Weekly Challenge Thread (New one, can't find old one ????)

[Tillyboo]

I don't know what's going on but this is the third post I've tried. If this fails I'm going to give up.

Anyway, I can't seem to find the old thread for some reason, my laptop is doing funny things so maybe it's at my end?

Anyway, I cannot see what you all have achieved so far this week but here is my blog with what I have done or you can have a peep in my profile but the pictures are quite diddy

Whizzz - necklace arrived today, I love it and so will my mum!!!!! Thank you sooooo much! (lilac dino to follow soon...promise!)

Califrau - Well done on your commission!!! I wish I could scrapbook, they always look so amazing (but I am too disorganised )

Glad it arrived ok GM - no rush for the dino as it's for a christmas pressie

Message withdrawn

thanks Whizzz, if my craft fair tomorrow goes well I may need to spend all week sewing for the next one (but as I have made so much stuff it'll probably be a complete wash out! )

Got the next craft fair tomorrow so wish me luck!!!! I have a mountain of stuff to take, far too much probably, but I needed to plan ahead because I do have a few coming up. I also have some things that my friend Sarah has made to take along. She has a blog too, here and makes some very lovely bits and bobs (which are so reasonably priced), so hopefully I'll earn a load of cash for her as well!

Have finished Rowan's softie just in time for his birthday (I finished it last night, wrapped it & went to bed lol). It's a cat crocheted in fuzzy yarn that gives a lovely tweedy look & feel. I wanted to use buttons for the eyes etc (I've discovered a strange obsession with the damn things) but as he's only a year I decided to just crochet my own 'buttons' instead. Rowan's thrilled & keeps giving it cuddles.

Happy first birthday wee man

Good luck with your fayre tomorrow GM. I'll be able to get your hairbands done now that I've finished Rowan's pressie.

Best of luck GIngermonkey

well, it was a bit crap today. Lots of people looking at what they wanted to buy at the next fair . I did ok, but some people took nothing at all, and they usually do well. The woman next to me only got one sale....and that was me! I've seen her before and she is usually really busy. It was so bad they shut up half an hour early! I had a good laught though, and a MNer I know from meet ups brought me a coffee, which I thought was really lovely of her.

However.......I sold some lavender mice, whoo!!!! The bags clearly worked, so I'm going to make a few more (and if they don't sell at the next fairs they'll be christmas presents for DD's teacher, my mum, my mil, sil, the neighbours....and anyone else I can think of )

Forgot to say last night...there was a lady selling kilt pins (attached to pashmina type scarves). They were 18 quid for the brooch kilt pin (but her pins were silver), and had 3 large (about an inch each) felted wool balls. They were gorgeous, but I thought you crochet types could knock one up in no time. I got her to tell me how they were made....you crochet a ball, stuff it and felt it. They'd actually be lovely unfelted too. And she usually sells loads (obviously yesterday no one sold a bean!), so another possible for the GreebosWhiskers collection?

Oh, and I just looked on ebay, and you can get 5 unfinished (long, straight) kilt pins for a couple of quid.

GM - What was the problem with the fair ? Weather ? Type of customer ? Not enough people visiting ?

I did a Nearly new sale of my dd's clothes, toys and equipment a few months back and washed, ironed and bagged everything up lovely. All the other sellers said my stall looked like a little shop, all pink & lovely. All my stuff was like new and I was only charging peanuts - just to get rid of some of it.

It was soooo disheartening as only bout 50 people turned up and they preferred to buy the grey scratchy baby towels from the car boot rubbish that was next door !

I was so upset as I'd put so much effort into it. Anyway it wasn't all bad as the school principle bought all my toys and books for the school nursery.

I'm sure the next fair will be better, the closer Xmas the more people are about.

the problem with craft fairs is they are so unpredictable. i always wondered if it was a better idea to go round local craft/gift shops and see if anyone would take some bits and pieces on a sale or return basis?, never tried it myself, but there are a lot of little shops near where i live that would be worth me trying, maybe after christmas.

TB, I know what you mean. You try your best and people still want something for nothing - literally!
The weather was great, really cold but bright. The wind picked up later on, so I was chasing bits from the table next to me down the lane! I think the thing with this particular fair is that it's a monthly one, so there's a lot of regular shoppers, and those shoppers will be there again next month. There was a lot of 'are you here next time?', and I think that's when people will be doing their shopping (I know that's what I was doing too, hanging on just in case next time there's something extra special). Still, I did cover my table cost, and made some money too, so I'm happy enough. Last night I was a bit grumpy, but everyone I have spoken to has said 'well, you didn't lose money, you made some and you can put that in the bank for christmas'. And I really enjoy being out in the fresh air all day, away from the kids ( - bad mummy!)
LK - I am soooo shy I couldn't go into a shop and ask if they wanted to sell my things. That's another reason why I love doing the fairs, although I am pooing myself on the way there, and my little heart is going crazy, once I'm set up and people are friendly and I relax it's great, and I am selling my things but without having to actually try and sell them, iykwim.

GingerMonkey - are you around?

I want to put a pic of Amelie on my blog but can't get two minutes during daylight hours without Mhara hanging off my leg - can I please use the pic from your blog? Please, please, pleeeeeease

course you can

As part of my revised weekly challenge, thanks to LK's link, I have made some of the Owl garland thingy's.

They are fun, quick and easy to make ... So, thanks LK !

Thanks GM I've pretty much finished your hairbands; just got to sew on the flowers & weave in the ends. I did one in soul & one in fire. I hadn't done anything larger than corsages in these shades before & was thrilled to see the colour graduations in a larger piece. Soul has bands of cream, peach, pale green & lilac & fire has deep pinks, reds, oranges & purples - gorgeous colours. Each has a different style of flower just for a little change too - I'll try to get dh to take some pics when I'm done (if I can drag myself away from the damn pc that is)

oooh, fab! I'm so excited, DD will love them!

I made an owl garland too! And have appliqued one of the cushions Dizzy made me, here you go.

Message withdrawn

Your hairbands are done GM - will email you

do they sell stamps and stuff too, Dior?

love the garlands
you lot have been so busy it makes me weep!
I got away for the weekend without DH or the DDs (was BLISS) and am still catching up with RL never mind crafting
must try to do soemthing tonight and update my blog - isn't it awful how RL gets in the way...

home again safe and sound to two very happy kitty cats, no plans for any crafting this wekk though, might finish the skinny noro silk garden scarf I started before leaving Idaho, and might update my blog, other than that well I haven't a clue, will wait for jetlag to dissapate.

welcome home meridian

right, from last weeks list -

finish cushion with pocket done
make mini owl to go in cushion pocket done (but i made a cat instead of an owl)
make one of the toy bag/play mats with pirate theme - not done, so will carry this one over, have been and bought cord and tape for it though, and we all know shopping is the most important part of the design/making process, right?

next weeks list -

another cushion with pocket (2 done, 2 to go)
make mini animal to go in cushion pocket
make min owl for blog giveaway next week
try and make one of the toy bag/play mats with pirate theme

latest blog update here, lucykate crafts...

now, shall we place bets on how much gingermonkey spends today during her fabric shop visit, i'm going to guess at least £50???

Goodness- lots of activity!! Not much here I am afraid, trying to catch up on housework and organising and decorating now the builders have almost finished. It's great knowing that slowly, the plaster dust will die down now!

Just finished my last teddy and another batch arrived this morning, still it will give me something to do while I watch "I'm a celebrity" of an evening!

I have been busy making DS a "Roman costume" for school, he has gone in today proudly bearing the sheild I made...but looking quite like a shepherd rather than a Roman!!!LOL

Message withdrawn