Canine Brief Encounter a Woolly Cocker and Door Signs for Christmas

Have been travelling quite a bit of late, and so alas the blog has suffered. But no I have a few moments to catch up with bits and pieces...

Poor Frank is Broken Hearted...

A couple of weeks ago now, walking through a meadow near the house early one morning I spied a black dog in the distance. Dog owners don't often stop to chat in these parts and this time was no different. The owner was intent on walking away from us, and tugged hard on the lead, but the black dog kept on turning back to look at Frank the dog. No matter how hard they tugged, that dog was not going to move, and my pair were all wags and barks, so there was nothing for it. Breaking all rules of Swedish reserve and dog walking ettiquette we approached on another, like an old western movie. Frank and the black dog who looked like his dopple ganger, but all in black, whooped and played like old friends. Maggie looked on baffled. It turned out that the black dog was a rescue dog from Romania, just like Frank. We wondered if they recognised it in each other, they were really smitten. 

Time ticked by, and we had to move on, and so we each pulled our dogs away and went on our way, without an exchange of address or mail. And here's the thing, every morning since Frank drags me to the meadow, sniffs at every corner, and looks in forlornly at every nearby driveway, looking for her, the one... I am minded on the Madness track "I never knew your name" and wonder if Frank hums it to himself as he plays sentinel looking out of our kitchen window..

Woolly Friends for Christmas

Standing around a fire at Guy Fawkes Night in November I met someone who was really missing her old dog, a black Cocker Spaniel and I mentioned that have been known to make the odd dog, and I tried to make her a likeness. So, that is where it began.... 

I really enjoyed making this one, "mini-Maggie" I have called her and she is on her way to Malmo to her new home. She was modelled on my Maggie, and I think that you will be able to see the Cocker likeness.  

I don't know if you have tried it, but doing curly haired dogs is always a challenge, and yet the curls are the thing that makes the animal look just right. I tried needle felting wool onto the boiled wool body but no joy... 

So.... to get the ears and lovely Cocker chest right I used lamb's fur from an old hat, and the new hand made hand felted eyes. The weight of the ears and the hang is just what I wanted. 

Her sitting pose is a new one, and I designed the pattern using inspiration from Abby Glassenberg and her ideas on how to make sitting, (or in this case slouching) animals.   

Good luck Mini Maggie, and I look forward to doing this combination again. 

Stenciled Door Sign

Finally, here is the latest effort from me using the Cameo Silhouette. I ummed and arred for ages about how to do the hand, before opting simply to cut and stick it onto the matt black background and stencil the letters. As ever the vintage hand image came from the graphic fairy and I used standard Cameo fonts for the letters.     

Keepsake for a Friend and Playing Around with Old Photos

Keepsake for a Friend

A few weeks back now we all sat in a huddle and tried to think of the best sort of present for one of our number who was going to upsticks from Sweden and live in France for good. Agreeing that she probably has all she needed on the house ware department and was more focused on getting rid of stuff rather than accumilating we decided that a "Novelty Item" would do the trick. Chortles aside, we decided on the straighforward idea of a patchwork basket that displayed our lovely faces on, so our friend could never forget us (even if she wanted to) !!  

Vintage Clip Art and Photoshop

I had the task of finding a suitable vintage image to stick our heads on, and went to my usual haunt, the Graphic Fairy for an image.  This little number seemed to do the trick! 

Mr C gave some of his photoshop secrets away about the eraser tool and most importantly the "undo" button when it all goes pear shaped!(and the following tutorial  helped).  I used the Quick Select Tool to cut the head off.... and the same technique to stick my head on top....

Just eight more heads to go then ! Keep you posted with the final results. 

Stencil Wood Sign

I've still got the Cameo Silhouette cutting bug, and I picked up this scrappy piece of wood on the beach a while ago that I thought would be great for a stencil cut using the Silhouette. I wanted to use an extract from the poem written by Bessie Anderson Stanley in 1904 called "Success". I worried that it wouldn't quite fit, but it did in the end thankfully! 

I used the tutorial on the Silhouette site to work out how to make stencil letters without the middles falling out of the "e" and "o" s etc. I know it isn't exactly perfect, but I think I like the look. I used Acrylic paint and finished it with lime wax for a soft shine. 

