Boxing Day Fox

Monsters Inc.

Last Saturday I took part in the Mangle Christmas Sale, I shared a table with one of my studio mates - Maggie. As well as creating amazing effects and puppets for film and television she makes her 'Monsters' which were for sale that day (on the right hand side of the table). She acquired a box full of knitting samples which she delves into until she finds an interesting piece of fabric, she then transforms it into a one off wonder. We listened to music all day provided by Rocky the Elf and part-time disc-jockey, ate mince pies and took it in turns to look around at all the interesting objects on offer.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.......

Here's one I made earlier

The Long And Short of It

I've started making draught excluders from some great fabric that I found in a thrift shop in New York - the fabric was made in Ireland though and made into sausage dogs here in a very wet and windy London!

Pinny Pin Pin!

Came across the cut-offs from my new jeans today, some one (Other Half) used one cut off as a temporary pin cushion!

The Three Bears

I used up the scraps from my 'Grid-locked Bears' to make these denim delights.

Don't Eat Us!

I started making these gingerbread men, then thought "what am I doing? I should be making ginger bread bears!" Here they are then, made from old corduroy and decorated with rick-rack and buttons & beads from our daughter's old broken bracelets and necklaces.

A Date For Your Diaries

The popular East End Christmas sale is returning after a long break, but this year the Mangle sale is being held at the lovely Tabernacle Centre ( Not far from The George & Dragon pub on the Hackney Road).

Pick up original designer and handmade goodies for your loved ones this Christmas.

Choose me!

Some of my bears are now available at Anthropologie a new American store recently opened on Regent Street in London Town (see pic above). Also at a lovely shop filled with designer goodies called 'Family Tree'-.

Here Bear And Everywhere!

We visited the American Museum of Natural History for the first time ( a great way to spend a rainy day, thanks for the tip Barbs!). The dioramas were amazing, I particularly loved the Alaska brown bear above - wow! Look at that heart shaped face.

High Life on the High Line

Last spring when we were in New York a project was underway building a city park with a difference, a park built on a disused elevated train line, called the High Line We returned this week to find it open - it's great, full of local grasses and plants with loads of sympathetically designed seating with an incredible viewing deck overlooking one of the main streets running through the Meat Packing District.

Autumn in New York

Walking through a very wet Central Park yesterday, saw these lovely leaves on a footpath.

Have Wheels Will Travel!

Sitting Pretty

More bears to add to the fold.

On and Off

Hoods off or on? I don't know which I prefer, mmmmmm...

Top Of The World!

Little Brinsley Bear had an outing this afternoon and found this post box that sort of matches his jumper! - "What's the weather like up there?"

Studio Stool

I haven't spent a lot of time in the studio of late, but will be back next week......can't wait!!!

I recently bought this great stool, it has been re-upholstered using factory waste threads from Spain. I sit on it when I am using the computer at the studio. Other great stools like this are available at Bev's shop, 158A Columbia Road, London, E2 7PJ.

Kneel on Me!

While we were away we visited a little village called Axbridge. We found a lovely old old church that has beautiful kneelers for the congregation, they were all of different styles and designs but made using the same colours that you see above. This little fellow caught my eye, I took a sneaky pic when the warden wasn't looking our way!

Holiday Hobby

While me and the other half were away on holiday we developed a fascination with the 'help yourself' signs you often see in the countryside and in small villages during the summer. We saw fruit, flowers, veg and all sorts of things for the taking and door step sales with honesty jars set aside if the occupants were out. Here are a few from our new collection..........

I Love Colour Too - and Wood!

I was so excited when an ex - colleague of mine said she was having a clear out at school. She found a big bag of cuisenaire rods, sadly no longer in use. When I was a little girl at infant school we used them during our maths lessons, I thought they were fabulous because of all the different colours and the great sound they made when they clattered onto our wooden desks. I couldn't resist having a play with them, here I found different ways of making ten - the longest orange rod represents 10 units, blue 9 and so on.

So-fa So Good

I recently made this denim cover for my other half's sofa-bed that sits in his new studio.

Fancy That!

