Mrs G Knits

Happy Knitty New Year!

2011-01-02T00:53:00.001Z

I haven't blogged for a good few months. I will try to blame tiredness, colds and flu and general burnout for it.

New Year always brings in resolutions and reminders of things we tend to neglect when life gets in the way. Although I'm not making it a purposeful resolution to blog regularly - that would just be doomed to fail - I will try and blog a bit more.

I hope that with the new year, the proverbial new beginning, I too will venture into new things, which will bring a lot of happiness, satisfaction and pleasure. Of course they will involve my favourite things in life, not forgetting knitting for one moment!

For now I'd like to leave you with the image of this year's Christmas tree at MrsG's and wish you all an exceptionally good, healthy and prosperous New Year.

Fabulous Giveaway Winners

2010-08-30T20:50:00.000+01:00

It's my great pleasure to announce the lucky winners of the Fabulous Giveaway. All names went into the hat today and as promised MrG, blindfolded, selected the two names.

The first prize, the blue ponchette and earwarmer set goes to Little Daydreamers.

The second prize, the coppery earwarmer goes to Monkeyloulou.

I hope both of you will be pleased with what you've won and maybe send me a picture of you wearing it when the chill takes over...

Could the winners please contact me through Twitter, Facebook, Folksy or my website so I can get your addresses and arrange posting of your prizes.

Thank you very much to everybody who entered the giveaway and followed me here, there and everywhere.

I wish I could give something to each one of you. I'm sure there will be more great giveaways to mark little successes in the life of MrsGKnits. In the meantime I invite you to keep popping in to my Folksy shop . Lovely new goodies from Autumn/Winter collection coming soon.

Fabulous Giveaway!

2010-07-25T23:44:00.000+01:00

I know you've all been waiting for this! MrsG has by now over 50 followers, so as promised here is a Fabulous Giveaway to toast the occasion and to many many more.

What you can win?

1st prize is this suptuously soft ponchette with a matching earwarmer/headband designed and handmade by me. How you wear it is your choice - the lace stitch allows it to be buttoned up anywhere you like, so you can style it in various ways - as a poncho, big cowl, scarf, shoulder wrap... it's up to you! It's made with a light baby suri alpaca and merino wool mix yarn in a delicious shade of blue and it's very strokable.

2nd prize is an earwarmer/headband by itself in another stunning shade of cinnamon coppery brown.

How to enter?

To enter you need to do these 3 simple things:

you need to follow this blog
you need to leave a comment to this post and

you need to become a fan of MrsGKnits facebook page

When will you know?

The giveaway will run from the moment this post is published and the winner will be drawn (by MrG to ensure fairness) from all the qualifying names and announced on Monday, 30th August bank holiday. The winners names will be published on this blog, on twitter and facebook and I will arrange the details of delivery with the lucky winners then.

And now for the legal bit...
By accepting a prize, all winners agree that the Host will have no liability whatsoever for, and will be held harmless by winner for any liability for any injury, loss or damages of any kind, to winner or other persons, including (without limitation) injuries, loss or damages arising out of or relating to death, and, injuries, damages or losses to property, due in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from the acceptance, possession, use or misuse of the prize or participation in this promotion.

Can't wait to see the snuggly woolies lovers appear and Good Luck everyone!

Blog Giveaway

2010-07-11T12:14:00.002+01:00

Here's just a quick note to say that there will be a fabulous giveaway on this blog as soon as MrsG's ramblings reach 50 followers. Watch this space and if you like my creations the prizes will not disappoint!

This is the yarn I'll be using to knit up your unique, MrsG designed prizes. You can read about this amazing yarn here.

More details very soon... let's just say if you're after fab, cosy woollies to brighten up your winter you will not want to miss this one!

MrsGPicks @Handmade and Fabulous!

2010-07-11T11:26:00.007+01:00

I’m not one to brag, but an exciting proposition has filled me with pride, confidence and joy, so I will brag maybe just a little…

My friend, lovely Susie of LynwoodJewellery, who is a regular contributor to UKHandmade, a successful jewellery designer in her own right, lover of all things handmade, woman of great taste, and last but by no means least my best customer and biggest fan has set up a gorgeous new blog Handmade and Fabulous! and asked little old me to be the guest blogger.

My column, called “MrsGPicks” is a monthly fashion article on all things gorgeous in knit, crochet and felt from around the globe. A fantastic job, which has me surfing the net in search of the best, most wonderful, daring, independent designers. If only I could make it my day job… one can dream.

It would give me the greatest pleasure if any of you faithful followers would care to read my first article and leave a comment. It’s “Born Again Granny” and you can find it here.

