Sunday Morning Mishmash

This is a major arthrits weekend so I haven't done any hand sewing.

But I have been working on some other projects.

Soft dolls in progress.

The whole purpose of my etsy shop was to do some fun things with

my stationery graphics. Different things than I could do anywhere

else. But the lovely CPSIA has destroyed my dream of

having a line of dolls for children based on my designs.

So I'm working on some ideas for older children and

plushies and softies for adults.

Not sure how it will all work out but I'm having a lot of

fun working on them.

This is how Lita and Binks spend time in my studio,

under my desk and in the sun.

Had to show you a quick peek at my new felt table. It fits perfectly here.

It's really my mom's and I borrowed it but once she saw what I

was doing she just gave it to me. Yay for moms! 

The shelves on top were the ones I snatched out of my neighbors

garbage. Nothings wrong with them and they are perfect for

displaying and storing my felt creatures.

Below the table I have my pull out drawers full of felt. The one

on the left I pulled out of the same neighbors' garbage the

year before. My sewing machine will share this table too

once I pull it out of storage.

My Readers Only Giveaway

I intended to have a giveaway when I reached 110 readers. You know
just to celebrate the fact that people were actually reading my blog
and I wasn't just rambling on to myself. But illness, life and just plain
busy got in the way.

So now I've pulled a little one together. I decided to giveaway my
prototype of my Cupcake Love Plushie, softie, pillow thingy. It's my
design printed on fabric and machine sewn, stuffed and handsewn.
It's about 6" wide and 5.5" high. It's a cute little thing and the
Mermaid is not happy about giving it up.

So all 111 readers of my blog can enter to win if they wish.

Any Cupcake lovers out there?

I'll also throw in some other cupcake items that
will be a surprise.

Just leave a comment and I'll pick a winner on Wednesday

March 3rd.

Start With One Bunny And You Know What Happens!

A sweet little White Chocolate Bunny has moved into the studio.

She has an adorable cottontail.

Hippity Hoppity Easter's on it's way!

And so are Carmel, Milk Chocolate and Dark Chocolate Bunnies!

I think they need ribbons around their necks...what do you think?

I Gave An Interview And Am Being Featured On A Blog

I'm being featured on this blog.

http://heatheranadventures.blogspot.com/

In case you ever wanted to know just a little bit more about me,

check out my interview. Heather Ann has lovely jewelry too.

I also put up a reader poll on the left sidebar.

I Got Something Lovely In The Mail

I was a winner twice in the One World One Heart Blog Giveaway

and my first item just arrived.

It's from http://seasonalwhimsies.blogspot.com/

Susan does amazing work, please do stop by her blog

and see her wonderful art.

He a blown glass ornament that is handpainted. He's so

amazing. I've collected Santa face ornaments for a few

years so I was super excited to win this one. He,

however will not go on the tree because he'd never survive

2 kids, a cat and a dog. So I'm looking for a special

and safe place for him to call home.

Here's another shot of Santa. I wanted to show you how large

and wonderful he is in my fat little hand.

Furbabies To Brighten The Day

I felt the need to post today but really had nothing to say or show

you so here are my furbabies.

My First Try At A Soft Sculpture Piece

St. Patrick's Day is my birthday and we recently discovered some

previously unknown cousins who informed us that our British side

of the family was really Irish so I did a little sketch of an

Irish bear intending on making something cute to honor my

birthday and new found heritage. 

I've never done a soft sculpture before and really didn't

think I was up to the challenge but I had been sewing prototypes

of bears for a while with the intention of doing something like this.

So one day on a whim I just sat down and did it.

He's not entirely finished yet and I'm still working out stability

issues (see the slight tilty lean) but I think I did

suprising well for the first time.

His vest and hat were made completely without a pattern.

He has a female friend that I haven't made yet.

My mom (of course) loved it and has commissioned me

to make one for her friend. I feel kind of weird about it

though since I'm not even finished with this one, and

until I finish I can't begin to think of starting another one.

Anyhoo, what do you all think about this?

I'd love to hear your comments.

My New Owl Listing Is In A Treasury!

I was so excited tonight to be informed that a listing I just put

up was picked for a treasury.

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=87982 

One World One Heart Winners!

I want to thank everyone who signed up for
my giveway! The response was more than I
could have hoped for.

