a sale and a plan

I have a short break from chewing guard while the children and Jason take Ash or, as he has been rechristened, 'Mr Posh Paws' (as he hates putting his feet in puddles, although he will happily swim in deep pools on the beach) out for a walk so I thought I would let you know that I am having a sale over in my folksy shop and I just thought I would let you all know as there are bargains to be had over there at the moment.

And I have a plan, I have had plans before and they have sometimes amounted to nothing but I am determined with my prospective new year's resolution to follow this plan through.  It involves six free embroidery patterns during 2012 which will come together (hopefully) into a sort of end project.  More about that at the end of January.  Hmm I actually meant to type 'the beginning of January' is my subconscious already trying to scupper my grand plan!  It will be at the beginning, I'm not promising the first of January, that may be a bit much even for my newly resolved self.  But definitely the beginning.  I promise!

x

I am also having a sale in my etsy shop and my Luulla shop 

Merry christmas

we have finally started the happy season with Montol, a Penzance solstice festival of guise

the main thing is to be masked or in disguise so all those familiar local faces disappear behind masks and we are all quite disoriented

we take lanterns through the town and up to an old fort above Penzance where a beacon is lit.  There are fire dancers and strange disguised morris dancers

and afterwards the home edders came back for mulled wine and chilli in baked potatoes.  This and Mousehole christmas lights always make me feel christmassy

and then the last minute christmas making can begin.  Every year I tell myself  'next year will be different' and every year my sewing machine is buzzing away on christmas eve!  But this year it was accompanied by the most delicioussy peanut butter cookies I have ever tasted in my life...  honestly.  And they come from this gorgeous book that my lovely sister sent me

because she is lucky enough to live near San Francisco where this beautiful and apparently 'most charming' pastry shop lives.  Because I can't visit Miette we did a deal, she went to Miette for me and took a photo and I went to the Tinners arms in Zennor for a pint of cider for her.  But she went a step further and sent this beautiful book that means I am going out to buy tiny tartlet tins and miniature cake tins so we can make all the beauteous bounty within its pages

aside from eating biscuits I was also sewing today (yes christmas eve, a little late as usual!).  Stockings

Using this cute reindeer pattern for decoration on them

this is as far as I had got when I realised it was (only just) still light enough to photograph but I assure you they are now finished and I have cracked open the Baileys.

So a Merry Christmas to all of you and thank you for all your lovely comments over the year, it's so lovely to have crafting conversations with people from all over the world, I am always a little overwhelmed by the incredibleness of the internet and all the wonderful people it puts me in touch with

x

just browsing

Thank you for all the lovely comments about dogs, it seems as though we made the right decision as he has been a truly lovely addition to our home (and I've lost about half a stone since we got him!).

Because I've had a bit of browsing time today I'm going to share a few lovely shops with lovely things in them



I'll begin with this cool bag shop Uniquely Different on folksy, she has absolutely loads of great bags with gorgeous images on them




I absolutely love dot pebbles, I have knitted her dolls many times as presents for girl cousins and my own girl and now I've seen the pattern for this lovely doll in her etsy shop that I am most tempted by!




This beautiful little bird brooch is by buttercup boutique at folksy I just love the print and the colours




This mountain brooch is something I adore but have seen a little too late to give christmas hints about so I've saved it in my Etsy favourites ready for some birthday hints in the summer.  It's from pannikin






Another little object I am completely in love with, in fact I am in love with everything in La Boom's shop on Luulla and am hoping for a little christmas money to spend there after christmas!




and last but most definitely not least some beautiful embroidery patterns over at sewjenaissance over at Luulla.

If I'm honest (and I had the time) I could go on all day about all the lovely shops I've added to my favourites over the last week but I will let it rest with these and go feed that lovely dog

My excuse

Here is the main reason that I am still a bad blogger, a new addition to our family.  Ash is 8 months old and came to us from a family who loved him very dearly but could no longer give him the attention he needed.  It has taken us a whole year to come to the final decision on having a dog and Ash turned up at just the right moment

He is a beautiful whippet, gentle friendly and a little bit chewy.  I don't think he will suffer from lack of attention in our house, in fact I may have to take Annis out just so he can get some rest!  I've never had a dog before and am slightly overwhelmed but he is just so lovely.  

I would also love to show you some of the commissions I have been working on, one in particular but I think I'll have to wait until after christmas to be on the safe side!  As I am typing my partner has just informed our eighteen year old son that there is no father christmas!  I think it must be time for bed now

a busy time of the year

Oh there's no way I'm going to be a regular blogger at the moment.  The problem is when I'm busy I have lots to blog about and no time to blog then when I'm not busy I don't have so much to say!  

well the girls are all hooped up and ready for embroidering 

and I'm busy with Christmas commissions

this photo is just because I'm really pleased with her shoes and legs (patting myself on the back there I think!)

and we've even done Jane Asher's last minute Christmas cake, although I hope my mum doesn't read this post as she patiently typed out her Mary Berry Christmas cake recipe but we ended up leaving it so late that I daren't risk making it, although I have to admit I'm not sure what happens if you don't leave a fruit cake to mature.

As usual when I am busy I have lots of new ideas buzzing around in my head!  The paper dolls are still up there along with fabric dolls and lots more patterns and a bit more Photoshop training with my clever son.  If only there were more hours in the day, days in the week...

I always have lots of crafting plans for January, it means I don't feel low when the quiet of post Christmas finally arrives.  Do you have plans for that post Christmas lull when it's okay to be indoors and crafty?

Luulla

Today I am sharing Luulla with you.  It is a marketplace similar to Etsy and Folksy but it is soooooo pretty! luulla's facebook page regularly shares beautiful inspiring images so if you love prettiness it's well worth a look.



 
these are a few gorgeous christmassy items from just some of the shops on Luulla.  But there are many of my favourites that I've mentioned here before caroline rose art and little black heart and gingermelon and me!to name but a few.So pop over for some prettiness to brighten up your day