Winner * Winner * Winner... of Pip Lincolne's gorgeous new book

 It is Sunday... and i was just about to walk the dog....

then i thought, i shall draw this GIVEAWAY Winner now, or it will never happen!

 So: *drum rrroooolllllll*

It is YOU Joanne - http://rosedahlia.blogspot.com/ - from this place here

and Jo has 2 sons and a daughter and has been finding the time to do some very cool Christmas Crafting.

She shames us that she can find the time! Please go and see her amazing knitted NOEL letters. I am in awe of her talents.

I do not *know* Jo so it all Legit. like. But i know her now :)

Well Done my Lovely and i do wish everyone could win it though.

 And i thought i would stuff this little lot in to show you something new and wacky i made t'other week...

 It is a felt 'Paper Chain'

and i find it so amusing that my business is actually called PaperFish,

there is very VERY little to do with paper in anything i do....

Even my paperchain is felt!

This was hugely time consuming and it took me around 2 hours to complete a piece of chain barely over 2 metres long. Tcha, but it was very satisfying!

I might try some more colourways and styles.

Ya know, i have so much more to talk to you all about.

2012 is going to be so big for me. So special. i can just feel it!

And i am so grateful that people pop in, read for a bit, enter the giveaways and like sharing all this stuff too. ThankU xxx

me! in "Mollie Makes" Magazine...

 so, yeh!

I am in this Month's Christmassy Mollie Makes

There is something about the ego that loves a gentle massage and my ego is no exception.

My mum was showing the checkout operator in Sainsburys....

but i would have done the same

(if i were a real person who went to real shops and had a real life)

 My name in glorious red & white... yes, i know there are lots of other lovely crafters in here too,

just let me have my moment?

 It was a Scandi theme so everything had to be in red / white / blue type colours...

my Gingerbread Boy... ooooohhh, looking good there Fella!!

 I'll be honest, it isn't my strength really - tutorials and magazine work etc...

i am a less 'planned' type of a lady... design, make, move on - that is me.

 So, that something i did, was captured in still life, for a moment... that is pretty good for me.

A moment.

ssshhhhhh

i can look away - and when i turn back, i am still there. Stopped for a moment in time.

Catalogued. Tresured.

This issue of Mollie Makes is superbly inspiring.... of course :)

I shall be drawing the WINNER of our Book competition very soon, next day or so.

Keep your eyes on teh prize for your name (maybe)

anf your eyes on the shop for these cute Christmas mini Buttons.

me....

in Mollie Makes!!....

Hallowe'en Craft Cafe

 You still have the Weekend to get Hallowe'en Crafting.

I love Hallowe'en - LOVE IT! and i don't want to hear any rubbish about anti-christianity and devil worship.

It is nothing of the sort. It is a Pagan festival full of celebration, not of 'naughtiness' but of thankfulness.

The dressing of ghoulies and ghosties is to shoooo away all the naughty spirits and celebrate the end of SummerTime, the end of the Harvest and recognise the beginning of a harder Winter.

 And children love it. The opportunity to go out AT NIGHT! or to get dressed up or to play at being naughty and fiendish... you know most adults would love this licence to Play too...

So we have celebrated in true Craft Cafe style.

We did some Ghosties on the sewing table and i have always loved how hard children try at the sewing. They are so tenacious and patient. They *want* it finished so badly.

 Paper Bags make easy and cheap 'treat bags' to collect their illicit goodies in or just feel part of the whole process (even if they are not allowed to go out treating) I just photo copied a £2 pack of stickers and enlarged them, so they could cut and paste them.

 The JuNk TaBlE

Always been the top most popular table at our Craft Cafe's.

The opportunity to build and paint for hours on end in a space big enough to house BIG projects.

It is fascinating to see how big children's work can get if you give them big tools and plenty of space. Such a liberating way to create that families at home rarely ever get (unless you get creating in the garden...)

 My nephew made the most awesome Dracula Castle. It rocked!

thank the lord for Toilet Rolls... the possibilities are endless but they do lend themselves to the making of Castle Turrets and Canon Guns.... (gotta love the Boys)

Please notice his Peg People DRACULAs along the top there, mwahahahaha....

 Some children go completely renegade.... they find items in the Craft Boxes that i never knew i had and they just go off on their own mission. This is so satisfying to watch. My job? usually to help show the best glue or tape for a particular job. And Needle threading. I spend 2 hours re-threading needles.

