The weather has improved, yippee!

OMG SUNSHINE!!

Time to get on with pegbags; two have just been sold so will need some more in the shops. At least I can take pictures of them outside now. Here are some guys that have been waiting for their photo shoot for ages.

I made a cute little soldier but needed to decide which colour eyes.

I have tried a couple just as normal one- sided ones.

They were originally for a shop, so I was trying to cut down the time it takes to produce one. I like them, but I’m not sure if I should just abandon the double sided/opening ones which were the original concept.

It just does not seem worth selling through a retail outlet as the mark-up needed means either they become (what I think of as ) very expensive pegbags; or I work for peanuts. As it is they take about 3-4 hours to make. I am not sure why; it seemed to take less at first, but I guess they were slightly more simple. Now, with inserted beaks

and shaped padded feet

(and don’t get me started on dinosaur spines)

They just take longer. But it is hard not to make a creature when the fabric shouts so loudly at one to make him or her, LOL.I am still working from the fabric, up- as it were! I have loads of ideas of creature shapes but really can’t go buying more fabric when I can hardly move for “the Stash”…. so I am putting lots on hold ( but it is VERY hard when you have an idea, not to rush out, get fabric and make Mr Fox and Mr Badger). Sob!

Not to mention all the other toys and crochet all orbiting in a creative space holding pattern; which sometimes feels like it has slipped and is around my neck strangling me…

If only I had a house slave like the Romans…

and a dictation slave…

and a knitting slave…

HMM

Well must stop all this and get on with some sewing of the aforementioned pegbags.

I would love to see them in a real shop-
but the whole thing seems easier on-line; plus there is a personal connection to most people I have sold to, which I do enjoy ( even if it eats up more time ” it’s worth it ” ).

I would love to hear any comments on these subjects; selling and managing creative flow! Then I won’t feel like it is only me with the angst!

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Giving Birth

I wrote this a few weeks ago; and didn’t publish it, because I needed to look for the photos. I just found it scribbled on some scrap paper, and thought I really should just post it up anyway, because today is my last little baby’s birthday.

It was pretty traumatic at the time as I had eclampsia and she was 6 weeks early. Delivered by a real, full on emergency, “emergency caesarean” in the nick of time to save both our lives. A real little 3pound 6oz miracle. I didn’t get to see her for a day , so I didn’t feel like I had a baby at all until I did; anyway I guess it explains some of the feelings I have about creating. Hmm interesting…

It was some Spanish friends who gave her her first nickname “Muñequita”( Little dolly)!

My other babies arrived in a more normal fashion – also miracles of course, but just in a more normal way. LOL

So here it is:

When you make a creature – and you get to the last bit where you turn it right-side out, complete, that always feels (to me) like it’s being born then!
I know, nothing like as full on as really giving birth LOL.

However when I see the raggy object pop out of its bundle into something resembling a creature of some kind… well it feels like it has arrived – been born if you like. Of course it needs filling; or button eyes or something; but that moment when I see what I have made for the first time, right side out and all the bits attached, is when the thing becomes a creature, for me. I’m pretty sure I am not the only one who thinks like this. 🙂

Yesterday I “birthed” 4 pegbag creatures, the day before three “Owls”. Phew.

At least no actual pain involved with these babies!

Anyway; Happy Birthday Little Dolly.

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Buster isn’t hungry right now…

Every picture tells a story!
couldn’t resist this one
look away now if you are arachnophobic…
luckily I’m not or I would be as traumatised as Buster ( my first little character pegbag).
We were all watching TV, and Buster had just remarked on how a snackette would be nice…
when SUDDENLY…
The worlds fastest spider dashed across the TV and wall, and around the corner, and straight into… poor doggies MOUTH!
Where it proceeded to sit VERY STILL.
Which was rather obliging of it- although a bit mean of me because Buster was transfixed in horror-
as you can see by my first photo (sorry about quality- took quick point and click shot first in case “S“ moved).

However I took advantage of the fact that both of them seemed to be in a state of shock, to take a couple more snaps- otherwise no one would believe me when I said it was a BIG spider!

One picture is quite clear- you can even see his leg hairs!

Anyway Mr WG was delegated to remove “S”- and to carry out this brave action; he helpfully returned with a yoghurt pot!
[Hmm- I absolutely am not going to comment on boys and their well known great ability to judge size!]
I went and got a MIXING BOWL.
Oh all right, a small one, ( Family Christmas pudding size to be exact).
Mr WG would not pause (or pose “S”) for any pictures- but I did get this blurry one, so you can see “S” went off in style, and quite unharmed….

and legged it PDQ by all accounts.
Mr WG was rather impressed by the turn of speed as he had not seen the original dash across our “feature wall”.

( Incidentally, the latter absolutely not OUR taste; we inherited it. It is fast approaching an age where it counts as “an original period feature” and working in the heritage world I feel guilty about GETTING RID OF IT! sigh. )

By the way- if anyone is interested in what a pegbag called Buster is doing hanging on the wall…- Buster is was my first toy dog as a baby; he is the exact faded teal colour of the old blanket I used to make the first character pegbag. He ended up as the inspiration for the shape and name too. So how could I sell Buster Pegbag now?

He was just hanging there as I’m revisiting that initial look; I feel the latter pegbags have gone in a different direction and I want to see which I prefer. Hmm

Any comments anyone? The others are on the website, http://www.wonkygiraffe.com or in the shops http://wonkygiraffe.etsy.com and http://wonkygiraffe.folksy.com

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Some Sales …

The shops have been busier lately – which is good…

Some pegbags and earbud cosies have sold. Bizarrely two things, almost at the same time on the same day to different ‘Suzanne’s – how weird! Especially as I was just off to visit a Suzanne too…

Curiouser and curiouser as Alice said.
Maybe there is a Suzanne asteroid whizzing over in transit to my second house… or something.

I also sold the Baa Baa Black Sheep matchbox accordion. I was very pleased, but a bit sad about that too.

It is all such a nice feeling when a bit of my ‘art’ stuff sells. However I have only made that one, sometimes I make two or three variations of an idea, and I now realise I didn’t actually show it to anyone here; oh well at least I have some pictures…

And the lady who bought it liked it…

Maybe I will get some time this week to finish some more matchboxes. Alice, Mary and the Ladybirds are all languishing together in one of my work boxes. Note, that was ‘one of my work boxes’. I am not telling you how many more than one I have; but the house is a veritable hub of UFOs and WIPs (unfinished-objects and work-in-progress, to those unfamiliar with these modern knitting abbreviations).

I almost forgot; I sold another Punch and Judy matchbox…

…and one of my Art Activity PDFs to a great fan of mine.

One of the really nice things about selling online is that you get to make contact with so many nice people.

So I am having a little celebration of my own…
But first I am off to help make a Tinkerbell outfit! As you do…

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