made by val

:: WIP's ::

2012-02-15T16:21:00.001Z

A while ago I was feeling overwhelmed by my crochet WIP (work in progress) which is silly really as I only had myself to blame! So I decided to just work through them and not add to them. At all. Easier said than done. I soon realised that some of them, in my head, were WIP when in fact they only exisited on a to do list. So I scrapped the list and brought my load down further. I have been very good and managed to finish almost everything off so far. As I sit here I only have my Art of Crochet blanket, which is only ten squares away from being finished, I am currently up to date with all the squares so far, and my Babette blanket.

Due to so many other things needing finished my Babette has been hibernating for the best part of a year, yikes! I have picked it up again and I am pleased to report I can show you another update photo. I am just sewing together section seven and will start crocheting section eight very soon.

x

Oh and I might have bought a new pattern to crochet a Dragon, but shhh I won't tell anyone if you don't!

:: New To Me Fun ::

2012-01-31T17:07:00.000Z

Isn't is great when you get new-to-me stuff? I am a massive fan of Ebay, charity shops, car boot sales, you name it, if it's second hand I'm there!

This last week I had some time to kill and decided to visit a local charity shop and picked up a fabulous red corduroy coat for £4. Bargain! I didn't like the buttons that were on the coat which was just as well as there were two missing! but never fear, new buttons have been purchased and as soon as I find myself some red thread they will be on the coat. I have taken some 'before' photos of my coat but right now they are trapped inside my camera so I will show the befores just as soon as I have some afters to share.

In other news my brother has passed his old iphone to me! How lucky am I? I was most excited as now I can use instagram which I have been looking longing at for some time. I have actually only taken one photo with it so far and here it is! Hmmmmn tea :) x

::The Art Of Crochet Third Quarter::

2012-01-25T14:33:00.002Z

I have recently finished sewing together the third quarter of the Art Of Crochet partwork. I have surprised my self that I have been able to keep up with all this crochet lark. Although the crochet itself has got easier it has also become less interesting as a result. The complete blanket is made up of 120 squares (from 120 issues) and there are many many repeats of the pattrens, but they are good for practice and to be able to compare squares and see progress. When I started square one I hadn't actually managed to crochet yet and here I am now whizzing up squares and thinking they are boring!

Here are a couple of photos of the new section. I haven't sewn it together yet as we use the first half of the blanket and I don't want to turn it into an unwieldy 'L' shape. So now we have one big blanket and one small blanket kicking around on the back of the sofa! Next stop one huge blanket wheeeeeeeeeeeee!

x

::Welcome 2012::

2012-01-02T17:43:00.003Z

Welcome to the New Year! Hope it is going well for you so far.

I am trying to take advantage of the quieter times and shorter days, spending time on the computer redoing my banners. I am also looking into building a new website through moonfruit . Currently made by val is hosted by Wix but it is flash based so can sometimes take a while to load and also, can't be viewed on mobile devices that don't support Flash, so I thought perhaps moonfruit might be the way to go they also let you add a shop so that is helpful, but as with these things it takes AGES, I am not know for my patience :)

I have started to make more fairy doors in the hope that I can build up a nice stock for the coming year. Other business plans include taking some new photos and launching some new stock items which I have in the pipeline although these might need to wait until the boys have gone back to school. Well it is good to have plans, I never like the pressure of resolutions, so plans sound good to me.

Cheeeese!

2011-11-18T13:52:00.001Z

I love cheese, so imagine my excitement when I was buying some mini babybels for my son and it came with a mini 'meltpot'

Before:

During:

After:

Basically you place a babybel in the little tray, zap it in the microwave for 20 seconds and then you have a little melty pot of cheese! Sadly though, I was a little disappointed, although the resultant melted cheese tasted great, it was less fondue and more hot chewy cheese, it cooled too quickly and I ended up eating it more or less in one go, which wasn't good as I wouldn't eat a whole babybel in one go. I also thought the cheese was quite hot so not sure I will let my son near it!

So there you go I thought it was a great idea but sadly it doesn't seem to work in practice.

Now to think up a good use for he little pot!

x

Percival

2011-11-15T10:52:00.001Z

I have been wanting to make a pin cushion for ages so I finally got around to making this wee guy:

He was supposed to be stuffed with only polyfill but as he was to be a pin cushion I put a cardboard circle in first to give him a flat base to sit on and I filled him half full with poly beads to weigh him down, finally finishing with polyfill. I think he turned out quite good!

Today I .....

2011-11-07T16:01:00.001Z

Moulded ....

dried ....

and painted ....

These are all different doors, unfortunately I am unable to mould, dry and paint a door all in the same day, just like the expensive phone advertisments, some sequences have been shortened.

The painted doors only have their first coat applied, kinda look like they are made of toffee nom nom.

x

Amineko!

2011-09-20T16:33:00.000+01:00

A while back when I was wandering around the web I came across a lovely crocheted cat called Amineko. He stars in his own book 'Hello my Name is Amineko' and, how generous, the creator of the pattern - Nekoyama shares the pattern on Ravelry - for free!

Well, I just had to have a go at making one, and here he is!

The thing that makes him/them supercute is the fact they are slightly weighted in the bum area, and in the arms and legs so they can pose. Although he seems to enjoy sleeping. A lot. Cats eh?

x

New Month

2011-09-01T11:18:00.000+01:00

Well hello September!

Today I have started with great enthusiasm. I have joined in with a Folksy group - September Embers, whereby we must list at least one item a day for the whole month. I joined this last year, in September as well it turns out, must be my 'get up and go' month! I think I almost managed to list every day, weekends are a bit of a challenge as I often don't even switch on the computer over the weekend. I will try and see how far I can get.

Today I listed a wee pink fairy door hopefully I can sustain my enthusiasm and I will have full shop by Christmas :)

New camera

2011-08-18T13:11:00.003+01:00

Our new camera arrived yesterday.

It is one of those things that you look forward to, can't wait for, then it arrives and it has so many buttons and functions that you don't quite know where to start! So I have decided to start on full auto mode and work my way up =)

Here are a couple of shots I took in the garden during some (very) short bursts of sun.

