As if.......

I haven't got enough of these in my house already...

But this one won't be getting the cobweb brush treatment 

Oh Crochet does make me smile 

(and yes I have just noticed that the picture above the door needs straightening ;p) 

Spring Hasn't Sprung...

So my Green Man is still feeling a bit autumnal! Regular visitors to my blog will know I have a bit of a penchant for Green Men - usually you only see their head - well they do have bodies!

I have had a bit of a rocky start to The Book of Ruination course I am doing with Andy Skinner - the technique he is teaching is great but I didn't know where I wanted to take it - my first attempt was on a wooden box where I did the base layer but then I became well and truly stuck at what to do next, so that was cast to one side and I cast my eyes around my stash in the garage to find something that inspired me

I picked up a few of these plastic torsos from my local scrapbox store for 50p each a while ago and like a lot of things in my stash they were put aside until 'the right time' 

This I think was the right time!

The store also had some test-tubes for sale , which make a wonderful specimen vase for a single rose - though I will make something that can sit in there when I don't have any fresh flowers 

The leaves on his left shoulder were some diecuts I picked up (again from the store) that had been cut in the most garish colours you can imagine - who cares when you are going to paint over them?

The autumn leaves were cut from old tomato paste tubes - as well as recycling I refuse to use my precious metal sheets on something that will be painted within an inch of its life. 

And a lesson in never throwing anything out.. I found some skeleton leaves that I bought when I started making cards - never used them, kept them and hey presto they good great here.. you may be able to spy them on the right hand side 

Now - HANDS UP who was thinking of making a rude comment about the 'broomstick' propping him up? Its actually our Heath Robinson welly boot holder outside the back door!

I may as well share a couple of snaps of the 'book' I started, it lives in hope of being added to but I doubt it ever will be - I'm a bit tired of skeletons, freaky, steampunk which I think this technique naturally does lean towards, after going off at a tangent and picking up a hook, my Rhino just made my heart sing and I realised that although I like most things I make a lot just wasn't making me smile and chuckle - we all need a chuckle a day !

But Arnold my Green Man makes me smile, so all is good in the world 

Let's Be Honest

Apart from these baby casts I did this week (how cute are baby hands?) I haven't picked up a paint pot for months, moved over to balls and hooks... now lets discover why shall we?

* Is it because there is lots of good stuff on TV that i don't want to miss??        No
* Is it because its nice to sit by the fire during this everlasting winter??               Partly but we do have central heating in other rooms!
* Is it because my son has taken over the studio/office with a sudden urge to do his homework ... ??? err that's a definite NO!!!
* Is it because I have been totally inspired by clever hookers??   Well I have but that's not the full reason
* Is it because my craft room has got into such a state that I couldn't even bear to go into the room, never mind tidy it up??   Ummmmm YES, that will be the reason! I have been so embarrassed about it I haven't even shared my room om WOYWW... and that's saying something because I have shared it before in a dreadful state

But Friday heralded the start of another Andy Skinner online course, to which I signed up for the day it was released months ago when maybe the room was usable (or maybe not!) The fact that I started my project sitting at the kitchen table last night and struggling to unearth the stash I needed, prompted me to buckle down today and sort the room out!

I can now sit at my desk.... whoopee!!! So watch this space, I'm on a Book of Ruination roll and will soon be Rocking My Book

Sir Montgomery The Miffed,,,

Meet Montgomery.. Sir Monty to his friends, 

He looks rather miffed don't you think? Well I suppose you would to if your head was hung on the wall and you could do nothing but stare at a multi-coloured rhino opposite you!

I think he is rather handsome and distinguished though

again this is a pattern by Mrs Talented Pepika

These are the only two faux taxidermy ones on her site (lots more other lovely patterns though) and I want to make a stag and the once disparaging DD wants a unicorn, so I guess I will have to make up my own patterns!! (runs away slightly scared)

Now just waiting for Matt to make some plinths for my little beauties to be mounted onto

Say Hello to Roma

Here is the answer to my last 'Can you guess what it is yet' Its Roma the Rhino. I love faux taxidermy - rather realistic don't you think? Could almost be the real thing :p ....