I ended up with 203 entries so ended up
doing one large and two smaller giveaways.

I used Random.org to pick my winners.

The winner of the digial print Penguins in love

plus the 2 mini penguins is:

#12 is Sylvia of My Trinkets

There are 2 winners of the mini penguin in the bucket
with Valentine Goodies. One penguin will be red as shown
and the other winner will get a hot pink penguin. Both

penguins have hearts sewn on their chests.

#65 is Edi of Memories for Life Scrapbooks

#161 is Karla Rosendall of Day Dream Studios

Congrats to the winners!

I'll contact you all later this afternoon.

I didn't enter every giveaway on the ride but I did stop

by and see everyone's blog and had a great time

doing it too! So many interesting people to

meet. Can't wait until next year!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Herman is back to wish you a happy day and ask if
you will be his Valentine?

The response to my giveaway for the One World One Heart

Blog event has been awesome! I have close to 190

entries. I'll be closing comments tonight 10pm

Cental North American Time and will pick the
winners Monday morning after I get the Girl

off to school. Thanks so much for the interest in

my silly little penguins! XOXOXO! 

Hot Pink Penguin For Valentine's Day.

My daughter who I call "the Girl" or Queen of Snarkdom

on twitter requested that I make a Hot Pink Mini

Penguin for her for Valentine's Day. She wanted a
heart on it with her nickname "Sen".

I sewed this up while watching the Opening Olympic
Ceremony and got so excited the "N" got a

bit wonky, but I know she'll like it anyway.

You have no idea how huge this request is for me!

She wanted me to make something? She really

likes my little creatures?

We have struggle much though her teen years

and the fact that she is putting value on what

I do is priceless to me!

Too Many Hooters To Shake A Stick At!

Here's the whole gang!

Designs 1, 2 & 3 all together. Each one has a large owl,
small owl and an owl brooch. The little ones are wearable pins!
So sweet, at least I think so.

I previously posted my first round of owls so, here
are the 2nd and 3rd designs.

I had a lot of fun making these and hope you enjoyed
seeing them. They will be listed in my etsy shop soon.

Also I'll have stationery that these owls are based on
coming soon too.

Never Let Me Go To The Craft Store Alone!

I went a little nuts at the
craft store yesterday!

I needed embroidery thread bad! I was so tired of making do

with the colors I had so I made a little swatch card with all

my felt colors and then took that to the store with me to

match colors. Turned out to be one of the smartest

things I've ever done. The I wrote the DMC thread numbers

on the swatch card next to the felt color so I always

 know which one I used. Brillant eh?

I also bought a ton of thread all not shown here, a bunch
of stuff on clearance, paper punches, magnets and

needle packs because for some reason I'm down
to only one needle. How does that happen?

Oh and I found this. SCORE! I love this magazine.
It only comes out twice a year and I can never
find it, but I did this time, the very last one!

It has so much inspiration and some of my
twitter friends and people who's blogs I follow have
softies in here! Squee! So excited!

Yesterday Lita Had A Snow Day

Lita is a small dog and snow kind of scares her. Here she is

 not stepping in it. She wears a leash in the yard cause
even though it's fenced all around, there is a hole in the
back neighbors side and there are hawks around.

She's nosy as heck so that won over the fear of snow as she 

decided to check out the doings in the neighbors yard.

I packed down a big path all around the pool for her to run in,
which she loved. Here she is after a big face plant into
the snow. I laughed so hard!

Amazingly I was able to capture the snow falling
which you can see if you look carefully.

Much more snow has fallen now so it's over her head in most
places in the yard so we will probably stay in today.

Would you like to see my Hooters?

Cute aren't they?

The two biggest are softies and the little

one is a brooch. They are all headed

for my etsy shop soon.

Mermaid Doll Is Finished!

Here is her pretty little face. You can see her seashell bra
and her starfish hair clip.

Full body shot. Oh those scales took forever!

I'm holding her so you can get a better idea of her size.

The doll is based on my mermaid Illustration shown here.

I think I've lost my mind!

Started finally working on the mermaid last night. She was getting very snarky that I had put Rose and the blue Doctor ahead of her. After sewing this much by hand and cutting out hundreds of more little scales I realized I was crazy to do this! But since I always finish what I start, eventually anyway, I'll keep rolling along.

Here's a close up of my madness!