New Cushions- Dippers and Herons

I've been working on a new collection of products- for starters Dipper and Heron cushions. Scented of course.....some things don't change. Any whoo, I thought I'd show you a sneak preview.

Since deciding to stop making my lovely Russian Doll cushions I've opted for a bit of a change of direction. So its guns-a-blazing as I embrace my beautiful surroundings- I often see Herons as I'm driving to my unit, I regularly see Dippers.....Blackbirds, Robins, Crows, Swallows, even game birds.....oh how I could go on and on. I'm very lucky!

I'm taking my new cushions to the Borrowdale Shepherds' Meet this Sunday which is right in the rainy heart of the Lake District, hopefully I'll sell them all if not I shall list them in my Etsy shop. I was hoping to make a few Swallow brooches and country house key charms but I think they'll perhaps be ready for my next Craft Do!

You can see more pics on my FB page- http://www.facebook.com/pages/Once-Upon-a-Time-in-the-North/179020078849068

I was hoping to upload a few to Flickr but they've changed it and I don't know whats going on.........I do like change by the way!

S A L E! SHOP! STUFF! HI!

Hey folks....I've decided to return to blogger! Hi my lovely blog- how've you been? I've been spending a little time over at Facebook.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Once-Upon-a-Time-in-the-North/179020078849068?ref=tn_tnmn
I like using FB for my business, I like the immediacy of it, the quick interaction, the likes, the little chats. But I have missed using my blog. I like the add ons and the pretty pictures and the little notes I can put on the side bars- I'm happy when I decorate things/ tart things up!!!!! I've also spent a little time searching my soul and coming to terms with the terrible fair I encountered during the Jubilee week- http://missgmrsb.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/great-british-home-show.html

So I thought I would make a welcome return by mentioning that I'm having a  S A L E over in my Etsy Shop this seems like an appropriate way to make a come back. I've had a 'design epiphany' and I want to get rid of many items.

I've decided that I'm no longer going to make my Matryoshka scented cushions. As lovely as they are I feel that they no longer represent me or who I am as a designer of pretty housewares. I'm ready for a new direction and I have designs and ideas that are screaming out of me!!! It's an exciting way to feel! The Matryoshka cushions are reduced to £15 and my larger ones with the bird designs are £18- they're handmade and stuffed with delicious dried lavender and dried hops, so I consider that a very good price.

Just to confuse you the cushion above is not in my sale...... this is one of my lovely new designs and retails for £22.50. I thought it would be nice to show you what I have been up to while I've been away enjoying FB. I think my new work is more considered, there is far more attention to detail which makes me a better designer or maybe I'm just growing up!

Enjoy your weekend folks!

New Things.

It has taken me some time.....let me tell you, to get out of holiday mode. To be honest I still want that lovely warm, positive holiday feeling and there's one suitcase I haven't unpacked yet. I think that's more down to laziness than wishful thinking though.

Any way to get me back into the swing of things this week I have made a number of small handmade items, as it is extremely satisfying to see results at the end of the day. Also if I sit around in a dream world I'll never have another holiday. It's time to be proactive!!!! Oh yes!!

 Here's what has kept me busy this week-

I sell buttons so I thought BUTTON BROOCHES! I know they're not original and that other crafty types make them but I needed that kick of satisfaction to get me out of my post-holiday gloom. So on this occasion I'm not beating myself up about originality!

These boys are big- a true statement!

 

Satisfaction guaranteed

 

Ribbon tying, gluing, sticking, sewing. All in a days work. 

 

Sewing, 

 

embellishing, crafting....

 

I enjoy making lovely things.

I have listed everything in my Handmade Textile shop
@ http://www.etsy.com/shop/onceinthenorth

An Event For Your Diary

I'm exhibiting here.....

don't miss out

And now for something completely different!

Spotty whoppers! Ha! Ha! I couldn't stop laughing last night when I thought of that.....anyway.

 These awesome buttons are.....well....awesome! I love them! They're over sized, ridiculous and fun! What else do we need to be cheered up.

I have them for sale at Once In The North 2 on Etsy and CreativeStores - which is a new online market place full of crafty artisans who are brimming with talent.

I will take a bundle to the Vintage Wedding Fair in Kendal, Cumbria......I actually can't find the details right now. Some business woman I am hey? I promise to sort this very soon. So, I know these buttons are far from vintage- but there is nothing stopping you from using them to jazz up a tired cardy, a bag, or make them into a brooch. LETS GET CREATIVE!!!!

OH! And by the way......May the 4th be with you!!

Lets make- Monday

Today is a making day, it has to be, I have no choice!!!!!!
After being filled with so much self doubt last week and having a right old but much needed big twine, I now feel that things are starting to take place.

Wonderful things have happened of late- I have been approached by a number of business' to sell my products at Trade, which I am happy to do but more of that another time.

This weekend was a fantastic weekend! My self esteem was given an enormous boost at a lovely craft fair. To start with the organisers were such lovely and warm hearted people, they made the day a positive one and everyone was in a jolly, festive mood. I stood and chatted all day to many interesting people................................and I sold lots!!! In fact I almost sold out!!! Hence "Lets make Monday" as I have two more craft fairs coming up- eek! The best feeling for me is that because I was busy during the week leading up to the fair I didn't have chance to reduce my prices, so everything went for my original asking price. YAY!!  Everyone I spoke to appreciated "Handmade" and the fact that what I do is not mass produced. Finally!!

So yesterday was a mad dash for stash to the nearest haberdashery open on a Sunday in Carlisle! Not that I'm complaining because these places are my therapy, I really wish I had the money to own one. MMMMM! (Dreaming)

Nom! Nom! What a wonderful sight? My glimpsers can't quite believe it- buttons, fabric, colour and chocolate coins!!!! I especially love the colours of the zips, I sold out of bags so these will come in handy.

