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I have so much to share with you all, I have been making and crafting, I've been to the Knitting and Stitching Show in Alexandra Palace (not one photo was taken lol far too excited!) I adopted a gorgeous rescue greyhound named Rumer, my dolls are jet setting all over the place and are in a beautiful new haberdashery store! Christmas orders are flying in.... of course, if I was a better blogger you guys would know all this right?

 

I am feeling quite blessed to be able to do something I love, something that is good for my soul, everyday... stitching!

Off to Birmingham!

Very excited here at Lou Loves This!!! I am off to the Birmingham Quilt Festival! I will be at stand A57 with Fabric Affair! If you will also be there, do pop over and say hello! I will have these lovely ladies with me.....and perhaps a few others ;)

 

Bloglovin'

I'm a little late to the party and all, but as Google Reader is going very soon... here's the link to follow me on Bloglovin 

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/3946434/?claim=qe55w3bd9qy">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

After 1st July 2013, you will no longer be subscribed to Lou Loves This, and it would make me very sad indeed to loose any of you lovely followers so, if you haven't already signed up to Bloglovin' it's super easy and I think I might even like it better than Google Reader!

Also, I must admit I have been a rather rubbish blogger as of late... but I have loads of dollies to share with you soon ;)

Audrey & Val's Teaparty!

 

Remember a while back the lovely Jacklyn over at Oh By Golly hosted a giveaway of my doll Clara? Well she was won by the awesome Jill and her daughters Audrey and Valerie!!

 

Audrey & Valerie enjoying their tea party!

Jill sent me these photos eons ago (sorry Jill! :D) of a very special tea party that Audrey, Val & their friend Mackenzie threw for Clara! How darling!

Audrey & Mackenzie serving Clara her tea :)

Clara and her tiny teacup and teapot :)

Can you see all the gorgeous little teacups and teapots and spoons? Not to mention the mini piano and that cake stand full of yummy sticky buns! So sweet... as a wee girl, I would have been in heaven!! Jill tells me that no other dolls were invited as Audrey felt that Clara was 'too important' lol

 

Ohhh... look at her!! Pouring herself some refreshment... she's so cute!

Thanks to the wonders of Facebook, I have kept in touch will Jill, she is so lovely and witty too, she obviously dotes on her two beautiful girls... also, I think that Val is probably the funniest kid... ever!

Miss Clara, chillin'

So thank you ladies, for sending me these pics...You made my heart happy :)

 

PS ...can I move in and have tea parties too? lol

 

Jaelyn & Isabel

Look what dropped into my inbox a few days ago!!! This beautiful photo shoot of Jaelyn and her new little buddy, Isabel Owl...

Jaelyn's Mum, the lovely Jenny from Wright By Me got in touch a few weeks ago wanting an owl doll to match the new decor of her daughters room. The colour palette was coral, hot pink, creamy white and a touch of gold. Now really..... She couldn't have given me a better colour scheme!!

Detail of Jaelyn's room with little Isabel perched on her shelf!

It's great to be able to craft on a whim and create whatever you want, but to be given a design brief and the task of making something to someone elses specifications, well that's great for exercising the creative muscles... invaluable!

 

 

When Jenny sent me these photos of Jaelyn, (isn't she just gorgeous?) I was over the moon!! This wasn't something I expected when I started this little venture last Summer... I didn't expect to make such lovely connections with people, and for them to show me my dolls in their new home... I get a real kick out of that!!

So thank you Jenny and Jaelyn, for the challenge and for the beautiful photos, you made this girl very happy indeed :)

Jaelyn opening Isabel... I LOVE these pics!!

Please check out Jennys beautiful blog Wright By Me , she does some serious diy, decor and party planning!

Bloggy Swappy Friends...

Wanna see what I got from the lovely Denae? *Warning, this post is heavy on pics and cuteness*

 

I may have mentioned a while back that I was doing a swap with my lovely bloggy friend Denae, well it finally came to fruition, (she had to kinda wait on me a bit ~ sorry D!) She is the sweetest of sweethearts and I couldn't wait to see her Amigurumis in person....When her package arrived I was sooo excited, she did not disappoint! I didn't even take pics of her pretty box I just tore right in!!! Check out what she sent me.....

 

 

 

Look at this little dachshund!! Isn't he just gorgeous? We briefly discussed beforehand what we would like each other to make, I asked Denae if I could have a dog, in particular I asked for a dachshund, to go with a doll that I had in mind. I LOVE him..... LOVE him I say!! I mean, he is exactly what I had in mind.

 

When I saw this next baby, I gasped... and I ain't gonna lie, I may have shed a little tear :)..

 

 

She made me a Ami Rookie!!!! Y'all know how much I adore my boy.... the fact that she got the line on his nose and his white chest makes me smile!

