do you mind if i knit

Evangeline Meditates, and Evangeline Does The Tea Towel Dance.

Hello.

Who would have thought.

Little Evangeline the mouse, is still going about her business, living her life, immortalised (sounds very grand) in various sculptures that go to different people's homes.

Last week I sent off a new mouse to Australia, to a lady who commissioned an Evangeline to reflect a part of her own life.

Evangeline Meditates.

The same lady bought another Evangeline to send to a special person in her life. In this one, Evangeline was doing The Tea Towel Dance.

I was just thinking, it might be fun to look back over all the Evangeline sculptures I've made, from the very first, to the latest one.

 

I'm working on another Evangeline, in which she's pretending she's at the wheel of a very fast car.

I've always liked Evangeline's little dream world. Her escapism, which peppers her days of cleaning and tidying, really appeals to me.

Though my sculptures are changing.

I'm moving towards creating pieces that have more serious content, exploring themes that bear no resemblance to the world of childhood, which a lot of my sculptures might have leaned towards in the past, or been considered to be linked to.

Unfortunately I can't show you these new pieces, they are being created to go to various galleries, and I have to be all secretive about them, sorry about that. I will be able to show you photos of them eventually.

You know what? I think I've reached the end of this blog post, I've suddenly gone vacant. I think I'll head off now, my concentration has completely evaporated.

Cheerio!

Vanessa xxx

 

The Whippet.

Whippet. Just say that word to yourself.

Whippet.

Don't you think it describes the dog so perfectly? It's a name that sounds thin, sinewy and lithe.

  Annie, of beautiful, interesting and very readable blog Knitsofacto, (link to her blog here ), commissioned me to make a brooch of her dog Finn, after seeing the brooch I made of Eddie Spaghetti, (the blog post about him, and more photos, are here).

Annie e-mailed me lots of great photos of Finn, taken from different angles, they were very helpful when I came to make him.

I asked Annie if she would like something balancing on Finn's nose, and she decided that a leaf would be perfect, because Finn likes to chase leaves. I couldn't resist adding a few leaves, so he looks like he's running through a pile of leaves.

Finn is an absolute beauty of a dog, with immaculate pedigree. Though I understand he didn't distinguish himself recently by demolishing Annie's knitting.

Annie has done a blog post about Finn and the brooch here, her photos are superb, the light is beautiful, and you can see the brooch very clearly.

I enjoyed making this brooch of Finn enormously, it was very satisfying to resolve various problems I came across when making him, plus, he has such a beautiful shape. Whippets are superb creatures, especially when they're not destroying your knitting.

I have two Miniature Wire Haired Dachshunds, and I'm very excited to report that I've found a blog entirely devoted to Dachshunds. Heaven! The link to blog The Long And The Short of It is here.

It's a blog for "Dachshundists".

I must be a Dachshundist, because one of the reasons I visit Penny's blog Planet Penny, is to see Higgins, her Miniature Smooth Haired Dachshund. He's a character, and very, very handsome.

One thing I do on the rare occasion I come across other Wire Haired Dachshunds is compare them to our two Dachshunds, especially their personalities. I've found a short video on The Long and The Short of It blog which shows a Dachshund feeling very pleased with himself about carrying his own little suitcase around. It could be my little boy, Douglas, in this video, here. Douglas does the same whole bottom and tail wagging thing, sometimes accompanied by a great big smile, which is always a special touch.

This weekend I'm going on a course to learn how to do screen printing, I'm very excited about it. I'll give you a full report in my next blog post.

Have a lovely weekend.

Vanessa xxx

The Brown Mouse.

Hello.................... I found a brown mouse the other day. She was lying on the road, between two cobbles. I picked her up gently, and tried to warm her in my hands, thinking I might be able to revive her. On closer inspection, I found a tiny puncture wound on her neck, and came to the conclusion that the cat who lives on our street had caught and killed her.

The cat must have killed the mouse, just before I found her, because she was absolutely perfect, no decay had set in at all.

I've never been squeamish about things like this, only ever fascinated. I also count it as a wonderful opportunity to hold a tiny wild mouse, and be able to stroke its softer than soft fur, look at its delicate ears and examine its tiny fragile paws.

The last time I had this sort of opportunity, was about twenty years ago, when I was staying with my Mum and Dad in Spain. I went for a walk in the valley, and was stopped in my tracks by a tiny Shrew lying on the ground in perfect condition. It was hard to believe it was dead.

I took it home, and as with the brown mouse, I did some drawings in my sketchbook of the shrew.

