Has it been so long?

I did not realize I have abandoned my blog until someone asked me for the link to my blog...and I said to myself...."oooooh".

So here I am...Happy 2013 everyone! I hope your year is starting off well.

I did a search through my photos to see what I had created since my last blog post and I did not realize how many have come and gone...so I will show you what I have been up to since my last post...

I decided since there are so many I will categorize them and go from there.

Wee Beasties

By far my most popular creatures. They come from all walks...faerie tale creatures and goblins...mysterious monsters and lurkers from beyond and the year has been full of them!

Many of these Beasties have been sold but there are still a few available in my Etsy Shop and there are always new ones added from time to time.

You have already met Growl #1, Lurker #3, Seymour #4 and Gog #5. For some reason I missed out posting a few early editions and of course...all of 2011/2012.

Without further ado...

#2 Bettina

#3 Lurker

#6 The Frog Prince

#7 Simon

#8 Farley

#9 Grumbles

#10 Paul

#11 Greta

#12 Trevor

#13 Cackles

#14 Grizzle

#15 Shock

#16 Dee

#17 Edmund

 ...more to come! :)

Fantasy/Faerie Tale

 Fred the Gnome stashbox

 Little Red Riding Hood: The Wolf as Grandmother

Bears and a White Rabbit

Benjamin

Rosie

So that is what I have been up to! I promise I will try to keep my blog updated as much as possible for 2013. I also post to my Facebook Page so "like" and add to your favourite pages for regular updates.

Thanks for all of your support and I hope to hear more from you soon!

Its Been A While...

Dolls have come and gone and the blog has not been updated in a wee while so I am dusting it off to update you...

Two new wee beasties joined the crew. In March, I created Bettina the Yeti (right) and in April, Lurker (left). They are shown with my ball jointed doll, Eve. Lurker and Bettina are available in my Etsy shop.

Moondancer the baby unicorn was born in April. She is only 3 1/2" tall and fully wired. She is a merino/silk blend over wire with seafoam green mohair mane and tail. Swarovski crystal eyes. She is a very special little thing. Available on Etsy.

Early May gave birth to Snowshoe Hare II. These gorgeous beauties are felted of a blend of baby soft merino wool and real angora rabbit fiber. I will be creating more of these in the future and may open them for custom/commission orders. Snowshoe Hare II is SOLD. Please enquire if you would like one or watch my shop listings.

Wee Beasties are my favourite things to create because I never know what little monster will spring forth from the fiber. This little guy was very unexpected and is my absolute favourite creation. Seymour the Sea Monster is an enigma wrapped in a riddle and brings a smile to my face. As all Beasties, he is five way thread jointed with magnificent glass eyes. Available in my Etsy shop.

Cordelia the Mermaid is not your typical Hollywood mermaid. She is my interpretation of a mermaid...a creature of the sea and not in need of land-dwelling features like eyebrows and ears. I think she is a true beauty of the sea but beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Wet felted tail, styled white mohair, jewelled organza bikini and gold wire embellishments. Cordelia is not yet in my Etsy shop. Updated photos to come as I have done more work on her since this photo was taken. If you are interested in her, please enquire.

Olivia the pig is absolutely adorable and was the first doll to sell at the Hamilton Doll & Bear Show. She was sculpted of pink merino and has black Czech glass eyes. Olivia has been SOLD.

Bunny Blue was created at the Hamilton Doll & Bear show and is absolutely precious. I set out to make a bear, but the wool spoke to me and this is what it wanted. Made of a gorgeous heathered blue merino and accented with angora rabbit fibre, this little guy will put a smile on your face (especially when you see his big fluffy cotton tail!). Blue glass eyes and nylon whiskers accent his adorable face. Available in my Etsy shop.

I love making grumpy unicorns almost as much as I love to make Wee Beasties. Lilac is one in a line of these little beauties. She is sculpted of a baby soft merino wool and accented with lilac hooves. Her mane and tail are rooted mulberry silk and she has pink glass eyes. There is a metal key finding on the ribbon around her neck. Available in my Etsy shop.

Gog the Gargoyle is my latest beastie and is truly magnificent! He is a monochromatic winged wonder made of a blend of grey merino wools. He has iridescent silver glass eyes, felted fingers and big black horns and claws. His wired tail has a tuft of black mohair. Now available in my Etsy shop.

As you can see I've been very busy and there are more magical wonders on the way! I still have several unfinished projects sitting here on my workspace and have ideas brewing all the time. Who knows what the wool will ask of me next...

As a special thank you to all of my supporters, fans and customers I am offering 20% off all of my works in my Etsy shop for a limited time. Use code MIDSUMMER to receive your discount.

Until next time...

xo

Saying Goodbye

Snowshoe Hare on its way home

Although I am in the business of creating and selling dolls, I find it very hard to say goodbye sometimes. Each doll is a little piece of me...a mood I was in, an idea I had, a long afternoon in the sunshine...

