too "normal"

I did another girl for the Creative Girl project.  She is not totally my own design.  Took some inspiration and liberty from an ad in a magazine.  I called her Shopping girl.... but, have decided she is too ..... uhm...... normal looking, if you know what I mean.   Danielle's girl was ... more .... fun... more ...caricature-like and whimsical .... even less realistic ... sort of ....

But, I did have fun doing her .... and really enjoyed trying to lay on some water colours and get some pretty results ... and, I want my girl ...my own design ultimately.... to have a pet of some sort...so I tried a doggy this time too  ... a pink poodle don'tcha know....  I've made one of those before ... when I was making bears and dogs....

I tried the little trick of gluing on some pretty paper in a couple of squares on the skirt ... to add a bit more visual appeal ....

Today ... another girl ...in between laundry, dusting and some other stuff...yes...it must be done... I can only put things off so long... and, all of you crafters out there DO so know what I'm taking about ...I know you do!  After a while, the dust bunnies get almost big enough to fight back ..or I need cages instead of a vacuum..... where do they all come from?

Friday smile....

.... and, in keeping with old photos as one of the gals did .....

how 'bout these handsome guys.... no laffin' either ...one of 'em is my Dad.... oh, alright then, go on ...have a good laugh.  He's the handsome one;  the buff one. The others are his war buddies ...both of whom he apparently saved from some horrific encounter or other.
He could still walk around a school gymnasium on his hands at the age of almost 60 .... helped my youngest sister build a log cabin in his 70's ... and survived 'til he was 87 ... having smoked since he was 10 and polishing off as much booze as any man could for most of his life ... every year that I knew him anyway...

Laugh, and carry on...... what else can we do some days?

Fashion sketches..

I've always loved the way fashion designers draw the stylized, long and lovely bodies  ....and then design gowns for them.  As a kid I used to love cut outs and would often try to make them some additional dresses ... nothing like this, of course, but I loved giving it a go.

Maybe I should have had a class or two on how to draw the bodies ... what fun that would have been, but, even for my doll making I never did do what I was supposed to do most of the time.  And, my bodies were never as short and stumpy as the pattern indicated.
I did watch a tutorial or two on the net, but, then, I always get impatient and think ... too slow ... I hate to have to actually learn some things... just want to "do"..so I try it on my own a lot of the time.  I'm definitely a "fly by the seat of my pants" type person some days.... okay, most days I guess...

The originals are by Monique Lhuillier... she does some beautiful things.... have seen her drawings around ... and I love them.  So..I figured I could print some off... sit down with a pencil and eraser and try to get something similar for the first page of my new class ledger.

Some inspiration!  ... ... here is my effort....very happy with her, although, any of you artists will probably notice all sorts of things I don't see ... just don't burst my little happy balloon okay?    hahahha...

Friday Smile

"Dude Dog".

Standing in front of a new tube light ...

Is he lifting his rear leg? .... Oh, NO, no....!  Bad dog!  Bad dog!

What's that noise?

Funny little rattlings and scratching noises.  I had to walk around the kitchen to try to find the cause.... looked up when I got to the new skylight...and saw this guy.  What the heck?

A starling.  He had a shiny new screw.

He kept dropping it onto the glass and then scuttling around and picking it up and dropping it again.   Seemed to like the sound or something.  Every time it rolled off the rounded surface, he brought it back again.  He was there long enough for me to get my camera and get about 6 shots.... then, finally ....flew off.....

We were laughing our heads off.

It's probably one of those things where you actually had to be here to get the full effect...but, at least it will bring a smile.... for a Friday....

flying over the ocean...

Oh, no, sorry...didn't mean me..... no... I mean this little guy ...  he flew in yesterday from the UK .....  well, actually not he himself...but, this great photo of him..... thanks Helena...he's great.  Could be some inspiration to make a little needle felted one again....

 That's two days in a row for something sent by Royal Mail... oooh... it sounds so posh doesn't it?  So much more interesting than Canada Post ...  hahahhah

Bob T Bear (Esq.)'s "sekritry" sent it to me....  she said it reminded her of my little bears.... how sweet is that?  She has one of the bears because she participated in a Pay it Forward I had a few years ago.....
The one in the middle went to live with her...

They are all pretty tiny ... measuring only about 2 to 2 1/5  inches, max.  ... although this gal looks pretty large compared to her little bobbin in comparison ... maybe these are smaller bobbins... or maybe that little guy is reeeellly teeny...who knows for sure.... how do people knit things that tiny anyway?

