Happy New Year~!!

Wow. I didn't blog at all in December~! My, my...I fear I am not too great at the whole blog-community thing anyway...anywho.

I hope you all are having a lovely Holiday...we had a great Christmas and this picture is my favorite, I think. You can't always get what you want, indeed! That's my 3 year old (who's not normally such an ungrateful pill...)--she'd just opened a Thomas train and was much amazed...shocked...appalled...you get the idea. She does not truck with the boys' toys, no pun intended. Though the train pictured is a girl, it took actually playing with the track, etc. to convince her of the fun she was having. Really.

So where I have I been? Busy creating and playing, school concerts and parties, and the 101 places we go to every Christmas...and we do have a lot of fun! So, please forgive my Christmas Break!! Here's just a bit of the fun we've had...

A box of goodies to take to the school party for teachers and friends...

We made these cool bird magnets from Somerset Studio...I made a project designed by Jeanette Janson a bit more kid-friendly...paper and wood instead of metal, etc. and we came up with some really pretty little magnets (which my photo doesn't do justice!)

At the school party, I fell in love...with a children's book that I'd never seen before!! "Rain Makes Applesauce" ...anyone? It's sooooo wonderful! And I am blessed with such good friends that I think I'm getting 2 copies of it, from 2 different wonderful pals!! How cool is that? 1 to read, and 1 to put away...

It may have been a sign, of sorts...I really, really, want to get into more illustrative work...and then, I'm told, once you have all that underway it's much easier to break in with your own little book...which I want to do as well. We'll see. Maybe when I retire? Though my husband maintains that artists do not retire, they just die. Which I think is true, as I can't imagine a life without making something. :)

And now...the really big news. I am so pleased to tell you that I am in the current issue of Create and Decorate, on newsstands now...my project is "Heart and Home", and is the first of a seasonal series of 4...plus, I have a dollie too in the next issue!! I am really happy be working with them and my kid (6) thinks I'm very cool...which, while not necessary, is nice. Can you imagine? I'm cool again!!

Anyway...that's all for this evening...new work is on the way, Glitter and Grunge and The Humble Arts...plus my own blog upload on the 7th of January....2008?! Wow.

Thank you all for your friendship,

and your interest in my work,

(as the case may be)

Blessings,

Meg

*Snow Party!*

It's a blizzard of dollies 'round here...the last of the ornaments are packing up to go to Minnesota, but I have made extras to offer to you! (Yes, you!) I have 3 snowfolk ornaments to offer you...each is made from antiqued, painted, muslin that has sweet snow eyes drawn and painted on and tiny bead mouths...each snow person has a wee wool felt hat, a ribbon collar or scarf, all trimmed in sparklie silver ribbon with little accents and frosty hangers...each are about 7" high, and the 2 with silver collars can sit...Frosty can sit if his scarf hangs over a ledge...

*Top Hat Frosty*

Sold Out~ Thank you...

*Sugar Plum*

Sold Out~~!!

*Winter Sky Snowman*

Sold Out~~!!

*Snow flakes*

I counted till they danced so
Their slippers leaped the town,
And then I took a pencil
To note the rebels down.
And then they grew so jolly
I did resign the prig,
And ten of my once stately toes
Are marshalled for a jig!

Stay Warm & Cozy,

Blessings,

Meg

*Candy Children*

Here they are! And thank you so much for all of the interest & emails...bless you! These 3 are available today, and a very limited number of orders will be taken...

As I said Monday, this is a 2005 design...but just a bit sweeter! These wee tree dollies are 8" high, and made of antiqued, painted, muslin, with my signature hand-drawn face. Each is a little different, and they are trimmed in fancy novelty yarn and sparklie miniature ornaments... Their little noses and bead joints look like tiny gumdrops! And yes, the arms move a bit, so they can nibble their goodies or show you their treasures...

*Snowflake*

$28.00, includes travel fare

Sold~~available to order! (thank you...)

*Peppermint*

$28.00, includes travel fare

Sold!~~available to order...

*Chocolate Mint*

$28.00, includes travel fare

Sold!~~available to order

email me with your preference or order!

And I can certainly take specific requests...pale green mint and chocolate, pink cupcake sprinkles, fruit cake...hmmmmmmmmm.....what else do I like to eat?

Blessings,

Meg

*Santa Ornament*

I am so excited to offer a dollie noggin to you~!! I seem to be "back in the saddle", at least for the moment, and will be offering ornament goodies all week long...

