I haven't done this in ages...

Just talk.....

Now I know that will sounds peculiar to people who know me, but I really cant remember the last time I came here and just talked?

Yes its lovely that I post photos on here of all the things I make, and that people stop by every day to take a look at those photos, which I appreciate more than you know.....but, there is almost no interaction any more. This makes me sad as there used to be so much. Could this be because of the introduction of Facebook? I remember back in 2008 when I started my blog that Facebook never even registered on my radar, I know it had been going since 2004 but it just wasn't that popular here in the UK. Now its part of most peoples day to day life!

I now follow and read all my blogs through Bloglovin' so I try to read and comment as much as I can, its important to me to keep in touch with all the people I met when I started out blogging. This was the main reason I started to blog, I wanted to be part of the crafty community in blog land and all the encouragement and support it gave me to start up my business and keep it going.

Could it be because I stopped talking about myself? I think that pretty much happened after we moved house. We've been moved about a year and half ago now....really that long??? I cant believe how fast the days and weeks are flying by.

Things are very different now.

We have a lovely house, where we can actually sleep at night, those of you who knew what we went through at the last place we lived with our asbo neighbours will know how important this fact is to us. Its quiet and peaceful and we really have 'settled' into the house. Things with my day job are evolving and I can see that my priorities in life have taken a shift.

Its never been 'make as much stuff as I can to make as much money as I can' its always about the enjoyment of the process for me and making items for people who really do appreciate what goes into producing something handmade. I've never professed to loving my day job, its a means to an ends, it means we can live in this gorgeous house and have relaxing holidays in nice places. Bagladee is where I can let my creativeness run wild and go on a journey of self discovery and feed my creative spirit. Those of you who craft will understand this. I could quite happily sit in my studio all day long and create, it doesn't matter to me so much if no one ever bought anything, its fantastic if they do but its more than that to me. Its knowing that these hands that I'm typing with can take something as simple as a metre of fabric or piece of felt and turn it into something 3D and beautiful without anyone showing me how or using other peoples instructions/patterns.

The mind is a wondrous thing and different people are good at different things, I've never been great at anything academic (anyone will tell you that of me) but one thing I am good at is applying myself, I will always do something to the best of my ability and due to being very stubborn will never give up on something I do.

That's why I know that no matter what I make and who (if anyone) buys the things I make, Bagladee will always be here. Which is why its important to me to keep my blog going so I can document my journey and the creative paths I have taken and will take in the future. Its not that I am constantly seeking approval from you all its the constructive criticism that I thrive from, comments and interaction make that possible, that is how my creative process evolves, reading feedback and other peoples opinions. After all the things I make are for other people.....see a need fill a need.

Well if you have stuck with me through this post, thank you and well done for not a) falling asleep or b) closing your browser because you were bored stupid ;) For those of you who do take the time to stop by and read my blog and comment, a huge thank you to you all! I promise from today I will post more about me and life and be more than just a blog with photos.......

Hope you all have a wonderful Sunday, see you very soon x

New mini's...

These little cuties are now listed on my website, they may be a smaller version of my usual size clutch bags but they are surprisingly spacious. I can get my smart phone, purse, keys, lippy, eye-liner, pack of tissues and pretty much anything else I can squeeze in ;)

At £20 I think they are a real steal.....unique one off clutch bags.

www.bagladee.com

Box it up....

Perfect solution to pretty storage! These storage boxes I actually designed for myself quite some time ago. I had asked my lovely friend Rachel to make me a sewing machine mat for my work desk out of some very gorgeous sewing themed fabric. Since there was quite a decent amount of fabric left over I made 3 storage boxes for all my threads.

So here they are available for you all to pretty up your workspace/dressing table/bathroom, or you can fill them with goodies and give away as gifts. 

Of course there is a sewing themed set for you sewing ladies out there, but only one set available.

All the box sets have been added to my website here FABRIC STORAGE BOXES

I'm currently working on a special order for some Office storage boxes for a lovely lady called Kirstin, which include a very large version of these fabric boxes. I'll show you some photos once they are finished.

And if you are reading this Rachel, my sewing mat is still one of my most prized possessions in my sewing room :D thank you xx

Rainbow rings

I think I may be slightly addicted to making these, I love the fact they are so small and intricate. I started making these after I made the new felt brooches and I wondered to myself, how small could I actually go and still make them work. So after fiddling around with different sizes these were the smallest I could go to still keep the detail.

