New Year, New Items.

Is it too late to say Happy New Year? It feels like it, but anyway, I hope you had a great festive season and are now back into the swing of normality. My family and friends have been gallivanting all over the place, whereas our Christmas was relatively calm, so it's not been difficult for us to get back into work again.

And in saying that, I have a few new things to share with you, so without further ado:

 

You may remember that I made some of these Covered Notebooks last year, but this time I have added a closure and pen/pencil holder in one, to make it more user friendly. I looked at them and realised that it would need a writing impliment and yet there was nowhere to put it, so this is what I came up with. It's a lot better to have a pen with the book and hopefully they will be even more appealing to when it comes to sell.  I have found that if people don't need to think too much and items are 'convenient', they sell better! 'Tis true.

On a similar theme, I made this: 

This is actaully my diary, that I covered using the Freehand Machine Embroidery technique (which I love) and I used denim and cotton; an all time favourite combination of mine. This is an A5 size diary, whereas the notebooks above are A6 and I am really pleased with the outcome. I used a press-stud for the closure with a button sewn on top. I always use a pencil for my diary and so slotted one of them in using it's little clip and hey-presto. What do you think?

Next up:

The next in the line of Mobile 'Phone Cases, this one decorated using Freehand Machine Embroidery and this time I made a front pocket to house ear-phones. Like the book covers, it occured after thinking "where can I put...?" Like the cases before hand, these mobile cases are fully padded, made using quality materials and lined in smooth cotton to protect your 'phone and can be made to measure. There are many more to come in this style as they have had the thumbs up from those I have shown it to already....

Next up is a re-do:

These are the Mini Lavender Bags again using the above technique and filled with French lavender heads. My workroom always smells wonderful when I am working with lavender and I feel strangely calm... These are a re-do that will continue to be done as they always sell well at the fairs :)

And finally:

This was an order... Ceri, a great pal from the fairs who has a Phoenix Trading stall, saw a lady walking around a fair last year with a bag that had fury cats on it. Ceri, being a cat lover, came straight to me and asked if I could make something similiar. Of course I obliged! There was a bag already on my stall that she liked the style of and asked for it to be bigger, with a zip closure, internal pockets and fury cats. Ceri drew how she would like the cats to be designed which I copied with the material and we agreed it would look like they are sitting on a wall. Once complete, I took it to her and she liked it so much that she used it right away! What do you think? I really like it actually. And there is no other one like it in the world...

Just before I go, do you remember this?

This is The Old Original Bakewell Pudding Shop designed by myself and made using Freehand Machine Embroidery, well I have made a few and one lady from Birmingham in the USA bought one. She messaged me a few weeks ago saying that she liked it so much and that she would like a companion piece! She said she has visited the UK a few times and she was impressed with it's charm so after a few messages backwards and forwards about what she would like, she settled on Chatsworth House. Wow! I know it will be a challenge but as always, I am up for it and at present I am up to the drawing, colour/materials choosing and tracing paper template stage. Watch this space...

That's all for now, thank you for reading, please leave a comment if you wish as I'd love to know what you think and/or head over to my Facebook page for a more regular hello.

Take care,
Julie.

(C) FMN Crafts 2015

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

Christmas Items!

Good evening all,

I have been working hard, in preparation for my three days fair this weekend (details later), and I wanted to show you a few new makes. First up:

Click the photos to make them bigger

These are my Christmas Notice Boards! They are made using circles of cork, covered carefully using fabulous Christmas materials then 'hooked' and 'backed' ready for use. They look great against a wall and would make a lovely addition to your kitchen or lounge over the festive season. They could also be used as place mats if you like...

Next up:

The picture may not do it justice as it was later in the day that I took the photo, but it is another design in my line of Christmas mugs! This has a line running around the base of the mug with mini pictures of items relating to the festive season. I think it's really cute, what do you think? Just imagine it filled with steaming hot chocolate, topped with mini marshmallows. Mmm...

