Our xmas cake!

I forgot to post this in time for xmas but still need to show you the beautiful xmas cake that I won...yes won!..... in a raffle at the pre school where I do supply work. The cake was made by the incredibly talented and lovely Natasha of neviepiecakes who makes the most delicious and beautiful cakes and sweet treats I have ever seen, she really is an undisovered star of cakes!

So thankyou to Natasha for donating the cake it really was delicious I think there is just one slice left which I suspect my husband will have this evening when he gets in from the cold.

So this was Xmas

Xmas for us this year was a white one and though it was very beautiful it was also so dangerous to travel that we had lots of cancelled plans, including our family xmas down in Hampshire which had to be rescheduled.

The girls improvised with rock pooling nets to have a snow fight, the snow being too powder dry to make snow balls.

These photos were taken after just one fall of snow we had another 3 inches a couple of days later. Today we have freezing fog and another abandoned trip to Milton Keynes as the roads headed up that way from here are icy and the temperature was dropping as we headed north, we turned back and came home to our cosy home. Much the best pace to be at any time, but especially now.

Thankyou to everyone who shopped with me over the xmas period I kept my shops open and was suprised at how busy I was.

I am however considering closing my Folksy shop as the sales from there are so slow and I really can't have stock sitting around for so long. I really am sad about this as I love the Folksy site and ethos but it just isn't working for me. So I may concentrate my efforts more on my Etsy shops and keep on with ebay too as sales there have been non stop for the last few months.

Wishing you all a very happy and prosperous 2010

Louise x

Dutch design

I have been doing a spot of internet browsing today and came across this great Dutch online shop BijzonderMOOI . I have seen these angels before, and I really love the pattern design on them, such a simple idea for a table setting. They also have beautful lanterns by the same designer

These candle holders would be great anytime of the year not just Xmas

And well I am seriously tempted by this tape, I've been using some Christmas tape from MUJI on my parcels this year and it brightens my day as well as my customers.

And my final pick is this light shade made from blankets,I really like the way they've used blanket stitch seams and left them on the outside to be seen. We are decorating in the New Year and I am wondering how I could make my own because as gorgeous as they are, they just aren't in my price range.

Well the snow here is falling once again adding to the 6 inches already covering the ground, it really is properly Christmassy here in the Chilterns, very picture postcard and I shall brave the cold tomorrow to bring you some pictures.

Louise x

Just in case you were wondering where on earth I have got to, it has been snowing here........

no not the white fluffy kind, but orders for cushions. I have been working flat out lately and had to employ Laura to overlock 30 covers for me. Sales from my ebay shop have been non stop although they finally seem to be easing now, which is double what I was doing last year. On top of that I've done two fantastic fairs with the girls at More than a Mama. Thankyou to everyone who came to both fairs they have been so well attended and the evening one was absolutely jammed at one point, we had so many ladies trying to shop at once.

Yesterday we put up our tree and Laura made gingerbread, and today we are going for a bit of Xmas shopping, mixed in with dress shopping for Sarah.

Vintage fabric love...

I have been working with some great vintage fabrics this week. The anemones above have clearly influenced Cath Kidstons Pop Flowers fabrics.

This find is by french company Bourrac and is called Parade circa 1950

And finally my favourite, and another french one, a company called Wiart, the colours of this really lift me and I love the combination of blocks of colour and the black and white detail. The fabric itself is woven but really soft and makes such a comfy cushion, one has already been sidelined for our sofa.

Thankyou for all your lovely comments about my cushions. I am having a lovely time whizzing them up and now have the added use of a new overlocker so they are super professional. I really didn't understand how people could rave about an overlocker, they do, they get very excited! but now I have mine I can kind of see what they mean. It thunders along chomping through the fabric and oversewing with its four threads, however I really need to come up with a solution to the waste which at present drops into a box at my feet, having deposited a great deal of fluff all over my legs. You can buy chutes apparently which collects it neatly, I must go in search!!

Life here has been pretty frantic and stressful but now the strees is going and we are just left with frantic!! I am so busy with my ebay shop, sales of my cushion covers have been wonderful, and am also trying to keep stock back for a couple of Xmas fairs that I am doing. Blogging has very much taken a back seat.....sorry :(

sarah and I had fun making some leaf images in the back garden (not sure how the colours will show up for you at present as I am on a new laptop and have to sort the colour settings yet)

I made this LOVE cushion the other day and used four of the Pop Flowers colourways from Cath Kidston. I just don't get why this was discontinued it is the most popular Kidston fabric I use.

and for a bit of a Tadaaa! look at this vintage Magic Roundabout fabric I got, a perfect match for the blue spot, so I made up a pait of small cushions which are now in my ebay shop.

Must get around to sorting my Etsy shop which is looking very sad, and restocking Folksy too!

So much to do and so little time!

xxxxx

Still here....still sewing!

Such a long time since I have blogged, but life has been all over the place here and it has had to take a back seat. I still have my youngest at home but we are hopeful that all will soon be well again, her energy is definitely returning and so therefore is mine.

Sewing has been constant the cushions I showed you in my last post are proving really popular as are the ones made from Orla Kiely fabric.

Last Saturday Laura and I went to the Knitting & Stitching show at Ally Pally quite a trek by train, but sooo worth it. I was so pleased to find this fabric which I have used before with a black background. We had a go at extreme knitting on 2 foot long needles using yarn that is the offcuts from the woollen mills up north, in fact we loved it so much we bought some.

I have been brightening the grey days with some purses this one uses a Michael Miller fabric which I may need to get some more of. So far the rotten Royal Mail strikes haven't put off customers, but I have a couple of Xmas Fayres to look forward to.

Had you noticed I hadn't mentioned the builders?.......they should be doing my house by now........I am staying calm but Xmas may not be very stylish or comfortable this year...I'm staying calm..I'm staying calm.