LITTLE BUTTON TALES

To Quill or not to Quill ......... x

My sister 'dragged' me along to a crafters guild meeting tonight at a local country park where she had been asked to show some of her handmade soaps (must do a little post on them when i've got some decent piccies). At the meeting there were various crafters showing their 'wares' - beaders, silk painters, lace makers (oh my god what patience and how on earth do you not tangle all those threads and bobbins up!!!), knitters and a lovely lady Valerie giving a demonstration on Quilling.

Now when my sister was a child my parents bought her a Quilling kit from a craft fair and as i wanted to do everything my elder sister did i soon started twisting and twirling the paper myself - although i also remember getting very messy with glue and trying to get sticky paper off my fingers! Anyway tonight i watched intently as Valerie produced some beautiful flowers from strips of coloured paper using a technique i had never tried which involved cutting the paper to produce lovely fringed flower (again wish i'd taken my camera). So as my sister and i watched and dreamt about what else we could use this technique for - leather, fabric etc. she turned to me and said

" You know i've still got that old case full of all the quilling stuff" - "not that old blue case" i said "no it's white with a blue satin lining" - and then i remembered it also had a broken handle which mum had replaced with string -- and suddenly i felt the urge to start quilling again except this time without gluing myself to the paper! 

On my return home i have just fired up the lap top and googled quilling to find some images when i stumbled across images of work by YuliaBrodskay which have left me totally blown away. I just had to share them with you as they are some of the most beautiful things i have ever seen.

As for that little white case with the blue lining and string handle - i might just have to take a little peek inside (just for the nostalgia of course!) x

Connie's gifts in exchange for fish!! x

For the last few days i've been stealing time to make some more baby gifts for a friends niece. I had recently made them some baby gifts for their own new little daughter (See For Gracie) and they asked me to make some for their little niece Connie (also my own nieces beautiful name). They asked if i could find some pistachio green and pink fabric and luckily enough i had a little snippet of some Amy Butler fabric (who else!) which had the perfect colour combination so i headed off to my favourite local store The Cotton Patch to get some more. I actually Surprised myself with how well behaved i was and only came away with what i needed (although so many other gorgeous fabrics seemed to be calling out to me to take them home!) 

So i finished the little bundle of goodies today and dropped them off this evening - luckily they loved the fabrics ( who wouldn't) and then came the really tough discussion of how much they owed me!. I really find this hard as i completely struggle with how much to charge friends - friends who we have known for years and who have helped us out and vice verse- but discussing money with people is another matter - should i even charge them at all!. However if i am to turn this little venture of mine into something i realise that i have to charge and friends are more than willing to pay me for my time - but god do i struggle with this. Anyway luckily i came up with a solution (if somewhat strange) that they would pay me a certain amount to cover my materials and then the rest they would pay for in fresh fish! - stay with me - you see for a while now they have been buying some fresh fish for us from their local fish monger who sells the most amazing fish (oh how i wished we lived on the coast) - so i asked if they could supply us with fish for a couple of weeks and then that way we would be even.

Phew - that way the decision on how much they pay will be shifted to them and i don't have to come up with an awkward figure - chicken i know - and i know i need to handle this situation better but i'm sure as i start to make more things i will get quicker and will get more of an idea as to my costs. 

Anyway hope you like the little gifts - will let you know how good the fish tastes x

Ianthe's shoes x

A lovely friend of mine recently had her second little daughter Ianthe (cypriot name) so i thought i'd send her a little pair of shoes to keep her little toes warm as the weather is starting to get cooler. I used a lovely little Kaffee Fassett fabric i had been hoarding in my fabric cupboard. 

Ianthes' mummy loved the shoes and hope you do to x

 

Kidlet wall pocket x

I was looking through some photo's on my lap top and found these piccies of a Kidlet wall pocket i made for my niece and thought i'd share them with you. I had enrolled on an evening print and textile course and when the time came for us to do some fabric printing i knew just what I wanted to do. Having studied print at University i couldn't wait to give screen printing a go again and although a little rusty i printed this simple little street scene on one of the evenings. 

I then backed it - embroidered it and added some felt details and buttons before making it the pocket detail on the front of the Kidlet. My niece loves it and it hangs with pride on her bedroom door. I must make some more for little Avas many many books! x

A little skirt x

As little Ava is potty training at the moment i realised that she needed some more skirts - easier to pull up a skirt in a rush than pull down trousers! So i got this great little pattern from LeilaandBen on Etsy and made a new addition to her wardrobe from some fabric i had bought some time ago.

