Every little piece of fabric could become alive. It only needs some imagination.
I was always very fond of handmade toys.
On places like etsy.com one can find amazing things – and of course, not only toys.
I am warning the novices there – you could spend days browsing. ;-)
Here I can show you one I’ve made, who even doesn’t know what kind of creature is:
And another rabbit. This one is particularly proud with his big ears, able to bend different ways when he is moody.
What’s left to say about his belt buckle? A rare vintage one. :-)
Here they are, standing gently for a family portrait, together with the last year’s mouse. :-)
Oh, and what about this cat? You probably think now “But we’ve already seen this guy”? Well, not really. This one is the almost-twin-brother of Alfons, and the difference between two of them are the bigger eyes on this one and his age – a week later he came. He is also very unsuspecting and ingenuous. I’ve made him especially as a gift to my mother, because every time when she sees me making something from fabric or clay, she ask with a very innocent voice: “And for whom are you making this now?”
I even don’t know how she named him, but I will surely ask.
;-)
Four years ago Michel happened to be sick like recently.
Actually, it was more serious then. Few times during the year he fell for more than a week with 40 degrees C temperature.
And nothing could help him, so finally we called for some alternative.
On the stage appeared this sumo hare, dedicated to scare the flu virus and to help Michel get well soon.
First times it was a success. That made him an honored member of the little hand-made society on my shelf.
Then it seemed like the flu got resistant to hare power, so we’ve changed the tactics and decided to visualize our dream little house.
Made with all our love and wish for good health and many more miles together on our bikes, here it is:
My man got well finally, just in time for his own wedding. Then… then we made thousands of miles together and it is very possible that we won’t stop.
The house? It still illuminates our evenings.
As much as I love to draw, I cannot resist making things from clay and from fabric. :-)
I guess that all of the girls in high school today will laugh at the fact that when I was a teenager, still loved to play with dolls and toys I was often making clothes or houses for them. :-)
Of course, it was partly because of the fact that there were many kids around me – and then it seemed to me that I was made to care and entertain relatives’ and friends’ children.
Don’t get me wrong: most of the time I was doing this gladly, and kids are good excuse for these games.
We’ve had many joyful days and I still love to dwell in the world of fantasy and toys.
My parents are also creative people and they influenced me a lot.
There is still somewhere in the attic an old puppet theater. My father once started to make it as a gift to my mother, but it ended not finished.
Sometimes I remember about it and I want to finish it together with Dad, but it seems that every time is not “the right moment”.
Maybe I don’t want to go too far from the childhood, as I enjoy making toys even today.
Let me introduce you to some that I still keep.
Here it is one of the very first I’ve made – it’s almost 13-14 years-old, I believe:
At that time I was drawing constantly, even applied for a school of Fine Arts. I intended to study Metal & Plastic Arts, but I couldn’t pass the first exam (graphics) and I didn’t go to the second one with the clay modeling, where I was sure I could be way better at.
Anyway, even today this little bear is keeping well the leftovers of my once huge collection of pencils. Some of them are so short now, you cannot even see them. ;-)
And what about this little piggy that we have here? Well, this guy also has a story to tell. He was made together with another one, and the other went as a present to a friend’s baby.
This one stayed at home as I considered it not so successful, but lately I found him and improved it a bit by adding the smile and the pants.
There will be a sequel. :-)
There is something strange about all these cats in my works.
In fact, if you say that I probably like cats than dogs, it won’t be fair and right.
I was a cat owner for eleven years, but dog owner for much more.
For my long-lived and unforgettable friend Sheila I have written here before, and Lovejoy is still alive and kicking and lives with my parents and my brother.
Let me not even remind myself of Frodo, who was one of a kind and who left both of us with Michel inconsolable (Michel promised to write the whole story one day, when his heart lets him do it).
I love all kind of animals, of course. But this way or another, somehow cats are coming out more often under my fingers – and that’s a fact.
Well, this one is really special.
I drew it two days ago, when I was in need of something specific and engaging for the front side of my own business cards.
How could I miss the chance to show it off the the whole Internet?
Do you like it?
At least I know I do!
;-)
I remember the times when every free minute meant for us to grab the bikes and go on traveling adventures outside Sofia.
Nice, but didn’t happen for a long time. Michel is still ill, and this is going on for more than ten days.