There will be plenty more gorgeous finds and the next theme to whet your appetite for beautiful handmade fashion is “Here comes the bride…” and will be published very soon, so do keep checking.

The Rite of Passage for Loop

2010-06-22T02:13:00.000+01:00

After months of preparations and eager anticipation Loop, every knitters Mecca, finally moved to the new premises. I loved old little Loop, which brightened up Cross Street for the whole 5 years, packed with gorgeous colourful yarns, ribbons, buttons and all sorts of notions us knitters covet and absolutely need every day of our lives.

The new Loop has arrived in 15 Camden Passage, amongst well established antique shops, jewellers, boutiques and eateries, it arrived with a huge colourful bang! Susan the shop’s owner opened the doors to the new Loop last Saturday morning to the cheers and clapping of hundreds of expectant, excited knitters and crochetters, hungry to explore the new shop and examine the yarns.

I really am not exaggerating about the hundreds of the faithfuls who turned up for the launch. Most delicious cakes were waiting for us inside and we all got a lovely goodie-bag as a thank you, which i thought was an endearing, personal touch, which makes us all feel an important and appreciated part of Loop’s success.

The shop was packed full within minutes of opening and Susan stood behind her new counter serving the huge queue of customers ready to stock up on all those new, gorgeous yarns.

Loop is much bigger now it’s grown up. The ground floor and the first floor are filled with yummy yarns, beautiful haberdashery and all sorts of unique knickknacks. Upstairs looks and feels like the sitting room all of us always wanted – armchairs, a big comfy sofa, a wall of yarn and a bookcase filled with books every knitter wants to treasure.

The second floor will be used as a stock room and in the basement, which remains a secret yet to be discovered when it’s finished, will be a special space for the huge variety of classes Loop has to offer.

I love the new Loop – it’s exactly what dreams… my dreams are made of. But when I left I couldn’t help myself and walked to Cross street to see the old Loop for the last time.

I hope the new Loop will provide as many colourful memories and as many hours of enjoyment that the old Loop did for me. In fact, I’m sure it is the same Loop altogether, that size really isn’t everything and that the unique soul and spirit of Loop have found a bright and beautiful new home.

Isn’t this Cosi?

2010-06-06T18:27:00.001+01:00

Do you know this lovely bijoux boutique in North London’s trendy Muswell Hill? If you don’t please read on. If you do, you will undoubtedly agree that it is a little gem full of delightful home furnishings and other accessories handpicked by the shop’s owner Sarah, who herself, having impeccable taste, chooses only the best and most interesting pieces that independent designers have to offer.

I can proudly announce that amongst all the beautiful crockery, sumptuous blankets and cushions, leather bags, summer baskets, delicious candles and jewellery Sarah found a place for MrsGKnits beaded crochet bracelets. The colour palettes for the shop were personally chosen by Sarah and bracelets hand-made to order and those colours are exclusive to Cosi Homewares, so if you’d like to see them you must visit her shop.

If you would like a preview of all the treats Cosi has in store click here. However, the website has only a fraction of the goodies that fill the shelves of this lovely little shop.

I urge you to pay Cosi a visit and have a walk around Muswell Hill while you’re there. With plenty of cafes and restaurants offering just about any cuisine you can think of, an old church transformed into a pub and stunning views over North London you can bag yourself some stylish stuff and spend a lovely day out. Well!? Off you go now!!

Shaking off winter

2010-05-30T00:24:00.000+01:00

I haven’t blogged since February. Partly because I hibernate through winter and partly because sometimes if you have nothing interesting to say it’s better to stay silent (something a lot of people I know should not only take as a very valuable piece of advice but also immediately put in practice).

When i planned this post the summer has arrived, the sky was blue and England were going to win the World Cup… two days later I’m not so sure. It’s teeming down, it’s gone cold and Rooney is playing golf!?

Still… the winter wardrobe is packed away out of sight and I’m ready to throw myself into glorious, hot summer… now that I’ve recovered from my first day in the sun – 4 hours, no sunblock, it really didn’t feel thaaaat hot. A week has gone by since and I can touch my burnt back again.

There are a few more things I am looking forward to this summer. I love the World Cup! It never comes soon enough for me. I’m very excited and intend to see as many games as I possibly can. My fanaticism about it comes from the early childhood when for the duration of each World Cup football game the world stood still, the streets emptied and you could hear the cheers coming in unison from flats far and wide – the only brief signs of hidden life in a big city. As always I will be on the floor with my face in the tv shouting and screaming (sorry neighbours).