I would like to say thank you to the ladies from Hebden Bridge who were full of sewing knowledge, and to the lady who I think would have bought everything on my stall. You are rare gems!

Here's a picture I thought I would just throw in for pleasure. This is the view opposite my house this morning, it's very cold but beautiful and I feel very lucky.

Ok coffee then work. I think I am going to be glued to my sewing machine for the next few days.

Props!

Crimbo craft fair season is well and truly upon me now, to put it mildly I've basically been working my buns off in order to have well stocked and delicious looking displays. However I have managed to grab a moment today to take some pics of the lovely props I use at craft fairs

I love my tired, old, battered vintage hat boxes. I've had them for over twenty years and once upon a time when I was a really cool art student I used to use them as suit cases, boy did I look cooler than cool. Ha! Ha! Now I use them as attractive storage for my work I also sit them on my tables at craft fairs and I will place my lavender pillows or my bags in them. They really are a stunning feature.

                            

This is my favourite curly metal work bowl which was a present from my mum. I used to use it as a fruit bowl but I don't anymore because I just like looking at it, I usually fill it with baubles at Christmas and that looks super lovely. On my stalls I fill it with pin cushions or Make-Your-Own Kits, I think during these festive fairs I'm going to fill it with my Ogee decorations.

LOOK! What my lovely other half  bought me on Saturday. EEEE!!!!! A gorgeous super stunning Cath Kidston three tier cake stand. As yet I'm not sure what I'm going to display on it- I'm thinking maybe buttons and pins? I know that I love it and I nearly cried when I took it out of the box just at the sheer beauty of it. I feel very lucky!

So wish me luck for tomorrow night- Queen Katherine School, Kendal, Cumbria, 6-9pm. I'm also planning on taking all of my stock so I will be closing  my on-line shops tomorrow for the day.

So here we are, so close to the big day and a mounting to climb before we get there. Today I've decided to step back, take a good look at what I've made for all my events coming up, see what I've still to finish and write a list. Gulp! I hate writing lists. I once wrote a list that was so long I went into melt down and I decided never to write one again. But because I am extremely busy I fear I have no choice.




So far I've made.......wonderful mini/mini festive bunting. I love all of my Christmas fabrics so I made some bunting using a variety of each of the delicious fabrics! Nom! Nom! I do love my fabric.

I've made slightly larger bunting- with pom-poms and without!! It took me two hours to sew 16 pom-poms by hand on two sets, so as you can see it got the better of me and the third set doesn't have any- this does make it slightly cheaper though!

I couldn't resist making a few table runners. More pom-poms here and lots of applique!

No pom-poms here and this gorgeous table runner is slightly less decorative. My big problem here is that although I am trying to be so organised, with regards to my sewing, my house is getting very neglected. I am hoping to list this in one of my on-line shops which means a very large tidy up so no clutter is in view of the pics. Time is running out but I will do it!

Here is my beautiful collection of finished Ogee textile decorations. I love these and I really hope they sell-my very own design you see so I am extremely proud of them! I'm hoping they get snapped up at some of my craft events but I also want to list a few in my shops- not sure which ones though?

A few unfinished decorations, baubles and trees, in a little piles with possible button embellishments. I do enjoy sorting!

 Once I've sorted which buttons I'm going to use everything gets popped into its own little bag. This is a great tip I've learned from other designers along the way. I used to keep all of my unfinished makes in various untidy piles but no longer and now I'm super efficient!!

A vintage hat box full of finished decorations (sorry you are unable to see the hat box from this photo but you can just make out the lining- mmm think I will take some pics of these). Hooray! This is quite an achievement considering only this weekend we took the ceilings down in the back of the house so that we could install insulation. My daughter has also been off school with a cold, she is 13 now but still needs mum. I also sewed my finger with my sewing machine yesterday I have never achieved this before, nor do I want to do it again. It didn't actually hurt....at the time,  it did however make a very strange puncturing sort of sound! I'll leave it at that.

So now that I've made these things my list will include- labels, more self-seal bags as I use these when I'm selling small items, maybe order more business cards, take photos for my on-line shops, label and pack everything for craft fairs, invest in some more ribbon, order large envelopes ........too much!


I've also been asked to supply my items to Trade and I have to make up some samples within the next few weeks. Please wish me luck!

Sewing Circles

Craft fairs are looming upon me once again so today I'm sewing circles.

I use many bird motifs in my work and I enjoy incorporating Russian Doll images but I am so incredibly passionate about colour and this is why I have most fun sewing circles. I would have to say that I love colour so much my that all my crafting and textiles projects are based around the relationships of colours. Even down to the smallest item I make I have to use the correct colour combination of fabrics and buttons. I'm perhaps more obsessed with using colours than buttons. Its a wholesome obsession! Right?

I find circles a great way to experiment and combine those tones and shades that you thought might not work well. But what an amazing, zingy feeling you get when it actually does. It sends ripples right through my body sometimes. If it doesn't look so hot there's no need to despair you might just need to cut out one more circle in a different fabric either patterned or textural to bring it altogether. I have a lot of confident using colour but I'm drawn to the brightest oranges, pinks and reds, it's quite a challenge for me to use subtle greens and blues or muted beiges but I get stuck in and give it a go. I also find sewing circles to be very relaxing and therapeutic. ZZZZZZZZZZZZ!

I've also been experimenting with mushrooms! Well felt ones. I've had so much fun that mushrooms might become the new circles, they're definitely going to 'crop' up in my textile projects!