And the last mini-mal this month......... a mini-turkey!

A bit random I know but hopefully all will be revealed in time!

We've made it to the last day of the month!... If you'd have asked me three weeks ago if I was going to get this far I would have thought it highly unlikely.   I was really struggling to come up with ideas for the next day's project but I got through and am now full of ideas for projects  to tackle over the next few weeks (that was the whole aim for this project so I'm really glad it has worked out).   Hopefully I can keep myself motivated enough to get them made!

A really BIG THANK YOU to everyone who has followed my adventures this month, looking at the blog stats and seeing that people are actually looking at my blog has really encouraged me to keep the momentum going - so thank you again!

And now to the last mini-mal of the month.....

Please come back soon as I am thinking of writing up some of the patterns for the mini-mals from this month; please let me know if there are any in particular that you are interested in.

And, I have enjoyed creating these mini creatures, objects and designs so much that I will keep it going as a regular feature on my blog.

Mini-pig

This is the penultimate mini-mal in my months challenge - I really can't believe the February is nearly over!   And so I thought for the last two mini-mals I would actually create animals as there haven't been too many of them along the way.   So here is the first one - a mini-pig:

It wasn't until he was nearly finished that he actually started looking like a pig - I thought many times I would have to start again but I'm very pleased with the finished mini-mal - he's actually rather cute!

Mini-house

And to go with the mini-tree - a mini-house!

I have visions of these together at some point with a mini-garden.

Mini-tree

I thought I would move away from the space theme now and move onto a more nature orientated subject.   As I have previously mentioned I am in the process of designing a mobile for my nephew so some of this week's mini-mals may end up featuring!

So, without further ado, here is the next mini-mal - a mini-tree!:

Mini-star

Today I thought I would continue the space theme of the end of last week with a mini-star:

I have adapted the pattern that I usually use for Christmas decorations to make a super-mini version.

See you tomorrow!  :)

Mini-robot and Mini-Rocket

I then went onto a space theme as my sister would like a mobile for her son.   I thought maybe rockets and robots would be a good place to start so here are my first attempts of characters for the mobile:

I will post updates on how the mobile is progressing in future installments.   Hope you have a good weekend, see you next week for more mini-mals.  xx

Mini-Jellyfish

Sorry, I have got a little behind with the posts but I have been making a new mini-mal everyday this week!  The first of these is the mini-jellyfish:

This tested my very poor crocheting skills for the tentacles but I am very pleased with the outcome.   I think I may be making more of these in the future!

mini-macaroon

The inspiration for today's mini-mal comes from a gift I recently received from my boyfriend - some delicious Parisian macaroons from Laduree

The boxes are so beautiful I thought it was worth making something to put in it again:

I think someone's eaten the rest of mine!

Maybe I'll have to make some more to fill the box up.

Mini-love bug

Inspired by valentine's day, today's mini-mal is a freehand machine embroidered love-bug.   A bit belated but Happy Valentine's everyone!

Mini-knitted rabbit

Today's mini-mal is a knitted rabbit:

Mini-balloon animal dog!

One of my favourite artists has inspired today's min-mal - Jeff Koons.   His work is so fun, bright and colourful I was immediately drawn to it.   Koons creates sculptures of trivial items in materials congruous to there original form.  For example:

Seaside inflatables from aluminium, or

A giant puppy in plants!

One of his most famous pieces is a giant balloon animal dog made from steel

and this is what has inspired my mini-mal.  If Koons can make outsized steel balloon animals why can't I make mini knitted ballon animals?!

Mini-Cat

Hello again...

Today's mini-mal is mini-cat.   He is fluffy and cuddly and likes nothing better than to curl up on the sofa and purr contentedly as you tickle his tummy!

See you tomorrow...xx

Mini-turtle

I was having trouble trying to find some inspiration today and so I was just playing about knitting different shapes and this little fella appeared....

I think he looks quite lonely on the plain background, maybe I'll have to knit him a mini-desert-island - he'll be more at home there!

See you for more mini-mals tomorrow...xx

Mini-penguin

I'm really sorry I seem to have fallen a little behind with the blog updates - it was an extremely busy weekend!  

Friday's inspiration was the start of the Winter Olympics in Sochi.   I was trying to think of sufficiently wintry characters to make and the winner was....

A mini skiing penguin!!!

Hope you are enjoying the coverage of the Winter Olympics - so far I think it looks pretty spectacular - there are some weird and wonderful winter sports out there!   

Another mini-mal installment will be along soon...  If you have any suggestions or ideas of mini-mals that I haven't thought of yet please leave me a comment.   x

Mini-space-hopper

And today's inspiration is...... Yesterday's make!

As I was making the body of the mini owl I thought it looked very much like the shape of a space hopper.   So, today's mini-mal is.....

A mini space hopper!!!

See you tomorrow... xx

Mini-owl

Anna Hrachovec is today's inspiration.   Anna is an extremely talented designer and knitter.   Her website and blog Mochimochi Land (follow the link on her name above) is guaranteed to make you smile, even on the most miserable of days (even now as I just picked up the URL link the images on her banner instantly made me smile!).   Her knitted characters and worlds are bright, colourful, very imaginative and EXTREMELY CUTE.   A few years ago she also did a one-a-day project of teeny tiny mochimochi and the concept took off and became a regular feature on her blog, she wrote a book based on many of the patterns she created over that month, and they gave her inspiration for several art installations.

Here are some examples of her work:

Mochimochi Land Installation

Gnomes v Snowmen

And so to today's mini-mal - a mini owl:

(Ps. I have updated the rubbish photos on the previous posts, please pop back and have a look - they are SO much better!)