I have lots of ideas to make some more, and sitting in the garden, stencil brush in hand, is the perfect place to be at the moment.  

    

Subway Art and Birthday Banners

Just back after a wonderful month away in South West France, where the roses were perhaps the best ever ( do I say that every year?) and we enjoyed sunshine and rain in equal measure. One nearby village was completely flooded out, thankfully it passed us by.  

Shrub roses in their hundreds growing around the archway.

Beautiful shaded footpath, lined with roses. 

Back home now, here are the projects that I took with me...

Making a point... SUBWAY ART. 

Confession time... I treated my self to a Cameo Silhouette plotter last year, and I am ashamed to say that for the first 6 months it sat its box, reproaching me for not using it. This year, resolute to use it, I came across some great Subway Art tutorials by Debbie over at the Painted Therapy blog, and gave it a go. I followed her instructions, but I couldn't find printed contrast sheet here, so I used a highlighter pen to colour the clear plastic instead. The most difficult bit was getting the levels right, but I am quite happy with the result. 

 
It was made for a friend, a memory board of all her favourite places. 

The Cameo is so flexible it can cut paper and fabric as well, and I am thinking of many more ways to use it   (they didn't pay me to say that!). 

Birthday Banner

Next, my Friend Jo made this Birthday banner for me made from paper and cardboard using her machine.

  
Can't resist including a photo of Maggie the little Cocker and my stash of vintage French linen, oh yes, and more roses in the background.

Happy 1st May ! and hoping for Summer !

I turn the page on the Calendar and it says "May" and in all kinds of calendars that means Summer is just around the corner. Around these parts, May 1st is "VALBORG" and that means as far as I can see, collecting up all the old branches and trees that fall during the winter months, putting them in one big pile, and setting fire to them, while singing a happy song with your friends and neighbours. This is what we did last night, on the eve of Valborg... 

This was on the dunes about 100 meters from the sea, a small procession walked from the church to the beach with lit flares held by very small children.... it all went without a hitch.  Song sheets were given out and a little choir of locals sang out while most around chomped on hot dogs and drank Coke and gazed wistfully at the bonfire hoping for a good Summer! I forgot to mention that most were dressed in duvet type ski jackets, hats and gloves because it was so very cold. 

One of my favourite artists, Inge Look from Finland have just issued a May day card to celebrate the day, showing a May Day that I would like to be at. They've got frocks on rather than ski jackets for one thing. You can order her Calendars and cards even if you don't live in Scandinavia, just drop them a line.  

Mr Mole gets some new boots...
I finished Mr Mole a while ago, and something was missing, no feet or should I say paws. Well, this week I have finally put things right and given him a wonderful pair of wool boots and pipe cleaners inserted into his legs so that he can be a bit more mobile. 

I think he likes them... 

Springtime Picnics

New "Grab-it" Button for my blog
You may have noticed that I have increased my focus on updating this blog, and putting a few gadgets to make it easy and fun to use. Well, I have long admired the "grab-it" buttons  on my favourite blogs like My Repurposed Life and today I learnt how to make one. I would not have a chance without good free online tutorials like the Code It Pretty blog - Thank you Karen ! 

Picnic, Bucket and Spades....

Blue skies at last, and a bright ( if not warm) sun bring everyone out of doors, clearing the garden, dusting off the garden furniture and even heading for the beach ( here are least). Which brings to mind this lovely print from a French Women's Magazine from 1949, that I found at a French Brocante last summer.  I just noticed that the magazine was for the month of July... oh well,  there's no harm in hoping is there...  

If this inspires you to get your picnic kit ready, I have founds  a few great free tutorials to make vinyl backed blankets at The Cottage Home and super stylish picnic baskets by Juneberry Lane  which are otherwise so expensive to buy. Happy Picnic-ing.  

New Designs for Spring

Dogs, dogs, dogs, Oh I am obsessed from time to time with ways to improve my doggy socks, to stand better, to be more "huggable". I blame the annual Crufts show for this madness. Rarely does one get the chance to see so many weird and wonderful dog breeds in one place. I do realize that this is about a million miles away from Dogs Trust that I regularly support, but I was smitten by this years winner.. a "Petite Basset Griffon" . I think that our Mutt Frank must have some of those genes in him ! 
So... moving swiftly onto my new designs:
 These are the proto-types for you  to peruse and any feedback is welcome. These guys have longer more expressive ears, hand painted eyes, and a more fixed /stable body shape... Not sure about the new body. 