Since I took these I have found out there is a sports mode - to improve my bee shots :) and also a flower mode!! Well, you see I am learning and moving on already.

x

On The Up

2011-08-16T14:08:00.004+01:00

Well I have been busy for the last few weeks with the boys being off for the summer. I know I have said it before but I really like them being off school. I much prefer the relaxed nature of the days and no dreaded alarm clock beep! Sadly tomorrow it all ends :( Yup it is the old back to school day tomorrow. Boo!

However I have been really busy today. A while ago I made a new design fairy door. After making and painting literally hundreds of my current design I felt some change was in order. It has been a real trial and error to get the moulding compound to behave itself. I have suffered so many air bubbles I was becoming quite despondant, but today I actually managed an almost, dare I say it, bubble free mould! Sometimes smaller air bubbles don't show in the casting but I was getting huge ones aargh. Anyway today I was calm and took my time, tried not to panic and yay! it worked. I currently have three new moulds and hopefully some more on the way. I am so pleased I managed to get it right. All the more frustrating of course as I obviously had done it before but couldn't remember how.

I am also on a mission to make a huge batch of doors so I can restock my Folksy and Misi shops. Wow they are looking sparse :( I have a problem I shouldn't complain about but I have been selling my Fairy Doors in wonderful shop called the Gift Gallery, in York (in the Shambles no less!) and they are selling so fast I can hardly keep up. Great for my bank balance but not so great for my online shop stock. So I am trying to make, make, make and get ahead of myself before the Christmas rush. We shall see. (It won't happen ;) )

In other news, we ordered a new camera which should arrive tomorrow. How very exciting. So my plan is to take lots of nice photographs of my new doors. I would also like to re do my banner but that is a long term goal.

So, new school year, new fairy doors, new photos, new.....?

x

Garden

2011-07-30T14:46:00.004+01:00

It is sunny again today, yippee! It means I can keep up with my washing which, though sadly domestic, is something that keeps me happy!

I also realised that a lot of the flowers that have been blooming in my garden have sadly bloomed their last, so I thought I would take some photos of some of the flowers that remain.

The majority of the flowers have been grown from seed by Master M. and Master A. It seems like such a long time since we bought the seeds, dug the compost out the compost bin, and planted, and watered, and waited, and watered and waited...and then we had little seedlings which we planted out and how they grew! The boys have been so pleased with the results :)

These were all grown from seeds except the Fuschia which is a really old bush that has lived in this garden forever.

Oh and I have to mention out teeny apples growing on our (very modest) apple tree. It won't be long before they are full size apples - can't wait!

x

The Art Of Crochet So Far ..

2011-07-28T20:18:00.005+01:00

Wow I knew I hadn't blogged for ages but hadn't realised it had been this long!

Just thought I would share with you some photos of my blanket so far that I have been making with 'The Art Of Crochet' partworks magazine. If you are not aware of the magazine, every week you get a ball of yarn and instructions to crochet a square, eventually each square is sewn together into a large vintage style blanket. There are also loads of other patterns in the magazine as well.

I have really been enjoying the magazine because not only did it teach me to crochet in the first place, it has taught me stitches and techniques that I would probably never have attempted ( and a couple I never want to attempt again!!) because I am determined to get my blanket finished.

This is only the second time that the magazine has published the making up instructions, it does get a bit frustrationing waiting on the instructions when I have had a huge pile of squares waiting patiently, but now I have a whole half blanket!

I am pleased with my progress so far :)

I will try and not leave it so long until I blog again!!

X

Flower Garland

2011-06-18T17:42:00.003+01:00

Thought I would share a wee flower garland that I crocheted for my hall.

Our hall is a rather boring apricot colour, apart from laying laminate flooring we haven't touched the hall since moving in seven years ago. I really want to do something with it just not sure what.

We added a huge mirror a couple of years ago to enlarge the space and I though a crocheted garland would be just the thing to give it a lift. I was able to use some vintage buttons that my mum had given to me a long time ago.

Oh and please excuse the blank canvases on the walls. hubby hung them there a while ago as a minimilist joke and we have never got round to taking them down! I sometimes think people that come to the door must think we are mad (they would be right, of course ;) )

I am quite pleased how it turned out.

Hope you like it :) x

Chair Update

2011-05-24T10:58:00.008+01:00

Thought it was time for a little chair update.

I stripped the chair down to the frame (the grey square on the front was me testing the paint for the legs!) please also excuse the lego pile in the background :)

I sanded it, and painted the legs a dark grey/barely black colour. Still not sure which fabric I am using but I wanted the legs to be dark.

Before:

After:

I have just finished attaching hessian and webbing to the back and webbing to the base.

Before:

After:

As you can see the chair originally had rubber 'pirelli' webbing but it had long since perished and gone hard. I decided to just use jute webbing instead, I hope it will last longer. I have also glued and screwed a couple of joints that were still together but were becoming a bit wobbly. I am really impressed by the harness of the wood. Makes me sad that a lot of furniture these days is made form cheap pine and composite board. They wont last for the tens of years this chair has. Buy cheap buy twice, I suppose.

I am now waiting to purchase some spray adhesive so I can join some hessian to the underside of the base cushion to stop the webbing cutting into it.

This project is taking longer than I thought mainly due to the number of bits and bobs that I seem to need and I am trying to do it right and never having done anything like this before it is a huge, slow, learning curve. I am enjoying it and happy so far with my progress.

On a side note, the other week I was in town (I rarely go into the City centre) and I popped into a brand new Cath Kidston shop (just for a nosey - never bought anything) and imagine my surprise when I saw they had a re upholstered chair, exactly the same 'nursing' style chair. Their one was covered in a 'vintage' picnic blanket and they were asking £265!! This has spurred me on a bit as I am sure you can imagine :) and to think my wee chair was destined for landfil :(

Take care x

New Product! New Photos!

