Two drawings and a chunky rat

An ink and pencil sketch I made recently from a photograph seen on Facebook. I doodled this spontaneously and gifted it, this lovely girl was saved from the meat trade. 

This detailed pencil drawing became a Christmas present, to the now grown up girl sitting with her beloved dog. Sadly in 2022 he crossed the rainbow bridge. 

And a rat made from a chunky cardigan and some denim off cuts that I gifted to a friend who is a self confessed lab rat, taking part in medical research. I think the rats face turned out well, his body is rather rotund. 

Open for Art 19

So today was day one of open studios this year, and Mattys rat fell asleep in her display. So we had a real rat on show at The Raggy Rat 

I’m planning to blog everyday so you can have a little taste of the event ...

Three faces of the season.

How cute is this little girl? She's carefully cleaning her paw. Or is she? Caption competition?

 

Sometimes I have to wait to after Christmas to share what I have been up to with some furry friends. Such is the case with these three lovelies. 

So good to be asked to do a rat again. I will always love rats and value them as pets as well as subjects!

 

A girl Yorkie and a boy with the best nose ever are this years delightful dogs. 

 

I can't wait for the new year to begin. It's going to be a good one. I think 2016 held a lot of challenges. How was it for you? 

I recently made another rat ....

I made the rat using button hooting and some vintage balding mohair from Bridport ...

And the rat turned out so sweet it was soon snapped up and sent to france!

So I suppose this rat won't be present at Dorset Art Weeks!

And how's that Rat-Head doing? Not bad ....

Free-Rat!

Here is a rat on the dining table. And seriously, pets on the table is now allowed! 

So, I have decided to give him away, and I'm going to do that via The Raggy Rat on Facebook so pop over and stand buy for more information, by liking the page!

First rat of the year ...

Another sock sweetie in between other projects and life ...

Made from a single, gents sock and button jointed for flexibility ....

Rats will never lose their charm, for me ...

Last rat of the year ....

I love to work with woollens and had been making cats and hamsters, when I decided in a quiet moment on Christmas Day to make a raggyrat doll ...

This button jointed fellow has already been adopted but I would like to make

More like him. 

A few years back I used to slip out into the cul-de-sac and lie on my belly with my camera and a fresh soft toy .... 

It works doesn't it? The grey road provides a contrast to the colourful stripes of my rat! 

Raggy Rat Boy!

So exciting because I haven't made a Raggy rat doll for a number of years now. The last were in a Booja Booja movie!

He is made from a soft, textured weave and reminds me of silver grey pet rats that I used to keep ...

Now he has to leave me, go off and make someone else smile. Be good, son ....

A new rat softie pattern ....

Following on from the creation of pink mouse for a very special lady, it was time to recreate some awesome rats ...

A pink-eyed-white an agouti hooded-rat ...

This year we remember the rescue rats Smudge and Pepsi :-)

Sketch book time!

Sometimes I have to stop and draw something in order to know how it will come together. As if my hand movements on the paper help me to see?

So these are sketches of the rat fursuit head I am working on, with a different shaped nose than the last time. Although the drawing below does admittedly look like a pair of pants! Oops!

This top view sketch shows what I'm aiming for, so I plan to cover thin sheet foam in fleece and add shading. This may match the rat's ears! 

I have got my dummy head out again!

I finished the button-joined rat!

I bought a lovely vintage throw from Bridport, which was made of two pieces of vintage mohair, and spoke to me with great potential!

this little rat is firmly stuffed and how button joined, and make from short sparse mohair ... I love adding the face features and the whiskers!

The tail is partially filled with tiny glass beads, so ratty can stand up too!

A dusty-pink ribbon and little key charm finish my new friend off! She is looking for a forever family ...

I made a rat at the upwey pottery!

Himmy-marked Ross-Rat ...

Rather pleased with this cuddly little chap ... One of my dearest rats was a Himmy marked boy, called Rufus, and he looked just like this! He used to travel Intercity trains with me during my student days, perhaps i ought to share some of our adventures with you sometime?

two sweet husky rats ...

Rat-Hat ... the one with ears!

This hat is too big for me ...



This hat is too boring ...



This hat makes me look like fun ...



How do you wear yours?

special husky rat ....

Cute rat, looking for a new home ....

This is a full colour pencil drawing of one of my pet rats, its mounted and wrapped in film to keep it nice. I was once writing and illustrating a book about life keeping pet rats, but it didn't happen, although this painting is still rather sweet ... I am very open to offers on this one, my address is under 'art for the hands'.

old raggy rat ....

Sweetie is about two and a half years old, but being a rescue rat, we cannot be sure. she is also 11 months post-tumour-surgery ... the girls love her ....