Wool Faux Taxidermy by Bella McBride from McBride House

 My new obsession... wool faux taxidermy!

A great way for animal lovers to display a head mount without hurting the real thing.

And this one is even better as it's slightly larger than life size!

Even though Mr. Fox hardly weighs a thing, he is approx. 23 cm (9 inches) from the back of the piece to the tip of his nose.  The frame is 31.5 cm (12.25 inches) tall by 26.5 cm (10.5 inches) wide.

AND.... The Hare!

Aren't they cute together?

As you can see, The Hare is much bigger than real life!

He has horse hair whiskers...

Black glass eyes....

And is mounted, as is Mr Fox, in a vintage oak (I think it's oak) frame.  You can see both of them and many more of my sculptures here!

Needle Felted Green Men

One of my favourite things to make are Green Men.  Wanting to make more than just the traditional greened leaved green man I've expanded my line to include all four seasons.  Below are just a few of the green men that I've created over the years!

Deep in the woods there awaits a special soul ready to emerge from his sleepy winter slumber. He dreams of the time of year when the buds will burst, the flowers grow and the trees spread their leaves to the skies above. Sun will soon pour down on his secret nest and awaken him to the songs of robins, singing his name to help bring green back to the barren earth. Yes, soon the Green Man will rise and Spring will be here again.

A horned version of the great man.

A purse version that went to a very lovely and excited woman from the Amherst, NS Fibre Fest sale.

A little brighter version make with merino wool.

This one is currently available at my shop!

The very first one.  This one will always hold a special spot in my heart as he was bought by a very great man who will be dearly missed.

The days are getting longer and little bits of green are beginning to spring forth from beneath winters weary carpet. There is a feeling of renewal coming that is simmering just beneath the surface. The sap is flowing in the trees, maple buds are beginning to show their red tips and the geese fly overhead morning and night.

Soon laundry will be flapping on the line, children will be jumping in mud puddles and skipping with their new skipping ropes. And deep in the woods the Spring Green Man watches it all unfold.

Now the days are getting shorter and the leaves are beginning to change from their luxurious greens to the most spectacular reds, oranges and purples. There is a crispness to the air and even though it's the end of the summer it feels like the beginning of something new.

Flannel sheets will soon go on the bed, kids are anxiously awaiting the first day of school and the apples are red, ripe and ready to be picked. And deep in the woods the Autumn Green Man watches it all unfold.

 I always loved the expression of this one!

 This is the first Fall Green Man I made.  I had the idea and he came to life on a bus trip to Quebec City.

The stars are bright, the night is crisp and Old Man Winter is over looking his domain. In the morning every branch will be coated in a soft layer of snow, the ground laden with the white stuff. The kids will awaken to frosted panes of glass on their bedroom windows and will excitedly peer out them wondering if it will be a snow day.

The parents wonder what will be in store for them; a day of sliding, skiing, snowshoeing? Perhaps it will be a day curled up by the fireplace sipping hot chocolate and reminiscing about their own childhood memories of winter. Regardless of the days event, one thing is known for sure...Old Man Winter sure does know how to make this world we live in a little bit more beautiful.

This is a newer version of the Winter Green Man and he is available at my Shop!

Pull up a chair....

Just a short post today.  I'm feeling tired and the need to curl up by the fire and read a book.  I so wish I could figure out a way to make this little pink chair life size!

Or if pink's not your thing, it comes in BLUE too!

Check out these chairs and more at McBride House!

The Owls Have Landed at McBride House

The owls have descended onto McBride House in all shapes, colours and functions.  This little one is a staple at McBride House and has had a few sisters created in her likeness.  So far we have had Owlene, Owlese, and this little one is Owlette.  She's a pretty little owl. She spent hours getting her bow on just right, asking me time and time again to adjust it just so. Standing in front of the mirror primping and preening she finally decided that the bow is perfect and it's time for her portrait. She stands and looks up at the light knowing this is her best side. Click, click, click goes the camera all the while her little tail feathers quiver with excitement.

