Crafty Cardi...

The Crafty Fish (that be me) loves to wear a Crafty item or three...
and, as a retailer of the finest buttons known to woman, i couldn't possibly wear a cardigan with 7 plain grey buttons down the front! It just doesn't feel right, ya know? Very, ridiculously, overly happy with my new little lambswool Cardi, i smothered it in rainbow buttons...

This look is perhaps far too 'cute' for many. It is a good job I am a lady who cares little for popular taste and fashion. This little crafty endeavour made my week much more colourful and satisfying.

And.... STILL very much in-love with Lu Summers fabric 'Avenue'.... i have been making little "My House" Brooches for the PaperFish shop. I just adore this little house. And i love the colours red / cream / blue together.

I tried to echo the 'smallness' of the house by using a smaller button embellishment. I am usually the crafter who adds a HUGE button to everything! but, in this case, discretion in button choice won favour.

Ooooh, i like it and i have worn it lots.

I am going to make some different colourways.....

And I'm going off to do that ....now! x

House of Poodle...

Loving Handmade: I have long since adored the work of House of Poodle. I met them in December 2007 at a Craft Fair, but a year prior to that I travelled to Birmingham for the day to a thrift / handmade market where i knew they had a stall... i wasn't disappointed. They are professional and Tweedy and fun and colourful - very unique and..... friendly! The dress below is a sort of A-line / 40s style? but in a thick red tweedy fabric. Short sleeves and sits above the knee. I adore it and i have worn it sooooo many times.

Zip up the back... I WILL try to make one of these for myself one day (ha ha) but it is finding the time!?! ... and i admit to never having had a sewing lesson or followed a pattern in my life :(

The Grey flower is something i wear alllllll the time. It suits every jacket, every dress, every cardigan... i have worn it many times on my evening party dresses. I always wear it on this capped sleeve grey wool felt jacket.... I even wore it on my funeral outfit this week as it added a cheery of 'life celebration' without giving out too much 'party vibe'. A gorgeous item i cannot live without it (okay, i exaggerate that)

And, i repeat, you only get this sort of joy from unique handmade items! Designed, made, sold here in the UK by fellow crafty peeps x

We have started the crockery craze....

Some more bits that were lying around in the dusty debris of dis-organised photo files.... I
I wanted, no! *had* to include this Cath Kidston mug .... mmmmmmm x x x a gift from my 'special' MrsB and yes, it holds a Hewge amount of tea and i do use in the mornings when i begin at 5.30am x x thankyou! A gorgeous large lot of pretty tea-party accessories. Some were kept for tea.... others were made into willing scented candles (like this)

THIS, i had to include - the 'prop Mug'! I use it in soooo many shots for little supplies as it is GIANT.

I use it to put chocolates in on my craft stall sometimes, so my customers have a little treat...

AAAhhhh Spode - i do love the colour red and polka dots. I could fill a weeks worth of blogging with my red polka-dot love.

My much adored ENTIRE owl Coffee set. It is honestly stunning - and..... yes my thrifty friends, it was found in a charity shop, complete and un-used for £15.00 x i would have paid so much more! I usually serve Mulled Wine in these at Christmas - the cups being obscenely small for tea consumption.

That BLASTED Apple tea pot.... SO pretty and colourful and so BROKE the first time i put hot water in it. I was obviously chuffed with its lovliness but annoyed by its inadequacy x

Blog them pots and mugs!!! x

Colourful Crockery...

A quick post on Colourful, playful, beautiful crockery.... I have much of it - and tis one of my most favourite things in my everyday life, to collect and use this gorgeous spotty, dotty, collection of crockery, tea-party-ness....

(this is only the tip of a large ice-berg!)

My most hateful thing in the house? That MAN with the 'endearingly termed' BUTTER FINGERS..... 'whoops'!

KIRSTYFISH: "have you seen my birdie mug - you know, the little one i like my afternoon tea in?"

