For my Mom

In just over a month I will be heading east to Toronto to visit my family.  I am very fortunate to be there for my mom's 84th birthday in September.  My mom last visited me here in Victoria a few years ago and she loved the flowers at the beautiful Butchart Gardens as well as the city of Victoria's lamp post flower hanging baskets.

I wanted to make her a wall hanging to celebrate her birthday and her visit here in Victoria.  I decided to make her a wall hanging designed by local artist Susan Teece.  The wall hanging is 16"x26".  It was very easy to do as all the flowers were made using fusible web and then ironed on the background fabric.  The quilting is done using free motion stitch with variegated thread.    I used my printer to print a couple of photos of my mom that were taken at the Butchart Gardens here in Victoria. On the back of the quilt I added a photo of the two of us.  The photos were printed on fabric using an inkjet printer (very easy).

I am sure she will love her gift.

Cats, Cats, Cats

I am stuck on cats at the moment.  I love working with felt and doing hand embroidery once in a while so I took the online class (Phat Cat) by the master, Cristen Brown.  I could not make just one of these little pillows (about 8" across) so I have made many!

Since this is Canada Day, they insisted on having their photo taken with the flag.  Meet Buttercup:

 Here is the cuddly "Princess":

Meet Scrappy, the calico cat and scruffy.  Scrappy has her back turned, silly thing:

Then there is the shy "Bluebell":

We cannot forget Missy, the Siamese cross or she will be annoyed!

Finally, here are the three amigos (Buttercup, Bluebell and Scruffy), together in their basket.

These wee kitties were fun to do and I got to use a few of my many buttons!

Happy Canada Day

Happy Canada Day to everyone out there.  It is a beautiful day here in Victoria, 25C, blue skies and sunshine.  We went for a lovely walk along the Gorge waterway and enjoyed the classic cars on display plus the "Gorge on Art" festival.

I have just finished my Canadian Santa called "Northern Flight" from a design by the talented Canadian artist Becky Holloway.  He has just flown over the northern shores of Hudson Bay and has left his sack of gifts for the little ones.  His ride is not on reindeer, for he is in Canada, eh, so he is on a Canada goose!  

 This piece is about 26" tall and 22" wide and all cloth.  The goose is stuffed (ha, ha) and gessoed and painted.  Santa is also all cloth with red velvet Santa suit and fur trimmed mitts (all hand made).  The santa boots were ornaments but his snowshoes are handmade.

Have a wonderful Canada Day and remember that we are less than six months away from Christmas!

Pin Keeps

I have always love pincushions or pin keeps and so I thought I would get busy and make a few for the Coast Collective gift shops.

Since I love making mini bear/animals I combined my two loves and made several pin keeps.  I am sharing the results of my twisted mind.  Most of the pin cushions are stuffed with polyfil and crushed walnut shells (good for sharpening pins).  The pincushions themselves are either velvet, wool felt or velveteen to add texture.

First are two wee Siamese twins, Kalie and Kate.  They sit proudly on their pincushions that is adorned with hand crocheted flowers. 

Next is a shy mouse that sends his love.  This is a design by the talented Monica Spicer. This wee fellow stands on a velvet pin keep.

Now for the country mouse who proudly stands a top a plump velvet tomato pincushion:

We now travel to another continent and have Gentle Gerome the shy giraffe and pesky Marcel the monkey:  Marcel has a pin box attached which he thinks will be quite handy!

To round out the gathering of animals, I included two delightful pin keeps made from a Cheswick design, bunny and Ellie the elephant:

Finally, to wave goodbye to this group I went back to the west coast for inspiration and made a wee mushroom folk atop his wool felt pin cushion:  This wee mushroom pin keep can be hung as an ornament as well. After all, not everyone is a sewer!

Top Shelf Show at Coast Collective

I am very happy to report that I was invited to be part of the "Top Shelf" show at the Coast Collective Gallery here in Victoria, BC.  The show opened on Wednesday, June 11th and runs through Sunday, June 22nd.

The display is amazing.  The artists included in the show represent a variety of art work: pottery, jewellery, paintings, photography, clothing, woollens and of course my art dolls.

I do hope that everyone in the area gets a chance to visit the Coast Collective as the setting and the historic home alone are worth a visit.  Admission is free and so is the tea and cookies!

Black and White Challenge

Our doll club (the Cloth-a-Dollics) had a black and white challenge for the June meeting.  We were to make an all cloth doll using only black and white.  I chose to use the on-line class by Angela Jarecki (the Traveller) but I turned her into a mother cat travelling on the road with her two black and white kittens.

The on-line class by Angela Jarecki (DollStreet Dreamers site) was great.  The instructions were well written and I would recommend the class.  I was happy with the result.  I hope you enjoy her.

One of her kittens travels on her back in a special pouch

The doll is a stump doll (no legs)

A close up of the other  kitten she carries.

A side view.

A close up of her face.

I Love Pink

A good friend of mine asked if I would make her a doll for her good friend's birthday.  I was a bit reluctant as I never want to disappoint anyone but as Leslie is my dear friend, I agreed.

Now began the task of asking appropriate questions to try and learn more about what type of doll she might picture for her friend.

Well Leslie said that her friend has shortish hair (that she colours shades of brown),  blue eyes, loves the colour pink, loves to garden (flowers mainly) and loves cats.

I had my list and decided that with this description I  would make a doll that represented her friend as she was ready to garden on a cool day after having gone for a run earlier.

The doll is only 14" tall. I found the perfect pink runners (they were keychains).  I had a small wicker basket that I filled with flowers and added a butterfly to the handle.  I made lycra black running pants and made her wee pink and white socks and gave her a light weight pink sweater.  I used socks for all of her clothing!  I knew I would have good use for my stash of socks!

I then decided that a gardener could use a canvas gardening apron with a big pocket for her seed packages and clippers.  I made the apron she wears and embroidered some flowers on the front.  I then used my photocopier to reduce actual flower seed packages to fit the apron.  The clippers are mini jewellery pliers.  I also gave her a wee kitten necklace.

A close-up of her flower basket with butterfly on the top handle.

I made her gardening gloves as well.

Her cat is hanging on to her arm.

Next I used epb pattern to make her kitten that is riding along on her arm.  I also gave her a spade and added a watering can.  Her straw hat will keep her hair in check and protect her from the sun.

She was great fun to make and I hope that use is well received.

A close-up of the gardener with the beautiful blue eyes.