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