I did my first ever school visit last week, and as part of my time there, along with the books I've illustrated and preparatory drawings and original art work, I showed them my sketchbook, which the children were fascinated by, some of them wanted to go about making their own sketchbooks, wonderful isn't it? I enjoyed the visit to the school so much (it's a fantastic school) I'd like to put my name down on the contact an author website for school visits. The positive feedback I got gave me a lot more confidence to do that, which is a relief as before I started my visit, I felt sick with anxiety about it.

Last week was a funny old week, what with the food poisoning I got from the smoked salmon I treated myself to, followed the next evening by burning my face while trying to liquidise hot carrot soup. It's a good thing I had my glasses on or I would have got some nasty burns on my eyes. I eventually took myself to A and E, and a sympathetic nurse dressed my burn, which is on my temple down the side of my face, close to the hair line fortunately, so not too noticeable.

One thing I did learn is that you should never put ice on a burn, only ever put a cool wet cloth on it, (after running the affected area under cool water for ten to fifteen minutes to reduce the heat of the burn), ice makes the burn react and go deeper, causing more damage. The nurse told me you should never let a burn dry out, she told me to apply vaseline on it a few times a day, until the burn fades (I think this is for minor burns, if it's a second degree or third degree burn you have to be careful about infection). The nurse who dressed my burn said it's a common misconception that you put ice on a burn. I had put ice on my burn, and that's why the pain was getting worse and worse, and I decided to go to our local Accident and Emmergency unit.

So this explains my absence last week, illness, accident, school visit, huge pressure from my art editor to finish another set of revised roughs, so the book can go to Bologna Book Fair and .........................

............ and picking up the plinths for my sculptures (above), all three pieces I had in the exhibition sold (hurrah!). The exhibition I'm talking about is the one I mention in this blog post.

I've also got another gallery wanting me to give them six paintings and three sculptures to sell a.s.a.p, that's apart from the solo show of my work at the end of this year, and the commissions I'm working on. I'm not panicking. No. I'm just seeing it as tremendous opportunities I've been given after a lot of hard work. I'm absolutely determined to take every opportunity that comes my way, and make the most of what I'm offered, this is what I've been dreaming of and never thought possible. So far this year, I've been extremely fortunate workwise.

And now I have to decide what to do with the little brown mouse. She can't carry on being kept in a sealed container in the fridge like she has been all week. Every time I open the fridge, there she is, peaceful in her little plastic see-through box, it's a bit disconcerting when all I want is the milk for my cup of tea.

Perhaps I should give her a full burial like my Niece Millie and family gave Bob the Hamster last weekend. Millie insisted on a minutes silence in his honour, she then said a few prepared words through some tears, before he was placed in the hole that had been dug for the Plum tree that was being planted. My sister said that the fruit produced from that tree will forever be known as Bob's Plums.

Cheerio!

Vanessa xxx

 

The SSA - Society of Scottish Artists.

Hello! Something nice happened today. I received a parcel of some jewellery I bought from Emma Mitchell of blog Silver Pebble, (for someone who shall not be named incase they read this). Emma had read my previous blog post about Winifred Nicholson, and in the parcel she added a postcard of one of Winifred Nicholson's paintings! Is that not the most wonderful gesture, there's something very well observed and sensitive about that gift, apart from it being generous, because I suspect that the card is one of Emma's treasured postcards.

It's not the first time I have bought jewellery from Emma as a gift. Each gift I've bought has been a tremendous hit with the recipient, and so I keep on returning to Emma's etsy shop to buy more. Emma's jewellery is gaining ever increasing popularity and the word is spreading about her work, she had an entry in Kirstie Allsopp's latest book "Craft", and she was invited to sell her work at the Selvedge Christmas Fair, which is a seriously good thing to have been included in. Emma Mitchell Designs has a website here.

And now I have some news about me to share with you!

I entered three sculptures into the Society of Scottish Artists annual exhibition this year, and all three were accepted!

And THEN, I received this email:

 Dear  Vanessa,

Society of Scottish Artists Annual Exhibition 2012

Mansfield Park Gallery & Art Hire Prize

On behalf of the President and Council of the Society of Scottish Artists, I am delighted to inform you that you have been awarded  Mansfield Park Gallery & Art Hire Prize for your artwork: Cloud Music

The Award is  £250 Framing and a Solo Exhibition.

Prizes will be presented to you informally at the Private View on Friday 3rd February, between 5-9pm by the SSA President, Louise Ritchie.
 
Congratulations and best wishes,

Julia
------------------------- 

Julia Douglas

Administrator, Society Of Scottish Artists

www.s-s-a.org

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (These are my exclamation marks!)

So Hugo and I are off to the Private View tonight.

