Merry Christmas!!

I wish you all a peaceful Christmas x x x Lorna

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D.U.M.B.O

It is so cold, wet and windy here in London, that I have decided to perk myself up by looking back at part of our trip to New York this summer. One day we walked the full length of 'The Highline' and discovered this cooling water feature, perfect on a warm summer's day as our feet were tired from pounding the streets!

One of the highlights of this trip was visiting the offices of Etsy situated in downtown Brooklyn in a place called Dumbo - Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass. A group of us were invited to their weekly workers lunch, quite a big affair as I think there are over two hundred people working there! It took us a while to get in as everyone was at a meeting, luckily the lovely receptionist above heard us knocking at the door and came to our rescue!

We ate our lunch in a cosy relaxing room decked out with handcrafted good galore behind these curtains (picture above). Everyone was really friendly and happy to talk about Etsy and their work. After lunch we were taken on a tour which included the open plan offices, meeting rooms, film - makers office, telephone booth.....every space big and tiny seemed to have some activity going on it, finally we were taken up to the 'Etsy Labs' where members can use the art and craft facilities.

The lab is equipped with letterpress 

and screen printing machines,

materials and equipment to inspire and excite...

And look at this lovely sewing machine and display of threads!

 They also have a photobooth machine in the lab for members to use, together with a basket full of dressing up regalia to play with. What fun! Here we are - there were actually five of us crammed into that tiny space!

Thanks for inviting us over Tara!

Rejects?? Nooooooooooo!

I told my eldest girl (now a woman!) that I was having a sort out at my studio and was going to unstuff the toys that no one would ever want to have, a kind of recycling. She was horrified and reminded me that there was no such thing as a reject - mum, don't you remember the Raggy Dolls?! Well shame on me, I had infact for a brief moment of blind madness forgotten that tv cartoon series from our daughters' childhood which had a great theme tune, and by the magic of You Tube and so that I will never forget, here is 'The Raggy Dolls'....

And if you'd like to sing along here are the words..........

Opening theme tune lyrics:
It’s not much of a life when you’re just a pretty face,
Just to be whoever you are is no disgrace,
Don’t be scared if you don’t fit in…
Look who’s in the reject bin!
It’s the Raggy Dolls (Raggy Dolls!),
Raggy Dolls (Raggy Dolls!),
Dolls like you and me,
Raggy Dolls (Raggy Dolls!),
Raggy Dolls (Raggy Dolls!)
Made imperfectly!
So if you got a bump on your nose or a lump on your toes, do not despair,
Be like the Raggy Dolls, and say I just don’t care,
‘Cause Raggy Dolls (Raggy Dolls!),
Raggy Dolls (Raggy Dolls!),
Are happy just to be,
Raggy Dolls, Raggy Dolls,
Dolls like you and me!

Closing theme tune lyrics:
It’s not much of a life when you’re just a pretty face,
Just to be whoever you are is no disgrace,
Look around and you will find,
People of every kind!
Like the Raggy Dolls (Raggy Dolls!),
Raggy Dolls (Raggy Dolls!),
Dolls like you and me,
Raggy Dolls (Raggy Dolls!),
Raggy Dolls made imperfectly,
So if you’re not at ease with your knobbly knees and your fingers are all thumbs,
Stand on your two left feet and join our raggy doll chums!
‘Cause raggy dolls, raggy dolls
Are happy just to be,
Raggy dolls, raggy dolls,
Dolls like you and me!

And waiting at my studio is a big bag full of 'Sad Sacks, Hi-Fis, Lucys, Claudes, Back-To-Fronts, Ragamuffins........... which like all other toys I'm told, come to life when you leave the room!

Tabby Cat Meeow

I've had some lovely tweed fabric sitting on one of my shelves for yonks. I thought it would be purrfect for making tabby cats and kittens out of - here they are......