SATC 2 is out and I’m going to see it tomorrow, so a short review on here might follow in a few days.

Design and craftwise I have a thrilling collaboration in the pipeline. It’s early days yet, but exciting times are coming, so watch this space for more on that soon. In the meantime enjoy the summer!

Sunshine Blog Awards!! part2

2010-02-14T19:51:00.001Z

It’s time to present the second person, who kindly awarded me the Sunshine Blog Award. This one is from Tracy at Cinnamon Jewellery.

Constructed from mixed metals and always featuring beautiful stones or pearls and her signature swirls, I have been coveting her designs for a while.

If you would like to see more of her wonderful jewellery click the pictures to take you to Tracy’s shop on Folksy. If you want to know more about Tracy and Cinnamon Jewellery you can read her blog here.

There are some rules that come with the award which are as follows:
- Put the logo on your blog or within your post
- Pass the award onto 12 bloggers
- Link the nominees within your post
- Let the nominees know they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
- Share the love and link to the person from whom you received this award.

So far I have fulfilled the first and the last part of the deal, so now onto my own nominations with links to their blogs:

1. Chain Creative – a fabulous blog full of inspiration for the crocheting masses out there. It’s a gold mine of interesting interviews with artists, countless resources and pictures to get your creative juices flowing.

2. Juju Loves Polka Dots – I think Juju is the only woman in the history of the Universe who was given 48 hours in each day. Have a look at her blog to see what she does with her time and how many talents can one person have!

3. Haptree and Me – a blog with so many helpful topics the list is endless written by a lovely, very helpful Hilary. Anyone trying to make sense of the crafting world needs to read it.

4. Talking Beads – creative pursuits of one genius beader

5. Harvey Crafty Cards – this blog is just plain lovely, so even if you can’t read you will enjoy it, I promise!

6. Bejewelled and Beguiled – if Artisan jewellery rocks your boat this one is for you!

7. Cowdy Calling – witty, humorous blog, superbly written! Serena’s writing can make you wish you had volunteered to muck out hippo enclosures just for fun long time ago.

8. Evie George – another beautiful, nostalgic blog

9. Monty – a goldmine of cultural hotspots and events and very inspirational too

10. Talulah Blue – burlesque galore!

11. Angel Treats – diary of a domestic goddess

12. Ginger Knits UK – a mixed bag of fun, craft and how to do good and enjoy it!

Sunshine Blog Awards!!! part1

2010-02-06T06:20:00.001Z

This is a nice surprise. From the dark depths of drab winter weather this little flower popped up to make my weekend just a little more bearable. I’ve been awarded a Sunshine Blog Award – twice!

I have been nominated by two lovely ladies, who each write a very different blog and who both make beautiful jewellery with a difference.

My first award came a while back, but i had no time to shout about it until now. It’s from lovely nelliD, whose beautiful design i featured before in my Beat The Blues handmade items selection. Check her blog out to see what she’s working on at the moment – it’s all candy & jewells over there – fabulous!

This is one of her bags – the Union Jack features a lot in her designs, but in a very inspired, quirky way. If you want to know more go to her blog and enjoy! If you want to see what she’s selling, click the picture – it will take you to her shop.

Part 2 and my Sunshine Blog Award nominees a bit later. In the meantime enjoy! enjoy! enjoy!

My Funny Valentine…

2010-01-23T01:02:00.000Z

If you believe Valentine’s Day is a special, romantic date in the calendar I will not have to convert you. But for those cynical grumpies amongst you, who consistently claim us soppy, cheesy bunch only propel the commercial machine that is Valentines please, please read on. For what I’m about to show you is not commercial, not cheesy or soppy for that matter. The little selection I’m presenting to you consist of beautiful items, which were handcrafted by people of various talents, who believe in non-commercial production of unique items of their own design. So if you decided to say no to the white fluffy acrylic bears and cards sparkling with rainbows of sticky glitter consider these – one of a kind, uniquely designed gifts – not a fluffy bear or a speck of glitter in sight. Enjoy!

Huge thanks to all the artists featuring in My Funny Valentine selection. The showcased items and a variety of their other designs can be viewed and purchased from:

1. DIG THE EARTH 2. LynwoodJewellery

3, 4. MrsGKnits 5. Harvey Crafty Cards

6. Glassprimitif 7. Silky Prudence

8. Talking Beads 9. PANTSANDPAPER

Beat The Blues…

2010-01-13T12:18:00.001Z

After a spell of white wintery fluffiness we are entering a drab, dreary phase.The snow is melting away, revealing dark pavements and untidy streets. Here and there dried up, stripped bare Christmas trees are dying in front gardens. Everybody is feeling post Christmas malaise - the winter blues has truly set in.

