Mini Stay-cation

The last four days have been absolutely wonderful!!  My hubby and I decided to take a few days off and enjoy a mini stay-cation right here in our own neighborhood!  We live in such a beautiful part of British Columbia and we don't really take much time to appreciate all the wonderful sights and events it has to offer.

If you've ever been to Vancouver, you'll know how pretty the downtown area is.  On our first day, we enjoyed wading through the warm waters of Spanish Banks Beach, wandering through Granville Island Public Market, where we stopped for dinner at Bridges, and then ending the evening off with a leisurely stroll along Kitsilano Beach.  The following day was spent paddling our canoes around False Creek.

  Here we are at the start of our adventure, underneath the Burrard Street Bridge.

Found this fellow sunning himself on the back of a boat!  Look at how he's holding his wings for maximum sun exposure!  He did not blink an eye, or move a muscle the entire time it took for us to pass by!

At the far end of False Creek - Science World.

Looking towards Downtown Vancouver from Science World.

At the end of the day, we tied our canoes up to the docks at Granville Island Market and picked up a picnic dinner for two.  It included a half rotisserie chicken, roasted veggies, artichoke salad, potato salad, a bottle of sparkling cranberry juice and individual creme brule's for dessert.  We then paddled over to a nearby beach were we spread out our towels and all the yummy goodies and enjoyed our little feast!

Today we spent the day at the Show and Shine classic car show, were we showed our little '63 VW Beetle for the first time!

We spent hours cleaning, waxing and polishing her up yesterday and she received many compliments from people who passed by to have a look at her.  It's amazing how many people have fond memories of owning one of these little cars many years ago!

My second favourite car at the show, a Morris Minor Tiger!

And this was my very favourite!  A Ford Frontenac, one of only a very few still running!  Definitely on my Wish List!

My honey and I had such a great time together, and I hate that it all has to come to an end!  The weather was perfect, the days long and sunny and each moment we spent together will be treasured forever!

Now it's back to work for both of us, till next time...
~Shelly xo

Summer Update

I've been very bad at writing blog posts lately, so have much to let you all know about!  Mostly, I've spent my time creating a special little Paper Doll booklet for the Hockaday School's centennial celebration.  You may remember that I mentioned it a little while ago in this post.  It has taken up a huge amount of my time, but I've enjoyed every minute of it!

 Below is a photo of Daisy wearing the school uniform from 1928 and below her are the different school uniforms from past to present.  I made a little pair of cowgirl boots for her to honour the fact that she's from Texas!

 Here she is wearing her white hat and dress, which is part of the graduation ceremony.

 Whilst working on the Paper Doll project, I started creating some new pattern designs.  The first were two new Binky Boo's - a cow and a little lamb.  I have a couple more sketched in my notebook, so they're next on my list:)

Also in the works is a new doll pattern with the option of making three different outfits.  I have not started on the third doll yet, but she'll have a bohemian theme which I've very excited about!  As always, these patterns will be available as regular pdf's, but I'd like to know your thoughts on having them available as separate kits - complete with the pattern booklet, felts and yarn to make each one. 

 A little while ago, I was asked by one of my Australian friends if I would like to participate in a charity auction called Collaborate for a Cause.   It's an annual event that raises money for all sorts of good causes.  Our little group is donating kitties made from my Flora the Explorer pattern and we've chosen a theme based on different careers.  Here's my little baker:)

I'll admit that I completely revised Flora's original pattern to make this little one and I'm very happy with the new version!  So happy in fact, that I've decided to make three more! 

I haven't sewn them up yet, but I can't wait to see how sweet they're going to be!  And I think these would be perfect as kits as well!

Last, but not least - I am so happy to share that my Pocket Pets made it into this month's Molly Makes magazine!  Woohoo!  What a complete honour!!  And look our for next month's Australian Homespun magazine - they'll be featuring my Hansel and Gretel pattern as a project in the mag for those of you who'd like to make them!  Can't wait!!

Wishing you all a very crafty week!
~Shelly xo

Weekend at Pender Harbour

You know, I have to say that we're really quite lucky to live in beautiful British Columbia!  There's just so much to see and do and Summer is the best time to embark on an exploration of this magnificent province!

