Giving Away a copy of Pip Lincolne's Craft Journal, to ONE Lucky shopper....

 Just repeating my coolio Give Away Offer....

 This is a gorgeous craft journal from Pip Lincolne - you know how much we all LOVED her last Craft Book!? (esp. me) this is a great idea to follow up with. Many blank 'decorated' pages for us Crafters to make lists and sketches of our next projects... a really inspiring book.

 THIS... i loved. In the famous pip POCKET at the back, you get a big wall chart for your studio / space / forehead where you can plan and tick things off. what could be more fun???

 I do this for all outstanding projects:

1. Sketch the thing i want to make / finish

2. write an ingredients list

3. tick off what i have in my stash (go and LOOK, don't just guess!)

4. list anything i NEED to complete it.

5. Put a slot in my diary of when i will do it....

I honestly do this people, but it is my 'job' too.

 A famous Pip Pocket at the back to collect v. v. important bits in once you take your poster out.

It's all here for you with lots of inspirational photography and vintage scenes.

 So:

ONE FREE - given away to a random customer who buys anything from any of my shops until

12pm FRIDAY 23rd MARCH 2012

As a thankyou surprise to one lucky customer - to let people know, i do appreciate your custom.

I have a tutorial or 2 up my sleeve for some future posts,

so stick around if you fancy seeing me make something, that then makes you feel like you practically made it as you saw it on a blog, IYKWIM xxx

(PS YES! Those are giant 2.5cm / 1inch spotty buttons on that cake stand!)

PinBallWizard Buttons & win a copy of "Meet Me at Mikes" Crafty Journal...

 "Ever since i was a young boy, i played the silver ball

From Soho down to Moscow, i must have played 'em all.

You ain't seen nothing like it in any amusement hall,

That Deaf, Dumb n Blind Kid SURE played a mean PinBall"

Cue - guuuiiittttaaaar

 I was listening to that song as i took the photos, fer real kids!

And i thought 'yes' these pingy zingy little buttons look like they just fell out of a slot machine or a PinBall game.

They have that crazy 'i am small and bright and cute' - ness

 I supply them in sets because they are just so bright and lovely all mixed up together.

Approx a little over 1cm / 1.15?? i might supply them in single colours if there is a future demand.

They make cute additions to purses and Spring Bunny Folk.

 And, what i have been ITCHING to talk about is...

The new

Meet me at Mikes - Crafty Journal.

It is superbly gorgeous and i am going to give away a FREE copy.

I promise, over the next 24 hours, i WILL review it fully and show you the pages :)

Then give details on how to qualify entry.

Because this is such a cute book with a worthwhile RRP

i am going to reward ONE lucky customers (from any of my shops) with the chance to win.

Any customer in my Etsy shops and http://www.lovepaperfish.com/ will automatically be entered into the free draw. As a thankyou for being such great customers.

ANY purchase made from *now* Friday 16th March - up till 12pm on Friday 23rd March

Sounds fair doesn't it??

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

Win the *new* Pip Lincolne Book!!...

 Do you know Pip Lincolne? - "Meet Me at Mikes"? Australian Crafty Babe? you must do....

She is awesome.

And i was sent this Book to Review by Hardie Grant AND a copy to giveaway!!!

"Make Hey - while the sun shines"

I know!

 for FREE, to a Blog Reader.

So i nervously opened the book thinking *i hope i bloody like it or i won't want to give a copy to someone*

 Oh, my friends...

This book is pure JOY

I kid you not, it has every element i adore in my crafty books, and every element in beautiful abundance.

I want my Craft Books to be 2 things:

1. Inspirational with beautiful photography

2. Feel and Look so good, i want to keep picking it up.

funnily enough, the projects inside are of lesser importance to me.

 To start with, it wins prizes for having a Spiral Bind - seriously, more books should do this. The page stays open!! and is really pleasing to use because of that.

And the paper is like matt recycled style paper, so you want to stroke and feel the pages.

These things may seem minor, but how many of you also judge practical books by their actual 'practicality'

(it matters!)

 The projects are cute and varied with sewing and crochet and knitting and EVERYTHING :)

It gives you lots of basic tips and steps and it is written with charm and comedy, as if Pip is sat with you or you are part of secret craft club. Again, more books should do this.

 The photography.... well.

