And May has arrived

Well, May is here.

It's been a funny few weeks really. The school holidays, the Royal Wedding, The bank holidays and my son turning 2. All this seems to have led to me loosing my mojo. I confess it has been a couple of weeks since I've made anything. This is worrying really! I did so many fairs in April I think I've burnt out. I'm finding silly things  to use as excuses not to sit down to work. My latest one? The craft space is being reorganised and I can't do anything until it's all done...

How do I find it again? How do I tap into the motivation I need?


Well, my first port of call has been pinterest. I've seen it mentioned a couple of times but never really got what it was about. In the end, curiosity got the better of me and I took a peek. Wow, it's right up my street and as soon as my invitation got confirmed I spent 2 whole hours pinning stuff to my boards!

For those of you not in the Pinterest know, check out the site here Pinterest. The idea is simple, you have virtual pin boards which you can label yourself. You then add pictures of, well, anything! I have boards for inspiration, home ideas, quotes etc Such a simple idea, so very addictive! You can follow peoples boards and repin the things that they've found. It really is a great site. It's been great for inspiration too. I've seen so much that I'd like to try and it's proved a good stating point to get ideas growing.

I am hoping this is enough to get the old creative juices flowing again. Time will tell I guess. My little boy is settling well in nursery and that's giving me a full day to devote to getting this business up and running. The business admin side of things are ticking along nicely - I just wish the poduction side was as productive :)

April is the new summer...

The sun has been shining strong and bright and isn't it the perfect pick-me up? I've been enjoying extended park trips and seaside strolls.

Doesn't make for productive crafting but it does but me in a better frame of mind when I find some time to squeeze the odd thing in :)

I'm almost through my marathon craft fair run. I have one more to go at the weekend and then I will be taking a break for the 29th / 1st may weekend because my Baby Boy will be turning 2!! It's not really sinking in... 2! He will always be my baby though...

I've been busy making him some gifts - a lovely set of beanbags with his name on. Each one filled with something different to give some different textures. It's a nice easy thing to practice my sewing machine skills on. I'm not exactly a whizz yet and straight lines still seem impossible...

I spent last weekend at the Made In Brighton fair. I was fortunate enough to spend two days at the lovely Marina. Such an amazing setting and I got to sit in the sunshine and craft. It was organised by the laughing dog shop which is full of amazing goodies. I hope they arrange another one soon!

Yesterday I had a lovely new delivery. I'd spotted a lovely dresser in a charity shop and it was just what I was looking for. So, armed with some primer and a brush I have began Operation Shabby Chic! I've never painted furniture before so it's been fun doing something new. I've chosen a nice grey to finish it in. I hope it turns out ok! I'm almost done with the primer then in a day or two I can start painting. I've taken so 'before' pictures so I'll post when about it when I'm all finished.

Enjoy the sunshine everyone!

Wow.... Just wow......

...I have been awarded a stylish blogger award......

The lovely Alison at My belovedly Life awarded it too me :)  You can check out her scrummy bags and things here --->  http://mybelovedlylife.blogspot.com/

So I'm going to take a look around and pass this onto some other people too - I'm read so many blogs I may take a while to shortlist it!

I think I have to list 7 things about me you may not know so here goes:

1) I am  part time childminder trying to run a business around 2 active toddlers!
2) I am a terrible hoarder of anything that looks like it may have a use one day.
3) I have a new addiction to Raw chocolate - yum!
4) I love to soak in the bath with a book for an hour but it's a rare treat these days.
5) Despite usually being laid back I get very anxious the night before a craft fair - I convince myself my table will be bare and boring!
6) I have been a vegetarian for years and eat a mostly Vegan diet.
7) I am a single mum to 2 adorable children and therefore an expert in multi-tasking!


Not very interesting things I know - I couldn't think of anything exciting to put in there!

I'm going to get to work on my nominees now. I'm so very grateful to Alison - my little blog hasn't much of a following and am still very much a newbie to all of this so it feels great to have been picked :)

Apri Mayhem.....