Fasterbo Handmade Craft Fair

   What a wonderful Saturday.... the sun was out and about all the day, and the ever present breeze was taking a vacation too, or s it seemed. To top it all, the creative folk in Fasterbo organised the first summer craft fair on the green by the old Station. The only criteria for entry was that all items for sale had to be hand made by the stall holders themselves, so no scope for commercial mass production here. (Mr C helped with these shots as ever)... 

Paintings inspired by the beach....

Hand made clothes.. I used that material to make a skirt last year, but think this coat and hat set looks the best!

Traditional Skane clogs

Here's hoping that the organisers and stall holders get together again for another event next year....

And finally, not at the fair, but at the near by Second Hand clothes shop... I couldn't resist snapping these shoes and boots....

The only down point on an otherwise wonderful day was that as we left the scenic and pretty  village of Fasterbo, the car exhaust chose to drop off the old Volvo landing us back to earth  and reality with a bump. 
                 Coming soon. my slowest upholstery project...

Christmas Craft Market.. and the consequences

Last Sunday, as the weather forecasters were saying a hurricane was going to hit town in the afternoon I was packing the car with my sock creatures, felted dogs and leggy bookmarks to take my place at the Oresunquiltarna Christmas Market.

A bit nervous at first, (this is just my second market) I managed to set out the stall and in the end had a great day. Loads of friendly happy people stopped by and many of my little creatures went on their way to a new life...

but alas, alas, Mole was left behind. People picked him up, gave him a squeeze, said he was sweet in a sad kind of way, but put him back. Poor Mole, I think I'll have to make him a companion to keep him company on these cold winter nights... Sorry Mole. 

Argyle - felt & wool doorstop with golfing attitude

In my last post you met Edward Woodyard my first door stop creation and I am pleased to tell you that he has moved on to a permanent home not far from here, where he stands guard in the hallway. I can't get the dog doorstop thing out of my mind and so I just had to make another one. I changed his body construction and feet and added a tasty Argyle patterned jumper that instantly turned the fellow into a golfer. I can't believe that it took three attempts to get a final face I was happy with, and three broken felting needles later, here he is......      

After a stiff talking to...  he even agreed to sit next to me for a photo. 

Little Black Dog

The Black dog......
I read a thoughtful book this summer - Mr Chartwell by Rebecca Hunt. If such a thing is possible, it gave a positive take on depression and manic depression and the relationship between the person and their "pet" called depression.  Put the serious angle away for a moment and if you get the chance to read it, and you own or have owned a dog... her descriptions of Mr Chartwell's mannerisms are wonderful, spot on. You can almost smell the dog as you read about him.. wonderful.

Anyway, that good book inspired me to finish this long planned Black Dog sort of door stop creature. I used boiled black felt, wool felt, large tin can, fibre padding and cat litter to finish the job. I used wool felt to cover over the stitching and it worked quite well. I am quite happy with the finished dude, but think there is more work to do on his neck next time around.

 He sits proudly in front of our newly stacked winter wood, and so I think he has to be called Edward.. Woodyard as he looks way to lighthearted to be called Mr Chartwell.

Autumn Arts & Crafts

After the languid slowness of August when many are away and the bright ( or at least bright-ish) blue skies, fine sand and gentle sea make me more than just a bit lazy. Grand plans to explore Sweden outside Skane recede to be replaced by trips to the Tirups Herb Garden to buy some wonderful Eau de Cologne mint ( before it is too late to plant) and produce and enjoy a coffee and cake on the way, pausing briefly to admire the garden sculptures and make a mental note to do the concrete sculpture class there one day....

 Autumn is in the wings, and with it the arrival of craft and art events here and further afield. This weekend Malmo City will host both a Handmade Craft Market and late night gallery night. On this weekend, the old centre of the city will not close down at 3 or 4 O'clock as is the norm in these parts, but instead galleries and some museums will throw open their doors. I tried to get to the event last year, but howling gales and rain kept me away. Fingers crossed for this weekend.  

On the home front, Maggie the cocker is settling in well, growing in confidence every day, so much so that she runs up and down wooden planks in the "agility dog park" and allows us to photograph her wearing her beads..