Next is Darby McBride who is a St Patrick Day Owl.  He's quite the dapper fellow who is a very quiet owl that just loves to sit and watch the goings on. He requires very little maintenance and would make a fantastic house owl.

 In the same bred of owls, comes these two.  Another St. Patrick Day Owl but with a little rider!  And guess what?  They did it, they did it! They found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow! Mr. Leprechaun proudly hugs his treasure knowing he is safe and secure riding on the back of his pet owl. What the two of them will do with all of this gold I do not know but I'm sure with the influence of a wise owl, they won't spend it frivolously.

 

Next is the Book Owl. Did you know that back in the deep recesses of the London Library lives a whole family of owls? This particular owl is named Darby and he and his siblings fly about at night putting all those books away that the librarians cannot reach. They twist and turn about the tight corridors all the while looking for the perfect matched hole for their books. Once they find the correct spot the mice take over and slide the book into it's own spot... but that, my dear friends, is another tale.

It's an exciting day for Mr Owlistare and his son, Hoot. They've waited and practiced all year and today is the day. They gather their belongings and Mrs Owlistare, or better known as Luna, lovingly wraps a scarf around each of their necks and gives them a peck on the cheek as she bids them farewell.  You can read a lot more about these two and their grand adventure HERE.

 

Owlivia is a pretty little owlet that dreams of becoming a ballerina but knows with her centre of gravity being what it is, tap is more up to her skill level.

To see these owls and other creations come on over to my shop, McBride House!

Needle Felted Albert Einstein

This is the first time that I've needle felted a person to look like an actual person.  I've done lots of green men and pumpkins but this was a challenge to make Albert actually look like Albert.  And yes, after spending hours and hours and days and days working so closely on this piece I feel like I can call Mr. Einstein, Albert!

For those of you who are new to this art form, it's called Needle Felting.  Needle felting involves poking and prodding different colours of wool with an extremely sharp barbed needle until you reach the perfect shape. It literally takes thousands of pokes and days and days to reach just the right sculpture. Other than his black glass eyes, he is 100% wool. He is firmly attached to his wool book base making them a single soft sculpture.

 This is a big piece... almost life size!  Even though Albert Einstein hardly weighs a thing, he is approx. 37 cm (14.5 inches) tall from the bottom of his wool book base to the top of his bushy hair.  If you want to see more of him or other soft sculptures of mine check out my Etsy shop, McBride House!

I'll leave you with some words to live by by the great man:
“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
Albert Einstein

Bears Have Come to McBride House

Winter has been very long in this part of the world.  He's been patient. Oh so patient. In the fall, when the first nip of snow is in the air he happily settles down for a long winter's nap. His bed, made from a large dug out tree in a secret location, is made with care and he looks forward to settling down until the snow of winter magically evaporates. The snow comes and he lumbers in, lays down, rests his head on his paws and sleeps. He sleeps, and sleeps, and sleeps until finally his internal clock awakens him and he raises his great head, stretches, shakes and sticks his nose out the hole.

WHAT?! Why is there still snow, not only on the ground, but covering every shrub, rock and tree in sight? He shakes his head and ambles back in and sleeps some more. This happens again, and again. Finally, long after the first day of spring has arrived, he dons his warmest scarf, packs his bags, and says "I'm outta here." Where is he going I do not know, but it's got less snow than here.  To see more pictures click HERE.

And then there is this very content bear with this winter.

He is a bear of great determination. Having seen the need for his fellow bear population to produce their own honey, he sets his mind to figure out the mystery behind it. There has long been a rift between the Bee Clan and the Bear Clan and Mr Bear is tired of getting his paws stung while trying to obtain the delicious elixir of life called honey.

He reads the books, studies the plans but alas, he should be reading a book on how to "mend fences" instead. I'm afraid making honey is simply for the bees, and not for the hair covered bear!

