Doodle bugs anyone?

Hi Everyone! I've been so busy felting I've been forgetting about blogging! I'm so very sorry! :o)

I came up with something fun and new last week, doodlebugs are a bit of fun, and these two are rather quirky so I hope you enjoy meeting Doodle and Bugsie.

This is Bugsie, he's the second one I made. They both have wired limbs so they can be posed, and also for strength as their limbs are rather skinny.
I just love the antennae and did different ones but with similarities for each of them.

Here they both are, what do you think?

You can see Doodle's happy grin in this pic. He wears a lovely flower pendant!

They are both felted from Living Felt merino tops, just the most gorgeous fibres and colours I have had the pleasure of playing with in ages!

Meet my gorgeous little friend Dylan!

Hi Everyone, I'm a little tardy getting these pics in. Darling little Dylan was made a few weeks ago, and I am so pleased with him! He turned out really well. The fibre I used was the same one as for Georgie further down the page, but they are both so different. I just had to use it again too, awesome fibre!

He wears a big vintage satin bow!

The wool has a mottled effect, really stunning!

Just look at those little toes! Oh so sweet!

Can I come and be your friend too? :o)

Thanks for viewing Dylan, I have a bunch more bears to show as I have been on a bit of a roll lately! But I will make you wait for them! lol Hope you enjoyed meeting Dylan and happy crafting to all!

Did someone say Anime?

I was given some gorgeous wool recently and I just had to make something special with it! I guess I was in an anime kind of mood because Georgie here was the result!

She has a brass button nose!
And a little topknot!

I love that expression, she is needle felted from a gorgeous unique green and grey merino wool.

I did her feet a little different, quite like those!

Hope you like Miss Georgie, she was so fun to make and hopefully a joy to visit too!

Midnight the Moon Fairy Bear

Hi Everyone!

Well It's been nose back to the grind stone for me! I have so many orders at the moment I'm having trouble keeping up! But this little fellow was rather tempting and I got rather 'in the zone' with him and just kept working and working until he was done! So thanks to my lovely repeat customers for giving me these inspirational pieces to create! This one is therefore made to order so he is already sold! (awwwwwww sorry folks! lol)

Midnight is needle felted from black alpaca fibre which I blended together with some gorgeous, sparkly glitz fibres!

I attached these lovely polymer clay wings to his back which were made by a friend of mine!

Midnight has lovely 'gems' for his toepads with the bigger one being a heart shape!

Don't you just love this little eyes! I used a metallic thread in silver for his nose and other features!

Hope his new Mum will like him, he was inspired by the water fairy I did recently too apparently! So if you like the idea of a unique fairy just drop me a line at littlehandfuls@ihug.co.nz and let me know what tickles your fancy! :o)

Happy crafting all!

Liza

Dougal joins the Little Handfuls Hug!

Hi Everyone!

Thanks for dropping by! I have a lovely new friend for you to meet. His name is Dougal and he is needle felted from the most gorgeous, natural New Zealand corriedale wool ever! I'm a big one for hand dyed wools so I surprised even myself recently when I fell in love with this beautifully carded fibre at a local craft show! It is a lovely soft cream with a beige ripple running through it!

I also found a lovely teal crochet thread at a thrift market and had been holding on to it for just the right bear!

The lighting isnt the best, it got dark before I was done!
Dougal has the sweetest nose and vintage blue and pewter coloured ribbon.

Don't you love his teal ruffle? (yes, you are supposed to see the stitches! lol)

I'm so pleased with him and I hope you enjoyed meeting him too! It's been a busy week of school holidays, playing pirates and trying to entertain 3 children! Next week it's the movies and the Zoo so it should be fun! Of course I am working all weekend so have to get through that first! I guess I can rest when my youngest starts school in October! lol

Happy crafting all!

New Little Handfuls

Hi Everyone, hope the coming end of year is bringing some fun and inspiration for you all! It looks like I might be getting to do a christmas market this year, so I will have to get on with the seasonal fare! For now here are some lil fellows I made in the last month or so. Things have slowed down a little lately, dipping my fingers in too many pies perhaps. But I hope you will enjoy these offerings for your enjoyment.

Blu For You

This sweet little boy is felted in 2 shades of blue. He has the sweetest little sad eyes, very expressive bears at the moment

Blu has little hearts on his feet, and lovely big paws.

Chockie was made for an order. I needed to make a bear for someones husband, so thought these colours were suitable male enough.

Betsy Bunny is felted in an interesting new merino, hand dyed here in NZ. It was great to needle as it was slightly coarser than commercial Merino fibres. Check out the embroidered flowers etc on her feet!

Glorious bunny teeth! Just the thing for nibbling on a felted carrot! :o)



Hope my little friends brightened your day a little and thanks so much for dropping by!

Beary huggles, Liza.

Whats New!

Ok, in an attempt to forget my current woes here are some pics of my latest work.

I recently had to make up some samples for a 4 day workshop, so the first ones are a few examples of what we could do over that long weekend. I have something else in the works but don't want to show until it's finished!

These are just some basic wet felted soaps, done with merino, very easy

This ornament is just a ball on a base, it does take a long time to felt it down nice and hard, but then you can decorate it as you wish!

Badges! This was free form onto commercial felt from a photo

This was done using water soluble fabric for the pattern and felting onto a commercial piece of felt. Really pleased with how this works, you could do almost anything with this method!