Would you like to see the pieces I have in the exhibition?

"Determined Cat"

"The Old Stories"

"Cloud Music"

And how do I feel about this extraordinary turn of events? Amazed! Happy and astounded. And a little speechless. Truly.

Have a good weekend, may you experience nice surprises too!

Cheerio!

Vanessa xx

 P.S. The exhibition, which is held in the Royal Scottish Academy on Princes Street, near Waverly Station in Edinburgh, is on from Saturday 4th February till Thursday 1st March.

Soceity of Scottish Artists website is here: www.s-s-a.org

A Necklace in Two Parts.

Hello! I'm thoroughly behind on all things bloggy, chiefly, saying hello to blog pals and visiting blogs. I'm so sorry about this, so sorry, something always has to give when things get stupendously busy.

But on to other things, like my jewellery making!

It's a new year, and things are evolving in every area of my work, from the books I illustrate, to my sculptures, and now there has been a progression in my jewellery making.

You may remember these brooches I made, which I sold before Christmas..........

Welllllll........ Fliss, from blog Joshy and Belle, you may find yourself going oooooooohhhhh wonderful! at some of the things she makes, the Debbie Bliss pattern for a fair isle top she's working on at the moment is amazing, the link to Fliss' blog is here. Fliss' writing is magical, and her new baby is very, very, sweet. I'm not sure how she manages to look after three young children, write a blog, run a home, have a job outside the home, and come up with wonderful ideas, but she does.

Fliss bought a holly and berries brooch from me, and then decided on the strength of the brooches I had made, to commission a necklace.

For someone to have so much faith in you, over such an unknown quantity, feels amazing, and a bit scary, incase it turns out to be not up to much.

Fliss told me about her influences, images she likes, things she collects, and she asked for a necklace in two parts. A basic necklace that could be worn during the day, and then a part that could be added to make it more of a statement piece for the evening.

So I came up with a necklace that could have a brooch pinned to it, and the brooch could also be worn on its own.

Fliss is like a muse, she feeds me ideas, and I act on them. Fliss has been imagining a jewellery range for me, which is rather exciting that she has so much faith in me. At the moment, I'm spending spare moments making the components for necklaces and brooches.

I've just been looking at the dog in the brooch above, and realised he needs a red collar! How annoying that I missed that.

I did, however, put in finishing touches like little red bells to cover the knots in the ends of the cord, which Fliss can shorten if she finds the cord too long, by cutting the ends shorter and tying new knots.

The details are important to me, like tending to the ends of cord or string. That expression "the devil's in the detail", I think it must be referring to the detail being devilishly difficult and trying of ones patience. For me, I find that "joy is in the detail", and is essential. If I had a mathmatical brain, maybe I could have been a watchmaker, I like sitting hunched up with my entire focus on a tiny thing.

Such a nuisance I didn't apply myself enough to realise the dog should have been given a red collar. Sloppy of me.

Well I must now apply myself to the making of a cup of tea, and the savouring of a little something sweet of taste. That'll be some chocolate then.

Just before I go, talking of tea, Helen Stephens, a hugely talented writer/illustrator of children's books, came by to say hello and draw my doggies yesterday. Helen has a website here. Her work is magical and funny and touching. Her partner, Gerry Turley, was at The Royal College of Art at the same time as me, and I love his work too, which you can see on his website here. Hugo very generously gave me one of Gerry's gorgeous prints for my Christmas present.

I like to share wonderful talent with you all, it's enriching, don't you think?

Now where's that cup of tea I've been going on about?

Cheerio!

Vanessa xxx

 P.S.  Something else to share with you, a rather wonderful giveaway from Lori, of superb blog Lori Times Five. If you read her magical blog post here, you will be inspired, and it will lead you to how to enter her giveaway, it's wonderful. The time for entering finishes tomorrow, Sunday 22nd.

 

Leopold's Best Day EVER!

You won't have met Leopold.

He's a rooster (or cockerel if you prefer), whom I've just finished for a commission, for the very talented Loani Prior of sculptural tea cosy fame, who's work and blog 'The Queen of the Tea Cosies' you can see here. (You have to have a look at the beautiful fair isle scarf she's showing on her blog at the moment, it's fabulous).

Here's Leopold!

He's one happy, proud chappie, and there's something very retro about his dress sense. We may all well know a human version of Leopold in real life, someone who is very endearing.

I look at Leopold, and I feel very familiar with every teeny weeny part of his body. A humongous number of hours went in to his creation, I don't know if that comes across. I've been working on him over a period of about three-and-a-half months.