*Santa Ornament*

This fella is a whopping 8" high...from the bottom of his sheep's wool beard to the top of his folded hat...he is really like an entire dollie head. Which is a bit morbid, so let's not dwell...

His hat is hand-dyed wool with a rusty jingle bell and sparklie berries at the tip...His face is hand-drawn on painted muslin~~really a wonderful blend of both mediums. I have needle felted his beard out of Cloth Doll Supply sheep's wool, and his hat is trimmed in real sheepskin.

Truly a grand ol' fella to grace your tree!

Sold Out~~Thank you!

And now for a special sneak preview:

*Candy Children*

These are adapted from a 2005 design, strange little peppermint folks that whacked reindeer with their scepters....in the interest of peace and goodwill, which should be foremost during the holidays, this design has grown sweeter...sweet as candy, in fact! This gang is off to Krista Artista Gallery in Minnesota:

They are made of painted muslin, with hand-drawn faces...then trimmed out in all manner of dime-store Christmas nonsense! (My favorite...) They have a very vintage appeal, and I will have 3 of them to offer you tomorrow...

Until then,

Blessings,

Meg

Will you please wear the hat????

BEAR: Absolutely not.
ARTIST: But it's a lovely hat...so sweet...
Undignified.
Well, maybe...but that's a good thing in my work, isn't it?
A lack of dignity?!
No, no, no....just a lack of, well. No. Not a lack, per. say...an addition. An addition of fun, of whimsy, of---
And a SUBTRACTION of "hat".
(sigh)

The following monologue is per. Bobby the Bear with mild to vehement objections from the artist (me!) interjected throughout, but not specifically noted due to time limitations and a distinct lack of typing skill:

I mean, last Sunday's Bun' was all very well and good, but she is, was, just a bunny, you know? Bears require a certain...understated elegance, a dignity equivocal to their place in nature. Exacting, appropriate garments. And I do believe that I, Robert, represent the very finest of such...nature's specimens of elegant beast. I mean, really, that sums me up I think. Might I add that I have admirably relented to wearing this BLASTED sweater, not to mention the silly button (I don't care how "old" it is! Since when is age a GOOD thing, anyhow???) But, Mrs. Wommack, I digress. To state my intentions, my wishes, my...well, my responsibility to the rest of the bear world, to bears everywhere....quite simply: No hats, for such bears as I! I am, well, I'm a bear of dignity, if nothing else....

Whatever. There's no way I'm calling you Robert~! (Though I could run with the David Mamet qualities for a bit....).

"Bobbie and Fritz"

Made in Magpie fashion, will you please consider Bobbie and His little giraffe, Fritz? These 2 are carefully created in celebration of old toys...precious treasures carefully stored on the window seat in the nursery.... Picture taking is terrible today, so I will have to tell you about Bobbie's wonderful fur that I have dyed...it is lighter on the top of his head, and on this outer limbs and very subtly contrasts with he rest of his figure...like he's been faded by sunshine over the wonderful and many years! And then there's that HUGE red button fastened to his felted wool cardigan...it is quite old and garnished with a vintage cabochon that has a little gentleman bear upon it...Fritz is also made from hand-dyed wool, trimmed like Bobbie, with glass eyes and vintage trimmings...the pair is quite, quite, sweet, hat or no.

Bobbie is OOAK & 17" high, Fritz is 11"

sold! thank you!

email me to purchase

*Gilly and Peppermint*

A mother should never have favorites, but I must tell you that Gilly the Elephant is quite easier to get along with than Bobbie!!

Gilly was soooo charming, she ended up having a little dress sewn especially for her! (I loathe dress-making....!!!) It is trimmed in satin ribbon and pink ric-rac~~Gillie and Peppermint have little duckie cabochons...cute! There. I said it. Actually called my own work CUTE!? What's the world coming to???

Peppermint is made of white wool, with glass eyes...and Gilly's eyes are German glass, just a little different than my usual. :) BUT~~still the same dyed and aged mohair and wobbly 5-way jointing, wool paw pads, and excelsior & wool stuffin' (that's the Magpie fashion, you know...)

*Gillie* is a OOAK 14" and

*Peppermint* stands at 5" or so + 8" long...

sold! (thank you...)

email me to purchase

And that's all she wrote, uh, stitched!

Until we meet again...

Blessings,

Meg

What a Sunday!

ummmm....I mean "Sundae"!