* twirl * do you like the new look blog? I've been a bit clueless about blogging to be honest so I dedicated a morning to figuring it out over the weekend. It was an easy task in the end as I was pinned to the couch by a poorly toddler anyway. Thank goodness for laptops!


So I have a craft fair for the first 4 weeks in April. One is a whole weekend and on the Saturday I have to nip over to another fair to set up a small table too! I think I need some sort of clone of myself! Luckily, I have a very lovely sister in law who is willing to help!


I'm frantically planning stock to take and will be so so busy over the next 4 weeks. I'm also supposed to be sorting out the paperwork and financial side of the business this week. I don't know where I'll find the time for that!

I have been working with some old jeans that couldn't be rescued - The ideas seemed endless but I've settled on a couple of canvases and possibly a patchwork style cushion. It's been fun and I'll pop some pictures up when I get a chance.

I've been making button badges too. They are soo cute and I want to keep everyone I've made so far. I think I might make my first tutorial about them - it's a nice simple project to start with.

I have also been painting some pegs! I found lots of magnetic strips in a recent rummage and I've been wondering what to do with hem. I have no idea where they came from but the same can be said for most of my crafty stash! I can never throw anything away. I decided to make some magnetic pegs for holding pictures and memos on the fridge. They are another nice simple project. I might get my daughter Bee involved too! She's always very keen to help and its lovely to do stuff together.

A busy couple of months.....

I have 2 new bookings for fairs! That will mean 3 in April alone. I'll be at the local cornerstone Market on Saturday 2nd April, an Easter Fayre at a nursery on the 16th and back at the Worthing Pavilion on the 24 th.

I'm really excited that this is all taking off now. I just have to keep steady with the crafting so that I don't end up with a mad rush in the final few days - I'm not keen to relive that again!

I've been planning some new things to try and in particular a few new things for children and babies. I'm excited by all the possibilities, oh how easily I am pleased.


So first things first, breaking in my sewing machine when it arrives home this week. What will I make first I wonder?

And we are off!

Wow! What a day - our very first craft fair and it went smoothly! I had a great day - completely exhausting but great!

It went really smoothly and I actually enjoyed myself too. I had some amazing feedback and everyone seemed really positive about my work. It felt a little uncomfortable getting the compliments but rather that then complaints.

I feel like the last week has been non-stop and I am sat with my feet up for a well earned rest. It's back to hectic toodler mayhem in the morning though! And I have a few other fairs lined up so I'll not be resting for too long.


I get my sewing machine back this week and have a long list of sewing projects I'm desperate to start!

I'll be back to post how my next few projects are going but right now I hear a warm bath calling.


You can check out the things I have left for sale on my facebook page

4 days and counting....

So Sunday is fast approaching - eeekkkkk!


I have a stash of things ready to go to the craft fair but I am convinced it won't be enough and my table will look bare. It's a real concern that has me awake at night. On Sunday I woke up with the terrorising thought that the fair was just a week away. So at 6.15 am I simply reached out to a project I have on the go and started before I'd set one foot out of bed! I got 3 things done that morning and took more to finish when  went to my mums for the usual family lunch. I can chat and craft like a pro now!

I keep thinking that maybe I should cancel this one and do next months instead...... but I know that's just the anxiety talking so I'm standing firm and trying to soothe my frazzled nerves by lovingly stroking my finished work.

I'm going to a sewing workshop on Thursday. My sewing machine is at the shop being coaxed back to life and I'd like to learn a few basics for when it gets home. Consequently, my head is full of pretty pouches and beanbags and all sorts of soft toys! I can't wait!

I've worked on a lot of canvases this week. A new found inspiration for painting has been running wild. This is fairly new to me and the reasoning behind being called Random Loveliness - I do randomly fall from one type of craft to another. Wherever my inspiration runs I follow I suppose.



So a sneaky peek:

Ignore the random fluff under his eye!

Part of a canvas

Cotton and Felt Canvas

Hand sewn from curtain samples

Fabric scraps frame

Just a small selection of what I've been busy with this week. Despite the mild panic I am really enjoying myself.