Hello Bloggettes,  I've done it again and left it ages before posting a blog, only just over a week this time inbetween posts but I just seem to have got out of the groove of writing them at the moment. So anyway here I am today, just a quickie though I think that my dinner will be ready soon.
I've been shopping this week. First off I bought a few cards from Chrissy  These are the designs I chose

They are amazing as they always are from Chrissy and Hubby and I will be very pleased to send them out this christmas.

Then I bought a cute little sign from folksy seller Handmade for you by Elaine

Then on wednesday we popped to our local b&m for a few bits and ended up coming home with a few more items than we intended, we bought 2 new ottomans for our bedroom to keep the bedding in,  the one we had just wasn't big enough so we've bought a couple of smaller ones that give us more space.,we also got some new cannisters and a decorative sign spelling BAKE which is ready for when we repaint the kitchen soon.

I've also been busy stitching this week as I've had a few more orders for some more christmas hearts and decorations. It looks like the robin hearts and rudolphs are the favourites as I've sold more of these than any other style. I've run out of the robin fabric now and also had to swap the ribbon on my rudolphs too as I ran out of the one I was using before. Hubby popped out to the range in leeds yesterday during his lunch break and bought me ten more roles of different christmas ribbons so I've replenished my ribbon stock this week too.

rudolph can you iron????

Just a quickie today as I'm suppsoed to be ironing and well everyone must know by now how much I hate that so I'm putting it off a bit longer lol. I know I shouldnt but I just cant help it. I've just been reading blogs while I pass the time delaying the ineveitable.  I just posted a comment on Chrissys blog and as usual have rambled on and on and on, I think my comment is longer than her blog!!!! I really must learn to be more succinct.
On a crafty note I made a couple more christmas decorations last night, this time round I made felt rudolphs. I've been meaning to make reindeers for a while but didn't get around to it and then earlier this week I saw Chrissys wonderful leaping reindeer card and thought ooh yes I was going to make some reindeers so last night I finally got around to it. It took me a while to find the right template for it. Inspired by Chrissy's card where she added a red pearl gem to her reindeer nose I decided to add a red bead to my little rudolphs. I do hope you don't mind me using your idea Chrissy.
You can view chrissy cards here http://www.chrissysforcards.blogspot.com/ and here http://www.facebook.com/pages/Chrissys-for-Cards/

I would much rather be sewing more little rudolphs or other things than ironing this afternoon but I suppose I better go and get on with it. What a shame rudolph can't iron and then I could make a whole army of them and sit here watching them whizz through my ironing for me.
Anyway here's my non ironing rudoph to say hello to you all

Ironing you must be joking !!!

Some days you just shouldnt bother

Hello blogettes do you ever have one of those days where you think you shouldn't have bothered? I had one of those yesterday. I tried crafting but it just didn't seem to go right and hours after I started I had nothing I was happy with to show for it.
It was my own fault though yesterday as I woke up in a funny mood, I was still tired and bit dopey when I got up (no jokes there girls I know I'm always a bit dopey) and also in a 'cant settle and can't be bothered' mood. I don't know why cos theres no reason for me to feel like that at the moment but heyho, there I was in my funny mood.
I'd even struggled to get into the groove chatting online with Eily in the morning, so after doing a bit of housework that was bugging me because I knew it needed doing, I thought I know I'll get my machine out and have a go at a couple of ideas I've been thinking of making recently,  that will perk me up.
BIG MISTAKE  I think I would have been better off sitting quiety in a room n throwing material away then spending hours making the couple of things I did.
First thing I tried making was a little purse for when you have a small bag and don't have room for a big one, I didnt want to just have a simple coin purse so I added a pocket at the front for cards/ notes as well as a zip up coin section and a fold over button up flap to cover it up when closed.I used my Cath Kidston strawberry fabric and set about making a pattern and cutting the pieces out.
First go at stitching the flap I went too far in and didn't realise till after I'd clipped the seam alowance at the corners so it was too late to unpick and sew again which meant the flap was now narrower than I intended it to be. Next when stitching the purse together I got stuck on the metal zip end and broke my machine needle. Then the button hole didn't go right, for some reason the machine stitching was loose on the first section. In the end I wasn't very happy with the purse at all. I think it looks amateurish and I don't like the way the zip lies although I don't know how to get round that on something so small.