Just got back from Birmingham, we managed to fit in a visit to The Fancy Silk Store in the centre of Brum. It's a dressmaker's dream filled with every type of fabric on each of its four floors. Here's a pic of some of the denim they have on offer.

Grid Locked

Bethnal Green Finds

Today we went to my favourite haberdashery shop - Prick Your Finger, on the way I showed my other half a charity/vintage shop I visit every now and then called IKOSI, its on the Old Ford Rd (23) if you happen to be in Bethnal Green go and visit, it's chock-a-block with all sorts of good stuff. I got this fabulous old ball of wool and Rob got the T-shirt that's underneath it, a Vivienne Westwood number - it just shows, you never know what you might find!

Ikosi raises money to help people with Sickle Cell and Thalassasaemia - inherited blood disorders.

It's All Clear To Me Now!

I always enjoy going to my favourite wool shop called 'Honor Parry', apart from being filled with loads of knitting yarns and notions, it is run by a fabulous woman (Honor?) who is so friendly and knowledgeable that I always feel uplifted and inspired by the time I leave. As well as buying wool, I also bought this little gizmo that caught my eye, it is a knitting dolly. My dad made me one when I was little but he used a wooden cotton reel and four nails. Thinking about it now I probably learnt how to knit on a dolly before using needles, it's much easier. When I saw this new dolly I thought wow!, this is great because you'll be able to see your knitting as it 'grows' down the centre of the dolly.

If you happen to be in Battersea, pop into Honor Parry, 206 Battersea Park Road, London.

Nosing Around Hounds

More daschunds from barbarabearo central.

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

This is my first daschund puppy, I hope you like it.

Oi! You've Been Collared!

More collars for those naughty dash-hounds.

Stud Farm

I made a quilt out of jean waistbands a while back and kept all the 'ends', this is just a few of them. Putting them together like this reminds me of those brilliant American jigsaw puzzles (Springbok) from the 60's depicting collections of objects. I'll have to dig out a few from my puzzle collection to show to you.

Shelf Life

I did a little sorting out the other day...

What a Treasure!

Hi, I got a lovely surprise today, little Desmond above was featured in an Etsy treasury of 'Doxies' - (American for sausage dog). On Etsy treasuries are member curated shopping galleries of hand picked items. check out http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=57909 the treasury is only up until Friday 15th May 2009, so quick if you want to catch some hand crafted daschund delectables!

Dash Hounds Abound!

I've been busy making corduroy daschunds or dash-hounds as I call them, for sale on Etsy and at

Bev's shop, 158A Columbia Road, London, E2 7PJ.

Heart of the Matter

I've just finished making these collars for the corduroy daschunds that I've been working on.

Lost the thread?

I find unpicking jeans very satisfying!

Next!

I have just started getting ready for my next project - 

bring on those jeans!!! 

Bean Thinking

I had fun making these bean bags yesterday. Somehow I managed to fill them with black beans and pearl barley, managing to get half of the stuff on the studio floor! Did you use bean bags during P.E at infant school? I did, and I remember that they came in a red, blue, green or yellow cotton drill type covering. As a nursery teacher part of my job description included ordering supplies and as hard as I tried I could never find cotton covered bean bags for my pupils, nowadays they only seem to be made with practical nylon covers - shame!

On Best Behaviour!

I thought you might like to see some pics from Ryantown USA.

Bears In The USA

Well, we've been very busy here at Earnest Sewn, painting walls, moving furniture and of course paper cutting Rob's thought provoking designs to create his Ryantown shop here in the U.S of A. Here you can see lovely Ellie taking stock of the bears.

Over Here and Over There!

If you happen to be in New York next week why not pop along to Earnest Sewn to see my husband's fabulous paper-cut based goodies, oh and of course our bears! See you there on the 2nd April.

Bits & Bobs Bear Hit Ryantown UK!

Our Bits & Bob Bears are now available for sale at Ryantown, Sat 1-5, Sun 9-4, 126 Columbia Rd, London, E2 7RG.(£80.00 each)

Dog Days

My children were up in arms when I told them I'd like to have a miniature daschund as a pet. But Hey! That hasn't stopped me from making this little fellow, he'll be my four legged friend for now!