New Products and Stuff

There are times when I have to admit the title of my blog posts are bloody stupid, or plain boring. I never know whether to be witty, or just state the obvious. I suppose with today's I am being a little flippant. Stuff covers everything and well I suppose today is a day about stuff. Anyway, aside from that little quandary I've been tinkering away with the new mini line for my shop and well that's about it if I have to be honest. Well aside from stuff.

Taking my images I got them turned into tiny little pocket mirrors and they arrived during the week. I could easily sell as is, but well that's not very me, where is the touch of the handmade where is well me in it. So I've been making tiny little pouches to go with them. The main bit of its done, I am now sewing them up into recognisable shapes and attaching press fasteners, the latter aspect is going to get old fast and has already been relegated to a job I can do on the train. Probably until I lose the first press stud in transit then it will probably be an at home only job. These are just little ways of being able to take home some of my pieces which generally speaking aren't very portable, namely the clocks. In time there will be further designs made, and some perhaps even specifically for the mirrors, but for the moment in time I had three designs printed:

In person, if I do say so myself they are very cute, especially with the pouches. It will be a bit of a random affair as to which pouch goes with what mirror but that suits my style fine. And each fabric is essentially left overs from previous projects. Nothing, especially not fabric, goes to waste. Part from scrappy bit of thread, knotted threads drive me potty, and life is too short to try and untangle them.

Each mirror is £5.50 each, and as I said comes with a handmade little pouch, might also notice I've had some new labels made up, partly because well it was time for a change and well they look so much nicer than the old lot.

So onto the stuff, I am musing on new pattern ideas, more intriquete ones to sell, time I also got the next free pattern example stitched up. And more interesting to you lot is that I will be doing a bit of a competition with the first pattern. This weeks Want it Wednesday will be temporarily replaced with 'You Will Want this Wednesday'. So keep eyes peeled for that folks! All I will say if you've downloaded the little planet pattern then you'll want to come back.

Anyway, time to get back to stitching pouches, drawing, and listening to TED Talks.

Want it Wednesday - Stop Collaborate and Listen...

No not going to burst out into song, though I bet you start humming. Anyway, this week post is dedicated to collaborations between artists/craftspersons. Reason for this, goes without saying really, is down to my own recent collaboration with Heidi Burton, which resulted in five rather beautiful clocks that I am so proud about that I was fit to burst yesterday listing them. I hope you have seen them but to remind you, just head over to my etsy store to have a look at them in more detail:

And this weeks selection:

Whats for Lunch - Zach Trover for Tinymeat

Framed pretty bunny brooch - Collaboration with Made By White - LisaManuels

Mae Lee Ann Ring- in collaboration with Keiko Lynn - LiamofYork

The Sweet Life-Photo Locket Necklace Collaboration with Susannah Tucker - HeartworksByLori

See you at the weekend

x

p.s. have you tried my lovely free pattern yet? If you have I would love to see it, I may very well surprise someone with a little something. Just simply post a picture in the Flickr Group, and become a crafty fellow

Waving the Flag and Phew I am done

So some what of a busy couple of hours, just finished off making up the four clocks (see above) and even photographed them, several times over. Damn this ever changing light, one minute sunshine the next overcast and raining. Anyway, battle done and a well deserved cup of tea is in order. 

Only thing left now is for me to purchase a few more bits of packaging, clock hands. Miss Burton all the way over in Cambridge is just working on the copy and labels, as I type this blog post. It's all coming together nicely. And then in May they will be available to purchase along with the other collaboration piece.

I really do think a cuppa is in order. 

Before I toddle off to make one, I have to show you what I purchased this weekend, I couldn't resist the Jubilee edition of Marmite (Sainsburys) and this little patriotic tin (from Marks & Spencers - chocolate wasn't to bad either). This is really making me want toast and put up bunting!

1, 2, 3, 4...I am seeing double, double.

Just finished about 10 minutes or so ago part 4 of 4 of what I have been calling 'Cloud Boy' but its my working title, Heidi is currently working on the story to go with it, so the name will no doubt will change.

I am thrilled that the fourth is done, perhaps a little that it is the fourth one I have done anyone that knows me well knows that I don't do more than one thing I get bored easily. But it was a challenge and I was up for it, and hell the design is that cute I couldn't help but do four. In a day or so time they will be made up into clocks like the one at the bottom, and then ladies and gentlemen who have been following the collaboration will be on say from the beginning of May. I am excited.

And I think a cup of tea and a TED talk will be a perfect celebration. 

Missed Sunday, how about Monday?

Why hello there, I sort of managed to miss my usual weekend blogging, can't think why? But anyway, I've not really been up to a great deal post birthday celebrations last week, but I have been beavering away with the stitching. Above is the completed version of what I've been calling 'cloud boy' number 2, only another 2 to go and that mini series will be complete. I hoped, however, to get really cracking with number 3 but the stitching yesterday wasn't all that great, and some days you do have to put it down and walk away and that's pretty much what I did. Thank Merlin's fuzzy beard for tea.

I will aim to get the third complete this week. This is the plan. Thankfully have the whole of the Easter Weekend to make a dent in it as well as a couple of other new bits and pieces (fingers crossed).

