new kits...

I find it's always good to produce new items this close to Christmas. 

You know, when you are so rushed off your feet and can hardly breathe.

It's just perfect timing to spend all hours getting it into a ready selling state and neglect what really needs doing.

Hence I have just produced  these kits...

I spent most of yesterday photographing and writing up the instructions for them and they are now winging their way to various stockists to sell as Christmas extras.

They come with everything needed to make one pouch and full instructions to make as many more as you like! Perfect for making lots of presents this Christmas!

For now they are available in my Etsy shop...and in time I will let you know which stockists are selling them.

Now back to the To Do List...

Do you like my new cushion??

I absolutely love it!!

It was sent to me by the lovely Kylie all the way from Brisbane, Australia.

Apparently Kylie owed me a gift.

I have no recollection of her owing me a gift and I still have no idea why she did, but when she kept insisting I chose a cushion from her Etsy shop, (some people can be very pushy...even when 10000 miles away!) I relented and chose this one.

How perfect is it in my bedroom?

And I hadn't even realised, until I saw this photo, that the red is a perfect match to my dressing gown, that's just peaking in on the left hand side!

Thank you soooo much, lovely lady and one day we will actually meet in person and enjoy a good old laugh and giggle and realise why we have become such great cyber buddies ;-) xx

p.s. thank you everyone for your lovely encouraging words re Top Drawer this weekend. i pack up and head off in the morning ready to welcome visitors at 9.30 sharp on Sunday. I'm mixed with dread and excitement and will report back in all it's glory later next week.

Have a great weekend x

Hello and a happy Monday to you!

I am busily making for Saturday and one thing I'm getting going on this morning is lots of craft kits, Flower Brooch Kits in particular.

This, like last time, is creating heaps of off-cuts that I just can't bear to throw. I know last time, many of you offered to take them off my hands and so I have listed them here for those that are still keen.

Whilst I am generous to a fault, I have taken the liberty of charging a very small fee that literally covers p&p, along with any Etsy and paypal charges. There are about 100 cut outs (life's too short, I haven't actually counted) so plenty of fun to be had.

Update:

Sorry, but this one has been snapped up...if you would like to put your name down for the next one, just let me know.

I'm on a mission to buy all handmade for gifts this holidays.

My main source of inspiration as ever is Etsy. Throughout the year I have marked a lot of gorgeous things that I have had my eye on for gifts and now I've started purchasing.

It's such fun!

As an Etsy seller, I know the thrill of selling handmade as I am aware that most customers are looking for something a little different and special, so it is always where I head to when I am looking for something a little different and special.

As an extended family we have 15 nieces and nephews and as a consequence we have a £15 limit, which makes selecting even more fun. We also stick to gifts just for the children.

So here's what I have found so far...

Pretty gold necklaces for the teenage girls (I'm quite eager to get one of these for me too...) from the immensely talented Cindy of Edor Jewellery.

The teenage fellas are all getting a pair of cufflinks from Zinc White. I first met Paul and Lidia at Saltaire Fair and I love their quirky jewellery, particularly these Initial Cufflinks. I have bought a lot of these for gifts over the months since i met them!

The pre-teen girls are all getting a goodie box of one of my notebooks, pencil pouches and a brooch similar to this one below by Elizabeth Pawle.

I'm ear-marking one of these for me too ;-)

The challenging remaining is the pre-teen boys...I'm really stuck on this one so if you have any bright ideas and can point me in the right direction, I'd be really grateful. I'm determined to succeed in getting everyone a handmade gift this year.

I think I've done pretty darn well and hopefully the recipients will be equally delighted. There really is an amazing selection of handmade gifts out there, so I open up the challenge to you...

Can you do a handmade gift list?

Christmas shopping officially starts today, so to kick start yours enjoy 20% off everything in my Etsy shop until midnight GMT tonight! Simply enter BLACKFRIDAY in the coupon section at the checkout.

And watch out because I may be restocking as the day goes on...

Don't say i'm not nice to you...

...and speaking of being nice, don't forget to enter my giveaway too...

Have a great weekend everyone!

So, I took my designs to the screen printing studio today. I know this isn't the design you were thinking I'd be showing you, but all in good time with triangle fever (ooh, I think I've just named it...was wondering what to call it!). I want to sew some of it up before I show you the fruits of my labour.

