mimilove

Happy New Year!

2012-01-29T10:30:00.000-08:00

Ah bugger, missed it! Not unlike the bezzie who spent an entire school disco circa '82 rooted to the spot under a net full of balloons in eager anticipation of them being released on her, unfortunately that same year the committee in charge had gone stark staring mad and laid on ice cream in cones for the first time in living memory. Seeing the rest of the school parading past with theirs she eventually cracked, left her spot she'd been guarding all night and shot off to the dining room to claim hers...she walked back in to the hall clutching her cone just in time to watch 100's of balloons being released...you could almost hear the sound of her heart breaking...bless! ;0)

So yes Christmas/New Year, well most of mine was spent on my back rolling around feeling sorry for myself and not, unlike most years, because I'd eaten my body weight in Mr.Mimi's trifle. No, I was stricken with some hideous flu virus thing which has only just left the building...bleurgh!

Couple that with the in-law's health deteriorating/hospitals/hospices I've barely had a chance to thread a needle and I'm afrad the ol' internetting has taken a backseat, so apologies to all my chums and new followers if there's been a lack of Mimi Lovin' your way, I hope to make amends soon!

So lets get cracking with some of the good stuff that has been helping to keep me the right side of sane!

First off a big shout out n a virtual huggin' to the fabulous Mr.X Stitch for putting up with me and my wittering by interviewing me for Creative Crafting online mag. Read me drivvling on about stitching and cake shovelling over at Creative-Crafting here. Thank you big you big fella :) x

Also congratulations to Carina from Polka & Bloom and Nicole from Follow the White Bunny for their fabulous new magazine &Stitches. &Stitches is a quarterly e-zine, all about modern stitching. It has a strong focus on all kinds of embroidery and other (hand) sewing projects and is packed to the rafters with stunning photographs, glorious colour and some fabulous helpful tips and tricks...I'm hoping the girls will one day launch the mag into print because it really is a joy to behold...and I'm not just saying that cos I'm in it! ;0)

Grab your copy here:

I'm currently working on some new pieces heading for the Glasgow Goodkind Gallery, Cathryn informs me that Cockney Sparrows and Gnomes are taking Montana by storm...huzzah!

(Yoink! Photo courtesy of Goodkind Gallery)

And so to my recent pictures and a public apology for making my
mate Robey cry...I have that effect on people and not necessarily for the right reasons! ;0)

Meet Archie, a handsome English Bull terrier and loyal, sorely missed chum.

　
Pam had to say a heart breaking farewell to Archie late last year and this is my wee tribute to him I've surrounded Archie in lots of hand stitched stars in metallic threads and tiny drops of golden glitter paint which sparkle like his personality did

　

Words read:
Stars shining bright above you
Night breezes seem to whisper I love you
Birds singing in the sycamore tree
Dream a little dream of me

　

Night night Archie, sleep well precious chap. Watercolour and acrylic on canvas with hand embroidery

So there we go; the balloons, like my bezzie was, are thoroughly deflated, the tree is back in the loft and I wont have to take the ironing off the excercise bike cos I actually managed to lose weight over Christmas...that will last about as long as my resolutions but I can bend over in my jeans without passing out at the moment so bring on the flu! ;D

Next time I will be sharing the fully stitched version of my latest commission...a chicken, huzzah!

Once again apologies to all you wonderful folk for my lack of contact recently, I really cannot thank you all enough or tell you what it means to me that you take the time to drop in and leave such lovely comments and send me such heart warming messages. As some of you know it's a bit of a stress on the home front at the minute but knowing there's a world of love and support out there keeps the MimiLove going x

Big MimiLoves to y'all and thanks for droppin' by! x:)

Hello!

2011-12-11T06:35:00.000-08:00

'Allo darlin's! Well you all look like a right bunch of bobby dazzlers today n no mistake!

Before I bore you rigid with my incessant drivvling I want to give a big Mimi Love thank you to the supremely gorgeous Olisa, stitchy Queen behind cocoaeyesthestitcher for featuring my flea as part of her Big Yes series.

Check out Olisa's beautiful embroidery work here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/22108593@N06

Thank you Olisa! x:)

Now folks get your speakers on cos you need to listen to this for my latest picture to make any sense as there's a bit of a tale behind this one and not just of the feathery variety!

Many moons ago when I was knee high to a Space Hopper, my mum was suffering from all manner of heavy duty ailments which required specialist treatment and general poking about by consultants, such was the rarity of her condition our local hospitals couldnt deal with it so she was referred to the big guns at St.Thomas' hospital in London.

The hospital is more or less smack bang opposite the Houses of Parliment & Big Ben and
on appointment days mum and dad would drag me off up to old London town and whilst mum was having her tests and so forth, Dad would take me for a mooch along the South Bank and keep me amused with his stories and rhymes.

You may have read some of the rhymes he made up for me in some of my other works

To the tune of the Mickey Mouse Club song:

And his version of Hickory Dickory Dock

This particular one, (without swear words!) he made up for our London visits

When Big Ben was due to chime the hour Dad would sit me down and sing this song to the bells:

Hello Big Ben! How are you today? Bye Bye Big Ben, see you another day!

Well it kept me amused! He thought I'd forgotton all about it until the pair of us were heading up to London on the train together some 20yrs later. As the train neared Waterloo we both caught a glimpse of Big Ben, looked at each other and smiled as we were both singing it to ourselves :)

I shall shut my face now and get to the picture, inspired by all things London and my folks

Remember this fella from the last post...pigeon post if you will...snigger:

　

Well here is again all stitched up, as with most pigeons he's been joined by a chum, ah bless!

There's a stitchy Big Ben in the background and you've hit it just in time to hear Dad's tune

Ding dong! Ding dong! ooo it's set the other birds off with tune too, wee stitchy musical notes drift off into the sky

The pigeon pair are taking a break from the concrete city and have nestled themselves down amongst a leafy, grassy undergrowth stitched in all manner of silks and glittery metallics. French knots a-plenty!

　

I lost Dad to cancer back in 1995, he was 49, Mum followed 4yrs later, she was 55, but I still sing it everytime I see Big Ben and altho there's a wee tear in the eye, there's a also a smile on my boat race too!

So there we go then, with 14 days left til Christmas Day (Dad's birthday incidentally) this will be my last picture of the 2011 but I shall be back in 2012 with a renewed vigour, 2 stone over weight and no doubt another excercise machine to drape my ironing off.

In the meantime I would like to thank you all for your support of my work over the past few years, putting up with my witterings and for all your lovely comments and messages, they really do mean the world to me xx

I wish you all a SUPREMELY PEACEFUL & HAPPY CHRISTMAS!!!

Big MimiLoves to y'all and thanks for droppin' by! x:)

Brrrrr and Grrrrrr!

2011-11-16T11:54:00.000-08:00

'Allo my bloggy chums I hope this finds you all magnificent and gorgeous as ever as we crash headlong towards to Christmas...arrghh!?

Gordon Bennet it's brass monkeys outside! My garden looks like a walloping great leafy, twiggy bomb has gone off in it and quite frankly it can stay like that, I'm refusing to go out until the sun has got his hat on again, so looking around sometime next May...ish

Besides, I figure it's beneficial for the wildlife and over wintering insects...I also use this excuse for avoiding a wide variety of household chores including dusting, washing up and hoovering...Mr.Mimi is having none of it though and despite my best enviromentalist/save the planet/minimising our carbon footprint lectures he is currently writing something rude in the dust on the mantlepiece...sarky git

Anyway I can't possibly get involved with housework today cos I've got far more important things to do...there's a great big THANK YOU to the lovely Jill from www.sooldsonew.blogspot.com first, whom I mentioned in my last post

Jill is a textile artist producing joyous fun filled pieces which are available from her brilliantly named Fiberluscious Etsy shop
From pin cushions and needlecases...

to my personal favourites fabric crowns and tiaras...

Her beautiful work that has also appeared on Martha Stewarts Dreamers into Doers website no less!! Jill has most generously featured me as her Artist of the Month on her blog and it's such a lovely post I shed a wee tear that my folks arent around to read it *sniff*
Thank you so much Jill xx

So in between housework dodging and snivvling I have been at it with the needles and paints!I've been inspired by the chilly bones weather and all things snowy n winterwonderlandy...it's a bit schmaltzy too but hey what's life without a bit schmaltz...if it's good enough for Marks n Spencer!!

Here for your purchasing pleasure, a fluffy spotty snow leopard. I've gone a bit wild and free with the painting here in the hope that I've captured the whole snow storm, blizzard vibe...plus I was having a bit of a sugar rush from a batch of Christmas gingerbread stuff that I've been "researching"

Anyway he's painted in deep blues and greys with whiffs of pinky goldy browns and soft lilacs and I've stitched up a storm in silks and cottons, glittery metallic threads

If you've no place to go, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...leopard!

Walloping great snowflake...bugger to stitch!

There's also some tiny glass beads and specks of glitter paint in silver and coppers which glint and twinkle when the light hits them (no gingerbread crumbs, promise!)

Watercolours and embroidery on paper and will be sent in his own alpine blue card mount ready for sticking in your favourite frame.

He's currently waiting patiently over at my Etsy shop hoping someone will take him home before he get's buried under a snowdrift n you'll only see his ears...come to think of it, that would've been an easier painting...

Also waiting in the wings...titter...sorry...is this fella.
COO! A wee pigeon all sloshy in purples, pinks, greens, reds, greys and blues...pretty much any colour I could get on there really :)

I'm back on canvas with this one and really looking forward to starting work on it, it's been a while; I like working on paper but I can't let rip with the stitching like I can on canvas so forgive the delay as I will be relishing this one, and indeed gingerbread, for a bit

Stay tuned for more posts though as there's more exciting stuff that I might be able to tell you about...again much giggling and leaping around when no-one's looking! ;)

Righto, I suppose I better go and polish the swear words and cartoon genitals off the sideboard...it's not easy this domestic goddess lark...*sigh*

So until the next my homies, big MimiLoves to y'all and thanks for droppin' by! x:)

Ochtober...

2011-11-02T12:22:00.000-07:00

..where did that go?!

Oh my poor neglected blog, I hang my head in shame for the lack of updates, but by 'eck I've been run off me tootsies, I shant bother you with all the gory details suffice to say it's been a right old bag of tights!

Most recently an emergency dash to the vets with our old girl Ruby resulted in having half her gnashers (and most of my bank account) removed only to find out she has hyperthyroidism too so now has twice daily meds, which the crafty old biddy has realised she can stash in her gummy side and spit it out when I'm not looking...grandma has been warned not to try the same trick!

Between the in-laws and the kitties with all their varous ailments, the scenes at breakfast time are somewhere between Carry on Doctor and All Creatures Great and Small and the stitching and internetting mojo has been a bit lacking of late; the overwhelming instinct being to crawl under the nearest duvet and not come out, but whinge over, cos I've had some lovely stuff going on too which has been like having a big virtual hug so I'd like to share some good stuff with you and thank you for putting up with my moaning! :)

First up to warm the cockles of my heart this week. The wonderful Judy Darley (who wasn't put off by interviewing me last time!), featured me in this months issue of Cross Stitch Collection issue 203...yay and thank you Judy! :)

That was all the motivation I needed to crawl out from under the duvet and I have finally got my stitch back on!

So there's a bit of a Scottish theme with my most recent work, which is currently heading off to the wonderful Cathryn Sugg from the Glasgow Goodkind Gallery in Montana

Cathryn is very generously showcasing a wee selection of my work at the gallery and asked if I could produce a custom peice that represented the town..."Hell yeah!"

Cathryn gave me plenty of info to go on, including the local mascot of a Scottie dog, colours of red, black and grey and the local school song

So here is, pre-stitchy but keeping the chill off in his natty tartan scarf:

Watercolor on paper

　
And here is again all stitched up Jimmy!

　

A few lines from the school song:
"Aye! We're the Glasgow Scotties!
Proud to be the Scotties
Cheer all ye lads and lassies!

I also tracked down the school logo, a wee Scottie in his Tam o' Shanter

Keeping him company on his journey are a few of my prints and cushions including

No place like gnome with his lantern and snowflakes:

A very sleepy gnome...please do not disturb!

A glittery jingly bell budgie

And a very hungry Cockney Sparrow!

Fear not though, if you can't make it along to the gallery versions of these fellas are available over at the MimiLove Etsy shop

And whilst I'm on the subject of Etsy, a big THANK YOU! to Waterrose for including cheeky Cockney Sparrow in her beautiful treasury which made it to the Etsy front page!

So once again a big thank you to all the folks that brought a little sunshine into my life and to you folks for popping by and putting up with me :)

Stay tuned for some hot interview action from my stitchy chum, the lovely Jill from Fiberluscious ...don't you just LOVE that name?!

And some other exciting stuff that I'm not allowed to tell about yet...but when no-one's looking I giggle and jump up and down a bit I'm that excited

ooo and a chicken ;0)

Right well it's just gone 7pm so it's time for me to don my white coat again ...if anyone out there has any tips on time management I would seriously be greatful!

Big MimiLoves to y'all and thanks for droppin' by! :)

Eating out...

2011-09-28T11:56:00.000-07:00

Well hello you gorgeous bunch, may I say you are looking paticularly lovely today!
Now I hope you've all been trying out your new Cockney rhyming slang skills on folks and family members?! :)
Well I think it's time we moved on to a bit more advanced stuff, but don't panic if you've just joined as my Cockney for beginners Sparrows are available at my Ye olde Etsy shoppe here:

Allo my old china!

So as promised/threatened last time, we're moving on to eating out!

Mr. Sparrow sits amongst a big old bunch of hand stitched leafery in pink and browns, turquoise and greens with bright pinks, reds orange and purple.

He seems a bit peckish...(pardon the pun!)

:
Hand stitched words...repeat after me:

"GORDON BENNETT!
I'm bleedin' Hank Marvin!
I'm goin for a Ruby Murray, then off down the rub-a-dub
for a swift pigs ear!"

Translation:
"Goodness me I'm hungry!
I'm going for a curry and then a visit to the pub for a beer"

Hank Marvin = Starving
Ruby Murray = Curry
Rub-a-Dub = Pub (public house/bar)
Pig's Ear = Beer

I will provide a translation with the item just in case of confusion! :)

Colourful, fun and food themed; send a surreal message via the language of Cockney Rhyming Slang, a unique gift for the fridge raider in your house perhaps...give the gift of Cockney Sparra this Christmas- nowt says "Luv ya me old trouble n strife/ pot and pan" like a Cockney Sparrow! ;0)

Big MimiLoves to y'all and thanks for droppin' by!
x

Mind your language!

2011-09-20T05:43:00.000-07:00

Hello my bloggy buddies hope you are all feelin' fine and dandy?! :)

Well the kiddywinks are all back to school/college/uni by now and so inspired by all things learny/teachy I thought I'd offer you all the chance to learn a new language.

Cockney Rhyming Slang to be precise and this will be via the medium of Cockney Sparrow pillows...it's a bit like Rosetta Stone only much squidgier!

Bow and Arrow = Sparrow
Pronounciation: Bow n Arra

If you are planning a trip to the East End of London or there is a traveller in your family or indeed a complete loon, then these wee fella's would make a perfect gift/ travel guide/phrase book and they're pocket sized too so you can just whip one out at a moments notice and never be stuck for conversation again! :)

So your first lesson for today is your basic greeting:
Allo my old china!
Hello my friend
China plate = Mate.

Now I know some of you may have seen these before but I think we should start at the beginning so everyone is at the same level!

Sparra no.1

Mr. Sparrow sits amongst a big old bunch of hand embroidery in earthy browns, oranges and lilacs and baby blues with silky cerise pink french knots.

Also features glittery coppery bronze paint for added glitz

Hand stitched greeting in bright orange:

"Allo my old china!"

Fronts are all painted and stitched onto unbleached calico. Backing is a heavyweight black and white gingham and is filled with hollowfibre padding. This chap features a brown chiffon and cord loop for your suspending pleasure!

Sparra no:2

　Mr. Sparrow sits amongst a field of stitches in a positive rainbow of colours ranging from soft lilacs and greens to bright zingy oranges and turquoise!
Hand stitched greeting in bright orange:
"Allo my old china!"
This chap comes with a yellow chiffon and cord loop

Sparra no:3

Mr. Sparrow sits amongst a big old bunch of hand stitched leaves in earthy browns, oranges and purples with shiney metallic gold threads.

Also features glittery gold paint, shiney multi golden toned sequin flower and gold glass beads for added bling!

Hand stitched Cockney greeting in bright orange:

"Allo my old china!"

Features warm sunny yellow chiffon and cord loop

Sparra no:4

Mr. Sparrow sits amongst a field of hand stitched undergrowth in a positive rainbow of colours ranging from bright greens and blues to zingy oranges and reds

Hand stitched Cockney greeting in bright orange:

"Allo my old china!"

This fella has a green chiffon and cord loop

These particular little pillows/learning aids are available at my Etsy shop and each Sparrow will be accompanied with a translation card in case of confusion.

For those of you are already familiar with Cockney Rhyming Slang there are other more advanced versions ideal for the more fluent among you :0)

Passport? Check!

Tickets? Check!

Cockney Sparrow? Check!

Stay tuned for your next lesson: Eating Out.
Speaking of which, it's surely time for a cake...
Big MimiLoves to you all and thanks for droppin' by!

