Fiona McDonald Her Blog

Breaking News

2012-02-05T13:54:00.000-08:00

I've just signed a contract with Sky Pony Press, an imprint of Sky Horse Publishing, New York, for my very first work of fiction, a graphic novel to be published in the Amercian Fall, so probably November this year. Needless to say I am very excited about this project where I get to write and illustrate my own story. Sky Pony have said I can show the cover when it is designed (in the process right now). So stay tuned...

Until I can give a sneek peak of the cover you'll have to make do with a drawing I did late last year inspired by a book I bought on the works of Leonora Carrington. Leonora became linked with the Surrealists before the Second World War. She and Max Ernst shacked up together for a while. Leonora got separated from Max in the turmoil of the beginning of the war and she fled to Mexico.

In Mexico Leonora met Remedios Varo, a Spanish woman painter and together they experimented with their art. More can be read about both these women in a book called Women Artists and the Surrealist Movement.

New Year's Resolution

2012-01-29T22:50:00.000-08:00

I do not believe my last blog post was so long ago. My New Year's Resolution will be to keep up to date with my blog.

And I didn't even blog about my new book: Gothic Knits published by the ever wonderful Search Press UK.

I'm so thrilled with the way it looks. It is available on Amazon.com or Amazon UK or Search Press UK. I can't wait to see someone knit one up. It was a really fun book to do.

I've just finished writing my social and cultural look at 1920s Britain and my brain is still rather stuck in that era. I was able to draw on family for this book too which made it really special. not sure when it is coming out but it is being published with Pen&Sword Books UK.

I did find some drawings I did when I was about 18 and I thought they didn't look too bad at all.

Makes me think I should do some more in this style.

I've also been developing some medieval style dolls based on dolls from the period. It is a tricky thing to do: balance a 21st century aesthetic and playability with authenticity.

I have designed some knitted versions as well. There is no evidence for or against knitted dolls having existed in the middle ages. There are no examples known but then there are no cloth dolls either but there is no doubt they existed. Knitting was practised widely back then, usually stockinette in the round. Intricated patterns were knitted into socks and vests so it is certainly plausible that a mother may have fashioned a child's toy from left over yarn.

I'm hoping to be selected to have a doll stall at the Abbey Medieval Festival in July this year. The festival is held at the Abbey Muesum in Caboolture, near Brisbane. My son is with a re-enactor group that goes there every year. You have to dress up in authentic costume to participate. Fingers crossed.

Long time etc...

2011-11-10T18:53:00.001-08:00

I've had terrible trouble trying to blog over the last couple of months but thought it was time to try again.

What's been happening?
I'm working hard to finish my 1920s Britain book for Pen&Sword. As always the problem is leaving stuff out and not finding last minute new stuff that is so fascinating that you just have to put it in somewhere.

My PhD novel is quietly and slowly taking shape, mainly in my head and note books but it is getting a definite form.

I have a proposal for a graphic novel in with a publisher in New York, so fingers are crossed and double crossed.

And I'm going to the Comics Masterclass in Sydney next weekend, can't wait.

Below are some pictures of assemblages I made years and years ago. I dug them out recently.

Back to the blog

2011-09-10T15:44:00.000-07:00

Where has the time gone? Appologies for no recent postings. I have been busy finishing my book on highwaymen and women for the History Press UK, entering the three minute thesis competition at UNE, teaching, and getting ready for my Knitted Fairies' Book Launch.

Sunday, the 18th September at Chaucer on Bridge Street, Uralla, 3pm I will be launching the Knitted Fairies. At 2pm there will be a pantomime performance for young children at the gallery as part of a special Uralla open day. Hope you can come.

The End of July is Nigh

2011-07-22T15:25:00.000-07:00

So much is happening I haven't had time to blog. The Doiley Birds are away for the weekend thank goodness. They are very sweet but quite demanding. I'm sorry I've been so slow with their caravan. I haven't said to them that I'm really reluctant to go and work in my studio because it is quite cold down there.

Anyway, they are packed off to Trish's for a fun weekend and hopefully will come back with lots of photos and stories.