Hopefully, you see a really nifty, snowy, slide show up above...hopefully. Or, you may just see a camera-swirly icon that does not load...only time will tell. :)

As you can see (or not), we had a grand little soiree this aft' when I finished up *Sundae Bunny*. Everyone turned out! From the old metal elephant to the baby in pink, yellow bear, brown bear, and Andy....and of course Mecki was there!! We had such grand time, sipping pink flowered tea from the little vintage charm on the Sundae pin keep...ah, so nice to visit and catch up with friends~~both old & new! Our little cottage was rattling with the chatter of an early winter tea, as the winds turn and (hopefully!) the snow blows in...

But. In other areas of our wee domicile it was rather quiet. Too quiet....know what I mean? In other rooms things were going awry...running amuck (sp), if you will.

Did you ever read Little Mouse Biddle Mouse by David Kirk? Of course you have, being the genteel and literary acquaintance that you are! Welll...you know the part where Little Mouse gets a bit piggy and eats all his family's food? And it goes something like:

"Little Mouse Biddle Mouse, what have you done? You've eaten the food now your family has none!" That was Chloe's favorite book when she was four, and we continually heard: "What did you done?!", as she scrambled after her toddling sister's general chaos and destruction...well. We had a "what did you done?!" moment this evening. You know all of those polynesian fellers with the tattoos??? Go ahead. Scroll down. I'll spare you the gory details, but I have a 3 year old who looks something like. Nekkid and all. She's now scrubbed semi-clean (it was a brown archival marker, so she looks a bit tan), but I do have a lasting memento from the incident. My pillow. That I sleep on.:

Ask any mama of little (or big!) ones and she'll tell you that pillow is a precious, precious, thing...I guess I have a Polynesian pillow?

*Sundae Bunny*

Made in my usual fashion :) and I love her wobbly old joints! She's wearing a hand embroidered little wool vest, trimmed in vintage charms and flower beads...there's a little copper bird! A green wool scarf and vintage hankie skirt...antique shoe button eyes...Her feet are stitched and One thread is coming un-done (but not "for reals")...she is SWEET and I am so excited to make some more...a snow bunny...a bunny in a bonnet...a bunny with a chicken...a bunny with archival brown ink body tattoos....but, I digress.

She has a sweet sundae pin keeper, embroidered wool and all manner of vintage whimsies are pinned to the sundae...candy-looking beads, a tea-cup pin with a doily, and of course a big vintage "cherry" bead...yum!! *Sundae* is a wobbly 12" high (including ears), and about 9" seated...she is sitting on a high shelf, as she is quite enchanting to some little girl! (And some tiny Polynesian kid who lives here...)

Sold! Thank you kindly...

(includes travel fare...)

email me to purchase

Blessings,

Meg

PS~~put your markers on the high shelf, along with your bunnies....

*Christmas Chocolate*

First of all....I am so sorry that i haven't had a freebie pattern up for November...my scanner completely, absolutely, died. It was a sudden death--quite unexpected for a scanner so young, and 2 hours with various consultants has led to no resurrection of said scanner. (sigh) So, when I have the foresight to drop off a freebie with a scannered friend, have her email it to me, etc. etc. I will have a new, fun, pattern for you...I'm thinking stockings! :) Or at least a tutorial on this week's pinkeepers accompanying the bears...

Now, for the bears...both have mugs or cups of "chocolate"--a rich, beautiful, brown, wool from Skip to my Ewe. I do believe it is my personal goal to make anything BUT a hooked rug with Tammy's wool...(and I'm saving hooked rugs for retirement). And here we go:

*Mr. Bennett's Christmas Chocolate*

This fella's name is directly inspired by "Pride and Prejudice", but not the new one! Indeed, I find the A&E version far better than the newer release! You must check it out...

Mr. B. is made in the usual Magpie fashion...distressed, over-dyed, and gently aged mohair...loosely jointed...stuffed with sand and excelsior to feel much like very old toys. I work very hard to age bears appropriately and realistically! ...his fur is this wonderful rusty pumpkin color...as "rich" as his cocoa!

I have sewn a sage green colored vest for him, embroidered 'round with blanket stitching and french knots and daisy stitches compose a pine cone on the right front vest panel. It is pinned on with crochet lace, a gingerbread man charm, and new and vintage sparklie beads...the teacup is printed with a pastoral scene is a shade that "just suits" Mr. B.