Mini-button

Today's inspiration comes from artist and doodle embroiderer Aimee Ray.....

I think I first discovered Aimee's work on Pinterest when I was researching embroidery having just realised that contemporary embroidery existed and it wasn't all granny style stitching!   From there I bought one of her books, Doodle Stitching: Emboidery & Beyond, and now have a couple of others that feature her creations.   She has influenced my work for some time now and it was after getting her book that I produced the piece that won the competition for Kirsty Neale's prize!

Doodling is also becoming a popular art form and Aimee takes it to another level by transforming her doodles into embroidery:

So I thought Aimee would have to inspire one of my mini-mals - and here it is:

An embroidered button with tiny birds on it.

I have to admit that this has been the mini-mal that I have enjoyed making the most so far so maybe tiny embroidery will feature more this month.   Until tomorrow.... see you then!  x

Mini-rat

.... And, today's inspiration is Lauren Child.   If you have never come across Lauren's work you really must visit her website or do a Google image search - her illustrations are just beautiful.   I have been slightly obsessed with Lauren's illustrations, books, magazines, merchandise and animations ever since my sister introduced me to Charlie & Lola.  I love the way that she layers details, uses a combination of drawn and photographed images and the patterned fabrics and prints that she uses are just gorgeous.  I have many of her books and one of my favourite characters is That Pesky Rat:

And here is my (slightly naked) version:

See you for the next installment tomorrow.... x

Mini-girl

Day Two's mini-mal hasn't turned out quite as well as I was hoping it would.  :(  But, I am trying to stay positive and, this is a learning experience after all, so nothing is a mistake, it's just work-in-progress!   I mentioned the inspiration for this mini-mal in yesterday's post - Kirsty Neale.   I have admired Kirsty's work since I discovered her through the Mollie Makes magazines and books.   And, last year, I entered a competition and was very lucky to win a copy of her book Hoop-La! and the original hoop that Kirsty embroidered for the front cover which is now hanging on the wall of our spare room/ office/ studio.

I love Kirsty's characters especially the faces and hairstyles that she gives them.

I wanted to try and take inspiration from the kinds of fabrics that she uses to create a little girl character of my own but somewhere in the translation from my original drawing to the actual sewn item something went a little awry and she is not a cute as I was wanting her be.

Anyway, on to the next mini-mal.... see you tomorrow! x

Day One....Mini-Rabbit

I was really having problems knowing where I wanted to start with this project.   Every idea i had about mini-mals seemed like i was over-thinking or would be too complicated to make in one day - I really don't want to give up halfway through as I can't finish anything in the time-frames I've set myself!   but anyway, an idea hit me as I was lying awake in the middle of night worrying about it.   I had been reading a series of blog posts on copy+paste by Kirsty Neale and Julie Kirk about illustrators that Kirsty is inspired by and so I thought that to at least start this project I would take inspiration from my favourite illustrators, designers and makers to create mini-mals influenced by their work.

And so to the first inspiration and mini-mal....

My inspiration today is the lady that sowed the seed for this whole project - Marisa from Creative Thursday. If I hadn't seen Marisa's book when we were in San Fransisco last year and become mesmerised by her illustrations I wouldn't have had this idea in the first place.

To be honest, I didn't think I was going to enjoy the text part of the book as when I read reviews it described it as a motivational book and I really didn't think that was my kind of thing.   But, the illustrations won me over and I bought it and ended up reading it cover-to-cover!  It made me realise that I was not alone in my procrastination and most other makers go through the same dips in creativity that I have been experiencing lately.   One of her ideas to get over this was a one-a-day project..... and so here we are!

Mini-mal number 1...

Please pop along tomorrow to see the next mini-mal....  xx

First of 2014 and news of a new project

It's been a little while in the making but here is my first completed project of the new year:

It still has quite a wintry, almost christmassy, feel - a little owl in his bobble hat - but it seems quite apt to post it this morning after the first snow has fallen on the hills around where we live. 

I am thinking of making this available as a pattern or kit on Etsy so watch this space for more news.

But in the meantime, my time may be taken up with something else very soon....

I mentioned a little plan in my last post.  I have fine-tuned my idea and am now ready to reveal all!  I am going to be challenging myself through February with a one-a-day project - MINI-MALS.   I plan to make one miniature character every weekday through February.   Hopefully this will reignite my imagination and creative juices and who knows what will emerge from this challenge? I hope you will follow me through this challenge - I may need all the encouragement I can get!!

See you next time for the first installment of mini-mals.....

I'm coming back....

After dipping my toes in the waters of a different blogging site I have decided to return to Blogger as I just could not get on with the other platform and my blogging momentum has deteriorated into non-existence. Hopefully the change of direction will refresh my motivation!
Here is a snapshot of what I've been up to since my last post here...



A Halloween pumpkin (free pattern available on Ravelry)...

 

A Christmas angel and reindeer garlands (both for sale in my Etsy shop)...



Moving house - this is the view from our new garden...



A new venture into the world of embroidery!  This is an image of our new cat Buddy - I think it captures his aloofness rather well!  :)

And... I have a beautiful new nephew!   Many congratulations to my Sister and her husband.


It may be rather belated but Happy New Year, I hope 2014 will be a good one for all of us.  I have a little plan in the pipelines to try and keep me motivated and making this year but more about that another time.  

If I do happen to fall behind on my blog again this year please look me up on my other social networking pages:  instagram, pinterest, twitter, facebook or google+