Tuesday 31 January 2012

Commenters and Numbers

My giveaway is now closed and have decided to do two draws one for the UK and the other for the Pinkies in the US.

Commenters and numbers for the Monday blog Giveaway are:

UK


1. The Lifes and Loves
2. Ros made Me
3. Penny
4. Adaliza
5. Butterfly Blossom
6. Wendy
7. Sim Ja Ta
8. Little Harriet
9. Stephen @ Soy of the North
10. Picto
11. Jam Dalory
12. Sarah Dragonfly Jersey
13. M Crafts
14. Fat Monica
15. Jill Christmas Pie Crafts
16. Helen
17. Jeeberella
18. Highland Monkey's
19. Zukie Style
20. Three Cats
21. Your Friend Susie
22. Pickle Lily
23. Devon Country Diary
24. Carol C



 The winner is: Jan at Picto No. 10



USA

1. Lisa
2. Susie
3.  Gail
4. Shabby Shan 


The Pink winner is: Shannon No. 4

Have messaged you both for initial and address.








Sunday 29 January 2012

A New Chinese Year

We are now in the year of the dragon by the Chinese Calendar a good excuse to develop a collection of all things oriental, something mysterious about the East maybe not as much as 50 years ago but legends still surround this area of the world steeped in tradition.

Oriental Doll Door Pillow

I got this fabric through a fellow crafter on Facebook who was destashing, only enough to make the one pillow and seems elusive to get anymore but love the vibrant colours which are so unlike me. The embroider design is beautiful in cerise and red with of course black and white.


Dragon Velvet Embroidery Evening Bag

Got this bag finished did not think would make the deadline but here it is black velvet and printed satin with gold cord and tied together with black ribbon.



Friendship Day 30th July


I did a blog on this recently and plan to do a blog roll call on that day, does not clash with HM. Can be something you have made specifically for Friendship day or just a tribute to someone special. If you want to join in email me with the title "Friendship Day' and I will remind you approx 10 days before the date so we can all join in on that day, 1 sign up so far, come on guys it will be fun.

Look what I won from 'With u in Mind' thank you Kat


a box full of goodies to play with, thank you

Giveaway Jacobean Initial Sachet

Following on from Kat's giveaway thought a giveaway a good idea for the Chinese New Year celebrations.
A machine embroidered initial (of your choice) sachet in Jacobean style scented with lavender. Each comment will be allocated a number in the sequence made and then one number drawn at random. I will contact you for address details. In your comment please leave the Initial that you would like if you win.


Measures approx 10 X 10cms, some letters may be a larger square. Backing fabric Shakespeares Flowers Script in green.

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Chief Helper! NOT!!!!

Wednesday 25 January 2012

Books

It is official I love books and had some wonderful titles for Christmas, in fact all those on my Amazon 'Wish List' although now empty not for long. 

In the world of kindle and iPad books I still love the real thing. I do have books on  my iPad and they are very easy to read and for travel would be perfect and quite happy for fiction to be read in this way but to me for crafting reference, nothing better than a brand new book all pristine to open and flip through the pages. Dip in and out as the fancy takes me, sit with a cold homemade lemonade under the garden trees in the summer and browse through a book with the birds singing and the bees buzzing around on their honey collection journey, the dog mooching around ferreting for new smells and finds.

These are the titles I received all wonderful in their own right and cannot say which is my favourite, all gems with hidden treasures and inspiration:


Needless to say my Amazon 'Wish List' is growing again and I need a new and bigger bookshelf for my sewing room. To me electronic will never replace these wonderful paper tomes.

Blogging for Bliss and excellent reference point if you blog regularly or want to find out more



Victoria is a US magazine filled with wonderful places to visit and the most fantastic goodies and had to have these from the same source.




Printing by Hand for a fabric fanatic ideal


Remember Angel from Dragons Den with her distinctive Vintage style and bright red hair, I love this book and admire her for what she has achieved.


Fascinators fascinate me and thought perfect to go with my new style evening bags, all yet to be revealed.


