a lovely way to spend the day x2

I've been surrounded by ribbons today...picking and choosing and cutting and packing them...

...into my Dots & Stripes gift boxes

Yesterday I spent the day shopping with my sister and niece ... so I've had 2 lovely days in a row!
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new workshop update...landlord's solicitor is being slow, so the best outlook is another 2-3 weeks! we've stopped the painting and cleaning until the move-in date gets nearer!

pretty pastels

Today I finished my a wholesale order for embellishments

Lots of pretty pastel coloured flowers, cupcakes & tortoises

They will be used as embellishments on Baby Cards

A new addition to a lovely website and I hope will sell well!

unofficial keys

I've got the keys to my new workshop!
I haven't yet signed the lease because the solicitors are S.L.O.W.
but because I know the landlord (from the old day job) he's let me go in early so we can clean and paint!
The plan is that it will be ready to move into the minute the lease is signed
At the moment it's half filthy.... I cleaned for 3 hours today, and will do another 3 tomorrow on the other half, and then John is being let loose with the paintbrush!
Hooray!

Loyalty Card Update

All my customers will know that when you shop with me you get yourself a paper-and-string loyalty card (for those of you who didn't know that you can read all about it here)

and today I decided to make up some Free Craft Kits ready to send, and they have a decidedly Valentine's Day theme

So anyone who earns a kit between now and February 14th will receive a Valentines Themed Kit

LOVE-ly (get it??)

I am a box maker

I love making these...no two are ever the same and whilst that means a lot of bobbin changing during construction it also means a lot of satisfaction when they are finished!

candy colours

On my sewing tray this week is a special order for a customer who has designed a new range of baby cards.

Lots of lovely muted, traditional baby colours...just looking at them makes me think of spring!

website update

my website is now looking nice and full of hand made goodies

including these cute heart magnets ... I imagine them holding a little love note on the fridge as a nice surprise for the other half...but I am a little soppy like that!

snap snap snap

I've been taking photos of all the goodies I've made that will soon be added to the shop....I think they will be added tomorrow, but I'll be sure to let you know when they are!

this week was very unusual...

...because I spent an awful lot of it sewing!

In an ordinary week my time is split pretty evenly into 3 areas...

1. preparing orders (picking felt, making kits, counting buttons, going to the post office)

2. computer time/planning (time spent maintaining my online shops, answering emails, ordering stock, preparing and planning for the next few weeks)

3. sewing (for stock, for orders, for wholesale, for samples)

How about you...do you get to sew as much as you'd like?

in & out

Big Brown Box is full of tortoises and is on it's way to their new owner.

Temptingly see-through packets were full of felt, but now it is all put away.

Phew! another busy day!

a Wednesday Saga

NotOnTheHighStreet have asked me to send some samples so they can photograph them for an up-coming catalogue (which is super exciting!) so this morning I was in the workshop nice and early to start machining this little lot ::

14 Alphabet boxes ... all to be delivered tomorrow for the photo shoot on Friday...

all was going well...

....7 were done when.... BANG! CLUNK! 'nooooooooooooo!'

my much-mended-often -breaking machine got stuck. I had to take the needle out to remove the sewing .... I phoned John (who is the fixer of often-breaking machine) and he has declared it dead. He can fix it no more.

what to do???

well I bit the bullet.... and went to my local sewing machine shop (literally 1 minute away from my house!)

And this little beauty is my new stitching machine!

(isn't it nice how the machine matches my pincushion!!)

I quickly had a little test sew, then cracked on and finished my 7 other boxes!

I have to say that this machine is amazing....I went for a basic model because all I do is sew straight stitch, forwards & backwards...no fancy stitches needed here!

and the boxes?

all done and posted...here they are ::

there are a few gadgets on the new machine that I already don't know how I've ever sewn without them....I'll take some photos and show you another day!

a quick snap

in my Not On The High Street shop I offer an express service and these 3 boxes were ordered on Monday at 3pm...and they have been made and posted by 5pm today (Tuesday!)

They were sent Special Delivery so the customer should have them sometime tomorrow.....hence the rush and me nearly forgetting to take a photo!!

why do things in piles look so cute?

Ta-Dah!

Tortoises all in piles!

I ran out of zig zag fabric (oops! but more is on the way!) and have just one more tortoise to make and then all 10 will be off to their new home.

tortoise recipe

take one bag of stuffed tortoise limbs, heads & tails

mix in some tortoise bases

decorate with tortoise shell

next, the painful looking bit...wiggle the tortoises through...

and add to the pile of 'waiting to be stuffed!'

deceiving appearances

It looks all orderly & neat, right?

and I could have *pretended* all was tidy & neat but......

...alas! it's not true...it wouldn't be so bad except in the back of my mind I keep thinking that one day (when? mr solicitor, please hurry up!) soon-ish I will have to pack all this up and move it....

making & made

a tray full of half-way-through items

and two made-to-order boxes, all finished and delivered :-)

winners announced

Mr number generator has down his business and the winners are ::
1. comment # 291 cik ct payung
yeha!!!! freebies again. if I'm the chosen one, i want a pack ribbons plezzz.... thanks. happy new year!
2. comment # 6 Cole's Corner
ooooohhhhhh! I would love to win! I like the rainbow and the owl felt kit..... it would be so hard to choose.
3. comment # 125 Ida13
I'd like the ribbon-set. Thanks for the chance!
4. comment # 189 sam my bear
you're such a sweetheart!! i would so love to win the mini felt rainbow.
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well done winners ... I will contact you all shortly to ask for your addresses
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it's good to see so many people joining in the freebie ... 326 this month!!
the next one will be the first Thursday of February, see you there!

an early finish

the freebie post is still open...you can find it here

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I've given myself an early finish today...I've already been to the Post Office and have organised a pile of cutting out for this evening...and now I'm off to have a haircut!

change of plans

the freebie is still open...you can find it here

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today there was so much lovely light that I changed my to-do list and took photos instead...and voila! lots of handmade goodness is now on the website....

...with more to come!

dispatched

the freebie is still open...you can find it by clicking here!

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whilst the freebie has been at the top of the blog I have been busy sewing & finished off a wholesale order (the first half can be seen here)

lots of flowers ...flower embellishments, flower brooch making kits & flower drawing pins.

***update on my new workshop***

I received a letter from the solicitor today...inside there's a contract for me to sign & a request for cheque #1, plus I have to go & see them and take proof of who I am so they can continue doing the paperwork wizardry! So far, so good!

january 2011 :: freebie day

what would be the best thing to have for a freebie prize in a brand new year???

how about some new supplies to get you crafting ???

well that's just what I shall do!!

There will be 4 winners this month, each drawn at random using the ever-so-handy random number machine

and each winner can choose their prize!

here are the rules ::

1. to enter leave a comment on this blog post

2. your comment must have some way for me to contact you

3. your comment MUST tell me which one prize you would like

4. I will post worldwide so everyone is very welcome to enter

prizes to pick from are ::

1. mini felt rainbow

2. a kit of your choice

3. ribbon pack (10m of ribbon)

4. iron on flowers pack (3 large & 3 small)

(to help you choose I've added links to the relevant website pages above)
Good Luck and here's to a very crafty 2011!

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added Tuesday 11th January 4.22pm ::

freebie is now closed at comment number 326...any further comments will not be counted...winners will be announced shortly (in a new post)