It wouldn't be Monday Morning without a shop Pimp, now would it?

 What a Windy day?

I don't know about where you are but, here it is Blowy and i'm feeling a bit Dorothy, scared that if i step outside i will have landed in Oz!?

 "Ding Dong the Witch is (which old Witch?) the Wicked Witch

Ding Dong the Wicked Witch is dead....."

 *new* buttons (what else?)

I have been making up packs of Button Brooch Party Favours which are just so cute and muchos fun. I'm not greedy though. I'm not the sort of person who would keep all these to herself.

They are too fun not to pass on.

1.25inch / 3.4cm - a great big size and i would LOVE to see what people have been making with these.

Personally, i'd love to see used on knitwear or as bag / purse fasteners. The are so vibrant. A real statement button.

 This new blue stripe is gorgeous and just makes my heart ache. So nautical :)

This is what i have named 'Denim Blue' - i love it.

I am listing these in single colour sets and in mixed colour sets.

 And i have always been a complete girly polka dot fan... but i find myself loving these stripes so much more?

Every colour i have in Stripe i have in Spots - 10 colours.

 Raspberry, Strawberry (pale) Sky Blue, Denim Blue, Purple, Vanilla, Mint, Orange, Aqua, Red

In both designs.

 And Button Tags.

I know. I win no awards here for complex craft design but.... not everybody has a big stash of buttons to glue onto tags (can you believe that?)

And also, i have been packing these into stacks of 10 as cute party favors.

Imagine a party bag filled with button tags? a button brooch? chocolate.....

*kirsty dreams of greatest party bags in the world, ever*

 In other excting news:

The GARDEN ROOM - Hair and Beauty salon, Upper Boddington

now holds a small stock of PaperFish products.

You don't need an appointment to pop in - you can just go round and shop, if you want.

They are holding:

Cards & Gift Tags

Lavender Patchwork Hearts

Purses and Tissue Holders

Button and Felt Brooches

and the range will be extending soon. If you're local - pop in for a last minute gift?

Egad, i had such a busy week last week - so much on my mind.

I managed a RRRRuuuuuNNN this morning so now i need a bowl of fruit, a big fat coffee and 2 hours under the sewing machine.

Have a great Monday xxxx don't get blown away and avoid all Witches.

Busy Sewing Bee...My mojo must be back!?

 It was those Button Bouquets.... i swear! They got my mojo back and SUDDENLY i felt the need to sew.... En Masse!

 Piles and piles of lovely hearts. Pieced together from random 2" cotton strips in lots of crazy colourways.

 Finishing touches are scraps of trim - new and vintage.

And Buttons (of course)

 Stuffed to burst with Organic English Lavender.

I was asleep by the end of this!

 A Girlfriend asked me recently "is there Lavender in your bedroom?"

"Darling" replied i (i'm so theatrical) "Where isn't there Lavender in this house?"

I do, in fact, store my hewgggee bag of it IN the wardrobe so it gives off all that delicious fragrance into my cottons. (Clever me)

 These look so delicious all bundled together for photographs and hanging round the house.

I hang some in my wardrobe - and in my daughters.

One or Two in the bathroom.

A few on cupboard door handles...

 These are going into a *real* shop as this is where internet selling fails.

I don't feel the photos can do justice to the colours and the patchworky-ness...

and naturally NOT to the fragrance :)

 But i did list a few in Etsy PaperFish >>>>

and i sold one already so i was really pleased about that. I feel a bit 'shy' sometimes, selling stuff i've made.

How awkward of me when this is, essentially, my job!

So much lovely stuff to come...

Super Cute stuff....

 Oh me, oh my! this bunting is so cute. I love it! i have an idea now to do some mini food bunting for our Royal wedding Party. Awesome use of felt offcuts my friend.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/QuirkyBoots and these super sweet felty muffins - Sent by the very friendly Quirky Boots who lives not so far away from me. Check out your Northamptonshire Fairs.... maybe Quirky's felty goodness will be trading?

and talking of fairs.... Are you in Northants / Warwickshire area? This fair looks set to be full of quality and inspiring stalls with great cakes and a rummaging Car Boot. THIS SATURDAY! i shall be there selling many supplies and some handmade pieces too.

Come see us?

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?

Bows!... i know! love 'em or hate 'em, Kitsch heaven...

I adore these - on every level

Perfect for prettying up a childs cardigan -

awesome use in kitsch and emo-punk jewelery and accessories

they are just a lovely shape and size.