I've been busy (so what's new?) mainly writing. I put in two manuscripts through the Queensland writers' centre: one for the Allen and unwin manuscript development prgramme and the other for Hatchette's ms programme. Fingers crossed. I've been thinking about writing my conference paper for 1 August. It is called 'Into the Woods'. If you think I have a thing about trees and forests you'd be dead right.

To cheer everyone up I'm posting some dragons. I haven't done a dragon for ages, maybe, while the girls are away...

Dragon Spawn- these are the size of a human baby

A trio of mischief

Double trouble

Play the blues

All of these were made for the Australian Craft Show back in 2000 maybe. I think it is time for another dragon session.

Work, work ,work- loving it

2011-07-07T16:06:00.000-07:00

At last, lots of committments are out of the way and I can get down to real work. I've got a couple of book covers to do which is exciting but I can't say much more than that. It is so refreshing to get paid for drawing.

Yesterday I went to Stanthorpe with Carl to see Tom Spence's exhibition there. We know Tom from his time in Katoomba and the show was very inspiring. I wanted to get out a sketch book there and then. The trip from Armidale, up through Guyra, Glen Innes, Tenterfield and then to Stanthorpe was beautiful in that silvery grey winter bleak way. I didn't take the camera- big mistake.

Writing is rushing along: Gentlemen Rogues and Wicked Ladies, my first title for The History Press, UK is the dominant project this month. I love doing this kind of research.

I also have two fiction manuscripts I'm entering in development programmes and my PhD novel has started successfully (meaning it has the thumbs up from supervisors, colleagues and my agent).

Lots to keep me busy. Unfortunatley the Doiley Birds are a bit cross because I haven't got further with their caravan. I did explain that it isn't the best weather to be going on a road trip in Armidale but they said that would just make it more exciting. To make up for my slackness on the caravan front I'm taking them to Uralla to a very special shop to buy some supplies. I think they will be thrilled.

This picture is of Genevieve and Tilda's adventure in the forest. These two long time friends had to leave their home when they were thrown away in the skip by the new owner of their house. I must say that the photo looks worse than it really was and neither party was hurt.

Mr Kettley

2011-06-27T14:54:00.000-07:00

This is Mr Kettley. He is getting old now but he is still one of my favourite pieces. His head is made from an old plastic electric kettle, his body is cloth over wire armature and his features are painted in oil paint. His mouth is a collage of fish.

When our kettle died I looked at this large lump of stuff that was only fit for landfill and my heart sank, what a waste! Since Mr Kettley I have collected other dead plastic kettles with the intention of turning them into something other than terrible waste. When I have time I shall show more results.

The Doiley Birds have their own blog

2011-06-05T03:51:00.001-07:00

They've done it, they've started their own blog:
http://thedoileybirdsblog.blogspot.com/

caravan under construction

2011-06-04T23:34:00.000-07:00

Just the right sized box for frouf slim dolls to go adventuring in.

Doiley Birds' Caravan

2011-06-04T22:37:00.001-07:00

While I was walking the dogs in the Pine Forest yesterday I realised that what the Doiley Birds needed most of all was a gypsy caravan to have adventures in. I knew I had the perfect box.

This is Tilly, she is the first Doiley Bird and she is the one helping me build the caravan. We had thought it should keep its cardboard box origins showing but have since decided a real, brightly painted caravan would be even better.

The Doiley Birds are going to launch their own blog very soon and will post photos of their journey as well as telling about their daring exploits.

Sculpture and puppets

2011-05-15T00:52:00.000-07:00

Here is another experiment. This is a doll that is for a more grown up audience. I am looking at the cloth form as sculpture and also as puppetry. This poor girl is still waiting body parts and clothes and some beautiful, intricate tatoos.

Unfortunatley a couple of lovely comments about my other latest dolls got lost in the recent Blogger problem. I'd love those people to try to leave them again as all such things mean a lot to me and my humble blog. I also wanted to make a comment on the sock hair question.

