Snow, Pincushions and Brazillian Dolly revisited

First of all this is the reason I haven't made it in to work today. Look at that snow!
It certainly looks beautiful at Shangri La Farm today (especially the barn with it's newly painted doors) but it's not great for business because I have had to leave our shop closed today as conditions are very bad around Edinburgh today. I am taking comfort in the probability that nobody will want to go Christmas shopping on a day when the police are saying 'stay home unless essential'. My father has been staying for the last few days, and I was up at 6 am this morning to take him to the airport, only to find it was closed because of the snow. And is still closed now at 2pm. We are hoping to get him on a flight this evening as long as the airport re-opens by then!
Jonathan took that amazing photo above, by the way (he insists on getting credits!).

On the positive side, I have already finished crocheting a glove this morning!
And here is what I have been working on this weekend. You may think this little house is familiar, and you would be right. I made a version of this for The Scrappy Pincushion Swap. The exciting news is that my local patchwork shop has asked me to teach a class next spring in 'scrappy fun pincushions! They want it to be a hand sewing class so I have made this version of the house using paper piecing.

I have also improved the design by including this needlecase under the roof!
I know I have said this before, but I really do promise to make a tutorial for a machine sewn version of this VERY soon!

And this is my updated version of the little Topiary Tree Pin Cushion I made earlier in the year. It had a  crocheted tree top, but as this is a sewing class I have changed this to a paper pieced ball. I used scraps to make this, then sewed on lots of pretty buttons. The base is more stable now than the original design as I have filled it 3/4 full of rice with just stuffing in the top.
So I have just written my 'advert' for the new patchwork classes brochure and website. I do hope they get enough takers as I am really looking forward to teaching this. It will be the first Friday in March at Purely Patchwork in Linlithgow, if anyone reading is interested. I also might need to practice on some friends first too!

Do you remember Miranda, the little doll I made for children living in an impoverished community in Brazil? I posted about this here.  Jessica who works with this community and gathers toys to take out to them, sent me some photos of little Estafane receiving her doll. Have a look at Jessica's blog and see lots more lovely photos of beautiful dolls being given to beautiful little girls. And take a look at Jessica's friend Kelli's blog to find out how you can contribute to this wonderful cause.

I hope to make some more dolls to send to Jessica in the new year. Wouldn't you like to see your own dolly in the arms of a sweet smiling little girl like Estafane?