Despair not! For in the busy corners of the world wide web there are gems aplenty to put a smile on your face, just waiting to be discovered.

About six months ago I discovered Folksy – a site, which, like a virtual shopping centre, houses a huge number of individual shops run by an array of talented people, who joined the handmade revolution. I am a proud owner of two shops – MrsGKnits, a luxury knitwear emporium and QueenOfHerts , a fledgling quirky jewellery collection.

Folksy sellers design, source the materials, hand make and sell beautiful, unique items, which you can’t get on any high street. The range of products is overwhelming, the packaging absolutely divine, the customer service superb and many sellers welcome custom orders, which makes your purchase that little bit more exclusive and more personal.

So there you have it – found on Folksy, my selection of “Blues” to beat the blues…

1. Wintry Skies Baby Alpaca sock yarn from Wharfedale Woolworks

2. Silver Filigree Ring from Fen and Ned

3. Fabric Buttons - Tiny Sprigs from Mollimoo

4. Gorgeous Fabric Brooch from PantsandPaper

5. Earrings silver with emerald green freshwater pearls from Lynwood Jewellery

6. Clip Frame Purse from PantsandPaper

7. Polly Cowl – Teal from Silky Prudence

8. Small Butterfly Cards & Envelopes from Harvey Crafty Cards

9. Time for tea! from nelli D – for her

I hope you enjoyed my favourites and they will inspire you to seek out all things beautiful. Click a few buttons, have a browse and find how you can express your individuality in time for beautiful spring.

QueenOfHerts has arrived!

2010-01-11T00:54:00.001Z

Today for the first time QueenOfHerts opened for business. The shelves in the shop will be filling up steadily. Still lots of designs to list, lots of photographs to take and of course a bit of promoting to do.

In one day the shop has created a fair bit of interest and with time and with more designs I hope to delight you all and satisfy your need for unusual, edgy, one of a kind, stand out from the crowd jewellery.

I hope i have whet your appetite with my selection of photos and you will visit the new shop.

I appreciate all feedback and tips how to improve QueenOfHerts and make it a shop you will truly love.

Queen Of Herts!

2010-01-04T21:27:00.000Z

With the New Year there’s a new venture taking shape. I wouldn’t like it to overshadow MrsGKnits, which has been a success in its first few months of existence. Success, which I will be shortly confirming on this blog with the satisfied customers’ comments and hopefully some pictures of lovely people who appreciate finer things in life and live to enjoy the unique, luxurious knits from MrsGKnits. But another time about that…

This post is dedicated to MrsG’s little sister. Ladies and gentlemen I give you QueenOfHerts!

QueenOfHerts was born from my exploration and pushing knitting and crochet to see what else can be done with a few unorthodox materials. First it was beaded crochet bracelets, then crochet and knitting with wire and then the imagination was truly let loose. Like most of my knitting designs, which you can see in MrsGKnits (my luxury knitwear emporium), the final results are not obvious until the late stages of completion of the piece. I enjoy the whole creation process, from gathering a few eye catching bits through the discovery what shape they will take. At times this might be a very long time until the Eureka moment when the idea how to finish the design comes suddenly and the piece takes its final shape. And from there I found I actually enjoyed teaching myself how to make other jewellery pieces and that’s where QueenOfHerts became a mixed bag of crochet and knitted wire, beads, knitted and crochet necklaces and corsages and a few other bits put together.

The new shop will be opening on Folksy soon and I will be back here to announce the launch officially. Watch this space folks!

MrsG’s Christmas

2009-12-29T22:35:00.001Z

Weeks of preparations, anticipation… and Christmas is over. I thought you might like a glimpse into MrsG’s. I’m especially proud of the tree – personally dragged by me from the shop and adorned in a traditional red&gold theme.

The tree is getting a bit smaller every year – the sign of inflation – I only get the size I can buy for the same £20 every Christmas. Judging by the amount of presents though the credit crunch is still at bay.

All in all, Christmas was a jolly affair here - lots of resting, bad telly, forgot to stuff the turkey, ate copious amounts of chocolate, had lovely, undemanding guests on Boxing Day, fabulous pressies… and I haven’t picked up the needles in whole four days.

Christmas has come and gone too soon… but I’ve started some fabulous red mittens!

Feels like home…

2009-12-19T03:12:00.000Z

For those of you who don’t know or haven’t guessed i come from Poland and the recent weather, all that gorgeous fluffy snow, the flakes the size of your fist coming down from the sky feel like home. In Warsaw, my home town, the weather is like this right now. Temperature is staying at –13C (yes that’s minus 13 Celsius) and the whole city is covered in snow.