It's not just the sheer labour in making him that has been exhausting, but the challenges of having him stand on one leg, holding a balloon that is stable and doesn't move all over the place, and is being held in his claw. He also went from an initial plan of being much simpler, to having wings outspread, and being fully clothed, he was just going to have a neckerchief originally, and his wings were going to be closed in on his body, so much easier to construct.

I admire Leopold's personality. He just doesn't give two hoots what other people think, he's too busy enjoying life to the fullest.

Gusto.

Gusto for life, that's what he has.

I could take a leaf out of his book, but then I'm too busy working, I'm straight in to another commission next, and I'm also working away on illustrating a book.

It's good to be busy, good to take opportunities offered don't you think?

It will be strange to put Leopold in his box and send him off, he's been part of my life for a while now. But he's off to a fabulous new home with Loani, who I know is looking forward to welcoming him.

Cheerio!

Vanessa xxx

Sweet Evangeline and Louise.

I've got a soft spot for Louise the pig, and I look at her frequently, at her hopeful little face, mixed with excitement, triumph, and expectation.

Recently I decided to give her a smaller stand, and have her positioned so that she looks like she's running, rather than her previous incarnation of standing there looking pleased.

I actually wish Louise was real, and that she was able to take a jump off her stand and onto my lap, or into my arms. She would be a very spoilt little pig, spoilt with love.

I wish all my sculptures could step down from their podiums and talk. I wish it like I was a small child waiting for magic to happen, believing it could happen.

My newest Evangeline sculpture is no different.

Evangeline has the potential, despite being a dreamer, to be a little cheeky. Fun too. She'd make you laugh with her quirky observations about life.

In this piece, my sixth sculpture of Evangeline, she is having a break from the dusting, she's dancing to the old songs.

These mosaics are as close as I can get to making Evangeline and Louise move.

I've just heard a little squeak, and it's not Evangeline, it's my real life doggy, Douglas, asking squeakily if he can possibly be taken for a walk. It's his polite squeak, but it could soon turn into an urgent squeak, so I'd better put a thick coat on and take the doggies out into the dark. It's actually only 5.20 pm, but it may as well be midnight, it's completely dark outside.

Cheerio!

Vanessa xxx

Brooches and cards! Cards and brooches!!

Brooches on a coat and ............

A Christmas card!

All by yours truly.

Evangeline stars on the Christmas card, and on the back of each card is written "Twas the night before Christmas when all through the house, not a creature was stirring .............. except Evangeline the mouse".

It might seem early to be bringing out these festive things, but some people like to think about cards around this time of year.

And the brooches I made link to the card. The wreath on the card is made of holly leaves and berries all made by me. Some of the leaves and berries are paper mache, some are crocheted, and others are made from old blankets and fabric.

They've been time consuming to make, there are so many stages that go in to the construction of them. All the berries and holly leaves are wired so they can be moved. I've even signed and dated the back of each brooch. Like they're miniature sculptures.

There is a mix of paper mache, fabric, crochet, construction and embroidery in these brooches, like my sculptures, though on a smaller scale.

When it came to the presentation, I hand painted each card, so that they would look nice when the brooch was attached. Lots more work, but so enjoyable!

I didn't make many brooches, though it felt like I'd made hundreds. And some have already sold. I do have a few listed in my etsy shop here, if you care to have a look.

I have put some packs of my Christmas card in on etsy too.

I've been able to put together a pack of ten cards for the same price as my packs of five cards, because they're smaller, and, they all have the same image on them, so it has cost me less to get them printed, and I'm passing on the saving to you.

It had to be Evangeline the mouse on the front of the Christmas card. Here she is, holding a candle holder with a candle in it, and a heart shaped flame, in one paw, and a beautifully gift wrapped present in the other paw. She's sporting her good cheer apron. The cards are all blank inside for your own message.

Phew! This has felt like a mammoth undertaking, making everything for the Christmas card, staging and photographing it, getting it printed, sourcing the envelopes and bags, putting the packs of cards together, and then whilst all this was going on spending hours and hours and hours making the brooches. Then came the photographing of the brooches and card for my etsy shop, and the listing of it all in my etsy shop, a big job. It all looks so small and simple and easy, but it's not. Even so, despite the long hours, it's all been made with lots of love and enjoyment, and that's the key thing really isn't it? Good cheer, good will, and love.

Vanessa xxx

MY NEW BIG CARDS!

Hello!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They're here, they're here, my new cards are here! It's been a while in the conjuring up, but now the rabbit has finally been pulled out of the hat. Joy!

These new A5 cards I've had printed are SO much bigger than the last ones I had made, look in the photo above, see how much bigger they are than the little card in the foreground!

