Happy New Year and Items!

Happy New Year!

I hope you all had a fabulous Christmas and are already getting into 2017... I had a lovely time relaxing and enjoying time with the family, but I am really ready to get back into work! So much so that I started 4 days ago... #cantresist

This blog is picture heavy and hopefully the photos are self-explanatory...I will apologise for the lighting in the photo as most of these were taken during bad weather...enjoy! Oh, and all of these items can be found on my Etsy store if you wish to make a purchase. Thank you for reading.

Large Doilies Shoulder Bag in Navy with Internal Zip Pocket

Doilies Cross Body Blue Bag with Internal Zip Pocket

Doilies Cushion, Large with Golden Button

Freehand Machine Embroidery Glasses/Mobile/iPod Cases

Three Piece Make up and Toiletries Set, Blue Floral

Floral Lined Scottie Dog Wool Coin Purse

Small Wool Plaid Cushion with Flower Brooch

Small Brown Chevron Wool Cushion with Flower Brooch

Small Wool Plaid, Denim and Brown Wool Chevron Cushion with Button Detail

Small Botanical Garden Cushion

Three Piece Make up and Toiletries Set, Blue and Pink Floral

Denim and Floral Mobile Phone Cases with Earphone Pockets

Three Piece Make up and Toiletries Set, Brown and Burgundy

Large Scottie Dog Wool Plaid, Brown Wool Chevron and Denim Cushion

(C) FMN Crafts 2017

Five New Items

Good evening all,

It's been quite some time sinse my last blog, sorry about that, but I have been busy! First thing I want to show you is this:

Now, before you think you've seen this before - you haven't. Well, sort of not... I made this is a smaller size, the same as my Old Bakewell Pudding Shop, but this is a whopper. This is in a frame 16.5" x 13".

For this one, I based it on the first one but I had to scale it up. There are so many windows and so many panes on this thing that as you can imagine, it took quite a long time to make! In fact it was just under a week from start to finish. I used the freehand machine embroidery method and each piece is interfaced and sewn on. I like the way there is a small 3D effect by the layering (the photo's do nothing to enhance this).

I really love it, what do you think? I plan to take this to my next craft fair and hope it will cause a bit of a stir...

Next up:

 

The second of my Vinatge Doilies Throw Cushion. I sold the first one the first time it went out at a craft fair, actually to another stall holder and as I had some more, I made another. These doilies are just so nice, it's a shame they are not showcased better, well, now they are. I added lace, calico and a golden button and made it an envelope back. I am sure this can easily fit into many areas of someone's home. It measures 16" x 16".

And the next:

These are Mobile 'Phone Cases with Earphone Pockets. I have made these recently in different materials and using a freehand machine embroidery decoration, but I simply love this butterfly material and thought it would work well on denim. It does! Each case has a different button and elastic to close, making each case unique and each have a different colour pocket and spotty cotton interior. They are fully padded using fleece so mobile 'phones will be safe (and warm?!) whilst inside. With it being an elastic closure, it will keep the mobile safe but is quick and easy to open if it's ringing.

 

 

 

These fit my mobile which is a Sony Xperia but I make them to order too, to fit any size mobile. They can also be used as a glasses holder! Look:

Next:

 

These are really cute little pieces of art work using mixed media. I have combined fabrics, laces, crochet, beading, buttons, felt and embroidery to make these unique pieces and I am sure they would bring a smile to any room. I simply loved creating these as things look so random! (They're not by the way...) It gave me a chance to add a little bit more freedom and creativity to my work and my work room looked a complete mess! I loved it! Usually I am so disciplined and strict with myself, you will never find a piece out of place in my work room, sometimes I feel I am a neat freak and it can become annoying. To myself! But in this case, oh boy, I had an area about a foot square to sew in... I couldn't be neat with these and that was just fine with me. :)

 

 

 

They are set in 8" frames and can stand or hang. I have left the glass out of the front as I think they are quite tactile and need this, however the glass is inside the backing so it can be used for protection if so desired - the individuals choice.

I am sure there will be more of these to come.

And finally for today:

These are a selection of Cord Keepers. You know how earphones get so snarled up and messy? Well now there is no need with these little beauties.

 

 

I used small pieces of material, I interfaced them for stability and durability and used good old Velcro as the closure method. You simply roll up your earphones over your fingers, pop it in the cord keeper, roll the material over and secure. Then just chuck them in your bag and get on with your class, your conversation, your meal or whatever and when it's time to go, you know your earphones will be neat and tidy. Simple!

Well that's all for now, thank you for reading, please leave a comment if you wish.

Julie.

(C) FMN Crafts 2016.

Cushions and a Fair

Good afternoon all, I hope your weekend is going well so far...

Just want to show you these two cushions I have been working on over the last few days. Firstly:

This is a fabulous (if I do say so myself) Flower Vase Throw Cushion. It is based on a cream cotton material with envelope back and then I made the flowers in three different style, using a variety of materials and methods including hand and machine stitching.