Early on Friday morning, John and I took a 40 minute ferry ride to the Sunshine Coast.  We planned to spend the weekend at the Sunshine Coast Resort, located in Pender Harbour.  The day started out cold and blustery but the trip from Horseshoe Bay across the Sound to Langdale was very scenic.

 Leaving Horseshoe Bay.

Approaching Langdale.

Exploring Gibsons - the town is famous for the TV show, The Beachcombers.

View from our little suite at the Sunshine Coast resort.

We brought our canoes along and started out early on Saturday morning.  If you look closely, you can spot a deer having breakfast:)

Preparing to disembark for our own breakie!  We parked the canoes at the Fisherman's Wharf in Maderia Park and found a little bakery where we stopped for coffee and cinnamon buns.

Look what we found tucked at the back of this lush garden!  A perfect spot for getting a hair cut!

I can't imagine who lived on this boat, but it sure made for a great photo!  The rust, the junk, the peeling paint all add so much character to this old vessel!

An abandoned dwelling perched on the side of the hill.

 At the end of the day, we drove to Francis Point and though we didn't complete the entire nature walk, we did explore the tide pools on the beach and the stunning view of  the other islands in the distance.

We had such a lovely time together and I can't wait till our next little getaway!
~Shelly xo

Little Mermaid Girl

Sometimes good things come out of bad situations.  I managed to catch a nasty cold a few days ago, which of course meant the usual symptoms of sneezing, coughing, nose blowing etc that go hand in hand with sore, achy bones and head, and taste buds that make food very unappetizing.  Well, those things are all fine and dandy during the day, but unfortunately, it's at night, when you're super tired and just want to get some sleep that they become the most annoying!  So, as I tossed and turned one night, going through a box of tissues, coughing and itching all over - I forgot to mention a terrible allergy to the dreadful Cotton trees that are making my life a misery right now - an idea started forming in my sleep deprived mind.  And oh, what a lovely image she was!  I could not wait for the sun to come up so I could get started on her and I hope you love how she turned out!

I think she's the perfect pattern to start Summer off with!  She's super easy too and I know you'll want to make more than just one!  She's made from the merino wool blend felts that I carry in my shop, measures about 8 inches tall and features beaded embroidery on her tail.  Her hair has been needle felted on - and yes the pattern is ready and available right now! as an instant download in my etsy shop!!

 

In other news....   I've finally gotten around to making some stickers using my little doodle sketches.

There are 20 different designs and they're perfect for sticking on envelopes, packages, cards etc and they come packaged up neatly in a clear, re-sealable plastic bag.

And last, but not least...  I'm nearing the end of a huge project I've been working on for a private girl's school in Texas.  I've been commissioned to make a paper doll booklet as part of the commemoration of their centennial year and I'm so honoured that they have asked me to do this for them!  Below are some photos of all the rough drafts of the doll herself, as well as the different uniforms worn by the students.

Below are the finished designs so far.  I just need to work on the accessories and everything will be ready!

Take care,
~Shelly xo

Peek-a-Boo Pals

 It's always such a joy to get a huge project out of the way!  I have felt like a hermit for the past week or so whilst writing up my newest patterns and it feels so great to finally have them all illustrated and ready to share with you!  I just want to say a big Thank You to Kim Leavens who inspired me to call these little cuties 'Peek-a-Boo Pals'!
 

Owl

Fox

Eeyore

Lamb

Lady Bug

Monkey

Red Panda














The pdf patterns are now available in most of my shops and very soon, you'll be able to purchase them as kits as well.  Each kit will include a pattern booklet tucked into a re-sealable plastic sleeve, along with the felts and ribbon.  You will need to supply your own polyfil, embroidery thread and a disappearing ink pen. 

I am hoping to devote some of my time to making a few ready-made things for my shop again.  As much as I enjoy designing patterns, I really miss making things for others to enjoy:)  So, when I do have some items, I'll post an announcement to my facebook page with the details of when I'll be listing them - usually I like to give a day's notice - and then it will be a first come, first serve basis.  I am not able to take on custom orders as I still have a lot on the go, so I hope you'll understand. 

