Needle felt brooches and fluffy pens

 Things are going well with my plan to get my Creative Stores shop fully stocked.  I have spent the last few days making brooches and these rather fun fluffy pens (see left).  I have also been packaging and labeling as I go so that everything is ready when needed. http://www.creativestores.co.uk/DREAMTIMEMAKES/home.php?cat=0&WhatsNew=Y

I have become completely hooked on needle felting  since learning the basics of the craft.  The amazing creations that I found on Etsy and pinterest inspired me to try it for myself.

Partly made brooches, ready to be decorated and attached to brooch pins.  A flower, a christmas tree, a rocking horse and moon faces.

Hearts, ducks and a flower.  Ready packed and labeled brooches - a heart and a bluebird.

OF FISH & CHIPS AND FOOD FAIRS ... PLUS A LITTLE VINTAGE

A trip to Deal (on the Kent coast) was needed today.  This meant a glorious fish and chip lunch at the chip shop in Middle Street (ranked very high in the top ten chip shops in the country), a very pleasant stroll around Deal in the sunshine and a quick walk along the sea front.http://www.aboutdeal.co.uk/

 I finally got the very small frying pan I have been wanting - Just the right size for one fried egg.

Then it was over to Broadstairs for this years food festival.

Perhaps given the wonderful collection of goodies on offer going when full of fish and chips  was not the best idea .  We did get some Autumn Berry Curd and some Medlar Jelly.  I made some medlar jelly a few years ago having found some medlars in one of the local farm shops and it is delicious.  We could have brought some lemon curd as well but I decided that I would make some.

 The Kentish Pip Cider stand had some pear juice - suprisingly hard to get hold of, and a range of different ciders including a ginger one. 
http://www.broadstairsfoodfestival.org.uk/stallholders.php 
In fact there were a lot of different ciders on offer.  
The thing that stood out (to us) the most was a cake with Wile E Coyote about to push a boulder onto Roadrunner.  This was created by a business based in Sandwich. http://www.tashastastytreats.co.uk/ 

We also got to go to a Vintage Clothes Sale that friends were having in broadstairs.  This why we had to go today instead of tomorrow 7-10-2012
Need that perfect vintage outfit or accessary then get in touch with POPPYDRAGON DESIGNS on 
poppydragondesigns@yahoo.com

A GOAL SET FOR SUNDAY

SUNDAY THIRTIETH SEPTEMBER I set myself a challenge to make, prepare, assemble, package and label 50 for my creative stores shop.
http://www.creativestores.co.uk/DREAMTIMEMAKES/ 

I felt that having got myself organised and taken enough stock for a shelf at Rough Trade, Margate I should carry on the good work.

Although my Creative Store shop has been open for a while it has not had the care a new business should have.  There have been reasons for this but I can not hide behind excuses anymore.  

I fell short of my target, however I did get the following ready to pack and label.

10 assorted needle felt brooches
9 snail fridge magnets
2 needle felt bag charms
3 pot holders
1 Alice band with blue flower
1 felt covered pen
2 decorated jars of sea glass
4 sea horses

plus several bags of lavender flowers.

 I made a start listing the items this evening and will do a few more tomorrow.
 

CUTE NEEDLE FELT BROOCHES

TODAY I made a selection of brooches.  

 
Hearts, pigs, bluebirds, a aeroplane and a marmalade cat.

 
After needle felting each brooch I outlined them with black thread before putting on the finishing touches and attaching the brooch back.

As these are for my shop at CREATIVE STORES http://www.creativestores.co.uk/DREAMTIMEMAKES/ 
I have taken individual pictures before packaging them.

 I am really pleased with how these have turned out - in fact I liked making them so much I want to do some more.  Here's hoping they are popular.

 

APPRECIATION OF DARK FLIGHTS ART

I have been following what I consider a very talented artist of Facebook over the last few months.  I like her style of fantasy - dragons, unicorns and other beasties.  

http://www.darkflightsart.co.uk/index.html 

Her website shows her paintings, her published work, her sketches and some rather fun sculptures she made a couple of years ago from a heavy fall of snow.
http://pinterest.com/pin/25966135322965740/ 

I think this shows how good a sculptor she is as snow is not the easiest medium to carve.

She is currently working on some designs for jewellery.

I hope you can take the time to look at her work, and that you enjoy it as much as I do.

MY SHELF IS NOW A REALITY

SO NOW AFTER A BUSY WEEK MY SHELF IS A REALITY. 

 The second shelf up from the bottom is all mine - filled with handbags, needle felted purses, snail fridge magnets, and decorated jars of sea glass.

The beautiful items on the shelf above make me feel I am in good company and have made the right decision. 

 It took me longer than I thought to get everything labelled and priced.

I must remember this when I do a craft fair, and make sure to leave enough time.

 Once everything was priced and put onto my practise shelf I listed it all so that I wouldn't forget what stock I had taken to ROUGH TRADE.

second shelf from the bottom

my display

TODAY IS THE DAY OFF TO ROUGH TRADE.

THIS IS IT THEN a morning of frantic finishing, one last shelf run through before loading up this afternoon and taking my wares to ROUGH TRADE.  http://www.roughtrademargate.co.uk/#!__rough-traders

I am quite excited about this.  The people who I have met so far are friendly.  And although it is slightly away from the main area of Margate's Old Town it is on the way to the sea and the Turner Contemporary. http://www.turnercontemporary.org/