Still making Jubilee Union Jack Bunting

I can't believe I am still making Union Jack bunting! I made the first batch a few weeks ago for a special order for The Biscuit Factory gift shop and wasn't going to list the item in my shop, since then I have had an abundance of orders and I am also really delighted to say that last week I received an email asking if I could make a rush order of the bunting for Good Housekeeping Magazine as they had seen online it and loved it, they placed an order for 4 metres and are going to be using it in their Jubilee celebrations. I am absolutely delighted about this and had to stop myself from skipping to the Post Office this morning to send it off!

Doing some proper Graphics work

Today and tomorrow I am mostly going to be doing some 'proper' work, as most of you know I am a Graphic Designer and I don't usually document this work on my blog, largely because it's usually for private clients and it might not be appropriate for my blog.

But as I mentioned last month I am going to be joining the handmade and the graphics together progressively more, so I thought it might be nice to share some of the graphics projects I am currently working on too.

Today I am producing a set of religious symbols that will be used in a multifaith calendar that I have been commissioned to design. I have hand drawn these with a pencil and scanned them, I have then re-drawn them using illustrator. I am going to give the client two options so I will show the other option once complete.

Personalised Owl Bunting

I have just made some owl bunting for an order from notonthehighstreet.com and am really pleased with how it has turned out. I bought some chunky gingham fabric on Sunday when I was in Brighton from a magical little shop, the fabrics were stacked to the rafters and if I'm honest was possibly a bit of a death trap, but what a way to go!! I digress, I have used the lovely chunky lime green gingham in my latest bunting order and love love love it, I wish I had bought more!

I don't stipulate in my listings exactly which fabrics I use as I like to keep things fresh and make each design different, but you can choose a colour scheme. This customer chose pink and green which always work really well together. I am slowly replacing all of my photographs in my shop with up to date ones, it's starting to look a lot more how I would like it to.

Monday morning, erm actually it's Tuesday

Good morning peeps.
I am a bit confused about it being Tuesday as it definitely feels like a Monday, those pesky bank hols, I'm sure they are just there to throw out my body clock. This morning I was so unprepared for the day I didn't have any milk for cereal and Eva's pink milk, so I had to drive to the shop (which I hate doing as at 8.15am it takes forever, in fact I should have walked) I was feeling a bit stressed out about my early morning shopping trip but I actually managed to get most of my supplies for the week, including a cheese straw for my breakfast, which I have now eaten and it has certainly lifted my mood. So if it proceeds to rain all week as forecast I can now hermitise myself. I actually quite enjoy sewing in my cosy little work room when it's chucking it down outside.

The more observant of you will have noticed that I have changed my blog design. I just thought as I am making a lot of florally Jubilee themed products right now I ought to embrace the moment and signpost these makes. All of my items are available through my shop, if you have an aversion to red, white and blue, or you would like the design to fit with your own colour scheme I can make you a bespoke version, just email me. Here are some shots of my bunting in alternate colour schemes.

The new background image on my blog is a recent shot of my fabric stash and some vintage buttons. Its looks quite neat in the photo but I am preparing for a craft fair during the next two weeks, so I doubt it will remain in neat little bundles for long! I might photograph it next Friday just to see how it compares!

Hope you have a fabulous week!

Handmade Floral Union Jack Bunting

This week you have not heard from me as I have been locked away in my sewing room making an order for the lovely people at The Biscuit Factory in Newcastle.

The Biscuit Factory is one of the UK’s largest independent contemporary commercial art galleries, showcasing two floors of contemporary arts, crafts and design, offering a refreshing and sumptuous space and they wanted my bunting to sell in their shop, woop woop, how excited am I?!

I decided to take some photo's as I went along for you to see the amount of work (and fabric) that goes into making a wholesale order. It's a visual diary, the photo's are self explanatory...

So that's it, all ready to be packaged, wow that's a lot of bunting.

iPad sleeve handmade and available to order

Good morning! Hope you have had a lovely weekend, the sun is shining here which is quite unexpected. I haven't blogged for a week which has honestly been a welcome break, blogging every day was wearing a little thin, the evejeanie business has really taken off now and my Graphics Business has so much work on the board at the moment, I have for the first time in six years had to turn work down. It's not something I want to do but I pride myself in providing a consistent and excellent design service to all my customers and am not about to compromise on that even if it means turning work away.

