picciolo

boxes of colour

2012-01-28T16:28:00.002Z

Over the christmas holidays I tidied and sorted the boxes of embroidery thread that were my grandads as I've been using them more and more. It's lovely to make use of them, and lots of the little cards have his handwriting on. I also had lots of fun with Holly in the haberdashery choosing lots and lots of new colours to fill them up, this is one of the boxes. I've also been back to the shop and bought even more that don't quite fit in yet... : )

a hint of spring

2012-01-22T17:23:00.003Z

Lots of shoots are starting to appear in the garden, the first little signs that Spring is hopefully not too far away. Hooray! We planted 11 different types of daffodil and narcissus last year, and lots of crocuses, I can't wait for them to appear. I've also been very busy behind the scenes at a very exciting project, once it is finalised I can reveal all, this new cushion is a tiny part of it, I must admit I love this large feather... : )

Make your bag stand out from the crowd

2012-01-16T20:31:00.003Z

A second new bag charm is now available, in blue! They can also be used as keyrings but I must admit I am becoming quite attached to having it on my bag. Then again they are very tactile and feel nice in your hand too… you decide! : )

sale time!!

2012-01-12T18:43:00.003Z

Come on over and grab some half price bargains!! Not many left...

: )

feathers, felt & fleece

2012-01-09T20:18:00.002Z

I'm gradually getting back to my feathers after making a few Christmas presents! The alphabet below was for my niece, and I also made a little fleece bag for her to keep all the letters in.

Holly wanted to help too, so she was in charge of sewing the letter 'D', and what a great job she did. She also decided she needed a little fleece bag too, so the next night I made her this purple one. Don't you just love the Red Riding Hood ribbon? My sister gave it to me a long time ago and it has been waiting for the right project!

: )

christmas toes

2012-01-04T16:32:00.004Z

Just one of the things we got up to over the holidays!

: )

yum

2011-12-19T21:59:00.002Z

Part of our weekend was spent assembling this little gingerbread house (we nearly had a disaster as the roof threatened to slide off) and lots of christmassy biscuits to give to Holly's teachers. What fun! And somehow we made loads of biscuits so there are some left for us too. Yum.

: )

new!

2011-12-16T17:51:00.002Z

Today I have had a much needed day off, which included christmas shopping and a back massage. Luckily the massage was after the shopping! I also managed to take some photos of my newest item while it was daylight, I'm really happy with it and want to keep one myself so tonight I am planning on sewing some more, I can't wait. This little feather keyring/bag charm can be found here.

: )

london

2011-12-11T20:41:00.003Z

Holly and I had a day out in London yesterday, and we packed in lots of christmas shopping, a time machine bus tour, (which was brilliant) hot chocolate, chair-o-planes on Regent Street and a look at the big christmas tree in Trafalgar Square. What we weren't expecting were the literally hundreds of people dressed as Father Christmas in Trafalgar Square, it was crazy! We got given chocolates and christmas hugs, I don't know why there were so many Santas but it was certainly christmassy!!

: )

presents

2011-12-06T20:56:00.003Z

This cheeky chap is my first ever attempt at a sock dog, I think he turned out quite cute - I hope the person he is intended for thinks so on Chrismas morning.

And at last I have updated my folksy shop for all of you in the UK, check out some new things here!

: )

made it, flaunt it

2011-12-02T11:12:00.001Z

Have you seen this new website? Go and take a peek, lots of fabulous things to see : )

christmas is coming

2011-11-28T21:01:00.005Z

This new little kraft moleskine is now available here, the colours in this one are one of my favourites I think! And as Chrsitmas is getting closer I have started on presents, this stack of felt and fabric is hopefully on its way to becoming a gift. : )

New original artworks, leaves and feathers

2011-11-22T16:40:00.004Z

I’ve been a busy bee lately, my creative head seems to be resurfacing after being filled to bursting with other things, and here are some of the results. The first of a new set of original fabric artworks, no two will ever be the same. I transfer my designs onto soft white denim and then hand stitch with a mix of embroidery cottons, I love the texture and colour that the stitches bring. Each one is approx. A4 in size, and fit the aperture of my 8x10 frame (shown in the pictures).

These two are available here, more on the way very soon. : )

soft stars

2011-11-19T16:22:00.002Z

The last few soft star decorations will be appearing in my etsy shop soon, these two are there now, click here

: )

feathers

2011-11-14T20:56:00.003Z

The first of some brand new picciolo items, a return of the moleskine!

This handy little moleskine 'volant' cahier notebook has a unique handstitched feather on the front. The feather design has been transfered onto soft white denim, then hand sewn, with the edges slightly frayed to complete the look. This first one is listed here, more colours will be following soon. A perfect stocking filler, no two of these notebooks will be the same and would be a one of a kind present!

: )

It worked!!

2011-11-07T16:27:00.003Z

The birthday rainbow cake was a success!! I'm so pleased (and relieved). Holly was very excited and cutting it was a bit scary as I had lots of people looking on, but it turned out even better than I had hoped. Phew!! : )

(Gel/paste food colourings are amazing and well worth the money, and edible glitter is too good to resist, as you can see I certainly didn't, the top of the cake was super glittery!!) Well, you are only 9 once!)

autumn running

2011-10-22T17:09:00.004+01:00

I must admit to stopping whilst out running to snap these pictures of autumn approaching!

