So today is the day to announce my big news, it really isn’t all that exciting, except for us! We will be leaving the island and moving to Edinburgh, Scotland in 3 weeks time-yikes! I can’t tell you how much I long to be back in the city, it is so beautiful here but we haven’t thrived, I will miss the sea, but hey, Edinburgh has the seaside too. I don’t think we could have picked a more perfect place to finally grow some roots. So, we are bound for Morningside to the south west of the city centre. I am looking forward to taking you on a walking tour of our new area, just look at the view over the rooftops.

Being in Edinburgh will allow LL&O more room to grow, craft fairs galore and less than a hour to Glasgow and the Craft Mafia gang, not forgetting my sister for essential Ishi-sitting (only kidding Ali, kind of!). Did I mention that Morningside has its own craft fair once a month! Plus, oodles of charity shops/thrift stores. I am a little in love with the flat we will be renting, I have only seen it in photos, Mr A has seen it with his own eyes though. Lots of light and ooh parquet flooring, I have every room planned out, this is the fun part. I will be busy packing up and making work for a show in May. The LL&O shop will go into vacation mode for a few weeks while we transition, no internet connection for a little while I expect. Wish us luck kittens, I will be back a little later with a tiny shop update, fingers crossed.

Images above from The Good Machinery & Artquirk over at Etsy.

My son Ishi is just beginning to understand something of the passage of time, we are exploring early autumn, waiting for the leaves to fall so that we can try and catch them. I can’t wait for the conkers to be ready, come on horse chestnuts, so that I can introduce Ishi to the joy of a game of conkers. Hmm, a three year old and a piece of string with a hard object attached to the end! Please enjoy some of my autumnal favourites.

I adore the title of this print from Ashleyg (above), Finding The Perfect One.

Queen Ann’s Lace Towel from Lotta Helleberg. Fresh and crip, yum, yum, yum!

Reuben-Original print from The Dark Tree. Sweet, with a side of sinister, portraits of vintage toys.

The yummiest tote from Rennes le Chateau

Real Feeling Leaf Index Post It Notes from Nothing Elegant. I was wary of sharing this shop as there are several little things I would like from it and I can’t get them at the moment, but that wouldn’t be in the spirit of things so shop up a storm!

Little Linen House from Harvest Textiles. Earthy!

All-In-One Agenda from Lineacarta. I really, really *want* this because it is beautiful, happily I *need* it too, so some chance of success with the iron chancellor (Adam-hello dear!).

I love pencils, these would go so well with the agenda above. From Nothing Elegant (again!).

Teardrop String of Pearls Terrarium from Monkeys Always Look. Takes me back to my 70s childhood, we had a huge bottle terrarium at my infant school. I’m glad terrariums are back in favour again, did anyone else make saucer gardens as a child too? Lots of moss and if you were really fancy a little mirror pond!

Ishi is desperate for a skateboard (and helmet too, he is super conscientious about this!). Maybe one day I will get him this wonderful one from Stuart Kolakovic.

Forager from Amy Ruppel. Dreamy.

Salt Pepper Dispensers from Chance Vintage. Very tiny!

Leafy Dottie from Allyson Mellburg. No tears today!

Abigail Brown is now making Butterfly Brooches. Pretty.

Perfect for my pencils and other doings, just $13 too, sometimes I wonder how Etsy sellers manage. Available from Zomb.

Early Riser by Dr Kennedy Jones. Autumnal.

I know *another* tea towel, can’t get enough of them. From Spin Spin.

Fox print from Eek Design. Because it’s a fox!

One day I am going to own a creature from Lemmikkiapina, they are all so heartbreakingly beautiful. Sigh.

Winter by The Good Machinery. I adore wintertime but wouldn’t it be wonderful to carry an invincible summer inside yourself.

Dr Love Is On A Mission from Meeniak. Look at the tiny bike! I need this little guy to visit my house.

The design of this bag from Psarokokalo is fabulous. Handsfree style is pretty essential with a 3 year old in tow, much cooler than a rucksack. Useful, may be in with a chance if I do a bit of begging!

Portraits, Letter and Notes from the Past by Paola Zakimi. Gorgeous!

Happy Apartment Building by Chet and Dot. I am in a whimsical mood today I think.

Two Sisters-Original Acrylic Painting by Elizabeth Bauman. Curious.

Stripe Top from Larimeloom. Stripes always get me.

I am planning a round up of the best places on Etsy to buy your christmas presents and goodies, hopefully this will be ready in plenty of time. This plan is deigned to be useful to people like my wonderful friend K who never have the time to browse, a quick, go-to resource. If any of you lovely kittens have any suggestions I am all ears.

