A snow day!

 I think I work better with felt than with snow!

It's been snowing for 4 hours and it's getting pretty deep in the back garden

house warming

We got the keys to our new house on Friday!   There's been a lot of paperwork and meetings with the mortgage broker, bank and solicitor - all over Christmas...but now we've done it - hooray!
Mum & Dad came to visit on Saturday and bought us the most cheerful & colourful pot of primroses...they look ace on our new doorstep :-)

Feeling sad today

Today we heard on the news that Neil Diamond is retiring from touring because he has been diagnosed with Parkinsons Disease. 

Tomorrow is his 77th Birthday (click here for the article http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-42784305) 
John and I saw him in October.  It was the best birthday present I have ever had and I will never ever forget it...Neil Diamond was Amazing - on stage for 3+ hours and his voice and charisma filled the arena 10 times over.
I feel so happy we got to see him live, and I hope he knows how smashing he is :-)
https://www.facebook.com/neildiamond/

Perfect for Llamas

 I love this new fabric....it's called I Wove You :: Bubblegum Blanket

 Isn't it lovely?

A rainbow of banners

 Our handmade felt banners now come in lots of colours

 Every single banner is cut out by hand (with my rotary cutter)

 Has a machine stitched channel, with the thread ends (very) neatly sewn in

 The wooden dowel is fed through the channel

 ...and the hanging cord is hand knotted

 Each banner is made with a double layer of felt so you can decorate your banner and then hide the reverse side within your banner.

ALL our banners can be seen on our website here: https://www.paper-and-string.net/shop-61

A holiday day, in the barn

 We're still officially closed - but today I was back in the barn :-)

 (very smugly) I tidied up before we closed for Christmas so I got stuck straight into the fun stuff!

 I've spent the entire day cutting, folding and packing lots of bits for our freebie kits....

...and I've made a start on the freebie kits that will be sent out this week - not a bad 1st day back at work :-)

will it be the year of the blog?

Facebook freebie details

Over on our facebook page we have our best freebie so far! 
The prize is for £500 of Christmas Crafting supplies - everything you can see in the photo - and it is split between the winner and a friend of their choosing - head on over to facebook if you want to enter :-)
It's hard to see everything so I'm listing it all below:
PRIZE BOX #1
Cushion Kit - bunny
Printed felt rainbow stack
Cotton & stars ribbon - red & white
Cut out silver star ribbon
American Crafts ribbon spool stack
Bunch of paper flowers
Premium wool felt Christmas stacks:  Frosty Snowflake, Greens, Brights
Three reels of glitter tape
Six felt balls
Three fat quarters of Christmas fabric
Colour dipped pegs
Bottle brush trees
Snow & Cocoa pom poms
Pink & silver rhinestone stickers
Five sheets of fabric felt 
Mini tree lightbulb charms
Stick on silver stars
Pack of jingle bells: red/gold/green
Wooden wall charms: arrows
Rattan wreath
Half metre printed acrylic felt - red gingham, navy dot
Four sheets of fine glitter - yellow gold, holly, turquoise, fuchsia
Die cut gingerbread men
Snowflake buttons
Two sheets of metallic vinyl - Dark Green & Pale Gold
Two Christmas tag stitchables kits
Gold tassel garland kit
Pack of colourful jingle bells
Three yarn pom poms
Three sheets of chunky glitter - pistachio, red, rainbow
Berries on wires
Two sheets of medium glitter - watermelon & rockpool
Two paper-and-string hand cut kits - Robin & Penguin
Six sheets of glitter felt
Gingerbread man buttons
Teeny tiny ric rac trim - red, apple, white 
Bumper pack of embroidery threads
A ginormous button
Cardboard 3d star garland
Mini tinsel trim - green, silver, red
paper-and-string mini kit - Christmas Tree
Garland of lights
XXL flexi hoop
PRIZE BOX #2
Extra large light up star
paper-and-string mini kit -Christmas Pudding
Six sheets of glitter felt
Printed Felt Rainbow Stack
Cut out silver star ribbon
Five sheets of fabric felt
Metallic ric rac - yellow gold, fuchsia, turquoise
Half metre printed acrylic felt -grey stripe & vintage red dot
American Crafts ribbon spool stack
Three sheets of chunky glitter - silver, disco gold, emerald
Bunch of paper flowers
Two sheets of medium glitter - pink confetti & jewellery box
Pack of colourful jingle bells
Teeny tiny pom pom trim - red, apple, white
Five sheets of fine glitter  - candyfloss, pale gold, graphite, silver, metallic blush
Bumper pack of embroidery threads
Premium wool felt Christmas stacks: Scandinavian, Gingerbread, Traditional
Three reels of glitter tape
Two paper-and-string hand cut kits - Cactus & Russian Doll
Two packs of Fantastic buttons (trimming the tree & nativity)
Rose gold stork scissors
Cardboard 3d star garland 
Three fat quarters of Christmas fabric
Six felt balls
Iridescent pom poms
Mini tinsel trim - pink, blue gold
Two  sheets of metallic vinyl - light green & fuchsia
A ginormous button
Bottle brush trees
Extra long tassles
Garland of lights
Pack of matt jingle bells
Berries on wire
Die cut gingerbread men
3d star stickers
Rattan wreath
Three yarn pom poms
Mini wooden pegs
Stitchables advent calender tag kit
Silver tassel garland kit
8" bamboo hoop

