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

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