You knew it wouldn't be long!

Sorry for dropping off the radar again, but ailments in the household reached a bit of a crisis point.  I, of course bravely fought off every bug that came my way, but the rest of the household did not fair so well and I found myself acting as nurse for, one person after another - 8 weeks in total!!
And as the weeks went by, various tasks dropped off the list of priority, until finally I arrived at my mums door with 2 children asking for a night's sleep!

Anyway, you know when I start posting about sewing machines it won't be long before there is a new workhorse in the stable and here it is.

Its a bit of a beast to look at (you can't see the table and the motor as I have hidden them behind the settee at the moment), but it is definitely beautiful when it runs.

OH asked a silly question about getting rid of one of the other machines, but I assured him it was important to keep things as spares!

You would be so proud of me!

Yesterday I went to view a new sewing machine.  (Well, second hand, but potentially new to me).  And guess what?  I didn't buy it!!

Yep, all on my own, I made a very grown up decision.  As smooth as it was, as sturdy as it was, it just wasn't the machine for me.

A year ago, it would have been perfect, it is better than any of the 4 I have here, but I fought back the demons in my head, turned and walked away.  Plus, it gives me the excuse to go and look at plenty more!

What a week!

At school they teach you that water and electricity don't mix.  Well what I have learnt is ice and OH don't mix!

To cut a long story short before the snow OH, cycled across  patch of black ice and fell off.

Despite no broken bones, no broken skin and no visible bruising, he damaged himself so spectacularly that it took him 5 days to put weight on his foot and is still using a crutch now, some three weeks later. 

Now all this could be classed as very bad luck, if it wasn't for the fact that it is the third time I have end up in A&E with him due to ice. (first there was the broken leg whilst sledging, then there was the ice skating incident and now this).  So should there be another snowfall in the next 30 years, you will spot our house as the one wrapped up in cotton wool.

In the mean time the children have brought a lurgy home from school and passed it around, so that everyone flaked out in bed, except me of course, who was obliged to peel grapes and mop brows throughout.  So I was delighted on Friday when everyone returned to their correct place of school and work and left me in my work room uninterrupted for a whole day.

Men can't wrap

I don't want to shatter any illusions you may hold, but men can't wrap.  I base this statement on a Christmas job, selling perfume in a department store.  Perfume comes in a rectangular box, but the panic that crossed the men's faces as they discovered we had no wrapping facility, proved it.

So for Valentine's Day I have produced a teeny, tiny gift bag, just big enough to hold a jewellery box.  Fastened with a bit of Velcro, they won't even drop the present on the way home!

County, country and culture

I supply a few goodies to a shop in Wiltshire. The Old Rectory Tea Rooms is in Castle Combe, and Castle Combe is full of views like this.

Anna, who runs the tea rooms asked if I would make a cat range for her shop, because cats are lucky in Japan, and the tea rooms receive a lot of Japanese visitors.

And it seemed to complete the Polly Polkadot 'range' very nicely!

Glasses cases and phone cases.

And Annabelle ... yes I moved county and country - I moved to England.

A dinky little gift bag

The new design

As you know, I have some serious catching up to do - both in reading your posts, and in letting you know about me.  I apologise if I have missed any births deaths and marriages (which is the only time I ever iron), but you have never been far from my thoughts.

One of my designs that has taken up my time, is a gift bag.  It started life as a child's bag, requested and designed for The Old Rectory Tearooms in Castle Combe (a more idyllic little village is not to be found!). Unfortunately Anna had a price bracket the bag needed to fall into and this affected the design.


However a conversation with Grug Studio, Dolgellau, led to the bag developing into a much more complete design, way back in September. Despite the higher price it has proved a very popular item in the run up to Christmas, when I believe it stepped from being a child's bag, to being a gift bag.

So what have I been up to?

July - School hunting
August - House hunting
September - House moving
October - Job hunting
November - eek, realising I had no stock left (due to some distractions in the previous few months)
December - same as everyone else!

Yes, Polly Polkadot and me have moved house, and country.  It has used quite a lot of energy and emotions but we all feel it was the right thing to do, so we are recovering swiftly.

I'm on my way ...

