Something New

When I last ordered some of my cornish pixie elf bodies from my supplier I had to add a few extra items to the cart as they have a minimum order. I wasn't sure what, I would have bought some more wooden chickens but it looks like that they have stopped selling them. So I was having a look on the website and stumbled across something that I knew would be a great item to paint and sell.
This week I had the time and the mojo to paint them, I was really pleased how they turned out. I also had great fun with the descriptions on Etsy as I wrote a part of it as if I was an estate agent selling or renting out these Beach Huts.

If they go well I hope to make a few more and they will all be individually numbered, and with different details. 

Until next time

Vic xx

Halloween Additions

This week I've been making some new additions for my Etsy Shop specifically for Halloween.
I thought a Mummy and a Zombie would be nicd, so I decided to make them as just a head that could be hung up for display. I had great fun making these and I had even more fun making the photo collages using Pic Monkey.

 

I like the Zombie but my favourite is the Mummy, the eyes just seem to glow. I have another big doll that I still want to make and I'm aware that Halloween is approaching fast so that will be on my to do list for maybe next week. But first I will be making something new and I will tell you all about it later in the week. 

Until next time

Vic xx

Gardening and Beads

The last few weeks my lad and with some grumbling from my hubby have been busy in the garden. I have been planning for a while to dig up my herb bed and replace it with grass. It was a shame but it had got so overgrown only a tiny bit of sage and a few lavenders were surviving. Also hubby for some reason decided to start a new flower bed right by the washing line a few years ago so we now have less grass to put out the table and chairs in the summer. Anyway my lad has dug up all of the herb bed and hubby managed to rescue some of the slate chippings and move the big edging stones. It was all finished in time for the weekend when my daughter had her friends round for a birthday party luckily the weather was nice. 

I also managed some torch time and I have been wanting to make some more beads for Beads of Courage. The reason was my friend had nominated me to the ice bucket challenge, With six birthdays all in weeks of each other I couldn't really afford to give money to charity, but I did have time to give. The beads were posted off to Be Child Cancer Aware this week and included a few toadstools and the monster beads above who are telling cancer to poke off. 

If you want to know more about Be Child Cancer Aware and the Beads of Courage they are here

Until next time

Vic xx

A doll and a trio of elves

Last week I showed you the doll I was working on and today I thought I would show you how it turned out. The Doll was from a pattern called Elf Shot by Faewyck Studios, I picked this pattern as my Mum liked it and as she kept trying to steal the Professor Troll doll I decided I would make her a doll of her own for her birthday. As you know the head proportion was wrong so I made another head and it was a lot better. Usually I glue and needle felt in the hair but this time I sewed each lock individually, I think it worked out well.

I gave the elf to Mum and she loves it and she thought it was great that I reused the leather from an old handbag of hers for the boots the doll is wearing

Not only was I busy with birthdays, my daughter and Mum share the same birthday, I also needed to finish a commission. The commission was for three of my Cornish Pixie Elves, I could paint them what colour I thought best as long as they weren't too bright. So I chose my largest elves to paint and I was going to paint them all the same colour but I decided on a pastel / natural palette. I love these colours together and they remind me of sugared almonds. 

I delivered them yesterday and my customer really loved them. 

Until next time

Vic xx

Throwback Thursday

Today for Throwback Thursday I have gone back a few years to before I started selling my jewellery. When I made this I had discovered bead weaving. Bead magazine had monthly challenges and one month it was the sea so I thought I would make a necklace that looks like a fisherman's net that has captured a few bits of seaweed and shells. 

I eventually named it Movoren Ros which is Cornish for Mermaid's Net. I think I still have the necklace somewhere.

Until next time

Vic xx

Work in Progress

Yesterday I started a new cloth doll, its from a new pattern I bought recently. As with most patterns you start with the head which went reasonably well though I did change the features a bit. After colouring the head it looked great so I put it to one side and continued with sewing and stuffing the rest of the body.

I finished everything and pinned the arms and legs to the body then I needed to pin the head to the neck. For some reason the head is out of proportion and is too small compared to the rest of the body. I'm not quite sure what went wrong but I'm going to remake it. This head won't be wasted as it could be used for another doll.

Until next time 

Vic xx

The end of the School Holidays

This week was the last week of the Summer holidays for my two, they go back to school on Monday. Its been a great holidays, the weather hasn't been too bad even though it did rain in August. This week we meet up with my friends and their children and we had a walk round Tamar Lakes. It was a beautiful day and I thoroughly enjoyed the walk, I even managed to remember my camera and take a few photos. 

Until next time

Vic xx

B12 and Me

I have thought long and hard about writing this post as I know talking about your health can put some readers off but B12 affects my life and my work at times. So I hope you don't mind a little indulgence from me as I write about it.

A few years ago after seeing my Doctor it was discovered not only was I anemic but I was low in vitamin B12. I was then given vitamin B12 injections once a week for two weeks and then every three months. That was all my then Doctor told me about it he didn't explain that the b12 was the cause of my tiredness and symptoms or that I shouldn't miss a dose. Yes I missed dose it was then I found out that I need these injections for life, it was a shock so then I did what I we are always told not to do I googled my symptoms and B12 Deficiency. I found a forum and website of the Pernicious Anemia Society which was a great help there were lots of people, experiencing the same thing. I got a book called "Pernicious Anaemia: The Forgotten Disease: The causes and consequences of vitamin B12 deficiency" again it was an eye opener, though I found the bits on science of it all a bit boring but I carried on. There was another book which I must get called "Could it be B12?: An Epidemic of Misdiagnoses" and I have seen a new one called "The B12 Deficiency Survival Handbook" which might be of use. 

So how does it affect me well as I can't digest the b12 from food etc I need injections every twelve weeks and they are not pleasant as they sting really badly but they are so worth that discomfort to feel better in a few days. But usually a few weeks before the next injection is due my symptoms return, this usually is tiredness and I'm talking bone tired so tired that you feel like you could sleep a week and when you wake up you're still tired. Brain fog is the worst and it sometimes gives me some confusion, the weakness returns in my hips and arms and then the what I now know is peripheral neuropathy sets in which is the pins and needles, numbness and painful to touch skin. I am glad I work for myself as when its bad I can't work or end up in bed for a few days.  Luckily the N.I.C.E guidelines have changed and I can have my injections every ten weeks so I'm off to see my new doctor soon to get it changed. Also the new guidelines state that anyone now diagnosed with b12 deficiency are to have a loading dose of daily injections until their symptoms ease and then the 10 - 12 weekly injections. This is better than when I was diagnosed but the P.A.S is campaigning to get it better still and I've signed their petition which you will find here.  

So thats B12 and me my next post will not be as personal and more back to normal. 

Until next time.

Vic xx