Lovely new stock in Tricot

Headbands to keep your ears warm this winter. Knitted by Jenny Stacy. £12

Towers of fragrant soap. A nice little present.

I love this American Vintage cardigan so soft with cashmere and completely classic and timeless.

NEW! Books at Tricot Too

The shop now stocks a range of gorgeous books from publishers Ryland, Peters and Small.

Most looked at...

Press the 'stats' button on your blog manager. It's fascinating. I found out that these pictures are the most looked at on my blog by a mile. I took them in May last year. And they are surprisingly good as Tricot Too, Petersfield's windows are highly reflective and most photos just give you a good look at the buildings opposite!!

Apparently over a thousand people look at my blog - extraordinary - most from UK but about a quarter from the USA and a fair few from India. Or is that just two clicking in daily over a long period of time? !!! I'll never know unless I receive a comment or two! Hint. !

A tasteful gorgeous Christmas

Pictured are Martha's stockings from an old issue of Living magazine.
I'm trying to figure what people want from Handmade Christmas workshops... thought I'd list what I love about Christmas. Add to the list reader - click on anon to make sending comments easy peasy!
Christmas joys
Being happy to send cards that you've made yourself* and are really proud of.
Cards plopping through the letter box.
Glitter-ing*
Unwrapping those favourite old tree decorations* you haven't seen for a year.
Christmas magazines, especially those from the States.
The heavy, soft weight of a stocking* across your feet.
Receiving a beautifully wrapped* present - it doesn't matter what's inside!
Giving personal presents to those you love that you have made yourself!*
Enjoying sitting and chatting with your nearest and dearest in a nicely decorated* room you feel looks at its absolute best!

*All covered in Jenny's Handmade Christmas workshops starting Wednesday October 13th!

Family stuff

Here are my girls in Cafe Costa. I also have a lovely son. At present my Dad, their grandfather is very ill and that is why I've not felt like posting on my blog recently. I'm sorry. Will make it up to you soon.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU BLOG!

Yesterday this blog celebrated its second birthday. I had planned a whole raft of freebies, best ofs and nice pictures and hopefully I'll still do some of that but it's been a helluva week and my blog hasn't had a look in.  I will remedy the situation and intend doing a series of posts. Thank you for still being there dear reader.

For Tricot Designs, Arundel

Hand made felt brooches. £18 each.

Favourite Doll

My friend Chris reckons I should make dolls like this life size to just sit on the sofa. I don't think I am capable of making big objects like that, everything I make is small. But she is without doubt my doll of the moment. Soft and squidgy she nevertheless has a great 'Don't touch me. Don't look at me' expression.

Workshop Buttons

Jane sent me this picture of a peg bag with buttons she made on the last button workshop here at my house. And on Saturday I saw Serena wearing a navy cardigan with buttons she'd made at the previous week's workshop.
Today I'm sorting out clothes for winter and I'm thinking it's high time I sewed on my handmade buttons to my own clothes. 

Hello Autumn

Cooler temperatures and fallen leaves inspired me to make autumn tags.

Birthday Girl

Would you believe this blog is approaching its 2nd birthday?!
This simple doll is one of three doll experiments. My daughter thinks she should be a pen; a friend thinks she could be set in a scene in a box frame and my other daughter says add lentils for a paperweight. What do you think?

NEW! Hand felted badges

As usual with anything new these took far longer than I thought they would. But I'm pleased with the results. I hope that people will buy them in quantity. One could be worn on a coat , or several could be pinned round the neck of jumper. Hand felted badges designed and made by Jenny Stacy.

Michal Negrin's gorgeous jewellery

www.michalnegrin.com clever, intricate pieces.

Using the wash board

I recently blogged about the old fashioned wash board Jane kindly gave me. Here it is in action helping me make felt. And very effective it is too.

Here you can see the new brooches I've made with felt made on the wash board.

Andy Waite's house

Andy Waite's three storey house is his gallery for the week of the Arundel Art Trail which is held every August in the town.
This picture shows one of the upstairs rooms and two of his abstract landscapes. The painting is confident filling huge canvasses.
And over the years I've noticed a particular shade of pink he favours. The rooms are painted soft matt colours, floors matching walls or slightly darker. www.andywaite.net
I went round the trail on Wednesday, particularly keen to see Gilly McCadden's work. So simple but so pleasing. www.gillymccadden.com Tansy Brown-Hovelt's work with crystals on copper was excitingly different. www.tbhdesigns.co.uk

Arundel shop display

This is my new jewellery pictured in Tricot Designs in Tarrant Street, Arundel.

In Tricot Too

My new jewellery displayed in Tricot Too, Petersfield. I will post some close up pictures later this week.

Favourite things

I have owned these miniature ceramic vegetables for many years. They sit on a little handpainted plate with a badly mended break right across it. Old china pieces were always mended in our grandmothers' time weren't they. Nowadays if china breaks we don't think about mending it. It goes straight in the bin.

Wash Board

On Wednesday Jane came to the second button making workshop at my house and she brought me this fantastic gift! I had mentioned at the previous workshop Jane came to ('Free Knitting') how I had missed out on the chance to own one of these. And kind and generous Jane saw one at Ardingly Antiques Fair and got it for me.
These old wash boards are perfect for making felt with. You rub the wool tops on the ridged glass just as our grandmothers and great grandmothers rubbed out stains and grime on them.
This photograph is instead of the all-important photograph of buttons made on the day which, as per usual I forgot to take.

Catching Up

I have wanted to see this film for ages and my daughter and I have just watched it together in her new house. The film did not disappoint. Coco Chanel was way ahead of her time and her clothes look so timeless. Apparently there's a sequel out now.

I love the fabric on my daughter's chair. Anyone know what it is?

Little Cash. Great style

I love this green glass. It's feels heavy. It cost £1 at Age Concern and Nina Campbell is written on the base.

This stands on the kitchen window sill next to green glass. With the light coming through the colour, which deepens towards the base, is glorious. Also £1 reduced at Tkmax.

Painting bottles

I have been painting bottles for displaying my jewellery on at Tricot Designs in Arundel and Tricot Too in Petersfield. I used ordinary white emulsion (several coats) mixing the last coat with a little black, pale blue or green acrylic to give the soft off-whites. The worst bit was scrubbing the labels off the bottles. That's hard work!