WIP What's new, Pussycat?

I actually started this doll a while ago.

 Four years or more.

 I found some animal print cloth,
with a warm brushed cotton finish

and made a body and tail. 

but I was never happy with the face.

I'd moulded a leather head and painted it,

 but none of the faces I painted looked right, 

so I put the body away.

However, today I had all kinds of things to do.

The washing machine has stopped working.

 It fills, but won't drain or spin,

so every load I wash has to be wrung out by hand

 and  the machine emptied by bucket.

Really boring stuff.

I decided to cheer myself up and dug out some paperclay.

Miss Kitty's more feline features are the result.

The eyes look a bit odd but 

I'm happy with the general shape of the nose and muzzle 

Tomorrow, there will be more drudgery 

with the washing machine.

Boo!

Between loads,
I hope to finish the paperclay on the face, ready to start painting.
Then, I hope, she might look a little less masculine.


Behind her is a basket of bunnies.
Every day there are more bunnies in there.
I'm not sure how...

I always envisioned her as a circus performer, in a tutu and spangles.

Easter Egg. One of Many

Egg. Sharpie. Tenniel. Done.

Bunny in a tin!

After the free gusset-less bunny pattern

I thought there may be some of you interested in more bunnycrafts.

Like, say, a Bunny in a Tin?

 Handy for all kinds of things 

and open to all sorts of embellishments.

You'll find it here,

on Closet Crafter.

Very cute, Diane!

Something new from a cup of coffee.

This is a departure from doll making

 but it's just so gorgeous and inspiring I just had to share.

Isn't this beautiful?

All The Others, Gone

Look at the emotions; tenderness and grief 

of a father reunited with his daughter

depicted in warm shades of gold and chestnut.

Want something with more action?

How about this?

It Ends In Flame

I love the movement and the tension of the figure.

But I didn't show you these because they're amazing 

(even though they are)

I  love these because they're watercolours

made with coffee.

Coffee.

 I've got your attention now, haven't I?

They're created by the very talented 

Jenny Dolfen in Germany.

I've seen some of her wonderful Tolkien-inspired works 

on Deviant Art, too and always wondered how she did it.

If you want to try ipainting with coffee, Jenny created a very accessible tutorial here

which I thought made it so clear and simple and inspiring, I just had to share.

Go over and have a look.

  It might tempt you to get out those paintbrushes.

Spring Rabbits. Easter Bunnies. Mad March Hares. One Free Pattern

 If you want to rustle up a few  Easter bunnies, 

using an simple pattern with no gusset, 

 might I suggest this one?

This is the first (and only) pattern 

on my blog (originally featured here)

and I did think it might be helpful to put it up again 

in the Spring when rabbits and hares and bunnies and coneys
are in demand. Free, too!

It's quick and easy, uses those tiny pieces 

of really cute fabric you can't bear to throw away 

and you can glue on Dollar Store fuzzy pom-poms for tails. 

You can hang them on Easter baskets, 

or dangle some from Spring trees 

or grubby them and make bunny prims.

You can change the size of the pattern

 if you want bigger or smaller rabbits.

Polly, available on Etsy,  With rabbit.

(Polly is sold. And her rabbit)

These wee ones are small enough to make 

plushies for dolls, or for as key rings.
Friends hang them from their rear view mirrors.

I usually sew a stack of bodies and matching ears 

and sit in front of the telly 

while I stuff and stitch them together.

Here is the pattern

Print out the pattern. 

Draw around the bunny body 

on a doubled piece of printed cotton. 

Sew around the line, leaving the gap at the back

 for turning the body and stuffing.

Cut out the shape and clip the curves.

(I hate clipping curves)

Turn right sides out, stuff the nose firmly 

and then stuff the rest of the body. 

Sew the gap closed as neatly as you can. 

The tail will be glued/sewn  over this seam.

Each ear is two pieces.

 You can make the whole ear from 

 the same  fabric as the body

or you can use a contrasting cotton for the lining. 

Draw around each ear on doubled fabric. 

Leave the flat base open and sew around the ear. 

Cut out and clip curves.

Turn the ear right side out and iron it flat.

Tuck in the raw edges and

 sew the ears at a jaunty angle to each

side of the  bunny's head.

You can either stitch a pair of eyes,

 or sew a pair of bead eyes 

or leave the eyes off altogether.

Attach a pompom for a tail.

Then you're done. 

The bunny is open to all kinds of embellishments;

 button and ribbons and flowers and what-have-you.

If you make one I'd love to see it.

Miniature chair from Champagne Cork

 Over on Gaslight and Gilt, 

the esteemed Dr Algernon Crupper 

tells us how to make a miniature bistro chair 

from the wire cage on a champagne bottle. 

as well as instructing us how to open a bottle of champagne without bathing our guests in it...

(I'm not much of a cook, but I'm a little vain about my ability to open a bottle of champagne neatly)

Happy Valentine's day

And a rather provocative Victorian card.