Troy

This is Troy, a much loved family pet. 

When the daughter in the family was getting married she wanted Troy to come to the wedding. Her mum didnt think it would be suitable and asked me to make a felted Troy to sit on the top table so he was still at the wedding. 

Here is Troy

And here is Troy 2

The daughter was thrilled and now Troy and Troy 2 are great friends as you can see in the photo they sent me after the wedding.

I love this photo. He is such a cutey, I would love to meet him some day.

It's been a while......

Over a year in fact since my last post.
Quite a lot has happened in that time. I have still been felting ( I don't think I will ever give it up) I just haven't been on the social media network.
Part of my new years resolution was to get back to it! So for the next few posts, here are a few of the things I have felted recently.

Following the success of the first scottish bagpiper, I was asked to felt his friend who was in the same band. Here he is.

I felt (excuse the pun) more comfortable felting this one, probably as I had made one before and I was determined to get the face better. He was over the moon with him ( himself really haha) 

I have also been asked to make a few dogs recently.

The first one was Barney. He is the mascot for Southampton cemetery! And I was asked to make him for his owners retirement present.

They sent me a few photos to go off.

Work in progress...

And the finished Barney 2

Troy is on my next post. Watch out for him! 

One for me

I have been so lucky this year to have had a regular supply of orders coming through. Some have given me the ability to learn new techniques. Others to use wool I havent used before, while others have been a challenge to my skill. I have enjoyed them all. My favourites being the Alice in wonderland characters. 

Now I have almost completed my last order to date I suddenly got all excited and realised for the first time this year, I could make something I wanted to make! 

I had a look at my inspiring board on Pinterest and decided I would make a troll.

Not sure what he was going to look like ( there's so many different looking trolls) but I would just see what happened. 

I sat wool and needle in hand, sat on a steamer chair, on the decking, in the garden, in the sun, could life be any better? And started stabbing.

3 hours and burn't arms later this is how far I have got.

Loads more to do but I think im going to like him.

What do you think?

Lisa xx

Nightmare before christmas!

Its strange sometimes how one thing can lead to another isn't it.

Tonight my daughter finished her degree by exhibiting her final pieces. She is now a qualified photographer and I thought it was time she showed her images and opened a facebook page.

It made me remember how scared I was about starting my page 

www.facebook/feltsforever.com but soon orders started to come in and things are going strength to strength slowly but surely. 

I started to think of how one person tells another and how I ended up with some of the orders I have done.

A while ago a friend me asked if I would make the characters from nightmare before christmas. I was excited to make them.

Here they are

When I posted them, a lady who liked my page, shared it on her wall and it was one of her friends who asked me to make the delightful Alice in Wonderland characters and from making them, I have been asked to make more! 

Funny how things turn out isn't it

Thanks for reading

Lisa xx

A week off

A week off work this week was meant to be spent felting my orders and gardening.
The truth, I have spent the majority of the time doing things for others, not that I mind but sometimes you just need a little 'me' time.
Today I managed it! Three hours of bliss, my own music, no interuptions, no can you justs or would you minds.
I planted Petunias and tidied the garden ready for a hopefully good summer. Then it was time to felt. Its so relaxing I nearly fell asleep. I was working on ' Neil' I didnt get as much done to him as I had planned to this week but every little helps.

The Scottish Bagpiper

Last year I was asked to make a Scottish bagpiper for my friend's husband's birthday. 

He is in a bagpiping band and she wanted to surprise him with an image of himself in felt. 

It was by far my biggest challenge to date but i was up for it.

She sent me a few photos off him to go off and here was the result.

A fellow band member approached me a few months ago and asked if I would make on of him too. 

He sent me these photos

And he said there was no rush! Thank goodness...

I finished him yesterday and sent him these photos last night. 

He was thrilled to bits and collecting him tonight. 

More slothing tonight now...

Lisa xx

Exciting things

I was emailed the other day from the chairman of the Lancashire W.I. Federation. If that wasn't exciting enough, she said she had heard how great my needle felt classes were and would I like to do a two day workshop for them next May!

