Friday Focus

Following on from emails that I recieve asking me about my labels and where fellow crafters can find them, I thought I would start a new spot on my blog that focuses on different shops that I shops at or wish I could shop at!

So to start with I thought we would take a trip to the lovely JennifersJewels on Etsy, the fabulous shop that makes my bag labels by hand. 

When I started the business last year  I needed a small run of labels that carried my own design.  I looked around on the internet, but all of the mainline label businesses seemed so expensive and I had to order a huge run, which just wasn’t practical.  Then I discovered JennifersJewels on Etsy.

This shop allows you to choose a design from one of her many beautiful labels or you can send her your own design.  

Jennifer has put together a fabulous selecton of designs in different colour way that you can then add your business name to.

I love her pink range of designs!

The last set of labels designs are blank and allow you to choose a style which you can then put your own design on, which is what I have done to create the funky diva design labels:

This is my main label with the business name on.

I also chose labels with ‘fdd’ on for the outside of the bags to act as external name tags.

When I order new sets of labels I love waiting for my parcel to arrive from America!

Have fun shopping!

Monday Mosaic

This week I am going to continue the world theme – we might be the only people taking a trip out of the UK at the moment! So I thought we would head to the other side of the world – China.

I have found some lovely shops on Etsy:

1 bytinster

2 akun

3 IbonDesign

4 zeng

5 Stonetalk

6 ChuanShuo

7 JingjingHandmade

8 Art68

9 smartartshop

Some really cute shops on Etsy based in China.

Hope you enjoy shopping!

Rainbow Fabric!

Last week I had a meeting with the very lovely Cathy Dean from Colourful Coaching Ltd who was looking for someone to make bags for her True Colours Foundation Workshop.  Each client on the workshop will get a bag  filled with treats and wonderful gifts as well as their workbook from the workshop. Cathy asked me to make the bags, one each for the clients.  She picked a design and then looked at a couple of web shops I love using: Fabric Rehab and Saints and Pinners.  Cathy was then able to show me the fabrics she really liked.

The above selection is the her selections from Saints and Pinners which arrived yesterday.  They are so scrummy!  Once you have checked out Cathys website you will understand why the colours are so bright and vibrant!

So I spend yesterday cutting up the fabric and preparing them for making into bags.  I am just waiting for a another fabric parcel from Fabric Rehab before I make them up. 

As you can see each bag bottom will be a different colour and then the top of the totes will have a co-ordinated patterned fabric.  They will look really bright and cheerful in the room when the workshop starts!

I am waiting for the next load of fabric to arrive and then I shall be busy putting together the 12 bags in time for the first workshop at the end of the month!  I will keep you updated on my progress….

Some new Websites

I have been surfing around looking for new fabric websites and I found 2 fabulous shops in the UK.  They are:

Fabric Rehab is a wonderful shop with a lovely collection of quirky fabrics.  I adore all of their fabric and it has been hard to not keep buying things!  Actually 3 purchases in a week might be considered by some to be a bit excessive!

Here are some of the things I have made this week with my purchases:

Pretty little girls tote bag.

Gorgeous make-up bag!

Lovely pencil case with a lime green lining.

As you can see, I love the fabric from the shop.  Very fast delivery as well so it is a must!

The second shop I haven’t ordered from yet, but will be doing so in the next few days. It is Saints and Pinners  I just love the collections of fabric they have put together.  They are so lovely!  Still deciding which pack I want… might have to be a personal project for me!

Ramblings of a fabric mind

Another week of sewing and my market stall.  It is hard to find time to write blog entries as well!

This week I have managed to get on top of my orders, but realised I had almost run out of my beautiful labels for the bags.  I had to order them againf rom the lovely Jennifer of  Jennifersjewels.  The labels are really well made and service is fast.  I love the way they look on my bags!

This week I was asked to make a jewellery roll.  I had not tried one of them before, but I think it turned out quite well.

This is the outside of the roll.

The inside worked well.  One large pocket for necklaces and 2 little ones for ear rings, as well as a ring holder.

I have had 2 more orders from this one, so more hard work next week!

Today is the Didmarton Christmas Bizaare 10am – 1pm.  Looking forward to it and hopefully some sales!

Happy Saturday and I will fill you  in on how the sale went!

Shopping Again!

I had to go to get some fabric for a custom order today and I found a shop called Get Knitted in Bristol.  Their website has loads of Amy Butler fabrics and given the state of the postal system in England at the moment I decided to go and have a look – that is my excuse I am sticking to it!

The shop is amazing!  And I mean amazing!  They had loads of Amy Butler fabrics and loads of lush knitting wool.  I wish I could knit!  There were so many examples of the wool in use as well as examples of the fabrics made up.  So much inspiration – including a glass top coffee table with themed colour boxes that had fabric, buttons and wool in. 

A really good shop!

The fabric I bought has already being used in make-up bags!  I just love feeding my fabric addiction!

Shopping!

I am fabric addict!  And I have a serious addiction to fabric shops!  I adore quilting shops in particular!

Online shopping is very handy living in the middle of Gloucestershire and I love www.nerybethcrafts.co.uk. The service is very fast and selection is brilliant.

Closer to home I love going to Country Threads Quilting shop in Bath. Not only do I get to go into the beautiful city of bath, but the shop is full to bursting with over 3000 bolts of fabric!  The most amazing range and superb service.  What else could a fabraholic ask for?