: )

colourful cakes

2011-10-16T21:33:00.002+01:00

Colour tests took place today for a certain little girls birthday cake, we were very happy with the results, but unfortunately just had to eat them. (yum)

: )

2011-10-02T21:03:00.003+01:00

So, we painted our pots! Lots of fun was had, lots of concentration and lots of colour mixing.

Other highlights of my weekend: the summery sunshine and temperatures, getting wet on a log flume, seeing percy the pufferfish at the aquarium, turfing part of the garden, dancing the night away in a new dress (that I made! I will take some pictures), going for a run, a lovely roast lunch, Holly dressed as minnie mouse for a fancy dress party, and cleaning the oven. (Well, it can't all be fun!)

: )

pots

2011-09-27T20:39:00.002+01:00

Holly and I have been very excited over the summer about starting a ceramics course especially for families. Then the day before it was due to start last week I got a phone call to say it had been cancelled. But we didn't let that stop us! I bought some air drying clay and we had a go at pinch pots on the dining room table, these are our results, waiting to be painted.

: )

My nan

2011-08-26T20:36:00.001+01:00

It's been a very sad week this week, I can't find the words but my sister has explained why over here. : (

2011-08-19T21:39:00.002+01:00

Four little foldable fabric boxes, off on their travels to a new home on the other side of the world : )

after and before

2011-08-01T14:55:00.004+01:00

Using some oilcloth and lots of glue I now have this lovely bench in the garden, this is what it looked like before. : )

2011-07-27T09:54:00.004+01:00

There have been some major changes around here lately. I don't want to go into details but I am trying to get this show back on the road. Virtual hugs gratefully accepted!

A royal wedding

2011-05-01T19:12:00.005+01:00

Holly and I joined the crowds in London on Friday to soak up the atmosphere from the royal wedding, what a great day (and sore feet) we had. We started off here, on Parliment Street, not far from Westminster Abbey. We also walked round to Trafalgar Square and saw the big screens, did some shopping and ended up on The Mall just in time for the fly past. And as it was my birthday too, macaroons to bring home were a must! : )

Easter fun

2011-04-26T15:37:00.004+01:00

We had Holly's cousin over to stay for a night this weekend, as has become a little tradition at Easter. I send them on an Easter egg hunt, we make and bake lots of Easter things and they have lots of the usual sleepover fun too. The only downside was that the weather was too hot for the chocolate easter nests we made to travel anywhere in the car, so we had to keep all of them... yum! (And the ranunculus' at the top were from my husband, they are the most beautiful colour) : )

new part two

2011-04-18T14:21:00.006+01:00

Full range now available here. I can't decide which is my favourite, this is the one I have worn the most so far, with some of my summer tops and dresses that have been making an appearance now that the weather is warming up! : )

NEW! - diamonds and triangles

2011-04-14T15:09:00.006+01:00

Brand new Spring/summer collection! Find out more about the first designs here, the other colourways in the main photo will follow very soon! : )

3rd prize!!

2011-04-08T16:26:00.004+01:00

These beautiful eggs are the results from this kit which I have long admired on etsy. Holly had a school easter egg competition and we thought this would be perfect, she had great fun wrapping the eggs, with a little bit of help from me to make sure the fabric was tight. And today she found out that she came third, so I have one happy little girl. : )

Spring is here!

2011-04-05T13:07:00.008+01:00

I couldn't resist showing you some of the lovely daffodils/narcissi we have had in the garden over the last couple of weeks. This is their first year, and Holly helped to choose the 12 varieties we planted so we have been eagerly waiting for them all to bloom so we could decide our favourites. But then my frittilaries flowered and (almost) blew the daffodils away with their beautiful flowers. Which do you prefer? : )

coral and cakes

2011-03-30T21:04:00.004+01:00

I've been busy taking pictures and baking cakes - well muffins - raspberry and white chocolate to be precise! And, at long last I have some new items on the way, coming soon! : )

In stitches

2011-03-23T19:57:00.006Z

Do you remember this quilt that I made for Holly last summer? At the time I intended to frame a leftover piece of Heather Ross's 'Princess and the Pea' fabric to hang in her room but never quite got round to it, I came across it again recently and decided to embroider it too. Then I got carried away and bought a piece of the matching 'Rapunzel' fabric to make a pair, and here they are all framed and hung above her cute little fireplace. : )

Help Japan

2011-03-18T15:34:00.013Z

My sister is taking part in the Japan Quake appeal raffle and has donated a wonderful prize, have you seen it? What a wonderful way to give to a very deserving cause, have you been and had a browse at what you could win? : )

They're done!

2011-03-10T13:53:00.011Z

My 'I can't afford these beautiful Anthropologie curtains so I will make my own version using my old curtains' curtains are done! What do you think? I am so happy with them, they now look thick and luxurious and seem to finish off the room. And it's great to have been able to use some of my most favourite fabrics too. : )

mmmm...

