Little Cotton Rabbits

Shadow Play

Recently I've been spending far too much of my time in a darkened room. No, it's not due to a migraine or  a hangover or even an overdose of knitting! It's all due to Toby's love of a game.

It came about by accident really. Toby has bounced on our bed since he was old enough to stand (it's a wonder that the springs haven't completely gone) and one night back in winter he decided to do it in the dark. He (like many autistic children) is stimulated by watching fast movement and he loves spinning light wands so we've always kept a variety of these in our bedroom along with 3 disco balls and various torches (just incase we wanted a disco in the middle of the night - you know!). Anyway, while he was bouncing in the dark I shone a torch from behind him and projected his shadow onto a flat wall of white painted cupboards and he loved it!

Toby has never really shown much interest in his reflection. I think he might just beginning to realise that it's him in the mirror.  Amy on the other hand was posing in front of the mirror from the time she started walking and still can't walk past one without pausing to check how she looks (I know - it'll only get worse!). It does seem though that Toby has made friends with his shadow. Maybe it's something to do with it being a flat shape or that it doesn't look back at him - I'm not really sure but it's magical to see him interracting with it.

He has twigged that when he moves his arm his shadow does too and he's now actually playing with his shadow, wiggling his fingers, running up to it and then away again to see it get smaller and bigger and seemingly understanding that it is him.  When I turn off the torch he claps to indicate he wants the torch on again, a clear communication for more (and all intentional communication from Toby is a bonus). Toby has definitely discovered his shadow and that it is 'connected' to him. This awareness is a new thing and brings him more into our world.

We've played this all winter - which is fine when it's dark and cold outside but now the evenings are longer and sunnier it's wearing a little thin (for me at least). So spare a thought for me on the upcoming balmy summer evenings, for while you sit in the early evening sun sipping your chilled glass of wine, I shall be sat in the dark, torch in hand, making my little chap a happy one!

376 thank yous!

I am completely gobsmacked that so many of you left me a comment on the last posts and I'm still not able to fit through doorways very easily on account of how big my head has grown at all the compliments you heaped upon me! I'm just glad that I made it a random prize draw rather than a prize for the nicest comment otherwise I'd have to be making you all one! I shall float gently back down to earth and get on with the business of knitting up some more toys for the shop as there seem to be plenty of you wanting them!

This seems a good time to mention that I'm not taking on any more special orders. Not that I have an easy time saying no (something that's landed me in plenty of trouble in the past, but that's another story!) and especially as I've had some requests from some very deserving and lovely people. It's just that demand has now way exceeded my capacity to supply and so it seems fairer to turn everyone down rather than selecting a few people at random. I've put some details on a new page called things I get asked a lot... and hope that this explains things.

So, I suppose you'll be wanting to know who won my prize draw? Well, I'm afraid I chickened out of sitting up night after night with my scissors snipping 376 comments into a bowl and instead resorted to a random number generator (thanks to those of you who suggested that).

The number was 121 and the winner is...

...Kerflop. Conratulations to you Jessica and to everyone else many, many, many thanks for taking the time to leave such kind comments.

I've hit the small time!

Firstly, thanks SO much for all of the wonderful comments on the 100th post, I am chuffed to bits and a little flabbergasted that there are so many people who visit here!

I'm also chuffed to bits that I've just had a mention in SMALL which is a fab on-line magazine:

"Small is a magazine of creative work on a small scale and for the small sized. Although primarily for children’s products and designs it is also about small-scale productions. We are looking for people that are interested in play, children, childhood and the child within and who produce high quality work and independent products and design on a small-scale."

It's definitely worth a look as they have great recipies, ideas, fashion, books and in this issue a link to some brilliant free furniture you can make with your kids. And my rabbit is in very good company too, if you get a chance pop over and take a look!

I don't have any finished toys to show you at the moment, so I'll show you a 'before' shot of some bunnies hopefully the 'after' picture will follow soon!

The competition will stay open until Sunday, so leave a comment on the previous post if you want to enter. We'll draw the winner on monday after school and I'll post about it on tuesday.

Have a great weekend everyone!

competition overspill

Hi everyone - flippin'heck!!! How many comments??!!

My blog appears to be struggling to keep up and I know that some of you have had trouble leaving a comment on the previous post so leave one here instead and you can still be entered for the competition. What have I done? There's a week of snipping and folding bits of paper ahead of me!!!
Seriously, thanks for all of your lovely coments.

My competition is now closed to new entries, I'll be drawing the winner shortly and will post tomorrow, thanks!

100 today!!!

This is my 100th post!!

And I want to say a big thank you to everyone who has left a comment or just visited here and lurked (I know you're there 'cos I watch my stats!). I get so much enjoyment from this little blog and when you visit here, you make my day!