Even Batman himself couldn’t help in this case, despite sending to us all week his own branded lemons:
From solidarity I am at home too, saving the people around from the flu virus, so all I can do is looking around and finding old and new things that could show in my blog. Like this greeting, good for Twitter-fans:
Here is another one, much smaller, made with some help from one little two-years-and-a half-old fairy:
Nia seems to draw far better than me, actually.
Don’t believe me?
Well, judge by yourselves:
I think she’s very good. Maybe one day she’ll laugh on this picture, but I like it and I wish her to develop a good skill. :-)
I am at home right now. Browsing a fat folder with pictures, called “to-blog”. Sigh.
Because all the things I want to show, are not pictured properly.
The lack of sunny light in our little apartment is doing big injustice to them.
Alas, this place looks North, so the photos rarely comes the way they should.
Only in the late summer we have few warm sun rays, touching the edge of the windows.
Despite all, I decide that is better to show bad photos than none at all.
I love things, made so simple, but with original idea and deep thought behind it.
For example, here is this nice little fellow: it was a friendly gift from Nixo and it warms my heart.
Just by staying on the shelf and smiling to me every day:
It seems to be saying: “Come on, let’s draw, what are you waiting for?” …
:-)
That’s the common wish these days.
You can hear people saying it on the streets, in the shops, online… the same old sentence, but for sure the meaning it’s not the same for everybody.
Is it easy to make the people you love happy?
I like very much to make presents.
Always choosing very carefully, concerning the recipient.
But this Christmas for the first time I got one gift rejected (not a good feeling at all).
During the years I’ve received many stupid, not useful things – presents that I didn’t like or want.
But never I refused to take them.
I think that accepting things is as important as to give things. Maybe even more important.
For it is wonderful to give from yourself, but is more valuable to know how to accept from the others.
I am also still learning…
Truth is, for many, many people these days are neither happy or holidays.
For me, “holiday” and “feast” are words that mean to dance, to sing, to play games, to exchange gifts.
But in my country the “tradition” seems to be to spend the holidays at home, around the table and in front of the TV.
After them everybody is groaning and moaning and is feeling bad from too much food and drink, and I am sure that only a few people will do something different.
But there is one more thing – I believe, that the holiday spirit comes from the people, not from the date in the calendar.
So, Internet, that’s my greeting:
Have unforgettable holidays – let them be the way you want to make them!
Оh, and that’s what I did for my brother, wishing him own sweet home:
:-)
Here they are – this year’s cookies. I don’t know what’s the problem with them, but they just don’t want to stay in the tin box untill Christmas.
So, it’s a good thing that I’ve got them pictured, at least this way i am able to show them to you. :-)
Every year I think about making at least twice more than these. From the other hand, no matter how many cookies I’ve made, they are never enough, because
I love to give almost all of them to friends and loved ones.
About the recipe… well, I like to improvise. Finding the right recipe, using the same products, but mix them measuring everything with my eye and instinct, and frankly, I am probably lucky, because I very rarely fail, even with our old and whimsy oven. :-)
For example, I was dying for brownies yesterday evening. Since I am not planning a trip to England in the next few days, I decided to make myself some.
Here is the proof:
Well, it was about time for this. Already the first from the participants got his present from me.
It is not exactly what I imagined it would be, but anyway, I like it.
Here it is – Alfonce. A nice, warm, hand-made tom-cat, called nicely with this name by his new owner.
The little guy just loves autumn pears and high shelves.
Very curious, he always observes everything with eyes wide open and maybe a little from above, but not because he is haughty, nope. He is just too little and from the heights he can see further. :-)
Soon will post some pictures of his best friends…
:-)
A lady asked me recently to explain how could she make this flower from paper.
I promised her to write a tutorial, but then I thought that it would be much, much easier and better if I just make a short video.
These flowers look gorgeous, they are very easy to make and they could be a nice gift or just an element for decoration.
In this video is shown a smaller flower, but with more leaves.
You can try your own flower to be different – a hint from me: you can add a stem with green leaves from other kind of paper and some wire, you can make the flower from more than one color paper. For example, the use of green and white paper will give you one very beautiful lily. :-)
The paper that you need is crep – I guess you can find it in almost every little bookstore or shop for artistic things.
You can see the “making of” process here:
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Good luck with your flowers!
