Creative Children

Carrying on from yesterdays post I thought today I would think about crafting with children.  My children all love to make things, my eldest son loves to bake, my younger son is always doodling and drawing and my three daughters love all things crafty.  For Christmas I  brought each of three daughters a little polka dot suitcase and filled it with ribbons, beads, fabric scraps, felt and for my three year old chunky crayons and glitter glue aswell.  They have now added to their collections with patterned papers, buttons and lots of other little bits & pieces, including squares of wrapping paper salvaged from the eldests birthday.

My mother taught me to knit and bake and my grandmother taught me to sew and embroider, so I think it's important to pass on skills to my own children.  Both my sons can sew on a button, a skill I must teach my husband!  I have always encouraged all of my children to be creative, never shying away from toddlers and paint and not shouting when I found my sons colouring in the wall when they were 2 and 3!

There are lots of great kits out there for children to make things or you could just buy some card, glitter glue , beads and ribbons and there are plenty of free backing papers that can be downloaded to help them get creating.

Crochet Taster Kit

Crafty Treats Jar

both available from Rachel Henderson Crafts

Mini Bunting Kit

available from Sew Recycled

Make your own Sock Hopper

available from Made by Kate

Children's Card Making Kit

available from The Blithe Bee

Owl Sewing Kit

Russian Doll Painting Kit

both available from Kit and Caboodle Design

Hours of fun!!!

Making things with Mummy

With a crafts revival and more women wanting  a work/life balance there are many businesses being started by creative mummies.  Many of us were taught by our grandmothers or mothers how to bake, crochet, sew and knit but we have expanded our reportoires with jewellery, cards and scrapbooking.  Of course I musn't forget painting, photography and ceramics.  The list is possibly endless but I think I have covered the main art & craft practises being seen on the likes of Etsy & Folksy.  It would appear that us mummies are a truly talented bunch in between school runs, nappy changes and cooking the tea! 

So as a tribute to all creative business mummies I am going window shopping for some lovely things that I would love for Mothers Day which have been made by other mummies.  (I cannot possibly include everybody and everything so please accept my appologies if I haven't shown your work).

Available from Ticketty Boo

Available from Polka

Available from Clairanna Designs

Available from Eva B Designs

Available from Black Daisy Designs

Available from Emma in Wonderland

Available from Sascalia

Available from Zoe & Drew

There really are so many talented Mums out there who hopefully are acheiving the work/life balance and still getting to be creative.  As a mother and a creative person I hope I can find the balance.

Birch Fabrics

It's Fabric Friday.....the best day of the week!  Today I want to focus on Birch Fabrics who  are releasing their first 100% organic printed cotton range, Circa 50, this month.  Birch Fabrics is the brainchild of Cynthia Mann who started selling bright, funky fabrics on Etsy from the comfort of her home office 18 months ago.  The company has now grown into its own store, has two full time employees, a website and Cynthia still has the original Etsy shop, Fabricworm.  The Circa 50 range is fantstic, taking inspiration from from the Eames era of the late 1950's, creating simple yet colourful designs.  For this collection Cynthia collaborated with the Monaluna designer, Jennifer Moore, who took charge of designing and ensuring the pattern repeats worked.  The pair are now woking on designs for a Circa 60 collection and Beach Mod collection, to be released later this year.  Cynthia is also planning two further collections with new fabric designers. 

Aswell  as adoring the ranges that Birch Fabrics sell and design I admire Cynthia as a working mother creating a business from her home and expanding this to create her own collections. I shall be eagerly watching Birch Fabrics over the coming months.

Cars Pool - Circa 50

Cars Strawberry - Circa 50

Chairs Multi- Circa 50

Houses Multi - Circa 50

Pebble Lines Citron - Circa 50

Space Multi- Circa 50

Starburst Pool - Circa 50

Starburst Strawberry - Circa 50

Woodland Chain Pool - Circa 50

Woodland Chain Strawberry - Circa 50

Woodland Friends Multi - Circa 50

Tree Stripes Multi - Circa 50

You can find the Circa 50 collection at - http://www.birchfabrics.com/

Circa 50 and a great selection of other designers, including Amy Butler, Heather Ross, Joel Dewberry, and Japanese import fabrics are available at

