Christmas Fair Stock Making

Hi everyone!

I've been awfully quiet of late on the old blog, but it's mainly down to stitching, lots of it and losing track of the time. The days are flying away at a rate of knots and I have so much I need to make before the Farnham Christmas fair, it's scary how that's just over 5 weeks away. Eeek!

Having one of those, what did I sign myself up to moments. 

*rocks back and forth*

That being said, I am plugging my way through and surprising myself that I've not driven myself nutty by stitching the same designs over and over...perhaps that will happen in a week or two. I'll keep you posted. I've managed to list a couple of new things this week including two new greeting's cards (see above image) one for Christmas 'Bee Merry' and the other a general greetings or notecard 'Bee Happy'. So pleased with the finish I always get a bit worried when relying on my photography skills when getting things printed sometimes the finish has been a bit poor owing to images being darker than I realised etc. But with these not a problem at all. 

I do have one question which i wonder if you could help me with, I was thinking of selling them not just as single cards but in packs of 3 or 5? What do you think rough cost I think would be around £6.50? At present for UK peeps, you can get one card for £2.75 including free postage. 

Before I get stuck back into stitching and generally not panicking, I just wanted to show a few items that I have been making for the show, if there is any of these left from the 2 day event will be listed. Perfect little stocking fillers and tree gifts. I must admit I've rather missed using my hot-fix crystal wand...

Heading to Farnham Xmas Fair

Christmas has properly arrived at Mason Bee HQ...as the new Christmas bee bauble has been designed, stitched and made up, well the first very batch at least. More will be made over the coming weeks, all the way on the run up to Christmas, reason being because I'll be at Christmas fair this year, not done one in...well a few years now.

I've just paid for my stall and with that bit of admin sorted, I can now announce (for sure) that I will be at the Farnham Malting's Christmas Fair this coming December. Which will be exciting and a touch nerve wracking as I do now need to start upping the anti with the making of stock, without getting too worked up over it. So...no pressure then. Thankfully, as mentioned previously I've been doing a little bit of planning over the last couple of months, and will be mainly concentrating on small items. Which was the reason I forked out for this little bundle of fabric. Can't beat the plain colours of Kona fabric. It's enough to make you smile.

So it's a short post today, mainly because I must crack on with the day, not only to get on with stock making but with the change in season, god I love autumn, I feel more in the mood for cooking. So lots of large vat sized portions of stew, soups, pies are on the horizon. Good, simple, tasty fare. So I hope everyone is snug as a bug this weekend. Do let me know what your up too! Also if your on instagram let me know, and I will be sure to follow you.

Silk Threads and a Quilting Show

It's Sunday, so that means I get to catch you up on a few things. Firstly I have nothing to show for the quilt, the mini quilt as they have been put on the back burner this week whilst I worked on the latest project for Crafty. As there are just mini makes I'll be going back to them very soon. 

It has also meant that I have done much in the way of the cloud embroidery either, though I had ground to a halt on that whilst I sourced a few more threads. Threads which I picked up today. So spur myself and complete the samples for Crafty magazine, I nipped along to the Quilting show at the Farnham Maltings. My main reason for going was to go and see my favourite thread supplier, Mulberry Silks. I have been in dialogue with the lady who runs it, Patricia Wood, who very kindly was holding some particular thread packs for me to match to the cloud project fabrics. It was so nice to put a name to a face, and she's awfully sweet. Naturally I didn't just buy for one project, I also got drawn to another thread pack, which has me in mind for a potential future project to do with illuminated text and fonts. 

The show itself was interesting, but like with the last one at the Maltings I didn't stay long, it was busy, a little bit hot and sadly there was none of the rather lush quilting fabrics that I have been drooling over online were there. It was strange though I did notice that at lot of the fabric that was on sale was a similar tone and colour range, lots of muted colours and some of the designs were a little dated to me. Or it could just be I am incredibly picky.

