Busy Busy and New Items

Hello all,

Wow, long time no blog! Guess what? I've been busy! As usual... Some of these items were out at my last fair, but that just shows you how long it's been since I blogged.

So without further ado, I'll show you some stuff. First up:

This is the next in line of my Upholstery Material Cushions, this one in a beautiful botanic style print, complete with matching piping (I love making piping now...), an envelope back and detail on the back to match the material on the front. This material is a mix of hemp and linen and it feels delightful, it measures 16" x 16" and will be going with me on Sunday to the next fair I'm at - details later. I have another one to show you but that's next time, as I haven't got the cushion form in it yet... I really like making these one off style throw cushions and the neutral colours mean they can be placed in many homes.

Next up:

The latest style of Mobile Case with Earphone Pocket. I bought these blue and white materials and thought they would look great on the mobile cases so these were born. This style of case (ones with pockets) have been selling well at the fairs as they are so attractive and useful. I think that's what people are looking for these days...

And the next:

These are my beautiful (yes, I do say so myself) Freehand Machine Embroidery Denim and Cotton Padded Glasses Cases. Oh yes. Each have a little flap to hold the glasses in with an elastic closure and each is lined with a complimentary cotton lining. The padding protects the glasses and they are big enough to hold bulky sunglasses too. Perfect for summer holidays then...

And the next:

I really love making these - Tissue Packs. Each is made using two beautiful different prints of cotton and there's a lovely peep of 'material number two' down the middle, where the opening is to get to the tissues. Mum and I went on a material shopping trip a couple of weeks ago and we found a shop I will be returning to no doubt! I spent quite a bit and some of the materials you see in these tissue packs are indeed brand new. I love material shopping. Is it possible to ever have too much?

Each pack contains 10 4ply tissues and are easily replaced once used. These make lovely gifts and when they sell at the fairs, I would say 80% are bought as gifts. One lady bought 4 last summer for Christmas presents...

These are next:

This scotty dog material is also new and I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it. I have a feeling it may be good as purses and that's why I whipped these two little ones up. I also have it in blue. They are a great size, you can get loads of money plus store and credit cards in and there is a blue spotty interior with black ribbon pull on the zip. I think these will go well and of course I will be making more than just two!

And finally, just a few re-do's as these items always sell well:

Floral Classic Padded Glasses Case (click to enlarge)

Carrier Bag Keyrings - never be without a carrier bag again!

Roll Up Floral Shopping Bag, heavy duty, large size

Map Gift Bags, set of three, great fun!

Tea Cup Freehand Machine Embroidery Floral Throw Cushion. I love this!

Magnetic Washi-tape Pegs

Net Curtain Bunting. Yes, I know, but it's an experiment - I want to hear people's reactions. I think it's funky but we'll see.

So that's all! If you have managed to get through this whole blog - well done! And thank you. Please leave me a comment or even share this, I'd love to get a little more exposure about my creations and gain people's thoughts.

Oh, I almost forgot. On Sunday and Monday, 1st and 2nd May 2016 I will be exhibiting at Newstead Abbey, Nottinghamshire. They are holding a Dog Show outdoors and a Craft Fair indoors. Guess which one I'm exhibiting at?! Ha! In fact, no, scratch that... ;)

Bye for now.
Julie.

(C) FMN Crafts 2016. 

Hello! New Items...

Hello all!

Wow, it's been such a long time, I've almost forgotten how to blog... Things have been a little busy in our neck of the woods and whenever I get a few minutes to blog, I just seem to find something else that needs doing!

Anyway, I have been busy making and selling, last week I completed three orders in four days, so that's good, all happy customers too I will add so all is well. I have made a few things I'll share with you here too, that have either sold at recent fairs or are going to a fair soon, so first up:

Click to enlarge

My latest Upholstery Material Throw Cushion (sorry about the poor light in the picture, it was a very grey day). This cushion has to be one of my favourite makes. I often make cushions as one-offs (if that's how you write it) and so this is no different in that respect, but what I love so much about this is that I made the piping using the same material as the cover and this is the first time I have done it with so much success! Sure, I have used piping before, in many pieces, but that was already made, this piping I made from scratch and I was very pleased with the result.

