Its F-F-F-Freezing!

Well, the weather has got colder and today I decided to book my table at the Boscombe Vintage Market again on 18th December.  So now I'm thinking I am going to have to acquire some thermal underwear and some of those heat thingies to put in my gloves and shoes.  Oh, and maybe bring a blanket or something to snuggle into.  Last month was cold when outdoors for several hours, so am envisioning that I will become a block of ice in two weeks time.  All in the name of a sale.

I have been making new things with my waterproof fabric, namely washbags, only made a few so far, jsut to see if they sell or not.  Here are some pictures:

I also put the make-up bags on Folksy for sale, here is the link:  Folksy Shop

wow, how long has it been?!

Eeek, long blog silence, don't know where the time goes these days.  The past couple of months have been quite busy, with one thing and another.  I have embarked on the school christmas fayre circuit, with mixed results.  But keep doing it because the next one could be THE one :-)  I am getting my name out there which can only be good and at each fayre, my business cards have gone to a few visitors, so fingers crossed I get some business from that avenue.

Last week my lovely friend and fab photographer, Nancy, took photos of all my stock so I will be slowly putting them on here and on facebook and the website.  I have been tinkering with the website a bit this week, finally happy with the colour scheme.  The link to it is www.daydreamandsewing.co.uk  It is still a work in progress, I will get there in the end :-)

Here are a few of Nancy's photos:

I have also branched into making make-up bags.  A couple of weeks ago I bought some waterproof fabric to put inside them and here are my new designs:

and this one, my favourite out of the three designs, sold this morning:

Well, off now, hopefully I won't be so long next time coming back :-)  Check out my facebook page as I update that more often - www.facebook.com/daydreamingandsewing

Getting ready for tomorrow

After the mix-up last week, due to my dozy brain, and not writing the date down when it was given to me - doh - I am ready a week early for my next craft fair :-) Today was spent feverishly finishing off three bags that needed handles and making 4 purses from scratch. I am getting pretty good at making purses now and they don't take too long at all. I realise that I haven't posted new makes for a while, I haven't had the battery charged in the camera for ages, so photographed these from my mobile phone:

All is left is for me to pack them away with the rest of my wares ready for tomorrow morning.  Fingers crossed it is a good selling day :-)

Two Craft Fairs Later...

Well, since I last blogged (I know, far too long ago) I have attended two craft fairs, both at the same place, in Lyndhurst.  My first fair was not very good, it was extremely quiet :-(.   The other stallholders were lovely and reassured me that out of the worst days they had had, that day was THE worst, eeek.  Not so good for a newbie like me and the other three newbie stallholders that were there that day.  Here are a couple of pictures of my table:

 
My lovely son helped me put the items out on show.  It really was a baptism of fire.  I looked around at the other tables and they were set out lovely with things at different heights and standing out more.  There were little things that I had not even considered, like something to keep my money in - doh!  Such a steep learning curve, but the other ladies there were really helpful and kept the morale running high, it was a great feeling to be included from the outset.  So much so that I decided to persevere and book another date!

And boy, was I glad I did.  In the run-up to today, I did some serious thinking about how to lay out my table so it would be more appealing and decided that less was definitely more.  Whereas last time I tried to cram every little thing onto the table, this time, I chose a few of each item to showcase, and then if anyone showed interest, I could bring out other examples for them to look at.  Here is a photo of today's table:

I am really proud of my presentation :-) because I wasn't sure I would be able to make my table look like some of the others that I had seen.  Today was a lot busier and I had a lot more interest in my wares.  My first sale (within 15 minutes of opening) was of one of my handbags, which covered the table fee and put me in profit!  Should have seen my grin, I was beaming.  All in all, today I made enough money to cover the last table fee and this one and have a bit of profit too.  I am feeling a lot more confident about my products now and how they are presented.  I also treated myself to a cash box last week and am mighty glad that I did :-)

I have booked to do another in two weeks time and am looking forward to it.  Its going to be busy, busy, busy, though, getting things made for sale, but I am relishing the opportunity to get my products out there in the public eye again.