MANFISH: "Oh i smashed that ages ago - so what, you've got loads"...

'So What'? ... i love them, that's what.

I love them all.

Share your crockery on your blog - and let me know when you do, i'd love to see them x x x

(P.S - i do now photograph every new piece that enters my home - just incase that is the last time i see it.)

Cath Kidston LOVE x

MMmmmnn Bunting! Just congratulating myself (*fish pats herself on back with wet fin*) on making 5 new bunting / pennant lines to put in PaperFish x Naturally using my LOVE of CATH KIDSTON fabrics as the basis. These are the girly ones but the BOYS bunting i will blog *later* as they weren't using CK.... Loving the Fresh, vibrant pinks and orange!

Also mixing blue with red and pink - I think the look of this one came together when i added the darker pinky bias to the top - it sort of held the red and pink together a bit?

I also whipped up a few larger PinPots using some yummy new glossy Aubergine (or 'Egg Plant') paint and.... you guessed it, a Cath Kidston fabric. This only works in a larger pot because the fabric is a thick 'double weave' cotton...

This picture, i love. Reminiscent of a Craft book on thrifted / French vintage style - sigh...

I confess to having more Cath Kidston LOVE to share soon.... (gulp)

Mummy has been decorating ToddleFish bedroom... mmmm...

Mummy got carried away with all the prettiness available for a young girls bedroom and the Cath Kidston webshop.... whoops x

Photography and shopping on Folksy....

LOOK at this photograph... I love it. I love the perspective, the clarity, the window... my 4yr old took it. She Rocks - and she has a fantastic 'view' of the world - both physically and emotionally. I thought she might end up as a vet..... now I am wonering if Photography could feature? Maybe a photographer of animals? She is equally at home with a camera or a .... camel! I was photographing these>>>>> when she took the camera (little pegs and bookmarks - new stock on my PaperFish stall and i love them x) Her photo is actually much more inviting, and maybe i'll get her to do my 'stock shots' in future? But actually, it was THESE i bought from Folksy last week - YES, I am well aware Christmas is over for 2008 but i live Christmas in my head so it is never 'too early' or 'too late' in my book.

Handmade by TheHomePress - www.Folksy.com/shops/thehomepress as printed on the reverse of each card. I think they are printed from a LINO cut? They have a raised paint / ink front so quite tactile. ....

They came in a set of three and i love each one (Robin especially so)

In truth, they won't ever be sent. I buy stationary alot - often - and i just hoarde it or pin them on my walls / boards / i like them too much to share but i appreciate them all.

I am thinking I may frame these and have them as a set of prints on my wall because Christmas is my time baby! It is when I am happiest and calmest and mostest fullest of love and affection x

Folksy ROCKS for UK shopping, so go see....ummm, i purchased other great things too! and i'll share them soon..... x

Featured on Folksy

Hey... I meant to tell you... and have been getting round to it for ages... THIS month, I am 'Featured Seller' on FOLKSY
Thanks a million to the gents at Folksy and to Sally x FOLKSY is a UK site through which crafters can sell their amazing handmade treasures. It is a new site but already coping well with its listings / shops / sales.

Each month, for a whole month, there are four featured sellers on the Front / Home Page who rotate and you get your shop bigger 'exposure' as people are more likely to see your items and get tempted into the online shop.

I haven't got nearly the range of stock listed as i have on ETSY - i think that would be impossible for me :) but i have put all my favourite onto FOLKSY.

Why have yet another online selling venue for your stuff KirstyFish??? Well my friends, Folksy is listed in ££££ GBP so that makes it a little less intimidating for some users who don't like (understandably) to shop in $$$$ USD.

And .... soon .... i'll figure out how to get a button on my blog that links you directly to the UK shop... ha!

Chat soon crafters x

... Parcels going to the 'Nice' Post Office, where people are 'nice' and the experience is 'nicest' x