How did he get those cheeky cheeks? :)

Have you been trying to needle felt some cute bunnies but just can't get those cheeky cheeks right?  Here's a quite little 'how to' for you!

After you've felted the ball for his head, pull and mix the fibre for both cheeks.  Once mixed split into two balls and work back and forth, felting them down to the same size.

Here I've shown you how much the ball has shrunk as I've felted to give you an idea how much fibre to use for the cheeks.  It does shrink down a lot.  Don't felt them too hard though, just firm.

To attach the balls hold them both in place and 'tack' them on with a few deep pokes to check you are happy with placement.  If they look ok carry on.  Work slowly 

I'm happy with the placement so change down to a finer needle to keep working the cheeks until they are firmer and well attached.  As you work, keep the needle on the angle above, like you are felting one ball into the other.  This way you won't end up with a gap between them.

Want to needle a nose too?  Just take a smaller amount of fibre, felt into a firm ball and then attach, poking downward so that it sits snugly on the cheeks with no gaps.

I just love the way these turn out, they are also great for other animals like cats and dogs!

I hope you enjoyed this quick 'how to'. Stay tuned for more and feel free to make a request if you need help with anything.

You can also join our subscriber group over on facebook at just $10usd a month.  Live classes, and lots of fun.  Click here to visit my fb page  for more info.

 

ONE MORE SLEEP!!

Hey Folks!
Thanks for dropping by! If you haven't noticed I'm a little bit jazzed about the show which is starting tomorrow! Have to set up this afternoon so it's pretty much 3 days of me bouncing about with glee! lol I didn't sell very well at last years show, which got me down a bit by the end of the weekend. But it's so much fun just being there, chatting to like minded people, meeting folks who love your work and not having to worry about dishes, laundry or feeding small children for a few hours! :o)

I will probably be disappointed if it's a slow one again this year, I have gone into it thinking this is my last time if things don't pick up. Very expensive to be there, local markets are cheaper and I did sell well at the last one of those I went to..........hmmmmmmm. So hard to decide! But hey, really it's just once a year!!

So on that happier note, here is a little of my latest works....

I'm lovin this little guy, Pookie is felted from Merino Cross batts that I got from Living Felt online store! Totally recommend them, they felt well and have great colours! He's so sweet!!

Ocean! What can I say, he has the most photogenic face I've created in ages! I just love the way his pics came out. Funny because I wasn't that enamoured with him before hand!

He looks such a rascal, felted in the same batts as Pookie, the blue greens are gorg!!

Latest brainwave! Momiji dolls! I read of a challenge in one of my online felting groups, Kawaii Critters! So had to find out what style Kawaii was and came across these, made of wood and with a little message inside traditionally. But they felt up great and my students are dying to make them for their last project this term! I can't wait to see what they come up with!

Prototype Momiji! She's way too big for the girls in class to make, but having trouble doing them smaller! :o) She's the best so far!


Well, that's about it from me. Just dropped off the bears that are below for their judging in the Comps! Wished them luck and sent them on their way! I do hold great hopes for my hippo as I am really pleased with how she turned out! That bottom jaw is fab! Not to mention the outfit!

Will drop by again after the show and let you know how it all went! Hope you are still awake, knock knock!! (Told you I can waffle Vee! lol)

Happy crafting!!

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

More up for adoption!

Lurple - felted in lime green and purple $55nzd
Tibbs - felted in plum with a baby blue crochet suit and optional wire pram $40nzd bear or $60 incl pram

Katie and Kitty - felted in multi pastel wool and wearing a soft green crochet suit, comes with wee felted kitty curled up on wire wicker chair $65nzd

Hannah - deep blue and rose anime bear with pretty 'sapphire' necklace $60nzd

Fruit Salad - comes with his cake, he is felted in greens and sits holding onto a strawberry, he is removeable $65nzd

Filbert - sculpted in 2 shades of plum with fine features, he's a real stunner $70nzd

Floaties - comes with his air clay 'pool' and felted on arm floaties. He has sunblock on his nose and is just so sweet! $65nzd

Dress Ups - all dressed up in Mums pretty skirt and pearls, felted in soft pastels $45nzd

Blossom Bunny - felted in lavender and pink pastels with a pretty pink quartz star $45nzd

Alpie - felted in pure NZ Alpaca fibre and winner of a blue ribbon at his first show! $65nzd

Please mail me for more photos or information about any of these bears!

There are many more available and no time to show them all! :o)

Zebra to show you!

Helloooooo!!! Gosh it's been a while yet again! So much going on here, just got through the last lot of school holidays, not sure why but they seem to get harder each time! I also have a big order of 6 bears to make within a month, so been working hard on that!

I wanted to show you the Zebra I made for my last order. I'm really pleased with how he turned out! So I have made 2 Zebras now and i have to say the stripes sure are a challenge! I had a bit of fun on this one tho and made the stripes on his limbs spiral around!

Hope you like this new little fellow. I will have lots more to show you soon! With Christmas coming up I am having to work on my ornaments again and trying to fill my local stores! Sheesh

Happy crafting to all

Liza

xx

Handful of Handfuls

Oops, it's been a couple of weeks! But what a productive pair of weeks it has been! Having received new wools a fortnight ago I got stuck in to playing with new fibres and messing about with some new ideas. Here is the culmination of my experimentation!!

As I mentioned earlier I was working on my first polar bear!

What do you think?

I've made this guy for a friend of mine, and he was copied from a photo of a real polar bear so they do actually lay like this sometimes! :o)

Jinx

This little guy is felted from a lovely hand dyed mix of blues and violets. He actually has a top lip but it's a bit hard to see in the pics.

Minty is felted in a unique mint green, he's a basic little bear but still sweet.

Cornelius

Now here is a unique bear! Nothing quite like him has appeared in my work before.I do quite like him in his brick red and candyfloss hand dyes.

Tamarillo

This bear is felted from merino in amazing blood red hues. He's darker in person.

Titch

He's just a lil sweetie, look at that face! Fabulous sea green wool.

And of course I am still working on more bears, I actually just finished something a little different and I'm halfway through a baby bear which is coming along nicely! So there will be more to show again soon.

I hope you have enjoyed these new creations. I had so much fun making them. I also want to take the time to thank you all for visiting my blog, I know some of you pop in regularly and that is just so sweet of you. Thank you all for your kind comments and your high praise, I really do appreciate it!

Much love and happy crafting to you all,

Shows over! Look who's up for adoption!

Hi all!

Well the show is over, and it went really well! I had a wonderful time and met some fabulous people! There was so many gorgeous bears to see, along with all the lovely dolls. Very talented artists.

But, now it's back to the usual grind and I have some new and newish friends up for adoption. I am totally running out of room with all these sweeties about the house!

Please take a look below, each bear has his or her name below their picture. Let me know who you like and I can send you more pics or tell you more about your choice. Payment is via paypal for those outiside of NZ, locals can pay by bank deposit or cash on collection!

Thanks so much to everyone for their kind comments on my work and your support through my last two shows!

Huggles

Liza

Up for Adoption

100's and 1,000's, from my Handful of Cookies Range


Aunt Flo, wears a shawl and embroidered skirt


Puck, gorgeous lavender baby bear


Boo Who, wee bear out trick or treating with his punkin basket


Pat the Cat. fixed limbs

Bears up for adoption!!

Glitter, one of my Handful of Bling bears


Molly. Comes with her sweet little balloon


Ruby, felted in fabulous blended hand dyed wool


Sandy, comes with his beach bag and shell necklace


Mr Funny Pants the Clown