Meet Alisa...

...shes my new russian doll cushion
She can now be purchased from my Folksy Store here

I've enjoyed creating her so much I've pencilled quite a few ideas to make some larger gifts in the near future, watch this space.

This Week

I'll be finishing my dreaded tax return!
Organising my studio as I finally have all the storage I can fit in there!
Walking - lots
Working hours for quirky boots - sounds silly but if I dont set working hours for it its all higgle piggle! and I need a little structure
Finding some wallpaper for our living room, I'm wanting a warm masculine room, thats my idea anyways!
Baking banana and choc chip muffins
I have two handmade gifts to finish this week too!! eek
Uploading my monthly make
Colouring my *cough cough* hair! and deciding on a *new* style - eek

Over the weekend I had my monthly craft group which I loved as usual, its great seeing the girls
We had some friends over for a chinese and we finished stripping all the walls in the living room, I now feel that another layer of the people who lived here previously has been removed!

My packaging for orders now has a handmade felt heart added to it, just a sweet little touch x

Pop along to Jumbleberries to see what others are up to this week x

Show off Saturday - sos

A little late today but here is my show off saturday

The cheesy grin kinda makes my week really :) xxx
Have a wonderful weekend xxx

Generally...

... this week has so not gone to plan!
I've had a poorly boy at home again for the beginning of the week but I did manage to do a few quirkyboots jobs that was on my list, like photographing and listing some new items
You can find some mug cosies in my folksy store

I've also created some fun valentine mug coasters available in my folksy store

Exclusive to my not on the high street store you can find these fun vintage love themed magnets

and this pretty toadstool

I still have party badges and my russian doll cushion to add so next week there will certainly be more updating as I've strictly wrote down my Quirky Boots working hours to catch up

I'll share my sos tomorrow but have a lovely weekend and I'll be back properly next week xx

cake

 im really busy at the moment but i just thought i'd share rileys birthday cake that he loved so much :) x

Show Off Saturday

This week I have to show off my little ones prize drawing.
He has his 5th birthday party today so I asked a friend of mine if she could create a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse cake for me.
She excelled! Riley loved it so much when he saw it, he ran and got some paper and drew the cake, so this is my show off saturday, just the excitement of him drawing it made my day x

Fancy joining in with me, do share your S.O.S x

crochet - the picot edge

I've totally fallen in love with the crochet picot edge for a blanket, its so simple to do and so effective
I'd thought I'd share here how to create this lovely edge to your blanket

*Slipstitch into any stitch on the blanket edge and chain 3

Slipstitch into the first chain

Skip a stitch
**Slipstitch into next st

and repeat from * to ** until blanket edge is complete

Please share if you create a picot edge, it would be great to see it in a variety of colours

woyww

Cant play too long today its my little ones 5th birthday today! time goes wayyyyy too quick

Here's a peek into my studio!

Join along with Julia over at Stamping Ground and see all the other creative desks at work

Have a fun day I know we will x

Meet me on Monday

I have a fair few things to do this week

• Wicket the pooch to the groomers - done this morning and he looks gorgeous of course
• Meeting with michelle who I run the market with to go leaflet dropping
• Photographing new products and re-doing current stock
• grannies galore!
• our little ones 5th bday and party at the weekend!
• To keep inspired for home projects im joining in with 'make a month' which you can find here
• Finish all the decluttering - sorting i've started, well upstairs at least!
• Sort out a 'do-able' rota for the boys for after school, one for work and play
• Baking a cake to say thank you

Just so you can see what I'm having to clear up most days! Riley is very much into colouring and cutting at the moment!It keeps him quiet and me busy with more cleaning!
As you can see we still have a few jobs to do in the dining room, like skirting boards and a little table for the stereo :) x

Pop along to Jumbleberries to see whats Mondays are all about x

Baking

I did some baking yesterday, I used The Hummingbird Bakery *Lemon and Poppy seed* cake recipe, although because I dont have a ring I used a silicone loaf tin insteadIt had to bake for a little longer due to the loaf style and I just poured over freshly squeezed lemon juice mixed with some caster sugar as soon as it came out of the oven.Its totally totally gorgeous, really soft and tangy

Show off Saturday (S.O.S)

Something new I thought I'd start is Show off Saturday, something during the week that I'm really proud off, it can be anything, just sum it up in a photo, if its a load of things then create a collage!