I think I answered the email within 4 seconds with a very big YES. 

Since then we have spoken to sort out the details and now its all booked. Im so happy things are doing in the right direction for me and at a pace that isn't going to make me stressed.

On the other hand something has has been making me stressed is Neil the Sloth! 

Here is an update on him.

He now has his claws which when very well but then I decided I didnt like the colour of his fur so went over the whole body again!

I have made a start to the proportions of his face..... That will be another challenge.

I have until the end of July to complete him so plenty of time yet...

Lisa x

Getting furry

Neil the sloth is making progress. 

Still lots of work to do! And detail detail detail.. My favourite part! 

I had an lovely email this morning from the chairman of the W.I. Federation asking me to do another needle felting class. Im so excited! 

Bye bye Alice and friends

In January when i was asked to make these Alice in wonderland characters, I had no idea how much pleasure making them would give me.

With each one needing different techniques, some of them that were new to me, some that weren't, each piece involved moving up and down my learning curve.

I got to the point with two of the characters, I very nearly contacted my client to admit defeat. I just couldn't get them 'right' in my eyes. 

Putting them down and walking away for a day or so did the trick though and after ripping off a faces a few times, I can say that i am very proud of all of them.

Today it was time to give them a final check then wrap them up ready to go to their new home in Austrialia. 

I can't thank you my client enough for giving me this opportunity to make these. I have enjoyed them so much, I really dont want to let them go. 

All checked, ready for wrapping.

Lisa x

Making steps

I came across a photo today of the first craft show I did.
On the first look I smiled and thought 'yes it didn't look too bad' then as I looked closer, I looked at the work on display and I thought, 'wow I have sold all of those now and wow look how far I have come'
It's hard to put your own work on show for others to see and I was amazed at the great comments I had after the fair. but looking back at that work, has made me realise how much I have improved which is good for me to know.
So another small step in the right direction. I wonder what I will think of todays work, next year?

Gru and minions

I have had a very busy week and just not had time to blog. It's weekend now so here we go.

A while ago I felted a minion from the film Despicable Me. My daughter loves them and once word got round I was asked to make a few more. Then my asked if I could make a Gru as well. Why not! 

It turned out to be a lot harder than i thought but here he is with his two helpers. What do you think? 

Lisa xx

A Womens Institute Easter.

I have such a busy week ahead, working more hours, dentists and hospital appointments to attend. I thought i had better start to get myself organised for a needle felting class i am doing at a local Womens Institute over the Easter holidays.

I did my first one for them before christmas and they said they loved it so much, they have asked me to come back.  For the one i did at christmas we made a felted christmas bauble, as it's getting closer to Easter and they already have a little experience, they have asked if they could make something Easter related and a bit more difficult.

After giving it much thought and doing a bit of research i made this.

I call it the bunny-egg!

So today has been spent making samples, tutorials and making wool packs up.

Making sure each lady will have the right amount of wool. Carefully weighing how many grammes are needed. Then packing them up.

I now have a box full of twenty packs and a tutorial ready for printing.

I still have more work to do but i feel better knowing i have made a good start.

I will blog the results later.

Lisa xx

Im late!

A break from queenie, shes having her finishing touches still. I cant make my mind up whether i have finished with her face or not. Ill let you know.

Until then here is one i finished a couple of weeks ago. The white rabbit!

For now back to the queen!

Lisa x

Facial expression

Working on the queen of hearts again today. I should get her finished tonight i think.
I love watching the felts come together. By adding a single needle stab to one area can change the look as much as adding more wool.
Incrediable really!
I think thats why i love felting so much, wool is a most forgiving sustance to work with. If your not happy rip it off, restab or add more! Fabulous!
Heres a bit more of the queenie.
Lisa x

Still some work to do!

The queen of hearts is appearing slowly.......

Its the first time i have took photos of my work in stages and its really quite strange looking back at them. I suppose they will help me in the future if i ever made anything similar. 

Anyway here she is more photos soon! 

Thanks for looking 

Lisa x