They feel sumptuous and big and juicy and............... big cards are really nice aren't they?

Lets have a look at them in more detail shall we?

I'm selling them in packs of five, a pack containing one of each image.

Considering their size, A5( 21 x 29.7 cm/ 8.5 x 11.75 inches)  they're excellent value at £10 plus post and packing for each pack of five cards, with their white envelopes.

And each card comes in its own polypropylene bag, just like you would buy them in a shop.

When I was making and choosing sculptures, that could be used in the images on these cards, I wanted there to be pictures you could send to a variety of people. From a lady, to a gentleman, a boy or a girl.

If you would like to buy a pack of cards, they're for sale in my etsy shop, the direct link to the cards is here.

And now I want to tell you all about the generosity of Stephanie, who has a lovely blog called Millefeuilles, and whose giveaway I won recently.

One of Stephanie's blog posts inspired me to buy Katherine Mansfield's book of short stories 'The Garden Party and Other stories'.

I'm so glad I did buy it, it's the most exquisite read. I've had a real sense of absorbing something beyond price. Her stories are like Rubies, Diamonds, Pearls, Moonstones. Some of the paragraphs are like the facets on a cut Diamond, they glint in the light and dazzle.

I'd recommend this book, highly recommend it.

I hold Stephanie in high regard when it comes to recommending books, so when I saw her giveaway, I signed up, hoping that I would win the book, but not expecting to be the fortunate one.

But I did win the giveaway! I've started reading the book I won, 'In the Garden with Jane Austin' written by Kim Wilson, at bedtime, and it's hard to put it down and turn off the bedside light. I want to carry on wandering through the book, amongst all the gardens and lovely written words.

The giveaway winnings weren't the book alone, there was also a choice of pattern from Never Not Knitting's pattern shop. Lovely patterns there, you might find something that takes your fancy.

I chose the pattern for the 'Autumn Vines Beret', found here.

When I'd downloaded the pdf pattern Stephanie sent me, I immediately bought some Madeline Tosh yarn, (very luxurious and expensive yarn), from Loop's on-line shop. (Lovely yarn, to be talked about more when I knit the beret).

I don't know if you've noticed a beautiful embroidered card lurking in some of the images showing this giveaway?

Stephanie's card! It arrived tucked up with the book, and the postcards of Violets and blossoms, all together in precious wrapping paper. The embroidery of the green shoots, isn't it exquisite? Ever since I opened the parcel on Monday, I've had Stephanie's embroidery propped up against the lamp on my bedside table, and I admire it every time I look at it. I treasure this beautiful piece. Stephanie says she uses 28 count linen thread, like embroidering with gossamer, isn't that magical!

I shall leave you with the thought of embroidering with a thread that is akin to something a spider might spin its web with.

Vanessa xxx

A Sculpture of Garfie.

Hello! It's a puuuuurrrrr-fect day here today!

The cat's miaow of a day infact.

I haven't touched on the subject of my sculptures recently have I?

I am still working away on them, it's just that for various reasons, I haven't been able to show you anything I've finished.

But I think that I can show you this sculpture, commissioned by Sharon, to commemorate her beloved cat Garfie, who tragically met his end in a road accident at the tender age of two. Garfie was a special cat, and Sharon still misses him and his wonderful personality, so it was a privilege to make this piece for her.

When I do a commission that depicts a subject like this, I like to glean as much information about the subject as possible, not solely look at photographs. Sharon wrote me a long letter telling me all about Garfie's personality. He had different sides to his character. He was very, very loving, and knew just when to be affectionate. He was also a bit of an adventurer and a highly accomplished acrobat.

I wanted to express his personality in the sculpture, so the cloud of butterflies represent Garfie's sensitive side, whilst the trainers and binoculars represent his more adventurous leanings. His pockets are stuffed with bits of ribbon and fabric, because Garfie was partial to playing with those things.

Garfie may not have been my cat, but I became very attached to him in the process of making the sculpture. I really have to get personally involved with each piece I make, otherwise the work is not the best it can be, and this inevitably means it's hard to part with each piece I finish. But coming from the background I do, the world of illustration, I am very used to accepting that when a work is finished it has to be handed over and I have to move on, plus, I have to make a living from my work, so it really wouldn't be helpful to hoard all the work I make.

I think of it this way, each piece I finish is going to a loving home, and what more can I ask for than that.

So Garfie is now going to be wrapped in copious amounts of tissue paper and bubble wrap, laid carefully in a sturdy box, and be sent off by secure special delivery to his new home. I know that his rightful family are waiting eagerly for him to join them.

Bon voyage Garfie!

Vanessa xxx