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Just dropping in to spread the news that I did some hardcore sewing and my Dot and Pat embroideries (large and small) are now back in stock at Miso Funky!

Got to go now.  Did I... a-hem... mention I was going to see Jarvis Cocker tonight?  Yeah, thought so...  Hee!

those pin pals do it again...

New Packaging 

Originally uploaded by Pin Pals

Just look at the Pin Pals' inspired and fabby new button packaging! I really like it. Yay!

this would be nice...

...especially since Graham cleaned the bathroom today.  One of us had to cave eventually!

Saul Steinberg Woman in Tub The Saul Steinberg Foundation 

Originally uploaded by Mary Linley

Oh what a day I've been having and it still isn't quite over as the pesky laptop from work has decided not to save one of my reports, just when I thought I was finished at last. It's been thinking about rescuing it for the last fifteen minutes (at least I hope that's what it's thinking about!) so all is not lost yet. Fingers crossed... 

I can't wait for this weekend. I've got a few horrible work type things to do and job applications etc. but mostly it is all going to be fun, fun, fun! Jarvis on Friday and a village fete (where we found this last year) on Saturday. Yippee!

sad seahorse skewer

Last night I was very naughty and, instead of writing my reports, I made this poor skewered seahorse.  The pattern is by futuregirl and is available here for free!  This was the first time I'd made one of these seahorses and it was so quick and easy and turned out looking so authentically... seahorsey!  The pattern does not mention putting the poor seahorse on a skewer, mind you.  One of Graham's friends visited China recently and tried all the weird and wonderful street food but found the skewered seahorses just a bit too sad.  As soon as he said that, I pictured one of these felt seahorses all skewered up.  Did you know that seahorses mate for life and that the males carry and give birth to the babies?  I'm going to make a little tag for this poor boy saying, "Please don't eat me.  I miss my wife..." just to boost the sadness factor.  I predict I will be making many more of these for all the people I know who already have a fabulous octopus.

p.s. I have been good and did lots of work work today.

all the pretty horses

I can't believe it is nearly four o'clock already and I feel like I just got up.  I spent all morning messing about on the living room floor with bits of paper and various punches, leaving a big old mess behind me.  I made some horse gift tags which I'm liking.  Sadly, after the first few, my horse punch broke.  I've had it for a few months but was only just starting to come up with good ideas with it and am quite sad.  

Not wanting to give up my new found horsey vibe (I am NOT a horse person at all and in fact have a bit of an aversion towards them) I ended up cutting their front legs with scissors.  This was no mean feat (feet - ha ha!) as their tiny legs are only about a millimetre thick!

Here is the least blurry shot I managed to take of all the colour combos together.  I'd like to mess about more this evening but fear I must do some work work instead of play work.  Boo.

In other crafty news, I've packaged up all my prints for the gocco swap and will be posting them tomorrow (I'm loving the post office being open on Sunday!) so will be able to share my print here soon without ruining any surprises.

Talking of crafty horses, have you seen that Ann Wood is giving away the pattern for her lovely cardboard horses?  That would be a fun project to keep you on your creative toes.  I have images of me getting up at 6am throughout the holidays to make one of these horses as a warm up, before getting on with a million and one of my own craft projects each and every day, wearing a dress that I made myself of course!  So not going to happen... :)

buttercups, buttons, buttcracks

Here is the buttercup, picked by Graham (in the manliest possible way) earlier this week while out for a cycle.

Here are portraits of some of the best buttons I got in a charity shop last week.  I bought quite a few sets (mostly for putting on cards and selling) and ended up getting these individual ones for free.  I made a lot of new (old) friends in the process.  It turns out nice old ladies don't think my button plan is evil - in fact, they rather like it!  The lady who sold/gave these to me was the original owner of the buttons and she was delighted to think they'd be going off to live in lots of loving new homes.

She was also particularly glad I chose these tiny pink ones as they were her favourites.  I think I am keeping this set for myself.

I'm definitely keeping these ones for my growing buttons-on-original-cards collection.  I love them!

These are some of the more unusual buttons from sets I got for making up more of my button cards. 

And the buttcracks?  Well, that is as close as you are likely to hear me get to swearing, all because of the thought of getting back to the assessment marking and report writing I've been doing all day.  Grrr.  So much for the election bringing me a happy little holiday...

the bubble has not burst yet

I must have sounded more down than I really was about the whole market thing as people have been very kind in their comments. I really did have a good day and I really am going to try again (and again) and I really meant it when I said I would set up an online shop! As I said, onwards and upwards! Still, it was nice to have my prickly little ego brushed :) I've also found a job to apply for this week which is making me feel a bit more hopeful about next year and beyond. It's not a teaching job (obviously!) but is education related at least.

The picture at the top of this post is by Gemma Correll whose illustration I am loving more and more every time I see it. You should all go and visit her flickr, especially if you need a good dose of cheering up. As you can see, it has worked wonders for old negative nelly me!