All about the world of Kittyeden

don't know why

2012-01-30T10:08:00.000-08:00

i really wish somedays i could explain why i want to move
i wish i could explain why i want to leave the gorgeous Derbyshire countryside

A place i have lived for pretty much all my life
I was born and raised here and only moved away when my parents split up or i moved for work and then it was only for just over 10 years in total!

So why Cornwall

I do truly love the place
but and there is always a but
i feel lost, sad and like something is missing!

It is not a love of the seaside or the days on the beach but something else
something i cannot explain!
I need to find this something, whatever it is!
My love of Cornwall will not ease, it will not stop and it has become what my nearest and dearest call an obsession!
I just now that one day soon i will get there but i have had to learn that life goes on while i am waiting for this to happen ;o)

xxx

and the winners are

2012-01-29T13:18:00.000-08:00

Well done

Miss Tea

and

Claire Osland

please let me have your details

send them here
mail@fromthehandsofkittyeden.co.uk

xx

some days and giveaway last shout

2012-01-28T07:43:00.000-08:00

some days you should not even attempt to create because all you will create is a mess!
I am not talking about the creative mess you get while making fun stuff,
ohhhh no i am on about the kind of mess that you get from trying to make new curtains from wonky fabric while suffering from that delicate but slightly trying time us ladies are blessed with!
So i have decided it is safest for all concerned for me to step away from the machine and spend the day relaxing and catching up with less creative stuff like drinking tea!

Don't forget the giveaway
i will draw the winners tomorrow

** ok ok so the cannot leave it alone and just walk away in me has made me sort out the mess that is the boys bedroom curtains**
xx

yummy choccy egg... giveaway

2012-01-22T13:16:00.000-08:00

win a yummy choccy egg mini hangy decoration!
There are no rules for entering
My fb friends (click on the red link) you can like my page and share my page if you like but it is not a condition for entering!
This is no way endorsed in any way by facebook or anything to do with them!

My bloggy friends just need to leave a comment here so i know you want to be included and maybe give me a little mention on your next post about the giveaway would be fab!

I have two to giveaway one for bloggy friends one for FB likers xx

Will pick names out on the 29th of this month.

egg's photo shoot

2012-01-21T08:50:00.000-08:00

they are so pretty

am i wrong??

i just cannot help having a proud mum moment lol!

Each thing i make is made with love you see, does that sound daft!
Yes it may do but you have to love what you do or what is the point xx

simple things

2012-01-15T07:55:00.000-08:00

these pieces of glass, shell and drift wood have been collected during our visits to Cornwall x

simple things

2012-01-14T08:23:00.000-08:00

today i have managed to teach myself this

how much!!!!!

2012-01-13T07:10:00.000-08:00

i am sure you have heard this as a designer maker, artisan (what ever you call yourself)!
I know i have a time or two but not as much as you would think!
So.... am i not charging enough?
I get told i need to charge more, more than i hear the that is too much
which i suppose means a wee price rise wouldn't hurt
or would it?
This is my full time job and it is was feeds, clothes and keeps a roof over out heads so i cannot afford to get it wrong and scare shopping folk away.
There is no rich hubs here to back me up if it goes t*ts up
not that i wouldn't mind one if anyone has a spare!!

So i stress and scribble lists of costs and how to keep prices affordable
but then i want my work to be treated with some respect and people to think well this is a quality well made and more importantly beautiful item.

So i have popped some of my prices up a little bit and we shall see how it goes x

Hey chicky

2012-01-11T15:11:00.000-08:00

enough of all the blah blah
back to the cute x

is applique the new black

2012-01-10T09:34:00.000-08:00

or is it turning into last years cupcake?
What the hell i am on you maybe thinking!

Well sometimes i do get a little miffed when people say
oh you use applique how on trend.... arghhh i want to say
on trend my a*se i have been doing applique in one way or another since i was at school
and that was a an age ago!
But it does make you think, is it all another fad?
Will people go off it... like flares!
Will i be not on trend next year
Will the applique and free machine embroidery bubble burst
Me i shall carry on if it does, lets be honest i enjoy what i do
and like they said people would get fed up with cupcakes but honestly... have they?
I know i haven't :o)

a thank you

2012-01-08T06:16:00.000-08:00

i lost myself in my work before Christmas
i wasn't so chatty
i felt lost and sad
i felt guilty i couldn't spend all my time with my family
especially my eldest boy when he needed me to just be there
I felt torn between home life and work life and i also struggled with how i felt good about the website being so busy... i felt guilty for doing well!
Sometime being a parent is so so difficult.

Any way what i want to say is thank you to all of you for your comments
your wishes and thoughts x
I want to send a special thank you to a lovely customer of mine who sent me emails and helped me through... if you read this A you helped me more than you could ever know xx

sugar rush

2012-01-07T13:53:00.000-08:00

oh yes the sugar rush from making marmalade
Pink grapefruit marmalade to be precise
well you have to keep trying to to test it is setting... don't you?!

I bought some grapefruit with the hope that teagirl (eldest dd) would eat it for breakfast but nooooo she doesn't likey.
So they sat there and sat there and then last night i thought
i really must do something with them and with the 5 lemons i just bought for 75p
so i did what i always do when i want to find something out
i googled it!
So after 2 hrs we now have 2 small jars of marmalade
all for the cost of some sugar, a lemon and a grapefruit!

The rest of the lemons are for lemon drizzle cake and then the rest are chopped into chunks and chucked in a grip seal bag in the freezer x

update the marmalade is amazing... had some on toast for my breakfast :o)

juggling all those balls

2012-01-06T02:28:00.000-08:00

Every Christmas i work myself into a state of stress and utter and complete tiredness
what with wholesale orders, webite orders and lots of fairs and events!
I then decide to cut back on designs and items i make, i give up on making things that cannot be made at the speed of light to keep up with wholesale customers who want is ASAP or quicker if poss!!

I have stopped making some of my fave designs that i like and that i like doing
so i have now decided to be very strict about what products i make for wholesale and also what i make for the website and for my events!

This may take me a while to get my head around and i will have to learn to be strict and say no sorry that is not on the wholesale list.

So here are the pics of some of my fave designs i make that i shall be making lots more of again... they may even get a small face lift as well x

2nd

2012-01-02T09:07:00.000-08:00

we normally go for a walk on New years day but sadly it was decidedly manky here yesterday.

So this morning i stripped all the beds did 6 loads of quick washes and got all the bedding out on the line in the cold blowy weather.
The eldest girl was up and out filming early
the boys off to their friends farm
so that left me C and the little K
so we put on our boots and coats and had a quick walk and took some pics
here

luckily it is just 5 mins from our house
so afterwards it was a quick dash for some much needed supplies and then home for hot chocolate

I have started to take the decorations down too
a few at a time as it looks so bare without them
but we do have twinkly lights up all year round here!

now i am on to sorting stock boxes... yikes they are pretty empty
so lots of sewing lists need to be written tonight!