Don't make me angry!

2011-09-11T08:59:00.000-07:00

GRRR!

Ey up my bloggy buddies! Cor blimey it's been a yonk and half since I've been at the ole blog it's fair cobwebby!

But I haven't spent all that time shovelling down cake n chocolates...that's not to say there wasn't a certain amount of confectionary action, no I've been up to all sorts including some actual stitching!

So first up, a bit of trumpet blowing I'm afraid, but I was chuffed to bits about this so you'll have to put your fingers in your ears if raging me me me isn't your thing!

Guess who copped an Etsy Front Page?! OH YES! ;0)

Big thank you to DawnandRoss for including one of my Cockney Sparrows in their beautiful treasury :)

A huge sigh of relief now as I FINALLY finished the walloping great Audrey Hepburn painting...phew!

I'll be completely honest with you it was a royal pain in the doobries. I had a false start by getting half through a version of it which was just too hideous for words and brought on a monumental "I can't do it" strop.

However after a Mr.Mimi "give it up you insane old tart!" pep talk and a big deep breath I finally got my wotsits in gear and here she is...unfortunately the photo is diabolical but you get the general jist.

Pink innit?!
It's in a pop art stylee and there's no embroidery either, although as it was over a metre wide it's probably just as well, but the recipients love it, I'm never doing another one like it again and Mr.Mimi is nursing a bruised shin...all good ;0)

And talking of hissy fits...check this wee fella out...GRRR!!

Latest piece heading over to the MimiLove Etsy Emporium
This is not a happy chappy, I don't know what's got his giddygoat but it's got his dander right up!!

GRRRRR!

Oh dear it's obviously catching, look whose smashing his way through the undergrowth now, only the bloody Incredible Hulk!! GRRRR! (actually he bears an uncanny resemblance what I look like when I'm gardening)

"Oh don't make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry" stitched in black silks with ANGRY picked out in orange and red and lots of GRRRRR'S in cotton

This fella is painted and stitched on watercolor paper for a change and I have mounted the picture in a rather charming pale blue card mount and the stroppy little sod can be yours if you head on over the my shop :)

So this week I will mostly be stuffing gnomes and stitching snowflakes in readiness for Christmas...can you believe the supermarkets are stuffed to the gunnels with mince pies already? It just puts the pressure on me to buy n try them now, cos you know, I don't want to ruin the family Christmas by giving them duff mincies...it's research alright?!

GRRRR!

Big MimiLove's to you homies and thanks for droppin' by!! :)

It's not all about me Mi mi...

2011-08-07T05:10:00.000-07:00

...well tis a bit! :)

Hello my bloggy chums, I hope you are all feeling most groovy on this sunniest of Sundays?:)

So readers of my witterings may remember from my last post that I have recently been contacted by the lovely Carina from Feeling Stitchy to take part in their July Stitch-a-Long.

It was a new venture for me and I was a little nervous as it's not something I'd ever done before, but with a helping and very patient hand from Carina, I created a pattern based on my Tom Jones Gnome...

Well I'm thrilled to report folks have been stitching like the wind and there is a positive Army of Gnomes to show you, so pull up a toadstool and let's get started!

jenaissancedesign

I love Jen's use of watercolours and stitching...a gal after my own heart....and check out his fancy shirt detail..wish I'd thought of that! :)

Favourite_things

Carolyn from favourite_things chose a beautiful soft colour palette so Tom could blend in with the other gnomes that hide in her garden and I do love a before and after action shot! :)

Jaimebarks

Jaimebarks gnome is hitching a ride on her little boy Henry's backpack. Jaime made me laugh with this comment from her blog:

"When I showed Jason the bag his first response was that he needed to teach Henry to fight because he is gonna get his butt kicked. Of course I informed him that in preschool I am pretty sure gnomes are bad ass."

MissPixieCrafts

I hope Katy from Miss Pixie Craft's has her feet up and is enjoying a well earned rest with a cup of tea and cake...look at all those glorious fill in stitches...awesome work!

Snifferooski

Keni...now this little fella just melts me! I just want to give his big belly and beard a big old hug...I love Keni's stitching and the French Knot beard is just inspired!

DaisyEyes

A very dapper chappy in his stripey shirt by Aimee and I love the wee tassel adorning his hat too!

Dunderklumpen

Another fabulous beard and Dunderklumpen's mix of applique and stitching which has been applied to a cushion gives him added cuddle factor! :)

Carina

Carina and her joyous colour palette...diggin' those yellow booties madam! :)

Once again I cannot thank Carina and Feeling Stitchy enough for inviting me to take part in their Stitch a Long and I also want to say a big THANK YOU!!! to all those who joined in and very generously gave me permission to yoink their photo's too, it's been such a thrill for me to see everyone's work!

If you fancy a go at your own gnome, the pattern is still available for download here and make sure you send me photo's of your work because I would love to see them and share them here on the ol' blog!

Also in the Mimi news this week yet another big THANK YOU!! to Victoria from Freedom of Stitch for featuring my Dean Martin Octopus...

...in epsiode 2 of her epic Sinister Stitch Chronicles project on youtube...

Work is still on going on the walloping great Audrey Hepburn painting...

　

And a public apology to my bezzie for making her cry! (It was in a good way though when I gave her this portrait I'd painted for her birthday, of her sadly missed furry chum Floyd)

So I hope you all enjoyed meeting my Gnomie Homies as much as I did?!
Happy stitchin', big loves to y'all and thanks for droppin' by!
x:)

Starsky...no Hutch!

2011-07-10T03:22:00.000-07:00

Well hello my bloggy chums I hope you are all feeling as glorious as you are all looking today?!
Lots to show and tell today so I shall dispense with my usual drivveling on dive straight in! :)

So I have recently been contacted by the lovely Carina from Feeling Stitchy asking me if I'd lke to take part in their July Stitch-a-Long, naturally I responded with my usual grace and diginity "WOOHOO, HELL YEAH!" and felt quite the sewing super star...least until a certain furry member of Team Mimi came flying through the cat flap and promptly vomited a half digested mouse on the kitchen floor thereby bringing any illusions I had of grandeur crashing back to earth...bless their furry, blood thirsty hearts!

However despite the kitties best efforts to scupper my plans and with a guiding (and very patient!!) hand from my mate Carina, I have finally managed to create a pattern featuring my Tom Jones Gnome for your stitchy pleasure!

I have tried to leave a bit of scope for you to run with him so he could be painted, stitched, appliqued, beaded, whatever takes your gnomey fancy :)

So head on over to the Feeling Stitchy blog where you can download the pattern for free - it's a pdf file with no less than 3 sizes of the gnome, and add your photo's to the Feeling Stitchy Flickr Embroidery group with the tag "JulyStitchalong" and I will also be featuring your photo's here on the ol' blog too

This is a complete first for me and there's a combination of super excitement with a chunk of nervousness thrown in, but I hope it's ok and you have a bit of fun with him if you have a bash - technical stitching term there!

Now do you remember this wee fella from my last post?

This is Starsky the beloved and very much missed furry chum of my mate Mud, one half of the jewellery making combo It's a Lovely Cake

　

If you don't know the work of It's a Lovely Cake I urge you to visit their Etsy shop; Mud and Sarah make GLORIOUS one of a kind jewellery using everything from vintage charms, buttons, chains, beads and my personal favourite, wee farmyard animals!

Here's a few pictures of my faves but do check out their flickr stream, shop and website for more divine jewellery goodness!

Yoink! Photo's coutesy of It'saLovelyCake

They also undertake custom work, which I think is a fabulous idea...I've got a fine collection of plastic animals and bits and bobs I've collected over the years and a brithday coming up in a couple of months...*elbows Mr.Mimi in ribs hint hint stylee*

Anyroad, Mud was generous enough to commission me to do my stitchy thing.
So here he is in his stitchy finery:
See wee Satrsky looking splendid in his red ruff...Ruff! Ruff! PAWS!

I had a few guidelines: "PIG" (Starsky's pet name) in big letters

"Starsky" "Paws!' "Frank"
The words: puppy Teresa,puppy machine dawg, Kylie, Beadle,Celia and almonds

A big star carrying "Starsky" shoots across the canvas leaving a trail of stars and flames in it's wake
Celia, Beadle, Kylie, Puppy Teresa and Puppy Machine Dawg shoot around in all directions!
There's a trail of stars and general spacey stuff including a UFO. After some hardcore stalking I also discovered the girls had previously had a bit of a run in with the Ministry of Defence over UFO's and their existance. They were informed that what they sighted was probably something to do with the Russians....well this one, I can catergorically say, is most definately from Mars!

A trail of love hearts meanders it's way round the canvas to meet Frank in the corner

Big nutty scattering of almonds swishes it's way through to give Mr. Penguin a bit of a poke whilst he's having a chat with Ganesh:

"Elephant man?"
"No, Ganesh, man!" (my old lady humour I'm afraid)

I cannot tell you how much I love doing this sort of work...just gimme a few guidelines and I'm off for a rummage around in your life! So if you have a furry, scaley, feathery or, er...fleshy chum (I do people to you know!) that you would like festooned with stitchyness you know where to find me

And once again a big THANK YOU to Mud for trusting me with her precious chum

Now as this piece was one of the largest embroideries I've done for a while I shall be mostly lying down in a darkened room, straightening my fingers and regenerating on tea and cake!

But I will be back soon with some of your photo's of Tom Jones Gnome, a few more Cockney Sparrows and hopefully some spanky new prints of my work
So hope you have fun with Tom...erm...well you know what I mean?!

Happy stitchin', big loves to y'all and thanks for droppin' by! x:)

Will. I. Am!

2011-06-12T11:16:00.000-07:00

Howdydoo my bloggy chums; feelin' groovy one and all?! I do hope so! :)

I like to think that myself and the class of 4/2 circa 1978 were the pioneers of flash mobbing when we were forced to re-inact our "old time musical hall" school play on a day trip to Covent Garden. The teacher in charge was suddenly gripped with the urge to foist our dubious musical talents on the general public and so it was that 20 something 9 year olds shuffling awkwardly in kagools and slightly queasy after a coachtrip and iffy packed lunch of stinky egg sandwiches suddenly started belting out "My old man said follow the van" and a medley of Cockney classics

A vigorous "Knees up Muvver Brown" proved the tipping point and the combo of travel sickness, grey boiled eggs and public humiliation had the inevitable consequences and without a caretaker with a bucket of pine scented sawdust to cover our embarassment, we were exited stage left pretty sharpish!

So anyway!

With a relatively incident free couple of weeks I've managed to get some stitching action in, which is still a work in progress so you will have to wait a wee bit longer to cop a visual on that and I've also been commissioned by my new chum, the super talented and one of life's all round wonderful folk Gayle

Now if you love patchwork then you must visit Gayle's Flickr stream as it is a positive feast of glorious colours and fabrics, I love the wee hedgohog with the wind in his spikes:

Beautiful colours and textures

And she also knows her way round a cake too...a subject, as you all know, that is very close to heart..many years ago, I made a novelty cake for my Dad's birthday; it was meant to be a teddy bear, it kinda went ok until the head fell off on the journey home, so by the time I presented it to him it was being held together with cocktail sticks and skewers.

By the time I'd added candles it looked more like Pinhead from Hell Raiser than the cute wee bear I had set out to make. To his eternal credit he acted suitably impressed, the look on his face was somewhere between shock and awe; there was even a wee tear in his eye although I think that was probably more cocktail stick than pride, I bow down in awe at Gayle's creation:

Gayle very kindly commissioned me to paint a watercolour portrait of her fabulous son William I don't often get to do people portraits any more so it was a real treat to get back into the groove with such a joyous photo to work with, you can hear his excitement!

Watercolour on paper

I've recently heard that Will's portrait has safely arrived in Vermont so huges sighs of relief all round and a big THANK YOU to Gayle for trusting me with her precious chap!

　
Stay tuned for some hot Starsky stitching action and an upcoming Stitch-a-Long courtesy of my Feeling Stitchy homies!
　

Now, cant sit around here all day bloggering about with you lot, it's teatime, the eggs have been boiling since 8am so they should be good and grey by now...

...pass the sawdust!

Til the next time folks, big loves to y'all and thanks for droppin' by!
x ;0)

Spud U Like?!

2011-05-29T02:12:00.000-07:00

Well hello my bloggy chums, how are we all today? Magnificent I hope?
I'm afraid I'm starting with a vent and a whinge this time, sorry but OOO it's been a right week of it as MimiLove Towers this week!
If the power shower packing up mid rinse-repeat cycle...(altho in all fairness it has been held together with sticky tape and limescale for the past 2yrs so it was only really a matter of time) which was closely follwed by a flat tyre in the hospital carpark which induced a Basil Fawlty hitting car with branch style attack, which nearly got me sectioned, if that wasn't enough!

On top of that, and probably worst of all in my book...I in advertantly ate a lump of parsnip...I HATE parsnip...there I've said it...it had cunningly disguised itself as a potato in a vegetable soup thing and induced, I have to admit, a pathetically childish hissy fit!
If ever you wanted to thwart n repel me from your door vampire style, then just thrust a lump of cooked parsnip my way...my dad was partly to blame after one of those sneak get your kid to eat vegetables attacks by "disguising" them in mashed potato but I knew summin was a bit fishy cos his moustache was trembling when I questioned the weird sweet twang!
This also sparked a heated debate between me n Mr.Mimi, lover of all the (wood based!) root vegetables too: Swede-ok but ONLY if mashed. Turnips - just plain insanity nothing more to be said. Carrots are a minefield all of there own: raw yes, grated no, cubed/circled and boiled - Wrong! Wrong! Wrong!

The jury's still out on carrot cake...

I really should get out more....

So anyway!! One thing we did agree on was spuds...specifically this one:

Meet Spud, the furry companion of my chum luligirl's mum.

He's a Smooth Fox Terrier, which has tickled me no end as it conjures up the voice of Lesley Phillips in my head..DING DONG!
I have to say I was supremely nervous about doing this, not only because it was a birthday present, but luligirl is a fantastic artist and portrait painter too

You can see more of her beautiful photography and portraits on her flickr photostream

...no pressure there then?!

Anyroad, luligirl was generous enough to commission me to do my stitchy thing on a wee pillow this time. I had a few guidelines: mum's favourite colours of pink and green and favourite tune by blues legend Muddy Waters, then I was pretty much left to my own devices huzzah!
So here is Spud, hand painted in acrylics, surrounded by a hand stitched flowery garland in shades of pinks with leaves in shades of green

Sequin flowers and glittery glass beads for added bling!

The lines from Muddy Waters Hoochy Coochy Man:
You know I'm the Hooochy Coochy Hound!
Everybody knows I'm...Spud!

He's backed with black and white checked gingham and has a wee pink and white spotty ribbon

I have received news that mum loved him, so sighs of relief all round here and a big THANK YOU to luligirl for trusting me on such a special occassion :)

Once again I cannot tell you how much I love doing this sort of work. So if you have a furry, scaley or feathery chum that you would like festooned with stitchyness, hop on over to my shop or drop me a line

Which is precisely what my other chum Mud the jewelling genius behind It's a Lovely Cake has done...next up for the MimiLove treatment is this wee fella, Starsky aka Pig..

Hot pre-stitchy action!

So that's what I'll be up to for a wee while.

Now cast your minds back if you will where I was wittering on about a new Royal Wedding themed collaboration between myself and the street art chaps Idiom

Well we have finally tied the knot and are proud to announce the marriage of our stitchy and street arty skills...we are also announcing a Bank Holiday on Monday 30th May by way of a celebration...huzzah! :)

Yes folks I'm nearly a month late to the alter, but I've finally finished my part in our latest piece! The chaps sent me a fabulous hand stencil/screenprint:

And I did my painty stitchy thing.

Hand painted glittery Cockney Sparrows festooned with stitchy flowers cheer on the lovely Mrs.Prince William in her glittery stitchy crown

"COR BLIMEY! I can't believe me mince pies! You're a right Boby Dazzler and no mistake!""Goodness me. I can hardly believe my eyes! You are very beautiful indeed!"

The bride wore a fluffy dressing gown, the grooms patience wore thin! ;0)
A3 Hand cut stencils and screen print. Hand embroidery...and hand painted glittery Cockney Sparrows and available for your purchasing pleasure...if you'd like to have our collective wedding stitchy painty brains hammered to your wall let me know!

Now, cant sit around here all day bloggering about with you lot, I'm off for a slice of carrot cake...purely for research purposes you understand...

Til the next time folks, big loves to y'all and thanks for droppin' by!

Hello Sailor!

2011-05-09T02:52:00.000-07:00

Warning this post contains mens business! :)

Ahh Gawd bless ya Sir Henry Cooper

I was a bit too young to remember ever seeing him in the ring (I heard that comment at the back!) but I do vividly recall this:

My poor Dad had to endure a Brut gift pack pretty much every Christmas...technically his own fault as it was all my pocket money would stretch to and Denim was considered a bit to racey, but it's a niff that takes me right back!

And talking of going right back...(show me tenuous and I'll link to it!)...many moons ago before this stitching lark took a hold I used to paint portraits of celeb's, film posters that kinda thing, great big walloping things they were and I had the honour of painting Our 'Enry which he very kindly signed. The painting was then sold on and eventually ended up being auctioned Sotheby's, (blimey!), so I owe Sir Henry a big debt of gratitude for sending me on my painty path and my Dad an apology for years of reeking of cheap aftershave!

