Evening all,

Just a few pictures to show you folks, of things I have been making recently...so first up:

This is my Small Reversible Bag, made using denim and canvas materials, and adorned with a hand made flower brooch. I made these a while back and it wasn't long before they sold and when I saw the blue and white material the other day, a light bulb was lit to make more. So I did!

Next:

This is my new style of bag, I call this my Botanical Garden and Linen Leather Strap Bag. I think the clue is in the title! I simply love the Botanical Garden material and was fortunate enough to come across quite a lot of it, so here I have used it in a bag alongside other neutral materials. The lining is cream, it has a Botanical Garden set of pockets and I used a leather belt to make the shoulder strap, which is riveted and can be altered to the length desired.

And the next:

Similar to the above item, this is a Botanical Garden and Denim Wristlet. It is of the size that it can hold your mobile, your purse, your keys and a tissue or two so that you are ready to dash out the door in an instant and you know that you have everything you need - all secured and safe and held over the wrist.

And finally:

You may have seen these before, these are my Freehand Machine Embroidery Mobile 'Phone Cases with Earphones Pocket, decorated with really cute little birds. These are slightly different to the last ones (I think most things are remade better the next time) and are made to fit many mobiles, including the iPhone 6. I just love the floral materials used for the birds and the spotty interior. Cute!

So that's all for today, but before I go I would just like to say tomorrow (Monday) both my husband and I will be exhibiting at the Bakewell Town Hall, me with my items and my husband will have his RNLI Charity stall. We are actually supporting a charity ourselves by standing, namely the Goboka Rwanda Trust, as they hold a monthly cafe and craft fair in the Town Hall to help the charity and it is always such a great atmosphere with stalls, teas and cakes so if you fancy a day out, you know where to come. Plus, it's market day in town!

Thanks for reading,
Julie.
(C) FMN Crafts 2016.

New Facebook Page

Hi all,

Just a quick post to tell you that our good friend Shelagh runs Craft and Gift Fairs and Events at the Bakewell Town Hall in Bakewell, Derbyshire and she has just opened a Facebook Page about it. Posts include event dates and times, as well as who is attending, directions, photographs and products and all kinds of things. David (with his RNLI charity stall) and I regularly attend her fairs as they are so well organised, delivered and attended by the public. Stall holders have some fabulous items including crafts and gifts, art work, photography, textiles of many kinds, jewellery, candles, outdoor ornaments, glass art and many other things. Please pop on over if you get a second and leave a comment or a Like.

Thanks for reading,
Julie.

Chatsworth House and More

Good afternoon folks,

As promised in my last blog, I have made the 'made to order' order of Chatsworth House in Freehand Machine Embroidery and it has been packed very carefully and posted off on it's 16 hours flight to Birmingham, AL, USA :)

Here is it:

Click to Enlarge

It took what seemed like FOREVER to make, as I guess you'd expect (!) yet I loved every single minute of it. It has multiple layers giving a slight 3D effect, and made using subtle colours so that the main 'bit' pops - namely the house itself (complete with gold window frames!) It is in a 20cm x 30cm white frame and can stand or be hung. I hope my client loves it as much as I do.

The windows were fun to do

Here's a little shot of the making-of process:

Looks quite simple really...

The funny thing about this was that the evening I had finished it, and flopped on the sofa with a well earned cuppa, a program came on the TV about Chatsworth House and I had to turn it off - I couldn't look at the house any more! I had been 'Chatsworthed' out... ;)

And sew, sorry so onto my other items:

These are my latest design of Freehand Machine Embroidery iPad Air and iPad Air 2 cases, but this time, I have added a little pocket on the back to hold earphones.

I have a Kindle case and it has no pocket, so my earphones get stuffed in the pouch with the Kindle and it's not very good. At least with these cases, there's no chance of scratching or marking your devise.

They all have pretty interiors too. At my last fair I discovered that people will buy tablet cases for other devises and tablets even if they are a little too big - so that's an advantage I guess.

Next up:

Another batch of my Carrier Bag Key Rings after the last load went to quickly. The resounding noise was "oooh!" at the last fair when people discovered what they were. However one lady said they must contain very small carrier bags, but I showed her they are in fact full sized carrier bags, just flattened, folded and rolled. I still think they are brilliant! You always have your keys so you always have a bag. Simples.

