Rosie May and one other!

So, here are 2 of the 4 rag dolls I’ve been working on lately ............. very definately the last ones I shall be making for a good while to come - time now to get some work done on my half-made patchwork quilt!

Doll number 1 ........... the first one (with no name) is made to order for a friend (for her to give to her friend’s daughter at least - I think anyway), which is why I haven’t named her. I’m rather pleased with the doll and think she looks quite cute and not too quirky, but this is where the pressure comes in – I always worry about whether the customer is going to happy ......... oh, the anguish!!! LOL

She has a pretty peachy colour dress with a scalloped hem and a white Broderie Anglaise dress underneath – she even has some white cotton knickers on look – apologies for such a rude display!!

Her big green eyes are painted and varnished with acrylics and the other features are embroidered. Brown wool for the hair, which is tied up in 2 big bunches with lovely coordinating chiffon type ribbon. And her shoes and socks are also painted and varnished with acrylics, but with added lace detail around the top of the socks, plus a tiny button at the side of the shoes – all rather cute I think – don’t you agree? I love those little thin legs!!!

Doll number 2 ........ who does have a name – Rosie May! She has the same facial and hair details and the same detail for the shoes and socks etc. Rosie is wearing a pretty pink dress with green coordinating trousers made from some Nancy Halvorsen fabrics (from her ‘Garden Song’ range I think), which I had in my stash and which I think is so pretty – I love the pink floral in particular.

Rosie is carrying a basket of pink rosebuds – hence her name I suppose!! And she has a lovely big pink coordinating bow in her hair.

I will probably be selling Rosie May if anyone likes her – contact me to discuss if interested.

Next time, I shall be able to show another one of the dolls I’ve been working on ........ she’s one of those ‘Tilda’ dolls that I originally made a couple of years ago and seemed to be quite popular at the time.

Until next time ...........

A Woolly Carrot!

Just a little quickie today. I've been abscent a while again because I've been busy trying to complete 4, yes 4 rag dolls ........ and I'm really sick of them by now I can tell you!!! 2 of them are to order, which always makes me feel under pressure, worrying whether they will be good enough. Anyway, that's not what I'm showing today - next time hopefully!! As a bit of light relief from doll makiing, I made up the lovely woolly carrot pincushion that Wendy sent to me recently for my birthday.

It was lovely and easy to make up and looks (almost) good enough to eat!!

More birthday treats!!

Well, it’s been a while since I posted. Life generally, health worries/problems (now alleviated more or less) and all-round lack of enthusiasm being to blame!!

But now I am prompted to post after receiving my belated birthday gifts from my lovely, lovely, super, clever friend, Wendy (aka the Queen of the ebay ‘wins’!!) – check out her blog for full explanations!!

Anyway, as I said to Wendy in a thank you email last night, I think she knows me better than I know me, because this is what she sent to me:-

First off, a red heart paper weight and wooden heart, which now decorate my lounge and kitchen

Secondly ..... get ready for envy!! Don’t you just love this chocolate polka dot mug/pin cushion – how cute is that, with its ‘Just Another Button Company’ pins? I love the rose pins, they’re so pretty.

Thirdly, this gorgeous ‘Just Another Button Company’ Carrot pincushion kit, which includes both their buttons AND pins. I am a huge fan of ‘Just Another Button Company’ and had been eyeing up their new line of pincushions, so this is right up my street ....... I’m really looking forward to making this up, and again, as I said to Wendy, I think I even understand the instructions!!!

Fourthly!! Look at this beautiful basket of cross-stitch pincushions (or possibly drawer liners) there's 11 of them altogether. Wendy wasn’t sure what to call them, as they came up smaller than she thought they would, but whatever they are, they’re gorgeous – she has put a lot of work into them, which I appreciate as a cross-stitcher myself (sometimes anyway). I may fill the basket with something like rosehips or cones maybe and then put the pincushions on top – something to tinker with anyway!!

And finally, here is everything together ........... who’s a lucky girl then eh?? Yes, it's ME

Already said privately, but now publicly, thank you so very much Wendy for my lovely, lovely pressies – they really did cheer me up when cheering up was needed!!

Look!

......... at this little lot!!

It was my birthday a few weeks ago (51 – not that I’m counting)!! And yesterday, I received some lovely, lovely pressies from my lovely, lovely friend, Deb, in New Zealand. Deb clearly understands me very well, because she sent me this fabulous ‘Tilda’ book - rag dolls, need I say more?

I have a couple of the ‘Tilda’ books, but not this one! And I’m really looking forward to making this lovely little angel – so, sweet!

I’ve only made a rabbit and a bear from the other books, so it’s gonna’ be fun making a doll. Deb also sent some lovely fabrics to help me along …… isn’t the cup cake case of fabric sweet?

and lastly, Deb also sent me this lovely Garden Sampler cross-stitch, which has a sweet little charm in it – this one will be added to the to-do list!!!!!

THANKS EVER SO Deb – I love them all!

A lovely book!

Hi all. Just a quickie post, as this morning my giveaway prize from JoJo arrived - 'A Boys Story' by Anni Downs of Hatched and Patched

such a lovely book packed with lots of lovely things to make for little (and not so little) boys. Here are just a couple of pages from the book showing some really super quilts

I just need a little boy to stitch for now ......... I don't mean me personally have a little boy (hells bells!!) - I'm a bit past that now!!! LOL - Actually, I've just remembered, my friend has recently become a grannie for the first time to a gorgeous little chap, so maybe Toby is going to be the recipient of a 'Hatched and Patched' quilt!!

I'm a Winner!!!

Weeeeeee, I won!!!