I think they make a fun and colourful accessory for your outfit. I have to admit I'm not really a person for wearing jewellery I have and engagement ring and a friendship ring that I wear, I wear the same pair of earrings and necklace everyday and of course I wear a watch. So the fact these can be worn to match an outfit is perfect for me. 

I made an extra set of these just for myself and wear some colours more than others as they match more of my wardrobe. 

They are made in two sizes of flowers, the larger one being 3cm in diameter and the smaller 2.5cm and the ring itself is adjustable.

These will be added to my website this week....and they will be available in more colours too (I just picked these ones to photograph as I liked the colours together).

You can even get a matching brooch....soon to be added too :)

Not yet finished...

This week I had a good old tidy up in the studio, well it was a bit of a mess....alright it was a complete tip to be honest.

After about 3 hours......

All of my stock was neatly organised on my expedit shelving, patterns were put away in the correct folders, thread organised into the correct fabric boxes, my craft books and magazine put back where they should be, fabric scraps (too small to keep) and rubbish collected together and taken out to the bin.

By this time I could see carpet Woooo Hooooo!! :)

As I was tidying and organising I kept coming across projects that had been started but I hadn't gotten round to finishing them. I hadn't realised there were so many!! 

I've organised them into piles of what to finished per week. I'm starting with the brooches above, I hadn't finished these as I'd put them in a 'safe place'. You know when you tidy and you think to yourself I'll put that in there and then forget all about it. 

I'm hoping that inbetween orders I'll get them all finished and crossed off my 'To finish' list.

I'll come back to post some photos of the tidy studio tomorrow.....

Have a fab weekend :)

Learning to crochet....at last

Ever since I was about 12 I'd wanted to learn to crochet, I knew how to knit at a basic level (this has never progressed) but was always intrigued by 'knitting with one needle' which is how I saw it. I'm not really sure why I never tried it, maybe it was that other hobbies just got in the way. 

Last year I bought a note book (which I keep in my bag for writing ideas in) and in the front page I wrote:

"I want to........"

First line said "1. Learn to crochet" followed by another four projects I'd like to conquor. There was never a time limit and with most things with me they stay on a list and I'm still saying the same thing the year after. But a few weeks ago I just had the urge to search on Etsy for some crochet hooks and within about five minutes they were in my shopping basket and paid for. To be honest I'd pretty much forgotten I'd ordered them (yes my brain is rubbish at remembering things I've done) and was so excited when they arrived with the postman.

I already had some left over wool from a blanket that I'd made Nell just after Christmas so I thought I'll just have a go. I found some fab tutorials on Youtube, too many really. I found myself flitting between videos to see how different they were but then found a couple that were really basic, just what I needed. 

I decided that the wool I had wasn't really suitable (any excuse to buy craft materials) so I ordered two balls of wool from Knit Nottingham which arrived today. If you look at the photo above you can see how ridiculously chunky the magenta wool is :D 

I love to learn new skills and I'm really looking forward to getting stuck into a crochet project soon.

Don't worry I'm not trading in my fabrics for balls of wool, in fact my next project is going to be to make a roll for my crochet hooks and I have the perfect fabric in mind for it too.

Crafters Boutique

Did you spot that there is a new sponsored ad at the left side of this post???

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Well let me introduce them......

Crafters Boutique is a new online outlet for crafters alike to showcase and sell their wares. I first found out about Crafters Boutique through their Facbook page Craft A Thon, where they have an amazing 6,996 likes. If you've not heard about these community type pages before then let me explain.

Craft A Thon place posts every day which give you as a crafter the opportunity to post a link to whatever the subject may be, it could be blogs, or your own facebook page, maybe what's your newest make or it could be a post based on a theme. Then other crafters can like your comment or pages or even share the post to their own likers so there is a greater potential to reach buyers. I do know there are a lot of people who aren't crafters who follow the page as they are looking to buy handmade gifts and what a great place to do it than here! It doesn't stop there as there are plenty of like minded crafters to offer advice and guidance and a great place to make some fantastic friends too.

From their facebook page Crafters Boutique has been created. Unlike those other huge 'handmade' gift websites (you know who I mean without mentioning them) who charge you listing fees and commission, this website only charges you a rental period so if you'd like to try selling for a month then you buy a month rental period WITH NO COMMISSION!

They promote Crafters Boutique at every opportunity so already you are getting advertising to 6,000+ potential buyers. Dont forget fellow crafters appreciate handmade more than most and they too like to buy handmade.

I've read some great reports and experienced this great community and their new website so why not pop over and see for yourself......and dont forget to say Hi they're a friendly bunch :D

Thank you CRAFTERS BOUTIQUE for advertising with me!