Neglected Blog! .... and something completely different!

I have been hopelessly neglecting this blog ....again! Lot's of things have been happening here in the wet and rainy Lake District, our summer came and then went, came again and really hasn't appeared back again at all! I'm working more at the little local sewing shop, also doing some sewing work for a friend's small business so everything else has had to be slotted in whenever I've had the energy and time.....which doesn't seem to be a lot at the moment! I seem to have a list a mile long to get done and ideas keep popping out of nowhere so really must get down to making more and soon.

However, I haven't been completely idle on the making front, there have been a few new hooked items, and a couple of commissions been completed .... 

British Road sign - slightly tongue in cheek cushions!

British Road Sign cushion.

Earlier this month my big sister got married, unfortunately we were unable to go but as a gift I tried something completely new and ended up loving the result....I know I said I was going to concentrate on hand-hooking this year but you know, things change!! These will be available in my Etsy shop very soon! .....

Cute eh?

Another one done for the sewing shop display..

These come in 8" rings, on natural calico and will be priced at £20 each, and they would be lovely keepsakes not only for weddings but births, christenings and anything else you can think of! I'm also looking into packaging for these to make them extra special (something like the top picture). Staying on the theme of embroidery hoops, there will also be some name door hangings coming up soon...watch this space! With a commission for a personalised hand-hooked cushion in the immediate pipeline, these may have to wait a short while...

How long??

I know it's been ages again since I updated my blog...so here goes....

I've had a few sales on Etsy now with two Union Jack cushions winging their way over to America which has been fantastic, it has meant however that I've had to make more of them!! The plan was to make a blue and a pink version but I only got as far as finishing the blue which is now in my Etsy shop.

Up to now these have been made from wool offcuts from a carpet manufacturer but I've hit the problem now that I'm running low on certain colours so I think the next few weeks will be spent searching for another source. I really want to try and make as much from recycled / upcycled products as possible but we shall see if this is at all possible.

The next plan of action is to make some 'tongue in cheek' road sign cushions.....watch this space!

Also, completely off topic but some of you may be interested (!) - our family have had a bit of a re-think about what we really want to be doing in the future recently and we have started a new blog about our journey to becoming more green, more self-sufficient, less in debt and less dependent on unhealthy foods!! Please come and join us as I'm getting a bit bored talking to myself at the moment!! Journey To The Green Dream 

You're Welcome!

The next little project is now complete and up in my Etsy shop... a nice framed Welcome sign. I hand-hooked this a little while ago and just couldn't figure out what to do with it but I think this works!!

Etsy Rookie!!

Yes, it's official, I'm now an Etsian too!! It's only taken me a few months to decide (!) and I'm sure everyone on my Facebook is fed up with my indecision but now....it's done!! Come and have a look and let me know what you think...be kind!! WoollyLakes Etsy Shop

Here is just a sneaky pick of the few items I have on there at the moment, this will be added to as I make more..

Focus...

It's been a long while since I last wrote my blog, there's been a lot going on here, hubby has been ill with an unknown illness which is now hopefully going to be sorted, I guess this and the uncertainty of money and timescales have made me have a rethink about life in general and my business as well. I've been floundering around for a while, doing a bit of this and a bit of that with no real idea of what was coming next, so decisions needed to be made! So... as my business name is WoollyLakes,  that is what I will be focusing on in the near future...not the Lakes bit although this may come into it at some stage (!?) just the Woolly bit!! Also I really wanted to go down the 'recycled' route, using recycled, upcycled and re-useable materials as much as possible. The main focus of the business will be items made from recycled woollen fabric (jumpers, sweater, scarves etc) and hand hooked pictures / items made from recycled wool and hessian. Most of the items will be made solely from  recycled materials but where that isn't possible I will try to use upcycled fabric from clothing etc.  

PHEW!!! So on that note here is some work in progress....the first project will be the 'Love Britain' range of hand hooked hearts, cushions and wall hangings.....

Made from Hessian feed sacks and wool offcuts from a carpet manufacturer.

Here again!!