Freebie Time!

November is SWAP month

the swap is back for a 4th year :-)

I LOVE the swap, it's a crazy busy time of year for us, but it's SO much fun doing the swap that I can always find time for it :-)
FULL details and how-to's are on the website, please click through https://www.paper-and-string.net/swap

I *may* have bought too many balls...

 Lots of deliveries have been unpacked today,  Pom Pom Makers...

 ...Rainbow Ribbon Spools...

 ...Wire Hoops...

 ...Embroidery Threads...

 ....Mini Christmas 'lights'....

 ...and a GINORMOUS box of felt balls!

 I *think* I may have bought too many :-)

40th birthday

It's not every day that you turn 40 - so on Tuesday we took the day off for my birthday and went on a drive around Dorset,  in my NEW (to me) car :-)

We stopped off at an American themed diner on the A303 for a birthday brunch then took a slow drive home via some favourite antique shops....later on in the day we went for some drinks and a lovely meal in  Bridport.

I felt completely spoiled ALL day long - John decorated the  lounge with balloons and swamped me with gifts!  And my Mum, Dad, Sister, Niece and John's Mum & Dad, all sent presents and cards through the post ... and it doesn't all end on the day - I've been driving my new car to work everyday, and I LOVE It ANNNNNDDDD best surprise of all -we're going to see Neil Diamond in concert in a week or so!!

I am beyond excited :-)

A Looongg Weekend

This Bank Holiday weekend has been Fab!

We took part in a Classic Car Show, had a 1 night mini break  (with lots of lovely food) had a relaxing day in the garden, complete with BBQ & wine and today we did *a little* work - making Christmas Kits on the hottest day in quite some time! 
I've also been putting some new dies through the test and will have something new to show you very soon indeed :-)

It's all about the new around here!

 *new* unicorn stickers

 *new* cactus stickers

 *new* acrylic felt sparkling with silver glitter

 AND *new* fabric - this range is called Club Tropicana

 It's so cute!  As with all our Fabric - it's cut to order from the bolt for you AND it is available as our Fabric Felt too

 All the NEW can be seen here:
https://www.paper-and-string.net/what-s-new

Do you Like Dogs?

 I do :-)

 ALL kinds of dogs...

 ...especially Dogs in bandanas....

 ....and those in jumpers!

 These fabrics are from a collection called Must Love Dogs

 Both designs are  available as fabric and fabric felt too

In the new section here: https://www.paper-and-string.net/what-s-new