Mary had a little lamb

I gave him away.

Now Jaynie has a little lamb,

it's fleece is not as white as snow,

it's natural/off white.





I bought some needle felting supplies a while back,  I tried to follow the directions from a book but I didn't get good results.

Then I followed the directions from about.com for this little lamb and I finally got results that we liked.


The difference is that you build a frame from pipe cleaners/chenille stems first, I found it so much easier to get the shape and proportions right.


I still need to add face details but I wanted to show him to you first, just in case.

I'm also working on a black cat,


tutorial at   about.com



The directions were a bit different,
you  make the frame for the body,

And you make the head separate.

Again, I still need to add face details,

I'm searching my supplies for the right green or yellow beads for his eyes.

After the face is done, the head can be felted to the body.


I think the next time I'll try to make a frame for the head attached to the body first.


If I can get the faces done and finish these I think that I will really enjoy this craft. 
It uses very little material and doesn't take too much time and my favorite part, NO GLUE.


I hope that I will have more to show you soon.
The heat and humidity this summer really tapped my energy and slowed me down,
to even slower than my usual slow pace.

With the weather cooling I'm working to catch up on every thing that fell so far behind and also find time for minis and blogging.

Thank you for visiting, Mary

Sea, Stars and Butterflies for Jane

Jane of  Mini Fanaticus   received the swap gifts that I sent, so here are the pictures that I promised.

 

I told Jane that I was working on plans for a rock display box.
Jane's daughter is interested in rocks and they are starting a collection in real life size.

So after a little planning and a few failed attempts, while Jane waited very patiently, I finally got this put together.

Jaynie helped hold it up so you can see the rocks,  I stuck the rocks and labels with a tiny bit of museum wax.

I forgot to tell Jane that she can move them around if she wants.

I sent a few more little rock samples.

 

I also made a few items that I thought any rock collector needs, a journal to keep notes about your finds, a pen to write the notes and a book to help identify them.  I added a few pages of pictures in the center.

 

Jane requested supplies, so I gathered some plastic beads.

This is where the title came from,

Do these look like summer to you?

While I waited for glue to dry I kept gathering.

While I waited for glue to dry on the display and books I kept gathering,

more plastic beads,

Some findings.

 Some stones that I think would work as bread/cheese boards or maybe even a top for a small table.



 A few more odds and ends,

 

 





And a couple of small real life size stones.

You can see more pictures on   Jane's blog ,  I can't wait to see what she does with these,
I'm sure it will some thing fun.

Sorry things are a bit sloppily arranged, I couldn't make them go where I wanted.


Thank you for visiting, Mary


 

Zentangles

I don't have any minis to show you right now.
I just finished packaging up swap gifts for  Jane  , they should be in the mail in the morning.
I'll have pictures to show you after Jane sees what I made her.

So I thought that I would show you a few zentangles that I recently finished.

I bought a few new pens and a book on shading,

Made in the Shade .

I've been practicing shading.

And I even found a few pens that I like from the Dollar Tree, I drew this with one of them.

It is not the smoothest pen that I've tried but not bad for 2/$1.



They don't look too bad, if you don't look too close.  If you look close (please don't) you can see every slip.

There are many blogs about zentangles, many of them are amazing.

Many of my drawings began from an idea from bits of zentagles that I've seen. 

I tend to start many drawings but I have trouble deciding how to finish them.

I hope that you have enjoyed seeing my drawings.

Thank you for visiting, Mary

Give-Away Gifts to Jennifer and Faby

Jennifer and Faby   have show both received their gifts that they won in my last give-away so I can show  you my pictures. 

First for Jennifer I made a few books and book marks.

I added a few pages with pictures of cupcakes to the cookbook, I know that Sophie and Flossy enjoy baking and like cupcakes.

I also made a journal with blank pages, 2 pens, a romance paperback and included 2 silver frames, that can also be used as trays.

I also sent a few porcelain vase beads. I added a bit of plastic plant in one. I didn't glue it, it can be changed if wanted.

Jennifer let me know that she likes red, so I included a piece of red lace that I think would make a lovely bed spread. I left it unfinished so that Jennifer can use it as she likes.

I sent both Faby and Jennifer an assortment of veggies, I only took a picture of one, they were very much alike.

carrots
peeled carrots
sliced carrots
carrot peels
potatoes
peeled potatoes
cut potatoes
potato peels
opened baked potatoes
green beans
and some pats of butter

I sent Faby a few books, the stone vase with flowers that she let me know she liked and a vase with plants.

