'Morning Dew' Mushrooms ..

Hello my dear friends,

do you believe me when I tell you that I just couldn't stop myself from making more of my 'Dew Drop' mushrooms?! I made five more so far to be exact. They are all completed now and one is looking just as lovely as the other. They were so much fun to create and it was such a joy to see them come together bit by bit.

Again drop cloth and old doilies, a few of my favorite bits to work with were used. The mushroom gills were made from natural silk which is something I also love to work with. This time I chose to use different vintage crystals for the dew drops and my mushrooms have turned out just so beautiful but I will let you see for yourself now.

More 'Dew Drops' At the Forest's Edge ...

 

I hope you like my newest creations and much as I do. 

They have brought me so much joy already. The forest's edge wasn't available to me when I wanted to take photos of my lace and tarnished fungi but our beautiful willow tree was right in our backyard, perfect for the task and the Spring sun was also right on cue too. Everything was perfect in my eyes.

I will be listing my 'mushrooms' in my Etsy shop some time soon, if any of you might be interested in them. I will let you know here on Todolwen when I have done so.

Thank you for stopping by and visiting me here at Todolwen. It is always so nice when you do.

I hope you are well my dear friends and life is treating you kind.

Have a peaceful and creative day.

Wishing You All ..

Hello my dear friends,

just a short post today to wish you  all ...

... a very Happy Easter.

I hope you are all well my dear friends and life is treating you kind.

Wishing you all a 'hoppy' day.

Many hugs.

Growing At The Forest's Edge ..

Hello my dear friends,

don't you just love it when you find something new that you take a huge liking too? ~ I sure do!

I had several salt and pepper shaker 'bottoms' in one of my drawers since what seems forever and no clue what I could do with them. Well, until now that is.  Whilst I was trying to think of the theme for my next nest (I want to make hopefully some time later this year) these salt and pepper shaker halves came back into my mind again and I so wanted to create something neat using them.

They looked a tiny bit sad before ... no tops and almost a little lost without them.
Then again, they are also so beautiful. All tarnished and in very lovely shapes and different sizes.

I went with the thought of something to do with nature again and I am so glad I did. I know that it won't be the last time I am going to work with this idea, that's how much I already love it.
Subtle colors, drop cloth and lace once again were the perfect solution for my needs to create my newest piece and of course a little something special as well.

 What did I create? ... Fungus, also commonly known as mushroom.
 I was very fortunate that my design worked out the first time and I am so please with the way it looks. This is also one of those times where less is definitely more. At first I wanted to add some seam binding to this creation but in the end I didn't. Though I did add something special to my lacy fungi which makes it just right in my eyes.

And just like my  'At The Forest's Edge' nests, this creations also has a little story that goes with it and this is it's tale ...

'Dew Drops At The Forest's Edge' ...

... "At the small clearing, at the forest's edge, just right next to the large trees grow some lovely things. Mushrooms of lace have made their home there and grow peacefully amongst the other forest plants and soft moss. The morning sun is peaking through the branches and the dew drops that have gathered over night, on the mushroom tops are starting to awake and make their way to the forest's floor, slowly and gently dropping down."

(Again I have this picture in my mind and it is oh so lovely.)

And here is my first ...

'Dew Drop' Mushroom

I just love my lace and tarnished fungi!

I think that it is not only pretty but it is also quite versatile too.

 It looks lovely just standing on it's own or it can used as a broach display or even as a pincushion (YES!) ... so overall a neat creation, don't you think?! 

Of course where one mushroom grows, many more will grow too. I am just adding the finishing touches to a few more of them which I will be sharing with you soon. 

Thank you for stopping by today and I hope you have enjoyed my newest creation. 

Do come back some time and see what else I have to share.

I hope you are well my dear friends and life is treating you kind.

Have a peaceful and creative day.

I Think Spring Is Here ..

Hello my dear friends,

it seems that Spring is here.

The snow is gone for now and I say for now because here in Canada snow can fall at any time really. One day it can be warm and sunny and the next day it will look like a giant feather pillow blew up and covered everything in soft white stuff.

Yesterday started out very lovely ... 

... with warm sunshine and blue skies.

Little tufts of green have started to appear, as some of our plants are slowly starting to grow at the bottom of the willow tree.

With the sunshine came also some visitors to our garden.

The mourning doves are back and it is so nice to see them again.

And this time there were more than two.

Isn't this one just so lovely?

"Our' ducks came too and had such a nice time swimming in the fresh water that lays on top of the pool cover.

A little boy cardinal ...

... stopped by to have a bit of birdseed to eat and so did ...

... a little chipmunk. 

He filled his cheeks until nothing would fit anymore and then went home again.

Just before noon dark clouds rolled in and with them some heavy rain, thunder and lightning ...

... but after that stopped, ...

... a beautiful rainbow appeared in the still darkened sky in bright and bold colors.

And in our garden ... 

... a young blue jay sat in our maple tree, fluffing himself up to dry his wet feathers.

And the day ended just as nice as it had started. 

