Six Skeins Under

A hairband bonanza!

2012-01-26T21:28:00.000Z

Right - the crochet spiderweb hairband pattern is now in my Etsy shop as well as on Ravelry.

Now to write up my other 2 crochet hairband patterns - the Lattice Tie and the Trellis Button!

Then it's time for a multibuy offer on my patterns I think...

Pattern writing

2012-01-24T23:37:00.000Z

I'm starting to write up more of my own patterns to sell in my Etsy shop and on Ravelry - it's a time-consuming process!

I have completed the first one this evening, for the crochet spiderweb hairband. I have made this so many times, with and without beads, and it looks great every time!

The pattern will soon be available on Etsy but for now you can purchase it (and instantly download it) on Ravelry.

January sunrise

2012-01-17T21:39:00.002Z

Beautiful sunrise this morning!

Christmas kitties

2012-01-06T18:30:00.000Z

As we pack up Christmas for another year, I want to share our Christmas kitties with you.

They are truly amazing - hand-made as a custom order by the very talented Stupidcats on Etsy! I sent her various headshot pics of our kitties, and she painstakingly pieced and felted these little guys together.

I can thoroughly recommend these to any cat-owners who'd like a special representation of their beloved feline family members!

Last Christmas of course we had Tiggy and Poppet, but then we lost Poppet so very sadly to the road last March.

In July we brought home 14-week-old little Prada from our local RSPCA centre, so I had to order another little kittie head!

I just realised that I don't have any pics of Prada on my blog yet (oops!) so here she is now at 9 months old - and getting bigger than Tiggy already!

More festive surprises

2011-12-23T09:29:00.003Z

And again...

I arrived home from work to find our Christmas decorations had been put up around the house! Just the tree left to adorn, with a note on it that it had been left for us to decorate together as a family. :)

This was such a relief as this year everything has been so busy I was feeling quite stressed about not having time to get the house looking festive.

Apparently it was the Cornish Christmas Fairies who did it this time...!

An early Christmas present!

2011-12-21T21:44:00.002Z

My daughters came home from their nan's today with an early Christmas present for me and hubby.

They had both seen busy baking and brought us a box of homemade mince pies! Scrumptious. :)

Teal Dreams

2011-12-19T20:47:00.000Z

I recently was offered the wonderful opportunity for a custom yarn-dye order. It was very special as the yarn wanted was pure cashmere laceweight to match a dress fabric sample for a wedding shawl.

I've never tried to dye a yarn to match anything specific before, but there was plenty of time so I was more than happy to accept the challenge!

We settled on two laceweight yarns - a pure cashmere and a cashmere-silk blend. They both have their own special qualities - the pure cashmere is sumptuously soft, whereas the cashmere-silk almost glows with a gorgeous sheen.

I settled on three different combinations of two dye colours (teal and turquoise) in the dye bottles and, with a little trepidation, set to work!

I'm so pleased to say that the yarns turned out beautifully. They were both slightly variegated, as intended, and both yarns took up the colours amazingly. The colourway named itself - "Teal Dreams".

The result - one happy customer and one happy yarn-dyer with a little more experience gained!

I'm looking forward to more of these opportunities, so if you'd like some custom-dyed yarn for a specific occasion just let me know!

Teenager in the house!

2011-12-12T07:38:00.000Z

We had a very busy but lovely weekend - our eldest daughter turned into a teenager!

Happy Birthday Connie - we're so very proud of you.

Marshmallow scarf

2011-11-21T18:30:00.000Z

She's done it again...

It took my daughter a year to knit her first scarf. The second one has taken just three days!

Just in time to wrap up and stay warm on the way to school.

Check out the Gok-style needle hairdo!

It's addictive...

2011-11-01T23:10:00.001Z

It seems that knitting is catching on in our household.

Here's my eldest daughter with the gorgeous baby alpaca scarf she finished this evening - her first ever designer knitting project!

I bought the yarn, needles, and pattern for her when we went to the KnitExpo last November, and she's finally finished it.

It's her first experience of ribbing, eyelet increases, casting off, and following a pattern. Quite a learning experience!

Job well done I reckon. Go knitter girl!

Decommissioned

2011-10-16T22:39:00.001+01:00

It's time to call it a day for the old mini-greenhouse.

This has been worth every penny - I've lost count how many years we've used it!

I can look forward to treating myself to a new one next Spring.

A late bloom

2011-10-05T18:00:00.000+01:00

Look what finally appeared in our garden!

These seeds were potted up in a named brand compost that I bought this spring. I won't be buying that one again.

Every pot filled with that compost this year was stunted and the plants have barely grown - and there were a selection of different types, so I would have expected something to thrive!

These sunflowers finally started growing when I gave up and planted them directly in the garden, not thinking they would survive the slugs and snails.

I'm so pleased they did.

Happy sunflowers, happy me!

and finally...

2011-10-03T13:21:00.001+01:00

...the third scarf, using the King Cole Twist Aran yarn.

Drop-stitch this time - enough ripples for a while!

I love the way this has turned out. I think the yarn looks so much better knitted up than it did wound into the ball.

It's available to purchase in my Etsy shop - why not start your Christmas shopping?!

Some kinda magic

2011-09-28T22:23:00.002+01:00

I used to have a manager at work who though that knitting was some kind of magic - he used to describe it as something along the lines of twiddling about with string and ending up with something you can wear!

Yep, I guess that about sums it up.

So cast your mind back to last month's bits of string i.e. my yarn purchases from St Ives.

I've been twiddling - or more specifically, knitting - and now 2 of the finished scarves are listed in my Etsy shop just in time for the early winter we're forecast to get this year!

The first scarf uses the soft and cosy James C. Brett Passion yarn.

This is so colourful I'm finding it hard to keep it out of both my daughters' grasp!

It's a lovely chunky scarf which shows off both the lace stitch pattern and the colour graduations beautifully.

The second scarf has the most beautiful colours, I just couldn't resist buying this yarn! It's the King Cole Riot, also super soft and non-itchy.

I chose a slightly different stitch pattern, but stayed with the ripple effect. I just love the way it highlights the colour transitions.

The crochet flower button fastening is completely removable. I sewed a long thin button across the back so it can be threaded through the scarf layers wherever you choose - or used on a different scarf altogether.

As for the third scarf - watch this space!

Hubble bubble...

2011-09-25T13:40:00.000+01:00

The dye pot's been busy again!

Happy 2nd Birthday Sophie!

