First Treasury

After being included in a few Etsy treasuries in the last few weeks I decided to take the plunge and create one myself. I wanted a theme that was a bit different from the usual, there are a lot of pretty things out there but I wanted something that would stand out.
So I decided to base my first treasury around my life BK(before kids). My career was in hospital laboratories. I worked in histology the place were the bits you have removed during operations are cut up for diagnosis, so I've seen a lot!
I started looking at all the lovely items on Etsy and was quite surprised at the number of items that fitted into my theme, and was surprised at how body parts and internal organs can be artist and beautiful in their own way!

Please check it out, there are some great items included.

The Anatomy of Etsy

Folksy Friday "Promoting, is it worth it?"

I've neglected my blog for the last few weeks, as I've been trying to get everyone back into to the school routine and finally have some time to myself. I've been busy designing and listing new items in all 3 of my shops, Folksy, Etsy and Jinja jewellery. And seem to have spent hours promoting on twitter, facebook and various forums. I've joined the daily listing challenge the September stars on Folksy and I'm trying to do the same on Etsy.

What is the result of all this hard work, well I've had 1 sale on Folksy,and made it to the front page of the Folksy Daily. I've had custom enquiry on Etsy and been featured in 2 treasuries one on Autumn Leaves and one on Berry Bliss.

So slowly I feel as though I'm being seen, and hopefully this will result in an increase in sales in the future.

So yes I feel promoting does work but only if you constantly have new things to promote. So stepping away from the computer and giving yourself time to create is just as important. If only we could have a few more hours in the day!

So that said this weeks Folksy Friday is about promoting some of my fellow September stars.









1. Vintage vinyl clock- Fizzy popov
2. Blue blob pendant- Blue daisy glass
3. Vintage fabric cushion- Audrey's cat
4. Lapis stars necklace- Blue Forest jewellery
5. Wotsit zipper pouch- Made by val
6. Hetty hen- eklectikfish
For more info on an item just click on the picture.

Ohh I'm feeling Blue!

But in a good way. Last week was lovely, weather wise, despite the weather men saying it was going to be torrential rain. So I took the opportunity of taking some photos in the garden. The kids were enjoying blowing bubbles, such simple things can give enormous pleasure.
And I took a lovely photo of the agapanthus that's growing in our garden.

It seems I'm quite inspired by the colour blue, when looking at my Folksy shop I seem to have listed quite a few blue items. This is not a conscious thing, I do not wake up thinking I must use blue beads today but I often find at the end of the week that I have produced items of similar hues. I think I am influenced a lot by what I see out of my window.
That said I can't wait for autumn to arrive with all the reds, oranges and browns it has to offer.





These are some of my blue items.

Cosy Knits Folksy Friday

Well it's getting to that time of year when we want to cosy up indoors, YES I know it's still August, but it is starting to get a bit nippy at night. So I thought I'd get a bit of a head start and see what lovely cosy knitted things are out there. Hope you like my choices.
As always click on the picture for more details.

1. Slipper sock Boots £25 - Moocow
2.Crocheted Square Beret £24 - Bauhaus
3. Cup Cosy £6 - Bliss Knits
4. Crochet Tea Cosy £21 - Andrea Lesley Crochet
5. Sea Blues and Greens Scarf £25 - Alona Kemmett Textiles
6. Crocheted Fingerless Gloves £10 - Lemonade and Lamingtons

What do you call a group of Lemurs?

At the beginning of the week we visited the in laws up in the not so sunny Morecambe. Whilst we were there we visited the South Lakes Wild Animal Park. Anything to do with animals is always a big hit with my family. It is a small park, not having a huge number of animals but it has imaginatively thought out enclosures. The Giraffes are housed with the Rhinos and Baboons and there are high viewing galleries, great for giraffe watching. The kids even had chance to feed them.

There is a walk through enclosure entitled Madagascar, full of lemurs, wallabies and emus.
Around part of the park there is a tree top walk way great for viewing the animals below.
So if you're in the area I would definitely recommend a visit.

Finally what do you call a group of Lemurs? Well the answer is a troop but from this picture we decided a huggle was more appropriate!

