new hoops for you

My hoop range has expanded....

Bamboo hoops now come in four sizes...3", 4", 5" and 6"

 Flexi Frames (these are plastic and the inner hoop pops out of the outer hoop without the need for a fancy fastening gadget) are already available in wood effect and now in shades of pink/red :-)

All hoops can be found on the website HERE

To Russia With Love*

It's not being delivered by James Bond but this lovely pile of mini rolls is on it's way to a customer in Russia :-)

* inspired by James Bond:

and the pic of Roger Moore?? well, he's my favourite James Bond :-)

Sew Love Hearts

 

It's peak season for our Heart Kit and we've been busy making up an order for John Lewis ... yesterday I made lots and lots of the embellishment bags...which means it's a perfect opportunity for a photo collage of all the ingredients...I can never pass up an opportunity for a photo collage :-)

our Heart Kits are on the John Lewis website HERE
and on our website HERE

and the winner is....

The Winner has been picked and is a FB message ::

Elaine Siggers: I have a beautiful daughter, heading back to uni today, who would be delighted to have this lovely pile of wonderfulness!
Like · Reply · Yesterday at 9:45am

CONGRATULATIONS! please message me with your address so I can post you your Pink & Grey bundle of loveliness  :-)

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I shan't be doing a joint Facebook & Blog freebie again - putting you all into a spreadsheet was a NIGHTMARE! (100 blog comments & 609 FB ones = a great big fun filled giveaway & a big spreadsheet headache, but we got there in the end!)

EXCITING news

We're going to open a paper-and-string

We signed on the dotted line today, after an on-site meeting with the guys who are opening a new shoping venue, right in West Bay where we live!
It's called The Customs House and will have lots of different business all under one roof .... it's the perfect way for us to have a Pop Up Shop because they provide staff to man the tills and keep everything running smoothly...I just need to pop in everyday to tidy round and fill up stocks, but it seems a pretty cool place to spend some time so I think I'll be in there when I can be - especially if I know people are coming and I can go and say hi!
It's not going to open for a  little while...there's lots of building work and things for them to finish first - although they've done a lot already and it looks brilliant to me!  I'll keep you posted (of course!) but it's looking like it will be the beginning of April :-)
This is their FB page The Customs House FB
and their website too The Customs House Website

H A R D W A R E

all sorts of useful stuff has been restocked recently::

 the scissors of Scallop are back:  3mm,  5mm and 7mm scallops are £15 a pair and can be found here

 ever popular pom pom making gadgets (round ones and heart shaped ones too) start at £5 and are here

 Ribbon Racks are back and can be found here

 Air Erasing Pens are all in stock too but I forgot to photograph them....but you can see them here if you need a magic disappearing pen :-)

 and NEW tool of the day is a pair of Polka Dot Scissors - I needed some general purpose scissors for my packing area and had a quick browse online at all the boring coloured scissors out there, and decided I needed these Polka Dot Ones instead.  FAB....of course I got a whole box full, so if you need some too they are very bargainsome (£4.50 a pair) and you can see them here

feeling a little bit blah?

It's the middle of January.  
It's cold & it's dreary. It's all a little bit BLAH.

Which means it's the perfect time for a cheer-us-up freebie!

A big pile of pretties is up for grabs...in pretty shades of pink and grey...there's wool felt, printed felt, glitter material, fabric FQ's, dyed buttons, bubble buttons, polka dot buttons, pom pom trim, tiny ric rac & lots of pretty ribbons

How to Enter: (EDITED 25th Jan 2015 :: freebie is now closed & the winner has been announced)
Leave a comment on this very blog post - and/or on my facebook page 
one comment per person per post (one here, one on facebook = two comments per person in total)
I'll draw a winner late on Sunday (Jan 25th) and announce the lucky winner here & on my facebook page (so come back to see if you have won)
I'll post worldwide so everyone everywhere is welcome to enter :-)
PS don't forget to put your name in the comment if you're not signed in :-)

stocking up

 I've been ordering stock like a mad-shopper!  So many items have run low post-Christmas so I have been very busy filling them all back up again and that means some NEW has slipped into my shopping baskets!  Today I get to show you the new ribbons :-)

new LOVE ribbon click HERE
new EASTER ribbon click HERE
new POLKA DOT ribbon click HERE
new CHEVRON & STRIPE ribbon click HERE

the drawers are full

 The furniture re-arranging is still a work in progress but it's getting there!  All the units are in place ... not a small task because John needed to make frames and plinths for them all to stand on.

