Thrift BLISS!

Colour me happy :)....
I had the most perfectly thrifty morning! Oh, Colour love...
Oh thrift love...
Oh Cotton love...
Oh crockery love...

3o plus reels of cotton for £2 from a local 'Table Top Sale' (i also thrifted some books and a lemon squeezer but they didn't seem so worthy of photographic attentions)

Then onto my local Recycling Centre and i bought a BIG cardboard box full of lovely mix and match tea cups (there is a party being planned - in the vein of 'Alice', not that i need an excuse to buy pretty tea items)

I just fell in love with this little sugar bowl and cream / milk jug...

"What do you need all these for?" asks the man...

"What has 'need' got to do with shopping for crockery?" replies that Crafty Fish...

He did at least concede, that the sewing threads were a bargain - a thrifty treasure! and also very pretty all jumbled up together.

P.S the cutest little 'Tie one on' apron "made in Wales" it says, only 10p! and SmallFish tried it on as soon as we got home.

I had to share all this with you immediately, firstly because i know you would appreciate these finds too... secondly because i have new posts to share soon (involving thrifted furniture and colourful gloss paint) x

back soon..... x

Spring Chickens

The ladies in my family are feeling the strain...
My Mum is 60 next month! My sister turns 31 this week and I am 34 in March.
We are all a bit tired..... in fact we are EXHAUSTED and we feel like we're 'no Spring chickens' anymore...
Being born in March means I am a Spring Baby! And it suits me 'oh so much'.
Today i walked the dog (and child) for miles.
I cleaned the car.
I cleaned the downstairs windows of my house.
LittleFish made some flowery cakes.
We planted some bulbs and pulled up some weeds.... It is Spring! and this is what Spring makes me feel like. I dislike the addition of an extra year to my age but i love the sense of warmth, colour, scent, beginnings, that all skip alongside the start of Spring x

New badges above. I made up a few packs last night as i have a few Spring Craft Fairs coming up soon.
Flowery Brooch below (as blogged a few weeks ago ) dressing like Spring! ( i draw the line at wearing yellow)

And the prettiest LittlestFish running around in her vest and leggings... i try to resist the urge to kiss her chubby little arms every 2 seconds.

She made these darling cakes (yum yum).... i hope my sister isn't reading this because we have saved one for her birthday on Friday x x x

Happy Spring my friends! Keep colourful, keep in touch x

Blog Love and Blue things...

Awwwww - look at us! We are in "Quick & Crafty" magazine!
How lovely is that? I received my complimentry copy in the post this morning - Thankyou so much! I would never have thought other people might appreciate my Colourful and Crafty pursuits so it is such a boost to see the Blog given some love x x

Ha ha ha - Who's that ugly mug in the cheap thrifted beret? Why, tis Moi! BIG hugs to my blog readers for helping me so much and sharing their ideas and inspirational Blogs too (((()))) (that is a cyber hug my friends)

And THIS shot below was taken about 2 hours ago! The ManFish snapped us as we walked out of the 'Antiques Cellar' in Brackley after having snaffled this yummy AQUA painted kitchen chair. I loved it at first sight and it was a bargain, so it needed to come home and be sat on with immediate urgency...

Of course i could have painted one myself - thrifty crafter that I am, but this was £15 and all done for me. I am crafty but I am no fool x

I already have a chair in the kitchen waiting to be painted green... or red... so i didn't want another on 'the list'!!

And as a 'by the way', i thrifted this set of IKEA drawers from my Sister last week. Maybe this awesome turquoise / aqua is what has inspired this LOVE of blue to date?

Today i wore aqua tights, a little aqua v-neck jumper, my blue coat and had my blue Cath K BIG bag.... Is there somebody out there who knows about "Chakras" and colour therapy? What does it mean that I am drawn to this bright blue right now? I'd love to know....

Keep thrifting, keep crafting, keep colourful and keep that tongue firmly in your cheek KirstyFish ;)

Stuff i'm up to...

Hello!!... so, i made lots of brooches over the past few weeks (as blogged previously) so i have been trying to find a sunny 10 minutes in the day to photgraph some for PaperFish I LOVE these tea cup images i downloaded from the net, i couldn't resist using them as a background for my photographs...

But these pictures are here to just to punctuate the post - i was really going to tell you that I am off to the Craft Trade Fair in Birmingham tomorrow for a lovely look around x i'd love to take you all but there is simply no room in the car :( lots of stalls all trading their creative lovliness. I am on the hunt for one or two new suppliers and *she hopes* a few exciting new things for the BigFish shop!

I will try to take lots of great pictures to share with you and i hope to upload them soon and tell you all about the great stuff i saw...

I also wanted to say one or two "SO SORRY"'s to anyone who had their parcels delayed by the snow! We had terrible trouble here and the Postal Service was so delayed. I think we are all back on track now though.

Thanks for your patience and understanding !

Put the kettle on, be back soooooon x x x

Working on SmallFish's New Room...

"Mummy, am I a grown-up now?" ....
"ummmm, sort of darling" (as the Crafty Fish wipes a tear from her eye)
Why do they have to grow??? sigh.... Look at the advantages Mrs Fish:
No more potty training.... Bribes for pocket Money.... decorating the new 'big girls' bedroom!
A satisying mixture of Cath Kidston treats (guilty gulp) IKEA's finest (and cheapest) and the handmade and thrifty that i love so much....
I couldn't resist photographing this precious Noahs Ark sitting in the bookshelf.