2011-03-03T14:04:00.002Z

I have a weakness for macaroons, I think they are absolutely delicious. Stuart and Holly made me some for Christmas, but they are long gone so Holly and I attempted to make some last weekend. It did take a few hours but we ended up with these, they don't look bad for a first attempt and they taste really good!
: )

a little holiday

2011-02-25T18:24:00.005Z

Holly and I made the most of half term this week and spent a few days with family in Plymouth, Devon, leaving poor Stuart at home and going to work. (hehe) Despite it being February we managed to get up onto Dartmoor for a walk, and got very close to some Dartmoor ponies which Holly loved. As usual the time went too quickly and now we are home again, but tonight I am looking forward to getting stuck into tacking these swatches for my curtains! : )

2011-02-17T20:11:00.001Z

A little bit of sunshine in a grey February : )

coveting curtains

2011-02-11T16:26:00.008Z

These beautiful fabric swatch curtains are from Anthropologie and I have been admiring them for a few months now with a particular room in mind. I had thought that we would only need one panel at the smallest size, which meant I was secretly (ok not so secretly) hoping we might get one of the panels. But on closer inspection and actually measuring I realized that we would actually need two panels at the longest size, which = a lot of money for curtains. !! So then I got to thinking, and I have now embarked on making my own version. The curtains we have in the room already are cream so I am using them as the base, then I had a lot of fun shopping for the fabrics to use as the swatches. At the moment I am not having quite so much fun pinning my navy borders on, but once that is done I can get to the fun bits! : )

All squared out

2011-02-07T16:44:00.004Z

Do you remember the cashmere squares I had in this post? Well I finished the cushion a little while ago but only managed to take some pictures at the weekend - roll on lighter evenings! It ended up being a joint effort, with Holly having lots of fun stuffing the insert, and then promptly commandeering the cushion for her use. I love how the two sides have a totally different feel with the different colour combinations, and can you believe I had the perfect size zip in the perfect colour just sitting waiting! How often does that happen? It now sits in pride of place on one of our sofas (when Holly isn't around). : )

End of sale!!

2011-02-03T19:41:00.003Z

These soft stars are all packed up ready to go to the post office tomorrow, be quick if you want to grab a bargain too as the half price silly sale in my etsy store will be ending tomorrow evening at 6pm uk time!!

2011-01-27T10:53:00.003Z

This little box should have arrived at its destination now, I love it when people make their own combination choices! : )

wonderful prizes and cheeky monkeys

2011-01-22T18:32:00.003Z

Would you believe it, we have just got home from going to a roller disco, yes I've been on roller skates again after too many years to remember! But it was great fun and gave Holly a good chance to practice as we gave her roller skates for Christmas. But I am definitely tired now! Where did the title of this post come from? Well the monkey in question (disclaimer: I'm not sure if it was the actual monkey in this photo, they move very quickly and all look the same) made me laugh, a lot. We were in the squirrel monkey walk at the zoo where you are in the cage with them, and I was taking photos when I felt a little 'tug' at one of my jeans pockets. I looked down and there was a cheeky monkey trying to take things out of my pocket! It was very funny - he didn't get anything by the way! And the wonderful prize? Well that would be this gorgeous banner and pencils that I won from Earmark for coming up with a name for the banner. It is beautiful and very well made, mine says 'Happy Birthday' and I'm sure that it will last for a long time and be well used - thank you! : )

squares

2011-01-13T18:53:00.003Z

I've been lacking in having a project on the go since Christmas, so when I remembered these lovely squares I decided it was time to use them. (The new fabric hasn't worked out what it wants to be yet). A friend gave them to me at least a year ago, and they they were too gorgeous to cut up. I have two strips each with 41 squares, they are fabric samples but are going to end up as a cushion cover - that's the plan anyway! So far I have worked out my design, made myself cut them into lengths, and pinned it all together. The second two photos are rubbish as I had to take them in the evening before I went onto the next stage, but the top one gives a good indication of the beauiful colours. Now I plan to handstitch the strips together, but I haven't decided yet whether this will be the front for a squarish cushion or both sides of a smaller rectangle. It's nice to have a project that evolves as it goes along! : )

silly sale

2011-01-10T14:37:00.003Z

Lots of lovely uk etsians are taking part in another silly sale. Here is a treasury I have created with some of the beautiful bargains to be had, and click here to visit the HALF PRICE silly sale section of the picciolo etsy shop!

: )

2011-01-06T19:33:00.002Z

After nearly a week of feeling rubbish I am finally on the mend. So it is time to catch up with lots of neglected chores at home, and hopefully get started with making some new items. Just before christmas I treated myself to this fabric, I love it and ended up getting most of the colours available as I couldn't decide between them. I think I need to keep looking at them for a while though until I am certain what they want to be made into! : )

new year, new fabric

2011-01-02T18:06:00.002Z

Unlucky me - New Year's Eve was a washout as I've been ill (still recovering)

Lucky me - I got some lovely new fabric for Christmas! (thanks sisterini)

: )

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T16:48:00.003Z

Happy Christmas everyone! I hope you have a wonderful holiday season. Christmas Eve has been busy for us so far, lots of cleaning, present wrapping, cooking (fudge) and visiting, but now I have decided to stop all chores and start christmas. Hooray!

