Summer Baking!

Today we had family round for lunch.  Not trusting the weather enough for a barbeque I rustled up chicken, quiche and chick pea burgers with a load of yummy salad.

But the reason I have blogged this fact is, infact, more about the pud.  Inspired by The Great British Bake Off and wanting to make up for the fact that my gluten freeness precluded me (and my poor family) from Tea at Reids` Palace whilst in Madeira.  I made some yummy mini chocolate eclairs and mini butterscotch sponges, all gluten free of course.  I am really quite pleased with the baking, if not the rather hasty pictures taken with my phone before the hungry rellies tucked in.

Normal Service Resumed

Hi Folks! 
Just a quick update to say I am exhausted and rested all at the same time.  Have just returned from a week in the beautiful island of Madeira.  This is somewhere I have always wanted to go and was definitely not dissapointed at all.  When I have sorted the pics I will do a more in depth (bore you to distraction) post about my week.  I am really feeling the effects of the many uphill walks I can tell you. Lots of fantastic plants, many lizards and quite a lot of wild but very cute cats.
Some incidentals on the way which I must mention are spotting the Iron Maiden plane pulling out of Gatwick at the same time as us, that was kinda cool for an slightly ageing rocker such as myself.  During the week we realised that the team of strapping men walking into the dining room at our hotel was infact Birmingham City football team, there for a  match on the island. The Mr. was fairly happy to exchange hellos with Steven Carr as he is a former Spurs player (Mr Carr, not my Mr). Was quite surprised at the amount of fans that flew out just for the match. Not so surprised that a lot of them seemed to spend the whole time not at the match sat in the same bar! So much for absorbing some culture when travelling.  All very well behaved though, it had to said.
So, the shop is back open and the needles etc will be operational very soon when I have waded through the laundry.

Happy Birthday Mango!

Today Miss Mango my beloved kitty turns 1 year old!  By lovely co-incidence, my son also turns 14 on the same day.  There shall be cake and kitty treats

Help! Its driving Me Mad!

I have a lovely almost full vintage teaset and really would love to track down more.  Thing is, although I know from the marks that its Collingwood Bros, I cannot identify the pattern, so don't know what to search for. Do any of you clever china experts have any light to shed on it.  I wondered if it was called `Hampton` as it says it on the mark, but have found no evidence to suggest it is.

Branding!

Don't worry folks, there has been no hot irons onto skin! Or fur for that matter!
What I am talking about is the new labels and tags I  had commissioned to be made by some of my fellow etsy sellers.

Firstly, I like to wrap my critters in a nice pink or brown tissue and stick it down.  Plain old sellotape was not doing it for me, so I asked Stacey at Dayzee Love Designs to make me some seals with some graphics that came with my banner pack.  She jiggled a few things around and came up with the very thing.  I was pleased with these, so I asked her to use the same design to create some hang tags with blanks for me to fill in the critter name and even their date of birth.  She even gave me some of her thank you cards which will come in really handy.

This got me thinking.  Whilst I never want to deviate from the handmade individual style of my wares, I aspire to get a really professional look.  I then commissioned some sew in labels for all new cutey critters from Crafted Home.

 Both these sellers interpreted the ideas I had so well, and were a pleasure to work with.  I would also like to mention that my etsy shop banner and an avatar which I have used to create these pieces were designed by A Joyful Studio who was very patient with several choices for to choose from.

If You Go Down to the Woods Today

Anyone for a picnic?

Well, if you know me its not really a big surprise and there's no woods.  Sorry, but needed a catchy title.  I have made a couple more bears last week and this week.  I had a delivery of some lovely super luxury faux fur and am like a pig in the proverbial mud.

This weeks lovelies are
Firstly, little `Lawrence` is a wonderful bluey dark grey and he stands at around 15 inches.

Click to go to Lawrences' listing

Next one is `Clover`. I adore Clover, she is so so soft and irresistible in cream and alsatian effect faux furs.  These furs are softer than my cat!!! and she is really soft.  Clover is 18 inches tall.

Click to go to Clovers' listing

I obviously am really hoping that these little dears find new homes but secretly not losing too much sleep over it when I see them as a group, I am not desperate for them to leave. Hubby is hoping you snap them up as he "does not want the house full of bears!"  Silly soul doesn't realise that, like most bear artists, I will just buy my favourites from other artists collections.