Today I am very excited!! I have finished the first three designs in my new series … Rosie and Bear!! I have long been a fan of vintage calendar blocks, but haven’t found any modern designs that I’ve wanted to make for myself, so decided to have a go at my own. Being in an appley (is that a word?) sort of mood I started with …
Which has Rosie precariously perched in an apple tree waiting for Bear to toss down the ripest juiciest apple he can find. Although memories of my own daughter’s childhood helped inspire these designs, I feel I must reassure you that she was not allowed to go climbing so high in trees at such a very young age! This is the September block, and then for some reason I missed out October and went straight for November ….
Now anyone who is in America reading this will say “No! November should be about Thanksgiving!” Well, maybe I might try a Thanksgiving design another time, but this is an English set of blocks and … well… November is grey and rainy here! I remember a Shirley Hughes’ book from Rosie’s childhood – just the November rhyme which went ..” Grey day – dark at four – hurry home and shut the door!” Notice the thrifted lace mat which I’ve painted with fabric paints for the clouds.
And the third block so far is December – which shows little Rosie first meeting her new friend Bear …
In front of the largest Christmas tree she’d ever seen! I’ve used the same palette of subtle colours in these first three designs and will keep the main colours the same throughout for a harmonious feel to the set – though of course they’ll work equally well as stand-alone projects. I plan on creating 12 monthly designs, plus some extras too – should keep me out of mischief for a while!
These first three are on sale now on both Bustle and Sew and also in my Etsy Shop at a special introductory price of $7 for all three (that’s three for the price of two) or individually at $3.50 each.
And finally … the result of the draw for the Craft Hope draw. Ticket number 17 came out of the saucepan (don’t ask!) and I think if I’ve counted correctly that’s Kristin. Please could you let me have your postal details and your book will soon be winging its way to you.
Oh They are really lovely. I'm collecting the Shirley Hughes books for Caitlin.
Julie xxxxxxxxx
They are beautiful! I love the rainclouds.
Kandi x
I'm sure appely is a word. I used to climb so high in apple trees when I was a kid, if mine did that now I would have heart attack!! So my favourite is the girl in the apple tree. Are you making a patchwork with them?
They are lovely!
I'm in love with november…those clouds!!!
And that rhyme is exactly what I usually feel in November!!!
If I'm understanding this correctly, you created the characters inspired by a newly found vintage piece, gave them names and personnas, and will design 12 of them in all taken from your daughter's childhood memories. Is that right? If so, that all speaks of incredible imagination, and it makes me wonder if you've considered doing a series of books with these characters as well. That would be incredible, they are adorable!
I love the patterns! As soon as I got the newsletter I purchased them, thank you for the nice price you offer your readers.
These are so wonderful! I love them!
They're all brilliant; and the doily clouds are especially clever! . Here in the U.S. mid-South, our Novembers are overcast & "dark at four," too, so I can relate to that. 🙂
They are very nice blocks. Rather old-fashioned looking.
oh that's me!! i won a give-away??? you just made my day. 🙂
(how do i reach you? my email is k_leas at hotmail.com)
thankn you thank you!! xx
They're very beautiful!!!
Çok güzeller.