Lavender

How much is a kilo of lavender?  Seemed a good price online at Yorkshire Lavender so I ordered some.  Now I have a huge bag of it and the smell pervades the house!  Okay if you like lavender.  The Romans brought it to Britain and used it for washing.  Herb sachets, which used to be thought of as something your great aunt had, are fashionable again.  Hung among your clothes in the wardrobe or in drawers, lavender helps repel moths.  It helps repel flies elsewhere and placed under your pillow may help you sleep.  It is said that lavender in the double bed will ensure that a couple will never quarrel!  I am looking forward to making pretty sachets for drawers, to hang and to slip under pillows.

After the fair

Is that a song title?  If not it should be.
It was a learning curve.  The Cube is not central and I was on the third floor, almost the last stall (number 26 of 28).  Great view from up there but not enough people.  Also a room with two or three craft stalls in it is daunting for the customer especially if there are not many people.  However, I did sell some stuff and did better than some.
I made a note of comments on my memo boards.
"Really want one of those but I don't have a spare wall!"
" Cannot buy anything.  I am emigrating soon."
"Haven't got a wall."
I met interesting people, came back full of ideas, and resolved not to sew for a few days!

Cats and mice and Birds memo boards all sold.

Slaving over a hot sewing needle

Craft fair on Saturday, at The Cube, Folkestone (pink building shaped like a ...cube) my first craft fair.  What if no-one comes?  What if all the other stalls are so amazing that I wonder why I have bothered?  What if I run out of stuff?  Or no-one wants it?  Why am I typing on here when I should be sewing?
Cats and mice now sold out.
Latest memo/ display boards....

Owls - marmalade

Beach huts

Shopping

I love buying fabric and ribbon and buttons, particularly ribbon!  All those gorgeous colours!  I buy a whole roll of each colour which is luxurious.

I have not bought a single fabric twice.  It is too much fun choosing new ones and matching them with ribbons.  However I have bought the Owls one again, but in marmalade rather than red, and the Maritime (boats, beach huts and lighthouses) has been replaced by a similar fabric of beach huts only.

Here is a lovely girly one of Butterflies and a very pretty Bird House design.

Lovely new fabrics

Staying with my handsome and clever middle son for the weekend.
At first glance I was disappointed at +Just Fabrics because the choice online is so much bigger, but eventually I chose a lavender design of Butterflies, one of Strawberry plants and a green and blue ones of Bird Houses.  Of course the proof of the pudding is in the one with the spoon!

I put together another memo board for Zenah with a quirky Pots and Pans design.  Zenah picked out the buttons.  Here it is wrapped and ready to go.

Run out of fabric!

Supplies have run low so off to buy fabric tomorrow in Burford.  Yes, a long way from Dover, but we are weekending with middle son and his lovely wife.  Looking forward to shopping.  It will be like being a kid in a sweet shop.   +Just Fabrics  Burford.

Busy busy

I have been making scrap wreaths to sell at The Cube.  I managed four while watching 'South Pacific' so although they are Christmassy they remind me of Rossanno Brazzi!  I have been singing 'Some Enchanted Evening' for days. 

Also fabric baskets.  These are about 4 inches square (about 11 cm) and rather cute.  A great gift container or use one for stationery bits or cosmetic stuff.  They are stiffened so stand up quite well on their own.

More rain means more work indoors

I don't think that is a proverb.  But I have been busy stitching and here are more memo boards!  On some the buttons are all the same, but as all the buttons are upcycled I mix and match them on others.  Beautiful grosgrain ribbons from Crafty Ribbons.

Maritime with spotty ribbons
and red buttons

Maritime 

Cats and mice 
with black buttons

Owls portrait with red buttons

Maritime landscape

Cappuccino landscape

Going like hot cakes

Five ordered today!  Good thing it is raining - I have no excuse for not stitching!
Here are Cappuccino and Cutlery.

How would you use yours?

Zenah:
My lovely memo board is now up on the wall next to the stairs in the hall. I use it at the moment for important letters, appointments, and those bits of paper that are always hanging around at the end of the table. I like the size, the thin dotted ribbon and the different shaped buttons. It looks warm and homely and has created an attractive feature to look at on the wall. 

Mrs A uses hers for business cards.  When she needs the plumber, the electrician or the tree surgeon the number is to hand.

I use mine for shopping reminders, postcards, inspiration, newspaper cuttings.

Tell me how you will use yours.

More memo boards

Cats and mice

Postcards

Cup cakes (portrait) with pink ribbon

Birds

Cupcakes (landscape) with pink ribbon

Because a gardener needs a winter income

Every winter I panic.  This is my default behaviour.  The gardening slackens off and I desperately try to think of ways to earn money.  I have been gardening ten years so I should know by now that this will happen, but it always seems to take me by surprise!  However this year I have been busy.  I am planning a table at a craft fair at The Cube, Folkestone on 30th November.  I am making padded and beribboned boards which can be called display boards, memo boards, ideas boards - whatever you like.  Each one is about 40 x 50 centimetres and, being hand made, unique.  Some are portrait, some are landscape.  The fabric is 100% cotton although the composition of the ribbon varies.  Each is backed and has a hanging cord.  Here are some of them.

Cup cakes

Maritime

Owls

Owls - portrait