Happy New Year !

I for one, am very glad indeed to see the back of 2010.

For me and my family it was a pretty horrible year. I won't go in to details but anyone who is reading this and knows me, will know what I'm talking about. But, from a Blooming Felt point of view, it has been a pretty good year ! We built Blooming Felt Shedquarters in the garden, my trusty assistant Alison joined the team, we had a very good event at Ally Pally and we're looking forward to lots more good times in 2011.

To start off the year, I decided a little visit to Ikea was on the cards. The Blooming Felt studio has unfortunately become extremely messy and muddled since Ally Pally and it was time to put it all in order and get lots more storage.

After measuring up and checking the Ikea website for stock levels, we managed to arrange the loan of a van for the afternoon and headed to Ikea, armed with our shopping list. Car park - extremely busy. Shop (didn't seem to be too busy). We walked round, noted all of the pick up aisles for the numerous items we wanted and headed to the collection hall. On visiting the first aisle we needed, it became apparent that the shelves were pretty much EMPTY ! This continued on every single aisle we visited so I don't think the Ikea website stock levels are very up to date - how annoying !

We did, however, still manage to spend nearly £700 (on the frames as we couldn't purchase a single coloured bin, drawer or shelf). So I now have rather a lot of packaging sitting in the garage, that can't be put together until we get the rest of the stuff. Now that really is annoying ! Fingers crossed if we leave it another week or so, the items we want will be back in stock.

The Blooming Felt website will be open again and processing and dispatching orders from Tuesday 4th January. Thank you to everyone who has been spending their hard-earned cash over the holidays - your orders will be with you very soon.

Wishing you all a very happy, healthy and crafty New Year !!!

xx

Lucky, Lucky, Lucky

It's time !!!

OK - so last time, it was nearly time. This time ..... IT'S TIME !!!

Having shut up shop last Friday, I have been luxuriating (that's a word I don't use very often !) in all of the "spare" time I've had. So, we've been putting up the tree and generally getting ready for the big day.

Thank you "Maureen" (aka Morag!) for the beautiful scandanavian bunting - this was a sample she very kindly made up for me and was supposed to have been one of this month's tutorials, but due to computer problems, it didn't actually get onto the website in time.

My in-laws arrived safely from Cornwall yesterday and our woodburner was finally installed (talk about cutting it fine !)

And yes, I have even had a little time to do a few crafty projects of my own.

Pompoms - all made using the Clover pompom makers I stock in the shop (how easy are these to use ??!!), and do you remember this ........

I started this way back in about June I think it was.

It turned into

A FELT BALL WREATH !

So, all that remains to be said now is a HUGE thank you to everyone who reads this blog and to all of my lovely customers for supporting Blooming Felt throughout the year.

Have a wonderful, wonderful Christmas everyone !!

See you soon

xx

It's nearly time !!

Yes, it's that time of year again when everything goes completely bonkers ! The children have already broken up from school, the website is going crazy and my own Christmas preparations have got lost along the way.

Of course, having the children off school means they need to be kept amused, so last Friday we went to the Winter Wonderland in London's Hyde Park and had a fab time.

We were very lucky to see a production of "Room on the Broom", which was great (if a little long).

We also spent rather a lot of money on rides, hotdogs, mulled wine and toasted marshmallows on sticks !!

Spending so much money on the children meant it was about time they earned some of the treats they are getting at the moment so once the massive felty delivery arrived

they were quickly roped into making up lots of felt stacks.

The website is now up to date with the latest felt delivery, but goodness me, you lot must be absolutely desperate for your felty fix because you're all buying like crazy and the website is already starting to look a little depleted in some of the categories.

The last day to place your orders on the website is this FRIDAY 17TH DECEMBER. Sorry I need to close so early, but as I said before, my own Christmas preparations haven't even begun yet so I really do need to try and get organised before my in-laws arrive next week ! As usual, I'll be closed throughout the Christmas period, although the website will be open and taking orders .... they just won't be processed or despatched until 4th January 2011.