: )

mmm...tunis cake!

2010-12-19T15:43:00.002Z

Does anyone else remember Tunis Cake? I don't mean the poor copies now sold at Christmas by the supermarkets, but the original McVities one that we used to have years ago? Anyway, Holly and I found a recipe and made an attempt at making our own. Pouring the chocolate onto the top to set was fun, and Holly spent ages making the marzipan fruits. (Two have been eaten already). Tunis cake means it must be nearly Christmas!

: )

home for pins - orange

2010-12-16T19:54:00.002Z

Finally! This little pincushion is now listed here, I know it took me a long time, it's that hectic time of year again already! How are your chritmas preparations going? I'm getting there slowly... : )

2010-12-12T17:56:00.002Z

Look where I was on Friday - up in a helicopter flying over London! It was an amazing experience, especially for someone not great with heights! And a selection of picciolo items have been featured in these lovely treasuries. : )

2010-12-05T17:40:00.002Z

The snow we had this week caused a few disruptions to our finely tuned schedule, as I'm sure it did to everyone else in the UK! Some good ones were having extra time at home, (Hollys dance class cancelled) leaving work early (no after-school club) and making a snowman, and Holly was the only one to get to her swimming class so it was like a private lesson! That certainly wore her out. The down sides were frozen brakes on my bike and lots of slippery ice everywhere. But it has all gone now, ready for the start of another week. : )

2010-11-30T16:46:00.003Z

Christmas preparations are getting underway in our house, I am trying to get sorted early this year so that it doesn’t get so stressful nearer the time. That’s the plan anyway! I am also trying to restock my shop, it has been down to just two ‘homes for pins’ for a long while now, so I spent some enjoyable time this past weekend choosing and selecting new fabric and colour combinations. There are three new ones in the pipeline, this is the first one, (they are double sided) which has been listed here. : )

parcels

2010-11-23T16:41:00.005Z

Its been another busy week here and all my good intentions on the blogging front have fallen by the wayside. But I’m here now, and this is the latest parcel being sent on its way for the purchaser to give as a Christmas present. Talking of which, have you started/finished your Christmas shopping yet? I am still reeling from the realisation earlier today that it is December next week, how did that happen? I have some new ‘homes for pins’ underway at the moment in new colour combinations, lots of pieces waiting to be sewn together, which will hopefully make it into the shop in the next few days. And I mustn’t forget the leaf pins either! : )

NEW! Mini ceramic & metal leaf decorations/tags

2010-11-16T16:11:00.003Z

Do you remember a little while ago I showed you a little peek at some new work in progress? Well since then my ideas have gone off in two different directions, the first yet to be realized and the second is here! What more could you need to add some delicate sparkle to your Christmas tree, presents, or in fact anywhere around the house than these little ceramic pieces? And they could in fact be used all year round as the decorations are not specific Christmas motifs. They come in a set of three with a choice of two shapes – round or rectangular, and are ready-strung with gold thread. AVAILABLE HERE NOW. Each set is made to order so if you would like a larger set/different combination of shapes/patterns then that would be no problem.

: )

Last weekend of half price!

2010-11-11T13:55:00.004Z

On Monday all currently listed picciolo Christmas items will be returning to their normal price, so stop by between now and then to grab a half price bargain while you still can! Click here Also, Holly was eight at the weekend, yes – 8 already!! We spent the day at a friends wedding, which was alright with her as she got to wear a beautiful dress all day, have fun watching a childrens entertainer, eat delicious food, do lots of dancing and go to bed late in a lovely hotel. She even got given a birthday cake, and all the wedding guests sang happy birthday! Eight must be a good age to be! : )

2010-11-08T16:12:00.003Z

Amongst all our rushing around lately I have been trying to enjoy some of the beautiful autumnal colours that are everywhere at the moment. The first image here was taken on a Sunday morning walk this weekend, and the next one whilst in a queue for a ride at Disneyland Paris about 10 days ago. : )

Disneyland Paris!

2010-11-02T16:27:00.004Z

I am still trying to catch up with my blog reading after a whirlwind week which included a three day visit to Disneyland Paris. We had an amazing and very tiring time, on one of the days we were in the parks for 12 hours, by then Stuart and I were shattered but Holly was still going! While we watched one of the shows the Disneyland castle was constantly changing colour, doesn’t it look pretty? : )

Pieces

2010-10-27T09:11:00.004+01:00

A little glimpse of some freshly cut pieces for a custom order.

