week off: day three, break time

I am having a 20minute sewing break and was reading through some blogs when I came across this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5_fzOI16qw on a blog I always read, http://mylittlemochi.typepad.com/
You need to watch this !

week off: day two

A very busy craft day here. Some email sending and then light hand sewing to start the morning off and then it was time to crank up a gear. The overlocker was dusted off, the ironing board put up and the sewing machine set up on my temporary desk. A fully fledged sewing studio, and it makes a difference, Look at the pile of 'secret new things' I got finished....imagine what I could do if I had a real room to turn into a studio, instead of a lounge in disguise!!

Sometimes my dream of doing this for real seems like it could work !!

PS to all you readers who asked about my labels, they came from a local school uniform shop. www.jjcash.co.uk may be able to help you, or go and visit your own local small shops...you never know what you are going to find !!

week off: day one

My week off work started very strangely with an hour at work !
Unfortunately my assistant manager has been ill and I hadn't seen him for a few days so I needed to go into the shop to 'handover' to him. It took longer than it should, but it's done and I am officially on Holiday!!
It's a holiday from one job to give me more time for my other job: craft!

My lounge is now my craft studio:

Big J came home for lunch and this is his chair, oops ! Doesn't it look nice though?? Piles and piles of felt, waiting to be chopped and sewn.

I have been gearing up for this week for a while now and have great things planned for Thursday (the day I launch all my new goodies) and I have a lot of half done wip's waiting for me to finish them off.
I have set up a temporary table and stool in the middle of the lounge and this afternoon it looked like a factory....everything ready to be picked and packed !!

I'm trying to save everything as a surprise for Thursday but I'm bursting with excitement about these: paper-and-string, make-your-own flower brooch kits.


Enough of that, This is a box I covered with goodies from my stash. I did it in a hurry because I have just received a package of buttons I ordered (a closing down sale bargain, sorry!) and I needed somewhere to put them. This took about an hour and a half (that time includes ooohhh ing and aaahhhing over the buttons!!)

And the inside shot:

There are about 300 buttons in each section, i know it doesn't look like it. How lucky am I ???

And this big cupcake is my new pincushion. You know when you have a huge list of things to do and a very near self-imposed deadline?? what do you do?? well, obviously you need to take a couple of precious hours and use them un-wisely and make yourself a new giant cupcake pincushion!!
See you all tomorrow.......

I'm feeling clever !

I have just added a Reader's Gallery link in the sidebar. Not bad for a computer novice!
Send me your photos via email if you want to be added!

organised chaos

Look at my list !! It is huge.....so much to do, so much fun to be had :-)



I made the pictures small so you can't really read them, they aren't private but I'm sure no one would want to read them, except me.......is it normal to enjoy lists this much???

Pages and pages of things for me to sew / think about. I really can't recommend list making enough. I find it clears my head for more thinking and more designs and ideas. If i don't have to try and remember everything I am free to day dream and imagine, as long as I write them down as I go that is !

Look what the postman bought me yesterday.... 144 labels with paper-and-string on them, now I can attack the list which starts: sew labels on.....

This next photo is supposed to be awful. It is an extreme close up of the March freebie, just to tease you, if you can work out what it is then you are very clever and deserve a prize. Come back Thursday 1st March to see if you guessed correctly !

Now I would like to introduce you to someone. She is http://www.pictureitinstitches.co.uk/ and she makes gorgeous fabric applique pictures. Go and look at the link please.
This clever lady is exhibiting at craft fairs at Jimmy's Farm in May and August( http://www.essexpigcompany.com/ )

These are the photos she sent me of the pictures she has made using some of my goodies......

....I'm always amazed by the ideas crafty people have, sometimes I think 'wow, why didn't I think of that' or 'blimey, I never could do that' and so the idea of the 'reader's gallery' was sown.

Bear with me while I sort out the computery side of it and then I would love to see how you use my creations in your creations.....I will shamelessly plug you and your wares so don't be shy, get your pictures ready and wait for the launch

Now go and write a list and see how much better you feel :-)

xxx

Where did Sunday go ?

Good Monday Morning !
Wowee where did yesterday go? I had such a great craft day, I went on the computer briefly but spent the majority of the day crafting.
I have discovered that I should embrace my love of lists. Saturday evening I wrote a list of all the things I wanted to achieve and Sunday I started it. No faffing, no wondering what to do, it was great, I got so much done!!
At work on Saturday I organised the new rota, which runs until 19th March and I decided to book a week off. Big J will still be going to work so I will have 8 days in a row to really craft craft craft!! I have booked next week so expect daily posts and pics of things I have done everyday!
(I need to add that to my list!) It also means I have a time target which I never normally do. If I am making new things I just make until they are done but I have given myself a target to introduce all my new items at once, it's exciting seeing my pile of new items grow and grow, and to not have to go on the computer to list them !
Yesterday I cut out the items for the March freebie....I think you will like this one but I will post more details next week.
I have had an enquiry from a fellow crafter to make a bulk order so I spent time yesterday pricing up and working out discounts etc. I will link you over to her either tonight or tomorrow because she makes some nice things using my little toppers!
It is so nice to see what people use my designs for...I may add a reader's gallery to my blog...now where is my list........

Today is a day

Obviously today is a day but what I mean is: that's it. It's neither a good day or a bad day. Just a day. It's my day off the day job and I had all sorts of wonderful things planned for today but nothing seems to have happened.

I went to the post office and posted some goodies to people and I ordered some cloth labels for the bigger things I plan to make...all good progress. Unfortunately the lady in the shop seemed to speak another language to me and thought I was weird....surely when you are ordering embroidered labels the font, the size, the colour of the stitching is all important? well lets just say that I thought so but the lady 'helping' me didn't !!

