Bramble, A Mohair Mouse in Hand Dyed Vintage Silk

 

Bramble is a little mohair mouse dressed in hand dyed and hand embroidered vintage silk. I dyed the silk myself using an alum mordant and sugar with brambles from the woodlands behind our garden. Teamed with a Liberty Lawn called Bramble, she is embroidered with button applique blackberry flowers and the bramble berries are picked out in french knots and beads.
Finished with organza ribbon is old rose and with rose quartz to her heart she is a complete one of little mouse.
She was a joy to make and I love the colour of the silk.
The bramble button flowers are appliqued wool felt with french knots and the berries are picked out in a variety of seed beeds. Stem stitch bramble vines wind around the flowers with little felt leaves. I love the Liberty fabric that teams with the silk, it is called Bramble is so pretty.
She has a counted thread work sampler and tiny leather shoes to finish

Rose Pink Capel Mouse

 Little mohair mouse, a commission for a lovely lady. Dressed in Liberty Lawn Capel pink she is an exercise in subtlety. I would never have combined such gentle colours but I love the result. It is so interesting when you make someone else's choice of colours and are both surprised and delighted.

With rose quartz to her heart and with rose petals to her stuffing she is pretty in pink. I like her combination so much I am going to investigate more such subtle designs. Using my trademark acorn on her sachet, it needed to be a silver one to continue the lightness of her palette and BeadMolly on ebay came up trumps. I now have my usual bronze with both silver and gold coloured acorns.

Her underskirt was also Liberty Lawn in rose pink, the whole dress was so fine that I had to use a seventy needle throughout, changing to a hundred needle for shoes and heavy seams.

Been a busy, busy week, with lots of gallery work and commission. Having a weekend in the garden and looking forward to tomatoes, courgettes and peppers.

Enjoy you holiday weekend and my warmest wishes xx

The Strawberry Pickers

Just opened today is the new exhibition at the Eden Gallery in Newburgh called Strawberry Nostalgia. I have six little mice in the exhibition called The Strawberry Pickers. Each one different and each one with rose petals and dried strawberry leaves to their stuffing with rose quartz to their heart. The little midnight mouse also has a tiny piece of garnet also. The dolls are dressed in combinations of Liberty lawn Berry Garden and embroidered Essex Linen in strawberry designs. Each with strawberry charms, a stump work strawberry or counted thread work sachet.

The gallery is truly lovely to visit with such a great eye, the curators always have the most interesting pieces. The added advantage is the rather special tea room upstairs with the best selection of teas anywhere. The exhibition runs until July.

They were a joy to make, six little characters, all different. I used a Liberty Lawn print called Berry Garden as the common fabric theme and then varied each character so that they are unique. Three brown harvest mice, one mohair pink mouse, one mohair green and one mohair black. The theme of the embroidery carries through the collection with stump work strawberries, counted thread work and applique. I loved making each one and I am delighted to be part of the show.

 

Chamomile, A Summer Mouse

This is little Chamomile, I showed a peep of her a while back. She was created as part of a set of animals for a gallery open call. I withdrew her from the show as they wanted them in frames!! Her dress is buttercup Essex Linen heavily embroidered with chamomile flowers in a meadow setting. She has Liberty Capel underskirts with white tulle lace and borderie anglais drawers. Within her stuffing and her sachet she has chamomile flowers with a piece of citrine to her heart. Tiny yellow leather shoes finish her outfit with golden organza ribbon and tiny buttons.
I did not want to put her in a frame, she is to be held and her fragrance is part of the charm. I find great joy in holding them, for many moons I made personalised samplers and they are held behind glass. Having them in my hands and free to breathe is important to me xx

 

Briar Rose, An Easter Bunny

 

Sending everyone my warmest wishes this Good Friday and for the Easter weekend.

This little bunny is Briar Rose, her dress is heavily embroidered with a briar rose motif. Button rose flowers with leaves and a twisting briar. Her dress is stitched onto Old Rose Essex Linen and lined with Liberty Capel in palest pink. With Liberty Capel underskirts and white tulle lace petticoats she has white broderie anglais drawers with tiny pink leather shoes. Part of a series, Briar Rose has rose quartz to her heart with rose petals and rose absolute to her stuffing. Her companions are a chamomile mouse in yellow linen with citrine and chamomile. Also a lavender fox with amethyst to her heart and lavender to her stuffing.The embroidery runs around her dress meeting up with her fluffy pompom tail. Finished with organza ribbon in old rose, tiny matt buttons and a sampler sachet to her dress she is a very pretty embroidered bunny.

We have a lovely sunny day and it is my Mum's birthday so off to start baking her afternoon tea. Have a lovely weekend whatever you are doing xx

Mistle Mohair Mouse

 

Little Mistle is dressed in a wonderful aquamarine German print with spring nests and feather, it is so lovely and came from @elmhirstfabrics
I am thoroughly enjoying my mohair mice at the moment, exploring the mohair and learning so much.
This little mouse has tiger's eye to her heart with rosemary in her stuffing for a gentle scent. Tiny buttons, organza ribbon and a sampler sachet are amoung the details of this little mouse.

Have a lovely weekend and my warmest wishes to everyone xx

Fairy Elderberry

 

I have been working on three tiny Faeries with a new pattern. Still my style but much slimmer with longer legs and shorter dresses. Each has a pair of little fairy antenna and wings to match their underskirts. Only eight inches tall they still have crystals to their heart and herbs in their stuffing.

This little girl is Fairy Elderberry - their look is inspired by Aubrey Beardsley, Alison Goldfrapp and Crystal Tipps form Crystal Tipps and Alistair!

The litte fay are in the shop and I will be making more. Just love all their tiny details, each one is holding an embroidered felt flower and has a sampler sachet. Working the striped fabric of the legs longways really lengthens the appearance of the legs. They are slightly slimmer than the Fairy Godmother but just the same length. The slimmer form, shorter dress and long stripe really creates a different look.