Leaves and llamas

Sorry I’ve been a bit quiet here on the blog lately – not only have I been super-busy stitching for the Etsy Made Local fair in Bristol next weekend, but our website redesign has also “gone live” – not without its teething problems.  I’m happy to say I think these are now resolved (but if anybody knows differently or has spotted a “blip” then please do let me know!)

Even amongst all these goings-on however, there’s still been time to chill, just a little, and enjoy the changing seasons while I’m out and about on grandma daycare days with little Freddie.  Yesterday we had a lovely time at the Bishop’s Palace Gardens in Wells, one of our favourite places to visit.  Freddie had such fun scrunching around in the last of the autumn leaves (in his dinosaur wellies of course!)

While the allotment holders had been very busy tidying up for the winter…..

Look at all that lovely chocolate-y freshly turned soil.  I wish my garden was as neat, but it’s looking sadly neglected at the moment as I’ve been so busy sewing both for the December Magazine and the Fair.  I’ve unearthed my metallic floss…..

To add a little sparkle to a tea cosy project that’s great for Christmas, and will (hopefully) be useful throughout the winter months.  But I think my favourite make from the December Magazine is my first animal head for quite some time – a rather friendly-looking llama……

With lots of multi-coloured handmade pompoms!  I’ve changed the way I mount my animal heads too.  In the past I have always used embroidery hoops, but have begun to feel that they look rather fussy and cluttered so I’ve started using mdf blanks instead.  These arrive as simple shapes, completely unfinished and are a lot less expensive than using hoops.  It’s really easy to add a printed background to the front and then use my hot glue gun to firmly attach the animal head.  A ring on the back for hanging (again attached with my glue gun) is all that’s needed to complete the project.

I’ll be able to show you all six projects for the December issue at the weekend – I just need to wait for some sunshine to finish photographing them.  In the meantime I’ll leave you with a peep at the first four….

Hope you like them!