Cosby Village Hall Craft Fair

Today I was at a craft fair in the village of Cosby Leicestershire. It was in aid of Rainbows
a hospice for children and young people in the East Midlands, a worth while cause.
It was a mixed fair with some party plan and a handful of talented crafters.

It was a quiet day but it did give me the opportunity to talk to my fellow crafters one of the pleasures of doing craft fairs, you always meet such talented and varied people

This is my stall set up and ready to go.


This is the Inspired card stall, beautiful handmade cards by the talented Maya


Next to me was Wendy from the creative cake company with her wonderfully tempting cup cakes



Richard from Richard Cox Photography took advantage of the lovely weather and went off to take some more great pictures leaving his brother to man his stall of prints and cards.


Fellow jewellery maker Lois Pedley-Blohm was also showcasing her jewellery. And as usual I took the opportunity to compare notes on our preferred bead suppliers.

Pixie and swans Folksy Friday

Following on from my day out yesterday I thought for this weeks Folksy Friday I would search out some wonderful swan and pixie designs. Hope you like them.

Click on the picture for further details.







1. Pixie Hoodie £20 - raggtagg
2. Recycled cloth pixie doll £12 - Mama Trash
3. Pixie dust bottle necklace £6.50 - Mooglet P. Bears
4. Corn Dolly swan £2.99 - kays
5. Avon Swan mounted print £20 - Nickscape
6. Lomo swan photo pendant £15 - SpoiltCat photos

Ryton Pools

Yesterday I took the kids and grandparents to Ryton Pools country park, which is situated on the edge of Coventry. It's a great place for the kids to let off steam. After a play in the playground we went for a walk and discovered a wall full of Children's art work.

Next we went to find the ducks and found a whole family of swans and signets.

Look what I found in the woods.

The A team or a Mission Impossible

Well I've signed up the the Folksy August A Teamers. For those who don't already know about this it is a group of sellers on Folksy who list a new item everyday of the month in a hope that it will increase sales. I have listed my first item today a pair of turquoise cloisonne earrings

Mum, I'm Bored!

Well the school holidays have begun and if you've got kids you've probably already heard those 3 little words "Mum, I'm bored". So this week I thought I'd take a look and see what the creative people at Folksy have to offer in way of kids entertainment. This is traditional entertainment, no computers, no gadgets, no looking for spare batteries, just a bit of imagination and creativity.
I wasn't disappointed in what I found. Take a look and see what you think. Just click on the picture for more details.





1. Gardener Sock Bunny £16.50 - Widget and Friends
2. Children's Pirate Kit £32 - Kvintage
3. Victorian House art kit £8.99 - Art in the Bag
4. 'Lucha' dressing up mask £21.50 - iwishiwasa
5. Kids baking kit £9.99 - Madame sew n sew
6. Zoo finger puppets £9.99 - With Hugs and Kisses

School holiday treat

First day of the school holidays and its hardly Mediterranean weather. As a special treat for the kids and to brighten our day I decided a breakfast treat was in order. So while the kids were engrossed in some cartoon or other I whipped up a batch of marmalade muffins. Absolutely delicious served warm from the oven with the marmalade nice and runny, Paddington bear would have loved them.

Giraffe Folksy Friday

This weekend whilst my eldest is away at Brownie camp we are moving her sister into her own room. We have redecorated, with her guidance, she decided she wanted a giraffe theme. In reality we've painted her walls green and bought her a big giraffe poster.

So I thought this week I'd look and see what wonderful giraffe creations there were over on folksy. This is what I found.

For more details please click on the individual pictures.

1. Giraffe £26 - Northfield Primitives
2. Giraffe cloth shopper bag £10 - Nutty Crafts
3. Personalised Giraffe Birthday card £3.45 - Dottie cards
4. Safari Pearls charm bracelet £10 - Mary, Quite Contrary
5. Martin the paper Giraffe £65 - Polkadot Sundays
6. Keep me warm Zoo Quilt £30 - Molly Moo and Jessica too

Just a note to say 50% of sales from Molly Moo and Jessica too Folksy shop this weekend (til midnight 25th) will be donated to Cancer Research