Things look so much happier and brighter with a good layer of snow, that covers the dark, dirty ground and reflects the light. And here in Hertfordshire (my second chosen home) everything looks stunning right now. Yes it is a bit nippy, but it is winter after all. And with me a knitting and crochet queen the whole family are in good supply of warm woolies, so we’re braving the cold in style.

Busy day tomorrow – each year i am on the tree duty. I go and choose one lovely tree, drag it home, set it up, decorate it, wrap all the gifts up and put them under the tree and then sit and admire the fruits of my labour. If i succeed tomorrow I might share with you the pictures of the tree at MrsG’s.

Another Christmas Fair!

2009-12-10T21:41:00.000Z

This is all so exciting! I’ve been asked to do another Christmas Fair.

This time MrsG will be accessorising the beautiful, trendy people in East London upstairs at the Britannia Pub in Victoria Park Road, E9.

There will be a village fair going on as well at the Victoria Park, so it’s worth popping over to have a look.

The entry is free and the craft stalls in the pub will be open from 12-6pm, plenty of time to browse and bag yourself and your nearest and dearest some lovely, hand-made, unique goodies.

You really don’t want to miss this one!

Bentley Priory part 2

2009-12-07T00:54:00.003Z

My first craft fair was an interesting experience. First thing to say is that the setting was even more gorgeous than in previous pictures. And this is my little corner… and yes there is method in this madness!

The fair was busy, sadly the crowd were the golden oldies – all with free bus pass, some with a zimmer frame. I suspect they all came to visit the building, which was open to the public for the first time in a century, rather than grab a gorgeous handmade, uniquely designed item. Sales didn’t hit the heights we all hoped for, but the venue gave a lot of exposure, and i already had enquiries about commissions and knitting workshops so onwards and upwards.

I managed to meet up with a couple of lovely ladies from Folksy.

This is Tracy from DKCrystalDesigns

and this is Hilary (on the left) from Haptree

And these are Sorcery&Sparkle (well their knickers to be precise)

Also a couple of lovely friends popped by to say hello, which was great and…wait for it… old MrG came for “support” – got me a cup of tea, stayed an hour then got bored and went home. Shame on everyone who missed it!

There’s a new venture next week but about that tomorrow.

Buy! Buy! Buy!

2009-12-06T23:22:00.016Z

... is what I do rather well and a few days ago I had a good old shopping spree on Folksy. For the uninitiated Folksy is a website dedicated to selling wares from makers of all things crafty. Everything is unique, handmade and gorgeous. The sellers are lovely, helpful and talented bunch and everything is priced very reasonably. I'm proud to be one of the Folksters with my own little shop there. Yes you guessed it - MrsGKnits! But back to my purchase showcase...

These are the lovely items I picked this time and the links to the shops in case you're experiencing a serious envy right now...

Christmas Lavender Heart from pretty goods

Angel Bookmark from Talking Beads

African Jade earrings from Trinket Box

Autumn ring from My Bea dy Eye

Confetti Corsage from midsummerstitches

Of course the general idea was to acquire some lovely handmade gifts for my friends, but I'm really tempted to keep the lot for myself - greed not so in keeping with the Christmas spirit.

All that's left to say is that if you're still stuck for a few gifts and need nice ideas visit the shops above, have a good browse on Folksy.You'll get faboulous goodies, great customer service and you won't be disapointed.

Bentley Priory Winter Fair

2009-11-02T05:47:00.010Z

HO! HO! HO!

Yes, it's that time of year again, when most of us crafters not only start thinking about Christmas, but all the more serious of us actually start doing somethig about it. This year I'm happy to say I have been busier than ever. Private commissions are coming in with a steady flow thank you very much, but there's another event that will keep me knitting and crocheting on turbo speed.

I was invited by the organisers to set up a stall at Bentley Priory Winter Fair. It will take place on Saturday 5th December at Bentley Priory in Stanmore. The setting for the fair is so pallatial and grand it is a rare opportunity for the public to actually just visit and see Bentley Priory in its full glory. And if that wasn't enough to tempt you, the Winter Fair will be full of Crafts, Antiques and hand-made gifts, sold exclusively by artists invited to the Fair by the organisers. You can check all the exibitors and sellers when you follow the link above - if you persevere you will see MrsGKnits there too.

The proceeds from the entry fees, which are £1 per adult and 50p concessions, will be donated to charity by the organisers. There is free ample parking and the nearest tube station is Stanmore (there are detailed instructions how to get there on the organisers website).

