Return from the dark side...*long post warning*

Hi there.
Once again I have been away from my little Blog for far too long and i fear no-one is going to read any more. 
I have been rather inspired and en-heartened by my dear friend, Bonnie's recent post, re: Things I'm afraid to tell you. You know the first lady who blogged it is calling it a 'movement' now, as everyone is blogging it!
Isn't it refreshing..but please i hope the pretty perfect loveliness doesn't end, after all, we all need something to coo and ahh over, and be inspired by. 


Anyway, I should tell you why I have been absent.
I have a few drafts in my post lists, one of them starts 
"I'm not going to apologise for my absence... I'm not in the best of moods. So please bear with me, while I share some makes with you, while I fester in my pendulous and tumultuous mood." 


I'm glad I didn't carry on with the post!! 


I have been absent because I am hiding. Hibernating, festering!
I am suffering with quite a severe depression. The medication I was prescribed brought complications and so I was prescribed a different one and this one has not even 'touched' it! I have even wondered if I've been given a placebo! 
I can't really say what has triggered this bout. Its been getting worse since the year started.
(its a mix of couple of different things-that I can't do anything about- but I'd rather not share publicly!)
 I thought, and hoped, I would perk up once Spring came, but alas, here in England we've had nothing but grey skies and rain. 
For all of April and this month so far. The forecast I have heard for the rest of the month is not any better. One Newspaper headline declared it was going to be "Winter Until June" . 
So, that's rather dire isn't it. 
I have however been making odd bits and pieces. 
I think of the things I've made and not yet shared, and just going to the bother of photographing them - lighting conditions are horrendous - that I give up! 
But, a few weeks ago, there was bit of late afternoon sun, so as it set, I grabbed my camera and set to capturing my little makes. 
I am intending in gradually building up a bit of stock to sell and start a little Etsy shop. 
I have been spurred on by encouragement by some friends who have seen my makes and also by one who after seeing a little make for my son, commissioned me to make her son one, and then days later has commissioned me to make another for another little boy who wants one. 
Let me get on and show you hey?!!

Say Hi to Yoda. 

( may I just note that I will not sell him commercially as he is a copyrighted character, I made him from my own interpretation of the character and accepted payment for the costs and labour!) 

Ooh get me with the small print!! 

So yes, i made him up as i went along after a while of browsing 'google' for images of 'amigurumi yoda'

most of them were a bit to 'simple' for my liking. 

He is made from DK yarn, (stylecraft special dk if I'm precise) with a 2.5mm hook. 

Yes.....my finger/hands/wrist ached for days after!!

I did worry as I as i was making him up as I go along he was looking too much like a frog... then once the ears went on, he looked like a gremlin (albeit toothless)

http://images.wikia.com/gremlins/images/9/9b/Stripe_bobble_head_figure.jpg

*shudder* they still creep me out!! 

but once I added the fluff for the wisps of hair, and the nose and mouth bit, which was tricky, 

he looked a bit more like the actually little wisened dude himself

so he was my first paid comission and now i have to remember how to made him again!!

Her are some other amigurumi (small crocheted toys) I have made as gifts

here is a little Elephant i made for a friend's little boy. 

I got the pattern from here after seeing it on a google search for an amigurumi elephant. 

I made him slightly different by adding fabric to his ears and

feet

the little toddler loved it, and shyly cuddled him and marched him across his Daddy's shoulders!

He too is made from grey DK, with a 3mm hook i think! (can't remember now)

then I made this little chap...

a minion from the film 'Despicable me'

(actually i made him first, he was my first attempt at Amigurumi)

from this blogger

he was so easy to make but now my little son wants the whole minion army!! or at least one with two eyes or teeth!

My favourite creation of amigurumi yet, is Rosie

She's just so pretty!!

and cute

I used this pattern and again I modified her to my own liking, i.e using pretty fabric on her feet

rather than felt as the pattern says and also used a contrast thread to sew the fabric on. 

and I used felt for her eyes instead of safety buttons, as I didn't have any at the time!

I have since made her a brother, using the grey wool that Elephant is made from, and he -Robbie - came out bigger! despite using the same hook! 

Rosie is made from cream Sirdir Snuggly baby wool, so she's extra soft and cuddly! 

She was a little joy to make and I'll be hard pushed to sell her as I intended!!

and finally, I just wanted to share with you a cushion I made for my Mum. 

Both my Grandparents have passed away now, Granddad died in February, and last month they would have celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary. 

So, I made this to help mum feel better!

first I downloaded a lovely photo from my Auntie's FaceBook album, it wasn't very good quality as it was scanned, but it is so 'them'! 

I then edited it with Picnic, now sadly gone, and I added the lyrics from one of 'their' songs, 'Look at Us'

I then printed the photo onto photo transfer paper,..then I reversed the image, and printed it again!!! D'Oh!

then I ironed it onto natural cotton, and added it to this pretty cushion cover I made, and edged it with cream crochet lace trim. 

Here it is... 

words say " ....If you want to see how True Love should be

.....Then Look at Us "

Poor Mum shed a little tear when she saw it! and its sits proudly in her home for all to see! 

Well, thats all from me for now, I'll try not to keep away so long next time, these long catch up posts take me so long to do!!! 

i hope you enjoyed this post, and please feel free to leave a comment 

Take Care

Em Xx