ACEO's and ATC's

Most of us have heard about ATC's but I have gone down the ACEO and Inchie route. What is the difference? ATC's are not meant to be sold, they are generally swapped or given away and originate from the original baseball trading cards in the US which must measure exactly 2.5" X 3.5".

The ACEO was started by M.Vänçi Stirnemann to sell mini works of art. ACEO = Art Card Edition Originals. ACEO's are made with the intention of selling.

My first set of ACEO's are called 'Wings of Time'

To make I printed out a design onto inkjet cotton, zig zagged into place on a piece of felt, then added embellishments. This is a great way to use up all those bits kept 'Just in case'. Each piece of art has been mounted and stitched onto a piece of card measuring 2.5" X 3.5" and bears a label with the details of the collection and reference number. I have loved making these and already have several more sets planned.

Not much else from me this week, this dull weather has put me in book reading mode curled up on the sofa. In other words a bout of the lazies, lol

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Shabby Chic Hearts and Buttons

Well been an odd week weather wise, dry but so dull. Kept thinking we were going to get a deluge of rain, finally arrived in the early hours of Friday morning coming down in rods. Then back to very humid, yukk! everytime you move very far need a shower.

Finally finished the shabby chic lavender hearts, not sure why they took me so long to do, in 4 colourways pink, mint, beige and grey

In between finishing the hearts got distracted by some Prym self covered buttons, embroidered a design on them and added to a beautiful digital print that I got from Etsy. They have such fantastic digital items on Etsy for use in so many ways.

Went to Reading on Sunday, well Lee went to a record fair. I had a stroll down the river and must admit so peaceful even though showery.

We have finalised our kitchen design and with a change to a new fitter all going ahead on the 3rd August. Now to order the electrical sockets, tiles and tongue and groove cladding. Going with a preprimed wood for the latter as being very lazy. Think will go for the green at the top of the walls and a pale blue chalk paint on the cladding. This should match in with the dresser, table and chairs. I know going to be murder whilst the work is being done but hopefully will look brilliant at the end. This also gives me the chance to sort out all the cupboards and dump things that are not used, put on ebay or to the charity shop.

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Have a great week.

Back in the Swing

Back in the swing of things this week, my polka dot fabric arrived which enabled me to finish the Afternoon Tea Bag, must admit have fallen in love with this one as so cool and fresh to look at.

A new venture

Have been thinking for some time to add a 'Craft room' section to my website making card toppers, embellishments, quilt blocks and more. This week saw the start of the quilt blocks. Made in a soft white Kona cotton, which is a beautiful fabric. Have stitched a 5" square round the design and allowed a 1/2" seam allowance, so far a lace doily:

and some Tea Cup blocks

A fellow quilter is going to do a bit of market research for me to see if these would popular or not. Not everyone has an embroidery machine or wants one (as not cheap) and felt this filled a gap in the market.

Craft stall makes

Fabric button earrings, with sterling silver posts, 11mm diameter.

I love lavender hearts and I know have been around a long time but as I am into vintage inspired items could not resist this new in the hoop design from Germany. They smell delicious filled with Provence lavender.

A mobile phone holder for myself, think will add these to my site and craft fairs but make them without the initial for the fairs and to order personalised on my website. They are just the right size for an iPhone or similar.

Think worn myself out with the making this week, off to have a chill and by the time this blog is published Wimbledon should be over.

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A Quiet Week

This week has been quiet on the making front as 

1. Too hot to do much and 

2. Wimbledon got in the way 

Loved the Heather Watson and Serena Williams (never heard of her! only the British No. 1 Lady). You go girl and you did good Heather, you did it for GB. Okay she lost but what a battle, think strength won out but Heather is still young and hopefully back next year.

Had Simon round to give us a quote for the kitchen, waiting on the figures now and fingers crossed in budget. The old units look so tired in fact positively exhausted. Planning on having tongue and groove round the lower part of the walls, mosaic tiles round the kitchen units, olive green cupboards with a quartz worktop. Will be so perfect when done and an extra cupboard coming into the middle of the room, for all my baking paraphernalia.

Booked another event for October, the Clanfield Boutique Markets. A mixed event but quite happy with that as again quite local. 

Finished this week with a trip to M & S Simply Food, yumm. spent more than we should but got so many yummy goodies. Did not have a Waitrose delivery so in theory balances out the expenditure.