I know it's been ages since I wrote a post and the last one was when I was a tad annoyed with Folksy and their new rules......well actually they still annoy me and lots of people I've known on Folksy over the last year have now left. However after a break from all the bickering and having a long hard think about what to do, I've decided that for now I will stick with it, at least until after Christmas!

On a brighter note, I have been making!!  I've got a couple of craft fayres lined up and have been trying to make things that will hopefully go down well at these.....some Christmas bits, some lovely cuddly diary covers and some beach huts (just to remind you all of Summer!)

The Folksy Fairytale -(based on a few true stories!!)

(Please note this story is based on facts from other people, not written as my story!!)  

Once upon a time there was a little crafter who made beautiful gifts for her family and friends, many of whom said that if they loved her work, there would be others out there who would also. Our little crafter set off with her wares to search for just the right place to share them with the world and came across the lovely, small, local little country of Folksy. As she was a bit shy and lacking in confidence she asked the leaders of this country if her wares were acceptable and was welcomed in with open arms, and her confidence was boosted when lots of people bought her wares and commented on how lovely they all were. All was good.

The little crafter went on to spend much of her time and money working hard to make her little shop work, telling others enthusiastically about this new wonderful world she had discovered and making friends along the way. Of course there were the usual antagonists and busy bodies in the country but she learnt quickly who to trust and take advice from and who to ignore.
 
Unknown to our naive little crafter, there were rumblings and whispers from some quarters, and as the country of Folksy grew bigger, got richer and became more powerful these rumblings grew louder. Until one day the leaders of Folksy said ENOUGH!! WE ARE THE LEADERS,WE HAVE RULES AND REGULATIONS WHICH MUST BE OBEYED..........Our little crafter carried on as usual, thinking all is well, my items were welcomed, they assured me everything was fine, they have taken my hard earned cash and I have been faithful to them....this doesn't affect me...........

Sadly, she was wrong....

Sadly, her items were no longer acceptable...
Sadly, her items which she lovingly worked on were not considered 'Handmade' enough....
Sadly, all the time and money spent telling others about the wonderful country of Folksy had been thrown back in her face.....
Sadly, she could see others with wares just like hers being patted on the back and congratulated.... 
......and what is perhaps saddest of all, it felt like some of those people she had got to know and trust along the way had turned against her and others like her.

Well, I hear you say, she could pick herself up, make things that are acceptable and carry on, couldn't she?!........

Except for the simple fact that the country she knew as Folksy has changed, any enthusiasm and loyalty she felt towards them has been dashed and the trust she had put in them and some of her fellow countrymen is now gone. She feels upset, angry, and completely let down.

But our little crafter is resilient, she packs up her wares, closes the doors of her shop and walks away, head held high and back straight to join with the multitiude of others heading the same way. She will just find another country, somewhere where she feels accepted again and somewhere she will learn to trust and join in with their community and she will survive. 

Meanwhile the country of Folksy will no doubt carry on and probably thrive in their own way. Soon there will be new people looking for somewhere to share their treasures and no doubt will be welcomed with open arms. Maybe soon, this new country will get bigger, earn lots more money and become even more powerful, then who knows what will happen. Maybe they will decide there are far too many bags, bunting and buttons for their liking and then the rules and regulations will be dusted off again and shouted from the highest pile of wool they can find.

Beware reader...next time it could be you..........

Camera Confession!

I'm sure some of you may remember me ranting and raving about my lovely SLR camera finally giving up and the fact that similar replacement cameras cost way more than I can afford right now. In fact I had turned into a right camera snob...no other kind of camera was going to do, I had to have an expensive SLR or I was going to sulk for the rest of my life!!

Well...I have a small confession to make.....I started to use a little Kodak Easyshare, cheap as chips camera which is actually meant to be a present for the MIL, just as a stand in until we visited her. Yes, it is tiny, it doesn't have all the fancy buttons (half of which I never learnt to use on my other camera!) and it really bugs me that it doesn't have a viewfinder just a screen .......but....it takes lovely pictures!! I've had to have a bit of a rethink about my lifetime sulk.....maybe a little cheap camera would do just as good a job as my hugely expensive, much-loved SLR......maybe........

