Hi to all...I cannot believe it is now well over a year since I last posted anything on my blog.  It has been a difficult journey over the past 18 months, culminating in the sudden death of James, my partner, just before Christmas last year.  But life must go on, and I am trying to remain strong and positive, as he would have wished!

I am starting to make mice again, and have developed some new characters, which I will showcase on this blog, and also on my Facebook page.  I also have some other plans for the mice, including cards, calendars, fabric designs and - hopefully! - a children's book featuring Camomile, the little teapot mouse.

This is Billy, who is great friends with all the birds and loves to make birdhouses for them

Enjoy and be safe... I hope to be back soon with more little creatures!

Angel blessings to you all...

Gail

Something special!

Hi again.  Hope everyone is well and enjoying February, whatever kind of weather you might be having!  Here in the Eastern Cape, where we are now living, the weather is hot and sunny most of the time, but also thunderstorms in between;  most days are great for going to the beach though!

Both I and James, my partner, are working hard to get our creative work and juices flowing again - me with the mice (obviously) and also some new book/food ideas, and him with his wonderful upcycled furniture and decorative items, most made from metal and wood.  He's been doing this for more than 10 years, and his creations have featured in lots of different places, from magazines to home/decor/green shows all over the world.

My favourite pieces of his are - not surprisingly - ones that bring nature/animals to mind - so I am including a picture of one of his metal scupltures.  Definitely something special and different.  If anyone would like a closer look at some of the things he has created over the years, please look at his website, www.art27.yolasite.com - lots of inspirational stuff on there.  (I am hoping that one day he will make me a table or server with old irons for feet!)

Anyhow, enjoy your week and please send feedback to me about anything you find interesting on my blog - I love to receive your comments!  Gail x

Back again!!

Hi everybody - it is such a long time since I last posted on this blog - and so much has happened in the past few months.  Hope everyone is having a good and peaceful 2014 thus far!
I moved house several times in the past while - firstly to a farm deep in the country to live with my partner, James;  but we have since left there and are now living on the eastern coast of South Africa, in a little town called Port Alfred (housesitting a wonderful old Victorian house for some friends of ours!)
I am starting to work on mice again, after a hiatus of several months, and hope to have some new little creatures to show you very soon!  (Maybe a little fisherman mouse, given my current location!)
I am also planning a food related business, which I am going to get off the ground very soon;  and of course there are still lots of ideas I have for books - once my first cookbook is out in the shops, which is apparently going to happen in the next month or two.
Back soon with more information and news - if you like have a look at my new website:  www.rosebudlane.wozaonline.co.za.
Be well and safe and happy.  Gail xx

Dandelion makes her debut!

hello to all again - after a long silence, filled with lots of things, including all sorts of last minute things that needed to be completed for the cookbook.
Just an quick update about little Dandelion mouse, who was originally featured on this blog back in May - she has appeared in the latest issue of the UK magazine Landlove (which went on sale in the UK on 1st August;  it will probably take several weeks before it appears in other countries!)  I have already had quite a lot of queries about her, and requests for mice catalogues - so am very grateful to the editor and team of the magazine for featuring her!
Hopefully I will have a couple of new mice to show you all soon - working on some new ideas, especially with the holidays not that far off - which is a bit of an alarming thought!
Be happy and enjoy the week ahead!  Gail xx

Mousletoe and her cake!

Hi everyone.  Haven't been doing too much of anything this week - just one of those weeks when time seems to get away, and things get left undone.  But, I did manage to complete another new little mouse - a Christmas one again, called Mousletoe;  Cinnamon, the little baking mouse is one of my most popular creations, so I thought it would be nice to have a holiday version, with her Christmas cake, all decked out with holly, berries and gold ribbon.

She's fun and festive - and is already on her way to a magazine in the UK which will, hopefully feature her in one of the Christmas issues!  Of course if anyone wants to order her now, just send me a email - she is also available with a green dress and red shawl.
Hope everyone has a good week - be happy and enjoy the weekend!
Gail xx

After a long silence. . .

Hello to all.  I can't believe it is more than 3 weeks since I last did a post!  Anyway, the book is finally finished - except for last minutes tweaks and changes, hopefully - and after taking a few days off to catch up with myself, I am now back to my various creative plans.  (I am already planning two new cookbooks - very much in the early stages, though.)
Also back to the mice, and although it seems strange, I am working on a few sample Christmas mice, to send to various publications in the hope that they might be featured in holiday issues.  I am thinking of some new little characters, and also creating a couple of snow mice, which were very popular with my customers last year.  Below is a picture of Frosty the snow mouse - it was great fun knitting his little hat and scarf!

Once again I have, unfortunately had a couple of messages from people who say they did not receive the catalogs they had requested, or that I did not receive their orders.  This is obviously annoying all round, but I do ask that if you send an order, or request a catalog, and receive no feedback from me, please either email me again, or leave a comment, either here or on my Facebook page - so that I am aware of the problem and can do my best to rectify it!
Please share my little mice pictures - I love to see them popping up all over the net!  Hope everyone is having a happy and peaceful weekend.  Blessings!  Gail xx

We all need an angel!

Hello to all!  Again, too much time seems to have slipped by since I last wrote a post.  Well, I have been quite busy, mostly with getting the final artwork done for my cookbook - although it is fun, it is also a lot of work, and I am missing spending time with my little mice!  However, some good news is that one of my mice is going to be featured in a UK magazine, probably in August or September.  More about that later!
I love angels, and they have always featured in my various designs, artworks and so on.  So, obviously, I have done several different angel mice;  the first I made was a gift for my mother last year, and that little angel mouse carried a bouquet of flowers.  Since then I have designed another mouse along similar lines, but this one has a little felt heart, finished off with a silver charm that says 'made with love'. 
People seem to love the angel mice,and I have also made several of them as gifts for people who I thought might need a little extra angel love, as they were going through some challenges or painful times.  Enjoy this little angel, and the blessings she brings!