Here Be Dragons.... Needle Felted Dragons That Is!

I grew up reading about King Arthur, the Knights of the Round Table, and... dragons!  Oh how dragons fascinated me!  Small ones, large ones, kind, evil, it didn't matter, I loved dragons!  Luckily today I found a medium to express my still love for the great winged beasts.  Above is Winter Sun.  He flies only on the those rare winter days when the sun sets pink and dances like stars in the bright white snow. He sweeps and swerves in the sky knowing he is but a speck in the glow of the sun. He comes from a rare breed of dragons who make their home in the Northern hemisphere and not only like but thrive in the cold frigid temperatures.  You can read more about him here.

Next is Wegelagen.  He is a rare breed of German Wall Dragons. Roughly translated, his name means ambush, and that is exactly what he will do. He is a protector. Silent by nature but deadly by force he is meant to deceive any intruders of the house. Be it that sneaky little mouse or the ill behaved dog, Wegelagen will watch over and report back to you all that he sees is amiss. Be careful though.... he is not shy and will gladly tell you when you too have been naughty.  You can see more pictures of him on my Etsy shop here.

This is another favourite that I created.  His name is Bracken and he comes in silently, barely rustling the leaves as he glides through the trees, gently landing on the soft forest floor. He is what the Norse people once referred to as a Foliage Dragon. Unlike his fiery brethren he does not breath fire. This, however, must never be mistaken for a weakness, for foliage dragoons are fierce hunters and do not like to be crossed. Normally shy by nature they are camouflaged perfectly in amongst the vegetation of the wild. More than likely you have come across a Foliage Dragon without even knowing it. That little tickle at the back of your neck while you are walking, that sense that someone is watching you? That, my fine friend, is a Foliage Dragon watching over his Kingdom.

 On the more whimsical side is this Book Dragon.  He sits. Hours after hours he sits in silent splendor. He has hidden himself amongst the vegetation on the mighty cliff in which he resides so that no one will disturb his reading. His mind races to keep up with vivid images of King Arthur and the Knights of the round table.  He sits. Hours after hours he sits in silent splendor. He has hidden himself amongst the vegetation on the mighty cliff in which he resides so that no one will disturb his reading. His mind races to keep up with vivid images of King Arthur and the Knights of the round table.

He is enthralled with the tales of noble knights, brave steeds, and lovely maidens. His great ancestors paint the pages with their fiery breath and their tales of glory. He longs to be part of their legacy. He is the keeper of the books, the keeper of legends. He alone is responsible for keeping the tales alive. Some day, perhaps sooner than later, this little brave Book Dragon will inspire great legends of his own. For now he is content with his cliff and his books. What more could a Book Dragon ask for.

These are just a few of the dragons that I've created over the years since I started needle felting so feel free to check out my Etsy shop, McBride House, to see some of these dragons and don't forget to look at the sold section to see more.   And please feel to to custom order a dragon too!  I would love to take your vision and bring it to life!

Something Wicked This Way Comes- Needle Felted Jack-o-lantern

Something Wicked This Way Comes... I simply wanted some pumpkins of my own for Halloween this year. As I watched them grow each one turned out cute and round and full of promise.... except for one.  Something went terribly wrong with this seedling. As it grew it became more and more gaunt, it's lines began to set in deep furrows.

What did I do wrong with this pumpkin? I talked to it, encouraged it, just like I did to all my other pumpkins. Feeling like I had failed this little seedling I hung my head and went into the house for the night. The next morning I went out to the pumpkin patch hoping whatever was wrong with this guy had righted itself.

I was wrong. In front of me sat a pumpkin with an evil grin and teeth baring at me. Fearing what he was going to say to me I braced for the worse. His lips pulled back with a creaking moan and his black eyes bored a hole in me.

Finally he spoke "Ummm... would you mind chasing this spider off my stem? His feet are very furry and he's tickling me!" Lesson learned; Never judge a pumpkin by his grin.