I made 2 special journals for Faby with
'Il Mio Diario' (My Journal) on the spines.

Also 2 pens, bookmarks, 2 silver frames and a romance paperback.

And 4 small plastic chairs.

Just before I packaged up their gifts I made some bathroom brushes and necklaces so I added these also.  The ones on the left to Jennifer and right for Faby.


I'm trying to make a brush holder but have not figured it out, yet.



I didn't take pictures of the clamps that I sent to both and some how missed the baby bottles that I included in Jennifer's package,  you can see more pictures on Jennifer's and Faby's  blogs.

I'm so happy that they liked these gifts that I sent them in my mother's honor, I can imagine my mom smiling.

I used the tutorial from Bruita's minis blog as a guide to make the pens.
If you try your hand at making these, for a more realistic look, use opaque bugle and seed beads, not translucent. I used plain white glue and it seems to have held fine.

I used the tutorial from Joanne's minis blog  for the bathroom brush.  If you don't know Joanne's blog you need to go visit, you will find many great tips, ideas, tutorials and projects, including a weekly trash-to-treasures tutorial.

The paperback was made from a printie but I don't know from where.  If I find it I'll add a link.

If you're looking for tutorials and printies remember to visit my other blog M's Lists , it now has over 1,000 links to tutorials and I'm still updating and adding more.

Please let me know what you like so that I'll be ready if you win my next give away that I plan to do soon.


Thank you for visiting, Mary

Gifts from Jane

I’m doing a swap with Jane of   Mini Fanaticus 

I received these incredible gifts last week.
I requested glass items for Jaynie’s loft.

Thank you Jane,
I love each and every one of these items.

Look at the lovely shapes and painting on the pitchers and platter. 

Look at the bowl and vase, aren't they beautiful.

Jaynie is taking  a closer look at the gift bag, we both like the shiny (? cellophane) paper.

Can you see it in the picture?   It's very pretty.

Jaynie is very happy with our gifts and sends her thanks to Jane also.










I can't show you my gifts to Jane,   I'm SLOW,  I'm still working on them.

I've also been working on the special gifts that I promised  Jennifer  and  Faby ,
that finally got mailed out this morning.         I'll show you what I sent them after they get them.

Thank you Jane, Jennifer and Faby for being so patient,  I hope that you find my gifts worth the wait.


Thank you for visiting, Mary

Happy Mother's Day

And time to draw the name of the give-away winner.

I printed out all of the names,

cut them into strips,

folded them up

and put them all into a bowl.

Then my husband gave me a hand and drew


One


and then


Two

Yes he really did,

He pulled   #1  Jennifer 

And then   # 2   Faby 








Jennifer and Faby please email me your mailing addresses, 
I'll get your special gifts put together and sent out to you.

Thank you to every one that participated and every one who posted a link on their blog. 
I wish that I could give you each a prize.



Thank you for visiting, Mary

Time is almost up

There are only a few days left until my   Give - Away ,

Thank you to everyone who has signed up 

There is still time to join, just click the link above and follow the rules.

Here is the participants list as of today,  good luck.

  1  Jennifer                  Plush Pussycat

  2  Faby                       The Magical World of Fabiola

  3  Heather                  Traveling Twig

  4  Drora                     Drora's Mini Mundo

  5  Ana                       I have your email address                      

  6  Irina                       Narina Napertaa

  7  Maria                     Pretty Things Ireland

  8  Carmen                   My Little Escape

 *9  Yolanda                 My Miniature House

 10  Rosamargarita       La Tapatia

 11  Malu                      Malu's Minis

 12  Eva                       Tatalamaru

 13  Ascension             The Miniatures of Ascen

*14  Shaairah                Mini Maniac

*15  Daria                     Mini Baby Steps

*16  Kati                       Dollhouse and Miniatures 

*17  Marver                  Mar Ver

*18  Liduina                 Miniature House

*19  Arantza                The Magic of Miniatures
          
*20  Betty                    Miniatures of Beatriz Fernandez

*21  Jorgelina              Las Margaritas

*22  Eva                       Casita de Regaliz


And I also want to send a warm welcome to *new followers.
I'm glad that you found my blog, I hope that you enjoy stopping by.

Hannelore    My Mini World
Jane Smith    Mini Fanaticus
Figurettes      If you have a blog please let me know, I can't find one.



Thank you for visiting, Mary