Finally, I can reveal...

my glorious SQUIRREL! I have been holding him back for months waiting to finish and then waiting to be able to give him to my friend Chris. But now I need wait no longer! She was very pleased with him and I was very pleased to have made her so happy. Voila! Mr. Jasper J. Fairweather III, as she named him. Bask in his glory! Chris enjoying her new friend. He's a jaunty fellow. Saying goodbye to his Swedish girlfriend.Now he's ready to go to his new home.

Jasper was knit from Fuzzy Mitten's chipmunk pattern with wool and eye lash yarn.

How to Shear a Sheep in Sixty Easy Steps.

I recently went to watch some UC Berkeley grad students learn to shear sheep at a nearby agro research station. My brother-in-law works there for Fish and Game and has always encouraged me to come up for the excitement. Well, this year I finally managed to do it. Now I have my own bag of sheared wool and am going to endeavor to make my own yarn. I have no idea how much yarn I will get out of this one small bag, but it will be exciting to try it!
Here's a glimpse of the day.

Today's Silhouette Binge.

I have recently become obsessed with silhouettes. I had made a couple about five years ago, free hand of my dog and cat. I placed them in fancy gold frames, but no one ever seemed to get the joke. Oh well, I made my self laugh at least.

But today I was in need of some quick crafting and had been trying not to buy over priced silhouettes off eBay. So I decided to make these for my nieces.

Group shot of African animal silhouettes, hand cut. Not bad for a second attempt!










This elephant is my favorite! I imagine him to be un ami of Babar. Can practically hear him speaking French.









Monsieur Leon. He feels this photo doesn't do him justice. His mane comes off too...Rastafarian but his muzzle is actually pretty good close up.











Giraffe lacks...sparkle?












His Lordship, Sir Rhino of Cold Higham.











Amelia loved them so much she had to make her own version.

Etsy freak out

Last night I wasted 3 hours of sleep time looking at paper dolls on Etsy. I know! Who knew? They CAN be so awesome! I put an unreasonable number of items in my favorites. As with most Etsy searches I ran across several other items I adore! Most especially ART DOLLS! People make these amazing dolls from ooak, whatever that is. I like when they make dolls with a twist. As you shall see:

www.etsy.com/shop/woolandwater

www.etsy.com/shop/ANichelleDesign

www.etsy.com/shop/AppleHillDolls

Ducks and geese and chicks better scurry

Ms. Mittens has been kind enough to offer her chick pattern for free on her website and inspired this little fella. They knit up super fast, so I hope to make several for my nieces Easter presents. The pattern calls for little felt beaks and embroidered eyes. I'm looking forward to using the pattern to make little brown birds for Autumn. Maybe even knit birds for my Christmas tree? In gold lamé?


Pattern can be found at http://blog.fuzzymitten.com/2009/04/spring-chick.html

Look what I made today!

It's supposed to be an anemone but I used some scraps of bamboo, cotton and acrylic I had, so the colors are off. I love it!

Incomplete


Complete!

Scattered brained!

I have become really preoccupied with making stuff lately and that can be good, but have ended up with so many different projects going at once that I am not focusing on anything.

For example: a sweater for my niece Amelia

A doll from my new Itty Bitty Toys book (these are her angora legs)

Dabbling in embroidery after like...12 years?

Keeping my nieces busy as their nanny by doing PROJECTS!

Trying to keep up with my friend M'K so that when we meet for our knit-o-ramas I'm not entirely behind!

And...trying to finish up my amazing squirrel, from Fuzzy Mittens, so I can give her away!

Create what?

What I love most about creating is the giving away. The plotting to please a special someone and anticipating their happiness then finally presenting the item and watching their reaction. Currently I am making a cardigan for my niece, a stuffed lamb for her for Easter, plotting a teddy bear for an old friend's first baby, trying to write a pattern for stuffed knitted mushrooms (it's about time isn't it?), and waiting on the finishing touches for a surprise present for a friend. I can't wait to be able to give these somethings that I've toiled over away as a token of my affection.

Newly discovered loves?
~itty-bitty toys by Susan B. Anderson

~The Cast Away, a new knit shop near my home town.

~The Creative Home by Amanda Blake Soule. Her blog, SouleMama, is linked here. I seriously yearn for the day when I can make things for my own babies and build a home around my Creator and His creation.

For starters

This is Ignatius, he is pugnacious and freakin' adorable! He is my first knitted toy. Well, second really. My first attempt was a green worm with eyes and antenna for my niece Maureen's first birthday. She fell in love with Iggy when I was making him and so he lives with her now as well.

Iggy is a Fuzzy Mittens pattern. I love her stuff because the patterns are so cute and easy to follow. I am currently making another creature, but he will have to stay a secret for now.