Then...and now

Back then...

As a teenager I visited local handmade markets in my city a lot. I was always so inspired by all of the wonderful handmade wares that I would go home and find ways to make my own versions of what I had loved at those markets - fabric covered boxes and notebooks, handmade paper, soap and greeting cards. It didn't really matter what I was making, if I was doing something creative, I was happy. And as a teenager I was dreaming of my own designs, my own products and my own market stall...and as the years have gone by, nothing has really changed.

At the age of 20, my friend and and I decided to dive into a business making and selling greeting cards. We had so much fun, but of course it failed...a lack of experience and commitment to running a business made sure of that...but it didn't dampen my courage to dream.

Nearly 15 years later, for the first time since the card design business, I started selling my handmade wares again, on Etsy. That took courage too, as did deciding to start all over again 14 months later with two new online stores.

And now...

Every day when I disappear into my craft room for several hours, lost in my little world of handmade goodness, I am blissfully happy. I am designing, making, creating and packaging, and every part of it is satisfying. And it is a real sense of happiness and satisfaction that comes with doing what you love, and it is well worth working hard for.

I hope you love what you do too, and that you have the courage to follow your dreams xx

Lollipops And Love

It's Goodbye Etsy (for now)...and Hello Made It!

I have opened a new store, this time on Made It, called

Lollipops And Love...sweet stuff for cool kids!

I am slowly transferring the bulk of my Etsy products across to this new store, and there will be new products coming soon too. My crochet-obsessed mum (thank you Mum xx) is currently keeping up stocks in the crochet department, while I have been super dooper busy working on orders for my craft supplies store Paper :: Cotton :: Love.

For updates on new products, giveaways, sales and special offers, become a fan of Lollipops And Love on Facebook!

Cheers! Tracey xx

Finding a focus

Twelve months ago I opened my store on Etsy, Cotton And Card. Even with the massive amount of stores on Etsy, I managed to make sales, and my store has steadily grown.

Over the past couple of months though, a few issues have caused me to feel a little dissatisfied with Etsy. Over the year I have sold a bit of everything, but not enough of any one thing to help me to direct my focus...some items in my store take months to sell, often resulting in a lack of motivation to make the item again...photographing many different items of all shapes and sizes has been a headache...and I haven't been able to create a consistent look and feel that I am happy with.

As much as I enjoy sewing and crochet, it was my love affair with paper and card that started me on this path many years ago, and is often what gets me the most motivated to 'make'.  For quite a while I had been considering adding some handmade paper-craft supplies to the mix at Cotton And Card, but I hadn't done so as I felt that it would only make the shop window look even more random and inconsistent.

And then, a couple of weeks ago I discovered Craftumi, a site especially for selling (handmade) craft supplies, and I knew instantly that it was what I was looking for. 

Two days later, Paper :: Cotton :: Love was born!

Paper :: Cotton :: Love sells handmade embellishments, die cut card, card and gift tag blanks, Kraft card and other unique and sometimes quirky 'bits and bobs' for craft projects.

There is something really satisfying about selling my handmade craft supplies, to other crafty folk, who will make something nice, maybe even something they can sell in their own shop!

While I might not be getting a lot of sleep right now, the constant flow of ideas swimming around in my head at 2am is making sure of that, I am focused. And focus is what I was looking for. I know exactly what I want to make. I am enjoying the complete process from start to finish, and I am completing projects quickly and easily despite the constant (usual) interruptions from Master R and Miss A! 

It's only early days, but it feels good, and it feels right for me. Maybe I have found my niche. Only time will tell. I have definitely found a focus, and that is making me happy for now.

I hope you are focused and happy too xx

Christmassy tags from scraps

What do you do with all of the too-good-to-throw-away outside rings leftover from die-cutting a stack of circles from Christmas card stock?

Cut out a whole stack more circles of course...until your arm is almost dropping off...

and make more pretty gift tags, feeling super good for using up those scraps!

These gift tags have a double sided adhesive attached to the reverse side so you can simply peel and stick them to a gift or gift bag...or any crafty project...and the Christmas design is so subtle I think they would be great for any occasion.

All of these designs are available in my shop, with still more Christmassy stuff to come!

