At home with the animals

Since last I wrote we now have two cats who shall appear frequently. Casper and Felix. Both black. Both odd. One gregarious, one living in my jumper draw.
Anyway I have started the christmas rush with a fox and a hare. Shortly to be followed by the heads of a sheep, a fox and a hare....
I will keep you posted!
I hope your summer was good.

Eventually....The Exhibition of Lovely Things

Our Exhibition is going well! . As well as the mixed media pieces most of which you have seen already I have also made some feltidermy which is proving pretty popular! Mr Foxy Renard left the building almost immediately We have all sold several pieces and got commissions to do others. Lots of people have signed up for updates and prospective courses and there's lot of encouraging comments in the book saying they have enjoyed the show. So now it's just a week till it ends. I have several commissions to get under way, so this morning I will be mainly stabbing wool.
These are the new Feltidermy pieces a Hare, Roe Deer Buck and a Badger.

Hare, Roe Deer and Badger, the fox had left the building!

Hare

Hare Eye close up

Roe Deer before horns

The exhibition continues untill the 30th x

Masham Makers Market

Masahm Makers Market

Had a fantastic day yesterday at Masham Makers Market, 1500 people visited us in all and lots came to say hello! There was a brilliant selection of Hand made things beautifully photographed by Makiko Hastings in her blog Shin Shin. Not only was the range great but the quality was excellent. I had a succesfull day, many have signed up to do needle felting courses, the faux taxidermy was well received in general and I was asked to be part of a couple of exhibitions. I had a good morning this morning too, as someone has just rung to commission a moon gazing hare for her husband who fell in love with the big man himself at the show yesterday! Better get on with it....

Foxes, Hares and Sheep heads

Needle Felted Fox by Emma Fountain

Here's the  latest creation, I have been doing hares, badgers and other creatures too, but this is just a taster to whet the appetite until I've got them mounted. My friend Keith is making the backing mounts out of local Ash and I am swapping them for a Hare's head!

Warming to my theme I thought about finding the Tup in the kitchen in the summer and decided I would like his head on the wall....

Dalesbread Tup

Even though he looks a bit like Ermintrude from magic round-a-bout with nettles in his mouth he is quite large (about eh size of a Shetland pony) and gave me and my cousin Hat a bit of a shock when we came down stairs to find him panting by the pantry (ha ha) although I'm fairly sure he just wanted to get away from the heat and the flies, we still skirted round the edge of the room to usher him out! I'll forgive him as he is quite hansom devil. I'm looking forward to seeing how he turns out.