Happy Spring Days

I'm writing this blog post in a ridiculously good mood, singing along (badly) to radio, and once I've stopped writing I'll be sorting out a spot of dinner, speaking to my best mate and then getting back to stitching. I would say it's down to a combination of enjoying the sunshine pouring through the windows, buying more plants for the flat, and just enjoying what I am making. Sure this week hasn't gone to plan from dentist's costing an arm an leg, unexpected bills...too and this is the funniest thing, having a sparkie come out only to realise the lights that you thought were going in the hallway hadn't been ordered...because it was you that was meant to have done it. Yes, I felt like a right idiot. 

Not that it mattered cause at the end of the day my teeth are in good order, the bill will get paid and the lights whilst not up, are now ordered, and most of the prep work has been done. Oh, and a phone socket issue was also sorted out in the process. 

So what does it matter, these things are sent to try us but I am slowly learning to just go with the flow...ish. 

Anyway, enough of that waffle! I've made some pretty things, well one finished pretty, another is in the process:

Mia Mouse

This little Tilda mouse was made for a friend's god-daughter, the dress/apron gave me a bit of gip but it's come out well. Bright colours were a must for the little girl it's going to. Slightly tempted to make a coat or a blanket for it, perhaps I might if I have a moment over the Easter holidays.

Then afternoon, I started work on the monogram for a friend in the States. Starting with a bit of prep work then moving onto starting the trailing. I have to really think about the order I work the monogram in as there is a lot of over lapping. The lettering was designed by me and I've found myself doodling what the rest of the alphabet would look like. So chances are there might be more like in the future.

Getting smart-arse with the filters on Instagram...

Looks like an 'e' but really is a twiddly bit (technical term) at the end of the letter, finished with a tiny little tassel, to help it stand out from the rest of the gold trailing, I flecked in some of the blue I'll be using to work the main part of the letter in. 

It's not the only things I've been doing this weekend, there's been a lot of shifting about, perhaps its the need of wanting to spring clean has got me spirited to do it. I'll not complain, because whilst it lasts the flat is looking utterly smashing. 

I hope everyone has had a lovely weekend! 

Christmas Time at Chez Mason Bee

I couldn't quite resist bringing the festive cheer to my wee abode a little earlier this year. Normally I wait until today, 1st December, popping Elf or Muppets Christmas Carol on in the background and getting thoroughly stuck into the decorating. This year, however I think I was just itching to get the twinkling lights up, because I had not one, not two but three Christmas tree's to decorate. Sure I could have easily put my two tiny tree's away but what the heck I put all three up....and I don't regret it.

Giant Red Robin on the top of the tree

Bee and Toadstools...

I didn't need to make any new tree decorations to furnish all three, though I did buy four new ones to add to the stash. This year it was a large red robin, a tiny glass robin, green sparkly star and a glass green and clear bauble. I'm aiming to have a tree one year where no one decoration is a like. Admittedly it might have to be a fifteen foot tree to accommodate them all.

But whilst I've not made for the tree that's not stopped me from making other decorations for the house. I've actually got a door wreath, which is fab and it's one I've decorated myself. I had been utterly swamped with inspiration from Pinterest on what I could do with a wreath form but Friday night I suddenly came to me what I could do with just the fabrics and bits and pieces I had to hand. I had been tempted to cover it in pom-poms or googly eyes, maybe next year!

I'm really, rather pleased with it. I especially like the fact I can also use the form again as none of it, bar the crystals is glued on. it's either pinned or hand-sewn. I don't have any progress shots as it was rather late at night and was too much in the zone to stop and grab the camera. But if you want to have a go...

You will need a wreath form, strips of muslin, red felt, needle and thread, pins and Swarovski crystals (or similar). 

I wrapped the form in a couple of long strips of muslin, to keep it in place I used pins and a few holding stitches at the back. I then cut ruler width strips of red felt and pinned them, temporarily, at certain points around the form, I judged this by eye. Once I was happy with the placing I sewed just the end of the strips to the muslin, the felt you see doesn't wrap all the way to back. To finish it off, I made a nice fat bow, again using pins to hold it in place whilst I stitched it to the wreath. To give it some glitz, and just because I could, I covered the bow with crystals. Then add a felt tab at the back to make it easy to hang.

This is only the beginning of my crafting for Christmas, I've got a table mat to make up, a few gifts and some other bits and pieces to do as well. I would have cracked on over this weekend but I had to finish off a commission (a very one of a kind button clock) and make and write project for a magazine...which as you guessed it I can't tell you about at the moment.