I was reflecting on my ritual of when I sell one, how I let go. All of my dolls are kept in a glass cabinet until they are sold. I will select it from the case, inspect it & make any little adjustments needed before it is sent off to its new home.

Their tags are made and attached, they are packed into a box or bag and I write out a contents tag.

It is a small ritual that makes it just a little bit easier to say goodbye.

This month I have said goodbye to some of my best (so far) and favourite creatures:

Snowshoe Hare

Rascal

Growl

I am on holiday all this week so I will be working on a few new creatures! More to come...

xo

Gryphon - Work in Progress

It has been a while since I have done this type of post, so I am glad to be putting this one up. I like to show the process so those learning or interested in felting can see how I get from start to completed doll. I have started a project I have put off for a wee while and am glad to finally be working on it.

The gryphon is a mythical beast that has the body of a lion and head and wings of an eagle. I've been wanting to tackle this but it always gets put to the back burner. No excuses now...here we go!

As I do with larger pieces, I started with a wire armature. Getting the body shape and proportions down are key.

Next, I flesh out the body with a core of washed wool. This is firmly felted.

The body shape is where I want it to be. Now I add colour and detail.

So far in the right direction. I broke the tail...pipecleaners do not make good armature material as they are a bit flimsy. I have reinforced the tail with 22 gauge wire and will add an additional tail piece once the body is completed.

Here are the wings I will be using for the gryphon. They are premade wings that I have modified to suit my purpose. I used them to define the proportions of the gryphon.

More to come! I hope to have it completed in the next 2 weeks. Keep checking back for updates...

xo

What Goes Bump in the Night?

Rascal, needle felted raccoon

I have been busy making dolls in my free time to fill up my Etsy shop and to prepare for the Hamilton Doll & Bear Show. I have not been updating the blog as I make them, but you can always see the latest updates on my Facebook Page.

This week, I have two new nocturnal creatures and one magical being to show you...

Rascal is a chubby little raccoon felted of charcoal merino wool. His details are black alpaca and white angora. He has light grey glass eyes and nylon whiskers.

Rascal is 3 3/4 inches tall 5 1/2 inches long and is five way thread jointed.

Meet Growl. He looks a bit scary but he is a big teddy bear inside and just wants to be cuddled. He is the first in my Wee Beasties range and I will have more coming soon!

Growl is sculpted of a blend of merino and NZ Corridale wools and alpaca. His body fur and hair are four different colours (brown, auburn, black and blue) of tibetan lamb and kid mohair locks. He has iridescent gold glass eyes that catch the light and make him look so alive!

3" sitting, 4" standing. Growl is five way thread jointed and can be posed several ways.

Both Rascal & Growl are available in my Etsy shop.

Treasure is a custom unicorn felted of a merino/silk blend. She has a silk mane and tail, glass eyes & hand sculpted paperclay horn. Not available for purchase. Please contact me for custom orders.

There will be lots more to come in the coming days and weeks ahead. I have a work in progress that I will be adding to the blog shortly!

Until next time,

xo

The Road to the Doll Show

It has been a while since I had a new post, and I have not been blogging as frequently as I would like. I have been making dolls as quickly as I can for the upcoming Hamilton Doll & Bear show. This will be held at Hamilton Gardens in Hamilton, New Zealand on May 21 & May 22. A few dolls have taken shape since my last post, so I'd like to introduce you...

This beautiful Snowshoe Hare was felted of a blend of luxuriously soft white merino wool and angora rabbit fibers. The hare stands 4 1/2" tall and 5 1/2" long. He was felted over a wire armature and has black glass eyes and nylon whiskers.

Next is Isaac who is a sweet teddy bear stylized to look well loved. He is sculpted entirely of 100% New Zealand Alpaca and is five way thread jointed. Isaac is only 2 1/2 inches tall (sitting).

I've had kind of a weird raccoon obsession lately. I'm not totally sure where it came from but I am working on raccoon #2 right now. Here is #1 who is a teeny tiny 1 5/8" tall and 4 1/2" long. Felted over a wire armature, the raccoon is made of a blend of monochrome colours in alpaca, merino and angora fibers. Czech glass eyes, nylon whiskers.

Last but not least, I have felted a brooch of my favourite Luck Dragon, Falkor. Felted firmly of a blend of soft merino wool and luxurious Angora. Iridescent gold glass eyes, pin backing. 2 1/4" long 1 1/2" wide.

All of these dolls are available in my Etsy shop.

I have a few other dolls in the works right now...a raccoon named Rascal who should be coming together very soon. All of his body parts are laying here next to me waiting to be joined and have the final details added :)

I also have a 1/4 finished sea dragon sitting here begging to be worked on. It is very different from my past dragons and I am intrigued by what path it chose to go and can't wait to see the end result.

There are some other ideas that might come to life, but there is no telling what I'll make next. I'm just waiting for the next inspiration.


xo

Ludo on Ebay!

Try your luck and bid on Ludo now on Ebay! Reduced reserve and free shipping! See listing for details. Please share this link with someone who may be interested.

xo,

Irma