New Dolls

2011-05-11T18:31:00.000-07:00

This is a sneak preview at my latest dolls. These were designed with the desire to make a simple play doll that would appeal to the child and the adult. I have knitted the hair on two of them and the other two have sock hair. I'm thinking of calling them Doiley Birds because their clothes are made from recycled materials including doilies from the op shop.

I want them to have a wardrobe of clothes that can be ordered a piece at a time, accessories and a carry case.

PhD proposal successful

2011-03-22T01:53:00.000-07:00

Yes! At last I've had word that my proposal to do a PhD at the University of New England (Australia) is successful. I have been waiting and waiting to see if I have to restructure my plans for the year. The doctorate will be in an area called Creative Practice and it differs from many PhDs in that you aren't limited to writing a thesis (though that does form a part of it). I am going to write a novel for young adults.

My career is forming beautifully. I began with designing and writing a knitting book, then another and now I have four of them under my belt and three non-fiction, text heavy books (meaning that they are more full of words than anything else).

Having finished the 80,000 word text for the first of these, Textiles: a history for Remember When, imprint of UK publisher Pen & Sword, I realised that I could do it. And that was when I began my plans for putting in the PhD proposal.

It is wonderful watching these dreams come true. It is not a miracle, it is not luck (though it helps to have a sprinkling), it all comes down to hard work and determination. I guess for me the biggest lucky break was making contact with Isabel Atherton of Creative Authors, UK www.creativeauthors.co.uk. She runs a boutique literacy agency and she liked my work (the knitted dolls).

From there it was a matter of building a friendship and a strong working relationship, trusting my agent and following her always excellent advice.

Now, my plans are to become a full time writer, illustrator, artist and toy maker (with my own toy shop called Granny Fi's Toy Cupboard). Let's hope money soon rains down on me to buy me the time to achieve these things.

I want a toy shop

2011-03-12T14:05:00.000-08:00

I want to have a toy shop selling handmade toys. I want it to have a black and white chequered floor and those old fashioned windows with lots of small panes.

I want beautiful dolls and cars and dolls' houses and castles and knights and teddy bears and merry- go-rounds and robots and puzzles and wooden blocks and prams and tricycles and pedal cars and tea sets and softy monsters and dragons and glorious picture books and farm sets and Noah's arks and peg dolls and soldiers and mermaids and fairies and sock monkeys and space ships and rockets and ships and rocking horses.

I want it chock a block full of lovely things.

Knitted Fairies

2011-03-09T14:09:00.000-08:00

At last! Here is the cover for the Knitted Fairies book. She is now listed on Amazon and will be released fairly soon.

Spider child

2011-02-17T14:07:00.000-08:00

Here is my little spider child. She is the daughter of the spider lady I made some time ago and who was featured on this blog last year I think. A teenage girl is the owner of both and is eagerly awaiting the arrival of the latest spider baby who hasn't quite reached full term yet.

Scrumbling and mermaids

2011-02-15T17:11:00.001-08:00

I was trawling through my pictures and found this one of a commissioned mermaid from about 12 years or so ago. She is cloth over a wire armature and painted with oils. The photo was from before digital cameras (at least, I didn't have one) and finally got scanned in last year. I must say I do like her. She was made for a lady who has commissioned several dolls including a very sexy boy one with a bare chest and six pack, unfortunatley I don't have a photo of him.

I think it is time I knitted a mermaid.
Scrumbling is the name for free form knitting and crochet. Below is my first attempt at this addictive pastime. You knit or crochet little bits of this and that and stitch and crochet them together. You can also pick up stitches along one side or off at a tangent and add texture in that direction. It is all about building up texture and colour. It is also a good way of using up oddments and experiments. I have big plans. Stay tuned.

Chibi Girl Pattern at last!

