Felt Ahoy!

I’ve so much to share with you from the festive period but to start with, I wanted to unveil a quick little project which I’ve just completed.

I’ve been dying to further explore the world of needle-felting after having learnt the basics in a workshop a month or so ago. I incorporated the skills into one of my recent commissions, and have begun to see so many possible applications for felting in my work. I’ve always had a love of illustration, and a hefty collection of children’s picture books, but have never had the drawing skills to match what I see in my head. I’ve realised that needle-felting can be used as a medium for illustration, so this evening I decided to have a go. Within half an hour I’d managed to create a little image that I’m actually quite proud of.

Lots of potential for improvement and for broadening my scope, but for now, I’m happy with this little chap!

Christmas Commissions

I had a lot of fun recently making up a couple of commissions for a chap who’d seen my work at a craft fair in the summer and very kindly kept one of my cards in case he ever found himself in need of a monster!

Without further ado, meet Scarlett Sullivan and the ‘Abominable’ Bartholemew Cox (along with Tilly who’s just sniffing them out to see if she likes them)

Scarlett Sullivan has an unhealthy addiction to strawberries. Doctors have told her she must cut back or else risk turning red and developing a pointy bottom. She’s tried electronic strawberries, strawberry patches, and even hypnosis in an attempt to kick the habit. Unfortunately the latter just resulted in Scarlett making chicken noises whenever anyone said the word ‘Collywobbles’. She can usually be found wearing her trusty headphones listening to her beloved hip hop music, however it does make her quite unaware of her surroundings and she can often be found bumping into lamp-posts and ignoring advances from handsome strangers.

Needle-felted Strawberries

 

The ‘Abominable’ Bartholemew Cox hails from Nevada. His father was a cowboy, as was his father’s father before him. Bartholemew longs to carry on the family tradition but much to his parent’s disappointment, is scared of horses and gets tangled up in his lasso. His passion is skiing, and he ROCKS the slopes! Decked out in his signature cowboy hat and scarf, he’s won every competition in the state. Now, having earned himself the nickname ‘The Abominable Snowman’, he has his eyes set on global domination of the skiing world.

Cross Stitch Keepsakes

As you saw from yesterday’s post, we had a lot of talented people involved in our wedding day. Not to be outdone, a couple of the guests got in on the act two with some very thoughtful handmade wedding cards.

This one was made by one of the female ushers who adapted this Mario Brothers design to match our colour scheme. A perfect choice what with Mr Monster’s love of computer games and a good match for his Mario inspired tattoos.

This one was stitched by the lovely Amy of Purple Thread Designs in the snatched moments between caring for her new baby, and includes the inscriptions Mr Monster and I have inside our wedding rings.

They got the seal of approval from Tilly too!

Kisses not Hisses (part two)

You may remember a while back, Mr Monster and I introduced a new kitten to the household. It was a tense few days waiting to see if our one year old cat Tilly would bond with him, but looking at what we woke up to one morning this week, we needn’t have worried.

This is Tilly’s spot on the windowsill, and I love how she’s only let him get is front paws on her cushion with his back paws on the hard wooden sill. We wouldn’t want him getting too comfortable now would we!

Babies, Bunting, and Books

What a wonderful day it’s been. My good friend Amy of Purple Thread Designs is fit to pop with her first baby, a little boy. He should be arriving in the next 3-5 weeks and I can’t wait to meet him. Today was the day which we chose to spoil Amy and her lovely (and lively) bump, with a bit of a baby shower type knees-up.

We declared the day as a good excuse for some cake and we weren’t disappointed. Guests showed up with an array of homemade goodies which were duly demolished in double quick time. I unfortunately didn’t have time to bake anything so I set about making a baby out of fruit which seemed to go down well!

I knew that Amy wanted to keep the day fairly low-key, and also that she already has most of the baby stuff which she needs so, what with our mutual love of children’s books, I declared a book theme for the day, complete with little baby book bunting.

I asked the guests (in secret) to bring along a gift of a book which means something to them. The ladies did me proud and we had an amazing array of books from Each Peach Pear Plum, to Dogger, to Aliens Love Underpants, and everything in between.

I chose to give Rudyard Kipling’s Just So Stories. I racked my brain to try to think of the story which I remember most fondly from my childhood. I was tempted by the monstrous Not Now Bernard, but then remembered the rhinoceros with the skin full of stale, itchy cake crumbs and the decision was made.

Star Wars fans among us will appreciate this fantastic gift knitted for the baby by the ever creative Emily. Illustrator, plush artist and all round talented lady. Amy and her husband are huge Star Wars fans so this baby hat complete with Yoda ears couldn’t have been more appropriate, SO CUTE!

It really was a great day, and it made the fact that we will have a new little man in our lives very soon, seem so much more real. Amy will make an amazing mum, and thanks to todays shower, he will be a well read, and well dressed little boy!