A slightly Better Picture!!

Pink Teddy
Originally uploaded by dreamstar1904

I just uploaded this to flickr and i think it looks slightly better to my previous photo!

Practice Makes Perfect

I woke up quite inspired today. It was my day off, the sun was shining and my intention was to spring clean from top to bottom. This feeling only lasted an hour when the lure of the new sewing machine was far too strong to resist!!
I spent quite a while programming different stitch patterns, then giving them a run through to see which combinations work best. I don't usually delve that deep into new equipment but I am slowly working my way through the instruction manual so that i use my machine to it's full potential.
But there's only so much learning that one person can do in a day so eventually i turned my attention back to a teddy pattern that i had cut out about a month ago and finally put it together.
And below is the finished product. I was quite pleased with how it turned out and think i may make a couple more in different colours and am contemplating maybe filling them with a fragrance?
Please excuse the photo, i really must master the art of a good picture of the end product!!
Below are 2 photos of my various stitch patterns i attempted to master. My favourite combination is at the bottom of the 1st photo. The 2 stitches work well together.
I still need to practice the letters more and also learn the technique of applique.

I am used to guiding the material through the machine by hand but with this machine there is an automatic feed system so i struggled manoeuvring around the heart when trying to do applique.

Hopefully practice will make perfect

Birthday Pressies

Just a quickie tonight to say what a lovely birthday i had and LOOK what i got! My boyfriend bought me a sewing machine and what a lovely suprise. The past year i have used a tiny cheap machine to produce all my wares and have been looking round for a few months trying to decide what to replace it with. This model is a Janome 4100. There are 99 stitch combinations and it includes letters as well so i will be able to personalise items now. It also has a memory so i can do a row of 4 different stitches just by programming them in. I'm soo in heaven, it's gorgeous. Time now to get back on to some new designs maybe.
As well as the machine i got some other lovely bits and pieces.
Below is a photo of a pot lady and wheelbarrow that my best friend bought me. We came across these lovely garden ornaments at the Milton Keynes craft fair a few weeks ago. Just flowers to buy now!


And lastly my birthday cakes. A lady i work with made these. She has developed quite a talent hasn't she?

A Busy Weekend

It's my birthday tomorrow but the celebrations have already begun!!
Friday, the boys and i took a trip to Hungerford to have lunch with my mum as a birthday treat. It was a gorgeous sunny day by the canal and just how people should spend their day off from work.
Saturday was a disaster at work when i was left alone in the kitchen due to the main cook having a days holiday and my Saturday girl being sick in the loos!! And boy was we busy! Fortunately the stewardess saved the day and came down to help make the salads and snacks.
A very speedy clean up today after service and my man and I jumped on a train bound for London's West End to watch the popular musical Sister Act at The Palladium.
Wasn't sure about it when it first started but after about 20 minutes it really picked up and ended up being absolutely brill.
I did laugh when i saw 2 nuns in the audience. Yes REAL nuns!! Didn't see them smile much though!
After a walk around a very lively Covent Garden and Leicester Square we came home to reality.

After a few hours sleep it was time to set off for today's craft fair. Quite exciting today as we were using our new grid wall display for the first time.
The day didn't start off too well when we got caught up in a queueing system for unloading our vehicles. Having lost time we didn't really get a chance to mess about with the grid wall and change things around til it looked right.
Having finally set up (in a fashion) we sat down waiting for the punters to arrive. But it was like a ghost town and remained that way all day. By 2pm the first stall started to pack away followed by several more. By 3pm i think the place was a third empty.
So we took that as our cue to get going as well. After all we had had only 1 sale of a dolls house duvet cover for £1! Never not covered our stall money before, it's a weird feeling.
I did manage to relieve the nice cake lady of 8 cakes at a bargain price of 50p each to take to work tomorrow!!
Plus treated myself to a facial mask from Just Soaps.
Below is a photo of today's stall.


Scrumptious beef chow mein for tea and i'm now looking longingly at the 3 presents sitting behind the sofa!
Not long now!!!