2011-05-10T19:06:00.003+01:00

Today I have listed a new product - Elf Doors! I have made quite a few Elf doors in the past as special orders but I have decided to start selling them as a main line now. Lots of people prefer elves to fairies. Some people have sons (like me!) and want a wee door that is less 'girlie' so the answer is a wee blue Elf door!

Of course, no elf door would be complete without an elf doormat, so I made some of them too!

x

New Photos!

2011-05-05T19:05:00.004+01:00

Today it is raining much rain, but that is ok because the garden needs some rain some of my plants were starting to wilt!

The other day I took my fairy doors on a wee trip to my local park and took some photos. I was trying to get some good shots in different locations but my photography isn't that hot. I think I rely too much on the Auto setting and should spend more time getting to know the other functions it has to offer.

It was a beautiful day but it turned out to be too sunny (I know!). I took several photos but hardly any of them were successful, the sun was so bright it glinted off the glittery paint. I hadn't realised it had done this until I got them home so most of the shots that are useable are of my brown 'wood' doors.

Here are a couple photos of the park:

It was such a beautiful day it makes me feel guilty I don't visit this park more often.

Here is a glinty picture of one of my doors :(

And here is the non glinty version!

With added 50p windmill!

Hope you are enjoying the weather (whatever it brings!)

x

Before But No After

2011-04-18T18:25:00.004+01:00

You know when you share something and then think I need to finish that because people will wonder how I am getting on well, this is kinda the reason for this post. I am sharing the 'before' of a project which is currently a work in progress and hopefully will one day become an 'after' I was going to keep it to myself and just do a ta da 'before and after' post but I thought by sharing it I might be insentivised (is that a word?) to actually finish it!!

You see the other day we were driving to the supermarket and it was bin day. Now when it is bin day I often have to avert my eyes as I get really stressed at the things people throw out things that are perfectly good but destined to be crushed and buried in the ground because it has served its useful life with that person. Well this day and I spied a wee chair. I thought it looked 'useful' not too big not too small. We could do with and extra chair. One that is not to big and not too small. So later that night (it had actually gone dark!) I asked my hubby to drive back to see if the chair was still there. You see the bin lorry should already have been, but it was still there! It was fate. So I picked it up and brought it home to keep warm :)

Here it is!

And so begins my first upholstery project! I mean, how difficult can it be?

x

Spring!

2011-04-10T18:04:00.006+01:00

Well how nice it is to see some sunshine around. My garden has burst into life over the past couple of weeks. I feel as if winter had just gone on and on, this year.

The sunshine meant the host of daffodils I have in my front garden burst into life. I do love daffodils, the way they always open with their fantastic yellow blooms just when you think there will never be any more colour outside. Unfortunately for my daffodils just when they had revealed all their lovely colour we had strong winds and heavy rain and oh dear he daffs did not like that weather one bit! So I had to go out and save lots of my poor battered blooms, so many were broken (but lots survived - yay!) . I put them in an old jam jar and then set about making the jar a wee jacket! And lo and behold this is what they became.

So simple, yet so pleasing :)

If you want to make your own the pattern is from Lucy at the fantastic Attic 24 blog.

Hope you are out and enjoying the spring sunshine.

x

George

2011-03-29T12:28:00.003+01:00

Every time I start to write a blog post I never know what to call it. Sometimes I think I should just number my posts, other times I think I will just call them George.

In an attempt to fill out my shop I have added a new pink fairy doormat listing to my Folksy shop the perfect accessory for your pink fairy door!

I met with a crafty friend of mine the other day. They lovely Suzanne of Fieldy Tweed fame. We were both discussing the difficulties of staying motivated when you work from home and trying to stay inspired in order to pursue our chosen handmade career paths, when the urge to wrap up in a blanket, drink coffee and watch Homes Under The Hammer is very strong. It is something I have struggled with for a long time, motivation.

To this end we have set ourselves a goal - to sell X number of items and to write X blog posts and to meet up once a month to make sure it happens! As the sun is gracing us with its presence occasionally now, we are going to meet up in a local park armed with products and cameras to take some product shots, just trying to think outside the box a bit. Having product shots is something that really holds me back more than it should, so hopefully this will help.

I will let you know how we get on!

Take care.

x

Babette Update

2011-03-16T12:53:00.006Z

I thought it was time for a babette update. Sadly I am about as rubbish as getting on with the babette as I am at remembering to blog, so a bit of an advancement but not much.

I haven't actually been able to do any work on this blanket for a few weeks due to life stuff. I find it takes a lot of concentration, working out the size of square, the colourways and the tedious (for me) colour changes! So I am hoping this little update will spur me along a bit :)

A gratuitous yarn photo

In other news, yesterday I made another batch of fairy doors. Here are some of them drying out

Not as colourful as the last three pictures!

Finished Fairy doors always available in my Folksy shop here (well, you can't blame a girl for a little self promotion ;) )

Take care

x

So far, So Good

2011-01-19T09:49:00.003Z

Thought I would pop in and update you on my Babette progress! I have been trying hard to finish my pile of WIP that I seem to have accumulated. I thought I actually had a huge pile of crochet projects to finish off but it turned out that some of them were just 'to dos' written on a list so I was able to ignore them for the time being. :)

So far I have made just two squares. They are turning out ok. I have changed the way I join in the yarn however. The instructions call for you to join the yarn on the side of the squares this however seems to leave an unsightly gappy bit all the way through, maybe better crocheters won't have this or maybe if I was using a more fuzzy yarn it wouldn't be so obvious but I think I have to change the way I make the squares. I made the big square as per instructions and made the smaller square by joining the yarn at the corners instead (and using a 'magic circle' to start to eliminate the centre hole) I am much happier with the result so will continue to do this. I might redo the larger square at some point but I will see. It probably looks worse to me than anyone else!

Hello!

2011-01-10T12:31:00.004Z

Well I didn't expect to be missing from blogland for so long. Sorry about that. My absence has been mainly due to working in my 'proper' job (Stage Management) Christmas - yay! illness - boo! and a complete lack of anything to blog about!!

I want to look forward now, not backward.