2011-09-23T19:46:00.002+01:00

Today is my little niece Sophie's birthday - she's 2 years old!

I won't get to see her but we sent a parcel of goodies including

Sophie's present - a sweet little poncho as requested by her mum.

I first knitted one of these for her sister Sara two years ago - she's still wearing it and apparently the girls were arguing over it, with Sophie deciding that she wants it for herself!

Her mum asked for a pink and green combination so it's different to Sara's but still co-ordinates with the vast quantities of pink clothing that Sophie has.

I used a combination of Sirdar Summer Stripes and Stylecraft Special Twirl DK yarns knitted together for the bosy, with Sirdar New Fizz for the edging and the Summer Stripes yarn for the flowers around the neckline.

Full details can be found in Ravelry, but I'll include the pattern here too:

Use Summer Stripes and Special Twirl yarn together throughout on 7mm needles.

Cast on 3 sts
Inc 1, knit to end
Repeat 2 until 80 sts
Knit 27, cast off 26, knit 27
Knit 27, cast on 26, knit 27
K2tog, knit to end
Repeat 6 until 3sts remain
Cast off
Crochet around neck edge with double yarns
Crochet around outer edge with New Fizz yarn
Crochet flowers with Summer Stripes yarn and sew around neckline

All done!

Rediscovering tie dye

2011-09-11T00:06:00.001+01:00

Many years ago I used to be made for tie-dye clothing - tops, skirts, leggings, the lot. It worked well with the tight jeans and leather jacket biker chick thing at the time!

That was all long forgotten until a distant memory inspired me to transform a couple of forlorn summer tops in my wardrobe.

I had bought these in a bargain offer from Matalan a couple of years ago. There were 3 for some silly price - so I bought one each in white, turquoise, and pink. I'd hardly worn them as the straps were just that bit too long, which meant I was forever hitching them up at the bust!

This summer I finally got round to unpicking the straps at the back, shortening them and sewing them back on. Great! I wore them a couple of times, but still knew I'd wear the coloured ones more if they were patterned...

Enter 1 sachet of Dylon cold dye in "Vibrant Purple", 3 rubber bands per top, 250grams of salt, and a saucepan of cold water.

One hour of dyeing later, plus almost another hour of much rinsing, these are the results!

I gathered the pink one lengthways and wrapped the rubber bands around sideways.

With the blue one I did the more traditional circle tie-dye where you grab a piece of the clothing and pull it upwards, wrapping the rubber band around so the whole thing ends up looking a bit like a jester's hat!

I love them and have worn them so much already. Now my eldest has seen the results, she wants to have a go too. It's a great (and cheap) way to transform plain tops - so why not grab a couple in the sales and have a go yourself?!

Destash time

2011-09-10T00:00:00.000+01:00

I'm clearing all my glass seed and bugle beads that are too small for my requirements - basically anything that's too small to thread onto 4ply yarn!

I have bagged up various colourways such as this selection of blues and greens.

You can find all the available ones in the Destash section of my Etsy shop.

Multistorey car park woes

2011-08-30T16:24:00.001+01:00

Just got back from a nightmare trip into Truro...

Me & eldest daughter drove there in my little old Megane and parked on the ground floor of the multistorey car park, got the parking ticket & then realised I couldn't lock the car as the remote locking had stopped working - which meant that I couldn't start it either as I have to use the same signal to switch off the automatic immobiliser!

I phoned hub who drove to us with youngest daughter, and he played around with locks whilst we did the stuff we needed to in town. Still no joy when we returned so he phoned the vehicle recovery people to come out to us.

He also phoned the car park helpline to see about the parking ticket expiring but they had no sympathy - we had to keep feeding the machine every hour until we got the car (well 2 cars now!) moved...

2 hours later the vehicle recovery people still hadn't arrived. I finally drove hub's huge Volvo estate for the first time ever (not stressful at all!) through the holiday traffic to get to my doctor's appointment near home - just made it in time.

We got home after raiding the cornish pasty shop just as hub arrived back in my car!

The problem? Apparently the remote control locking system on my car is infra-red, just like the flourescent light in the car park I was parked underneath... They had pushed my car back 10 feet & it all worked fine...!!!

Front Page

2011-08-25T09:08:00.000+01:00

Woohoo - I made the Etsy UK Front Page again - this time in Onetenzeroseven's gorgeous collection - thanks Oneten!

Mouthwatering!

2011-08-20T00:09:00.000+01:00

I have to share this lush treasury with you that I've been included in... mouthwateringly good!

Woolly Warmth

2011-08-16T12:27:00.008+01:00

I've been included in this gorgeous woolly treasury by bebbyjumpers today as part of the current Knit1Treble2 team challenge - so cosy!

Here's a quick look at the woolly goodness that I treated myself to yesterday too:

Look out for some new knitted lovelies using these yarns in my shop soon - or I might just keep them myself...!

And finally, the gorgeous moonstone stud earrings that my daughters treated me to for my birthday.

They were bought from my favourite local jewellery shop - Velvet Crystal.

Exactly what I wanted - thanks girls!

Happy Birthday to me!

2011-08-15T22:42:00.000+01:00

Yes it's that time of year again...

We went off to St Ives for the afternoon by train for a family day out and had a lovely time despite the weather trying to lightly rain for most of the afternoon.

We had a most excellent lunch at the Fire House Restaurant, then strolled around the beach and harbour and paddled in the sea.

The tide was coming in fast so we made our way back to the shops where I stopped in at House of Bartlett and G J Beads. Well a birthday without buying yarn and beads just wouldn't be right, would it?!

You can see me here with my dear hubby - I'm wearing my new Weird Fish fleece that he bought me - so warm and cosy, and I love that deep teal colour!

Then it was back home on the train and off to my in-laws for a cold buffet dinner, topped off with chocolate birthday cake.

A lovely family birthday!

Toasty!

2011-08-14T22:56:00.001+01:00

We went for a great bike ride today at Bissoe, and then on to Truro to see a freestyle motocross event.

Sadly although we waited and went back twice we missed all 3 shows as the times were changed from the ones announced! Grr....

So to cheer ourselves up we went home, got the chiminea going, and toasted marshmallows in the dark... lush!

Birthday discount!

2011-08-12T23:35:00.004+01:00

It's my birthday on Monday, so I've set up a new discount code in my Etsy shop to share my celebration with you all!

Simply place your items in the basket and before you complete checkout enter the discount code CAKE45 and you will see a 20% discount automatically taken off your total - easy!

The code is valid from now until the end of Monday.

