Stocked the blogshop!!!!!!!!

I have a few goodies in my blogshop at last YAY!!!

Hope you enjoy looking at them.

Love and blessings in Christ
Elaine
xxxxxxxxxxxx

Cockadoodledooo!!!!!!!!!

Hello Blogland !!!

OK, so that's a hen not a cockeral but as you might be able to tell,
I'm quite upbeat this morning.
The sun is shining again and it looks like it's going to be another lovely day.
We had a sale at the church hall yesterday, and it was brill!
We opened for 3 hours and there was someone there for every minute.
We didn't make loadsamoney, it's obvious that people are
really feeling the pinch, but the atmosphere was really good,
very friendly and we did sell some of our newer stuff.

We decided we needed to make things that are lower cost
(because of the credit crunch) and it worked.
Claudia made a whole batch of new earrings to sell for under £3 (most under 2) and sold 14 pairs!!!!!!


My DH has been beavering away making wooden items for us,
and he was chuffed when I told him we sold something of his.
And I sold a chicken!!! Not even one of the brighter ones either,
and a set of scissors, so together with all the other little bits and bobs
we were quite busy.
Thankfully, we still have lots of goodies left which means
I'll be able to stock the blogshop soon.

We're doing a coffee morning next Saturday, just one table, much easier,
and we're looking forward to that.
And in the meantime I have an order for cards too.
So all in all lots to be positive about and thankful for.

For our next "big" sale we've decided to ask the church if
we can run a full craft fair.
The church will get the rent from the tables, and probably have the usual cakes stall etc. And this is where my lovely blog friends come in.
I have organised several fetes etc, but never a craft fair.
Can anyone offer any advice please? Obviously there will be the usual advertising, but I'm wondering how widely I should advertise?
What sort of radius? 5miles? 10? How far would people travel for a craft fair?
And what about hired stalls? Should I stick to just handmade?
Or would vintage work too?
I don't really want just jumble-type stalls, I've been to those and where there's jumble people want to pay jumble prices for the crafts too.
Should I ask what people make and aim for a variety?
or just take the rent and not worry?

I know, so many questions so early in the morning, so I'll stop there. But seriously, I will appreciate any advice, so get your thinking caps on, please.

With love and blessings in Christ
Elaine
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Bright and Breezy

The title sums up how I'm feeling today, and possibly the weather too.

At the moment the sun is shining and the day is looking good.

I'm hopeful that I'm on course for finishing most of the new goodies
I planned to make before next Saturday.
It's our first Sale this year, hopefully the first of many.
There's just a couple of new things I want to try,
but the designs are still in my head atm,
and some cards to make.
Not many cards though, there's seems to be so many card makers out there,
really lovely cards, so I'm concentrating more on my sewing.

I thought I'd give you a sneeky-peek at some of the things
that will be appearing on my other blog soon,
then I'll have to dash off.
Hair to dry, teeth to brush, etc.
A woman's work is never done :D

With love and blessings in Christ
Elaine
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Crochet, cushions and chickens

Hello there, I thought it was time I posted some new photos.

The light still isn't good indoors so forgive the quality
(not that I'm that good anyway LOL)
But at least you get to see my new blanket.
I love it.
It is so snuggly and warm on a chilly night.
I'm not to keen on the edging, a bit of a quick bodge job,
but the nice thing with crochet is that at least
it's easy to undo when I have the time
(and inclination *blush*) to redo it.
I got around to doing some new cushion covers too,
and now I'm on the lookout for more fabric for some larger ones.
The green check fabric was a real bargain,
75p for 4 napkins from a charity shop,
and I've made 3 covers from them
by adding some stash fabric (that was free!)
I made 2 small cushions from teatowels,
they were a snip from home bargains,
part of a pack working out at 75p each.
The other fabrics were a little bit more,
bought by the metre, but still came out
very cost effective, so I'm well pleased.

Over the last few days I've been making other goodies too,
like these lovelies from the Springtime crafting book.More to come too. They are lovely to make,
though I did change a few things
here and there to make them "mine".
Hopefully, within the next few weeks I'll be putting
some of my new makes in my blogshop.

I'll post a link when I have. I've been thorough spoilt this week, receiving 2 swap parcels.
The first is from Debbie, for the January swap at the
Shabby Chic Cafe. Lots of loveliness and yumminess,
especially her famous bunting.
It's wonderfully well made.
And, I believe, it's available for sale.
If you pop along to her blog
I'm sure there's a link where you can buy some.

The next parcel I got was from Elliweb,
for the February swap.
Again such generosity.Lots of lovely goodies,
including a beautifully handmade fabric bowl.
I love receiving and sending swaps,
it's such a "feel good" moment in life.

So there we have it. My photos. Enjoy.
With love and blessings in Christ,
Elaine
xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Happy Valentines Day

Wishing all my readers have a lovely day today.
I haven't been able to get good indoor photos just lately
but as soon as I can I will post one of my
finished blanket
YES!!!!!
I actually finished my blanket!!
But just to keep you going I thought a couple of lovely
Vintage Valentine images would be appropriate
Have a lovely day everyone.


With love and blessings in Christ
Elaine
xxxx

How Cool !

More lovely, glorious snow!!!!!!!
I love it.
I've been out (proper) for the first time today (a health thing) and the weather was perfect.
Crisp air, but not too cold, so Claudia and me went to do a bit of shopping, and I actually remembered the camera!

First stop (after the charity shops) was the supermarket, where this jolly fellow greeted us.
Then a walk home through the local park.
What struck us was the cheerfulness of everybody. It seems the weather has brought out the best in people. And there was a definite air of community spirit, a oneness with each other, and I say "Thank God for it."


with love and blessings in Christ,
Elaine
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

There's snow place like Gnome

(Sorry, I just couldn't resist that title.)
Our garden looks quite nice today. There's still plenty of stuff lying around that shouldn't be, but under this lovely thick white blanket it's hard to tell the buckets from the planters LOL

This photo was taken around 3.30pm. My foot print is about 3"-4" deep,
but there is another couple of inches compacted below too.
Poppy the dog loves it too, but the photo of her is too blurry to use,
not quite sure if she was moving too fast or I was shivering too much.

I love the look of the shrubs too
(hope my neighbour doesn't mind her house being on show oooppss),

but not the look of the fence after a car crashed through it.
Still, I suppose these things happen, and this certainly did!
........................................

On another note, my blanket is coming along nicely. I've started joining the squares.
Not a job I love but it has to be done.
After I've joined 81, I shall decide exactly how I want it to look,
whether I need more squares, how to edge it, etc. But so far I'm quite pleased with it.
........................................


Thank you to my lovely, beautiful friend Angel for another award.
Bless her, not only is she helping to raise lots of much needed money for a children's project in Nakuru, Kenya
(Kids in Need is about building a home for orphaned children who's lives were devastated in the awful troubles there last year).
not only that, but she has taken it upon herself to keep the manufacturers of certain ladies product in business during the recession.
How good is that!!!!!!!!
Actually, on that subject, I must say thank you to Debbie at Shabby Chic Cafe for making the KiN project the charity of the year.
If anyone would like to know more, please pop along to the Cafe
or leave a comment on Shabby Angel's blog.

With love and blessings in Christ Elaine xxxxxxxxxxxxx