Tuesday is MEGA craft day!

Drained!
Forgive me Claire-Louise for getting your invoice wrong?! I am shattered (cue blk & white selfie shot to highlight my exhaustion)
Wearing mini-denim dress to escape the over-boiling heat here in Middle England! I am in the process of transferring aallllll the PinPots and Aaallll NeedleBooks from BigFish to PaperFish on etsy.
This is no easy task my friends and utterly, computer sittingly boring.

I did a bit of crafting every half hour or so, to release me from the boredom of bum-ache that IS sitting at the PC. I am so pleased with these 2 PinPots. Bright, Summery Sorbet colours x

And my fresh and salty new 'Seaside NeedleBook' - i can't keep all products for myself BUT i did make one of these for myself as i love beachy / seaside things. They make me feel sad that i miss the coastline but 'hopeful' as i know there's plenty of it to visit!

And, what i call, the Matroyshka Mothership!!! a prototype, One-of-its-kind NeedleBook.

I had just been playing with a new idea...

SOooooo a very boring day in many respects but it was very craft indulgent and necessary.

I love my crafty life x

Ebay Joy...

Ebay is truly Love / Hate for me...
There are items that take a month to arrive - clothes that aren't what they seemed - furniture not fit for use - dvd's that don't work... (the mistake buys go on and on)

And THEN you find a gem **BLING** >>>>>>> Oh Yummy Yummy 1970's dress.
You can see i had trouble photographing it to it's full effect!

It is much brighter than it seems here and sets off a gentle tan with it's neon pink.

Fits very snuggly (especially after a gentle handwash - i was scared i'd have to sew myself into it after it met warm water)

It is floor length with a sort of fish tail at the back.

£12.00 ebay treasure - i wore it on Saturday night... (and well in to Sunday morning... for which I am still paying the price with a soft head averse to noise) for a "Summer of 1969" party. You know me, i'd wear it for a non-themed event, vintage clothing gives me so much pleasure.

And i had to share with you: ManFish and MotherFish who threw themselves into the idea of a 1970's Festival Theme with such enthusiasm... i don't know where i get my sense of colour and fun from.....?

Colour and Fun!! (remind me to show the photos of us all dressed as the AntHill Mob)

I love sharing my world with you x enjoy the sunshine my friends!

Normal Service is resumed...

Sunshiny 'me' shot to show you this lovely denim dress / top / smock thingy - i love the frilly stand up collar. The grey cardigan is new - not colourful, i know but sometimes a little sobriety can be calming. Craft days with the SmallFish - an amazing painted collage mobile. The square item is an old threads box - with hanging tubes cut from an old toilet roll. I love this x

Then there is the birth of 'Arthur' which was very much like watching a caterpillar emerge from a cocoon ..... a toilet roll (staple craft supply) a piece of card and some 'deatils' (as SmallFish calls them) transform themselves before our very eyes...

The Pipe cleaners were my idea (i like to take a small bit of credit where i can. I can't have my daughter outshine me in all aspects of colourful crafting)

And look how 'Arthur' turned out? Stunning! and fluttering his way through the vegetable trays.

The cost was pence.

The fun was a-plenty.

The organisation was spontaneous.

The pride was IMMENSE.

Got a crafty child?.... have a go! tis so easy and fulfilling x

Pieces of me...

Putting myself back together again after a hectic day yesterday!
Thanks to all those who took part in the madness that was 'Free Postage Day'.
Let's do it again sometime?

HEAD>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> SHOULDERS>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

KNEES>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

and TOES>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

(*note the bony clavicle... 'Clavicle' was one of my daughters first words, she wanted to know what that thing on my shoulder was*) x

Some *new* supplies...

It was about time I feel!?
A few new supplies for the BigFish shop... I couldn't wait till i played with them myself - i had to put them up straight away!
Cute pom-poms, in 'mini' size...

Oh GOSH and DARN i love these Berry Buttons soooo much - i didn't want to sell them but i do get a certain joy from sharing my finds and saying "LOOK - these ROCK!"

I wish they had these in different colours too :(

Packs of wooden buttons - i am using these for some Folky Christmas decorations soooo i bought a few extra and bagged them up for anyone else who wants a bit of a woodland feel button.

Mother of Pearl - now, these are not made in the UK and I am not sure I ethically approve of MOP being harvested... the supplier said these were second hand from a closing down warehouse so i bought some thinking there was an element of the 'thrift' about them. Please don't shoot me....

Buttony love x x x

It's TODAY!!

My last Promotional Post about 'The Sale' before i can share some thrifty goodness with people x
TODAY only is my FREE UK postage day from any etsy shop>>>>>> Take advantage of the silliness that IS - me sending you stuff and not charging you for postage. It is bonkers i know - but, i have a tendancy toward madness...

And by the looks of my child (above) it could be genetic! (gulp)

Crafty goodness x yum yum x 7am - 10pm TODAY!

FREE UK POSTAGE

Another advertisement:
Reminder that all FISH ETSY shops have FREE UK postage tomorrow from 7am - 10pm x x P.S ... i have a new camera... oh my, Blog fun can start again x

Ladies and Gentlemen... Attention Please

I have an announcement to make!
Put this DATE IN YOUR DIARY... TUESDAY 23rd June ***7am till 10pm***
I have FREE UK POSTAGE in every etsy shop... FREE UK POSTAGE in http://PaperFish.etsy.com

FREE UK POSTAGE in: http://BigFish.etsy.com

FREE UK POSTAGE in: http://FuzzyFish.etsy.com (such a bargain! Felt weighs quite a bit ya know)

Even in http://SnowFish.etsy.com - although it isn't anywhere near Christmas!

