"O how i long to keep the world from narrowing in on me, and to look at things bigly and kindly"

Stop Press: i am not perfect. i have failings and sometimes, i too, get tired. If you are a Mother then you know that photo above. You know that feeling of wanting to "stop the world". It can narrow around you.

Things can seem kindlier after a glass of wine but there is no truth in the bottom of that bottle.

How to view the world "bigly" without becoming overwhelmed??

Stop Press: i am not perfect, and i don't apologise.

p.s. i adore that title quote from William Morris x

They're here......!!!

There are small spotty buttons back in the shop.
One or two new colours... this being APRICOT - a sort of light tangerine / soft peachy colour. Hard to describe 'just right'. We have a beautiful aqua / sky blue which has more green in it than this photo suggests....

So the new 100 mixed bags - as it stands right now - with 10 each of 10 different colours....

AND, the reds are back! Most requested button of all. I know people have asked for 100's of these recently and i only have a few bags HERE but i do have more 'on order'.

Bless you all my button fans x nobody is more pleased than I to have these little jewels back again :)

I know it's Autumn because...

...we chose 2 small pumpkins from the greengrocers, ready for 'that week'...... because the trees whispered to us when we went a'walking...

... because i have my boots on...

...because i have started wearing 'layers'...

...because i have started to wear a hat whilst sitting at the sewing machine! it can get cold sat at the machine, my Brother and me...

I know it's Autumn because all the signs are there x

Happy harvests x

i was interviewed...

Thanks to Nicola x
i was interviewed for the UKhandmade magazine!! ...and these were some photos from the sunny day my little mouse and i played with the Minnie Mouse ears that are featured in the 'photo'...

I wear them often as i believe they make me think better ...

ME: http://ukhandmade.co.uk/main/

Photography for the internet...

So sorry if you arrived at this post thinking it might be full of good 'TIPS'...
I find photographing products for the internet, sooooo hard! Nothing ever seems to look as good in the photo as it does in 'real life' And how can you get a good sense of scale and size from the picture alone. I am not adding a ruler / measure to the picture as it doesn't add to the 'scene'.
Putting my head in the shot is not really an option either!

This wreath is quite a large size but really, only the shot with my head in, shows it's size... so i have been around the house looking for appropriate hanging spaces with the right amount of light...

It is like a QUEST that never ends.

An internet shop needs: clear, colourful pictures that are as 'true' as possible.

The picture needs to convey the size and the 'usage' of a product.

The photo needs to look professional and clean.

It needs to be in focus.

It needs to be cohesive to the rest of your shop.

It need to pop out of the screen and see "LOOK, i am interesting and a bit pretty"

I love the possibilities that photography offers.

I am often disappointed in my own execution of the shots.

Other shop owners know what i mean??

I saw my first Christmas advert on TV...

I am one of those rare people that doesn't mind Christmas quietly arriving.
I am naturally thrifty and crafty, so i am making, cooking, shopping, buying for Christmas all year round. I am not ashamed to admit, i like it. So, aswell as talking about the beauty and crafting of Autumn, i might start showing off a few decorations and 'how to's' on the blog, if that's ok....

Shaker style felt heart: red and white is such a winning combination for christmas.

I did an entirely WHITE Christmas home last year. This year i will be going for: Pumpkin Orange, Chocolate Brown, Red and White x

Meet Pippi....***

No, not me... but my strangely stocking legs seem to be drawing their inspiration from my bird "Pippi" - naturally, named after "Pippi Langstrumpf / longstocking" Today, i have mainly been making Pippi Birds: and here are a pile of Pippi's in their various states of undress...

Some have had a few embroidered stars added. Some are still naked. Some have their feet attatched but many are still handicapped.

I sold a few of these at the weekend and so need to replenish my stock for the upcoming Craft fairs i have.

For many people, Birds = Spring. Not for me. The feltiness and rich embroidery on these make me think of wooly socks and winter nights. They are a pretty adornment / gift anytime of year but i happen to making them now. I don't know if they are going into the internet shops yet...

I like the fact that my work means i can just 'sew what i like' whenever the fancy takes me but... there was a long list of needed jobs that didn't get accomplished today as i felt the desire to make Pippi's.

I have had a doubly relaxing crafty day as i filled these birdies with dried crushed Cloves and dried organic lavender, mmmmm ..... sailing away on a cloud of scent.....

Tweet Tweet x