2011-01-29T22:44:00.000-08:00

Chibi Girl
By Fiona McDonald 2010

Please not that this pattern is copyrighted as my design. It is free for you to use but not in a commerical manner. Please acknolwedge me as the designer

8ply yarn 3mm needles
Body make 1
Cast on 26 in underwear colour
Rows1-6: stst 6 rows
Change colour to flesh or singlet colour
Rows 7-8: stst 2 rows
Row 9: k2tog each end [24]
Row 10: purl row
Row s 11-16: repeat rows 9 and 10 until there are 18 stitches left
Change colour to flesh
Row 17: k2 tog along row [9]
Rows 18-20: stst 3 rows beg and end with p
Row 21: inc each st [18]
Row 22: p
Row 23: inc each st [36]
Rows 24-38: stst 15 rows
Row 39: k2 tog along row [18]
Row 40: p
Row 41: k2tog along row [9]
Row 42: p
Row 43: k2 tog x2, k1, k2tog x 2 [5]
Row 44: p and cast off
Legs make 2
Cast on 12 stitches in shoe colour
Rows 1-4: stst 4 rows
Change colour to sock colour
Rows 5-6: stst 2 rows
Change to flesh colour
Rows 7-12: stst 6 rows cast off on p row

Arms make 2
Cast on 3 in flesh colour
Row 1: inc each st [6]
Row 2: p
Row 3: inc 1 each end [8]
Row 4: p
Row 5: inc 1 each end [10]
Row 6: p
Change colour to singlet/shirt colour
Rows 7-14: stst [8]
Row 15: k2 tog along row [5]
Row 16: p cast off
To make up:
Body/head
Fold body/head piece in half lengthwise and backstitch up from base to just below the neck, leave thread. Stitch back of head from top of head down to just above the neck. The neck is so narrow it is impossible to sew this on the wrong side – it would not turn right side out.
Turn the body and the head right side out. Put some stuffing into top of head. Get a toothpick and wrap sticky tape the wrong side out along it and then bind stuffing very, very thinly around it. Insert into body and up into head. Stuff head and stitch head and top of body closed. Stuff rest of body and stitch the base shut.
Legs
Fold leg in half lengthwise, turn right side out and stuff firmly, leave top open. Stitch each leg to base of body.
Arms
Fold arm in half lengthwise and turn right side out. Stuff and leave top of arm open. Pin to shoulders and stitch.
Face
Chibi girls are very much in the manga/anime tradition so big, big dark eyes, small mouth and tiny nose.
Use the photo as a guide and place the eyes quite low on the face. I have embroidered these on with embroidery thread. They are basically two large circles with an outline of white underneath. Place a line along the top of circle to form an eyelid and make eyelashes come off it. Eyebrows are a single stitch as is the nose. The mouth is a longer stitch for the top lip and a shorter one for the bottom lip.
Hair
Go wild with the hair – lots of it and in bright colours.
I have used the crochet hook technique for this where you cut even lengths of yarn and fold each in half. Insert crochet hook through a knitted stitch and pull the folded yarn back through then pull it through itself to secure.

Dress
For this girl I have been very lazy and cut a length of wide lace, gathered it with a running stitch along the top and pulled it tight enough to go around her waist. Use super fine ribbon for shoulder straps.
Warning: Chibi girls are highly addictive and can be made in every colour imaginable.

New Creatures

2011-01-29T14:32:00.001-08:00

These two heads have been around for a while. I need to finish them. They are made from DAS which is very tricky to work with.

This is a father and son piece. They are fashioned from wire and wrapped left over pieces and scarps of fabric, old stockings and socks. Oh and a pair of lairy Christmas Tree ornament boots for the father and a pair of vinyl dolls shoes fort he son.

OMG Gabe will kill me!

2011-01-20T03:55:00.000-08:00

Trawling through some old photos I found this from about 1999 or so. Gabe, now taller than me with a beard and hair to his waist, has just been offered a place at university (I'm so proud). This was taken at the Katoomba Wearable Art Awards. Gabe is wearing his dragon hunter's outift I made for him - we still have it somewhere. He was a sensation on the stage and won the people's choice award, kindly donated by sculptor Ian Swift - Gabe is standing with his prize.

I can't believe I haven't posted my chibi doll. I must show this to the Ravelry group and offer them the pattern to try. Chibi is Japanese for small and cute and usually refers to anime style little girls and their pets. Now there's a thought! I might do some pets to go with them.