Happy New year

2012-01-01T03:35:00.000-08:00

Well here it is a
New Year
2012
i feel it will be a good one, i just know it will x

So here is a little snippet of my year last year

working backwards let start with the highlights of December
in between lots and lots of sewing me and C finally managed to get to the Chatsworth weekend fairs... we have wanted to go for a few years but never made it

I took this pic of the deer while waiting in the queue to get in
It was a fab few hours out and we made the big step to ask lots of stallholders
what they thought of it and got a big thumbs up from most
so it is on our list of events to do hopefully in 2012.

I launched my phone cases on the website, they have normally only been available at events as the old website didn't allow me the scope to add them without doing a listing for each one.
They have been a massive hit and i feel they shall be a big seller in 2012 x

Why the robin badge you ask
well i was lucky enough to be offered some time on the fab press loft
and out of all things downloaded
this robin badge was the most popular
it was even downloaded for such papers as the Daily Mail
i was too busy to keep up with where it was actually used
but sales were good so it must have been somewhere x

So there is a snippet of my December
a mad manic month that saw the most sales we have ever had on the website
including the busiest lunchtime ever.

We had a very sad time but i don't want to dwell on that
it is still a raw and painful thing for us to all talk about
but we have all learned what is important in the past few weeks
and that is being a family and not being afraid to show our feelings
or to give each other a hug.

Christmas was a quiet affair as always
we like to spend time together
eating a lot, drinking a little and chilling and of course
some lovely presents too x

Tomorrow is the turn of November x

goodbye 2011

2011-12-31T14:08:00.000-08:00

hello 2012
Just dropped by to say a quick
HAPPY NEW YEAR
to all of you x

it has been a funny old year
some good
some bad
some happy
some sad

we have had some big events
C had knee surgery.. again
and still managed to finish uni
eldest girl left school
twins became teenagers
C graduated
and lots of other stuff too x

the new year always brings lots of hope and excitement
things will be fab
we will have a good year

so as i am now nearing the bottom of my sloe vodka slushie
i shall send you all a big new year hug

see you on the other side folks xx

I don't do that...

2011-12-31T02:18:00.000-08:00

what don't you do you may ask?

Well i don't do New Years resolutions!
I am rather fond of lists as you may already have noticed but all this diet and take more exercise cr*p just ain't going to happen here ma dears....
not a snowbell in a fiery pits chance.

One reason is i don't really need to lose weight, ok maybe i could do with a bit of a firm up but i am happy with my weight.
Now exercise is another thing... we normally do quite a lot of walking etc but since C's knee operations and my horrific Sciatica bouts, exercise has become a challenge!!

So i am not doing resolutions
i am doing a want to do list, which sounds much better
i don't have to do them because i promised to the world i would while in a drunken state on NYE, i would just maybe like to do them if i get some spare time.

I also choose the right to edit or delete any part of said list at anytime by order of the managment!

Now i just have to think carefully about what goes on the list
i want to get more from and for the business not just money but more ... not sure what or how!
i want to save more money... fat chance!
so there is a start
I am going to right it on the front page of my diary
and i will share it here too... maybe ;o)

Are you doing resolutions?
Do you stick to them each year if you do?

back from the brink.... with exciting news

2011-12-29T12:26:00.000-08:00

ok so both are a bit dramatic

my news is we are having pie for tea!
Yes i know not in the least bit exciting but my blogging mojo really has gone for a Burton.... what ever that means!!

So i thought i shall start by blogging my days

Today- Thursday 29th December
i over slept thanks to having separation isssues(that would be me separated from any space in the bed) in the night
better known as Fistral cat doing her best starfish impersonation
in the middle of the bed!
Not sure how she got in the bedroom as the cats have been banned from our room after toileting issues shall we say to keep it nice and polite.
Those with cats will understand what i mean.

I trudge round the house for a while and then as the weather turned rather manky
In a mad brainwave moment, lets go shopping i shouted... yes sale shopping in the p£$%^g down rain!
I may need to see some men in white coats soon.

On another note a large pink bunny has just walked in the room... see what i mean about the white coat thing!

Two children refused to come with us so off we trotted in the car
oh lordy why oh why did i think it would be fine to go shopping... stupid Sara!
I did manage to sneak into L Ashley for some gingham fabric.
We got K some Winter snow boots for a fab £12 and a new school shirt as she had a small red paint explosion the week before she broke up for Xmas!

On my list was school boots for twin2
why oh why is the size of shoes i need always the one and only size that is out of stock!
8 shoe shops later we finally got a pair.
I also stocked up on lots of gift bags, tags and a few stocking fillers for the boys which will be put away for next Christmas.
I am now sat back on the sofa waiting to be fed steak pie chips and veg hopefully with Mr K's lovely gravy too!

So there is my day exciting no!

lost...

2011-12-20T09:59:00.000-08:00

one blogging mojo
hopefully i will find it soon x

size matters

2011-12-07T00:26:00.000-08:00

Now now it is not what you think?
I am on about your fabric stash

As i decided recently it is not the size of your stash that matters it is what you do with it!
Why have all that fabric if you never plan to use it?
Well for me my products have changed so fabric i bought is now no longer needed and it seems a shame to keep it sat there hanging around not being used!
Plus it is also taking up room, which in this house is very precious
so i am having yet another sale
Another sale you say... yes i say
and it will be on it's own page on the website
here

I also want to thank all of you for your kind comments
talking about it is very difficult and painful still but all your words and wishes have helped me so much
xxx

heartbroken

2011-12-05T00:33:00.000-08:00

This is a sad and difficult post for me to write
i try to keep my blog a happy place but along with all the happiness sometimes comes some sad things too.

Last night i sat at my sewing machine and cried
I cried for myself, my darling son and most of all his lovely partner.
I cried because i will miss all the things a grandparent does.
I cried because my son is so lost and upset.
I cried because my wonderfully lovely DIL has had to go through something so desperately sad and heart breaking.

I cannot write anymore right now but to my darling unborn grandson
Nanna will love you and miss you always xx

2nd December 2011

hellloo

2011-11-20T09:54:00.000-08:00

hello
long time no blog
As you can imagine life is hectic here...
we have had some Christmas fairs and lots of orders
a new website, exciting family news and some press stuff!

We have done our biggy fair of the Winter which was fab but a manic rush to get some stock together as it was all going out for orders... not complaining here!

We have had some fab news from my first born... next year we shall be grandparents :o)))

We are hoping to see our fab robin badge in the press soon, more info as i find out!