Anyway, I take the time to have a look round at the quilts on display, and there were some stunning designs, and top quality work.I did take a moment to look round the quilts that were being exhibited and there were some amazing designs and amongst them I stumbled across one of my old tutors from Guildford College which was totally unexpected and rather awesome. She used to allow me to work in her classrooms because I was learning toward textiles much to the chagrin of my actual form tutor...oops.

All in all, a nice weekend. I must add that the threads weren't the only purchases this week, I have been going through a  phase of buying books and magazines on quilting. In fact I've even gone as far as to clear another shelf in my study to give them a shelf of there own. As I don't think it will be long till its filled. I will share with you what I have purchased on Wednesday, as the day is getting on and I still have instructions to finish writing. 

Oh there is one thing I mustn't forget, and near enough did! I've reopened my Etsy store this weekend, and as mentioned on Wednesday I have a number of items marked down. 

London Trip and Sale Time

Today is the last day of my holiday, two and a half weeks of bliss have near enough come to an end. The time was spent relaxing, hibernating in my flat and getting covered in fabric. Many a cup of tea was drunk and I ate my weight in sugar. 

In order to prepare myself for the return to work tomorrow, the last few days of the holiday have seen me venture out into the beautiful weather (yeah right) on Monday I spent several hours in London with my Mum, mainly at the Victoria and Albert Museum and I have to say like most museums doesn't matter how many times you go, there is always something new to see. Or a new little nook you haven't been in. In this case it was the whole Medieval area and the mezzanine level that holds the ironwork/ironmongery. 

Sensing a return to the VAM to check out the Ironmongery again, as it's got me thinking about potential future project ideas...

One of my favourite pictures I took, rather impressed with the camera on the iPod Touch

Yesterday and today as well I've been getting myself prepared for going to back to work  (admittedly don't think I am ever fully ready for that) hair cut and digging out the work wear that's been banished to the far reaches of draws and cupboards. I envisage that the weekend will mostly be about recovering from the shock of being at work. 

Actually not entirely true I'll be in theory working on a project for Crafty magazine if the fabric ever turns up. My Etsy store will be reopened on Saturday and I will be having a sale, mainly on the clocks, as I have made the decision not to make any more for the foreseeable future. Time for a break..no pun intended. Sort of.

I need to move on from them, likewise I'll be taking a step back from hoop framed embroidery. Whilst I find it a very effective way of hanging work, and no doubt I will be doing that with a few pieces of my own for the flat, I find myself going back to the traditional way of framing. With the typography work and other such pieces they can be a bit too delicate for being open to elements. 

Oh on Sunday I'll be nipping over to the Farnham Maltings as there is a Quilting Exhibition and supplies sale, and my favourite thread supplier will be there, Mulberry Silks. Patricia who runs it has very kindly agreed to take some particular coloured thread packs I want to match to fabric to the show for me to look at.

All Scream for Ice Cream

Ice Cream Bow Embroidered Collar

Made the full most of the weekend to not only wizz up another collar, the second design in the Ice Cream collection but I also made a clock in the third out of the three designs! Can't say that's not productive. Also fit in breakfast out with my mum, let's hear it for french toast, bacon and syrup, and got my haircut. Still have time left over.

I am making the most of having a weekend like this, as I am predicting in April they are going to be pretty non-existent. Reason being I've given notice on my flat, and I have until the 25th April to get move out, hopefully into the new place, if not it will be stowing my worldly possessions away and moving back home. Scary notion.

Till that point I am trying not to get too stressed out and enjoying my time embroidering and thinking about the future. And thinking about this has prompted me to book a ticket for The Startup Showcase at Somset House next Saturday. It was a spare of the moment booking and I also pinged off emails to Farnham Maltings to find out more about their creative fairs and shows. And byjove there is a lot to get involved with. I can't wait to knuckle down, but I have to be patient and concentrate on one thing at at time. But yep, I have itchy feet and fingers to get going.

In the meantime, let me show off some pictures of the latest items:

Ice Cream Bow Collar - Ickle bows in silk thread

Ice Cream Bunting - Silk embroidered wall clock

All items can be purchased in my Etsy store. If your in the UK, you can enjoy free shipping until the end of March, just use the following code during check out FREEMARCH13.