Where's Your Head At? Giveaway Result

What can I say?  I can only apologise for totally forgetting the giveaway draw on Saturday - that's what happens when you are having 'fun' cleaning the house, shopping and recovering from half a bottle of Beaujolais the night before!

So although the entrants were few, I picked a number with my eyes shut and the winner was Nicky Sayers - hooray!  If you can get back to me using the email at the top of the page with your address, I will pop the painting in the post to you.

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I have finally seen the full animation, as well as the logo clip that caused such headaches, and cannot wait until it can be shown to everyone else - just two more weeks to go.  I saw things in the film that I had forgotten I'd made, it's been so long!  It's starting to get exciting - for now though, all I can do is direct you to the website.

Currently on the needles: a shawl and I am very bored with it now as I have an idea for something else more interesting.

Currently on the easel; double dog portrait in acrylics

Painting Giveaway!

It seems like a very long time since I held a giveaway - now I think there might be two in quick succession!

First up for grabs is this experimental piece I have been working on using Yupo synthetic paper and the new Derwent Graphiks paint pens.  It's a bit of a far cry from my usual work - all quite different, a very shiny surface to work on which could be literally scrubbed clean even when the paint is dry, and some bright paint pens that can be used either as pens or the pigment spread and diluted with a brush and water.  The finished painting is also quite shiny and the paper is ridiculously thin and flimsy but so strong.  The whole thing is A4 size (8 x 11 inches).

If you'd like this painting free, just leave a comment here and I will pick a winner in a week's time (11th October).  Doesn't matter where in the world you are, this paper is so thin it would probably float all the way!

On the easel: a double pet portrait
On the needles: still knitting that octopus...three legs to go...sigh....it will be worth it I hope!

One Thousandth Post & A Giveaway

I cannot believe I have rambled on for 1000 posts over the years - thank you to those of you who have stayed to read it all!  To express my gratitude, I am giving away one of the boxes of Derwent Academy watercolour pencils.  This one has 12 pencils inside, my artwork on the box and if you really want me to, I'll sign it if you like.

Just leave me a comment below and after a week (on the 12th February or thereabouts) I will get the random number generator (my daughter and a bowl....) and pick a winner. If you are into art, drawing and watercolours, these are a nice little set to use, good quality and above all, free! This draw is open to anyone, anywhere.

Not free is this little dog set, which is about to go into my Etsy shop.  I've made a very girly set this time, with a soft fluffy white dog, pink collar and coat, pink & black check bed and a slightly lacy blanket.  If you fancy giving her a home, pop on over to my shop.  If you'd like a similar dog but with different colours, just get in touch.

I've been thoroughly enjoying painting this snowy scene - with a bit of luck it should be completed today.  Then it and the previous acrylic of snow will also go into my shop for sale.

Lots of work has come in this week - I have to design and make moorhens, rams' heads and make a start on that knitted car.....

Still Looking For a Home....

As it has been two weeks since I pulled Caren's name out of the bowl and unfortunately she hasn't been in touch to claim her prize, I thought it only fair to hold a re-drawing to let someone else have a chance at winning this.  The name picked out this time was Marissa Brenton - let's hope she comes forward!*

Amongst the miles of garter stitch scarving I have been knitting, I am still slogging away with a tiny tea set, which is proving to be very time consuming due to the thin baby yarn and the 2mm dpns.  I need some elves to come in the night and help me out!  So I took a break to use thicker yarn and sensible sized needles to make the tray upon which to serve the tea - felt very good to be able to finish something in only a couple of hours!

*Hooray!  Marrisa got in touch very fast indeed and the goldfish will be on his way to the USA very shortly!

We Have A Winner!

The draw for the goldfish in the lightbulb has just taken place, using the ultimate in high-tech equipment. Paper and pen.....

.....scissors, followed by.......

....folding!  Placing in a handmade papier mache bowl!