Then I came home, got the sewing machine out, set it up and nothing.....I lost my urge to sew !!!
I spent this afternoon playing around with some new ideas and colour combinations but didn't feel too inspired.
I am going to stop crafting and sit and doodle.

I have loads of things to photograph and share with you but that will have to wait until Sunday as the sunlight is going.

So for now I'm afraid the only pictures I can share are of things from my ideas folder. Whenever I am browsing the internet I save pictures I come across in a folder, named 'ideas folder' (original,huh?) and I just look at them all every so often. Some things I know I will make one day and others are for the colours or just because I like it.

I hope the owners of these pictures don't mind me using them. They are all from ebay, I searched Japanese Books in Craft and found these ideas! enjoy, get inspired and keep smiling :-)

oh deary deary me

Happy Valentines Day !!
May you all have a happy love filled day, whether it be with a special loved one or something that makes you happy.
Big J is still poorly. Our nasty flu/cold cleared up fine for me but Big J's turned into a chest infection. He has finished a course of strong antibiotics and it still didn't go and now he has more tablets and today had to have a chest x-ray! My poppet is poorly.
So our special day is: keeping warm, timing tablet taking and tapas for dinner!
Every year we go to a tapas restaurant for Valentine's so today Tapas comes here, Garlic Chicken, Chorizo Sausage, Spicy potatoes, Garlic Bread, Heaps of Salad and for pud? good old English Chocolate Steam Pudding with chocolate sauce.....yummmmm
I'm not sure master chef would think it's a good combination but oh well!
Take care and enjoy your day xxx

ribbon ribbon ribbon ribbon ribbon ribbon

I have discovered a new (to me) craft shop online. I found it via ebay a while ago and have kept going back and looking and wish-list shopping and finally I realised I was running out of ribbon and I needed to buy some more. I always like to get a bargain if there is one to be had and so I spent £25 (well, a tiny bit over) to receive free postage.
I placed the order online about 9.30 am on Thursday and at 8.30am Friday (the next day) the post man was knocking on my door, with my parcel of ribbon. How amazing is that????

Gorgeous products, excellent prices AND the best service ever, where is this shop? what is it called???? Perhaps I should keep it a secret......

....or perhaps you will click on www.sarahscardsltd.co.uk and not read anymore of this blog !

Good bye for now......happy shopping xxx

A blog hotpot

As is customary for my weekly day off I have updated the shop with lots and lots of goodies. The picture below is the tip of the iceberg.......my flu has gone and I'm working full steam again! I was reading the paper and saw an advert for a sofa....I normally hate these mass produced sofas and really love slightly old slightly tired but cherished pieces of furniture BUT now I want a brand new sofa. No one would be allowed to sit on it mind you, or cut out fabric whilst sitting on it or use the arm as a pin cushion, anything really, but look at it it's gorgeous.
If you want one too it's from Sofa Workshop and it's called Miss Sew n sew. Check out www.sofaworkshop.com to see better photos


February Freebies went very well and I would recommend it to all crafters out there. It was so much fun I am really looking forward to the next one!! My friend Nia is so lovely, she sent me this:

...so that I would receive a February freebie too !! How lovely is that? My thoughtful friend :-)

and with my heart came this card which I had to share because it is so cute. It's business card size and it is now at home propped up in my pincushion :-)

I've had a pottering day really that seems to be going past very quickly. I have replied to all emails and comments (i hope) if i missed you please forgive me! I've sorted out the shop, been to the post office, made some things, oh, and I've been shopping!!

All sorts of goodies are hopefully on their way here, I've ordered ribbon, buttons, paper, lots of felt, fabric, ric rac and some knitted fabric too. I will of course share pictures with you when it all gets here !!

There is a new range a foot, of larger soft toys, made with fabric and a bit of felt (I cant not use felt!) but I still need a bit more time to finalise the patterns and make the first ones.......

Fantastic February

A quick note to say the freebies are gone. Thank you to everyone for their wonderfully kind words of praise and thanks! I am behind on replying to comments but will definately catch up tomorrow!! Hooray it's my day off tomorrow!!

AND did you see the new button in my side bar ? I have been accepted onto delightful blogs !!
It's official: paper-and-string is delightful !!! yippee!

take a peek at the site, there are some good blogs to be found.....allow yourself some time though, I went browsing and quick as a flash two hours had gone!! don't you just love the time-warp factor that computers have??

freebies update

well that was quick !
All 6 of the freebies via the blog are now gone.
There are two ebay freebies left.

Everyone should have received an email asking for their address and they shall leave here Monday morning and be with you all very soon.

Sorry if you missed out, check back to see details of the next freebie extravaganza !!

february, flu and freebies.

Happy first of the month.
The flu is still with me and progress on sewing is slow!

BUT now for the good news.......
I have decided to introduce a monthly giveaway. The first Thursday of every month will be paper-and-string free stuff day. Some months will be first come first served, who ever comments first will receive the goodies, some months will be for everyone who comments and some will be a lucky dip draw!

February giveaway is for 6 lucky blog readers. The first six to comment AND INCLUDE THEIR EMAIL ADDRESS, will receive a confirmation email as a winner and a request for their postal address. Simple. Goodies will be won then posted then enjoyed!

Because February is the first one of the give away madness extravaganzas the first 6 people who purchase something from the paper-and-string shop, during February, will also receive a free gift!

So what is up for grabs ? well, February is Valentine's month so it had to be a heart ! along with some grosgrain ribbon. Use your hearts on a loves ones card or hang on a door knob, over the bed, on a plant or make it into a keyring.

everything is packaged and ready to be posted so what are you waiting for ?

Comment and truly get something for nothing !