The website is also finished not full but the basic work is done

So yep all in all it has been well err manic!
I do love the build up to Christmas but like many others i find i just get swept along with it all and then bang it is done and i am on the otherside of the rush and i can sit and breath!
I am so pleased that the handmade revival has kept going and more and more people are choosing British made quality instead of mass produced items.
I shall try and blog more about each

Right back to the sewing machine xx

think about your target

2011-10-18T06:07:00.000-07:00

Folowing on from Sunday
So now you have a few tips to help you find a fair and a starting list
(don't forget this is my list and just to give you an idea)

Now what else do you need?
I was going to cover a bit on display but the weather is c&*ppy so lets look at your target market

This fits in well too yesterdays post too

My target market is ...
Mums looking for gifts, treats and nice things for their family and home
Teenagers who love cute things
Grandparents wanting a gift that is personal to them
and of course anyone wanting to send a well made handmade gift that you cannot find everywhere!

So i try to match that with the kind of Fayres (shops)
i go to!

For me SCHOOL FAIRS are fab
they are filled with my target maket!
but i do always check them out first
and do as much research as possible (remember my other post)
THEY don't work for everyone
Think about what you are selling and ask yourself if you where at a school fair would you buy it?

Think about how much people will be carrying money wise
you can alsways take orders and deliver if they are close by!

If you have a interweb connection and a laptop you can take payments through paypal

There are lots of ways around them not having the money on the day
use you imagination and make that effort
people always remember if you make that extra effort!

Right before you all drift off i shall leave you to make a start on those lists ;o)

PLEASE feel free to add comments
There have been some fab ones so far x

dont sell yourself short

2011-10-17T08:52:00.000-07:00

now just for a change i am going to blog a few things i have picked up along the way about selling to shops!
I have seen both sides... having had my own florists and now selling to shops myself!

I think this has given me a good standing when approaching shops as i remember what i thought as a buyer!

here are few tips

Be selective
Dont jump straight in
Research the shop by visiting it as a shopper
NEVER ever visit on a Friday or Saturday unless you have pre-arranged this ... busy days mean the owner will be rushing to get you out!
If you wear your craft sometimes a shop owner will comment on it and you can ask if they would like you to pop back with some samples!
Dont be pushy
Dont rush into anything
BE POLITE

So yes they may seem obvious!

Right now you have an idea of what the shop sells , sit down and put together info and also questions you have?
So here we go ... these are some of the things i think or do before approaching a new place

Price lists... more about this one later
small selection of samples
your terms for selling... more about this one later too
Your turnaround time
If you will do sale or return
Your RRP
Ask how they will be selling, are they going to go to fairs or selling online too etc!
Do they mind if you link or promote the fact they are stocking your things
What mark up are they going to add?

Right pricelists

Now i am not going to tell you what to charge there are lots of magical theories on this all over the interweb!
All i am going to say is DONT sell yourself short just to get into a shop!!!!
You need to work this one out well before you go into the shop

Also never ask your family or friends what they think something is worth you will either get 2p or £200!!
Think about your time and expenses in getting orders to the shop too...
i combine some of my shop deliveries with days out ;o)

I think i shall have to do a part 2 with this one ... Wednesday maybe??

have you packed the kitchen sink dear

2011-10-16T04:16:00.000-07:00

or what you really need to take with you

pens at least two because one will run out!
notebook
price labels of some kind
string.. just because!
pricelists including trade ones just in case!
bags of all shapes and sizes
tissue paper
calculator

now somethings for you

water
food
tissues/baby wipes
plasters
headache tablets
deoderant
lipbalm
mini hair product samples... i know may seem a bit extreme but i sometimes look like i have slept in a hedge by the time have set up my table!
cardigan
something to do.. i take some cutting out with me or things that need buttons sewing on, so i can put them down if it gets busy!

I try and keep all these things in a storage box so i just need to fill it up before each event!

I also take loads of business cards and info on my next event
mobile phone
sometimes my laptop
lots of change... your float
something safe to put the change in... i have a tie apron for large fayres but otherwise we us our pockets not a cash box or tub as these can be taken in a blink of an eye

So there we go
the next blog is Where the h*ll is the mug tree?

Going to add my Christmas scented mix recipe very soon too x

fair game

2011-10-14T00:45:00.000-07:00

Last night was the start of my Christmas fayre and event season!
Now it wasn't a bad night but i have had better.
It did make me think that i can pass on some of the thoughts and tips i have floating around my head after a fair fayre!!

So here goes

Phone rings .. hello is the Kittyeden
me .. yes it is how can i help?
Mrs Fayre woman .. we are holding a super dooper fayre, would you like a table?

*Now this is where you need to think on your feet *
Ask lots of questions

where and when ... ok obvious!
A big important one ... is it inside (talking Winter here)
Where are the activities? Tombola's etc?
Are the selling tables in the main room/hall?
What kind of other sellers are there?

These are what i think are the most important, for me anyway!
So now you have got all the info ask if you can check your diary and call them back.
This gives you a minute to stop think and decide is it right for you.

I have agreed to some fayres on the spur of the moment and then thought
oh cr*p why did i say yes!!

So now you have all this info in front of you!
You can workout the simple answers but may wonder why i ask some of the others
(question 4)

for me this is really important
Why you ask?
Well ...

You NEED to be in the main room, think that people will sit with a mince pie and cup of something hot and chat... while chatting they are scanning the room for the good stuff (that would be you)
People will not always go and search you out if you are in a side room!
Schools want people to buy their things (chocs, crappy toys and the likes)
They have got their cash from you for your table so they don't *always* care if you sell anything or not!!

* larger fayres and regular fayres are usually different...
they want you to do well so you will go back again, Look cheerful and spread the word about their fabness*

I once did one school fayre and the lady organising said i have a fab spot for you next to the choc tombola... it gets really busy! Fab i thought!

Now fab is not a way i would describe it!!
I was stuck in a corner with a queue of chocolate covered children pawing my goods while they waited for their next go to get yet another chocolate fix

What did i sell... nothing (to start with)
Well one mum had to spend £20 + paying for the ruined items her child had pawed while she watched her other child spend quids getting her choc fix!!

Once the choc hell was over i did make a fair few sales but not quite what i expected... lesson learned!

So that is part one
there will be a fair (sorry) few more yet so do keep popping back xx
(I keep editing it as well, as i think oooh i forgot that)

If you find this helpful please let me know x

Next blog ... more questions than answers!!

Boo the bat

2011-10-07T12:21:00.001-07:00

i sat at my sewing table today with a plan to make something grown up
and this is what i made!
There really is no hope for me at all!!

clean house

2011-10-06T15:04:00.000-07:00

i am not a lover of housework!
I will never have a spotless show home type of house!
It would be a miracle if my home ever graced the pages of a glossy mag!

But if i spend a little time each day and every now and then a whole day blitzing the place my home scrubs up ok!

I decided in a moment of madness that now (which is my busiest time)
would be the best time to decorate... this would be the decorating i started before C had his knee surgery!!

smellyvision

2011-10-04T14:58:00.000-07:00

if only i could share this smell with you!
To me it is the smell of Christmas

We make up bags of it through the year and i add it to my stock boxes so they fill with the amazing smell

how is it October

2011-10-01T14:42:00.000-07:00

yes i know i am sat here writing this post on a warm Summer evening... no wait it is October!
I should be in jeans and jumpers not skirts and flip flops.
Now don't get me wrong i am not complaining but it is a little difficult to be in full on Christmas sew fest when its so warm and sunny!

