Day 26 - Bears in the Woods & Natural Play Toys

Bears in Woods
Originally uploaded by Pictures by Ann

This morning I did a few projects that I've wanted to do for some time now.

First, I made a couple of pocket-size bears from felted wool sweaters, cotton fabric, and buttons. Everything is hand-embroidered (the bears' features, around the edges of the bears, and the fabric to the wool).

Then, I made a trio of gnomes from green, red, and white wool felt. The gnomes are stuffed with wool from sheep that I raised. The first set is for my shop, Harvest Moon by Hand. The second set is going to be for the nature table that I set up for the girls each month.

"Art Every Day Month" is wrapping up in three days. It's been fun to challenge myself to do something creative each day. Working with wool and embroidery are two things I enjoy doing. I particularly enjoy making natural toys - both for my daughters as well as for customers.

Having open-ended toys like the bears and gnomes along with some simple, natural "props" (like pine cones, gems, rocks, sticks, and colored wool) can open the door to hours of imaginative play. I'm always amazed at the stories and scenes the girls can create with natural elements such as the ones I've mentioned.