: )

2010-10-21T15:25:00.007+01:00

Well it's been another busy week which has included a party and a migraine, some gardening and running, costume making and cooking, and all the other usual day-to-day tasks. But I have started to turn my thoughts to Christmas (ahh!), this pic shows part of a thought process in action which may or may not come to anything! And I have popped the new box above into the shop here, in an attempt to add to the choice as other boxes have gone off to new homes. : )

Autumn blooms

2010-10-15T18:36:00.002+01:00

Despite it being the middle of October our garden is blooming, here are a few quick shots I took earlier, it is a shame the weather means we aren't in the garden more to enjoy them! : )

Corners

2010-10-08T15:17:00.003+01:00

Our house is a constant renovation project, but I feel that I have recently managed to turn a couple of corners into feeling more like home. First up is this corner of our landing, which is just big enough for this little armchair which I bought from Ikea especially.(OK, so I found it in the catalogue and then had to go the very next day to get it!) On it sits a cushion I made about 10 years ago from an old fleece dress and a denim jacket that had seen better days, and on the wall is one of my favourite pictures, by Angie Lewin. Yes we still need a carpet and to finish all the woodwork, but this is now a lovely little reading corner in an otherwise unused space. It makes me very happy! And secondly this wall is in our bedroom, which still needs to be replastered etc etc but it has made such a difference putting some of my pictures on the wall. My favourite is the frame containing the flower and leaf tiles – my dad made the frame and mounted them for me, isn’t it just gorgeous? : )

Silly Sale!!

2010-10-07T14:12:00.009+01:00

Hello, yes I am still here! The last few weeks have been very busy and something had to give, unfortunately it was my poor little blog. We have been busy with home renovations (a new shower room, still in progress) and getting to grips with Holly’s new workload from junior school. (Lots more reading, spellings and times tables!) But I have managed to get back into the swing of things in time for the Uk etsy members Silly Sale! This officially starts tomorrow, Friday 8th October but lots of items are available now, including some half-price and better-than-half-price bargains from picciolo,(click here to see my silly sale section) or search ‘uk’ and ‘silly sale’ in etsy to find lots of wonderful things! And here are some of my favourites in a silly sale treasury, click the image to link to the items shown : ) And also a big thank you to sock pals who very kindly included one of my ceramic pendant necklaces in her recent 'folksy favourites' article - thank you! : )

2010-09-13T16:50:00.003+01:00

Two more soft scalloped purses have made it into my shops, one here on etsy and one here on folksy. I really had fun choosing the colour combinations for these and I love how they all look together. Each one is one-of-a-kind, I have a few more to list but once they are gone they are gone! : )

bubbles and jellyfish

2010-09-09T15:12:00.006+01:00

While the men in our house last weekend worked hard starting on our new shower room, the girls spent a lovely day on the South Bank. (We did have a lot of cleaning up of plaster dust waiting for us when we got home though.) We went on the London Eye, watched all the buskers, bought lunch from a wonderful food market by Festival Hall, and visited the aquarium. One of the highlights were these bubbles - Holly spent a good quarter of an hour trying to pop them! : )

lots of treasure

2010-09-06T15:44:00.000+01:00

Big thank-you's go to: cardsandcraft, the handmade gift guide mrooart and dlurie for featuring me in their treasuries and blogs!

: )

2010-08-28T19:18:00.004+01:00

Well, our holiday seems a distant memory already, not helped at all by the miserable weather here in the UK. Getting wet cycling to work every day certainly brings you back down to earth with a bump! But on the plus side we have come home to lots of produce ready on the allotment, and I have been making (and eating) more jam - plum, and raspberry and blackberry. I even had fun making some labels too. And I have at last photographed some new items, these handy pouches have two inside pockets and close with a magnetic snap. They are very soft and just perfect for keeping things together in your bag, or for make-up/ jewellery etc. Two are available here now, or if one has caught your eye that I haven’t listed yet just leave me a comment and I will list it especially for you. : )

holidays go too quickly

2010-08-24T09:31:00.001+01:00

This is where we have spent the last two weeks, just the three of us, just perfect.

: )

Jam

2010-08-02T14:43:00.003+01:00

Holly and I had fun this week with our first ever attempt at jam making. Admittedly I don’t think we could have gone very wrong as we used jam sugar, but it was still exciting to come down the following morning and find two lovely jars of jam, all set and ready to be eaten.

We made blackberry jam, which also had a few random raspberries in it, as Holly was chief picker at the allotment so she had the final say over what went in. And it certainly tastes good! : )

jottings

2010-07-26T15:13:00.001+01:00

Hmm, blogging seems to have taken a bit of a back seat lately, my computer time has been shrinking as my to-do list at home gets longer. It didn't help that our computer monitor died - it is off to be mended tomorrow, in the meantime the computer is connected up to our rather large tv!

I did finally manage to snap some shots of two new notebooks, the first is now available here, if you are looking for a summery/cheery place to write all your jottings. : )

Big Lunch

2010-07-20T15:05:00.003+01:00

On Sunday our street had a street party, that was part of the uk wide ‘Big Lunch’. It was such a wonderful idea and definitely a big success, the road was closed and bunting put up, there were tables and chairs down the middle of the road and people barbecuing in their front gardens. There were face painters and a jazz band, a raffle and lots and lots of sunshine. It was lovely to see so many children out playing, and a great opportunity to meet and chat to neighbours. We are hoping that it gets repeated next year! And thanks to studio35 for including one of my fabric boxes in this gorgeous treasury. : )

it's getting there!

2010-07-13T20:32:00.005+01:00

Do you remember this picture from last summer of the new flowerbed I had just finished digging in our garden? It is now a year later and it looks like this! This is the first summer that our garden has felt like a garden to me, and I have spent quite a lot of evenings watering it in this hot weather. It makes such a difference to have an outside space that is nice to spend time in. : )

Done!

