Hello my Lovelies, how have you all been keeping?

Firstly, let me apologise to you for letting my little blog get so dusty.  I have flung the doors wide open, blown off the cobwebs of this little corner of my world and started making notes and noise once more.

If you’ve got a minute now, why not grab a cuppa, pull up a chair and have a bit of a catch up.

January is always a really busy month here at Fuzzpot Lane.  Shed quarters always has a little bit of a lie down after Christmas, and with both of my teenage girls celebrating birthdays 9 days apart (they are 2 years different in age), weekends seem to fly by in a bit of a flurry.  So there is…..how can I put it (?)…..an aftermath!!

The dull and damp weather makes dog walking that little bit longer….. there is the walk itself (slower in wind and rain)…then the drying off, which consists of a Rugby tackle that Chris Robshaw would be proud of for the Six Nations….the changing from wet weather gear into something snug and warm …the need for Hot Chocolate….the obvious need for ‘actual’ chocolate and then finally the sofa slump.  I think you can see what I am saying here!

Yes !!  I’m talking about you…….Mr Ted….I am blaming you!!

I suppose I should also say that I suffer quite badly from LOMAC…..Lack of Mojo After Christmas.  There I’ve said it….I’ve made my excuses and said my apologies.

It’s February and I’m back…..

It isn’t that I’ve not been ‘making’ things…..I just haven’t been ‘finishing’ them.  But all that is about to change.  All of the little bits and bobs that I have been doodling around with, are finally starting to come together.

The notebook is full of ideas, plans and dreams.  There is a little stack of knitted dresses…

that just require blocking,  buttons and a couple of ends sewing in.  The little pile of gingham cotton bloomers is starting to take shape, and I have found out some ribbon and edging which I am really keen to use.

The beauty of cold evenings by the fire, is that you can crochet those little body parts, but still be embroiled in family life.  I am working on several dolls at the moment, and have quite a gaggle forming….all waiting in a little line!

Most of the heads have been needle felted, skin fabric attached and eyes embroidered, and this week, will be ‘Wig Week’.

I have some beautiful, locally sourced Teeswater Locks, hand dyed in some truly fabulous vibrant colours, waiting to transform a little doll into a real character.  These are just 3 of the shades I have to play with at the moment……we will call this a sneak peak!  This type of Teeswater locks are what I have used in the past for these little cuties…

I will also be making a couple of fluffy heads, like these using wonderfully soft mohair yarn….

Whether it will be in this group of girls, or whether it will be in the next, I would also like to revisit the yarn curls that I created for this one….

There was just something about this little lass..that stuck in my heart.

I never make two dolls that are exactly the same, and I very rarely go down the custom order route…..I always feel that each one has to be an individual, with there very own character……and they always have to be made with love.  To enable me to create something truly unique …. I have to go with the flow!!  I hope this makes sense.

Anyway, back to the here and now!

Post arrived today….very happy post !  I treated myself a little while ago, and now it has landed, I am going to have to show the same levels of self discipline that it is taking to ignore the half eaten chocolate orange in the fridge!!

This lovely wool / mohair mix from Plymouth Yarn has a really lovely soft sheen.  It is a double knit so I have some wonderful plans for this.

The next is Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock….an old favourite of mine.  I cannot wait, to make some little outfits with this beautiful colour way called Childsplay.  The bright soft colours leave options wide open for accessorising.

But you really can never tell what takes your fancy.  I threw this ball of sock yarn into the basket as a last minute thing, just to accommodate a discount code.  I’ve never used Lion Brand Sock Ease before, but a bit like that film quote….”You had me at Hello”…..I actually heard myself say “Hello!” to this ball of yarn when I opened the mail bag!   It’s just so pretty.

This will look stunning as a little dress for a natural blonde ….don’t you think?

I can’t wait……the ideal, but very naughty end to my day (after parents evening with Thing 2 of course), could see me knitting with this and eating chocolate orange segments!!!

CAN SOMEBODY EAT THAT BLINKING CHOCOLATE…..PLEASE ???!!!!

 

Anyway, it is so good to be back…..I promise not to be gone for so long again.  Hopefully, next week will see some new little dolls, forming an orderly queue, to meet you all.

TTFN my friends xxx