We will take this gently, one step at a time, but I think, maybe, just maybe I might be on my way back to blogland.
In the past 6 months of silence I have achieved a lot of things, and learnt a lot of things.  However, when I finally decided to try and type a short post to get me back in the habit, I couldn't for the life of me remember a) my password, b) how to create a new post.
So thats it, I'm energy zapped at my small post of a few lines, but I promise not to leave it so long and I will be back again shortly.

WOYWW - Whoops!

It is now Thursday at 2.05.  I didn't intend to join Whats on Your workbench Wednesday this week as I am so busy.
I didn't manage to make my ATC in time, so thought I would give it away at a later date.
But when I came to start blog hopping, I have accidentally clicked the link button rather than the comment button and now an asterick version of my name appears on Julia's stamping ground blog. And of course Julia is away so can't take my name off the list.

So sorry if you called around to see a photo and I will finish / start my ATC this weekend.

WOYWW - Sterling Stuff

Pliers, wires, and automobiles (well almost)

' morning WOYWW-ers.  I don't know about you, but someone is definitely taking hours out of the day.  I've been on holiday, come back, been to my mums come back and I am still struggling to find time to fit Wednesdays in.

Today I am working on the dining table (because the workbench is covered in 'stuff').  I have had a number of enquiries about my wirework jewellery requesting sterling silver.  I have resisted so far, simply because of the value of stock I would need to hold.  However I have decided the time has come....

So this week I have been making my designs in sterling silver, and costing them up.

snapshot

Here is a snapshot of a few things I have converted so far: the necklace is a variation of a Linda Jones design, the treble clef and locket are my own design pendants that go onto chains.

And somehow before next week I have an ATC to make - an ATC that woke me up on holiday with its design!

(This is a post for Whats on your workbench Wednesday, an opportunity to show just how messy a situation you can work in)

Handmade Monday - camper van

Sorry, a quick snap on the phone.

This is a very very quick post, with minutes to spare for Handmade Monday now hosted over at Handmade habour.

A friend from OH's work, has resigned and is off travelling, so I couldn't resist making a special card just for her.

It would need some refining if it were to go into production, but it reminded me of you Wendy, (sorry I've not been around much lately, I do pop by and read yours and many other HM blogs, I just don't seem to find time to contribute or comment).

Did you miss me?

Here is the cathedral

Did you miss me? I've been away, a whole week, abroad and with sunshine - I am hoping that such happy memories will see me across our dreary summer.

So where have I been? Can you guess?

Here is the South side of the cathedral - little shops with rooms above.

You may have the country by now, but what about the city?

steps inside the municipal square - see all the bikes?

i

Its called the city of bicycles!

Totally off the beaten track, a real gem of a find by OH, a city in Italy, given over to bicycles. A city called Ferrara.  Full of beautiful architecture (but we forgot the camera - this is my mobile phone).

And the children loved it!

Back to normal for on Wednesday - see you soon.

WOYWW - Fabric, Phoenix and Friendship

It runs like a dream!

Well, look what's on my workbench today (well dining table actually).  Yes, Whats on your workbench Wednesday has come rushing round, just when I borrowed an overlocker.

I'll try and keep this brief:
Remember I burnt out baby blues foot pedal?
Well, when my heart beat had slowed (about 2 days later), I took the pedal to pieces and realised that although it was very simple inside I would never trust it again.  I couldn't decide what to do, so visited Helen Sutcliffe of Eleanor's Attic for advice.  (Just over 12 months ago, Helen was a one man band making bags for 6 shops, now she supplies around 100 shops and owns one herself!).

introducing ...Boring Brown.

I knew Helen had a replacement motor (and pedal) so borrowed it to see if it fitted, but I also borrowed a broken (but similar) Singer machine to cannibalise.

Well the motor didn't fit, but the Singer used the same motor.  I decided to cannibalise baby blue instead (shame, but much simplier process).
So out of the flames a new boring brown machine has risen.

Anyway, back to the overlocker. I decided I needed an overlocker and I have been trawling ebay for weeks now.  But I couldn't settle on my budget because, well, actually I have never used one before.

Eventually, yesterday morning I phoned Helen and asked if she had one I could borrow.  And so here it is.  But not only did she say I could borrow it (and no rush to return it), but she also told me of one for sale (from another friend).  So I now have a local overlocker waiting for me to go and try out.

oh and for the papercrafters: this is what an overlocker does.

