Juju Loves Polka Dots

An update...

A unicorn and a Cyclops.That's an accident waiting to happen.
Rohan Agalawatta

I have been so busy making wedding dresses that I haven't had time to post. Two of my close friends are getting married this Spring. One after 24 years and 4 children with her partner and the other 18 years and three children later.

I envy them for being able to have their children at their weddings. My friend Andrea had her eldest daughter and son witness their marriage. It was very moving! And her dress was beautiful. I don't have any pictures because I didn't want to carry my camera while acting as bridesmaid (or should that be matron?). But I'll show post some when we get the prints. She looked so beautiful. Her dress was silver and black... you'll see.

I'm working on the next dress now and having a great time. More about that later...

Yesterday I had a surprise encounter. After viewing some fancy dresses in an upmarket shop in London, I went to do some quick drawings in a local cafe. (Have you seen the clothing of FutureClassics? Beautiful, wearable cuts!)

Anyway I noticed the long braid of felter Jorie Johnson (see my last post for an enthusiastic review of her books)  at the next table so I went up and introduced myself. She invited me to join her and we sat chatting for 2 hours. How fortuitous is that? She has just come from the International Feltmakers Association AGM in Holland and is passing through Britain on her way to the States. I had really wanted to nip over to do a workshop with her in Holland but couldn't afford it at the moment.

When I came back from my day out yesterday I felt so charged up with inspiration!

Much to do!

Today's inspiration: Laura Walker's buttons. I can't get enough of these. If you want some, buy from her Etsy sight now, before I get them all!

Likes: One of my favourite painters, Tom Wood has a blog and a website. The last time I did a web search on him I didn't find these. He just let me know so now my sidebar is up to date.

Rabbit dreams

Thirty is a nice age for a woman. Especially if she happens to be forty.
Phyllis Diller

I still seem a little obsessed with this age thing, don't I?
I'm not really. I'm more obsessed with my chubby lines.

The face in this digital self-portrait is borrowed from an illustration my son did of me "with all the chubby lines drawn in". Thanks Quinte. I will never be the svelte young girl with balloon.

I'm having great bunny dreams lately. Last night a little guy like this

popped up in my dream. He was called a Rooster Rabbit and wore glasses that were glued to his face. He could also speak in sentences of exactly four words. I was all prepared to get up and get me a rooster rabbit.

Here's another rabbit image I made about a month ago.

Working with those doll photos I took I while ago again and probably a little inspired by Art and Ghosts work.

Today's inspiration: Neil Gaiman. I'm rapidly reading my way through his books.

Likes: Licorice tea.

Dislikes: my dislikes list. It has self-imploded and will cease to exist.

Stripes

If you are what you eat, I must have a couple of fat bastards in me.
Lead Balloon

Goodness, these are coming out of me fast and furious.

I hope I have enough friends at Christmas to give all these purse thingies good
homes.

With Photoshop I can turn that last photo into stripes by following the tutorial at Happy Things .

Gosh, I'm good at wasting time!

I like these felt dolls.

Found at The HeatherLouise Factory .

Speaking of felt, check out Myriad Natural Toys for a beautiful selection of 100% wool felt. Including this selection of plant dyed colours.

I had a lot of trouble finding 100% wool.  Thanks to the amazing Lyn for the help.

Today's Inspiration: Anna Maria Horner , she's a good  blog writer!

Likes: Stripes, not quite as much as polka dots, but not far behind.

Dislikes: Broken toilet seats

Happy

what does a pirate knit with?
"Yaaaarrrrrrrn!"
Thank you to Lisa Whiting for that knitting joke

This makes me happy...

So, so happy!

I'm going to get Kumiko Sudo's Omiyage  book for my daughter, for Christmas. I think she needs it, don't you?

Today's inspiration: The cozy feeling I had last night, hand-sewing with my daughter, in front of the fire. I don't mean to be smug. Just some moments are perfect.

Likes: Hand sewing

Dislikes: bottled water; more rubbish.

Yo Yo day

In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is strength, in water there is bacteria.  David Auerbach

Apparently, when deadlines are approaching, my stress is eased by making fabric yo-yos to stick on my computer. 

Of course, it also helps to look at the little Dymo tags my son has stuck around.

Today's inspiration: Heather Bailey's wonderful blog pictures. Sun-drenched colour! Makes me feel like I must pull up my socks and never post a sloppy photo again.

Likes: Dan Reeder's "You'll Never Surf Again". Actually everything about Dan Reeder. He paints, makes his own instruments, makes beautiful music; What a great man.

Dislikes: Designer handbags. Why? So expensive! For what?

Waggle

It's all very well to be able to write books, but can you waggle your ears?
J.M. Barrie to H.G. Wells

I've been monstrously busy. I find there's nothing like a work deadline to make another project seem fascinating and urgent!

I've been fiddling with doll making again. Here are some heads eagerly awaiting hair.

They're pleading with me (look at their eyes) to stop writing and make, make, make.
So unfair.
Can I resist the pull?
And then there's the London Craft Fair, the Knitting and Stitching Show, not to mention, I'm teaching this weekend in Whitstable. And let's see what else?
Oh yes, I'm also going to be teaching another felting workshop at a new place called Gracelands in Kensal Rise, London. This will be at at the beginning of November, If you're interested contact me for more info.
And then the kids have half-term coming up. Are they ever in school?
Well I have six heads in various stages staring at me so I've got to go now.

Bum Noses

Insult of the day: You have depth, but only on the surface. Down deep inside, you're shallow.

We have a winner. Patricia guessed right with Dan Aykroyd. Email with your address Patricia to receive your prize.

A bum nose, by the way, is when the end of your nose has a cleft that is beginning to resemble bum cheeks. Danny has got it, as you can see in this photo.
Somehow the airplane version of Christmas With the Kranks revealed Danny's nose in the most unflattering light. Perhaps they stretch the screen horizontally!? I saw him alot over the holidays and his nose wasn't that bad. In fact I think he's quite cute.
Gerald Depardieu and Tom hanks are similarly inflicted with bum nose. Can anyone think of a female celebrity with a bum nose? Another prize on offer for the best suggestion.

I found the Celebrity transformer through Maryse . It identifies main characteristics of your face and shows  which celebrity you look most like. It did not come up with Dan Aykroyd, thank God but there were plenty of other unflattering suggestions.

In the top spot

This photo of me gets
Shania Twain. I'm not complaining about that, but no one has ever told me I look like Shania. At least she's Canadian.
While this photo

wins me

Barbara Stanwyk.

The only celebrity both photos threw up was

Hilary Clinton.
Uh, oh!

Pocket preparations still in progress. Almost finished. See you tomorrow.