I'll be putting together a wee newsletter during the week, so keep your eyes peeled for that. And then next weekend I will be back to talking about things I really want to make over Christmas and in 2014, hopefully some photographs of bits I am making at present. Also will talk about my wee trip to Bust Craftacular. I am hoping that this craft fair will make up for the two I've been to over the last couple of months. Looks like a fab line up and gives me a chance to meet up with another fellow Laura, Laura Howard of Lupin and hopefully another Laura too, Laura Howard of Laura Fallulah. I think this means that some cosmic event will happen...hopefully it will involve cake.

Hope everyone has had enjoyable 1st day of advent!

Threads, Bee and Success

Nothing like a productive weekend, to make you feel that whatever the next week brings that at least you started it with a few things crossed off your list. I had two things that I was rather pleased to get done.

The first is that I finally got a solution for my windows at my abode that works. I've had a bugger of a time with the plaster board. The new buildings owners worst nightmare when it comes to fixing anything heavier than a picture on it. So you can imagine that hanging anything like a blind was a nightmare. However, using components that are actually for wardrobe, small dabs of no more nails to add the screws, and the aid of my mum. I've fitted up a mini pole in the study ready for me to hang the curtains...that I've yet to make but still it's a start!

Taking a picture of it at the moment is a bit dull, but once I've made the curtain I'll show it off. Hopefully, by then I'll have my sofa bed installed too so the room will be pretty much complete and ready for guests to use too.

What's the second thing I am pleased about? Well I have made the sample and pretty much got instructions sorted out for a fab little Christmas project for you all. Here is a sneaky peek of a bit of it to wet your appetite. 

The project will be ready for next week, and I'll be aiming for the 7th November, to coincide with the project in Crafty magazine which will be out the same day. Which I can show you what it looks like, as they have put up on their site this week the template for the design. Sneaky peek and download the template ahead of the game!

This is a prefect opportunity to remind you about the competition I have running, which has some fab prizes up for grabs. Click here for more details.

As well as the Christmas project and the window solution, I popped along to the first Threads festival at Farnham Maltings. It was in the neighbourhood and I wanted to go along to see if it was something I wanted to take part in next year, but I have to be honest I wasn't utterly sold on it. The premise was good, but in reality to me it fell short, I can't fully explain it. I think it largely came down to not knowing what it was meant to be. I personally felt that the set up at the Maltings might have also not fully helped it was a little too bitty, perhaps that was the reason I couldn't quite figure it out. If you've not been to the Maltings, its a collection of buildings linked together, with studio areas, halls and various other side rooms. Which for this festival made me feel as I left that I might have missed something. 

I might have felt even more disappointed had I not come across a rather lovely and local hand-weaver who also sold her hand dyed cotton threads. Naturally I fell in love with the threads couldn't resist purchasing a pack of mercerised cottons and one of her silk dying experiments. I highly recommend checking out Zoe Acketts by going to her site http://www.zoeacketts.co.uk/.  

Perhaps my thoughts on the show were a little hard, given it was the first one, next year I heard its going to be in September rather than November. Perhaps not to compete with the Christmas fairs. Which might work better...I'll leave my opinion as undecided. Did you go, what did you think? 

Now I must toddle off the evening has well and truly settled in and it's time to snuggle down on the sofa with a cuppa. 

Gold Bees

Following my post yesterday about the little bee brooch that I made on a spur of the moment I've gained positive and useful feedback by folks over on Facebook. So much so I made another one day. The suggestion by a lovely lady called Jessica was to make the bee a little bigger and so I did just that; this afternoon in fact.

And you know what she was right it looks so much better, I also managed to give it a bit more height in the process.

Playing with the gold metal thread - It's been an age since I last worked with gold thread and I have a surprising amount of goldwork thread in my stash so it's been good to get it out again.

Stitching in progress...

Back of the brooch, which has a little sliver of Liberty Tana Lawn fabric

And finished!

I've just listed this example over on Etsy and are given people the chance to choose the print for the back of the brooch, five different Liberty Tana Lawn prints in fact. And of course, the donation to the BBKA for each one sold is 50p. 

What else have I been working on today, I was knocking up the sample for the bee mirror pouch. I did get the dimensions a little wrong, maths went a little to pot this morning. But you know the overall look of it I am happy with, and my little custom stamp made by Memi the Rainbow, also got its first outing. Isn't it fab! I think I need to get myself some black fabric ink, but for the time being the brown ink will suffice.

I'll be looking to get the bee mirrors ordered next week, so I'll keep you posted as to when they are available to purchase. 

Hope everyone else is either having a productive crafting day, or snuggled up on the couch and relaxing. xx

Halloween Crafting: Make a mini Pumpkin

Following on from my wee little broomstick tutorial its time to make a wicked, little pumpkin. Make several and your'll have your self a little pumpkin patch. Great decoration for your table too.