Henry was felted for my last One day class as an example of the gorgeous romney wool we were using. He is a big boy, almost 4 inches, and he has lovely features!

Twit Twoo is a birdy type thing, another example of decorating a ball

Harley is one of my new favourites. I actually made him during the one day class, his head wasn't felted as hard as I usually would, but it meant that his eyes sank further in giving him a different look. I really like how he finished up!

Gnome Girl!! It had to be done, had seen a pic of one and had to do one for myself. She turned out ok I think. I had to make a second face for her as wasn't happy with the first one!

Finn is a real baby looking bear. He was felted in the same romney we used for the day class. It's amazing how many different looking bears you can get from the same supplies!

Hope you enjoyed looking at the new work. I've just donated 2 bears to a charity auction which is being held in Sept, so hope those go well!

Thanks once again for your interest in my work, I really do appreciate it and all the lovely comments that are sent my way are a balm for my soul!

Beary huggles,

Liza

Latest Bears!!

Hello All!
Time for another update! I thought you might like to see 2 of my latest little bears who I am really pleased with but a little nervous if their new 'Mummies' will like them!

Firstly meet Giselle. She is a sweet little girl bear who wants to be a ballerina when she grows up! She is wears her tutu everywhere she goes and is always leaping and dancing around the house!

Giselle is felted from 2 shades of hand dyed corriedale wools from one of my favourite cottage crafts people!

She has ribbons laced up her little legs, and just look at those amazing tiny rosettes.

I have never seen any so small! She's just gorgeous I think!

Now meet Cody. This darling little boy is wearing his merino pjs and hat. He likes to hang

out with his invisible friend Jack and is always trying to lend a hand at home!

Don't you just love the little pompoms and his sweet little face?

I'm so pleased with Cody, he took a lot of time to sculpt and his corriedale base is covered

lavishly with a merino/silk blend for his pjs and hat, with angora bunny

fibre on his little hat also!

I do hope their new owners are really happy with them, and if they are reading this Yay!! Tell me what you think! :o) lol

Lots on this month. I have a day class out of town which I have almost finished organising. Just as well as it's only a week away! :o) I also managed to create a whole load of work for myself by offering to join in as a tutor for a 4 day craft weekend. And now I have to make up some samples of what we would make over the 4 days. Unless they are good standard I won't get in, but also I have to come up with things that I haven't taught before and don't know how long they will take to make! Eeekk! So lots of experimenting to do in just one week!

Also trying not to worry about driving out of town. It is one year this month since I started driving (yes, I AM 35, truly) and I still haven't driven at 100k yet! lol I'm sure it will be fine! Really,,,,,just fine! eekk

Ok, that's all from me! Back to cooking dinner, feeding dogs, cats and assorted rodents. Trips to school, kindy and the vet. Housework, protest rally (That reminds me, if you are in NZ write to parliment to stop them cutting our night classes!!! We need support to keep the classes running! :o) and then I have work on the weekend again! yay!

Much bear love and happiness to all! Put your feet up for me! :o)

Liza

In Dinah's Room

Hi all

I do believe I already told you I was working on some fab new ideas. Here is the first of them. I have been doing little room boxes, I have a number of boxes that are just awaiting their perfect beary counterparts.

Dinah turned out perfectly for this roombox. She is the perfect size, the colours work well and she has the sweetest little face.

Her room is fully wallpapered, it has a window and mirror and carpet. She has a lovely bed with hand stitched counterpane and pillows to match. Her handmade toy box is filled with lovely bits and pieces, from her boxed Barbie to her pipecleaner bear. She also has a dolls house and a book of paper dolls.

Just look at that face!

She is a little messy, her paper dolls and books are on the floor.

Dinah loves to show her guest around her room. Thank you so much for popping by to meet her, you are welcome back any time!

Who is available for adoption??

Hi all, because I have still not been able to update my website I thought it time to show you a few of my furry friends who are still looking for homes. Below you will find photos of some of my bears and their price in NZ dollars (please visit http://www.xe.com/ for exchange rates). There are many more bears but these are some of my best.
Let me know if you want more photos of any or more info. Payment is through paypal for those outside New Zealand.
YOU CAN CLICK ON ANY OF THE PHOTOS TO SEE THE LARGER IMAGE WHICH IS A GOOD IDEA SO YOU CAN REALLY SEE WHAT THESE WEE BEARS LOOK LIKE!!

Ping Panda and his porcelain egg - felted in blue and white $55nzd
Ugly Duckling - felted in natural grey with black and his brown and green 'grass' $65nzd

Peaches and her goose egg box - felted in hand mixed shades to compliment her apricot egg with a vintage lace 'tutu' $70nzd

Glitter - felted in black berry wools wtih pink sparkly embroidered accents and bling in his belly! $45nzd

The White Rabbit - a large sculpt approx 6 inches tall. Complete with red waistcoat and blue blazer with a yellow bow tie! (Postage will be more for this size) $85nzd

Princess Jewely - felted in a deep plum with big stitched nose and gorgeous jewels $55nzd

Tamarillo - felted in blood red merino blends with gorgeous multi coloured embroidered accents $50nzd

Handbag bears - felted in merino and silk these bears are all available currently and come with their little matching bags. $55nzd each

Tang - felted in gorgeous orangey merino and silk, he is a lovely wee bear $55nzd

Oliver - a larger bear, approx 4 inches long. Very sculpted in chocolate wool with his blue and white knitted hat and scarf. $60nzd