And next:

Yep, another Old Original Bakewell Pudding Shop in Freehand Machine Embroidery, ready for my stall at the my next fair. This is piece number 4 and while ever there is a demand for them, I will keep on making! I simply love these and while they take a long time to make, I enjoy doing so.

The penultimate for today:

Another re-do due to good sales and popularity - these are Rice and Lavender filled Hand Warmers. They are an ideal item for this time of the year and they smell delicious. As well as the rice, they contained French Lavender Heads, from Provence no less. My work room smells heavenly when I am making these... You just pop them in the microwave and then you have cold hands (or ears!) no more. Lovely.

Finally:

I showed you one of these last blog and so now I have made a few more, here they are. These are really fun and cute and yet are practical at the same time. I have several other styles lined up for these so watch this space.

So that's all for today, what do you think? Please let me know, I'd love to hear your thoughts and share this blog if you like.

Thanks for reading,
Julie.

(C) FMN Crafts 2016

Too Early for Chrismas???

Afternoon everyone,

Yes, I am sure most of you are saying, it IS too early to be thinking of Christmas, but in the business world, it started months ago. In my business world it has just started. In my personal world, forget it! At least until the start of November.

However, I have had to start on the Christmas lines because I when I am exhibiting at fairs, most of my customers will see me only once before the big day, so I need to hit them with the stuff! I have a few things already made but I wanted to show you this:

This is Mini Burlap or Linen Christmas Bunting and I think that explains a lot (!) but I will add that it is made using really soft material that I have secured then frayed and adorned with cut little Christmas 'emblems' shall we say? The bunting can be hung anywhere, but would look really cute on a mantle piece or shelving unit. It is approximately 3' 6" long and has 12 flags.

So far I have made three sets and I will be taking them to my next fair - details coming soon.

Also on the Christmas theme, I was thinking parties and so have revived a line from the past:

These sold quite quickly the last time I made them and so I will make quite a few, Chalk Board Coasters. They are incredibly handy when entertaining as you simply write your guest's name on the coaster, so their drink doesn't become confused with somebody elses. They are also good for labelling food items that may be on the buffet, like nuts and sweets, so they are versatile and cute too!

Again I will be taking these to my next fairs and we'll see what happens.

This weekend I am going with my husband to the Bakewell Town Hall as there is a craft & gift fair on from Saturday to Monday, and he sells items donated to him to raise funds for the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution). He asks for and people very kindly donate unwanted goods including ornaments, vintage glass wears, jewellery, wood items, antique items and silver wears and he sells them at prices much lower then in a retail shop, making it that the people who donate the items are giving to a great cause, and the consumers are gaining an actual physical item for giving to a charity. It's a win-win situation! On Monday there is a cafe in the hall too which is in aid of the Goboka Rwanda Trust, and over the three days there will be an interesting array of crafts-people displaying, talking about and selling their goods. Also on Monday, it is Market Day in the town and there is always a great atmosphere. So, if you want to start early with your Christmas shopping, you know where to come!

That's all for now, thank you for reading, either pass this on or leave me a comment. Thank you.

Julie. :)

(C) FMN Crafts 2015

Three New Items...

Hello all,

Just a small post today to show you my latest makes, so first up:

These are men's (or not) hard wearing wallets, made from fab upholstery materials. I made some of these a while ago and they all sold well; I know of at least two people who really like this style of wallet saying they are not only durable but fit well in a jacket or trouser pocket without the bulk of a usual wallet.

They have a lining which contains four pockets for cards, which can actually hold eight and at the back there is a notes slot. They are really soft to the touch too, quite tactile it seems...

Next up:

I saw this material and knew right away that I had to make bags from it! This is a small laminated cotton bag that can be used for all kinds of things, but mostly it can be used as a lunch bag (as in the pic) or as a children's bag for books, toys or otherwise... 

And finally:

This is a freehand machine embroidery flowers, denim and cream throw cushion that I simply love! I made one similar a while ago and that sold quite quickly and so today I finally got around to making another. This is 16" square and has an envelope back. What do you think?

Finally for today a quick reminder of the Antiques, Craft & Gift Fair I am attending tomorrow at the Ashford-In-The-Water Memorial Hall, near Bakewell. If you fancy a day out, please come along, entry is free, there are refreshments and fabulous stalls and the surrounding area is just a beautiful part of the Peak District. Doors open at 10.00am.

