Handmade Monday No. 89

Back to Birthday's this week. My dear friend in Gloucester loves cats so had to use this theme the card pretty and delicate and ho could not loves this cute kitten

The gift, well she also has a sense of humour and thought these stripey cats on raw silk where fun, the back has a button enclosure with the skeletons of fish embroidery, fully lined with cream cotton.

Sent off early, then she emails the day after to say swanning off to Turkey near the Syrian border of all places, just hope arrives safely. PS. got a phone call to say back from holiday and parcel collected and now opened, she loves the gift and the best thing anyone could say to a crafter is "I love you making gifts for me" makes it all worth while.

Back to Christmas and only 9 weeks away am sure time goes quicker the nearer we get. To top it all only 12 days until my first event at the Needlework Archive near Newbury. Next week I am stopping making and starting to price, something that I should have done as I go along but selling online you tend to forget about fairs and the need for pricing labels. Anyway makes for last week:

Candle wraps

In natural linen with Nordic designs on the front of the wraps.

Off to my first meeting with the Fabulous Women in Farnham on Thursday, looking forward to it as the first ever meeting in Farnham. Only bit always wary abuot is the minute talk each of us has to do, hate this bit as not into public speaking and used to detest the role playing courses that the corporate world love so much, so wish me luck as will probably be a stuttering, sweating wreck not a good look.

Check out the linked blogs for Handmade Monday

 &

Handmade Monday No. 88

Only 19 working days until my first event of the year. The National Needlework Archive at Greenham near Newbury. Had originally dismissed this one when invited as too far but they emailed me back inviting me to visit and see what they do, so took a closer look and must admit looked right up my street and quite an honour to have an invitation to exhibit at one of their events. Bit the bullet an booked, only a morning fair but means home in daylight, which some of you may laugh but being a glass wearer is certainly something one has to consider, as night time  driving can be quite scary.

Still making and this week another pinafore this time in cherry red with Christmas Trees on the bodice

Vintage Green Bauble Pinafore

Not forgetting the boys

On the 'To Do List' for next week!

Stockings in my muted palette of cream and white. I love pastel shades and after reading an American business blog recently where it advised that sometimes keeping to 3 or 4 colours on a website when selling is best. Some may say it limits the market place but also can attract the customers that also love those shades.

Candle jar linen wraps, something not very big but think will add a touch of something extra to the candle jars by that well known candle supplier. will not be selling the candles themselves as they are available in most garden centres etc, should not be hard to find.

Check out the other blogs at Handmade Harbour

 &

Handmade Monday No. 87

Where is the time going only 78 days until Christmas, how are you all doing with the gift front? I have just about finished the Birthdays for this year and still to sort out the Christmas gifts, oh well it will get done that is if those pesky fairies get on with some work instead of hiding amongst the fabric and day dreaming the day away.

This weeks makes I have tried so hard to be good and not get distracted but not always easy and I am guilty of sometimes flitting from one project to another, so sat myself down last weekend and gave myself a good talking to, I did listen honest. Time to prioritise a list was drawn, reads a bit like war and peace linked on icloud with the ipad, so alarms go off all over the house telling me what I should be doing each day, even printed off my daily diary list and it has worked. Funny I work well with lists I know others do not but I seem to focus more on what is on the list and not about other delicious fabrics lengths that are peaking at me from the fabric cupboard and calling to me to use them. Plus so good to see all these ticks appear as each project is completed. Okay enough of the wittering, boring you to death and what have I done:

Stand Dressing

Have been browsing the net and just love the way our American cousins put so much effort into the dressing of a stall and if you think about this is your 1 day to catch the attention of the buying public. So a scalloped border for the front of the stall, side drapes and a new top cloth all in candy stripe with of course my company name embroidered on. I am happy with the look and hope it will stick in customers memories. I love the Curlz font as the letters are slightly squiffy you do not have to be exact about the placement.

Logo on the centre front of the top cloth

This is the scalloped banner which will go across the top front of the stall, side panels draping back with rose's finish the look

Christmas Pinafores

My regular readers know I made some pretty summer cotton pinafores earlier in the year, now the colder months some beautiful soft cotton corduroy in vintage green, cream and cherry red to be completed. I can hear the Mum's say 'Oh no not cream' but after some research the consensus is that darker colours yes but for a one off special cream fits the bill. These are all Christmas themed with the embroidery on the bodice. I only make for littely's up to age 5, after that the 'I want to wear what I want' comes in. I love party dresses for girls and always had several when a child. Have noticed the parties round here the jeans and sweat tops have gone and the frills, lace and velvet are back with the patent shoes, posh trousers and waistcoats for the boys, so cute as they walk down the road and then come back with a party bag with a big grin across their faces.

Winter Roses and Snowflakes

Poinsettia and Holly

My new Jeanne D'Arc Living arrived yesterday, a fantastic publication from Denmark and available from Betty & Violet in Newbury. Packed again with a delicious vintage goodies. Orders being taken for the Christmas issues.

Check out the other blogs over at Handmade Harbour

 &

UK Handmade Thursday Week 5

Week 5 and my last week. I would like to thank the few that have joined in and such a shame that there could not be more, odd as so many blogs published each week and as a business never under estimate the power of blogging. Yes you do have to put some effort in not only to post something of interest that is craft related, link back to the host blog, visit and comment on other participating blogs, the latter could be the stumbling block with 'I don't have the time' etc. etc. 

