Happy Birthday gifts!

The sock monkeys and puffins bring happy birthday wishes to Miss B!










The number one child is 21 today. Impossible. I am so very young myself...
Here are a couple of gifts I made for her. Once is a beach bag/shopping tote made from Erin Micheals' Malibu Monkeys fabric. The other is a puffin doorstop, made from a pattern in Sew Sunny Homestyle by Tone Finnager. I made a little fabric beak for him, since the book had instructions to paint the beak on. Instead, I combined some yellow fabric with some orange, stuffed it lightly and then sewed on the little "mask" to the existing beak. Fiddly yes, but well worth it for the overall effect.
In order to make the little tin pail heavy enough to stop a door, I filled it with stepping stone cement and decorated the top with decorative glass stones. (Three cheers for 40 per cent off Michael's coupons!)
Why puffins?
Miss Bee celebrated her 8th birthday in Newfoundland while we were visiting our beloved family there. We went on a whale tour and saw not only whales, but hundreds of puffins -- her favourites -- and since then, she has been amassing an impressive collection of these sea going clowns. In real life, they are hilarious to watch, especially when they are taking off from the water. They sort of run along the surface until they get airborne.
This is the first puffin I have made for her, but she has other handmade treasures in her puffin collection. My uncle made her a wonderful set of bookends and a coin bank.
She had a great birthday, and I had a wonderful time creating these presents for her.
Hope everyone's day is going well!

Under construction!

The Beade Faeries, the jewellery artists' collective that allows me to sell some of my creative ventures, has launched a web page that is currently under construction. In the coming weeks, we will go live and you admire -- and shop -- from our impressive body of work.
Here is the link:
http://beadefaeries.webs.com/

Ready for the ball

Ah June! Time for all kinds of lovely events -- including the Grade 12 prom.
Here is a necklace I made for my son to give to his girlfriend. Apparently, it is lame to give a corsage.
So, after a recent trip to Queen St.'s bead stores, I found all I needed to create this set-- and now it is all ready for the ball.
It features mauve fresh water pearls, sterling silver plated wire, and a real Swarovski starfish. I had a great time making it -- now let's hope they have a wonderful time at the party this coming weekend.
I am also working on a couple of secret projects for a special birthday. More on that later.

Ready for his close up

Tilda lamb and beach bag

These are presents for a special baby who will live in Turks and Caicos -- hence the beach theme.
The lamb is from Tilda's Crafting Easter Gifts and the bag is from Sew Sunny Homestyle.
The bibs are from Stitch magazine's current issue -- only with a tropical beat. The magazine features fruits and veggies on the bibs.

Working on a new Tilda project

You would think that after a two dozen Tilda hats this past Christmas, I wouldn't be so fond of working through the book. And, yet, I am. I am becoming quite fond of these projects. I have even pre-ordered the new book, due out at the end of February.
Sadly, I can't find any Canadian source for the fabrics, but I am finding reasonable facsimiles in my local quilting store's remnant bin.
What is it about the bits and pieces no one else wanted to use? Why do I love them so? I just received a bag of old wooden sewing spools, some with lovely threads attached. Again, what bliss! Why did they ever go to those ugly plastic spools?
Well, I am off to press and cut out a Tilda jewellery mannequin. I will post a photo when I am finished.
In the meantime, here is some eye candy from Ireland. I found a lovely blog of someone who is equally fond of Tilda projects:

http://margieloveswool.blogspot.com/

I love the photos.

Cheers!

Tilda is a lot of fun!

In October, my friends Suddenly and Amanda were puzzling over a project in Suddenly's Studio of Adventure. I was not in on the tutorial, so I decided to snoop in the bookcase.
There I found Sew Pretty Homestyle Christmas. It is by Tone Finnager, and published under the Tilda brand.
I love all the projects in the book.
For Christmas this year, I made about 20 or so hats featured in the book. They are easy to sew and are a great way to use up bits of polar fleece and cottons or flannel.
I have collected three other of the Tilda books, and I have one on pre-order from Chapters. It is not due out until February of this year.
There are a few blogs out there devoted to those who love Tilda, including this one by a Finnish crafter and author who is also a devoted and talented creator of doll house miniatures.
Here is a link:

http://whitecountry.blogspot.com/2006/03/about.html

The photos are wonderful, and she has very kindly included an English translation. The crafty world is really talented and sort of small, when you think about it...
Today, my daughter and I went out for breakfast and then came home to tackle the task I like least -- undecking the halls. With her help, we were all finished by early afternoon. We had a celebratory cup of tea. She goes back to school on Sunday which makes me :-{, but we have had a wonderful Christmas and New Year.
I hope everyone out there has a great 2010!