WOYWW - distracted

Hello folks, there is far too much going on in my life at the moment, I really should have more sense than to join in with WOYWW (whats on your workbench Wednesday), this week, but I can't help myself. (Rhinoceros news is available to those that need it, here).

On my desk in the jiffy bag is the part for my vacuum cleaner - so maybe, just maybe I might have a working vacuum cleaner tonight (4 months of borrowing MIL is beginning to get annoying for both parties).

On the left is the pile of things, still waiting to be fixed.

The bowl of lost things is still there, it did have the ipod cable at the bottom, and I removed a few more things from it, but other things climbed in to fill it straight back up again.

On the right is a pile of coins, OH, empties his pockets onto the table each night, which irritates me, but at least he hasn't taken to piling his clothes there too. (It is part of the reason there must never be an empty space).

The book propped open is my notes on how to make the following, yes, despite the fact that I really shouldn't have spent the time on it, I just had to make up this purse that was rattling around in my head.
It was inspired by the quilting stall I found at Machynlleth market last week.
The bag needs a shorter handle on one side and a longer tag on the other, and goodness knows what was up with my top stitching today, but I think there is some mileage in the design.  I hope to add the daffodil, chicken and sailing boat instead of the coloured panel, so to add it to the Polly Polkadot range.

The Rhinoceros

Why is it my passing comments always take on a life of their own?

I thought you folks might like to see the rhinoceros that was mentioned in my WOYWW post this week.  Several of you thought I might have washed the rhinoceros (Rumpole), in my spare 4 minutes. 

Clearly some of you have never washed a rhinoceros.  My daughter spends between half and hour and an hour on such a task.

Those of you who have washed rhinoceroses before will know that they can be particularly dirty, so I was called upon to find the appropriate brush.

My daughter often washes large quadrupeds, so I keep a variety of brushes for the occasion ( last month it was a polar bear, previously a cow).  So I rummaged around in my cleaning cupboard, and selected a brush suitable brush for the job.

Don't panic, I really do have brushes dedicated for this task, this toothbrush did not go back OH shelf or any other revenge!

As some of you clearly have never cared for a rhinoceros I thought you might like to see Rumpole's bed.  Each night he returns to his egg from whence he was born.  I hope that will help some of you learn about the world I attempt to craft in!

WOYWW - Well 'tis the holidays

You didn't seriously expect me to keep it tidy did you?
Obviously I haven't been working on my desk this week.  Due to my sewing machine fire on Wednesday and I have been playing with children and doing a little bit of jewellery making on my lap!

OH has respected my desk reasonably well, but I can see my daughters dressing gown and t-shirt on the corner, and I am certain I wouldn't have put it there.  There is the self healing mat, out of place because I lent it to him and it looks like it has been returned. A sewing machine motor (in a box), some cheque books, some tracing paper as I have been sketching a few designs. Well, just about everything really!


But I know my chaos worries a lot of you, so I have a second photo, this took 4 minutes to arrange (including a short break to help my daughter clean a rhinoceros! ).

The pile is things I need to drop off - mother and toddler group cheque book, jewellery boxes and return a spare sewing machine motor and pedal.  Just on the edge of shot is the other pile,which is jobs I need to do: fix my earring display board, take up do the hem on my daughters school trousers. Oh and the homeless bowl is still there, and still full - I am hoping the ipod lead is at the bottom of it!

Tomorrow is my day at Grug Studio so I get a whole day child free so I shall be back in the mood for craft work by the time I come home.  It also means that I shall have time to blog hop (mind you in theory I should be rushed off my feet with customers), so I should have plenty of time to visit What's on your workbench Wednesday via Stamping ground.

Arrrgh - Now take note!

I write this as a lesson to you all!

Last night I finished sewing and began to clear away, and then I heard a noise, a buzzing .... I recognised it ... it was the sewing machine ... I flipped the switch but remembered instantly that on baby blue this just turned off the light, so the noise continued, and the needle began to move very, very slowly, gaining speed.  I dived to the plug and pulled it out and turned round to see smoke waffting out of the foot pedal.

