Tuesday, June 28, 2011

needle felted bear and crow





These are the newest listings on my etsy store, the bird is actually an oldish critter but I re took his photos but Milo the bear is a newbie to the store and is very cute I think. They both like to hang about in the garden in their own ways. Meet Milo and the red crow bird.

Monday, June 27, 2011

group photo of felties and felties give away promo


So I took a group shot today of the collection of felties I've been building up! lol I think it turned out quite cute. Another lovely winters day today. I've also decided I'm going to do a giveaway! for the whole month of July it'll be running. The winner will get three items out of this group of felties. I've got the latest billy goat, and as you can see the others follow around him.

I'll be posting the actual official start of my give away on July 1st so stay tuned!

Friday, June 24, 2011

needle felted horse


These three needle felted things are something I'm excited about, I think these photos are ok. I took a wonder and went up to the reserve near my house to take these. I have created a girl and her horse. They are both felted over craft wire so can be posed gently


The girl can be supported by her horse to stand but the horse can stand on his own, the girl can ride her horse bare back.

This is a needle felted guinea pig, tan and white witih beige little feet, I think he is rather sweet. They are all available on my etsy shop.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

keeping it weird needle felted dog head





so two posts last night and one the next day I must be on a roll! anyways this is a new idea I'm playing with, collectible dog heads. Ooak boarder collie this is the first of this idea. I hope to do more dogs soon in this style.


Caught up on washing today, bought some material, and some crafty things. I want to make something different but I have no idea what!

natural body scrub home made and air freshener tips, beauty is frugal living

wow two posts in one night that hasn't happened for awhile! but this is why. I'm having an evening of not needle felting and just doing things to relax and de stress and love myself I guess lol. I'm not a hippie love myself freely type but its been getting easier too accept myself as I am, its a learning curve for sure but I'm digressing.

I've got two tips to share tonight. The first is great as I'm living on a tight budget and I read somewhere orange peel is great for a natural air freshener and it also helps to deter mossies and flies. I have parrots inside so this is a must have being a natural based thing.

As you can see I'm drying orange peel, I'll wrap it up in some cloth and will leave it on the window ledge when ready or put it in the pantry to leave a nice sceneted air freshener.



I've been re using yoghurt tubs lately, not only those but butter containers as well and whatever other dishes you can re use. I use them for storing food in the fridge, putting the seed in and veggies for the birds as I take out their daily meal. So I find that re using things rather than just throwing something out is great. We're also re using the salsa jars as they are glass as water bowls for the parrots. They are sturdy enough and save us $4 a bowl.

So onto the next tip
I read making homemade scrubs are good for your skin especially if you are like me and have sensitive skin. I at the moment have dry patches on my elbows and dry feet due to being winter. So this is what I made up tonight to use after my facial mask and English breakfast tea break.

I used a small yoghurt tub, three tablespoons of sugar, a slurp of applecider, a slurp of your body wash. A squeeze of one lemon juice, I probably should have taken out the pips but they should help with the rough skin! lol I also emptied out the contents of the lemongrass and ginger teabag into it to make it more scenty and scrummy. Mix it all together and there you have my robust scrummy scrub. To use stand in the shower starkers, rub it liberally over your body, and face and wash off with luke warm water. I find hot water too drying.



And to end this post here is a pic of me with my facial mask on, I'm writing this now having my English Breakfast tea with the mask still on, the scrub awaiting me in the bathroom. It was funny I walked past the purple crown lorikeets cage and "Dadda" was interested in me, I'm thinking he was half scared half interested in the new look lol.

latest needle felted critters!

This week has been funny with weather but we are in winter. Today had sunshine in the morning and then cold blustery rain all afternoon. I took off with the camera and had to take these photos in the sun that I had. I quite like how these turn out as photography isn't my strong point especially with needle felted critters. However this first one is a sneak peak to the surprise felted swap I'm in. I wont show the finished project however I think you'll agree he's turning out very cute!




This next needle felted critter is a dragon, I've used some of Kellys wool this time the orange mini fibre batt that I won in her give away. I love the angelina fibre and have never used it before. I think it adds a great touch to the dragon. I've called him sunshine.





They are both listed in my etsy shop but of course the tiny mini bear is a custom listing.
other than that been keeping on with some of the aviary building that does seem somewhat never ending. Looking after the birds of course, rabbits and guinea pigs too. I spent the afternoon at my other halfs mothers place having cups of tea, chatting and doing some random needle felting which is heaps of fun as it puts no pressure on an outcome. Hopefully this weekend will be able to finish an aviary or make a start on enclosing our front porch. Hope you have a lovely Friday tomorrow!

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

koala ring needle felted ooak




well today has been productive this is a little koala ring I've finally made as I've been wanting to produce things to wear like this for awhile but hadn't come up with a more unique play on it This is some Aussie spirit for you, the Australian Koala.

also I thought I'd share with you a pic of some of our parrots and finches that we keep. I wonder if you can name any of them?


I've also been busy creating my surprise gift for Viv a lady in the felting group I'm in. We occasionally do swaps and this theme is to make a keyring. I wont share pics of this though until Viv has opened it. I want it to be a surprise!