Now whilst we're on the subject of the wonderful menfolk I have the pleasure of knowing, I'd like to introduce you to my stitchy chum Mark, also know as FilmResearch.

Mark uses hand embroidery, fibers, and vintage fabrics to create his glorious work. Inspired by, colors, textures, fabrics and the natural world, which makes him my stitchy soul mate too! :)
His work has been exhibited in shows including Highline Community College in March 2011 "99 Coelacanths." Tacoma Community College 'Post Pop' and Portland Oregon's Redux shop 'Lovesick'

You can read more about Mark at Feeling Stitchy and Mr.X Stitch too and see more of his work over on his Flickr photostream

Mark is also a fellow budgie botherer (no really, he'll love that!) and we've recently had an exchange of feathery friends!

He is currently squidgin' one of my wee fella's...

...and I'm the proud owner of a wee budgie smuggling sailor! ;0)

Mark says about the piece: "I love budgies, we call them parakeets here in the US. In Australia, the indigenous land of the budgie they call Men's speedos 'budgie smugglers.' Wait, visualize, you got it.That phrase made me so happy"

Well happy doesn't quite cover it, I'm delirious with joy! The phrase is a personal favourite of mine too and combined with Mark's divine stitching it couldnt be more perfect and I'm thrilled to the gills to own a piece of his fabulous work!

Now talking of squidgin my wee fella's....matron!

　
Yet another quick reminder that to celebrate her birthday the fabulous Carina from Polka and Bloom is holding a series of giveaways featuring pieces fellow stitchers and a wee budgie courtesy of moi, so if you want to join in the squidgin' fun head on over to Carina's blog this Friday!

Also in the Mimi pipeline...

There's been a sudden surge...well, two...requests for Audrey Hepburn, (naked...without embroidery!) this is the first, a watercolour on paper

Audrey in her titfer. Tit fer tat = hat!
The second, I am about to start work on, which is a thumping great 1 meter acrylic on canvas, bit of a shock ot the system as it's a been a while since I worked on such a big scale!

And a stitchy commish featuring a wee doggy, sadly no longer with us, nicknamed Pig!

Now can't sit around bloggering around with you lot all day, there's a packet of Toffee Crumble ice lollies that need attending too...well, they might melt and that would be a waste, so really I'm saving money n the planet n stuff...

So til the next time big loves to y'all and thanks for droppin' by!

Grrl friend!

2011-05-01T12:25:00.000-07:00

All together now....ahhhhhh!
Well didn't she look lovely? And what a splendid day too; I don't generally need an excuse to crack open a bottle of something bubbly and have a slice of something Victoria spongey, but I felt it was entering into the spirit of the day and would probably be rude not to!

The dress was a triumph too, featuring stunning handmade lace and embroidery stitched by the good folks at the Royal School of Embroidery, where one of my stitchy chum's Curegreed is studying....I have had a piece of my work shown there, but only in as much as it was a swap piece to Rosa and she had it on her desk for a wee while...but that counts in my book! ;0)

(yoink! Photo courtesy of BBC)

Apparently the stitchers had to change needles every 3 hours and wash their hand every 30 minutes to keep it immaculate; it's probably just as well I'll never be that accomplished because it would've been covered in kitty fur and cake crumbs
Still there's always Harry, I'm hoping he might choose someone with a maverick taste in fashion and a penchant for budgies and jingly bells ;0)

Now talking of stitchy loveliness! I'm sure most of you are familiar with the fabulous Denise Litchfield, the Grrl behind Grrl & Dog.
I adore Denise and her work: from her guerilla knitting and street art installations:

(Yoink! Photos courtesy of Grrl&Dog...hot chick too I think you'll agree!)

To her glorious vintage softy characters, check out her Esty shop here:

So I was thrilled to the very gills (and also extremely terrified!) when she commissioned a portrait of her top dog and bezzie mate Baxter, a Dingo Kelpie and a very fine chap too!

Denise sent me some glorious photo's of Hound and gave me a few guidelines, sew this is what I came up with :)

He loves the bush so Mr. Baxter is nestled amongst a leafy french knotty bush/undergrowth in various shades of olivey green, metallic silver and greys

Native flowers: the waratah, a symbol for the state Denise and her crew live in, and for courage under crisis, which Baxter has shown in spades. I have hand stitched a big bold waratah blossom in shades deep red, silky cerise and crimson with purple detail, and also a waratah bud with tiddly glass beads

Pink and green together in any combination, so as a tribute to Denise's guerilla knitting, he's standing on guard in front of a yarn-bombed lamp post.
Keeping him company is his wee Zombie penguin. (Baxter had a stuffed emperor penguin that he loved to play with as a puppy..he would kill it and bury it, then dig it up to relive the fun all over again...bless!)

His pet names of Houndy Woundy and Mongrel Dog. Like all my various critters, who will snub a fresh bowl of top of the range kitty dins in favour of a rancid bit of doin's they found behind the wheelie bin, Baxter also loves to scrounge for "street treats". I composed a stitchy ode to his houndy self

Mongrel Dog! Houndy Woundy!
Eats treats from the street
And stuff that he's found...y
He growls, he snores, he barks, he farts
And most of all he is lion heart!

(Apparently I'm vaguely related to Julian Grenfell the poet...you can tell can't ya?!) ;0)
And finally a stitched nod to one of their favourite illustrations from the frankly fabulous J T Steiny Dog-a-Day bird shit breakfast!

Hopefully he will be arriving Australia side soon, in the meantime a huge, for the hundredth time, "THANK YOU!" to my stitchy compadre Denise for trusting me with her best mate :)

And if you'd like to see your furry, feathery or fishy friend immortalized Mimi stylee drop me a line or hop on over to my shop!

Before I disappear into a cake induced nap a quick reminder that to celebrate her birthday the fabulous Carina from Polka and Bloom is holding a series of giveaways over the next couple of weeks featuring pieces by fellow stitchers and this wee laughing budgie courtesy of moi...

..who will be up for grabs on Friday 13th May eek...(that's the budgie up for grabs not me...you'd never afford the cake bill!)

Big Bank Holiday loves to y'all and thanks for droppin' by! :)

Eggs is eggs!

2011-04-26T06:12:00.000-07:00

Hello my bloggy chums, I hope you are all spiffing and had a lovely Easter?

Things were a bit lively at MimiLove Towers this year with a visit from the rellies which meant the mother-in-law buying a half hundred weight of quiche, a frantic de-cobwebbing of the "best room" and polishing the guinea pig in readiness for the Big Easter Egg hunt (laid on for the various grandchildren, her's not mine....how rude!)

Altho that nearly came to blows when I found them all and had them in my basket before they arrived...she made me put them back which I have to say I thought throughly unsporting; you can't just go around making up stupid rules about them being "meant for the kids" willy nilly...I found them fair n square...*sulk*

Now if you've been wondering where the trumpet blowing and excited giggling has been coming from, it's nowt to do with the upcoming Royal Wedding; it nary seems like yesterday since Charles and Diana got hitched that I was prancing around my bedroom in my bridesmaid's dress with one of mum's best net curtains on my head in celebration...see Miss Middleton, should've come to me for dress tips!

So, no, the giggling and trumpet blowing is me!

As some of my Facebook followers will know, I've copped a two page spread in a magazine...and not Goat Keeper Weekly as certain family members sporting a newly bruised shin suggested...but the fabulous Cross Stitcher!

The interview actually took place a few months ago, with the wonderful and very patient Judy Darley. She put up with my inane wittering, terrible grammar and appalling inappropriately sized photography and I expect by now is lying down in a darkened room recovering from her ordeal!

So a big MimiLove thank you to Judy and the team for all their efforts and making me sound like I know what I'm doing! Issue no 239...pages 24 and 25...out now...if you're interested ;0)

I've also had the honour of "meeting" the lovely Avril Halliday, embroiderer extraordinaire and President of the Northern Ireland Embroider's Guild no less! I'm hoping to see some of Avril's joyous work in the flesh one day as she creates beautiful mixed media pieces featuring all sorts of wonderousness including embroidery, handmade silk paper, silk and velvet fabrics, flowers and seedheads...mmm!

Yoink! Photos courtesy of Avril Halliday

You can see more of Avril's work here: http://www.stitchamaze.com/gallery-guest/avrilhalliday.aspx

So, this week I will mostly be painting guinea pigs (not literally, far too squeaky) and finally starting work on the latest Royal Wedding themed collaboration piece between me and the Idiom homeboys
(Pre-painty stitchyness shot)

Coming up in the next thrilling edition:

To celebrate her birthday the fabulous Carina is holding a series of giveaways featuring pieces fellow stitchers and this wee fella courtesy of moi!

Some hot Grrl & Dog commission action and if you want sneaky preview or just can't bear the thought of me chuntering on about it next time, hop on over to Denise's blog! :)
(Hot pre-stitchy Baxter action)

And an Aundrey Hepburn commission without embroidery...argh! :)
Right I'm off to pat down grandma and search the best room...they can't have found all of them surely??

Big loves and thanks for droppin' by!

No sleep 'til Brooklyn!

2011-04-03T02:58:00.000-07:00

Ah dear old Beastie Boys...I'll be honest the hippin' n a-hoppin' didn't do much for me at the time.

In all fairness the Chertsey Crew did our best with the break dancing etc down at Sainsbury's supermarket carpark. It wasnt very good; lot of floundering around on back with legs in the air and a series of farting/raspberry noises that passed for "human beatbox"

Couple that with the dodgy nylon trackies, a lump of my mum's old kitchen lino, (you could always spot us, we were the ones with the 3rd degree friction burns) and the trolley boy ploughing thru with 15 foot train of trolleys every ten minutes, it just wasn't really the same as the 'hood off the telly and I'm afraid I lost heart (and dignity) fairly swiftly

Listening back with rose tinted earphones though, I have to say I've had a sudden urge to perm my hair, slip into something leg warmerish and gouge out the badge of a passing VW...you'll be relieved to know I resisted and did this instead though!

Meet Brooklyn...

...a very sleepy bulldog and my latest commission winging and snoring his way to the US of A

The lady in question liked my Star Gazey Bedlington terrier and requested the same embroidery and theme but with her relative's dog as the star (see what I did there?!) instead
See the sleepy wee chap as he snoozes amongst the hand stitched stars all glittery golden in the watercolor night sky

Twinkle, twinkle little stars (and biggun's too) in a variety of metallic threads, including the one that makes my teeth feel weird when I'm stitching with it...oh how I suffer for my art! ;0)

Hand stitched lyrics curve around in a sleepy spiral:
Stars shining bright above you
Night breezes seem to whisper I LOVE YOU
Birds singing in the sycamore tree
Dream a little DREAM OF ME!

Awww, snoozy old Brooklyn dreaming of bones and kitties...and with a swift and tenuous link, here's my other latest one!

This is for a sista from the 'hood...(the lady round the corner) a portrait of her new rescue kitty, Emily.

Watercolour and canvas but...wot?... No embroidery?!

I know! To be frank it just feels wrong, but lady in question just wanted a painting so I had to sit on my hands for quite a while til the urge passed!

Also in the Mimi news: Tonk Tonk Toccato is still on tour at Casa MimiLove but lovely as he is, he's no great shakes on the organizationals; failing miserably at sorting out my threads I let him loose on my paints...I think I've had a bad influence on him cos he just lays around all day eating cake and watching re-runs of The Professionals

So there we go then: breakdancing, snoozing bulldogs, bare naked kitties and a lazy robot...now where y' gunna get that level of entertainment today!? :)
Stay tuned folks as there's some more doggy commission action in pipeline (with embroidery this time-phew!), Id-iom action and a few ideas rattling around for my Feeling Stitchy homies

Now pass me my scrunchie I'm off for a spin on the lino...or maybe a nap?
Big Mimi-Loves my home boys n gals n thanks for droppin' by! :)

WINNER! WINNER! I'M NO THINNER!

2011-03-20T04:17:00.000-07:00

Well hello my bloggy chums I hope you are all feeling as magnficent as you are looking today? Have you been working out? Well you've done summin', cos you look you gorgeous! :)

Well I'm pleased to report there's a definate whiff of spring in the air round these parts at last, the garden is poking up all sorts of interesting things that I don't remember putting in, the blackbirds are in fine voice and the kitties are shoving all manner of things through the catflap!

And talking o shoving things through *catflaps, I shall now announce the winner of the Mother of All Budgies giveaway...DRUM RRRRROLL.....

IHANNA

Huzzarghhhh and congratulations!

...*altho I'm sure posty will deliver to your door :)

Commiserations to y'all who took the time to visit and put up with the drivveling here, as much as I enjoy holding a giveaway I do end up feeling immensely guilty for everyone who doesnt get picked so I am sending out some good MimiLovin' to everyone through the screen to you right now!

Now no sulking cos I've still got stuff to show you, so before you go and throw darts at my picture here's a wee fluffy bunny to soften your heart! :)

Meet Bobbins, fluffy bunny chum to the divine Shannon, groovy chick and stitching Queen behind divine pop art portraits including amongst others, Salvador Dali who I also happen to be the proud owner of!

(YOINK! Photo courtesy of SKG)

I had a few guidelines of Shannon's Mr.B's favourite things, (including Tonka toys!) and I was pretty much left to my own devices, huzzah, which is my cue for a good old rifle through photostreams and blogs for inspirational bits and pieces!

So here's an inquisitive Bobbins hopping up to say Hello to you all! The blue lily and red poinsetta are based on Shannon's tattoo's which celebrate her children's (Max and Molly) birthday's

The words spiralling around are from Max:
"Bobbins is a bunnnneeeeee!"
And in the corner one of Bobbins and Max's favourite toys, a big yellow Tonka truck!

Once again, if you would like to commission a piece of your own, I do keep these things just the right side of stalking, so fear not, you wont find your ATM number and medical records festooned with beads and Engelbert Humperdinck lyircs....that's not to say I wouldn't do that if you asked me too...just drop me a line or head on over to the MimiLove Etsy Emporium

So coming up in next months thrilling edition: work begins on the Idiom/MimiLove/Royal Wedding collaboration mash up, a wee sleepy Bull Dog heading for USA a tiddly kitty painting heading for a lady round the corner!

I'm also taking part in Wayne Wolfson's" Tonk Tonk Toccato's World Tour"...here he is helping me with my threads...if you are a fellow stitcher, like your threads organized and are of a vaguely nervous dispostion, look away NOW! :)

I'm hoping Tonk-Tonk will set to work sorting while I nap, so pass me eyemask and I will see y'all next month!

Big loves to you all my homies and thank you for droppin' by!
:)

Mother of All Budgies GIVEAWAY!

2011-03-06T04:08:00.000-08:00

Well hello my bloggy chums and how are we all? Ticketyboo and hunkydory in equal measure I hope and may I say you are looking particularly splendiferous!

Right I'm straight in with the giveaway today!
A while back I started a project involving budgies and cushion covers...(the mind boggles dunnit?!)...and came up with this fella

He's hand painted and surrounded by a machine stitched "cage" and swathe of flowers, hand stitched in pinks, reds and oranges with sequin flowers and glass beads and metallic glitter paint extra for bling power and even has a jingly bell to keep him amused

He's hanging with his hand stitched homies and their cages and could be adorning your sofa in 2 weeks time!

To be in with a chance of winning just leave a comment below on what your favourite item in my Etsy shop is.
I'll give extra entries - one each for:
Following my blog
Following me on Facebook
Blogging/tweeting/generally bigging up about this giveaway! :)

Comments close on the 19th March 2011 so approx 2 weeks Mimi-Time and so I don't get any moaning for interupting Mr.Mimi's nap time, I will choose the winner via Random.org

Winner will be announced on 20th March 2011 and I will post as soon as I have your details. I will post internationally too cos I'm lovely like that x;0)

Stay tuned for my next bloggy installment where I will announce the Mother of All Budgies winner, you will also see my latest pet portrait in the shape of wee Bobbins the bunny, seen here pre-embroidery...

...and some hot Royal Wedding collaboration action between myself and the chaps from Idiom..altho I'm stitching on paper for the first time and am terrified of ruining there magnificent work, so I could well be hiding instead!
Bless yer 'eart's for dropping by and don't forget I'm on my Facebuck thing...s'bit like Facebook but for chickens...come n say "Hello!" or "BUCKARK!"

Big loves to you all my homies!

You got fleas

2011-02-10T04:26:00.000-08:00

...no offence!

Well hello! Lovely to see you again and may I say, you are looking spectacularly gorgeous today!

Now before we get to the piccies and my usual drivvling on, I have a bit of a...drum roll....

*EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW!*

This is from my chums over at Cross Stitcher UK:
"With the Royal Wedding fast approaching, the team behind the UK’s leading cross stitching magazine has commissioned a funky commemorative sampler to mark the occasion with style!
Issue 238 of CrossStitcher will feature this funky and contemporary Royal Wedding sampler, designed by Jacqui Pearce.
Our feature spread will even include a full alphabet and calendar so readers can adapt the chart for their own wedding date!
Plus, it’s got a metallic gold crown, gold rings and a pair of Union Jack flags to give it a special patriotic finish."

