Bah Humbug!

My friend Miss Bev was telling me that all religious celebrations have been cancelled at her school.  Apparently there is one child in the school who is a Jehovah Witness and his mother refuses him standing for "O, Canada" each morning, because of the phrase "we stand on God for thee".  The child has to sit in a corner, which you have to think will do wonders for his self-esteem!  Also, there can be NO religious holidays at school, no decorations, activities, stories etc., Halloween, Christmas, Easter, Diwali, Samhain etc.  So the children can't be educated about the different religious beliefs from around the world, can't be given the opportunity to be introduced to tolerance, they will only learn that fun is no longer taught at school.  Besides, I thought that Jehovah Witnesses were Christians given that the Watchtower is based on the bible.

End of rant.

I have been busy since last I posted.

Another Fairy Cat which is already with his new person Stephanie.  She described the fairy cats to me and was thrilled with this little guy.

I also made a grumpy cat.

Here's a pic of the original, just so you can compare.

 

Have a happy day!

Stumpwork and a new Project

I mentioned stumpwork in my last post.  Wikipedia says: Stumpwork is a style of embroidery where the stitched figures are raised from the surface of the work to form a 3-dimensional effect. 

There are some great books on the subject. I have two: The Complete Book of Stumpwork Embroidery by Jane Nicholas, and Beginner's Guide to Stumpwork by Kay Dennis, and there are articles on the net as well.  Its just a question of finding a source that works for you.

One form of stumpwork uses wire edging to create a flexible, dimensional effect. 

Really effective for pansy petals.

Or for a hellebore or Christmas Rose.  

 

  

Another form of stumpwork is raised embroidery.  In this case a layer of needlelace is worked over a stitched base.  Attached at the sides and top, but open at the bottom to create the dimensionality. 

 



 

So the reason behind my ramblings on stumpwork, is that I have been using stumpwork to embroider a set of wings for my new project.

The wings are attached to a burgundy cat.




He is the first in a series of Cat Fairies.  He has silver grey eyes and spectacular stumpwork embroidered wings. 

I'm really pleased with how he turned out.

What do you think?

Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit

Having told you about my Etsy shop I realised I really should show you some of the softies I've put up for sale.

 

This girl is so cute with her lilac swing coat and ribbon embroidered hat.

 

This tan fellow has an embroidered waistcoat that to me is vaguely Swiss.

 

 

A handsome black fellow with a mustard waistcoat.

 

 

This handsome chap has a quilted waistcoat.

 

So, if you have a spare moment please go to Etsy and have a look at hettyjeandesigns.

 

I am working on a new design at the moment, and I'm very excited about this new softie as it incorporates embroidery and stumpwork. 

 

"Stumpwork embroidery is a raised form of embroidery created on one background and transferred to another, ground fabric, and is three-dimensional through the use of padding, beads, wire and/or needle lace stitches. "  - Jeanmarie Bruccia, from Jenny June's Fancy Work.   

 

I have done stumpwork before and find it really interesting.  Here is a rose I made using stumpwork.

 

 

As you can see, the petals are covered with stitches of different shades of pink, and the wire enclosed at the edges allows them to be shaped to create a natural curve.  So pretty. 

 

Time to get back to my stitching.

 

Have a happy day!



 

So Excited

Ok, so having banged on yesterday about how the excitement has gone out of birthdays, today I have a WHOOP WHOOP  event to share.  Not a new dog, but a new shop. 

Yey, I've hung a shingle out on Etsy and listed my dragons, tiger, T-Rex, rabbits and rooster.  This is another brave new world, and I can't wait to see how it goes.  I wonder how long until I make a sale.  I'll let you know of course.

I'm one of those people who team songs to situations:

I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it,

I'm about to loose control and I think I like it!

 

Now, being a woman of "a certain age", the loosing control reminds me of the joke: I laughed so hard, tears ran down my legs!

I was saying yesterday about how Bea sleeps around, well at this moment she's where she was yesterday.

Earlier today she was the other side of the cabinet; which contains the stereo, beside the sofa.

I think I told you that Bea was a rescue dog.  Here's a picture of her 4 years ago.

 

 



 

Poor baby looks so sad.  They had shaved her down to her skin which is very pink with black spots!  Even her tail had been shaved, and her poor paws were brown where she'd chewed and worried at them.

 

 

 

Who says dogs don't smile!

 

Well, 4pm and I still haven't picked up a needle today.  Time to get back to work.

 

Have a happy day!

New Dragon Softie

Wow, I can't believe its the end of August already.  School holidays finish here next Tuesday after our Labour Day holiday on Monday, and in England most schools return on Monday.  However, the end of the holidays does not mean the end of summer (even if they are selling fall chrysanthemums in the shops already!). 

The evenings are starting to get darker, but personally I love September.  I love when the air starts to become crisp especially after a period of humidity such as we are currently experiencing.  I love the smell of wood smoke.  After the ice storm we had on 12 April this year (that's Pete's birthday hence my ability to remember the date) we have a huge store of chopped wood, Pete's chainsaw had a real workout!  

September is also laden with birthdays in our family, my Dad, cousin, favourite aunt, nephew, and, oh yes, me!  Birthdays together with summer holidays always held a special tingly air, the thrilling anticipation of being on the threshold of something new and exciting.  Now there is no longer that youthful anticipation, no longer the question of whether it heralds the feeling of being different, of knowing that extra year has clicked past.  Instead there is the pleasure of new memories made, of new ideas imagined and projects to be commenced.

I received my best ever birthday present four years ago.  Bea, the Shih Tzu, has a strange habit of sleeping in corners.  She actually likes to sleep around generally, despite having  beds in most rooms in the house.  In this picture you can see that she has wedged herself between the wall and the cabinet.  Strange little thing!




I have not been idle, I have been working on a new dragon.  I love dragons and my latest softie is a lilac punk. 

I do hope you love her as much as I do.  I don't generally name my softies as I feel their new owners' should have that choice.  However, this lady to me is Lilabeth.  I will be setting up my own shop on Etsy shortly, and my dragons will be featured there.

Have a happy day!

Fifi

There are occasionally times when something happens that makes you despair.  When my daughter's family returned from a holiday they found their little black and white cat in the back garden, a poor pathetic pain-ridden thing.  Fifi had dragged herself to the shed which was her outdoor sanctuary.  She had been paralysed in her rear legs and had to be put down.  The paralysis was caused by having been shot.  Some creature had decided to use a cat for target practice. 

I would not use the word 'beastly' or 'bestial' to describe this act, because in nature only humans kill for "fun".  I find it really hard to vocalise how truly appalling I find this person and what they have done. 

When Louise asked me to memorialise Fifi by making a softie of her, I was honoured.  She is now completed and will be winging her way to England with all the love and sympathy in my heart.

Mice on parade

I prepared five mice with different faces, just to show how you can create different personalities using different items.  As they lay there, it struck me as just too funny.  I got my cutting pad out as it presents the measurement element.

Remind you of anything?

 

 

Definitely a warped sense of humour!! 

 

Here's a different view of my little guys.  First left has black bead eyes, a pink embroidered mouth and black mouth.  Second Left has black embroidered eyes, nose and mouth.  Centre has embroidered brown eyes, brown embroidered nose and mouth.  Right of Centre has green button eyes, a green button nose and black embroidered mouth.  Second Right of Centre has black embroidered eyes and mouth, and pink embroidered nose.



 





 

They all have different charms, although I have to say the pink button nose looks like a pig's nose!  My preference is for black embroidered eyes and pink nose.