Friday 21 October 2011

Feeling Festive!


Hello, hope you are well on this chilly Friday! With the weather turning colder, I'm definitely feeling quite Christmassy at the moment... I've said before, I'm not a huge fan of the Autumnal months, although I do appreciate the beautiful colours that Autumn brings. But really I would quite happily skip from September straight to the beginning of December and the run up to Christmas, which is one of my favourite times of the year!


Despite my festive mood, I have refrained from actually putting up any xmas decorations you'll be glad to hear, (won't do that until beginning of December) but I did buy the Prima Christmas Makes magazine this week. I'd seen it blogged about several times and a few of the projects, these sweet little mice in particular, seemed right up my street. 


I've still got to make time and have a proper sit down read of it, but I have been dipping in and out all week, gazing at all the lovely pictures. I think I want to try and do a red and white Christmas theme this year - I love this Christmas tree!! I've definitely been seduced by all the Nordic inspired decorations around at the moment...


It also has lots of Christmas gift ideas which are great. I particularly love this little pop up nativity set by Roger la Borde, but can't find anywhere that stocks it... just think it is so sweet!

Anyway, it is a lovely mag all in all.


Continuing on the festive theme, these Christmas projects of mine were in last month's Xmas Special Crafts Beautiful magazine. It is lovely to see them in print at last, as I did them months ago in early Summer, before we had even moved house and been on holiday! Seems like a very long time ago really!
 


For more crafting ideas go to www.crafts-beautiful.com

I really enjoyed doing these projects, especially the cards. I don't do much card making for myself anymore, just never seem to have the time or inspiration so it is nice to work on card commissions instead!

This week, I've also been putting together a Christmassy trade order for Andrea of Andrea Willis Designs - you'll probably know her blog and lovely design work already. Andrea has a lovely shop in Scarborough, selling her own work alongside some of other designers too. 


It looks so inviting, doesn't it, I love the colour of the shop front! I did live in North Yorkshire for much of my childhood, but now I've moved to Somerset, it's a little bit too far for me to visit unfortunately. If you are ever up in Scarborough though, make sure you pay her a visit! Anyway, Andrea's been stocking my work since the beginning of the year, and I've just packaged up some  more festive goodies that will be on the way to her soon :)

Thanks for all the lovely comments you left on my last post by the way - they really cheered me up! Luckily, I left the Monday blues behind and the rest of the week has gone past OK - a little bit quiet but I've been busy working on bits and pieces so it has gone reasonably quickly in the end. One thing I have actually been doing this week is finally sorting out a Folksy shop and adding some bits to it including some of my new Christmas buttons...




It's been on my 'to-do' list for ages, but it's always seemed too big a job and one of those things that I've just been putting off! Anyway, finally got it up and running this week at last! Do pop over and let me know what you think :) Hopefully will be adding more to it soon, it is looking a little sparse at the moment.

I do also want to open an Etsy shop too. My NOTHS shop does well for me, but I guess it can't hurt having more outlets for my work, so hopefully will get around to that sometime soon too. If anyone has any advice/opinions on either Folksy or Etsy by the way, I'd be really interested to hear it. I did pose the question on my facebook page recently and got some interesting and helpful feedback on both sites... feel free to add to it!!!

Anyway, that's about all for today, but hope you are staying warm and have a lovely weekend! I'm looking forward to Karl getting home later and hopefully working on my blanket a little bit more too, perfect! Oh, I do promise I will have my giveaway next week too - sorry, have just been slow on the organising front this week! Back soon xxx

20 comments:

SewIknit2 said...

love the little mice! cute pattern! the mag looks good, I might look for that when shopping this weekend, thanks!
I too am inspired by the nordic it sees to be everywhere! I even found myself thinking about knitting "christmas" jumpers with motifs for the new babies in our family but luckily I have resisted - SEW FAR!
Love the buttons, they look fab!
Sue x

Deborah said...

I also bought the Prima magazine, I love the makes inside :) I put my christmas decorations and the tree up on the 1st December every year cos it's my birthday :)have a great weekend.

Bee happy x
Have a delicious day!

Anonymous said...

I'm glad you managed to get a copy, Aren't the mice so cute! I'm going to have a go at making them at some point. The red & white Nordic tree is also my favorite, I've just bought some red & white decs from Wilkinson to add to the ones I have already, it's definitely the look i'm going for this year. Good luck with your Folksy shop, I'm sure it will do really well your work is so lovely and so neat :)
Hope you have a lovely weekend xx

Ashley said...

