Mia, The Elf Seeker

 

Mia, The Elf Seeker was inspired by the poem by Oliver Herford called The Elf and The Dormouse

Under a toadstool crept a wee Elf,
Out of the rain to shelter himself.

Under the toadstool, sound asleep,
Sat a big Dormouse all in a heap.

Trembled the wee Elf, frightened and yet
Fearing to fly away lest he get wet.

To the next shelter—maybe a mile!
Sudden the wee Elf smiled a wee smile.

Tugged till the toadstool toppled in two.
Holding it over him, gaily he flew.

Soon he was safe home, dry as could be.
Soon woke the Dormouse—"Good gracious me!

"Where is my toadstool?" loud he lamented.
—And that's how umbrellas first were invented.

While doing a January destaff and sort I found a collection of this wonderful if now discontinued fabric called Elf and Toadstool by Acufactum and just had to make Mia. Her dress is in this striking fabric and she is wearing a dark crimson wool cape heavily embroidered with toadstool motif from the print. With a toadstool spotted bonnet and tiny red wool felt boots this little lady is ready for a walk in the woods looking for her favourite elves.

A Strawberry Shortcake Doll

 

Well I am back sooner than I thought, not up to speed yet but getting there. Thank you so much for all your kind messages and best wishes, it was very heartening.
This little green eyed sweetie is my Strawberry Shortcake. Dressed in a pretty berry print by Acufactum and with a strawberry embroidered apron with a little hoop with a strawberry flower. A new style of crocheted hat with a little strawberry flower too.
Dolls have always been my thing form being a small child. I think being autistic I found them calming and a better alternative to the confusing people around me, I still do!!
Strawberry Shortcake came out in the late seventies and early eighties and I longed for this strawberry scented doll but for some reason my Grandma decided that if they were scented they must be inherently bad for you and I was denied. So her is my own representation with dried strawberry leaves inside her stuffing and a piece of rose quartz to her heart. She was a joy to make.
Another interesting phenomena of autism is that I am truly ambidextrous and I have never lost this as I aged. Working exclusively with my left hand has made me realise how right handed everything is, especially my sewing machine. I normally switch from hand to hand as I work favouring left for some tasks and right for others but being without my right hand has given my great sympathy for those exlcusively left handed folk out there. xx

Away for a little while, see you soon xx

 

EEk! I have caught two cancellations for surgery in the next two weeks. Simple eye surgery tomorrow now with more complex operation on my hand on Monday.
So I will be away for a while and will probably be back in around two weeks to a month. No new work for a while!
Please bear with me and I will be back in February, see you then xx

Ida, A Snowdrop Fairy

 

Ida is a snowdrop fairy dressed in a beautfiul print by Acufactum simply called Snowdrops and she is Ida because snowdrops were my Gran's favourite flower, she planted them everywhere. I love the fact that my extensive collection of snowdrops came originally from my Grandma's garden and have spread everywhere.
For a winter spirit she has tiger's eye to her heart with rosemary in her stuffing.
She is a tall girl, one of my long legged Rhoda dolls from way back but with the altered pattern to give her a different head pattern that is more controlable and gives a neater result.
All in grey greens and white with subtle teal accents to her scarf and tattered wings, her hair is hand styled soft mint wool tops. Her facial features are simple and delicately hand embroidered. She is finished with tiny buttons, a rowan wool bob hat and a sampler pillow. I am really enjoying making them and exploring the fairy look.