More Cushions and Two Craft Fairs

Well, it has been a busy week, last week.  I finished off three more cushions, photos to follow, and checked out a craft fair in Lyndhurst.  This led me to send off two applications for tables at two craft fairs this morning, one is a one off and the other is ongoing and I am hoping to have a regular table there.  So feeling a bit apprehensive at putting my stuff out there for the general public, but I must progress and make some profit from my hard labours.

Here are pictures of the latest three cushions:

Here are the six so far together:

So tomorrow, I will be finishing off another cushion and making some more panels with the rest of the moda charm squares I found in a drawer under my workspace.  Going to be working like mad getting things made and ready for the craft fairs coming up.

Finding Craft Fairs

I have been looking online for craft fairs to exhibit and sell my work, as I have amassed quite a bit of stock now and getting wibbles that Glastonbury will charge too much money for me.  I have found a few hopefuls and look forward to hearing from them.

Apart from research today, I have also finished another cushion panel, ready for a back to be made for it, so that is now two that need backs cutting.  I also have made space on my work table and brought in the kitchen table to put the sewing machine on so I have more room now for cutting fabric and putting things together.  Also the kitchen table is a more stable surface for the sewing machine to sit on :-)  and finally, put together another bag as far as the zip hand-sewing which I plan to do tomorrow in better light and more awake eyes (if you look closely, you can see it in the picture below).

Below are the two other cushions I have finished already, that now have pads in (thank you Tracy for the pad)

My first cushion

Just a quickie before I head off to bed, will blog more next week, but wanted to post a picture of my first cushion tonight.  Can't believe that it has been so long since my last post on here, time goes by much too fast these days.

Anyway, here is the cushion:

There are three more, one has a pad in already, and one other is finished, but no pad and the other isn't quite finished yet, so hopefully by the end of the week they will be all done and I can take more pictures of them.  I have enjoyed making them and am very pleased with the outcome.  I am going to have to buy more Moda charm packs and make some more of them.  The border was made from the Moda jelly roll I had from my magazine subscription.

Well, off I go now, got a semi early start in the morning and need my beauty sleep :-)

Here they are!

Well, here are photos of the latest creations :-)  Two sold to satisfied customers.  I love the nappy bag and think I will make some more of them to sell. 

The two bags below were partly made with the fabrics that I bought on Tuesday.  I do like these bags, but then, pink is my favourite colour! 

and the second one, which is still available:

No pictures today

Just wanted to blog that I have finished the bag ordered last Friday and I am really pleased with it.  I have taken photos of it but don't want to put them on here until I have handed the bag over.  Yesterday I went to my most favourite fabric shop.  It is very hard to restrain myself from buying practically EVERYTHING the shop has to offer, but I kinda managed it.  I did buy some lovely pinks and one black patterned fabric, some material for handles in two different colours and a stitch unpicker as my one seems to have done a runner.  After breakfast this morning I think I will iron the new bits of fabric and cut squares out of them ready for the next bag I am making.  Better get a shift on as it is to be finished for Friday.

More pictures to come on Friday...

Time does fly sometimes...

Well, it has been a hectic few days here, what with my son's birthday and all.  But I did manage to finish an order for a friend, and now am most of the way through with another order I got last week.  Just got the handsewing to finish and the handles to make and put on and then it is finished.  It is a bit of a departure from my usual style, but I am hoping that it will be liked all the same.  I like it :-) and it is my first bag with inside pockets too.

Pictures of the finished order are here:

I really like the colours on this one, it came out very well.

Right, must get back to the handsewing, only a little further to go...

The latest one

Finished another one off, nearly the last one that just needed handles.  The next one will need the binding hand-stitched on before I can do the handles.  Then there is one more that is at the hand-stitching the gaps stage.  I've concluded that I much prefer choosing the squares and sewing them together to the fiddly binding and handles :-)  But I am getting used to it all now, Grannie used to help quite a bit, but family commitments mean that she doesn't have as much time as she did, which is good for me in a way because I have had to learn how to bind and do handles by myself.

Anyway, here is the latest bag: