Robin in the snow

A pair of very cute robins are visiting the garden now that the snow is here. I have managed to encourage them to come and take tit bits from the steps near the door so that I get a good view. They really are classic little round and plump robins and I've decided to make this years festive card based on a robin. It is taking the form of a paper and fabric picture of a robin.

Best result yet in Spoonflower contest

Spoonflower have announced the winning Christmas Stocking Kit (a day late as they had Thanksgiving) and I'm really pleased to have my best result yet by coming 12th out of 59 entries. I was only a handful off the top 10 which for me is great as I only have a small circle of friends who would vote for me and I guess if you are a person with loads of Twitter & Facebook friends then you have a wider audience to hint at voting for you.


I've entered this weeks contest which had the theme of candles and my Nutcracker man candle design is featured below. I think that's me done with contests for a while as the next few themes are not really sparking any ideas.

Craft fair cancelled on 28th

Due to the snow we've had and the predicted bad weather into next week the school have decided to cancel the craft fair. In a way its a bit of a relief as I've got a stinking cold and cough so at least the decision whether to go has been made for me.


I have a plan B so when I feel a bit more lively I will continue my preparations as I've now booked a table at the North Dalton Christmas Festival on 18th December.

Postcard in textiles

I was looking forward to a  final few days of frantic crafting before the weekends craft fair but production has slowed up as I'm coming down with a cold. I've had to open my new honey to have the odd spoonful to ease the sore throat, it really is delicious. I don't want to waste this good stuff in my hot lemons so will dig out an old crusty jar I've got at the back of the cupboard.


I was trying one or two alternative things for the craft fair but I'm not going to get them finished as the packaging, labeling & pricing will take forever but I wanted to make little postcard pouches. Here is one half started, the idea was it could be either a purse or a gift pouch.


Notice the piece of board with the bulldog clips? I found a book in the library which had a piece on weaving around bulldog clips. I have never really managed to successfully remove my weaving without it coming unravelled so I thought I'd try this technique and see if its easier removing the threads from the clips.

Spoonflower fabric for sale

I have listed some of my fabric for sale in the Spoonflower Marketplace. The first piece to go 'live' is the design which I created for one of my college projects. it is the Seeds, Weeds & Accessories fabric in a natural colour.
I used this fabric on the back of a purse and on the front I embellished & embroidered similar style plants.

http://www.spoonflower.com/fabric/297851

ERA Christmas social

Yesterday afternoon was the preview of the Affordable Art Show followed by the East Riding Artists Christmas social. Unfortunately I arrived at Gallery 49 too late for the preview so I carried on round the corner for the social which they were having at The Georgian Tea Rooms. I was greeted with the news that I had sold one of my pictures. I was delighted, because other than craft things this is the first piece of work I've sold off the wall at a gallery. It certainly cheered up what had been a cold, wet, grey day.


Had a good mooch round the curios upstairs in the tea rooms, nibbled some buffet then we went straight into the auction. We all bring bits n bobs of hand made gifts and auction it to go back into the kitty. 
I had my eye on a lovely Christmas cake my friend Selina had made and I'm pleased to say I won it in the auction and here is the picture to prove I even got it home safely without it flying off the car seat! I love Christmas cake and especially almond paste so I can't wait to get stuck in.


I also bid & won this lovely little candle holder which Polly had made from a radiator cover.
We had a bee keeper amongst us who I hadn't met before and despite his honey going for a good price in the auction I was lucky enough to buy a jar from the stash in his car.
It was a really good afternoon and the first of the festive get togethers.

Brooches & rings for craft fair

I'm currently burning the candle at both ends with production of my textile items for the Christmas craft fair at Driffield school next sunday. I'm cataloguing what things I can on the blog. Here we have some new felt brooches and new for this year I've had a go at textile rings where I have used some retro fabric and embellished on it or around it with beads.

Affordable Art

I visited a craft fair at the Steiner School in York this morning and saw some really nice & groovy gifts for sale. I was sussing out what sort of things seemed to be selling well in order to try and guess which of my craft things I take most of to next weeks craft fair. 


Also went in The Gift Gallery on the Shambles which is a fairly new gallery for local crafts and had a quick chat with the owner so I might approach them with some stock as they seem to do a fair bit of textile jewellery.


Tomorrow is the ERA festive social at Gallery 49 and also the preview of the Affordable Art show. I have done a couple of pieces. They are textile collages of butterflies & dragonflies, loosely based on those traditional victorian butterfly collections in boxed frames. The butterfly picture is done with all vintage fabrics whereas the dragonfly uses some new fabric.

Spoonflower contest - Christmas stocking kit

I wanted to enter the next Spoonflower fabric design contest as it is to design a cut & sew Christmas stocking kit. Didn't allow myself much time with work & craft production in full swing so I have revamped one of my Christmas card designs from a previous year and turned it into a stocking.
The result (below) will be on Spoonflowers site on Thursday evening if you fancy voting for mine. I think it will be a good contest with lots of interesting entries.


http://www.spoonflower.com/welcome

Festive Pixies

I've been making some more decorations for the craft fair, this time festive pixies. Not your usual red with fluffy trimmings, I've made some in Harris Tweed and some in felt for a more subtle look to go with the simple cone shape.

Handmade owls for craft fair

I found a pattern in one of my craft books for these little owls which are great for using up scraps of fabric. I've made some with bits of Harris Tweed and also old wool jumpers with a bit of patterned fabric for the wings. 
I thought they would look quite nice as festive decorations hanging on a twig.

ERA Affordable Art Show

ERA are this year putting on the festive affordable art show at Gallery 49 in Bridlington, details are attached on the poster and everyone is welcome.


I am busy trying to finish my 2 offerings this week which are going to be of a textile / collage theme.

Countdown to festive craft fair

Now November is here I am counting down the days until the craft fair I am showing at. The Christmas craft fair is again at Driffield School on Sunday 28th Nov. What with this and many other arty, crafty and work things on the go currently, it's going to be a busy month.


Production is in full swing, the house is more of a pigsty than ever with fabric and stuff everywhere but I'm trying to label and bag up the work as I finish it so as to not have a last minute rush with the finishing off bit.


Here are some new fabric heart brooches just completed yesterday. My tartan 'punk' brooch is a homage to Vivienne Westwood and comes complete with a useful safety pin!

Parcel from Has Bean

Yippee, a parcel has just arrived from Has Bean coffee. I have bought an espresso & cappuccino cup and Steve's new espresso blend called Blake which I'm looking forward to trying as it is a more traditional espresso, earthy & slightly darker roast to his others. 


And, odd as it may seem from a coffee place, got myself a pack of Earl Grey. This is my favourite tea and seeking out a good flavoursome Earl Grey is always tricky so I thought I would sample the Has Bean tea. One of my favourite Earl Greys is Booths supermarket own brand which I usually only get to stock up with when visiting the Lakes.

Halloween buffet

Yesterday I went to my friends Halloween buffet and it was absolutely fab. As usual they had really gone to town on the trimmings for the trick or treaters calling. The wonderful carved pumpkins were also home grown this year.


The food was as whacky as ever and all veggie, so much effort had gone into individual pieces and it all tasted yummy. The white chocolate eyeballs were stuffed with a peanut butter centre (bit like Reeses), the halloumi graveyard had the halloumi graves with the letters RIP grilled into them on a bed of rice.


And finally, albeit a bit fuzzy, a pic of the 2 new kittens who wouldn't keep still until they finally tired themselves out and settled down for a nap. I didn't want to disturb them with my flash so I'll have to make do with this fuzzy reminder of how cute and small they are right now!