Yoink! Photo courtesy of http://www.crossstitchermagazine.co.uk/

CrossStitcher issue 238 goes on sale in the UK on 22nd March 2011 priced £3.99 so get yourself down to a newsagents today and reserve your copy...ooo and grab me a bar of choccie whilst you there...ta
xx

Exciting stuff eh? Right. Gordon Bennet is it February already!?? Where did that go then? One minute I'm up to my ears in mince pies, Christmas puddings and tasty morsels, next thing I'm 2 stone over weight with another excercise machine to hang my ironing off and owing Richard Branson and small fortune...scary!!

Speaking of which (no,she'll love that), the bezzie has once again dragged me kicking n sulking into the 21st century and set me up with a Facebook fan page thing.
Now it's been a scary ride for me so far, bit like most of our trips out together really, and now she's had enough of me sitting in the back shouting directions and has shoved me in the driving seat with a "Well you effin' do it then!"...bless

So there I am all sweaty paws, clinging on for dear life with my nose pressed up against the windscreen. I am currently still in first gear and bunny hopping along the internet but I've got plans..oh yes...and hopefully will be crunching it into second soon but in the meantime come on over and friend me up..

...I think that's what she said?

Right! Talking of hopping along...(oo I do love a tenuous link) wanna see my latest?

A big old leapy flea!

You got fleas (no offence), grafitti and a couple of wee characters from day's of yore

I've had this in my head for a while now, inspired by all my street art chums that I've made, a re-watch of one of my favourite films, Dougal and the Blue Cat and also the recent de-cooting of Team Mimi...(not including Mr. Mimi...I'll get him next time!)

See Mr. Flea preparing to leap off the canvas leaving a watercoloury trail and a blimming great bite in his wake!

Watercoloury in shades of golds, purples, blues and lilac's with big dribbly splashes of scarlet and crimsons...lunch maybe?!

JUMP!
Hand embroidered grafitti in a positive rainbow of stitches in a variety of silks, cottons and metallic threads for added bling!

BOING!
There's Zebedee, my favourite character from The Magic Roundabout, with his whiskery tash and snappy bow tie, wobbling around on his spring

BOING!

There's Space Hopper...one of the more annoying toys from my 70's childhood, mainly cos the folks got sick of carting me and it up to the local garage/air pump to re-inflate it...ah heady, dangerous days :)

Pinging off in all directions are lots of hand stitchy springs, flowers, glass beads and tiddly black French knot fleas...ooo itchy!

So if you're looking for something completely unique to celebrate Valentine's Day this year hop on over to my Etsy shop...cos nothing says "I love you" than the gift of Fleas :0)

Stay tuned for my next bloggy installment for the giveaway I have in mind. In the meantime, I will be adding a few last minute embellishments to this...hint...hint...hint! :)

Bless yer 'eart's for dropping by and do come n say "Hello!" or "You're doing it all wrong!" over on that their Bookface thing!
Big loves to you all my homies!

DO believe the Hype!

2011-01-09T04:40:00.000-08:00

...3!...2!....1!...Happy (bit belated!) New Year...huzzah! And I hope you all had a supremely wonderous Christmas and new year celebrations?

Once again for the 2nd year running we had the comedy cooker breaking down on the day mid nut roast and most of the family down with various stages of cold/flu, but the kitties liked their gifts and ran round the house off their kitty faces on new nip, Elvis got a fresh bag of dill so he was well chuffed (I believe that's the official term in guinea pig circles) and Lady the dog you have yet to meet as she's terrified of cameras, was also terrified of her new chew, but eventually overcame her fear long enough to shove it under the sofa... just in case. All in a fairly successful season by our standards!

So regular readers of my incessant drivvling will know by now that there's not much that will come between me and my trifle...it's been attempted before but the person in question still has the scars, mental and physical, to prove it.

But when I got an email invitation from the most groovesome of gals, Zoya from Exxagerated inviting me to join in with the annual Zeitgeist over at The Hype Machine ...the Music Blog of all Music Blogs...listed in The Gaurdian's top 100 essential websites no less...well the clingfilm was out and it was back to the fridge for the forseeable!

Now if you're not familiar with site and you love your music then I urge you to check them out. They bring together a collection of the worlds most grooviest of music blogs for your ears

And if introducing you to like minded music lovers, a whole universe of tunes, introducing new bands and so forth wasnt enough they also put together an annual Top 50 of the most discussed Artists, Albums and Songs on the internet
They paired me with the band Best Coast which I was thrilled to the gills about as not only do I love their music but the lead singer has a beautiful ginger kitty, a star in his own right, Snacks...you can see more pictures of him and the band at the official Best Coast blog here: http://bestycoasty.blogspot.com/
even follow him on Twitter here http://twitter.com/snacksthecat...score!

So it was only natural that he should be the star of the piece and without further ado I would like to introduce Mr.Snacks featuring Best Coast...and chum! You can find us at number 13 on the Zietgeist and there's also the chance to send a postcard prints of us on there so you can spread the Mimilove (or any other of the other 49 pieces too!)

See him in looking rather dapper in his new hat...mainly promoting his band, but also getting in on the act as he's picked out the letters Best CoAsT just so's you know whose the real star of the show!

Snacks, taking a break from the tour, is having a wee rest amongst the stitchy undergrowth, also having a nap and chilling out in a Desert Island Discs stylee under the palms, is his stitchy chum Garfield listening to one of my favourite tunes from their latest album Crazy for You

I've lost my job
I miss my mom
I wish my cat could talk!

A positive confetti of stitches in rainbow colours and a smattering of glittery glass beads for added colour and a fuzzy wee coconut in case anyone get's peckish for a snack...a Mr. Snack....titter :)

So, a humongous thank you again to Zoya and The Hype Machine for giving me the fantastic opportunity to join in this years list
Also a big thank you, a pinchy cheek and ruffle of the hair going out to my good chum; the supremely talented, very witty and sickeningly youthful Mr. Lee Crutchley the felt tippy genius behind Quoteskine and the illustrator at number 10 in the Zietgesit

Altho.. it was him who put my name into the Hype Machine hat...thereby makes him the one that came between me and trifle this year...hmmm....you better start running sunshine...you're only up the road and I'm suprisingly nifty for an old bird with thunder thighs!! x;0)

In between all the stitchy and Christmas action I was also invited to join in with The Treasury Trove folks over at Etsy. It's not something I've ever explored before but I have to say I've become quite addicted to making treasuries! In best Blue Peter fashion, here's some I made earlier: http://www.etsy.com/people/mimilove/treasury

So if you have a shop over there drop me line, I need your goodies for my new hobby! :)

Now stay tuned folks cos there's more Mimilove/Id-iom action going down, a chat with Cross Stitcher UK and I'm working on the next giveaway...think budgie...BIGGGG budgie! x:)
I hope 2011 has started magnificently well for you all! Big loves my homies and thanks for droppin' by!
x:)

Winner! Winner! Chicken Dinner!

2010-12-05T01:45:00.000-08:00

Hello to everyone and may I say you are all looking particularly magnificent today...is that a new hair do? Well it's knocked years off you and you look bloody gorgeous!

BBBRRRR!!!!!! By 'eck Our Vera it's a bit brass monkeys round here these parts at the moment, snow n everything, but I've whipped off the bobble hat for a few mins and shoved everyone's names in it, dragged Mr. Mimi out of his shed to pick a name...and the winner of the Great Aimee Ray/MimiLove Giveaway Bonanza is...(drrrrrrum rollll....ddrrrrrrr)

Lesley

HUZZAH & CONGRATULATIONS!! :)

I shall be annoying you for posty details forthwith and hoping that despite the feeble 2cm of snow that has caused postage mayhem, ground the UK to a halt and sent the household kitties belting round the garden at 90mph, you will be celebrating Christmas this year with a book n a Cockney Sparra ...well it makes a change from turkey eh?

Right the rest of you, now no buggering off in a flouncey sulk just yet cos I've still got gubbins to show you, so grab yourself a cup of Rosie and an early mince or an ecclefechan pie and meet Buddy

Now I do love a Boston Terrier so when the lovely Terri dropped me a line to commission a portrait of her mum's dog for the Christmas I was fair tickled pink! Cop a visual and tell me he doesnt just make you giggle with glee!

Terri gave me a few idea's of her mum's favourite things including dogwood blossoms and red cardinal birdies, so Buddy, surrounded by a shimmery silver arc, pops up behind a lovely lush lawn of stitchy grasses with glittery glass beads in greens and blues

A bower of dogwood blossoms in stitchy, springtime shades of baby pinks, creamy, pearly oyster and snowy white and keeping him company wee red and black cardinals singing Buddy and his "mum" a song of love!

Chock full of leafery and all sortsof stitchy undergrowth and currently winging it's way to the snowy side of the States Alaska side...now that's some hardcore snow!

If you're looking for a custom pet portrait or you are stuck for prezzy ideas and looking for summin a bit unique head on over to the shop cos nowt says Happy Christmas better than stuffed budgie...MimiLove...the gift that keeps on giving ;0)

So, a humongous thank you again to Aimee Ray and Lark Publishers for the opportunity and to all of you for taking the time to leave such lovely comments (and in some cases hysterical.... you are all completely insane!) and to those who weren't picked I'm sending big virtual Mimi Love and Hugs: Touch your screens now. Feel the warmth? That's MimiLove that is! x;)

Stay tuned folks coming up in 2011 new collab action from me and the Idiom boys, an Aimee Ray portrait, some possible magazine action and another giveaway!

Now did someone say ecclefecken tart? Well there's no need for that! x;D
Big loves my homies, thanks for droppin' by n if I don't see you before and in the immortal words of Slade A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAAAAAAAARGHHHS to y'all!!

GIVEAWAY TIME!

2010-11-14T00:46:00.000-08:00

ohhh!!!!!!

On the first day of Christmas, MimiLove gave to me... a Sparra wot talks Cockneeeey!!

On the second day of Christmas, MimiLove gave to me... a book by Mrs. Ray...first name Aimeeeee!

Howdy doo folks...well s'not quite Christmas but I am having a giveaway..huzzah!

My mate, the frankly fabulous Aimee Ray Queen of the Stitchy Universe and the folks at Lark Publishing have not only mentioned me in, but have also sent me, a copy of Aimee's new book: Doodle Stitching the Motif Collection, to giveaway to one of you lot...ooooo you lucky Bloggers!

Yoink! Photo courtesy of DreamFollow.com

I do owe Aimee a massive debt of gratitude as she was one of the folks who inspired me to take up stitching in the first place. If you haven't ventured into the stitching world yet but always fancied a go then I really can't recommend her first book Doodle Stitching enough. It was the catalyst to all the stuff you've seen me knock up on here...so you've got Aimee to partly blame! x;0)

Yoink! Photo courtesy of DreamFollow.com

But it's well written with brilliantly clear illustrations and instructions on a variety of stitches and some really lovely, simple to follow projects to make too. The latest book is a follow up to the first with some gorgeous motifs and again some really lovely and useful projects from homewares to clothing and jewellery and even includes a cd with the motifs on for you to copy and adapt

Yoink! Photo courtesy of DreamFollow.com

Perfect for all levels of skill and the projects would make rather spiffing handmade gifts for the impending festivities, thereby giving you a warm fluffy feeling inside knowing you've given truly unique personal gifties, when everyone else is copping a box of Harpic scented bath "cubes"....thanks for those last year by the way...you know who you are! ;D

So to go with the book I'm bunging in a dollop of MimiLove in the form of this fella...

Acrylics, hand embroidery and chock full of stuffin' for your squidging pleasure!

Mr.Cockney Sparrow looking a wee bit peeved

Cockney lesson no 5 now repeat after me...

"Strike a light!

I'm bleedin' cream crackered!

Make us a cup o Rosie Lee, I'm spitting feathers 'ere luv!"

To translate:

"Goodness me I'm tired. Would you mind awfully making me a cup of tea, as I'm really rather parched"

Cream crackered = knackered = tired

Rosie Lee = tea

Surrounded by feathers and a birds and glittery goodness and comes with a spotty red ribbon for suspending off a tree or knob of your choice...snigger...

To get your mitts on our stitchy/booky bits just leave me a comment..in rhyming slang if you like (not necessary but will keep me amused!)

Comments close on the 28th November 2010 so approx 2 weeks Mimi-Time and I will bung all your names into a bag and make someone else pick one out so I don't feel guilty about anyone missing out...you can blame them then.

Winner will be announced on 5th December and I will post as soon as I have your details. I will post internationally too cos I'm lovely like that x;0)

Righto I've got stitching, naps and all manner of cup cakes to fit in today so I'm off for now, but stay tuned folks cos in addtion to announcing the giveaway winner and hot mincepie action, I'll have shed loads to fill you in on when you come back including Christmas commission heading off to Alaska again...bbbrrrrrrrrr!

So a big thank you to Aimee and Lark Publisher's for giving me the chance to have this giveaway and again thank you to all my lovely chums for droppin' by! x;0)

Roller coaster of emulsions!

2010-10-17T01:29:00.000-07:00

EY UP! 'Ows you then? :)

Well I was gunna regale y'all with one of me n the bezzies school summer hols day trips with the folks, specifically the one where after a fab day out at Hayling Island we headed for the fun fair whilst Mum gathered the smelling salts and Dad got in some kip in readiness for the drive home

The one where all my efforts to impress the strapping young carnies on the waltzer failed miserably due to the combo of super strong waltzer G-force which not only gave me the mother of all cow licks, made my top lip disappear and stick to my gums leaving my teeth exposed in a rictus stylee grin and (what with it being early 80's so pre any meaningful Health n Safety regs) the exposed metal of the seat shaved most of the skin off my left shin.

I tried my best to alight from the ride with what grace I could muster, what with the super exposed forehead, perma grin and gaping leg wound, but the heel of my shoe got caught in wooden slats and so as the ride ground slowly round taking me with it and thereby giving the rest of the fairground a stunningly thorough view of my predicament too, my abiding memory was seeing my bezzie standing on steps laughing hysterically as I was frantically trying to extricate my foot...suffice to say when I did finally get free I had to head to the nearest doughnut stand to calm myself down...and I didn't give her one either....flounce!!

But I've got far too much to show n tell you without bothering you with all that! x;0)

So if you're of a nervous disposition or have a heart condition you may want to get off now; the rest of you, strap yourselves in, hold on tight, enjoy the ride... and try not vomit on the keyboard...

Roll up!! Roll up!! Wanna win a Sock Bunny?! Anna Hull, AKA The Bunny Maker has put together a showcase to help raise funds for the Rabbit Welfare Association, which is just one of many causes close to my heart. It's not only a hub for bunny facts and info but also chock full of all sorts of lovely goodies from homewares, personal accessories and craft supplies from a raft of artists and crafters including Asking for Trouble, Eastwitching, Jay Anderson (hold that thought!) and some old tart called MimiLove to name but a few.

Yoink!Photo courtesy of Anna Hull

Somewhere in between looking after her family, running a business and just generally being superwoman Anna also finds the time to tirelessly raise funds and awareness for RWA and has put together a blog to support and further promote the fund too.

So to help spread the word and bunny love head on over to the bunny blog. If you sign up for the newsletter you could also win one of Anna's gorgeous lavender filled Sock Bunnies! :)

Talking of fluffy bunnies (no, really, they'll love that!)...the chaps from Id-iom have dropped me a line to let me know that the fruit of our creative juices (eww!) "Pretty Boy" is now ensconced in the rather spiffy gallery for all things street arty: Graffik, where we're rubbing shoulders with the likes of Dan Baldwin and Goldie no less!

So if you're mooching around Portabello Road any time soon drop in and see our collective brain parts hammered to their wall (and be warned that we're shaping up for some more hot collaboration action soon too!)

Which leads me rather nicely on to Tarkinson72ers; skillful street artist and thoroughly lovely young man! So you know I'm all like down with the kids/hep cat/groovy chick etc? (I have a sneaking suspicion I'm really more like one of those embarassing fake auntys, all cheek pinchy and spitty hankies) Anyway, after a bit of banter and barter there's a Cockney Sparrow residing in Germany and I've got my mitts on this collection of fabulousness!

Not only pieces featuring Tark's street art and trademark Devil but a collection of paste-ups, stickers and cards too...which I think I'm probably supposed to go out and spread around but I'm a covetous, selfish old bag; they're mine, they're far too magnificent to part with and they smell nice too...mmm...inky!

Right, hold on tight we're heading from Germany to Australia and my very naughty and utterly wonderful friend Clair! So I was on a bit of a downer t'other day what with both the telly and car conspiring with each other to mess with my mind and pack up within hours of each other on top of a load of other pile of pants. Posty arrives and hands me a package hot off the plane from Oz. I was a bit confused cos I wasnt expecting owt from anywhere but I have just sold a painting to that neck of the World. Mr.Mimi said it was probably being sent back cos they didnt like it...he really is a never ending source of support and encouragement..so with heart failure imminent you can only imagine the intital relief followed but goose bumpy joy to see this:

A lovely birthday gift...not only a collection of gorgeous threads (droool!) a card that had me in stitches (pardon my pun) and wee brochure from her home town, but one of Clair's beautiful handmade needlecases. I spent the rest of the day just mooning around the house feeling all loved and thankful for being blessed with having such lovely friends in my life!
In amongst the stitchy goodness was also a copy of Richard Perso's cd: Out from the Shadows. He's one of my fave musicians and also happens to be Clair's son! Go check him out here cos I cannot recommend him highly enough!