So share my birthday happiness and grab a bargain too!

Falmouth Week

2011-08-10T22:58:00.007+01:00

We have just got back from spending a great afternoon in Falmouth as part of Falmouth Week, in the most glorious weather - sunny but not too hot.

We took the train from Truro - a lovely 20 minute ride, cutting out the hassle of summer traffic and parking.

We then watched the Animal Bike Tour display - most excellent!

We ate some tea at The Rumbling Tum cafe - the most delicious steak and onion chutney ciabatta with fries & salad, then squeezed in a quick visit to the local bead shop and the traditional sweet shop before watching the Red Arrows display over the harbour.

Back on the train, then to our local pub with friends to round off the day. Fantastic!

Front Page!

2011-08-08T23:16:00.000+01:00

It's been a while but thanks to the efforts of the CraftBritannia team one of my silk crochet necklaces made it to Etsy's UK Front Page today!

It was part of this gorgeous treasury put together by the talented Imynda - who also creates and sells the most fabulous crocheted items herself!

I'm happy to say that views and hearts have gone skywards, which is A Very Good Thing. :)

Love birds

2011-08-08T10:58:00.001+01:00

Yesterday I saw a beautiful love birds luminary that had just been listed on Etsy which I think is absolutely beautiful.

It has inspired me to create this love birds treasury - which led to me to some other fabulous finds as always.

Take a peek!

Race For Life 2011

2011-07-30T20:43:00.001+01:00

We're so proud of our daughters. Last Sunday they BOTH completed the Race For Life, and did brilliantly.

I couldn't take part due to recently having my appendix removed, so my youngest daughter decided the night before the race that she would use my entry.

They took part in the amazing 1600-strong warm-up first!

My eldest daughter then jogged the 5km with our friend, and they finished in a brilliant 40 minutes!

My youngest walked it with a school friend and her mum, and they finished in just about 1 hour. Fantastic!

We'll be entering for next year's Race For Life soon - hopefully I'll get to do that one!

Local wildlife

2011-07-27T16:29:00.001+01:00

We've not been short of new wildlife spottings in our back garden this last week.

Firstly we found this huge fella under a plant on the rockery!

Quite a scary looking chap but apparently it is the caterpillar of an Elephant Hawk Moth.

It's very common in Britain, although I've never seen the moth or the caterpillar before.

Then this morning we spotted this beautful Peacock Butterfly basking in the sun on our new wall around the lawn - another big specimen!

I expect to see a few of these as we have stinging nettles growing in the area behind our Cornish hedge, which is the primary source of food for these caterpillars.

K1T1 July Sale

2011-07-21T10:32:00.000+01:00

I taking part in the Knit1Treble2 team's July sale on Etsy which lasts until 24th July.

There are lots of items in many shops to choose from, each offering various discounts - take a look at the shop announcements for details.

In my shop use discount code KNIT1TREBLE2SIX at checkout for 10% off all purchases.

Quick - go take a look - only 3 sale days left!

Warming up a damp and chilly summer

2011-07-20T11:40:00.001+01:00

This treasury by CwtchBugs should do the job nicely!

And here's another - berry lush!

The Art of Craft Fairs

2011-07-20T09:41:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I started writing what would have evolved into a series of posts about my experiences of selling at craft fairs.

I was looking around to see if there were any other tips to link to and found the UK Handmade have just started an exact same series!

The first part is packed full of useful information if you're starting out on the craft fair market. Well worth a read!

BUSINESS: Surviving Craft Fairs - Part 1: Applications

Unexpected Interlude

2011-07-13T16:48:00.002+01:00

There has been an unexpected break in blogging due to my dastardly appendix making itself known and having to be forcibly removed!

I went into Treliske hospital in Truro last Thursday and the surgeons removed my appendix by keyhole surgery on Saturday morning. I was home on Sunday and am now in the slow but steady recovery process.

The staff at my GP surgery and the hospital have all been excellent - I'm so grateful for their help and expertise!

Normal blogging will resume shortly, once my stomach muscles can stand more than a few minutes at the computer at a time...

Project reveal

2011-07-05T07:40:00.004+01:00

OK, I'll let you see the finished item from the last peek-a-boo project...

It's a beaded crochet necklace - very soft and lightweight, with fabulous summer colours.

I love it so much I'm keeping it for myself for once!

The Art of Mask-making

2011-07-04T12:30:00.000+01:00

My daughter has had to make a mask as a piece of Art homework over the last couple of weeks. She does enjoy Art and has put a lot of effort into this.

To start with I suggested she use a flat cardboard mask with an elastic strap - the kind you can buy for kiddies parties - as a base as we have a couple left over.

But no - to her credit, she wanted to make a shaped mask - the perfect fit for her face. I could only think of one way to do that - papier mache!

So here she is at the start - we covered the eye and nose area with clingfilm and I started layering on strips of newspaper coated with pva craft glue.

Once we had a few layers she sat there patiently waiting for it to dry a little - plugged in to her mp3 player to pass the time!

Once it held it's shape, we transferred it to my polystyrene head form to dry properly.

She added a few more layers over several days, ending in a white paper layer.

She's spent the weekend finishing this off with paint, sequins, feathers, etc. She's used a garden seedling stake for the holder which she's wrapped in ribbons.

Excellent effort I reckon!

If that's put you in the mood to buy one for any forthcoming parties, Grin, Grimace and Squeak! make some amazing masks such as this one available to buy on Etsy.

Finally it's a wrap

2011-07-01T23:26:00.001+01:00

Remember the Pebble Wrap?

Well it's finally finished and available to purchase!

Goodness only knows what kind of mental block I had on finishing this.

Now it's done though, and looking gorgeous (in my completely unbiased opinion!)

You can see more details and photos over in my Etsy shop.

Peek-a-boo Project

2011-06-29T12:56:00.001+01:00

It's that Handmaiden Sea Silk again - this time with a selection of glass and wooden beads...

Any suggestions of what the final item will be...?

Deflating!

2011-06-28T08:32:00.007+01:00

I've been feeling very bloaty in my stomach in the afternoons recently and I think it's to do with eating commercially-made bread.

This article in the Telegraph newspaper discusses the situation, and makes sense to me!