Suffice it to say, I am rather pleased with the outcome.

I'd also like to introduce to you Scruffy Daisy...

...in grey...

...bright blue...

...and red.

Scruffy Daisy is the result of another doodling session whilst Ruby was off last week and this really is one of those occasions that doodles do come alive in the screen printing process. I won't ever profess to being an artist and consequently my designs will never be perfect pictures, but what I hope they will be is quirky, eye-catching designs.

I printed the designs on individual pieces of fabric ready to make into various items and also straight onto tea towels, which I think work pretty well. If you think so too they are available right here. I'm hoping to get some sewn up into napkins too. And also table runners. The possibilities are endless...

I've had a few enquiries about my fabrics and whether they are available to buy. What do you reckon? Would it be something you'd be interested in?

The sewing into napkins is now complete and what a lovely activity it turned out to be. To be honest I anticipated making them to be rather fiddly, but was more than pleasantly surprised to find this was not the case.

I'm not sure why I should have expected otherwise, as I have had this revelation with almost all, if not all, sewing activities I have done. I always envisage something to be more complicated and thus annoying than it turns out to be. I am self taught and consequently forget I am quite competent.

Because this was so enjoyable, I sewed away making quite a few sets of these...all of which are now sold and gone on to their new homes where I hope they will be enjoyed by their new owners. I desperately need to get into the workshop this week to print more.

I have put a couple of sets of the not quite perfects into my Etsy shop if anyone fancies a bargain set.

As well as producing my own art for our newly decorated walls, I'm also in the market for picking up pieces here and there to inject some life and personality.

I've just discovered the talented Eloise Renouf on Etsy today and bought this print, that is just perfect for our colour schemes. I can not wait for it to arrive. I am also thinking I'll have to buy this one too. I think they'll work really well together.

Whilst I was in a buying mood today I bought this tiny (it's only 10 x 10cm) canvas from my friend, Tara. I love Tara's work and it's not going to be long before there isn't a room in the house without a little touch of Tara.

That's where the buying has stopped for today, but there are quite a few more that are on my wishlist...

I simply adore this mixed media piece by Rachel Austin. The colours are just perfect and the design is so appealing

Another newly discovered Etsy artist today (am I spending too much time on Etsy, do you think?) is PrintmakerJenn. Both these next 2 are by Jenn and again, both the colours and the designs are right up my alley and would work perfectly in my house.

And finally (for now), one that is a little different, at least in design, but certainly not colour, another British based artist. I love this black and white screenprinted cityscape by Karolin Schnoor and the zesty green of the trees peaking through is just genius.

The only reason I didn't buy any of these was that I couldn't decide between them and would have ended up having to buy the whole darn lot. I've a feeling, I'm not going to be able to resist any of them for much longer...

Delivery day. My favourite day of the week.

I bought these few little beauties on Etsy last weekend and they've just dropped through my letterbox.

I was obviously still in my yellow phase when I ordered them.

I'm really pleased with all of them, but am particularly loving the brown and white dandelion on yellow piece.

And I love how the lovely sellers from Asia always include a pretty addition or 2.

Plenty of inspiration potential with this little lot.

What have you been purchasing lately?

Lucky lucky me! It was a question of being in the right place at the right time. I've just come back from dropping Noah at footy and having a quick warm cuppa before standing on the cold wet sidelines when I saw Aunty Cookie's tweet re her sale. Normally I miss these heads up, but not this time.

I am now the proud owner of these 2 amazing fabrics. I've used the yellow one before, so am over the moon to have some more of this in my collection. And the grey/blue one is going to be a perfect addition to my new scheme.

Can not wait for them to arrive! Thanks, for the alert, Shannon! And if you want to see if there's any left for you...head straight over to the amazing Aunty Cookie store right now...

We have big plans this year to put our own stamp on our house. We bought this house when we first moved back up from London over 5 years ago. And whilst we fell in love with it immediately we have lived with some interesting decor that we haven't quite managed to obliterate.

Until now.

Next month we are starting attacking with vengeance and I am having an amazing time putting into place all those items I have been drooling over for aeons.

First off the living room...after some persistence I have managed to persuade Matthew that we NEED this Orla wallpaper around the fireplace. Fortunately he's relented. I've given him first choice for the bedroom. Well that was easy. You have seen what we've been living with there. Anything will be an improvement. And it's not like I entertain in my bedroom!

