the beginnings of a new play mat

  We found these cute flower buttons at a local craft store and Naiya wanted to sew them onto something.  I had an old felted wool blanket that I had stored (read hoarded) away should we ever find need for an old felted wool blanket.  (I have some ridiculous boxes and bins full of all kinds of peculiar natural crafting materials.  I'm not sure whether to be proud or ashamed of the quantity.)
Anyhow, I cut her this little odd shaped green material and she sewed to her hearts content.

 

 When it was done she started to use it as a play garden for her puppet shows and doll games.  As its novelty wore off, I decided to alter it a bit to perhaps inspire some different amusements.  I cut out some triangles from the edges, sewed them back together and turned the little mat into a hill.

 I used some wool roving to mound it up then hand stitched the hill onto a larger mat that could take on some additional elements.  A stream perhaps?  A needle felted veggie patch?  A bear's cave or some shrubberies? 

 It's a project slow in its creation as it's one Naiya and I are building on together.  At the moment she loves it just as it is and her little dolls so enjoy a good roll down the flowery hill.