The title gives away the age of this post or at least its inception. I have added a few things since I put this one together weeks ago. I have missed my Etsy roundups and my plush gatherings too. I have collected enough super fantastic softy images for my next installment but need to find a drop of time to put it all together. When I began the LL&O blog in January I promised myself that I wouldn’t use it as a forum for my whines and gripes (I can moan with the best of them. Adam and I have a ‘pretend’ production company called Cross & Grimm). I have found lately that it is becoming a little message board from which to proclaim my run of illness (scroll to the end for an update!) and lack of time-urgh! I am sure that many of you will relate to the inexorable gush of minutes and the notebooks filled with unfulfilled plans and schemes. There are so many things I would like to do with the blog, a longed for typography overhaul, giveaways, collaborations, videos, I would like to offer gratis ad space and become more active in the art/craft/handmade community. Oh so many dizzy ideas! Slow growth and longevity are perhaps the words I should be holding fast to, Lou Lou & Oscar is so very dear to me both as a project (sanity saver) and as a means to connect with truly lovely and remarkable people. Slow down Miss Hare. Ok, enough venting, feast your peepers on these goodies!

I’d Rather Be Happy With You Again print (above) from The Good Machinery.

All Secrets Sleep In Winter Clothes by Ali Aschman

Mid Century Fukagawa Plates from Monkeys Always Look

All My Peeps Out At Sea Print from Firefluff

Crow Kitchen Towel from Oola Designs

Geometry Set Jotter from Present and Correct

Twin Birches Pillow from Rural Diaspora

Andrea ring from Acts Of Kindness. Inspirational and so pretty, “Let Laughter Save The Day”, I couldn’t agree more!

Teardrop Pendant by Cathy Cullis.

Friendship Postcard from Enna.

Bugs purse from Bonspiel

Love Whale Necklace from Gypsy Rabbit.

I have had my eye on this Wooden Deer Wall Sticker pretty much since I joined Etsy, I am just waiting to redecorate! Available from Enna.

Chalkboard Flower Pot from Moxi Sisters

Nesting Material Print from Annarubyking

Warm Wishes Mug from Wee Gallery

Laundry Day In Dog Town Print from Ice Bear

Love, love, love this Collect and Carry Pouch from Forest Bound

Vintage Salt and Pepper Shaker from Shopworthy

Yes please Mr Easter Bunny, Nested Number 1 from Wunderlust.

A girl can dream of owning a Hiding Places Locket from Tiny Happy.

Not to eat, Egg Brooch from Vanilla Bug

Nautical Amelia Top in Liberty’s Mirabelle by Dear Birthday

1853 Hand Coloured Print from Slinkymalinkicat

La Lapin Brooch from Tilly Bloom

Cupcake Ring from Brooklyn Rehab

Hansel & Gretel Doll Suitcase from Shop 66

Oh Be True original painting by Lisa Congdon

Mellow Yellow Dress from Sarah Seven

Wood and Porcelain Pendant from Poodlebreath

Many & The Eucalyptus Tree print from Holli

Please Put It Away from Iviva Embroiders

Lace Print Reusable Sandwich Wrapper by ChezSucreChez

Miniature Girl from Ashley G and Drew

Porcelain Cup from Stepanka.

Yummy goodies! Ishi and me are both doing quite a bit better, we can’t seem to fight off the coughs and snivels, but we are upright-hooray! Thank you so much to everyone who left get well wishes, it is truly appreciated and helped beat the bugs I’m sure. I am hoping to wade into my inbox today, I have felt so disconnected and have missed my lovely friends terribly, I will also be trying to meet a project deadline, only a few days to catch up. I will reveal all very soon. There is of course this week’s interview to come, a bit of a Brooklyn theme for the next two weeks, a little hint! I hope that you all had a wonderful Easter break, hands up who never wants to see chocolate again?! XXX

Stagger back in amazement! I actually managed to update my shop with some new creatures. I am running with a bit of a circus theme and jumping on the mustache bandwagon at the same time. In honour of my mini update I have gathered together some wonderful things with mustaches attached. Get out the wax and start twirling in a nefarious fashion! Circus Bear, at the top of the post, from The Good Machinery.

Catty Catty Owl Tamers by Me!

Mustache On A Stick from Something’s Hiding In Here.

Felix from Simpli Jessi.

Moustache Tea Cup and Saucer from Surya Sajnani

Weep with me for Jake the Sad Oneyed Lumberjack from Ninon.

Cedar Mustache Key Hook from Suddenly, its real!

Fis & Flo from Psarokokalo.

Ring from Isette

Heraldo from Pink Cheeks Studios.

Pint Glass from Bread and Badger.

