More than one distraction…

Sorry I’ve been a bit quiet on here lately, I’ve been making things for my gorgeous new-born grandson Bodhi ~ my clever daughter Jessica McCallum‘s latest creation.

  

However, today my muse smiled as I was reading updates on Facebook and 2 photos inspired me.

A friend in Cork, Patrick Cotter posted a colourful picture of  his socks; “These single socks seem to think I have nothing better to do than run a dating agency for them.” and I couldn’t help myself:

 

Dating

A colourful

individual;

a well-heeled

single, looking

for a match,

with similar need.

Frances Macaulay Forde © 2015

And another artistic friend on Facebook, Aaron Pocock posted a photo of “2-3 watercolours from the last couple of days” of these beautiful Australian birds :

 

Splendid Blue

 

In breeding plumage

his world knows no guns,

only the garden sprays

killing his insect food.

 

Still, he flits and flirts,

happy in his life work.

Seeking shades of brown

and grey among the twigs.

 

There, a most superb mate

waits, quietly seed-feeding

to proliferate their kind.

A species not in danger – yet.

Frances Macaulay Forde © 2015

 

@FrancesMForde  #@FrancesMacForde  #NewGrandie:BODHI  #PatrickCotter  #MunsterLitCentre  #ArtisticFriends  #CleverPeople  #POEM:Dating   #ETSY:JessMcCallum #POEM:SplendidBlue  #Poetry  #Inspiration  #ArtIsTheSpark  #ETSY:Soop’sSofties  #HandmadeClowns

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“Paying for Handmade – a gentle rant…”

“You do not have to buy anything we make! But when you do, you support an idea, a lifestyle, art. You encourage the production of objects that hold love, thought, care. You pass that joy onto the people who receive your gifts. You infuse your home with warmth and meaning when you hang that art on your wall or drink out of that hand-thrown mug. You perpetuate a world where objects exist that weren’t made by underpaid workers in third world countries to line the pockets of corporate CEOs. You encouraged an artist to sing her song and that enriches everyone.”  Liz Smith is Mill Girl

Couldn’t have said it better myself – as an ETSY shop owner, Liz speaks to me…

@FrancesMForde  #FrancesMacForde  #ETSY:SoopsSofties  #SoopsSofties  #MillGirl  #LizSmith  #ETSYShops  #Handmade  #HandmadeTreasures  #CraftedWithLove  #ArtistsProduce

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Christmas is coming!

Well loyal readers, I’ve taken the plunge and opened up not one, but two ETSY shops; one to sell my BOOKS and one for my much loved SOFT TOYS.

I’m busy working on a little SOFTIE Elf and a SOFTIE Santa to make available in time for the holidays.

So if you’d like something made for someone special, please make sure you order before 15th November to get your purchases in time for Christmas.

I’ve updated my Books for Sale and offer two poetry chapbooks and a children’s story:

    

& created a new page full of adorable Softies – unique gifts for special people: Soft Toys for Sale.

  

@FrancesMForde   @FrancesMacForde   @francesMF   @SoopsSofties   @FrancesMacaulayForde  #FrancesETSY  #ETSY:SoopsSofties  #ETSY:FMF   #SoftToys  #Christmas  #HandmadeGifts  #UniqueGifts  #BooksForSale  #BOOK:Santa’sSwim  #SantaBooks  #SantaStory  #ChristmasStory

 

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Dreaming of toys

Mock Back Cover  –  Frances Macaulay Forde © 1994

Just read about this deal between Michael Bay (of  ‘Transformers’ fame) 451 Media Group and (Chinese Media/Toy manufacturers) Alpha Animation, in ‘Variety’.

Does it mean my dream is possible; one day my ‘Mr Panda Lives Next Door’ Books/TV Series, could be taken to dizzying heights and merchandised?

 

@FrancesMForde  #FrancesMacForde  #CPB:MrPandaLivesNextDoor   #AlphaAnimation #ChineseToyDeal  #Transformers  #MichaelBay

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TV shows from my childhood…

BIll & Ben Flower Pot Men, updated.

A fellow blogger posted this today and brought back so many memories.

Although I was 16 when she was born, I loved Andy Pandy;   “Here we go Looby Loo, here we go Looby Li, here we go Looby Loo, all on a Satuday night.”

Also Bill & Ben when I was very young in the UK, then later when I had children of my own, we watched Mr Squiggle, Play School and  Sesame Street, together.

I’m surprised Louise didn’t mention Noddy & Big Ears… Little me loved that show – Golly was my favorite!

I had so many Enid Blyton books which I devoured over and over again.

I miss the pace and sweet innocence of that time when children were allowed to just get lost in ‘Walking round the garden, like a teddy bear.  One step, two step, jumping in the air!’  

Thanks Louise, for all the memories today.

 

@FrancesMForde  #Bill&BenFlowerPotMen  #AndyPandy  #Noddy&BigEars  #Children’sPrograms

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Toy time

My daughter is holding a dolly wearing a matching dress  I made for her when she was three.  It started a tradition still carried on today with every new baby in the family.

The very last photo in my recent  ‘Miss you Mum’ post, my grand-daughter is wearing a dress with a matching doll (just as lovingly made) and wouldn’t let go of her.

Her sister (my other grand-daughter) got one on her 1st birthday last year, too:

One friend of my daughter wanted to surprise his wife with a doll made in her image, wearing traditional dress, for her birthday:

For her 30th, my daughter had a kid-themed party and wanted a mini-me ‘Dorothy’ doll:

The prize for the best dressed costume of the night was a mini-me doll – but The Mario Bros won! I made and dressed TWO dolls and my artistic daughter painted the faces. Both were quickly snaffled by girlfriends!

I made these two boy dolls (1st photo below) for my daughter-in-law’s friends…

  

Also clowns, more dolls and many, many Gollies which although not politically correct some years ago, now are eminently collectible.

I had a Mama Doll and a Golly when I was young and of my 100+ dolls – those two were my favourites.

Maybe it’s because they seemed more ‘real’ to me, growing up in Africa.

 

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