Bought some wonderful fabric called 'Patchwork Jeans' from My Fabrics based in Germany, think this will be made into some zip topped tote bags, ideal for teenagers.

Working on ideas for more products for the sewing room and craft room, thinking covered buttons with an embroidery design, burlap and fabric trim, card toppers with machine embroidery etc. My head is buzzing again and keep my idea journal with me at all times to jot down suggestions. Otherwise due to my age I forget in about 10 minutes what I thought of in the first place.

Going to add some mini free standing lace hats, decorated with feathers and to make steampunk style some lace skulls.

Had planned to make a teatime bag this week but when I got down to it found I did not have enough of the main fabric. This is me being disorganised again and thought I had got over that. Still proves I have a creative brain flitting from 1 thing to the next.

Hope to have more makes to show next week. 

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Have a great week

Bumble Bees have taken up residence

We have a nest of Bumble bees in the soffits above the garage, varying sizes buzzing around their daily business. Checked with the local Bee Keepers Assoc and they say they will be gone by mid August at the latest. As protected they can stay, must admit they do not seem bothered about DH,dog and myself. I hang my washing out there and they just swerve to avoid me, peaceful fluffy creatures.

Funny about the bees as started my Bee Hive collection, maybe an omen that I have chosen right. Must admit do love bumble bees they make me think of long hot summer days, picnics in a park, reading in the garden under the scented roses, ahhhh! bliss. What better than an English summer.

Weather has been so good this week must admit struggled to actually work and find early morning is the best time. We get up about 5.30 most days and out for a wonderful walk with Shiloh, only see a few dog walkers (we are a mad bunch) and all the nature just perfect. Back to work did get some items done and still working on some more:

Bumble Bee clutch bags in a bee print cotton with a bumble with 3D wings

Bumble pins

Coasters

Honey Jar and Honey Bee Mug Rug (this took almost 3 hours of stitching each and not sure will repeat)

Key Fobs

Honey Bee fabric bowl

Think that finishes the Bee Hive collection for now, have to sit and plan what I am going to do next week.

If you are a woman in  business check out Women Only Connected, free to join you can place an advert, add your blog, chat in the forum and more. Jenny the owner is a fantastic lady and so helpful.

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Have a great summer week and judging by the forecast temperatures stay cool.

On Holiday, hmm!

Been on a sort of holiday this week but finally pulled my finger out and made some more stock for the Sewing Room collection:

Scissor Keepers

Needle Cases

Pin Cushions

Key Fobs

The key fobs are a new in the hoop design and think they turned out well.

I have a break from events until the 12th September, this gives me plenty of time to add new products but mainly I must tidy my workroom, bought a new chest of drawers and filled the drawers with 'stuff'. None of it sorted and boxes under the desk. Being a cold room ideal to do this when we get the summer heatwave, okay don't laugh but can live in hope.

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Have a good week and hope the weather is kind to you all

Artisan Market and stall props.

Spent most of the last week making stall props and sorting stock for the Artisan Market on Saturday. 

Wanted to have something at the back of my stall,  I do have a large trellis section already but these are getting so heavy and find hard to carry very far. Came up with the idea of covering 4 canvases with batting and fabric, backing with a taupe sheeting, hinging together and making 2 lightweight backing boards. Very happy with how they look and handy to drape things over. 

My new shelves also arrived, again been looking for some small shelves, kept looking at wood but never found what I wanted then spied these Gisella Graham ones, expensive but perfect and easy to carry. The fit in the bag I made for the canvases. Think they highlight my clutch bags perfectly. sorry about the photo think I had the camera on close up and forgot to change, just typical of me.

The Artisan market was very quiet, on every month but this year only going 4 times and think may miss June next year. They like to change the stalls around so you are never in the same place twice, keeps returning customers walking round to give all stallholders a fair crack at the whip, so to speak. Not sure I have the stamina to go every month and think can make customers complacent if they see the same stalls over and over again. I also try to alter what I take so not the same thing, have my iPad with me so they can look at my full site if they want.

More for my Sewing Room collection, only had a small amount of this fabric, must have been an eighth as only managed to make the scissor keeper, pin cushion and a needle case. Plan to sell these as a set

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Have a good week a dodge the rain showers if possible.