Busy, busy, busy.....

Sorry for the lack of updates around here recently, I've been a very busy bee! (Note: I didn't take this pic - I didn't have the energy to chase bees round the garden waiting for the perfect shot!)

Working on some cactus pin cushions for my folksy shop. (Geddit, catctus - pins, needles.....man, i'm a genius ;o) )

Playing with my parents camera and taking pics of my mum's beautiful orchids.

Working on my PIF gifts for Sue, Wilkie and Sandra. (If you still want to get involved then visit their blogs and find out if they have any places left or who their gifts will be going to.)

Tending to my sunflower seeds. (I know most people grow sunflowers when they are about 8 but I love sunflowers and clearly I'm a late bloomer!)

Helping my Dad clear up this tip (this is less than a quarter of the junk - he has issues throwing things away!!)

Experimenting with my felt balls (more of which in a later post!)

Enjoying the rare British sunshine. So rare in fact that when I tired to take a sunshiney picture below the sun went in!

Taking my first painting and drawing class. Not sure about the results but it was fun :o)

All of which I present as an explanation for not giving you the bloggy love you deserve! And also a chance to show you what I've been up to. I'll be back with some proper crafty bloginess soon.

Dotty xx

Other People's Projects Post #2

Time for another look at something I've made using a free pattern or tutorial donated by a generous blogger. This project comes from Alice at the fab blog futuregirl. She has some great free tutorials and three free pattern downloads. I chose to make this one but I am also planning to make the other two - a seahorse and a set of four supercute sea creatures.

The pattern is really well written and easy to follow. So may I present my very own Sigmund the Octopus:

I love him sooo much. He's so cute and he fits in the palm of my hand - much more delicate than most of the things I usually make. He currently nestles in one of the plants on my windowsill and gives me a little shock every morning when I open the curtains. I used a really bright piece of felt which I had been saving for something special - you can't really tell from the picture but he is so luminous he practically glows in the dark!

There is also a flickr group with photos for other people who'd used the patterns. I'm going to upload mine too. You should definitely check it out - particularly for the Christmas tree with 99 octopuses on!

I think I'm going to make the sea creatures next and make them into a mobile. Thanks for the fab downloads Alice :o)

Dottyxx

New Monsters and Advice Needed

I know that you've all been worrying that things have gone a bit quiet on the monster front of late! Well fear not chums, I have been quietly working away and am now ready to present my latest monster creation. Well I think I'm ready. I can't decide actually.




I keep looking at them and I can't decide if they are finished.




I quite like their simplicity.



But maybe they need further embellishment. I just don't know. What do you think?

Dotty xx

PS. Anyone pointing out that they are in fact Octopuses (Octopi?) rather than monsters will not be popular!!!

Pay it forward update

Hurrah! I now have three people signed up on my PIF post.





The three people who will be receiving handmade gifts from me are:

Bee Designs - look at her beautiful papercraft designs and all the gorgeous stuff in her etsy shop - I love that collage!

Turnip Creations - Wilkie shares my love of monsters and you should definitely check out some of her plush creations.....

Pepperberry and Co - Sandra has started a lovely craft blog which is also very funny....she would really like some more stalkers so you should pop over!

You should definitely go and check out all three of these blogs and if you still want to get involved in PIF then leave a comment on their posts....simple!

Now I need to decide what to make! I've seen that on some people's PIF posts they have given themselves a year to complete this but am going to try and complete my gifts *fairly* soon. After all, who knows where I'll be in a year....travelling round the world hopefully!!

Right - to work!

Dotty xx

PS. Welcome aboard ladies - please send me your addresses to my email: thedottyone(at)hotmail(dot)co(dot)uk.

Folksy Shop & New Creations

A few people have asked me if I've ever thought about selling my creations. My parents have also suggested it but I think they may have different reasons - their house is overrun with my various projects! I have been wondering about it. I spend ages on etsy and folksy looking at all the beautiful things people have made. Its quite intimidating and makes me think that the things I've made can't even compete! There are so many talented people out there. After umming and erring about it I have decided to throw caution to the wind and open a folksy shop - just to see what happens....after all there's nothing to lose!

I haven't had much time to put much in my shop yet. I'll put a link up when I've had time to upload some more items. In the meantime, here are some pics of some plush strawberries I've made which are in the shop. I'm addicted to making these - they are so fun to make.

I'm of to take some pics of some more things to upload to my shop. If anyone reading this has an etsy or folksy shop I'd be interested in any tips you have - please leave me comments!

Dotty xx

PS. There is still one place left to pay it forward if you want me to send you something lovely and handmade.

Pay it forward.....

Exciting news!!! I have joined this thing called pay it forward. For those of you who don't know, this is how it works:

All you have to do is leave a comment. The first three bloggers to leave a comment will get a hand made gift mailed to them from me. (Please remember to leave a way for me to contact you). Once you have left your comment do a ‘pay it forward post’ ASAP on your blog. Then continue the gift giving to the first three people who comment on your blog…and on it goes - good idea eh?

I've decided that if I don't get three comments (this is a kinda new blog - I may not even have three readers!) I am going to do some toy society drops so that I still do my bit. (I will blog about the toy society in another post because this is another fab idea!)

I signed up for PIF on Beaky's blog. I'm very excited about receiving my gift from Bonita - look at the beautiful things in her etsy and folksy shops. I'm so lucky :o)

That's all for now - I'm off to do some crafting and maybe even plan some PIF ideas!

Dotty xx

Other People's Projects Post: Number 1

When I first stopped working and got back into crafts I started reading lots of other people's crafty blogs (some of these blogs are listed in my sidebar although I do need to update it bacause I keep finding more and more fab blogs). There is so much great stuff out there and people are so generous with their ideas, many of them offering free tutorials and patterns. I've learnt a lot from following these tutorials and made some lovely things. I thought it might be worth sharing some of them here so this is my first........drumroll please.........Other People's Project Post!! I may have to start calling it OPPP for short - it takes too long to type!

First up a fab tutorial to make mushrooms and toadstools from a lovely blog called The Little House by the Sea.

The tutorial is great, really easy to follow. And look what I made:

I skipped the part with the embroidery on the stalks because I wanted to make mine more simplistic (and more importantly my emboidery is rubbish!) but you should have a look at the emboidered ones. So beautiful! I also had to alter mine slightly because the white felt I used was a bit too cheap and got all stretched when I turned the caps the right way round - easily fixed by adding an extra ring of white felt and I'm actually quite happy with the effect.

There is also a flikr group with photos for other people who'd used the patterns. I've just uploaded mine too.

This is another mushroom I made using the pattern. Its almost exactly the same but I put the stitching on the outside of the cap and used an old cotton reel to stabilise it.

Next time I'm going to have a go at the embroidery on the stalk.

Dotty xx