Sunday 8 April 2012

Peg Perfection

As hoped, on Tuesday evening I finally got around to finishing off my little peg project. 
I'm not quite sure where my sudden urge for pegs came from? Nonetheless, when I have an idea I simply have to see where it will end up!

As you probably remember.....Last month I bought a selection of tradition wooden pegs, as I wanted a fun and crafty project that would not consume too much time. I though these pegs seemed like the perfect choice.
I had some gorgeous shades of acrylic paint, so I started by making my pegs bright and stripey. I love the effect!
The colours remind me of the seaside. Maybe a stripey parasol or the wood of the rent per-day deck chairs, not sure what it is?

 

Once I had finished painting my pegs all kinds of stripey, I had intended on adding some little ribbons or possibly flowers.
Like many ideas I have, the reality doesn't always match my vision.
Adding flowers and ribbons just didn't seem to do it for me and I really wasn't happy with how they were turning out.
My solution.......I decided just to leave them plain, bright and stripey!

I like how simple and summery they look. Sometimes keeping it simple just seems to work best!


Once I had finished making stripey pegs, I noticed that I still had some pegs leftover.
I decided that I couldn't have these old fashioned pegs and not give making a couple of peg dolls a try.
I had no idea I was going to have so much fun creating these little characters and seeing a little town of peg people gradually grow.

So far I have made nine of these super cute little people, I just love how each of them seems to have a personality of their own.

Would you like to see what I came up with?:

 First we have the "Castle Guards".



 A little "Baywatch Babe"! Dennis made her, isn't she sexy!!

 The "Aristocrats" (they're very posh, look at her gorgeous crocheted gown!):
"His Royal Highness":




And  the "Prima Ballerinas".

I had so much fun making these!! Aren't they hilarious!!! I used acrylic paints for each of them and added any extra detail with a permanent marker pen. 
Just to make sure they would stay standing up. I made little stands out of air-dry clay and painted them a very regal gold.

This is definitely a project I will revisit. The possibilities for different characters are endless.
I'm thinking next time I'd like to try making a clown, a 70's disco dude and definitely a Queen to keep my King company :-)



My final attempt at peg perfection came in the form of these little mini pegs.


As these pegs are very tiny (2cm long), I decided that they needed to remain simple.
Along with my assortment of colourful embroidery floss.....




...and my mini crochet hook (size 1.25) in hand, I and made some teeny flowers. I made a little accent to the middle of each flower by using a contrasting colour of floss.
Finally I stuck the flowers to the pegs using a hot glue gun.
Here's how they turned out:


I'm so very pleased with the outcome!
I think they look so cute and dainty. I hope to make a notice bored in the near future so that these pretty pegs can hold notes and post cards. Until then, I have them on display in my beautiful little milk jugs. I simply clipped them onto some pieces of dowel and popped them into the jugs.



They have a definite Spring blossom feel, perfect for this time of year! That truly is "Peg Perfection"!

I'm wishing you all a very lovely Easter Weekend!!
Much love,
Matt xxx
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43 comments:

  1. Wow they're adorable. I love your little puppets. How creative.

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  2. Happy Easter,

    the peg dolls are hilarious. Your blog cheers me up no end whenever you post :-)

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  3. Oh I love love love them! Happy Easter to you both!
    Best wishes, Annemarie

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  4. Wonderful. I love them clicked on the dowels like that. So simple but looks so good. You're so clever!!

    S x

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  5. Brilliant! I love your pegs!!!
    xx Alessandra

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  7. Fantastic!! I am LOVING your Peg People.....I may copy the idea when my little grandson to stay and he can make his own 'Kingdom'!

    Love the blog

    Lorraine x x x

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  8. You are just way too cool! I love the peg people and can remember having peg dollies when I was little. In this world of mass produced kids (and grown ups) could have so much fun making these, the possibilities are endless. I think your mini pegs look fantastic too, how original. I expected them to become bunting of some kind, which would also be beautiful but blooming out of simple 'sticks' they look marvelous. Really when is your book coming out? It would be permanently on my coffee table by day and by the side of my bed at night...I need all the design tips I can lay my hands on as I just manage 'Shabby' without the 'Chic'. Hope you are having a great Easter Weekend :) x

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  9. I love all the creative pegs! Such a great idea!

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  10. Cute!


    xoxo,

    colormenana.blogspot.com

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  11. Love the peg people and the little flowers are just darling! Have a great Easter x

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  12. Happy Easter to you both! I´m so in love with the little peg people! So fun and creative!
    Love your blog so much!

