Meet Oskar, he is wearing a jumpsuit and I think he has the attitude to carry it off. He will be available over here as soon as I can get a photoshoot together. Still stuck indoors with a virus but at least I am upright and able to get on with some bits and pieces. Thankful.

So, not technically a jumpsuit but pretty rad!

Slowly, slowly, getting it together, another girl nearly finished and a glimmer of possibility that the new shop could be up by early December.

I would love this guy from here.

Inspiring image via Wikimedia Commons.

Today we built a space ship so that we could fly to the moon. Ishi made a star map to aid navigation.

Making more of these girls, now named Otylie.

Eating clouds for breakfast, taste best with blueberries.

My child in Wicker Man mode

Wholeheartedly agree with this phrase appended to Stirling Boys Club.

Went to see this, love, love, love. And yes, life was that brown and grey in seventies Britain!

Cock-a-hoop to see Fish Boy in the latest edition of Small magazine. Happy to see one of Mia Hansen’s cats too, Ishi will be pleased!

Check Small out here.
Fish Boy here.
Mia Hansen there.

I am a lucky bunny! The loveliest package arrived in the mail this morning from marvellous Sonia of Cozy Memories fame. I ordered one of Sonia’s Adjustabraid necklaces and it is beautiful, very clever too, I love versatility and I can wear it as a headband or bracelet as well. Can you tell that I am smitten! As you can see above, a certain bunny decided she would borrow MY necklace, I think it looks very well indeed. Collaboration Sonia?!!!

The packaging was also lovely, look at those beautiful handmade gift tags. I am going to stop gushing now before I embarrass myself. Thank you Sonia for making these pretty things, you have made my day (and the rabbit’s!).

Creature in progress, I think she/he may be a rabbit, a deer at a stretch. Need to come up with a suitable outfit now. I am thinking Liberty and yellow.

Looking forward to the release of Mini Moderns Festival tea ware range, love it so!

For some reason I never tire of looking at Anita Pallenberg.

The dancing wolves and cat people are now available to purchase online at Hannah Zakari-Hooray!

I have been back at the sewing chair for the first time in ages, leaving the seaside has not done wonders for my making. It has been almost a year since we left the island for the city, hopefully I am finding my way again now. Home made Valentine cards and chocolate and beetroot brownies undertaken today, I am pretty happy with the results! Also a little Charity Shop trawling last week which brought me some wonderful vintage children’s books, they are from the sixties and seventies, a couple published in the year of my birth no less. I was drawn to the beautifully illustrated covers but the insides are just as ace.

I am particularly looking forward to reading The Doll’s House by Rumer Godden, I have vague memories of it from childhood. ‘Tottie Plantaganet’ is such a great name for a doll, she is stylish too (see above), reminds me a little of the dolls from the wonderful Le Train Fantome.

Saw this, want this. From Squirrellicious.

Roll up friends for a sneaky preview, oh yes, I do have some new creatures up my tight fitting sleeves! First up a deer, she may even get some clothes, who knows. Fingers crossed that she makes the leap from the page to fabric successfully & doesn’t end up losing her head.

My creatures for Plush You LA at Munky King have flown off to California. The show opens on 26th August at Munky King, 7308 Melrose Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90046. As usual I find myself wishing I could attend, if you make it, take some pictures for me! I can’t wait to see all the plush excellence on display, I think it is going to be an amazing show. Above and below: Fish Boy-The Shaman, The Sad Fate of Mau of the Octopod Clan and Theodore the Stevedore.

Mau looked very different originally. Upright, with a little helmet, claw socks and gloves-she didn’t look right to me when she was finished. I think I made my pattern much too thin, tried to replicate the slightly wonky aspect of my initial drawing. I was so upset by my perceived ‘failure’ that I almost cried with frustration (it *was* gone 3am!) & then I decided to chop her head off & change her story. Gory, perhaps a little Grand Guignol, but she works much better for me now. In fact I feel very protective of her, I hope she goes to a caring home.

Isn’t ‘stevedore’ the most magical word, euphonious, easy on the ear? I’m pretty sure I first came across it in a song by The Small Faces, the tale of Rene, the docker’s delight! Theodore really couldn’t have had any other job, it fits him like a pair of claw gloves.

I came across this image of a Stevedore on the New York Waterfront over at the MoMA website. I like the look of this gentleman, he reminds me a little of my Great Grandad, whose name was Percival Varnum, a fine Victorian name, always shortened to Perce, never Percy! Perce had the prickliest mustache, like porcupine quills and the twinkliest eyes I have ever seen, roguish and full of life. As I mentioned in a previous post I have been tossing the idea of producing a winter collection around, thoughts of Perce are proving to be an inspiration. Think Alec Scudder in Maurice (below).

Probably the most famous Stevedore in popular culture, Terry Malloy (played by Marlon Brando) in On The Waterfront.

I haven’t written a thing about the Fish Boy, I guess he is self explanatory and I wanted to use those feathers so badly! Wish them all a happy voyage if you please.