Strange old day

Today has been a very mixed day. Firstly, there was the disappointment that my product didn't appear on This Morning. In fact none of them did! Something different to what was advertised was on. But instead, I heard from Trend Bible. Back in the New Year I was approached to feature in the new Kids Lifestyle Trends 2010 trend forcasting book. I never heard anything from them again. Until today. When apparently I have a product in. I'd never heard of this. Although my Mum tells me it is THE book for designers/buyers/etc to purchase to view up and coming trends. (How she knows I have no idea!) And starting from over $600 a pop, I think it's something special.

And here's the image that they chose from Blueberry Park. Really I should thank the lovely Janet Clare for producing such a gorgeous piece as to be in the section labelled 'Cocoon'.

Purchases

I've been shopping at my favourite online fabric store today. For those of you who haven't come across Kitty Craft before, you really must take a look. Although I'm not sure I'm ready to share the secret of this online store. The fabrics are irresisitible . The Japenese books are to die for. As for the accessories.

I buy a few pieces from here on a regular basis. Just a few at a time. That way, I can keep going back without too much guilt. I'm still yet to purchase a book. The only reason being I can't decide which one to have. They are all so gorgeous. A big Christmas list from there me thinks.

Here are today's purchases.

I also made a couple of selections from Nuno, another fave online fabric shop. Nuno has a fab range of fabrics that are ideal for making all sorts of children's items. Although, the last one I bought with an adult project in mind. Here's what I chose.

And, finally, I couldn't resist this delightful Apple stamper from Kitty Craft. Of course, I have a zillion ideas what to do with it. Hurry up, please, so I can play with you.

Heart to Heart

I'm definitely feeling the pressure of Friday looming and not being ready. I was determined to be hyper organised for this event, but it seems that's not meant to be. Instead of organising what I have, I'm busily creating more. That's me - when the going gets tough... go make...

I've been making lots of Lavender Hanging Hearts. The aroma in my studio is just to die for. I've the biggest bag of the most fragrant lavender sitting waiting to fill the little lovelies.

They haven't quite turned out how I'd imagined them in my head. But that never does happen. I didn't have the time I would have liked to work on getting that right, so instead we have simplistic shaker style hearts ready to decorate your tree/house this Christmas. I must say I am a big Shaker fan and alot of what i do is influenced by the simplicty and colours of that.

It's a good job, because I've made so many of the damned things that I'm sure there will be plenty to decorate every corner of my own place this season!

(And if you aren't anywhere near Harewood House this weekend, but you would like some, they are available here and here x)

All systems go

I'm getting ready for my major Christmas Event this week. It's a 3 Day Event at Harewood House, just outside Leeds, starting on Friday. I'm hoping for great things, which is a sure ill-fated curse!

Harewood House is an amazing venue, so that alone should draw in the crowds. We used to be up on a hill in a far off field in a damp cold marquee. But new organisers have taken over and we are now positioned in the recently refurbished, very smart, conference halls.

If you live nearby, or nearby enough, I'm sure it will be a great day out. With over 50 hand selected stalls, beautiful grounds to wonder around in, I can guarentee it will be worth the visit. If you do make it, please come over and introduce yourself!

Hats

We are away this weekend in London, for a very flying visit, for my Mother-in-law's 70th birthday celebrations. November isn't a great time for me to be away and this will be the second weekend away this month. I'm trying to build up the enthusiasm and even designed her a personal card for the occasion (without a mention of The Age - obviously).

She LOVES hats. The only thing that she loves almost as much is shoes. But I did shoes last year. I brought it downstairs last night to show Matthew. He asked if it was a vase. Granted, that was before I put the slogan on. And granted, I took one look at it and thought it could be too. But, everyone, I mean everyone, knows the lady is hat mad. Why would it be a vase?

(I am aware that I am blogging to excess at the mo - apologies. That's partly because I've abandoned it for so long and partly because I know that it's going to be a while before I get on again. So bear with me and ignore at your leisure!)

Going Global

I woke up this morning to discover that one of my Blueberry Park products is being featured on an American Shopping Blog, Mighty Junior. I have no idea how big this site is or whether anybody visits it. (They are claiming to be voted as Best Shopping Site by Forbes and Times Magazine) So if there are any American readers out there who have heard of it, please let me know!

Way to go Robbie!

Swimming against the tide

I guess we are all doing alot of this at the moment. Swimming against the tide. Getting busy for craft fairs. Increase in sales as people get ready for Christmas. And still the same amount of laundry, cooking, cleaning (we'll forget about that one). I don't want to turn this into a moany post - just wanted to explain my absence.

In the meantime I'd love to show you the final pre-Christmas arrivals that are all now available at Blueberry Park. It's been lots of fun sorting everything out and getting it all ready.

Firstly there's the exquisite Make and Do Cards from Lucy Jane Batchelor. Her illustrations are just irresistibly stunning. I could have stocked them all, but after much deliberating have settled on the Advent Calendar (a few left), Christmas Decorations, super cute Miniture Dolls' House, Tooth Fairy Envelope and Love Tokens.