Saturday, June 18, 2011

cute vintage inspired needle felted monkey



I think I have a thing for monkeys at the moment lol I've done one similar to this but made her a girl she wears a vintage lace cape. Can move and is made from merino wool roving. She can move gently and is about four inches maybe closer to five inches tall and is available in my etsy store now.

I'm going shopping tomorrow which I'm excited about haha only picking up a few things though like some colored paper perhaps plain perhaps with images on them. Not sure what I'm wanting though but its to help with my photos hopefully. I also want to get some twine for a project I want to start and some beads.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

needle felted White rabbit


Meet my latest white bunny! he's got blue eyes and loves to peep out at things
he's about three inches long and is firmly felted. I think he looks rather sweet
peeping out from his pretend rabbit whole I made up.

Today had a cold start to it in the morning but this afternoon has turned out nicely so I made the most of it by doing laundry and taking photos of the bunny as I find my critters always look better outside. Hope you are having a wonderful day.

Monday, June 13, 2011

needle felted tiger kitty




This cute comical tiger kitty I created last night, I like his expression so much!
its either sad or quizzical I can't work it out lol. But his stripes I think came out
well and he loves to lay on his belly. We have had a busy weekend, we picked up a new aviary yesterday. It isn't new as such but it is to us but will need a bit of work done on it before birds can reside in it. It's large though which I'm happy about.

Other than that things are happening with looking after the mitchels hopping mice, our second female gave birth recently to a large litter of 8 though sadly none servived. We only have one baby thriving from the original litter of two so we worked out we can only have one dominant pair at once.

The rabbits and parrots are happy in our home... so it makes me smile seeing the birds do their silly things, like bath on really cold days! but that's what parrots do.

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Needle felted gnome



I have a thing for people characters at the moment lol not certain why as I love creating animals so much, maybe because people are always a challenge to me. Anyways this is a little gnome man I created this afternoon. He wears a simple outfit of green, his blue twinkling eyes and white beared give him a wisened look. I also made him a walking stick to hold onto.

Friday, June 10, 2011

Door slingers told you sewing would include needle felting




This is what I've been up to today! some sewing, I machine sewed this little pouch styled bag up and then added some recycled environmental bag strapping to it for added strength. To hide my somewhat dodgy sewing on the outside I needle felted four matching flowers and I think its come up a real treat! what do you guys think? I've put it in my etsy shop as a trial run to see how the ideas go. I think its great for putting on the back of the door as I made it a sideways handle. I'm calling them Door slingers haha.

cute needle felted chimp



Thank you all for the kind comments I'm starting to feel more like my old self.
I needle felted this cute little chimp last night, I'd seen some on Etsy I liked the look of and wanted to create one. I know I created a monkey awhile ago but I think monkeys are lovely animals. This is actually made from some of Kelly's alpaca fibre that she sent me. Thank you Kelly its wonderful to use. This weekend for us in Australia is a long weekend due to the fact its the Queens birthday. So on the public holiday we're picking up a new aviary (not that we haven't enough already but my oh assured me it was the bargain of the centuary haha) and over the weekend I'm hoping to get into some sewing *le gasp* yes something different to needle felting though I'll be incorporating it into the project I have in mind so we'll see what comes out of it. I got my sewing machine a year ago and since sewing classes have stopped I haven't used much of it the poor thing. So I'll have to dust it off.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

very cute needle felted pooch






This is what I call the Baying sausage lol I think he resembles slightly of a sausage dog. I've been feeling absolutely terrible today but was able to work through some of it with this little guy. I hope to feel better by next week. But he's available on my Etsy store. He's a rather cute little thing I think.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

little meerkat needle felted



Just wanted to put this little guy in lol I'm still feeling unwell I thought I was starting to get better but have the aches and just feel so tired. When I wake up is the worst. But evening is better so at least I can still try and needle felt a little. Also some news that cheered me up this week I won a give away that Kelly hosted and won some wool roving she creates. I'll post pics of that tomorrow however. This is a little meerkat I finished last night. He's about two inches long and his head can be gently posed. He is available in my Etsy store. Needle felting is so good to do especially when your unwell. It's an escapism for me. I feel that the stress and whatever else may be going on just disappears. Only times this doesn't help is if I have what I call the "block" going on when I just can't get into anything.

I hope to feel better soon... the weather has been horrid these past few days but it is winter in Melbourne, Australia. I've been drinking lots of honey and lemon drinks and resting a fair bit, well as much as the birds and animals will let me as I still have to feed and care for them every day!

Sunday, June 5, 2011

needle felted old fashioned figure doll





I was watching Downton Abbey last night as I created Mrs Pertis, I rather like how she has transpired lol. I sewed her skirt in cotton material. She actually doesn't have any legs but sits quite well on her own. She is about 8 inches high and wears a matching plum colored hat to match her skirt and outfit. Her arms can move. This is why I dyed the beige wool the other day. I hope you like my Mrs Pertis.

Right now I'm full of a viral infection >> feels like the flue but my doctor assures me it isn't. I hate it! I'm whinging that much to my other half he is getting sick of me I think haha. But I got some medication today and some throat lollies and hopefully after some rest I can throw it off. I've been drinking honey and lemon drinks and keeping warm, or trying to with this cold snap we're having of a night.

Hope everyone else feeling better.