Well, there’s not been exactly nothing doing, but I have not been very active with making since my last post.
Brian the dachshund has been with me most days and has kept me reasonably busy: I have been walking and entertaining him – and his antics have been entertaining me – those little legs are deceptively fast, and that nosy little snoot gets into everything!
He also likes to try to sit on my lap whilst I work, which is very cute, if somewhat limiting on the production front – not nothing doing, but close. 
Anyway, I tried, but found it surprisingly difficult to produce a cat lady to accompany the cat lords I made previously.
And not just because of Brian.
I went to see the movie The Favourite the other day – the one about Queen Anne with Olivia Colman and Emma Stone in it.
As well as being really entertaining, the costumes were just fab – and I wanted my court lady cat to be equally fab. But my fabric stash is limited in terms of silks and satins and brocades and all the other sort of frills and furbelows required to outfit an eighteenth century lady cat.
Not to mention the trials and tribulations of reproducing this finery at miniature size.
Although I was quite pleased with her shoes…
So as you can see, there is a lady, but everything about her took flipping ages to make and at the end of the process I am only partially happy with her.
Which has stalled my creative process, because the plan was to make a fair few ladies, but I’m not sure that I want to repeat the process of eighteenth century outfitting if it’s going to be quite as painful as my first attempt.
The other thing that has slowed me down is that my niece returned to Australia this week, having come to the end of her gap year, a good proportion of which she chose to spend with us.
As you may know if you have been reading my posts for any length of time, I live in a house of males – partner and teenage son. Even Brian the borrowed dachshund is male. I think my doll-making may in some ways be a response to this. A kind of reclaiming of something feminine (other than housework!) from a life often dominated by sport on telly and smelly socks and blokes who are lovely in all sorts of ways but have basically no interest in “women’s stuff”.
When my niece asked if she could stay with us I thought about the prospect of having two teenagers in the house. I wondered about queues for the bathroom and potential emotional ups and downs. I thought about her friendship with my lad, cooking and shopping for four instead of three, the trips we might take and the fun we might have as a family of four. 
What I never even considered was how wonderful having another female in the house would be – and a young one at that. How this energy would change things. How people who can sometimes be set in their ways and a bit thoughtless (me included) would be inspired, by her presence and her personality, to up their game.
In short, I have loved having her here. And now she’s gone. She’s off to university in a few short weeks, where I have no doubt whatsoever that she will be incredibly successful. She plans to return, so hopefully she has enjoyed her time with us, too.
Anyway, I digress. The point is that I am missing her and all she brought to our home and my life.
I find myself in a creative slump, unable to motivate myself to make things, or apply for things, or sell things. It’s like wading through treacle. I feel guilty about this, because it’s not like I can really afford to be unproductive.
Brian is currently my salvation, because you can’t ignore a dachshund when he’s literally bouncing up and down, desperate for a scamper around the local park.
Not that you would guess that from this picture…!
I often struggle at this time of year… it’s like that line from The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe:
“It is winter in Narnia,” said Mr. Tumnus, “and has been for ever so long…. always winter, but never Christmas.”
That’s how it feels at the moment. It’s stupid to feel like this, I know. But it’s possibly more stupid to deny it. Christmas is over, done and dusted, spring seems months away. The aching bones and grey days of winter seem to stretch ahead forever. Nothing doing about it. It seems to get worse each year as I get older.
What do other people do to get themselves through the winter months when there’s nothing doing, to retain their creativity and their sanity?
I keep reminding myself that “nothing blooms all year round” and to be good to myself, and to plan for the future. But really I just wish I could hibernate until April.
Unfortunately, as far as that goes, there’s nothing doing. ♥
I know what you mean about January! What if your court lady had a bright colour somewhere, like an overdress and the current one showed through at the front more like an underskirt or petticoat? A bright colour cheers me up! I love your work and aim to own a piece but they go so quickly! Clare
Bright colours usually cheer me up too, but my fabric stash is, for once, lacking in the requisite supplies (I don’t think eighteenth century ladies and 1960s florals are easy bedfellows!) An excuse to hunt down more supplies!
She’s lovely, and I’m so sorry she hasn’t sparked a round of further aristocats. I wonder if your stash of 1960s fabrics doesn’t lean too far towards natural fibres; maybe you need some lovely metallics and embossed satins, etc. I’m thinking my mum’s 1960s cocktail frocks and brocade evening coats, her embroidered handbags and floral print stilettos. It’s probably rather hard to find that stuff now, but it’d make wonderful gowns for little aristocatic ladies.
Absolutely. I’ve been using woven ribbons so far. I need to rummage about in my favourite charity shop’s bargain bin I think!
Sounds like an excellent plan!
Love your blog and creations. I had a severe vitamin D deficiency..have to take mega vitamins. Winter is my enemy I guess. However, I perked up when I decided to take up African Drumming with a group from our church. I love my drum and beat away on it whenever I feel the slump. Not my usual outlet of crafting, but invigorating. So go get a drum and start making noise! Don’t scare the doggie though. Mine runs when he sees the drum come out. LOL
Drumming sounds like an excellent tonic!
Adore your stories…I had the same predicament..husband,two male dogs…my female Jack Russell pasted last spring..Lacey was my little girl..my sunshine..I finally decided to get a female kitten at Christmas time..she sure has added a spark in our lives! Peace to you
Your cat lady is so adorable! Maybe she be just one of a few special ladies in waiting. I’ve been down with a cold but drinking lots of tea and knitting. Also, I set my Pandora Radio to a Hawaiian station and dream of white sands and waves, pineapples and palm trees! I’ve also replaced Christmas stuff with Valentine’s Day things… Crystal hearts hang in my tree with pink lights. I hope you find your inspiration soon. May your kitty remind you of all the fun you had with your niece!
Thank you! I’ve managed to feel a bit more motivated since the weather brightened up and Brian the dachshund and I have enjoyed our morning walks. However this afternoon is sleeting and Brian looked so miserable after five minutes out in it that we came straight home again!
Sometimes curtain fabric shops sell off their sample books. Could give you some brocade/silk small pieces. I got a silk one a while ago.
Alas, there are no curtain shops near me. I’m sure something will turn up though. I just need to make other things until it does.
It’s just January, it’s dull and grey, I try to work on projects but tend to do better if I learn something new, it’s still hard though, but my motto is “ this too shall pass” and know that February will more than likely bring a bit more of a spring to my step!
Learning new things is a good idea! Unfortunately my brain feels somewhat foggy at the moment and Brian is proving quite a distraction! I should come up with a work plan I think, to try and nudge me out of my inactivity.
Hi just been reading I know exactly what u mean, I too can’t get motivated to make anything, I want to start but no flow, I don’t want to copy anything but have my own style, I have quite a bit of vintage fabrics in my stash, was wondering if I mite sort some for u to use, depending on how big u need, I Cud send u some pics x
I’m so glad it’s working out with Brian! In our house, it’s me, my husband, adult son who graduated from University and is living at home because it’s so expensive here in Silicon Valley and my daughter who is at art college in Seattle. I miss her every time she leaves. I thought it would get better but it doesn’t. Each time feels like having a limb torn off. It’s the female company I miss so much. We get each other and while the guys are awesome and we love them, really they are alien. Also I hate stitching proper fancy brocades, silks, velvet etc because they are a pain and fray like mad.
So many similarities there! My niece is like the daughter I never had and yes, brocade and stuff does fray like mad (but I have a bottle of Fray Stop 😉)
Aw, you make such beautiful things and write so beautifully too, you’re not in a slump. It’s just the January blues. I have it too, and can’t wait for more blue sky and less snow here. 🙂