And finally! From my mate n her, musical genius son to a wee ferret with a bit of a gob on him! :)

Yes folks he's finally finished...just sent this wee fella up the trouser leg of the prodigious of talent and fantastical of imaginationals Dolores!

The Axis of Weasel..."But I'm n 'effin Ferret?!"...thankyouverymuch

I had the scantiest of briefs (titter) that of a ferret with a political bent and a few choice words to say to Tone Blair/Greenspan and their kind

Now I'll be completely honest here; when it comes to owt of a serious nature world politics n suchlike, it's safe to say I fall into the 2 short planks/thick as brick department but, I do know me way round a bit of cockney rhyming slang and a tune or two!

With that in mind, I've drawn a bit of stitchy caricature inspiration from the likes of Gerald Scarfe and so there's Blair, Bush and Greenspan all feeling the Wrath of the Cockney Ferret:
"Merchant Bankers!" "Porky Pie-rs!"

And cue Stealers Wheels lyrics:
I got the feeling that somethin' aint right
I'm so scared in case I fall of my chair
And I'm wonderin' how I'll get down the stairs
Clowns to the left of me!
Jokers to the right!

See him there in amongst the stitchy carnations (them's the official flower of Spain which is where Dodo hails from) and smatterin's n scatterin's of leaves, French knots and glittery glassy beads to add to the general mayhem!

Once again I cannot tell you how much I love doing this sort of work...just gimme a picture and a few guidelines and I'll give you a unique portrait of your loved one and then bore the world rigid with it a few weeks later! x:)

Well, I hope you enjoyed the ride but before you stagger off the blog to the doughnut stand, dazed, cow-licked and probably a tad nauseous, brace yourselves for next times thrilling edition cos I've got some hot giveaway action going down!

Aimee Ray, Queen of the Stitchy Universe and one of life's wonderous folk has not only mentioned me in but is also sending me a copy of her new book, Doodle Stitching the Motif Collection, to giveaway...ooooo you lucky Bloggers! (and there's wee summin' from me n'all!)x;0)

Oooo and before I disappear into the ether like the Marie Celeste only a bit wider of stern, an immense THANK YOU to the aforementioned lovely Jay Anderson over at Ziggy's blog for including me as part of the "Ziggy meets..." series (anyone who knows their way round a Tunnocks tea cake is defo Mimi People!)

Head on over if you want to read the witterings of a mad woman...(that would be me not you Jay...no offence!) or better still pop to the shop and cop yourself a Tunnock! x;)

Now can't sit around here bloggering about with you lot all day cos I've got snacks to eat, tea to drink n try and get a nap in somewhere too.....honestly I just dunno how I cram it all in y' know?!

Big loves to you all my homies and thanks for droppin' by! x;0)

Sonic the Ironic Hedgehog

2010-09-12T11:51:00.000-07:00

Sonic boom boy...sonic boom boom boy!

Allo darlin's how we all hangin' then...magnificently I hope?! :)

So this is 40 eh? Well if the past few days are anything to go by, I'm giving it back thank you very much...it's been a prickly old month so far...injections, blood tests, vampire hedgehogs, embroidery...it's had it all!

Ailing relatives, the loss of our beloved tabby chappy Babe to hyperthyroidism and now our other kitty, Mimi (THE Mimi...as in "MimiLove Forever") recent diagnosis of diabetes which has meant testing, injecting and a steep learning curve for us, it's not been the best of starts to this spanky new phase of my life...stress levels are as high as her blood sugar and vet bills!

Suffice to say the aforementioned visit to Woburn is well and truly on the back burner at least 'til both kitty and me are stable!

But if our brilliant new vet is helping kitty feel better then my most excellent flickr chum Dolores is taking care of my mental health and well being with her wonderous work, not only a prescription for general blues beating in the shape of her Shoggoth compadres but a birthday card/cake too...and let's face I LOVE DA CAKE! x:)

If you're not familiar with D's work then you really need to visit The Graphic Souk and have a good old wander through her magnificent imagination, I cannot recommend it or Dolores highly enough!

So in between hospital/vet/poor house trips I have managed to get a bit of painting in.

Now it's either a spooky coincidence or I'm a natural diviner of hedgehogs, cos there we were buggering about in the garden of a Sunday...can't really call what we do gardening, more thrashing around aimlessly with blunt instruments, but judging by the 3 million (roughly) sparra's and various pests n such, the wildlife seem to like it (neighbours are none too impressed but then we live nextdoor to a pub so it's hard to tell the difference sometimes)

Anyroad there we were, thrashing around, when wee this fella staggered out of a bush thing (technical latin garden term there)

Meet Mr. Humphries..."I vant to suck your blud!"

It was only a fleeting visit though, cos unlike Alan who just needed a few weeks of kitty dins and de-lungworming to get him back to the wilderness, this poor wee sod had a duff leg, so it was straight to vet next morn for some professional poking about
Anyroad we haven't heard how Mr.H is doing but I have finished my poking about with his painty counterpart, so here he is with all the stitching n stuff...

See him there getting ready for a bit of hibernating action in amongst the hand stitchy leaves...

He's just nestling down on his bed of glittery glass beads (ouch!) to catch a few zed's when... what the bleedin' hell that?!?!

It's only Sonic the soddin' Hedgehog shooting through racing off to me Etsy shop leaving a glittery gold trail in his midst...tsk...ruddy blue loonie!

Blasting from the pasting Westworld lyrics a-plenty...leaf one:
Cos I'm flying high
On a rocket in the sky

Leaf two:
SONIC BOOM BOY!
HA! SONIC BOOM BOOM BOY!

Heading for the Mimilove Emporium...a mince pie free zone for the time being at least unlike the supermarkets from 01st Sept!...I mean, you know me I'll have y' arm off for a cake/Christmas based morsel but c'mon!

Righto that's me then...I'm off to apply a few more Shoggoths to rest my achey brain and then I shall be starting work on a ferret with political leanings...stay tuned folks
Ta Ta for now my bloggy chums and thanks for droppin' by!
x;0)

Flock o Cockneys

2010-08-11T00:55:00.000-07:00

Allo my old china's! :)

And how are we all today, looking spectacular I must say...have you been working out?
I haven't.

I did think about it and even went into the shed where the excercise bike has been ~~abandoned~~ relocated, but I was side tracked by a box of gubbins that needed a good rummaging so once again the excercise regimin has gone to big pants...quite literally in my case!

However I am still just about the right side of a muumuu cos my stitchy mate Sarah Terry, the artistic supremo behind Guerilla Embroidery, sent me this:

Yoink! Photo courtesy of Guerilla Embroidery

A beautiful unique frock, all the way from the land Down Under, hand made by her stitchy genius self! I coveted it the minute she posted it on her flickr stream and I was knocked off my socks when she very generously offered it to me as a gift...how bloody wonderful is that!?
Well I'm relieved to say it's even more gorgeous in the flesh/fabric and even better and somewhat incredibly, it fits...huzzah...so if that's not worth celebrating with a Mini Roll which were on offer in the Co'op this week, I dunno what is?!

Now, if you should happen to find yourself in the Australia area Sarah's having her first solo show
'Drawing Threads' - stitched drawings and fabric paintings by Sarah Terry
Orange Regional Gallery, Orange, NSW, Australia
Opening: Friday 13th August 6-6.30pm

The show runs until the 12th September 2010 which is a couple of days after my birthday...hold that thought!

Also in the Mimi news this week..mucho excitingness from yon side of the Pacific as my mate Ad and his wonderous creations are appearing at Art Box International show DOLL which opens Monday 9th Aug and runs til 19th August. So if you are in the region pop along, admire his work, say hello and give him a hug from me...better warn him first though, cos you might get arrested :)

So did you hold that thought?
Now regular readers of my grammatically challenged witterings (and I bless you all for sticking with it!) may be familiar with me n my bezzie and our infrequent trips out, so I just want to give you fair warning now, she is threatening another one!

Me n the sprog (just the one this time, as mummy's little soldier is far too teenaged and rock 'ard to be carted round a zoo by a pair of raddled old strumpets like us) are busy working on a list of excuses, but she's cunningly not letting on when it is...a stealth attack if you will...but I do know it involves Woburn Abbey. On the upside, they are celebrating their 40th birthday this year and so am I (aaaaaaargh) which means I apparently get in for free...result!

So if you're in that vicinity sometime soon and you see a puffy ankled misery guts in a lovely frock getting mauled by a lion that'll be me...come say hello and buy me a birthday ice cream!

Have to say I'm pretty bloody lucky to have such utterly fabulous friends, from the bezzie who goes back with me donkey's years, to the lovely people from all over the world whom I've met via this internet mularkey, you lot reading this for a start! So to chums; stitchy one's, internetty one's and bezzies who will not leave me to fester in my borderline agrophobic comfort zone, a stitchy Cockney Sparrow homage to you all!

Allo my old china! China plate = Mate

Cockney Sparrow No.1

Acrylics and hand embroidery

Cockney Sparrow No.2

Acrylics and hand embroidery

Cockney Sparrow No.3

Acrylics, hand embroidery and glitteryness!

Cockney Sparrow No.4

Acrylics, hand embroidery and sequins!

Cockney Sparrow No.5

Acrylics, hand embroidery, sequins and beads!

Cockney Sparrow No.6

Acrylics and hand embroidery

This new flock of Cockney Sparra's are now available for your purchasing pleasure at another one of my mate's gaffs, the magnificent emporium for all things stitchy, Miso Funky, where you will not only find stuff stuffed by me but cross stitch samplers (as seen on TV!) and some rather spiffing kits from the likes of Sublime Stitching...

Flock O' Cockneys!
Stuffed and ready for your suspending pleasure

So if you've got 5 mins, pop along, splash some cash and then go give y' mate a Mimi hug! x:)

Now can't sit around here all day bloggerin' about with you lot, there's a 36 pack of Mini Rolls in the joint and they're not going to eat themselves y' know?!

Coming up in the next thrilling edition: possible safari park action and the MOTHER OF ALL BUDGIES!!
Stay tuned and ta ta for now!
Thanks for droppin' by
x;0)

Scout...Dib! Dib! Dib!....

2010-07-28T00:27:00.000-07:00

Not that sort...to be honest I was a bit too rough for the Brownies/Girl Guides round our way, whilst they were knocking up bivouacks and whittling splints in the town hall (as was my understanding of what went on) me and the bezzie were trying to work out the best way of procurring the parents stash of Malibu, mixers and Quality Street out of the "Christmas cupboard" in the living room

Fortunately the "Christmas cupboard" also housed other delights such as the collection of casettes for taping the charts off the radio of a Sunday eve, a tin of "useful bits" like burnt out flash cubes and the family board games.

So we developed a cunning strategy whereby she would distract the folks, (which was quite easy as my kitty at the time-Pepsi-had anger management issues and would pretty much launch herself at anyone who entered her field of vision) and I would casually announce we were just coming down to get the Scrabble.

Then whilst the bezzie was being mauled on the corner unit, I would be squirreling bottles of whatever weirdness the folks were trying out that year (anyone for Bezique?!) and whatever else I could get up my batwings

Once she'd got her hand out of the kitty's mouth we shot off upstairs...the perfect crime...least we thought it was til many moons later the folks pointed out the clinking noise coming from my jumper combined with Frankie Goes to Hollywood and hysterical giggling blaring down the stairs half hour later pretty much gave the game away...bugger...rumbled!

Suffice to say were weren't really Guide material...still arent for that matter! x;0)

Anyway..where was I? (See the perils of Christmas cupboard excess finally catching up with me) oh yes, Scout!

Remember this piece I did for Judith and her crew, a pawtrait (titter) of their rescue kitty River.

Well, big sigh of relief to know that he landed safe and sound in Texas; fortunately Judith wasnt put off by working with me and commissioned another picture, this time for her sister Deidra!
So introducing Deidra's precious pooch Scout currently winging her way to the US of A

Hot pre-stitchy action! See Scout all watercoloury in shades of browns, blues and purples with her pretty freckles and floaty soft ears!

I had the brief of: sweetpeas, Scout's favorite butterfly, a much loved scarf in shades of lilac, blue and brown and Deidra made up this little song she sang Scout from the moment she got her, basically "darling girl, darling girl, darling girl . . . "

Here she is again with my stitchy interpretation

Scout is nestled amongst a stitchy shrubbery of leaves in a variety of cottons and silks in shades of green and blues with flashes of silky shiney yellows, golds and browns. I hand stitched sweet pea blooms in soft lilacs, pale baby blue and pinks echoing the scarf colours

Her wee butterfly friend is hand stitched in black thread with glittery metallic blue and has flittered past Scout leaving a trail of glittery gold and Darling Girl tune behind her

I'm currently in my usual state of postal stressing but hopefully Scout will be touching down Stateside soon.. So once again a big THANK YOU to Judith (and Deidra!) for trusting me with their precious furry family members!

Once again I cannot tell you how much I love doing this sort of work...just gimme a picture and few guidelines and I'll give you a unique portriat of your loved one. On the other hand give me a bottle of Tia Maria and a copy of Welcome to the Pleasuredome and I'll give a you bad rendition of The Power of Love!

On that out of tune note I bid you adieu...but stay tuned for some hot Miso Funky action!
Mimi say RELAX....and pass the Quality Street

Ta ta for now my bloggy chums
Thanks for droppin' by!
x;)

OOO's a pretty boy then?!

2010-07-11T06:07:00.000-07:00

PHWOAR!! Wot a scorcher!!

OOOO I could do with a day by the seaside beside the sea, altho it's just not the same as when I were knee high to a bucket n spade

We didn't really do holidays, just day trips to seaside. My bezzie would bomb round the day before and stay the night so we could fully hype ourselves up for it! Next morning the folks would snatch us both out of bed and sling us in the back of the motor....all this generally happened at 4 in the morning as me Dad liked to get a head start on the traffic...so it wasn't so much a day trip more a kidnapping really...ah many a bleary eyed happy memory watching the sun rise over Littlehampton!

Unfortunately Dad suffered from a form of narcolepsy...he could fall asleep mid way through eating, standing up, pretty much anywhere anytime really...so couple that with the crack of sparrows start and the fact he'd have been up all night before charting every conceivable B-road between us and the South coast, it made for an interesting journey.

So as well as the metric ton of boiled sweets, egg sandwiches and gallon of orange squash Mum had knocked up, (which me and bez had usually shovelled down just outside of Guildford, approx 9 miles from home) we also had to take a jar of smelling salts, a wet flannel and a pin...when we saw the tell tale drifting into the oncoming traffic signs, mum whipped out the salts and me n my bezzie slapped him with wet flannels and poked him with pins til we were back on vaguely the right side of the road....ah many happy memory of narrowly avoiding head on collision...it's no real wonder I'm like I am! :0)

So anyway...pictures n stuff!

Remember this I did for them

And then they did this for me

Then we got chatting and they sent me this

Well look what I gone n dun to it! x;0)

PRETTY BOY!!

It's all getting a bit Alfred Hitchcock

Yes, if in doubt cover it with budgies! I have to say that despite the nerves about having the responsibility of someone else creation to play with, I had a blast doing this and there's even talk of another in the pipeline, providing the chaps survived Glastonbury!

The budgies are painted in acrylics and then festooned with a garland of hand stitched flowers in various silks and cottons; tiddly stitches and then big demented ones also chucked on some glass beads, sequin flowers and glittery paint!

It measures an impressive 50cm x 50cm; features hand cut stencils, acrylic and spray paint, hand embroidery and budgies and all this could be yours just drop the boys a line here:
sholto@id-iom.com for details

I am also relieved to report the chaps aren't suing me for knackering their picture...phew!....and it can be viewed in all it's glory at a rather swanky London restaurant no less: metroclapham

Also excited to report that my canvas from Mclevey has arrived!

I can't express how much I love Adam's work and I'm thrilled to the gills to own a piece of my very own!

If your not aware of Adam's work I urge you to check it out forthwith as it's really rather magnificent
Just look at the packaging he sent it in!

Now last but not least I really have been a very naughty girl/old bag and I do hope all the lovely people I'm about to mention will forgive my frankly tardy behaviour in not thanking them sooner for taking the time to contact me and include some of my work in their treasuries, so to:

Roxycreations

FridaWer
LoveFuzz
Buffalump
HandcraftedorVintage
widgetsandwhatsus
UmeOrigami
Hippopotamejewelry

A GREAT BIG (if a bit late!) MIMI LOVE THANK YOU!!

Coming up in next month's (yes, I know I'm sorry but it's Summer and there's a whole world of chilled pudding's and ice creams to get through before the crumble season kicks off!) a spanking new Flock of Cockney Sparrows and this wee girly...

...waiting patiently for the embroidery to begin!

Now did someone say egg sandwiches....oooo niffy...pass the smelling salts!

Ta ta for now folks and thanks for droppin' by!

x;0)

He's my Japanese (toy) Boy!

2010-06-20T05:34:00.000-07:00

And so warbled very strange 80's songstress Aneka..(gawd, my mum loved her!)

...no need for panic though, I haven't ditched Mr. Mimi for a tasty bit of Oriental stuff...altho that's not say I wouldn't think twice if offered a deep fried banana fritter from The Fortune Garden round the corner...mmm narna...