Thanks for reading,
Julie.

(C) FMN Crafts 2015

Ashford-In-The-Water

Evening all,

Just a short blog to let you know of a new fair I will be attending on Sunday (new to me) at Ashford-In-The -Water.

The fair is an Antique, Gift and Craft Fair in the Ashford-In-The-Water Village Memorial Hall, a village close to Bakewell, where there is free admission, refreshments and fabulous stalls peddling their wares including jewellery, fine antiques, home wares, creative artworks, beeswax products, wood items, cards, textiles and much more.

Advertisments have been made through social media as well as posters & banners in all the local areas, leaflets in all the surrounding antique shops and leaflet drops at all the other craft and antique fairs attended, so it's sure to be a busy affair! Spread the word if you can...

Doors open 10.00 - 4.30pm.

See you there!

Thanks for reading,
Julie.

Bakewell Craft Fair

Hi all,

So as previously mentioned through Facebook and Twitter, I have one day left to go at the Bakewell Town Hall Craft and Gift Fair, tomorrow Monday 11th May 2015.

There have been some great stalls over the last two days including those selling hand made textile items, hand turned wood pens, landscape photography, mixed medium wall art, silver and dichroic jewellery, Phoenix trading cards, hand knitted characters and cushions, hand made decoupage and decorate cards etc, plus there is my husband's stall selling quality bric-a-brac items to raise fund for the RNLI.

Tomorrow there are a few other stalls coming in too, of which I don't know so it'll be a suprise!

The fair is organised by Dale's Fairs and adverts are placed on stallfinder.com, in the local free newspaper, in the Information Centre, via leaflets at previous fairs and via posters in the town well before the event. The posters around town that say "Follow The Sheep" are the ones to look out for.

The town hosts market day on Monday's and it is always buzzing, no matter what the weather, plus Bakewell has the Old Original Bakewell Pudding Shop, which is always worth a visit.

If you fancy a day out, you know where to come :) DE45 1BT

If you come and visit my stall and mention this advert, I will give you a 10% discount on any purchase over £10.00!

Thanks for reading,
Julie.

New Items and a Giddy Moment...

Hi all,

For today's post I would like to show you a few new items (there's never a dull moment here), first up is a small batch of Freehand Machine Embroidery Cards that I took to the fair last weekend:

Whenever I put these out at the fairs they go almost straight away (which of course is good!) but I can pretty much guarantee I will not go home with many... Those of you who are eagle-eyed will notice there are some similarities to ones I have made before, but you may also notice there are some slight changes in style and colours materials/used, due to natural evolution of skills and experience in making items...

The next thing to show you are these:

These are really cute little Linen Coin Purses! They have two different sides to each purse, a cute little zip and a cream lining and a snazzy little string pull. Even though they are really small, they pack a punch in the content they hold! These will be going out at my next fair.

And my third items today:

My Freehand Machine Embroidery Denim and Firm Linen Purses. These are slightly different to the ones I made last time in that they have a different front to their back, so it makes them even more interesting. I love the little birds design and the materials are so hard wearing, adding to durability. They look cute too and you can get LOADS in them. I made one a while ago for myself and boy, does it take some abuse! I am not a pretty handbag type of girl - in that the exterior will be lovely, but inside? Jeez. My Mum often comments on the amount of unnecessary stuff items I carry in my bag and asks how it all fits, so my purse does get bashed around a bit, but it still looks like new :)

And finally for today, I tweeted about my Freehand Machine Embroidery Bakewell Pudding Shop framed piece of art recently and the Bakewell Pudding Shop themselves picked it up; here's a screen shot:

Teehee! I was made up! I am so proud...

And on that note, I'll sign off, until the next time :D

Julie.
(C) FMN Crafts 2015

Final Post This Week: Bakewell and New Items

Evening all,

For the last post of this week I would like to show you a couple of things, but before that details of my fair as mentioned in the earlier post.

I am at the Bakewell Town Hall tomorrow and Sunday from 10am to 4.30pm for a Craft and Gift Fair, organised by Dawn of Craftwise Art and Craft Markets.

The Craftwise Art & Craft Markets have been held regularly in Bakewell Town Hall since 2002, they are held in the downstairs room and admission is free.