I got some money for Christmas, so decided to splurge on some yarn! Buying loads of yarn is something I have resisted because I hate the way it takes over my life! We have no storage so I end up putting piles of yarn and magazines and books and all other crochet related paraphernalia in different piles in different rooms so it looks less. Part of the problem is I have dabbled in so many crafts in my life I have loads of piles of unused things that I really need to rationalise, but hey, that is another day.

Here is my pile of new yarn,

it is just acrylic as I don't have that much money. I am going to make a babette blanket with it. I have wanted to make this blanket for ages and if all goes well and in the future I have more cash i will make a 'proper' blanket in lovely real wool, at the moment I am making a washable everyday version. :)

Hopefully I will be able to keep you updated on my progress.

Take care x

Back In Action

2010-10-20T10:58:00.002+01:00

Had a bit of a crazy two weeks. As I previously mentioned I have been working a proper job, the hours were ridiculous, but thank fully the money is worth it! So I have not been blogging or taking part in forums or doing any made by val stuff, feels odd. I did however, still make sales whilst I worked despite no promotion, so that was good.

Anyway just thought I would pop in and say hi, I have spent most of today sorting out my receipt pile and this afternoon I really need to look at my Open University stuff that has arrived - course starts on Novembert 1st eep!

x

Busy Busy Again

2010-09-23T12:23:00.004+01:00

I feel like I have been busy, although I have had my eldest off school for a couple of days so not sure how busy I have been or if it is just actually shortness of time? Anyway he is much better and off to school again so yay!

What have I been up to? well, I have sold a few things from both my Misi and my Folksy shops which is great also had a couple of custom orders, been asked to sell my goods in a proper bricks and mortar shop (more on that another day) and been offered two weeks work, an actual proper job, being a Stage Manager which is the job I did before kids and have done on and off ever since! So things are looking up. :)

I have also been busy making some recycled crisp packet pouches. I made a batch of them ages ago and took them to a craft fair where they sold really well and I have finally got round to making some more to list on Folksy.

Here a few photos, yay! I also took some photos, maybe I have been busy after all!

x

Birthday Boy

2010-09-17T10:42:00.003+01:00

Yesterday was son-in-the-middles' 11th Birthday, I know I say it everytime but where does the time go? Can't believe it, he get so old I stay so young ha ha. I made him a kitkat cake. It was very easy to make SO much easier than trying to properly ice a cake but very effective.

Today as part of the 'September Stars' on Folksy I listed one of my crisp packet pouches!

Did a little gardening yesterday, ages ago we bought some lavender plants to replace our lavender that got killed off in the freezing winter last year. The plants had been sitting in little pots for ages so thought we had better plant them out before they died off!! It is our plan to try and trim it into a wee lavender hedge so we will see how that goes, although I think we will need to buy a few more plants or we will end up with a holey hedge.

Happy Friday! Hope you have a nice weekend :)

x

Crochet Mittens and September Stars!

2010-09-06T10:42:00.005+01:00

Last week Lidl were selling yarn so I decided to buy some sock yarn as I have never used it before and at £2.99 for 200g I couldn't really go wrong, could I? For ages I have been meaning to make myself some mittens, I have poor circulation in my hands and have been told that mittens are better than gloves for warmth, even with the thickest gloves on my hands are usually ice cold all winter :-( I found a mittens pattern that uses sock yarn so here is my work so far:

I have adjusted the pattern slightly, making the cuff longer for example and now just need to do the thumb and I will have one finished! I do worry that I won't get round to making the other one and might have to spend the whole winter with one mittened hand and one hand in my pocket.

I am still participating in September Stars on Folksy the other day I listed a fairy doormat!

a perfect accessories for my fairy doors ;-)

Here are a few other September Stars :)

An iPad case from pipdesigns

Bracelet from Jesselu

Cute envelopes from Swirlyarts

x

September Stars

2010-09-01T13:59:00.003+01:00

Where has the year gone? Can't believe it is September already, but at least the sun is still shining :-)

I have joined 'September Stars' on Folksy. It is a group where each member lists a new item a day, every day, for the entire month and then blogs/Tweets/Facebook about it. Hope it means a few wee sales and, if nothing else, will mean my shop will be stocked up in time for Christmas.

Today I have listed a set of recycled button push pins

Here are some fab items from other sellers

A Lavender Owl from Wooly Lakes

Cuddle Me baby Rabbit from Molly Moo and Jessica Too

Fab Blackboard Ring From Twinklyspangle

Needle Book from Pants and Paper

Click on the photos to vist the sellers shops (at least I hope that is what will happen!!)

x

Paaaarty!

2010-08-25T12:32:00.006+01:00

Hubbeh has had to take the good camera to work today, so I am not able to take any more improving product shots. I have, however, taken some photos today with my takes-rubbish-photos-indoors camera because my youngest son is having a birthday party on Saturday and for some mad reason I thought I would make some little fabric party bags instead of buying plastc ones. So I thought I would share some photos. I had to make them today or I would be out of time hence the rubbish shots!

I thought it would be a nice idea to have a bag that could be reused rather than the highly detailed plastic character bags which I always think would be great to reuse (for what though?) but they are always disappointingly thin and don't last. So here is my effort shown in slightly blurred photos - maybe I could call them arty??

I was quite pleased because labour aside between the fabric etc that I already owned and 'Poundland' (yay!) I managed to make and fill 12 fabric party bags for less than £10 AND I have a few sweeties left over for myself - just don't tell anyone :-)

x

Trying To Improve

2010-08-24T11:50:00.003+01:00

Well thought I would bore you all with my photos again! I have tried to take better ones but I am still not happy, I just wish they were sharper. I have updated the photos for my Cupcake badge on Folksy but might have another go tomorrow. Grrrrr.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

x

Look What I Did!