So! You may recall a few posts back, I made a fleeting mention of a bit of shennanigans between me and my mate Ad? Well in between Cockney Sparrows (hold that thought!), budgies and collaborations (hold that one too!)...there's been going's on of the most thrilling nature between myself and the stitching GOD that is Mr.Monsterosity

We've been stalking each other's work for a long time and are both fully paid up members of the MimiLove/Monsterosity Mutual Appreciation Society so after much grovelling on my part an exchange of brains was decided upon

Now based in Japan creating the most incrdedible art dolls, which you can admire on his flickr photostream, Ad is a former senior costume maker with the South Australian State Theatre and has worked on all the grooviest of shows including The Lion King, Phantom of the Opera and Mamma Mia...(blimey!)...so we're talking hardcore talent here and a combo of nerves and excitement in equal measure on my part!

So I came up with this...it's a Japanese Woodsman spider...which comes from Australia and Japan...just like Ad!

Big leggy spider just hanging around in his silver and gold web..

right slap bang in the middle of a fight between...

Godzilla and Mimzilla!

ROAR!!!

GRRRR!!!!!!

And this is the art doll that Ad made for me...I cannot express how much I love this

(Maruhanabachi..Japanese for BumbleBee!).

He's made from a soft stripey orangey yellow suede and gold leather. A deep soft plush fun fur in black and yellow and super shiney patent vinyl
The attention to detail is just beyond gorgeous...from the honeycomb legs and refracted eyes (all of which glow in the dark!), his poseable arms, the attenae..and the wings..oh the wings!

He's even got a wee buzzy flying fishy friend!

There are more of Ad's magnificent art doll creations at his Etsy shoppy and he also has a range of fashion accessories and the world's grooviest soft furnishings including couch candy cushion and leather lights!

If you happen to be in the Tokyo vicinty in August pop along to the Art Box International Gallery and you will be able to marvel at Ad's creations in the flesh/fur!

(Psst...can you keep a secret? We are also planning a little something together too...a MimiLove Monsterosity Mash if you will!)

This week I will be starting work on a new line of Cockney Sparrows (which were very kindly mentioned by Guardian journalist and all round top chick Perri Lewis ...bless y 'eart missus!) heading for my homies over at Miso Funky a commission of a wee doggy too and an exciting update on the idiom collaboration front!

Anyway can't sit around here blogging about with you lot all day I've got a nap to catch up on and someone mentioned narna fritters!

Big loves people and thanks for droppin' by!

x;0)

2 Cockney Sparrows, a ton of blue budgies, a black kitty painting, Chas n Dave...

2010-06-13T05:44:00.000-07:00

Reasons to be cheerful 1...2...3! x;0)

This week I have mostly been getting on down with a bit of Ian Dury...ooo I do love a jig about to a top tune!

I would love to have been a singer or a muso; my dad could carry a tune and was apparently a bit nifty on a guitar and his dad was one of those who could play any instrument you gave him, unfortunately the musical gene shook it's head in despair and skipped a generation when it got to me

I knew this early on when I was tossed out of the school recorder group at the age of 7...in my defence I had joined halfway through the term and did have trouble telling my left from my right, I even tried miming but was rumbled on an Ode to Joy solo.

Also, unlike Jeremy the only boy in the recorder group (surprisingly, not a euphemism) who had his own hand made, hand crafted wooden recorder, mine was plastic, covered in Starwars transfers and had been mainly used as a makeshift straw for sucking up not quite set jelly (Jello... for my American chums!)

Granted, my 3 Blind Mice may have been a bit screechy but least it tasted of strawberries...suffice to say it didnt go down well with the woman taking the class and my dream of playing London's Burning in the round was left in tatters...so much for my Rythym Stick..sigh

Anyroad got shedloads to show you today so tenuous musically link over with, here we go!
First off a new flock of stuffed birdies looking for new nests over the Olde MimiLove Curiousity Shoppe

Cockney Sparrow no.1

Oh dear, he's a little bit stroppy:
"GERTCHA!"

Mr. Sparrow sits amongst a positive field of hand stitched grasses in blues, turquoise and greens with bright clashing oranges, pinks and reds for added oompf!

Inspired by the Cockney super duo Chas & Dave and their hit (well it was in my book!)

GERTCHA! = Get out of it or be off with you!

Cockney Sparrow no2

Something appears to be bothering him...

"GORDON BENNET!
Some bleedin' tea leaf's half inched me jam jar! If I get me
camber sands on 'em, I'll kick their bottle and glasses!"

Oh dear I think we better get on the dog and bone and call the old bill!

Mr. Sparrow sits amongst a big old bunch of hand stitched leafery in blues, turquoise and greens with bright pinks and reds. The painty background has a metallic acrylic paint mixed in it for a bit of glittery goodness too

Tea Leaf = Thief
Jam Jar = Car
Camber Sands = Hands
Bottle & Glasses = Arses
Dog & Bone = Phone
Old Bill = Police

A new batch of bright blue bouncy budgies to brighten up the grey days of summer!

Budgie no 1
(A big shout out Thank You for the mention! to my painty mate Alison over at Eastwitching...check out her gorgeous paintings!)

All festooned with silky shiny garlands of hand stitched flowers in fruity shades of orange, tangerine and silky red and yellow combined with gold, bronze and red sequin flowers which shimmer when they catch the light

Budgie no 2

To keep them amused, dingly jingly bells hangs from golden hand stitched "chains"

Budgie no 3

A sprinkling of french knots, glass beads in shiny gold and tinsy drops of glittery gold give added glitz and sparkle!

And finally, the latest commission piece

Hot pre-embroidery action!

I was contacted by the lovely Judith to paint a portrait of their aptly monikered kitty "River" for her husband's birthday. The family had been on a kayaking hoilday and were having a leisurely paddle along the river when they heard a noise, they paddled over to the river bank and a tiny dishevelled kitten staggered out from the undergrowth and hopped onto one of the canoe's

He was taken home, cleaned up and checked out and was intitally going to be re-homed but endeared himself so much to the family that the rest, as they say, is history!

I had a few guidelines, colour scheme and faves list to choose from including, greens and blues, Get Fuzzy the comic strip, a Ben Folds Five song and a free rein...huzzah!

So here is River with a stitchy Satchel and Bucky from Get Fuzzy paying their own homage to that fateful day!

Stitchy details include shiney metallic threads for the water waves and splashes, wee french knot bull rushes and lots of grasses and undergrowth in various shades of greens.

Also in the news the Id-iom/Mimilove collaboration is finally complete and on it's way to the chaps in Brixton...it's still in transit and the chap's havent seen it yet so I will have to keep you all in suspenders til A: I know it's arrived and B: I'm not being sued for knackering their art work! :)

So as Ian and his magnificent Blockheads say, what with it being Sunday n all...why don't you get back into bed...1...2...3!

(ooo I've got a hankering for jelly n ice-cream...pass me that piccollo!)
Thanks for droppin' by
x;0)

GET STUFFED!

2010-05-16T05:17:00.000-07:00

No offence ;D

So how are well today on this finest of days? I hope you are all feeling as gorgeous as you are all looking today...and I'm includng you in the fluffy dressing gown. Once again please forgive the tardy blogging behaviour, I shant bother you with excuses, suffice it to say the smell of linament has increased in line with volcanic ash clouds affecting airmail/stress levels...and dont get me started on the election...zzzz!

Anyhoo.

I'm relieved to report Dean Martin Octopus made his way across the Atlantic and is living with my mixed media mate Joanie in Maryland...mmmarvellous! And Mr.Robin safely arrived in the Land Down Under and is now nestling down for Aussie Autumn with the lovely talented stitchy cosie genius Claire (check out her fabulous tea cosies and hottie huggers and then go and have a listen to her son Richards music; fabulous stuff and knows his way round a didgerdoo and a pudding...it doesnt get better than that in my book!)

I also recieved this spiffing piece from Id iom my street/graffiti artists chums
Spray paint, acrylic and hand cut stencils on canvas...pink and glittery too...I love it!

An Army of Mimi...all part of my plan for fluffy stitchy global domination...mwhahaha!

So, wanna see some stuffed stuff?!

I've drawn inspiration from a recent arguement in the back of the car between my niece 7 and nephew 11
Her standing outside car all snot and snivvlin' and him sitting in car sulking (grandad also in car with a haunted look in his eye)

Her, heavy sobbing and big fat tears:
"He called me a bad name!!"

What?
"I cant say it's really bad!"

Just say it, you wont get into trouble promise
"He called me the R word!!"

Now I pride myself on the vast sweary dictionary I have in my head so figured this must be a new one that's all the pops with the young'uns these days...

The R word...what's the R word?
(Brace yourselves...)

"ARSE'OLE!!!!!!!"

I'm still trying to decide if I'm more offended by the language or the spelling
So talking of foul mouthed little 'Erberts. ...here's the latest collection heading for the old MimiLove Shop

Very Blue Tit

A wee blue tit

He's so blue with cold he's blaspheming blue language amongst the blue blooms!

In contrasting fruity orange:
"Effin' Nora! I'm bleedin' freezin!
Bugger this for a lark!
I'm effin' off to Spain.
Global warmin' my arse!"

A garland of stitchy flowers in shades of silky and shiney metallic threads are embellished with tiny glass orange beads for extra glitteryness

Next up for gno particular reason I just like him...it's not unusual!

Tom Jones Gnome
Now please ladies no knicker throwing...

A jolly wee fella with his bright red hat and big bushy white beard standing around in his garden of hand stitched grasses with a scattering of daisies in white silks and shiney yellow french knots singing his favourite Tom Jones tune...

"It's good to touch the green green grass of ...gnome!"

He is backed with black & white gingham, has a spotty red & white loop and is stuffed with hollowfibre for your squidging pleasure

And finally, did someone say election? ZZZZZZZZZ..Golden Slumber Gnome as seen on The Hand Embroidery Network (thank you Victoria!)

Poor wee fella, he's cream crackered after a hard day's gnoming, so he's snuggled himself down amongst the stitchy toadstools and silky undergrowth to catch a few golden Z's

"Please Do Not Disturb!"

A smattering of green glass beads and wee dots of glittery golden paint add extra glitteryness!

So if you're looking for some hardcore squidgin action, head on over to the MimiLove Emporium: Putting the Effin' in Ephemera :)

Also in the MimiLove news: The collaboration has arrived...

...so I shall be getting the thinking cap on and the Hot Fudge Cake special offer from Sainbo's in....it's all part of the process you know?!

And a heartbreakey TA TA to our prickly chum Alan...sniff...

TA TA AL! :(

Fear not though folks, he's still in the vicinity, shovelling down kitty dins and setting off security lights in middle of the night and within 2 days of being out he copped himself a girlfriend...GO ALAN! :)

So with a heavy heart and thighs I bid you adieu for now....
Thanks for droppin' by!
x;)

Never Mind the Pollocks

2010-04-18T09:15:00.000-07:00

Ah, Gawd bless yer Mr.McClaren...

Well I hope you are all fine and dandy on this most sunniest of Sunday's? I have been away from the bloggy bits for a wee while catching up on stitching, some boring stuff and also writhing around feeling sorry for myself with an iffy back and arthritikky wrist...but don't you worry about me I'm fine...altho if you're wondering where the whiff of linament is coming from...

Anyroad...so you know when summin' fantasticly amazing happens; that moment when you just think..."YES! That's why I'm on this planet", like say, trifle?

Well!
Few years ago my bezzie mate rocked up on the doorstep, prized my fingers off the door frame and bundled me in the motor, kidnap stylee, for a half term day trip to Farnham Bird World.
My protests that they just stick chickens in hats and call 'em exotic were futile and I could tell by her death stare and the fact the child locks were on there was no escape

Despite my initial suspicions, third degree burns from a cup of the worlds hottest tea and a distressing incident in the gift shop when some 3yr old kid attached itself to my handbag and wouldn't let go (it was red with a monkey on...my handbag...not the kid) we had a fun day and once we'd exhausted the feathery flappy things we popped over yon side of the car park to the Underwater World to see the fishy finny things
(Now as far as I know Farnham's not technically known for it's tropical sealife, what with it being in deepest landlocked Surrey n all, but a mate of mine did have a seafood medley off the Spud U Like once, so I could of course be wrong)

Anyway what with the sprogs being somewhat vertically lacking in the inches department at the time and a lot of the tanks being relatively high up, I designated myself ofFISHal tour guide and off we trotted:
"Woss that one fake aunty Kaz?"
"Fish"
"Woss that one fake aunty Kaz?"
"Bigger fish" (you can see I'm a bit of an expert in my field)
"Woss that one fake aunty Kaz"

...and this was it...the moment...

In my best and most loudest Dean Martin impression...

"...THAT'S A MORAYYYYY!!!!!!"

A withering look from my bezzie, 2 blank stares off the kiddywinks and they all buggered off back to the gift shop...I would have stayed and savoured it all a bit longer but in the distance I could hear the cry of a snotty 3yr old..."MUNNNKKKKEEYYY BAAAAGGGG!" so made a run for the car instead
Suffice to say there has been a distinct lack of day trips since, but it was a moment I still savour and cherish to this very day... like trifle

Anyway...tenuous, but true story/fishy link over...here's the latest heading for an Etsy shop near you:
See Mr. Octopus just flopping about squiggly and leggy in his watercolouryness!

Hope he doesn't do himself a mischief on them there spikey urchins or pokey golden starfish!

There's a couple of wee shrimps bobbing about in amongst the shoals of hand stitchy fish in golds, oranges, reds and pinks!

A big old fish (it's the scientific name alright?!) in shades of shimmery blues and turquoise is having a swim amongst the seaweed
And cue Dean Martin....
When the moon hits your eye
Like a big pizza pie
That's a MORAY!

But hold on...who's that in the corner? Hang on to your bikini's girls!

It's only the Creature from the Black Lagoon..tsk... there you are minding your own business having a bit of a splash about, next thing you know you're being carted off by some bloody great lizard to his underwater lair...honestly it gives me the right 'ump!

So there you have it, it's got fish, it's got octopus, it's got Dean Martin...huzzah!

Few exciting bits jiggling in the background at mo, first off Hypochondriac Cockney Sparra is now living with the rather splendid street artist extraordinaire McClevey Art and he is making me my very own canvas...watch this space!

I've also heard from my Idiom homeboys and the collaboration piece is on the way...mucho excitements!

And hot Alan action:

He's still with us but not for much longer as we're preparing him for his release. Mr. Mimi has built him a rather spiffing hedgeyhouse...here he is trying it for size...he seems to like it!

Have to say we are going to miss him terribly, but a hedgehog's gotta do what a hedgehog's gotta do, so tune in next time and help us say TA TA! ...(sniff!)

Right....did someone say trifle??

Ta ta for now you gorgeous bunch

Thanks for droppin' by!

x:)

Bring it on Banksy!

2010-03-21T01:13:00.000-07:00

Big shout out to my Brixton homies, MimiLove is in da house, and I know that for a fact cos it was delivered yesterday!

I have literally no idea what I'm talking about, but feel my *finger is firmly on the pulse as to what's all the pops with the young'uns these days

*(arthritikky old finger and is generally on pulse for checking the blood pressure)

Anyway...this one goes out to the supremely cool illustrating, street art-ing, designer duo Id-iom!

They gave me absolutely nothing whatsoever to go on, (thanks for that chaps!) just a free hand/needle, but never let it be said being totally clueless as to what I'm doing at any given time has ever stopped me before...oh no!

So where to start?
Well I knew the chaps hail from the Isle of Man so I used that as my starting point. I was going to do a portrait of my uncle Doug but thought that was probably a bit too obscure even by my standards

I was then going to do a Manx cat with the Be-Bo-Bend It rhyme...but realised they had beaten me to that with this frankly fabulous creation.

(yoink! Photo courtesy of Id iom)
Back to the drawing board then...literally. So after a nap and a bun, inspiration struck...and here it is:

A wee kitty, not technically a manx, I just didn't paint his tail!
See kitty all tabbyfied in grey's and lovely turquoisey blues with whiffs of pinks and yellows

As a lot of Id-iom's work is street art/graffitti based I've drawn on my memories of graffiti back in my day:
There's Chad poking over the wall...
"Wot no tail?"

Someone's scrawled "Mods"...(from the Chertsey Benches..not actually a place as such...it was a bench in Chertsey they used to hang out at...we called it Chertsey Benches...inspired!)

From the door of the public toilets in Littlehampton:

"Here I sit
Broken hearted
Paid 10p
And only farted"

And finally;
"Mimi Rules OK!"

A big old mish mash of leafery, grasses all hand stitched in a rainbow of colours, with added french knots and tiddly glass beads for a bit of glittery goodness and a bunch Coshags (not a made up name..the national flower of the Isle o Man apparently!) in lovely sunny yellows

But hang on! Turn your back for two minutes and next thing you know bloody Banksy rocks up and you've got one of his stencilly kids whose lost her balloon popping up...tsk...I'll have to ring the council now!