You will need:

• Orange, green and black pieces of felt

• Matching threads

• A Needle

• Sharp pair of scissors

• Toy stuffing

Step 1

Cut out a circle of orange felt that is 12 cm in diameter, of course, feel free to make it bigger or smaller. To get a perfect circle I found it easier to draw round something. Thread up a needle with a fairly long length of thread that will allow you to do a simple gathering stitch around the edge of the felt, stitching 5 mm from edge. 

Step 2

Grab both ends of the threads and pull to gather it up, stop half way to put some of the toy stuffing in, then carry on till you have a nicely gathered up shape (bit like a little bun), which will end up with a small opening. Sew the ends in to stop it from undoing (do not stitch up the hole). Then with a blunt end of a pencil, push more stuffing into the opening, keep going till you get a almost firm feel, but not too over stuffed that you can't push the pencil into the middle.

Step 3

Cut a strip of green felt 9 cm (length) by 2.5 cm (width), before you begin to roll it up tightly, get a needle and thread ready as you will need this to make a few stab stitches through one end to keep it together. Do as many as you feel will keep it from unrolling.

Step 4

With it rolled up, simply stuff it into the small opening at the top of the pumpkin, leaving 1 cm showing. Stitch the stem into the pumpkin, using the orange thread. Test to make sure it doesn't come out.

Step 5

Here comes the fun bit, designing what you want the face to look like. Once you have, cut it out of black felt. Now there are two ways in which you can apply the face to the pumpkin, small dabs of fabric glue, or stab stitch (small tiny stitches around the edge and middle of the black felt), I did the latter...because I am a sucker for punishment. 

Huzzah you now have a tiny little pumpkin. Go nuts and make a patch full of them!

Craft Show Preparation

I am currently at that point of time when you realise that you have a lot to do and so very little time to do it in. In fact perhaps even writing this blog should have come later in the day, but dammit I wanted a custard cream and a cuppa. 

This time next week I would have done my first of two craft shows of this year. I haven't done one in such a long time that I almost forgot what I need to do, and how much time it takes to prepare. Sure I should have done a lot of it a while ago, but as ever its the classic of its fine I have plenty of time....Uhmm no I don't. That's the problem when you also work a full time job which also has it's own set of deadlines. It's a bit of a pickle but it will all be okay on the day. 

Today in order to get ready I spent most of the morning trying to work out the stand display, I'll be honest I am not a 100% happy with it, but I think it will work. The problem I have is that I have created a lot of things, and its hard to link the pieces together. So what you see in the photographs is only half of what I have stored away, and I have a feeling I will end up not displaying some of the items when I get there. I am fussy with layouts, and so I think I'll end up with a less is more approach come next Saturday. For instance I like the way I have hung my clocks and small wall art pictures but not so happy with the container for the needle cases, top left of the picture (see above). The tissue holders also don't look great, but then I haven't put the tissues into them yet, so perhaps will look better, less flat. I shall ponder on it some more today.

I still have to prep some more needle cases, and make a few more tissue holders, and I want to start a project that I can work on when I am there. I am thinking either another more complex clock or picture. I have a design that I came across last night that I have yet to do anything with. Then I have the bags to stamp up and price labels still to write. 

Phew...

Ps. In case you have forgotten where I will be showing - 

Speeding onwards

This year is really starting to fly by. My holiday has been and gone in a blink of an eye, a year in my job has felt like only a month, and my best friend's wedding which was only last week already feels like a distant memory. And yet it's not over yet, I still have two craft shows to do. It is my plan, my intention, to get some new bits ready for it though how I am going to get it all done before the 26th is anyone's guess. I can but hope!


On top of this I have been making more Tilda bits, I know I should be concentrating on shop stock but sometimes I like to break and really I am making gifts for cherished friends and family. Oh and for the flat.....


This lovely Princess Angel is a second in a pair, you might recognise the style Tilda again, her sister went to my best mate and this one is for my little flat. 

I've made an angel goose which is going to my mum which will hopefully stop her trying to nick Calico the Angel Pig. Hopefully she will like it I wasn't too sure about the Liberty print I chose for the feet and wings?


The next gift is for my other best mate's mum  (the one that got married - Mrs M), who has been making me a tea cosy from a pattern on Raverly and in return I am making her a Tilda figure, but she doesn't know what. I shan't be saying here! It's a surprise. 


