Weekly Challenge and Chat Thread 2008, part 2

[Gingermonkey]

Ooops - we've filled the thread, best start a new one, eh?!

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Dior - saw from your blog that you're willing to make me some earrings - FAB!! My email is: [email protected] and we can sort out the details

whizzz- sorry about the craft fair.. I hope the little bit of profit is enough for a few beads and things..

jg- sorry about your pox visitation... ds got off very lucky with his realitively mild case at x-mas time...

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Well, have been busy, made and finished GMs thang, just finishing something extra to go in and I'm all done. When I've sent it, I will post piccies and tell you what dh said about it! That's a whole story in itself!

sorry the craft fair wasn't more successful today whizzz, good that you covered the cost of the stall but would be nice to make a bit more profit.

well, i'm all de-feathered now, or should that be 'plucked' . i did manage to make the 4 small cushion pads, but it was such a messy job, never again!. and the smell, yuk, seriously, this was a feather cushion from dunelm, open them up and it really does smell like a barn. i reckon the thing must have been vacuum packed the way the feathers spurted out of it! had to hoover the room and all my clothes, ds woke from his nap in the middle of it all and stood laughing at me saying 'look mummy, bird everywhere!'

Thanks all. I think the down side is, that it's only cheapo stuff that sells. Not the quality stuff that takes a bit of skill to design & make. I think I'm going to have to venture to some bigger craft fairs (but they scare me a bit, as I don't class myself as a 'professional'.

whizzz - at the 'arts' market (fancy name - still a whole heap of crap stuff!!!) that I do it's totally weird what sells and what doesn't. Some expensive arty shit that I thought was mediocre in design and would take a few minutes to whip up sold bucket loads, nasty cheap jewellery - the same, but there is one stall with Poppy Treffrey style stuff that does well too (and she is quite expensive but very lovely). And a woman that sells plants - PLANTS where's the craft in that???? Totally agree with the cake thing - and you don't even have to make nice ones - the shit ones sell too (I'm on a craft fair rant here!!! )

Meri - I'm so glad your mom is pleased with her Pug. I really am - that has made my day! Thank you.

LK - I'm still pmsl at your feather episode.

RH - can't wait to see what you've made me - I hope you like yours. Have I got your address? I don't think I have, I shall email you later on.

Just been out for DH's birthday for a curry - it was lovely, but now I feel so full I feel sick - I need to sit down and relax, and hope this bloated feeling goes. I did eat too much though. As always. I'll never learn!

NBG - I ordered 2 dolls I couldn't resist - cloth Kitty was my fave doll as a little girl, so I thought I'd make one for me, and DD could make one for her (mine's ginger, hers has black hair).

bloody mobile is done and sent and blogged. The child is covered in pustules and exhausted and refusing to eat anything but strawberries. The other one is trying to cash in on it and refuse real food too, but she just wants jam tarts and sweets
The CP one suffers from ezcema too so am nervous about these nasty things going funny. She had one behind her knee that was so sore it was making her cry. She did look funny though as she insisted on holding her leg up at a very strange angle for about an hour to try to alleviate the pain. She was sat on me at the time so I could't do any knitting , or housework
Gave you all an award on the MN craft blog cos I think you are all fab

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Its been busy on here today!

Commiserations to all those with the pops - DD had it when she was 3, its going around our village again at the moment, and a few children at school have been off with it.

Sorry LK, had to laugh at the cushion episode - Id probably do something like that too!

Whizzz, shame abou the fair. they are not predictable at all are they? When I go to them it is sometimes strange a) what people try to pass off as crafts, and b) what people will buy! And as you say, its not always the good stuff.

Havent been on here today as have been trying to paint the bathroom - not looking good, needs another coat

But Im all of a quiver, have ordered two skeins of hand dyed yarn from Posh Yarns - will be knitting some expensive socks soon!

Totally agree about some fairs. It's really upsetting to see the crap fly out the door but the stuff that has been well made, thought about and unique is bypassed.

I did a Xmas fair in a nice Private school and you still wouldn't believe the crap that was there. One stall looked like a sodding jumble sale and there were people flocked around it.

It wouldn't have looked out of place in a nasty boot sale !

I was completely gobsmacked and very upset about it as I sold about 1 bunny and a couple of cards (can't really remember it was that bad).