I don't knit or crochet... don't even know which it is ...but, maybe I could make up a little needle felted doggie shape from my puffs of wool that could be similar.  That would be after my quest to make a small wrapping cloth...and then a pin pillow(cushion) and also a little, ah.... uhm.... 'a thing' ...  for 'somebody' .... and well, by then I will be taking another stitchery class I think.....hmmmmm... anybody have a few weeks for sale??   anybody?


Just remembered....I did one time make a little doggie ....  his name is Henry....the hound dog..... he is hoping someone will play fetch... look, he even has his own stick....

 "Please"? ... "anyone wanna play fetch with me"?

Check out Annie's blog for some other Friday Smiles...

A Doodly Bird

...popped out of my mailbox yesterday....

He brought me some bits of trim from the UK!  Lynn... (who I always call Ms. Doodly Bird .. behind her back) ... is taking the same "wrapping cloth" class from Karen Ruane.  As a matter of fact, it was on her blog that I saw the info about the class.  She is taking several classes at the same time.... acckkkk!  She must have a ton of energy.

Another thing she does is make Doodly Birds .... like this guy... although, usually they are painted... this is a Sewing Dood.... hahahh...love it.... thanks Lynn.

Anyway... back to the fun ... she offered to send me some bits to add to my stash...and I gladly accepted the offer.  I'm in the very early stages of creating my "stash" of white and off white fabrics and trims for making these "wrapping cloths"..I'm definitely going to make more than one.  As I mentioned before, I'm going to call it my "friendship cloth" because it will be made with gifts of fabric and trim from blog buddies, relatives, friends and friends of friends...  I've already added several to my first three blocks....

Here are some of the goodies in my Doodly Bag.... thanks so much Lynn.  What a great addition they will make to my next block...or in the case of my third block.. because I am debating taking out one bigger piece that seems to jump out at me and I'm not convinced it belongs....

As usual.... every time the postman comes to our house, ...'you-know-who' is on top of it.  Or in most cases..several 'you-know-whos'... barely left the room for a minute to get my camera and when I got back.... they were all sitting there having a great time on the new fabric..... hmmmm...

"Look, I found a snowflake ... the colour of ...  me !"  ....

"Ooooo .... can I hold it?"















"Uhm, .... not now.... maybe later....."

..."or........ not........................."  "I really like my little snowflakey"........

"Never mind.... found my own".....

"oh............"

"us too".... "look there's enough for everybuddy"

...  Frikkles and Posie found some too.....

... and, my other birds were eager to chat with the Dood .... about his long flight and all I guess .....

We all love the goodies Lynn....!

Share a smile Friday

I toyed with the idea of showing you my pot holders.... never mind a smile.... anybody who sews would have laughed right out loud.

Must practice how to sew a straight line for starters... and then... get Maggi back to show me again about how to fold the bias strip and get it on properly.....hmmmmm....

Mr. BV was so complimentary about my first one...
 (which I did with much handholding from my chum) ...but then, when I finished the second, and after not just a few curse words.... he laughed at it.  Of course, he doesn't do it to be mean...and it was kind of funny I suppose, with all the wrinkles and such... but, still......

At first I was a bit hurt...but, then I remembered he does laugh at my sister for things that I go right along and laugh at....so ...I laughed too. ... after I pouted a bit... and then, he suggested picking it out and doing it over.  Why didn't I think of that?  I always think things should be perfect the first time I do them.  And... as Maggi, my sister and even Mr. BV have all mentioned ....they are just potholders!

But, just a minute...they are just MY potholders and I want them to be nice people!!

Anyway... you're not seeing them today...

Instead ...I have my Russian friend to how you for a smile.... what a mug!   Literally.

Check out Annie's blog for more smiles...

Share a smile Friday

Bob's Pant-cape Tuesday was fun.... well worth a giggle, smile or laugh right out loud, so do check out his page....and just keep on scrolling ....waaaaay down .... my guy is there too......

I can't find my page from last year ...and I know I participated...but, perhaps only on his blog... so... you'll have to go there to see periwinkle "pants" on Bernie...

other than that ..  check out this page from Tuesday... or just scroll down a post or two ........to see him this year ...trying desperately not to hang himself ..yet again!@  Sadly.... it is now his most unfavourite word.... hahhaha.... maybe next year he will let somebody else give it a go.


