments  I came up with this:

You gotta love the pom poms.  I think everyone should wear more pom poms don't you?  Have a festive holiday season!

12 Days of Joyfulness

Are you looking for something crafty to do this holiday season?   Check out Dottie Angel's 12 Days of Joyfulness.  I am sure it will be lots of fun.  She has a great vintage-y crafty style that I love.   Happy Holidays!

Corners of my Home

Just a peek into my home decorations for Thanksgiving.  These decorations are not up for long though as Christmas is coming soon.  Does anyone else wish for more time between holidays?  I would like to have more time to enjoy my most favorite holiday of Thanksgiving but Christmas sure is pushy!

I did this little turkey painting on a tiny canvas that I had lying around.   Not a masterpiece but colorful!

Here is a little witch that was just given to me by a dear friend.  She knows it's not Halloween but sneaked in among the pumpkins anyway.

The peace orb made by my potter friend Sharyn Tullar finds its way into all my vignettes.  I just love it!

Hope your Thanksgiving celebrations were joyous.

Two New Girls

Introducing Mimosa, one of my series of dolls titled "Les Fleurs"  She has a beehive hair-do with acorn embellishments.

And here is Violet who wears her copious head of hair in a snood.

They are all the best of friends.

For sale at the Walpole Artisans Cooperative or if interested, email me.

Introductions: les Fleurs

I have been working on a series of new "sitter" dolls with a flower theme.  I have some amazing pieces of floral vintage fabric that serve as the inspiration.  Two more in the works but they had to have a little plastic surgery tweaking.  The middle "Rosie" looks like she has a bit of an attitude but she has been well behaved in my workshop.

Not sure where the pink hair came from but "Valerian" definitely has a wild side.

Dahlia is tall and thin and fancies herself a bit of a flapper.  She is proud of the vintage shell embellishment on her cap.

This and That

I know I am a bit late for Halloween but I thought I would share my decorated front entrance.  We had a cold and raw night for Halloween here in New England and I had to shovel the walkway earlier in the day for the trick or treaters.  We had a few hundred despite the cold weather.  Tough Yankee kids too...some just wearing sandals and no coats to show off their costumes.

Same photo with Picnik's cool spooky textures which I love!

I didn't have any carved jack-o-lanterns this year (gasp!) because I waited to long too to get my pumpkins and I think the snow storm ruined them all.  I had bought these beautiful gourds earlier.  The little ones in front are called "Turks Turban".   I love the varieties of all the different gourds available.

Again, some cool and creepy textures.

And for something more cheerful and upbeat,  here is some WIP.  I am making a series of flower dolls inspired in part by Elsa Beskow's wonderful illustrations.  I will share more later.

Pretty White Stuff

Waking up this morning to this beautiful sight.  Although I was running around like a maniac yesterday trying to get all the pots inside, hoses rolled up, leaves raked and garage cleaned out (so we could park inside!), I am enjoying the lovely albeit very early wintery wonderland.

I love that pale weak sunshine of winter.

Luna protests that this is a bit early and couldn't we please shovel her a path?   She is a bit of a Diva.

And in keeping with white here are some new creations in my favorite color (or non color)...

This wreath is the second I have created using old muslin sheets (hundreds hand-tied) and various old ivory laces and vintage millinery.  I am donating this to our local school endowment auction and hoping it fetches a pretty penny.

And a couple of linen and lace pillows for the shop.

Blue Peacock

Finished work on a new peacock this time in blues and greens.  I worked on the face to make him look a bit more realistic and am very pleased with the results.  

A little vintage bling for his chest

I love the way his tail looks among the colorful foliage

This was made for a fellow artisan swap.  I am getting a lovely quilt.  She is getting this peacock and some vintage fabric garlands.   Hope she likes him!

Production

I have been in production of goods for the shop since this is our busy season for leaf peeping tourists.  Here are some cute wooly pom pom flowers I made with some wool I had in fallish colors attached to natural sticks from the surrounding woods.  I attached little flags of vintage wallpaper for an added touch.

These are some of the "tiny book" cards I sell in the shop.  They are printed from original collage artwork that I make.   They are unique because I make little pouches of vintage fabric to contain each one and then they are mailed in a regular envelope.  I have made them for all sorts of holidays and my customers seem to really like them.  They are such fun to create.

These are another fun thing for the shop.  These garlands are everywhere these days but people don't seem to tire of them.  They make a nice simple gift for a friend or perhaps a graduate?  

Thought you might like to see a picture I took the other day of our local artisan shop/gallery where I sell most of my work in Walpole, New Hampshire.

If you are ever in New Hampshire, stop by and get some handmade chocolate across the street at the famous Burdick's and check out our shop!  And if there is ever anything I post about here that tickles your fancy and you cannot make it to the shop, please email me.  I am happy to sell on-line too.