Too miserable for photos!

The weather is so dull and miserable that I can not get any good photos of what I am busy making!

Here are a few from when the sun was shining. I have decided to make a batch of items and then place them on Etsy all in one go. This gives me something to aim for in terms of completion.
Busy making:
1. Cute lavender sachets/mini pillows (I did a bit of a test run with these. Lavender is still fresh and sweet smelling after several months!)
2. Hanging lavender felt hearts. These go great in the airing cupboard!
3. Felt heart magnets.


Hoping for some sunshine soon to take some decent photos!
Thanks to everyone who has left comments over the past few days - Karyn, Muralimanohar, Vanessa (thanks for the labels site!), Clare and Jennifer. I don't have email addresses for all of you but thanks for stopping by and Hi!

Spots and stripes

That what my latest creation consists of!
A make up, wash bag, general hold anything kind of zippered bag. It's also nice and roomy!
I had fun making this and am really pleased with the outcome. I was originally going to make one with a cute applique design on the front using different fabric, but my patient couldn't hold out and I wanted to see the finished outcome so went with this combination of fabrics.




Thinking now I need some "Pink Stitches" fabric labels and I might make these and alternatives for my Etsy shop. What do you think?

Busy, busy, busy!

At last the sewing machine has seen daylight!
I've had a lovely afternoon trying out a couple of things.
I'm really pleased with my new little zippered bag using a pattern from "Sew Pretty Homestyle". I'm loving that book!
Only thing - it is now pitch black outside so the photos look terrible! Hope for a bit of sunshine tomorrow so I can take some decent photos so check back then!

It took a bit of time

At last I have my first PINK STITCHES Etsy sell!
It was only for one of my cover button tools but at least that's a start. I only have a couple of items in the shop but have not had much success. Not sure whether it's the price of items, that I'm based in the UK and a lot of buyers are based in the US? Or numerous other reasons that I can think of!
I am hoping to add a few other items to the shop, so we will just have to wait and see how it goes. Fingers crossed.

Visiting from?

One of my problems of not spending as much time as I would like actually in front of my sewing machine or coming up with new projects is partly down to the daily readings of all the fab crafts blogs out there. I dare not say how many of them are saved in my favorites!
I found it really interesting the other day when I managed to find out through Crafty Blogs UK where my some of my readers come from. The UK, US, Canada, Israel, Portugal. I find it fascinating!
So if you're out there and you have yet to leave a comment I would love to hear from regular or new readers from all around the world!

(Image from Wildgoose education resources)

Gorgeous reads

There are so many lovely craft books out there at the moment and I was lucky to receive some fab ones at Christmas. I have been wanting these for ages but just had to control myself from a spending splurge and get them as gifts.

I know probably most of you have had these books for a while, but if you haven't you've got to get them.

Plans for the weekend - going to try and squeeze some time in to start making some of the lovely projects!

Arrrrgggghhhh!!!

That's the one and only word (well there are a few other select words that are far to rude for here!) that have come out of my mouth over the past few days!
So much for me wanting to post more regularly - as well as human viruses my computer went and got one! Not at all fun!!

Anyways thanks for the lovely comments on the previous post and sorry I have not emailed you all back. I do hope to get busy with my blog soon and as usual have loads of ideas floating around in my head that need to be put into practice.

I just need to get going now! Avoiding all viruses - human and computer!

Happy 2008!!

Hope everyone had a wonderful start to the New Year!

I am hoping to get back to regular posting soon but for now a trip down memory lane and some of the things I got up to in 2007.....

2 days to go!!!

Finally I've managed to shake off the horrible bug that I had but now that has left me very behind with my Christmas preparations. Very little crafting has gone on around here for about a month!
I managed to squeeze in a few hours of making Christmas cards but that's about it!



(Apologies it was very late and dark when I took these photos!)

Off to take a blogging break over the holiday period. Have a lovely Christmas everyone and catch up in the New Year. x

Aachoo!!

Still feel awful!!
Hoping this nasty bug will soon be gone - only 20 shopping and prepping days til Christmas, and I really couldn't afford to miss last weekend but the thoughts of hitting the shops were the last on my mind!

Not been up to much therefore not much to post about!
Although thought I'd treat you to a pic of my lovely new fabrics that arrived from Sew, Mama, Sew.

**GORGEOUS**

I managed to be sent these lovelies when I won the monthly gift certificate! I also love the little card they sent which has 50 fun things to sew and a cute little button! Thanks guys!

Mountain and valley folds?

Thought I managed to escape the bout of winter colds and flu doing the rounds but oh no!! I feel terrible this morning. I could feel it creeping up on me last night until I could just about breathe!
After having such a good day yesterday I now feel awful!

Most of my do it yourself and craft projects are self taught. Some with success others need a little more practice. This year I've challenged myself to make my own Christmas cards. I've never really done the paper crafting/scrapbooking thing until yesterday. Went on a day course, learnt a lot of tips about using paper in your crafts and made this ...



It's such a cute little tin that I covered with paper and a few other bits and bobs and then made the matching gift card (that's where I learnt about mountain and valley folds - who knew!) The tin will be great for adding a little present or money.
Was hoping to start the Christmas cards today but feel awful so off to get a Lemsip instead!

Where's the craft gone?

The day job has taken over again so very little craft going on around here!
However, a few more button magnets in production and goodies that arrived in the post.



My first purchase through Etsy! Love this fabric and hoping to make some cute Key fobs as Christmas presents!

Getting paper crafty!

I love crafting but I'm more of a fabric, thread kind of a girl than paper and card. I love buying hand crafted cards but have never really given it ago myself.
So in preparation for Christmas I've stocked up on a range of goodies to make handmade cards and tags!