 Heeellllpp!!

check out some other smiles for your Friday....

Share a smile Friday

Hey!  what's the problem..... .....      I'm just having two.

This is the guy that gives me the same disapproving look every time I open the elephant jar by grabbing him by the head...the 'carpet meister' that is ...not the elephant.

It made me laugh, seeing him sitting there beside the biscotti, just after I finished drizzling on some chocolate the other day.... he seemed to be giving me the evil eye.....

Check out the other Smiles on a Friday just by clicking on the Smiley button  ... how about joining in?... We could all use a smile this week and that's for sure......

Share a smile Friday...

... hahahha.... this is great.... don't even have to dream up a catchy title for this posting... although, I'm not usually at a loss for that ....
Take a look at Annie's site for the Smiles that are being shared ....... Who can't use another smile?  If you have some fun thing to share ... why not join in ?  Let's get it growing....

Twiglet's post today has the same guy as I'm going to show you ..... ....but, I think he's worth a second glance, and no, I'm not talking nekkid 'boy toy' or anything like that ....

although, having said that he is naked save for his little ribbon tie.....

Please meet Tanner.

Needle felted for a swap in which he went to live in England... a long trip for such a little guy, but I think he was almost glad to be away from this bird.

"Should I move a bit further from this bluebird guy?"

"How can I look cute if he is always there behind me?"

"Listen up ya silly bird...... get lost!"  "This is my 15 minutes".

"Brother...... can't a guy get even one single minute of personal space?"  ... pout.................................

Share a smile Friday

You know how much I love little donkeys.  You don't?  But....but, ...... they are all over my sidebar..and I'm always saying about them...and sometimes I even hit you up for a donation.... you must know...

Today let me show you an older photo ... mostly because I don't have a modern one that will produce too many smiles...but, this...hahahha...don'tcha love it when animals look right into the camera lens... even sniff or smooch it? .... they always look so cute from this angle.

This was taken a few years ago when we visited a donkey farm in B.C. ..near where my sister lives.... I forget exactly how many they had ...but, dozens of them rushed over to visit with us.  What fun!  We scratched and petted them to our heart's content... and they loved the attention.

Why don't you pop over to Annie's blog and scroll through a few Smile posts ....  it's actually quite a bit of fun.  Also, it's clever in that it makes for a pretty easy post knowing what you will be doing each Friday.  Especially today.... as I need to get on with making my mini Tortiere turnovers for tomorrow's party.  Thanks Annie..... I'm off to check out a few and then...roll some dough...

Share a smile Friday

"Why is it always me?  Huh? ....Why do I   ...okay, ..."we",  have to sit with our bums plonked in the snow and smile? ...HuH? Why?  Tell me that...."

"I dunno for sure ....I heard something about trying to bring smiles to lots of faces, or something like that...   I think......"

"So, keep that big smile going Elmo.... and show her your good side."

"Show her my good side?  What are you talking about? My backside is frozen to this drift and I can't move now...."

"Oh, Fa la la la la lalala ... and cheeeeeeseeeeeee !!  and maybe a miniature reindeer cookie for you Buddy...." ... maybe...... if ya help me get outta here.....







How would you like to join in and share a smile? .... check out Annie's blog ... see what's happening....

Fun Friday

I made you a tiny Inuksuk.... although when it has a shape resembling a human...it is called Innunguaq....

The inuksuk is still a bit of a  mystery ...  it seems the information is sketchy on the actual meaning and use.. although it is thought they may have been used for navigation, as a point of reference, a marker for hunting grounds or as a food cache.

Here is Wik's explanation...."The word inuksuk means "something which acts for or performs the function of a person." The word comes from the morphemes inuk ("person") and -suk ("ersatz" or "substitute"). It is pronounced inutsuk in Nunavik and the southern part of Baffin Island (see Inuit phonology for the linguistic reasons). In many of the central Nunavut dialects, it has the etymologically related name inuksugaq (plural: inuksugait).

Despite the predominant English spelling as inukshuk, both the Government of Nunavut and the Government of Canada through Indian and Northern Affairs Canada are promoting the Inuit preferred spelling inuksuk."

Anyway..... I made you my version as a fun part of the Olympic week because it is the official logo of the games.... 

He was just a tiny gaffer.... but, wow...did my bare fingers get cold trying to shape him!  and... because he was little ...and the sun is shining...... sadly...he is no longer...........

Have a good Friday!