2010-07-06T16:53:00.004+01:00

I can't believe it but I have finished Holly's top already, and I love it! It was so easy to make, if you have a little girl and would like to make one, I found the instructions here. It only used about a yard of fabric for her size, and it is reversible, so two tops in one, just turn it inside out when you want a change! (which Holly has done already quite frequently!) Holly loves it too, her favourite side is the birds (what good taste she has) but I almost equally like the pink, which is a japanese fabric I couldn't resist buying a while ago. She has already decided when it is going to get its first outing, what a success. I'm not sure if/when the novelty of being able to turn it inside out and look like you are wearing a different top will wear off, I think I would like one myself! (This is what I will be doing this evening, three bags of broad beans from the allotment that need podding/blanching/skins removed) : )

making

2010-07-04T18:39:00.003+01:00

Lots of making has been going on over the past few weeks, with not much actually making it onto here - I need more hours in the day! I have some new items to show you which still need to be photographed, so I thought I would share some other things I have been making. First is this delicious honeycomb, it didn't last long! This was my second attempt as the first tasted right but stayed very sticky and didn't set. This lot was better so got the full treatment of being covered in chocolate. I will definitely be making this again! And I've decided to make something for Holly. I found some great instructions on how to make a summer reversible top, this is as far as I've got at the moment, these are the straps in progress, showing the two fabrics Holly chose from my stash. (I even let her choose my favourite bird fabric, I hope this top turns out well!) Finally a great big thank you to Blossom Daily for featuring me on her blog, click here to read the full post! : )

hot hot hot

2010-06-30T15:01:00.004+01:00

One word sums up the We Make Summer Spectacular on Saturday – Hot! Not a cloud in the sky and beautiful sunshine. Which meant that Chelsea’s Old Town Hall was sweltering inside, I had to keep going to stand in the corridor to catch a bit of breeze. We had a good day, my little helper and I (see above!), and we were joined briefly at lunchtime by Stuart who came and took Holly to choose a sandwich, and I did briefly get a chance to whizz around the rest of the fair, but Stuart was very nervous about being left looking after my stand! All in all it was a successful day, where I met some lovely talented people. By the time we got home I was exhausted, and had just enough energy left to sit in the garden with a cool drink. : )

fair and features

2010-06-24T13:49:00.008+01:00

I'm nearly ready for the fair on Saturday, all items are finished and everything is ready to be packed up now. I hope I don't forget anything! If you do come along to the We Make Summer Spectacular on Saturday (The Old Town Hall, Kings Road, London, 11-5) then please stop by and say hello, oh and please wish me luck! And a big thank you for these features this week - two etsy treasuries by thepeachtree and kelseystreasure, a feature on cuteable today about Saturdays fair, and a designer feature on the wemake blog. : )

Giveaway!!

2010-06-20T18:27:00.009+01:00

In the run up to the We Make fair on Saturday and to celebrate the launch of my new tote bags and necklaces, I am holding a special giveaway! For every purchase made in either my etsy or folksy shops between now and 5pm this Thursday 24 June (GMT), you will receive a FREE BROOCH! That's right, one for each item purchased, not just for each order! They look great put together in a group or on their own on a bag or jacket. Each one is made up of three layers of denim and felt, with a metal pin sewn onto the back. No two are the same, and they are approximately 4.5cm wide. : )

: )

2010-06-19T17:48:00.002+01:00

I was very excited today to see a feature on the etsy storque about next Saturday's We Make London fair, and even more excited to see that one of my necklaces had made an appearance! And then my folding boxes have been featured very kindly by soapdeli, click here to visit her fabulous blog. Thanks Rebecca! : )

Buds and blooms necklaces

2010-06-17T15:31:00.006+01:00

These have been keeping me busy this week! Both colour options are available either as round or rectangular pendants, which is your favourite? They are available here and here! (Will also be available in my folksy shop very soon) Perfect if you need a cheery summery necklace to brighten your day. And this is the next stage of progression for the pile of felt, I know it looks as if it has got bigger but I am actually getting somewhere with it now! I don't think I will get much further tonight though as we are off out with friends for pizza. I'm feeling hungry already! : )

buds and blooms

2010-06-13T20:54:00.001+01:00

This is what has been keeping me busy this week, a new range of eco-friendly foldable and reusable tote bags! They will fold up small, ready to use over and over again, you can never have too many. They are made from natural unbleached cotton, and are built to last with strong handles, which are long so you can carry the tote over your shoulder. Each one has a transfer print on one side, there are eight different ones to choose from (divided between three etsy listings, here)! So my evenings this week have been busy, making, cutting, sewing and ironing, as well as these totes the pile of felt I showed you last time has progressed quite a lot, pictures next time! (And I haven’t forgotten the giveaway) : )

Busy busy

2010-06-08T15:42:00.004+01:00

A week since my last post! What with half term, a migraine and everyday life my poor blog has been a bit left out. For a few days the mean old migraine meant that once I was home from work I couldn’t face spending much more time in front of a computer screen, but it is all better now (fingers crossed). I have been busy creating new items and preparing for WeMake London later this month, all the pieces in the photo above were cut out last night while I watched 'The Time Travellers Wife'. Have you seen it? I've read the book so I knew what to expect but it still managed to make me cry! Soon I will have some new products to show you and another giveaway is on its way too, so watch this space! : )