I am about to list them in both the BigFish shop on Etsy and http://www.lovepaperfish.com/

i *think* these will be sold in sets of 8 but they average at around 40p per bow which is actually quite a bargain for these unusual and large buttons.

A pair of each 4 colours = 8 buttons = £3.50 per bag

or 10 of each colour in a bag = 40 buttons = £15.00 which is better value and approx 37p per bow.

 The 3rd of 4 new books in the shop.....

i was not prepared to like this book at all when i picked it up but i was so wrong.

This is inspirational more than instructional. If you work with children / teens / even adult wokshops then this is the best book for you. There are so many cute photographs and ideas to inspire you.

 Awesome sock pigs - i have never wanted to make a sock animal, until i saw these cuties.

These may even work their way into a Summer kids Craft workshop for the holidays...

 Instructions are clear and helpful, but truly... you cannot muck up a sock creature. The more individual they are, the better they look and the more fun you have.

 I have 4 of these still  ThankU MsC - make that 3 now in the shop but once they are gone, they are gone - so if you are keen... this is your moment.

I am elbow high in chocolate cake making today (maFish birthday tomorrow, ssshhhh)

See you later xxx

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

Fun Fair.... MaKe! Tips on selling.

That's my mum! on my stall. It was the Bank Holiday "MaKe" Craft Fair at Wolverton.

The venue is fantastic and i love going there as a stall holder. As ever, there was plenty of colour, fabric, felt and buttons.... the variety of stalls was good and the standard of work was high.

I know i have written 'Tips for Craft stalls' in the past. i am no expert and don't want to come across as terribly preachy or smug. Craft Stalls are hard work and it is very scary putting yourself and your goods out on display. Some people can be cruel and dismissive of your work (how rude are they?) but many people truly 'get handmade' and are there to support you.

THIS fair was particularly hard in some ways. It was after Easter (and nowhere near Christmas!) the school holidays with families gone away... so getting customers to shop was always going to be more of a worry. A few tips for this sort of fair...

1. It has become a regular fair - so any fair that you attend on a regular basis is completely to your advantage.

2. Blog the fair, blog the date (get the date right!? - iam guilty of being rubbish) and let everyone know what you will be selling.

3. Download the poster that the organiser sends you and ADVERTISE the fair yourself too.

4. Email local customers and tell them What fair is on, what they can expect to see and that you will be there.

5. If it is a more expensive fair, and your table fee was £30.00 - to my mind i would need to have, at minimum, £300.00 worth of stock to sell. Ideally, £600.00 That seem alot to you? It is, and i had maybe £450.00 of stock with me, so i need to heed my own lesson.

Jane Charles' amazing fabric and felt display tree - i love her egg box on the stand too.

Lots of quirky display ideas x

A very very pretty lady sat opposite me with a great table cloth and beautiful hair!

What else can i say about selling at Fairs that hasn't already been said? not much, so i'll just repeat the obvious... and trust me, i kick myself each time i forget these things too:

1. A variety of items is best, with a variety of prices from 0.50p to £15.00 personally, i don't sell much that has a price tag over £15.00 at a craft fair. Other people might have a higher maximum tag.

2. Cards with website address' to hand out - I have had customers email me BEFORE i have even got home from the fair wanting X,Y,Z ordered.

3. Talk to customers and browsers about crafting and techniques... they are the stall holders that took money at this fair.

4. Does your display POP OUT from the entrance to the fair? Can people see you from further away? is there good height to your display? WHAT is it they will remember when they walk away? Because being remembered is the key to building up a base of local customers who will want to return to your stall at the next fair.

5. Ask yourself the serious question - Are you selling things that people *want* to buy? or are you at the 'right' venue for your products customer base?

And - a big ole wave to lots of people who i saw at the fair - the lady in the YUMMY dress who has a daughter the same name as mine. And her Mother-in-Law in that fantastic handmade jacket.

Hello the very pretty lady with 3 daughters whose husband talked about buttons with us.

Helloooo Emma-Louise and the lady with you who were there for crafty supplies and i didn't have much chance to chat properly.

HHHHeeeeELLllOOO girls who made felty bracelets - and their great mums :)

Helllooo Melanie who shopped (thankU) and cycled over with her poorly son.

and HI! to the lady who is a local teacher and came with her mum and has come to see me a few times now...

StitchyWoo & Jess

(i don't want to sound like i am at the Oscars here just THANKS for coming, all crafters appreciate the support xxx)