A pocketful of vintage

It's been absolutely ages since I received a package full of pretty vintage fabric, from Zwizzle. I had immediate plans for it...the pockets on some tote bags, patchwork cushion covers, bunting for my craft room, and anything else I could use up the scraps on. But because I had other projects on the go when it arrived, I had to put it aside for later (well, I didn't have to, but I knew if I wanted to keep my sanity I really shouldn't be starting another crafty project yet).

Eventually I got around to making the pockets for the tote bags...but pockets were as far as I got, and the project was put on hold again. And then, FINALLY, last week, I got back to it and finished the bags...yes, a whole TWO bags! Hurrah!

So, the vintage fabric on these bags makes a handy pocket on the front

(I like patterns on a plain background...it lets the patterned fabric really 'pop')...

And when not in use the whole bag folds up into a cute little clutch that you can throw in your handbag, ready for shopping. And the pretty vintage pattern becomes the outside so it looks super spesh! These bags were originally inspired by a really plain boring fold-up shopping bag I recieved at the chemist with my shopping a couple of years ago. I ended up using the bag so much that it fell apart...and so I started making my own. These two bags will be listed in my shop soon.

Patchwork cushion covers are next on my list of projects for the vintage fabric. I wonder how long it will be before I get started...and finished...?

Do you have lots of projects on the go? How do you keep organised with your projects and get things done?

Christmas Handmade

Christmas! Hard to believe it's almost that time of year again. The kids have been talking about it for weeks, discussing this year's visit to Father Christmas, and pouring over toy catalogues and making their wish lists. I'm a bit over all of the commercialism that goes along with Christmas though. I think when you have young children it's easy to get caught up in all of the toy purchasing, cheap throw-away gift wrap and the focus on receiving. 

Hand crafting your own Christmas gift tags and wrapping paper doesn't have to be difficult. You can still achieve big impact with quick and easy techniques.

For easy gift tags, purchase pre-cut blank tags from any craft or stationery supply store. Or cut your own simple shapes from blank card.  A rectangle with a hole punched in the top will work just fine! For an eco approach, start saving empty cereal boxes, and other packaging, and cut tag shapes from these. A bit of colour and pattern on the reverse from the packaging will give them a unique recycled look.

There are numerous techniques for decorating and embellishing gift tags, cards and wrapping paper, but for ease and style you can't go past a simple clear stamp and an ink pad.  There are loads of clear stamp designs available, to suit everyone's style. And the best ink for these stamps, which was recommended to me by a very good crafty friend, is StazOn. I tried other types of ink and couldn't get any of them to produce a solid image, but StazOn works a treat! And the StazOn Cleaner is awesome for cleaning stamps after you have finished.

For gift wrap, you can use exactly the same technique. Decorate a large sheet of paper with simple images, or try what I have done here and simply decorate a strip of  kraft paper to wrap around a plainly wrapped gift, or a white gift box.

To finish off, wrap Baker's twine around your Christmas gift a few times, and add a quirky Baker's twine pom pom!

Gift tags featured here are available from my shop

Happy (Christmas) crafting!

A family affair

I've mentioned before how talented my mum is when it comes to crochet. A few months ago she began making lots of gorgeous hats and beanies for my children. My kids love their hats made by Nana, and my daughter in particular wears one almost everywhere she goes. We've had lots of other mums commenting on them and asking where we bought them from, so my mum has now joined me on Etsy and is listing some of her crochet goodies for sale in my shop.

I got the kids involved in a photo shoot of her items a few days ago. They were surprisingly cooperative and had a lot of fun with it . We were outdoors, in the backyard, and although it was cold there was at least a bit of sun about. Afterwards the kids even decided to do a bit of gardening!

Most of the hats and girls bags that mum is making at the moment are from patterns by Britta Graham. You can find the patterns for sale at Britta's Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/BBfromOz. 

But if you don't crochet...or you just want to receive a lovely package of handmade goodness in the mail (who doesn't?)...then have a look at http://www.etsy.com/shop/CottonAndCard for the finished items. Most of the crochet items can be custom made, so if you see something you would like in a different size or colour, just ask!

As for me, I am still plodding along with my Granny Squares, and working on my technique, tension etc as I go...and loving it! Hope you are loving whatever it is you are working on too :)

Feeling Crafty

Today I have been hand-sewing pretty crochet flowers onto snap clips and hair elastics. My crochet-obsessed mother made these gorgeous flowers for me. The colours are amazing - chocolate, turquoise, taupe, lime, pink...I think I will package the finished hair accessories into co-ordinating sets. I will pop them into the shop soon.

