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2014, Artist, Artistic commissions, Artistic design, Arty, Atistic, Caren's canvas and craft, Christmas, Christmas creations, Christmas customised, Christmas gift ideas, Cotton creations, Created from my own ideas, Creative crafting, Cushion covers, Custom creations, Design your own, Father Christmas, Hand crafted, Happy New Year, Heirloom, Merry Christmas, My Etsy Shop, New friends, Original, Original creative crafting, Original gifts, Patchwork, Patchwork pillows, Pillow covers, Quilted, Something unique, Traditional Christmas, Unique, Wordpress
Joshua’s giant stocking/sleeping bag!
Over the last few weeks I think I have almost worn my fingers away creating very individual custom ordered creations. (Though I am more than pleased to be able to do so – if any one should have a request in 2014 please feel free to email me about it and I can arrange to create something special for you or a loved one)
The clients who asked me to make the gifts gave little more brief than the names and ages of the recipients, allowing me to go into an enjoyable surge of creativity – which is completely fine with me, though I always wonder while I am making things ‘will it be what they perceive, will they like it or will they be disappointed?’ The children were aged between two weeks and six years so I tried to cast my mind back to when my children were of similar ages and what they were interested in and build a theme around it. The patchwork, appliquéd and quilted feature handmade cushion covers are all hand cut and each separate piece has been stitched into place to form the overall picture. The youngest was Elliott (with 2 T’s- I didn’t do it wrong) and for him I felt the little bear was most appropriate and the oldest was Oliver for whom I guessed a space theme was more grown up (probably because of my daughter at that age, everything was awesome to her about space back then….in fact some things never change… as she is now in her final year of her PhD of planetary seismology, studying ‘Mars Quakes’! And, indeed, when she came home for the holidays yesterday, I showed her pictures of the order, which had already been picked up, she admitted her favourite cover was the space one after confessing to loving them all. More to the point though, the client absolutely loved them, and, without knowing, I had apparently got each name matched with what they most liked, which I was thrilled about 🙂
The last minute order was for a giant stocking (the first picture) ”As big as you can make it with Joshua on it, Please” was the request. For the rest of the day after the order was taken, was spent designing and conjuring ideas to create a stocking for a little boy which would be used year on year. I wanted to make something more than just your bog standard red stocking with a fluffy white top which is what most people would have expected on a last minute order. I wanted to create a potential heirloom stocking with a timeless quality, inserting all my self taught sewing skills from the past year or so and something which would bring a’whoop’ of delight that first viewing from Joshua… SO, a giant penguin, in my own style, it would be!!! In the rush to get it ready I have worked for twelve hours per day for the last five days sketching, cutting and sewing each piece, adding tiny beads to the trees and then hand quilting over the entire front and back of the stocking. When I handed it over this evening to Joshua’s father, he was so pleased with it and totally unexpected from the ””Red stocking with a fluffy top he had imagined”’ he said, ”He couldn’t wait to go home and show Joshua’s mother”. Literally as he must have gotten home and shown her, I got a text to say how over the moon they were with it and they couldn’t wait to show it on face book. That means so much to me as a creative crafter and artist, to be able to share a mini creation, or in this case, a very large one. The stocking had a final size of 40.5 inches long by 23 inches wide at both top and toe. just perfect for a three year old to camp out in!
These handmade and designed pieces will be winging their way via ‘Father Christmas’ to several little people as part of their exciting presents to be opened on Christmas morning. After finishing the last one today I think it an appropriate time to hang up my needle, threads and paint brushes and spend the last week preparing for our own family holiday as I have much shopping to do.
I wish each and everyone a Merry Christmas and a VERY Happy and Healthy 2014.
It has been quite a journey being on WordPress this last year for me, I have loved discovering exciting sites, following people’s journeys of creativity, expressions, expertise, or day to day living. One which I am very please I ventured into, after coming across many lovely people. I look forward to a better year next year and hope the same for you too!
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE
Below are the custom handmade cushion covers…
Harry’s dinosaurs
George’s pirates
Elsie’s bunnies and hearts
Elliott’s teddy
Joshua’s jungle
Oliver’s space theme
A very special Jenny bunny cover for a very special girl
