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

christmas and crochet

Hello! Thought would pop by quickly just before I have lunch -  though I've been up since the absolute crack of dawn this morning (way before dawn actually) for an appointment so I'm really feeling this should be early evening by now and not just lunchtime! Anyhow, here are my projects for this month's Crafts Beautiful. They're in the October issue, but I'm a bit late in posting about them - I actually picked up the Xmas special issue today (yes it is only mid september I know!)

I've been designing Christmas projects since way back in May... and this week I've been finishing a couple more Christmassy ones... that's the last of them though then I can start concentrating on my own Christmas products (haven't given them a thought really yet... eeek, quite a lot to do!)

Apart from working on the couple of commissions, I've also been sewing mirrors this week... lots of them - My sewing mojo's back, hurray!! I've been making lots of different versions of my butterfly, flower and cupcake mirrors but haven't got round to taking any pictures yet so they will have to wait for another day. 

I have also been working away in the evenings on my granny blanket though.... and excitement... it's nearly finished!!

I had a lovely weekend actually... Karl had a day planned with friends on Saturday, so I spent most of it working on my blanket, starting with a square or two after breakfast in bed... oh the luxury!  

I still do have a way to go before any ta-dahs... am at the sewing the squares together stage and I have to be honest, I'm really not feeling this bit - I loved doing each individual square but the joining together is feeling tediuos and never-ending! I then need to crochet the border (looking forward to that bit though) so it will be a while yet but hopefully I will have it done quite soon :)

Anyway, have a great week, hope to be back soon with a blanket update xxx

Here comes the sun...

The new issue of Crafts Beautiful is out now (September 2011) and just before I jet off on my hols I thought I'd quickly pop in to show you my projects for them this month.

I've actually got two different projects in this issue, a card project with an outdoorsy Summer theme, and a notebook, keyring, and bookmark set created using bright patchwork type fabrics... Really enjoyed doing both of these, especially as they are quite different to each other. Am loving the fabrics I used for the project below at the moment - really want to make myself a patchwork cushion from them at some point - another project to add to my  long list then! I just think they are so pretty...

Sorry it's only a brief visit today, but thanks for all the kind comments on my last couple of posts - glad you like my new workspace as much as I do! Still have a big smile on my face every time I go in there!

 

Anyway, I will be away from blogland again for the next few weeks but here's wishing you all a fabulous rest of the Summer - will be back soon - hopefully nice and refreshed and with a little bit of a tan if I'm lucky (though I'm so super pale usually it's quite normal for me to get 'Oh I thought you were going away?? Or was the weather just awful?' when I come back. 'No no, this is me with a tan!')

 

Have just been to Asda - I'm a classy lady - to stock up on a few more cheapy beach clothes so now am all set. So much looking forward to having some time in the sunshine and not having the pressure to do anything in particular, though sadly, my crochet will not be coming with us - tried my best to squeeze all 15 balls of wool in the suitcase, but I have had to accept that I just cannot fit it in! Taking half of it just will not do, I want it all or nothing... So as a compromise, am taking my tapestry to finish instead!

 

Have a lovely few weeks, back soon x

 

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside...

Quick quick, Blogger is working again... fingers crossed this will post this time, have been trying all day! Anyway is just a flying visit to show you my project this month for Crafts Beautiful magazine (August issue 230) which is out now...

The brief was for a set of summery kids-themed cards with a beach/seaside vibe. 

I really enjoyed doing this project as it's a little different to what I usually do (it's got no sewing in it at all!) Plus I got to delve into my box of sequins and jewels which is always fun, and I discovered the delights of glitter card - oh yes I am easily pleased!

Anyway, hope you're having a great week, will be back soon with a granny square update! xxx

Crafts Beautiful

I'm so very excited to finally be able to share one of the projects I've been working on recently! For the last few months, I've been doing some freelance design work for Crafts Beautiful magazine, and my first project for them is now in print!

The project is for a length of appliquéd cupcake bunting, matching birthday card and place setting and is in the June issue which is out now. It's so exciting to see it in print and I love how they have styled the shots, they've made it look so pretty!

It's seemed like quite a long wait for it to come out - I did the project back at the beginning of Feburary, but that's just the way most magazines seem to work - so far in advance that it's sometimes easy to lose track of what season you are supposed to be designing for. The weirdest thing I always find is doing Christmasy designs in the middle of Summer, there's just something not quite right with that!

I also kept it pretty quiet and only told a handful of people just in case they didn't use it, so it is nice to be able to share it now!

I've also been commissioned to do quite a few more projects in the coming months so fingers crossed I will be in some of the future issues too! It's a really exciting offshoot to my own textiles work, and something which I am really enjoying, so  looking forward to what the next few months will bring...

Anyway talking of work, I really best go get on with some - yesterday I had an impromtu trip to the seaside with a friend - was so lovely to catch up, but what with the bank holiday weekend too, I don't feel like I've done a right lot of work in the last few days and it's starting to build up! 

Oh but one last thing before I go... don't forget my giveaway (for co-incidentally a selection of lovely cupcake goodies) is still running... it ends this Sunday so make sure you enter here to be in with a chance of winning! 

Have a lovely rest of your week, back soon! xx