Shopping List Saturday

Happy Saturday to you! The perfect day for shopping!

I'm unable to do my list this week or next...so please click here for the list I made midweek, packed full of gorgeous things to treat yourselves to. Do you need an excuse?

Do take this opportunity to click on the links in the sidebar to take a peek at the wonderful lists of fellow Etsy sellers who play along with the Shopping List Saturday meme. You won't be disappointed, and I guarantee you'll find so many new things to covet! If you would like to join us, and share your shopping lists each week, just let me know.

Enjoy shopping handmade xx Have a great week!

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: What does Springtime Mean to You?

Springtime. Well, it's a busy time for the woodcutter and his wife!

We're now well into our second year of our tipi pole business, and we know from experience that Spring is the time we have to put all our energies into felling, stripping and drying new poles, ready for customers who will want them now, or for those who will leave it until the last minute for their summer holiday...we have to have plenty on offer.

We cater for very small child-size tipis right up to huge, 29ft ones. The woodcutter visits the forest daily to select and fell the trees, which he brings home for us to peel and then dry. We also fell 'to order' if people wish to de-bark their own poles. Many of these sets of poles we also deliver personally, nationwide, so we're busy busy busy!

The log chopping and sanding continues...!

Despite being nicely busy, I'm able to really enjoy the springtime here. It's glorious to be able to wake up in the morning and spot the new shoots in the forest...the beautiful fresh bright green leaves unfurling in the trees around us...wandering amongst the rhododendrons as they flower one after the other...embracing the flashes of colour from balloon-like tulips...watching the flutterings of delicate butterflies wafting through the air...trying to remember the juxtapositions of colour that nature throws together - it's SO inspiring...

Most importantly of all, it's the thankful return of sunlight that I really treasure. It's so lovely to be able to avoid harsh contrasts when taking photographs, and the days are so long I can sew into the night! I have always been a sombre, gothic lover of winter - but nowadays, this is most definitely my favourite time of year.

Please take a moment or two to pop in on my international blogging friends who're spinning on this merry-go-round with me (their links are in the sidebar). See what Springtime means to them!

Girls, I look forward to reading your posts in a week or so!

Blog Delights

Just wanted to show you this lovely mixed media work that I won in a blog giveaway hosted by the quite delightful Sophie, from her library adventures. Isn't it sweet?

I arrived back from a weekend in Cornwall, to find this package waiting for me. Beautifully wrapped in brown paper and sealed with ribbon and music sheet paper strips...imagine how pleased I was to tear that off to reveal the feminine white tissue and lace ribbon beneath! Quite lovely. I just wish I had a writing bureau to sit at whilst I delicately (!) unveiled the contents - of course, I would also be sporting a rather fetching empire line dress at the same time, to complete this little tableau of delicateness!!
For those who know me, I am so far removed from 'delicate' it's untrue, but I think you can tell where I'm coming from...
Beneath the lovely wrapping, Sophie's work lay waiting to be revealed. A real treasure, she has created this little work of art on a hardback book cover, perfectly complementing my idea of Edwardian heaven - you know, romantically strolling through the grounds of one's impressively large abode, finding a shady nook to sit and contemplate the view, book in hand, resting in a rather ladylike fashion, reading said book.

Oh, the dream...

Suffice to say, Sophie's work lifted my spirits - a little package of beauty. Thank you, Sophie!

Do check out Sophie's Etsy store - take a look at her brooches and mixed media work - you won't be disappointed.

Shopping List Saturday ... oops, Wednesday!

Oh dear. this is so late! Maybe it's a good thing that I'm posting this midweek - it can serve for next Saturday's list, too! A bit cheeky, maybe.....apologies, too, for not making my way around many lists this week xx

I really hope you enjoy the colourful vibrancy of these picks.

1)Colorful, Rainbow Fringe-O-Rama, As Shown With 45 Different Fun, Bright Yarns or U Choose Colors in Custom Order Scarf/ CricketsCreations - Celeste creates the most fabulous, colourful, fringe-y scarves. This is just one of the many beauties in her store. It's really hard to pick a favourite!
2)Picasso Sculptural Necklace, Paper, Wire, Sealed/ taylorseclectic - to quote the item description ... a vivid explosion of color, this necklace has been intricately hand sculpted out of paper and wire. Original, fun and quirky, I love this.
3)Art Textile Brooch/ KaylaCoo - I so enjoy watching Michala's textile pieces emerge from wonderful, vivid sketches to beautifully 'painted' stitched artworks. They are just gorgeous. Her sketches, and more images of her lovely work can be seen here.
4)Handmade Multi-Strand Wrist Cuff Bracelet with Stones/ be2be - I first discovered be2be in a treasury...I love the simple styling of these cuffs, with their lovely colour combinations (more in store). Love them.
5)Sleeping Tree/ zukzuk - you may remember that I have a bit of a 'thing' about Helen's prints. I just love them, and would love to own every single one, in every colourway. This is my latest favourite...but you MUST check out the bear prints in her store. So sweet!
6)Shawl - Phoenix/ vilte - how elegant is this? Gorgeous colours, beautiful fabrics (batik silk chiffon, finest merino wool, lustrous silk and flax)...feel the movement!

For more Shopping List wonders from fellow Etsy sellers, please click on the links in the sidebar. I'll be shopping again in just over a week. Can't wait!

Easter Round Up

The holidays are over already!

As usual, I'm slow to get back to things the way they were before. Until tomorrow...

