November Sampler

1. Angel Mouse 2. red and white wash cloth for Christmas swap 3. Christmas wreath
4.dead ivy in brush fence 5. patchwork quilts on display at craft 6. Tom mouse
 Red tutu 8. Tom mouse 9. handprinted leaf fabric 10. Mother Christmas mouse 11. hand dyed scarves 12. Shell wreath with air dry clay stars

Tutu and what not

1. tiered fru-fru skirt for my daughter to wear to Taylor Swift concert "Red"

2. dead ivy vine  in brush fence

3.red bush? I just liked it!

4. face washer - I got bored trying to count spaces

Dead ivy vine in brush fencing - really looks like bare trees.

Craft display by my local craft group....the place I usually attend but have been working full time for the last few months.. really miss it and my lovely crafty friends.

Angel Christmas Mouse

 On display for Christmas. The new stars for " under the dome " (TV series) - no blood allowed!

Party together behind the television

Tom Mouse - A Mouse Tale Adventure

Hi there I am Tom Mouse! You met my mum the last time you dropped by - Mrs Christmas Mouse.
Mum generally likes me to stay pretty clean especially with the up and coming Christmas events that are happening around. Usually I get assigned jobs like carrying around bags of lollies for the kiddies and ornamentals stars as gifts. But today.. I am free to do as I please.. and I feel like an adventure.

A little bit of swinging, great fun hanging from this bell, the wind blowing in my hair...really makes my ears flap! I feel a little like that elephant in the circus, you know the one..Dumbo!
Mmmm what to do next.. I know I'll go climb the tree and have a look from the top!
Hope mum doesn't see me, she'll tell me off for getting dirty.

I must say it is hard work climbing these branches and not easy when you have to carry a star as well.
My ruffled collar is also making me quite hot - Hot under the collar..hah!

 Keep going. Eventually I will get there..almost..almost , yes I can see it...now for a giant leap and I can make it into the neighbor's tree.



Phew ! Just made it.
Almost nosed dived out of the tree! That wouldn't have been the prettiest sight.
Can't say my positioning is the prettiest sight either
Better straighten up and get some secure footing

MMM it smells good and looks beautiful from here.

If I leap from here I might make the letter box. Yes I think I can make it, it's not to far and I am a great jumper..The best in my class you know! You couldn't tell by looking at my spindly legs especially when mum makes me wear these boots. Oh well here goes.. Wish me luck.
1...2...3.. Jump!

Yeeeha! I am the best . I am the king of the world!

A quick jimmy up an then I can rest and wait for the mailman to come

Wonder how long he is going to be.
My tummy is rumbling from all this exercise.
Mum says I should go on a diet or do more exercise .. She says I am a little round in the middle. I just tell her I am preparing for my next growth spurt. She replies "so long as it is not outwards.

I can hear something, something rustling in the bushes. I wonder what is ?

Hey mum , what are you doing here?
Oh thought I'd just join you and wait for the mailman... an also let you know I've baked some cookies.

Yipee!

I'm off. I'm not waiting for the mailman, not when there are cookies to be had.

See you later, the last one down is a rotten egg! BYE

Christmas Ornament Swap 2013 - Mouse Adventure

A Little mouse for a Christmas ornament swap. Not quite what I originally envisioned but sweet all the same. I couldn't find some organza to make a bodice so I thought the frilled lace neck would do the trick.
I have made some stamped butterflies which would make excellent fairy/ angel wings but am undecided whether it would be just too much. I might make them and have a look see. I wish I had some black silk suture as this makes excellent whiskers that don't flop around. I have made a few extra bodies so we will see what happens to them! Cheers!

Hand Printed Fabric - leaves

Lots of little stamped leaves from the two new stamps that I carved today. The leaves are small and it took a couple of hours of stamping to fill my material. I used some ink that I had premixed the last time I did stamping - and that was quite some time ago. I had covered the bowl over with plastic film and surprisingly enough it hadn't dried out. I love the golden tones in this mix and it will do nicely for Christmas themed ornaments. Not to unhappy about the results!

Beginning of Mouse Adventure

A couple of quick sketches last night before going to sleep at midnight. Some thoughts on soft Christmas decorations - mouse style
I really like the idea of creating the ruffled neck/ collar on my little fat friend- he has an appealing girth and sweet demeanour. Perfect as a Christmas mouse.
I think I will make a little leaf stamp and print the dress material for the young maiden / princess mouse and work on these two.
the other mouse /male / robin hood I can live without.

I've entered another Christmas ornament swap on lady bird diaries. and have been scouring my swap partners blog pages to get a feel for her tastes Woolly Dog. She seems to have a penchant for mice and rabbit softies as well a large appreciation of the wider artistic community. Funnily enough she appears to be attracted to similar colourings and styles as I am

Last night I also received a pleasant email from Homespun and was notified that I had won February's (up and coming issue 2014) Readers Showcase with my interpretation of woodland wonders.

I've utilised fabrics received from the handprinted fabric swap as well as my own prints to make my version of the hexagon Christmas stocking. I am thrilled and cant wait to see what my prize is as well as seeing my work in print.

Full array of pictures of Hexagon Christmas stocking here

Garden Display

  beaded collections for new wreaths with a  little garden beauty

this ink drawing looks a little like the seed /flower heads above'

 A sun drenched bathing beauty

Some garden loving..

hellebores - acryllic

magnolia - oil

Naturally Dyed

Some naturally dyed scarves that were originally a little plain and very muted
But after dip dyeing in a hotter colour really have a bit of pizzazz don't you think?

Shell Wreath

I'm a natural born fossicker.

Whenever I'm at the beach I'll have my head down and rather than pace walk the beach to get exercise, I will stroll along looking directly in front of me for the unusual or colourful.

Our beach although usually barren of most shells occasionally offers up special treats that are washed ashore and wedge between rocks. the long conical shells are generally not expected to be found on the foreshore of Adelaide beaches but just once in a while they are there to be found.

The pink butterfly shells can be found at Port Elliot and the south coast beaches and are plentiful but break easily. The white small snail like shells are found on the York Peninsula.

So it has taken many walks to fill my jar with the bounty of the sea and only took moments to adhere to my wreath

My mother is also an avid collector of the sea and has upon her coffee table a platter of dried corals and shells, mainly collected from Queensland. They are beautifully presented on a handmade doily that my Oma (grandmother) made many years ago. Today they caught my eye as I looked at the lovely patterning of nature that I had to take photos and later on today proceeded to make my beach themed wreath.