Free Postage to anyone in the UK from any of my ETSY shops.

It is a great way to say 'Thankyou' to all my lovely UK customers - and to help make way in my studio for a few new bits and pieces.

I have a new camera arriving soon and i have plans to re-shoot items and freshen up the shops so... A day of free UK posting -

Purchase as normal and i will refund every postage cost to you so you can choose items from multiple stores i.e: Felt AND Buttons with a full postal refund on both x x x

HA! look at me...!

Whew.... what a week (or two ) that i've been having!
My mobile phone has long since been on it's 'way out'...
Then my camera broke :( - you know how sad that makes me...
THEN my sewing machine broke.... What's a girl to do? Sit and cry or get shopping?

Well, i started with a fruity new phone - and THESE photos have been uploaded from my mobile! "You're kidding!?" - pretty cool huh? Then i got myself a fantastic sewing machine £100 - it's been 're-conditioned, so i figured i'd have a better chance that this baby works like a dream. It arrived about 2 hours ago and i'm just getting comfortable on it.

It arrived with a million free threads in gorgeous colours, which is always nice!

BUT, before the machine arrived, i was getting on with these Brooches which are all part of the Christmas Collection for my travelling Craft Stall. Yummy Woolly Flower button brooches.

I adore these colours and the chunky buttons.

I am thinking these photos are quite good, considering they are from a mobile phone!?

Was also working on some new Badge Party Packs.

I haven't worked up the courage to buy my new camera yet. It is alot of pretty pennies and i have a small hope my engineering dad can fix my old faithful???

I am E X H A U S T E D!! - techno stress. Life in the fast lane.

Did i prefer my life 3 years ago when i couldn't even turn a computer on without written instructions...... ? x

I am sooo distant right now!

I feel bereft! bereaved! b-b-bloomin lousy!
My camera is broken (***Kirsty WAILS and throws arms in a dramatic fashion***)
It isn't right for someone like moi not to have a working camera. It hurts my heart.
I managed to borrow my dads for a blip of a minute to photograph some new buttons:

the RETRO BUTTON MIX!! Cute - 1.5cm - amazing colours - small but chunky (that black is a layer of the button and not 'coloured on') i am excited to see what people might make with these!!

I have been baking these gorgeous new batch of felt GingerMen and Ladies and adding some of the new buttons. Excitement! i luffs these people :)

Cheeky smiles x uploading into the SnowFish shops on Folksy and Etsy!

But no cheeky photos of the Fish or SmallFish as the camera must be returned :(

I miss blogging! I miss larking about in front of the camera ..... i have some WICKED new vintage clobber to share.... i feel a tantrum coming on (***Kirsty exits left to wail some more***)

"Mama, where are stories made?"

A journey to Borders Bookshop and Starbucks Cafe...

The day started with a small girl and her chocolate fluffy bunny.

"We want some new stories to read Mama" (for 'Mama' is what she calls me)

"My dear" replied I "a splendid idea! For I too am of the opinion that, a few new stories would enliven our bedtime hour no end"

Of course, stories are not exclusive to 'bedtime' in our house, but it was the bedtime story that we particulary wanted to enhance... It was a Sunny day from morning onward and it promised good omens for the hours ahead.

Together we decided on a combination of pinks, purples and spots for our bookworm expedition.

"hoorah!" we both exclaimed and off we went to Milton Keynes.


Being Mama's special girl, it was declared immediately that "Mama! we must go to the cafe first and you must need a coffee?"

"That's right" exclaimed I "Mummy would indeed appreciate a Cappucino! and you?" I asked "will you be having a Babycino?"

"Ooooh yes" the girl said, most sincerely.



"Ow! That first bit was a bit hot Mama!" shrieked the little girl.

"Stir the froth around you Tinker" said I "and allow it to cool to temperate drinking conditions"

So, she did.

I drank Cappucino.

She drank Babycino.

We read books, laughed at the illustrations, collected ideas and spent money.

We talked about Dragons and girls with long stockings. We talked about Whizzpoppers and pirates and bird droppings.

It was glorious fun and we smiled and giggled all the way to the till and home again.

We love the bookshop x

Of course, my memory of our day might be slightly enhanced but never 'embellished'.

Never under-estimate the power of a good story when attempting to turn a very 'ordinary' day into a day of wonderment and mysteriousness.

To produce a good story from thin air, is a Mamas most secret and useful of all her secret talents x

Colour Fix...

The Sun went in :(
Colour Fix needed...
A vast selection of BARGAIN priced "50% extra free" embroidery silks (from, dare i say it, Hobbycraft!) OOooooh that colour x Photographing a trio of supersized buttons, ready to list for sale in BigFish

And these lime buttons... make me smack my tongue and lips - i love the taste of limes!

And what i wanted to share was this: A wonderful linocut handprint by Zoe Badger!

http://zebedee.folksy.com/ when i saw it i thought it was perfect in so many ways.

Love the reds and teals and mint green. Love the shapes and patterns. Love the spotty centres. Just delightful...

SO....., uUuummm, i got one in yellow too!

I didn't think i'd love it as much as the red, but i think i love it even more now i have it propped up behind my laptop work station.

Cannot wait to get them framed Zoe x x thanks for selling your artistic brilliance, i luffs them so much x i will be back!!

see ZEBEDEE over at FOLKSY.com