Blimey that's a big wash bag you've got there

I hope you all had a jolly jubilee even if it was slightly soggy. I managed to knock out some jubilee/Olympic themed goodies before the long weekend.

hair band

shopping tote

But I was actually lucky enough to go away for the weekend with just my husband as a 40th birthday treat. It meant that we missed the big parade that my children were in but in fact they loved going with my mum. Andrew and I went up to the Lake District to a hotel that we have stayed in twice before, in the years prior to children when we could just pop away for the weekend without a worry. Do you remember those days?

As I get older one of the many things that i have noticed, is that the amounts of creams and potions that i have to just twice daily gets bigger and bigger. My little wash bag is just not big enough and I can never find one that is. So, as I was packing, I looked through my fabrics and found some Cath Kidston oil cloth that I bought years ago in Bicester. Not only that but i had a matching zip in my stash. So less than twenty minutes later I had a new wash bag. Marvellous. AS it is just for me I didn't line it and as it is oil cloth I knew that really the lining is only for aesthetic purposes. Do you know what, it isn't brilliant on the design front but it blooming well does the trick and it is huge.

just a few of the bits i need to take

nice flat bottom to give depth

The few things that I have pictured above, only really touch the surface of what I packed but as you can see from the next picture there was still a lot of space left.

I have two craft fairs coming up over the next couple of weeks so I am going to be busy busy and I definitely think I will be putting a few of these on my stand. They will have more care attention paid to their design though and of course will be lined. However I am thrilled and it proves the point that simple is the best.

How was your Jubilee?

Beltingly busy

To be honest I am not entirely sure how it can be a month since my lost post (without wishing to sound like a Catholic at confession), or maybe I can. Life has been a tad hectic and please take that description as the massive understatement that it is.

For the last two years I have been a weight watchers leader and have been fortunate enough to run very busy meetings around the Beds and Bucks area. However for the last 6 months I have been unhappy and so just over a month ago i resigned. It turned out to be a hugely emotional decision but after working my 4 weeks notice, having my garage cleared of SEVENTY NINE boxes of stock I can safely say it was the correct decision.

BUT, I need to earn cash so am giving my bag sewing a kick up the backside and am going to try and make a living from it!

This is scary. Not only have i got to find some faith in my limited skills but I need to get my bags out there. Thankfully BAYoga in Berkhamsted are storing a few of my yoga mat bags and a couple of people have purchased some directly from me. Also orders for purses and evening bags have been coming through.

My  next big thing is a stall at a roller derby bout which will involve me selling bags, bandanas, purses and hair accessories and i have some fantastic fabric all waiting to be cut. 

Not only that but the marvellous psycho Vintage are opening a unit at Fleetville Emporium in St Albans from April and have agreed to let me occupy a small space. Whoop di whoop.

All of this with no bathroom as it is being ripped out and replaced.

So this is why there have been no blog posts but hopefully I will have more time to whitter on about stuff from now on.

I have made an extremely pretty evening bag for a friend but as she has not seen it yet i cannot put photos here but they will follow tomorrow. It is really beautiful.

I hope you are all okay?

Behold the Turtle

Behold the turtle, he only progresses when he sticks his neck out

I heard this quote a couple of weeks ago and it absolutely sums up how I feel about changes I am making to my life right now. I thought i would share.