As soon as I started to make another decorative journal (trying to get make some bits and pieces for my Etsy shop) with some of the recently acquired lace and buttons,

I heard the familiar shout. Silence. Another shout. Silence. Waiting to be “rescued”- there is always a stampede when he wakes; a very warm, fuzzy baby is a rare delicacy indeed

(This cardigan is on loan; made by Ann, with truly vintage buttons: they were buttons from Pats’ cardigan (Pat-the-Bat-man) when he was a baby. Like all handknits, it is warm, practical, and wears so well)

We spend a lot of time looking out waiting for a dry spell to wrap baby up in the sling and go for a walk arond the garden.

Today we got a lovely hour of looking at the hens and delighting in the signs of new growth in the garden: our first raspberry leaves in the polytunnel, and the willows, beautiful in their vibrant bare-leaved yellows, reds, purples and oranges are showing signs of tiny buds.

That makes me so happy (I’m easily pleased!)

Firstly: it went really well!! I had my boxed notecards and felted soaps. The felted soaps sold out (yay!) and I sold several boxes of notecards (hurray and yay!) I made little boxes for the notecards from a template I drew up. I made little art pieces for the top and a linen string tie around it. They were very cute.

I have yet to upload these onto Etsy: but I will. Today (mental note)

I’m not sure whether I will continue making boxes for them, or whether I will buy some (sturdier, pre-made) boxes. I’m swinging between liking making the box from scratch and weighing up the time involved…

These photos are all from the day before as I (and my little helpers) did the last minute preparations (I decorated more boxes and they crafted practically on top of me!! There’s no such thing as personal space in our house  )

I forgot to take photos of the fair itself (a complete “duh…” moment…) but Susan who shared a table with me, did, and when she emails me photos I’ll post them here.

Thinking of Harmony, and have a candle lighting for her: she is in labour as I type, so all the best wishes are floating across the ocean to her today!

and spent more time counting out our cents this morning than actually shopping!!

Of course, no list + four children intent on making sure they are fed enough + shops that are crammed= makes for not a most enjoyable experience… and to add to our woes, the charity/thrift shop that was the centre of our shopping binge was *not open*.

Eeek. so now we will have to go to town again next week to buy, most likely, all those toys that I have donated over the past few months (“Hey! Look at this! Remember we had one just like this?!”)

Thankfully, we have plenty made, and plenty of makes-in-progress (whew)

This week, I received in the post, these storybook cookie cutters I bought on Etsy. Aren’t they fab? I might make them in salt dough rather than cookie dough, because I don’t think they will be eaten one way or the other!

We are putting up our Christmas tree tomorrow, and officially decorating the house for Christmas.

I simply cannot wait!!

 But for the moment… let me introduce…

Jennifer

Jennifer is a wily duck. She keeps her eyes on all that is going on and likes to be the one in the know (before anyone else). She likes to have first dibs on any fresh puddle of water, but her new owners would perhaps want to keep her warm and dry so that her upcycled 100% Irish felted wool body doesn’t felt further…! Jennifer would only allow Laura Ashley gingham cotton on her bill and underside of her wings. It simply wouldn’t do to have anything less (Why, what would the neighbours say?)

Joan

Joan is a discerning duck. She too, is delighted that Laura Ashley gingham cotton has been used for her finer points, and is rather chuffed that her body markings are completely unique to her, with their distinctive pink stripes. Joan is, in fact, completely comfortable in her own skin, and doesn’t need to know anything about anybody… she is happiest listening to her eclectic mix of music and perhaps browsing through some literary delights.

Trevor

Trevor could be called, if he wasn’t a duck: hen-pecked. A gentle soul, he meanders through life: a warm, wool companion… he needs some kindly fellow journey-er to ponder on life and indulge in the finest brown bread (Pat the Baker soda bread please, if home-made isn’t on offer) Trev likes to think himself “a bit hip”, but frankly, he’s not really. Simple, relatively uncomplicated, happy to chill out away from the women (that Jennifer can be a bit bossy at times)

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There are more to come! You wouldn’t believe the enjoyment I’ve had making these ducks- each are made with “upcycled” wool blankets that I felted and am using for… oh, so many things (photos will follow!!) 

They will be listed in our shop and Etsy later. 

I’m linking to Lush Friday, Amy Lou’s Sew’n’Tell and Frugal Friday. Why not pop on over to check out all the fantastic projects on the go- for a bit of eye candy and inspiration!

and some finished work: (The jury is out as to whether the shell is wierd or not- what do you think?)

and some tags which I have just listed in my etsy- The wonderful John in Pixelcode is working out a new shopping cart system so that I can list things in our Nest shop and offer free or very low postage for things like tags… this will be implemented in the next few days and I’ll list them there then…

(These Tags are coffee dyed, vanilla scented, cut, punched, strung, scripted and decorated by Yours Truly)

They can be used in so many ways: from decorating a present, using in scrapbooking or attached to the front of a card.
I am nothing if not industrious…….

(Edited to add that I’m linking up to Lush Friday! See you over there!)