Babes in the Wool

2010-12-20T14:06:00.001-08:00

Nearly Christmas! I've been getting beautiful photos of babes made from my Babes in the Wool book. I have to share them, they are wonderful.

This gorgeous lady is made by Georgia Piotter who has also sewn her a red satin vampire dress in which she looks stunning.

This sweety was made by Karen Zorn. I love the short, pixie hair style.

This beauty is one of the first I saw and was made by the talented Pamela Atherton who has gone on and made several of the dolls. I shall post them soon.

And this morning I received this fun girl from Martyna Kunkel from Poland! I am so glad to see her wearing something warm. In Australia we are supposed to have lovely hot summers but it nearly snowed yesterday!

I want to see lots more photos of your creations, this is my best Christmas present ever!

The second day of summer

2010-12-02T02:21:00.000-08:00

Four drawings for an online publication called New Fairy Tales: www.newfairytales.co.uk
Great fun to do, I hope they ask me again.

November is upon us

2010-11-12T13:32:00.001-08:00

Here are some pen sketches I have done for a proposed book about Emily and Angus who have to go live with Aunt Adelaide. Her house and furniture are far from ordinary and they may well be sinister. The above picture is of a fairy in a glass dome.

This illustration is a bit of a ring in. It is the toy shop of William La Motte who dies in mysterious circumstances. It is a ring in because it actually belongs to another story

entirely .
Emily and Angus in the library doorway.

Aunt Adelaide's favourite chair.

And this is the aunt herself, is there something a little strange about her?

Etsy shop has one item

2010-11-03T15:49:00.000-07:00

My Etsy shop is called 123fionadolls.

I've listed something on Etsy. I'm offering customised versions of my Babes. I've got some other ideas going too. Have just finished this for Isabel:

It's a pea pearls brooch.

Etsy shop and Knitted Queen Anne Style dolls

2010-10-29T15:27:00.001-07:00

I've decided to start an Etsy shop. I'm not sure what I'll put in it but some of it will be dolls and dragons. Like everything it will need to be organised: my downfall. I shall link the blog to the shop and keep people informed of new stuff in the shop.

I have been looking at some wonderful things on other people's blogs and in their shops, so inspiring!

At the moment I am in love with Queen Anne style dolls from several centuries ago. There seems to be a resurgance of interest in them and some people are making gorgeous replicas or modern takes on them.

To join in I am busy designing a knitted version, no one else seems to be doing that.

This is my first attempt , the poor naked thing. I think I will dress her in fabric clothes rather than knitted.

I am now making a second version who will be dressed in black as she is in mourning. I will post her up when she is ready along with this lady when she has some finery on.

Izannah Walker style cloth dolls

I have also been looking at some cloth dolls I did some time ago. They are painted to look like early cloth dolls, Izannah Walker inspired dolls. Izannah was a 19th centruy cloth doll maker in America. She patented her dolls I believe.

Still October

2010-10-13T16:26:00.000-07:00

More pictures:
Anime boy

Two cloth boudoir girls, getting pretty old now, want to do some more though.

I used to do a lot of dragons.

Gothic girl in tricorn hat

October already

2010-10-13T16:08:00.000-07:00

Where has the time gone? Too much to do.

Have finished the manuscript for Textiles: a history to be published next year by Pen & Sword, or rather their imprint, Remember When.

Have sent off my sample knitted vampire to Search Press (got to keep her under wraps). Knitted Fairies has been proofed, can't wait for it to come out, the pictures are beautiful.

Gorgeous, isn't she?

What else have I been doing? Oh yes, I am putting in a proposal to do do a PhD in Creative Practise at UNE, Armidale. I'm so excited about this, hope the idea is accepted. Waiting for more feed back and that is always a mixture of excitement and nervousness.

Drawings: another pen drawing in progress:

Pen Drawings

2010-08-16T16:26:00.000-07:00

Here is a doodle in progress. I love playing, fiddling with things when I'm listening or talking. I find it hard for my fingers to do nothing. I thought I would experiement with doodling. I saw some wonderful examples on You tube. Perhaps I will do a how-to-doodle book.