So after a week if grottyness with a cold i took little K, my camera and a bag and off we went for a walk and a little blackberry picking.
Not sure we really need anymore jam, so instead i am off to grab a few cooking apples in the morning so i can make a crumble .

Hope you are all enjoying this fab weather

Next time i blog i have a feeling i will be wearing the jeans and jumper x

busy

2011-09-20T10:01:00.000-07:00

turning my kitchen into Christmas
and
if i have time my living room too!
All done by next Monday evening... no pressure there then!

I also have to make a massive amount of stock for my stockists open day which has now turned into 3 yes 3 days!

back to sewing

2011-09-14T11:58:00.000-07:00

the children are all now happily back to school
the mornings are back to the usual drudge
i hate the rushing around
i don't do mornings at all
I like to ease into the day
not have it screaming at me at 7am

Anyhoo it has to happen so i may as well just grin and bare it !

It does mean i am up and sewing before the breakfast news finishes
it also means i am getting somewhere with all the 'C' sewing
though i must say if i have to FME Christmas pud once more i may go postal

hello

2011-09-09T12:01:00.000-07:00

the wonderful Red Arrows at Chatsworth fair
they where amazing to watch
it was also quite moving to see them to after recent events xx

Well i did soooo badly with my list
Ok so i did have a couple of excuses
one being my stupid trapped nerve not letting me do what i want
and
the fact we had a big birthday day out for Kitty's birthday!

the first week back at school has been hard work but has gone ok so far
4 kidlets at 3 different schools was never going to be a cake walk
but we are getting there!

We have had a bit of trauma with two lots of sh&*(y paperwork with the gov
and you know how they can be lol

Really the past few days ok a week or more has flown by!
I have had lots of orders for which i am very thankful
and i am getting on with the xmas prep

so there you go
oh and i have a new obsession
photoshop ;o)

ten

2011-08-31T13:46:00.000-07:00

my baby is Ten today
how did that happen
she is growing into a confident (see bossy) young lady
Happy birthday my sweet little girl
we all love you lots and lots

churn it out

2011-08-30T05:43:00.000-07:00

Times are changing here
i have made the huge decision not to go down the wholesale route anymore
i may take on the odd new stockist
but for now i am sticking with the fab shops and websites i have already!

Why you ask?
Well i don't want to sit churning out the same design all day long
i don't have a load of staff to do all those other jobs
i cut, sew, make up, finish, package and all the rest myself
and when you have close to 15 stockists plus a website then that's too much.. for me anyway!
I have four children at home that struggle to see me some days
i have friends i never see because i am too busy
i missed out on family and school celebrations because of deadlines!

I don't want to sound a misery or sound ungrateful
the customers i have are wonderful and i love them all
they understand how life can kick you in the chops sometimes
especially when you have a family
and as you know the past year has been a bitch
(sorry no other way to put it) for us as a family!

So there you go
this is also a step towards new designs from me
for my website which is really taking off finally and
hopefully fingers crossed the new premises one day maybe

Weekly list

2011-08-29T11:18:00.000-07:00

i am so crappy at doing other things that are not work
so i am going to do a weekly list

buy K's school shoes.. i ordered the boys online! done
buy the last bits of school uniform done
sort out the pretty nets for our bedroom, i want to make them all cute with ribbons and applique
sew name tags in K's uniform
make a pump bag for K
prepare the downstairs cloakroom for painting

there we go that should keep me busy,
of course i have a mountain of sewing to do for work which goes like this

10 snowman hearts
20 snowman hangers
10 red gingham robin hearts
20 mistletoe hangers
5 happy bags
3 cupcake bags
2 pony bags
3 robin bags

and hopefully some badges chucked in for good luck
oh and and website orders too x

the post all OH's dread...

2011-08-29T01:44:00.000-07:00

Huge
big
fabric
sale
and i mean huge!!

go here to see some

sewhip again

2011-08-28T05:22:00.000-07:00

i nearly forgot to share my other news
i have had one of my pencil rolls featured in Sewhip

i shall just share some of the images with you

and not waffle on

too much!!

this was a long time coming as it all started last Summer
but got put back so it would time right for the coming new school year!
Sadly they missed of a link to my website but hey ho x

not what we had planned

2011-08-26T12:22:00.000-07:00

our Summer holiday has been as little different from the one we planned
just two weeks in and i trapped a nerve in my back and spent a whole week in the house
even going into the garden caused me the kind of agony i haven't felt since my knee went ping and i couldn't stand up for weeks on end!
I spent the next week doing stupid and painful stretching exercises to loosen the muscles and help with the pain... not!
I am now still struggling a little, my leg cramps up and i have a slight limp
which may take months to go :o(

It has also given me time to think
about general stuff i want to change!

We have had some major birthdays
my wonderful (most of the time) twin boys are now teenagers
yes they are the big 13!!
We have a tradition here of spreading out birthday celebrations
we had a trip to Wales
a trip to High Peak junction and of course now they are 13 a trip to Manchester for clothes!!

Shezzie has had her exam results
some good... lots of B's and C's and passes for her catering :o)
Some not so good but we are looking into re marking as she was one or two marks off a higher grade!!
She has been offered a place at Sixth form so all is good

I shall have to blog again soon to carry on with all the other news or you may drift off if i waffle on much more!

I am thinking of starting a seperate blog for the shop news but more of that next time!

have a fab bank holiday weekend, hopefully it will stay nice and i can get out and forage for treasures xx

another day

2011-08-19T10:49:00.000-07:00

Well after yesterday's blog i thought i should make an effort and not leave you all hanging on for more news!

I spent all and i mean all last night and a good part of yesterday doing some research, my head was mushy so today i got a few work jobs done,
i grabbed some food and off we set to chill out for a bit.... ok maybe choosing Dovedale was a mistake!
To say it was rather busy was an understatment but hey ho if you know where to go you can always find a quiet spot.

We then headed off for the Manifold valley
it was quiet here and we soon managed to find the other path
with no one but us on it... bliss!
Sadly because of my back/leg problems we only managed a couple of miles
but it was fab to be out!

So my head is still mushy, i am having those panicky second thoughts about the shop!
It is such a huge step and with the economic climate as it is i really need to make sure i do as much research as possible but i am not backing out this time!

Right i have a date with a pile of bag handles and stockings of the Xmas
variety before you ask!!
Have a fab weekend folks x

over ten years ago

2011-08-18T10:42:00.000-07:00

i had a florists shop
i loved it but sadly it didn't work out
my ex husband left
my dear dad and gran died
and i felt alone!
Ok so that doesn't tell you much
here is a little more...