Loving April

I LOVE APRIL!!
It's my favourite month of the year.
The nights are light, the grass gets its first cut, the washing sees the line rather than the tumble drier, and i always become a year older!
With my birthday in mind i thought i would have a peep over at folksy to see what i could find to dream about.
Now I've never thought of wearing a brooch before though they seem to becoming a rather fashionable accessory and when i saw the vibrant colours of this butterfly brooch by Polka I knew i had to favourite it. Pinned onto your mac or cardi will give you a fresh look for Spring.
My 2nd item is from Pantsandpaper who sell one of a kind purses, brooches and other gorgeous gifts, most featuring vintage imagery. If only this purse had space for credit cards!

Now i'm not normally a jewellery girl but i do have a passsion for bracelets and this, by Lilac Moon Designs

caught my eye in the week and i absolutely adore it. I think it's the colours in the beads that attracted me to it initially.

Finally can i say if i wore glasses i would definately be buying this case. Once again from pantsandpaper another unique design.

All the above items can be found to purchase on folksy. Talking of folksy can i just mention we had two sales this week- Yippee!! What a lovely suprise that was.

Sunday sees our next craft event and really looking forward to that. We have ordered new grid walls to attach to the table so as to hang our wreaths and our new name hearts (see below). Heres hoping they arrive in time. The fair is in Northampton so if you are in the area pop in!!

Our new personalised hearts.

LOVING APRIL!

Easter Sunday, Sywell Fair, & Secret Easter Bunny

I had to work most of the bank holiday Easter weekend so i was determined to make the most of my only day off on Sunday. So i took myself, my OH and even the boys to Penine Fairs 1st event of the year at Sywell, Hanger One, Northampton. We have booked with "the Anns" , who organise the fairs for June and November but unfortunately couldn't do this one. I wasn't disappointed in my day out at all. The stalls were all of such a high standard with it being a totally handmade event and all personally vetted beforehand.

Having now become quite an active member of the craft forum it was a pleasure for me to meet and chat with so many members that were exhibiting at this event.

Many thanks to the 4 below who let me take their photo for "the blog!"



This is Sonia from Dainty Pastimes who i met earlier in the year at a craft fair in Northampton. She sells the most gorgeous and unique peg dolls which you can buy from her Etsy and Folksy shop.

Someone who i have now met on several occasions is Claire from Ladyluck Jewellery. Today her stall consisted of totally handmade polymer clay jewellery. It was Claire who taught me all about using a pasta machine for polymer clay!!! You can buy or contact her from here.

Charlotte Hupfield. Bless her, not long out of hospital and straight back to work. Once again selling her unique stoneware pieces. You can find out more about Charlottes work on her website by clicking here.

And finally every womans favourite stall, Just Soaps. All handmade soaps and body care. I could just stand there and enjoy the smells all day. More information about their produts and their soap making course can be found on their website here. As you can see Jane's husband loved having his photo taken!!

And can i just show you what i treated myself to. I love it. It's a ceramic burner made by Stephanie Beasley and sits lovely on a shelf in the corner of my lounge and filled the room with a beautiful smell of orange soy wax melt purchased on Folksy from SweetScentedSoy.

Also yesterday, as it was Easter, all forum members who participated in the secret easter bunny were, at last ,allowed to open their presents. I received this lovely quilled bird picture from Indri.

My son hadn't seen quilling before so he took quite an interest in the art.

And Elissa from NotJustHandbags opened the wreath i had made her and fortunately (phew!) loved it. So all that stalking paid off!
Can i just say it was a delight to make a present for her as i have always admired her stylish bags . You can find her through this link and also look at her blog here.

After the fair we walked around the country park, had a full roast dinner and settled for the evening with the dvd of Benjamin Button.

What a relaxing day it was!!

Cauliflower Cupcakes New Wreath

Havent been around much for a bit so having an evening catching up tonight. Have been reading all the blogs that i follow seeing what everyone is up to and came across this lovely wreath made from card i believe. You can read more about it here on cauliflower cupcakes blog. You will find some other lovely things she's made on there also so take a look.Am working most of the bank holiday weekend sadly (tho the money is nice) but am intending taking a trip to Sywell on Sunday to see Penine Fairs 1st craft fair of the year. We are booked with them in June and November but couldn't manage this one.
Am looking forward to catching up with all craft forum members nd will take photos and blog the event on sunday.
Our next event is April 18th . Will post details nearer the date.