mail box goodies and finished objects (SHOCK!)

When I went to the mailbox yesterday afternoon, I found the most amazing package!

not just every envelope arrives with a bright orange lable and glowing pink and green tape on it.....and inside were lovely treasures!

Check out the apron -- its that thin, floaty fabric that reminds me of my childhood when the women on TV wore this kind of apron (starched within a inch of its life, of course) and stayed in their perfect homes to bake cookies for their perfect children -- please note I said "on TV"

Anyway, the apron is destined for a Mama Hattie Rose make over which will include paint, glitter, etc., etc

In the pocket were three packets of Smarties -- how did Rice know? These remind me of Halloween even as recently as when my daughter was young enough to go trick or treating.....

And then the lovely razor case -- which is also destined for a make over here in the studio --

Yes, on the whole it was definately worth the trip to the mail box!!



This is Stella the Flying Sheep (or the DH refered to her as Sister Mary Lamb)

There's just something about those ears that reminded us of Sally Fields and the Flying Nun I guess

Anyway, Ms Stella is made of a lovely thick black mohair and has merino wool felt feet and face.

Having learned my lesson about cranky sheep made of goat hair a while back, she is wearing a hand knit vest made out of some of my hand dyed homespun yarn -- 100% wool of course

Pictures of Ms Stella will be winging their way to a lady in California who asked for a black sheep -- we're hoping she'll make the cut



And this is the latest of the birds from the studio

We've been "dinking" with the pattern for this critter for over a year, and well, I'll still make some more changes, but this one is acceptable for viewing

Meet The Puffin -- you can tell how new he is by the fact that he has no name yet -- just what do you name a Puffin? Actually the Latin name for the genus means "Little Brother", so some appropriate monastic name perhaps.....

Unlike the penguin, puffins do fly and in the water (their main feeding "ground") they swim as if they were flying -- a very interesting thing indeed

This bird is a first for a some things from our studio

-- for one his feet are on longer, supportive legs and the fabric of the body comes part way down the legs -- the other birds I've done have had the feet inserted by cutting a little hole in the proper place through the fabric and inserting the wire feet

-- this is the first animal I've built where the glass eyes were set first and the eye trim applied over them, giving the trim a sculpted look around the eyes

-- there is a lot of needle sculpting in the face of the bird, creating a little "shelf" where the eyes appear to rest

-- the black around his eyes is actually a shiny paint that also gives it some depth and texture

On the whole, I'm pretty pleased with him, though I will be making some minor changes to the pattern for any future ones

Oh yes, pictures of the puffin are also going to California to a fellow that has purchased many birds from me -- I'm hoping he'll want one of these too

And so folks, you can tell that work in the studio has resumed -- in fits and starts, but I'm getting there

Yesterday the DH created a whole new bear pattern, laid it out on the fabric and cut it so its ready for me to stitch. Its a sort of golden yellow swirly mohair with a very different body and head shape, so this should be quite interesting

time to get to it