Ashley Anna Brown / Fern Animals

New Limited Edition Fern Animals!

 

Hello everyone! Happy Halloween! This morning I got right into the Christmas spirit and started a new collection of Limited Edition Fern Animals: PINE NEEDLE PALS! They are made with this fabulous vintage cotton that, obviously, I think looks like pine needles! I think it's perfect for the holidays! These will be limited to only ten wearing a wool scarf and just six wearing a hooded suit! They will each come with a small tag stating their number in the edition, date of creation, and my signature. Get one while you still can! I am actually going to save one for myself this time! (I never got a Golden Lion and I'm still regretting that move!)

Oh yes, I have a shop up on Paper N Stitch again (I was in an exhibition last fall). Go check it out here! (There may be a special deal in it for you if you visit! Hint hint...)

Hope you have a wonderful Halloween full of spooks and candy! Now, on to Thanksgiving! (I love this time of the year!)

Lots of new projects in the works!

I feel like I have been slightly unfocused lately when it comes to creating - unable to stick to one thing, instead making lots of very different things! Here are some new projects I have been working on:

Back to quilting and making patchwork items. I've got lots of ideas for new little pouches and I'm really excited about venturing into this territory. I used to make bags and pouches all the time, many years ago. I made my first bag when I was sixteen. It was an over the shoulder book bag, made from sparkly purple velvet. So not something I would use now! Ha! 

I starting making bags again in college, just a few months before Fern Animals came along, scouring the flea market for unique vintage fabrics. I didn't know about Etsy then, so I ended up with too many bags to keep to myself, and not enough friends to give them away to, and abandoned the whole bag making thing for a long while. I'm still not interested in making bags again - there are plenty of other people out there making far better bags than I ever made (like this amazing person! Or this one!) but I like the idea of making little carry-alls to tuck inside a bag! I typically carry around a basic tote bag everyday (my Julia Pott Etsy tote actually). It doesn't have any pockets and little things get lost at the bottom all the time - a pretty little patchwork pouch will be so helpful! Maybe you've been needing one too? 

 

I also started this quilt a few days ago. When the nights start getting chilly again, I always want to make quilts! I've been planning out a couple I want to make for my family, but I've been thinking about trying to make some to list in my shop as well. I already have so many on my bed, and really don't need anymore for myself. Though I have to say, I am feeling quite attached to this one, and have considered keeping it! I think it would be nice to offer it up for others though. I want everyone to be able to snuggle up this winter in a cozy handmade quilt. Really, there's nothing better on cold nights, sipping tea or hot chocolate and watching christmas specials on tv, or maybe sitting on the floor with a quilt over your lap, listening to Bing Crosby and cutting out paper snowflakes... Oh, how I can't wait for that first snow fall! (Apparently many New Englanders already experienced this - but it skipped right over Northampton!) 

Continuing with my wintry inspirations... I completed this deer tonight, and I am in love with his snowy white antlers! (Am I allowed to be in love with something I made? I hope so - it happens all the time!) I only wish this little one was quicker to make so I could crank out a whole slew of them! Oh well, they'll just have to come along very slowly, one by one.

I think that's everything I have to show you right now, though I have lots more ideas and a couple other things in the works, but it's too soon to show any pictures of those right now! I hope you're all enjoying this beautiful fall weather! Everything is so orange and yellow here, it's incredible.

Good night!

The perfect autumn colors

First, I would like to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who came by to read my last post, and everyone who left encouraging and supportive comments. I am really having a hard time not blurting out the name of this company, but don't worry, I will as soon as I can! I can't wait, and I am so glad to know I have so many friends out there ready to shame them with me. It feels really good knowing I am a part of this incredibly close-knit over-the-internet world. If it weren't for that, I would never have found out about this whole situation in the first place. Oh, yeah - the biggest thank you goes to Jill over at Small Stump for sending me the email with a scanned image from the catalog. Thank you sooo much for recognizing my work, and assuming that, no, I didn't know about it, no, I didn't give them my permission. You saved me from having a slight heart attack upon walking into a store downtown selling my stuff. (because, yes, a store right here where I live carries this companies goods...) Ugh.

Well, on to something exciting - super exciting! I wanted to share some beautiful pictures with you all! Justin has been working diligently since moving back from his summer on the north shore, cranking out one amazing picture after another (it's actually quite frustrating how easy he makes it look!) and he has finally put some up on Etsy to share with the world! He's got a bunch of awesome original drawings listed now, and all at super affordable prices too! 

He recently started a part time job at the local art store and rediscovered colored pencils. And I think he has picked out the yummiest colors. I never say things like that... and for some reason yesterday I commented about his new drawings by saying I wanted to eat them up... what is it about these colors that makes my mouth water? I don't know, but I love it! 

Here's a photo I just took of Justin working away. Look at those little stubs - he's been running through those pencils like crazy! He made a plan to make one two-hour drawing every day. Here he is working on his second (!) today. So, head on over and check them out! Maybe you'll find one you simply cannot live without!  