I was so distraught at my dad's passing i didn't think when i booked his funeral
in hindsight the 14th of Feb was not the best day!
but i plodded on, on my own then the night before Mothers day i had the call that my gran had died
So as you can imagine it kind of took the joy out of beng a florist !

skip a few years and the shop had gone
i was managing to juggle running a small card business from home
with five kiddies as well!
Then i met Chris.

We have said many times if only i still had the shop when we met things would have been so different!
We have said many times how we should give it a go again but things have got in our way!

So what i am trying to say is we are chatting again about this
it is not just me nagging that 'i want a shop'
it is a true wish for us to create a family run business

so i won't be around much or maybe i will
i don't know really
i just know my head is spinning but in a good way

Hard at work

2011-08-11T03:43:00.001-07:00

Hard at work, a photo by cj1970paj on Flickr.

love this photo sneakily taken by my darling partner ;o)
It is me and my fair friend Jill!
She makes fab things from wood and such things in her shed .... she is a wizz with a jigsaw and paintbrush.

We both have the same sense of humour which makes for lots of giggles when we get chance!
This is at the gorgeous Thornbridge hall Summer garden party x

progress... well sort of

2011-07-26T08:48:00.000-07:00

here is the greenhouse it looks kind of rustic and
perfect for getting some nice old photo's,
it is now minus a big chunk of the glass, which was scary to take out
i have watched toooooo many CSI and horror films to mess around near sheets of glass lol!

Do you remember the before?

Can you see the shed in the background
well yesterday i decided enough was enough

and me and teagirl took the small shed down too!!
This holiday lark is hard work x

Holiday time

2011-07-24T06:49:00.000-07:00

yes people you read that right
*H*o*l*i*d*a*y*
time

me yes the workaholic having a holiday
well fear not i shall not be downing sewing tools
i am sticking around the house to do all those annoying jobs that i have never got to finish
there willl be curtains made and put up
cushions made for beds
artwork started and finished
and best of all more of that dreaded greenhouse will be going to the tip
and maybe if i nag nag nag C enough he may help me go and buy my new tiny shed
this will be No 1 shed for general cr*p and storage
No 2 shed will be for me

Sorry i didn't get around to sharing the teacher gifts
we ended up making choccy brownies to go with teacher badges
i had wanted to make more of an effort but last minute rush orders had to be done first

teacher gifts

2011-07-19T10:43:00.000-07:00

tomorrow i shall be blogging about my teacher gifts
and sharing my all time fave teacher gifts with you!

save again

2011-07-18T08:09:00.000-07:00

As some of you may know my DP has been at uni for the past 3 years
life has been a struggle but for me it was worth it!
We do know have a little more debt than before but hopefully C will get a good job soon
In the meantime money will be tight and we shall have to make a few cutbacks!

So yes this means Sara's frugal money saving blog posts will be back!

I did so well before and we managed to save around £150 a month
but i sadly slipped back into my lazy ways and have found myself wasting money and food both of which i am not happy about... now don't get me wrong i haven't been throwing money around all willy nilly but i have been a little silly with it.

I have also noticed how much my food bills have gone up too.
So from today its
save save save
not
spend spend spend

Sherrie

2011-07-17T07:46:00.001-07:00

Sherrie, a photo by cj1970paj on Flickr.

My beautiful girl just before her prom x

Cost of the prom

£52 dress... can be worn again

*£8.00 shoes already had

£4.00 cardigan

£2.00 vintage earings

*£5.00 vintage leather bag

£12.00 new make-up... will last for ages

£5.00 little extra's

it just shows proms don't have to cost a fortune x

lovely thrifty find

2011-07-10T12:45:00.001-07:00

i have been looking for ages for some lexicon cards,
i found these today at the car boot in a pile of games and i nearly missed them and would have if the couple behind the stall hadn't commented on Chris's Plain lazy t-shirt!
They cost me a mahooosive 50p
i have already made up a
Kittyeden
love
home
Chris
Sara
and thats just so far !

and look at this little beauty... it is a cute little 1950's camera
and even better it was just a mere £1.50

kitty kitty

2011-07-07T00:01:00.000-07:00

up to my ears in work, lots of fun and interesting things in the pipeline here
I have nearly finished this chunk of fairs and events for now my last one is on Saturday
weather permitting !
Then it is time to crack on with getting samples of my work for Christmas to every magazine i think may like it ... phew it is hard work being self employed !

I am having such fun with lots of special commissions
We, yes we (that means C, S and me) are working on a
how to FME and applique video as i get so many requests for help and advice !
On the home front we have finally had S's prom
she looked stunning and very beautiful
we have also had vet trips with Fistral super cat, which as you can imagine was fun.

Loads more has been going off

(this one was taken just as we were packing up so excuse the lack of stock)

we took ourselves as Kittyeden to the gorgeous Thornbridge hall
wow what a stunning place, if you ever get to go there GO !

Right must dash off again x

shut that door ..

2011-07-01T04:06:00.001-07:00

just a quicky to show you my new door stop

new size and shape
more filling to stop even the heaviest door and lovely ..
where wild flowers grow free hand machine embroidery and applique flowers x

Parsley

2011-06-30T12:12:00.000-07:00

well i just had to show you this
bless him xx

oh the shame

2011-06-29T09:31:00.001-07:00

this people is where i work or should i say create all the fab Kittyeden goodies

(see those white drawers they are stuffed full)
in all this mess of fabric and cr*p
and goodness knows what else is in there
it is not that long since i had a good tidy up
but i am so busy at the moment there doesn't seem much point .. lol !

It is not normally this bad ... honestly !

What you cannot see is the 6 boxes full of fabric hidden away behind me ;o)
See i said the shame lol x

give a big welcome to

2011-06-25T10:16:00.000-07:00

Master Parsley pants
isn't he adorable
he is the cousin to my gorgeous bengal girlie

this is him climbing and swinging from my clothes horse
I did take around 30 photos of him but he moves so fast they are all a blur !

He is like a whirlwind .. bless him

Birthday girl

2011-06-24T10:14:00.000-07:00

yes today is my *% birthday
yes i am *% years old

ok ok i am 43 you know !

and this is what we did yesterday to celebrate !

arghhhhh blogger has eaten my photo's and on my birthday too !

Bit of a trot

2011-06-23T10:09:00.000-07:00

we try to get out when there is the least bit of sunshine
especially as this is right on our doorstep

We are so lucky !

We also picked a big bag full of elderflowers while we were out
it is now steeping in preparation of me actually making some kind of jelly stuff
never done it before so could end in disaster x

edge of the world ...

2011-06-22T09:47:00.000-07:00

I haven't dropped off the edge of the world ... honest !
I had all these idea's that i would have time to blog more
i was doing so well and blogging lots and then life got in the way as per !!

(it's that time of year again)

So here i am quickly typing another forgive me i am a cr*p blogger post
i have to add that
i have also lost my memory card and my camera batteries are shot at !