Not sure how they will turn out like but looking forward to messing around and having fun!

Etsy!

Finally I have got round to sorting out my Etsy shop - Pink Stitches!


It has taken me most of the afternoon to place a few items on there, hopefully I will get quicker!
Look forward to filling it up soon, but we will see how it goes!
Now off to do some crafting rather than being sat at the computer all day!

WIP

I tend not to find many exciting crafty, fabric things in charity shops but when I do I get so excited!
I picked this up last week. It's already been stripped of it's fabric and the handles have been sanded and re stained. Hoping for a good end result!

Hope everyone is having a lovely (spooky) evening and the pumpkins are holding up well.
This was one I cooked a while ago - stuffed mini pumpkin - very tasty!

Visitors welcome!

It's been a whirlwind weekend with a few lovely surprises I've been waiting to post about!
I couldn't believe it when I opened my e mail on Saturday and found out I had won the October Sew Mama Sew Flickr group $25 gift certificate!!
I never win anything - things like this just don't happen to me!

Then it got even better when I arrived home from work this evening to find a lovely e mail from Beth and Kristin at Sew Mama Sew. They have done a little write up about me and my blog on their site! How cool is that!


So if you are a new visitor here - Welcome !! I hope that you like what you see and will pop by again soon and I would love to hear from you all!

Etsy shop is up and running but is yet to be stocked - fingers crossed it will be soon!

Have a lovely week everyone and thanks again to Beth and Kristin!

How many days til Christmas?

Another week has flown by and all I seem to have heard this week is "How many days are there until Christmas?" Days!! I'm thinking in months!
The Christmas buzz is definitely here, the shops are crammed and mince pies are on the supermarket shelves!
The clocks go back tomorrow as well so we have shorter days and longer nights!! Which makes taking photos very difficult with it getting dark earlier!

Managed to get reasonable photos of my latest two projects:
1. A hanging organiser - sorry still with the pink theme!



2. A cute pincushion cube! How can you not be happy sewing with these little faces looking at you!


These will be available on Etsy when I get round to sorting it out, hoping the beginning of November!!

Nearly forgot - main reason for posting is to announce the winner of the needle book giveaway.
Using a random number selector the winner is NIC!! Congratulations!

(Nic - I can not find an email contact so if you can drop me an email I can arrange sending out to you!!)

DIY day (Giveaway reminder!)

I love being on holiday as I get so much done! Today has been a DIY day, put up some shelves, defrosted the freezer and been busy crafting away.
Today I've finally put more of my ideas into action:
More of my felt heart magnets in production (these were some of the first things I blogged about!)


Cutting ready for lavender felt heart hangers


Cute little magnets - made using my trusty cover button tool!



And since I'm hoping to start selling my goodies this little tag design has been floating around my mind for ages! I had ideas of embellishing them with stitching, ribbons and buttons but in the end I decided simple was better! I'm really pleased with how the first few have turned out!



Since I've been posting a lot this week - reminder if you want to win the needle book leave on comment on that post! Thanks!

See Sparks fly...

On my machine that is! Although it could be from all the fireworks that have been going off this week and it's not even Halloween yet!!
My machine has been busy today coming up with this..


A cute little tote bag with a front pocket. I'm still in my pink phase as you can see. (This one will be available on Etsy or eBay soon)



Have also been prepping for other projects cutting and sewing fabrics. So many ideas running through my head!


Remember any readers of my blog have til this Friday to comment on my previous post with a chance of winning the giveaway!

The dust has gone from the machine!

Finally some completed craft projects! I can't quite believe it myself.
Have dusted off the sewing machine and been trying out a few ideas with some lovely fabric that I received ages ago from Sheree.
As well as a few other goodies ended up making this needle book, first one I have ever made and hadn't intended making it anyway, it just sort of evolved out of scraps of fabric!


I'm fairly pleased with it. One thing I have discovered this afternoon is how self critical I am of my work! Any one else like that?
I think I'm a bit of a perfectionist - stitches have to be right, corners need to be exact!


I am pleased with the needle book but one of the corners is sticking out like a sore thumb although it is only short of 90 degrees!! I do like the way the ribbon has worked out and I do love the striped fabric design and the white felt in the middle and the little hearts ribbon. Oh come to think of it it's not too bad!
I may even make up a batch for Etsy.


Well I've decided to give this one away!
All you need to do is say Hi (or introduce yourselves if your lurking about) and leave a comment letting me know if you are as critical on your own work, or if it's just me in my little mad world!
I'll leave this post open until Friday 26th midnight(BST) then will find a number generator on the Internet to help me find a winner. Good luck!
Off for a cup of tea, still have some of my chocolates left as well, before I get back to my machine.



More photos over at Flickr

WIP

It's a simple as that WIP!
Finally getting back to some actual crafting and have a few projects that I want to get going on!

Reminder

We can all do our bit ...

Monday medicine!

October is definitely in full force!
The cold weather has arrived, the heating has gone on, scarves have reappeared and the nights are getting darker!
Time to cosy up in front of the TV with my Monday medicine!
(Or any day is an excuse for chocolate!)
This yummy gift was just what October had ordered.

As you can see even more changes to my blog!
I keep having visions of new headers and designs that I can do. I have changed the blog name back to CraftyB (as that is the address!) and have left Pink Stitches for the Etsy shop. It's all so confusing - apologies.
Plus I'm learning all this stuff as I go along so it takes me forever to change and modify things!
I'm so indecisive that I'll probably change things around again soon!
Just a short post today as I'm actually going to try and get round to some crafting!!
My sewing machine is gathering dust at the moment - not too good!!