Personalised hoops

The last few weeks I have actually managed to do some new work!  It's a set of personalised name picture for children, presented in an embroidery hoop.  Having had a boy I really wanted to make some things that were suitable for boys as my work had always been a little girly.  I of course couldn't resist a girly flower option.

I'm really please with them , the rocket is my favourite. They'll be list in my shop soon.

Love Cushions

I was fortunate enough to manage to have a couple of weeks maternity leave without a baby, the first week was spent sorting the house, cleaning etc... but the second week I managed to do lots and lots of making.

The cushions in our living room were gorgeous and were made by my mother in law when we moved in but the fabric had gone bobbley, they weren't easy to wash were past there best. So I decided to make some new ones.  We had a lovely new multicoloured rug so I wasn't really limited to colour which was really nice.  I made 5 of them and I'm really pleased.  Think I'll be making some more soon and listing in my shop.  I really like the contrast between the sensible brown fabric and patterned fabric.

A friend of mine got married in the summer so I made him some cushions too. i hope they liked them.

It's been a long time.

I can't quite believe that I haven't blogged since March, but its certainly been a busy few months. I had a baby in May and before that we were busy trying to sort out the house for our new arrival. Isaac is now almost 6 months old, he is wonderful, but unfortunately is a bit of a party animal, so doesn't sleep much, day or night, so I haven't been having much spare time or energy, but I don't think any mums do.

I am trying to start doing a bit more crafting again. I did my first craft fair in almost a year yesterday and I have just started listing things in my folksy shop and taken it out of holiday mode. I have made a few new things, but need to take some photo's. So hopefully I'll get round to blogging at least once a week and start showing you what I've been up to. But in the meantime here's a couple of photo's of my best ever creation!

Crafty meet up's

Last night I met up with some crafty friends, who I hadn't seeen for a long time. I always find it really inspring to chat to other creative folk and hear what they have been up to. It is also useful to hear how they are moving their creative businesses forward and to hear their plans, especially as they are much more established than I am.

I also got a sneeky look at some new work. I love looking through people's sketch book and find it fasinating to see work in progress and hear how the artist is planning to develop their ideas. I saw some great stuff last night and I can't wait to see their finished work.

Unfortuantley I had nothing to show as I have not really done anything for months. But I did leave feel inspired to get my sketch book out and work on something new!

Plans and Frustration

I feel a bit of a frustrated crafter at the moment. My day job has calmed down for a few weeks, so I am finding myself day dreaming (and doodling) about all the things I would like to make. But then not having the time or space to do anything about it. I have not felt particually creative this year, so its nice that the ideas are finally coming. Most of my craft day dreaming involves making new things for the house, as its in the processs of being completely redecorated it would be nice to have some new things around the place.

I also need to have a big listing session in my Folksy shop, as I have a lot of new products waiting to be listed, but I need to take some new photo's first. And then its time to make some new things to sell. It would be lovely to develop a new range, but not quite sure what direction to go down. I really enjoyed working on my Pebble range last year and have had lots of very positive feedback, however this hasn't really transferred into sales. Ummm I have a lot to do, time to write a list!

Window Shopping

Work has finally started on our house, which is a massive relief after waiting 3 months since our burst pipe for work to start. But its a bit daunting as you never quite know what you are going to find when you get home. I am hoping that most of the messy plastering stuff should be finished this week and then they will move onto decorating.

I just can't wait to see it finished and to have my house back. The hardest thing at the moment is storage as most of the rooms have been effected its quite difficult to clear out every room and find somewhere to put everything.

I am desperate to have some creative time and really want to make some new things for our newly refurbished house, but sadly due to lack storage I don't think I will be able to find a space to work in for a few weeks. But I might go shopping for curtain material for our bedroom tomorrow, just need to decide on a colour scheme first.

So in the meantime I have been doing a bit of window shopping, so here are some beautiful things I would love for my new house. (I think I need a lottery win!)

This illustration by the very lovely Sue Bulmer would look great in my kitchen, I also love her range of tea related illustrations.

I am a big fan of lino printing and this is one of my favourite Folksy shops. This print is by Zebedee Lino Print by Zoe Badger, she has so many gorgeous designs it was a bit of a struggle to decide which one to show.

I've been a fan of Lush Designs for a few years now and one of their red fox lampshades takes pride of place in my dining room. I am loving their cream lampshade designs, its a bit more subtle than the one I have. In fact I love all of their range, especially these vegetable napkins.

I have loved these bird by Hannah Turner Ceramics for a while now and I think 3 or 4 on shelf would look lovely on a shelf in my living room.

Slack time.

I can't believe its been nearly a month since my last post, very slack indeed. But things have been really busy, especially in my day job and weekends have been pretty full too. I am also finding I need a bit more rest so when I do get some free I try and put my feet up and relax, when normally this is when I would be making things. Its quite hard to write what is meant to be a creative blog, when you are not doing much creating!

But I have been doing bits and bobs, but mainly as a way of relaxing. I have been busy embroidering some curtains for the babies room, they are not finished yet, but here is a peak and I have just started knitting another blanket.

I am hoping that I will get a bit more time to myself in the next couple of months, as I would really love a big creative session, as I do have several idea's I want to explore and several things I want to make for the house, but we'll see.