The reason she is called Roma is because my Mum's best friend was called Roma, and I spent many a happy hour watching them both Crochet/Knit or stitch away, whilst patiently helping a ham-fisted small child (me) to make her wonky crochet square less wonky - so it's a bit of a tribute to her, although I doubt if she would like a Rhino being named after her, but she would like the finished article I'm sure.

Anyway back to Woolly Roma, I love her - even my teenage daughter who was very disparaging about me making a rhino to hang on the wall (all parents of teenage girls will know the 'oh Mum you are losing it' body language) came home and said 'Actually that is really cool' which is high praise from DD !

Her ears are a bit lopsided, which I was going to change, but OH rather likes them like that cos it makes her look 'quirky' er........ is she not already quirky LOL

I have now purchased the pattern for the Moose, so watch this space!

Now this is an interesting one, I bought the pattern fair and square over the internet as a PDF file (link below) someone has asked if they could have the pattern, to which I said no, I can't/won't pass it on - but gave her the link to buy her own, passing it on is stealing from the artist who created the pattern. BUT thinking about it, if I had it in a book, or purchased the paper pattern from my local wool shop, then I probably would lend it to someone without thinking twice. Its the same as telling people to sign up for Andy Skinner's online class if they want to learn the techniques I have learnt from him, but I have lent technique books to my arty pals - and borrowed them ... just thinking.. double standards or is it different??

Anyway I am rambling and you probably want to know where I got these fabulous patterns 

Check out this clever lady http://www.pepika.com

Can You Guess what It Is Yet??

 Come on admit it, who said that in their best Rolf Harris voice?? If you didn't then why not??
Here is my lovely wooden bowl, made by my brother, filled with lots of luscious bits and pieces, bet you can guess what its going to be.. clue?? I am rather ahead of myself!
This project is totally inspired by Lucy of Attic24 but with a few different elements than she used.

One different bit is these lovely cute Owls. The pattern was kindly shared online by Bunny mummy - so easy and quick to do you wouldn't believe.

If you haven't guessed what they are all in aid of, this will give you the ultimate clue

Not sure this Daffodil is entirely suitable for this particular project, but I just happen to love Daff's so why not? But then I may just crochet a few more and make myself a vase of year round loveliness 

Thank you June for this pattern 

and finally... a totally different WIP... now can you guess what this is yet???

Thank you for reading about my woolly gorgeousness - I am rather obsessed atm, but I really must get inky painty messy again soon.. Well I am soon starting another course with Sir Andy Skinner so I am sure I soon will be .. but in the meanwhile, where's my hook gone? 

Oh Balls.....

What is it with 11 year old boys? My son has been sniggering as only small boys can all week just because I asked him if he like my balls.... I, of course have no idea what he finds so funny.....

I am not sporty at all but I love playing with my balls... (more guffaws, someone please explain!)

I do think I am becoming very obsessed... 

Actually, can you be very obsessed? are there degrees of obsession. or are you obsessed or not obsessed? 

- just wondering. 

I will ponder that while I make another ball

Blooming Hooked

Hey its not a cushion.... Again this another project inspired by by Attic24, and I love it!

This project and taught me to love what I make. I have spent years being afraid to admit I actually like/love what I make. It's too easy to think people think you are being big headed - its taken me too long to admit to myself the fear of this is just as bad as being falsely modest about stuff. If you don't like your own stuff then why should you expect anyone else to like it? 

So yes I do love this, the colours bring a little bit of joy to my heart.. well actually they bring a lot of joy to my heart and make me smile. I hope you are smiling today.
This is the sort of thing my mum would have made and taught people to make, I am so grateful she gave me her creative gene and thankful she share her knowledge with me before she died. 

Right.. whats next?? I haven't been inky/painty for ages now, wool seems to have taken over.. maybe its an excuse not to tidy up my craft room, wool can be manipulated next to the roaring fire, which is another bonus in the winter months!

I am a Hooker.....

No other word for me atm... I am getting a bit obsessed and its largely due to the wonderful legacy my mum left me.. she was rarely seen without a needle, a pair of knitting needles or a crochet hook in her hand and the wonderful enthusiasm of another hooker I have recently come across via the internet Lucy aka Attic24

Here is another cushion , this time in a ripple stitch, lots of colour going on on my sofa atm! 