Such an easy little pattern to follow and took no time at all to rustle one up.

The pegs were courtesy of Ava's peg bag i made for her birthday complete with a little washing line of her own x

Thats my girl x

Two of the many things my little Ava said which made me smile over the last couple of days.

"look mummy - buttons" - after seeing lots of satellite dishes on the side of an office block

and

"look at all this fabric mummy - its beautiful" - looking and holding some of my stash

I melted of course at both of these and smiled to myself - that's my girl x

In love with Amy Butler x

But aren't we all!

My evening with Amy butler last night was just great and a real inspiration. After a buffet meal we were all taken through to a room where Amy had a presentation of her personal piccies from recent travels to Bali and India where she shared with us lots of cultural beliefs and traditions. The colours and patterns from these two countries are so inspiring and Amy's love of her travels to these areas was so evident as she brimmed with excitement as she showed us each of her wonderful photo's- the blues, purples, lilacs, oranges - i could go on and on. We had a sneaky preview of some of her upcoming designs and can really see how Amy has interpreted all that she loved from her travels.  She finished off showing some wonderful pictures of the workshop in India where her rugs are handmade - boy these guys are true craftsmen - i'm sure she said that it takes 5 men 2 weeks to make each of the rugs!! (don't quote me)- but seeing her pictures you can understand why. The detail and quality and of these rugs look amazing - and to know that each one has been done by hand just blows me away.

Amy was truly inspiring as were the many women who i spoke to last night who each had a different passion but who each had a common love of the crafting.

So thank you Amy i had a lovely evening x

 

An evening with Amy Butler x

How could i forget to tell you that i managed to grab a ticket for 'An Evening with Amy Butler' at the Hilton Metropole Hotel Birmingham tonight - i'm so looking forward to hearing what Amy has to say and to chatting to some new people - will tell you all about it tomorrow.

Now - what to wear - i only have 9 hours to decide so i must rush !!??

 

Come and meet my new little treasures x

As promised - here are the new additions to my fabric family (yes i have already stroked them!) bought yesterday from some wonderful fabric stalls at the Festival of Quilts.                              Did i need more fabric? - of course i did!! - Have i got anywhere to put them? - i'll find them a space!! - Did i spend far too much money - i'd rather not answer that!!!!!!

What i didn't mention in my last blog were some of the wonderful comments i heard whilst ambling around the show - all of which made me feel 'normal'

"Gasp -have you ever seen anything so beautiful" -about at a set of buttons 

"No i don't know what i'll do with it - but does that matter" -about a pile of fabric

"I know i could get it cheaper on the web but i just can't wait - i need it now" - about a craft book

"I'll add them to my pile and bring them out occasionally just to look at and stroke " a pile of fat quarters.

Oh how i smiled to myself and to others when i heard these (and more) - with that same knowing and understanding look x

In awe at the Festival of Quilts

So today i took myself off to the wonderful 'Festival of Quilts' at the NEC Birmingham for a day of inspiration - and the occasional purchase!!! (more of my overspend tomorrow - when i manage to sneak all my new beautiful fabrics into my stash without the 'other half' noticing that i have bought yet more fabric!!)

It was a last minute decision to go but i'm so glad I did as i was completely dumb struck by the sheer talent and patience of quilters and textile artists from all over the globe - the word of the day was definitely 'wow' followed by huge gasps of complete astonishment at the beautiful skills these women / men have. There were quilts,wall hangings,clothes and accessories of all shapes, sizes and colours - all of which completely bowled me over my their originality and beauty (can you guess that i enjoyed myself!)

However as i stared closely at the endless stitches and overlays of thread and fabric it confirmed to me that i am definitely an 'instant hit' crafter and that i do not have the patience (or skill) to work for weeks / months and possible years on a particular piece - i know that my attention span would not stretch to these lengths. So my creative hat goes off to all these truly talented artists - you really are hardcore - sewing adrenalin junkies!!

Here are some of my favourite quilts from the show - sorry photo's are not great (oh i wish i'd taken the SLR) and do not do them justice at all - but hope they give you a little insight into my lovely day. 

But my favourite had to be this one - more of a paper quilt but still made my eyes smile x