I will preface this post by saying I am no artist. However, I don’t let that stop my joy in making things. I remember reading a long time ago in a Robert Fulghum book about how children love to sing and paint and draw and dance, and how as we get older, we lose that joy due to feeling that we are not “good enough” to do them. Well, who says you have to be good to have fun doing something? I guess if it is your job that is one thing, but as a hobby or a past time, let’s all just go for it!

So moving on. Project 1 – A little witch Hazel peg doll for Wyatt. He loves the book Little Witch Hazel. If you haven’t read it, it is about the sweetest little character named Hazel, who lives in the forest surrounded by animals and mushrooms and flowers and it is so adorable. It is is split into four stories, one for every season, and we first read it in the fall. Well, Wyatt had me check it out so many times from the library that the Easter Bunny brought him his own copy. And of course, I had to make him a little peg doll to go with it, gifted a few days later. He loves to re-enact the stories and for his favorites I make him characters. I thought Hazel turned out pretty cute!

I just used an unfinished wooden peg doll, acrylic paints, felt for the hat, and felted wool for her braids. My niece happened to see her at our house, thought it was so cute, and asked me to make her one as well, so I will be starting a new one soon.

And Project 2 – my Scrappy Hare!

This is such a challenge for me, but I am really enjoying it. I am so so very slow but that is ok. I can’t believe how long it takes me to cut the pattern pieces out! Why is that so hard for me?

So as a reminder, this is what the rabbit looks like finished. (pattern here)

I have a long ways to go before I get there though.

After much cursing and poking myself with pins I managed to get most of the pieces cut out.

Next, I pinned them together and Billy got me started on the sewing. I would never be able to do this project without him by the way. He is one of the most talented people I know!

After I sewed all the pieces on, Billy inserted the wire frame for me, and then we stuffed it. It looks like a little Egyptian sarcophagus right now, doesn’t it? Lol. The next step is making a round circle base out of wire, sewing the bottom up, and then actually sewing on scraps! I didn’t realize I was going to do that part so soon, I thought it would have be completely finished. I guess it makes sense though, as then I wouldn’t have to leave spaces for the other body parts?

While I have been sewing I have been considering what I want this scrappy hare to look like. The picture in my mind keeps going back to the character Blackavar from Watership Down, a rabbit with very dark fur. He is also pretty beat up from trying to escape Efrafa. I don’t feel I will include much in the way of wounds, but Blackavar is a pretty scrappy rabbit, and I feel like my scrappy rabbit might be a bit..imperfect..as well. So this weekend I need to find scraps for my Blackavar! I am excited about this part!!

And that is where I am at with my projects! Hopefully I will have another rabbit update soon!