PinPots & NeedleBooks & PaperFish Pretties...

 These PinPots are one of the first designs i started selling on Etsy,

Crazy to think how long ago that was now!

The pride i have in my design is that i am still making and selling them today.

They are such a talking point at Craft Fairs because they are cute and tactile and bright and functional!

People like that :) I like that! and that makes me feel good about my work.

 I still love making them and mixing up the colours and patterns.

In fact... i am still using the first one i ever made!! that is my own testiment to how the quality of handmade does (or can & should) stand up to timeless use.

So, these are not in the SALE as such because i sell these at £8 ecah and that is pretty reasonable for an item that has alot of fiddly time put into them.

You can however save money because they are in the FREEUK postage offer.

So, if you have fancied a PinPot in the past but the postage bumps up the price then

WED 29. FEB - is the day to take advantage.

See all my shop feedback for very happy customers.

 NeedleBooks - again, i boast here *if i may* that the design is my own original design and has changed very little since the first one i ever made. I am most proud of these because they really work - and are so versatile with their metal bookring. I was worried the metal would rust over time and bleed into the fabrics BUT, again, i am still using one of the first NeedleBooks i ever made - years and years since.

The NeedleBooks are £11 each - that is quite a bit of money for a needle storage case but it will last you forever if you look after it and you can see the work that has gone into all the little deatils.

FREEUK postage - throughout the day.

 Mini Tags - anyone can make mini-tags and i include them in my PaperFish shop because they can inspire people to make their own cute pieces. But these are already made up for those of us who just want somebody else to be organised for us!! easy peasy and very cheap. Great to keep in a drawer for gift wrapping or use them on children's party bags etc...

PaperFish really is the heart of what i do - how i like to design and make but i have increasingly had to put this element of my business to one side. I find it really hard to make a living from my own designs. It takes a great deal of time to design, produce, market this side and i have often thought about closing the PaperFish Etsy shop.... but seriously? i think it would break my heart...

 I found myself selling supplies on Etsy not so very long after i opened PaperFish for the handmade pretties.

People were asking where i got my supplies from...

and i had taken a long time finding good supply shops and buying in bulk to reduce my cost prices.

It seemed a 'no brainer' to open the supplies shop.

Don't get me wrong though, it isn't easy to sell 'anything'!! everything has a plan / a campaign / an element of risk....

sometimes i buy stuff for me and never use it - sometimes stock arrives and i think "it won't fit with my style and ethos" so it sits in a box for months on end...

So: SALE wise - there will be a great deal of Bias Binding.

the odd Tool,

Some really obscure bits n pieces,

some tape measures maybe,

a few buttony tins...

all these pieces that i have collected but never found it easy to sell or have never got round to 'launching' as it were. I implore you to take advantage of all this that gets listed in BigFish and PaperFish.

I am selling them to make space for new items and a more cohesive supplies collection.

FREEUK postage - do quote this at checkout

And cheapo supplies....

WEDNESDAY 29. Feb - come & play on etsy

http://www.paperfish.etsy.com/

thankyou for reading my sale details - i hope there is something you can take advantage of and enjoy xxx

What's in the SALE then Kirsty?

 For the first time ever, ALL FOUR ETSY shops are participating in the sale day.
WED 29. Feb 2012 8am - 8pm

So, i am going to go through the shops and the items over the next few days if you want to get an idea of what is going to be on offer...

 Ribbons / Trims Grab Bag - hugely popular last year and these are one of the biggest value buys.

Each bag contains about 10 metres and the price per bag will be £2.20 so 22p per metre you pay.

The bags are full of great ribbons and are ideal for any sewing project, scrapbooking or even luxurious wrapping. They are in great condition and pretty colours they are just slow movers and designs i am replacing with new products.

 This is a brand *new* design that i shall be throwing into the sale just for fun!!

It will be sold at almost cost price :)

But only by the single metre so one shopper cannot snaffle the lot!

Because i want every shopper to have the opportunity to get some fun bargains. It isn't often a shop offers a sale with *new* products in too, so we want to make it worth your while.

 Most of the Ribbon Bag mixes will be changing so if there are any you like at present, they won't be there for much longer....

And big news - i LOVE this Berisford MicroDots Collection but i might stop stocking it altogether.

It is time for a big change and some really fresh new products.

 I will be offering a bag of 14 metres of this spotty dotty ribbon - 1 metre of every colour i hold.

RRP is around £10.00 for all of these and i shall be offering them to you at £7.20 per bag of 14.

A polka dot Rainbow - would be great for gift wrapping.

So even if you cannot use the FREEUK postage on sale day - you still get to grab some bargains.

I am so excited to get all this in the shop...

All usual priced products will be available whilst in stock.

