A New Years Wish to All My Blogging Friends

I look to the new year and my wish for you;

Peace within your heart

Love from family and friends

Faith to guide your way

Hope to to make it through each day

Sunshine to light the day

Heavenly Stars to wish upon

Rainbows to to let you know there is a tomorrow

A tear to show compassion

A heart to hold the love

But most of all I wish for you

to feel my hand in yours,

To know I am here if you stumble or fall.

To bring you cheer, to bring you love,

to return the love you always share with me.

~ Author Unknown to me ~

Calliope AZ Creations

 I would like to introduce you to  Calliope AZ Creations The shop features a range of beautiful one of a kind jewellery creations and this is one of my favourites pictured below

Click on the photo and it will take you to this wonderful shop, take a look, you are sure to find something you like. 

Etsy Shop Goals for 2011

My progress as a seller on Etsy
Can you believe it is just a few more days and we are in 2011
I joined Etsy in December 2008, started selling in December 2009

All my sales have been through custom orders obtained in 2010

I participated in my first fair in December 2010, it was a good experience

I see my progress as slow but steady

First Sale



MY GOALS FOR 2011


1: I would like to participate in at least 4 fairs this year - will keep you posted

2: Blog every week, I am sure I can find something to blog about

5: List up one item per week - I need to be more creative

6: Think and write positively

7: Organise my time and my work area more effectively - I have started with my cotton

8:  Promote Promote where ever I can

9: Long term goal to work part time in my full time job and part time in my hobby that I enjoy

For now that's all, more will emerge as I fulfil these goals

A BIG THANK YOU FOR ALL MY FRIEND WHO HAVE FOLLOWED ME, TAKEN TIME TO COMMENT AND PROVIDED SUPPORT, ENCOURAGEMENT AND LOVE

End of Year Sale

I am delighted to invite you to the start of my end of year sale on the 27th December. 
40% off All Clothing

Seasons Greetings

As you celebrate Christmas, may you experience true love and may Gods grace be with you, not just on this wonderful holiday but all the year through. Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year.

Cooking With Fire

As some of you may or may not be aware my paid job is supporting people who find it difficult to engage in society to live fulfilling lives, and to do this I train volunteers and match them to individual people, I also run a weekly support group.

At Christmas I generally provide a meal for my clients and to save on the budget this year I decided to cook, yeah I cook as well.

Now in the summer my brother laid my new laminate and in the process he found that my all singing all dancing cooker had burned a hole in the floor board. For no reason that I can I explain, I decided to cook chicken pieced in the oven and make a macaroni and cheese pie, IN THE OVEN - I did attempt to cover the floor hoping that the cooker would not burn my new floor, DUH! WRONG!

Did I worry when the kitchen filled with somke? Did I worry when my eyes started to sting? Did I worry when I saw flames glowing under the cooker, HELL YES.

Panic setting in I filled a pan of water and threw it under the cooker, NO JOY, so I tried again success, flames disappeared, I waited checking and fearful that the flames were slower creeping under the floor boards, but fortunately the double pan of water did the trick and a full blown fire was averted.

I have not the heart to look under the cooker to examine the damage. Ignorance is bliss.

Oh the food? the clients loved the food and the staff lapped up the left overs.

I am still avoiding the moment of truth, would one of you be willing to check it out for me?

Grey and Gold Dress

This is a
a little number
I made a few months back for a customer to wear to a wedding, love to hear your thought on it

Christmas In the Tropic

While most of us are wrapping up for the winter, there are some who are lucky to have sunhine, and I was asked to make this this lovely dress
for a customer to celebrate christmas in the tropics. When I have some time I will be making it in black. Would love to hear your thoughts

20% OFF - Weekend Specials

I am having a Weekend Special Sale 20% off selected items. So check out my shop on Etsy

Chris Christmas Sandwich

To get you in the spirit of Christmas I thought I would share this with you

First Craft Fair

Sold at Leigh

On Saturday I attended my first craft fair, I survived and it was great. The day before I wished for snow, so that I would have a reason to cancel. On the morning there was no snow, but the car was frosted over, and the streets were clear, heavy sigh! I had no reason to cancel, the ice on the car was easyly scrapped away. There was ample petrol in the car so I turned the ignition on while I loaded my stuff, made it so much easier to scrape the ice off the windscreen, and I had a warm car to start my journey. 

I set off to Leigh teffified yet excited, got lost but I arrived in good time. There was a car park nearby with loads of parking so it was easy to access the community college where the fair was being held. I unloaded my car and hauled my stuff up to the second floor, my excersise for the rest of the month.  I was tucked in a corner between a jewellery and vintage stall. I set about drumming up bussines.

