Frustrations, plans and new friends

In September I started the first full time job that I've had in five years. I love the job but it's been a shock to the system. I expected to have time in the evenings to do the creative things I want to do, and I was determined not to end up just working all day and vegging out in front of the tv all evening. But, of course, I'm exhausted and spend my evenings vegging out in front of the TV!

Thankfully a kind friend told me that it took her a year to adjust from part time to full time work, so I've taken some of the pressure off myself. What's left is frustration; I don't want to waste my evenings or my half terms (I'm working in a school) I don't want to be resting, I want to be making and doing and being creative. (I also had some good advice from Mum who said to do the creative stuff while you have energy because you can always do ironing etc when your brain is fried!)

I've managed to keep going with the Tag Tuesday blog and that's inspired me to make some plans for next year. I've also picked up puppeteering again, so there's an outlet there. I'm probably actually doing more than I realise, just not as much as I want.

So plans! I have in mind to make a crazy patchwork quilt, similar to the Green Knowe one I made. I want to base it on iconic images from the USA, and on the Stars and Stripes flag. I've been feeling the pressure to get on with it, so I've set myself this as a project for next year. Each month I will design and stitch a small panel, then in the school holidays I will assemble the panels that are done. By December 2013 it should be finished!

As for new friends, I've made several puppets. (See what I mean about doing more than I realise!) Excuse the photos, for speed I took them with my iPhone and iPad, and you don't always get the best results.
The old guy is paper mâché and fabric. I made the head ages ago and have finally got round to finishing it off. I've since replaced his hands with some felt that is more akin to his skin colour,and more to scale with the rest of him. I would make a longer sleeve next time.

The camels are adapted from a pattern I got from this website.
http://www.puppetpatterns.com/index.htm
I intend to make a third, what with Christmas coming up!

The little green guy is called Crockford, because of his jumper! He is so cute, aged about 3, and very talkative! He loves crocodiles and now has a big 'brudder' called Brookland. (Brookland looks the same but only talks by whispering to another person. He's about 6 and loves taking photographs. They are both named after places in Surrey!) They are made from the Roly pattern from this website, with Brookland being a 125% version of the pattern.

http://www.projectpuppet.com/servlet/StoreFront

Finally finished!

I finally got round to finishing a project I started ages ago, in fact so long ago I can't quite remember when! I had an idea to make some glove puppets, and made a papier mâché head. This got painted and has been sitting, featureless and bodyless on my study window sill.
Puppets have made a bit if a return into my life, with a puppet show for the kids at Sunday School last weekend. It reminded me how much I love puppets, and I decided to finish off my unfinished fella.
So here he is! I used a John Piper furnishing fabric remnant for his body, felt for his hands (wrong shade really but I couldn't find any the right colour in my stash) and fleece for his scarf. His hair is fur fabric. He ended up an older man, just because that's what he seemed to be!
I think he look better than I do in the photos due to a virus which has wiped me out for the last couple of weeks.! Just need to write a story for him...