What else. Oh yes - we have unfortunately had to revise the way we distribute our tutorials. In the past, all of our tutorials have been free to download. But, with immediate effect, only the current month's tutorial is free to download. After that it will be moved to our purchasable Tutorials section where you can purchase all back copies of tutorials at a teeny weeny cost of 50p. HOWEVER, goods news, as the purchasable tutorials all now come with a shopping list which will make it easier for you to add all (or some, if you only need a few) of the required bits and bobs to your shopping cart.

Sadly, due to a technical hitch (sometimes I really hate computers!) we have been unable to add the bestest ever Christmas Tutorial to the website. Grrrrr - I am sooooooo angry. But never mind, we'll just have to save it until next year and hope that we can get a super doopa tutorial onto the website for you in January.

Every year I say that I'm going to spend a bit of time over the Christmas holidays making some crafty stuff just for me, but never get round to it.

This year, however, WILL be that year. I have been watching Kirstie's Homemade Home (or whatever it's called !) and have been inspired to get my backside into gear and finish off the many projects that I have started and also try a few new crafts.

(Robin & Christmas Tree courtesy of "Maureen")

The freehand machine embroidery and rag-rugging really excited me, so I'm hoping to spend a little time giving these a go over the holidays.

Stay warm xx

Christmas Shop now OPEN !!

Just a real quickie because I'm drowning in stuff to get done (and Corrie is on in a mo and I need to see who dies in the tram crash !!)

The Blooming Felt Christmas Shop is now OPEN !!

If you're looking for ribbon to tie up your pressies

little gift tags

Christmassy stickers

felt brooches

hot water bottle covers

mobiles

bags

and more ..........

then get yourself over to the Christmas Shop section on our website. Things are selling fast and once they're gone .... they're gone, so you'll need to be quick.

One other thing whilst I think about it - my latest felt delivery is finally on its way to me and I'm keeping everything crossed that it will be here on Friday, which means I can get it all sorted out and loaded onto the website at the weekend ...... so watch this space !

Keep warm xx

Snow Snow go away !

I know, I sound like a right bah humbug but really .... this snow is not good news. The children have been off school for 2 days now because of the snow, I've got orders coming out of my ears and I haven't even started my Christmas shopping !

I was hoping for a flying visit to Bluewater today to try and at least get some shopping done, but with the children off school, it just wasn't going to happen.

And the other Christmas Shopping problem I face is that my 2 break up from school next Thursday ! Arghhhhh - what to do ??!!

There is, however, a little ray of hopefulness on the horizon. The Parents Association at school have organised a coach trip up to Harrods for the day on Saturday (weather permitting of course !) Now, there is absolutely no way on this earth that I will be Christmas shopping in Harrods but there are rather a lot of other lovely shops that I can visit and hopefully do some Christmas shopping in. The plan was that we would mooch around Harrods for a couple of hours, then go and get a lovely lunch somewhere and then window shop and look at all the lovely Christmas lights and displays. However, with me still needing to buy presents for virtually everyone, I fear a mad Christmas Shopping Trolley Dash is on the cards for Saturday. Never mind, I'm sure we'll have a lovely day whatever we end up doing !

Look at those icicles on our garages !!

In the meantime, my Paypal account will be taking a hammering with, I've no doubt, purchases from Etsy, Folksy and Dawanda .... and many of the other lovely handmade websites I have bookmarked ! If you sell through any of these channels ... look out - I could be visiting you very soon !

PS. For anyone awaiting my felty delivery, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will be here sometime next week

Stay warm
xx

Needles !

After nearly a year (yes, a whole year !!!) of searching, I have finally managed to source needles that are sharp enough and have a large enough eye to take beading elastic, and are therefore absolutely perfect for threading felt balls.

I'm hoping this will make a LOT of my customers happy :o)

AND, if you want your little ones to learn the fantastic art of sewing, I've also got plastic needles now on the website.

xx

Oh Christmas Tree

Oh Christmas Tree

How lovely are your branches ??

Well, not really branches, more felty circles really, but how beautiful is this tree ?

This has been made by one of my lovely customers (and her little daughter). Made from one of our thick felt stacks, you can see how to make your very own felty Christmas Tree by visiting Julia's blog.

