Taking a break

Just a quick post to let you know that, whilst I'll still be about a bit in the Twittersphere & Facebookville, my shops are currently closed.

Due to a family illness, I have decided to shut up shop for a while until things are more settled and then come back in the new year with new ideas and new gusto!

Wishing you all a very merry Christmas and the happiest of New Years.

Sarah
x

Snowmen & Snowflakes

I've been busy with the hand stitching again - and with the odd bead or two sneaking in too...but all in the name of Christmas this time!

Snowmen for girls...

and boys...

as well as little embroidered keepsakes for the ladies...

Christmas is coming!!!
x

Today...

...I will be stuffing snowmen (!) and bestowing upon them, the gift of
sight. I am a benevolent creator ;)

and the beading goes on, and on...

...and on!

a huge amount of beading went into this fruity beauty!

It seems that my current beading obsession shows no sign of waning so, on I bead...and photograph...and list and hope for sales!

the brooch

Strawberries were my 'thing' at the weekend with a heavily beaded one, followed by a pared down set of hair clip & brooch, letting the red of the felt really show through.

the hair clip

Then last night is was off to a Winter Wonderland with some snowflake hair clips in various colours

Some using buttons, and some using sequins...

...but all using my current addiction - seed beads.

My teeny (3cm x 3cm) ice skate also managed to get it's close up thanks to some Autumnal sunshine this morning!

What's your current creative obsession??

Sarah

x

Monday's work in progress...

...snowflake hearts

Felt Folksy Friday

Well I was heading for the sofa (or that was the plan) when I decided to upload some pics to the Folksy Flickr group and I happened upon some delightful felt creations.


So, I decided why not do a Felt Folksy Friday..? So I am!


First up, we have the fabulous Reindeer Wreath by Emily A.K.A. Dolly Doo

I love how jaunty this is - it's right up my street and would be perfect for a little one's first Christmas, don't you think? Emily has plenty of other felty delights for you to peruse...so bob on over to DollyDoo on Folksy.

Secondly, we have the utterly charming felt brooches of Liz at LizzyBeth's Felties. I am particularly enamoured with this chirpy little chap...

So simple but charming :) Liz has some equally fabulous whale brooches that are definitely worth a visit to her store.

Well that's it for my spur of the moment Folksy Friday - I've never done one before so I hope I've done it right & proper.


TTFN
x

Quick post - Orla's 'Pattern'

For those of you out there who, like me, coveted Orla's book but not the price (£25)...The Book People have it in stock for a mere £9.99.
Hurrah! and coffee time reading joyousness :)

I'm off to put the kettle on and find a comfy seat.
x


Ooo quick update - just had an email from said Book People and they are offering free standard delivery til midday, Monday 15th Nov...enter code FREENOV at the checkout! Whoop!

Stationery!

I love stationery, always have. My usual quick 'cheer me up' fix always used to be a new pen (I have hundreds!) or a new notebook. Mmmm notebooks. I know I'm not the only one out there with a crush on all things paper, pen and pencil - otherwise Paperchase, WH Smith's etc wouldn't be making quite so much money out of funky designed ring binders and the like ;)

Imagine my delight when I happened upon Moleskine's eminently paintable Cahier notebooks! Oh the joy!

So I set too, with some of my current designs (you will have seen a few of these in my canvas shops if you've ever perused my wares), acrylic paints, paintbrush and cheer in my heart!

I've only done a few so far, just to test the waters, as well as the notebooks themselves. But I am very happy with them. This is just the kind of thing that would lift my spirits in the manner that only deliciously designed stationery can - pretty & functional...heaven!

I have listed the pussy cats and the pretty princess in my Folksy Ditsy Bird shop, but I'm afraid that the Tea-party notebook is destined for someone very special ♥


Happy Friday folks!
x


Update...
Well, slap me silly - I totally forgot my darling little Kokeshi doll...shame on me :(


Here she is in all her notebook-y glory...

There now, all is right with the world, once more!
Right, cuppa, fire, sofa and beading I will go...
x

Recent commissions and gifts...

I love getting commissions or having a special gift to make for someone!
Here are a couple of my recent customs.


Little Monkeys:
I had a lovely order from Etsy for two of my Monkey canvases - for a brother and sister and their newly decorated bathroom. It makes such a refreshing change when a customer changes the colours, however slightly, and adds little details - names and a bow in this case.

Beaded lovelies:
Next up was my hair-clip-loving friend's 'special' birthday and a chance for me to make something suitably glam and also something a bit kitsch - cue beaded cherries and art deco inspired designs.

(I love this picture!)

Happy birthday little man!:

Last but not least was the very first birthday of George's littlest brother, and off we go with a do over of an old design.

It's good to have a break from the norm!

x

Busy....

...cutting out designs to go on Christmas and birthday cards today,
whilst listening to The Sorcerer's Secret on my iPhone. Whatever you
are doing this fine Friday, I hope you're having fun!

Christmas!!!