Having got the wallpaper, the teal, grey with a touch of mustard theme was beginning to materialise. Next stop Etsy to finalise some fabrics that had been on my wish list for almost as long as the Orla wallpaper.

The first two are by Caitlin of Pippijoe. I just love her patterns and the richness of the colours she uses.

These next 3 are by Roisin and Arounna of Repeat. An equally talented pair that produce the most stunning handprinted fabrics.

These fabrics are now all on order and I'm now sitting very patiently waiting for them to arrive. Ok, so I'm not so patient. I'm beside myself with excitement and can not wait to get going on some cushions and possibly a quilt for my new room. It's going to be unrecognisable.

It's my Mummy's birthday today, so the kids and I are just about to pop over and go and take her cards and presents. Unfortunately this present I ordered hasn't arrived in time. It's my own fault. I can't expect miracle postal delivery at this time of year. So last night whipped up this tea towel for her, so I wouldn't be going empty handed. I know it looks a bit raggedy. It's a linen mix and embroidering it creased it all up. And our iron is broken!

I need to give full and entire credit to the inspiration coming from Sam of Inklore. Sam is incredibly talented and produces the most beautiful screenprinted designs on her textile work. I've been a fan forever. Go check her out if you don't know Sam already.

One of my daughterly duties is to buy my Dad's card for her. He's disabled and can't get out on his own, so I always get one for him. Normally I get an overly slushy 'To my wonderful wife, I love you' kind of card, but when the kids and I were in town earlier this week I found this card and could not resist. You'd need to know my Mum and Dad to know how utterly appropriate this is!

Happy Birthday Mum! Wishing you a very special day for a very special Mum. (Managed the gush after all ;-))

I'm rushing around like mad today. The week was definitely shorter than usual and usually it's short enough. But I just received this amazing package I had ordered from Erika of Mikodesign and I just had to share it with you.

First of all it was wrapped beautifully...

Second of all Erika had included these little stamped bags too. How gorgeous are they?

Then the pile of handprinted fabrics was never ending...

I particularly love this little girl bunny and will think up something very special for that, although I have a feeling if someone else sees my stash she'll have her own ideas;-) But just check out all this!

And there was loads more too! As ever, the most simple of designs are the most appealing. Well, for me anyway.

I am so excited by this and have a million and one ideas in my head of what I am going to do with it. Go check out Erika's blog and Etsy store for more inspiring work from her and pick up your own stash today. Haapy weekend all...must dash...x

Planning ahead

It's definitely that time of year. I don't know about you but, even though we've a ways yet before 2010 is upon us, I do need somewhere to write down things for next year. Next year's calendar is definitely something I need now. I normally get one of M & S's family calendars for the kitchen - lots of space and normally I can find quite a funky one. I've been looking at Etsy to see which to get for my studio however. I'm after something prettier up there. Something that's just mine, that isn't going to have everyone's schedules and arrangements scribbled over. I really only need one to check dates, rather than having to write anything on. Here are some of my faves so far...

Cupcakes sure make me happy and I like the fact that there is a little column to write should I need to (only in my favourite best pen of course). This is one of several fun calendars with great illustrations from Yeehaw

This is a very sweet one from Alidesign, but I'm thinking i'd like something bigger. Cute nonetheless

I love this by Beth Fioretti. Very different from the screenprinted ones I had in mind, but a beautiful piece of art on the wall all year.

Back to the screen printed varieties... again this is veering away from the wall calendars (amazing how distracted you can become when you enter Etsy territory!) but very sweet to have in your bag when needed.

I'm liking this one from PSPapergoods and they have a great one for the kitchen too - just not quite big enough for my lot.

I think you can tell from this snippet, that there is alot out there. Many other contenders that I haven't even included. Go check out Etsy for yourselves. I'm sure you'll find plenty that will make it to your not-even-quite-whittled-down list.

Sunday Stash #5

Thrilled with my latest Etsy fabric purchase... Asanoha in navy (japenese ai) and mustard, from Chokichokifabric. A fabulous Japanese seller selling the most gorgeous Japanese prints. I think these will be perfect for my latest projects.

This Traditional Circles in mustard is next on my list...