(i told C these suitcase would be useful one day)

My days have been filled with sewing sewing and housework
My eldest girlie has finished all her exams
so we had some days out to celebrate
i did take photo's but yes you can guess they were on the missing card !
I have come up with a plan for that one we are just going to go back to the same places again and take more photo's ... problem solved !

I haven't ticked anything of my list instead i have thought of lots more i want to do
yet still need to add to the list !

I have done 2 weekends of fairs and have 3 more weekends of fairs to go !
So there is another excuse for being a slack blogger

Right well now that's the apology post done i may get around to sharing some
fun stuff with you later this week x

lists

2011-06-07T12:08:00.000-07:00

as you know i love lists
this one is of things i want to make for me, us and the house !

a blanket made from recycled cut up jumpers
cushions made the same as the blanket
picture made using some of my sea glass shapes
patchwork quilt for K's bed
new kitchen blinds
applique picture for our bedroom
applique cushions for our bedroom
a big red spotty fabric bow to go on my new cheapy t-shirt

and that is just a start
i want to try and make one thing a week if i can

treasures

2011-06-06T08:21:00.000-07:00

Sunday boot sale visiting has become a bit of a ritual here at KE hq .
A chance to have a wonder around, a drive through the fab Peak District
and a little time on our own just him and me ...

some weeks have been fab and the treasures have been plentiful
sadly not this week but what i did find is lovely

tell me what you think ?

skip-ping along

2011-06-05T06:21:00.000-07:00

Friday saw us making a trip to the tip
with a car full of greenhouse bits and general junk
now i am not a brave person but i am no shrinking violet either
just somewhere in the middle ..
now if you are wondering what the heck i am on about is shall explain ..
while at the tip chucking my rubbish in a skip a bloke in a car pulled up next to us and began chucking his junk in the skip next to me !
Now not being a nosy type but i couldn't help notice he was carrying a little old wooden box towards said skip and in it went ... well i couldn't wait for him to jump in his car and tootle off !
I grabbed the box and plonked it in the boot of the car and carried on with a smile on my face ... even C was shocked that it had been thrown out
but sadly he drew the line when i spotted a nice metal bench !

I shall leave you with a sneeky peek at todays meagre finds at the boot sale
more about them tomorrow

xxx

end of an era ....

2011-06-02T00:25:00.000-07:00

for me anyway !
My time as a florist was a very happy time even if my marriage ended during this time !
I love flowers loved the interaction with people and more over enjoyed making something that made peoples days .
I used my greenhouse to work from at night when we had busy days in the shop
and to store my plants from market .

So after many harsh windy Winters my poor old greenhouse
has really suffered

So it is time for it to go along with the two storage sheds that have now seen better days
Everything in the greenhouse was ruined with the last lot of bad weather and even the shelves had collapsed so it has also become dangerous too .

as you can see the ventilation is a bit over the top !!
So i have put on my super strong gloves and started the big clear up/out
and in it's place is going .....

what do you see ...

2011-05-31T10:34:00.000-07:00

(wow that is a bad photo but look how lovely is my jug ... a 75p CS find )

when you look around you ?
What do you see ?

I love to read some blogs, see how others live
how they have such beautiful perfect homes but
more and more i love to read blogs of people
who like me have too much clutter and not enough space !
Who's painting skills do not meet their imagination
who prefer to spend their time just messing around with stuff
just like me ..

We and by that i mean me and slightly unwilling and very challenged in the diy dept partner are slowly trying to get the house how we want it
not no way ever is it going to be a glossy centerfold but it will be nice
but more over it will be how we want it
no hommage to a style or any style come to that
just how we want it and more importantly how it works best for us as a family !

*i shall add some picci's later just wanted to right this post while it was fresh in my head*

i love my pony ...

2011-05-11T09:27:00.000-07:00

i love my pony...

as a little girl and ok as a big girl
i loved my ponies ..
nothing better than spending hours trundling around the countryside
just me and my pony !
So inspired by those happy memories i made these !

It made me think some days i just love what i do
and today was one of those days
xx

I heart JW

2011-05-05T00:22:00.001-07:00

Now some of you may already know this but
my work is featured in another magazine but not just any magazine
the fab Jacqueline Wilson magazine
I couldn't believe it a few months ago ..
(when C was in hospital actually now i think about it)
i got an email which stopped me in my tracks and
to cut a long story short my mini girly tote bags and badges are in the
Jacqueline Wilson magazine
who are running a competition to win fab prizes from
the from the Wilde website

a little bit of treasure

2011-05-04T03:55:00.000-07:00

Wow it has been a manic couple of weeks
we have had illness
we have had mad rushes to the DR's
we have had time off
and
we have had fun days out
we have had lots of trips to lots of car boot sales
we have had glorious weather
a Royal Wedding
a shopping trip to Manchester
phew we have packed in a lot to say one of us is on crutches still

these are two of my recent finds
aren't they fab ?
The crate was an amazing bargain at 50p yes 50p and just couldn't be left
the doggy was a find from Bank Holiday Monday and a fantastic 50p !

right lots still to do so i must dash
i have a very exciting post for tomorrow xx

Dont forget the big fabric sale

2011-05-03T03:50:00.000-07:00

(yes this one is back to front inside out ... need to get Eldest girl to re-take it )

yes you lovely lot don't forget the sale

xxx

stopping to take a breath ...

2011-05-02T07:32:00.000-07:00

wow what a busy few weeks
all these holidays and fundays in the sunshine .
Lots of Bank holidays and family days
so i have stopped for five minutes to enjoy one of my other hobbies

no no not cake eating but close ... baking with the children !

i have loads more to share .. sadly not the cakes as they have all been snaffled
so i am going to do lots of mini posts xx

sadly today is the last day of the holidays so i need to go get all those school things ready x

sale sale sale

2011-04-28T10:43:00.001-07:00

and this is just the start !!

it's all on Ebay
you can find it at
eden.cards
xx

Happy Easter

2011-04-25T11:25:00.000-07:00

First let me wish you all a Happy Easter
ok ok i know i am a little late with this !

I may shock some of you with this but i have had some time off
yes i know shocking isn't it !?!
One reason for my time off is that i have been quite poorly

just over two weeks ago i had a massive allergic reaction
i self medicated like you do for the best part of a week as i had a large fair looming
but by last Tuesday it really had got the better of me and i had to admit defeat and seek medical help ... quickly !

I had jabs and v.strong pills plus extra allergy tablets and more ... i was also told to take some time off to help my poor body heal .
So me being me decided it would be much more fun for me and all concerned to have some fab family days out .. all very chilled .

I also took the time to do one of my fave past times ... vintage treasure hunting
i have lots of photo's to show you but to start with here are some from our days out

i shall be back soon with some of my finds
some new products
a new vintage and found fabric sale
lots and lots of funstuff xx

happily ever after

2011-04-14T09:30:00.000-07:00

its all about weddings everywhere you look
it's fab to see people thinking about street parties
and
garden parties !
Decorating with bunting and flags
making cakes and jelly
meeting up with friends and loved ones

sounds such fun ... maybe we should do things like this more often x

a few new things

2011-04-13T01:36:00.001-07:00

Monday monday

2011-04-04T12:08:00.000-07:00

yes it's Monday again and as always it is manic in this house !
WE are on a big countdown now to the Shopping weekend at the Dome in Buxton !!