Winter knitting

I wouldn't say I am much of a knitter, in fact I have only been able to do it for a few years, but I I do really enjoy it. Especially when its something simple that doesn't require too much concentration. There is also something about winter that makes knitting even more appealing and comforting.

I have just finished making this blanket for the baby, I am really please with it. We don't know what we are having, so it needed to be neutral, but as a fan of bright colours, I didn't want to go down the green, yellow and cream route. So its a bit of the bright side. But I enjoyed making it and think I may even make another one.

Giraffe Houlier

My lovely friend Emma came round the other day for a much overdue craft afternoon. It always makes a nice change making things with someone else as you get to have a good chat as well as discuss ideas and ask advice. I think we both had a good afternoon and I made a start on some appliqué curtains.

But Emma also brought along this wonderful Cloth Kits Giraffe that she has made for the baby. He is fantastic and is now sitting in our living room, as it doesn't seem right to banish him upstairs. We have named him Giraffe Houlier.

Darkness

As you may have noticed I am really struggling with this blogging lark at the moment, hence the lack of posts. I haven't been very productive lately, but its not even that, I just never seem to get round to taking photo's at the weekend and then its too dark the rest of the week. I know I prefer looking at blogs with loads of images and always try to include lots of photo's, but its just so hard over the winter months. I do actually have a list of things I want to blog about.

I perhaps need to make myself take some photo's every Saturday morning, rather than doing it Sunday afternoon and leaving it too late.

Anyway here is a birthday card I made for a friend. I really like making these and its nice to do something a bit more special for a big birthday. (Sorry about the photo, taken in the dark!)

Nesting

Is it too early to start nesting? I am sure these feelings have more to do with our damp and mouldy house and impending chaos that is going to be caused by the weeks of repair work and wanting to live somewhere nice. But I certainly have a bit of nesting going on (not that I can do much about it yet).

(I got this beautiful Hannah Nunn lamp for Christmas, I love it and brightens up my rather sparse living room)

I have spent any spare time over the last few weeks having a good sort out, this started from having to clear, clean sort and dry lots of damp cupboards, but I have now moved onto to other areas of the house. It does feel great to have a good clear out and was certainly much needed.

I am like many of you a bit of hoarder. I don't like throwing things away as it might be useful or I may be able to make something with it one day, but in reality I very rarely use these things. So I have been harsh with myself and only kept things I know I will use. I may regret this in a few months, but right not it feels good to have less stuff.

Once I have finished sorting through everything I am going to start making some things for our newly decorated house. I have quite a long list of things I would like to make, but I am sure it will be fun and will hopefully help me save some money. I made this cushion last year and I think I might make some more.

Although I do have my eye on this for the baby's room.

We are very lucky, as we have left starting a family quite late, most of our friends and family have already done it, so we seem to be getting lots offers of baby things, so I am hoping that initially won't need to buy too much, so maybe I can justify the beautiful rocking chair. We'll see!

Very exciting news

I have some very exiting news, it also explains my lack of activity and constantly being 'under the weather' for the last few months. I'm pregnant!!!!! Baby is due in the middle of May. We had our 21 week scan yesterday and everything seemed normal, which is such a relief. I have been a little worried and cautious about everything, so it was nice to feel really excited for the first time yesterday, but I am still crossing my fingers.

I think its going to be an interesting few months leading up to May, with various challenges, including repairing the house following our burst pipe before Christmas. Apparently building work will take between 4 - 6 weeks and that's after it has dried out! My partner works in the voluntary sector, so he may facing redundancy as there doesn't seem to be much funding available and I'll be going on maternity leave in the middle of the busiest period in my job. So I think its going to be a busy and interesting few months, but I am determined to remain relaxed and calm about everything.

I'm not quite such what all of this will mean for Petal Textiles, I think I will try and let things tick along, but don't think I will be moving things forward too much as I don't want to add to my work load or stresses. So I think maybe I might try and have more of a relaxed approach over the next few months and just enjoy making things and not worry too much about sales and dvelopment. I am currently in the process of knitting a baby blanket, I am not the best knitter, so something simple like a blanket suits be down to the ground, but I must say I am enjoying it and finding it very relaxing. I am also planning to make the baby some curtains and perhaps do some new pictures for our living room once it has been decorated.

So all in all its going to be exciting if a little scary year for us, roll on May!!

Happy New Year

Happy New Year everyone, hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and 2011 is a great year for you. Sorry about the Christmas Photo's, but never quite got round to doing a Christmas post! Firstly I would like to thank everyone for their support during 2010, people's lovely comments and encouragement means a lot!

I wouldn't say 2010 was a terrible year, some wonderful things have happened. But it was certainly one of the more challenging years, so I think I can say I am quite glad to leave it behind.

This time last year I wrote a list of things I wanted to achieve throughout the year, I haven't dared looked back at the list as I have a feeling a haven't done anything I said I would, but I am not going to beat myself up about it too much. It was just one of those years were Petal Textiles had to take a back seat. But having said that although I didn't really achieve any of the goals set, I am really pleased with the way my work has developed and think what I am producing has improved alot over the year.

So 2011! Seeing as I didn't achieve any of the goals set last year, I think its best I don't set any this year and just see what happens. I have some very exciting things planned, which I hope to tell you all about soon, this will probably mean its not a very productive year, but that's fine. I think right now I just want to enjoy making things.