It is a rather tactile cushion that I think would look great in many areas of the home, albeit a bed, chair or otherwise. It's pretty, it's attractive, it's a talking piece and it's a one-off. Sure, I could make another one, but no two would be the same, making it a unique hand made item.

The other one is this:

Although the photo is a little pale (poor lighting that day) I hope you can see this is my Vintage Doilies and Lace Throw Cushion. It has the same base as the one above and then I decorated it with a mixture of cream and white doilies, lace, cotton, ribbon and a vintage gold button. The doilies actually came from a rather cute shop in Bakewell and I knew I had to so something fun with them. You may remember I have made various bags with doilies before but this is the first cushion.

 

Click to enlarge

I enjoyed making this cushion and although it was fiddly, I think it looks fabulous. The doilies are so cute and I think they should be on show more than just as a base to an ornament! In this guise, they are. And yet again, it would grace any chair, chaise lounge or bed spread. This is most definitely a one off unique item as I have only a few other doilies in my store.

So what do you think?

I am not putting them in my Etsy shop as I have a fair on Monday that I want to take them to.

Speaking of, it is at the Bakewell Town Hall and this fair is being run for the Goboka Rwanda Trust by means of a Cafe and and Craft Fair. It is always a good event, usually there are around six quality stalls selling fabulous local photography, textiles and sewn items of many forms, my husband often has his RNLI charity stall selling quality vintage and antique items, there are hand made cards and children's items, hand made jewellery, there is a stall selling African coffee and other items and more, plus the Rwanda charity sells items made by the children of Rwanda to raise funds for their communities. The cafe is great offering a welcome rest from exploring the town and market, with refreshments at very reasonable prices. I can personally recommend the chocolate cake!

Doors open around 10am until around 3.30pm when the market in the town closes. Please pop along if you can.

Thanks for reading, share or comment if you like and have a lovely Valentine's Day tomorrow. <3

Julie.

(C) FMN Crafts 2016.

Latest News

Hello all, long time no blog...hope you're all well.

It has been a busy summer - mainly working in the garden with renovations - but I have still been making and doing craft fairs. Here are a few of my latest items for you to view:

A lady ordered this through my Etsy site, she rescues Warren Chickens and wanted an iPhone 6 case that represents this, so I came up with this. As I don't have an iPhone 6, I looked up the measurements and made a dummy phone from card so I know it'll fit - as I do for all orders of mobile cases. What do you think? Well, in actual fact I made this one first:

Which is also very cute I think! But I damaged the zip right in the last stages of making (grr) so I had to start again. As I spend so long on the design and making detail, I needed to make a new design as I just couldn't spend another 2 days on the same one!

Theses cases, like all of the ones I make are padded to protect the phones, they have white canvas interiors and a pop of colour in the zips. Even though these are made to measure for mobiles, they could also be purses or pouches. Don't you just love the details? Click on the photos for larger sizes.

While I was at it, I made this one for my craft stall, in a design that my husband came up with. What do you think to this?

This is also an iPhone 6 case (as I know many people have iPhones now) and I just love the colours in this. Again, it took just about 2 days to make but I really, REALLY like them! Plus, it fits well with this being the 70th year since World War 2 ended.

Next up:

This is the second in the line of Vintage Materials and Doilies Sling Bags that I have designed and made, which sold the first time I put them out at a fair! The materials are so good and I simply love the doilies, which come from numerous charity shops. I make the straps 60" long so that they can be knotted into any position the owner likes, i.e. cross the body or as a shoulder bag of various lengths, I line them, add magnetic snaps to close and include two large internal pockets. So, not only do they look cute, they're practical! And, as they both sold the first time they were put out, I have to take that as a sign, I will make more...

Here is an order that was placed by a lovely lady at my fair yesterday in Bakewell:

She was looking at my Flat Based Make Up Bags and the Tissue Packs and really liked them, but she wanted them in matching materials and the bag to have an oilcloth lining, or at least wipe-out-able (new word). So she chose the materials, placed the order and I got cracking today. I am very pleased with how thay have turned out and I have made matching sets before - time to make more me thinks... These are packed up nicely and are ready to be posted in the morning. Isn't the material just great?! So funky.

And finally for today:

Well, it's called Creature (until I think of a better name, answers on a post card please) and he/she (?) happened quite late at night. Not that I couldn't see and that's why it came out wonkey - that was intentional! It's just that sometimes things come to mind and I simply have to go and make it right away. Look at 'it's' eyes! So cute and curious. My friend Jayne, who makes fantastic cards, said they would make cute items for small children or even babies to hold, so I could make them child friendly and promote as this... What I am going to do though is make a set or a family and see where the creativity takes me, so watch this space!

Ok, that's all for today, I'll try not to leave it too long before I blog again but in the meantime, take care and thanks for reading. If you like, please leave a comment or visit my Facebook page.

Julie.

P.S. I have just started knitting... hehe. :)

(C) FMN Crafts 2015.