Ms Lemons

When I was at uni, there was a librarian who had a very sour expression and always looked as though students presenting books for check-in and outs were a tremendous imposition. Her mouth was tight contraction; a moue, like that of a cat’s bum. We called her Ms Lemons.

And so have named my latest doll ‘Ms Lemons’ in her memory. The resting B*tch face says it all. The fact that she has a weaponised pin cushion to give a quick jab, stab or poke just adds to the whole persona.

And here she is in her permanent setting. The sewing room where she will be put to service and justify her … being.

She’s modelled on a Tone Finnanger Tilda angel (her wings are pinned on and a bit askew at this stage and have slipped a bit. Apropos).

A lot of work went into making her clothes, including modesty undergarments (of course) and really like the choice of fabrics. But her face… I may paint it off with acrylics and give her a make over. Another doll is cut out, stitched just waiting to be stuffed. And some clothes ready-made and lovely. Maybe she presents a second-go to create a beautiful version. They could sit like book ends. Like Mrs Bedonebyasyoudid and Mrs Bedonedonebyasyouwould bedoneby (if memory recalls the Water Babies correctly).

Cats are Nobbers

This is Charlie in his usual state of distress. If only he would chill out, ha ha.

Honestly, he has so many comfy places to sleep including proper-nice cat beds but since an Amazon delivery a while back, this is his favourite place to catch forty winks and whiskers. Very inconvenient as it’s on top of a table-cum-chest that is my yarn repository.

Daft

A new box arrived and he considered moving. On this occasion, Daft.ie lived up to its name (in ROI Daft is a property rental/buyer site). The property is definitely subsiding and looking ready to slide off its footings. Charlie gave it a go and decided it’s not the bachelor apartment he thought it might be.

Ignore the mess creative ideas lying around.

Life has generally become much more full-on. I now go to a couple of keep-fit classes and regularly join in with some pole walking (not dancing!) and line dancing at the local Womens’ Shed.

Had a Sound Journey which was a nice experience held in our town hall; a building that used to be a church. We all lay on the floor covered in blankets with our eyes shut. Looking at the photos sent round afterwards it reminded me of a make-shift morgue following some major catastrophe… dark humour there…

Joined a sewing group. Love sewing but never made garments. Apart from an apron. No understanding of darts, interfacing, grown-up terminology like ‘on the grain’ ‘on the bias’, amending patterns to fit, etc. Progress! Have made a blouse – traced and cut out the pattern/fabric, stitched it altogether, inserted sleeves… Amazeballs. Actually believe everything imaginable is possible.

Also joined an art class. Some very artistic members and we’re planning a 2-day exhibition before Christmas! Amazeballs squared!

The Wild and Woolies are going strong and are a lively group. Off to the North for a meet-up with a crochet group there the beginning of April. Again, wonderfully talented and lovely ladies.

With everything going on, finally finished the Elena Essex Christmas Cornucopia Christmas jigsaw:

It is a thousand-piecer and tougher than it looks. Gorgeous! Sadly, lost a piece. It had been under the sofa on a cutting mat and regularly got knocked by the vacuum cleaner so guess it got sucked up.

Am still exasperated with Adobe suite. Illustrator crashed when tasked with a simple operation. Not Bézier curve adjustments. Nothing THAT complex (sardonic laugh). Holy shit balls… but it’s still the best of the bunch.

So, like a vacuum cleaner with a sour face I have to suck it up.

With a sour lemon face.

Life goes on

And all is good.

Christmas is looming and still gives me thrills. So, am loving all things Christmas related. There are two Christmas cakes (fruity fruity!) being given a weekly dose of brandy feed in the traditional poke-it-with-a-knitting-needle-and-pour-a-good-capful-of-brandy-all-over-the-top kind of way. The plan is to keep one for Easter but we’ll see how that goes.

Also making a Tilda hare Christmas angel. Tilda hares are my favourite Tilda make. Made a few some year’s back so am giving one a makeover and making a new one.

Gathering shiny trimmings is glorious. Amazon delivered a spool of white Tulle; plan is to make a tutu gathered around the tulle rose trim in the pic. Amazon also delivered a spool of really shiny gold metallic twine. Thinking about potential with the sewing machine cording foot on the wings.

Stuffed and ready for stitching together.

Using haemostats to grip and push the stuffing into the little spaces makes the tedious job of stuffing a little less laborious and boring.

Last Christmas I got a box of wool felt pieces, perfect to cut some wings from. Tried out a few ideas… metallic thread with inbuilt decorative stitches (hard to follow a path as the stitches are somewhat unpredictable (as in the needle moves forward, forward, back, side, middle, other side, middle, forward, forward or some other variation). Tried the cording foot with some gold thread. Tried Angelina Fibre. Not hugely happy with the results:

Have some other ideas to have a go at… and more felt… so will maybe have a play later today.

Have been busy with other things that have gone much better. Made this little fella for the local Shoebox Appeal:

Sweet little fella! Hope some little one somewhere loves him to bits when he gets shipped off for Christmas.

A lady at the Wild and Woolies crochet group is organising the appeal locally. Not that Wild and Woolies is our crochet group’s official name – It’s what I call it.

Another lady there makes hats and blankets for the neonatal unit in Crumlin hospital. I’m just working on a baby blanket to donate. The hat is already finished:

The blanket is about three-quarters done.

Delighted with myself for spotting what I think is a beeaauuttiful pottery teapot in a charity shop. It was twenty euro so not a cheapy-cheap find but worth every cent.

I did a Google Reverse Image on it; apparently it’s a Mucros pottery from Killarney. Why would anybody give this away??!! Am now looking at a Honey and Blue teaset from the pottery shop… The shipping would be expensive but so would the cost of fuel, tolls and, no doubt, parking if I went there by car … hmmm

Beautiful but a bit bonkers is the new lightbulb in the lounge lamp:

It’s Colour-Me-Happy and I love it.

Finally, must finish a vintage cross-stitch embroidery initial:

It’s to be framed and is a present for somebody I’m visiting next weekend. Nearly done.

It is done. Unpicked yhe blue flower and the scrappy leafy things and restitched them.

It needs a press, I didn’t hoop, you see. I didn’t want to. Then sort a frame out. I have a wooden one that is perfect. Needs a colour wash and maybe a dry brush of gold acrylic to lightly szuzh it up.

That’s a job for later on.

Love my life! Me and my fab shoes are off out later, DMs if it’s wet, (new and gorgeous) shoes if it manages to stay dry!

Be happy and smile from the heart.