Thanks for letting me share your wonderful photo and tutorial Julia

xx

More goodies

Mr Postman delivered some more goodies to me today.

Beauuuuuuuuutiful Soft Cotton Thread by DMC

I've been thinking about adding thread to our ever expanding shop for quite some time now, but it took me ages and ages to decide exactly which thread would be the best to stock. Thankfully, DMC had the perfect solution !

Their Soft Cotton Thread is a single strand cotton wool which is traditionally used for tapestry and needlepoint, and being that much thicker than normal sewing thread, works perfectly with the 4mm thick wool felt that we supply.

I've chosen 22 colours to match and compliment our thick felt range.

Hope you love it as much as I do !!!

xx

Whizz, Bang !

I hope you all had a lovely, safe bonfire night.

We invited a number of friends over to celebrate with a big bonfire in the field, lots of fantastic fireworks, sparklers and mulled wine

I was particularly excited because my new camera has a "Fireworks" mode on it (sorry, I know that's a bid sad - but look at the lovely clear pictures !!!)

Thanks for coming guys - we had a great time !!

xx

Christmas is coming !

Grab yours NOW !!!

xx

Be still my beating heart

For they are just pom poms !!

JUST POM POMS ??!!!!

What will you do with yours ?

xx

Scotch Pancakes

Ingredients:

1 x Egg

Self Raising Flour

Milk

Sugar

Pour 3 little piles onto the simmering plate of the Aga

Once they've started to form air bubbles on the top

Flip them over

Cook for another 30 seconds or so on the other side

Pile up on a plate and serve warm with your choice of topping

The perfect Sunday breakfast !!

YUM !!!

xx

I'm so lucky !!

Woo Hoo !! At the risk of blowing my own trumpet .... I've been featured in Sew Hip AGAIN !! This time, I've been extremely lucky to be featured in their monthly "Sew on the Net" feature.

I'm starting to feel like royalty !

Thanks Sew Hip !!

xx

The builders are back

Why is nothing ever simple in our house ?

We decided to treat ourselves and put a woodburner into our living room. We currently have an open fire (it's a rather large fireplace!!)

and decided that open fires are far too messy and a bit dangerous, so a woodburner would be much more preferable. However, after doing lots of research and finally settling on the one we wanted, we went to a very reputable, local fireplace shop and got the guy to come round and check the chimney etc. He condemned it !!!

It turns out the previous owners had used cowboy builders to remove the old chimney stack (which used to be right in the middle of the room) and rebuild it, using a metal thing which runs from the top of the fireplace, up through the spare bedroom and the loft and then out through the roof.

Unfortunately, the cowboy builders had completely ignored all the regulations surrounding installing such a chimney. They had cut through the rafters of the house (and not put adequate replacement supports in place), along with not encasing the metal pipe thingy in a fireproof cage, and letting it rest against both the roof, the floorboards and the plasterboard chimney they constructed in the spare room. This was, of course, a complete fire hazard and it's a wonder the whole house didn't catch fire !!

So now, instead of just having a woodburner installed, which should be a simple job really, we have now had to have the entire metal chimney exposed (here it is in the spare room - please ignore horrible pine wardrobe with frou frou lampshade on top - this is not indicative of our house !!)

so that it can be fully encased in fire proof stuff (don't know the technical term!) and be actually moved away from all of the wooden joists etc. This has resulted in the sealant around the top of the chimney being dislodged which now means that the builders have to get onto our 250 year old roof to repair it all !!!

Why is nothing ever simple ??!!!

But at least my new camera arrived - YAY !! The above photos were taken with it, without me having read the instruction manual so I'm sure they can be improved on, but I'm very impressed so far. It's very clever because it just automatically adjusts itself to the lighting situation and subject !

Here is the original photo of my green spotty star buttons (as seen on the website)

and the new (trial) photo that I took just now. What a difference !!

I can't wait for the daylight tomorrow so that I can take pictures of all the lovely NEW STOCK that arrived today (and it looks like I'll have to take new photos of EVERYTHING now as the old photos are SO BAD !)

Watch this space

xx