So I'm having a few days of reduced bread intake to help reduce the discomfort. Here's a tasty bread-free quick lunch I made yesterday in a few minutes - Summer Pasta Salad:

Boil a handful of pasta bows for 10 minutes, drain and cool slightly by rinsing under cold water, then put in your serving bowl.
Stir in a handful of washed, shredded spinach leaves and leave for a minute to soften slightly.
Stir in a spoonful of sundried-tomato pesto and mix thoroughly.
Add a handful of chopped yellow sweet pepper, a slice of cooked diced ham, and a few quartered cherry tomatoes.
Season and enjoy!

THEAjewellery giveaway

2011-06-27T12:01:00.002+01:00

I've been browsing round a few different Etsy teams recently, and happily found a great giveaway via the Craftcult team!

THEAjewellery is giving away some fabulous beads in return for a little linkage across the web - not much to ask for!

Details can be found on her blog.

There are so many beautiful items in her shop, that I can't begin to link to them all.

However this gorgeous casual necklace is one of my current favourites.

Take a look and see which you love!

Lining a bag - sewing for dummies!

2011-06-24T15:18:00.002+01:00

I do have a sewing machine but I rarely use it. Most of the sewing I do is darning tears, re-sewing split seams, re-attaching buttons, etc.

But I have this crochet bag - worked from the pattern I have for sale in my Etsy shop.

I love the bag - the weight, size, colours, etc, but I don't use it. It flops about quite a lot and I always intended to line it. Well finally I got round to it!

I had chosen some gorgeous patchwork cotton to use months ago. I had matching thread, so here's how I did it.

First I made a couple of very rough paper templates from a sheet of paper from the recycling.

One template for the front/back, and one for the side/base.

I used this to cut my fabric.

I pinned, tacked, then seamed the sides to the base.

Then pinned, tacked & seamed the front to the sides & base, and repeated for the back.

The corners were tricky, and are not the neatest things in the world, but they're never going to be seen, so I figure there are worse things in life. :)

I put the liner inside the bag so I knew how far down to pin the top hem.

I sewed around the top, then hand-sewed the lining into the bag.

Done - easily, since I could manage it!

Hopefully I'll get to use the bag now.

Galaxy mania!

2011-06-21T14:55:00.002+01:00

More galaxy brooches awaiting their beads...

Which is your favourite colourway?

Skeined!

2011-06-20T00:04:00.000+01:00

First up - Happy Father's Day! Hope all Dad's everywhere had a fab day, whatever you did :)

Last night and this evening I spent reskeining a couple of 500gram megaskeins of DK merino superwash wool.

I bought them from Fyberspates a while back, and have finally got round to wanting to dye them and get them into my Etsy shop!

I wanted to divide each megaskein into 50gram skeins ready for dyeing. I knew how many metres of the wool there was per kilo, so I calculated the length for 50grams from that.

I know that my niddy noddy winds a skein of 1.9metres each time round, so I could calculate from that how many times I had to wind around to make each skein.

I added a couple more winds each time for good measure - nobody likes underweight skeins!

It didn't take as long as I thought, and my arms lasted out. Now I have a gorgeous pile of 50gram skeins ready for the dye pot!

Peek-a-boo Project

2011-06-16T12:33:00.004+01:00

White cashmerino fingerless mitts.... lush!

WWKIP Truro 2011

2011-06-12T23:42:00.000+01:00

Yesterday was this year's World Wide Knit In Public Day and I went along to the Truro meet-up - which was fab!

I got to see some knitty friends and spend 4 hours chatting, knitting (and tinking!), enthusing, laughing, and generally having a good time.

We had a small swap bag of goodies for anyone and everyone to add to or take from - which was narrowly missed by a seagull poo incident! I donated some yarn and knitting mags and ended up with a large ball of the white pompom scarf yarn.

One of my favourite creations was Anna's gorgeous crocheted hat, made by her very talented sister.

Also Carol brought along her gorgeous wedding wrap she is knitting for her daughter from Kidsilk Haze, but I was so preoccupied with feeling how soft it was that I completely forgot to photograph it!

We were yarn-bombed by Cornwall's Graffiti Grannies, and many shoppers stopped to marvel at the fantastic knitted bike park covers - such amazing shapes showed off the knitting beautifully.

I also loved the pretty crochet flower garland and knitted butterflies in the palm tree!

A few people were brave enough to have a go with the extreme knitting needles - I really must try them one of these days!

I also met up, quite by chance, with lovely fellow Etsian Vanessa from Magpie & Butterfly, who hand-makes the most beautiful beads, stitch markers, and buttons.

Of course I ended up buying some of the irresistable buttons, which you will no doubt see on some of my handknits in my Etsy shop soon.

Can't wait for the next meet-up!

Crocheting the galaxy

2011-06-10T23:21:00.000+01:00

I've been hooked on crochet this week - excuse the pun!

I decided to replenish my stock of Galaxy brooches ahead of the local craft fair I'm doing at Kingsley Village next month.

These sold well at the Christmas craft fairs I did; this time I chose more summery colour schemes.

I actually made 4 but youngest daughter has claimed one already!

More treasuries

2011-06-07T16:06:00.000+01:00

Seems like it's Treasuries week - I've been lucky enough to be included in 2 more lovely collections! Can you spot my items?

Ahoy chocoholics!

2011-06-06T17:44:00.001+01:00

Why is it..?

2011-05-27T22:30:00.000+01:00

.. that I have found a great yarn and the colours I like but now can't find any reliable UK stockists?!

I'm referring to Crystal Palace Panda Cotton, which is a lovely soft blend of cotton and bamboo with added elastic for a little bit of stretch.

It's perfect for summer pull-on fashion mitts and hairbands that don't give you a headache from being too tight!

I've had a bit of a frenzy using up what I have of the yarn, resulting in a few new listings in my Etsy shop - the kids strawberry lime mitts and strawberry lime hairband to go with the teen/adult mitts already there.

If anyone knows of a good UK or even European stockist of this yarn please let me know!

BTW: I have an offer on if you buy the hairband with either pair of mitts - buy both together and I'll refund 20% of the total item cost!

200th Sale Offer

2011-05-24T12:06:00.013+01:00

My Etsy shop has had 199 sales, yay! I'm keen to cross the 200 marker, so I'm offering a very special deal:

Be the buyer of the 200th item from my shop and buy any other item (lower or same price) at the same time for half price and also get free shipping on both!

Take a look!

Sad times

2011-05-20T12:21:00.005+01:00

We've had a very sad week. Last Sunday morning one of our lovely kitties, Poppet, didn't come back home for her breakfast. After much searching, we found her little body on a grass verge at the side of the road. She had been hit by a car and had died of head injuries.