& finally a Country Living publication and I know can here you ask what have I got this for as being a dinosaur of crafting business but I consider never too old to learn and times change along with rules and regs, this is an excellent and inspirational read whether like me crafting for more years than I care to remember or a novice. Not taking away from the US business books this is purely for the UK meaning the reference section is invaluable.



Why not share your reads and if you are as passionate about books as I am.

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coming from one who does not read and thinks books are a nuisance as take the attention away from where it should be!!!! i.e. HIM



Tuesday 24 January 2012

A Tribute to a dear Friend

Friendship seems such a simple word but can become all encompassing in your life. We all need friends whether they are near or far.

Just over a year ago I met  a wonderful lady online, confident I can now call her a best friend. She has been through hard times but will always email me with a smile considerate of what is going on in my life. Never moans when she has every right to, sends me fantastic pic's of her two fur babies and cares. Her friendship has made my life better and I would love one day to meet up in person. She has had some bad news over the last week and whilst I am not there in person hope she knows I am there in spirit and that the following verse tells her that she and her family are in my thoughts all the time:




Thought of the week what do you consider to be a true friend and do you have a friend whom you may have neglected unintentionally. Remember our friends choose us for who we are not what we have or may give and a true friend is always there through thick and thin.

International Friendship Day is on the 30th July and although some way off at the current rate of knots the year will soon whizz past and the day will be here before you know it. Are you going to join in Friendship Day it would be so good to have a special blog for that day honouring a special friend, if interested email your interest with the header 'Friendship Day' and I will diary to start a blog hop on the 30th.and contact you to remind you a week before on the 23rd. Your blog could be Friend based things you have made or tributes to someone special in your life.


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Sunday 22 January 2012

In the World of Crafting

and retail you have to work in advance of the actual event, now that is all very well said and done but actually doing is another matter. As you know I left Valentines a bit late this year as should have had done by the 17th December to appear in the UK Handmade Showcase. Back on the 17th December I was so focused on Christmas as February 14th seemed ages off, now Christmas over almost the end of January and panic set in Valentines now put to bed and onto Mothering Sunday 18th March so here are some new  products made and up to date, now what next?

'God made you my Mother' Door Pillow

The wording says it all with a beautiful embroider design, delicately scented with roses.


Mother Door Pillow


As above but with Mother intertwined with roses.


Mum Flower

A card and gift in one, the plaque is held on with a brad and easily removed as a keepsake.


Mother's Day Roses

A more traditional card with a beautiful embroidered design and the card has been backed with rose print paper and butterflies.


Mum Rose Corsage

An handmade organza rose and leaf with a lace fan and trim with an etched Mum charm, backed with felt and a brooch finding.


Laundry Bags

I supply a local girl's school with large laundry bags and they have let me know well in advance they they will be wanting 56 by May 2013 eek!. That may seem a long time off but as I am not into production line sewing quite happy with this timescale, already had 23 ready done in stock and found some fantastic 'Diva' fabric for another 5 do hope they like them, I think they are fun and colourful. Got my eye on some on ebay this week, so could be more on the way.


Have a happy week crafting and for my American fiends hope the snow is not too bad, stay warm.

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Saturday 21 January 2012

Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge 21st January

Challenge No. 169 Food & Drink

Now what to make? into door pillows atm and have the most fantastic cup cake designs not to mention cupcake print fabric so here's one for the girls:


A strawberry cupcake door pillow scented with strawberry pot-pourri, I could just tuck into the cupcake with a lovely hot cup of tea.

Check out the other entries at Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge Blog

Sunday 15 January 2012

Valentines Day

is just around the corner and yet again I seem to be playing catch up. Note to oneself must get better organised and plan events 3/4 months in advance, not sure going to happen but maybe, just maybe talking about it and committing to print you may see a new organised me. Now don't all laugh at once!

Valentines Day - A day for love all around the world

Made in 100% wine coloured silk and embroidered with a lace heart, lined in black cotton with an organza bow to tie with a Swarovski wild heart charm.


Awine red silk brocade with a mock bow and diamante heart buckle detail, on a silver coloured frame lined in black cotton. I love the rich colour of this brocade and feel something different form the plain silk.


