Wrist cuffs on Etsy and Madeit

In a little burst of energy today I re-activated my Etsy and Madeit shops to list some of these leather wrist cuffs that I've been making.



When a friend recently asked me what I was selling in my shop and I told them there was nothing at the moment it got me to thinking of why I do (or don't !) list things, and I came to the conclusion that, for the moment anyway, I list things to sell when I'm enjoying making something and think others may like it to. I wish I could be more consistent but at this stage it just happens when I'm inspired.



So there's a little collection of cuffs and things waiting for new homes :-)



Hopefully this burst of creativity will inspire others too. And hopefully also top up my Paypal account so I can go and buy some handmade Christmas presents (sorry for mentioning the 'C' word ;-) and some new Indie patterns for me (oh, the list is loooong, hee hee).

Coffee boy comes to life

This week I finally finished some pieces in my Coffee Boy design. The realisation of this new design has been a bit of a labour of love for me.

You may remember that this design started as a t-shirt for the Mr. Then I had ideas to extend the design that I just couldn't stop thinking about so I decided to just do it :-)

The Sweets Workshop Gocco exhibition has been the catalyst in forcing me to stopping tinkering and get on with it! The exhibition started yesterday and I'm so pleased to be part of it with the prints I did with Emma and John .


Window display showing Gocco machine




 Prints on card and framed print

A Coffee Boy tea towel and apron have gone to the handmade retail side of the Sweets Workshop and it's so great to see it all sitting together nicely as a family. A few pieces are also available in my Etsy and Madeit shops.

I love how each placement of the 'face' gives a slightly different expression. The tea towel and apron above appear to be looking at each other, hee hee!

I've put a lot of attention into the details and loved getting all the separate elements working together.

Now, off into the world you go, Coffee Boy! I have my next design in mind, nagging away at me to get on with it ;-)

Back to it

The craziness of children starting school and preschool is finally starting to settle here in our household, and so at last I have been able to get back into some screenprinting.

Whilst trying to work out how to get back into paid work (with all the challenges it brings for me and the family) I'm planning on bringing to life some of the many design and product ideas I have swimming around in my head and hopefully produce a few items to sell in my Madeit and Etsy shops and The Sweets Workshop.

So, in my 'days off' when all the kids are out of the house, I've been having sporadic frenzies of printing and sewing in between school runs, housework and errands, and finally have a few little wristlets and purses in my shops.


I had such lovely positive feedback about my 'lights' print late last year that I thought I'd start with a run of it. I love how the ink sits on the linen in this design, adding a translucency to the design. Matching fabrics, colours and details like little jute ribbon tabs is all so satisfying.


And of course I get to design and use some little labels too, which I aways enjoy. Give me a bit of string and some cardboard and I'm happy ;-)

Wristlets

I made some more wristlets in my neon lights design, this time to put in my shop. I'm also starting to make some Christmas presents and trying hard not to keep adding to the 'to do' list!! A less frantic lead-up to Christmas this year would be nice, but I think I know myself well enough by now - there's not much chance of that ;-)

Hope you've had a nice weekend!

Reversible revelation

You know how sometimes something is staring you in the face but you can't see it? That happened to me recently when I was planning a new kids messenger bag for my shop.


I wanted to make a really bright fun bag, so I chose a cute multi coloured print and thought I'd go crazy with colour and do the inside in a multi coloured stripe...

just when I was thinking it was a shame to not see the inside so much I realised that if I could get the fastening right (I sewed a button on the outside and one on the inside) it would be reversible. I always fully line the bags, so in a sense they all are reversible anyway... dah!

 Also in my shop udate I've made a fun zoo print, purple lined bag with yellow ribbon detail...

and a sweet little red riding hood print with red lining and ribbon detail.


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With the Mr back from his work trip I was able to take a step away from parenting for a couple of hours today and enjoy a bit of time to myself (but I still love getting home to the munchkins :-). I hope you're getting a bit of down time this weekend too.

Bubala Etsy shop re-open!

I've been working on building up some stock to re-open my little Etsy shop lately and finally it's done and open - woo hoo! It can be found over here, and with a little preview over there on the right in my sidebar (I love those things ;-)

It's almost 3 years since I shut up shop (pre blog), totally consumed with life with a newborn, an almost 2 year old and a 4 year old about to start school. I knew I would miss my shop, making things, interacting with the lovely customers. But with this new baby I knew not to bite off more than I could chew.

So here I am, having taken longer than I thought I would to get back to it, but re-joining the ranks of all those mums doing what they love, making things for others to enjoy and helping out their families in some capacity, and feeling a bit, well, useful and connected I guess. And it feels great to be channeling my crazy levels of creative energy into something useful that will hopefully be loved by someone else.

I'm planning on doing short runs of items that I love making. I have so many ideas for new products, it's just a matter of trying to decide which to concentrate on first! I'm starting with products for kids at the moment, but if I feel inspired to make things for grown-ups too I'll do it too.

So I'm starting with some favourites that I used to make for my shop (and numerous friends) previously - baby slippers, toys and accessories. With inspiration possibly from the fact that I am about have a new little nephew entering the world any time soon :-)

And also an item we use every day in our house, kids messenger bags.

I have made so many of these in the last few years. Early on I drafted a pattern that works well for us, and away I went, making them for friends as gifts and on request.

All made from fabrics that are bright and fun, as well as durable, being fun for kids and practical for their grown-ups :-)

Feel free to pop over and say hi!

Giveaway goodies & Etsy shops

I thought I'd show you what the 2nd prize was in my giveaway many moons ago. Adriana won this set of my hand printed artichoke design tea towel and bamboo utensils (plus a tissue holder thrown in ;-).



I love printing teatowels. This artichoke design is a favourite and I've got lots more foodie images in mind, and more kitcheny products too. Many teatowels have been given away as gifts and I've sold a some at a great local handmade store. Now I'm thinking either of setting up a new Etsy store for the kitcheny things or perhaps resurrecting my old Etsy Bubala shop. I miss having my Bubala shop, but when the childcare and housework got the better of me a while ago I found it was best to let something go and that was it... now I've got itchy feet again to create things to send out into the world. Hmm, if only there were more hours in the day ;-)

Kids stuff

I saw a set of these childrens size Panton chairs in an ABC shop recently and instantly fell in love with them again. The shop had them around a white circular table, for children to sit and look at the books. As soon as my little girl saw them she squirmed her way out of the stroller and went over to sit in one. Maybe she will share her mother's love of beautiful chairs! I've loved the 1960's design classic Panton chairs since a company I worked for had a set of them. And they are even more adorable in the Junior size. So when we eventually move to a bigger house I will be lobbying hard to get a set of these, and I think I will have a little supporter!



At the ABC shop I bought a copy of Justine Clarke's second CD "Songs to make you smile". We've got her first one and never tire of it. Then recently we heard a couple of songs on the ABC Kids iphone app and loved them (the marketing got us!). They're really happy, lovely songs, and they do make me (and the kids :-) smile. I understand she's about to tour with her latest... might have to check it out.



And this week I posted off a custom order to a lovely customer (thank you Liz!). I really enjoy making things that I know are going to babies and children all over the country and sometime the world. This blanket and toy set is soft and cuddly and I love to think of the newborn baby receiving it. Also, Etsy and Madeit customers are always so friendly and nice to deal with. There seems to be something about handmade items that brings out the best in people. Maybe it's knowing that the craftsperson has enjoyed making it, rather than a machine or a person being exploited. More human I guess.