Smallest peg doll in the world?

While searching the world wide web, we came across a small wooden doll someone had made out of a matchstick. Not to be outdone when it comes to detail, Jonathan announced he wasn't that impressed and could do one much better. So it was that while other couples where out partying on a Saturday night, he was

peering under a magnifier creating this little sailor. The match stick it stands on is a normal everyday matchstick in case you were wondering making little sailor peg 7.5mm high.....

The Guiness Book of Records will no longer accept anything under the genre "The smallest....." as apparently it gets ridiculous and things end up so small they don't actually look like the thing they are meant to represent. We however, think this could possibly be the smallest peg doll (and by this we mean actually peg shaped) in the world. If anyone knows otherwise please don't let us know as I will have to spend another evening on my own while Jonathan makes a smaller one....

He is available for commissions!

New shop!

My kits and other embroidery items are now available on Etsy, a website selling all things hand made (see the link on the right hand side). It is an American website, so all prices are in dollars. If you are the same side of the pond as me and would like to buy any of the items you see in my Etsy shop, get in touch with me directly through my website or this blog.

There is a lot more stuff to add, including some watercolour paintings so keep checking back if you would like to see more!

Follow the link: http://www.sarahhomfray.etsy.com/

Back into the swing of things

A new class:

I am running a Design for Embroidery class soon which is a good excuse to do some more drawing, something I have not been very good at keeping up with since I got back from Cyprus, (It doesn't take long to get back into old ways!) By the end of the class (5 hours) I'm hoping the students will have an original design complete with stitch plan and colour ideas, having just taught them basic drawing skills, composition and tone! I'm hoping I haven't been too ambitious, we will find out soon. I'm also teaching a traditional stitch sampler for a week and a one day goldwork class.

For anyone interested in Crewel Work, I'm running a one day Jacobean class in Winchester in October. More details can be seen at: http://embroiderynow.co.uk/

I also have an entry for the British Sari Story Competition to complete and I'm setting up a shop on Etsy for embroiderers across the pond. Busy busy busy!

Something new

I have been interested in peg dolls since I was little girl. I have a collection of the small wooden keepsakes which I add to occaisionally with a design of my own. I thought it would be nice to share these in the form of a selection of new kits.

A lot of peg dolls can be a bit crudely made, so I have attempted to make one that was simple to do, but high quality at the same time. The result are these 3 figures below:

Included in each kit: Peg, pipe cleaner, felt, fabric, ribbon, beads, sand paper, comprehensive instructions and pattern pieces.

Make the peg unique by drawing on your own hair and face and choose the length of the skirt you would like. There are 3 colours currently available. Flower Power, Opulent Orange and Beautiful Blue (see below):

They are suitable for the young and the young at heart and are available from e-bay for an introductory low price or buy now from me for £5 each (e-bay prices will soon rise to this price).

Send me a message or get in touch through my website via the link to the right.

I'm doing some research into this subject and would be very interested to hear from anyone who has peg dolls from their childhood! Please get in touch.

New blog for new times....

Although the creative journey isn't over, the blog of the same name is not so relevant, now I am no longer in Cyprus! Hence a "new blog for new times."

Here I hope to continue the journey but more focused than the first time round now I have a better understanding of my work and the direction I would like to go in (did I just say I knew which direction I wanted to go in? Er...I do?).

A little bit of wisdom for you from Pablo Picasso as I, as yet, have none so profound:

"Two boys arrived yesterday with a pebble they said was the head of a dog until I pointed out that it was really a typewriter" - Pablo Picasso

It''s all about how you look at something...