I am going to try and blog more, i am trying honest .

So a quick catch up on goings on
well i have found some cute vintagey finds
shall have to wait for some sunshine to show you all of those
but for now here is a few

3 little star glasses .. slightly fadded but still cute and only 30p for the 3

this little deer came from a new place i have found called finders keepers
just couldn't leave it behind and it was only a £1

This is a cute glass dessert bowl i found
it has a vintagey feel to it, maybe 70's i think
it came from the village charity shop and cost a whopping 10p

the buttons came from the Antique center in Matlock
a fab place to find stuff
there are 3 yes 3 floors of goodies
it is where my green trug in the last post came from
I will blog more about this place in the future x

so there we go so far will try and squeeze in another post very soon xx

trug full of love

2011-03-30T06:06:00.000-07:00

Crikey it has been manic here
we have had so much going on with the eldest girls birthday
rooms changed around and new sweet small bed bought for the little K
Lots and lots of gardening and planting of seeds
never mind my actual work !

I have a few fab finds to show you
one of my faves is this lovely trug i bought to pop my Spring decorations in at fairs and of course at home ...

making the beds

2011-03-20T06:34:00.000-07:00

after last years lettuce and pea glut
i decided to be a bit more organised this year with the growing
you know just a bit of little and often ..
until a friend asked if i could supply her with any surplus growings as she called it !
She had seen how much i grew last year and asked if she could buy the stuff i don't want !

So the just plant a bit of lettuce has become
rows of chives
rows of lettuce ... four different types
onions, pea's, beans, spinach ...... the twins have become my assistants for cash of course lol !

It has made me think i can grow more for us
not just lettuce and pea's !

As if i haven't got enough to do ;o)

a little vintage

2011-03-20T03:06:00.000-07:00

as you may know i love a bargain
a thrifty find
a hidden gem

So each week i shall share my finds with you
some will be staying, some will help boost my fair stands !

I have a large collection of vintage and found fabrics sat twiddling their thumbs as such in a box or three,
so i have decided it is time to use it while vintage is so on trend
(i hate that term .. i think ! )

So each Sunday (maybe Saturday maybe Monday )
i shall try and share my weekly finds

So here is Mondays haul ..
a fab oval serving plate
2 little wooden puppets .. think they maybe Greek ,not sure !
a fab book on wild flowers ... for the photographers in the house ;o)
pretty pink lace doily

Underneath them are my mats from last Sundays
Vintage fair ... will blog about them in the week x

The whole lot cost a whopping £1.60 (apart from the mats )

Tuesdays finds to follow when i have tidied the kitchen ;o)
we are having a Spring clean so as you can guess the house is a tip !

all work

2011-03-19T17:53:00.001-07:00

a little thrifting on Monday

sewing the rest of the week

and a big thing this week is my new helper started
she is fab and did me tons and tons of cutting out !

xx

thrifty finds and no time for tea

2011-03-07T08:27:00.000-08:00

Monday morning always seems to hit me in the same way every week
One minute its Friday and everyone is starting to kick back
then Saturday is mad panic rush around
Sunday is usually day out day or slob around day

At the moment everything is mad busy because of Chris's leg,
which is to be expected and oh so tiring !

So this morning was the usual panic
Have you seen my homework ?
Wheres my kit ?
My personal fave is my sweatshirt is wet .. you know the kind of thing !

Add to it today i had lots of work and housework
plus a long awaited haircut !
I even managed a visit to the charity shop and got a cute mixing bowl
and a little lidded dish
So now it's time to put tea in
collect little K
walk the dog .....

tale of a lonely saucer ..

2011-03-04T11:28:00.000-08:00

a few weeks ago i found this lonely little saucer in the local charity(thrift) shop
I just couldn't resist it and it was only 10p
So even if the children used it as a painting saucer or the cats used it for water
it would be ok !

So i brought it home in the pocket of my bag
washed and cleaned it and popped it in the window .

So today i dropped in for a chat and mooch in the same shop
the ladies that work on a Friday are fab and make me chuckle !
They kind of know my taste in collecting those odd sad little bits and pieces but they did roll their eyes when i picked up this sad little teacup !

So in my bag it went along with a little glass dish with slightly worn flowers painted on !

Now imagine my surprise when i got them home and washed to find out that the little teacup was a perfect match for that sad little saucer

.. happy smiles all round xx

and on and on ..

2011-03-03T09:31:00.000-08:00

updating the website

adding lots of new things

slowly going around the bend

if the computer says NO again i shall
have to go forage for cream eggs ... well i am adding Easter things !

So there you go that's me at the moment
xxx

going to the ...

2011-02-25T02:08:00.000-08:00

well i would like to say Zoo Zoo Zoo
how about you you you !
But and there's always a but ... we couldn't make the Zoo sadly
one it's to far away and two it's just to darn expensive with 4 kidlets in tow
that and C couldn't drive that far too ..

so instead we invaded the Art galllery yesterday.
Eldest girl had a fun time practising her photography
and taking some fab arty shots.
Twin 1 took in all the fab art in his own quiet way.
Twin 2 snapped away .. yep another budding photographer, he has a talent there .
Me and little K chatted about the people and i am proud that she knew alot of the artists work we saw !

Then we had to go take some arty snaps of this

this is my quick snap with my bag camera ... sadly i couldn't take the big camera with me
4 children plus a bag full of camera and lenses just doesn't work ;o)

A quick pop into the craft shop for some good old Hello Kitty stuff
and some Chinese fans for the girls room !

Then it was down to some shopping which went ok until Twin 1 took a turn for the worse so we came home x

That's about it for our half term ... having a man with a broken leg doesn't make days out easy .

Had planned to add some more photo's but i cannot find them !!

Easter bunny decoration

2011-02-17T07:15:00.000-08:00

growing up

2011-02-08T11:01:00.000-08:00

after years of making do with Vista P cards (nowt wrong with them)
i decided this was the year to go all grown up and have new cards
labels and product cards ..

so what do you think folks
i really love them and think they are the perfect finishing touch !

If i have to share the lovely lady that made them
oh go on then if i must
whoatemycrayons
tell her Kitty sent you ;o)

Thank you all for the kindest comments regarding C's knee
i shall be replying to you all over the next few days xx

all about ..

2011-02-06T14:10:00.001-08:00

(i added the daffs as the knee pictures are grim)

so as you may have worked out things have been a bit odd around here
My hubs to be C fell at the start of Dec 2010
he had a huge haematoma on his knee
which had to be removed by quite invasive surgery
followed by lots of rest and then physio.
As you can guess this was a nightmare especially as it is one of my busiest times
work and home wise !