So, if you want the new stock at it's full price, you can still take advantage of the FREE UK POSTAGE and pop a few things into your basket for cheapo treats.

Keep a sideways glance at the blog if you want a sneak preview of some sale Buttons...

Jubilee Bows and Owl Trim

 uh oh, P.S

also great for cake toppers = these mini fabric bows!

Cute, no?

 I love these. They are so London and definately what 2012 is about.

A bit of pride in our Nation and all that it encompasses. A bit of support for a Monarchy - that i do believe, generates much more money for the UK in Tourism than it spends. Sorry, that is my stance on the Royals.

 And my less controversial opinion on owls.

OWLS!

I live in "Owl End Way" so this trim is just gorgeous in my opinion.

Promise i will blog something clever and noteworthy soon...

(Ok, like i ever have blogged anything of the sort.... but maybe some more great cooking)

Olympic & Jubilee Cake Toppers...

 Cute, Quick, Crafty... don't say i never give you anything!

These cake toppers / decorations are awesomely easy and cheap. They take little explanation...

 Cocktails sticks with stuff on - great for kids but obviously watch how sharp the tops are.

For the Flag Toppers:

I bash one of my ends on the table to blunt it slightly before it goes inside the ribbon.

Two lengths of the flag used as this will fold over on top of each other.

I used double sided tape AND a splodge of glue because they *ping* apart if u don't.

 The Felt Ball Bobble Toppers:

I used the smaller 1cm Felt Balls

Get the sharpest end of the stick - dab a bit of wet glue on.

Push and wriggle it into a felt ball as far as you can - then leave it to dry.

 I also used the red balls as Christmas Toppers for Party Sandwiches, ala Rudolph's Rednose.

It's all a bit of fun and magic :)

 Best suited to mini cakes and muffins but this half scoffed Chocolate Cake was easy to hand for display purposes!! (only?)

 You can also try chopping a few small pieces of felt and making mini flags / bunting etc... as toppers.

Kids love this as it is quick and easy to do.

My BigFish shop on etsy, is stocking this vintage style flag Trim in 3 colourways, just inacse you need some.

What are your plans?

2012 is a great opportunity for some:

Street Parties

Bake Sales

Olympic Sofa Gatherings / Couch Coaching...

Kitchen Pretties...

 AAaahhh, Spring Pretties in the Kitchen : )

I confess, there is little of excitement happening in my kitchen at present.

I am one of the *many* (i imagine) who have taken the New Year as an opportunity to lose a few extra pounds that seemed to leap on me during December...

 But the *new* all singing - all dancing - custard yellow KitcheAid is being put through it's paces.

^^^Be still my Beating Heart^^^

This was an adored Christmas Gift to me & my Kitchen and she and I have been getting to know each other.

This looks like the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

 Smoothies and chopping and batters and some future cocktails (sshhhhh...)

 And then there is the Joy... of the Tassimo...

I know, yes i do know, there is nothing simpler than boiling a kettle in order to make Oneself a hot beverage.

Buuuuut - come on, it is a tidy wee kitchen gadget that makes all sorts of drinks using little pods and pressing buttons and a wee hiss. I bloody love a kitchen gadget. "Hello Joy-ous tassimo" (in red!)

I am mostly reading HUGH at the moment and loving his Every Day book.

But, how pretty do all these pinks look sat on the Kitchen Book shelf?

Oh hurry up diet and make me stick thin.

I want:

Toast & Marmalade

Cinnamon Bagels

Pecan Fudge

Lemon Cheesecake

A whopping great Hot Chocolate finished with Squirty Cream and chocolate shavings....

Pretty Shop Items...

 Stocking the http://paperfish.etsy.com/ shop ready for the upcoming SALE DAY!!

I know i have been making PinPots and NeedleBooks for an age now,

but i really love these designs. They are good designs and so pretty

(in my humble opinion)

 I had a very calm and relaxing sewing weekend and it felt so good to make things

'just because i like them'

and not because they are ordered.

 It is so satifying to trawl through my own stash and ribbons and trims,

rather than selling stash.

And it is SO satisfying when people love these items and i know they will sit in someone elses sewing box or on their table and inspire their pure joy of creating.

 I think this PinPot in Spring Yellows and Pinks is my current Favourite.

The tags at the top of this post are so quick and easy to make.

I am selling a few packs, but really, they are not rocket science and the idea is just to inspire and encourage peeps who love crafting. Whilst the weather is a bit drizzly, it is nice to stay in indoors with a bit of cosy sewing or crochet or knitting or gluing or....

Happy 2012!

Keep an eye on the blog for Full Details of my amazing ETSY SALE DAY!

Holiday Cheer... it's all about the Edibles here...

 If you could smell my house right now.....

Oh.  My.  Lordy.

If you could smell what i can smell, you'd probably propose to me. Even though you are already married.