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  13. Peg People! How lovely. My mind is spinning on even further. Make small houses out of a box of kids' building blocks... Crochet trees and bushes... And making small flower groups out of toothpicks and paper... You see... Now you've started something crazy here. Love them. :D

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  14. You are both so clever!! Love all the new crafty goodness :)

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  15. Those are gorgeous!!! Feels like spring is all around, I can see them used is so many ways!

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  16. Awesome! I love the drawn-on cleavages. Fab. My boring clothespins feel so dull now...

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  17. absolument adorables!
    j'aime beaucoup TOUTES vos idées :))

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  18. I love the peg dolls - they have so much character. Wish I had legs as long as Baywatch Babe!! Hope you are enjoying Easter. Lily. xxx

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  19. I love them all! The Prima Ballerinas and the flower pegs are my favorites.
    Happy Easter!

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  20. Soooooo cute!!! I just wish I had a little girl so I could make some for her - my two boys would NOT be impressed.... Hey ho, maybe I'll just throw caution to the wind and make some just for lil ol me!!!! I'm thinking a Granny and Granpa complete with specs!!!! lol xxx

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  21. Ahahahahaha!!!! You've made my day!!!!!!!!

    Happy Easter!!!!

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  22. I think the ballerinas are my favourites! So creative...Happy Easter!

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  23. Love the little flower clipped as they are on the dowels but especailly adore the ballerinas!!!!!!
    So cheerful and dear!

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  24. Oh wow, so cute...!!
    XO,
    Martina♥

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  25. Hi Matt,

    I LOVE what you did with the pegs!!! PEGtastic!!!

    Have you ever considered making butterflies out of pegs?
    I do, with felt, just cut out a butterfly of felt (make it pretty) and push it in the middle. Or crochet a butterly and shove it in the little peg,.. I think it will be beautiful!
    I am in the granny square mode, so...

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  26. Hi Matt,

    I forgot to say, i love the bobbies and I adore the flowers!!! It is spring right away!!!

    Can you explain how to make the little flowers? Do you have a tutorial on for this? I am new in the crochet family..

    Kind regards,
    Hedwig

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  27. These really made me smile, after hours and hours in the car driving home today!

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  28. Aw they are soo cute! - my favourites are the guards and the ballerinas with their lovely tutus! Great fun xx

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  29. You two are sooo creative! You really really should come out with a book!

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  30. Ohmygoodness.. those are all so adorable! I can just imagine how fun it would be to put them around in little vignettes!
    ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  31. Those are so much fun! We made peg ornaments with my boys and niece this past Christmas. It was intended just for the kids until us adults got ahold of them, too! So fun! I love the stands!! I'll have to remember that for this year so we can display them around the house and not just on the tree.

    I love the flowers!!!

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  32. Your pegs are completely adorable, some of them gave me the giggles :-) I really love the simple stripey ones as well. Can't wait to see the next ones, I'm especially curious about the disco dude! :-) x

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  33. Oh those pegs are great! Love the ballerinas and LOL at Baywatch Babe.

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  34. I am completely and totally stealing your mini pegs idea!! Love that it's so simple, but put on some sticks in a jug and they just become something else!! Wonderful!!!

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  35. I adore the royal king :D absolutely love at first sight. Can't wait for the queen!

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  36. Brilliant... these made me smile so much this morning.. just love those Castle Guards.

    Hope you had a lovely Easter.
    Fleur xx

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  37. Pati from London14 April 2012 at 14:11

    I love them all! I have just showed them to my eldest daughter who's very creative and now she wants to make some like yours!! Brilliant!
    Thanks for the inspiration, Pati from London x

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  38. I just have to tell you that every time I make a visit to your beautiful blog, it never ceases to bring a smile to my face. Your peg people are FABULOUS!
    You are adorable, and incredibly creative.
    Thank you for sharing yourself with us all.

    -Melanie from Boston :)

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  39. Wat een ongelooflijk geweldige projectjes zijn dit zeg! Heerlijk om voor iedere wasknijper een ander figuurtje te bedenken :) ik kan me helemaal voorstellen hoe je lekker zit te schilderen en de ene na de andere bedenkt. Geweldig resultaat!

    En de reacties die jullie gekregen hebben op de give away zijn onwaarschijnlijk bijzonder en geweldig zeg, wat een inzendingen... Fantastisch!

    liefs
    Maaike

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  40. These are just too adorable for words :) My favourite are the castle guards, they just make me smile. Thanks for sharing all of your wonderful creations. x

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  41. Matt !
    This is so innovative !And lovely too :-)

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