Cards for daddies and some red, white and blue!

Hello.... isn't this sunshine just glorious?? I LOVE it! I am very much a summer girl and I love to feel the heat. I am super pale though so can't really go out in it without a very high SPF on, but I am loving not being cold all the time.  And the sunshine just makes everything seem more cheery doesn't it, I always get out of bed with more of a spring in my step if it's sunny! I dug out both my flip flops and the suntan lotion today - ooooh I love the smell of sun tan lotion don't you? Reminds me of the beach! 

I've been out in the garden doing bits and bobs this week, mainly planting up the other flower bed with geraniums and petunias and mowing the lawn - yes get me, I can now mow the lawn! AND I changed the blade all by myself! Believe me, it was an achievement :D Tomorrow I hope to get rid of a load of the rubbish (old turf, stones...etc) which is currently clogging up the side path, into a skip bag that we hired and then it will nearly be done! Hope this weather lasts so we can enjoy it. I will do a 'garden ta-dah' sometime, maybe when the flowers have bloomed in a few weeks!

Anyway I've also been working on all sorts of things this week... more wedding cards, and Father's day orders too which are now coming in. I don't think I've posted about any of my Father's day things yet have I? I didn't get around to designing as many as I wanted, always the way, but here are the ones I have so far...

I always find it quite tricky to design things for men, as I am so girly, and my taste in fabric and design in general really is not very masculine! In fact I think these are the first 'men things' that I've ever really made. 

I'm planning on keeping them in my range after Father's day is passed, well, the football and the boat ones anyway as I think they would make cute birthday cards for boys!

Many of the designs can be personalised so hopefully lots of daddies around the country will be receiving them in a few weeks time! You can find them all, and the rest of my personalised range here.

I've also been working on a new magazine commission this week though it won't be out for a few months yet. Because I have been a bit useless at posting recently (especially as I have been otherwise emotionally occupied!) I forgot to show the project I did for the June issue of Crafts Beautiful - and now it has gone off sale, oops! But here is is anyway...

 For more crafting ideas, visit www.crafts-beautiful.com

I'm going to dig out the bunting next week for the Jubilee celebrations... not that we're particularly doing anything here but there is a little 'street party' going on in the park opposite the house and I think there are going to be lots of celebrations in town too! What are you doing to celebrate the Jubilee, anything or nothing?

Anyway better go, the sofa and a box of chocolate fingers is calling my name but hope you have a lovely rest of the sunny weekend, back soon x

Time for tea!

Just popping in quickly with a project I designed for the March issue of Crafts Beautiful... a floral tea cosy and matching egg cosies!

Don't you just love the fabrics? I love the pink and red together, one of my favourite combinations at the moment!

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

Anyway I told you it was only a super quick visit today because I'm busy making crochet hearts at the moment and I've only done two so far this evening because one, I'm not very good at reading the pattern, and two, I keep getting distracted by other things... Not sure what I am going to do with them yet but they are just so cute I'm sure I will find them a good home! Will hopefully have pics soon xxx

Short and sweet... (well that was the idea)

 

Morning! 

Bet you didn't expect me back so soon... but I've decided little and often is the way forward with my blog! Thanks for all your sweet comments on my last post - it is so nice to know that there are lots of us in the same boat! I've woken up this morning feeling positive and motivated though which is always nice... even though have been awake since six! Karl had to go into work this morning, so I got up, made myself a drink and went back to bed to read and do a little granny square making! I've only done a few so far, even though they are really quick. Having been inspired by both Jacquie and Heather, I've decided to go for solid colour grannies this time and make a kind of patchwork blanket! 

I originally was only doing three rounds per square but then I decided to add another to each, as otherwise they are super tiny and it will take me absolutely forever to join them all together at the end! (Don't even want to think about that part now.) Anyway, I have bought a couple more yarn colours which should be arriving this week, hopefully in time for when I go visit mum and dad next weekend. I haven't really got too much of a plan colour-wise, just making squares and will see what looks nice as I go along!

Apart from the crochet, I haven't done that much over the last few days really. After I wrote my post on Thursday, I took the rest of the afternoon off and lay on the sofa surrounded by blankets, my hot water bottle, some chocolate and watched a nice girly film. It was just what I needed even though I still felt a bit guilty about taking the afternoon off! I've kept my personalised products off the website even though my new embroidery foot has arrived (yay!) to give me some time to catch up on other stuff. Yesterday though I got another large order for my floral mirrors to be used as wedding favours so spent the morning making them up.

I also made up another couple of mirror designs which I have literally just put into my shop... there will be a blue paisley design to match the pink coming soon too but just not got around to photographing yet.

 Love this fabric, it is so fresh and Spring like - Tulips are one of my favourite flowers!

