All a bit Blue Peter

Ok so there was no wax. Fine. So, back it was to my box of bits and bobs. Today I have finished some brooches, a bag and made some hair slides / fascinators. I am wondering wether they should be put onto ebay or saved for some from of craft fair- come - car boot. I will see how the brooches go this week on Ebay. Having only sold one brooch so far (£5.70 - not bad!) I am a little cautious. I am not entirely convinced that Ebay is the best forum for this kind of craft.

Cie has suggested a site called Etsy. It is a site where people can sell their handmade products, however, everything on there seems to be very professional looking. My products at the moments still look a bit Blue Peter. Regardless of when and where I decide to sell my bag of bobbins, I am enjoying (so much) getting back to being creative - I should probably also do some writing at some point!!

Look at the shiny . . .

Had a lovely week last week. we did the parental thing and caught up with mums, dads, brothers and grandparents galore. It was good to be home, mainly because it fuelled further ideas for books I want to write. I also got to be a little nostalgic and went to Lancaster for the day. It has changed since we were there at university, not much mind, but enough.

I would love to live some where vaguely rural when I am rich and famous (ahem)! Somewhere close enough to civilisation, but small enough to feel at home. As much as I have loved living here in brum, its never quite felt just right. Work today proved it.

I have been having a few 'minor' stresses about work this year. I've out grown it. Just like I'm starting to feel like I've outgrown the city. Don't get me wrong, I am happy here and I have made some wonderful friends, but I need a change - hence the writing. I've not slept much in the last few days worrying about today. It was an INSET day in reality it's nothing, its easy, its not stressful in the slightest. I made it to 11.30 this morning before I burst out crying - I think thats a new record!! Go me!

Anyway, after a verbal slap from Erika to help get me back together, I saw things in a little more perspective. Its 12 weeks. 12 school weeks and I am free to do as I please for 12 months - WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!! lets just home I can do it some justice!!!

Anyhoo - heres 4 more brooches I made from random bits and pieces donated by my mum and grandma. Think a couple of these would make nice wedding corsages. Hope you like . . . .

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=120408201759

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=120408199562

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=120408197235

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=120408194975

Beg, Borrow and Steal

I have made my first contributions to craft recylcing and listed them on ebay. At the moment my 'creations' echo my writing skills: lots of good intentions by slightly wonky in the execution! Right idea, but the vision is incomplete! I reckon about a 4c (sorry, teacher reference), just missing that certain something that makes it complete - but, practice makes prefect!


So here we go . . . .


Beach Bag
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?viewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=120404737003

I was actually quite proud of this - a reclaimed fabric beach bag. The outer is a heavy cotton style fabric which was previously a very poor 'sheppherds' costume at school. It was recently torn apart to make bread bags for Hansel and Gretel. The rest had been left for throwing out. Not in my classroom!

The lime lining was the end of a roll on Birmingham's Rag Market that the stll holder was throwing underneath his stall out of the way.
The paper flowers attached on the front are remnants of card making motifs.



Brooches and Corsages
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=120405139925

These are three of the four brooches I made this evening whilst watching Britains got Talent! See multi-tasking!
All three of these are made using bits and pieces left over from my Mum's wedding in January. In fact, most of these odds and sods came off her wedding cake (which I hasten to add she made herself from the alcohol soaked fruit to shiny beaded flowers adorning the tiers - a very talented lady). Sadly, there is no icing or marzipan remaining on the pieces.

Each piece, ribbon, flower, bead etc, has been taken apart and remade into these brooches / corsages, which I am actually really chuffed with. It started today because I had bought myself a flower loom! I had one as a kid and used to bore people to death with knitted flowers made for no purpose and no one, I couldn't even pass them off to old people as coasters! But I figured with me rejuvinated love for crafts (and the fact that I have been given my Grandma's entire knitting drawer of goods recently) I could put a flower loom to good use. Therefore I have spent the day wrapping and twisting, coiling and stitching wool and fabric around several little pegs which kept pinging out of place! Steve bless did try to show an interest in what I was doing, and to be fair did a bloody good job of being enthusiastic about, lets face it, the outcomes of a girl guide's attempt at her handmade crafts badge.


Well, as I have another week left until I have to go back to work, I am sure I will find some time to write a little more nonsense and share with you my next creative attempts.

Happy Easter all.

Nx