I have a limitted amount of complimentary entry tickets, so if you would like to visit the Winter Fair please let me know. It would be great to see a friendly face on the day. And think of all that Christmas gift shopping - you can get gorgeous, unique, hand-made gifts for everyone in the family.

Hope to see you there...

Disappearing Act

2009-10-28T07:01:00.004Z

Finally, after weeks and weeks of withdrawal symptoms, anticipation, irritation and what seemed like the longest wait since records began, my laptop is fixed, up and running and i'm catching up with life.

There ara plans afoot and a lot has been happening in the humble life of Mrs G. Lots to do, as Christmas orders are coming early, but I will find the time to tell you about my next venture very very soon.

Oh it's so good to be back!

What a Felting Friday!

2009-09-05T00:29:00.020+01:00

After a reasonably busy Thursday I needed a day to relax. I haven't done any wet hand felting for ages so I decided to set the scene, I picked a perfect project and spent the day ruining a beautiful hand-knitted by myself some time ago Alchemy mohair shawl with soap, water and some serious rubbing action.

Lack of studio and a designated place of work meant that everything had to be set up on the kitchen table...

BOX OF TRICKS

THE TABLE IS SET

BEFORE LAYING OUT THE WOOL TOPS

AND THE FINISHED SCARF
I'm very pleased how the project turned out. It was a lot of work, patience and mess to clean up, but so worth it. I know how it works, yet it never ceases to amaze me like a wonderful magic trick.

What to do on a Monday?

2009-09-04T22:57:00.014+01:00

I work just off Totthenham Court Road, and that in itself is reason enough why I don't venture out shopping in West End. I'm there 5 out of 7 days of the week, and don't relish shopping trips when West End is full of weekend shoppers and tourists.

On Monday, now on my week off I decided to go on a wonder in Covent Garden. My main aim was beads and other little bits from The Bead Shop in Tower Street. Of course I got more than I went for and feeling the surge of energy decided against going home and went further instead. I walked lots in Covent Garden, browsing all the lovely little shops, ended up in Strand (I always get lost in Covent Garden!) From Strand I wondered to Trafalgar Square, Regent Street and off to Carnaby Street.

The day was absolutely gorgeous, sun shining making the flowers on the back wall of Liberty's come to full bloom.

After a good couple of hours in Liberty's - haberdashery department mainly - I decided reluctantly to make my way home. With Oxford street still packed I ventured through the backstreets of China Town and Soho towards Charring Cross Road to get a bus home.

I managed to finish a little project on the way back, another one of many bracelets is completed.

I think I might have got them out of my system now for a little while and I can start knitting again, that is of course if knitting will have me back despite my fling with crochet. Only time will tell...

This Need for Beads...

2009-08-31T10:31:00.018+01:00

... has taken over the last week of my life. I'm off to Covent Garden in a moment to source some lovely materials for all the ideas buzzing in my head. Before I go though I'd like you to take a look at what I have been up to last week.

This is my first ever beaded crochet bracelet you've seen in previous post and another one that is already adorning my friend's wrist - belated birthday present that's put a smile on her face.

Mrs G in action

...and the bracelet is ready!!!

This will be one of my favourites. Love the vibrant colour combination for summer!

This pink, lilac and pearl white is for my mum. It's very muted and classy, and bigger beads in the middle add extra style.

And finally here's something I'm experimenting with at the moment. I'm trying to work out how to use the beaded tubing to create ear-rings and rings. Ear-rings are already a clear idea in my head, but the ring needs further work. At the moment it's far too bulky to wear on the finger so I will have to use just a section of tubing for the top ant attach to some sort of ring base. I have a few ideas, but too early to share.

Have a wonderful bank holiday. If you're not going out why not crochet a beaded bracelet. Here's Bees workshop to get you started. I'm off for my fab supplies. Covent Garden here I come!

Bracelet Extraordinaire!

2009-08-25T12:55:00.010+01:00

Another Sunday, another fabulous day and another creation I am ever so proud of!

Last Sunday four of us have gathered for a creative workshop taught by lovely Bee of chaincreative. Sarah, Stacey, Aveen and yours trully decided we can master the art of tubular crochet with beads. Ha ha!

Not one to be beatten easily I must confess this tested my patience a little bit, but with Bee's mantra in my head -"it's easy once you get going" - I have set out to succeed. And succeed I did, although i will let you all be the judges of that. All I say is my work colleagues were impressed.

Workshops with Bee are always an event I look forward to and then regret they end so quickly. But after every single one of those I left with a new skill which has completely hooked me.

