Mid Week Blog Tour

Wednesday already and taking part in the Professional Crafts Guild Blog Tour. Joining PCG was one of the great decisions I made and upgrading my membership to a premium member even better. The help I have received and hopefully given is always well received.

I always start each week with a list of things to do, may get to do all of them but then again may not. Unless working on an order for a customer I am not hard on myself, if I would prefer to do 'other things'. Sometimes a trip to a garden centre is as good as a rest and with all the abundance of colours gives me inspiration for new product lines. Garden centres are an excellent place to see what is for sale and also to people watch to see what customers are looking at or for, often taking a sneaky look in their baskets at the tills. I know very naughty but all for the purpose of market research.

Love to looks at the cards to see the current trends and designs. One thing I have noticed is that vintage (my passion) is still very much in. Had a discussion the other week with a friend who runs her own vintage china hire business, she said that vintage has been around for so long and is only growing in popularity, not waning. I think she is right also with vintage their is no set era can be the 30's, 40's, 70's or even older.

I love the Stampington publications (not least as have been published by them) always find there projects and content so inspirational. Those that know me know I love pink and where possible only make in pink and natural colours saw this on the Stampington blog and thought, yay I have got it right:

Dusty Rose and Shades of Pink

Pink is a trending color right now in home décor and fashion — and now it has trickled into mixed-media art pieces. Embrace this feminine color and use its cheeriness to brighten up art journal pages, or assemblage art pieces. It also pairs well with another trend for summer — lace — and just about every hue is trending right now, from dusty rose to pastel pink to fuschia.

Ways to Try This Trend:

Pastel Pink Milk Paint >>	Moleskine Postal Notebook >>	Finnabair’s Art Alchemy Opal Magic Rose Gold Paint >>

• Pink can be an intimidating to use because it has a tendency to end up bright, or it looks like baby pink. If you’re worried about the brightness, try muting it with a thin layer of brown watercolor or Antique Linen spray ink.
• If all you have is magenta or hot pink paints, a beautiful rose shade can be achieved with equal parts magenta and white paint, then add a touch of brown to dull the brightness.

Leave a Little Sparkle by Sarah Donawerth >>	Pretty in Pink Packaging >>
Tackling the Tiny Tube Trend >>	Be True — A Heartfelted Sentiment Project >>

I am on trend and have been for years just that the rest of the world had to catch up with me, lol.

My makes so far this week an iPad slip case for me and some covered notebooks. Have also done some Birthday cards but not able to show them until after the big day's.

Thank you for visiting will see you same time next week.

Slip Cases, PJ's and notebooks

Welcome to another week of daring do tales at chez Ocala Towers, packed full of excitement and danger....... Well okay not exactly danger unless you call getting mobbed by a dog for a biscuit. The excitement bit? getting parcels through the post covers that, lol

Makes this week:

iPad slip cover for me

Now to make up the orders for Jenny

Covered notebooks

PJ's for Lee made in a Chelsea Blue, he supports West Ham but Chelsea is his second team as both our Dad's were life long supporters.

Check out the other blogs on Handmade Monday

See you next week folks or on Wednesday for the PCG Blog Tour.

Happy Easter Blogland

No chocolates for us, must admit not a great lover of choccies would rather have a bag of crisps. My Mother always said I was an odd child at parties, the other invitees would dive for the jelly and cakes whilst I would go for the savoury. If I do have anything sweet have to have savoury afterwards.

Been a busy week dentist Wednesday, WI social evening Thursday which was great fun. We made Easter bonnets, a lot of laughter and we got into a mess with the glue but still fun.  Got to meet a lot of members, being a large group of over 50 the general meetings never give enough time to chat. Had planned to go to a record fair on Good Friday but DH was not well again, meant I missed a trip to Hobbycraft, will hopefully get down to Havant this week.

Makes for this week? well not as much as would have liked a few more Birthday cards, will have to post some once past the date but here are a 7 done and put by ready for later in the year.

Owl Baby Bunting

The circus fabric arrived, so pleased with it and happy how it looks.

Do do this week:

An order for a Mac Book Pro and iPad slip case cover, need to do a sample first for my iPad to check my customer likes the colour way etc.