A great weekend

2010-06-01T16:51:00.002+01:00

We got back on Monday night from spending a really lovely long weekend in Stratford-upon-avon. We lived here for six years and moved away eight years ago, I’ve only been back a couple of times and it was lovely to see our little cottage (which was our first house) and also the hotel where we got married. We walked along the river, went to the best Chinese restaurant in the world (Mr Chan’s) and had lots of fun revisiting this lovely town. We had some sunshine, and also went to the butterfly farm, which I definitely recommend a visit to if you are ever in Stratford. This post was meant to happen last night but I ended up with a migraine, I will be catching up with all your blogs asap, sorry if it takes me a little while. : )

A trip to Anthropologie for me!

2010-05-28T14:03:00.003+01:00

I've finally managed to visit the Anthropologie shop on Regent Street in London, and I wasn't disappointed. I was trailing two others that didn't particularly want to be there, but despite this I managed to look around all three floors and admire the wonderful plant wall. And I couldn't resist this, a really great memory game with illustrations from Charlie Harper. What a find! This is set to become one of our families favourite games, and is definitely one of those things that you buy and just know you will keep forever. : )

A scorcher!

2010-05-24T14:51:00.004+01:00

The weather here in the uk this weekend and today has been absolutely glorious, the sort of weather where you just have to be outside if you can, even if you are in the shade. I’ve been spending quite a bit of time each evening watering the garden, including these poppies (which I love, especially the white ones), as there are lots and lots of buds just waiting to pop – just like this one. And I want to say a big thank you to just B you for the very lovely feature she wrote about me on her blog, it made my day! You might have noticed too a new link in my sidebar, I joined Shop Handmade UK, and I have been included on their blog showcasing their new designers. Did anyone else get up at 5am today to watch the finale of Lost? It was definitely worth getting up (very) early for, even if I'm still not quite certain what happened, but I am starting to get tired now! : )

2010-05-20T14:08:00.005+01:00

A couple of pictures today of my necklaces in production, this box is full of completed necklaces all ready and waiting to be put into their packaging,

and these are waiting to have their necklace cords added.

Lots of things here to keep me busy!

: )

New

2010-05-17T13:37:00.004+01:00

A couple of new items made it into my etsy shop this weekend, both handy sized little pouches which are very useful for keeping things together in your bag. There is a springy turquoise and green as a new colourway, and the popular purple and navy. Click the pictures to see more! Lots of time was spent in the garden this weekend, the lawnmower is now mended so the grass has been cut, edges trimmed, weeds pulled. I rescued these pretty forget-me-nots before the lawnmower got them - I have been extending our lawn area and patiently waiting for the grass seed to grow to a good height before giving it its first cut, these were growing in amongst the new grass, self seeded from the ones in my flowerbed. Then I decided to tackle the last piece of the garden that is still overgrown. It is quite large, around 15 foot long and about 4 foot wide, it was quite theraputic clearing it of all the weeds and lots and lots of ivy. The only trouble was I then had a whole car load of stuff to take to the tip! It still needs lots of work and digging over, but I have some plants from my dad waiting to move in, and we are getting there. : )

snip snip

2010-05-13T15:48:00.004+01:00

Lots and lots of cutting, ironing, more cutting and sewing have been taking place here, with lots and lots of sewing still to be done. Here’s a little look at some work in progress. And we had a surprise, I looked out into the garden to see three very cute little fox cubs playing on and around this big tree stump. They were very sweet and looked a bit like lambs, jumping and springing around. (I know, I need to cut the grass, but I managed to cut the cable of the lawnmower and it is being mended!) : )

Can you tell who it is yet?

2010-05-10T16:27:00.004+01:00

Well Saturday was a very exciting day, Holly and I spent a lot of time waiting to see Rolf Harris but it was well worth it! We waited around for about half an hour then managed to get in the queue to meet him quite quickly. There were only about 20 people in front of us but he was so nice and was so chatty with everyone that it took about 40 minutes to get to him! By then we couldn’t see the end of the queue behind us, and he was only supposed to be there for and hour and a half. Holly certainly had a great time, her little face was a picture. : )

Hooray for the weekend!

2010-05-07T14:00:00.007+01:00

I know it has been a short week this week with Monday’s bank holiday here in the UK, but boy am I glad it is the weekend. Thankfully my week at work has been a lot more manageable but I still haven’t made any headway into sorting myself out for next months fair, apart from ordering some supplies, and some new ideas popping into my head. It has been my turn to keep everyone awake coughing, (sorry) and a well earned rest is hopefully on the cards. I did have a lovely surprise today, Dizzy Izzy has featured one of my new necklaces in her Folksy Friday blog post, (see above) thank you! And tomorrow Holly and I are going to a gallery where artist Rolf Harris is making a personal appearance (Holly’s school class is named after him this year so she is very excited) I hope we manage to glimpse him! : )