Enjoy the rest of your week:)
~Shelly xo

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all my dear Mum friends!  I hope that each of you is having a very special day!  I thought it would be a great day to have a little sale in my shop for those who'd like to spoil themselves with some patterns, felt, etc, so if you're thinking of treating yourself, please use the coupon code:  HAPPYMUMSDAY to receive 20% off everything in my shop!

I've also been working on a new collection of dolls lately and will be getting ready to write up the patterns for them within the next week.  These will be available as regular PDF patterns, as well as in pattern kits which will include a pattern booklet and the felt/ ribbon needed to make one.

I have not decided on a name for this collection and would love to hear from you if you have any suggestions! 

Wishing you all a very special day,
~Shelly xo

Congrats to the Pattern Winners!!

Good morning everyone!  I'm super excited to announce the winners of my newest pattern giveaway and just want to say a very big 'Thank You' to all of you for entering and for leaving such lovely comments!

I had so much fun designing and creating these little plushies and I know you'll love making them too.  They're easy and fun and are great for newbies who are looking for something simple and sweet to make.  So, without further ado, here are the winners:
Indigo M
Alma Smith
Candice
Lisa Meersman
Cupcakecutie

Congratulations ladies, have fun making them!  This pattern is now available in my shops!

Happy sewing,
~Shelly xo

New Plush Toy Pattern Giveaway!!

Dear friends, I have a delightful surprise for you all - a Pattern Giveaway!! 

This new collection will feature pattern pieces and instructions to make a Bunny, Bear and Kitten plushie, complete with a halter neck dress, shorts romper, super hero glasses and cape and a pretty pair of 1950's inspired sunglasses!

These little cuties were so much fun to make!  I wanted them to be bright and eye-catching, so I used many of the scrumptious felts I have in my collection.  The kittens and bears measure about 8 inches tall, while the bunnies are a little taller at 10 inches. 

Five lucky winners will be drawn on Wednesday, April 24, so if you'd like a chance of being entered in the draw, please leave your name and email address below in the comments section.  For those of you who are unable to comment here on my blog, please leave your info on my Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/gingermelondolls?ref=hl under the link with this blog post.

Wishing you all the best and a very happy weekend too ;)
~Shelly xo

New Plush Toys

Spring greetings dear friends!  I'm quite shocked at how time has flown since my last post!  This last month has been a bit of a stressful time for our family as our dear Nannykins has been in and out of hospital three times.  At 95, everyday things are getting harder for her and she's finding it difficult to manage on her own.  She's been living independently, though in the same apartment building as us, so we've been able to keep an eye on her.  But, her health is steadily going downhill due to congestive heart failure and renal problems and she requires a lot more care.  It's hard to see her struggling and my only hope is that she can be comfortable during this part of her journey. 

I've not had much time for making things due to our trips to visit her in hospital, but I've slowly been working on a new collection of plush toy patterns that I'm certain will be perfect for beginner sewers!  There are three animals - a bear, bunny and kitten, along with three different outfits - a romper for boys, a dress and a super hero cape, which I still need to design:)

I think the unfinished kitty in the middle is my fave so far and I can't wait to see how he turns out, especially wearing his little cape!

 One fun thing my hubby and I did last Sunday, was to visit the VanDusen Botanical Garden in Vancouver which was featuring a Japanese fair and cherry blossom festival.  As most of you know, I absolutely LOVE anything to do with Japanese culture, anime art and food, so this was a definite must see!  Thankfully, the rain held off long enough for our visit and we enjoyed the beautiful gardens, performing arts and delicious food!

This lovely geisha was handing out info on an up-coming Anime convention.  I may have to go just to see all the different costumes!

Oh, if only I were 20 years younger!  I'd be dressing up for sure!

Some of the many cherry trees in bloom.

Love the colour and artwork on this wooden canoe!

One of the many food tents offering tasty treats!  That's hubby surveying the menu boards on the right side of the photo.

We're hoping to take in many more local events throughout the spring and summer, so I'll keep you posted when we do:)

Take care and have a lovely weekend,
~Shelly  xo