2010-08-20T12:01:00.004+01:00

Well today I actually managed to get out my things and take some new photos! If there is one thing I hate, and I am sure I have mentioned it before, is taking product shots. I am always disappointed with the results and just end up snapping away and thinking oh well that will just have to do, I know it is not the attitude but i find it difficult to get enthusiastic about it. The main thing I hate is having to get out so many bits, the room ends up in a mess and I always end up kneeling on something painful. I look at other peoples blogs and shops and think how fantastic their photos are but never think mine are up to scratch. Familiarity breeds contempt I suppose. Oh well. Here are some of the photos I took today. They will have to do :-)

I hope to list these soon in my Folksy shop, except the coffee and doughnuts because I love them too much!

x

Distraction Techniques

2010-08-18T12:06:00.002+01:00

You know when you were sitting exams and you spend more time drawing the the perfect revision timetable and *most important* colour coding it, than you actually spend on the revision part? Well I feel I am doing that.

The boys went back to school this week so I am suffering my alarm clock and the compulsion to get up early *grizzle* I am also trying (again!) to get myself into gear. I have been listing items in my Folksy shop and just yesterday, started tidying out my craft stuff. In fairness it has come to the point that there are piles and piles of useful stuff but no room in which to use it all, so I though a tidy was in order. Then I will make some more stuff. Maybe.

x

Peas Please!

2010-08-09T15:15:00.004+01:00

I have just finished my latest crochet project - some peas! This is such a cute pattern from the book Amigurumi Two! by Ana Paula Rimoli. I forgot to put something in the photos for scale but each pea is roughly tennis ball size.

I was really pleased how they turned out and my sons enjoy throwing them about, they are after all just three balls but when they are not flying through the air they get to sit in their pod looking cute :-)

Trying, I Am!

2010-07-22T18:04:00.002+01:00

Well I am still here plodding along. We have had really terrible rain for days and days and days, when the weather is miserable I really can't get worked up about anything which is a pity as there is loads I could do. I think my shops, in particular my Folksy shop is looking a little sparse. so I need to get on with taking some photos and putting up more stock. I need some daylight for that ideally.

I have managed to list some things on Ebay so I have achieved something but doesn't feel like much. Bet it will be raining when I have to visit the Post Office with my Ebay parcels though!

x

Easing Back

2010-07-17T19:36:00.002+01:00

Well I am slowly trying to ease myself back into some sort of routine, a bit difficult when the boys are off school but I can try.

I have a few ideas for some new products but they are more craft fair items than online items so I may hold off on them just now. I have ton of stuff to put up on Ebay and I am also thinking of opening a craft destash shop as the amount of craft stuff I have that just sits around is getting out if hand.

I also have some exterior house painting to do but the rain doesn't seem to stay away for long enough to get that done either!

Well that is my plans, hope everyone has a nice weekend :-)

x

Holiday Blog

2010-07-04T19:49:00.002+01:00

I am currently having a wonderful holiday with my family in Cornwall.

We have had lots of gorgeous weather I think we have been really lucky.

The internet connection I am using is very intermittent so I need to keep this brief.

Hope everyone is having fun where ever you are.

Craft Stall Photos

2010-06-22T11:42:00.004+01:00

Thought I would share some photos of my stall :-) These photos were taken at the Killearn Gala Day on 12th June. It was a lovely day, great weather and lovely people - what more could I ask? These photos were taken by my friend Suzanne of Fieldy Tweed

You will see in the photos I have managed to use my bunting from earlier on in the year, I wasn't sure if it would work or if I would be able to get it to stay on my cloth but hey it worked! You will also see the letters on the bunting that I showed you in this post so a few things came together and I finally got myself together to do another craft fair yay!

I will be closing my Folksy and Misi shops in the next couple of days as we are off on holiday soon (can't wait)

x

More Books

2010-06-09T14:09:00.004+01:00

This is another book I bought, the fantastic 'Creepy Cute' full of vampires, monsters and zombies!

Here is a Ninja I made earlier :-)

x

Birthday Books

2010-06-08T19:19:00.006+01:00

It was my birthday recently and i therefore took the opportunity to buy myself some amigurumi books :-) These are the first two:

I don't have much time for bloging just now as I am doing a craft fair on Saturday, I haven't done a craft fair for six months so I have lots of stock to make and signage to sort out!

Take care x

Sneak Preview

2010-05-25T17:24:00.003+01:00

Here is a sneak preview of a work in progress. Ideally it should have been a ta da look what I did today but due to a schoolboy error on my part I wasn't able to get any further than this:

I will just have to keep you in suspense he he.

x

Busy Doing Nothing

2010-05-14T18:26:00.005+01:00

You know when you feel you have never stopped yet there is nothing to show for your efforts? Well that is me just now.

I have had to buy a whole load of supplies to make stock for my forthcoming craft fairs - but none of it has arrived yet and I have been working for what seems like ages on a new banner but nothing I have tried looks any good.

I have had several attempts but nothing is saying YES to me just now. I was getting so frustrated that I have been browsing a few 'custom banner' packages but I am not sure if that is what I need. I love tinkering with stuff I just wish it would work ha ha. The picture in my head is great, fantastic and perfect and the image on my screen is bleaurgh!

Well I wish I had something to show you, I like blog posts with photos so instead of a crafty photo I will add a photo that I was printing up today, it was taken on holiday in Pembrokshire about seven years ago!

x

Onwards and Upwards

2010-05-11T11:13:00.003+01:00

Well well well look at me - I've booked a craft fair! It is not til October and I haven't had official confirmation so I won't give away any details in case I have to come back and deny everything. I will have to make some stock too. All good news but I keep having "oh no what have I done' moments. It will be nearly a year since I last sold anything face to face, I might be a wee bit scared eek!

I have a couple of ideas to make over my blog, I am not liking my banner anymore (I am SO fickle)and I am currently working on a wee website to tie together my blog and my shops and my contact info etc. so I am going to redesign a couple of things. Actually one of the reasons I am thinking of changing it is because my youngest son was looking over my shoulder, looking at my banner and he said is that you? - yes, how old were you? - five then he said - people will think that everything you are selling is made BY A KID! and then he skipped off like small children do, I am confident that people will appreciate that the photo is old but then I thought maybe they won't and then I thought I am not sure it works anyway as I don't have a particular retro feel to any of my items aargghhh image is SO difficult, so ....watch this space while I redo my bits and bobs AGAIN!

x

He's Finished!!