A whole week

2010-05-04T19:30:00.006+01:00

I can't believe it has been a whole week since my last post. I certainly haven't been twiddling my thumbs in that time, I think the last week or two have been the busiest for a long time, especially work-wise. And the most stressful day was my birthday, which inconveniently was the day before we had a big pitch presentation to do. So I'm feeling a bit drained at the moment and now seem to have caught Holly's cough. But never mind, we have had some good times too, like going to visit my mum, dad and nan, and a couple of hours shopping with some birthday money yesterday. Hopefully this week I can get back to more pressing things, like my upcoming craft fair! I took this picture a few weeks ago when we visited my sister, I think I need a calm place like this right now : )

2010-04-27T16:22:00.004+01:00

I don’t know whether I am coming or going this week! We are super busy at work which is good but very tiring, and there will be no let up until next week. And it’s the sort of work you can’t help thinking about even when you aren’t there so it also seems to be taking over my evenings too. And typically, the busiest day will be Thursday, which is also my birthday. Oh well! Enough moaning now, I need to get out more. I have managed to finish and list this clutch, available here now. I have a couple more waiting to be listed, and I’m also trying to get things going for the We Make craft fair in June. I definitely need more hours in the day! : )

indie quarter

2010-04-23T13:55:00.006+01:00

A big thank you today to Indie Quarter, not only have they given me a little advert on the site (can you see it on the right?) but my fabric boxes have been featured too! What a wonderful end to the week, click here to read the full article. : )

And the winner is...

2010-04-22T14:14:00.006+01:00

Ok, so next time I do a giveaway I am going to use the random number generator thingy that everyone else seems to use! But then I didn't think I would get this many entries that would take a while to print out and cut up! Here they all are, sat waiting in a (really big) bowl. And the winner is... Thank you so much to everyone for entering, and well done to Cardsbydi! She chose the round version of design 7 which was this one. : )

Entries now closed!

2010-04-21T13:29:00.003+01:00

Thank-you to the 100+ entrants in my giveaway, which is now closed. Come back tomorrow to find out the winner!

(Some entrants left their comment on the previous post, but don't worry if that was you, I am including these in the draw too).

: )

2010-04-16T13:54:00.016+01:00

I'm giving away one of my new design necklaces! All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on this post. Make sure to include which necklace you would like if you win. Just choose your favourite design (I’ve numbered them) and pendant shape (round or rectangular), and also leave a way for me to contact you. Entry closes next Wednesday 21 April at 9pm. The winner will be the first one picked out of the hat on Thursday 22 April. I will post anywhere so all entries welcome, only one per person. Good luck! See the previous post for larger pictures to help you choose! : ) Each pendant is made using a piece of hand-shaped ceramic onto which I have transferred my designs and then added a layer of protective glaze. They come ready-to-wear with a tan leather cord necklace and are perfect for adding a little touch of colour to an outfit, or for presents. Available now in both my etsy and folksy shops.

New!

2010-04-13T17:09:00.005+01:00

A brand new product for picciolo – necklaces! What do you think? Each pendant is made using a piece of hand-shaped ceramic onto which I have transferred my designs and then added a layer of protective glaze. They come ready-to-wear with a tan leather cord necklace and are perfect for adding a little touch of colour to an outfit, or for presents. There are seven designs to choose from, and each one is available as a round or rectangular pendant. As is the nature of handmade items, each one will be very slightly different as each piece of ceramic is unique. (Click the pictures to go straight to the etsy listings) Which is your favourite? : )

2010-04-09T20:18:00.002+01:00

I have taken the plunge and been accepted to have a stall at this summers We Make London Summer Fair! If you are anywhere near Chelsea Town Hall on London's Kings Road on Saturday 26th June then do come and say hello, there are lots of great people having stalls and the fairs main sponsor is Etsy which is exciting too. Click here to see the complete list of exhibitors. : )

2010-04-05T18:34:00.003+01:00

All the treasure has been found, eggs painted, cupcakes made and decorated (and some eaten). We have taken home our guest and I now have one tired little girl! : )

at last

2010-04-03T18:56:00.005+01:00

At last, I have managed to make another of this new design pouch! The first sold a while ago and I have just finished another to take its place, which is listed here. I've also finished some new colours options and sizes, these will follow once I have sorted out the photos. How are your Easter holidays going? We have one of Holly's cousins coming for a sleepover tomorrow and I have lots of easter things planned for them: an easter egg hunt, egg painting, some easter window decorations to make and easter cupcakes with rabbit decorations to bake. It should be fun! : )

Hever Castle

2010-03-29T14:14:00.013+01:00

After a week of most of our household having colds (I am still managing to escape, fingers crossed) we decided to have a family day out at Hever Castle in Kent, which was the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, one of Henry viii’s wives. We managed to dodge most of the showers and although parts of the grounds were quite squelchy we had a great time exploring. My favourite picture below is the one of Holly running round the tree! : ) Did anyone else have problem with blogger yesterday? I spent a good hour trying to upload these pictures before giving up, which is why my poor post has been delayed!

coughing

2010-03-25T18:20:00.004Z

Everyone in my house except me has got a horrible cough/cold. I feel a certain enivitability that it will head my way, but so far I have escaped it. I've been busy sewing away and this is the latest result, a little kraft fabric purse with two compartments inside. : )