I have just finished a new order for an ipad cosy with matching corsages made from gorgeous Cath Kidston and Liberty's fabric. These are only available to order directly from me. Perfect gift for Mother's Day, or the techie in your life! If you would like one email me with your required colour scheme.

 

 

The ipad cosy is £25.00 and the matching corsages are £5.00 each (including postage within the UK).

Day 36: Homemade Daily Challenge

Hope you all had a great Sunday and didn't get too snowed in.

A short post from me today as it's a little late, had a very busy day seeing friends and family as it's Eva's birthday weekend.

Just got time to say I've had a few bunting orders this week and back by popular demand to my noths shop is this country style, Love Heart Bunting. It's Valentine's Day next week and this would make a great present that won't look out of place all year round.

Day 29: Homemade Daily Challenge

On Day 10 of this challenge I blogged about 'How to make a flower corsage' using Suffolk puffs or yo yo's as some people call them.

This flower corsage is a bit more fiddly but gives a slightly different result. It is more suited for using up your scraps as you need long thin pieces of fabric rather than circles so is more frugal.

The thinner your width of fabric, the longer it will need to be for this. For the one above I have also  doubled over to create a neat edge, although you don't need to and frayed egdes can be very pretty. All you need to do is start at one end and on the top edge do two small stitches to secure the thread and do a long running stitch all along the top edge, pulling a little to gather the fabric as you go. Then you join up the 2 ends once all thread is pulled through and nicely gathered, attach a button or bead to the front and a brooch pin or safety pin to the back and there you go, job's a good 'un! I have made loads of these, the possibilities are endless:

You can add several layers, use a mix of yo-yos' and ruffles, play around with the buttons, they are quick and easy to make and also make lovely gifts. Happy sewing :)

Day 18: Homemade Daily Challenge

Well it's day 18 of my self induced challenge and I am quite suprised that I still feel spurred on to blog about the things I am making especially as January has been an unexpectedly busy month for orders, I have been putting together a new range for Spring and here is some lovely Love Heart buntings now available to order. It doesn't have to have any lettering if you don't want. It's made from gorgeous Scandinavian fabrics from the talented peeps at Tilda. I think I am stuck on a bit of a pink and green theme, but other colours and fabics are available :)

Day 15: Homemade Daily Challenge

Well the hangover is still lingering a little (such a lightweight) but I still managed a nice day shopping with the family yesterday, we went to the Library and I found a magazine that was suprisingly good, it is not one I would have picked up in a shop but after browsing through it I went to Smith's and bought a copy of my own.
It's called Homes and Antiques and it is really is a magazine of two halves, the first is a bit lifestyle/interiors but this month's had quite a few good craft ideas with a vintage twist (as you might expect from the title) but the second half is a bit more serious antiques, I'm not really into this but the first half more than made up for it. It also has a classified section for people selling antiques and diary dates for vintage and collectible fairs around the country.

Because I felt a little delicate I decided I need some home comfort food last night and so made a chicken and mushroom pie which is a really simple recipe. If I am buying a pack of shortcrust pastry I make a couple of pies the other in the photo is a corned beef and onion which I have baked and have now frozen for a midweek supper.

(It's not the best photo in the world but I was in a rush to eat it).



Serves 2-3
You will need:

1 Onion
12 Mushrooms
2 Chicken breasts
2 smll pots single cream
1/2 pint chicken stock

Shortcrust party (I bought mine but you can make your own if you feel like you need to)

What you do:

1. Fry off the onion and mushrooms and add the chicken (cube it first), once it has browned preheat oven to 160C ish and boild the kettle.
2. Add a crumbled stock cube to the frying pan and 1/2pint of water, enough to just cover the chicken. Give is a stir and turn up the heat so it boils and kind of poaches the chicken. After about 5 mins add the cream (you might not need it all) and turn the pan to a simmer, stir every minute or so while you roll out the pastry.
3. After about 10 mins the pan mixture should have reduced to a thick creamy consistency, if not turn the heat up and keep stirring!
4. Season and add the mix to a pie dish. Egg wash around the lid of dish and place pastry over the top, cut a couple of slits in the top and egg wash the top.
5. Bake in oven for around 15-20 mins until browned.

I like to serve this with mash, brussells and carrots.