Many things in the works...

Sorry I've been somewhat absent from here for the past couple of weeks. I've been meaning to write up a decent post for days. I've been busy sewing up custom wedding birds, working on a new project with a friend, and designing a new animal. Oh, and spending time with Justin now that he's finally back in Northampton! 

I'll start by showing you my most recently completed wedding bird orders - I'm really happy with both!

And here's the new animal:

A fawn that is the most fawn-ish fawn I have made! It is also the largest animal I have ever made - standing about five inches tall! (Still really small, though!) I am really happy with this design. It took a while to get it right - actually I have been trying to make this for months, but kept not having the patience to follow-through! I think the hardest part was making the second one after I had altered the first by hand. My pattern still isn't exactly how I want it to be, but it will take a few of these to work out the kinks. I'm really excited to be able to make these for the holidays. 

I was never really satisfied with my previous "fawn" design - never even liked stating they were fawns, because they were more like a mixture of a few animals - much like my regular Fern Animals - cat/bears. Sort of. I felt a new motivation to work on this redesign a couple nights ago when I couldn't remember how to make a decent head for the previous "fawn" - it kept coming out horribly out of proportion with the body, and not even close to being a deer shape. I figured it was time to just give up on that design altogether (much like what happened to my "fox". I never really liked it, so, even when people would request I make more, I just couldn't bring myself to do it.) 

I'm going to start working on my third fawn tonight to see if I can get her body closer to the first with out too many hand alterations after she's stuffed. What do you think of this new little doe? I'd love to know! I'm also excited about this little body because the very first version of the first one had a too-long neck which got me thinking about giraffes... hmmm... maybe a few of those could come next? 

On a completely different note, I have a very serious matter I have been wanting to write about here for weeks, but I'm not sure I can get into it tonight. Sorry to leave you hanging like that! But it is important so please check back here to read it. I want to write it when I can focus on the subject to make sure everything comes out right. I'll make this a priority on tomorrow's To Do List. Until then... Good night!

Horse Feathers

This is what I am listening to non-stop these days. 

Name that tune

I have been spending weeks and weeks trying to sit down and make a new drawing or two for the Paper Girl Northampton project. It kept not working out because I think it's been too long since I have worked on anything not having to do with sewing and fabric, and because I just didn't have the patience. 

Suddenly, tonight, as I was listening to my new 90's hit list (a surprise present I have been putting together for a friend - am I giving it away? Is the recipient reading now?) I listened closely to some lyrics while playing around with these bird cut outs that I've had for months and months, and it all just clicked. 

These are not the amazingly detailed deeply personal conceptual pieces I was imagining contributing to Paper Girl, but they are exactly the kind of project I have been needing to make - fairly quick and simple, and funny. Most importantly, they make me giggle. I hope they have that effect on some others too!

Now I want to get my hands on more library cards and keep making these! These cards are from my old and dwindling paper stash - I think I found these in someone's garbage in Portland, OR five or six years ago? I actually can't believe it was that long ago!

Amazing.

Via Something's Hiding In Here. Thanks Shauna and Stephen! This is inrcedible. 

Enid and Charlotte and a super cute Etsy Ad!

Despite being suddenly sick last week, I did manage to make some new birds (some of my favorite so far!) Two of them are close to completion, just needing legs, but Enid and Charlotte are all finished up, photographed, and posted in my shop today! 

I can't tell if they are best friends, or completely in love. What do you think? I think it will be hard for them to part...

On another note, my friend Peter made a great video for the Etsy Handmade Moment contest and I think you should check it out! (And vote for it too!) If you click on the image below it will lead you to the website where the video is posted. I'm pretty sure the contest is based on views and ratings and I think the video has to be viewed on the official page to count. Please take a minute to visit - the video is only 15 seconds long! 

http://etsy.tv/video/Etsy-Handmade-Moment

Now I better get around to uploading photos from Amelia's birthday party! Hope you have a nice day!

When you really have no control at all...

I begin making this little animal this morning while Justin continued to pack up his things. I wanted to get a good start on a custom order, and, though the materials were not exactly what was requested, I thought that maybe it would work. As I was stuffing the body, I came to realize that it would not in fact do for the custom order, and this new animal was suddenly born. It's funny how sometimes you set out to make something, and the little creatures personality just seems to take over and decide for you how she will turn out. I haven't made little ears like this in quite some time (years maybe?) but they suited this little lady perfectly. She even has her head tilted to the side a little, like she's feeling a little tough, and a little sassy.

Okay, now that I have sewn away a good part of the day, it's time to load the car and head out! We're late! (Always!)

Saturday morning:

Have you seen this? It has to be one of my most favorite things. I saw the circus quite a few years ago on display at the Whitney, but I never saw any of this footage of Calder performing. He is amazing. 

 

Here's another incredible performance, for when you have a few more minutes to sit and watch (it's 19 minutes long):

 

Watch them both. I'm sure you will love it!