2010-05-08T20:00:00.006+01:00

I finally finished my wee bear that I made from a pattern in my new crochet book I am really pleased with him. He turned out better than I expected even though I think his arms and legs are a bit flailing! I didn't have a plastic bear nose to give him so he had to settle for a felt one instead, I also give him a wee belly button. My youngest son has taken him so he can go and live on his bed with the eleventy million small bears that already live there. He doesn't have a name. (the bear, not my son!)

x

Just Listed

2010-05-05T11:10:00.004+01:00

I have just listed this set of recycled button drawing pins on Folksy.

You can see them HERE

Also pleased that it is a sunny day today and I have my washing hung out hurrahs! I am awaiting a delivery of a garden bench too. We have cleared a bit of the garden and made it into a bit of a sheltered spot and we are now eagerly awaiting the arrival of the bench to finish it off and allow me to have cups of tea in the garden - one of my most favourite things :-) I keep obsessively checking the parcel tracking and I just know it will arrive whilst I collect the boys from school!

Hope the sun is with you today.

x

Oh Noes!

2010-05-04T19:27:00.003+01:00

Well I seem to have messed up the look of my Blog - very odd. I was tinkering (as you do) and added on template that didn't work then tried to revert back to what I had and now I seem to be stuck with half the template I want and half the template I don't - argghh! why is this so difficult?

So please excuse my look and hopefully normal service will resume. Soon.

edit: think I have fixed it now *fingers crossed*

x

New Book

2010-05-04T17:37:00.003+01:00

I am on a roll with crochet books just now! I just bought this book:

It has some really cute Amigurumi patterns in it and it uses UK crochet terms which is great for me as I am easily confused! I have started to make a bear from this book only because I don't have much yarn and the one colour that I had (nearly) a whole ball of was a beige/brown which I think suits a bear, of course he is MY bear and I could have made him any colour but I am being traditional today. I hope he turns out ok, this is the very first pattern I have followed aside from the blocks in the Art Of Crochet magazine.

x

Busy Busy

2010-04-28T12:01:00.004+01:00

Today is Wednesday but it feels like it has should be Friday. Why? I have been busy! Yes me. Not only the usual cooking and cleaning that is just perpetual in my life. I have spent a fair bit of time sorting out made by val things.

I have had a few sales recently through my online shops which has been great and given me a bit of a boost and recharged my get up and go. I hadn't sold anything for a wee while and when I checked my emails and saw the first sale I actually got a bit of a fright!

So I have sorted out all my receipts just need to square up my bank accounts and then I can do my tax return ::joy::

I have sorted out all the financial bits and bobs from the shop I sell to.

I am trying to spread out all the stock I had made for craft fairs between my various outlets although something makes me nervous about not having a craft fair stock sitting here even although I have no current intentions to do any more fairs so that is all a bit daft. I do however still have a large stock of cards that I need to sell, so I might have to concentrate on photographing and listing them.

I have also been introduced to Stumbleupon through the Folksy Forums. I have signed up, you can find me here Stumble Folksy and here Stumble Misi I appreciate all 'likes' hint hint.

Phew what else? Oh yes I bought myself a book and it arrived today - yay!

I haven't had a chance to look at it yet but I am excited hee hee.

Off to busy myself again.

Take care x

Domestic issues

2010-04-19T12:22:00.002+01:00

It is difficult when you work from home and have children to have any time off, isn't it? The boys have been off school and DH has been off work for the last two weeks. I love the boys being off school but it is difficult to have down time, I mean all the domestic stuff still needs done, the cooking , the cleaning, the tidying, I try and get them to help but so often it is easier just to do it myself. I have tried really hard to take a step back these holidays and as a direct result I have just spent actual HOURS tidying, hoovering and dusting two weeks of grime! but hey if it had been one week it would have taken me just as long.

Well the holidays are over, the weather is picking up, I have 'a list' I have 'plans' onwards and upwards off I go to conquer the world!!!......hang on, I'll just have a biscuit first...oh and maybe some tea...

x

AArgh!

2010-03-23T13:11:00.002Z

I have updated the banner on this blog and now it is waaay over to one side, what is that all about? I have had to delete my background as it just accentuated the over to the rightness of my banner. I will need to check the banner dimensions in case it is somehow too wide, but currently don't have the time. Meanwhile enjoy my new lopsided look and all the whitey space it currently brings.

In other news the Tesco.com man has just been and I now have some food to eat - yay!

x

Art Of Crochet Square 2

2010-03-23T12:44:00.004Z

Here is my second square from the Art Of Crochet magazine

I was quite pleased at how this turned out as it was a completely new stitch and technique for me. It is crocheted in shell stitch and worked up very quickly.

x

Art Of Crochet Square One

2010-03-19T11:46:00.005Z

Well here I am tentatively starting to blog my squares. Bit nervous because I am absolutely brand new to crochet and haven't shown my efforts to anyone as of yet. eek!

More info on the magazine can be found here: www.theartofcrochet.com

This is my square from issue one:

Although it was in issue one I didn't do it first because I found it really difficult! It was crocheted in alternate double and treble crochet stitches which gives a nice bobbled texture. I found it completely impossible to concentrate (no change there then!) and I kept forgetting whether I should be doing a double or treble stitch and I found it impossible to look at the fabric and work out which stitch i had just done! So this took me an age. I am quite pleased how it turned out in the end although I think it is a bit tight and the sides are not as straight as I would have liked but hey, I am just starting out :-) I do love the colour of this redcurrant yarn though.

I would love to hear from anyone else that is crocheting the "Art of Crochet' blanket and if you have any photos or blog entries to share please let me know!

x

Hello!

2010-03-18T18:30:00.002Z

Well the best laid plans ... I did have a plan, honest, part of that plan was a blog post! I know!