I normally don't take my camera with me when I go grocery shopping but this time I did. I am glad I did. Whilst I was out, I was able to capture this beautiful sunset and

... and the evening sky ...

... in which ...

... the beautiful maple leaf  stood proud.

I hope you have enjoyed today post and thank you for visiting me. It is always so nice when you do and if you have a few spare moments, why not stop by some time soon again, and visit me here at Todolwen and see what I have been up too.

I hope you are well my dear friends and life is treating you kind.

Have a peaceful and creative day.

Christmas To Come 2016 ..

Hello my dear friends,

just like these past few years, this year too I am having my ...

 'Christmas To Come' Giveaway.

And just like the past times, all you have to do is enter your name on this post and this post only,

to get a chance to win a gift from me.

Everything will really be the same, just like these past previous years.

I have no idea what my gift to the winner is going to be just yet and the winner will be picked some time in July. My gift will be mailed out just in time for it to be placed underneath the winner's Christmas tree. I won't be sharing what the gift was until after Christmas, so it's stays a surprise for the person receiving it.

Now it is up to you ... if you would like to maybe find a little surprise gift under your tree this Christmas, why not take part?!

You can also spread the word about my ' Christmas To Come' Giveaway 2016 but you don't have too, just don't forget to leave your name with me on this post. Please understand, that the names entered on this post only with be in the giveaway.  

As the first names are now being entered ...just a little thing I should have mentioned when I posted this the first time. Please don't forget that I will need an e-mail address if you are a no-reply blogger, so I can contact you if you are the lucky one.

This giveaway is now closed!

I hope you are well my dear friends and life is treating you kind.

Have a peaceful and creative day.

My Nests Are Now Listed ..

Hello my dear friends,

just a short post today to let you know that I have just listed my "At The Forest's Edge' nests for sale.

If you have a few spare moments, why not pop over to my Etsy shop and take a look if you might be interested.

Thank you for stopping by today and I hope you will visit me sometime again.

I hope  you are well my dear friends and life is treating you kind.

Have a peaceful and creative day.

My 'At The Forest's Edge' Nests ..

Hello my dear friends,

at last ... they are done!

I have been very busy this past past week and now all my 'At The Forest's Edge' nests are finished and ready to find new homes. Like I mentioned in my last post, I made seven more nests and those in three different sizes.

My smallest ones have three little eggs living in them.

The next size up has two larger eggs within the soft feathers and hemp fibres and finally ...

... the largest ones have three larger eggs resting in their midst.

They all turned out so lovely and I couldn't be happier about it. The two smallest nests are already sold and the others will be listed in my Etsy shop first thing tomorrow morning, if any of you are maybe interested in one.

Thank you for taking the time to visit me here at Todolwen today and I hope you have enjoyed your short stay.

I hope you are well my dear friends and life is treating you kind.

Have a peaceful and creative day.

'Being Inspired' ~ My Newest Creation ..

Hello my dear friends,

 Spring is just around the corner and my 'Being Inspired' creation is finished just in time for it.

I have been working on it since several weeks and bit by bit, everything has come together very nicely. A few of you knew right from the beginning what I was working on and today I am sharing my newest creation with all of you ... my newest felted nest. I haven't made any of these in a few years now and this was the perfect time for me to do so.

I spent an entire morning felting at my kitchen sink and I must say ... beware! Rubber gloves do not protect your fingers against the heat. Silly me, burnt my finger tips in the hot water! Thankfully they are all healed again. On the other hand ... rubber gloves do protect you against fabric dye and colored fingers, another thing I have to keep in mind for the future when dying something the next time. 

Just to refresh your memory, this is the scarf that inspired me so much...

I painted a picture in my mind and shared it with you in my first 'Being Inspired' post.

 My creation is now done and I have embellished its story a little more too...

... 'It was a beautiful Spring morning. The early sun was shining on a small clearing that lay at the edge of the forest. Bright green moss was growing between the rocks on the ground. In midst of this bed of nature lay a little nest all crooked and neat. It had fallen from high above, and now rests next to the large mature tree from which it fell. Small bunches of bold colored violets growing from the earth have now taken root in the woven body of the nest and are watching over the little eggs that are waiting to hatch.'

Close your eyes for a second ... can you see the clearing?

 As so many times, I just couldn't decide which pictures to share with you, so I have posted them all and now without further adieu here is my newest creation ...

... my new Spring nest ...

 'At The Forest's Edge'

 

 

I am so happy with my the look of my newest felted nest. My little violets and their woolen leaves look so pretty and the colors all harmonize nicely together. Everything turned out exactly like I saw it in my mind and that is always such a lovely thing when it happens.

And last but not least ...

Every Spring the feathered creatures and furry critters all get busy in making new nests.
So I decided to do the same.

Whilst I was working on the nest I shared with you today, I also felted seven more. I mad them different sizes and right now I am putting the final touches on them. I am hoping they will be done very soon and I will be listing them in my Etsy shop if any of you might be interested in one. I will let you know when they are listen here on Todolwen.

Thank you for taking the time to visit me today it is always so nice when you do.

I hope you are well and life is treating you kind.

Have a peaceful and creative day.