The superbly crafted random generator....Stacie!  (She's my daughter and believe me, nothing could be more random than a ticket picked by her!)

The winning name is CAREN - if you could get in touch with me at the e-mail address at the top of the page, I will get the goldfish wrapped up and sent to you asap - let's all cross our fingers that it makes the journey to wherever it is going in one piece!

Unfortunately, two weeks on and Caren never got in touch,so I had a re-draw and the winner is Marrisa Brenton...who sent me her address very fast and will be getting a fish in the post!

I have just ordered lots of different coloured crochet cotton with a view to making more mini sea creatures for stuffing into lightbulbs.  I have taken on board the suggestions for different little critters and will be definitely attempting (note *attempting*) octopi and seahorses - the seahorse was on my list anyway, who can resist a seahorse!  Give me some time though as I still have a mountain of commissions that I am slowly working my way through - is there a medical condition called Knitter's Strain, 'cos I think I'm developing it...

Oh My Goodness! Time for a Giveaway!

Every day I have a quick look at the stats for my blog and website just to check that anyone is popping in to visit.  Yesterday I got an almighty shock as the figures suddenly sky-rocketed into the hundreds - surely this had to be a mistake?

But no - the lovely Jen over at Cake Wrecks had featured my little goldfish in a lightbulb on her other blog, EPBOT, and out of the blue I was swamped with visitors.  It feels a bit like having a mass of people turning up at your house for tea unannounced when you haven't tidied or vacuumed the carpet for three days and you are still in pyjamas with unbrushed hair.....you are very welcome, but please excuse the mess!

So, as the general opinion is that I should make more of these little gems, I'm holding a giveaway for the prototype on the condition that you accept the state it reaches you in!  My main concern about making and selling these in my Etsy shop is that they might get broken or the contents of the bulb move about in transit. So, just leave your name and a comment here and in a week I will draw a name randomly and send the bulb wrapped as best I can to the winner.  You just have to let me know if it reaches you in one piece and if possible send me a photo if the fish has moved inside. 

As to commissioning one of these, please get in touch - I will be making more with different sea-creatures in at a later date*, but will make time in my horrendously busy schedule for a custom order.  Anything that involves a break from knitting scarves is most welcome at the moment - I love having the work, but boy, garter stitch has to be one of the dullest activities on the planet....

*Please bear in mind that this kind of lightbulb is getting increasingly difficult to find in the UK as they are being phased out in favour of horrible curly-wurly energy saving ones, so the amount of fishes-in-bulbs that can be made may be very limited.

Update   The draw is now over - a winner has been chosen.  Please see the latest post to find out who!

700th Post & a Giveaway!

Who remembers this little guy?  Well, in celebration of the 700th post on this blog, he is up for grabs in a giveaway.  All you have to do is leave a comment and please become a follower* as I am beginning to feel a bit of a Billy-No-Mates as my total is going down not up! (Was it something I said? )  I'll pick a random number next Sunday to draw a winner - anyone from anywhere is welcome to join in.

*you don't have to become a follower if you don't want to!

Do you remember this?  The damage done to my poor little car by some careless idiot in a 4x4 who left the scene of the accident and who the police cannot/will not find?  Well, I never felt the same about driving this since, as if it has a big ol' target painted on it now saying 'hit me'.  So I have been looking for a replacement for the past couple of months and yesterday I think I fell in love.....but you'll have to wait until Wednesday to see my new wheels and I bet you will laugh your socks off at my choice!

On the arts & crafts side of things, I have been asked to knit a jointed pig and cow to go with cat for an animated film.  Tricky isn't the word but if I manage to fulfill the brief, they will be the cutest of the cute. And I am painting something totally out of my comfort zone for a commission.....

On The Road........