Three weeks ago I woke up unexpectedly in complete agony, I won't bore you with the details but I had muscle and nerve pain in my left shoulder and arm. Long story short I have been in much pain and incapacitated for the best part of three weeks. Still I have pain and numbness but I am working through it and now trying to get on, hence this new post!

As you can imagine I haven't much to show for my the last three weeks, but I have made plans.

I am going to upload more items into my Folksy shop: http://www.folksy.com/shops/madebyval so it is a bit fuller then start promoting that, I need to sort out my made by val landing page, currently it points to my Misi shop but I want to change it so it is a landing page with links to my Folksy shop, Misi shop and Blog.

We are trying to straighten out our garden and build a vegetable plot (potatoes are currently chitting!) so I might add in few gardening posts too.

This year I was determined to learn how to crochet and have actually managed it! Mainly by buying copies of the part work "The Art Of Crochet" I am really enjoying it (currently on issue 11) I have done a few searches and was hoping to find someone Blogging about their Art Of Crochet progress, I have found a few reviews of the first issue but no photos of peoples squares so I thought maybe I would blog a bit about them in case anyone is interested although I might need to crop a couple of them as they are a wee bit wonky in places :blush:

Well that is enough waffle from me, for now.

Stay safe x

Bunting!!

2010-01-29T20:20:00.003Z

When I photographed the crayon wallet yesterday I realised I had never photographed my bunting. I spoke about it before but failed to report that I actually finished it, I know! FINISHED it took me by surprise as well!! So here are a couple of photos, it is a bit sad though because I had ironed it and made it nice but I have no use for it :-( so it has sat in a heap and got all crinkled *sigh* but here it is anyway

x

Some Sewing!

2010-01-28T11:14:00.005Z

I am trying to ease myself into my crafty year. Rather than slog away and make things I am fed up making just because I know they sell, I have decided to do some 'me' crafting. For such a long time I seem only to make crafts to sell and not things I really wanted to make.

To this end I am teaching myself crochet. I have wanted to crochet for such a long time and could never get the hang of it, incredibly frustrating, so I have taken my time and gone over and over and over, now I am pleased to say I can do double and treble crochet! Still to 'master' them but I am getting there. No crochet to show on here yet (I am still learning) Hope I don't develop a yarn addiction though! (what are the chances?)

I got out my sewing machine again and made smallest son a crayon wallet:

It holds eight crayons and a notebook.

Smallest sons abstract artwork :-)

One of the things I like best about this is that I have had the fabric for ages (I think before smallest son was even born!!) and we already had the crayons and notebook, so from a few things lying around I have made a useful object. Please excuse the un-ironed fabric in the photos I don't 'do' ironing!

x

Hello

2010-01-03T19:13:00.002Z

New year, new me? Hmn not sure. I have lots of things to sort out I think, I need to work out what I am doing in my crafty life. I am at a crossroads just now, not sure whether to plunge head long into my crafty stuff and try and make lots of money (I have tried this before but didn't exactly set the world on fire!) or should I stop my business and sell off all my stuff and go back to crafting as a hobby? I realise no one but me can make this decision. There are a few things going on that will help with my decision and I realise no one but me can decide.

The boys are back to school in a couple of days, when I have some time to myself I will need to sort things out. wish me luck :-)

x

Long Time No Blog

2009-09-17T21:35:00.002+01:00

Weeeeeeellllllll I am being super rubbish at this blogging lark aren't I?

I have sold a few things through my Misi shop recently which is great, I have had a couple of custom orders too. I have recently sold lots of I Spy bags so today I cut out loads of I Spy 'blanks' which I hopefully will get made and listed early next week. I have started doing fortnightly craft fairs so that is keeping me busy too.

Sorry this is a short post just wanted to pop in in case everyone thought I had fallen off the edge of the earth :-)

x

Pony Tails

2009-08-18T12:38:00.003+01:00

Well, my labels turned out Okish but I haven't used them yet and have no photos so you will have to wait! (bet you can't stand the suspense!)

I have managed to cut out all my triangles for my bunting so that is a step forward except that I was aiming for the bunting to hang on my stall, but didn't do anything clever like working out how long that would be or indeed how many triangles I would require so I currently seem to be making bunting that is three miles long, oh wells. saga continues....

Today I manged to get all my receipts up to date which is a boring thing to share but I am so pleased I managed to actually do it rather than have the pile of receipts hanging over my head all the time.

Over the last couple of days I have been making some pony tail holders, I am quite pleased at how they have turned out, they are a great way to use up little fabric scraps.

x

New Photos

2009-08-14T16:00:00.009+01:00

Well since I last blogged I am no nearer finishing my bunting or my crochet but I have started something else! (well when you have two unfinished projects you might as well have three, right?) I am attempting to make some fabric labels with my logo on them, no idea if they will turn out or not but thought I would try anyway. I will keep you posted.

I have some new product shots to share with you too, I have been working on these today.

Hope you like them. All available in my Misi Shop! (except the cards :-)) )

x

So Long!

2009-08-10T16:59:00.005+01:00

Gah! it has been so long since I blogged. I have been doing lots of bits but nothing major.

I am in the middle of two projects one has been going on for ages which is trying to teach myself to crochet, I have mastered the slip knot and single crochet but can't get the hang of double crochet. I was using a book and the steps aren't very clear so I am getting a bit confused (nothing new there!) I have borrowed two 'How To Crochet' books from the library in the hope that they will have better instructions than my book, but haven't yet had the time to look at them, I have already had them for two weeks!!

My second project is some fabric bunting. Not sure why but I have wanted to make some for absolute ages, not sure what I am going to do with it if it ever gets finished as I am making it pink and girly so can't use it in the boys room. I might just use it to decorate my craft stall at fairs. I have just been staying at my mums for the weekend, she is a quilter so everytime I go I sneek away some of her fabric stash! I have my bunting triangles marked out but that is all.

I only have one more week until the boys are back at school so I am trying to make the most of having no schedule.

Have just listed these button push pins on Misi if you want a looky!

Click Here To Visit My Misi Shop - Thanks!

x

I'm Back!