My daughters had chosen Poppet and her sister, Tiggy, from a litter of kittens when they were just 1 week old. We had visited them every week, playing with them and watching them grow, until they were old enough to come and live with us, just 11 months ago.

We had loved and nurtured them both, and seen them develop into beautiful, healthy, fun, loving cats, with completely different personalities.

Poppet was the more timid one initially, but had grown into the adventurer, exploring everywhere, running up trees with amazing ease. She was incredibly gentle, playful, and loving. We were all devastated by her death, and we miss her terribly.

Her spirit was released, and we still glimpse her out of the corner of our eyes now and again. Hopefully she will stay and play for a while yet, and then maybe find another way to be part of our everyday lives again.

Her body has been cremated, and the ashes are coming back home today, so that they will stay in the garden where she loved to explore so much.

Sad times.

The Bond is back!

2011-05-14T11:02:00.002+01:00

I'm so pleased that I've finally managed to get the time and space to get my Bond knitting machine back up and running.

It's been at least 10 years since I last regularly used it! Thankfully it's all in great order and working faultlessly.

I think machine knitting must be a bit like riding a bicycle as I haven't fogotten how to do most of it.

I've already finished and listed my first completed project - the lovely half-sleeve shrug.

I used a gorgeous variegated purple mercerised pure cotton yarn, machine-knitted the main body, handknitted the ribbing, and crocheted the lower edging and flower brooch pin.

It's a great little cover-up for summer, and my eldest daughter is already requesting one for herself!

May's Emerald

2011-05-09T21:39:00.000+01:00

Apparently emerald is the birthstone for May, and the green-themed treasuries have been popping up all over.

I've been included in a few lovelies - check them out!

Princess Garter revealed!

2011-05-06T20:11:00.002+01:00

Finally the Peek-a-boo Project is finished!

I'm very proud to present the Princess Silk Beaded Garter.

I have crocheted this in my own design using the luxurious HandMaiden Sea Silk yarn in shade "Nova Scotia".

It is threaded with gorgeous turquoise and lime satin and organza ribbons, and incorporates dozens of tiny glass seed beads around the lower edge.

The ribbons hide co-ordinating turquoise elastic for comfort. It was tricky finding narrow elastic in the right colour, but JosyRose had exactly what I wanted at a great price.

I'm so pleased with this project. There is a lot more of this yarn left, and I'm hoping to come up with a more lacy ornate design next. Watch this space!

Yummy new yarns

2011-05-04T17:38:00.001+01:00

Remember the dye pot I showed you? Well here are the results:

Superwash Bluefaced Leicester sock yarn in shade "Emerald Isle" - so vibrant!

I used 3 shades of Jacquard dyes mixed in different ratios.

There are just 3 skeins of this delicious colourway currently in my shop, so don't miss yours!

The following day I got the dye pot out again, with 2 skeins of British Bluefaced Leicester aran yarn to transform.

This time I was looking for some slightly softer shades, and played with 2 of the Jacquard dye colours in the blue range.

Out of the pot came "Mediterranean Mood" - still vibrant but a softer tone - and again currently available in my shop.

The shades in this yarn remind me of the beautiful sea we saw around Turkey when we honeymooned there back in 1996!

Off to sea!

2011-05-03T15:42:00.000+01:00

Well not quite, but nearly...

A couple of days ago we went on a boat trip from Truro to Falmouth with friends.

It was a great day out, and the first time we've done anything like that with the children.

The route is down the river from Truro to the estuary at Falmouth, and takes about 1 hour each way.

Along the way we heard commentary picking out places of interest, one of which is a mussel farm!

Anchored ropes hang down into the river and the mussels attach to them. They take around 2 years to mature, then they are scraped off, cleaned and sent to restaurants and shops.

Amazing what you learn on a day out!

Colour naming

2011-04-28T17:18:00.001+01:00

When listing new items on Etsy it's often difficult to think of different names for colours that buyers may search for.

A comprehensive list of colour names would be very useful - and here it is on Wikipedia.

The colour names are alphabetically listed with samples and their values in the first section, then in the second section they are grouped by colour - very handy!

Mitts and Cuffs

2011-04-27T22:56:00.000+01:00

I'm not sure why but I seem to be in handwarming mode despite the warm and sunny weather!

Actually I knitted these items a short while back, but then hung around waiting to finish off the sewing, beading, finding ribbons, etc.

First up are the gooseberry fingerless mitts.

I absolutely adore the colour of these, and the flower is so soft you can barely feel it.

The mitt is knitted in Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran (currently one of my favourite yarns) and the flower in Debbie Bliss Angel with various glass beads sewn in the centre.

Delicious!

The silk bell lace cuffs are another luxury, this time for a special occasion.

Have you been invited to a summer ball, wedding, etc? Then these are for you!

Handknitted using shimmering Jaeger Pure Silk yarn with ribbon bows and a crocheted edging incorporating silver lined glass seed beads.

Beautiful.

Dyeing to show you...!

2011-04-26T23:43:00.000+01:00

Sweet crochet

2011-04-23T00:17:00.001+01:00

I have been included in a sweet crochet treasury created by Etsy seller LunaDiArgento - thanks!

Contemporary home crochet

2011-04-15T16:09:00.001+01:00

I discovered some great crocheted homewares with a contemporary feel using the Google image search - see what you think.

From Gretel you can purchase this crocheted rubber bowl - funky!

Maybe you'd prefer a crocheted light shade from Room #39.

This would leave great shadows on your walls!

Finally there is an amazing offering from our very own Marks and Spencers store - a colourful crochet beanbag:

Silk Indulgence

2011-04-13T22:34:00.000+01:00

To further indulge in my current obsession with silk, here is my latest treasury featuring amazing silk items from UK Etsy sellers... Enjoy!

Peek-a-boo Project

2011-04-11T20:58:00.001+01:00

Mmmmm... Handmaiden Sea Silk in shade "Nova Scotia"... 8/0 lined glass seed beads in turquoise and lime...

Can you guess what it is yet?!

Swimathon

2011-04-07T22:45:00.002+01:00

We're so proud of our 10yo and 12yo daughters this evening.

They have each swum over a mile in our local baths to raise money for their surf life-saving club.

The whole group of youngesters did exceptionally well; they just kept going for a whole hour.

We're all amazed - including the children! Well done!

Amazing Fact Number 389

2011-04-06T17:35:00.000+01:00

Richard I of England - aka Richard the Lionheart - died on this day in 1199.

However his inspiration continues!