I also have a wee decoration that I want to make for my part of the stall at the craft show that utilises a wee metal bucket (got to stop saying wee) that made up the wedding favours for my friend's wedding. It's perfect for me to make a tiny Christmas tree, Tilda has a design which I think would work perfectly, just need to decide on my fabrics, Liberty it is but not sure on the colour yet. 


In this mess somewhere is the gift for my friend, and bits I am making for the show! What you crafty folks up to? And are you coming to Guildford Craftacular? 

How to Help a Crafty Person

I've had my fair share of creativity blocks over the years, it can last a mere day or it can take weeks if not longer to get over that hurdle. Sometimes it can come out of the blue and the answer to it also can appear out of no where. 

I've pushed projects to one side simply because I don't know what to do it with it because I simply don't think it looks right, its missing something. So on..

One thing I often found useful to get over this was bouncing ideas off other people, even better if its in a place that isn't your home, workroom of where ever it is you get your craft on.

So I was musing therefore this morning of perhaps doing a little session like this. Quite relaxed, perhaps in a coffee shop of even the pub, where people can bring their projects or just themselves and a willingless to share and help others. Hopefully in return you will get over your hurdle, or creativity block whilst helping out someone else in the process. A nice bit of karma.

This is something that can easily be slotted into existing networking sessions, coffee mornings etc, but taking it to a slightly different level. 

I don't know about you, but I love helping people and I like coming up with creative solutions, giving ideas and suggestions to others. 

Not sure, if by the end of this musing, it makes sense and how I would move it to the next stage, especially given my limited time, but I am feeling somewhat more inspired to pull my finger out since seeing the lovely Anna in the Daily Mail. 

Countdown Continues

I've fallen a little silent since I put my shops on hiatus. I wish I could say I've been up to anything really exciting in that time....but its just the usual life stuff. Work mainly as I've had to clear a lot of stuff of my desk prior to my holiday which officially started 5pm yesterday. Then there was a hen do weekend and just the usual life things. 

So there you go.

However, I haven't stopped crafting, just because I put the shops to sleep for a bit, I have been stitching but things for me. Which has been rather gratifying. It's bits for the flat mainly and the start of Christmas gifts (sorry I hate using that word so early into autumn, so don't shot me for saying it! haha

Say hello to Harold: Designed by my favourite crafts person Tilda. Gawd her designs and books are to die for. This is the first time I've actually done anything from her books, I kept coveting and saying I would, but I finally pulled my finger out.

Once you start you can't stop, and here is Calico the Angel Pig

I can't wait to hang Calico up, he'll be flying over the top of my tree in place of the usual angel. I've still not finished, one my best mates very kindly purchased me a Tilda kit and well I can't just put it away and do it after my holiday, no I have to start it and I'm nearly half way through one of the girls already.

I'm determined to get one finished before I fly on Wednesday so fingers crossed.

That's where I am at the moment. Aside from that I am currently in the midsts of packing and making final preparations before I fly out to DC on Wednesday. I am excited and a little nervous at the prospect of travelling on my own but god dammit I can't wait! As I will be taking my netbook with me I will be making the most of the free wifi in the hotel of an evening to upload images to my Flickr account and Facebook. I also hope to blog about the trip as well. 

P.s the stores will be reopening on the 1st November

Big Crafting Hurrah

The nice thing about not having the net for a while, though please note it was also a big pain in the neck not having it, was that I started doing a bit of crafting for me for a change. My new little abode really does need my stamp on it, and textiles is the one thing that really can make a house a home, or in my case a flat a home. So I did a couple of things in the evening;

One slightly odd looking necklace altered, to give two for the price of one items.

I hated the bow, I wouldn't wear it with it, but loved the specs! So I separated the chains, and Agent No. 1 my flat mate got the bow tie!

From there I also made a few bits for my sisters impending birthday, little flags for the cakes and a birthday card.

This then led me to wanting to tackle something a bit more complicated and for the flat this time, and it was tie backs not that dreadful, but as I've never made any and didn't have a patten it was a bit of a first!

That and I also decided to use plemet vilene to give it stiffness, it was an evening of firsts! I created my own pattern after working out what the embrace, digging out the old boden dress that's been in my box since I cut it up (thanks mum!) and here you go:

I must say I prefer the fabric as tie backs than the dress! This is improved upcycling, I have some left over which might make a cushion, and maybe a coaster or two. 

That's as much as I've done so far, but I have the coasters to make, and also want to do something to cover the end of my bed, because it's more open than my last one you can see under it, and I don't want to use a valance. So I'll keep you posted!

One final thing....

MY ETSY STORE IS BACK OPEN!!!

Though please note I can only ship once a week, until I am even more set into a routine this is all I can offer at this stage! Will keep you posted when it reverts back to my usual shipping daily.