Well that's enough rippling for a while - tomorrow I will post another project I have been working on and have just finished, too late now to take a photo, but it is luscious if I say so myself - and its not a cushion!

Playing Hooky..

Well one Crocheted Cushion looks rather lonely on my sofa, so I had to make another.. problem is I have two sofas and now the other sofa looks rather forlorn.

Regular visitors to my blog will have realised I have a short attention span and get bored by repetition, so I couldn't make a regular granny square cushion, so each square is different. Some are of my own invention but others are from patterns posted on the wonderful Internet, crafty people are such wonderful sharers!

Snow Day Crochet

Oh dear - Us Brits have had a few cm's of snow and we have come to a complete standstill - so what better excuse to I need to curl up in front of the fire with my sore throat and earache and crochet away to my hearts content? I found this lovely pattern via www.ravelry.com which is a treasure trove if you like to knit/crochet.

This pattern was kindly shared by Lucy @ Attic24  

Lucy has the most scrumptious blog - but be warned dont look if you only have a few minutes to spare, you need to make a cuppa and cut yourself a slice of cake and settle down for a while!

The cushion looks lovely on my sofa but a bit lonely so I think I better go and search out another pattern !

Jar of Joy

I saw this idea and immediately thought what a lovely idea it was - basically throughout the year you pop in a short message with something that brought you joy that day - then on New's Year you open it and relive all those lovely memories - for instance yesterday I wrote about a fabulous walk we had with The Friday Friends and dogs which turned into a game of stuck in the mud.. literally! 
You can use any receptacle but of course I had to alter a jar!

A little bit of the Jar left unpainted so we can see it filling up!

And if you are wondering how muddy it was..

And here is some more pure joy, my daughter, son, and baby nephew

Precious times!

Wow its 2013....

and I haven't blogged since 2012! like everybody I was very busy before Christmas and now its back to normal and a new year of delicious creativeness.

I was kept busy before Christmas casting a lot of hands and feet - unfortunately in the rush to get orders out I didn't take many photos and the ones I did take weren't very good but you get the general impression (oh a pun!) I hope as they were handed over (oh another) on Christmas day they were well received and maybe I have my foot (and a third) in the door of a small business

also did a couple of Green Men as presents for people I love

For those of you who have seen my work desk in all its messy creative glory in the past- let me tell you, you have seen NOTHING! it is covered in clay plaster paint and Christmas detritus, completely unreachable until I have the energy to tidy it up, but that didn't stop my fingers twitching over the holidays, not wanting to move far from the fire, TV, jar of Stilton, Christmas cake and chocolates I decided to get my crochet hook out for a change and make myself a tea cosy. I had to laugh when my OH said 'thats rather weird' after all the other stuff he finds appearing out of my room, he chooses this to call weird!

I followed a pattern from Loani Prior's book 'Wild Tea Cosies' but it has my own twist on it

However Edward seems to prefer it as a hat!

 Now off for a walk on the beach on this glorious sunny start to 2013, so I wish you all a very Happy  Creative New Year.

The HAPPY part depends on you, so start with a smile and let go of all the baggage from last year and start fresh you'll do great.

 

Getting Plastered on a regular basis

Another couple of casts from Sir Skinners Outcasts course I have been doing for the last few weeks - totally addicted!

This one was going to be a paperweight but turned into a tealight holder - was hoping for a nice greasy looking industrial bit and I am happy with the results

This is a wall plaque - using a copper verdigris effect that I learnt from Andy's Timeworn course (yep I wholeheartedly recommend peeps doing all his courses!)

Writing this post whilst waiting for a workman to turn up, itching to get back into my craftroom but I cant really answer the door covered in plaster can I?? Hurry up Mr Man!

You Need Hands..

to hold a little baby ..... OK so who is singing and who is too young to even know what song that is?

This is a cast taken of both my BIL and his baby Noah's hands.. what a lovely long lifeline my lovely nephew has.. I will remind him about how lovely and small his hands were when he is pushing old Aunty Nic around in her wheelchair

and dont worry he hasnt got huge feet in comparison, this is a friends little boy's foot

and one for the girls

As Miranda's mother would say  'this stuff I call plaster is such fun....'