I've got the Prima magazine aswell and have too been admiring the mice. I'd like to think I'd get round to making the, but i just have so many other things going on! I just cant seem to resist starting a gazillion different projects at the same time..!
The cards you commissioned for the magazine are beautiful, I wish I could make things like that. You are a very talented lady indeed!

Ashley xxx

greenrabbitdesigns said...

You are feeling festive Jenny. I love all your magazine commissions especially the purple cards (I'm in a purpley mood this week!).
I have to say I don't usually do Christmas this early but I am going to a knitting workshop tomorrow and we're making Festive Fingerless Mitts!
Your little buttons are very cute. :)
Good luck with your Folksy shop, I'll have to go and have a look.
Have a great weekend (didn't I say it wouldn't be long until he was back) ;)
Vivienne x

Helen Philipps said...

Hello Jenny! Such a cheery and festive post today. I love all the things you've featured, especially your sweet new festive buttons! Good luck with your new shop, I am sure it will do really well. Have a great weekend. Helen x

Caroline Lovis (Redneedle) said...

Hey Jenny, wonderful to be in print! Prima has certainly had a lot of mentions will have to look into that one. Love the buttons esp. the puds. Etsy is ok but it's easy to get lost however an established company like yours may stand a better chance than someone like me. Folksy has worked well for repeat orders for me I may try NOTHS. Your post has got me all festive. Good weekendx

Emma Thomsen said...

Very Christmassy! I love your new pins, I have 'Pinned' your Pudding Pins, they are Super! I must check that Prima out, you're such a 'media butterfly' - good for you! You could always pop a few bits on The Fabric Marketplace, it's all done on one page so incredibly easy. Have a lovely weekend with lots of 'Karl Cuddles'. X

Julia said...

Hello Jenny!

I think Im going to have to splurge on that magazine, it looks brilliant - like you I'm feeling very festive and am currently making a pile of crocheted snowflakes!! However, Im loving your own Christmas makes, especially the pudding ones!!

Much love
Julia x x x

jason @ gold work embroidery said...

Hey! Don't wish your life away! There's Halloween and Bonfire Night to come and then start thinking about Christmas.

Halloween is fantastic, especially for kids, and then it's downhill all the way to Christmas!

Enjoy!

Poppy said...

You are not alone about feeling christmassy! Those mice look adorable....

a lovely posy Jenny!

Lou xxx

millefeuilles said...

Dear Jenny,

I am so sorry I haven't popped in over the past few days to see your wonderful work. I was feeling a little sorry for myself/my children after Sakura passed away.

Your Christmas craft projects are absolutely beautiful. Your designs are so clear and symbolic.

Those mice at the beginning of your post are so delicious. I've just made a rabbit which appears in Helen Philipps last book. It is such an easy pattern as a joy to sew.

Have a great week.

Biba said...

Gorgeous, gorgeous crafting!

♥ Mary Janes TEAROOM said...

Oh my...you are feeling festive Jenny!...I think looking through all those lovely Xmas creations on Facebook is encouraging us even more, don't you?
But Jenny...how can you not enjoy Autumn?...my absolute favourite time of the year...we must change your opinion somehow about this!!...
Congratulations on your lovely magazine feature...it looks beautiful...and so do your lovely festive buttons...
Susan x
P.S Love the little mice too!

fee @ chipper nelly said...

hey - loving your work (as always!)
thanks for joining in over at mine...I'm finally getting organised for Christmas (only becasue I keep closing the shop! tee hee) and bracing myself for November...fee x

Carrie O'Connor said...

love your work!

Pomona said...

I love your card projects - really original. I will go and have a look at your Folksy shop. I am sure that Etsy is a good idea - I always forget about Folksy, but do buy quite a few things from Etsy. I like the way you can have favourite shops and items so you don't forget where you found them.

Pomona x

Crafts @ Home said...

I love all your Christmas makes, especially your cards, oh, and the buttons, well everything really.... but I love those mice as well! Will try and buy that magazine :)
Sue Xxx

Little Nell said...

Hi Jenny. I managed to pick up a copy of Crafts Beautiful when we were in UK last month so I will be having a go at some of your lovely designs. I must have missed the Prima somehow and now I keep seeing it on other people’s blogs. I want to make the mice too and there’s no chance of getting that magazine here in Lanzarote. I see I can get it digitally, but I’ve no idea if the pattern is a pull-out or a scale-up. If it’s a pull-out there’s no point in me downloading the mag. Do you think you could let me know by e-mail. I’d be really grateful.

Little Nell said...

Thanks for your reply Jenny. I did eventually make the mice and they were well received by my grandchildren. You csn see the finished product here.

http://pickingupthethreads.blogspot.com.es/2012/02/tale-of-two-mice.html

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