Elk Lake

We went for a walk around the nature trail at Elk Lake yesterday. We hadn’t done that walk before, so we weren’t sure exactly what distance we would cover. Elk lake actually joins up with Beaver lake so to cover the whole distance would take hours and we didn’t have experience with these trails.

Next time we’re going to go the opposite direction as I think we can get a better understanding of where the trails lead. The trail we’ll use follows along the shoreline of the lake so that we can see where we’re at, rather than peeking through the bushes to try and figure that out. It’s a great walk non the less, although it is a very busy place with lots of joggers, people with their dogs and others just taking in the fresh air, beauty and getting exercise.

Our Gold Medal winning National Rowing teams here in Canada use Elk lake for their training, so we also had a chance to walk down and see where all their boats are and from the outside at least, the clubhouse. Here’s a link to more about them. You can see them out on the lake at all times and early early mornings…

While we were walking, we found a bench to sit and enjoy the view that you could see. We brought some fruit and water and it was nice to just sit in the quiet of the woods, with occasional pooches passing by walking their owners. This is the view, isn’t it nice. The other side you see is the part that if you continue to the left would join up with Beaver Lake. We’ll figure that out next time we go.

Just reflecting on the view makes you more cognizant of how much we need to preserve these beautiful surroundings and help Mother Nature do her work.

On our way back to the car we passed by this lovely growth of Queen Ann’s Lace, at least I’m assuming that’s what it is. I’ve never seen it so big before, it was almost 5 ft. tall and so pretty. Next time we go, I’ll take more pictures because the whole area is just so beautiful. We plan to do more walks soon as we’ve missed those. In our own defence though, it has been really rainy and it makes for slippery walking on sometimes tricky pathways. Until next time.

Cloth Doll Marrotte’s

I finished my Marrotte’s today and thought you might like to see them. This was in an online class at Joggles, with Judy Skeel. That same class is now being offered over at Doll Street, so if you like them, don’t miss this class. Just think there’s no body and tiny fingers to turn. Just heads on sticks. I mean really, how much easier could it be. ;o))

This is one started off with painted eyes, but sometimes we can get carried away and over work a thing. That’s what happened here. I hated the eyes so I poked holes in them (poor thing) and popped in some plastic eyes and gave her eyelids. It made all the difference. The top of her head is embellished with fairy size paper roses that I got from Joggles. They are awesome trims if you want just that right thing for a special project. The lamb skin hair had gotten a bit wild looking, so I took my crochet hook and a bit of water and curled the bits of hair, much better. The back of this ones head is wrapped with gimp (lampshade trim), then I wrapped some fringe around the head (it’s about 4” long with the top braided edge.

   

I keep thinking this is my favourite one. I love the black and white look and I’m going to be doing one or two more black and white themed dolls for the show in September. This one has black/white fringe for hair. There are black ribbon roses around the tassel trim on the hat that aren’t instantly noticeable, but IRL they are a great feature.

  

The purple and green one is also a pretty one. The face was nice before, but of all of them, this one just screamed forth when I sprayed with the fixative. It just seemed to come to life. This one has a boa for hair, that’s always tricky to work with.

 

Next is the fuchsia and gold one, with a touch of green. What you can’t see well in the picture, is how the ribbons are twisted together, and in between the rows I tucked in some beaded fringe. I especially like the playful look on this ones face.

  

The last one I call the Cranky Gypsy. Doesn’t she just look like she’s itching to give you a nasty Tarot card reading…. Her hair is done with a boa as well. The hat is  trimmed with a beaded fringe.

  

All of the sticks are painted to match one of the colours in the dolls, then I painted them with Twinkles glitter glue which really made them pop. Each one also has a cabochon glued to the bottom of the stick. The base of the sticks are trimmed with a variety of ribbons, lace, paper roses and/or cabochons. I was a bit worried about their quirky noses at first, but as each one came together, I realized it just gave them so much charm, so I love them as they are. Enjoy…;o)))

Dress Form is done

Well, I said I would show this soon. I didn’t mean quite this long since my last post. I’m finished the first dress form though and I think it turned out quite well. I think I’m over dosed on Project Runway, I keep running over in my mind the terms they use when they’re creating their designs and all I kept thinking was, “If I drape this and that, and take it in here and there”. It was fun.

I didn’t use a premade pattern for the garment, I just “draped” the fabric on and cut the pieces to fit as I went. The bodice is lined with a yellow floral which is part of the family of fabrics for the whole look. The only fabric that is separate is the faux under blouse. I actually only made a front piece for the bodice, then a second piece that I pleated and fit over the first one, then stitched on the buttons which are just little pearl beads.

The ruffles are made from organza and grosgrain ribbon that I gathered and fitted onto the bodice as I went along. The flowers are so sweet. The blue roses are ribbon roses, the yellow ones are paper roses that I got from Joggles. I think they were just perfect for this project. I am finishing off another project that I will show you in a bit.

 

It’s Spring Again!

Spring is here and so are the new babies… There are families of Canadian Geese at the military base. Couldn’t get close enough to take nice close up pictures, mama and papa were staying very close to the babies and hissing at us when we got to close. So this is the best I could get. So cute and I bet so cuddly…