Yesterday I paid a visit to Scrapbook Secrets. They stock the best range of papercraft and scrapbooking products that I have ever seen.

Their patterned paper and card was divine...my head is full of ideas...and I am sensing there may be a card making and paper-crafting binge this weekend!

A Little Less "Girly"

My son has been complaining lately that my hand crafted items are mostly for girls. With my daughter often trying out new hair accessories, brooches etc as I am working on them, my son, bless him, has been feeling a little left out.

So together we set out to create something a little less less girly. I had some inexpensive children's t-shirts set aside that I had picked up on sale. They were plain and I had intended to use a bit of creative flair to spruce them up.

Being a little short on time this particular day, I needed to keep my project fairly simple. I had some fabric leftover from making my son's library bag earlier in the year (see I do make things for him) which had on it some great little monsters, perfect for a quick appliqué project.

My son also created his own t.shirt design, which I must admit, took a lot more time to make than mine, and did turn out rather splendidly. It is certainly a wearable design, however I'm not quite sure how it will hold up in the wash, as most of his fabric was attached with double sided craft tape!

Modelling his masterpiece

When I showed my finished project to my son, he looked at it rather blankly and then commented on the amount of space still left on the shirt! I guess I like my designs to be a little more minimal than he does. (Oh, and I did manage to squeeze in a simple 'girly' shirt too).

 

On the shop front...the first of my fold up shopping bags are available, plus an adorable new set of hair elastics made from upcycled fabric.

So handy!

Golden Hands

I recently purchased a selection of gorgeous kids crochet hat patterns from Bubnut. Having no crochet experience myself I have passed the patterns on to my very talented mother, who is always making cute crochet toys for my children.

Mum's crochet toys

My mum first began learning the art of crochet in 1972, at the age of 19, when she bought Part 1 in a series of magazines called 'Golden Hands'.

1972 editions of Golden Hands

Golden Hands is a guide to knitting, dressmaking and needlecraft, and it was published as 75 weekly parts. Mum still has her five copies of the magazine (parts one to six) that she bought in 1972, and they are full of fabulous retro patterns and photos.

Inspired by the hat patterns, cute crochet toys and the vintage Golden Hands magazines,  I will admit I have become a little excited about the idea of learning to crochet. A few days ago, armed with Golden Hands Parts 1 and 2, a crochet needle and a ball of yarn, I sat down to have a go.

I think I managed to make a slip loop, and hold the yarn and hook correctly, but sadly that was about as far as I got. But I'm hopeful that with a bit of effort, and a helping (golden) hand from mum, I will be whipping up 'Granny Squares' in no time. I will continue to post updates of my progress!

The Moda Sugar Pop Drink Coasters are now in my shop, and I will be listing the first of my stylish and practical shopping bags very soon. I should also mention that until Saturday I am offering FREE SHIPPING on all of my cushion covers!

To market, to market...I need a new bag

With a visit to the Perth Upmarket (a treasure trove of handmade goodies) planned for Sunday, I decided that a handy take-along shopping bag would be a good Saturday afternoon project.

A couple of years ago I was given a re-usable polypropylene bag. It rolled up when not in use and turned out to be a very useful little bag. It found a permanent home in my handbag and was used on many a shopping trip. However it was starting to show signs of wear and tear, and needed replacing. So I decided to make my own much cuter version of this bag.

With no time for fabric shopping I found enough plain black lightweight cotton and a funky black and yellow paisley in my stash of offcuts, and set to work. I instantly fell in love with the finished product. I toted it around the markets (which were amazing) filling it with all of my goodies, and it served its purpose very well. Friends and family have already put in their orders, and you will see it available at Cotton And Card soon.

Aside from the markets, I had a really nice shopping trip out with both of my children early Saturday morning.  I realise that our routine has changed a lot since my son started full time school in February. I miss having both of my children at home with me all week, just hanging out together and having adventures. I am so proud to see my son growing up and settling into school, and I am loving all of the 'girly' time my daughter and I now share, but I just don't want either of them to grow up too fast.

On the flip side though, the kids often talk about what it will be like when my daughter finally heads off to school too (she is only three) and they have it all planned out that mummy can drop them both off and then do her craft all day. Now that does sound rather tempting!

To finish, here is a sneak preview of the Moda Sugar Pop fabric coasters. They are coming along nicely.

Fabric coasters sneak preview