And of course the pretty paisley fabric is also a favourite of mine. Funny how taste changes as you get older actually as I never liked paisley designs a few years, I don't know why... but this one is gorgeous! It is discontinued now but I managed to buy up a few metres of it, so hopefully it should last me a while yet.

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

I also made these fabric covered storage pots for the March issue of Crafts Beautiful. This was actually out a little while ago now, as the current issue is the April one, but I thought I would post the pics anyway! I really do mean to make more of these pots as they are so useful for holding bits and bobs and can be made out of any old tins you have around the house. These three actually started out as a cocoa powder tin, a tin of dried milk and a tub of bicarbonate of soda (which were the only things I could find in the cupboard that morning!!)

Anyway, I think that's enough writing for today - it's actually a slightly longer post than I intended, I just can't help myself! Hope you have a nice weekend though and you get a bit of sunshine to enjoy, back soon xxx

Happy Spring Colours!

This week has been a funny old week, a bit disjointed really - I'm kind of glad it's nearly the weekend! I finally managed to shake off my cough and cold, felt like I had it for months, but now Karl has caught a sickness bug so fingers crossed I won't come down with that too! I shouldn't complain really, as since I've been working from home I very rarely get ill - since am usually holed up in my little studio where germs can't seem to find me! Guess it's just that time of year.

Anyway, I've been busy with lots of different projects this week, including a couple of secret commissions which will hopefully be used for a new craft book later in the year. I've also been sewing lots of hearts and 'love you' things in time for Valentines and making up a new order for one of my favourite stockists Andrea Willis Designs.

But I've also been doing quite a bit of sewing and making for me this week, in fact I'm totally on a roll! Although I don't tend to make proper lists of New Years resolutions, one thing I did want to try and achieve this year was to make more time for creative projects for myself, my family and the house. Although I am sewing and making nearly every day, most of it is destined for other people, whether it be orders or commissioned work, and finding time and motivation to actually make something for myself is more difficult than you might think, life just seems to get in the way! 

 

Anyway last week I received a lovely parcel of fabrics from the States including some of my most favourite fabrics, all pretty colours, spots and florals.... so gorgeous, I still love the Flower Sugar designs so much!  Plus I didn't get charged any import tax which I thought I was going to, which was a major plus and one of the reasons I'd put off ordering from the States for so long. Not sure whether I just got lucky though, as I'm sure from what I gathered from the HMRC website I should have been charged... Oh well not complaining!! Fabric is so much cheaper over there even with shipping costs that it really is worth it.

Mmmm aren't they just so pretty? :)

Anyway, so I decided as a spur of the moment thing that I wanted to sew a picture for the kitchen! I just woke up on Sunday morning with an idea in my head, there wasn't too much planning, and I made it up as I went along really but I love how it turned out. I used a little wadding and stapled it to one of my canvas frames and hey presto, we have a new picture! We've hung it on the duck egg blue wall and it looks so pretty! It does make the kitchen look even more girly than it did though which I feel a bit bad about but I don't think Karl really notices what I've done about the place half the time!

  

There is something so very satisfying about making something for yourself, I don't know whether that's just me? In fact I might make another similar picture for the opposite wall as there is a little stretch of bare wall which is crying out to be filled!

Whilst I was on a roll and full of enthusiasm though, I also made some 'happy' bunting for the dresser and some pretty little magnets for the fridge. Now Christmas is well and truly behind us, and the house is becoming lighter and brighter with each day, I am filled with the urge to decorate it with cheery Spring colours... am so excited that the warmer, lighter days are coming again, I can't wait for Summer, I'm fed up of being cold all the time!

I also started to make a patchwork cushion last night but I'm a bit annoyed that I've got my measurements wrong and it is going to be too small for the pad I had in mind. Might just add a little border, or make it bigger and use a bigger pad, not sure yet!

 Still loving these fabrics...

There was also a big squeal of excitement here last week when I got hold of this month's Crafts Beautiful magazine (Feb issue), and saw my little house pin cushion has made it on to the front cover! A few of my recent projects have had little spots on the cover but this is the first time anything I have designed has been made the main picture - so pleased!

Here is a little peek at the project itself...

Don't wait too long if you want to catch this issue as I think the next one will be out soon, and for more crafting ideas, go to www.crafts-beautiful.com

I actually got sent a picture yesterday from a lovely lady who had been inspired to make herself a needlecase using my tutorial - it means so much to me when I get feedback like this, to know that people like my designs and that I have been useful/inspiring, it is one of the best feelings! It is the same when people give lovely feedback about their orders - I don't think they realise how much their kind words mean, but it really is appreciated.

