Afternoon all, I hope your Saturday is going well so far,

I would like to show you the fruits of this week's work:

These are my new Freehand Machine Embroidery Greetings Cards.

I have made a batch of six designs and of course, I love them all! This is the Thank You card:

This has been sewn onto cream card which has been sewn onto cream card (!) in two seperate sections to give definition. I simply love the willow pattern style material and I only had a tiny piece left, which works well as a jug.

This is the Birthday Cake one:

 

I love the way this turned out, it is sewn onto pink cotton which is sewn onto the card. All these cards have materials that have been interfaced to give stability and durability and adds to the quality. Writing using Freehand Machine Embroidery is fun! It takes a lot of practice and a couple of steady hands but it looks great when done. Even when you get the wobbles, it still looks great!

Here is the giant Cupcake Card:

 

YUM! I simply love using these materials and adding spots to florals - I don't think it'll ever get old... This one has been sewn onto a cream calico background before sewing to the card. Have you ever sewn onto card using your sewing machine? It's a great feeling - it goes 'duff duff duff' and it's so cool! Ahem, moving on...

Here is the Birthday Bunting card:

 

You can't go wrong with a bit of bunting - on most craft projects - and cards are no exception. This is really cute, if I do say so myself...it evokes feelings of party and celebration.

Next up, two designs made on linen (which I also love to work with), first the Hearts:

 

These two linen cards are plain, in that there are no specific occassions labelled so can be used for many things. I love the way these are more about the textures than the others and are inviting to touch; very tactile. Here is the second one named Bird:

 

It's really nice to work with neutral colours i.e. browns and creams and I always see these materials as 'quality classics'. This card has a button sun and sewn in grass sections too.

And this is what the inside of most of the cards look like:

Sew So nothing evasive or getting in the way, just lots of space for you to write your greeting without taking away the attention of your words.

I will be taking them to a fair I have in a few days time and if I have any left after that, I will put them in my Etsy Store.

What do you think? Do you like them? Please leave me a comment, I'd love to know what you think. Thanls for reading,

Julie.
(C) FMN Crafts 2015

TOAST and Latest Items

Afternoon all,

So, I told you about my items going to TOAST in a previous post, well I have been sent a couple of pictures and been mentioned on their Facebook page so it all looks good, here are a few of their pictures:

Appliqued Phone Case/Purse and Divided Phone Cases/Purses

Fancy Pegs for Crafts and Notice Boards

Lip Balm/Lipstick Holders (inc. Lipbalm)

One Pound Coin Holders!

Fingers crossed, things will sell well, you should keep an eye on the Facebook page as things are busy in that area...

I have been busy re-stocking and making some new items, here are a few:

Fancy Buttons

Still on the 'fancy' theme, here are some sets of Fancy Buttons. I have some lovely buttons and I thought it would be really nice to put some out there for people to use on their own projects. Nice.

Cupcake Bunting

A firm favourite at the Craft Fairs and events, but not listed online yet, this is really cute little Cupcake Bunting, made using craft card and twisted twine. They are approximately 26" long and come with 9 individual flags. They look great just about everywhere!

Tea Cups Throw Cushion

Oooooh I love this! I almost kept it... As the title suggests, it is a Tea Cup design Throw Cushion, in chabby chic maybe? Whatever you like to call it, it's a 16" square cushion that could go on a bed, chair, window seat or wherever you like. It has an envelope back and is made of cotton, so it can easily be removed and washed, the tea cups have been attached to cream calico using free hand machine embroidery (which I love!) and I am looking forward to taking it to my next fair. :)

So what do you think? Let me know your thoughts or Like me on my Facebook page please. Thanks for your time.

Julie.

(C) FMN Crafts 2014

Latest Items

Evening all,

Just a quick one to show you these two new items I finished today and have added to my Etsy Store; firstly these Cute Cupcake Coasters:

Yes, I know you have seen coasters not so long ago, but these have different base colours and these have solid colour backs, meaning they are predominantly made to be cupcake side up, but they can still be turned over to show pink, yellow and blue back grounds. Cute, yes?

And the next, remember the padded phone case I made before? This is the next style:

 

Teehee! This mummy blackbird is looking after her blackbird chicks, high up in the tree tops! Cute. Well I think so anyway... I simply love making these, I love the childlike naivity to them. They are quality made and take quite some time but they have a look that says 'put together in a flash'. This is just about to go in my Etsy Store along with this one:

This one just makes me want to take a strole up that lane and see where it take me...yep, that's the romantic in me ;)

Anyway, thanks for reading, please pop over to my shop or give me a Like on Facebook, or even leave me a comment! Could do with some. 

Have a great weekend.

Julie.

(C) FMN Crafts 2014

Busy Times and New Items

Hello all,

Wow, what a busy, busy time it has been of late...and it is still, so this blog will be short. I just wanted to let you know that I have been busy exhibiting, mainly at the Old Methodist Church in Matlock Bath, Derbyshire, but also at the Bakewell Town Hall in Derbyshire too. All have gone quite well with sales and orders made, so mustn't complain!

These are a few of the items I have been making recently in between fairs:

 

These are Purses or Mobile Phone/iPod Cases in the Bunting Theme range of items I make. The patterns on the exteriors have been made using a tequnique called 'Freehand Machine Embroidery' and you don't need a fancy machine for it, just an embroidery foot if you like, or an ordinary foot with some quick moves, or even no foot at all with a lot more skill (this does need a good machine though and some other equipment).

For these, I used a regular foot and manouvered in straight lines whilst concentrating on giving a childlike, naive kind of look - which I have absolutely fallen in love with recently. 

The purses are made using cream coloured calico material, they are lined in felt and have a complementary zip and key ring attached. I think they are great and they have been selling well... You can find them in my Etsy Shop now.

Next up:

Two new styles of Children's Bags. These are great little bags and I have been selling quite a few of the Owl Print ones recently, so I thought I would make a couple more designs. The pink one above sold the first time it was out as I only had enough material to make the one...

And next:

 

Cupcake Drinks Coasters! I saw this material and knew exactly what I was going to do with it. They have a yellow background on one side and a blue background on the other and are covered in fabulous cupcakes. They are flanned lined too, so they will soak up any dribbles easily and as they are cotton, they can be washed as many times as you like. I have only one set of these left at the moment too... (hotcakes!)

Anyway, that will do for now, please leave any comments below, share this or Like me on Facebook please. Thank you.

Coming up: Map, Music and Cupcake Bunting, Embroidered Cards and Tissue Box Covers... Watch this space!

Julie.

(C) FMN Crafts 2014