Bluebirds continue

Been an odd week, cold winds, sunshine, sleet and hail. Heating came on as so cold just hopes the warm up happens for this coming week.

Been working hard in the garden, the shady rockery is not quite finished but getting there. You come out of the garden centre laden with plants get home and find still need more, an expensive business but fun.

More of the bluebirds this time make up bags and a larger coaster. Have a quilted pillow design still to do, then think time to move onto something different.

When de-cluttering found an ith bag that I had started but that was it, needed lining and a frame, got that finished as well.

Have got my new journal out and working on a Wedding Collection plus makes to stock in my baby boutique.

Check out the other blogs at Sum of Their Stories

Until next week, have fun

Bluebirds

Bluebird

by Wings:

Late at night when the wind is still
I'll come flying through your door,
And you'll know what love is for.
I'm a bluebird, I'm a bluebird
I'm a bluebird, I'm a bluebird

Been working on a new collection this time incorporating bluebirds, love these little birds. They match the handbag tissue covers from last week.

Key Fob

Glasses Case

Coaster

Happy with what I have accomplished this week, had been ready to make a couple of make up cases to compliment but realised that I did not have long enough zips. With making zipped items in the hoop on the embroidery machine, the zip has to be a lot longer to avoid the needle  hitting the stoppers of the zip pull. Consequently needed 8" and only had 6". Oh well more on that next week, I hope.

My new raised shady rockery bed is comping along well, got the large rocks need some large pebbles now to go round the edges, to ensure no earth cascades onto the lawn. Then the plants. Have plenty of small pebbles but none large enough for my plan. More expense at the garden centre, ll. Thank goodness have a £10 loyalty voucher to spend, this garden malarky can be very hurtful to the debit card.

Check out the other blogs at Sum of our Stories

Same place, same time next week, have fun

Happy Easter

Well did you gets lots of Easter Eggs? I am not that into chocolate so only DH to worry about and he prefers the Lindt mini eggs and that is what he got. Give me a bag of crisps any day over chocolate.

Busy in the garden this week digging out a new bed, using the turfs, as Monty Don, to start a shady rockery under a tree. Looks a bit odd at the moment as no stones or plants in either the bed or the rockery. Hopefully after a trip to the garden centre next week that should all be sorted. Our cherry tree is out though, love this tree as right in front of my sewing room window and casts a beautiful pink glow.

Sewing? well Teriann (US Stitch designer) has done some new designs this week bluebird tissue case, love this and a matching key holder still to do.

Not much else done this week on the sewing front. Check out the other blogs at Handmade Monday

Until next week......

A beautiful week

Another Monday has arrived am sure these weeks are getting shorter as only seems 5 minutes ago. 

Well what have I done this week? did get some makes done for my new collection a cabbage rose clutch bag, made in white cotton with a hint of glitter.

A Swarovski pearl bracelet.

The rest of the time de-cluttering my stock area and workroom, all done now and looks so much better, can actually see the floor lol. Even have a desk to work at if I feel like it or for wrapping and packing orders. So good to be organised.

Had to take a pic of one of the front flower beds, so pretty with the primulas and tulips out. Lee weeded the bed and have some gaps for the bedding plants in a few weeks.

Off to frame up my new cross stitch design which I got for Christmas, this is ideal for those long summer days in the garden under the wisteria and roses. The colours worry me a bit as all look the same but hope to finish by Christmas.

Check out the other blogs at Handmade Monday

Until next week, have a good Easter.

Missing last week

Apologies for missing last weeks Handmade Monday, got distracted by the beautiful weather and the garden. Not that I do much actual garden but I do have to ensure that DH is planting things in the right place, well someone has to supervise him, lol.

Less of this

and more of this needed

Could be because I am procrastinating a bit or could be because spent ages making a bag only to find I had measured the wrong frame, hence had to order and await for the delivery. Anyway arrived and made up and think now back on track. Image in the framed picture below.

Met up with a friend for a coffee and chat this past week. Have mentioned Jenny before she runs Women Only Connected, worth a look as free to join and advertise. For women only, the aim to support and help other women. 

Any way Jenny agreed to send out an image of some of my designs in the next newsletter, fingers crossed, selection made and played with 'Image Capture' for the frame:

Also added an Easter Mug rug, I love this design vintage in feel and so cute.

Finding Events or Not!!!!!

Since I got turned down for the Home and Vintage fair been struggling to find a suitable venue. Either far too expensive, got to be sensible here, or just not right. Talking to a friend on Sunday from Gloucester she said the same as me that craft fairs are almost dead. Her and her DH tend to do the Agriculture shows over 3 days. 

I think it is such a shame but have considered where the problems lie, from my perspective the following have contributed:

1. Wrong venue

2. Lack of advertising

3. Too expensive to be realistic for hand makers to recoup the costs, hence given up

4. The public's perception of handmade to not much above jumble sale quality.

5. Organisers not selling stall space therefore let in franchises

6. Probably many more reasons and too many to think of

Had looked at organising my own events again but the Grayshott village hall is taken up with renting out to dance classes for a few, hence not really for the community. Closed on Sunday. Macmillan managed to book a Saturday in December for a Christmas Fair. I know village halls need to make money but always thought they were for the benefit of the surrounding areas not a privileged few, turns out I am wrong. Yet our rates go to keeping the halls going.

There is another one in the next village and this is where I do the Christmas Fair, may think about that for future use as only ever booked during the weekdays and some evenings. Weekends are free for anyone to rent and use, a far more sensible way of organisation.

Well that is me off my soap box for the coming week, lol. 

Check out the other blogs at Handmade Monday

Have fun and see you next week.