Normally at this time C takes over a lot of the home jobs for me so i can sew like my life depends on it but no i became some made sewing shopping nursey type woman !

So Christmas was a very quiet time here at KE HQ
no partying on NYE either lol
skip forward a few weeks and physio seems to be helping
then right on cue we had a very cold frosty icy (slippy)evening
and yes you guessed it he slipped on the driveway .

I knew straight away it was bad but until he had been x-rayed and then given an MRI
we didn't realise how bad .. basically he has had to have a partial knee reconstruction.
He was in hospital for over a week this time, before we could break him out and this is where we are at now !

so if you wonder why i am dipping in and out of blogging this should explain why .. i am not slacking off eating cake this time xx

click your heels

2011-02-03T10:10:00.001-08:00

my act your age badges
now on the website of course ...

I am loving the new camera,
i am snapping here there and everywhere with it
i just wish i had a little more time to figure out how it all works

*it is a Sony A500 for you camera geeks out there lol ! x

thriftyness

2011-01-31T05:17:00.000-08:00

this mornings charity shop finds

not sure why blogger wouldn't let me add them to the last post

but never mind they are here now

dont you just love the pretty cotton sheet
it is too small to use on any of the beds so i shall be using it to make some
pretty Spring hearts xx

back to normal

2011-01-31T03:14:00.000-08:00

trying to get back to normal
housework
homework
sewing
baking
and of course a little trip to the charity shop

i would add photo's but blogger will not let me add any right now !!!

all change

2011-01-23T03:51:00.000-08:00

as some of you may know
my hubs to be had surgery on his knee at the begining of Dec 2010
all was going well with his knee healing until
Thursday night ..
when he slippped on some ice and fell
cue the rush back to hospital
and that is where he still is .... waiting for info and treatment

so blogging will be as and when again
sorry folks xx

busy sewing

2011-01-20T03:19:00.000-08:00

yes i am busy sewing, lots and lots of hearts
and also trying out some new website shots

first i am off for some industrial strength hand cream
look how dry my little hands look !

x x x

WW ...

2011-01-19T10:25:00.001-08:00

who needs words

Sara's savings plan

2011-01-16T04:55:00.000-08:00

Last year i set myself a budget
one .. to save some money
two .. to save on the food we waste
three .. because i felt we did eat some crap sometimes !

I did well for a few months but sadly it slipped a little as i got busy with work ..
so at xmas i decided to give it another go !

I am doing ok so far ... kind of
I have saved some money and we seem to have shopped less
good all round then yes !

So whats this post about then, well Sunday is when i shop
for the next 4 days !
So today i have a new bit to add to my plan ..
daily menu's

I want to simplify meal times
bake more
waste less
and
save lots of pennies

XX

making and doing

2011-01-13T11:04:00.001-08:00

my plan to blog everyother day has kind of gone out the window already
my big problem is not being able to get a new photo or two
in this awful dark grey weather

so today we had 5 minutes of sun
so i took this photo of what i have been doing lately
it is a gift for someone special to me
so i cannot give away too much ...

there has also been lots of making
making badges like these below
and many other new improved designs

I love this one myself ..
simple and to the point

there have been lots of other makings
mostly trade orders .. which are fab at this time of year xx

Sara xx

afternoon drive

2011-01-08T09:28:00.000-08:00

What with Christmas, work and C's leg we haven't got out much lately
so today we decided to take little K out for a little walk
and more importantly for her some old fashioned sweeties !

One of my most loved places to visit is Cromford
i love the mill
the wharf
and of course Cromford itself x

We stopped and bought chips for lunch and then headed off to the Wharf
to eat them .. sadly we had worn the wrong footwear so didn't go very far !

After this we headed off into Matlock Bath
for sweeties !
We had a bit of a walk as C's leg is still not great
i took a few photo's but to be honest the light was pants .

Then it was back to Cromford
a walk round the Millpond
which included a visit to the very cute shop called Bow !

Little K loved the swans in the millpond
and of course the waterwheel ..
bit of a chip of the old block there me thinks !

out of the 20+ photo's i took these are the best
really looking forward to some nice sunny days to get some
better photo's ...
oh and an bit more warmth so i don't have to struggle
taking a photo with wooly gloves on !!

Tomorrow i am back to the mega fabric clearout and hopefully get another
10 lots on ebay

have a fab weekend
Sara xx

corners

2011-01-06T10:23:00.000-08:00

Thought it was time i showed you some corners of my home

My lovely phone
C bought it for me last year
the Mother of pearl plaque was given to me by my Dad when i was about 14 yrs old
the picture was found at Hope car boot sale last Summer
The shell was a gift from C on our first holiday together

all are things i love
XX

buttons

2011-01-04T12:10:00.001-08:00

button sale in my folksy shop
will be adding lots more tomorrow !

all in good time

2011-01-02T08:19:00.000-08:00

Rush rush rush ... that's all i seem to do
apart from at Christmas when life slows down to a happy pace !
I love the kicking back and chilling out done in our house at xmas ...
the days spent lounging in pyjama's doing nothing much at all but i have to say i do get bored easily and because of this i am so thankful that i found blogging !

It did all start a few years ago in 2007 would you believe
and it all started with a book i bought with some Christmas money i had !

So here we are again at the start of another year of blogging
with another years wish list maybe or maybe not yet !
I do have a lot of things i want to do
so first i must workout what and how and when ...
just one more slice of christmas cake and a big mug of tea first !
Here's to all of us this year, what ever it may bring !

Again i want to wish you all a very Happy New Year
xxx

2011-01-01T06:13:00.000-08:00

Happy

New

Year

xxx

simple as a drop of water

2010-12-30T14:54:00.000-08:00

Water
Water
Water

this is one of the charities that i shall be supporting in this next year !

balancing act ...

2010-12-29T14:37:00.000-08:00

its the same old story often talked about in blogland !
What am i talking about ... yes that old monster
the work life family balance !

At the start of December in the throws of manic-ness
Chris had quite a serious accident, this meant that i had to basically
look after Chris after his surgery
look after the children
look after the house
and
run the business
all by myself !
yeah i know lots of us do that but when you all work as a team
and a major team member is not there then the whole thing goes to pot !

So after lots of stress we made it through xmas
but it has made me see things must change

I NEED to get this balance thing sorted !
I NEED to be able to work without feeling guilty that i should be cleaning house !
I NEED to clean house or visit friends or god forbid go shopping with out feeling i should be working !

So it is time to make a simple plan .. too complicated and it will just fail !

all i can say is wish me luck as this is going to be hard work ;o)

Sara xx

nicest names

2010-12-28T11:33:00.001-08:00

this last few months i have made lots of Christmas stockings
these are some of the more unusual names ... aren't they fab xx

Happy Christmas

2010-12-25T12:55:00.000-08:00

wishing you all a very happy merry and safe Christmas
xxx