 The ginormous 4m long counter (which luckily came in 2 pieces) is no longer a shop counter but more of an island...we've plonked a piece of white board on top so I can use it but we need to get a worktop custom made because of the size.

 The button shelves are great - I still need to fill most of these drawers but this is my last big organising job :-)

 The old Tapestry Wool drawers I bought a year ago match the new drawers very nicely :-)

 This unit came with glass shelves but we have packed them away safely in the cupboard and John made me lots of wooden shelves  with an ''anti-ribbon-roll-rolling-off-device'' on the front of each one....and I have accidentally left some spaces for NEW ribbons ;-)

 I love my ribbon shelves :-)

 The ribbon shelves are in the middle of the room...attached to the great big metal framework of the barn so it can't fall over...and behind them is my fabric shelf unit....

it's rather marvellous that the carpenters who built these units in the 1950's made these shelves the perfect size for bolts of fabric :-) 
There's more to show you but it's not quite ready yet.....bear with me please :-)

Pre-Christmas Catch Up

Since sending out our last parcels we have had a busy few days:
Lots of present shopping has been done
The Christmas Tree and decorations have been put up
The house got cleaned 
The BIG food shop has been squished into the fridge & cupboards
We spent yesterday with my Mum & Dad, which was FANTASTIC :-)
AND the barn's makeover is getting there, slowly!
Ready for some photos?

 My new fabric shelves

 A rainbow of ribbon spools

 A rainbow of felt balls

 And a rainbow of Bubble Buttons.
I am in drawer filling  heaven (although it is taking me FOREVER!!)

CHRISTMAS

Phew-ee!  John and I were packing parcels till the last minute today - but they all got finished and are in the sacks waiting for the postman to collect (he'll be here in 10 minutes)
We're not sending parcels out again until January but we will still be here for the next few days, working on all the other jobs...I have drawers to fill (yay!)  and accounts to do (12 weeks worth - boo!)  and all sorts of other jobs that have been put off during the busy season...I really do need to write myself a list!

Christmas Countdown :: 1

Order before 9am Friday 19th December 2014 to make sure your order is posted before we close.
The website will remain open throughout the holiday and orders placed whilst we are shut will be posted upon our return Monday 5th January 2015.
yay! it's nearly Christmas!

Sparkle Time

Glitter Material is here
Glitter Ribbons are here
Sequins are here
Glitter is here
Metallic Twine is here
Sparkle Bows are here
Glitter 'Bulb' buttons are here

Christmas Countdown

Festive (and not so festive!) crafty bits and bobs can be found by clicking here

Christmas Countdown

3mm, 5mm & 7mm Scallop Scissors :: £15 a pair :: on the website here

d.r.a.w.e.r.s.

We were going to leave the new (to us) furniture in a pile until the New Year - but John and I both wanted to do the Big Furniture Swap over Right Now. ....so this weekend we began.....

 We moved everything....space got cleared....

 ...spaces were filled....

 ...even the post sack cage became a temporary fabric moving device :-)

 John did a lot of expert carpentry ... building plinths for it all to sit on, and making fine adjustments because this old barn does not have a flat floor ;-)

 All of our new drawers and cabinets were built bespoke for a Chemist's shop in Germany....every drawer is numbered and has a corresponding numbered compartment to hold it. 

 There are lots (and lots) of drawers and cupboards and some massive shelf units....one of which is now home to Buttons .... I have yet to put anything in the drawers which is why it's like this!

 We're not finished (far from it!) but all the heavy lifting and furniture shifting is done .... and all the stock is near where it will end up!  All the drawers have adjustable compartments so I figure it will take me quite some time to get it all *just so*  :-)

And look!  These button drawers were purchased before we moved to the barn -  don't they match the Chemist's drawers perfectly?