Needle + Wool = Awesome Cuteness

Here's the newest needle felted mouse. The first and second heads that I made for her looked all wrong. They were either too big or not shaped right. The artist that designed and wrote the pattern for these mice is so sweet and helpful. I emailed her with several questions and she emailed right back! I was having trouble making the fibers cooperate. They were very wispy and all over her head. She sent me some helpful tips and they worked like a charm. If you are interested at all in needle felting you need to check her blog(http://www.outmorninggloryworkshop53barbyanderson.blogspot.com/ ) . I am not promoting her nor did I get any rewards or benefits from mentioning her on my blog, I just love her work! Like I stated in another post, I had all the felting supplies for years before I found something that really knocked my socks off!! My needle felting is still a work in progress, I have a lot to learn. I do really enjoy it. I just love working with my hands. I believe that it all started with mom and dad. Can you believe that Mom use to take us to ceramics with her? All four of us!?!? All under the age of 10?!?! She was a saint. I remember sculpting masterpieces out of clay and loving every minute of it. Thanks, Mom. Dad always worked with his hands. He is famous for his turkey callers and the ability to fix anything. I remember going out to his workshop when I was little and sweeping up cedar shavings. I loved helping him out there. The cedar shavings were like gold, we saved every scrap of them. What did we use them for? Maybe to make sachets for the closet? Make the house smell nice? Stuff homemade dolls? No, for lining our hamster cages. Wish that I had some cedar shavings to stuff my pincushions now. Read more about our mom and dad on my sister's blog http://www.patternpaperandcoffeerings.blogspot.com/ .

Above: Head waaayyy too big!!! She looks like a lamb. Felted head = fail, back to the drawing board!

Above: Front view, lopsided ears, eyes set too far into head and not even. Start over with a new head asap!

Now onward to the correct sized head!

Above: Red Riding Hood is going to visit Grandma. She has just finished baking oatmeal cookies, Grandma's favorite and has neatly placed them in her basket.

Above: RRH Mouse's head is 100% wool. Ears & eyelids are wool felt. Cape is felt.

Above: Little Red Riding Hood stopped by Patrick Gnome's house to give him some. Everybody knows that gnomes love oatmeal cookies.

Above: Back view. Tail is wrapped wire. Hood does not pull up. I tacked it so it would lay down.

Above: Nose and mouth are thin strands of wool felted down.

Above: Tiny little dress has red flowers on it. You cannot see the hand stitched collar, but it is there.

Plans are to make a wool Grandma's cottage pincushion. She stands at 3 1/4" tall. I have also sketched a Robin Hood with a tree pincushion, maybe mouse dressed up like a pig for The Three Pigs, along with a house pincushion, and several other storybook characters. I am sure that by now you have guessed that I love themed stuff.

Disclaimer: For some reason my spell check is not working today and if I misspelled anything, I apologize.

Have a wonderful sun filled day!

Holly