Busy times...quiet times....

Although this is a very quiet time of year for artists and buyers, it's a good time to take stock and create anew.

Time to sit in our studios and plan what may come for the year ahead.

Time to sketch, paint and create.

Music helps all that.

So watch this space for much new work and ideas, let's enjoy this quiet time, rather than stress.

X x x X

Happy New Year !

Happy New year lovelies, I can't believe how fast 2016 has gone. Here's to a very Happy 2017 for us all !
Bless you and thank you for your support,
Love
Ms D
Xxx

The Joy of Making.....

I am so lucky to do what I do and so grateful to my mother and grandmother, for such creative support and inspiration in my early years and now so grateful to all my customers and people who love and support my work.

Today I received these beautiful photos of a special little ladies face, as she opened up a parcel with one of my dolls inside :)

I am so blessed and always cherish such joyful feedback.

Thankyou so much to everyone !

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Workshops for Christmas

Just a quick note to say that I have a few workshops running constantly, great for a Christmas present , or for yourself before 2017.

There is a choice available from learning to cut a lino print and make your own cards, to making a huge folk art Santa doll, or dollmaking of your choice of style, also journal making, these can be one to one, or in a group, just email me at darlingdeborah@rocketmail.com for more info and how to book.

If buying for a gift, a card and presentation package will be sent to give your loved one, and they can set the date, when suits them to attend afterwards .

Xxx

Happy Halloween

Sorry for my absence this year on the blogger , but I have been so busy working and making things happen.
I hope you have all had a wonderful year so far, and have time to enjoy it with those around you,
Happy Halloween
X x x x x x x x x x X

The tale of the beaded wedding dress...

Recently I offered to make a wedding dress as a gift, to some friends of mine who were getting married. Their original dress maker wasn't able to do it, so I offered to help.

The dress was made using fabric from the bride's sisters old gown, so I set to work on designing a classic vintage style gown that the bride wanted.

The hardest part was all the beading and the dress was quite heavy when completed, but it really did look a treat.

Sometimes it's good to push yourself to tight deadlines, especially when it makes people so very happy :)

We really are the Lucky ones !

Xxx

Rufus the field mouse

A very dear friend of mine discovered he had a little field mouse living in the old aga in his kitchen. We think the mouse was a survivor that the cat had brought in.

Here is a lovely little film about that mouse that we decided to call Rufus :)

Enjoy

XxxX

https://youtu.be/0aamPmz_rrM

An Elderflower evening.....

What a treat . An evening at the Small World Theatre ,  about elder flowers.

It began with a meet and great at the theatre,  we were introduced to the beautiful expert forager, Jade Mellor, artisan brewer and artist Jacob Whittaker, and renown storyteller and illustrator Peter Stephenson.

We then continued with a walk and forage around Cardigan . Where Jade would stop and gather many types of wild foraged food and explain their uses and how to identify them, accompanied by Jacobs expertise.

 Peter would tell many dazzling stories about the history, magic and superstitions of the
Elder flower.

Plus we were spoilt with Jacobs knowledge and tips on brewing, wine making and plants to use around Cardigan. Jacobs cat Beauty even decided to make a guest appearance, giving the evening another dash of magic !

After the walk, talk, foraging, stories and lovely advice, everyone headed back to the theatres professional kitchen, where all helped make elderflower champagne, with the lovely Jade. We were given one of her beautiful decorative recipe sheets to take home , to make more :) and a bottle of the good stuff itself.

You may recognise Jade as she has featured twice in Country Living magazine and also on Country file, on the tv.

Jacob dazzled us with his elderflower sweets, that is, chocolate coated elderflower brittles, both white and dark, and another delicious nutty one. He showed us what really alcoholic elderflower champagne tasted like, plus gin , beer, and ale too !!

Lots of questions were asked by all who attended and answers were very generously given by Jade, Jacob and Peter. The evening was attended by different ages and abilities and I wouldn't hesitate at recommending it again to anyone .

A truly scrumptious event ! A thouroughly beautiful evening , thank you so much !

The last knit animation

https://youtu.be/M6ZjMWLqJvM

The scent of summer....

It's been a busy and exciting year, but a lovely one. I am getting back to my blogging, finally, and what a glorious summer we are having. The heavy scent of the white lilacs , roses and mock orange blossom are alll around us.
Long may it continue :)
I am gardening like a mad thing and making fancy gins, what are you all up to ?
  Xxx

Teddy needs his rubber duckie....

Here in Wales we have had alot of rain, twelve weeks of it to be precise, so I only thought it fitting to make a woollen bear in his bathing suit. Well you would, wouldn't you :)
But Barnaby will not put a paw in the water with out his rubber duckie bathing ring ...
So grab your duckies and Woollie swimsuits now and head for water !
Or alternatively pop over to etsy and have a good look at him.
Xxx

Wigs

Today I have been making wigs, hopefully this doll will be complete and listed tomorrow :)
Keep warm and cosy lovelies
Xxx

Day of the dead doll

Here's Dessie,
my day of the dead doll, now available in the etsy shop.
She's a hand painted , one of a kind art doll and is a good size :)
I hope you enjoy looking at her,
Have a wonderful week
Xxx

Happy New Year from Darling Hq

Merry Christmas and here's to a super 2016 for us all.
Just a glimpse of a few of the goings on this Christmas and a promise to get back to blogging more for 2016,
I hope you all had a fabulous Christmas and a perfect new year !
Thank you all for your help and support, I really do appreciate it
Xxx

Pookashop studio

Here you go, finally I am installed in my studio and back to work.
I decided to decorate the window with my own mannequin that I made :)
I hope you like it.

It's a busy time of the year and we're all so very distracted , but let's take time to help others who aren't so fortunate. This year I I am busy gathering shoe boxes to fill with things, that will be handed out in Bristol.

So do get in touch with your nearest salvation army or shelter and see what you can do, to help the homeless this year. Just sorting out blankets, or helping with the soup kitchen or sending a few pounds, it makes such a difference.

It's going to be a very cold hard winter out there, can you imagine sleeping in it.

Much love to you all , and take good care of yourselves and others

Xxx

New Christmas cards

Here's a new selection of my lino cut and printed cards, which are hand finished and painted.

This year I will be donating twenty per cent of all sales of these to the Badgers trust, to help with the immunisation programme.

you can order them mixed designs or all the same or individual, it's up to you, message me via etsy , with your queries.

I hope you like them, speak again soon,
Love Miss D
Xxx