My Studio

My beautiful little studio is taking shape, starting to feel like a work space, wearing a little of my personality and becoming comfortable and homely. My name is on the door, my work is on the walls, my lovely magazine bits and bobs are framed and my desk is starting to look busy. 

My little corner is full of pretty pictures, postcards, colour samplers, and jewellery bits that I've been working on. It is bright and inspiring, I have my notebooks and crochet and my head is full of ideas. 

I introduced the first visitors this week - I hope they will be the first of many. 

My Month in Makes... September

I've had a very busy month of making, I think encouraged by my excitement for my new studio, I feel renewed making-enthusiasm! I'm still plodding along with my 2015 blanket, my squares are up to date but I have fallen behind somewhat with my joining... I'm sure I'll soon catch up though. I've managed to find a little bit of time to make some things for me too, I knitted a tiny gnome from the pattern from Mochimochi Land, and I've been cross-stitching roses from the Cath Kidston "Stitch" book on to a gingham tote bag. For my little shop I've been making Christmas Robins, lots of new jewellery and spent lots of time playing with my lovely new badgemaker! I've been using vintage sewing patterns to make letter badges, and some with sewing instructions, and illustrations from the cover envelopes, as well as some with vintage floral fabrics and embroidered linens. 

It's been a jolly productive month! 

My Month in Makes - August

I seem to have re-located my making-inspiration this month, and have been ever-so busy with lots of different things. I've made a few new pieces of jewellery, as well as working on a couple of designs that aren't quite ready to go out into the world just yet. I also acquired a new toy that I had been coveting for some time - a badge maker. I am utterly smitten and have been making lots of tiny badges. 

My crochet blankets are coming along well - I am working on my fifth large square for my cosy big-square blanket, and I'm up to row fifteen of my 2015 blanket, although I'm falling behind a smidge with my joining. 

I've been making teeny three-round granny squares and pompoms which are for something new - I will be getting the keys to my very own studio soon! So it will need prettifying with yarny goodness. It's a little bit scary (terrifying) but very exciting too. I'm going to be painting the place soon, looking forward to moving in. 

My Week...

I'm not entirely sure how July passed so quickly, but here we are in August, and the first week has flown by in a whirl of fabulous adventures! We started the week harvesting the lovely ripe summer fruits - yellow and red raspberries, giant rhubarb, gooseberries, blackcurrants and even a couple of juicy cherries. We made a crumble with the raspberries, and put most of the rhubarb in the freezer ready for treats in the winter. We ventured to Shrewsbury for charity shopping and lots of tea and cake, and I found myself the most beautiful carved Lucite brooch with pretty roses. My other fancy purchase this week was Marimo algae, little green pompom-plants that live on my shelf, they're settling in well. 

On Thursday we celebrated our Tenth Wedding Anniversary with a little trip to Oxford, and we had the most wonderful time. In preparation for our visit to the Oxford Natural History Museum I made myself some dinosaur jewellery - I chose to wear the Diplodocus on the day. I also made some goldfish jewellery which I am rather in love with. It has been a week to remember.

Brooch a Day in May

Well, May is done, and so is my Brooch a Day in May challenge. The time has flown by, and every day has started with the pleasure of picking out a brooch to match my outfit for the day. 

I finished my month with a pretty little vintage brooch that has tiny little pressed flowers trapped inside it, a present from my very sweet little sister. 

It has been a lovely month, a joy to choose a brooch and a chance to enjoy my collection, and be proud of the ones that I made myself. 

Brooch a Day in May

These are few of my favourite brooches, the knitting brooch was a present from my mum and the other brooches were so very exciting when I made them! 

As the end of the month approaches I feel a little sad that my challenge is nearly over! 

Brooch A Day in May

I really can't believe how May has flown by - there is just over a week until I finish my Brooch a Day challenge, and I have absolutely loved it!

I am noticing that I naturally pick up certain brooches for certain outfits, I do love to match after all, but I have really enjoyed trying out different combinations.

Brooch a Day in May

My month of brooches is pottering along quite nicely with lots of my bright and sunshiny lasercut acrylic brooches and a lovely wooden brooch from Hesta of Bodkin Creates. My pretty brooches have brightened up the gloomy May days we've been having. 

Brooch A Day in May

My brooch adventures continue, full of happy colours and memories, it's been such a joy to choose a brooch every morning! My "Mega Mix" tape brooch (from Candy Designs) was a lovely present from a friend, when I rediscovered my love of cassette tapes, and my little house brooch was from my first acrylic range at uni, such happy afternoons spent doodling pretty houses in my sketchbook, pages upon pages of them. I wonder if maybe I should re-visit that idea...

A Brooch a Day in May

My latest brooch choices, a pretty selection of my laser cut brooches and a pretty ceramic bird brooch by Virginia Graham, I love her work so much and picked this up from the Contemporary Craft fair in Manchester a couple of years ago. 

I'm starting to notice quite how much red I wear...

Brooch a Day in May

My latest "Brooch a Day in May" choices! 

The mushroom was one of the very first brooches I made when I tried out a laser cutter in my second year of uni, almost seven years ago (how time flies...) and is still one of my favourites. I do so love acrylic jewellery, such lovely colours!

Brooch a Day in May

I feel like my brooch a day challenge is off to a good start! I've worn some of my laser cut brooches, and a beautiful Lucite brooch that I bought in January but hadn't worn, and of course that was the purpose of my challenge, to enjoy the beautiful brooches in my collection! 

I'll be back on Thursday to share my next choices, I really am rather enjoying picking out the perfect brooch for every outfit!

A Brooch A Day in May - A Plan

A little while ago I decided that since I both make brooches and have an abundance of lovely vintage brooches, that I really should make more of an effort to wear them more often. So I percolated on that little thought and it became a plan - A Brooch a Day in May (because May rhymes with day, obviously...) 

So that's the plan - a handmade or vintage brooch every day for a whole month. I'll be sharing my daily choice over on Instagram and regularly updating here, I hope it will help me to make the most of my lovely collection!

My Month in Makes... March

March has been a busy little month of making, here are my finished bits and bobs, as well as the "still in progress" things...

Row four and five of my 2015 blanket are finished and attached, my granny square blanket is at the edging stage, and I have two pairs of socks on the go, as well as a second sock that needs casting on... I finished the knitting bit of a Miss Marple bow scarf but it needs fancifying, and I knitted a Ravenclaw scarf for my special adventure to the Harry Potter Studio Tour. I also had a go at the Mollie Makes cross stitch jewellery free-gift, although I adapted the patterns a bit and played with the colours. I also made myself a bunch of laser-cut brooches, ready for something special I have planned (I will share more about that soon!), so all in all I've been a busy bee. 

Have you made anything nice lately? Please share some links, I'd love to see!