2009-07-20T18:18:00.003+01:00

I am back from a wonderful holiday in Brittany. I have enjoyed the break and survived over two weeks without internet access. I am refreshed and rearing to go! Well my mind is buzzing with crafty ideas but my body is still in a relaxed do-it-tomorrow mode! It is a local bank holiday here today so there is still a weekend feel to the day.

I am going to try and crack on with some stuff from tomorrow, working carefully around the boys of course, but I usually manage to get more done with them around, strangely, as I can get stuck into things without having to clock watch and do school runs all day!

I have bought some more resin so I am going to make some more bottlecap magnets, I will probably make a giant batch so I don't need to keep going back to the fume mask. I love the result of resin but I hate the fumes!

I need to get stock sorted out for the shops I supply and add more stock to my Misi shop and look at other selling avenues. I also need to book up craft fairs for the rest of the year, but hey thats tommorow. x

New Things

2009-06-08T15:40:00.006+01:00

As I was gathering things together to sell at my Craft Fair last Saturday, I had a sudden strike of inspiration and created some fairy post to go with my fairy doors! They are mini envelopes and mini sheets of paper so your fairy can write to you or you can write to your fairy! I am selling them in a pack of three envelopes and paper or you can buy "Tooth Fairy Post" which contains 25 envelopes and 25 sheets of paper, one for each tooth and few extra!

I don't have a photo of the tooth fairy post yet.

I did a craft fair on Saturday. I did really well even although it was a bit slow to start with. Thank you if you called by. My glass pebble hair grips did especially well so I will need to make a few more before my next fair on 20th June.

x

Heart To Heart

2009-05-28T21:18:00.004+01:00

I made these tonight they are something that I have been meaning to make for ages. Last year I gathered the lavender from our plants and dried it but didn't do anything with it. So most of it has been sitting in a freezer bag awaiting attention so finally I have made these little hearts and they look so much better than a grotty old freezer bag! I made one for myself and one for my mum :-)

x

Big and Small

2009-05-27T13:35:00.003+01:00

I made some cards today using some big and small Russian doll images. They are quite popular at the moment so I thought I would give them a go.

As usual I am not too sure about them, I am more a minimalist card maker and I don't usually use this much colour but I will see if they grow on me.

I am still not sure if they should have a greeting on them or not. Some people will buy a card without a greeting as it is versatile to have at the ready but many won't buy them in case their friend etc. thinks they have forgotten their birthday and just sent them a card they had in! You can't win. Maybe I will put greetings on some of them and leave the others blank :-)

x

See?

2009-05-25T19:26:00.002+01:00

I am being so rubbish at this Blogging lark!

I am hoping to pick myself up with my craft stuff this week. The boys have had so many days off school for holidays (May is just peppered with them!) I haven't felt I have done very much or indeed had the time to do very much this month, but actually it is all really just an excuse isn't it?

I now have all my receipts sorted, so I can do my tax return, it would be good to get that out of the way, I have a plan to reduce the amount of stuff I take to craft fairs too. I don't drive so rely on walking and lifts to get me places, so I thought perhaps if I was able to reduce the stuff I take to fit into a suitcase rather than the boxes on trolley arrangement I have now that I might be able to take the odd bus or train, we have quite a good local train network, I really should use it more.

I have been in contact with a Craft Fair organiser so I need to sort out some dates and get back on that track again.

Oh and I need to make more stock. The boys are back to school tomorrow so I will make another list and erm, ignore it :-D

x

Need Motovation

2009-05-05T17:05:00.002+01:00

I really need to "get on" I have done very little crafting this year, the main reason is probably the lack of fairs, usually I do a couple a month but this year I haven't booked so many, in fact I have only done one fair this year although I do sell in a couple of shops and online places.

I have booked a fair for 6th June so I need to sort out my stock and compile (another!!) to do list. I am turning making lists into an art form.

I also need to round up all my receipts and submit my tax return. A direct result of doing so little fairs means I have made little money this tax year (at least between Jan -April) so I don't want to do my tax return as it will be so weedy although it might give me an incentive to get out and make more dough!

I also want to photograph some of my cards. I find this an almost impossible task, making white cards look white and not yellow or blue. This would enable me to add some to my Misi shop too.

Well I have now sorted out what I need to do, the boys go back to school tomorrow so I will start on my crafting chores then. I will let you know how I get on or not as the case may be :-)

x

More Recycling

2009-04-29T11:24:00.009+01:00

Thought I would have a go at another crafty recycling project. This time using Capri Sun juice pouches!

It was a much faster project than the sweetie wrapper bracelet. This one is a prototype because, as can be seen in the photograph, I managed to cut through the front of this pouch before it even got near the sewing machine. doh!

My five year old stole this one immediately after I had made it to keep 'stuff' in. I had to steal it back to take the photos!

It is the perfect size for bank cards and loose change and, it turns out, small items needed only by a small child :-)

I am thinking of booking a craft fair for June so I think I will make a few more to sell there, might even add one to my Misi shop I think they are quite quirky.

Would like to say thank you to my followers and commenter's (is that even a word?) it is lovely to hear from you :-)

x

All Revealed!

2009-04-25T23:41:00.003+01:00

This is what I made with my wrappers, a bracelet!

I had a crazy notion that I could make these to sell, but I found it such a tedious process, that I don't think I could make another one, which is to the dismay of my sons who enjoyed emptying the wrappers!!

x

Sneek Preview

2009-04-24T18:28:00.004+01:00

I am about to embark on a craft recycling project, so here is a sneek preview..........

Can you tell what it is yet? (I hope you read that in your best Rolf Harris voice!)

x

Hello Again!

2009-04-22T19:44:00.001+01:00

Well here I am again. I have decided to start a new blog in a new home. When I switched from my own site to using www.madebyval.misi.co.uk I couldn't take my blog with me, but I was starting to miss it, despite being an irregular poster, so thought I would crack open a Blogger blog until I can host my own one again.

I have a Blog atached to my Misi shop I will probably just double post on both. I will see how it goes, anyway thats all from me just now, off to investigate widgets :-)

x