One of the cheap n' nasty tables sold upward of £500

tb - private schools are a nightmare, I did 2 over christmas and it was just sickening what tat sold. Actually, I did 3 - I forgot about the 3rd one because I took (not profit - I took) £8, ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. I can laugh now, I was crying (almost) then. So, factoring in the table cost (£10), the cost to get me there (20 miles away in DH's car that likes to drink fuel quite heavily), I was seriously down. And then they asked me if I wanted to do the next one...er, I think I'll give it a miss, thanks

JG - the mobile looks great, told you it would, oh ye of little faith in yourself. And I spied over on flickr someone wants to do another swap with you - check you out . I was also having a nosey through your pics - as I am a nosey person, DD is rather lovely, as are you (she who said she wasn't pretty - pah! I don't believe a word you say anymore )
Just had a thought about DD's scabby spots. Something that is rather fab for excema (my magic cream) is ichthammol (or something). I think they use it on horses (am I right TB?), but I use it when my skin splits (bad excema on hands and feet) and it seals it and makes it all better in a day or 2. It's an old fashioned remedy and the chemists may have to order it in, but ask for it - it's not a prescription cream and is totally safe on little ones (it smells a bit like coal tar - is thick and brown and not very pleasant but works a treat).

Yep GM, 'Ichthammol' is a topical wound ointment for cuts and abrasions and other superficial skin wounds on horses.

I didn't realise it was a treatment for eczema too. It's paraffin and wool fat so I would imagine it'd be very softening.

D'you reckon it'd get rid of wrinkles ?

My friend used something called Cornucrescine on her nails when we were at school. It's a hoof ointment which promotes hoof growth.

Can you imagine what it did to her nails which, incidentally, she bit and bit and chewed ?

Talons was not the word ! Mind you, they went all brown stained and stunk to high heaven. Ah, the price of beauty

lol! Nasty!!!
Yep, Ichthammol is used for eczema and psoriasis (sp). I got it first from a dermatology nurse at the hospital - the dermatologist herself was a bit useless, but the nursing staff (as usual!) were fab. I don't think they use it that often anymore, in favour of steroids and white emolliants, but it's the best thing I've ever got.

That cream sounds good. Ds has suddenly come out in Exczema all over his chest and atm Aqueous cream and Fucidin isnt touching it.

LK, I'm pmsl at what your ds said, "bird everywhere"

GM, I was wondering last night whether you bought anything.
I'm so tempted to buy the funky chicken dress for dd.

JG, the mobile is briliiant and how amazing are those photos.
I love love love them.

Whizzz, sorry about the craft fair but at least you made a bit of profit.

Dior, going to check out your new earrings.

Whilst we're talking of craft fairs, can I ask how do you set yours up?
I have a 6ft table for mine in April and I'm at a loss how to "do it up". I'll have the dolls and jewellery on it.
I was going to get some material to cover the table but how big? Do I gte it just to cover the table or so it hangs to the floor?

Hearing that tat sells more than the good stuff is not encouraging
Although I think these fairs are well advertised and organised.
This is the company Yorkshire Craft Fairs
It might be useful for you GM.

I'm always flummoxed by what does and doesn't sell at craft fairs to, (never sold at any but, have a attended a fair few). Although the ones at places like Burghley house in Stamford do seem to sell more of the higher priced home crafted stuff than tatt, so I wonder if it's just a case of where the craft fair is held. And you would probably pay a large chunk of money for a stall at Burghley.
Btw has our southern meet up stalled? I'd really still like to, it looks like I may be going back to work soon!

lol... you've all been busy! I had a great crafting day yesterday , surrounded by fabric and mess!

You guys have also inspired me
After seeing your mn blog last week I got talking to some fellow MZ crafters and we have also started a little blog >>>

mzcraftzone.blogspot.com/

Please don't hate us lol

x
Sam. x

You can tell I'm not used to being on here - I can't even leave links properly!!

mzcraftzone.blogspot.com/

Incy - I've just rememberd that I joined Mumszone a while ago!!

MUMSZONE!

MUMS

ZONE

Thats mumsnet blasphomy isnt it?

The craft fair I'm doing is in a Hotel on the towns High Street.
It swaps between there and the town hall which is also on the high street.
They have one every month and they have a deal on atm where if you book 2 fairs in advance you get a 3rd free.
Its a good deal but theres no way I'm going to book another until I've done this on first.

I was hoping to get some bits done today but my mums been to visit with my nan so have done nothing and I have to go pick dd up from preschool in 10 mins.

Sigh

Come over and say hello dizzy - were all very friendly

nbg - lol... I won't mention the Mumzone word again. But i LOVE it over there

we should set up a mumsnet/mumszone crafty swap, or some kind of a crafty charity auction or summit

NBG a word of warning about table cloths - be careful as if they are too long, people may end up treading on it & pulling everything off. A good tip is DIY clamp type things & clamp the cloth on (although I must admit, I have never managed to do that)

I think different heights look good - thats what I was thinking for my next outing (not planned as yet). I also tend to group similar priced items together (ie cheaper stuff near the front - more expensive stuff where you can keep an eye on it)