Said I had been playing with my new machine, this is a machine embroidered brush stork effect initial with apple blossom to decorate and with padding lounged onto a 20 X 20cm artists canvas frame. Backed with lilac felt and has a hanger already added.


A message heart sachet, scented with rose potpourri embellished with a diamante heart and ribbon rose. As you can see I am now addicted to these diamante heart sliders and the other shapes available I love glitter so expect to see more of them in my designs.


Rose Eye Mask

Love this fabric unfortunately as always the case for me can never remember where I bought it but thought a Valentines Eye Mask would look good. embroidered of course with 'Do not Disturb' and just knew those glass hearts would come in useful.



Went to the Fabric fair at the Farnham Maltings today, what a crush and this was only the main hall the other rooms were full with beautiful quilts made by the various local quilters guild.


and what a selection my idea of heaven and what did I buy? Now what will I make, the fabric on the left think Queens Diamond Jubilee, the blues and greens think back to my mood board of beautiful Peacocks. The script fabric, well Mothering Sunday is not far off so watch this space for more details.



Have a good week and don't forget to check out the other blogs at:

Make Mine Pink

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1st Unique Gifts Blog



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Employee of the year 2011 and aspirations for 2012

Sunday 8 January 2012

2012 a Handmade Year

A lot has been spoken both on tv and forums about giving handmade gifts and cards. I think handmade is brilliant but unfortunately handmade, homemade and craft seem to have got a bad name recently, why? This is the hard question and after seeing the comments on the BBC news interviews last year following Kirstie's programme, think some of the public are under the impression that craft is cheap tat and badly made, this can be the case as I have seen at some fairs I have visited along with bought in goods. Because of this the true perfectionists of quality handmade goods are moving away from traditional ports of selling, moving to galleries and online venues.

Over the years when in recession more and more people turn to making gifts with a view to saving money, out of these creators there often is born a true talent that with nurturing can go on to make such beautiful items and stay the distance in the handmade market whilst others get found out and fall by the wayside.

Galleries for some are too expensive but could be considered a good point to start to get your products known and if well labelled with your contact details and website may produce further sales direct. There is however a strict selection process to enter galleries which some may find daunting. I like the fact that you often have to produce exhibition standard work for assessment by your peers refreshing that you know they care about what is displayed and you will exhibiting alongside other professionals. Approaching a gallery is no mean feat and be warned as they are often entered into through word of mouth recommendation rather than a direct approach and most of all they expect the exhibitor to be professional and you often have to book an audience in advance.

The hardest part of giving handmade is for the men in the family, mine have no interest in much apart from kindle books so this year had to resort to kindle vouchers, nothing handmade about it but one thing I always try to do is give the recipient something they want and not something to be relegated to the back of a cupboard, so in some cases handmade is not appropriate.

I made  silk boudoir cushions this year as gifts for two girlfriends and both were so pleased with the gift, Kim very kindly left a comment on my last blog post and Christine told me over the phone that she loved that I made her something each year. This type of response makes it so worthwhile that the time and effort is appreciated by the recipient. I love to give more than receive and especially love to make to give thinking of the colours and designs that the person would prefer and as time is so precious now feel any gift handmade is giving part of yourself as well.

So lets together make 2012 a Handmade Year boosting the true value of handmade and the uniqueness of the given gift.

On a creative note been playing with my machine and as Valentines day is only round the corner! plan to stitch a lace heart bag using water soluble backing then mounted onto wine red silk, will enclose a Swarovski heart on a lobster clasp, this can then be added to bracelets, pendants, bags etc with a hand stamped personal message card on the inside and a matching tag on the outside. You never know could be used for an engagement ring with 'will you marry me?' on the tag. Plus some heart confetti, such an old romantic and so long ago since I was asked, oh! approx 35 years ago now. Also to make this week an initial canvas, jacquard frame bag with a diamante heart details, so much to do not to mention post to my website, Wow Thank you, update my blog plus Facebook and Twitter. A crafters work is never done.

Check out the other blogs of tales of crafting do at 1st Unique Gifts blog


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