Next in was the truely sumptuous Catherine Tough Lambswool Bed Socks. I could honestly live in these and never leave the house again! I want one in every colour. And a couple of manly ones that I think will go down well.

More for the men with fab cufflinks from Steph Jones. She does so many fantastic designs that it was hard to whittle the choice down. but hopefully we've got something for everyone here.

I've had these great leather brooches from Magpie and Me for a while and keep oohing and ahhing over them and I'm finally ready to share them with the world! The leather is so soft and tactile and they come in a range of striking colours.

Last, but by no means least I have my office smelling devine thanks to these Bath Melts by Purple Sparkle Craft. Utterly dreamy.

So that's one reason I've been away for a while. And I'm still ploughing through the Christmas Card orders, so there are piles of these everywhere!

I hope you are all well whatever you are busy with and managing to avoid those mega big waves.

Good day for painting

Last week was half term. My lovely big sister, Sara, had the 3 children to stay for a couple of days, so that I could get some work done (I was equally lovely and had her 3 for 3 days over the summer). It was fantastic to get some work done, having had so many disruptive weeks even before we got to half term.

What it also meant was that once the children came back home, we were able to have some quality time.

Quality time for the boys meant being able to play on electrics for longer than normal. For electrics, read Play Station, DS Lites, TV, Computer. As I said - electrics.

For Ruby, however, my girlie kindred spirit, it meant time for painting. Ruby is happiest when we have time for any kind of crafting. Be it sewing, glueing various objects and copious amounts of glitter, learning to knit, getting out the paints.

So often in our mad word, essentially ruled by her brothers' busy schedules, she is told 'No, not now.' 'I have to get tea on.' 'We have to go take Samuel to Scouts.' 'We have to pick Noah up from footy.'
So, when she is told 'Okay, lets', she takes the bull by the horns and goes gung ho into paints. And when the fingers start to be applied with the aforementioned substance, I have to bite my lip and remind myself that this is what having kids is all about. And be grateful that what makes her happiest is spending time with me doing her favourite activity. Life doesn't get much better than that.

I've been tagged

I've been tagged by Lazy Daisy Glass. The exciting thing about being tagged is finding out that people you didn't know have found you and read you - so thanks Kathryn. The worrying thing is finding 7 interesting things to tell you AND find 7 of you that I follow that haven't been tagged already. So apologies if you have - and apologies if it's not all that interesting :-)


Tagging means sticking to the following 7 rules:


1) Link to your tagger and list all these rules in your blog.

2) Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.

3) Tag 7 people at the end of your post by including links to their blogs

4) Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog


I was tagged about a week ago (maybe more) and at first my head was spinning with what I was going to tell you. Then I left it to one side and have just come back to it and here are my 7 random things about me!


1) I completed the Leeds Half Marathon in September. Ok, so it's not a full marathon, but it was a personal achievement none-the-less and one I am immensely proud of. I also ran for the Yorkshire Cancer Centre on behalf of my auntie who died this summer after a 5 year battle with cancer. I raised over £2000 which I am even more proud of.

2) Claim to fame - I ball-girled for Martina Navratilova! I went to PE College at Brighton Poly, studying to be a teacher. We were based in Eastbourne and so used to be the ball girls for the pre Wimbledon Tournament at Devonshire Park. We even got to have a play on the beautiful grass.

3) I don't know why but I have always had a thing for Abraham Lincoln! I'm not really a history fan but this period of American history really fascinates me. And at some point I must have seen Gregory Peck in the film 'The Blue and The Grey' and it has stuck. What can I say? Weird!

4) Matryoshkas. I absolutely, completely, utterly LOVE Russian Dolls. I love illustrations of them. I adore them on fabric (hence my kits). Love making them in to cards, keyrings, brooches, magnets. It's an obsession. I can't help it.

5) I know we shouldn't have regrets in life. And generally I don't. But my biggest regret has to be not being able to afford to go skiing. It used to be the biggest love of my life. As I child I was lucky enough to go on endless school trips. As a young adult I was incredibly fortunate to study in Idaho, USA for a while, where we used to have skiing classes every week - EVERY WEEK! Then while I was a teacher I used to lead annual ski trips to Europe. Hard work - but so worth it to be in the mountains and on the slopes. Since being married and having children it is a no go. But one day...

6) Matthew and I took 7 months off after we got married to go travelling round the world. I missed out after Uni, feeling the pressure of having to get out to work, so when this opportunity came we weren't going to let it pass by. Those memories live with me daily.

7) And last, but certainly not least. I am addicted to hand cream. And lip salve! I have to have one of each wherever I am. So they are dotted around in all my bags, coat pockets, drawers, car. It would be awful to be in the wrong place and not have them :-)


Now to the tagging...


1) www.aquamarineart.blogspot.com

2) www.areathriftyone.blogspot.com

3) www.chezsucrechez.blogspot.com

4) www.spans-stitchin.blogspot.com

5) www.vintagepleasure.typepad.com

6) www.lobsterandswan.blogspot.com

7) www.cheekybeaks.blogspot.com

Thanks for reading and hope you enjoyed it ;-) x