Handmade Monday No. 70

Hope you all had a good Easter. The weather was not so good either rain or snow and cold. Roll on spring.

Stock Sorting

As mentioned last week my first event is in May but always find it exhausting and stressful getting ready for an event. This year started early, the stock is now all labelled and dumped stored in the garden room. DH is not too sure about this as 6 weeks away but it is staying.

Back to this week:

Sunday: Updated blog post for last week. Priced craft books and added to Paypal app. finished off the stock sort as above image.

Bought myself a crochet book for beginners. Now have always wanted to learn, can do a very, very long chain but never understood how to go back and stitch. This book and hook came in a kit form and so far excellent. It clearly explains what to do in each step. Have started on the bag as shown, worked in SC. Will post a pic when finished. I think crochet could get addictive, lol.

Monday: What did I do all day?

Tuesday: Popped up to the farm shop for some more pea gravel for the back path's, delivery due tomorrow. This is a farm shop and nursery and they only have plants in season which is fantastic for us, this way we know what will grow. Plus very reasonable compared with the garden centres.

Wednesday: A day of doing nothing, could not be asked but did catch up on my magazines: Daphne's Diary and Where Women Create got some wonderful ideas to store away.

Thursday: Decided not to have a grocery delivery this week, dived into Sainsbury's for some basic's instead. Then onto the garden centre at Rake for a browse round. Such a beautiful day spent most of it  in the garden and walking and playing with the dog. Set up my embroidery machine for a project to start on Friday

Friday: Dog walk, washing out on the line and in my sewing room

Saturday: New section 'Parisien Boutique' all things French themed, so far

8" X 8" clutch bag

Tissue Case

Key Fob

Check out the other blogs at Sum of Their Stories

That has been my week, hope yours went as well. Until next time.

Animals in Flowers new collection launch

Finally got there had to wait for silk organza sheets from the US, got impatient and ordered (more expensive) from a UK source only to be told after the order was placed that they were doing a stock take and would dispatch asap! However they arrived and I was able to complete my first new collection of 2018.

Clutch Bags

Gift Cards

Key Fobs

Decorative Hoops

I am happy with how everything turned out and just love these watercolour images.

Joined a challenge on a FB group for Valentines Day. Wanted to do something slightly different and thought these kitty and dawgie mug rugs were perfect. They are also not just for Valentines Day.

Now onto the next collection again just a teaser for you

Check out the other blogs at Sum of Their Stories

Too Hot!!!!!

I know us Brits are never happier than moaning about the weather, too cold or as in the case of the last week too hot. Reached the heady heights of 34 on our patio and the house was not much better. Windows flung open from early morning and all night. No relief and sleep was hard to succumb to. Thursday the thunder storms should have arrived but did not although cooler temperatures, bliss. Perhaps this is why I love Spring the best as you get warm sunshine but a gentle breeze and the temperature rarely goes above 28.

Not much sewing done as too hot in my sewing room, did do some brainstorming of all the items I want to make. Ordered some brilliant project planners from Etsy, Crossbow Printables they are fantastic, load of other printables in Jordan's shop. Then realised did not have a folder they fitted and another order goes in along with some dividers. As many of you know I have a love affair with notebooks but needed something that I could move pages around, sort into sections etc. Will let you know how I get on.

Onto crafting managed to make quite a bit before the heat wave and only just got around to photographing and adding to my website.

Queen Bee Collection

Large make up bag

Clutch frame bag

Sticky note covers

Bracelet

Key Fobs

On a different note some delicious lavender filled heart sachets

Off to finish another knitted bodice baby dress, only one more planned this time in a magenta. Hope to have a photo of the lilac one next week.

Enjoy the summer

The final piece

Finally got there and the last piece for the bluebird collection is off my machines.

Clutch bag

The blossoms have Swarovski hot fix crystals in the centres, think goes well with the glittery fabric.

Seven pieces in this collection and although seemed to take an age to complete happy I finally got there. Added to my shop at Carolee Crafts.

Next project? either wedding or baby, not sure which. Currently knitting a bodice in moss stitch with a cable pattern,  which will have a fabric skirt. So maybe the baby/toddler items should be next. Decisions, decisions...........

Have a great weekend folks

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

My Literary World

I love books and I mean real books not the iBooks or Kindle variety, whilst I understand they do have a place and in particular for holidays or commute travels they are ideal. For me at home have to have a proper book to open.

Over the years my reading has changed from Kathy Reichs with Temperance Brennan and gory murders to Debbie Macomber and Cedar Cove, with more authors in between. Still love the Agatha Christie murders with Miss Marple or Tommy and Tuppence as these let's be honest are gentle murders.  Also the murder books by Joanne Sheen, the lovely lady who produces fantastic CD roms for card making from Create and Craft.

My Latest read is The Teashop on The Corner by Milly Johnson

This book is about a teashop, yes on the corner, the lives of the people that meet up there but for me the most interesting part are the gifts sold in the tea room, all literary based. A light bulb went on for me and thought why not interpret into some fabric creations and jewellery. A new notebook started and filling up with ideas and sketches. May take a few weeks to complete but my brain is working overtime with ideas, let's hope I can pull it off to produce something that is of interest to other lovers of books. 

Funny the way things happen and I am a great believer they happen for a reason, this book found it's way into my online basket along with others similar and just clicked.

As you gathered this is my theme for May. The new plan and super organised me (lol) is to think of a theme for the month,start planning and ordering the month before, that way have everything to hand and don;t have to spend ages waiting for deliveries. 

I work well with themes as can focus my attention which does tend to be like a butterfly, flitting from one thing to the next. How do you work best? Themes, let the flow take you, structured. I have to have a passion and be fascinating in what I make and normally where possible to follow life or in my case the past as love vintage from Victorian era to about the 50's.

Well back to the makes done so far for the Literary theme starting with Alice in Wonderland. I am sure most of us have read the books and dreamt of falling down a rabbit hole to a new world, with all sorts of adventures. Well I did as a child, always the dreamer and wanted to go to Narnia.

Showed this length of fabric to you the other week, now all made up:

Frame Clutch bags with vintage gold tone A in W charm and a blue bow.

Pin Cushion books, fun to do and drafted my own pattern, plus worked out first time, miracles.

Mad hatter Tea Party tote bag

Lavender Sachets with faux silk crushed ribbon and a teacup or teapot charm

Couple of mug rugs one monotone the other design coloured

Alice in Wonderland Cards, printed onto fabric and mounted onto kraft cards

Vintage style Bookmarks

These will have more of a home in the Jane Austen collection, which will be coming soon, I hope. I say I hope as I get distracted and move on

Check out the other blogs at Handmade Monday

That's all for this week, hope to see you again next week,