Roses are red, Lavender's...lavender!

First time I've had this week to sit down and do some crafty R and R. I have no coffee table. It is currently hiding under a heap of Christmas decorations that are waiting to go up, and bags of beads, ribbon, cotton, card... in fact, the ancient Egyptians would be so proud of my pyramid making skills. 

But I'm not hear to brag about the mess of my front room. I thought I would instead post some of Helen's new designs. It never ceases to amaze me how a bunch of silk flowers end up looking so bright and vibrant. In all fairness silk is the only way I should go since I have a habit of killing of anything living (plant wise I hasten to add). Unless they happen to be ferns. Then for some reason they love me. 

So here is the first one. A lovely arrangement of whites with lavender. A small amount of ribbon and plenty of green. All displayed in a short stemmed glass. Pretty impressive as far as I am concerned. I have been told that the use of ribbons should be kept to a minimum when doing a good arrangement - stick to the greenery instead. Apparently florists love ribbon to fill gaps because it's cheap, but lets look at facts, I've had a few arrangements that were more ribbon than flower, and they weren't all that. 

The second one is my personal favourite out the two (I know, I shouldn't be biased... but I'm only human(ish)). This was created using ivy, red silk and white roses. They are all carefully displayed in a wooden pot with handle, so ideal for a table dec or something to hang on the wall. Love versatility in all things. I just love the angles and the way the colours really gel to make something that could be quite plain, into something really eye catching.

Once again my partner in crime as she will be formally known to the world, has once again out done herself. I have been assured that there have been more made, and are awaiting my camera to take the snaps. 

Like either one, they will be going on sale via Folksy and Helen has been sure to drill into me that all you need to do is drop us a message (email, blog or shop) and she will happily discuss designs and themes with anyone interested.

However, considering my hands are like ice and I have a pile of crafty stuff to play with on my coffee table, I'm off to make something... well... something ;) And drink coffee... and dream of eating cake!

Make me something different - randomling

So for the past few days I have been staying in the country with my Mother, where I leave on Saturday morning, one year older, but not actually wiser. In the space of time since leaving lovely London on Wednesday morning, to the now very wet and grey Friday morning in Derby, I am left feeling cheated and empty, and at the same time a pleseant sense of achievement.

Achievement is simply explained by the lovely people that have contacted me regarding my not often made jewellery (that is since the beginning of this year thanks to the wedding taking up all my time). A number of people, both friends, family and lovely strangers have placed orders for something or another. I think even when we sell the smallest of items at a craft fair, or simply from the comfort of our own home, we all have that slight warm fuzzy feeling that makes you go 'Ooo, someone liked my efforts enough to buy!' Gotta love that!

However, it has occurred to me, that every year I get further disappointed by the rubbish that is trying to be sold to us, at horrific prices. I started my Christmas shopping, as I have done for many a year now, in the early days of January. Not with the sales, but whenever I go out, I am on the look out for something nice, with no one in mind, so I stash the gift until November where I can then get the horde out and see who will like what. This year I have made a conscious effort to buy handmade, from all our favourite sites, and a number of personal ones too. However, this year my Mother and I went halves on my Sister present, by buying her a week in a caravan in Devon. But for me that is not enough. I have to get them something to unwrap on the day, and being the type of person she is, I do not consider her easy to buy for. So yesterday I trundled around Sheffield's Meadowhall and looked high and low. For the first time in many a year I can say I have no idea why we would waste our time. As my Mother put it 'Every year is the same, and after a while you get bored of looking at the same stuff'. Let's face it, I don't like the Body Shop and I never will. Whilst 'it's the thought that counts' how many of you sit there wondering if there was any thought at all. No that doesn't make you ungrateful. Look at it this way, if the person thought enough of you to buy you something in the first place why didn't they think hard enough to get you something that would have been useful or something you'd like?

Now, let us add insult to injury. I love Christmas and every year I am to get more and more decorations so that I will eventually have Lapland in my own house. For the past few years I have gone to a lovely garden centre where I end up buying things for Christmas that I don't need, but I do want. I noticed that this year, with the trends firmly on the Scandi Trees, Country Cottages and ginger bread houses... half the things I have seen handmade and on line are far better quality, lovingly made...and cheaper. Where do they get their prices from? Marks and Spencer selling calico hearts sewn together by fingerless mice sold at £4 a pop? I don't think so! My beloved hamster could a better job me thinks.