 Parents usually hate the painted bits.

i know, i am sorry. But it is so much fun to slap paint around.

 We love the Dads who turn up *waves at MrH in his fit hat*

This holiday we had lots of Granparents, a few Dads, a couple of au-pairs and some very excitable Mums.

It makes for an eclectic mix. There were 40 children crafting, including mine and my extended brood.

 Yep, that is mine. The one with the gappy teeth just in time for School photos.

How she can contain her excitement is beyond me.

Up at 6am "Mum Mum is it Craft Cafe today? is it?Is it??"

In competition with my Nephew, she too made a huge castle with various rooms and a COFFIN! for her Bride and Groom Zombies, complete with hidden string that lifts the lid for you. *so proud* (?)

 A collection of seasonal Brooches i wore for the day...

SO it is with the heaviest of hearts that i declare this was my last Craft Cafe as we know it.

I have said a fond farewell to this sticky chaos and it breaks my heart somewhat.

It has been 5 years that i have been running these Craft Cafes.

Every Thursday in the School Holidays... and i have loved every single session.

I cannot describe how being with the children makes me feel when they are sooo very proud of what they make. It fills me with selfish joy and pride. i have loved them.

There are many reasons that make this a sensible choice.

It is just 'time' for a break. I need a break and maybe someone else would like a chance to run some workshops now? i don't know.

I am relieved at the break. These things take alot of time and effort to organise and they rely on volunteers who make my life easier and it is time i said a big THANKYOU to all those who stay and help clear up!!

You have been the BEST.

The last mini Craft Cafe will be on Sunday 13th November

11.30am - 2pm

Boddington Village Hall (upstairs)

and downstairs will be the Christmas Gift Fair with lots of stalls.

£4 per child and we will make some decorations and Christmas Cards.

a last fond farewell for me. But maybe i will find some new plans and projects?

who knows....

What to take to your Craft Stall...

 I am no Craft Stall Guru you understand. I don't have the 'magic touch' and nothing you or I do can ever guarantee a good Sale Takings on the day, however....

 I have a bag with me that never gets unpacked when i get home so i know - KNOW - that everything will be in there if i pick it up to go to a craft sale. And inside that bag is my essential Craft Stall Kit.

 TWO plain white table cloths (i cannot abide black velvet cloths, sorry if that is your thing)

I know a lady who used greengrocers fake grass as her cloth.... cool!

The second cloth is a spare, you'll be surprised how many stall holders ditch at the last minute and you could grab a free extra table.

 A pad and pen for writing down the sales so i can be sure to let the Tax Man know just how much cash changed hands (!)

And a packet of sticky labels to price the items. People really like to see a price without asking you... honestly, they just prefer that.

 A purse with approximately £80.00 of change in. This is a float. You know that though.

I collect many £5 notes for my float (they are rare) and i have lots of £1 and some 50p and a few £10.00 notes. Change is vital. And i re-stock the float when i get home to make sure it is all ready for the next sale.

People who know me *for real* will surely laugh at all this, as i come across very scatty!!

A stack of postcards and business cards.

Some magazines if i have been in them, just to "La-dee-da" myself a bit  :)

And a pot with:

Blu tack, sellotape, string, clips, safety pins, small butchers hooks, drawing pins

You never know where there will be space to hang and display stuff from so it is good to have bits like that with you.

I take other stuff - like Water and... stock! but that is my list of essentials.

If you are Craft Fairing this season - GOOD LUCK and have fun.

Be nice to other stall holders too. It is just better that way.

Christmas Cute...

 Whhoooop!

A couple of new Gingerbread Boys on the Block.

I have changed the faces from previous years to make them a little sweeter looking.

 Peeking out of this gorgeous Christmas Tin...

 And there is, sllooooowwwwly.... a collection of Christmas Babushka Babes getting into the Christmas Shop. I have some great ideas of how to extend my Christmas Range next year.

Hey - not only am i well early for Christmas, but i am already early for Xmas 2012

(somebody shoot me!)

 Like the tin?

I adore Christmas Tins, and my real favourites are all the Marks & Spencer range.

But guess what? i don't want all the biscuits! I am a cake fan, but not a biscuit fan.