Amazing shelving stack, sourced for a song at IKEA - the benefits of owning a big 4x4 truck is that we can ransack the ready made furniture in the 'Bargain Section' and put all 'finds' in the back of the vehicle. This is not possible when shopping at IKEA in a mini...

OOoohhh - those fantastic huge toy tubs - bought for 'pennies' when my sister had her staff discount at GLTC childrens catalogue company.

The pretty, pretty, oh so pretty, Big Girls bed: IKEA, dressed charmingly in Cath Kidston Circus duvet set, IKEA and handmade cushions, thrifted quilt, dog earred soft toys...

Anyone recognise this cushion? My sister found it a few years ago at Covent Garden... or somewhere London-y, on a designer / handmade stall... it has no tag... ?

Thrifted gorgeousness: The vintage double school lift top desk. Apple pot (30p from the tip, yum yum) Owl Pot (also from the local tip) Jar of beads we played with and Dr Seuss - Essential reading....

I am working on the framed pictures of 'Big Girls' handiwork and photos of her favourite family members.

There is a new curtain to hang, and the 'work-in-progress' notice board.

Yes, she is getting bigger, but i can handle it if she continues to be this adorable x

ScrapBook Inspirations Magazine

Yippee - Thankyou to Rosie at Scrapbook Inspirations for including me in their section this month "Handmade Heaven". It is a lovely ego massage to see my work in print. Especially lovely as i am a long time subscriber to the magazine and keen Scrapbooker myself. The item in print was, of course, a Darling Dachsund NeedleBook - photographed with the puppy Brooches below...

And Rosie gave my two supplies shop a little 'plug' - FuzzyFish and BigFish which I thank you for Rosie!! - That is my little 2 minutes of fame below...

So - i make a resolve! I WILL make a greater attempt to photograph and share some of the scrapbook pages i have worked on over the years. The pages below were pages i had been working on for my album "All About Me" but most of my albums are dedicated to the SmallFish who has merited much photography over her short 4.5 yrs so far!

Thankyou Scrapbook Inspirations, Thankyou Rosie, Thankyou Scrapbookers who have visited my shop and blog x x x

The Snow has had its advantages...

Is there a UK Blogger who hasn't written and photographed this fantastic snowfall??
Don't worry, I am not uploading my entire family album "February Snow 2009" - just one shot of me and the SmallFish. The snow has been BRILLIANT and BOY! have we walked and walked and sledged and tramped and walked... the exercise, fun and relaxation was most welcome!

And I have managed to sit in front the lovely open fire and finish off many brooches. Some were new designs, some are a wholesale order, some are going to be made into 'wholesale' packs. All are fun, colourful, cute and a bit eccentric - well what else would you expect?

Loving my darling Dachsunds - These have been designed and produced 'under influence' from Christmas 2008 customers who wanted MORE Dachsund items. Everyhting with little dogs sold well in 2008 and so, who am i to argue? In fact, i agree whole-heartedly x

Then, i got this divine new linen fabric from japan with fantasy mushrooms and storybook ladybugs. They translated so well into the NeedleBook pattern. Every time i have a new design i say "this is my favourite" and the new woodland beauties are no exception: "These are my favourites!!"

Like a few of the 'Avenue Books' i have added little designs to the Pocket page. I couldn't resist as the fabric is so inspirational.

The first is in pink (Don't worry Heather, i can make you an identical book!) This one is listed in FOLKSY only - Click on the Fish photo near the top righthand column if you want to see the Folksy shop in ££££ x

Cute little Hedgehogs running across the pocket page - One of a kind as the design was cut from the Selvedge edge on the fabric.

Also available in the more earthy look of greens and browns and reds.

Oh the joy of sewing x

Plenty more *new* things to show you soon! Life was good this week. Snow Fun, Sewing Fun, Photography Fun, Sunshine days ... life couldn't get much better x love to you all.

It's Crafty Tuesday!

You wouldn't believe what i accomplished today!
Even i couldn't believe it...
Up early and get on with my usual Crafty Tuesday - i only have Tuesday's till 3pm to 'work' so you can bet i make the most of it... So, i cut out 20 or so felt hearts in many colours. So satisfying to see them all lined up, ready for action. Ready to made into fun Brooches.

I cut all the contrasting polka dot ribbons to clash and compliment with the heart colours....i love watching this build up of colour.

And when they get to look like THIS in a big pile.... i am in-love! I want to make them into a huge mobile of dangling colourful rainbow love, hhmmmmmm.

I spent a while bundling them into different places / into jars / onto trays .... just photographing their lovliness.

One by one, there comes the fiddly stage. Felt discs, button choice, thread decisions....

They are for a couple of wholesale orders which i really enjoy doing BUT only in minimum quantity. I don't like to feel like a prodcution line.

Although i only pay myself a minimum wage, the work place is comfortable and i can take a tea break whenever i like! I also get to email my friends when i like and arrange treats.

I did make more today (yes, i did!) but i shall save that surprise for another day x

Today I .....

...... took this little monster Sledging! I pulled her round the local park at 7.30am to get the best of the snowfall and again across the fields at 4pm - the dog refused to get on the sledge... what's that about? I played with some yummy new wooden beads. They are so cute and colourful.... what shall i make with them?... (answers on a postcard please)

I finished off a few NeedleBooks that needed buttons sewing on and all the little finishing touches that make them a Crafty Fish product x

And.... i listed a new set of 'Juicy Berry' Buttons in the BigFish shop. I have had these in my huge stash for ages, i don't know why they weren't for sale.....

In the simple words of Homer Simpson "Doh!"

Crafty Love Fish Fans x