Lost in the Wood

Crochet Anatomical Hearts by Lost In The Wood February has been set aside for a much needed catch up with the paperwork (dull but essential), a move into my new cute little studio (exciting), finishing commissions (overdue) and an exhibition piece (satisfying). However, I was a very busy little bee in January, working on some new anatomical designs (which will be a key focus for my work this year). I've started with hearts, the most appropriate bodily organ for this time of year and one of the most interesting to crochet with all it's ventricles, veins and arteries. I'm not claiming these are anatomically correct (no student of biology/ physiology should look to these as learning aids or we're all done for) but they make a reasonable attempt. Intended as large wall pieces, hang them as statement art works or nestle a smaller one under a bell jar and let them be brazen about their well crafted weirdness! They have been hanging splendidly in the Lotti & W...

Crochet & Needle Felted BB8 (by Laura Cameron) My unintentionally shambolic approach to work and life means I don't manage to make presents for family and friends as often as I'd like to. It always seems a little indulgent when there are looming deadlines on the horizon and not enough back-stock of work, to go about crazily making things which aren't for sale. Occasionally though, I can still get my act together in time to make a special birthday or Christmas present. Here's a little bit about my recent two efforts. This week my marvellous friend Paul had this birthday surprise droid delivery. While I'm pretty sure he would have preferred a real, full sized, fully functioning one, to help with all those dull household tasks and to set off on intrepid adventures with, he heroically hid his disappointment. Previously the recipient of one splendid but decidedly wobbly crocheted Tardis (not life sized), Paul once more warmly welcomed a sci-fi themed crochete...

Welcome in 2016 with a Crocheted Cocktail Happy New Year! Wishing you all a very happy, healthy and adventure-filled 2016. I'm most pleased that my first new make of 2016 is a crocheted cocktail, start as you mean to go on I say...!  I love the start of January with all it's forward looking optimism, the potential to get new things moving after Christmas, and the cheerfully naive hopes bound up with resolutions. It's a refreshing and invigorating time, ripe for planning and scheming. 2015 generally and especially the run up to Christmas seemed to hurtle past in a bit of a blur, with a sense of chasing deadlines which were either looming or whizzing past. This year, I'm aiming for a bit more control over everything and time to explore new ideas and work. Change is in the air: I move studios this month, I'm starting to work on new art pieces for open exhibitions and there's lots of plans buzzing around my head. Dishearteningly, I also have a riotous chaos o...

Needle Felted Anatomical Heart Brooches   Needle Felted Love Rats Love may very well be in the air, and all around etc but for me this February is mostly about the radishes (amongst other crochet foods). More on this in a while. Santes Dwynwn (25th January) suddenly loomed out of nowhere this year, despite all of my well formed making plans, and had to be written off as a not-at-all-grabbed opportunity. I felt only marginally better prepared for Valentines Day. There were quite a few 'Things I Could Have Made More Of But Ran Out Of Time'. Not to worry, let's celebrate things I did manage: a few anatomical heart brooches (in 2 sizes) and three 'love rats'  which all scurried off to Mostyn gallery shop (Llandudno, North Wales). 'Not Holding Together', detail Sticking with the cardiac theme, I've been working on a new needle felted anatomical heart piece in an artier vein (pun intended). Here's a little peak of 'Not Holding To...

Wolf Woolidermy Head A Walk In Wolf Wood book One of my very favourite childhood books was 'A Walk in Wolf Wood' by Mary Stewart. It's packed full of magical adventure, time travel to a medieval world, not too annoying brother & sister protagonists, werewolves, a perilous quest, dark witchy woods and evil sorcery. Enchantingly, it was read aloud by a lovely auntie who injected her voice with the appropriate drama (a splendid skill not everyone possesses I've since discovered). Why ramble on about this you may well wonder? Well, fond thoughts of this book were prompted by the recent request to make a woolidermy wolf head as my part in a happy art exchange (I got a fab graphite drawing). I have a long held fascination with the Grimm tales, in particular Red Riding Hood, which you'll see reflected in my business name & logo but it's this book that really drew me in first. Rather sadly I didn't need to dig out or dust off the book for this phot...

Needle Felt Mini Workshop 17/09/13-hard at work Despite my previous blog's assurances that we're still halfway through Helfa Gelf, alas no longer, Evie (unnerving rabbit lady) & I have made it through to the other side of the month long art trail & are looking forwards to a Saturday at home catching up on tv, cakes & drinking (hopefully, wild times indeed). More on the Helfa Gelf experience soon but for today, as promised, here's a quick look at my recent needle felted workshop. A few months ago I joined a local knitting group ( Ein Clwb Gwau, every 2nd Tuesday evening @ The Heights pub, Llanberis) who do a good line in yarn bombing and are currently looking to tempt in new members by trying out different but related crafts. As I spend much of my time trying to convince people of my needle felting prowess, it fell to me to host a mini taster felty workshop. I was very lucky as it was an enthusiastic and it turned out, rather talented group of eight peopl...

Needle Felted Bee Swarm Major excitement in the Lost in the Wood camp last week when my first proper exhibition piece was accepted in The Willow Gallery's 'Natural Selection' exhibition which opened on Saturday! There's some small changes and a few more bees have been added round the base but essentially it looks like this. Each bee was sculpted from merino tops fleece by hand using a barbed felting needle which is an enjoyable but fairly slow process, then they were layered up to create a busy swarm effect. I gave up trying to count the number of  bees that went into this piece. Trying to count them once I'd already fixed quite a few on was in hindsight a bit tricksy, it's over 100 at least. The dome is a piece of old lab equipment while the base is bespoke, made by a fantastic local wood artist John Roberts of Ogwen Art and Craft . In case you're wondering why the bees are unconventionally colourful, here's the artist statement that accompanies the...

  Last week saw a box over-brimming with Summer goodness being merrily taken off to my favourite boutique shop Lotti & Wren https://www.facebook.com/lottiandwren . The parcel of wonders included crochet strawberry brooches with needle felted ladybird detail, mini needle felted strawberries, ladybird and bee brooches and three mounted crocheted bunny heads. All are now nestled in amongst the general loveliness of the shop. The windows have been given a tea party theme with little china cups suspended from the ceiling and my troublesome mice flaunting themselves in the window devouring their crocheted cakes. If you're a Caernarfon local or visit occasionally, you'll have noticed that Palace Street is blooming in a mini 'Columbia Road' style way. Joining the brilliant independent bookshop Palas Print and Lotti & Wren is a splendid chocolate shop, Ty Siocled, YPL haberdashery (a place of wonders) and the new addition of a very delectable a...

Quick post to let everyone (anyone?) know that I'll be participating with my strange creations in Helfa Gelf (North Wales art trail) in September this year.  The website has just been updated and is now sparkly & shiny with this year's artists & crafters http://www.helfagelf.co.uk/en/artists/ I'm in the guise of Laura Cameron.  There'll be lots of content being added for all the artists between now and September. Please 'like' the HG Facebook page to keep up to date with developments https://www.facebook.com/HelfaGelfArtTrail?fref=ts