Shopping List Saturday

It's that time of the week again...Shopping Time!!
These are my favourites whilst browsing Etsy this week:

1)Olive Grey - Soft Knitted Drawstring Pouch/ memake - love the colour and the tactile quality of this pretty little purse. So sweet.
2)New - Bird in Heaven gold plated metal ring , made of canvas and flower in turquoise and pink colours - vadjutka/ vadjutka - I'm addicted to vadjutka's rings. Like little artworks for your fingers!
3)Candy Girl - Mixed Media - original illustration/ fricdementol - I spotted this on flickr this week. I love her, and you really must click on the link to this item to see the gorgeous stitchery that is a fabulous feature of this artwork.
4)Lolita...archival giclee print/ ImagineStudio - I just have to quote the item description to you now...'This artwork is meant to be symbolic of the emotions the you may feel at different times in your life. If you’re soul resonates when seeing this work...it is for you.' I love it.
5)Rustic Mohair Ruffles Scarflette Neckscarf HANDMADE/ ElizabethanPunk - I love the mossy ruffles that edge this re-purposed felted Australian mohair. Perfect for emerging from the forest in the mornings (as I do)!
6)welcome...8x10 fine art photograph/ JenniferMorrisPhoto - I have admired Jennifer's jewellery for a long time, and have loved looking at her beautiful photographs over on flickr. I'm so pleased to see that she has now opened a photo print store too! Her photographs tell such lovely stories, full of magic and beauty. Go take a peek today!


I hope you've enjoyed these little gems - for many more beautiful finds, click on the links in the sidebar where fellow Etsy sellers will be 'shopping' this weekend. Would you like to join in? If so, let me know!

Have a lovely weekend!

Merry Go Round

Jump on and join a group of artists/crafts-women as they link around the world and tell you a little about their lives in art and craft.

Our question for this month is: Explain How You Do Your Craft?

Okay! Here goes - I surround my working area with as much fabric as possible. Currently, that's silk in all colours of the rainbow, taffetas and sari silks. Mmm. I pull out any colours that appeal. I love this bit! I could get totally lost in the experience....

Then, I take a deep breath. Start snipping. Start arranging, discarding, new colours, new textures, back to the beginning, moving shapes around, replacing...happy. I'm not too specific with my cutting. I like the randomly uneven edges. I lift bits and tuck in some organza for some shimmer. I then move to the machine and start stitching it into place in layers.

Once that's done, I start trimming bits away, and use a pin to fray sections out, or lift and tuck bits I'm unhappy with. Then the fun begins with the beads! This makes or breaks a piece - it adds texture, sparkle and definition.

Ta da! The last part is the finishing. Popping in pendant bails or brooch bars and tidying up the back. I don't enjoy this bit - it often (feels like it) takes almost as long as the item itself, and it's such a dull job!! Now, if I could just train my daughters up, I could pass this bit over to them!!! Now, there's a thought....

Thanks for taking the time to read this! Please pop in on the other merrygorounders over the next day or two, to discover other ways of working - their links are in the sidebar. We're all in different time zones, and busy, so we cannot always co-ordinate posting at exactly the same time...so please pop back later if their post hasn't appeared yet. Thank you!

That W.I.P...?

Remember that W.I.P 'on my desk' last week? This is it, a custom order now finished, and making itself at home with its new owner.
It is constructed mainly in silks, in orange and silver grey, with some glittery ribboned taffeta to add a bit of sparkle in the background, and shiny glass beads in purple and lime, to add interest to the space between each disc. A few bright beads define the centre of the upper floral motif.

I really enjoyed working on this slightly more figurative piece...I feel more may well be on the horizon, in all sorts of different colours and sizes..............

On My Desk Wednesday

image altered using picnik

If you squint, you can just see on the left two neckwarmers, which are awaiting finishing touches. The vibrant pink silk in the centre is itching to be cut, gathered and tightened onto covered button shanks. And my little friend? Ah, he's very precious - my youngest has cuddled and cosseted him since she was a tiny baby. She thought he'd like to say 'hello'....

For more desk activity, visit kootoyoo - and why not add your name to the list there and join in?


Thank you to those of you who have checked out my interview with mistflowerstudio, featured on her blog this week. Thank you for taking the time out of your busy days to do so xx

A Blog Feature!!

The very talented and inspiring Valerie from mistflowerstudio (see her beautiful work in her shop, here) has featured an interview with me on her blog today!

Valerie, thank you xx

Shopping List Saturday

Some of my favourite finds this week... interesting for me to see a recurring colour palette each week....