An extra special "touch" to both mugs of chocolate is a dollop of white wool "whipped cream", carefully filled with sand, to sharpen your pins and needles--such a yummy emery! And then each is topped off with a vintage bead that looks precisely like a peppermint...

Mr. B has a satin neck ribbon, is 10" high, and would be most delighted if you will join him for a cup of Christmas Chocolate!

SOLD!

(thank you kindly...)

email me to purchase...

*Cocoa for Santa*

Baby bear is trying so very hard to wait up for Santa! And she has been so sweet...not one sip of chocolate, you know! Baby is wearing a nightgown and nightcap made from a very fragile, very old, linen hankie...I have used the crocheted hem to accent the dress and cap appropriately, and added-to are tiny little "yo-yo's" sewn from red and white ruffled ribbon~! Baby's little mug is a Santa mug, and it's a wee 3" high, even with the whipped cream emery! Baby has an itty bitty 3" wool felt bear to keep her company as she waits, and she is 9" high herself (but quite plump!).

SOLD

(thank you kindly)

email me to purchase...

Thank you all so much for your interest in my work,

and for your consideration~~

Blessings,

Meg

*Christmas Folk Angel*

*The golden moments in the stream of life rush past us and we see nothing but sand; the angels come to visit us, and we only know them when they are gone. *

George Elliot

At last! A dollie! And a Christmas Angel at that....*Christmas Folk Angel* is 18" high and her wings span 16"...she is sewn from osnaburg, her body stuffed with rags (arms and legs are poly stuffed). She is painted, penciled, and faded as time might have done...she looks and feels so old! Her folky silhouette is an idea I've been playing with...I like to think she's taking a walk. Her hair is just a bit of sheep's wool sewn on, and her wings are sewn from a Vintage quilt top. I like to imagine she began only with her wings, and gathered her dress and trims along the way...a vintage button and antique tatted lace, pinned on...bits of tinsel and sparklie "berries" one Christmas...some baby's breath and sweet annie tucked into her treat cone from the garden. And somewhere, along the way, little bells were sewn to her toes...they have rusted with the years. And a sweet mouth stitched on when her painted lips faded in the sun...she is a tattered bit of sweetness and whimsey~~*Christmas Folk Angel*is Sold! (Thank you...)Pattern to create her yourself,with detailed methods and instructions:$10.50Free travel fare for either...email me to purchase

Blessings,

Meg

Nutcracker Suite on The Humble Arts....

As usual, I was running terribly behind for my HARTS upload! (sigh) But hey, when costumes go from Charlie Brown-to-a ROCKIES Baseball Player-to-Miss Potter-to-Dorothy and Toto...it happens. And then, there was Maned Wolf-to-Butterfly-to-Little Red Riding Hood-to-Broccoli-to-Little Red Riding Hood-to-Broccoli-to....well. Frankly, Halloween really might be the devil.

I volunteered for the class party, of course, with my BFF...our kiddos were in a Lutheran Pre-School together, and now, first grade...I finally realized why the craft table was so, um, intense. Twice as many of the little darlings and hardly any acted like they love Jesus...let alone their neighbor with the glitter glue. But, I digress...if I would of been on time, this would have been on The Humble Arts...which you must visit this month. Directly. Go now!!

Are you back? Alright, let's go...


Welcome! Thank you for visiting my page within *The Humble Arts*~~ I bet you’ve gathered by now that we have a “Nutcracker Suite” them this month!! And I did manage to carry it over into my Mohair creations…and no, it’s not the Rat King (or whatever he is)…I would love for you to meet


*Sugarplum & Clara the Bun’*

a 14’’, One-of-a-Kind Ele’

and her constant companion

a 6” Bunny



Perhaps an unlikely pair…perhaps not! I mean, their names are just enchanting…to be named for a fairy tale ballet! Oh my! Sugarplum and Clara have seen many, many, Christmases…they first met under the tree, and that was years ago! Since both are so old, of course they are stuffed with excelsior, poly-wool, and sand…like olden bears! (And look at Sugarplum’s antique button eyes!...Clara’s are black glass… ) Both are stitched from over-dyed mohair (Sugar-plum’s bodice is hand-dyed wool), both are loosely 5-way jointed…I love how these two feel…you would think them directly off the toy shelf at the antique store!

I have used only the finest materials, new and vintage trims…this set is truly splendid with lots of details and plenty of sweetness.

However…I suppose I should mention…a disclaimer, of sorts: these are terrible gossips!