I have seen that some of you are advertising the likes of buy handmade for Christmas and it certainly makes you hope that in the years to come each of us will have our moment by being able to say we beat the high street. Not only do you deserve it, but let us shine some honesty onto the subject, chances are, you ideas are original, affordable and made with more love than anything with a £7 sticker on it for nothing more than a plastic box with commercially made soap in it. I would like to wish you all the luck in your sales leading up to Christmas. I've left the high street with a bitter taste in my mouth... so if someone happens to be baking cake right now and wants to send me some - just drop me a line.

Oh... and er skip the high street this year, I've seen some kick ass things over on Folksy you'd just love! ;)

Flower arrangements

So let change the pace with this piece shall we?

I find myself trying my hand at a hundred different crafts and I can safely state that I am never happy with the things I make. Not because they aren't good...just because I always want to do better. There is however some stability in all things and when my colleague asked me to post the first of many posts on flower arrangements I could hardly say no.

Now, as with any partnership she has promised to beat into me the ways of the flower worker. This in itself is daunting since I have been assured that her teaching methods may leave me wanting to scream... or cry... or both.

These were made up as part of a Traveller funeral, which I am assured are very bright and colourful. Knowing only a little about their traditions I do know that they tend to remember the good times in a persons life and celebrate the things that made that person who that were, rather than sit at a bar crying about the loss of life. So whilst looking at these pics you will be excused (as I made this mistake myself until I was corrected) that these are in fact for the life of the person lost. In all fairness... one of them you can't fault...

Feel free to leave a bit of feedback, I know my partner in crime (whom is yet to get used to the world of Blog) will be thankful for all comments.

"Party on, Excellent"

It's safe to say that the past few weeks have been manic. But on the up side, all with pleasant things. I will admit it has left little room for hard crafting but has left me with some idea ammunition going forwards.

I have managed to cram in a Rock music themed 40th birthday party where I got to hang with the younger looking members of Kiss, Wayne and Garth from their very own Wayne's World, Alice Cooper, Slash, and a whole other handful of famous rock stars. Okay, so it was my partner in crime, Helen's 40th and her boys as Kiss, but after a few beers nothing mattered. Time was just taken up with singing along (badly) to Queen songs, rocking out with Guitar Heros, and of course, running like an idiot through the house with blow up guitars. Much fun was had.

Which was then followed with a trip up to London and my mothership Forbidden Planet where my hubbys pockets got robbed of cash. After all with my birthday on the 5th of November, is it my fault if someone (me) walks around going, "I want one of those, and one of those, and one of those..."

Which leads me to this weekend. I get to rock out at Alice Coopers Halloween concert in Alexander Palace. As you can probably guess, I'm very excited about that. Though I am now wondering where on earth this Alexander Palace is and why it takes so long to walk from Wood Green to the venue.

Hence the little to no time to craft :( But there is hope yet, week off work next week, so of course plenty of time to craft.

I have managed to kick out a couple of bits. Mainly request pieces for family members, but here's the snaps anyway.

Made for a friend and more will be made, livin' up Christmas

Made as a Christmas Gift, Moonstone and crystal pendant and earring set.

I was approached by a girl at work who loves her chocolate and wanted a pair of earring to go with (theme, not chew on). Now normally I hate the idea of even stepping over the ground covered by others, but when she gave me two fimo Magic Stars and asked for me to add the hooks I couldn't say no. She'd spent the money otherwise I would have pointed her to my second favourite haunt - Folksy. For a 30 second job of adding a little wire... I ended up getting a pair myself. They are much cuter on then this quick shot shows.

Not like I bought the beads, just hooked them up ;)

Oh... and here's some party shots...just because I can ;)

 

Messy work space

Today has resulted in absolute chaos - so all in all no change there then.