Anyway, this post has taken me ages to write and I'm now starving! Think I will go sit and have a little tea break whilst admiring my new picture :) Hope you have a lovely weekend, thanks as always for popping in to read my ramblings,

Jenny x

p.s I know Blogger is being really weird lately with comments - Just a tip I've found is if you refresh the page/blog post it seems to sort itself out and the comment box re-appears! Don't know if it will solve all the problems people have been having but it's worth a try! xxx

Christmas is coming!

Apologies in advance, it's been a while since I blogged so have a feeling this could be a bit of a mammoth post! I hope you're sitting comfortably with a glass of something nice...

Well I've been promising it for ages now so better start with a little blanket update! Though actually not been doing much on it lately... a mixture of lack of time and a lack of motivation if I'm honest. When I started it, I was going great guns and within a couple of weeks it was about half the size it is now. At the moment I am lucky if I manage a stripe a day, but then that is OK - I'm at about 100 stripes now I think and I was only aiming for about 120 so not long to go! I kind of don't want to finish it, I have enjoyed making it so much, so maybe that is why I am eeking it out... At least I don't have the horrible sewing together bit with this one!!

Anyway so what do you think? This photo is just over 2/3 of it laid out...

It is so bright and cheerful, just as a granny blanket should be I think, and is lovely and warm to snuggle up under. As it is a work in progress, it is currently living on the sofa, so it's in easy reach in the evenings! I do love cosy evenings, with my dressing gown on and all the lamps lit. It's definitely one of my favourite things about these dark cold winter months.

Continuing on the crochet theme, a few weeks ago, I also started making some Christmassy red and white crochet bunting using Jacquie's fab pattern, though actually this is as far as I got! Karl was a bit mean about it - he can't see the point of any bunting and I think crocheted bunting was just a step too far for him to comprehend!!! I took it to heart and put my lonely triangle away in a drawer but at the weekend I dug it out and I've decided to finish it whether he likes it or not! What do men know about these things anyway?! The plan is to alternate the red and white combinations for each flag and then string them all onto some stripey string to finish. Hopefully it will look nice and festive!

So apart from the crochet, have been working hard on lots of Xmas orders coming in for various things - mainly mirrors and badges I have to say. I actually got a new 25mm die for my badge maker last week and so spent a day or so testing it out making some really teeny weeny badges. The Christmas ones I've got in my shops already...

I'm selling them in packs so they can be split up for stocking fillers and little gifts and so far have gone down really well! I also started making little floral and pretty patterned ones too, but not got around to photographing them yet, hopefully will do soon though :) Anyway so that was quite exciting last week - I do love the thrill of designing and making a new product, and these are just so cute, I totally love making them!!

Have also been on a pudding mission this week, making up more pudding badge cards and pudding magnets for my Not on the High Street and Etsy shops...

Thank you to all you lovely bloggers who have ordered things from me in the last few weeks by the way, I really truly appreciate it! I actually need to start my Christmas shopping soon - Christmas is creeping up so quickly this year as the weeks whizz by. I did have a little trip to Bath on Friday to meet up with a friend for a few hours but all I came back with were some little decorative bits for me! Not really the spirit of Christmas shopping but still... I did get some lovely things actually - especially from M&S, they have some gorgeous red and white decorations in, but I will save them for another post.

Anyway this week I've also been working on a spring magazine commission. It won't be published for months yet though the Christmas projects I did for Crafts Beautiful way back in the summer are finally in the current issues! First up from the November issue is a Christmas card project I designed which is great for using up all your little bits of ribbons...

I really enjoyed doing this one, and it actually turned out better than I had imagined. I love the photography shoot for this project, I think the styling shows them off really well.

The December issue is actually out now too and I have three different projects in this one!! One of them is for these little hanging decorations including a snowman, star, tree, stocking and gingerbread house. Do you like them? The gingerbread house was definitely my fave to make! It will be coming out to decorate my own tree in a couple weeks, can't wait!

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

  

I think I'll save the other two projects from this issue for my next post too, so that's nearly it from me today! Oh just before I go actually, wanted to show you a bit of festive embroidery I did at the weekend... 

If you couldn't tell, it's a little pair of festive mittens! (Karl's first words when he saw it were 'Why've you done a pair of boxing gloves?' Cheeky thing! Trouble is,  am not entirely sure he was joking!) It was really simple to make, just a little felt and embroidery thread, framed in a little hoop. Don't look too closely at my stitching though, I was watching a film at the time and somehow the snowflakes ended up being kind of wonky... oh well, it's only for me so doesn't matter too much I guess!

Anyway, I hope you are having a good week whatever you have been doing... thanks for your lovely comments and for stopping by as always, and I will be back soon with some more festive makes! Jenny xxx

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...

Christmas pud buttons

Holly buttons 

Christmas tree 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