I've really been putting the hours in on this in an attempt to finish him before the end of the week.  It's nearly there, just his bottom and belly to do and then an understated background.  I'm at the stage where I hate it and think it should go in the bin.  I don't know about any other artists out there, but I always get like this a few days before the completion of a picture - I don't know if it is because I have been looking at it for too long or if it is because it needs the final touches to come together, but today it looks to me like an amateur daub.  I am well aware that this feeling will pass, it happens too often for me not to recognise it and deal with it, but it is not nice.  It will be OK as soon as I sit down and get on with it!

On to something more whimsical - it's a chair!  A very little knitted chair!

This I am pleased with - I have adapted the sofa, changed the colours and made the pattern simpler (and quicker).

This will have it's own little dog and maybe a couple of other bits and pieces before going on Etsy.

Talking of knit sofa and dogs, this is still up for grabs...he's feeling pretty sad that only a couple of people want to give him a home!  He's very small, just 3.5 inches (9 cm) tall and the sofa is 8 inches (20 cm) long.  He has wool jointed legs, sewn in teddy eyes and a leather collar.  If you have anything you'd like to swap for him , do get in touch - it doesn't have to be anything arty-crafty!

It Could Be Yours!

Hello, who is this?

Oh, it's you.....you are a cute little chap aren't you?  What are you doing behind the sofa?

Don't you go getting up on there now, you know you aren't allowed....

What did I just say?  Move!

Very funny! Come on, you know what I meant - move!

Now you are just taking the mickey.........

Would you like to give the dog and his sofa a home?  It was too much work to do as a giveaway, but if you have something you would like to swap for him, make me an offer - I'm going to be totally selfish and choose what I like best from all offers (Ferrari? Country mansion?) As you saw, the sofa was just under a week's worth of work, so sensible swaps only.  I'll leave it open until the end of January and hopefully make a choice then.

If you would like to commission something similar - perhaps an armchair instead, different colourways, a cat instead of a dog, different breed of dog, etc. do get in touch - I'm twiddling my thumbs at the moment, no paid work going on, just stock-building.

We Have A Winner!

So Eldritch's ordeal is nearly over! Names were written on paper and cut out....


...put into a bowl, stirred and shaken...........


....put in front of Stacie who picked one out.......


...and the winner is Heather! Well done - Eldritch will be winging his way to you as soon as I get the address and he can leave those pesky dogs behind.

Last Chance!

Only a few hours left to put your name down to win Eldritch the witch's cat in my free giveaway. To be honest, Eldritch can't wait as he's been having a bit of bother lately.


This is Mo, the latest addition to the menagerie in my living room. He's a very tiny whippet pup with a big attitude. Here he is, getting to know Curly. Note their new fancy coats and Mo's even fancier gold-scrolled collar.


Aw, come on guys, not in front of the camera!


Poor Eldritch, even Cesar Millan can't help him! But only a few more hours of this torture left - I shall draw the winning name later on today and post it on my blog this evening.

Curly and Mo will be up for sale along with their beds, blankets & toys when I've finished making them!

...All Free Today.......

It's time for all you lurkers and quiet people to come out of the woodwork and enter yourselves into a giveaway draw! Meet Eldritch, the witch's cat - just leave a comment with some means of getting back to you and you could win him, free and posted to wherever you are in the world.

When I bought some cat's eyes recently, in the packet were some red ones and I wondered at the time what on earth I could use them for - then the answer came, of course a witch's cat! He's been knitted in the super-soft Sirdar Gypsy eyelash yarn and stands about 4 inches high. His legs are wool jointed so he is fully poseable, and he has a red collar with a magic (!) crystal hanging from it.

I'll keep the draw open until the end of August, as I know that some people may be away on holiday - you lucky things!

The next few days are going to be very busy for me - I have bought a big set of bookshelves from Ikea in an attempt to tidy up our dining area which is currently wall to ceiling in craft materials, books, boxes and stuff. I was going to post a photo of it but I am so ashamed of the mess I shan't do that until I can also show a photo of the immaculate tidiness that I have achieved.......or not!