Thirds:

This is a new style of Freehand Machine Embroidery (FME) cards in a Christmas design - I also have stockings, puddings, stars and baubles on the go, but they will come when there are 25 hours in a day! This is a batch of FME Christmas Tree cards that I enjoyed making, in a rustic, country feel and I would love to receive one of these myself! An advantage of purchasing or receiving one of these cards is that they can be framed afterwards as they are little pieces of art...

And finally for today, a little teaser...

Not exactly on the Christmas theme, but these Button and Bead Earrings would make a lovely Christmas gift. I tried them as a little experiment and I actually quite like them and boy, the more I think about them, the more kinds I am thinking of making! As they say, watch this space :)

And as mentioned earlier, I am at the Bakewell Town Hall, this Saturday to Monday at a Craft & Gift Fair and it would be great if you could pop along and say hi. Now we are getting closer to Christmas, items listed here will be available (while stocks last) and there promises to be some great stalls with fab items, so go on, shop different this year, shop local, shop hand made and support the smaller businesses.

Thanks for reading, leave a comment if you wish or 'pass me on'.

Julie.
(C) FMN Crafts 2015

New Purses

Good afternoon all,

Just a quick blog to show you my new purses:

Click the picture for a bigger size

These are made using fab cupcake materials! They are different colours per side, have a complimentary interior and zip and a little ribbon to help opening and closing. They are just to right size for all you 'pursey' needs and look great.

Click the picture for a bigger size

You may recognise these...only they are a little different. These are my new range of Freehand Machine Embroidery Denim Purses. I made ones similar to this, only they had cream on one side and denim on the other and the other ones are decorated with flowers. These are made using firm denim on both sides and I really like them! Regular readers will know I love making items using freehand machine embroidery and these are just great for that. Like the cupcake ones, they are the same size and also hold a multitude of sins.

I have a fair coming up at the weekend and I will be taking them there - if there are any left I will list them in my Etsy Store afterwards. They make great gifts...

What do you think?

Thanks for reading, leave me a comment if you like,
Julie.

(C) FMN Crafts 2015.

More Christmas Items

Good evening all,

This is a just a short post to show you a couple more of my Christmas items:
 

These are my latest Christmas Tree Decorations. I love working with felt and all types of hessian, and I also love making Christmas Decorations, so these were designed and made within one day! 

 

Of course, they don't have to be hung on the tree, they could be hung anywhere! I also have some other designs I am working on including trees, baubles, snowmen and Santas - more pictures to come later, so as they say, watch this space. :)

That's all for now, thanks for reading,
Julie.

(C) FMN Crafts 2015

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

New Items

Evening all,

I have a few new creations to show you, so first up:

I still don't exactly know what to call these...I'm thinking 'Creatures' or 'Wonkies' or something else tacky so do you have any idea? I blogged about the one on the right last time and next to it is my next in line. Please see the previous blog for more details.I think they're great!

 

Next up:

This is my new design of shopper/tote bag, named the Large Linen and Vintage Materials Shopper/Tote Bag (funnily enough). The upper material was gifted to me by a friend and is so lovely in texture and colouring that it just screamed 'bag' to me! I teamed it with modern heavy weight navy linen and matching shoulder straps and used the upper material to make several integral internal pockets and a hanging mobile pocket too.

It has a large flat base so it gives a roomy internal section for all your shopping or goodies and on the above photo, you can see the different styles of pockets. And, this bag also is big enough to take a soft cover A4 folder so it could be used as a student bag. :)

I really like this bag! Do you?

And finally for this evening:

These are two really cute Hand Sewn Patchwork Coin Purses. I have been making quite a few hexxies recently and thought how nice it would be to make them in to a purse, so I hand made quite a lot, joined them and made fronts and backs, and made these padded, covered zip ends coin purse, which I am really pleased with!

 

 

If these don't sell at the next fair, I am DEFINITELY keeping at least one, I simply adore them.

That's all for now, thank you for reading and let me know what you think please :) And don't forget I have a Facebook page if you want to view it or Like it. Thanks.

Julie.

(C) FMN Crafts 2015