Mugdock Makkers Christmas Fair

Now I've been on my hols and due back to the day job tomorrow, it feels like it'll be whooosh downhill all the way to the end of the year. I've prepared a to-do list, and being a bit of a procrastinator, coloured it in and taken a photo of it. Much more constructive is the application I've just filled in to take part in the Mugdock Makkers Christmas Fair.

The one I'll be at takes place on 13th and 14th December, in a marquee in the main park's courtyard, and I'll be selling edited highlights from the Girl Industries range, with a predominantly homewares theme, all made from upcycled materials to keep your home looking pretty and your conscience clear.

I'll look forward to seeing you there! I'll also be attending their next fair, on 18th and 19th October, as I've never been before and love meeting other sellers, too.

I'm back...

... relaxed, and raring to go, having received craft inspiration and chilled right out in Ibiza. I came home to find that I'd sold another fall inspiration craft pack on Etsy while I was away, so today I've been curating a package for a local buyer.

I also popped out for some new soft toy filling and just happened to see some orange cotton yarn in the discount corner, so plenty to keep me occupied in the evenings and weekends to come.

While I was out, I noticed Glasgow craft activity all over the place - at the Merchant City Festival street market, another swanky craft fair in the Corinthian of all places (if you don't know Glasgow, think 'Footballers Wives') and the weekly Sloans Market at the foot of Buchanan Street. Wow!

On vacation

I won't be posting for the next week or so while I take a total break from everything on the amazing island of Ibiza, just in time for the legendary closing parties. Hopefully this time tomorrow I'll be on a boat listening to St Etienne's cover of Only Love Can Break Your Heart having just seen the world's most amazing sunset. I'm looking forward to a week of good food fresh out of the sea, swimming, chilling, a good stroll around Dalt Vila and a reasonable amount of tempranillo. Yum!

Hope the sun is shining wherever you are, too.

First sale on Etsy!

I'm not sure how much more I could possibly be excited, but put it this way, the big event happened 3 days ago and it's only now I can bring myself to sit and blog about it.

I sold a couple of items (oh yeah, two at once) to a customer in Baton Rouge, LA, which, as everyone who loves Ignatius J. Reilly knows, is where he went to university. I didn't manage to visit on my trip to Louisiana last year, but I at least know where it is, I like to know where my stuff's going.

One of the items was one of my fall craft packs, which I only listed a week or so ago. I spent a very enjoyable couple of hours putting together an assortment of items, and drafting up then writing out a handmade zine explaining where everything came from and how old it was and so forth. Here's a snapshot:

I really hope she likes it as much as I had fun putting it together. Not to mention all those years I was collecting and stashing. Whoo it feels good to have a clear-out, too.

Little Silver Box

Here's something really interesting, and for a worthwhile cause, too.

http://www.littlesilverbox.blogspot.com/ is an initiative started up by a fellow crafter here in Scotland. We're trying to get a bit more visible out there in the wide world of craft, so if you want to receive some Scottish goodies, or if you're a crafter, donate and potentially access new customers, take a look at the blog.

I'm donating some of my upcycled items and also buying a little silver box for myself - all in a good cause. Get in touch with Aileen by the start of October if you want to take part.

Anyone around here use mini Moo text cards?

Then check out my shop for perfectly sized envelopes, in colours that pop!

Enjoying the autumn

My favourite season is upon us! I love going down the woods, getting my 'back to school' stationery, wearing thick tights and dainty wool skirts. My favourite colour is brown and I'm starting to warm to shades of orange and gold too.

A weekend away in the country last week only heightened my anticipation of the nights drawing in, that smoky bonfire scent you get towards the end of October and (at last!) the end of eating courgettes with everything, after my late-summer glut in the garden.

Fall-themed products are soon to appear in my shop (if the weather plays nice this afternoon). In the meantime, some blurry but definitely autumnal snaps I took last weekend - as good as it gets when you're shooting through patio doors into the sideways rain. This red squirrel had the good sense to shelter under our patio table, while we abandoned our barbecue and retreated indoors.

The Big Knit

Check out my big flashing hat box right down there at the bottom of the page! Between now and 17 October I'll be knitting up a storm on behalf of Help The Aged and would encourage anyone with leftover wool and a spare half an hour or so to chuck one together - full information and instructions can be found here.

My current record is 3 in the space of one episode of The Riches, as tested out during the new episode last night, and I even managed to make 4 during a round trip by train to Edinburgh for work yesterday.

I'll be posting photos right here just as soon as I can, and also I'll be attempting my first ever tutorial soon - I've modified the pattern to include a special motif and would love to share.