Crochet vs plastic shopping bags

2011-04-04T18:28:00.044+01:00

I've been inspired by the current Etsyhookers team challenge - to crochet something themed for Earth Day.

I've recently been encouraging the rest of my family to make more use of our reusable shopping bags rather than collecting endless quantities of plastic bags.

Here are some of the reasons why, courtesy of Wikipedia:

"Due to their durability, plastic bags can take up to 100 years to decompose. On land, plastic bags are one of the most prevalent types of litter in inhabited areas, becoming an eyesore to local residents. At their worst, plastic bags can clog drainage systems and contribute to flooding, as occurred in Bangladesh in 1988 and 1998.

When plastic bags are washed out to sea, they pose a threat to animal life. In the decades since plastic bags first came into wide use, there has been a dramatic increase in the quantity of plastic bags found floating in oceans around the world. Once in the ocean, these bags can strangle wildlife or, if ingested, can choke or cause wildlife to starve to death. Some marine animals including sea turtles, and dolphins have been killed as a result of ingestion of plastic marine litter, including plastic bags. As they slowly decompose, plastic bags break into tiny pieces and leech toxic chemicals into soils, lakes, rivers, and oceans."

Along those lines I decided to crochet some net bags using oddballs and oddments of cotton yarns I have in my sprawling yarn stash.

Here's a preview of one of them - it's appalling light for photographing anything inside today though! Better photos to follow.

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-04-03T08:54:00.000+01:00

It's Mother's Day here in the UK, so I hope everyone has a wonderful day, whatever you're doing!

Peek-a-boo Project

2011-03-30T17:31:00.004+01:00

Sending out ripples

2011-03-29T07:19:00.001+01:00

I've been reading a few books recently and experiencing new life events that are making me look at some things in a new way.

I decided to make a treasury of ripples, sending out good vibes of hope and joy to others and hoping that some will return.

I found some stunning handmade items to share with you - hope you love them too.

Coral reef

2011-03-28T07:13:00.011+01:00

On Saturday I had just 1 hour to fit in some yarn dyeing. I've been wanting to do this for weeks, so it was a case of now or never!

I managed to get it done in time - just - and the gorgeous Coral Reef laceweight merino dried overnight thanks to the fine weather.

On Sunday morning I reskeined the yarn, after setting up a very Heath Robinson-looking affair which used almost all of my winding equipment!

I had a lovely photo session with 3 beautiful skeins, and they are now available to buy in my Etsy shop.

These will look stunning when knitted up!

Party time

2011-03-27T09:34:00.001+01:00

It's my youngest daughter's 10th birthday next week, so today is party time.

We've arranged a ten-pin bowling party, complete with party lights, chart music, and fast food.

Based on the party theme, I've chosen a few Etsy UK sellers wares for a new treasury - enjoy!

Addictive ripples

2011-03-26T09:03:00.003Z

Remember the Friday night I spent salvaging a skein of Colinette Giotto?

Well now it's all knitted up and looking gorgeous as the Raspberry Ripple scarf.

As is it's new friend, the Lagoon Ripple scarf.

Both are available to buy in my Etsy shop, or you can buy the pattern and knit your own.

I think I could become seriously addicted to these.

Etsy Euro Week - Viva Espana!

2011-03-25T12:19:00.000Z

Today is my last day of doing treasuries for Etsy Euro Week, and I've chosen Spain as the focus.

We holidayed in Spain a couple of times a few years back when my dad was living in La Nucia.

They were relaxing days, with much sunbathing, barbequing, and swimming in the pool.

We enjoyed visits to nearby Altea and the kids loved seeing the animals and shows at Mundomar!

Etsy Euro Week - Turkey

2011-03-24T07:11:00.003Z

Day 4 of Etsy Euro Week takes us to on a magical carpet ride to Turkey...

This is where DH and I spent our honeymoon in September 1996 - at a lovely hotel with it's own beach in Turunc. We had a great time and saw some beautiful parts of Turkey.

I was particularly pleased to be able to bring home some crochet cotton!

Etsy Euro Week - Italy

2011-03-23T07:10:00.002Z

My midweek Euro treasury focuses on Italy. I holidayed there once with my father and brother when I was about 12 years old, and have always wanted to return.

This week's series of treasuries is throwing up some interesting concepts of what items portray the image or feeling of a particular place, and why. It's challenging my thoughts of what I have or should have in my own shop too!

For me, Italy means fashion, elegance, renaissance, beauty... Is it captured in this collection? Let me know what you think!

Etsy Euro Week - Netherlands

2011-03-22T08:15:00.016Z

My second treasury of Etsy Euro Week is dedicated to Nirvana in the Netherlands, mainly because on the same trip as Belgium we managed to fit in a day trip here.

My memory of that single day in the Netherlands is of being on the coach driving past fields of tulips, seeing windmills, and going around a model village which included a model of the model village..

This took longer to put together than I expected but ended up including windmills, tulips, delft blue, canals, and bicycles - all somehow inherantly Dutch when gathered together.

Not a single Edam cheese or wooden clog in sight!

Etsy Euro Week - Belgium

2011-03-21T17:34:00.009Z

We are now in Etsy Euro Week and to help celebrate I am hoping to create and share a few Etsy treasuries based around European countries to highlight some of the fabulous creative sellers we have so close to us.

I remember as a child being lucky enough to go on a short school trip to Ostend in Belgium.

My main memory is of a darkening evening all of us meandering around cobbled streets, all lit up and the shops open late, gazing at shop windows full of Belgian chocolates (yum!) and eating a gorgeous freshly-cooked waffle with cream and jam from a street stall - food again!

So of course the first of my treasuries has to focus on Bountiful Belgium - hope you love it!

Peek-a-boo Project

2011-03-14T16:49:00.002Z

For my daughter - using the Zauberball yarn in Fuschia and the lacy rib bias scarf pattern from the Wollzauber pattern book that she chose on our recent trip to St Ives.

I've made it narrower than the pattern states and only using 1 ball of the yarn.

It's gorgeous - I love knitting with the transitional colours, although I have just come across a yarn splice in the ball which interrupts that a little.

What's on your needles right now?

Friday night

2011-03-11T23:13:00.000Z

Earlier this week I bought another skein of Colinette Giotto in the gorgeous Raspberry colourway from a Ravelry destash.

I'm itching to get started on another Ripple Drop-Stitch Scarf, so tonight I decided to wind the skein into a cake ready to get started.

Although the skeined yarn looked pristine, it didn't quite go as expected once I removed the band from the skein!