On a side note I've still not heard from my winner of the competition, is there a problem posting on here? I know in other blogs people have been having issues with this, can someone post a test comment or something for me? Report back to me on my Facebook page if there is a problem. The winner was OLIVIA280177 and they posted a comment here on my blog originally. Please do step forward because if I've not heard from you by the 10th then I will draw again, and that would be a shame.

And that my friends is about it, don't forget I will have another  'Want it Wednesday' post this week and I am feeling all warm and fuzzy about Easter. 

Something I missed....Little Man on a Cloud

I can't believe I forgot to upload the finished shots of what I have called it 'Cloud Boy' clock, or the clock with the thousand names (me and Heidi are yet to work out the titles!). Anyway, without further ado here is the first of what will become a series of 4. So I'd better pull my finger out and get started on the other three...

Up close and personal

A couple of nice shots...

P.s. yesterday I posted a request for your comments on a new product range, why not let me know your thoughts...

Drumroll Please - Completed Collab Number Two

Looks like he's waving

Oh he's holding something, and he's got a little jacket and hat on

And its got tiny little buttons and what is that in his hand?

Aww its a little telescope!

And here it is complete (ready for making up into a clock) and sitting long side its original drawing. This clock will be a series of four, and no one will be exactly alike. Different linens will be used, and who knows the jacket may be a different colour.

The progress and journey so far of this collaboration has been the most exciting thing I've done to date, and I hope your enjoying it too. More designs are in the works, and packaging and things of that nature are still to be designed, but soon they will be ready to purchase. If anyone is interested in joining a mailing list in regards to purchasing these clocks, then drop me a message here or over at my Etsy store.

Working Progress - Little Clouds

The progress of the other clock is going well and I think, as I stated last week, that I will be hopefully getting all the stitching done today. This means I can then make it up during the week. I worked on it fairly late into the night, until a headache kicked in. 

Starting the last cloud

Ooo look I started the little fellow, here I tacked down a rough outline for his legs, coat and face

Just put one layer of padding on the jacket ready for me to do some straight satin stitch over it. The arms will be a combination of trailing and satin stitch.

Floating on a Cloud

So over the past couple of days I've been getting back on target with the second design, in the on going collaboration with Heidi Burton (Making Strangers). I am relieved that the need to redo it, has gone better than I had hoped. There is nothing worse than starting again only find that the second attempt is no better than the first. Thankfully this isn't the case.


Here is the progress so far...well that I've taken a photograph of....

Actually on the little cloud on the right at the moment and about a third of a way through it, pictures tomorrow!

And in case you missed it my competition - click here

Feeling a little Royal...and look ain't she pretty!

When I stitch I love to listen either to music in all its varied forms, TV box sets (currently West Wing and Supernatural) and the odd documentary. Lately its been the Diamond Queen, and I have to say I am feeling a little bit more Royalist. The Queen has always reminded me of my late nan, style, the way she conducted herself and at the time with my nan she was a constant. So its almost disappointing that the programme that looked back on her reign, the highs and lows was only three parts. Anyway, its been making me think and I am rather in the mood to stitch a crown. However, before I do that I must crack on with my collaboration with Heidi (Making Strangers), one clock is officially complete and another is in the works today.

Doesn't she look pretty? There are a few more bits to sort out, labels and packaging but she is complete! Just another two of this design to go, but on different coloured linens. I hear Berwick Street calling my name in a few weeks time!

Some of you might wonder now, hang on I thought you started this one already? Or is this your second one? Yes, I did already start this design, and technically it is my second. Like most people I am only human and I stupidly managed to get something on the first one, whilst annoying at the time has allowed me to rethink how I started it last time. I wasn't totally happy with the last stitching anyway, so it was perhaps a saving grace. So, this is what I am working on at the moment, just on the last cloud so I'll be able to whip the tissue off shortly and crack on with filling in the clouds, then it will be the trees, rain then finally the little guy standing on the uppermost cloud.

What are you up today?

Clock Face Continues

Nothing says stay in the warm than stitching.

How it looked this morning before I got settled into the sofa, stitching and watching Disney flicks. Bliss.

By late afternoon the last bits in the first section of hair were complete. I took longer than expected because I distracted by Disney films. Oops.

When I wasn't distracted, moved onto playing classical music at this stage, I drew on the tissue paper the second section of hair and pinned in place. 

How it currently stands, I've stopped to have some dinner and catch up online and of course keep you all in the loop. Still listening to classical music so I shall return to the stitching. I would love to get a whole chunk of this complete tonight. Tomorrow I will get the other design in the frame and perhaps a few bits of it stitched. Its been a while since I've completed anything fully, but I hope everyone will be pleased with the final results. This collaboration will see more designs, and versions of these clocks.

I am also keen to continue collaborating with artists I know, I love translating illustrations into embroidered clocks. Eeek.

WIP: Collaboration underway

So begins my next big project, been talking about it enough, yes I've finally started the stitching for the collaboration pieces. This is just one section of one design and after a bit of a false start yesterday, I've started a fresh today and cracked on. I had an issue with the transferring normally I draw on, long since gone past the days of pounce (I used to get it everywhere) I opted for thin tissue paper and stitching down the main outlines. Which works out as the better route for this lovely lady and her following locks. 

I shall keep you posted with its progression...