Baby blue is in the bedroom, so thank heavens it happened when it did. (We do have a smoke detector in the room, but I think a fire would have been faster than the detector).  Also, we have just been away for the weekend, and I didn't switch it off at the wall, MIL sleeps beneath our room so again thank heavens it happened when it did.

At some point when I am feeling a little more rational, I shall inspect the pedal as to whether it can be replaced or whether baby blue has sewn its last thread. (I'll have you know I spent £10 doing up that machine)

WOYWW - All sorted

Well Wednesday has shot around this week.  I been away for a long weekend with the children to visit my mum and came back last night, to discover that it time for Whats on your workbench Wednesday all over again.

I didn't feel up to working last night, but I thought I should tidy my desk ready to start.  So here is the view from the glue side.

I still have a little bowl of homeless things in the middle there.

Shocked?

Shall I show the reason that I am finally able to be tidy?  Here is the second chest of drawers I have been waiting for.  The idea is to keep a drawer for each sewing pattern, so as I cut out pieces they can go straight in a drawer.  Each drawer is removeable, so when I am working I can have the relevant drawer by the side of me.

Today's task is to label the drawers

Here are a couple of other new additions.
Whilst at my mum's I ran into Laughing Yaffle.  We had a chat about free motion sewing and baby blue sewing machine and I mentioned that the needle didn't lift high on the machine. So she kindly lent me this embroidery ring to try out, and I can report that it is perfect for the task.

A much thinner emboridery ring.

And here is my another tidy purchase.  It is a hangy bag from sisters crafty creations.  I have bought it as a rubbish bin! Because space is limited around my desk, I keep moving my bin, so I thought this would be ideal.  It isn't for big rubbish, just the little trimmings that I make of sewing threads.

Sorry, but this photo doesn't give it credit.

 I have typed this with two noisy children beside me, this usually means there is lots of spelling mistakes and grammar errors.  They will not be moving far today - because they are watching the snow falling, here is hoping it clears up enough to get them outside.

WOYWW - Getting better

Good morning Whats on your workbench Wednesday.  Following last weeks chaos I felt I had no choice but to come up with a new system.  It is unfortunately still work in progress because one chest of drawers has yet to arrive and rather a lot of things are still waiting to be sorted through.

I decided the first thing to do was rearrange the bedroom.  This meant moving 3 chest of drawers, one bookcase and one double bed and of course 3 sewing machines and their table.

When I finished, I looked at OH and said 'isn't it exactly the same, but the other way round?' and the response was 'whatever keeps you happy'.

I ordered two chests of drawers (and parted with real money - quite unheard of for me). But you can't spot them because of the chaos, and because one set is still in a warehouse in Swindon. (The big arrow points to the corner of one drawer, just visible!!).

Anyway the outcome is looking very promising.  I have one side of the table for free motion embroidery, one side for glue, one side for straight sewing and one side completely burried under things still to be sorted.

Today I have to make 9 doorstops for Grug Studio, Dolgellau, so my blog hopping will be dotted throughout the week again.

WOYWW - the end is nigh

Good morning WOYWW-ers (what's on your work bench Wednesday-ers), this is the sight that greeted me this morning. Not great.

I didn't bother putting the ironing board away at 10.00 last night, because I knew that once I had despatched the children this morning I would be straight back to sewing (papercrafters: sewing involves ironing)  (If you look in the background you can see I was very good and hung up the iron).

The book on the chair is pressing a daffodil greeting card.  I was one card short to despatch to Aberystwyth for Funki Blue, so their parcel can go today.

But why on the chair? Well today I will let you look over the back of the sewing machines. (Cue psycho music)

 

  Actually, you lose the sense of depth from this angle, so you will never know whether the sewing machine is taller or the pile of stuff behind!

My daffodil greeting cards were part of Fairetail, Machynlleth, window's display for St David's Day, and yesterday my doorstops and books made it into Grug Studio, Dolgellau's window display.  I only dropped off my samples to Grug Studio in the morning, so this week I have to make like mad to replenish my stock.

So why is the end nigh? Well, I have always promised myself that when my business turns a reliable profit regularly, I'll treat myself to a decent storage system, but I think I have to take my current order rate as a sign that the business is going to become reliable.  Because I can't continue in this chaos.