There are a range of quality gifts available including handmade cards, knitted baby clothes, wrapped gifts, fabric crafts, a variety of different styles of jewellery, art work, photography and others - it sure is a great fair to visit and I for one am looking forward to it.

OK, so just a couple of things to show you that i have managed to make before tomorrow, firstly these:

 
You will recognise the new style rabbit from the previous post but I have also tweaked some of the others, either in design or materials used. These are part of my selection of Freehand Machine Embroidery Cards which I think are little pieces of art in themselves.

 

Plus, they can be framed after standing on the shelf or fireplace and hung on a wall :)

And finally for the week, this:

This is a Freehand Machine Embroidery Bunting Door Stop. It is made using sturdy denim and hard wearing linen, it has a webbing strap handle and is decorated in cute little bunting pieces. It is filled with sand, stones and padding and holds open a door just as it should. I like this. :D 

Click to enlarge

As you would expect, this will be going with me the the fair tomorrow.

If you feel like a day out, please go to Bakewell in the lovely Peak District, it is a fabulous little town that has all you need - including our craft fair! You will not be disappointed. 

Thank you for reading, please leave a comment if you wish.

Julie.
(C) FMN Crafts 2015

The Goboka Rwanda Trust Cafe and Craft Fair

Hi everyone,

Just a small blog to advertise the event we will be attending tomorrow, The Goboka Rwanda Trust Charity Cafe and Craft Fair at the Bakewell Town Hall tomorrow, 20th April 2015.

Please see their Facebook page for details, they are a group of wonderful people helping make the lives of people in Africa that little bit easier. The Goboka Rwanda Trust is a small UK registered charity that supports and delivers projects to help the Rwandan people, their families and communities.

The fair is a monthly one held in the town hall and has a fabulous little cafe with some craft, gift and artist stalls selling lots of lovely things you wouldn't usually see on the high street, all designed and made by the stall holders. It has a lovely atmosphere and is a relaxing environment - the charity and the stall holders appreciate all the support they recieve.

My husband also runs his Royal National Lifeboat Institution stall, where he sells quality bric-a-brac items donated by very kind members of the public, who no longer have a need for their items and who would love to help support the charity. His stall is becoming well known for the quality of items, including such things as crystal decanters and glasses, named crockery and glass wears including Crown Derby, Moorcroft and Beswick etc, as well as antique jewellery, fountain pens and silver wear all at rediculously low prices. Buyers gain beautiful items whilst giving to the RNLI at the same time. It's a win-win situation. If you have any items you would like to donate for him to sell, please contact me or come along tomorrow and speak to David, or bring your items! Here is a look at part of his stall:

Each fair will be different with new items each time as the items sell quickly - piece of advise here: If you see it and you like it, BUY IT! It will probably not be there 30 minutes later. Bring cash. Lots. ;)

Anyway, enough plugging, hope see you tomorrow, doors open at 10am, The Bakewell Town Hall, Derbyshire, DE45 1BT. Plus, Monday is market day in town and always has a fabulous atmosphere.

Julie.

New Item: Patchwork Vintage and Upholstery Materials Sling Bag.

Afternoon all,

For the last two days I have been working on this:

This is my (Hobo Style?) Patchwork Vintage and Upholstery Materials Sling Bag.

I made it using some of the most fabulous materials gathered from all over the place, for example upholstery factories, vintage and retro shops and markets etc and they are pieces that I have kept with the thought of 'to work on later'. You know what I mean...

This bag is an absolute favourite of mine and I am very tempted to keep it! The materials are soft yet sturdy so that they will last, it is lined in cream cotton curtain lining material, it has two internal pockets in upholstery material, is has a long 52" strap designed so the bag can be worn across the body, it has curved corners and it has a magnetic snap to close that is concealed with a coconut shell button. What's not to love? The doilies are vintage are are so beautiful, it was quite painful having to cut them in half! Plus, they have been hand sewn on, just like the little buttons too.

I will be taking this to my next fair which is at the Bakewell Town Hall, this Monday 20th April 2015, this event is run by the Rwanda Charity - details of which can be found in an earlier post, just scroll down.

Let me know what you think to this bag though please, it'd be great to get some feedback!

Julie.
(C) FMN Crafts 2015