A Tale of Tails

 

Little Edward is my first badger boy and I loved making him. With snowflake obsidian to his heart and my own thyme to his stuffing he is a delightful little lad. I really do like the copper, blue and black with white.

These guys are off with me on the 12th of April to Eden Gallery in Newburgh. I will be there from 10am to 4pm with a range of dolls and smaller purchases that I have been working on. Reuba has been working with me, learning the ropes of the business and picking up textile skills for their own idol dolls as well as for our collaborations. It has been a busy time but we love being together and that has been lovely

A tale of tails, these three little guys are showing off their splendid tails to the world. This is the first time I have made little lads in this style of doll and I really like them. All dressed in plus fours and country waistcoats they are ready for a long walk in the woods to look at the primroses.

This brother and sister pair are dressed in a lovely Acufactum fabric called Heralds of Spring. I love the tiny details of the fabric, you find something new every time you look.

I am working on my cat doll today and looking forward to seeing the new Ghostbuster film this evening. I have always loved these films and Afterlife was a great watch. Frozen Empire should be just as good, I hope.

Sending you all my warmest wishes for this Easter weekend. I hope you all have a peaceful and joyous holiday xx

Fern, A woodland fox

 

Fern is a tiny vixen dressed in mushrooms and ferns for a woodland feel. She has carnelian to her heart with chamomile to her stuffing and is one of the dolls I will be taking to Eden Gallery on the 12th of April. She will have a brother fox dressed in a fern waistcoat and cravat with a tulip vixen and a midnight vixen.

The commissions are coming along nicely and I am looking forward to badgers and my new side facing cat. Very excited for her.

Tilda Chambray Olive compliments her dress with broderie anglais bloomers and tulle petticoats. Her tiny shoes are leather and she sports a sampler pillow with a little bronze acorn. I think Mrs Bunny needs to look behind her!

You can just see her tail peeping out from her dress. I think these details are important and love fiddling with them. These side facing animal dolls are all hand embroidered to delineate their features, something I really enjoy.

Well it really is a spring day her in Lancashire, the sun is shining and for once it is not raining. We are off to the hairdressers, something I dread. Being autistic it is proximity. I find things like dentist and hairdressing a real chore. People so close to me really bothers me but Morgan is lovely and always does a good job. If I was brave enough to shave my head and not bother I would but I couldn't carry it off, haha!

Clover, A Spring Bunny

 I am currently working on a number of commissions and preparing for a show day at Eden Gallery, Newburgh on April 12th.

I will be there with my stall from 10am to 4pm with a range of new dolls and new brooches etc.

Clover is dressed in a lovely fabric by Acufactum called Clover and Dill and little Clover Bunny has both dried red clover and dried thyme in her stuffing along with a rose quartz crystal.

I am making little bunnies, foxes and badgers with hopefully a new cat pattern, all side facing. There will be a few new embroidered mice too!

If you have never been to the Eden Gallery and are local it is a truly lovely space with a delicious tea room and a great range of workshops.

You can just see her tiny bright pink leather shoes in this lovely photograph. The colours of the fabric are carried through the sampler pillow and accented with hand made cord to match the dress and a little silver acorn charm.

Most of the new dolls are dressed in Acufactum fabric. It is both beautiful to look at and wonderful to use. It holds its shape when cut and sewn even for very tiny pattern pieces.

I have carried the secondary fabric through from the underskirt to the lining of the bodice and into the ear lining. I find these tiny details elevate the doll, giving a lovely finish.

Reuba, my trans son and myself are working on a new business called Mausi by Pook and son. It will feature my dolls and their ceramic headed mouse dolls with little pieces of ceramic jewellery, also made by them. Plus lots of tiny pieces worked as a collaboration. They want to learn my textile techniques to make their work mixed media and to learn how the business works. We are really enjoying ourselves!

 

Marcus and Marilla Fox

 

Little vixen Marilla is dressed in a lovely Lewis and Irene print called Pumpkins from the Snuggle Season collection. I particularly like the aqua blues next to the orange of her body. I am loving looking through these older prints and finding treasures.

A few little details to share. I pick up the colours of the fabric on the little sampler pillows. Finished with a tiny acorn and a button I do like the contrast.

Marcus is the little boy of the partnership, again dressed in Snuggle Season Pumpkin with a russet silk cravat and splendid plus fours. A smart chap ready for a walk in the woods.