so many ideas so little time!

Why is it that ideas flow quicker than can be executed? It's most annoying. My head is full of awesome ideas for little bits of jewellery brilliance but at the moment I'm just getting very little done.

Currently I am working on a set of bibs for my cousins fiance's baby shower next saturday. I'm doing 6, there are three different designs. Tattoo influenced baby wear is too cool.... isn't it? One bib has a skull and cross bones on it with mummy and daddy text banners, one is an anchor with "hungry baby" emblazoned on a banner and the other is two sailor jerry style swallows (like mine!). I hope they go down well.

While it's great embroidering these I also need to finish a few very special top secret projects for friends (and when i say "finish" I mean "Start")

Then next Saturday is another craft fayre at the Oakford in Reading so I have quite a bit to do for that. I have 5 gold chains that need pendants of some kind, two silver charm bracelets that lack any charms, a pair of bare cufflinks and a charmless phone charm. I really have lots of work to do! I figure I may as well make some more cupcakes for it as well as they went down such a treat last time. Ideas for flavours on a postcard please...

Sophie is currently knocking out some Russian Doll keyrings that I imagine will be just a lovely as the badges and she had an enquiry last week about our flamingo rings! Someone wants to buy 16 of them. The materials are winging their way to soph and then we'll be covered in pink glitter for the forseeable future. Hooray.

For anyone wondering, an esty shop is on our horizons but while we busy ourselves with the fayre next Sunday we'll aslo be packing our bags for a trip to NY to support one of our biggest fans (and very close friend) who is running the NYC marathon. So once we get back from that I'm sure we'll get on setting up our shop. Soph will be in the USA for a week and I'll be there for about 2 and a half weeks, scouring NY to Texas for wicked souveniers and inspiration! (I hope to buy some beat up denim, a cowboy hat and cowboy boots in Dallas. How cool am i!?)

So this has been me, checking in with the blog to try and spur myself on to do some work before I jet off on some adventures.

Much Love

B

xxx

pick up the pace...

Oh no I seem to be quite drastically falling behind in my crafting!





On Friday I started a cross stitch sample, an ode to The Beatles. It simply says "I AM THE WALRUS". Except, it doesn't. Because I haven't physically had the time to go back to it which I am most upset about as I want to get cracking on a broken heart best/friends set of brooches or keyrings.

I started crafting again because i didn't have a great deal to do, filling the void with something fun and useful. But now i've got incredibly busy all of a sudden and I miss sitting in front of the telly with a cup of tea and a pile of threads and materials on my lap.

Monday night I scooted off to Kings College student union in London to see Andrew WK. I last saw him when I was 17 at Reading Festival and i was immediately transported back in time. It was awesome, jumped straight in the mosh pit and thrashed around for a bit. What a mistake. Evidently I am too old for this. I lost a shoe about 2 songs in so had to retreat to the back with my old woman tail between my legs. Then i missed my train home looking for it. Had to get the first one back at the crack of dawn to make it to work in time - in a pair of mens size 10 plimpsoles. I looked like a spanner! So Tuesday night I was far too pooped to craft and then last night i had to bake a batch of cupcakes for work and have a bit of a Patrick Swayze tribute eve. Now all i want to do is curl up in my PJ's and make pretty things. What has happened to me?

Tonight I shall craft, craft up a storm I tell you! Then this weekend I'm off to LDN for a bit of Aberstwyth reunion. I think I will take a big handbag so i can take some bits and bobs to do on trains and such. I hope my old uni pals are up for a pilgrimage to Leicester Sq, I aim to pay my respects to P-Sway at his handprints there.





Right, wish me luck in getting back on the craft wagon. I really need it. My dedication seems to be waning in favour of being a lady about town. This will never do!

B
xxx

Love will tear us apart...

Now the sexy blue tit is all done and dusted I'm going to get started on a framed cross stitch tonight. Song lyrics are going to be the subject of choice! I'm thinking Joy Division, The Beatles or Lou Reed. Decisions decisions! I have some lovely paper to mount it on though. I'm excited to get started on it. Oh what a geek I am.

Another thing I'm going to make this weekend is some cupcakes! I have seen pics on the world wide web of cupcakes baked inside flat bottom ice cream cones. Well knock me down with a whisk, this is an amazing idea. Mine will have a flake unlike the ones above.... shoddy....I'll be baking them for my housemate and good friend Holli's birthday party on Saturday. She's 24 and feeling old so is having a 4th themed party complete with bouncy castle. I can't bloody wait. Better dig the sports bra out though or things will not be pretty. But what else does one wear to bounce? I'm stumped for ideas. I guess leggings or shorts are probably a must.

Me and Sophie have come up with some fab ideas. Soph will tell you all about hers but they are truly faboosh. The aforemention fox is sexy. Fo' sho'. Some of ideas are taking shape quicker than others because we're waiting on some materials but as soon as we have them we'll get cracking and post photos. You're in for a treat.

Expect pictures at the weekend of what we've done so far.

Over and out

B

x

Tweet Tweet!

In homage to the marvellous service that is twitter I think I will call the blue tit I’m creating “TWEET!”. He will be the handsomest of blue tit brooches with plumage to die for just you wait and see!

Who knew twitter would be such an inspiration when it came to getting started with this. Previously I used it as a superb tool to stalk my favourite celebs like Rhys Darby and Phillip Schofield and announce every inane thought that came into my head – “I like gravy” “I want a new dress” etc etc. While the inane thoughts still flow freely I've found a huuuuuge community of crafters to follow who all advertise and sell their wares via the web. It’s such a massive boost to see people out there making awesome things and chatting about it via twitter. Awesome stuff. One of my favourites is http://temporarysecretary.bigcartel.com/ particularly this… http://temporarysecretary.bigcartel.com/product/amour-necklace . Lovely. If you’re on twitter you can follow her @tempsec (thanks for the heads up Temp Sec - my bad!!)

Tonights plan is dinner>jog>crafting in front of "I love you man" with cups of tea, all with Soph. It's all go!

Becky

x

Inititial musings...

I've just started crafting with the intention of hammering out enough goods to get a table at a craft fair and to sell some wares on etsy. I've always been capable but I've also always been incredibly lazy... But now I seem to be stuck in a rut and I refuse to be defined by my run of the mill office job. So it's time to show the world what I can really do.

I've drafted in my equally capable best friend Sophie and together we intend to fill our lives with felt, embroidery thread and endless cups of tea interspersed with trash (motivational!) TV!

My inspiration thus far has been the guardians craft column http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/craft (most notably the very cute Russian doll bookends!), Tatty Devines embroidery patterns http://www.tattydevine.com/boutique/index.php?cPath=57_138 , the resurgence in Sailor Jerry Tattoos, Taxidermy (yes taxidermy! mmmm), the countless websites devoted to subversive cross stitching and Brett Mckenzies jumpers (flight of the conchords).

The ideas are pouring out of our craft starved brains quicker than we can put them into action but so far stand out ideas include...

Wildlife brooches and key rings, best friends key rings, Russian dolls, decorative cross stitch samples (song lyrics and subversive phrases), ditsy picture frames and plant pots, original artworks on canvas, embroidered cushions and much more...

Our design objective is bold and beautiful, positively twee accessories and home wares. Retro fashions with modern influences. Most importantly they are going to be items we'd happily fill our homes and jewellery boxes with.

We can't wait to really get started and at the weekend I'll upload some photos of what we've completed so far and works in progress. One we've got a mini portfolio the time will come to start drumming up interest - fingers crossed there will be some! But if not, at least we'll be having fun!

Becky
x