A Lost Voice and Feeling Creative

I have had a bad week, with a bad bout of Flu and Laryngitis.  A week of not being able to talk is very frustrating.  I can now manage a very deep, monotone type of speech thanks to the web and the tricks I have picked up.
Apparently one of the worse things you can do with Laryngitis is whisper, as this puts a huge strain on your voice box!  The things you can learn on the www. lol
The trick is to take deep breaths and try to speak slowly in a deep voice whilst exhaling.  It does work, but takes quite a bit of concentrating and makes you sound like a robot.  It does not feel a strain either, as trying to force a whisper does.
Anyway, in between various pill popping I have been quite creative.
There is a full Summer season of Craft Fairs looming, and I need to come up with new ideas.  Every year I try my hand at something different, with varying degrees of success.
Pincushions, knitted bears, soft toys with new knitted outfits, and of course there are still a few little mohair bears on my stall.
So far I have completed 2 covered notebooks, a pretty quilted cushion, and 2 small decorative cushions with pockets.  I am not sure what the pockets could be used for? - earrings, spectacles, tooth fairy cushions? 

Large cushion 12" square and small 7" square

Covered A5 ruled notebooks

The cushions have soft fur fabric backs which makes them feel very luxurious. 
I have found the sewing with fabric to have the same effect as sewing with mohair, in that I am always on the lookout for new fabric to use and spend long periods practically drooling over the lovely designs that are available. 

Dolls from the Past

A couple more little dolls that I have dressed.
Here they are before I set to work on them (I had already made a vest for the one on the right).

The first is a 3 inch baby with a diamond mark and  open/close eyes.
I do not know her maker.  She is probably a mass produced doll from the 1960's.

 

The other one is 2.7 inches long and is clockwork and crawls when wound up.  This is a really cute little doll.  I had a bit of a job working out how to dress her so that she could still crawl.  I am really pleased with the result, especially the frilly knickers.

The next job has to be making more Pud Bears.  The holiday season should be starting shortly  (if the snow and wind goes away), so the bear shops will be getting more customers and I have to be ready to restock when they sell some of my bears.  Also, the craft fairs start in May and I like to take a few Pud Bears along as I have a few return customers who are bear collectors. 

Hopefully I will be able to sit long enough to man a stall.  If not my husband will help out as he has before, so that I can have a break.  This darn arthritis and back problems make me so frustrated at times.  I used to be an active person and now a short spell on my feet, or sitting in one position for too long, and that is me finished for the day - and probably the next one too. 

The Thingamebob is Revealed

I couldn't leave him until tomorrow, I just had to get him finished to see what he looked like.

                                                   Here he is, my very first Alley Cat

 As soon as I started making the head I couldn't put him down, and just had to get him finished.




 

I really hope he is popular as I want to make some more in different colours.  I am already planning a blue and lime green one and have thought about a girly pink one with little embroidered flowers on the tummy.  The combinations are endless.

I am hoping that they will go down well at the local craft fairs along with the Diddy Dogs.  I have until Spring to get enough of both made up to fill a table, along with the artist bears.

Diddy Dogs



The Alley Cats have googly eyes and fluffed up wool that makes them unsuitable for young children.

They are really made as display items/ shelf sitters, not as toys.