This is important. There is a movement afoot in Australia called The Toy Society with softie makers leaving softies in public places to be found by random people. Spreading softie love and creativity - this is an idea that could be spread across the globe and make a lot of people happy. Remember the last time you found a penny in the street? What if you found a softie? How wonderful would that be???! (via CRAFT)
Check it out. Make a softie. Start a Toy Society in your home town.
Just a short post to say I know I've been neglecting this space for several weeks now. The saddest news for me - my sweet cat Mabel died last Friday. It was rather sudden - a downhill spiral in a week's time. I've been so unable to do much and hope you guys will understand. I'm planning on getting back to finding softies and showing them to you over the weekend - so hopefully, I'll have a new post next week.
Here's a couple photos of my beautiful little girl - she was 18 1/2.
Have I mentioned that Sevedge is one of my favorite magazines? Only about a dozen times.
Here's some things I found in Issue # 22 from April which focused on 'paper'. Issue # 23 seems to have been lost in the mail :-(
Garlands by Sophie Cuvelier
Chick chain bag from a company called Mandarin Orange
Paper balloons from Hiromi Paper (this would make a great softie)
There's a feature article on Julie Arkell in this issue with lots of photos of her work and home. I've shown some of Julie's pieces before and others have blogged about her wonderful work. Here's a paper mache creature. I don't think Julie has a website but you can see some more of her work here.
And a book of her work for sale on Selvedge.
'Spoon' - woven tapestry. This is by Meabh Warburton.
Illustrator Sonya Suhariyan
Ok, so you're thinking, 'finally some softies!' -- this army made by The Black Rabbit I've shown some of this company's work before - some adorable knitted chicken tea cozies. They have an ad in this Selvedge issue. Check 'em out.
Ok, not softies, but really interesting designs/shapes...
Knitted fossils with beads by sewsusan
Wrapped wool pincushions by handmadepretties
Wrapped wool brooch by the same designer
Hilde of Tantehilde had a great idea! See her comment on the Elephant post below...about having a tribute to the first every softie by having designers create an elephant softie in tribute to the original. What do you all think about that? I could include it as a category in the upcoming 2nd Annual Softie Awards (kicking off in April). Comments???? Thoughts???? Ideas for other categories???
Here's a link to photos from last years Softie Awards on flickr
Beautiful crocheted hearts from Bella Dia with free tutorial here!
Some lovely Valentine paper and prints that I'm loving....
Paper cut by sanfran67.
Articulated paper doll by Woolandwater
Healing Heart by Elsita
Snap by tummyache.
Doily paper cut by myfolklover
Scarf for two by The Black Apple
Nathalie Lete is a product designer and artist who lives in Paris. I've featured her work before and thank goodness she keeps me on her email list 'cause her newest work is adorablissimo! And if you will be in Paris this coming weekend, she'll be at the Maison & Object show Jan. 25 - 29 with her newest rugs. Here's some of her fanciful designs. Anyone for getting a group rate on a trip to La Belle France to see Nathalie and her beautiful things????
Plastic shopping bags
The perfect summer flip flops!
One of her new rugs...
Another beauty...
This one's my favorite.
Generally, I stick to showcasing softies here, but occasionally I come across an artist that I'm so beguiled by that I want to show you everything she makes. Here's my newest obsession....many of these hand cut paper sculptures have 4 intricate layers. The artist is Helen Musselwhite in the UK. You can buy one of her pieces in her Etsy shop here.
Here's a very cool event I came across online. It's a parade of sorts in Brighton, UK called Burning the Clocks. I love everything about Christmas....the decorations, presents under the tree, colored lights. But this antidote to the excesses of Christmas seems like a great idea, especially if you've just come from the mall and realize how much chaos there is. PLUS it's a craft thing!
In Brighton, UK
From the Burning the Clocks website:
Burning the Clocks People gather together to make paper and willow lanterns to carry through their city and burn on the beach as a token for the end of the year. No lantern is better for its purpose than any other, all are unique to the maker and precious but all are given up to be burnt to greet the lengthening days.
Burning the Clocks combines a family centred, workshop based, seasonal parade with a high quality fire show and fireworks for the whole city. The lantern makers become part of the show as they invest the lanterns with their wishes, hopes, and fears and then pass them into the fire. Same Sky are masters at creating new urban rituals to replace those traditional festivals that were lost in the dash to be new and non superstitious.
