Hi Everyone

Still feeling like I'm chasing my tail in trying to get things finished for the craft fair.  I used to think I work well under pressure but I'm beginning to realise I need to rethink that one.  However,  I have now finished writing the instructions and getting the materials cut for my new pincushion kits.  What do you think?

I've had such fun making these.  Mind you Becky said they are too nice to stick pins in!

Happy crafting.
Philippa x

Hi Everyone

I had great fun today at Jumble Jelly www.jumblejelly.com in Bradford on Avon taking part in a Jenny Barnett needlefelt workshop.  We were creating mad March hares by stabbing bundles of wool fibres with very thin 3" barbed lengths of steel.  As you pull the hook back up through the wool it melds the fibres together.  The idea is that you only stab the wool but I managed to stab myself more than 12 times and it REALLY hurt.  After 2 1/2 hours of stabbing wool and fingers this was the result:

At the end of the month I shall be going back to make a hen (I love hens) and hopefully stab myself a little less frequently!

We also popped into the Neeld Hall to see Debbie to confirm our booking for Frome next month.  Its going to be a very busy few weeks to make some more things for my first solo craft fair.  I hope to see a few friendly faces there.

Happy crafting
Philippa x

PS  There is a new page on my website "The Story of the Wendy Room".  He who likes to be obeyed wrote it for me.  I looked at the photos and my first thoughts were how green the lawn looked and how many flowers we used to have in the flowerbeds - all pre-Phoebe and Treacle and now mostly gone.

Hi Everyone

Exciting news!  I'm signed up for the craft fair at the Cheese and Grain, Frome on Saturday 28th April, details on my website.  Becky (http://www.beaubirds.co.uk/) and I went to check it out the other week and we thought what a great fair it was.  There was quite a range of crafts available and everyone was very friendly.  In fact despite the location being fairly dark on first arriving there were lots of people there and the atmosphere seemed really upbeat.  So why not come along and meet us if you are able.

This Saturday Becky and I are going to a needlefelting workshop.  Its the first of two we are signed up for.  This week we will be making March hares and at the end of the month it will be chickens.  I had never heard of needlefelting until I saw dear Kirsty Allsopp do it in her craft series.  I'll let you know how I get on in a couple of days and perhaps post a picture of my little creature.

So lots happening in the next few weeks.

Happy crafting.

Philippa x

Hi Everyone

It's been a very busy weekend for me and I've finished a few more things for the shop.  Smart Ted Bear has a new friend Bernard Bear who looks equally smart in his embroidered waistcoat I hope you will agree. 

It's great fun making these waistcoats.  I can't make up my mind whether I like to have the excuse to embroider something or whether I like dressing up teddy bears.  While the jury is out on that I have a few more bears to clothe!

I've also made some more purses and have lots of button tops made ready for assembly.

No news as yet regarding our next craft fair but we are hoping to get to one at the end of April.  As soon as I have confirmation I will post the details on the WendyRoomCreations website.

I'm off to get those buttons finished.

Chat again soon.

Philippa x

Hi Everyone

I can finally show you what I have had in my mind to do for a few weeks now and didn't get around to doing until yesterday.  May I introduce you to Smart Ted Bear:

He is dressed in an off-white fleece waistcoat with hand-embroidered motifs and feather stitch edging, fastened with the geese and trees buttons to match the lining.  The back of the waistcoat is also hand-embroidered with a bird and flower motifs:

Not having been someone who made clothes for toys before I think this has worked out really well. 

I have another couple of bears who also will be receiving waistcoats very soon.

Happy crafting.

Philippa x

Hello Everyone

Becky (www.beaubirds.co.uk)  and I went to the craft fair at the Cheese and Grain in Frome, Somerset yesterday to do a bit of market research (at least that's what we told our husbands).  On first entering the hall seemed rather dark but once we started going round we didn't seem to notice.  With around 40 stall holders there was lots to see.  What I particularly liked was to see a totally new craft to me and one that uses materials that would otherwise have been discarded.  That stall was the Somerset Feather Company www.SomersetFeatherCompany.co.uk and this lady uses feathers from various game birds shot on the Mells Estate to decorate lampshades.  As a vegetarian I would rather see live birds wearing their feathers and I don't agree with shooting birds just for the fun of it.  However, ordinarily the feathers would be discarded but these lampshades show how truly beautiful the birds' feathers are.  I think it is a wonderful way of using the waste product from one industry to create another.  It is a newish company so I wish her every success.  Mind you I did ask her whether she had ever questioned herself as to life being too short to make these wonderful shades.

Another stall I particularly liked was the contemporary crochet designs by Elvira Jones www.elvirajones.co.uk.  Ms Jones makes wonderful little pots shaped like tagines, bowls and bags.  I couldn't resist buying some of her little hearts and flowers.  I'm not quite sure when I will use them but I'm sure to think of something.

Having been round the fair a couple of times we then went round Frome itself and I took Becky up Catherine's Hill where we came across Millie Moon.  What a wonderful discovery!  I knew it was in Frome somewhere but had mistakenly thought it was in a different road so I was very pleased to chance upon it.  Like The Makery in Bath Millie Moon sells all kinds of patchwork fabric, ribbons, buttons and other findings as well as having an area for workshops.  The ladies in the workshop were making clay buttons. I really could have done with a basket to put all the things I collected off the shelves and racks.  Prices were not cheap but bargains were there to be found such as 4 fat quarters for £8 rather than £10.  I am sure we will be paying the shop another visit.  www.milliemoonshop.co.uk

Happy crafting

Philippa x

New additions

Hi Everyone

It has been lovely to have some time to spend creating after I finally bit the bullet and cleared up the Wendy Room.  It took me a day and a half to tidy up and I tried to be ruthless when it came to clearing out the excess fabric I seem to have in my stash.  The trouble is when you like fabric it is really difficult to get rid of it.  After all it was bought in the first place because I liked it.  I may not have had a specific project in mind when I bought it but at some point in time it would have found its ideal place in a quilt or cushion.  However, I have come to the conclusion that even if I live to be 140 I really don't think I would be able to use it all up.  Quite a bit (truthfully only some) of it has been put aside for the craft fair and maybe it will find a useful home in someone else's stash.  Then of course there are the old dresses, blouses, shirts, etc.........  And I haven't even started on my books yet!

Anyway as I say I have at least made some room to make a few new things which are now in the shop.  I finished some more of the baby bootees (please note this photo only shows one of each pair).  They're really cute and will look so sweet with real baby feet in them. 

I've been going mad making covered buttons too and have made up a few sets which I've mounted onto cards.  I'll be making more of these soon as they are ideal to do when sitting in front of the television of an evening.

And then just for good measure I made up a couple of coin purses.  The fabric I used is woven rather than printed so you get a different colourway on either side.  I found I had a couple of felt birds left over from the bunting (it's amazing what you find when you tidy up isn't it?) and I hand-stitched these onto one side of each purse.  As I am always keen to upcycle old fabric wherever possible I lined each purse with part of an old tablecloth.

I love all this creating.

Happy crafting.

Philippa x