There were no ties around the skein so it was impossible to tell where the centre of all the loops was..

I had to unwind the yarn painfully slowly by hand into a bowl, using the swift just for support..

Giotto bolognese anyone?!

Perseverence and patience paid off in the end though.

Now to cast on!

If you fancy knitting your own version of this scarf, the pattern is also now available for sale on Ravelry and in my Etsy shop.

Note to self...

2011-03-08T22:32:00.001Z

... do NOT try to eat microwave-super-heated food quickly - the blisters in your mouth from the ensuing burns are too painful!

On a brighter note, take a look at these hand-dyed daffodils!

My youngest daughter repeated a school experiment to show me how the flowers suck up the water in the vase.

The red food colouring in the water shows up the network of veins in the petals and gives them a whole new look.

Amazing what your children can teach you!

The sunshine effect

2011-03-07T17:38:00.007Z

The Giotto scarf is finished, fringed, and available to buy in my Etsy shop.

I love it! I may have to make one of these for myself...

I've also finished a project for my eldest daughter's flute teacher. She's expecting her first baby soon, and my daughter wants to give her a special gift.

This teacher has put a lot of effort and time into inspiring and encouraging my daughter with her flute playing, so I wanted to give some of that effort back.

So here is what she'll be receiving shortly - a pair of baby converse bootees that I crocheted from Suzanne Resaul's fabulous free pattern in Ravelry.

Soooo cute!

Peek-a-boo Project

2011-03-03T16:26:00.001Z

I seem to be in a ribbon mood - must be all the sunshine we're getting!

This is Colinette Giotto in Caramel using a gorgeous drop-stitch pattern.

What's on your needles?

Knitted up

2011-02-27T00:38:00.005Z

Remember the Cascade 220 Superwash Paints yarn I bought from a fellow knitter on Ravelry?

I couldn't wait to use it - those rich colours sang to me.

One skein has made 2 gorgeous pairs of fingerless mitts!

This yarn is soft and lovely to knit with; I'm definately getting hold of some more of the Paints colourways.

I've knitted one pair in my Marvellous Mitts design and one pair in my Dizzy Twist design.

So lush - and available now in my Etsy shop!

Thank you St Ives!

2011-02-25T17:14:00.004Z

Despite the rain, we spent a couple of hours in St Ives today; it's the first time we've visited the place despite living in Cornwall for 4 years now!

It was tricky navigating the narrow street in the town centre and finding a parking spot, but well worth it. St Ives is lovely - even in the rain.

My intention was to find the House of Bartlett as the owner had announced on Ravelry that she is having a wool sale. We did find it, and I ended up with a bag full of woolly goodness!

I bought a ball of Rico Creative Micro DK - I've never seen this yarn before. It has lovely muted summer colours and feels like a soft cotton, so I'm earmarking that for a summer scarf.

My youngest DD talked me into buying a bright ball of fuschia Zauberball and the pattern book to make a gorgeous diagonal lace scarf for her - it looks gorgeous, so it's not exactly a tough task!

I also treated myself to a 500gram pack of Araucania Aysen at an amazing 70% discount! This is a gorgeous hand-dyed merino/alpaca/silk blend which is perfect to make the fingerless mitts that sold so well this winter.

We also spotted GJ Beads quite by chance, so I managed to find some beautiful grey coin beads to highlight the Pebble wrap I'm finishing off.

The final amazing find was a little ladies boutique selling the last few pairs of Fly boots they had in stock at less than half price. They had the exact style (Yule) I had been looking for, in the colour that I often wear, in my size!

I've been holding out for these for the last 2 years but always other costs have taken priority. These were such a bargain that DH treated me - thank you hubsta!

On the way back to the car we called in to Willy Wallers Ice Cream Factory where we chose a gorgeous flavour ice cream each - chocolate and ginger, mango, blueberry, and port, cranberry & orange sorbet. Delicious!

We'll be going back to St Ives for a day on the beach when the weather warms up - probably on the train next time. Can't wait!

Remodelling peaches

2011-02-23T23:58:00.005Z

I'm really pleased with how well my hand-dyed Perran Yarns have sold in my Etsy shop.

The only one that hasn't done so well is the laceweight merino in this delicate "Peaches and Dreams" colourway.

Its blue, green and purple sisters sold out, but only 1 ball of this one has found a loving home.

The yarn is gorgeous - smooth and soft - but obviously this shade is not what lace knitters want. Time for a remodelling event.

First of all I need to re-skein the balls so I can overdye them.

I've done one ball this afternoon and had to stop - this is a lengthy manual task winding back onto the niddy-noddy, so it won't be rushed.

More tomorrow.

Pebble Wrap

2011-02-21T22:01:00.001Z

Quite some time back I bought myself some Patons Reef ribbon yarn in the beautiful Pebble shade.

My original intention was to knit it into a bolero for myself. Then we were invited to a wedding so I decided to make myself an evening wrap for the occasion.

It was not to be - me and wraps just don't go! I stored the project away - until a couple of days ago.

You know, this yarn is gorgeous. It shimmers and catches the light, but the matt element of the yarn ensures that it's not too glitzy.

The wrap shape is great too - it just wasn't what I was visualising at the time.

So I'm going to finish it and list it in my Etsy shop - it still has ends to sew in and needs some kind of lovely fastening. I do have a little of the yarn left - hmm...

Team Theme Project Sneak Peak

2011-02-19T23:41:00.000Z

CraftBritannia Team Theme

2011-02-18T17:08:00.000Z

It's been a quiet week on the blog front, but there has been frantic crochet activity here at Chez Skeins!

I decided on my project for the CraftBritannia Team Theme. The deadline is 1st April and the theme is Spring.

I wanted some spring flower type colours so I've chosen to use a ball of Tofutsies yarn that I had in my stash.

I've only knitted this up into socks before (and very lovely they are) and I'm really pleased with how the colours are emerging as this crochet project progresses.

There will be a sneak peak but I'm not giving too much else away yet..

Mmmmmmmuffins!

2011-02-09T18:32:00.010Z

I seem to be doing more baking these days. Is that good or bad?

The latest batch are these skinny chocolate & cranberry muffins - delicious.

They use yoghurt, milk, and oil instead of butter but taste wonderful.

The mixture made 12 but only 11 photographed - well I had to check they were ok..

Last time I used chopped dates instead of dried cranberries - equally gorgeous.

We also have our first indication of Spring - this sweet little narcissus (I think!) has grown in a pot on our kitchen windowsill.

Postal delays? Not here!