My Stuff

The venue was lovely and warm although outside was near freezing and the other traders was great, very helpful and friendly.  Although I only sold one item, I received numerous compliments about the quality and fisnish of my clothing. I gave out over 200 hundered cards with many visitors asking for custom made items. I am still dizzy with the success.

Its the Weekend

Well it's that time again and it's the only time I have available to say hello to all you lovely people. Things have been so busy at work lately. I have been getting to work late, staying late at work and staying up late to finish projects. Yeh I know get the violins out. You know something I enjoy the challenge. So no violins.

It's not all been good, my manager has been at it again, after spending a week writing a 32page proposal she decides that her name has to go my proposal, yeh what a cheek, needless to say I ignored her, so we are meeting on Monday to discuss this.

Now the good. I have completed a custom order and I am about to start on another one.  The hardest thing is making for someone you can't see and choosing the fabric for them based on an email conversation, but I can only hope that I have chosen well.

Here are some pictures of the skirt I made.

I am a Winner

 I won this lovely scarf for 0ur girl form rio, aka Marla, It is so beautifully crafted, with lovely intricate pattern.]

A BIG BIG THANK YOU TO MARLA. Marla's blog http://www.girlfromrio.com/

If you would like to see more of Marla's items check out her shop on ETSY http://www.etsy.com/shop/mkellman

I am back

Well it has been a long time and my computer is all fixed. How are you all doing and what have you been up to, I will have to take time to catch up with everyone.

Kentwell Hall

 I would like to share with you a trip I took some Carers and their cared for on in August.  We visited Kentwell Hall in Suffolk. Kentwell Hall is a beautiful Tudor house which was built in the 15th century and is surrounded by a water-filled moat complete with numerous carps (fishes).

The house has been lovingly and authentically restored to how it would have been in its heyday.

The gardens around the house are very pretty and include oddities such as a carved tree house and an old underground ice-house, this is an amazing place as there is so much to see. The gardens are wonderful including a in the veg garden or potagerie as it would have been called in the 15th century 

For a few weeks each year, it returns to the 15th century with up to 300 re-creating  "Tudors" going about their business. You get an opportunity to see  archers and woodmen in the 25-acre grounds to those making bread and butter and people going about their daily lives in the main house and around the grounds.

 

Booo Hoooo

My computer has crashed and I am using someone elses computer, so until I find out what is wrong, I am without a computer.

Retro Scales

I went back to work on Monday, so less blogging for me
On Tuesday I went to Southend for a meeting and on the way back I visited some of the charity shops. I bought a brand new laptop bag and these beautiful scale with the weights. I have cleaned it and it looks lovely on my kitchen counter. I am going to buy some cherries to display, ummm might be prove an expensive buy if I am thinging of displaying cherries year round in it, but tomatoes will have to do in the meantime

I have Been Featured

This must me my lucky Saturday, two of my skirts have been featured on two Etsy treasures and one Gardenvibe http://www.gardenvibe.blogspot.com/ blog

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c7029aaf84a8eef19fb9a73/my-ideal-green-outfit

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c6feaacf84a8eefde188d73/shady-pool?index=0

I love this blog hers post are so interesting

http://gardenvibe.blogspot.com/2010/08/mother-natures-closet-wet-seed-wild-on.html

Completed Party Dress

Finally finished my dress for Sunday, as you can see, I not the tallest of people, and my top half is far larger that my bottom half. The dress is fairly fitted and made with a slight stretchy fabric. It has a  V front and back neckline, and although I wasn't sure about the sleeves, but I put them in anyway. the  front around the stomach area is ruched so hides my no existent waist and love handles. Believe it or not it comes to my knee, now you see why I make my own.

Making a Start - Front and Back pieces of dress

Front of Dress

Back view of Dress

Front View of Dress

Side view of Dress

I am thinking cerise shoes, don't really want to spend any money, I have got a blue pair of shoes which might do or if all else fails black shoes.

Featured on Etsy

My Merry go Round Sundress have been featured in "ayawedding" treasury create with sweet blue by ayawedding on Etsy: I am so thrilled, that's twice this week one of my items has been featured

Outfit for Sunday Birthday Party

 Work in progress of my outfit for Sunday.

The top two shots are a toile or copy of what I intend to make, this is to make sure that it fits on my bust correctly

The bottom two shots shows the front and back pieces, not much to go by yet, but like you I have to wait and see what it turns out like.