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Thankyou!

Thankyou so much for your lovely comments about Nell doll. I'm quite blown away, and really appreciate your lovely words and support. Really. I'm not very good at saying thanks without undignified and excessive gushing, so in short: thankyou. You guys rock! :)

The past few days in a list:
- Audrey and I both have (another!) cold.
- We went to Littlewood Farm on the weekend, and bought a huge bag of cheap agapanthus. Onward low-maintenance garden!
- Audrey is toilet training. She trotted off to childcare this morning sans nappy for the first time. We're very proud, and very relieved... her third birthday is just around the corner and we were starting to wonder if it might never happen. But no turning back now - yay, Auds!

The little doll up top is named Florence and I have popped her in my shop with a few other bunnies and a kitten.

Have a good Wednesday, everyone!

Nell

A couple of months ago, a lovely woman named Julie contacted me to see if I would be interested in making a doll in the likeness of the main protagonist from her new children's book, Knitting Nell. I absolutely jumped at the idea (children's books and soft toys colliding? Can you imagine my enthusiasm?!) Julie sent me a copy of the book, and it's beautiful - Audrey & I have been reading it on high rotation. There was so much inspiration for the character in there, I really didn't know where to stop with the doll - there were so many outifts and accessories that could have been made. But I think I have her to a point now where I am happy with my cloth interpretation of Nell. Her little blue bag holds some knitting needles and teensy balls of wool, and she is wearing the outift from the photo of the book in the top left hand corner here:

If you come across the book, do give it a read. Nell is a sweet and generous character. And of course there's the knitting. I'm enough of a craft nerd to not be ashamed to say that it was a real pleasure to read Audrey a book that encouraged the use of yarn. There should be more of it, right?

Clothed

Audrey's doll, clothed at last. I'm having one of those days where there's a million things that need to be done, but none of them seem to be happening. I'm feeling overwhelmed by work, orders waiting to be filled and swap packages not completed. In desperation, I quickly whipped up a frock and apron for this little doll. (Because, you know, it's the least pressing thing that needs to be done. Ahem). It's not exactly what I had originally intended - will I ever learn not to sew in haste?! But at least her little nudster body isn't staring up at me from my work table anymore! And there will be more outfits, oh yes. I sewed a great big hulking strip of velcro to the back of her dress, so it's removable. I'm not a huge fan of velcro, but it should be able to stand up to repeated use (here's hoping) by toddler hands. Ah, at least one thing can be crossed off the old list today. Right-ho, back to work.

wip a day late

Friday went past in a blur, so here I am with a Saturday work in progress. Up the top is a little monkey embroidery I started the other night. It will probably become part of a bib for a baby boy born last week. It's been a while since I did any embroidery and I'd forgotten how relaxing it is. Such a wonderfully portable craft to work on by the tv on those cold nights when you just can't drag yourself to the sewing machine! The other photo is the beginnings of a comissioned doll I'm working on, in a similar style to Audrey's doll. (Still not clothed. Bad mother!) I'm really excited about this little blonde girl, and hope to get both of them finished this week.

More WIP here. Happy weekend, all!

Domesticity foiled

A couple of weeks ago, my Nanna gave me her gingerbread cake recipe, and today I finally got around to giving it a go. I should preface this by explaining why there is no pretty picture of the finished cake: while it was in the oven, our washing machine decided to flood the laundry and then die. I lost track of how long the cake had been baking so I stupidly opened the oven to check on it (can you tell where this is going?) It turned out a great big sunken mess. With slightly charred edges. Argh! I clipped it's edges, and Audrey & I had a taste. Despite the fact that it is extremely ugly, it does taste pretty good. We'll polish some of it off with my Dad tonight over dinner (when he comes over to help fix the blasted washing machine). I'm not selling this recipe very well am I? Really, no - do try it. It's delicious!

Gingerbread Cake
1 large cup self raising flour
1 large cup plain flour
1 cup sugar
6 oz butter
3/4 cup golden syrup
1 cup milk
1 egg
1 teaspoon carb soda
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1.5 teasoons ground ginger

Cream butter & sugar and add warm golden syrup. Beat well, then beat egg in well. Sift in flour, ginger & spices, blend well. Add milk in which soda has been dissolved. Bake one hour in moderate oven. Resist the urge to open the door half way through, and everything should be fine.

Tiny People

Today I finally finshed up a wholesale order that has been a long time coming. It takes ages for me to get this many together, so I always feel like some kind of minature celebration is in order once I do. Or maybe just an early night. Nights of uninterrupted sleep are not such a distant memory that sleep still feels pretty much like a celebration around here, anyhow! So, introducing bunnies Hollyhock and Blossom, kittens Bruce and Vera, and monkeys Constance and Osbert. These six are headed for the newly opened Tiny People in Byron Bay (website is on its way). A few people mentioned the print used for Constance's dress when I posted a picture of it the other day. It's this one from the new Aunt Grace range. Gotta love the '30s for a reliably sweet pattern.

Handy

I'm having trouble getting back into the swing of regular blogging. So, I'm just going to jump right in and blog about something, anything... this afternoon. A quiet Monday afternoon spent making handprints and waiting for the potato & leek soup to cook.

She's very proud.

What I did on my break...

Hello, I am still here! I can't tell you how much I appreciated each and every single kind, thoughtful comment and email I received after my last post. At least, not without resorting to blubbering. I tried to email everyone directly to extend my sincere gratitude, but if that somehow didn't happen, thankyou. Hugs to you all. I'd intended to only take a week away from blogging, but then we all got sick (ye olde winter colds all around) and I was feeling mighty self indulgent and pathetic and just didn't manage to drag myself off the couch. So, here I am two weeks later wondering where to start...

I'm afraid I can't even be one of those people who returns from a blogging break with loads to show for it. Friends, I have done sweet bugger all over the last two weeks. I've put some work into a wholesale order (the teeny clothes above are part of that), indulged in far too much comfort eating (chocolate has practically been a food group), and flicked through my own weight in home decorating magazines. Now, it's time to reassess things and get back on track. Spring is on its way. Audrey's birthday is fast approaching. I have my grandma's Gingerbread cake recipe to try out. And there are lots of enticing blog entries to catch up on. It's good to be back.