Window Shopping Wednesday

Well, the nights are fair drawing in and lately I've found myself browsing etsy for (I know, I know) Christmas presents.  I've decided to share some of my finds here on the blog with a series of Window Shopping Wednesdays where I can combine my love of making treasuries with bringing you some great makers and must-have items.  I'm trying my best to keep it handmade this Christmas, and hope you can, too. Here are a couple of treasuries made to celebrate one of my absolute favourite things... kraft paper!

Frrrrront page!

I nearly fell off my seat there while I popped on to Etsy after finishing off my lunch.  One of my treasuries made it to the UK front page!  There are some lovely lovely things on the list that would make fantastic gifts to yourself or your friends/family.  I am coveting just about everything there so you know, bookmark it ;-)

Are you a VIP?

Today sees the start of my feature over on Crafty Attic, a new discount site where you can buy art, craft and supplies at a one-time-only reduced rate.  VIPs can have early access to deals, and get an extra discount for only $4.99 a month.  Non-VIPs get access to deals a day later, and still get a great discount.  Shipping is included in the voucher price, so it's a great way to make buying handmade cost-effective, and to discover new-to-you artists, designers and makers.


Crafty Attic is brand-new, only 9 days old, so I'm delighted to have been chosen as one of the very first people to be featured.  You can sign up for daily deal emails, or link with Crafty Attic via facebook if you don't want to hear from them in your inbox every single day.  Unlike other daily discount sites, you don't actually have to sign in to view the deals, ideal if you're in a hurry and just want to check out who's on offer today.

Hope to see you over there!

Being a completer

This weekend I am trying my best to get things done!  Right now, having taken some really good photos on Friday afternoon, I am listing supplies in the Girl Industries Etsy shop that need to vacate the premises.  I have realised there is a finite amount of time for crafting in my life at the moment, and there are some things I'll just never get around to using.  So my loss is your gain, I am passing them on at far less than I originally paid for them because I need them to GO AWAY and be purposeful or beautiful elsewhere. 

I also started AND finished a project all in one go on Friday night.  I even made a mercy dash to deliver it because it was a dark and stormy night, so the photos aren't brilliant, because they were shot in my living room, in the dark.  A friend asked me to design and make a draught excluder for her wider than average double farmhouse doors.  As they are of the many and varied pet-keeping persuasion, I decided to celebrate their reptile collection with what has been dubbed 'the tartan python' - made from offcuts of kilt fabric direct from a tailors in Glasgow.

If you'd like your own home protected from draughts (the tartan python also masquerades as Justin Windowsnake), do please leave a comment or drop me an email.  Available as the completed product with local delivery, or as a snake skin, with a Velcro (R) fastening or closed seam, self-stitch end, and full instructions for you to stuff it yourself.  Stay warm this winter!

I haven't finished the big basket weave blanket I was making the other week, I was actually giving myself RSI the heavier it got but I am soldiering on and there are only 20 rows to go until it is finished.  Hopefully I'll have photos very very soon.  It is shaping up beautifully, and everywhere I look at the moment are big beautiful knits.  I'm looking at you, Stella McCartney.  Nothing but the highest of fashion for my little girl.

Oooh, and my team won, so, go Trojans!  The final is in London next weekend, how exciting!

Low stock alert

I'm down to my last reel of white paper string and there is very limited stock of lavender cats available - and hardly any of the same fabric left.  If you've had your eye on any of these things for a while, stock up now while they are still available.  When they're gone, they're gone.

Thank you to etsy seller Cherry Hill Jewelry for featuring my lavender cats in her latest treasury.  Click here for more lovely lavender finds.

They're all here!

At last, you can find an updated selection of the Answers on a Postcard series in my Etsy shop. If you'd like to catch up with more than one at once, you can buy yourself a Girl Industries instant zine collection.

Issue 8 is conspicuous in its absence for the time being, I still need to get myself down to the printers to pick up some copies, all in colour!

More exciting zine-related news to come very soon!

Little Birds Market, this coming Sunday!

You'll find me upstairs at Sloan's on Sunday for the next Little Birds Market - look! There are my hand-stitched cards in the flyer!

If you can't make it on Sunday (come in through the entrance in Argyle Arcade, you'll find me there from 12-5pm), you can always pick up a set of cards from my Etsy shop.

Ooh, have a look at Cuteable!  My cards were featured there yesterday as well.

Last minute top speed knitting

I really shouldn't be taking the time to blog tonight as I'm on a mission. My friend plays for the West Coast Trojans, an American Football team, and we are hoping to go to their match tomorrow afternoon (Scotstoun, 2.30pm, if anyone's interested!) but I have a horrible feeling it'll be cold.

So after finding some very reasonably priced Sirdar Denim yesterday on a jaunt to Hobbycraft, I thought I could get cracking on a big bulky warm blanket for the little one. I was inspired in part by flicking through the new White Company catalogue last week, as we were ordering new towels in the sale. I noted that the White Company handknit their big blankets in blocks - I thought about potentially buying extra wool to make up additional panels so we can use the blanket in future on A's big girl bed when the time comes, but then realised I need a huge amount of chunky wool sitting around like I need a hole in the head!

Anyhoo, here I am knitting up 8-ply yarn in a lovely blend of browns and white, in a huge basketweave pattern. I feel all zeitgeisty now as this lovely cushion just popped up on Etsy's front page. It's by Laurimuks, who is a fellow knitter right here in Scotland, her work is just lovely.

I'll be back shortly with the pattern for the blanket (my very own!) and some photos. I hope you are all having a lovely evening, and weekend :)