Walking to Walk

This ACEO was painted yesterday as I was at home all day on my own whilst jack was working. I wanted to make a painting which reflected the glooming going back to work feeling after Christmas in January. So it should be called "Walking to Work", but when I wrote the title on the back I lost my concentration and wrote "Walking to Walk". Oh well! Sometimes it's nice just to walk.

Felt Fox Toy

Christmas has been really busy, but I found some time to experiment with a new pattern. The fox is based on the squirrel pattern, but his nose is much longer and the dragon toy pattern. He is about 5.5 inches tall and I ended up stitching him together really quickly. You can tell I rushed the sewing a bit, but I was impatient and wanted to see if the idea would work. I think his head is a bit flat at the back., with the next one I'll try and make it rounder.

More Squirrels

Another batch of squirrels have been made. The grey one is slightly lighter in colour and the red one is now standing upright like the grey one as I originally intended. Not sure what to make next... I'm so tempted to make a badger. Badgers are the best. Brock and roll.

Black & White ACEO

These ACEOs are original pen drawings of some characters I've been doodling in my sketchbook. I find it therapeutic making patterns, dots and dashes, but sometimes I get carried away.

It's Cold!

Jack's scarf is finished and I'm dead pleased with it. It took a week to knit by hand and it's about 51 inches long. I really want to become a quicker knitter.
I had a go at sewing a little arctic pixie character with a fishing rod using the end of the furry trim that I bought to make the unicorn and pegasus toys. He was a bit unstable alone on his base so I added some feet.

Two Felt Squirrels

These two squirrels are very small. The red one is 2.5 inches and the grey upright fella is about 3 inches tall. Our neighbour works for the RSPB and always put nuts and seeds out for the birds. This attracts LOADS of squirrels but I think they're really cool, I like watching their little circus. Their tails are so twitchy and furry. I have no idea why so many people dislike them.

I'm knitting a scarf for Jack too and it's almost finished, so I can post a piccie when that's done, then I intend to make some more birdies.

Experimental Owl Toys

Owls are everywhere in the new DIY arts and craft scene, try looking up "owls" on Etsy! Probably because the individual parts of a pattern are so easy to figure-out and they're quick to sew. Once constructed though, they look pretty kooky. That's their charm. I found it fun to try different colour cominations and patterns. These owls are of my own pattern and are hand-sewn. They took about 4 or 5 hours to make each. I want to try making different birds wearing different styles of hats in the future.

Black Dragon Toy

I think this is the last dragon I'll make for a while. Time to try some new things out now. I like the way there are sparkly glitter bits on the surface of the felt though.

Gingerbread Village

Festive gingerbread village illustrations for embroidery. I'm the type that buries my head in the snow when Christmas is mentioned so early in the year. All the ads are appearing on the telly and the high street is decorated, shop windows have all the Christmas motifs up... I'll start worrying about all this shopping nonsense in December.

Another Dragon toy

This one is of the same pattern as the first dragon toy I made, but he's made from a sock. The material has stretched out much more, making him chubbier. His head is bigger and so this makes him look a bit like a moomin.

Handmade Dragon Toy

The eyes arrived for my dragon toy today! He's my favourite little toy creation so far, I think he's so cute! I need to think of a name for him soon. He's made of felt and an old cotton shirt that I used to wear a lot at university and he's all hand sewn. I'm really keen to make some more, but I have ideas for other toys and I can't seem to make them fast enough.

Indiepublic ACEO Swap

Indiepublic is a website community for independent crafters, artists and designers. It operates like myspace where you have your own page which you can customise with photos and graphics and a networking system so you can befriend and link to other users on the site and join groups and discussions. These ACEOs are my contribution to a swap that the ACEO group have organised. In a few weeks time I should receive 2 mystery ACEOs! I wonder what they'll be like.

I also want to show off these FANTASTIC robotfish stickers that Ladysnail very kindly sent me this week. The stickers are hand painted, not prints like I was expecting. They are so strange and beautiful, I have some above my computer so they are looking down on me as i work.

Farmyard

The wedding invitations I did for Tom and Karen in the summer caught Bunnycup's eye. Ashlea and I have taken parts of the illustration from the original invitation and reworked it into some applique designs. We've added more animals too including a pig, donkey, sheep and a farmyard cat amongst others.

New Aeris Presley Logo

I've just finished the new logo for Liverpool punk rock band, Aeris Presley. It doesn't look like a typical punk band logo, but that's the twist (hopefully). Garreth Hirons, the lead singer and songwriter, was dead chuffed with the new design and says they'll be badges soon. Cool. Their myspace is here so if you like The Stooges then they might your kind of thing!

Mr Goose and Friend

I've drawn a goose with top hat and monocle before over a year ago ( click here to have a peek if you want to!).
The dragon stuffie template is drawn and I really want to start making it, but I need to be brave about making the initial scissor cuts into my worn out flowery shirt. I've even ordered some eyes for toy-making and I should get them once the post strike has settled down. I'm excited!

Post #100!

I can't believe it! My one hundredth post! I have met so many creative people through blogger, it's great! When I look back at my past posts, I've made and doodled all-sorts. My output has been forming and morphing a little sporadically. Who knows what I'll be doing once I get to post 200!

Well I know I said I'd sew a dragon plushie, and I intend too! But I got sidetracked and got my paints out instead and created a couple of ACEOs.

Unicorn toy

Following with the mythological creature theme... I've made a unicorn stuffie. I've used the same pattern as the pegasus, but omitted the wings and added a unicorn. I'm itching to make a dragon next, but I am running out of felt! Time to replenish my supplies of alternatively try crafting with a different type of material. I have an old flowery cotton shirt that is pretty tatty and beyond repair but the pattern on the material is fab, so that might do the trick.

Paisley

A little assortment of paisley designs. Frilly and teardrop shaped. Apparently some Americans call it a "Persian Pickle".

Pegasus Toy

This guy was so much fun to sew! I really need to invest in some small black child safety eyes for toys though... It's not great gluing felt eyes on these critters. Not only is it fiddly, it's not safe for kids. His furry mane and tail is pretty but fly-away too. When I cut the trim there were feathers flying all over the flat.

Dinosaur Toy

Another plush creature, this one a dinosaur of the diplodocus variety. I've sewn some blue beads on his back. He has a slender neck and tail. He is 6 inches tall and 5.5 inches long.

ORIGIN modern Latin, from diplo- [double] + Greek dokos ‘wooden beam.’

Polar Bear Cub Toy

This is a little polar bear cub that I've just finished today. I got some pattern ideas for 3D soft toys from a craft book I found in a charity shop. "The Splendid Soft Toy Book" was printed in 1978 and gives loads of tips on how to take profile illustrations of animals and convert them into toys that can stand on their own 4 feet. So I decided on a polar bear cub as I am drawing lots of these in my day job at the moment. I can't wait to try making all sorts of animals using this method!