I've just had an email from Jo Jo at Home Sweet Home to tell me I won the prize in her recent Giveaway - aren't I the lucky one??!! I've won a copy of Anni Down's (Hatched and Patched) 'A Boy's Story' pattern book. It has several quilt patterns as well as many other cute 'little boy' things to make ..... it's very sweet.

Thanks very much Jo Jo - you're a star!!

Edit to post - If you look at the date of this post and then the date of Jo Jo's post saying that I've won the prize, you'll see that I appear to be telling you about my win before Jo Jo has announced it - a curiosity of the time differences around the globe!!

Easter Bunny!

I didn’t quite manage to finish my latest project in time for Easter, but here she is anyway – better late than never! Introducing, Bunty, my Easter bunny

Look at those big eyes and those long droopy ears – isn’t she sweet? The pretty floral dress fabric is some that I had in a fabric sale from the USA and have wanted to use for a while now, and her big pink nose is made from a little bit of my wool stash – some I bought from the NEC last year from the Festival of Quilts. I think this is the first bit of the wool I’ve used (been saving it up for I don’t know what!).

I’ve decided not to put my Easter bits away just yet, as it would be a shame to shunt Bunty off into drawer so soon, so I’ll leave her out for another week .... or two maybe.

Well, I have an extra day off work today (yippee!!), but I must get on, as I have to go and buy paint for the new front door I shall be having fitted next weekend.

Easter Time

This is the first sewing I've managed to do in weeks and it's a pot of Easter bunnies of course - what else could it be!!!

..... and here they are amongst my little Easter/Spring display - the chocolate rabbits and cross-stitch pillow are what I made last year

like my resin rabbit chappie - rather cute I thought?

Happy Easter to everyone - not too many chocolate eggs now - I won't be partaking this year, as I MUST, MUST stick to my diet. Ask me on Monday though!!!!

Pre-Raphaelite Exhibition

I had a couple of days off work last week and treated myself to a day out to visit an exhibition with my friend Pam (you know, the one who was 60 recently – remember? Shhhhhh – I didn’t say a word!!!!). It was the ‘Poetry of Drawing: Pre-Raphaelite’ Exhibition at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. I’ve always loved this period of art and design ever since I studied William Morris for ‘A’ Level at school.

The exhibition includes works by the original brotherhood members, Rossetti, Millais, Holman-Hunt and John Ruskin and also the 2^nd generation of Pre-Raphaelites, Edward Burne-Jones and Simeon Solomon.

‘Proserpine’ (an ancient Roman Goddess apparently) by Rosetti has to be one of my favourites – I suppose it’s her hair that does it – it’s so beautiful.

I wasn’t really familiar with Simeon Solomon, so it was good to see several of his works there – this is one of them called ‘Bacchus’.

Much of Simeon Solomon’s work was said to have been an attempt to explore his own homosexual identity, which is quite apparent from much of his work on show at the exhibition.

And while we were at the Art Gallery, we also popped in to the ‘Staffordshire Hoard’ Exhibition and it was fascinating to see just how intricate the work was from Anglo Saxon times. This is an example of some Gold decorated with a Latin inscription, but there's lot more besides to see

The Exhibition was free to go into too, so it’s well worth a visit if you’re in the area.

No blog problems!

Perhaps I shouldn't speak too soon, but I do seem to have sorted my little blog problems out at last. I even think it looks better than before now - I've managed to change my blog title back to black and have even changed the whole thing to a new (and rather cool!!) font ......... I just need something new to blog about now, instead of my blog problems!! Sorry, I will stop going on and on about it now - promise!!

If I get time tomorrow, I'll tell you a little bit about my visit to the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery last week.

WELL ...

...... perhaps you can ignore that last post; I don't know what I did, but I've sort of managed to get my blog back - what you see is the new background I had from Twin Creek Primitives, but at least I've got my bits and pieces back so to speak!! I don't know how I lost it all in the first place ..... and I don't know how I've retrieved it - work that one out!!!!!!!!!!!

What's still not right though is my blog title (Bilberry Grove) in the header - the text was black before and now you can only see half of it - anyone any ideas, as there doesn't seem to be a way to change the font colour.

What on earth have I done

.... to this blog?!!!!!!!!!

Yesterday, I was attempting to change my blog background to one offered by 'Twin Creek Primitives' blog ........ BIG mistake!!!! Having changed the background, I decided I didn't like it after all, but I have now lost everything from my original blog. My 'favourite blogs' list, my favourite shops, my header picture and even the 'Design' page that allows you to add pictures and all the other things we like to add ..... I can't believe it. Anyone else had a similar problem, as I seem to be stuck with exactly what you now see - that will teach me for messing around I suppose. I can see me having to start all over again from scratch!!

Confused.com!!!!

Another bit of cross-stitch!

As I’ve got 5 minutes to spare while I wait to hear whether I’ve won the lottery tonight!!!!!!!!!, I thought I’d do a quick post. There’s been very little sewing going on around here lately, but I did finish another cross-stitch scissor/needlecase a couple of weeks ago which was a present for my niece (adopted niece anyway). It matches the pincushion I made for her for Christmas using the ‘little bird’ pattern Patti very kindly shared with me. And in keeping with the heart theme in the pattern, I bought a pair of ‘love’ scissors from Kelmscott Designs ........ I thought they were rather sweet! And just because I can, I finished it off with one of my new ‘handmade’ labels – what a show-off eh?!! Apart from the fact work has been very busy lately, I’ve been taking advantage of the lovely weather we’ve had this weekend and last, and have been outside sprucing up my garden fences, by re-painting them ..... it’s good exercise too!! And there’s plenty more to do tomorrow – oh joy!!!