Happy Easter!

Blown egg made by the Tinker (3)

Have you decorated eggs this year?

What do you think of this?

Copyright of eierbaum-saalfeld.de

Please do pop over to Oddity Central to see more and be inspired for future Easter projects!

Fab!

 

A quick update!

As the weeks pass I am becoming more and more conscious that time is flying (and that I keep saying this!!!)!  I can't believe it is April, and that nearly a week and a half has passed since my last post!  The weather hasn't helped!  Quite a bit of time has been spent out in the garden, a bit of tidying has occurred, but lots of basking has been going on.  How fabulous it has been being able to sit outside and enjoy the sun!  Anyway, we're off to stop with my brother next week, so I thought I'd better catch up before we go!

Over the past few weekends I have done a few workshops.

The first was a couple of weekends ago when I ran a printing workshop with the Chorley Contemporary Crafters group and showed them how to do some relief printing using polystyrene.  You can read more about that here in their blog post.

The second was with an eight year old (and her mum), where she learnt how to use a sewing machine, cut around templates, and made herself some pretty bunting for her room.

She laid her flags on the floor, and grouped them exactly how she wanted them (despite a few protests from mum who had her own ideas!  It's so hard to stand back sometimes isn't it?!)

She soon got into the groove, and as my machine has the option to go very slow (even if you have your foot right down), it is ideal when showing people how to use a machine.


I am now really looking forward to a Make and Do after school club that I will be running at a local school after Easter!

This week I have been frantically getting orders together.  The first one I was working on was for Piccolo Bambino, a gorgeous shop selling some beautiful things for little ones, and that now have some lovely bandana bibs in stock!

Then I did a bit more work on an order for Ellie Magpie, which is due to open in Prestwich, Manchester after the Easter break.  I made...

... Mr & Mrs pillowcases...



(these will be on sale as single pillowcases so that people can mix and match as they choose)

... and some of my lovely pear tea towels.




Today, I suddenly realized that we really should do something for Easter, so we set to work with some eggs.  I taught my daughter the art of egg blowing, and we covered them in tissue and pva/water solution to make them stronger and easier to paint.  This will be done tomorrow (or Good Friday depending on how we do for time tomorrow!!!)

I also managed to squeeze in a little bit of chick making!!! 

Oh, and did I tell you I did the biggest ironing pile I have ever seen... I swear I will never let my ironing get on top of me like that again!!!

Have a lovely week everyone.  Get some egg painting done, and if you fancy making an Easter hat, this is one we made last year!

  

Softies for softies!!!!

Thought I would share my new collection of Softies. All ready to be found new homes. I actually finished them last week, but have only just managed to get my camera out. They are just lovely. Unfortunately you can't squeeze one..... they are sooooo cuddly (I stuff them with lambswool for extra cuddlability). I sold quite a number at Craft Fairs & parties just before Christmas because people (women in particular!) couldn't put them down once they had picked them up. One woman came back the following month to buy another because she wanted a friend for her first one!!!! I also give them names. I've just been sat here with my dictionary of first names deciding what each of them is going to be called. It's like choosing names for my babies again (without interference from my hubby!!!!). He he... just remembered another lady at the last fair I did. I had to read her each of the female bunny's names whilst she cooed over each one of them before deciding which would be going home with her. Her fella stood very patiently, rolling his eyeballs from time to time!!!

My softies are however looking for new homes, and will be going up on my esty shop later on in the week. Click here to see them.