Heffalumping

Have you seen any heffalumps lately? Oh my, they're all here!

Happy February!

Yours,
Mia

Paa-pa-pa-paa-pa Maa-ma-ma-maa-ma

I haven't quite lost it yet, I just wanted to  give you an ear worm share this rather catchy song with you (just listen until the chorus!) as it's been singing in my head all day. Why? I have been sorting and trying to destash my oldest (and dearest!) fabrics, and I also went through my Moomins too. I had quite a stash a few years ago, and I actually was a pleasantly surprised how much less  small it was now. But too much still, I love Moomins, oh I do, but there's just no space for all my fabrics anywhere. So it's time to get some out there to you, other Moomin-fans, to see and maybe to purchase too.

Starting with some pouches and matching (naturally!) keyrings, I am using the very last of this blue fabric as we speak...

 Moomins inside too! And then some other little cuties...

 

...these and quite a few more will be appearing here soon! I am really, really trying to use all the fabrics I have left this time, so if you wished to have your own Paa-pa-pa-paa (aka Moomin Pappa) or Maa-ma-ma-maa-ma (aka Mamma) or anything else Moomins, please take a look! I will add a few larger bags there tomorrow, and then the boxes should be pretty empty. Hooray!

Have a wonderful Thursday!

Yours,
Mia

By the book

Some of you might remember my sketchbook - the precious one I have learned to use after enough times of making something pretty and NOT remembering how many stitches or rows there were *ahem* I have scribbled down many, many my own patterns there and so much else too. When ever something important comes to mind - my sketchbook is always near - and there it goes. So it's almost full and also... no that pretty anymore. Precious, still, and much used too, but I thought a new year needs a new book, and here we go:

Say HI! to my new book! And as gray and dull the old one was from the outside - this is the clear opposite, the brightest I could find! The cute kitty on top is the original version of Göstä Knuttson's Peter No-Tail (Pekka Töpöhäntä in Finnish), his adventures were most treasured in my childhood. But even the book is the prettiest, and I had all the good intentions to keep the pages tidy...

My sketches are messy! Something little here and there, scribble, scribble... *sigh* But that said, I sometimes surprise myself too by following my own instructions aka make something by the book. Take a look at the sketch above and...

This! A foxy-pillowcase! And buttons on back and all!

I've been wanting to make these pillowcases for ages (over a year at least?), but the time has never been right. This and that and those to make... Not anymore! I finished my first cushion cover just by the book, and even used the tweed I bought for it last year (oh yes, I spotted this tweed-skirt in a local thrift store and saw it as a foxy-cover! I visioned the original buttons being used and all.). I am thrilled!

And then... you know me... I can't just make one of anything... So here we go:

A kitty-cover in colors of re-white-green and yellow! This one was made of tweed too, but there were no buttons to use, so I made some loops of the red ricrac-trim and chose a few pretty buttons for closing.

What a great feeling: to accomplish something you've been thinking about for a long, long time! And when it even turns out just about as you've visioned...Yippee! These little guys will hop into my shop, and many more will follow I'm sure. 

Lovely Tuesday, everyone!

Yours,

Mia

Gray vs. color

Oh my how dark, gray and snowy this weekend has been! It's been pouring that white stuff around the clock, and there's no end to it any day soon. But on the other hand it's not that -28C we had some time ago, so I actually love this snow. But the darkness is almost unbearable in days like this, and I think we really, really needed something colorful today...

Pins! Happy brooches!

I have been fortunate to have quite a few custom-orders for this month, and happily finished the last on Friday. And after those I went through my little black book (read: my new sketch-book, neither black or that little actually, I show it to you soon) pages for new ideas, but I just couldn't resist making a few pins even the idea is not that new. So I cut and needle felted and sew and here they are: happy cats, a smiling  fox and little Bob-birds with flowers... and more coming almost as I type this! These just cheer up any gray day, don't you think?

These happy pins will be in my shop later today and more coming tomorrow. What you've been up to?

Happy Sunday!

Yours,
Mia

**edit. Monday 28th - it's much brighter here today, yippee, and the brooches got some new friends too! The first picture was updated with a lighter shot too**

On the better side

It's 16th of January, and that makes it official: we're on the better side of this long (read: miserable) month! Yippee! I know it's pre-spring and all, but after the Christmas-holidays January has so little to offer, and unfortunately there are no birthdays or anything special to celebrate. Last year we took a mini-break, and it was the greatest thing ever, something we really should consider keeping as a tradition!

Getting back to business after the holidays wasn't that hard this year, but getting used to ever-so-quickly-changing seasons will take some more time. It feels that Christmas was just yesterday, and now we should be getting ready for the Valentines's Day already? If you just take a look at Etsy's frontpage (my marketing venue), it's right there: "The Valentine's Day/Jewelry" - was it this early last year? I am only talking about my business-side, in "real life" I still have a few snowmen here and there and needles from the Christmas tree will be found around the house in July.

I am not complaining, just wondering how early one should start to keep up all these happy occasions with themed-items (Valentine's, Easter, teacher's gifts when summer holidays start - all just around the corner)? My dream would be to keep my shop closed for whole December this year (and every year, really) to make some stock for 2014, but that would need me to be early with my Christmas2013-things and... Oh, I do not know! As you may have guessed, I am making plans and calculations for this new year, and like every large and always-growing business *ahem* I am dividing my year in quarters, and I am officially marking the Valentine's day as "done" with these two cute pouches I am showing you today. I only have two hands, after all!

Happy Wednesday!

Yours,

Mia

Three birds named Bob

Santa (and his little helpers) brought me many funny, happy and wonderful gifts. One of the sweetest (thank you, Elf M!) was a little book for me and my nephew to read together. It's all about happy animals and counting them.

I wasn't familiar with Sandra Boynton or her work earlier but these animals are just the cutest:"...and my piglet, known as Bob, of course."

" There's my rabbit, Bob, and his bunny wife, Bob"

"... and Bob the bird..."

 ...and my latest birdies, named Bob!

Hello Bob!

Nice to meet you, Bob!

Hi sweet Bob!

These three birds named Bob will fly into my shop during today...And you can go and say hi to them here.

Happy Tuesday!

Yours,
Mia

First week

The first week of January is almost over, and holiday-things are little by little getting back to their boxes for next year. It's still pretty dark here in the evenings, so candles are a must. I rummaged my candle holder stash (well it's nothing compared to my fabric or wool stash but there are a few), and I found this beauty, which I am pretty sure I haven't showed you earlier:

That picture really doesn't do this cutie justice, it has happy foxes and beautiful leaves on it, and when there's a candle inside and the day gets darker, it reflects beautiful foxes and leaves all around the room...

...and those foxes inspired me today, and the first fox-bag for this year was born:

 

It moved into my shop with some little tweets I have made this week. Oh my, it's been a great first week for this year, and now it's time to wish you a

Happy first weekend of 2013 soon!

Yours,
Mia

There's always a first

Happy New Year! Happy January! Happy pre-spring (says the GreenRabbitDesigns calendar and I agree so)! I have started to get back in the working-saddle, and here are the first things for this new, bright and shiny year:

Four little cozies starring the happy Mr.Bunny with his new, flowery collar, the wise Mr.Owl, Mr.SmileyCat and shy Mr.LittleBirdie - all happily striped, lined with matching cottons, and all sized to fit the larger phones.

They will be appearing into my shop to during today, and oh yes... There are more to come... I almost see Mr.Fox and Mr.Squirrel already...

Have a happy Wednesday - a first for 2013!

Yours,
Mia