Shopping List Saturday

In anticipation of this weekend's Shopping List blog meme, we are very pleased to welcome Sharon from handmaiden (HandmaidenDesigns) and also Amanda from Amanda K Lockrow Jewelry (AmandaKLockrowJewels). Welcome, ladies!

Please take a few minutes to pop in to their blogs (and our regular players - their links are in the sidebar) on Saturday, to take a peek at their 'must-have' handmade item choices from various Etsy sellers.

You never know what you might find, there's SO much to choose from...!

On My Desk Wednesday WIP

On My Desk Wednesday WIP, originally uploaded by fancypicnic.

On my desk today (well, last night really) - a silk and taffeta bag awaiting fastening, and you can also see a little gift from my eldest....a pin cushion (I've needed one for ages!) and needle case. Her first time using a basic sewing machine - eek!! I'll admit I was a little nervous....!

Fingers? Needles? Machinery? Hospitals...? All fine. Phew.

For more desk activity, please pop over to kootoyoo and take a peek...why not join in?!

Traditions...

As always, a hot cross bun breakfast is followed by an egg hunt...and this year we could hunt outside!

Happy Easter to you xx

Shopping List Saturday

Easter is upon us! With a small nod to this, I've chosen some pastel beauties to share with you this weekend. Enjoy...

1)Nested no. 2/ wunderlust- I'm so smitten with this nest (more in the shop)...a gloriously simple yet hugely effective idea! What a terrific way of using up your scraps; I'm so keen to discover how it all holds together...tiny stitches? glue? woven?
2)doily clock/ andfurthermore - don't you just love doilies?? I love the notion of taking them to an extra level - as a constant decorative feature. Beautiful.
3)Rabbit by Klaus Haapaniemi/ Wilkintie - I'm going to quote from the item description: 'A charming print by the master of folk art inspired imagery from Finland. Klaus brings to this print a wonderful sense of the mystery and magic of nature, it's not hard to imagine the Sami gods bringing forth this exquisite creature from the frozen Tundra soil.' Love it. It tells its own story.
4)NEST/ MariaElena - Each NEST is unique, crocheted from upcycled fabric and embellished with an assortment of beads,vintage buttons, bangles, ribbon, yarn, feathers, birch bark and bits of lace. Nests aren't just for Easter, but they're perfect for Spring, and I love the pieces of ephemera that have been combined together here. Eclectic, and not dissimilar to that of a bird collecting paraphernalia for their own nests.

For more lists packed full of handmade beauty, do click on the links in the sidebar. If you'd like to go shopping in Etsy and share your wishlist with us, just let me know!
Have a terrific holidaytime...xx

Dress Up Your Fingers!

image created via picnik

It's taken me a looooong time, but I've finally had a go at creating a ring. I've thoroughly enjoyed fiddling about with tiny scraps of silk and my machine...and adding those delicious ruby red glass beads. My favourite bit, I think, is the dazzle from the AB finish on some of the beads...mmmn!

I think next time, I might have to encrust the surface a wee bit more - but just a wee bit...

Apologies to begin with...

Elven Collar, originally uploaded by fancypicnic.

Firstly, I'd like to apologise to all Shopping List Saturday bloggers. I usually try very hard to pop in on everyone's Shopping post (although sometimes I know, some do seem to slip through an invisible net)...but I have to say that this week it seems I'm failing. Sorry xx I'm sure your lists are wonderful - they always are! It never fails to amaze me the sheer variety and volume of handmade items that are available to us all via Etsy. Always something new to discover!

This week, we are booked up to the gills with log preparations, tipi pole deliveries and school holidays! You may see a little less of me over the next week or two...but for now, have a bit of colour...I couldn't resist any longer the lure of lime green, turquoise and cyclamen silks again, despite a recent foray into whites and silvers. I just love the textures of scrunched up dupion silk, and the thready edges of snipped taffeta. I think I love this riot of colour because I tend to spend my days in black from top to toe, through winter and summer. Maybe these textile pieces are a little bit of escapism for me?

Shopping List Saturday

This weekend, my list is short and sweet, but crammed with fun and individuality! Enjoy...

1)Little Vintage Fabric Birdhouse - Girlie Bird/ RobinsEggBlue - how delightful are these?! This listing is specifically for the purple one, but you can find the rest and much more in the shop. I like the quirky patchwork nature of these little houses, and the inclusion of lots of little unique details.
2)Dove girl Postcard/ IrenaSophia - such a beauty...in fact, the whole range that this little girl is taken from is totally adorable. You'll want them all!
3)Hyacinth/ JunkerJane - I'm sure you know by now about my fascination for JunkerJane's plush, monster dolls. If I could, I'd buy all of them...sadly, I own just one at the present time but I have my eye on many more! They are beautifully made, each coming with their own unique personality and aura of vaudevillian eccentricity. Fabulous.
4) act 2/ mummysam - meet Marge, dressed up and ready for her dress rehearsal! I am totally smitten with mummysam's creations, and this little mixed media work caught my eye. Combining one of her trademark stuffed pure wool felt dolls with crochet, paper and oil paint, I wish this was hanging on my wall!

I hope you share my enthusiasm for these pieces. If you'd like to see more from fellow Etsy sellers, please go and click on the Shopping List links in the sidebar - there's so much more to find! Each week, I discover wonderful Etsy shops and products courtesy of these lists. Thanks, ladies!
UPDATE: This week, we have a new addition to our expanding group of Etsy Saturday Shoppers...welcome Carmenesque to the throng!

If you would like to join us in our Shopping Lists, just let me know! Happy handmade shopping!

Birthday Toadstools

image created via picnik

A day away from the logs today.

Littlest child is growing up.....xxx