There you go...that's wotcha get when you don't give me anything to go on.
However if you have a few ideas you'd like to see immortalized in paint n stitch or just
want a bit of my brain hammered to your wall, do drop me a line! x;0)

Stay tuned as myself and the Id-iom possee will be working on a collaboration canavs which, hold on to your seats, will be available for purhase! (unless I get cake all over it..which is kind of a signature now anyway)

Mr. Monsterosity's swap is hopefully somewhere over (or possibly, in) the Pacific and this fella is next in line for a good needling:

Alan is approaching somewhere in the region of a metric ton weightwise, however he is super lively and has ben having a few test drives round the garden so it wont be much longer before he's off into the big wide world/garden to do his hedgey thing....sniff!

Anyway can't be sitting round here blogging about with you lot all day...Mark n Sparks gooey eggs are 3 for £1 and they're not going to eat themselves you know?!

Thanks for dropping by!
x;0)

Wip-a-dee-doo-dah...

2010-03-07T06:57:00.000-08:00

Wip-a-dee-yay....my oh my what a wunnerful day!! And may I say you are all looking particularly GORGEOUS today x;0)

Yes my bloggy chums Jan n Feb have finally slouched off and taken their poxy dark drabbyness with them; the days, nights and indeed puddings, are getting lighter and me and the gang have been soaking in the good sunny rays. OOO I feel better for it...I hope you are all feeling the good warm (ish!) sunny spring lovin too?

So talking of feeling good!
My New York chum, artist, jewellery maker and writer extraoridnaire Florence Wang....recently asked me if I'd be interested in being interviewed for the Profiles section on her blog...I naturally remained calm and dignified..."HELL YEAH!!!" and spent many days skipping round the joint giggling like a loon and feeling quite the celeb; this of course went completely unnoticed by the rest of Team Mimi, as do most things, unless *dinner is late or the remote is missing

Anyway, if unlike the rest of them round here, you are vaguely interested in the wittering of an erratic, cake stuffed bint then head on over to Florence Wang Designs and have a read...I hope I don't sound like a poncy arty type...you may feel free to issue virtual slappage if I do...and check out Flo's work whilst your there...she rocks!

Pic courtesy of Florence Wang Designs

Whilst we are on the subject of other people's work (it's not all about Mi-Mi-Mi you know) do check out Koi Creek Beads latest work; Elise recently lost her beloved kitty Henry and is drawing on her experience to offer comfort for those experiencing the pain and loss of pet bereavement, in the form of beautiful hand crafted reliquary/memorial beads, you can read all about it and commission her at her etsy shop.

Pic courtesy of Koi Creek Beads

Right, so you want some MimiLovin'?
These are WIPs..I should point out I had no idea what a WIP was until fairly recently when someone took me to one side, sat me down and shouted WORK IN PROGRESS DEAR...so thank you for that...I thought I was missing out on something...anyway:

Waiting for a good stuffing...and let's face it who isn't?...snigger...sorry:

Homey Gnomey

"Be it ever so humble, there's no place like gnome!"

A jolly wee fella with his bright red hat all pointy nointy standing around in his garden of hand stitchy bits in just about every colour I could cram on there. A couple of toadystools are lit up by his lantern, glittering away in gold french knots and glass beads. French knots and tiddly green glass beads add a bit of texture and a nice bit o metallic paint add a bit of sparkley goodness.
He will eventually be backed with black & white gingham, have a spotty pink & white loop and will be stuffed with hollowfibre for your squidging pleasure

Hypochondriac Cockney Sparrow

"Gordon Bennet!
Me plates of meat are killin me, I've been up all night with this pain in me Gregory Peck and don't get me started on me Farmer Giles!"

Moany old sparra sits amongst a big old bunch of hand sitched flowery, leafy stuff in bright clashy oranges, pinks and yellows with blues and greens and a smattering of tiddly green glass beads. The painty background has a metallic acylic paint mixed in it for a bit of glittery goodness too. He too will eventually be backed with black & white gingham, have a spotty pink & white loop and will be stuffed with hollowfibre for your squidging pleasure

Plates of Meat = feet
Gregory Peck = neck
Farmer Giles = answers on a postcard!
So there you go; stuffed stuff, painty parts, stitchy bits AND an English lesson..where you gunna get that for your Sausage & Mash?
(my shop eventually!)

Also in the Mimi news this week. Check Mi out! Never let it be said I'm not down with the kids. I've been propositioned, in the nicest possible way, by super cool design duo id iom for a bit of a collaboration. I've no idea what we're going to be doing but I'm super excited about it...which more or less sums up my life really...so stay tuned folks

I have also just fnished a spanky new painty/stitchy piece but that has to stay under wraps until it reaches it's destination...Japan..as part of a global swappery between me and this fella...which I'm also hugely excited about!

Looking for hot Alan action??
Heeelllooooooooo!
(Checkout his wee gnoshers!!)

Well he's doing very well, he's put on weight, somewhere in the region of 4 stone the way he's packing it away, and he's very lively now. We've taken advice from all sorts of wildlifey experts and will be aiming to let him shuffle off into the wilds of the back garden end of March time...loo roll at the ready-I fear it will be a Born Free moment!

Til then spikey fans, you will find us all soaking up the rays, *dinner's at half 5 if you're interested; Alan's having cat food, we're not.
Thanks for droppin' by!
(comments in rhyming slang if you please!)
x;0)

PS: I've tried to keep the blog as a free love commenty place but I've had to add a comment moderation thingy now cos of severe Spam-o-lope attacks...gggrrrr!!

Dear Henry Dear Henry

2010-02-21T01:17:00.001-08:00

BBRRRR!!!!!
So just when I thought it was safe to come out from under the duvet...more snow!?!?!
Enough already!

You may have gleaned from my last post that me n winter just don't mix...granted, you're entering into a whole new season of hot puddings: crumbles n custard, syruppy sponges, I'll give you that, but thumping great lump of snow down the back of the neck as I'm getting out of the motor...NO...suffice it to say the neighbour nearly had heart failure at the ensuing outburst (for which I apologise) :)

I can't moan too much though cos this latest piece is currently winging it's way to Alaska and the lovely lady who commissioned me informs me they had a foot of snow in under a week, which made our 3inches look pretty pathetic...still didn't need down the back of me Gregory though!

So, before we get to the pix, a quick history: this piece is for the lovely Elise, the lampworking artist behind Koicreek Beads...check out her Alaskan inspired pieces and tell me the polar bears and seals don't make you swoon!

(Photo courtesy of Koicreek Beads)
and they're avaible for sale at her Etsy store too!

Myself and Mr.Mimi had a go at lampworking many moons ago, spent a small fortune on glass,mandrels,melty gubbins etc and set off our exciting new venture.

Approx 2 hours later we had achieved an allergic reaction involving breathing difficulties and a red rash all over his face, a pile of snot green glass blobs stuck on the rods and nearly burnt the shed down. It wasn't the new cottage industry I was hoping for. The gear is still in the loft. We never spoke of it again.

Anyway what I'm grasping to get at is...I am in complete AWE of Elise's skills!
Not only is she a glassy artistic genius but a lovely person too and I was really touched that she trusted me with a portrait of her precious wee kitty Henry who had passed away very recently after 16 happy years.

So before I get all emotional again...(there were many tears from both of us during this!)..let's get to the pix eh?

Introducing dear sweet Henry, a very handsome chap indeed

Watercolouryness in shades of bluey greys, lilcas and cobalts

And here he is again surrounded by the stitchery

Elise gave me a free hand with the embroidery just requesting a simple theme featuring flowers and leaves and so forth

The embroidery ranges from soft shimmery greens with hints of lilac and gold; Henry is cradled by a curve of shimmery silver with grasses and leaves ranging from warm sunny oranges and deep red and pinks.

To contrast, a little bunch of Forget-Me-Knots in various blue and turquoise tones (I did a bit of snooping and found they were Alaska's national flower) and I felt were quite fitting

Henry portrait is currently winging it's way to the wilds of Alaska and I'm back under the covers til Spring...but if you want summin painting & stitching I will drag myself out from under them for you... if you're looking for stunning handmade beads...give Elise a nudge...if you're looking for snot green blobs on rods, I'm y woman... x;)

And talking of hibernating...meet Alan:

The latest addition to the MimiLove home for waif n strays! Found stumbling around in broad daylight starving hungry, in neighbours garden. He shovelled his way thru a can of kitty dins on his first day but was so cream crackered he kept falling asleep in it. He snores, he makes a soft almost purring sound when content and sleeps with all his legs sticking out! Adorable aint the word!

And here finally, is the 60th birthday portrait I finally got on with.

It hasn't been presented as yet, so if you're reading this and recognise the chap and have a 60th birthday imminent...could you act surprised when you open it please?!

This week I will be painting gnomes and Sting...altho not in the same picture...

Fab week to you all
Thanks for droppin' by!
x;0)

HensTeeth Big Jesse...

2010-01-21T06:44:00.000-08:00

...no offence! x;0)

So how are we all then; hope your New Year is panning out well so far?
I personally, can't stick Jan & Feb, not good months for me at all, just make me feel all grey and dank and I just slug about in a self pity, arm flaily, huffy, whiny strop.

Times like this I wish I could be more like the kitties are at the moment: sleep for 22 and half hours, wake, stuff face, wash bum and then belt a pingpong ball around the bedroom at 3 o'clock in the morning...I might try it the weekend

Anyroad, there I was, being a miserable arm swinging cowbag, when the call went up for budgie picture STAT!
It was just the kick up the wotsits I needed...I mean whose gunna turn down the opportunity of a trade with the stitchy LEGEND that is Viv from HensTeeth?!

I've been Viv bothering since her blog began so I had a headstart on the stalking and apart from a budgie, she gave me a free reign to do my stitchy thang

Hmm..to produce something for one of Viv's magnificence...no pressure there then!?
(He has since arrived at Casa Viv and she has assured me it's all good baby...phew!)

Introducing Big Jesse!

See Mr Jesse all sploshy in bright turquoisey greens and zingtastic contrasting oranges

Poking out from behind, trying to get in on the action, a wee Pinocchio presenting a big old pair of smiley noshers

Inspired by our mutual love of (very much missed!) Fast Show, a Jesse Diet:
This week I av mostly bin eatin' Millet!

And finally some wee hens clucking about in amongst the stitchy beady shrubbery

And just look at the bundle of love (literally!) I received...

Front:

Back:

Oh yes! It nearly came to fisty cuffs with the muv-in-law again; honestly, one whiff of a Liberty print and she's declaring DIBS...well step away from the goodies grandma...they're ALL MINE!
Just feast your eyes on all the wee details!

..I've always loved Viv's work (see more at her shop) but it's not until you see it in the flesh you really appreciate the exquisite workwomanship!
Viv has personalised the case too...

...but of course it's far to precious to store my manky, bent old needles in so I shall be using it to house all my wee precious knick knacks
And wearing my brooch with pride :)

So to Viv, an ENORMOUS thank you not only for all my gorgeous goodies but also for the inspiration, dragging me out of the doldrums and brightening up my world!

Also in line for 'normous thank you is my mate Kirsty over at the gorgeous meplusmolly for my very own jingly Santa...which I cunningly forgot to photograph...hangs head in shame..but he is tucked away with all my other precious bits on my tree of many colours ready for many more Christmas's to come!
(YOINK! Photo blatantly half-inched from Kirsty xx)

With re-newed vigour, this week I will mostly be stuffing sparrows (not literally...they're in decline and quite fiddly too), working on some ideas and fretting over the 60th Birthday portrait commission that I keep putting off

(I've even got the excercise bike out of it's box...haven't used it yet mind, but don't want to over do it you know...now, where's that pingpong ball??)

Thanks for droppin' by!
x;0)

Itty bitty, pretty boy, coat of many colours kitty, Christmas commissions...

2010-01-03T06:37:00.000-08:00

...or Max n Todd for short

Happy New year to you all folks!

Oh I had such plans: a mass of site updates, blog visits, a session with the sewing machine and a different pudding every day, unfortunately the Flu Fairy had other ideas, so instead of festive hints of cranberry and cinammon, choruses of Auld Lang Syne and rivers of cream n custard surging through the joint there's a distinct whiff of Olbas, Lemsip, tcp and plenty of self pity groaning...grrr

So I hope y'all had a wonderous Christmas? Ours was...challenging

Apart from the muv-in-law the first to go down with the hideous disease leaving me to cook for 10 as opposed to the 2 I had planned, her dishwasher flooding the kitchen closely followed by the cooker packing up and a frantic call to the electrician bruv-in-law to come and save Christmas NOW or I will be forced to come round there and vigorously re-position his Christmas tree, it all went fairly well really...

Anyroad, s'nuff o my whinging!

Well turns out I made 2 people teary this Christmas (and it was nowt to do with me gravy) and had my pieces admired by Graham Norton over lunch in the Aardvark Tearoom...matron!

First up Max's "mum"
This was a secret squirrel commission for Christmas and a bit of a challenge as I had no photostream or blog to filch ideas from...I know!

Armed with a couple of photographs and the guidelines of: "loves anything catty" and Coat of Many Colours, I was left to my own devices...woohoo!
So I present (literally) Mr. Max

Thought you might like to see a bit of w-i-p action
Meet Mr.Max all watercoloury in shades of soft lilacs, blues and deep blue/greys

And again with a swift bit of tightening up on the painting (the misery of working from flash photography!) and some hardcore stitchery action

Peek a boo!

Stalking amongst the stitchy leafy undergrowth, he's left a trail of pokey paw prints all over the joint...tsk!

I happen to know Max has the song Coat of Many Colours sung to him when he's brushed (aww!) so I included the lines:
Oh yes we love your coat of many colours!
It is grey & white & purple & blue etc...

With each colour stitched in corresponding coloured threads
Last but not least, a wee Hello Kitty declaring her Max love with all her heart!

Secondly, the wonderous Kate...actress, comediene and one of life's lovely people. A bit of sneaky skullduggery between myself and the fabulous GiddyGirlie and I was off photostream stalking. Kate is a fellow budgie botherer so I painted a portrait of her beloved and very dearly missed Todd

I've blatantly stolen her photo too cos I love the tree..

So that was the final piece for 2009! A big thank you to everyone who trusted me enough to let me loose with their loved ones...always a worry, but does the old ticker good to know I'm spreading a bit of (Mimi) Love out there x:)

Work is about to start on a portrait for a 60th Birthday present, so no pressure there then and I'm planning on stuffing all sorts of new things for 2010 providing the Flu Fairy backs right off now!

Big MimiLoves to you all for 2010!
Thanks for droppin' by...ATISHOOO!!!!!
x;)

Deck the walls with....

2009-12-16T10:25:00.000-08:00

...pictures of Ollie...FA LA LA LA LA...hold that thought...

By 'eck it's been all go here! I do apologise for my lack of contact with you all, but I've been working away like a thing possessed on Christmas commissions and all sorts of other boring non-stitchy gubbins. But I'm back and planning on a few days of catching up with my bloggy chums...brace yerselves! x;0)

So where woz I?

oh yeah...LA LA LA LARGHHHH!!!!!

Nope I've not got the words wrong and I'm not droppin' me aitches...(for a change)
I'd like to introduce you to Ollie, beloved doggy companion of the wonderous FlorenceWangDesigns.

Now if you don't know Florence's work I urge to visit her shop, not only does she make beautiful jewellery but her textile "paintings" are just DIVINE! Wee slices of New York rendered in cross stitch....cop a visual on her Rockfeller Centre n tell me it doesn't make you go all gooey with Christmassy ice skatey vibes!

Anyroad, Florence was generous enough to commission me to do my stitchy thing. I had a few guidelines; Mr. Ollie's likes and dislikes..PET peeves if you will...(titter) then I was pretty much left to my own devices for the rest, huzzah!...So that's my cue for a good old rifle through photostreams and blogs for inspirational bits and pieces!

(Once again, if you would like to commission a piece of your own, I do keep these things just the right side of stalking, so fear not, you wont find your ATM number and medical records festooned with beads and Engelbert Humperdinck lyircs....that's not to say I wouldn't do that if you asked though...)

So s'nuff of my wittering, lets get to the pics...

Presenting...Mr.OlliePants!

Meet Mr.Ollie all watercoloury in shades of golds and deep grey blues...

And bosh! Here is again in all his stitchyness!

Ollie is nestled amongst a positive rainbow of silky hand stitchy undergrowth with scatterings of red and gold glass beads and french knots and everything!

Now I'm told he's none to keen on snow, but I thought he probably wouldn't object too much if it was to snow a boney treat...so in amongst the french knot snowflakes, a fluttering of silky stitchy bonio's in silky white and shimmery silver...numnum!

I have included some of the Cole Porter "Too Darn Hot" lyrics:
When the thermometer goes way up
And the weather is sizzling hot
Mr. OlliePants for romance is not
Cos it's too darn....
Hey! Hey!

The lyrics melt into Brian from Family Guy shouting out of his car window...a nod to Ollie and his leaping loon behaviour on car journeys

After some hardcore stalking I also discovered Florence has been learning Mandarin so I've included the Chinese characters for "Good Dog" ...at least I'm hoping that's what it says! :)

Mr.Ollie is currently winging his way to "mum" in New York, therefore I am in my usual state of postal stress disorder, so positive vibes that he gets there safely, speedily and wont be a disappointment in the flesh!

And a big THANK YOU to Florence for trusting me with her precious boy

Once again I cannot tell you how much I love doing this sort of work...just gimme a few guidelines and I'm off for a rummage around in your life! So if you have a furry, scaley, feathery or, er...fleshy chum (I do people to you know!) that you would like festooned with stitchyness you know where to find me

Now I can't show you my next piece as it's a Christmas present for a lady who I know reads my blog/flickr etc...so I've got to keep my North n South shut til I know it's been opened but rest assured once I know all is well I shall be blogging like the wind about it!