I have been doodling with pen. I overworked this one. It was going so well until I put in the fighting cats. Still I have ideas for it. Perhaps I will do another drawing that can sit in front of this, cut down so it is like stage sets. Still thinking about it. Do love doing this kind of work. Therapeutic.

Book Launch

2010-08-16T16:22:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, I should have put the invitation up BEFORE the launch. However, there was a

fantastic turn out, the gallery was packed. Thank you everyone who came and celebrated the launch of my first two books. Let's hope there are many more to come.

Catch up post

2010-03-28T14:58:00.001-07:00

Time for some new things to show and tell. Below are some illustrations I did for a book poroposal put together by my daughter for a cookbook of Nursery Rhyme treats.
I really enjoyed working in the black and white medium.

Going through some old folios the other day I found a pen drawing of Little Red Riding Hood and an ancient one of Goblin Market.

Enjoy.

Babes in the Wool

2010-01-29T13:28:00.000-08:00

Babes in the Wool, my first craft title, will be released in May this year. I am so thrilled with the look of it. I can't believe I made those gorgeous creatures.
Search Press, UK, have my knitted fairies book as coming out in April and my Aliens in June.

Babes is listed on Amazon and Creative Authors (my literary agents: www.creativeauthors.co.uk ) has links to it.

Softy Dolls

2010-01-29T13:12:00.000-08:00

Recycled teddys made from my favourite old jeans and a jackal doll with wings. The jackals proved better sellers than the funky girls below. The girls were an attempt to break out of my usual thinking and produce something in keeping with the latest trends.

Another post at last!

2009-11-03T14:50:00.000-08:00

About time I added a post to this sadly neglected but highly sophisticated blog!

Lots of wonderful things have happened this year.

I now have four book contracts. Three with Search Press, UK for knitted toys and a History of Textiles with Remember When, an imprint of Pen and Sword, also UK. Very exciting. I feel my life has now begun in earnest.

Pictured here are two photos of my gothic knitted horror.

I've also uploaded an illustration I did for my daughter of the Queen of Hearts..

The pencil drawing of the little girl is unfinished but I think it will start a series of fine pencil drawings called The Playroom.

I have so many ideas and plans I just need the time and energy to get them up and running.

I'm also getting a website done. It will be: http://www.fionamcdonald.com.au/ I shall link it to the blog when it is ready (we are only in the prelimanary stages).

Until then I shall try to keep this blog a little more up to date with lots of pictures.

Gothic Graphic Novel Idea

2009-04-29T00:19:00.001-07:00

I've loaded them up back to front so that the top one, which should be the last in the sequence, is first, so scroll down and then back up.

I've been playing around with some black and white drawings of the creatures I am designing for a book proposal of knitted Gothic creatures. I though it would be fun to do a comic with them.

Princess Dolls

2009-04-29T00:12:00.000-07:00

What is it that I'm trying to do with my dolls? I think back to when I was a little girl and constantly drawing pictures of beautiful girls in long dresses with lon hair. Princess dolls have to be so beautiful!

Large Soft Sculpture figures

2009-03-31T15:28:00.001-07:00

Four large figures done way back in the late 90s. I still love them. Johann witht he white hair sold. The Wife of BAth and Wayne, in the striped trousers went to live at the gallery, Chaucer on Bridge Street in Uralla. And the Succubus was eventually transformed into the Whore of Babylon, top photo, which got into the 2002? Blake Prize Travelling exhibition.

2009-03-31T15:16:00.000-07:00

Sunday is a large pastel. I began several years ago but only finished it early last year. I love groups of women not interacting with each other. There is tension but not open antagonism. I wonder what this says about my relationship with the females in my family? No, I can't say it's autobiographical.

The dolls' argument is acrylic on canvas. It isn't finished but I'm loath to get rid of the sketchiness of it. I must have painted this in 2007 I think.

These two charcoal drawings were done way back in 1990. I did them after a trip to the NT. We stopped at the Hermansburg mission and I did sketches of some of the buildings there. I've used the architecture in these two drawings.