2011-02-08T15:38:00.007Z

My postie delivered a fantastic package to me this morning.

It was from the USA and contained 2 skeins of Cascade 220 Superwash yarn that I bought via Ravelry.

The yarn is beautiful - wonderful rich colours; I can't wait to start knitting with it.

The most amazing part of this - it was only posted 4 days ago!

Sensational Supplies

2011-02-03T15:40:00.002Z

Following a recent order I have been inspired to add a couple more colourways of the Creative Yarn Packs to my shop.

I have added Ice Cream Sundae - a delicious pale pastel mix..

..and Flaming Fire - a hot mix of reds, oranges, a little gold and some darker browns.

There are many other great supplies on Etsy from UK sellers - here are a few to inspire you!

Top row, left to right:

Hand-dyed silk carrier rods from SassaLynne
Berry mix organza ribbons from Overspill
Red pointed muffin cases from MarmaladySupplies

Bottom row, left to right:

Stripy Tiger Pendant Charm from CardsAndCraft
Pick your own 9inch felt squares from Titchables
Campfire sock yarn from JunoFibreArts

So what are you waiting for? Buy some fab supplies and get crafty!

Valentine Challenge - Votes please!

2011-02-02T20:15:00.000Z

The voting is open over on the CreateCrochet Team blog for the Valentine Challenge.

There are some great entries there, so please go on over and vote for your favourite entry!

Toffee Fudge - yum!

2011-02-01T22:11:00.000Z

Back in November I blogged about how I'd spent a great day at the KnitExpo in Exeter.

I bought some fabulous yarn there, including the gorgeous Wow! hand-dyed alpaca/silk aran yarn.

It looks like Toffee Fudge to me.

The number of shades is endless and the colours are so vibrant. Just Wow!

How I wish I'd bought more of this. It's always the way...

Anyway, I got around to knitting it up - before a year has even passed! Will miracles never cease?!

The yarn is, as expected, a dream to knit with. The finished mitts feel just glorious on your hands.

I only have enough yarn for 2 pairs of these mitts, so go ahead and treat yourself before somebody else gets all the luxury!

CreateCrochet Team Valentine Challenge

2011-01-31T22:23:00.000Z

I am taking part in the Valentine Challenge from the CreateCrochet Team on Etsy.

My entry is this pair of Red Hot fingerless cotton crochet mitts with organza ribbon bow.

I love my organza ribbon at the moment!

There are quite a few great entries - here are a few of my favourites:

Top row, left to right:

Crochet Hearts from Angelarae63
Black fingerless gloves from Bigalhats
Cascading Hearts Lariat from FallingLeafDesigns

Bottom row, left to right:

Valentine Hot Stuff Cozy & Coaster by LilacsLovables
Heart to Heart Shawl by MyLovelyMom
Red Hearts Anklet by MyLovelyMom also!

Today is the closing date, so voting begins soon...

Dizzy Mitts

2011-01-29T23:22:00.001Z

I love coming up with new designs and making them into saleable patterns. I've promised myself that I would do it many times of the last few years, but rarely got round to doing it.

I am getting better at it though. Now when I tinker about with a new project, I make the odd scribble in my knitting notepad.

If I like the finished item, I fill it out, print it, and then try making it again from my pattern.

Usually after a couple of revisions we have a couple of finished items and a new pattern too - bonus!

Earlier this week I listed a new pair of Dizzy Twist fingerless mitts in my Etsy shop. I have knitted them using the fabulous Debbie Bliss Fez yarn - a wonderfully cosy and soft merino/camel blend yarn.

I have sensitive skin, prone to eczema, but this yarn gives me no problems at all - in fact it feels wonderful!

Now the Dizzy Mitts pattern pdf is available to buy in my shop too, so you can have the joy of knitting your own.

Alternative yarns you could use are Sirdar Click Aran, Cascade 220 Superwash, etc - any aran/worsted weight yarn with a minimum of 100 metres length.

I'd love to hear of any other good yarn alternatives - and see any pics of your finished Dizzy Mitts!

Roses and ribbons

2011-01-28T15:54:00.066Z

In celebration of Valentine's Day have recently added a couple of special new pairs of fingerless mitts to my Etsy shop. I handknitted both in a supersoft and luxurious merino and cashmere blend yarn.

The first pair are adorned with a beautiful rose knitted in a gorgeous kid mohair and silk blend yarn. The rose is so soft you can hardly feel it, and light as a feather.

In the centre of the rose nestles a cluster of glass seed beads in shades of red.

The second pair are edged with the kid mohair and silk yarn in a ruffle, which is threaded with a matching organza red ribbon, tied in a double bow.

I think these have an almost Victorian period feel to them - beautiful!

I've also come across many beautiful Valentine gifts on Etsy - here are a few more of my favourites.

Top row, left to right:

Bottom row, left to right:

Fabulous!

Create Crochet Team December Challenge

2011-01-25T15:59:00.003Z

On Etsy I am part of the Create Crochet Team which runs regular challenges.

I took part recently in the December Challenge which had 3 categories: Winter Wearables, Decorations, and New Year's Gifts.

My entry was my Riverbed Crochet Graduated Colour Mat Duo (now sold!) into the Gifts category.

I was delighted to find out that my entry won 2nd place in that category!

The team blog is now featuring interviews with the winners of each category - thanks!

Oh Valentine..

2011-01-24T17:11:00.001Z

Valentine's Day is fast approaching and there are so many affordable gifts on Etsy from uk sellers that I think are fabulous! Here are a few of my favourites:

Trembling Mulberry Rose Earrings by ErikaPrice

I love the delicate pink to lilac colours of these earrings - and the shape of those disc beads!

Set of 4 purple corduroy coasters by Katiedidonline

The deep purple shade of these is amazing - and the corduroy would be great at soaking up spills and drips.

Pocket Mirror - Hot Pink Orchid Botanical Papercut Design by KitzieG

A pocket mirror would be so useful - and not the kind of thing I would think to buy for myself.

The range produced by KitzieG are very pretty - perfect for the sweetheart in your life!

Kitty love

2011-01-18T00:03:00.001Z

Our kitten sisters Tiggy and Poppet snoozing together today- so sweet!

UK Silly Sale time!

2011-01-15T09:47:00.002Z

Yes it's that time again..

The Etsy UK Silly Sale is running from 14th to 21st January with fantastic bargains in many Etsy shops!

I have a huge 40% discount on EVERYTHING in my shop.

Have a browse and see what great deals you can find!