After the purse fiasco I decided to try another idea I'd had which was a magnetic pad and pen holder, I didn't have problems making this but I think I picked the wrong material as its too busy and send my eyes a bit funny. Also I'm not too sure of the idea at all now anyway even in another material so more wasted time.

Feeling rather deflated I took a break for dinner but then I thought I'd try again and finish the day with something easy. I decided on a blue felt cushion with the word 'love' appliqued on it.  

Felt christmas decorations

I've had the christmas tree up again today taking piccies of my felt christmas decorations. I had great fun playing with felt again last week making some more felt decorations. I've tweaked the pattern and decorations slightly from the first ones I made a few weeks ago as I didn't like the shape of my puddings and snowmen before and I've also changed the buttons and ribbons I used this time.

christmas tree

Christmas pudding

gingerbread man

Snowman

Stocking

Rather oddly while I've had the tree up taking photos our cat Lucy hasn't bothered about it at all but prevously when we've had a tree up at christmas she always chews and climbs it. It has been on a small table in the middle of nowhere so it's been hard for her to get to but normally she would have at least tried to find a way to it. If only I could believe she would leave it alone at christmas I would be so happy as I really miss having a tree up and buying pretty ornaments for it

Hello blogettes I havent been blogging too much lately I think I've only managed to write them about once a week if that, I just seem to keep forgetting about blogging or if I do come on I read other peoples and then run out of time to do mine. I seem to be spending most of my time stitching or online and on facebook lately.
I havent been doing much jewellery making lately as sales have more or less dried up and I have so much already made I think it's best if I have a little rest from it for a while. Although I did make a couple of chain belts for a customer request from the shop that sells some of my pieces last week. I forgot to take photos of them before I took them to the shop though.
At the beginning of this week I had an order delivered from Cath Kidston including some fabric and toiletries which I had ordered with the idea of making some gift sets including make up bags and toiletries. When it arrived tuesday lunchtime I just couldnt wait to get started and rushed to get my machine out and start making the bags. I still have quite a bit of material left and will be making more make up bags as well as other things from it later. I'll probably keep some of the sets I make to give as gifts to family and friends but the rest I have added to my facebook page to see if anyone is interested in buying them.  I've lined the bags with a white polyester wipe cean lining and added a zip fastener. The toiletries are either bluebell, wild rose or honeysuckle fragranced and smell gorgeous. 
The sets with a makeup/toiletries bag, shower gel, soap and a bath melt included I thought I'd sell for £10 plus p&p and also the sets with make up/toiletries bag, hand cream and body lotion included are £10 plus p&p then I have sets with soap and a bath melt included with a makeup/ toiletries bag that I thought I would sell for £7.50 plus p&p. Do you think this is a fair price?

Blue provence rose fabric bag with 30 ml bluebell hand cream and 30ml body lotion

Blue provence rose fabric bag with 30ml bluebell shower gel, soap and bath melt

Green provence rose fabric bag with 30ml honeysuckle shower gel, soap & bath melt

Green provence rose fabric bag with 30ml honeysuckle hand cream & body lotion

Shooting star fabric bag with honeysuckle soap & bath melt



Pic of inside of bag with lining



Blue provence rose make up/toiletries bag

I have my christmas tree up am I mad????

Well the answer to that question is yes most definately.... but there is a reason for my tree being out today besides me being mad. I've been taking photos of some of the heart christmas decorations I've been making to list on folksy and I thought it would be a good idea to take a photo of the hearts on the tree to set the scene.
We dont actually have a tree up at christmas nowadays as Lucy our cat tends to eat it and climb it so it took some finding in the loft as it hasnt been used for a few years. Luckily we managed to find it and keep Lucy away from the tree while I took the photos without incident.

So now I'm feeling quite christmassy which is a bit odd as its only the beginning of september but hey ho. I have actually bought a couple of christmas pressies already too, just a couple of little things I saw and thought would make nice little pressies for my family. I just hope I remember I've bought them and where I put them when it comes to christmas lol