1)Magical colored disc earrings/ Yoola - I've admired Yoola's beautiful work for quite some time now...and I just love this image, and the intricacies of her work.
2)Large plum colored mushroom - wool and cotton/ littleloveblue - everything littleloveblue lovingly hand makes, I just adore. The colour tones of this mushroom are delightful, and the wool/cotton textures are lovely.
3)Colorful Spring Gemstones and Brown Linen Necklace/ WaterstoneJewelry - who wouldn't want this? A gorgeous, sparkling treasure.
4)wisteria - wool and fabric soft house/ winsomehollow - it's a family thing, I think. winsomehollow's wonderful work wins me over just like her sister littleloveblue's does...I love this little bit of whimsy.
5)Kitschy Folksy Retro Kitchen Themed Tumbler Kitchen Glasses/ southernladysvintage - I want these! The little folksy images of coffee pots, kettles and utensils around each one are wonderful!
6)BLUE TREES LETTERPRESS MINI PRINTS WITH ENVELOPES/ YeeHaw - Love these...just love 'em. Simple, stylish, beautiful.


Today we welcome vadjutka and fleurfatale to the Shopping List Saturday world of Etsy wonders...do take a moment to check out the 'covetable' items on all of the Shopping Lists this week - just click on the players' links in the sidebar.
Would you like to join in? If you would, just let me know!

*late news: welcome too, to blossom - a new addition this evening, I've just found out...lovely to have you playing along with us!

Happy shopping....

On My Desk Wednesday

Picture enhanced with picnik

On My Desk Today....
A work in progress - you can see in the background, a sheet of my photographs that I'm working from. This work is based on that Cosmos pendant, but will become larger, with the addition of an extra circular 'droplet' (smaller than the one pictured), suspended from the lower edge.
More fabric layers need to be applied here, and then a touch of beading to accentuate the centre of the flower. Then, I'll begin on the lower circle..


Fancy 'eye-spying' on some more desk activity? Pop in to kootoyoo's blog and take a peek! Why not put your name down and join in?!

Just a Quickie...

I just thought I'd nip in and post quickly...a busy week awaits, what with half-term and a ton of other things besides.

Firstly, thank you, fleurfatale, for featuring my Summer's End necklace in a lovely post about textile jewellery on her blog last week. You can read it here. I love her work - I often find myself admiring her creations over at flickr (oh, the beautiful things you can discover there!), and her Etsy shop is ever-changing. Do pop in for a browse!

Secondly, here's a piece I've just finished stitching. I just love pink and purple with a smidge of greeny-teal thrown into the mix. It is now residing in its new home....xxx

What Were You Doing in the Autumn of 1989??

A flickr friend (and jewellery designer featured in yesterday's Shopping List) vadjutka, is celebrating her Etsyversary!! To commemorate this exciting milestone, she is running a blog giveaway, the prize of which is a $20 gift certificate to treat yourself to something gorgeous from her store!

What do you need to do?

Vadjutka explains:

"This year will be the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Iron Curtain through Eastern-Europe, which includes Hungary. In the autumn of 1989, Hungary officially became a Republic, leaving its People's Republic form behind, and entered into the difficult life of democracies.

This is "big" history; but I am curious of the "small" one, the personal histories. So this is what you have to do to win this gift certificate: tell me what you did in the autumn of 1989 (and in which country)!"

Get your thinking caps on!! Can you remember?? Yes? Then quick, pop over to Vadjutka's blog now, and enter by leaving a comment here - before the competition closes on the 19th February...get your skates on!

Shopping List Saturday

Shopping time!!
These are my choices for this week - no hearts as such, but I love all of them. Hope you are all enjoying a 'loved up' day.

1)Suki Rose Vintage Barrettes/ kitchentablestudios - sweetness and light for little girls everywhere
2)Winter Circus Collar/ desirapesta - gorgeously seductive ruffle and flounce. Love it.
3)Repurposed Brooch Hair Pin Vintage Floral/ shabbyvintagemom - shabby chic...Miss Havisham...you know what I mean.
4)NEW - Lilac Spring - gold plated metal ring made of canvas and lilly flower, in lilac and olive colors / vadjutka - this looks good enough to eat; I love the colour combination!
5)Pebbles and olives necklace/ fleurfatale - delicate and beautiful, with delicious handmade beads - love the mix with the olive wood, too.
6)Whimsical Woodland Moss Teacup Ring with birdnest/ starsb117 - I can't pass up a bit of whimsy. This is delightful - in my favourite colour, too.

This week, we welcome verylittlebird to our list of Shopping Listers (check out the list in the sidebar)- lovely to have you join us! The list is growing steadily, which is terrific! Spread the word, and do let me know if you'd like to join in! We all love shopping, after all...

It's a Secret...

Popping in quickly...busy day...busy, busy, busy....

This is the fruit of my labours for today - but just a hint; the person this has been made for hasn't seen it yet!! I'd hate to spoil the surprise....

Its Friday! The weekend is almost here!

Wednesday...

Another 'On My Desk Wednesday' bites the dust...but I felt like posting one last reminder of the past week. It may be some time before this occurs again - the trees and the ground clad in a thick cloak of sparkling white. I love the snow!!

