Funky Diva Workshops

In my previous life I worked in all areas of education – both admin and teaching – which I really enjoyed.  I love my new career as a crafter and after a wonderful experience earlier in the year at the Royal Agricultural College in Cirencester I realised I would love to combine the two.

I have been looking around for a practical space to use for my workshops and I have finally found one! 

I work very closely with Cirencester Cupcakes and have an exclusive range of bags and purses in her shop, so when she offered me her shop as a location to run my workshops in I jumped for joy!

So here are the first 2 courses that are available in September:

Tuesday 14th September 7pm – 10pm Lined  Tote Bag workshop for beginners. 

You will learn how to use a sewing machine to make an amazing lined tote in fabric of your choice.

Price: £40.00 (includes fabric and materials.)

6 Week patchwork and quilt course for beginners starting on 15 September 2010 7 – 10pm and every Wednesday eveing for 6 weeks.

This course will teach you to make a lovely cot/ lap quilt in fabrics of your choice using a simple pattern.

Price £150 (includes all fabric and materials, including quilting hoop) Can be paid in installments.

Both workshops include the use of my sewing machines and refreshments, so need to do anything but bring yourself and have some fun!

Places are limted to 4 on each workshop.  You will be sent a welcome pack one you have registered and paid which will include fabric swatches for you to choose the fabrics for your creations!

To book please go to:

http://www.ooh.com/uk/craft-creative/all/gloucestershire/list?filter_date_from=2010-08-05&filter_date_to=2010-09-30

If you have any questions please feel free to email me: anna@funkydivadesigns.com

Looking forward to teaching some traditional crafts and spreading my fabric addiction!

PS The above pics are for illustration only!

House or a Home?

Around Christmas time I posted a blog about quilts and how they have an emotional significance attached to when you make them.  The quilt I am working on is my divorce quilt.  A bit strange I know but, it will always be a quilt of freedom from a troubled man. 

Since Christmas my life has been on one long roller coaster ride and the quilt has not been finished as I feel that it needs to be completed once everything has been resolved.  I don’t expect a full resolution, but just to settle into a calmer state would be nice!

One of the major things that has happened has involved our formal martial home.  This was a house we choose in the lovely town of Tetbury and was perfect for our family.  I loved the house and the location immediately.  It fitted us like a glove.  The house was nothing special, but it was our home that we had picked as a family.

2 weeks ago the courts ordered that the house be repossessed by the mortgage company. Fortunately I had moved us out of there last March because I simply could not pay the mortgage.  My ex-husband moved in and lived there until January, when he then decided to abandon it.

It has been a long waiting game to have the house repossessed and now it has finally happened I feel a sense of lose again for all the hopes and dreams I had whilst married.  It is the final thing holding us together financially and closes the last chapter on our marriage.  So in my usual way of dealing with things I have turned to sewing to help cope with the changes.  Here is a lovely bag I made at the weekend with our old house on as last good bye:

As you can see it is a happy bag, that will remind of the happy times we had together in the house.

Don’t worry, once I have mastered maching embroidering no 15 I will be making a bright a colourful bag with a bungalow on for our new home!

Pretty in Pink

Last week I received an order all the way from Australia! Way back in March I made a little tote and matching purse for a customer in Australia, but it needed to be delivered to a special birthday girl here in the UK.

Now the same wonderful customer wants a bag and purse for her little girl.  So I worked hard this weekend so I can get the present to Australia in time for her birthday in just under 2 weeks. 

The lovely Amy Butler Mint fabric goes so well with the pale pink lining.

I added a felt flower to the bag and purse to finish them off.

I hope she likes them! 

They will start their long  journey this morning – fingers crossed she will like them!

If you would like a similar set for the little girl in your life feel free to email me using the address on my contact page!

Inspirational Cupcakes

On Sunday I blogged about the delicious cupcakes that I was given as a surprise by Louise from Cirencester Cupcakes.  They were yummy!

Her lovely cupcakes looked so amazing and they inspired me to think about a way I was going to carry those lovely cupcakes home from her new shop. 

 And after a couple of days of playing around this is the bag I designed with those lovely cupcakes in mind:

Made using my favourite pink corduroy, the tote is embellished with an applique cupcake and felt writing.

The lining is pink gingham to co-ordinate with the cupcake.

I am really happy with how this cute tote turned out!

You can buy it now from my Etsy shop.

Funky Flower Power!

I showed you a while ago my first adventures into the world of freestyle embroidery, which were not too bad.  I have been using the purse and bag and getting loads of really nice comments.  So I felt confident enough to have a go at something to sell.

I used the same fabric as before for the outside of the bag and matched the lining with the bright pink thread of the flowers.  I also put a pocket on the inside the essentials like keys and phone can be easily found.

Here are my funky pink flowers:

Lovely tote to carry the shopping in.

It has a very funky lining along with a pocket.

Close up of the funky flowers

 You can buy the bag in my etsy shop or my MISI shop.

I really enjoy freestyle embroidery!  It gives you loads of freedom to make the bag/ purse unique. I think I will be back in my workspace tonight trying out different fabrics from my stash!