See what I mean? (Blowing my own trumpet here).

For the back I used a complimentary material, of the same kind, and I made an envelope back so there are no hard zip lines and it will be easy to take off to wash. I simply love the material and I have been fortunate enough recently to come into a lot of small pieces of materials, of many kinds, gifted to me by generous and thoughtful friends and so have a lot to get my teeth in to! This cushion sold at the first fair I put it out at - to a stall holder's Mum! Lovely.

Next up:

This is one of the orders I mentioned earlier, a Covered Diary made using the owner's Cath Kidston material of Stanley the Dog! This was for Ceri, a fab friend who often has a Phoenix Trading stall at the Bakewell Town Hall. She saw the dairies with covers that I had on my stall, thought of her own material and commissioned me to make one for her. It is such lovely material, and the interior material is a spotty red so goes well. It's so cute! The little covered elastic is to help keep it closed and she can also slide a pen/pencil in there too if she likes. Thanks Ceri!

And the next: (Another order actually).

This one has a story.

This is a Mini Shopping Bag with Matching Wallet. A lady came to my stall in Bakewell and admired the wallets I had, stating she liked them but would like a place for coins and a closure of somesort, so I went home, had a go at a few different designs but they all turned out too bulky - which went against the idea that the wallets are soft and sleek so they don't bulk in a pocket - so I ended up just making a velcro pocket on the inside that would hold a few coins, but not a closure. She came back the following week, saw them, liked them but still wanted a closure. AND a matching bag! She saw the toiletry bags I had in the material above, said she wanted that size but with handles to put it over her arm and so the items in the picture were born. The wallet has a coin slot AND a closure. And that's ok because it will be going in the bag and not a pocket... She's coming to the next fair and I really hope she likes it, she's waited a while... I'll keep you posted ;)

Next up:

Can you guess what these are?

Yep, these are Keyring Carrier Bag Holders! I know! I can't claim these as my own idea, they are the brain child of my step-daughter Tracie and I thank her for the idea, very much indeed :) She spoke to me about it, I made one the next day and she had the prototype, feeling very pleased with herself and so the day after that, I made the twelve you see in the picture.

Tracie said she just needed something to hold a single bag in, and that could clip to her keys so she always had a bag with her (as she would always have her keys) and didn't have to keep remembering to take one out with her. This is perfect. Of course, they can be clipped to hand bags, thrown into a bag or the car door, or whatever, but they are designed with the mind that you will always have your keys when you go out, therefore you will always have a bag (and not need to pay the 5p!) Simples.

And finally for today:

These are Covered Notebooks. I really like these, they are A6 size lined hard-backed note books that I have covered in some beautiful floral materials. They are lined with a complimentary colour and are a nice snug fit so there is no 'rolling around'. I used the same method as the covered diaries and now I have my method of working sizes perfected, I can cover just about any book - albeit hardback or otherwise. These are great for taking notes and they are quite thick too, so there are plenty of pages to go at. (I like them so much, I might keep one!).

So that's all for today, thank you for reading, pass this on if you like and/or leave me a comment below - I'd love to know what you think!

Thank you,
Julie.

(C) FMN Crafts 2015

Freehand Machine Embroidery Heart Keyring

Afternoon all,

Did you start back to work today? Booooo. Well, for me, I did and it was great! Well, actually, let me get this right - I don't think I actually stopped working and so therefore, I didn't start back today! Yee! Confused? Yes, me too. When one is self-employed, daily hours, break-up and start-back days are blurry because the hours just melt into one. I hardly ever stop!

Anyway, these are what I have just finished:

Freehand Machine Embroidery Heart Keyrings.

These are great fun to make and I have two styles here. They were actually quite fiddly to make, but fun! Do you like them...?

See them in my Etsy store soon. Thanks for reading, pass this on if you like or Like me on Facebook or even leave a comment.

Julie.
(C) FMN Crafts 2015