Before I fall into a mince pie/Christmas pudding induced coma I just want to say a BIG THANK YOU to each and every one of you for all your wonderful supportive comments, emails, inspiration, swapsies and indeed purchases! I've made some fabulous new friends from all over the world since I started this blogging mularkey and if ever we meet, you will receive a big MimiLove hug and maybe a cake......you've been warned!

Thanks for droppin' by and have a VERY VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS! X;0)
Pass that mince pie...not that one...the big one at the back there...ta

Little cock...

2009-11-19T01:59:00.000-08:00

...NEY SPARROW

Made you look! Made you stare! Made you lose your underwear!

Well you should know me by now; show me a tone and I'll lower it ;0)

Anyroad latest addition to the Mimilove stable (nest?) of stuffed stuff, a wee Cockney Sparrow...or should that be sparra?

See the Bow & Arrow sat on his Bottle & Glass, 'aving a Butcher's Hook at the world going by..

'old the Dog & Bone...he's Pearly Queen you strolling up the Frog & Toad:
And I quote:

"Cor Blimey! I can't Adam & Eve my Mince Pies!
You're a Bobby Dazzler & no mistake!"

Bless his wee Cockney Jam Tart!

Mr. Sparrow sits on his machine stitched perch amongst a big old bunch of grassy stuff and leafery in bright clashy oranges, pinks and yellows with blues and greens and a smattering of tiddly green glass beads. The painty background has a mettalic acylic paint mixed in it for a bit of glittery goodness too. He's backed with black & white gingham, has a spotty pink & white loop and is stuffed with hollowfibre for your squidging pleasure

Bow and Arrow = Sparrow
Bottle & Glass = A....nswers on a postcard
Butcher's Hook = Look
Dog & Bone = Phone
Pearly Queen = Seen
Frog & Toad = Road
Adam & Eve = Believe
Mince Pies = Eyes
Bobby Dazzler = rather attractive (not y' classic rhyming slang)
Jam Tart = Heart
Sausage and Mash = Cash

So there you go; stuffed stuff, painty parts, stitchy bits AND an English lesson..where you gunna get that for your Sausage & Mash?
(...my shop by the way!)

TTFN and thanks for droppin' by!
x;0)

COR!

2009-11-11T07:54:00.000-08:00

NICE TITS!

I know I know! I'm sorry! It's rude, childish & puerile...but it HAD to be done I'm afraid...besides, where else y' gunna get hand painted, hand embroidered, hand stuffed blue tits complimenting you...hmm?

So, grab the smelling salts, wipe up that spilt tea vicar and cop a load of this pair of beauties!

A free style painting of a wee blue tit sitting on a stitchy branch watching the world go by.

But wait! You appear to have caught his eye:
"May I say you are particularly lovely today"

"Indubitably!" concurs his wee stitchy friend in the corner

The very polite chap and his posh mate are nestled in amongst the hand stitched undergrowth in all the colours of the rainbow. Also has a bit of glitteryness going on in the shape of some sequinny leaves and golden glass beads

Front is painted and stitched onto unbleached calico. Backing is a heavyweight black and white gingham and is filled with hollowfibre padding. Also features a pink and white spotty ribbon for your suspending pleasure!

Measures approx:Width 10cm x Height 13cm

So if you are looking for something a bit different this Christmas hop on over to my shoppe

MimiLove...for gifts that just keep on givin'...for love that keeps on lovin'!
x;0)

tata for now...

PSSST....'ere missus...wanna buy budgie?!

2009-10-21T06:15:00.000-07:00

OOO it's good to be back, fair missed the blogging and my bloggy chums I have, so big HELLO! to you all!

Well I have recovered from the marathon stitch fest for Aardvark; I'm rested, caked and ready to go and lately I have mostly been painting n stuffin' budgies...not literally as clearly that would be wrong plus the buggers don't stay still for long enough

A spanky new flock of budgie stufferies..winging..(titter)...their way off to Miso Funky towers for your purchasing pleasure, so if you're looking for a unique and orignal way to say "Happy Christmas Darling!"...consider the gift of budgie...it's the gift that just keeps on giving!!

So here they are to brighten up a dull October day
Budgie no.1:

All aquamariney blues with whiffs of yellow sitting in his stitchy cage. As my dear derranged and ever so slightly violent Nanny Miles used to say "OOO's a pretty boy then?!?" (...she also used to swear a LOT but I didn't think it would be appropriate in this instance...altho it has given me an idea for a new range!)

A dingly,jingly bell and a sprinkling of french knots, glass beads in blues and oranges and tinsy drops of glittery gold add a bit of sparkle!

Budgie no.2

A rather inquisitive chappy...got any Trill going?

Jingly gold bell and a garland of stitchy flowers interspersed with sequinny blooms in shades of pinks and clashy oranges, french knots and dinky glass beads

Budgie no. 3

ooo hello, it's budgie no.2's twin...same budgie, different day as they say...sort of! Shades of pinks and reds in the florals to ring the changes

Budgie no. 4

"Polly wanna cracker?!" better get him one quick of he'll be shovelling down those flowers like billy-o!
Silver metal chain with a cluster of tinkly silver bells sits amongst hand stitched flowers n shiney silky turquoise with fluorescent green french knots, glass beads and multi toned sequinny bits

Budgie no.5

Feathery fella florally festooned in er... pinks, reds oranges and golds...with bells on!

Budgie no. 6

Reds, oranges and glittery gold surround our final feathery friend!

All the gang are hand painted in acrylics, hand embroidered and then finished with spotty ribbony loops, black & white gingham backing and the merest whiff of lavender for your hanging and sniffing pleasure!

(Please note cage not included...it's me mother-n-laws and she'd go mental!)

So head on over to Miso Funky and get 'em whilst they're hot, get 'em whilst they're stuffed...get stuffed!

Also in the works are a range of new mini's for Miso, global swapping action with my new Tokyo based chum Monsterosity which I'm unbelievably excited about and a pretty kitty commission...and also some napping and probably some steamed pudding and custard action

Thanks for droppin' by! x;0)

BOING! "Time for Bedlington" said Zebedee...

2009-09-18T06:10:00.000-07:00

...nearly....

Yay! Hope everyone's fine and dandy?!
Right this is a biggun folks so you might want to grab yourself a nice cup o rosey and settle down for a bit...this may take a while!

These are the *final pieces in the series of 10 for the Aardvark Tea Room & Gallery set...*(I heard that cheer at the back!)

I am officially cream crackered with all the stitching so will be having a little breakaroonie for a while...(was that a sigh of relief George?!)

But I am taking part in the new Phat Qarter NSFW swap and also have new batch of mini's in the pipeline for my compadres at Miso Funky Towers so will be back in the stitchy groove soon. In the meantime I can be found tucked up against the autumn nip in the air with something tasty and cakeyish and Ovaltine

So, talking of snuggling up warm and cozy, I'd like to introduce...

Mama's & Papa's Time for Bedlington Terrier

Gawd I really hope you aren't getting too bored with these wee fellas? This chappy will send you right off to sleep if you are...

TAAADAAAA!

I usually like to give you a bit of hot pre-embroidery action with these, but the batteries packed up that day so you'll have to forgive the lack of wip shots!

See Mr. Bedlington all star gazey and woolly against the blue and purpley sky

Twinkle, twinkle little stars (and biggun's too) in a variety of metallic threads, including the one that puts my teeth on edge when I'm stitching with it!

Stitchy lyrics:
Stars shining bright above you
Night breezes seem to whisper I love you
Birds singing in the sycamore tree
Dream little dream of me

Well it beats counting sheep eh!?

NEXT!!!!!

The Cure: Wonderfully Pretty Kitty

Ah it's one for the pussy lovers (matron!) a break from the doggies to bring you a cheery, bright stripey marmalade cat, just lying about, taking it casual amongst the pretties!

I really enjoyed this one! It's just loose and free watercolour madness with sloshy flicky bits and general devil may careness...much like meself really ;0)

Kitty is surrounded by a swathe of silky, stitchy flowers in a rainbow of colours; you gotcha reds n yellows n pinks n greens...and so on! There's shiney metallicy bits, french knots and a wee stripey stitchy friend for company....see how content they are with all the "purrs"

Stitchy lyrics in shades of green and orange from one of my favourite tunes:
"We're so wonderfully wonderfully wonderfully wondefully pretty!"

Name that tune Tom O' Connor!

Picture number 2 please:
"Lucky Lucky Lucky Kylie Kitty"

Slinky black cat, well I say black but it's more shades of deep bluey/greys with flash of bright juicy orange for a nice bit o contrast!

Keeping kitty company, a saucy vintage tattoo totty! She's festooned with stitchy shamrocks in a variety of silks, fluorescents and metallics, there's another vintage "Number 7" tattoo with a cheeky wee mousey on and lots of lovely french knots and flowery bits scattered amongst the lucky stuff

Stitchy lyrics:
I'm dreaming
You fell in love with me
Like I'm in love with you
But dreaming's all I do
If only they'd come true
I should be so...

I'll name that tune in one! :)

Come in number 3 please your time is up:

"Lionel Ritchie Hello Kitty Stitchy Committee"
(working title!)
Beee-Bo!

A close up portrait this time of a lovely stripey tabby (not unlike my Mr. BiteyBabe)
in shades of blues and lilacs and browns

A garland of pretty flowers and french knots in silky shiney pinks and greens and a
wee Hello Kity in the corner having a little wave at you!

Stitchy lyircs:
Hello!! Is it me you're looking for?

I'm not a number 4 I'm a free man!

"California Dreamin' Greyhound"

Another close up portrait, this time a wee brindle greyhound in shades of orangey browns and lilacs

Stitchy lyircs:
All the leaves are brown
And the skies are grey (hound)
I went for a walkies
On a winters day

(I'm fairly sure those were the original Mama's n Papa's words)

Well all the aren't leaves brown. In fact none of 'em are! They are though red and orange and glittery metallic gold and purple! See 'em all a-whirling n a-swirling round houndy head!

And finally (was that a sigh of relief at the back?!?)

"Sunny Sunny Puggy!"

Ah a return to pugsville! You gotta love a pug intcha...look at him all smiley n daft n tiddly!
Free and loose with the paints in shades of lilac, turquoisey blue and deep blue/grey

Got a touch of the Vincent van Gogh's going on here with some big old floppy sunflowers using all manner of free stitchy bits; metallic thread for extra glimmer and shedload of french knots for your texture pleasure!

Stitchy lyrics:
Sunny, thank you for that smile upon your face
Sunny one so true
I love you!

Possibly Boney M...figure they'd be quite fitting...you know...Bonio's n all that

So here they all are then, a group shot if you will, and they are all available for your perusing purchasing pleasure from Aardvark, as is cake.

After nappage I will mostly be painting and stuffing budgies for my Miso Funky chums. But no need for the RSPCA calls folks, it's a new flock of lavender scented hangers - cos nowt says "Happy Christmas, I love you!" than a stuffed budgie...get them whilst they're hot...get them whilst they're stuffed....get stuffed x;0)

I'm off...and don't forget:

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Thanks for droppin' by! x;0)

A wop-bop a-loo-bop...

2009-09-13T03:04:00.000-07:00

...a wop bam BULL DOG!

Well the mountain of cake crumbs have been hoovered up, the skip full of wine bottles removed and the muumuu has been let out (again) in preparation for Christmas.

Yes folks the birthday, like my youth, eyesight and natural haircolour has been n gone and now it's back to stitching with a vengance!

So next up in the series for the Aardvark Tea Room & Gallery. Doggy number 4 please....

Hopefully you're now familiar with:
Baz Man's Lola Chihuahua

Kojak Pug

Donny Osmond Dachshund

so now I would like to introduce you to:

Carmen Miranda vs Little Richard BullDogthankyouverymuch!

Bosh! See bully bull dog all sloshy in the watercolouring. Shades of golden browns and whiffs of pinks and lilacs all sit against a bright cheery turquoise

A face like a bulldog chewing a wasp? Well it's no real wonder. I mean, he's sitting there minding his own business....

.....singing a bit of Little Richard to pass the time and then one whiff of Tutti Frutti and before you know it, who rocks up?

Only Carmen bloody Miranda!
Look at 'er all in her fruity finery...she's so excited she's flinging grapes all over the shop...I mean really have some self control woman!

Fruity bouff is festooned with wee glassy beads, french knots and all sorts of zingy shades of silks n such...but she carries on like that she'll end up losing those narna's n pineapples!

So if you want to save him from all the aye carrumba-ing pop down to St.Leonards-on-Sea or drop Aardvark a line here and they'll oblige willingly...gawd only knows what she's doing with all the cake's n biccies down there?!....

Please remember folks a dog is for life not just for Christmas (or Carmen Miranda). But if you do want to give the gift of dog, cat or any other furry, feathery or scaley chum then drop me a line :)

Next time: Bedlington terrier vs Mama's n Papa's, a glimpse of the other 5 and some hot Miso Funky action!

Crazy Horses A-WAH A-WAH (part 3!)

2009-09-06T04:41:00.000-07:00

Well not quite...

Well it's September folks, nippy autumny whiffs in the air, kiddywinks back to school and of course the obligatory Christmas mince pies in the supermarkets.(NO! NO! NO!...It's wrong I tell you...keep Christmas in piggin' December!!!!...grrr)

Mind you saying that, if you should be looking for a fabulously unique, one of a kind, Christmas gift for that special someone, then do consider the gift of MimiLove! A fully customized, personalized, Mimilized portrait be it furry, scaley or feathery friend could be the answer to all your Christmas quandries and lets face it nowt says "I love you" than a dog embroidered with *Barry Manilow lyrics
*(other lyrics/artistes are available!)

So talking o ggggrrrrrr!
This wee chappy is the 3rd in the series for the Aardvark Tea Room & Gallery

The first group have arrived safely and are currnetly enjoying the cakey delights and spiffy Art's Festival going on this month

The other 5 are still having their stitches sorted but are well under way and itching to get down there to join in the fun!

So, you've met Bazza Manilow's Lola the Chihuahua and Kojak Pug so now I would like to introduce you to:
DonnyOsmondDachshundthankyouverymuch!

See Donny all watercoloured right up in shades of the deepest blues n greys with flashes of orangey browns and some sloshy reds and purples for good measure!

He's a miniture dachsie in every sense (12cm by 10cm to be exact...bless!) and trying depserately to impress depsite his lack of inches, unfortunately he's a bit on the thick side...spot the spelling mistake?!

And they called it pOUppy love
Oh I guess they'll never know
How a young heart really feels
And just why I love you so

Well he tried bless him!

It's a shame cos he'd written it beautifully in his best stitchy black handwriting, then goes and let's himself down by crossing it out in orange and hopes nobody notices...tch!

Anyway he's hoping a big old bunch of poppies in reds, purples and glittery metallic pinks with some glass beads will distract you from his feeble spelling...ooo shiney!

So if you're looking for cake, culture and illiterate dachshunds get y'self down to St.Leonards-on-Sea and soak in the good MimiLoving!

There's another birthday in the MimiJoint this wek so if you don't hear from me for a wee while it's cos I'm in a cakey coma...also big HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! to my birthday doppleganger GiddyGirlie!

Pass the choccies!!!
Thanks for droppin by! x;0)

5 go mad in Hastings (nearly)...part two

2009-08-29T11:46:00.000-07:00

Ok folks apologies in advance; there maybe a few hold ups on the motorway this Bank Hols as the girls are off on their jollies to St.Leonards on Sea to stay with their new chums at the Aardvark Tea Room & Gallery and they're all a bit excitable, so anything could happen.

The first group are heading down as there's a spiffy Art's Festival going on this month and the girls felt they just had to be in on the action.

The other 5 are a bit put out by it but they aren't finished and they couldn't possibly be seen in public without their stitching on...you know how it is?!

So, you've met Bazza Manilow's Lola the Chihuahua so now I would like to introduce you to:
Lesley Gore vs Kojak Pugthankyouverymuch!

See puggy all watercoloured right up in shades of lilacs with dribblings of blues and lovely sunny yellowy oranges!

With a face only a mother could love and bit on the "vertically challenged" side (10cm x 12cm to be precise!), she's trying to keep her pecker up inspite of it all:

My life is:
Sunshine, lollipops and rainbows,
Everything that's wonderful is sure to come your way
'Cause you're in love, you're in love,
And love is here to stay!

Trying to stay positive there with her words all in rainbowy stitching and a positive deluge of lovely lollies bouncing around the joint

But hold on to your Chupa Chups! Would you believe it?

It's only bloody Kojak!! Look at that, he's choffed one down already! I mean really, how rude...I'll give 'im "who loves ya baby?" round the ear'ole....lolly choffing git

Mind you he's going to know about it in the morning, what with the stitchy sun bouncing off his bonce like that

Anyway she's got her lilo packed and she's piled into the motor with Lola (she's got dibs on the front seat) and now they're just waiting for the others....be blogged soon folks!

So if you're at a loose end during Sept get yourself along to St.Leonards, treat yourself to tea, cakey, culture and a wee bit of Mimi Loving!

Thanks for droppin by! x;0)