What happens when you drop something and don't pick it up

This mornining I had to do some emergency gardening - my tomatoe plants have not been receiving all the care and attention they need from me. I kew that propping their stems against the bamboo trainers wouldn't suffice forever and today was the day that my lasy attitude came home to roost.

Picture it - still in my fanel dressing gown fantically tying stems to their trainers, all in all I was extremely luckly only a few brocken leaf stems and one with a tomatoe sacrificed. Out of six plants that was very lucky! Did I mention that almost as soon as I started it started to rain - thank goodess for my hooded fanel dressing gown.

All flushed with my success, I didn't really pay attention to what the dogs where doing. This is what happens when you dont pick it after yourself.

You cannot mention one without the other

So I told you about my subscription to "Making" but not about "Molly Makes" currently only upto its thrid issue but again it's insightful, fun and light-hearted, very female focused but I generally think that is true of the whole industry.

Although I'm always om the look out for more inspiration, I am loving the craft offerings so far from these two subcriptions.

Never won any thing like this before

On Friday I recieved a royal mail-could not be delivered card on my door mat when I returned home from work. I honestly had no idea what it was, so was very curious.
Well... you might ask!

I had won a magazine giveaway competition - I have never won anything before not even a raffle. I am now the proud owner of a £10 voucher for Simple Way, the leatherkit people. I feel a new project brewing. Woh Hoh Hoh!(menacing laugh)

Making magazine, which I feel is definitely one of the best UK craft mags currently on the market (and not just because I won something). Although relatively new to the market it sets a new standard for multi-disciplary craft mags.

12 Sew

For 12 months, 12 days a month, I will sew, craft or generally be creative for 1 hour that's the pledge and I have chickpea sewing studio to thank. Yes I realise that I'm not sticking to original plegde but ... my aims are alittle different.

Before the baby comes

Just so you know that I'm not the one currently expecting.

Today, we (me and my friend E)hosted a handmade babyshower for one of my bestfriends - the showers theme was Giraffes (which turned out to be one of the mum-to-be's favourite animals), the colour palette oranges, yellows and browns.

As shower favors for the guests I made soft fabric Giraffe toys. E was the creative genius behind the entire event, and between us we made all and everything from the toys, giant pompoms to the nappy cake and quiz cards.

I can tell you one thing, after tasting baby food as part of the party games, I now understand why babies spit up so much. Aarrgghhh! My favourite activity was DIY designer babygrows, just another chance to be creative.

All in all, it was a great day.

TTFN,
MagpieSpirit

Commissions Work has been taking up my time

Apologies for the long absense, but I have been doing a large piece of commission work for a baby shower and it has taken up alot of my spare time reccently. I will be able to post photos of much of it in the next few weeks and as well as designs for my upcoming christmas collection.

Yes!

I did mention christmas in May, but it takes alot of time designing and making for christmas as it can be one of the most busy times in the calendar. Look out for fresh and funky advent calendars, cards and more.

If you are looking to commission something special for yourself, loved one or friend I am able available for consultations so feel free to email me.

TTFN!

New year, New Resolutions

Today is the 1st of January 2011 and I feel a change in the air, rather than making another resolution to join the gym (5 years and counting). I am taking the step towards my life goal of owning my own designer-crafter-maker business and trying to gain some skills.

I have found two venues that are running the kind of courses I'm interested in the Make Lounge and Craft London and best bonus they are in the local area.

Steam Glorious Steam

My bid to become a domestic goddess.

I hate cleaning so anything to help me do that or speed up the process is a bonus, I have recently ok not so recently started watching teleshopping channels. I actually find it relaxing. And steam seems to be the new focus, "clean with steam and save hundreds of pounds as you won't need to buy any more expensive cleaning products."

I was bitten and bought one last week, it's amazing in the kitchen I have already tackled the cooker hood, the hob and the knobs, the oven, in one seating of less than an hour. All the areas above are now finger squeak clean until I cook again.

Sorry if that sounded like an Ad but I really am that impressed.

I took it to the bathroom as we have floor the ceiling white tiles. I was pleasantly disgusted to say the less with what came off. I know at the start I said I hate cleaning and that I true but don't misunderstand me. I regularly clean all the bathroom tiles by hand. I can happily say that my new steam cleaner is fantastic. Well almost, I can't bring myself to use it in the toilet when I know I also use it in the kitchen.

Curtain Candy

There are many wondrous things in the world for a child and generally the most wonderful was the sweet shop. I never thought there was a sweet shop for adults until this weekend. The curtain shop – now this may seem to be some kind of theme with me but I haven’t owned curtains for some time.
I think I was a little afraid, ever since the blackout blinds in my bedroom. What a huge mistake!
Let’s go back to the curtain candy, all these years I have been buying from retailers who generalise styles for the “beige people”. The “beige people” are today’s version of people, who, in the past who painted there walls magnolia for fear of making a mistake, but are now filling their homes with mass produced stuff for the same reason. I use the word stuff after some consideration and without hesitation to describe the things we buy, that we like, but don’t make any emotional connection to.
Back to the curtain candy again, hundreds of types of fabric and patterns, tens of styles of curtain construction. I spent the first few minutes with my mouth agape as I browsed, but surprisingly it did not take me too long to find the look I wanted.
Now at this point I felt the fear and ran away, it seemed too easy and I like to procrastinate. I went back a few hours later to ask more questions and was satisfied, and so ordered my new curtains - not exactly! That was Saturday and today, Monday I ordered them and placed my 50% deposit. In 10 days to 2 weeks I will have my curtains.