hide and seek

a sunny spring day is just perfect for playing hide and seek.

Rolf, Bruni and Gunnar are now available on my website

More Softies - only a mother could love

while talking yesterday about a new upcoming Softies book, half an hour later the postman brought me another title - a copy of "More Softies only a Mother Could Love".

It´s the US edition of the Australian "More Softies" book

with Smirky smirking from the cover.

Also available via German Amazon

Playtime Tokyo

the invitation to Playtime Paris, was followed by this one.
Paris or Tokyo.....Tokyo or Paris? Hard decision....
Just kidding. But their illustrations are really lovely



yesterday evening when I looked out the window...

Coming soon: Simple Softies for the whole family
My pink submarine made it on the cover, yippie!

casting metal

I attended a workshop in casting metal this weekend
Boy, I had no idea how complex and time consuming this technique is

These are some experiments with rubber stamp imprints



Also tried the little clay viking. First he was buried in molding sand,
which has to be pressed or pushed very hard (with the wooden tool to the left)
and afterwards he was grubed out half again (felt like an archeologist)



Little viking had to be unarmed for this procedure. Being "naked" he didn´t
perform very well while fighting against the wooden pestle and
one of his horns broke off



The 2 parts of the mold top and bottom



The mold cavity was filled with molten metal



The result was more of a roadkilled bug. Maybe because the metal cooled down too quick
before reaching all edges and niches of the mold

Unfortunately you only have one attempt, the mold is lost afterwards and
you have to start all over again

Anyway these are my little trophies I took home



I had a great time and working with new techniques and materials
is always exciting and fun and last but not least I met new, interesting people

Some more pics here

Natalia from le Petit Pot wrote a nice post about one of her birthday presents

some things

I´m off to a workshop in casting metal and these are some things I´d like
to experiment with

Wishing you a playful weekend too

playing with clay - part 2

now he´s got his tools and I think he´s done

playing with clay

can keep you entertained for hours






windows in April

weekend pleasures

a wonderful weekend it is. With lots of sun, cherry blossoms, an antique market,
discovering beautiful backyards and the first garden barbecue of the year.

playtime

this invitation to Playtime show in Paris is so enchanting,
that I almost consider to participate. Hmmmm Paris.....

Wishing you a sunny and good weekend. Salut!

they called him Redbeard

Erik and friends will be soon available



Look at this amazing Letter Case, made by dear Elisa. It´s filled with stamped cards
using my viking, Britian and Western rubber stamps. What a nice idea
Thank you Elisa for allowing me to share your picture!

precious gifts

The wooden box on top of the cabinet is stuffed with old sewing supplies.
It´s my grandmothers and it was given to me last week.I can´t tell you how precious it is to me.
In German this kind of storage is called "Naehkoerbchen"
What´s the English word?

The picture to the right is a beautiful vintage linen teatowel from a
friend. I pinned it to a white cork board. Thank you so much Elke!



I´m back to the wild boys, preparing for an exhibition in May



recieved another customer picture, telling me
that viking Blackbeard has to stand at the window every morning waving to
the girl when she´s leaving the house for kindergarden.
Thank you Kristina! You made my day

ROSA

found this lovely print in the mail when I came home

Thank you for bringing some rose to my life, Nicola!

Available here

Bluebirdhouse by Cornelia O'Donovan

frist day in the studio again

after almost 3 weeks of absence

Only slowly getting back to routine; started with some studio spring-cleaning,
planting and answering emails

Note to myself: tomorrow I will sew again

Thank you Babyccino for featuring herzensart

Kathreen from Whipup.net has brought out her first book "Whip Up Mini Quilts"

off again

dear friends, thank you so much for your words of comfort and your condolences!

The funeral takes place tomorrow and I will be again with my family for the next days




Cyriaque from France sent me a postcard. She is making the sweetest teddy bears

There´s a herzensart feature at websitebakery

That´s all for now.
Have a good time, until we meet again next week

Anna

I´ve been with my family for some days.
My dear grandmother died at the age of 84
It´s painful and I will miss her dearly