The Bead Crochet Workshop was no different. The day was beautiful, hot, glorious sunshine, the surroundings were cosy and peaceful and Bee was her usual enthusiastic self , spurring us on and not letting anyone give up. What better way to spend a day than rummaging through colourful beads, picking colours for a project and then turning them into a wonderful piece of jewellery.

Girls, this really is my idea of a perfect Sunday!

This is my first attempt. I'm planning a few more for sure. I already threaded beads for one more and I don't think I will be stopping there.

I finished my bracelet at home on Sunday evening after the workshop and I have been wearing it every day since...

Say YES to a cup cake!

2009-08-10T22:51:00.016+01:00

It's official. Cupcakes are all the rage! They are fashionable, they're in, they're it! Why are they the sweet of the moment? Maybe because they're easy, maybe because they're bitesize or maybe because they're delicious and oh so pretty!

The art of the cupcake is getting popular and fast. It's such a simple piece of sponge that's pretty fool-proof and yet offers the huge potential to make it look like a cute little work of art. Is it any wonder we're all doing it?

Not one to let any trend pass her by, yours trully has rolled up her sleeves and got stuck right in. I bought the most delicious cupcake receipe book with the pictures just asking to be licked. They are from the hummingbird bakery. If you have never heard of it follow the link and let temptation guide you.

So there you have it - my humble attempt at the cult red velvet cupcake. You have to trust me that underneath all that buttercream icing the cake is surprisingly bright red! I think I might have to work on spreading not slapping the icing at random, keep the sugared rose petals and skip the chocolate shavings, make it neat next time.

I'm happy to confirm that in spite of slapdash decorating my red velvet cupcakes have passed the friends and family taste test!

To finish off I'd like to show you something absolutely stunning. It must take indescribable patience and precision to come up with these. Betz White I salute you! Before you ask yes they are knitted cupcakes. And, although you can't sink your sweet tooth in their luscious gorgeousness, these you can keep and admire for ever... so go on say YES to a cupcake...

The images is this post are borrowed from:
OBI'S SISTER

Leeloo Dog Blog

BOHEMIAN MAGIC

Betz White

Book Launch

2009-08-10T21:01:00.015+01:00

I must tell you about the book launch, that took place last Thursday. Claire Montgomerie of Loop (my favourite shop this side of the Atlantic) was launching her new book Easy Kids Knits and to celebrate the big event we gathered in every knitter's mecca - Loop in Cross Street.

The evening was wonderful and the turnout huge, despite lousy weather. I have enjoyed it immensely, met some lovely people equally obsessed with all things hand-made and all very very talented indeed. Another Clare, aka Ginger Knits, baked some delicious cupcakes and we all got treated to a few glasses of bubbly - the high life I was simply born to enjoy.

Like most talented crafty people I couldn't resist wearing some of my creations. I was complemented a lot on my knitted shrug, but the wire crochet earrings with pearls have stolen the show. Made me so so proud.

As if that wasn't enough I won the star prize in a raffle - a huge gift box of gorgeous yarn from Sublime. Now that was the proverbial cherry on the cupcake!

Hearts in Herts.

2009-08-03T00:00:00.012+01:00

These are my lovely new crochet coasters. I got sooooo hooked on crochet I keep finding little projects to practice on and these were just perfect. Such pretty little things, quick to do and you can make as many or as few as your heart desires. If you fancy having a go here is the link to Bella Dia and the pattern.

I have also started experimenting with wire and combining it with beads, as that went pretty well, I have taken on wire and pearls and the results are good - girls at work loved them, but they need to be perfected. When they are I will post some photos. For now I'm so proud of my coasters I might even make some placemats to match.

And here's one I made earlier... started it during my crochet class with Bee, but only managed to finish it off this weekend. It's a crochet bracelet, felted in the machine with pink and purple beads stitched on after. Another little project that delivered lots of fun and satisfaction.

...of course while I'm having a hot affair with crochet I can't be neglecting my knitting. I managed to fit in a couple of knitting projects into my days, mainly due to a long daily commute from the rural Hertfordshire to the heart of London (it's all hearts in this post?). My handbag is of the "big enough to fit the kitchen sink" variety and always contains a book, an i-pod and a knitting project or two. Yes, dear reader, I KNIT EVERY DAY! ... and lately I crochet nearly every day too. So many ideas - so little time...

Kiosk Kiosk

2009-08-01T20:31:00.019+01:00

Last week on Sunday something very nice happened. Claire Montgomerie aka Monty with the help of Bee Clinch have been spreading their enthusiasm and knowledge of knitting, crochet and sewing on the South Bank at Kiosk.