Another pair of PJ bottoms for Lee, did burgundy last week now navy. With the overlocker they only take 45 minutes to cut out and stitch up.

Covered Notebooks - still to do these, bought the notebooks about 2 years ago and have done nothing with them.

Hobbycraft - Hopefully a trip to Hobbycraft

Cleaning - Who mentioned cleaning? too much crafting to waste time doing cleaning, lol

I am joining up with the Professional Crafters Blog tour, being a premium member has been a great help to my business. Plenty of information to help in all areas of my business and a great advert opportunity not to forget the CraftFest, online craft fairs held throughout the year.

Same time and place next week.

A fantastic and busy week

What a fantastic week weather wise, although a northerly wind at times the sun has been out most days, with clear blue skies. Gives me a boost of energy and with my sewing room window open to listen to all the birds, seem to get more done.

I am on a roll with this new machine and been busy this week making all sorts of goodies. No piece of fabric is safe.

Straw Hat bag

Charlie Chaplin Tote with one of his quotes

Baby Owl Bunting

Wanted something a bit different for this and ordered some Vintage Circus print. Happened to get the newsletter the same day with this new fabric. Do you think someone was trying to tell me something? Should have done by next week

Mug Rug

This is for a friend and owner of Women Only Connected, her logo is a straw hat and colours pink and white. Posted off already so should receive by Tuesday. Jenny works tirelessly to promote WOC. If you would like a free advert take a look at the website and join, if you would like an invitation just email me. No fee for joining.

Finally a Birthday card for one of Lee's cousins, not until 24th April but already behind as had hoped to be up to October by end of March.... This new machine is getting in the way, lol.

Check out the Handmade Monday blogs at Lucy Blossom Crafts

That's all for this week folks. Not sure how much will be done next week as have the dreaded dentist. only a check up but if she gets the drill out will run. another trip to the hospital and all in all a busy week.

Thank you for stopping by.

Exciting Times

Thursday arrived and by that point had worked myself up into an excited lather of bubbles. Jim brought my new machine and it is wonderful. Unpacked on Thursday but kept control of myself and read through the instruction book first, not that different from my old one. Configured a USB stick and downloaded my first projects.

Rose Applique Tote Bag

Loved making this and the shaped top makes a bit different

Scissor case, this was a special order so had to be done first, forgot to take a picture but have posted them before.

Vintage style baby bib, did not use the applique bunny that came with the design but added a vintage teddy bear instead, Katie for a girl and Salty for a boy.

Verdict so far love this machine, gives me a much larger embroidery area without having to flip the hoop over, then trying to line up designs etc. Faster which means I get more stitching done in the time

Check out the other blogs at Lucy Blossom Crafts

Back to playing have found some mini notebooks bought a few years back, these will have covers by the end of the week. Some debit, credit and loyalty card cases with a zipped compartment. could do with one of these myself, all these loyalty cards. has no one thought of combining them all onto one card would certainly make my purse lighter.

Have a good week

Lace and vintage linens

Well  it is official I love lace, am addicted to making it on my embroidery machine and buying it vintage or otherwise. Bid on some beautiful vintage linens last weekend and won, yippee! Arrived and so chuffed with them. At the same time ordered some fabric with a rose print and intend to use parts of the linens along with the rose fabric made into bags, from totes to frame clutches. So exciting a very happy bunny.

Anyway here is a pic of the linens and rose fabric.

Calamity my P foot broke on my embroidery machine, tantrum thrown then thought will make up one of the vintage linen rose bags instead. good job I had finished the top hat and cuff.

Also been working on a lace cuff, stitched out the cuff design on the embroidery machine, only problem should have a dainty edging but I had a box behind the arm (stupid thing to do) and the machine jumped. At least it did the main pattern okay. Just trimmed round the outer design and am sure no one would know.

Plus another top hat fascinator, did a bit more of the piecing on the sewing machine this time. As kept jabbing the needle in my fingers, plasters all over the place and not easy to hand sew.
Love the aqua/turquoise colouring on this one. The boxes arrived to go with them, just need some shredded tissue for the bottom.

Have also launched my Easter products cute egg cup cosies, bunting and cute duck pins

Easter at Carolee Crafts

Check out the other fabulous blogs at Lucy Blossom Crafts

Until next week be good and have fun and almost Easter.