I want, want

 to be that lady below, in yellow shoes and floral dress, toting some sewing in a mad vintage case.

This book is own-able for it's awesome vintage photography and style shots alone. Let alone all the cool stuff you can make which is mostly vintage-ish but with a modern edge.

J'Adore x totally.

 When i opened it, i ignored the inside cover envelope and began with the pages themselves...

but when i came to close the book i took a quick peek at the inside pocket at the last.

I AM GLAD I DID !!

I shall not even tell you what is in there.

It is a surprise for you!

but...

 More books should do this.... seriously.

It is a charming and inspirational surprise and it makes me want to produce a whole book in this way alone.

You like my blog maybe? You probably like stuff i like then.

You'll definately love this book then.

And that is that.

 Lucky me has a copy.

But i have a second copy to give away to one happy reader!

It is such a special prize, all Christmassy and Lovely, worth nearly £20.00 RRP my chums,

please tell your friends or link it on your blog / tweet it, whatever!

i'd appreciate it...

And once you have passed this link on to a friend / tweeted / blogged whatever,

pop your name in my comments and why not tell me why you want it (or something like that)?

Love to you all,

Happy Christmas preparations my Lovlies

x x x

Books for your Christmas List? I have a few ideas... and if you love TEA, you'll love this...

 Hello and Welcome to Kirsty's amazing Book Review!

(*like i am on the Telly, wearing glasses that make me look clever*)

This is a gorgeous book newly published by "hardie grant"

 and just in-time for Christmas Lists and Christmas Gifts.

So here is my indepth Tea Discussion...

Do you know what breaks my heart? A Department Store restaurant where i sit, with a nasty white chipped tea pot and stained, thick rimmed tea cup. In the Tea Pot is a stale tasting tea bag on a string, the tea barely strong enough to colour the water...

Is this the end of Tea... TEA as we know it? And all the beauty that goes with it? Has the Costa Coffee generation contributed to the demise of the Tea Shoppe?

 Now Blog Friends - i know you well enough I think...

and if i tell you this book is called TEA & CAKE we need not review it any further as i have the feeling it is SOLD! on the title alone :)

It is though, a lovely book and nobody has paid me to say this to you.

 Seriously, nobody needs a book about Tea and more Recipes for Cake: we know this.

But "Tea& Cake" is really pretty and will totally inspire and indulge anyone who loves their cups of tea, their girly coffee mornings, or the odd Tea Party.

 This has to be my favourite page....

an awesome illustrative explanation to the types of tea we like!

And the illustrations are beautifully and thoughtfully done by Emma Block.

Emma Block likes "Charity Shops, Tea and very sharp pencils" so surely she is a friend of ours?

 I said to Emma: "My Blog readers and I LOVE vintage tea cups, teapots, colourful mugs... do they inspire you too?

And where did you find all the cups involved in your illustrations?"

Emma said to us: "Almost all of the tea cups in the book are mine or my granny’s. I have quite a large vintage teacup collection and I find it really helps to draw from life. I did find a few on etsy though. My grandpa is an antique silver dealer and he is very pleased that my drawings of his silver sugar tongs and caddy spoons are in the book"

 Emma, Has the British ‘Tea’ really turned into “Let’s have a milky brew, made with a bag in a mug, stood at the kitchen work surface”?

Aaah, replies Emma, "I think real tea is coming back. We’ve gotten used to expecting a bit more than a Tetley’s tea bag floating in a mug when we go to a cafe. More often we see ‘posh tea bags’ (Tea Pigs are a good example) and occasionally a loose leaf tea, which all seems to justify the ever increasing price tag of the humble cup of tea"

 I was superbly surprised to find the section on coctails in the book!!

You know i have my bookmark pinned in the page called THE NAUGHTY EARL

so this isn't all about pretty illustrations of Victoria Sponge... there are lots of tea based ideas to keep us fans inspired.

 You will really like this book i think, otherwise i wouldn't be telling you all about it.

I am keeping my copy because i am selfish but i might be buying one for my friend for Christmas (don't tell her) and then you will be itching to put out your thrifted table cloths and best mis-matched china and get the girls over for tea.... invite me won't you?

 And very soon i shall be reviewing the *new* Pip Lincolne Book

AND.....

I have a copy to giveaway to a lucky Blog Friend so keep your eyes on the Blog my cosy wee Tea & Craft Fans

xxx

*slurp*