But I don't like it as it is at the moment...disappearing rapidly and rock hard underfoot and deceptively slippery and full of holes made by the rain and hideously mucky brown along the roadsides.
Better to remember the silent, sparkly, mysterious beauty....


Fancy finding out what Wednesdays are all about? Pop in to kootoyoo's blog and check out what's on the desks this week - why not join in?

Frazzled

I know I've shown you this image before, but you see that poor old soul in the kitchen, slumped amongst the mess, with her head practically in the oven...? I think that's me....

I'm so grateful for all of the feedback left for me regarding the 'facelifted' fancypicnic.com, both here and via the web site's contact form. I really appreciate the fact that you've taken the time to have a peek, and then critique it for me. I took all recommendations on board, and modified the banner to accommodate larger photographs - and I agree that it looks much better, and maybe a bit more inviting! Thank you for that!

There are still tweaks to be made regarding little details and possible background colour alterations , but generally, I'm happy. I thought I'd trial-run this blog page in black, to be a bit more cohesive with the dotcom page...but I keep trying different combinations out.

(I won't tell you how long I've sat and fiddled/tweaked for. It's far too embarrassing!! Don't be surprised if next time you pop in it's different again...!!)

**later** And now, it's all over. No more fiddling. Ever.

Shopping List Saturday

A compact, but very pretty Shopping List this week. Inspired by the beauty and romance of Feltathome's Valentine Poem Reel (you really must click on the link to this item and read the product description. Don't tell anyone, but it brought tears to my eyes) , this week's picks are all incredibly beautiful and feminine - with half an eye on Valentine's Day that is just around the corner....

1)Valentine Poem Reel - Hold Me Sweetheart/Feltathome- just gorgeous. An inspired idea, to unravel the hidden and heartfelt message, for your loved one's eyes only. **sigh**
2)Branch Brooch/ CarolineCowen - I love this. Love the colouring, the sweetness - love it!
3)Sculptural crochet ring/ ElinThomas - I just love the quirky, sculptural quality of this ring. A statement piece, that is so pretty too. The colour combination is a winner for me.
4)Hand Embroidered Silk Purse/ contemporarystitches - I've admired contemporarystitches' work for some time now. I love the detail in everything - always so delicate and intricate. Delightful.


This week, we welcome Kendall from color to the Shopping List Saturday fold! It's great to have you join us, Kendall. *Late news - we also welcome Phillipa from Feltathome this weekend, too! Her list was created in super-quick time - I'm impressed! Fab to have you playing along with us.You can click on the links to their blogs and all other participants by using the linklist in the sidebar - Shopping List Saturday:Check Out Their Lists!
Would you like to join in with the fun? Just let me know - everyone is welcome! Happy shopping...

Down at the Igloo Cafe

created using flickr toys
Couldn't resist showing you these - they're so proud of their efforts! Fun in the snow...it's still coming down thick and fast here.

Thank you so much for your feedback regarding fancypicnic.com, left for me on the previous post. I really appreciate it. If you're snowed in at the moment, perhaps with a little time on your hands, I'm still receptive to your comments if you fancy taking a little peek. Thank you!

Right...a trudge out in the snow for supplies is imminent...

Dot Com Dot Done!

Phew.

It's done. It isn't perfect - there are so many things I'd like to tweak (the link colours won't match each other for starters)...but for now, it's done. I need to walk away and revisit it later I think. It's here.

Now then. My new dotcom banner. There is talk in this house of it resembling a sandwich shop. Apparently, it doesn't really know what it's saying - mainly because of the tiny glimpses of product...you can't tell at a glance what they are, exactly. Point taken, but I think I quite like it. I'm going to let it sit for a while and wash over me.

I've told the woodcutter that I can take criticism rather well (ahem), so I'm open to your thoughts....

On My Desk Wednesday

Not much to actually show for today....except this little package, sitting on my table waiting patiently to be posted to the other side of the world.
The rest of the day was spent desperately trying to refrain from pulling out each individual hair from my head, as I wrestled with trying to alter/update/modify my website. GRRR!! The shop side of it really wasn't working, so I'm trying to make it a bit more of a 'gallery' - somewhere I can simply be 'found'. Hmmm. There will be an update in a day or so - if I'm lucky.


Yes. You're right. That old biscuit tin is my basic sewing box. We've all got one, haven't we??


Pop over to kootoyoo's blog for more desk activities!! Why not join in?

Snowfall

Guess what we did today....??

It looks so pretty, the children enjoy it, we don't get to see it very often, it's never very deep (although, how come I remember that when it snowed when I was a little girl, the snow came up to my knees?!), it's not great to drive through - but we love it! In small doses...

It's not much fun if you're stuck in your car in it, your pipes burst with the cold or you slip on the frozen bit underneath, I know. Fingers crossed...