The great thing about this yummy tin is that it is empty! - some of you may think me mad, but that makes me happy :)

http://www.dotcomgiftshop.com/

If you want to buy your own tin £6.95 - (without the biscuits!)

Help me Buttons Lovers....

VINTAGE BAKERLITEs

 As suggested in previous posts.... i need your input!

I need your button appreciation abilities.

PERIWINKLES

 There will be a prize. And i haven't got it sorted to photo yet. But, it will be a Goody Bag of sorts with lots of bits and buttons and maybe a book or a magazine?

 DOLLS HOUSE

and really, you have very little to do. I am asking very little from you all, in order to help me out AND be in with a chance of winning a fun Goody Bag!

 BLOOMING GORGEOUS
(n.b: these are BIG 1.5inch across / 4cm!)

Just leave me a little note in my box of comments... telling me...which of these sets of buttons you like? and why? or what you'd use them for?... or even what you wouldn't use them for but someone else might?

DECO LUSH

I know, price would always make a difference to what you buy and for 'what use' - it is always a factor in my choices. I can't list these prices as i haven't got them sorted yet. None of these buttons here are cheap though. We are talking between 40p and £1.00 per button across this range. If i were selling them, they would be sold in pairs and groups. That is why they are so lovely though. If they were cheap as chips everybody would already be using them, right?

To start: i adore DECO LUSH and i AM going to use one of these chunky dudes on a big cardi i've got that needs it's ONE button replacing - this is the baby for the job. I would also adore a necklace made using a few of these.....

Anyone else?

Books are here....

In an exciting twist to the Blog i am bringing you an entire WEEK of stunning new products

for sale in the http://www.lovepaperfish.com/ shop

Obviously, the benefit of ordering some books to sell is that KirstyFish gets to keep them all, mwahaha

There are 4 new titles listed.

Listen, i know that EVERYBODY gets their books from Amazon - why wouldn't you? they are very efficent and well priced but i hope to introduce the one element that Amazon cannot provide you...

customer service!

Each new book has been handpicked by me and chosen because they have all the qualities i value as a crafter and retailer. Nice weight of paper. Good prints and fonts. Stunning photos, clear instructions. Funky ideas and things you want to make.

This is perhaps my favourite of all the titles and the one most suited to a PaperFish customer.

It is called "Button & Stitch" and is by a Seattle based Crafter called Kristen Rask

http://plushyou.blogspot.com/

Full of  new ways to use buttons in craft. Very lovely ideas and pictures.

I love this pincushion button jar - very easy to make.

Everything in this book is suited to beginners or advanced crafters looking for a new direction.

If you have one or two special / vintage / expensive buttons then this book has ideas for you.

Explanations on what glues to use and how to attach buttons for long lasting use.

Incorporating fabrics and how to expand one idea and technique into many uses.

I have worked with buttons for years and there were many ideas in here i am going to try.

All books are limited to maybe 2 - 5 copies of each. I can re-order popular titles on occasions but as 'Book Selling' is a bit new to me, i thought i wouldn't order in a huge container ship full.... you know.

I have, of course, kept a copy of every book for myself. I find them all full of awesome ideas for my workshops with children.

Keep checking the blog over the next week or so as i will go into detail for each new book.

I also have a COOL competition coming for next week and will be asking regular readers and customers help me choose some new button stock.

yippeeee x

I have gone CRAZY for Ribbons!

 I just love Ribbons. I'm not sure what i am even going to use all these for?

 Bias Binding, mmmmmm!

 Of course, various collections are available to the *General Public* online - but i bought them as i had a sudden fetish and NEEEEEED for trimmings. I love how versatile a good quality ribbon can be. So many uses and occasions.

 I swear, i could not live without this purple square design. Just awesome.

 Christmas Skinny ribbons - now these i do have real plans for! They are yumcious. They excite me.

 If you do want ribbons... then the best way to buy is a 'Random Mixed Bag' (Etsy or Folksy) as you can then let your surprise bag inform and inspire you instead of buying 'carefully planned ribbons in a very grown-up sensible sort of way'.

And you can order complete REELS from me if you need muchos ribbony love.

 Reindeer footprints anyone?   How cute is that!?!

OR.... save yourself a few quid and just stare at these ribbony trim-ish photographs of mine. Equally as satisfying and easier on ones bank balance.

What is it about Crafting that makes me happy to get up in the mornings?