I haven't looked at these images for ages but find them not too bad at all. I should build on this dark theme of solitary figures in ruined buildings.

I've been looking at so many exciting art works recently. I feel inspired. I'm going to put in for the Sculpture by the sea show and I've an idea for the Blake. I'm determined to re awaken my art career and ditch the teaching.

I'm going to post more pics, some might be duplicates but as I'm the only person who looks at this blog, too bad!

A pastel drawing from last year and a soft sculpture cow

2009-03-30T20:18:00.000-07:00

More pictures

2009-02-25T22:27:00.000-08:00

Sleep that knits up the ravelled sleeve of care. This was a sletch for an idea of a child asleep with doll images crossing the floor in front of her, you can see the idea for the composition in the top of the picture.

I just love Rookwood cemetery. I haven't been there for years. I did this sketch years ago and based a large painting on it. It fitted in well with some short stories I was writing.

The pencil drawing for Melusine.

Bird in the Afternoon- another narrative without text, or rather to accompany text but not directly linked to that text. Would love to do a narrative in text and pictures where the drawings are part of the narrative, not just an accompaniment.

What am I doing?

2009-02-25T22:19:00.000-08:00

I really haven't got the hang of blogging. I've linked this blog to facebook, I think. I'm hoping to use this blog to showcase my artwork and toys.
I dream of giving up my day job (casual teaching) and making enough money each week from toy sales to pay the mortgage and have some left over - like for going to Florence for the Biennale (or just sending some work over for it).
The recession should be a good time to start a business selling locally made, affordable toys and patterns and kits for making your own. Marketing is my downfall and the urge to give away my products to people because they like them. Any managers out there? I'm sending a call for help into cyberspace. Mayday, Mayday, Mayday...

Time for an update

2009-02-25T22:07:00.001-08:00

The Toy shop. This is one of the paintings for Sophie Masson's story about two dolls. The story was written because I gave her two of my handmade dolls. Whether we'll get a publisher interested, I don't know. I personally don't think there are enough stories about toys.

Just a boy, not a portrait of one real boy but a little bit of different boys, including my son Gabriel, now 15.

This is an illustration for Cinderella. I got the idea from an engraving by Dore. I love fairy tales with pictures that look like classical paintings.

Pan. I did love this fellow, maybe I shouldn't have sold him, still, I'd have to store him somewhere.

Sherlock Holmes and other murder mysteries have inspired me to do a series of illustrations which are not directly linked to any particular text but are supposed to suggest a narrative of their own

Latest knitted fashion dolls

2008-08-24T05:48:00.000-07:00

These are the two latest in my series of knitted fashion dolls. Pinky and Melissa are inspired by the big eyed, long limbed Asian ball jointed dolls. My daughter told me they had to be as unlike knitted fete fodder as possible. What do you think?

Melusine

2008-07-12T17:27:00.000-07:00

I've also bee painting again. It's great to have holidays in which to play without the worry of using them to make money. This is Melusine.

Knitted Minnie doll

2008-07-12T17:24:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of my finished Minnie doll. Minnie is our chiuhaha (spelling?) and I've always thought she'd be great fun to dress up in pink and with ribbons and bows. Instead I've tried to make a knitted doll version of her.

More dolls

2008-04-21T23:26:00.000-07:00

Here we are again, just me, myself and I. Well, we enjoy our company. I'm going to put some new photos up of my dolls. They are all designed and made by me. Enjoy!

Help! Someone read my blog!

2008-04-14T21:30:00.000-07:00

This is my second attempt at having a blog. This time it's all my own! I still bet nobody reads it. Oh well, you can't say I didn't try. I'm giong to put some pictures up of the things I do best.

This is one of my knitted dolls. I've been working on a design that is funky and different to the type of daggy thing you get at fetes. This is a goth girl, probably a vampire. I'm so in love with knitting toys at the moment. The doll at the top is Melanie. Both these dolls were inspired the Asian ball jointed dolls so popular at the moment. I wanted one but couldn't afford it so I decided to make one myself! In wool.