Walrus Mustachioed Amigurumi from Melissa Sue.

Print from Ole Rattlesnake.

Ok, so he doesn’t have a mustache but he would probably do quite well in the circus. Velvet Fish Boy makes his debut in the Lou Lou & Oscar shop today. I am really happy with the switch to this new fabric, velvet seems to suit Fish Boy’s temperament and he is so lovely to stroke now! I have some new Fish Boy designs waiting to hit the scissors, very exciting, for me at least. Please don’t forget to join me here tomorrow for the Monday Interview. Good night kittens.

Every week I am hoping to do a little ’round up’ of everything that has caught my eye in the world of plush, doll making, soft-sculpture, or what you will! One of the things I find most wonderful about plush (etc!) art is its ability to elide categorization. Who is it for?. What does it do? How am I supposed to respond to this? Is it art? Is it craft? Having taken my first tiny steps down the road of toy making/softy design/plush art I have discovered how difficult it is to explain to others what it is that I do. Soft sculpture/plush art is not particularly established as a form in the UK, there appears to be much more of a tradition in the US and a ‘grammar’ is developing as a result. I hadn’t heard the terms ‘plush art’ or ‘soft-sculpture’ until I began to research what was going on in other countries and forming relationships with artists working in this medium. We have some of the finest makers of plush/dolls/soft sculpture working in the UK, you can scroll down to see pieces from a couple of them. Although I often find myself tongue-tied on the subject of my creatures I celebrate the slippery, taxonomy busting form I have chosen as a vehicle for my creativity.

Here are just some of my recent favourites, they are so outstandingly good, just see for yourself!

Heading up this post are Lewis and Lumi from Le Train Fantome. Also above, the most beautiful Lumi doll. Fanja Ralison is the phenomenal talent behind Le Train Fantome, and yes, she creates her fantastic creatures from her home in the UK.

Wow, Super Ninon is on a roll at the moment. Look at the beauty above and I am so in love with Nero Bolotovski, fabulous wolfy below. I need to find out some more about Super Ninon and be a lot quicker the next time she updates her shop. I would love to know who snagged Mr Bolotovski, they must be so very happy.

Hello Super Wolf!

I absolutely adore everything from A Little Sprout but Juliette is a total dream doll! It seems as if it is quite rare these days to come across a doll with real wool hair, let alone beautiful blue hair. Swoon!

Oh, these rabbits! A delicate soft-as-a-whisper bunny, handmade from vintage angora sweaters by Sonja Ahlers. Sonja has an Etsy shop called Make It Awesome where you can find more of these tiny bunnies, they even have a lucky penny in the belly. These little fellows have such simple and yet such expressive faces, touching is the only word for them. I want one!

Shannah Burton’s shop Das Kaninchen is one of my favourite places on Etsy. I am looking forward to getting a Beuys Bunny for me and Ishi very soon. There is such intelligence behind Shannah’s work and an amazing aesthetic sensibility, a powerful combination. These bunnies certainly defy categorization and I love them for it.

Look out for more on Das Kaninchen here before too long!

Such a cute kitty from Abigail Brown.

Look at Mungo, he is one beautiful Dolphin. Crafted by the unbelievably talented Margie Oomen, of Knitalatte fame. I am hoping that a Mungo will appear in Margie’s shop and that I am quick enough to pounce, Margie’s work sells out in minutes after it is listed, it is so beautiful.

It makes me so happy to come across something new to me and I was overjoyed to make the acquaintance of Heartbroken Wolf Man from The Good Machinery. I was going to save him for my Wolf post but couldn’t wait until then. Oh, he is wonderful!

Donna Wilson is simply amazing, one of the best “Knitting Designers” I have ever seen. I have the biggest crush on Cyril the Squirrel, he likes marmalade and dislikes cottage cheese, I like both but not at the same time.

Ok, so I promised to honour an admiration truce with Miss Astulabee but there was no way that this beauteous creature was going to be left out. Such perfection can be painful to look at for too long, I like to peek in small doses and dream of the day when an Astulabee deer is mine all mine (cross fingers for me please!).

Hooray for Skunkboy Creatures! Just look at this darling Jackalope. I love the fact that Baby Jack is “always thoughtful and never grumpy. Baby Jack’s favorite things are moon shoes to make him extra bouncy and having his velvety tummy rubbed by someone special”. So adorable!

My, there were so many more too! I am very much looking forward to my weekly plush round up, but the question is, will I spend so much time searching out the best work to share with you that I neglect to sit down and work on the new creatures I have been neglecting. We shall see. I’m not sure if I will manage a post tomorrow, all depends on poor Adam who has to work this weekend. I hope to see you soon, love until then. XXX