*Sugarplum & Clara the Bun’* SOLD! Thank you...
(includes travel fare)
email me to purchase
*Ginny Brown Bear*
a 13’’, One-of-a-Kind Bear






A more helpful and courteous bear you will never find! Of that, I assure you…Ginny is made from mohair that has been carefully aged~~ and her nose is stitched on, roughly, with dark brown pearl cotton. She is loosely 5-way jointed, and those pretty eyes are wool felt and antique boot buttons. Her little jacket is sewn from vintage cloth that my friend Jenny gave me…(Hey?! You don’t think Ginny is named for Jen---…naahhhh. Could it be?!) Ginny’s felt are shaped like a prim dollie’s, Jenny’s feet are about a 7? And Jenny has long red hair, while Ginny’s is light brown… Enough. Vintage and modern trims…a wonderful, humble, bear who does NOT gossip.



“Ginny Brown Bear” SOLD! Thank you...
(includes travel fare)
email me to purchase
I hope you enjoy this month's offerings as much as I have their creation…
~~ please take a moment to visit my blog to apprise yourself on happenin’s in the nest (ummmmm....yeah, ignore that part. 'cause yer here!!)…and if you would like to be added to my mailing list please let me know…

Blessings,
Meg

And I think that's all she wrote! We had a wonderful evening...lots of laughs and fun, and I took plenty of pictures. I'm sure I'll share with you as I find time. (right) :) I love this time of year...the weather is cold, the air is crisp, and Thanksgiving is on the way. I really, really, dig Thanksgiving. A lot. And this year I have some new recipes to try...yum! If pigs fly, I might share those with you too~!

Thanks for your time,

& Blessings,

Meg

'Twas Halloween...

Have a Happy, Safe, Halloween!

Blessings,

Meg

Bears in Chairs...

Please will you meet:

*Netty and Bip*

*Netty* is a loosely 5-way jointed 12" bear...9" seated. Her violet colored mohair is hand-dyed and very gently aged...stuffed with excelsior, weighted with steel shot, she has hand sewn pearl-cotton features. Netty's eyes are antique boot buttons, mounted on just enough 100% yellow wool felt to give a bit of a vintage feel...her sweet, sweet, jacket is sewn from a vintage handkerchief...hand sewn crochet lace for trim, and fastened with the same lace, a cream antique-replica button, silk flower, and vintage locket full of memories...now, *Bip* (sigh). Well, Bip is rather irreverent...and made from Mr. Funky's Super Crochet Wonderful, it's no wonder! (BTW, this little book is fun, fun, fun!!!) *Bip* is 7" high, made from wool yarn and stuffed with wool...her claim to fame is those glass google eyes...! *Netty & Bip* come with the little blue chair (7"high) and it is hand-painted and crackled~~looks quit old...Netty's jacket is fully removable...anything I've missed just email your questions!SOLD! (Thank you)~email me to purchase~*************************************************************************************
*Scarlet 'n' Andy*





















Another 12" OOAK bear (and her little friend!)*Scarlet* is 12", and made in the same fashion as *Netty*...but, to be fair, she is a bit more "nosey"...! Her dolly friend *Andy* is sewn from muslin, hand-painted and gently aged for a vintage appeal...his scarf is crochet lace, and his hat is white wool, pinned on with a sweet red heart pin...he has glass googly eyes like *Bip*...Scarlet's pinny is so very cute...it is a wonderful print that looks quite a bit like a Vintage Children's Book...the panel I used features Mama bear giving a little boy bear a spoonful of medicine...fun! Scarlet has a bunch of baubles pinned to her red neck-bow...a little flapper button, beads that spell "dollie"...vintage red beads and little red dice...this set is whimsical and fun, and the little polka-dot crackled hand-painted chair is included too! So many ways to display~~and the pinny is fully removable...SOLD! (thank you!)~email me to purchase~

Well, I do believe that that's all for today....however~~I do have many more bears "in the works", as well as more styles of pin keepers, and those should be ready on Thursday evening...also, I hope to debut my first embroidery designs! (for tea-towels, children's clothing, your clothing, etc.!) Functional art....aahhhh!

I'll have a new bear form to show you too, inspired by my friend Jenny of Hearthside Cottage...hurry up and treat yourself to her yummy Halloween Buttons! And I hear that Christmas Goodies are on the way....

Until we meet again~~

Blessings,

Meg