Its raining needle felted cats and dogs!

Whisky and Cleo 

Well its most certainly has been raining cats and dogs in my needle felting world!

 Whisky

The Open House I was preparing for last week opened at the weekend and these little munchkins have been ever so popular!

 Cleo

I thought it was about time I started making some puddy cats especially as I own a gorgeous one myself. Whisky is based on my neighbours cat, he is the local cat burglar, stealing food from unsuspecting neighbours kitchens! (and bringing his loot home!)

Do you remember those small animal needle felted faces in my last post?

They have become pet rosettes!

I'm rather smitten with the Fox Terrier!

Sidney

A while back I was also rather smitten by Mrs Scoops (from the gorgeous joint blog Breathe Happiness with Shaneen) Mini Schnauzer 'Sid'

So of course I had to make one of them and he has turned out utterly gorgeous and full of character. I really love him.....

Stan

...but then I love my baby Fox Terrier 'Stan' too!

I think I have become obsessed with dogs now!

They definitely have their own characters as I make them.....

.....maybe one day I might get my own 'Sid'!

Busy busy with new ideas for the Open House!

As usual I am busy making last minute goodies for the Open House which is just over a week away!!!

Ahhhhhhhh!

'Pearl'

Ive decided to combine both my needle felting and my  usual sewing bits and bobs which has been a challenge but now has become something rather exciting.....

.....I wont say yet what these are going to be, I'm rather excited but there should be a theme running through my display....

So if you want to find out......

...then keep watching, waiting and even come along!

Needle Felting your own Salty or Chip, the cutest dogs in town!

Last Saturday I taught at another Make It Yours Workshops in the gorgeous Loft Cafe in Forest Row.

This was the ever so popular Needle Felting Animal Workshop with the hound being the star!

 The line up of these gorgeous pups made by all my talented students is quite impressive!

 Louise who organised the event also runs this delightful tea room.

After a lovely cup of tea and scones, a chin wag to get to know the students I went on to teach them all how to make their own sweet dog!

There was a lot of prodding with the needles, a few stabs of  fingers....

...but it was all worth the effort!

Just look at them, all so different with their own special little characters!

Look at this little cheeky fella with his tongue hanging out!

 Such unique touches that make them so individual to each maker....

... definitely worth all the work the students put in.

One of the students Emma from Cotton Happy Days blog has written a lovely post on her blog about the day, please take a look.

So if you fancy having a go at making a Salty or a Chip of your own, I have 2 more workshop dates coming up!

Book now, these little fellas think you should!

Choo choo! A fun day out at the Bluebell Railway!

During the Easter break we got to enjoy a cold day out at the Bluebell Railway.

For years they have wanted to re-open the line between Kingscote and East Grinstead, with lots of fundraising and lots of enthusiastic steam train fans they have finally achieved what seemed an impossible goal.

This has now added an extra ten minutes of pure joy as you cut through the landscape. Steam, smoke and pistons moving, you can see, smell and feel how it must have been scary and exciting in the early days as a huge giant of a monster would rip through the stillness of the countryside.

The pace of life would have been so much slower than now, easing you into a days work, taking you on a trip to the seaside or visit a Great Uncle on  the outskirts of an industrial town.... (I was ear wigging in the carriages, listening to tales of the elderly)

At Sheffield Park (the start of our journey) they have the most amazing shed full of the giant steam engines. We always have to take the obligatory ''Help, there's a train chasing me!" photo!

Looking at past pictures of this event, I cant quite believe how much my boys have grown and become such lovely fun ....men....! : /

I love observing every detail especially the typography used on the trains and around the stations. The above picture always reminds me of Eric Ravilious work, especially this picture!

Simply beautiful.....

 ...even the numbers!

Unfortunately the day had to come to an end, I didn't want to find my way out!

Brighton May Festival Open House 2013

I cant believe its that time of year again!

May brings the Open House season for the Brighton May Festival.

Over the next couple of weeks I will be squirreling away working on new pieces ready for the Open House, 202 Ditchling Road.

So please put the dates in your diary, follow us on the blog and Like us on Facebook to keep an eye on whose exhibiting!

Hopefully I will get to meet some of you!

Needle felting Easter, eggs, flowers and pretty ribbons.

With Easter on the horizon many of us like to decorate our homes. Why not have a go at needle felting these beautiful Easter eggs.

It can't be simpler...

...start by needle felting a polystyrene egg with some dyed wool using a felting needle....

..make sure it has been covered so you cant see any of the white and you have a lovely felted look on the egg.

Now to create the pretty flowers, make 5 little petal shapes and then felt them together...

...add the detail to the centre keeping it simple.

 Ive made the flowers quite small, as you can see they are weenie in the photo below!

Have fun making all sorts of flowers, Pansies, Forget-me-nots, Primulas, the choice is endless!

Then tie some beautiful ribbon around the middle of the egg and finish it off into a sweet bow, Ive used various ribbons from the lovely collections Jane Means has on her website.

Attach the flowers by needle felting them straight on to the egg, they should stay on quite well if you use the needle in the centre of the flower.

 Pretty and very simple yet gorgeous!

The yellow egg above has a pretty pastel 15mm Peppermint with Pink Dot Grosgrain ribbon which contrasts really well with the yellow.

This blue egg needed a vibrant Rasberry Stitched Grosgain ribbon, again I used the 15mm.  It gives it a little lift to accentuate the little white flowers.

This Blue Gingham 15mm ribbon sits beautifully around the subtle colours in the egg above.

Ive thoroughly enjoyed making these and can't wait to put them in my final Easter table display, now if they were chocolate too........

...the temptation to eat them would be impossible!