I'd like to offer the chance for one person to win their own little cotton rabbit (or bear / panda / monkey). If you fancy taking part just leave me a comment on this post and in 1 week I'll ask my lovely assistant Amy to draw a single winner from all of the commenters.

If you need any inspiration for ideas, here are a couple of the toys I've made since I started blogging:

As I can only offer 1 free toy I've been racking my brain to think of something else to offer to everyone so I've come up with a free pattern to share. You could knit this as a decoration for a t-shirt, a tea cosy, a bag...I'm sure there are many more imaginative uses too (I've just whopped it on a T-shirt for Amy)

Many, many thanks to everyone who has taken the time to comment here - each comment has been eagerly read and cherished and if I've not responded I must apologise as time (and Toby) doesn't always permit. Thanks again for stopping by!

My competition is now closed to new entries, I'll be drawing the winner shortly and will post tomorrow, thanks!

tea and cake

I like tea and cake.

It's a shame I can't invite you all round to share some, so instead I'd like to invite you to my next post (which will be my 100th) as I'm planning a little giveaway (no RSPV required). Please drop by early next week.

By the way, when there is cake you have to be quick round here!

New moos

I've just had a new batch of moo* cards (I gave all of the first batch away - grudgingly) and s'pose I'll end up giving these away too (grumbly, grumpy noises). It's just that they're just so nice to have, I want to hoard them all to myself!!

Anyway, seeing as I might be giving some of them away I thought I'd experiment and after playing around with some blank card bases and my best handwriting I came up with these:

The moo is removable (I've only used one craft mount) and so it can be taken off and cherished!! I'll be including one of these cards with each of the toys I sell from now on. These will tide me over until I get around to having some proper ones printed!

*moos are little contact cards that you can get printed in batches of 100 from your own photos if you upload them to flickr (which is free to join). They're not what I call cheap but they are lovely and you can personalise the back. More details here.

foxy loxy

My favourite program on telly at the mo is Springwatch and I've been inspired by the antics of the foxes Jamie, Mungo and the chip shop family, well, that and some gentle persuasion from Zoe!

Anyway, so far they are just prototype heads but, once I've finally sorted out ears (there are 4 different ones in these pics) and grappled with a tail I'll hopefully be able to make a full fox.

Parcel of delights...

I had a wonderful parcel arrive this week...

It smelt divine even before I opened it! But when I did open it - wow, what beautiful goodies for pampering my poor old parched skin. Let's face it, there ain't a lot of time for 3-step beauty regimes in this house and my skin has been crying out for some TLC! So now I have no excuses - I have wonderful Rose Cream, Rose and Honey lip balm and some pure lavender essential oil and a sachet of dried lavender which I'll be sewing into a little bag and tucking into my pillow case to secure some very sweet dreams. The cream is wonderful - so silky and with a gorgeously subtle scent and when you read about how it's made and what it's made from you appreciate it all the more.

If, like me you fancy a bit of pampering or have a special pressie to buy, pop over and take a look at Marie's brand new website. Or have a browse on her blog where she writes about her business and her interests and she often has great articles explaining about the properities of many of the plants used in her preparations.

Thanks to everyone...

Thanks so much everyone for all of the kind words that were left on the last post about my Gangan. I know that my mum has also read all of the comments and that they mean as much to her as they do to me. I'm really grateful and very touched - a big thank you from the heart.

The school half term break seems like ancient history now, but we did have a nice time catching up with friends and just enjoying some quiet family time although the crappy weather meant that we were inside and Toby was reduced to bouncing on our bed rather than the trampoline in the garden. Amy did lots of drawing - I particularly like her family portrait (wish I could claim to be that slim and be able to get away with swirly high heels, bows, frills and puff sleeves - ahh well, nice to think that my daughter sees me that way!!)

I also had some lovely things in the post and wanted to say a big thank you to Emma at Sew recycled who sent my this beautiful little brooch for being a lucky runner-up in her competition.

And I want to thank Kat at Secrets of a butterfly who bought one of my rabbits and sent me this amazing handmade card - it's got so many lovely little touches and my daughter was especially enchanted when I read her the text on the back:

While I'm on the subject, my thanks go to a couple of people who have recently had one of my toys;  the lovely Dave at Cabin Cove who wrote a wonderful and funny post about the monkey that I sent him. Mr Minky looks like one lucky boy to have ended up in such a loving home! And Tilly Bunny has also landed on her feet - read all about her adventures in Katie's fabulous shed. My toys are definitely very lucky to be going to such great homes!!

This post is in danger of sounding like an oscar acceptance speech, "...and I'd like to thank my junior school teacher, my window cleaner, the man who clips my cat's claws...."! It's just that there's a lot to be thankful for at the moment. I'm pondering how to say a more meaningful thank you to everyone who visits here (especially as I'm approaching my 100th post) so watch this space in a week or 2 - hopefully I'll be able to come up with something more tangible than words, but for now, THANKS EVERYONE!