I have been busy Christmas shopping over the past few weeks, picking up the parcels from the post office where they have wandered off to when I haven't been in to answer the door. Spent so much money between Folksy, Etsy and a handful of sites that I am sure some of you will be happy for my pay out, whilst I think my credit card may be hating me with a vengeance right now. I was hoping to take some snaps before it got dark to put in the post but with the light failing and my living room looking like I might have dropped a packaging bomb at some point I figured I'll wait until Saturday to have a camera session.

Which goes to say my work space looks even worse than the floor right now.

The good thing is, my little cherries are being set into gift cards, along with their invader and Mario friends. When I wasn't opening parcels that in actual fact aren't really for me, I was busy cutting out the frames for these cards. I forgot how time consuming something like that can be. However I am hoping my hard work will pay off. Again piccys will follow at a later date.

However whilst I was busy with crafting I was wondering, am I the only person that buys handmade with a person in mind... then when you get it in the post you don't really want to part with it?

Not sure which I am finding harder right now. Contemplating tidying my work space, or deciding which items I am going to give away as gifts, and which I will keep for myself. Decisions, decisions...

So to those of you whom I do owe gifts - beware, a thief is loose in the area... I can't be held responsible! They ruined my work space too...

New Venture, start the Adventure - Randomling

Seems that everything is changing this year. Not sure if it's for the better or worse in some cases but at least some good has come out of the last few months. 

Redundancy still hasn't been announced, but it lurks around the corner like a child's depiction of the bogey man. So as you can imagine every last penny goes to paying the bills and keeping things up to date, just in case. However it would seem there are others out there that have had enough of the Man and the way he just seems to pee from a great height on those that work hard. Either that or city pigeons really don't like me ;)

However after very long conversations that included plenty of Coke (bottled kind), coffee, a fry up, some pretty lame sandwiches and a dog vomiting on the floor, it seems I am about to go into business. Now, having done the self employment before it's not that daunting. However keeping my full time job for now is going to put the pressure on. With a close friend of mine looking for a way to leave the 9 to 5 and having bundles of talent in the flora area, as well as skills in up-cycling old furniture we have decided to do business together. Which also means I have to get my finger out and start keeping this little baby up to date and fully functional. Naughty naughty me! (Anyone mind if I blame my cats?)

And of course, this little blog of mine will be the starting point (well that and a web page that's under-development). So with a pre-warning to my dear readers, I will soon be featuring the creative talents of my partner in crime Helen Campbell, and my sometime associate and Mother, Jean Hudson. Which at least means I can show off the talents of someone who can knit ;)

Whilst I often take on projects for others I rarely write about them for fear they won't appreciate my inane humour. However with a plan in mind, no stone can be left unturned... so I apologise to the woodlouse whose home I may disturb in doing so.

So wish us luck... I think this is going to be a bumpy ride, if not a fun and crafty one. 

With U in Mind is about to go global... soonish (is so colon, capital D).

Back to Nintendo

Well whilst I haven't paid much attention to my blog, I have spent countless hours in front of my t.v. trying to perfect my cross stitch. I wouldn't say I'm perfect, but I am getting there. I figured that I could watch a new charming t.v. series whilst geeking out to the past.

Those of you who read my last post will remember that I am trying to perfect my stitching skills in order to make a bag for the other half. A good idea... aside from the fact as I mentioned before my cross stitch skills were left somewhere in the 90's.

However, he loves his inner geek and wants something retro. And being a HUGE fan of the computer game (I use this in the broadest sense - those of you with young sons, brothers and 'big' kids will know what I mean), I figured lets go Mario. The worlds friendliest plumber - and if anyone has his number, drop it by me, I have a radiator that needs fixing before the next cold snap. But, all these little stitchings will not be going to waste. I figure, with my day off tomorrow, out comes the blank cards and glue gun. Waste not, want not. Or something to that degree anyway ;)

So here are a couple of my tiny critters, soon to adorn a keyring, card or some other form of media of my idle hands choosing.

This guy needs a background, but I thought, hey cute enough.

And inspired by 'Know you Mushrooms'

And in all fairness these have nothing to do with Mario... in fact some how Pac Man cherries and yet more Invaders found there way in there... but cute right? ;)

So I am off to 1st Unique Gifts, to see what the lovely Wendy and fantastic crafters of the world have been up to. I believe if you haven't already, you need to join in!