 

 

Then, out popped this ickle kitty... look at her! She gots a wee bow in her hair.... Denaes work is amazing.... I think I shall make a doll to match!

 

 

Look at this wee bear (gotta get him a name) ohhh I wanna eat him, he's so adorbs! I just kept pulling handfuls of cuteness outta that package :)

 

 

 

BTW... he is on my desk, right beside me as we speak! He's in my crew along with Grumpy Bonnie...

 

 

 

 I don't think I ever told Denae that I loved all things nautical, but somehow she knew.... maybe she's psychic? lol This brooch is so impressive, I wish you could see all the teeny tiny stitches up close... perfect!

 

The little bows are super pretty! I am actually using one as a bookmark at the mo!! Also my girls at the Saturday Stitches Club will love these too, can't wait to show them.

 

 

Denae sent me loads of little extras... lots of different types of tea, I have already had the Tazo Wild Sweet Orange.. omg! It smelled and tasted amazing, I loved the Lemon too but I haven't tried the rest yet. I also got some chocolate.... that.... um... didn't last very long! I didn't get a close up shot of it but you can see it in the pic below....Ghirardelli Sea Salted Caramel! Sea. Salted. Caramel.... I was in heaven. D also sent me some washi tape, yay! I had run out and, c'mon a girl can never have enough washi tape , right? Plus one of them has an antique scissor print on them.... I have a thing for scissors.

 

 

You all got to go check out this lovely lady, she is the sweetest thing, her blog is a feast for the eyes and her writing style is so welcoming and inclusive, Ami Amore. If you are looking to offer a forever home to one of her Amis check out her Etsy shop... be warned.. you will want every single thing!

 

Do you wanna see what I sent Denae? Then just click here

 

Thank you Denae, so much! I will cherish each beautiful piece that you made me... So glad that our paths crossed.....here's to being bloggy friends...

 

... actually here's to being bloggy swappy friends ;)

 

Lou x

 

PS click on the pics to make them bigger

 

 

 

 

 

Grumpy Bonnie

Sometimes, when making a doll or a softie, I am very conscious of letting it's character kinda develop as I'm stitching, I usually have a very definite idea of colour and theme, but there is a certain delight in turning your new creation right side out and seeing a little wonky ear or a jubilant little face!

Case in point.... here's Wee Grumpy Bonnie....

 

 

Bonnie came about as I was making some softies for my Girls at the Saturday Stitches Club... and I got to thinking that I have never made a teddy bear! I foresaw a cute, huggable bear that could be found permanently tucked under her owners arm, getting dragged along for nap times.

 

 

What I got was a little sourpuss!!!.... Look at the sulky expression! I LOVE her grumpy wee face! In fact, I love her so much that I'm keeping her... she's my little companion as I sew...

 

 

 

Ahem... I think she kinda disproves of the mess that is my crafting desk!!

 

 

I'm thinking that some version of Bonnie will end up in my Etsy shop, I would probably give her a little pot-belly, change the ear placement slightly and use a different technique to attach the limbs...

 

Happy accidents, eh? Have you had any recently?

 

In other news, it was my birthday yesterday :) I don't usually really bother to celebrate it much but this year, I had the loveliest day. I was taken for dinner (twice this week! Once on Wednesday and again last night) and had some retail therapy, I erm.. went a little crazy with the Soap & Glory ... I may have a problem lol.

 

 

 

Thanks for stopping by <3

Miss Betty Bee

 

Oh My!! Has it really been that long? I think it's safe to say that one lost ones mojo! :) I'm not sure what happened really... I have a tendency to want to hibernate every now and then, especially in the dark winter months...

 

Anyways, I am back in fighting form, with lots to share! So without further ado.... please meet Miss Betty Bee!

 

 

 

Little Betty has been floating about in my head for ages.... I originally sketched her months ago and was always gathering the materials and the bits n' pieces I would need for her, then all of a sudden, perhaps two weeks ago, I just HAD to make her!!

 

My original sketch for Miss Betty Bee...

It usually happens that way for me, a particular idea will stick in my mind  I'll mull it over and think of nothing else... So as inspiration hit, I quickly pulled out the stash of yellow and black that I had gathered and got to stitchin'!

 

 

Miss Betty Bee is flamboyant and creative, she loves to sing and dance, in fact I'm pretty sure she longs to be a Broadway Superstar.... she wants her name up in lights!!

 

 

Again, she is entirely hand stitched by moi, and she will soon be available in my Etsy store.

 

 

I am in full on sewing mode these last few days, and I currently have the cutest wee Polar Bear (her name is Patti... I think..) on my desk waiting for her new dress.... I shan't keep her waiting..

 

Until next time, which wont be another 3 months... promise! I gots lots  of  little dolls and critters and news to share, and I am super excited to be doing a swap with the lovely Denae from Ami Amore she makes the most darling teeny tiny amigurumis, you should check out her pretty blog :)