Update-

Thank you so much to everyone who came by the Website Update today! It's been so nice to work on a number of pieces again- seeing the shelves of the studio fill up with new pieces... and now I'm preparing boxes and writing address labels. Before I packed up these two bunnies I had to take them back out into the garden for one more photograph... it's a BEAUTIFUL day, so now I'm off for a walk in the sun with Claude.
There are a handful of piece still available on the website so come by and check them out!

All the New and Lovely~

tomorrow and thank you and for your pleasure...

Tomorrow is the update- and today I'm working to finish everything up, photograph, and load all the new pieces up onto my website for the update tomorrow at 12noon CST. I wish I could say I've been doing much of the latter at this hour of the day, but I'm still sewing. It looks like I'll be working down to the last minute.
Jay had been in NY for the last week, and I was so excited to welcome him home last night. He greeted Claude and I with little gifts from the city- and lucky for me and for you I suppose- he brought me a yard of this incredibly beautiful Liberty of London print which worked perfectly to finish the handful of pieces that were still sitting unfinished on my worktable this morning.
Hello beautiful. I'm a sucker for a beautiful print but these slay me every time. They're more lovely in person that can be photographed... and this print has all the right colors and just the perfect scale for a special little kitty- who will be reveled tomorrow- until then...

sunny sunday

Still workworkworking to finish all the new pieces for the Website Update this Tuesday. These new little ones are just waiting to get dressed, until then they're hanging out in the garden. Who doesn't want to spend the day in the garden? Happy Sunday.

...

SUMMER UPDATE

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2010 SUMMER WEBSITE UPDATE
Tuesday June 29th at 12noon.
(10am Pacific, 11am Mountain, 1pm Eastern)

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For anyone unsure about how the Website Updates work
and for those who need a refresher check out the details here.

The Update will be "held" on my New Bears and Animals page on my website...
See you there next Tuesday!

So Sunny. So Bright...

coming along...

Things have been moving very slow around here for the last few days... Claude passed his flu onto Jay and I (being a mom is nearly impossible when you're sick), so needless to say not a whole lot was happening in the studio. I'm happy to report that today I'm feeling much improved. Whats more, I spend the morning making these Pandas and although I haven't lived with them very long, I think they're some of my favorite bears I've ever made... not a bad way to start back to work.

summer colors

I've been dying a whole bunch of new colors of mohair and making a lot of one-of-a-kind pieces for the up coming website update. I'm thinking it will be held on Tuesday the 29th of June, but stay tuned for more info... Hope you're having a good Wednesday!

a change in workshops....

We're switching things up a bit for the Creative Connection- I'll be teaching this "Let there be Peace" Clip Ornament instead of the Wool Felt Pin Cushion class. Sorry to everyone looking forward to the pin cushion workshop, but I think this little birdie will be a great replacement and addition to the list of classes already offered. If you were already signed up for Wool Felt Pin Cushion class someone from the Creative Connection will be contacting you soon with more info.

Ohhhh- and YES! the Sewing Heritage Toys workshop is unchanged.

old fabric and beautiful colors

summer dresses all around-

bunnies and balls...

Today, I'm sneaking in a little work.
Claude's not feeling so great today. He's got a little fever and is just a bit out of sorts. All I want to do is cuddle him into good health, but for both of our sake I'm working and leaving him to nap. While he's resting I've been working on these little lady bunnies.... Summer dresses for everyone!

From Start to Finish...

Last night after working for a few hours on lots of different pieces, I decided to do what I very very rarely do these days: I cut out a bear and finished him all in one sitting. How sad that that's such a rare way for me to work these days... but it's not the most efficient way to get a lot done and while efficiency usually rules in the studio last night I was all about the simple pleasure of creating something. I wanted that gratification of looking at a piece of fabric and seeing something and making it- then. In this case I had a piece of mohair with a huge weaving flaw which seemed fit for an old worn black bear with colored pads... Usually after the inception of a pieces my process is broken down into stages, drawing the progress out into a few weeks instead of a few hours. Here's how that process worked out last night... he's almost done.

Now all that's left is to make him a little something to wear. A wool felt shirt perhaps?

today on the worktable...

I'm working on a new group of pieces for an update and I'll be setting the date soon. Lots of new bright summery bunnies, bears and animals... slowly but surely it's coming together.

neck ties all around! and notes on the last few days-

FINALLY- a day in the studio! I've been making neckties and making other cute things with this striped fabric. I've had it for the last few years, just today I think I really saw how good it is for the first time. Helllloooo lovely stripe!




So- what's been going on here? I've been desperately trying to get our house in order... and what I mean by "in order" is child proofing. To be more specific I'm removing all of the death traps in our living space. What is it about having a cruising baby that makes you see how broke down all of your possessions are? Maybe I should speak for myself- perhaps your items have never been "broke down". Anyway, I've always thought of my home as charmingly vintage. I've spend years accumulating the quirky old items that gave our space character but now I see it's just one big danger zone. I'm not an overly fussy mom, but I just hadn't done anything to ready our house for a mobile baby... and since he's not going to be slowing down anytime soon, and I'd like to keep my sanity throughout this parenting phase I figured now is the time. So out with the old and in with the new... I mean new to me. Now when on the hunt for the house I do a much closer inspection. I actually run my hands along all surfaces and turn objects over to check out the undersides, weight and stability. For all those with children- you know what I'm talking about. For everyone else... ignore me, or roll your eyes- that's what I would have been doing while reading this even a few months ago. Ohhh how things change.
Sooooooo, forgive my absence these last few days- I've been trying to create a happy, safe and beautiful space my whole family can live in- arrrggggg. Wish me luck. I'm back at it tonight.

today in the studio/garden- bunnies and blooms

I've been working on these new bunnies for the last few days. I love this hand dyed blue gray color with the black. I think they'll look quite handsome once finished- they still need noses and something to wear???- Claude LOVES them as is. He starts pointing and laughing every time he's seen them... Anyway, I was outside admiring all the lush green and flowers in the backyard and I thought I'd share. Who doesn't love a peony? I put this one in 3 years ago now, and this is the first year it really looks like something- and man alive it's been beautiful this year. Happy day to all!

toys and safty...

There has been a lot of talk about toy safety of late- and as someone who's been working on making a line of children's toys for the last few years I've thought about this issue more than I can say. I know I know, I don't talk about it often here but I've had big plans and I've made some serious progress which unfortunately keeps being derailed - One of the major issues is the overarching CPSIA (Consumer Product safety Improvement Act) which is still being debated- and has been for the last 2+ years. Happily, I'm back at it these days with renewed focus and excitement- I decided I'm moving ahead and we'll see what happens.
All that said I'm also the mother of a now crawling and cruising baby, I know all about choking hazards. It's a big world out there- but frankly safely attached buttons are pretty low on my list of worries. I think as a parent it's my job oversee what my child is getting into and to check out all of his toys occasionally. We can't expect to make clunky overarching laws to protect us against everything... in the process we loose so much more than we gain.

The Hand Made Toy Alliance is an incredible resource for more info. They provide all the up to date news about how the new legislation will effect handmade goods in the marketplace (Feb 2, 2011 is when the stay is lifted and new laws go into effect- if an amendment isn't reached this could be devastating to anyone making handmade items for children) and offer lots of easy ways to get involved.


So here's what's been going on in my studio today: these little German Glass eyes won't work for kids toys, but I love how dainty and sweet they look on this bear. I'm currently working on a whole new group of pieces for a summer Website Update. I'll be sure to post all the details as soon as I set a date!