http://www.fabricworm.com/

http://www.fabricworm.etsy.com/

Cards for Mother's Day

In between looking after my poorly children and trying to run a business I suddenly realised it was Mother's Day very soon.  I have vowed this year to either make my own cards or buy from Folksy.  Due to my limited time at the moment and a tummy bug working its way through my younger childrens school I will endeavour to find a lovely card to buy.  But I am fussy when it comes to cards. Not so much in the design as I know what I like, but I don't like fussy details and over the top decoration.  It's the messages in cards I find annoying as I like to write my own message or even a poem, but most Mother's Day cards on the high street are filled with 'Oh Mum you are so wonderful', 'Thank you for all your help' and worse gushings.  Now please don't think that I don't want to tell my mum how much I love her, because I do, it's just that I want to do it in my own words!  So I will hunt down a card that I like without a message inside....can this be done?? I'm sure it can and I will now share some of my favourite cards with you.

I love this card...hint hint!!

Available from http://www.andylanham.folksy.com/

I love a cup of tea!

Available from http://www.lucy21.folksy.com/

Inspired by vintage fabrics...perfect!

Available from http://www.designrocks.folksy.com/

A gorgeous card.

Available from http://www.storeyshop.folksy.com/

Wow! This is so different, definately not what you'd find in WH Smiths!

Available from http://www.emilynotman.folksy.com/

Truly original.

Available from http://www.quirkycards.folksy.com/

These birds are really cute.

Available from http://www.mollymoo.folksy.com/

I love the combination of fabric on card.

Available from http://www.craftylittlegreetings.folksy.com/

A gorgeous bunch of pop up flowers.

Available from http://www.popupzoo.folksy.com/

I could list many more but I'm now off to decide which one to buy for my mum!

If you wanted to make your own card there are also some great supply shops on Folksy.

For a selection of ribbons try http://www.buttonsandbows.folksy.com/

For card embellishments try http://www.lilywhites.folksy.com/

Big Necklaces

Inspiration comes from many places and for todays blog I owe this to the Style Stalker at Adorn London (http://www.adorn-london.com/).  This week has captured some fantastic pieces worn to London Fashion Week and there seems to be a new trend of big statement necklaces.  (Or maybe this has been around for a while and I am slow on the uptake!).  I adore necklaces and bright, big beads but I have to say these new big necklaces look fantastic using fabric, ribbon and beads.....what more could I ask for?  

Available from http://www.maggiecook.folksy.com/

Available from http://www.maggiecook.folksy.com/

Available from http://www.spotsandstripes1984.folksy.com/

Available from http://www.gossimarwings.folksy.com/

Available from http://www.nuadaaccessories.folksy.com/

Available from http://www.designer135.etsy.com/

Available from http://www.bikimiki.etsy.com/

Available from http://www.youaremysunshine.etsy.com/

For more inspiration search for fabric necklaces or necklaces with fabric flowers on Folksy or Etsy.

I'm off now to try an idea with some fabric yoyos I made the other day...and some ribbon of course!

Welsh Designers

Happy St. Davids Day to one and all.  Today I will pay tribute to some fantastic Welsh designers/makers that can all be found on Folksy.

Available from http://www.dinkydaisy.folksy.com/

Available from http://www.cwtch.folksy.com/

Available from http://www.gelertdesign.folksy.com/

Available from http://www.melshandmadecards.com/

Available from http://www.maia.folksy.com/

Available from http://www.briallen.folksy.com/

Available from http://www.maxineveronica.folksy.com/

Available from http://www.lynwoodcrafts.folksy.com/

Available from http://www.moomin127.folksy.com/

Available from http://www.vickycockcroftjewellery.folksy.com/

Available from http://www.fizzypopov.folksy.com/

Available from http://www.hollielollie.folksy.com/

Available from http://www.gooseberrymoon.folksy.com/

Available from http://www.haptree.folksy.com/

Available from http://www.scrollwizard.folksy.com/

Available from http://www.dottydoesdaisies.folksy.com/

Available from http://www.crafted.folksy.com/

Available from http://www.sparrowprimitives.folksy.com/

As you can see there are some incredibly talented people in Wales.

Have fun shopping!