Being an avid enthusiast of knitting and now also wonderful crochet, thanks to Bee, I ventured out from my little cosy pad up north (Hertfordshire) to cheer on my favourite crafters and their new venture. It was to promote the crafts by giving free advice and on the spot tuition and troubleshooting.

There were some lovely creations on display and available to buy from Claire and Bee.

This little girl astonished us all with her amazing dedication and talent. Very inspirational and reassuring that the all things crafty will live on. Olivia came not knowing what knitting was, and within minutes she was knitting away quietly, tongue out, concentration on her face.

Of course there were rewards in the form of these yummy cupcakes from Sugar Rose, absolute works of art in their own right. You can find out more about them from Make&Bake.

The weather was shaky, but mainly held up and I managed to escape before the rain came down. Views were quite magnificent all round and tourists were aplenty.

I was so glad I could make it as nothing makes me more happy than the company of happy people, who share the same passions...

Crochet! Wonderful Crochet!

2009-07-20T21:01:00.000+01:00

Over the past 3 Sundays I was lucky to be part of a fabulous beginners crochet class at Loop.

I did other classes at Loop, improvers knitting, experimental knitting and hand felting, which were all great, mainly because I wasn't a complete novice, and I knew what I was doing. This time it was a beginners course and that made me feel a bit apprehensive - will I be able to "get it"? will I be able to keep up? Well, I shouldn't have feared at all.

First thing to say is that our little group got on very well and I think the biggest praise goes to the wonderful teacher Bee Clinch, who has a great personality and the style of teaching everyone who gets a chance should experience. Oozing crochet enthusiasm, putting us all at ease and making it all look like a piece of cake. Speaking of cakes... we had delicious, most unusual red velvet cupcakes, made for us by Bee's former crochet student.

We started from scratch, all very serious, very focused and very stiff. A cup of EarlGrey and a couple of buscuits later we relaxed and I stopped getting a cramp in my right hand. Although an absolute beginner myself I was really chuffed to be able to produce a few things at the end of the course. We did lovely corsages at our last class and as soon as they are good enough for public viewing I will put a couple up for everyone to see.

Of course I wouldn't be myself if I didn't think I could run before I could walk, so I decided, after the FIRST class, to indulge my love of mohair and combine it with my newly discovered love of a "double treble". I should have known better! I do know better! Mohair is a "one way ticket". Once you've started there's no way you'll be able to frog it, so I just carried on. By the end of second class and a bit of rough practice I knew how to keep my work straight and I managed to rescue my not so straight scarf. A bit of sweet edging all round and voila... one very original scarf....

I felt a bit sad that the classes were coming to an end, but I have to say that thanks to Bee I am hooked on the "hook" and I will carry on in hope that my next crochet creation won't have to be born out of a bit of a "cock-up".

It wasn't a sad good-bye.

You can see us here (Bee first on the left) at the end of our last class all smiles and confidence that now the basics have been tamed things will just keep getting better and better and better...

I'm hoping to stay in touch with the girls, so if you're one of our bunch and you're reading this let me know what you think. Maybe we'll meet again at the improvers class in October.

It's November in Herts.

2009-07-15T22:18:00.000+01:00

All the waiting and anticipation for summer... and is this the summer that never was? Blink and you miss it? If there is global warming happening Britain must be extremely well armed against it.

In search of something to cheer myself up I am baking cupcakes at this time of night. Just didn't expect my SAD to return in the middle of July... off to browse exotic holidays...

Knitting is number one, but...

2009-07-14T22:37:00.000+01:00

... even though obsessed with knitting Mrs G has ventured out to the unknown. I am on a crochet course and let me tell you my knitting obsession has a serious rival in crochet! So far it's been fun, thanks to the wonderful Bee Clinch who is our tutor and the cosy atmosphere of my favourite shop on this planet - Loop. I am loving my newly discovered skill, and already planning some projects to utilise some of my well bought stash. Oh joy! Simply can't wait for next Sunday!

Catching up with the cool gang...

2009-07-14T21:41:00.000+01:00

Although in love with all things hand-made and beautiful I have decided to tame the beast of technology and write a blog. "Everybody's doing it, you know", "you really should take the plunge" - my friends said. Makes it sound like bungee jumping or taking a holiday in Papua New Guinea.

So even though I can't swim, I am plunging. Please be gentle I am still learning how to cooperate with the computer to achieve mutual satisfaction.

Hope you will enjoy my ramblings and an occasional showcase of my humble talents. (Big show-off deep down, but at least i am brave enough to admit it!) So for all your joy here comes my newly finished project to add colour to the drab day as it was today.