I'm so proud of my little man turning 10, he was so excited, I was excited and emotional all at onceFancy joining in? Please let me know if you do so I can pop on over and see whats made you smile this week x

Crochet Books

I've recently purchased a couple of crochet books
This oneI near on want to create each and every pattern in this book, its totally amazing with such a range of patterns on offer
It can be purchased here

and this oneThere are so many fun projects in here, some great gift ideas
It can be purchased here

Have you got any good book recommendations for crochet you want to share, please do x

Crochet Ear Warmer Pattern

Its so so so cold here at the moment, and I suppose having flu symptons is making me even colder, so I grabbed some wool and started to make a quick and easy headband/ear warmer.I thought I'd share the pattern here with you

• ch70, dc in 3rd ch from hook and in each st along, ch2, turn
• dc in 1st st and in each st along, ch1, turn
• sc in nx 10 sts, dc in nx 8 sts, ch1, tbr in nx 31 sts, ch1, dc in nx 8 sts, ch1, sc nx 10 sts
• ch1, turn
• ss in nx 10 sts, dc in nx 47 sts incl the 2 ch1 sps you made, total 49 sts, ss in nx 10 sts
• ch1, turn
• ss in nx 10 sts, dc in nx 49 sts, ss in nx 10 sts
• fasten off
• weave both ends together to make your headband

(ch - chain, dc - double crochet, sc - single crochet, tbr - treble crochet, sts - stitches, sps - space *I use american terms when crocheting* )

Depending on the wool you use depends on the size outcome, also I made this so it was a pretty tight fit as wool does loosen over time, you may need to alter the size slightly by adding more chaings at the beginning depending upon how big or small you do want it, just measure over your ears for the perfect fit.

Please do share if you make one I'd love to see x

omgosh!!! I look soooo tired in that photo, please forgive me it is early in the morning :) x

busy month ahead

January is always a busy month for us yesterday it was our gorgeous pooch Wickets 4th birthdayTomorrow amazingly is our big boys 10th birthday (double figures, I have to say its kinda frightening that he's going to be 10, where did that time go!!!)

I've set the breakfast table ready for when he wakes upJacks favourite car is a mini, so this wrapping paper was rather apt, he gets to open a few presents before school and then the rest later on.
He has two of his closet friends staying overnight so I dare say I'll be packed off to rileys room to watch a movie and then onto my studio for a few hours

oh and next wednesday - well its Riley will turn 5! and next saturday he's having a fun party!
see I told you January is a busy month!!!!!

woyww 2012

I'm finally joining in with woyww after what seems like a very long break
I'm in my studio finally so I thought I'd share a peek what I'm working on at the moment, lots of felt goodies as you can see, lots of new ideas on the table which I'll be sharing very soon.
I managed to purchase a chair off ebay for 99p last year, its now my studio chair. I had to recover the seat and I need to fix a little of the broken side, so I'll do a full reveal very soon
Pop on over to woyww and see what Julia and the other crafters are up too today x

Cookies but for how long!

Sometimes its a struggle to put the boys lunch boxes together as they rarely have time to finish whats in there!
Jack has to be careful as he cracked his front tooth a couple of years ago so he cant have anything too hard unless its cut up small (which he wont let me do in his lunch box, fair enough) and Riley will generally eat anything but like I said its a 'time' matter

Anyways no chocolate treats etc are allowed until a friday, so I'm challenging myself to bake something that is a nice treat but will last the lunch box week for them

Today I'm baking Hummingbird Bakerys 'Oat and Raisin Cookies'
Now thats what I call a jar full!I've got a board on pinterest with food and lunch box ideas :) go take a peek

Handmade Gift Guide

Seems as its such a cold and wet day I was inspired to find gifts of sorts with wool in mind - so here goes
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The New Year

Last year I set myself the 50 things goal list but after such a horrid year of me been in hospital, one of my closest friends passing away, once the grief had set in, the depression started and then my anxiety attacks came back in full force, financial concerns and just general highs and lows I think I managed to succeed half of the list, which is pretty good considering! so i'm not going to beat myself up about what I didnt get done!

This year I wanted to set a general list of personal goals that are a little more achievable

move into my little studio and start been really productive
use my sewing machine
crochet ME a granny blankie
new ideas for quirkyboots to materialise
lose at least 30lbs in weight!!
walking
swimming
create new family traditions
bake treats and/or bread at least once a week
new hair style
save £2 coins, once my piggy bank is full treat myself
handmade gift giving
our gardens! big changes but slowly!
house decor! big changes but again slowly!
blog for me and my style - make good comfortable changes
notebook and diary with me at all times
read more books
try to alter some charity shop clothes for me
learn a new craft for me! what yet i do not know!

Have you set some personal goals for the next? do share x

Blog Challenges

I'm setting myself up for a better blogging year by sharing lots more, I've had some fun ideas like

• weekly handmade gift guide
• personal crochet challenges but you can join in too
  
• giveaways for new quirkyboots products
  
• seasonal treats
  
• tutorials
• more me! but i am camera shy! so this may take some time
  
• charity challenges - my donated wool from last year been one of them and its nearly finished
• sharing other wonderful creative people

On another note I've decided to start to create my russian doll cushions that I gifted to my friend, I'm just in search for the right tummy fabric then they'll be ready for sale - i cant wait

This Week I'm

word for the year - 2012

for so many reasons i have to believe!

be·lieve

verb (used without object)

1.

to have confidence in the truth, the existence, or the reliability of something, although without absolute proof that one is right in doing so: Only if one believes in something can one act purposefully.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year - I hope 2012 brings lots of dreams and wishes to everyone