More Pheasants!

So my pheasants proved so popular the mother of the bride ordered a Brace (Mr and Mrs) for home as a momento of the wedding. How lovely.

Hurray Hurray, It's Pheasant Day

Well strictly speaking it's actually the wedding day of a client of mine who ordered a whole range of bespoke items, including 5 life size pheasants based upon the beautiful invite design created by her illustrator cousin.

What a wonderful thing to work on. Ok at 3am, with bleeding fingers and still another 100 napkin rings to sew together, my joy was a little lower on the scale, but I have to say that as with so many celebratory events I am privileged enough to make things for, this was a real delight.

I think that as the wedding is taking place today and everyone should be enjoying a gorgeous reception very soon, it is now safe to share of pictures and head to the pub. I hope you enjoy your Saturday too.

Frantic Stitching for the Art Trail

I'm very excited to be taking part in the first Bottesford Art Trail which opens this Friday, 26^th May and runs across three venues in this wonderful Leicestershire village, right at the heart of the Vale of Belvoir. 

Since I moved here 18months ago I have been so fortunate to meet other creative practitioners with a passion for sharing their work and their skills. I am now a proud member of the Bottesford and Vale Creatives group which runs free monthly workshops in the amazing St Marys Church. 

Not only does the church have nesting peregrines with a dedicated camera, one of the tallest spires of a village church anywhere and reference to witches who were said to have taken the lives of a previous Dukes sons, it is also a lively, beautiful space much love and oft used by the local community.   

It is perhaps the diversity of the creative practice that is most exciting to me and a taster of this will be on show as part of the art trail.  Featuring Steampunk leather wearables, textile illustrations and British folk art, this small but perfectly form trail also present contemporary drawing, print and painting and has been organised to show how broad the range of artists living and working in the area is.

As well as the variety of art work to view, the event provides an ideal chance to meet and discuss opportunities for further activities, group shows and a larger Art Trail in the future. 

It’s all free and teas and coffees will be available (for a small donation to chosen charities). There may even be some biscuits! So if you find yourself in the area this weekend do come along and meet some lovely people.

Dates and opening times vary. On street parking is available around the Village. For full details visit: https://www.facebook.com/BottesfordArtTrail/

Hurray Hurray for the First of May

or should that be hurry, hurry it's already the first of May? Like so many others I am frantically busy. especially as I seem to have far too many projects and ideas on the go at once, never mind caring for dear old dad! Here's a pictorial round up.

New PollyWhistle Toy Designs

Working out some ideas for the first PollyWhistle Stall

New PollyWhistle Angels (of course)

And yes, that cushion cover still remains unmade!

Cushioning myself in florals

Oh my goodness, I have actually been making some things for myself (and gone a bit OTT on the florals.

I also treated myself to some vintage fabric and a very jolly new jug. But enough with the boasting... much work to do getting ready for my stall later this month. 

A family in felt

PollyWhistle Badger

A long standing customer of mine got in touch early last year having seen a picture of my recent fox. She wanted three little friends as Christmas presents for three of her children. It was so satisfying using my own patterns and heritage quality materials as these were made with 100% wool felt and wool stuffing.

As you can image, I had great fun and I'm glad to say they proved very popular on Christmas day. I was even sent a picture of Super Hero badger in bed with Super Hero boy.

PollyWhistle Fox

PollyWhistle Mouse

Poppies for Paige

I'm very fortunate in that much of my work is made to commission. People get to hear about what I do and get in touch with a loose idea for a gift. This often means I get to work on celebratory pieces.

It's important to me to make everything so that it lasts. Yet when I am day dreaming that the little boy whose birth is being marked by my bunting might one day turn up at a surprise 50th Birthday party to find it hung up, that commitment becomes even stronger.

I was asked late last year to make a cushion to celebrate the birth of a little girl. She was expected in December and I would receive the name and birth date as soon as it happened. Well the little minx arrived weeks early! Thankfully she was absolutely fine (as was mum) and as she was born on 11th November it was agreed the cushion should feature poppies.

As is often the case I was so excited about getting the item delivered I didn't make time to take any good photos but here are a couple of images anyway. The customer was extremely happy and even gave me a copy of a beautiful picture of the tiny new child laying in her fathers hand. It just goes to show how much giving a bespoke gift can mean.

Memory Lane Arts Project and the Dementia Dolls

A very inspiring friend of mine, Carol Parker sets up and runs all sorts of amazing arts projects, particularly in community settings and centred around community engagement. One such project is the Memory Lane - Creative Sessions for those living with Dementia and their Carers.

Carol commissioned me to make three large art dolls with blank faces and lots of texture in the patchwork. She intends to use them in her sessions as they are cuddly and tactile and she will work with people to give them faces and personalities. Apparently this kind of working often brings out some amazing stories from people's own lives too.




UPDATE

Here is Dolly complete with hair and face. Carol worked with an older lady who described what she thought should go where as her sight and dexterity are not great. As part of this all sorts of tales came out about her time as a young lady. I think she looks fantastic.

It's begining to feel a lot like Christmas.

In my studio it is anyway as I am increasing surrounded by little Angels. These and more are for sale in my shop now.

Luck is a lady (and a gent)!

I am so lucky! The space I have been allocated for the New Mills festival Art Trail is wonderful. Not only is it easy to access and use but the people are so nice too! Here are a few pictures of my little people in situ, at the Medulla Hair Studio, on the High Street of New Mills, High Peak. For more details of the festival visit the website at www.newmillsfestival.com and www.newmillsfestival.com/ArtTrail