Country Cottage Anyone?...

I've had this idea rolling around my head for weeks now and finally got it done. I always find it hard to start something as I'm a bit nervous of getting it wrong or it being awful when it's finished..but I love my little country cottage, it's very sweet. Hopefully someone else will like it too!!

It's made from a heavyweight calico with lots of fabric flowers, sequins, butterflies and ric-rac...it was great fun playing with it all. I especially love the little roof made from felt. In case you are wondering what it is actually meant to be (other than a cute cottage!) it could be a doorstop or bookend or even just a decoration for a girlies room! It's in my Folksy shop now http://www.folksy.com/items/2008285-Rose-Cottage-?shop=yes !!

Zipped bottom so you can either add a bag of rice or some toy stuffing

Roses around the front door..

..butterflies fluttering on the side

Cute roof eh?!

What a Hooker!!

I know I've been very quiet recently...we've had lots of things going on and tiredness has taken over...still I haven't been sitting on my lazy bum all the time!!

A little teapot...

Cupcake....

and a cup of tea......

What more do you need?....

Maybe a litle love......

A whole selection of  lovely little wall hangings, (two of each) all hand hooked with recycled wool from a carpet manufacturer and hessian from feed sacks! I love making new things from old....   These each have a little hanging hook or could even be used as an emergency coaster!!

Finally....

They've been a long time coming but here is a quick look at the two pillowcase dresses made for the Dress a Girl around the world charity.....I think I started them back in May but they are now complete!! Ready to be posted off to Sew Scrumptious  to send out to wherever......

One with purple straps...

...and one with red!

Mabel.....

I work in a little sewing shop on Friday's which I love, great boss, lots of lovely things and I get a discount too!! Mabel lives in the shop full time, poor girl has to stand about all day long and then gets to stay all night as well...every night. Not much of a life but at least she gets to dress up every so often....this week she is a Woodland Fairy!!

Dress A Girl Around The World....

I've just started making some lovely little pillowcase dresses for ' Dress A Girl Around The World' charity. Their aim is to make and send dresses to less privileged countries so that every girl has at least one pretty dress to wear. I heard about this from a lovely lady on Folksy  Sew Scrumptious who has fantastically taken the organising and sending of dresses from this country to the charities base in America.

Although these are called pillowcase dresses they don't have to be made form these, I've opted for some lovely (if a little loud!) patchwork pattern material.....all cut out ready to be sewn up into a cute (if a little loud!) dress!!

If you fancy having a go at this very simple pattern (on Little Big Girls Blog)  and send them through to Sew Scrumptious please get in contact with her. It would be great to be part of sending over loads of these dresses and show our support.

Could you get hooked??...

After a week of wondering what to do next I seem to have come back to one of my favourite pastimes....hooking!! No, not fish or even crochet but this kind of thing.....

These are all ones either already sold or for sale in my Folksy shop.!!

After searching on the internet I am quite surprised by how few people out there actually make hooked rugs / wall hangings etc.....there doesn't seem to be very many at all!! After selling a few and having so many positive comments about others, it's obviously not because people don't like this sort of thing so I have to wonder why!!?? Maybe the time taken to make these just makes them not worth it (they do take a while!!) or something else.....who knows?

But as I enjoy doing these and want to focus on something a little bit different for a while I'm going to launch head first into some different themes and ideas in the hand hooked genre.....watch this space!!






 

Trunk Murder!!!

It's a little disconcerting having this stood in our garden at the moment!!!

On the crafty front, I've been trying to get ready for the first craft fayre of the year which was (much to my childrens disgust) on Easter Sunday!! The easter egg hunt had to be postponed until the Monday but they've made up for the lack of chocolate since!! I was up to midnight the night before getting these lovely shimmery glasses cases ready....made from curtain samples. It's been really hard to photograph them as the material is a kind of shiny, shot silk like material with textured velvetty pattern. My poor camera just doesn't seem to cope with it anymore!! .