It is the power of the Pickle.. and the Spices.. and the Sloes....

2011 is all about the Incredible Edibles!

 Having re-discovered Milton tablets, Sterilising equipment has become a joy.

A nice big bowl with a few Milton tablets and you can sterilise the funnel, sieve, jars, spoons.

It fills me with a little more confidence when i know everything is bleached to within an inch of it's inert 'life'.

 I've gone all Delia this year. I got her book at a Car Boot for a bargain. Very happy with my wee self.

And she is doing me proud thus far.

Pickled Pears, by rights, i should have done a bit earlier than this but Pah! i left it late.

I am so exciting about these with a Cheese Board and the Cold Meats. Yum.

Mainily pared pears and spices with Cider and White Wine Vinegar but i put a generous glug of Gin in too.

There was talk of late that, I might have begun listing 'DRINKING' in my list of "top 5 greatest things to do"

i swear it's not true - this recipe can take some Gin. It's all good.

 The Sloes have been steeping in their sugar syrup and gin solution for many months now - not the recommended 12, granted. But are now drained and bottled, ready for the various occasions that are upcoming. I have already finished a bottle of my Damson and Apple Gin - now that is a heavenly concoction i should not be left alone with.

 Let us gloss over the marathon of children's 'Magical Sandwiches' for parties, Cinnamon cookies and other such treats. It is like a Mother's obligation... except if you are my friend Mel, who put her name down for Ready Salted crisps for the Children's Party.... what is the matter with me? why didn't i do that?

There was a tricky moment with a cheese sandwich yesterday, when Lucy asked me:

 "Why is the sandwich magical Kirsty?... because it has glitter on it?"

"yeesss Lucy (10 other children listening) that glitter is the magic dust that makes Rudolph fly on Christmas Eve"

"Will we fly on Christmas Eve too Kirsty?"

"eerrrmmmm..... yeeeesssss, you might....."

PLEASE KEEP LUCY SAFE on Chritsmas Eve. Tie her to the bed! There may be magic afoot!

 Goodness only knows what will arrive in the Food Delivery on Monday Night?

I am hoping to make:

Leek & Blue Cheese Tartlets

Salted Pecan Fudge Squares

Waffles and Hot Choc Dip for Breakfast (ala Jamie Oliver - oh my!)

Slow Roasted Honied Figs

 - i am more of a support act to the main event over this gluttony fest.

I am happiest with this role.

 And look at this wee gift from a friend!

"I'd love a Babycham" - cute (wait till i show you the glass!)

Friendship is one of my next thoughts. I have a great deal to say on the subject.

Anyway:

Pears - done

Sloe Gin - done

Gotta get a Wax in an hour OUCH! The Christmas Dinner Dance is this Saturday.

Can you believe i am going alone? We have a great table with a hilarious bunch of School Run Wino Chums and food lovers. It is with a deep breath and an "i'm a big girl attitude" that i can go the Christmas Dance like Cinderella and say "i'm not single, i am surrounded by people i love"

chat soon.

Whoooop! i'm on a high today!

Christmas Detail...

 This time last year, i had only just turned my life upside down and moved into a new home.

Everything seemed like "just keeping up" then. Life is equally as hectic now but i definately feel more settled so the house had a decent decorative make-over this weekend...

 Having friends round for Tea / Coffee and Christmas Biscuits today, was a great excuse to tidy up! and get the Christmas Details photographed. I just had so much fun tinkering, playing, hanging, making...

 Every year my daughter gets so excited that the Christmas China is out.

Somehow it makes every mundane activity seem a bit more magical.

 I never make Gingerbread mid year - but December aches for a sweetly coated cinnamon and ginger treat.

You cannot beat a bit of food sparkle. Seriously, every meal should have fairy glitter on top.

 I found this Blue Scottie fabric i had stashed away in the cupboard so i ran up some crazy bunting with hege bells on and i am so happy with it. I have gone quite Aqua, Red and White this year, despite my intention to stay like a Nordic Gnome. I am no believer in a Christmas Colour Theme but somehow, a theme tends to emerge on it's own.

 I love getting the tree out. All these LEDs help to fend off any Winter Blues.

And all those toys help to hide the weighted base on the tree.

 Bells.

BellS.

BELLS.

Utter Joy.

 And a Robin Mug filled with Candy Canes that are making my teeth fall out just looking at them.

At the end of school i shall hand them out to some little local friends : )

 A beautiful Robin to remind me of my Nanna.

Thank you dear friend - it was so very thoughtful!

Collecting the Christmas China is an ongoing joy.

And just when i think i own 'enough' then i will be 80yrs old and ready to palm my old fashioned hoarding onto unsuspecting recipients.

aaahhh, i am feeling so very Christmassy now.

x x x