Well this weekend, I finally sat down to make some Christmas cards for us to send out. I have been thinking about using some of my paintings on cards for ages, and this year I have actually done it! (It has helped that I was given a good printer as a birthday present!)

I have put some of them up for sale in my for sale gallery and will take some to the craft show next week.

I plan to send these out from the family, along with the ones my daughter has designed.

I’d love to know what you think.

Happy Crafting
xx

I finished knitting the rainbow hat I was asked to make for a work colleague. She’s going to a rainbow themed party in London next week!

It’s a fairly simple pattern, and mostly plain stocking stitch, but I think the rainbow stripes work well! You couldn’t fail to see the wearer coming that’s for sure!

I like the versatility, it can be worn in a number of ways (as above). My daughter loves it and having passed it over to its new owner, there were a number of complementary comments too. So I’m now thinking maybe I should make some more. I have had an idea on the way home about making a Christmas Tree one.

When I’ve completed my orders and the raffle prizes I’m donating to a couple of local charity events, I think I shall have a go at the Christmas Tree. Watch this space! And have a browse of my knitted gallery while you wait!!

Happy crafting
xx

Hot the heels of my first craft stall, my second one has come along!

I shall be at the St Joseph and St Bedes Primary School Christmas Market on Thursday 6th December from 12:30 – 3:30.

I will be making some more cards to add to my Christmas stock, which has somewhat dwindled over the last couple of weeks!

I will post more details nearer the date.

Happy Crafting xx

I have been so busy over the last couple of weeks (since my first craft stall), that I’ve not had any time to blog. Be assured, I am still here and crafting away whenever I have a moment.

I’ve been knitting and card making to meet a few orders:

Red and white stockings and pompom tree decorations

Soldier good luck cards

Large personalised Christmas cards with bows








And the obligatory baking for Children in Need, which helped my husband’s work place to raise over £200!!








I am currently making a rainbow hat for a work colleague who is going to a Rainbow themed birthday party next week!

Happy crafting
xx

I’ve always been a crafter and also have a love of the environment. When you think about it, crafting is a pretty ‘green’ activity – you’re making things yourself and you can use anything you like to make things with!

I know we crafters never throw anything away.  Well you never know when it might come in handy!  I’ve recently been taking this to the extreme as I’m collecting anything and everything that could possibly be used by a nursery class to make models with.  We have a permanent box in the kitchen to collect bottle tops, toilet  and kitchen roll tubes, boxes, egg boxes, plastic lids, fruit mesh bags, yoghurt pots etc etc etc.

This collecting is just an extension of my keeping things that might be useful.  I always cut off the ribbon tabs from clothes to use on my cards (they make great hand tied bows or can be used on gift tags), I save all our greetings cards and take bits off for gift tags, or to use as toppers.

My favourite time of the year though is Christmas as this gives the most opportunity to collect and reuse bits and pieces.  I think my most favourite items to canniblise are Christmas crackers.  I always buy my crackers – I like the surprise inside and it’s my one indulgence really.  They still hold the childhood magic of Christmas for me.  So I choose them with an eye on the decorations on them.  The little bits of ribbon are brilliant to reuse on gift tags and cards.

Many of my cards this year have been made using bits of Christmas crackers – the wreaths and berries on my larger Christmas cards were all on crackers from last Christmas.  The ribbons on some of my personalised Christmas cards was saved from my wedding presents (6 years ago).  It’s such a lovely colour and ribbon can be very expensive bought new, so I’ve saved it from a landfill site and given some of it a new life!

One of my other favourite ways of using up all the left over bits of papers, card and ‘bits’ is collage or mosaic. It’s a great way to reduce what is thrown away and it’s brilliant to do with children. I know my daughter loves it! I use little takeaway pots to store left over bits and I have them split into Christmas, Love and Everyday. That way I don’t have to root through everything I can just take the pot I need, some glue and some plain card shapes to cover. Simple and great fun without lots of mess. My love hearts have proved very popular for Engagements. Anniversary’s and for Valentines’ Day!

Happy Christmas crafting xx

My first craft fair is now over. Phew! I was so nervous this morning, did I have enough stock? Would anyone come to the fair? After a good hearty breakfast I felt calmer and was ready to meet the craft fair public.

Summerseat is not the easiest location to get to, in one direction there’s a narrow lane with passing places and the other has a 1 in 7 hill with twisty narrow roads. Not much fun for the faint hearted and limited parking when you get there. This may have put some people off, which was a shame as the hall was lovely and there was a wide variety of crafts and gifts available. I wasn’t the only card maker there, but we all offered the consumer something individual, and I offered my range of knitted items too.

The fair took a little time to get going, but a fair number of people attended and I had some very complimentary comments about my stall and stock items. The decision to use our digital photo-frame showing a slide-show of some of my previous card and craft projects was commented upon on several occasions. So I think that was a huge success.

Although the hall was never crowded with visitors, I was still able to make a reasonable number of sales, particularly my individual Christmas cards and knitted stockings for Christmas trees.

It was lovely to meet the public and gauge what people would like to see. I’ve come away with a couple of ideas for future stock lines and projects to try. I also met with some fellow crafters and have been persuaded to join the Etsy world. Thanks to ‘The U in Cute’ for the friendy advice. Watch this space for news of my Etsy shop!!

I must thank everyone who came to visit me and to all my new customers. My biggest thanks go to my husband James and daughter Alice, who helped in the set up of the stall and kept me supplied with tea throughout the day.

I have learned that I need to look well in advance for any craft fairs in the future. In particular I will investigate how successful the fairs have been in the past. I can see the benefits of my new and expanding connections in the crafting community, as being able to share our experiences. I already have a couple of fairs ‘pencilled’ in for March and late Summer 2013, and I may have another before Christmas this year. I shall keep you posted!

Thanks to all my customers, friends and family.

Happy Crafting
xx

Only 2 days to go to the Summerseat Christmas Craft And Gift Fair. I’m excited and nervous now. Come along and say hello.

Rowlands Methodist Church Hall, Rowlands Road, Summerseat, Bury
10th November 2012
11am – 3pm

Join us for a day of Christmas shopping at Summerseat’s Christmas Craft & Gift Fair. With crafts & gifts from local craftworkers , refreshments, tombolas and loads more. Doors open from 11am. All welcome.

I have some new stock available and would love to see you.

Happy Christmas Shopping!
x

With less than a week to go to my first ever craft fair, I had a day of making lists and designing my stall.

I started by making some bunting using offcuts of paper and card. Much fun was had with my daughter threading the bunting on to string! I’ll be hanging this around my table display. I then had a real root around the house looking for my table cloths and possible display items. A salad bowl and cake stand have come in very handy!

I didn’t realise how long it would take to set everything up as I wanted it. In spite of the very low temperatures, I was boiling hot after an hour of display arranging. I roped in my husband to take some photos so I can replicate the layout next weekend.

In addition to my cards, I will also have some knitted gifts, tree decorations and small heart-shaped gift boxes. I will be taking some of my non-Christmas cards as well, but I’ve tried to keep the main display as Christmassy as possible.

I have now realised that I need to make more gift tags and Christmas cards!

I would love to know what you think of my first display. Drop me a comment.

See you at Summerseat Methodist Church on Saturday 10th November at 11am.

Happy Crafting
xx

I’ll have a stall at the Summerseat Christmas Craft Fair to be held at Summerseat Methodist Church on Saturday November 10th.  So if you’re at a loose end and in the Bury area, why not pop along between 11am and 3pm.  It would be lovely to see you.

There are refreshments available!

I shall post more details as soon as I have them.

Happy Crafting!

xx