My question is do you not have the time to promote your business? think about it if you join the link party, okay I know only a few but your blog has the potential to reach all the facebook, twitter and blogging followers of not only the host blog in my case in excess of 1000 people but also the others joining in. These if pitched right and not hard sell are all potential customers so more a case if a genuine business can you afford not to join in.

On that note this is my final week of hosting the linky party,  I have enjoyed doing it but feel that I have reached the end of the road. Hope someone else will step into my shoes.

This post is although not exactly about craft it is about the business of craft and think groups are always stronger than an individual, as a team we can all achieve greatness and help each other out, as a lone person you can sink without a trace. The bloggers who have joined in are wonderful crafters all with a tale to tell and products to admire:

Ally - Lovingly Handmade

Emma Louise - Em*Louise

Tazim - Terracotta Blue

Jill - Christmas Pie Crafts

Anna - Silver Paw

Handmade Monday No. 86

The weather has been appalling dog would not go out and appeared to be super glued to the floor, finally DH and I hauled him out, all the way round the village he looked so sorry for himself, never mind that we were getting equally wet and the more he dragged his paws the longer the walk took and the wetter we all became.

Never mind onto the crafting front, won some fantastic Charlie Chaplin fabric on ebay, supposedly for the school bags but as paid more than I normally do it may get used for other things and the first is a trio of wristlets with a vintage camera embroidered on one side.

Charlie Chaplin Wristlets

Mad Hatter Tea Cosy

I love Alice in Wonderland and had the idea of a linen tea cosy with the Mad Hatter and a 'Drink Me; label. As I tend to make in 3's (think this is something to do with gardening I blame Mr Titchmarsh, lol) 2 more to go but hopefully these would have been done and dusted by the time this post appears.

Have also bought a pretty 'Tea for One' set to use as props and my single cup of afternoon tea but what am I going to make for it? next week all may be revealed.

Fabulous Women

A local networking group open their online shop doors this week and what better way to network than to join in. Although in it's infancy feel that being local this is a good move, I attend my first meeting in Farnham of a new group on the 25th October, will let you know how I get on. Networking is a brilliant way to reach potential customers plus enjoy a business chat with in this case other women in business. 

We can all learn from each other and also help each other out, business is not about me, me, me but sharing what you know and learn with others. Groups are always stronger than an individual but sadly some business people never realise this,  some forget those that have helped them to greatness along the way. Remember those that have helped you and lend a helping hand to someone who is struggling.

Check out the other blogs at Handmade Harbour

 &

 First prize for sulking!

UK Handmade Week 4

An odd week as have not really done that much, a lot of prep work but no actual creativity. You know the thing planning then having to order and wait for things to arrive, did manage to list all my 'Glitter Girl' boards last weekend on ebay. Will be so good to start to see some space, this is all part of my decluttering programme, do I use it? will I ever use it? if the answer is no then on ebay it goes. Sad as some of my crafting items have been bought, put away and still in the original packaging. So new regime buy and make do not put away..... think we have all been there and got the t-shirt.

Did cut out and make a fabric flower, quite easy and attached a brooch bar to the back, can imagine a cluster of these all displayed in one of my cream wire vintage trays and in a funny way hoping will attract customers to the stall, buy a flower and maybe, just maybe a bit more. 

Think we all need bread and butter pieces another one of mine is handbag tissue holders, trying to match the tissues with the fabric from my stash, so Safari printed tissues in Safari print etc.

Don't forget the rules and regs of UK handmade Thursday boring I know but if we do this as a community benefits everyone:

1. Add your blog to the linky tool at the bottom of this post.

2. Make sure you link back to this blog in your blog and mention UK Handmade Thursday.

3. Visit the other bloggers, read and comment on their posts.

4. Posts should be craft related

5. Follow the blogs within the link party.

Not much more from me this week as said been a week of dreaming.

 &

 Chief of operations

Handmade Monday No. 85

Another week ever closer to Christmas and oh boy has it got cold. Now I am normally very, very hot as my thermostat does not work properly but been freezing this week and I know the dreaded heating had to come on, refused to put higher than 15 though tight wad that I am would rather have waited until October but when you end up wrapped in quilts to watch tv not a good look.

Makes for this week well sort of, some where made a while ago and had to wait until the gift had been opened:

A gift for a relative who is a Leicester fan, thought the stacked foxes were appropriate

Card for the same relative

plus another card for a second cousin on DH's side

Business Tote for myself

A project that I have been meaning to do for some time but never got around to. However I have joined a women's networking group called 'Fabulous Women' and my first meeting is on October 9th, so thought better get stitching. Has an internal pocket to hold my business postcards and mobile phone with a large lobster clasp to keep my keys handy, saves scrabbling for them at the bottom of the bag.

The Jeanne d'Arc Living Magazine

Saw this publication on a US site, as you do then found a supplier in the UK, Betty and Violets in Newbury not far from me a town I had to frequent when working in a corporate company years ago. My finger itched to add to the shopping cart, should I, shouldn't I and I did!!! Arrived Saturday and was very good did not peek until I could sit with a cup of tea in the garden room with peace and quite and indulge.

This is a fantastic, well written and above all inspirational magazine from Denmark in the Nordic-French styling. What could be more perfect satisfying my 2 style loves of Scandinavia and Paris. This is issue 8 where have I been to have missed the first 7 issues?

Check out the Jeanne'd'Arc and Betty and Violet websites for more information the latter being a website after my own heart, well done Ali.

Don't forget to visit the other blogs joining in Handmade Monday and try to comment on each blog as we all love to read your comments and always appreciated.

 &

Why don't the butterflies on Mum and Dad's quilt fly?