Delivery for Mrs M

I love getting parcels...even if I've ordered the contents and I know what I'm getting I still love opening them.  Parcels from the lovely Sarah at Paper and String are always packaged so nicely in tissue paper and little bags...little parcels within the parcel...I love it...happy days!

3 different packages to open and a postcard of  the latest kits.

What lovely colours peeping out at me, gorgeously wrapped in hot pink tissue paper...everything is better wrapped in tissue paper....and how well they match my tablecloth!

In the little white bag were my ribbons and polka dot buttons.

Soooooooo cute.

I'd completely forgotten that with this order I would have collected enough loyalty stamps for a Free Craft Kit....this parcels just gets better and better.

So what's in my free craft kit?  Squares of fabulous felt, strips of stunning ribbons, a beautiful bounty of buttons and some key rings and brooch findings.

Smile, dots, hearts, stripes, felt ric-rac.....does it get any better?

Oooops....nearly missed this one....how could I?  I think it's my favourite.

Spring Summer 2012 Colours

Ta da!!!  This is the colour scheme I've decided on.  All the felt colours are from the brilliant Paper and String http://www.paper-and-string.co.uk/.  Now I just need to firm up some of the ideas I have about designs.

Colour choices for Spring Summer 2012

Colours colours colours......
I've been trying to chose a colour scheme for my Spring Summer 2012 collection.  I know from past collections that pink is my best seller...pale pink, baby pink, hot pink, dusty pink, rose pink, cerise, fuchsia ....you name it but us girls are suckers for any shade so long as it's pink!  SO obviously pink is going to feature in the scheme but what other colours?

Delicious strawberry pink with lovely icy blues?

Fresh radish pink and garden greens?

Peony pink, green and teal?

Tulip pink and graphite grey

My Cath Kidston table cloth pinks, blue, yellow and greens?












I'll reveal the final colour scheme very soon.  I want to get a better photo so the colours can be seen properly.

New Blog Header

I have had a beautiful photo of Lake Windermere as my blog header photo since I started this blog and although it's a photo I'm very fond of, it didn't really fit in with the content of my blog.  So with some thought and photos from me and some technical help from Andy, I'm really pleased with the new look and hope you like it too.


My initial rough sketches....

The ideas changed a bit from the plan as I started to take photos and put things together as you can see in the header.


I'm still very new to the world of blogging but at least now the header includes some of the things I've made...the fabric flowers, the grey flower ring, hairclips being modelled by Miss M and Miss E, a purple Hazy Daisy corsage from my last collection and a felt heart hanging inside a delicate metal.  


OK and then a photo of the harbour in Weymouth which I've included just because...I like it...I remember taking it during an early morning walk with Misses M and E during last year's summer hols....a fantastic summer holiday with some brilliant, special memories.

Checking in - March 2012

I am listening to The Chad Who Loved Me from Mansun's Attack Of The Grey Lantern album, I love the opening orchestral bars and it's one of the songs that always stays on my playlist even when I've had a sort through.

I am eating nothing at the moment but for lunch I had toast spread with pesto mixed with parsley, topped with a sliced tomato, slices of brie and drizzled with olive oil.  A lovely light lunch but followed by a humongous pudding....Andy made a scrummy apple crumble the other day but it's huge.  He took it to work to share but they hardly made a dent in it...it would be rude not to try and finish it off wouldn't it?!!
I am drinking a lovely big mug of tea.
I am wearing wellie socks (it was raining and snowing earlier today), demin skirt, grey jumper and pink pashmina scarf...comfy.
I am feeling tired.
I am reading The Help by Kathryn Stockett.  I've been meaning to read it for a while now but it's our current Book Club read  so it's moved to the top of my list.
In my garden things are looking a whole lot better since we had a good clear out in the sunshine yesterday.  The spring bulbs are poking through the soil nicely.
Around the house is a selction of dolls...baby dolls, barbie dolls, High School Musical dolls, a Justin Bieber doll and a Marvin from JLS doll!  Misses M and E have had a great game.  Do you know how hard it is to get Justin Bieber back into his trousers?!  Very tricky as he has big inflexible feet!
I am enjoying having Waitrose Extremely Zesty Lemon Curd on toast for breakfast this week.  I've opened a new jar but haven't told anyone else....there are some things that don't need to be shared!!
I am creating not an awful lot at the moment but I do have plans!
Outside my window it's pouring down.  I'm very pleased I swept up the leaves yesterday while they were dry.
I am thinking of painting my nails this evening.
I am loving this image from http://holykaw.alltop.com/fairy-tales-as-math-equations-37662... 

LisaMonis Autumn / Winter 2011

It's been a while but at last I'm ready to share my Autumn / Winter 2011 range...I have chosen some beautiful rich, warm, jewel colours for this range and have created some new flower shapes for both hairclips and hairpins, but have also kept the rosebud flower which was very popular in the Summer 2011 range.  I've also added some rings in this range which are adjustable in size so should fit most fingers.  As always, I have created all the items from templates I have drawn myself.  I have cut out everything by hand meaning that each item is slightly different and unique.  The buttons and threads I have used have either been sourced specifically for this range or in most cases have been scavenged from my Mum's amazing collection.  Mum inherited all my Grandma's,my Great-Auntie Winnie's and my Great-Antie Myra's sewing boxes and what treasures they are.  I love to sit with my Mum in what we call the "Up Up" and look through the boxes together to see what gems we discover...it's like my very own cash in the attic!


Hazy Daisy - Brooch and hairclip

Top row: Coral, Purple, Navy
Middle row: Pink, Grey, Charcoal
Bottom row: Sage, Bark, Beige

Sage

Pink

 Purple

 Sage showing haiclip and brooch fastenings 

Hazy Daisy Ring

Clockwise: Charcoal, Coral, Pink, Purple, Thistle, Bark, Sage, Grey, Navy, Beige, Charcoal

Coral back showing adjustable ring

Charcoal 

Hazy Daisy Hairpin

Top row: Bark, Pink, Beige
Middle row: Thistle, Coral, Sage
Bottom row: Purple

Bark

Rosebud Hairclip

Top row: Navy, Sage, Bark, Thistle

Middle row: Beige, Pink, Purple, Coral

Bottom row: Grey, Charcoal

Beige

Button Daisy

Top row: Thistle, Coral, Sage
Middle row: Charcoal, Pink, Grey
Bottom row: Navy, Purple


Hairclip Holders

 Henrietta Hedgehog

 I love how she holds her nose in the air!

 Bridget Bird

 Sleepy eyes and long legs!

 Mellow Mushroom

More pretty buttons 

Chrysanthemum Rings

 Front to back: Purple, Beige, Pink, Sage, Bark, Grey

Sage close up - again the rings are size adjustable

Sakura Hairpins

 Top to bottom: Grey, Pink, Blue, Bark, Purple

Purple close up

Chasing a rainbow

My last blog entry was way back at the beginning of July, wow how times flies when you're having fun! Over the 6 weeks I had my first ever LisaMonis designs stall, we had a fantastic family holiday on the Dorset coast, I've been juggling childcare and work (and generally trying to do more of the playing than working). I will share more soon but it's another sunny day and the outside is calling me...I need to soak up as much of these sunny rays as possible while they last.

The last few days have been very much sunshine and showers yet I've not seen one rainbow but I did find this beautiful one en francais...I love it. (grace hester designs)