I know we've only just rolled into October and that most people are just beginning to embrace all that is Autumn, including me! But, when doing seasonal designs and creations, time and timing are the biggest factors and, I was determined to get on top of Christmas this year having by-passed it totally last year (from a Ditsy Bird point of view, that is)

I had a few designs from 2009 that had been drawn and traced but I hadn't found the time to watercolour/scan/digitally colour them...so these were top of the To Do list.

The pear tree and snowman designs turned out perfectly and have made it to the Ditsy Bird Draws Etsy nest, a couple of others sadly didn't...but, you never know, fresh eyes and a little tweaking next year and they may make the flock!

Whilst at work one day (there is something about accounting that fires up the creative side of my brain with a fierce heat!) I came up with a couple of pages of new 'circle' designs, including Mr. Robin here - such a chirpy chap!

I hadn't planned on doing new design but hey, when the mood takes me, I've learned to embrace it and go with the flow. I really love these new designs and have a couple more, non seasonal ones still up my sleeve (or on my hard drive awaiting some colour!).

Part of the joy of putting these new cards together has been the discovery of Glaze 3D pens - I am incapable of printing designs and leaving them alone. I nearly always have to tinker with them and try and jazz them up in some way or other!

Another major factor in my delight at the way they all turned out, was the use of the most gorgeous recycled card from eco-craft ltd. It just feels so, well, good! Good quality, good colour and good (better) for the environment...win, win, win!

x

Double design bliss...

Doing new Christmas designs whilst watching Grand Designs...home eye
candy + painting = bliss!
(and I'd forgotten how enjoyable it is to paint with watercolours).
Hope you're all having a good Monday
X

Sir!

I was asked to do this wonderful commision by a Twitter friend - she wanted to give it to her teacher husband as a 'happy new job' gift at the start of the new school year.

Part way through I did wonder whether it was going to work and then, as I added the little details (it's always the little details that make a design) it suddenly happened.

I'm so pleased with it and delighted that Alison asked me to do it - it was such a lot of fun!

My plan now is to tweak the design (ever so slightly) and to change the black paint for actual chalkboard paint - this will require some experimenting first tho'. The plan is that it can be customised to resemble the teacher in mind, and a stick of chalk will be sent for the child to write his or her own message 'on the board'. It's a bit different from the usual 'thank you teacher' gifts...what do you think? I'd love to know.

Countdown

No Ditsy Birding today...it's the last day of our school hols :(

George has been given the choice of what to do today and it is this:
•Watch TV in Mummy's bed whilst eating some sweets
•Lunch
•Go to Molly & Jacks for pressie giving, lovely walk to pick Moo up
from school then back & play for it bit
•McD's treat tea before going off to Daddy's for the weekend before
he goes away for a fortnight

The first week back shouldn't be too bad though as Paul has just
called to say he's finally booked us a holiday...to Thasos in Greece
for a week. So that's one week back then Thasos for a week to top up
his tan and then back to school. Ah what a life he has :)
X

Sunday slob

I'm happily sat in my pj's, watching cheesy TV and catching up on my
hand sewing...very relaxing!
Here's my latest bunting offering...I dare not even try and work out
when I actually started it, it would be WAY too long!
Happy Bank Holiday Sunday folks!
x

New Shops!!!

Hello there! and how goes the Summer for you? We're having lots of rain but also lots of fun and fresh air - which is so very welcome!

the view from the old railway line out of Carleton-in-Craven

It's pretty tricky to find time to get on with work during school holidays, mainly due to a lack of time - going for walks and picnics is way more fun (who's spent too much time with a 7 yr old?? like dude!) than sitting at a pc uploading photos for listings; and going to parks and the seaside gobbles up any painting or sewing time that may have been eeked out of a day.

Fountains Abbey

However, I have put my DBD (Ditsy Bird Designs) hat (beak? hahaha) on this week and got plenty done! George has been an absolute star on this matter too - happily entertaining himself with his new loves - Phineas & Ferb on the box whilst Fimo-ing. Happy creative days all round actually, and made more so by the torrential rain we had at the beginning of the week...it was very conducive to hunkering down indoors & 'getting on'.

bright cards from Ditsy Bird Draws

I am pleased to say that I have ticked off at least one of my Summer goals: Separate my Etsy Ditsy Bird shop into three...
1. for paintings
2. for cards and other stationery type thingies
3. for all things stitched

handpainted & stitched handbag - destined to adorn glossy tresses in the near future

So I now have three Etsy stores:
Ditsy Bird ( the original has been kept for my canvases coz, well, that's where it all started)
Ditsy Bird Draws (for my cards)
Ditsy Bird Sews (well, that one's a bit Ronseal really ;) )

heavily beaded Peacock Eye brooch AND hair clip...oh yeah!

It's been a welcome break from the endless butty making and packing up raincoats AND sunscreen...coz you just never know do you!?!?

there were so many of these on our railway walk

Each shop has been shown a little love too, including new canvas designs for Ditsy Bird

Little Brown Bear

Moth

a Wol in a Wooly

So there it is - a big fat TICK for the "sort out Etsy shop - too crammed!!!" to do :)

How's your Summer to do list fairing? Is it a little like mine where I'm having to add things not originally on it, just so I may tick them off? ;)

Hope you are having fun, whatever the weather and whatever you are up to

x