Amanda Lead

‘The Way Back to Bed’ is a collection of three soft- sculptures inspired by personal objects and storytelling. The inspiration for the story came from Amanda’s treasured and beloved frogs, it is a story of two frogs and a spider and is about friendship, companionship, and commonality. The materials used in this project have been sourced from small independent businesses that specialised in selling teddy bear-making fabrics and some materials which have been manufactured in Huddersfield. Ribbit and Croaker are frogs who live under a pillow in a child's bedroom, they sleep throughout the day and come out at night once the humans are asleep for explorations and adventure. Ribbit is young, naive, and a little fearless and is always finding himself in tricky situations, while Croaker is older and experienced but a little grumpy, he is always looking out for his young friend Ribbit. One night Ribbit has a mishap and falls off the edge of the child's bed, falling deep down into the darkness of the night. Croaker is unaware of this, and he sat down to read his favourite book 'The Wind in the Pillows'. Meanwhile, Ribbit is all alone and afraid of the dark, he hears shuffles, and scuffles, scabbles, and scrapes… there was someone else in frightful trouble, a spider! Ribbit did not know it but he sat down beside her.