Nearly a week since my last post - how awful! Especially now that I see someone has added me to THEIR list of blogs to watch. Thanks to 'What Katy Did' for adding me to her list and for letting me put her on mine. (Is this correct blog-etiquette I wonder?!)



Hers was the first crafty blog I ever saw and I fell in love with the pictures of her work 'shed' straightaway. What a complete haven - when I look at my scruffy little cupboard I am so envious. I MUST go and have a tidy up.



Today Julia and I took our first belly dancing exam (lol). Didn't know what to wear so ended up exposing bare naked belly. The poor workmen at Fradley village hall weren't expecting that this morning!!! The exam went fine. Very straightforward. We find out our results in 2 weeks. Oooh the stress!

This is a picture of us at the last Hafla, in November. I'm the blond one and I'd love to leave it at that but must

confess that the skinny thing at the front, altho she shares my name, is not me! I'm the one in the bluey skirt.

Have actually started being productive this week. Made on little felt shoe from my BIG shoe pattern used in my graduation show. Quite cute. They have a lot of potential. Once I got the bug I came up with a whole rash of ideas for developing these little babies. As soon as I've got a few made i will take some photos.



Speaking of photos - have finally got myself up and running on Flickr. The next thing is to link them up to this site. Oh the excitement!! 21st century here I come!!!


Want to take some decent photos of my ceramic shoes to put on Flickr. Now I have also signed up to UK Craft Forum I have found lots of tips about how to do this. Next week I will set my little light box up and see what happens.




Also made some little badges from old embroidery odds and ends. There are potentially two craft fairs coming up in Lichfield which I could test the water at. One for Boley Park Play Group and one for Cathedral School - talk about opposite ends of the spectrum. Both are before Easter and Mothering Sunday so will try to gear my stuff towards these two celebrations. The little badges would be great attached to hand-made cards as Easter or 'mummy' gifts. Just need to keep plodding away at them.



Don't think I mentioned that I start 'proper' work again on Monday. Ian A rang last Thursday and asked me if I wanted some work. I thought he was going to ommission me to make something. Instead he asked me if I fancied teaching Foundation Fashion and Textiles one day a week? Only for 41/4 hours but at teaching rate that's enough to keep his nibs happy. It couldn't be better really. Get it all over with right at the beginning of the week so the rest of the time I can concentrate on being creative for me.

Stop the Press: Have managed to create my Flickr badge and its all in place on my bloggy-wog. The sense of achievment is incredible. I think I'd better quit while I'm ahead.

Shimmy Shimmy

Yippee! Tis Thursday. Tis bellydancing night. What a fantastic excuse to dress up in spangly, sparkly, swirly clothes and wobble your wobbly bits with friends! It's like being a little girl again doing dressing up. Julia and I are planning a duet for the next hafla in March, and Maria has also announced a professional show is planned for October. We - me & J - are going to wear "gothie-stylie" clothes. Have already bought a belt from Manchester when we went the other weekend. We are both surveying eBay avidly for other bits and bobs. Think I may buy a pattern to make parts of the outfits and may even make a few extras to sell... God more ideas!

Woo woo!! I have got a muffle kiln! I am SOOO excited! How cute is that? Can't wait to get playing now. I have also bought a load of bits of dichroic glass to have a play with. I just need to get to the library to find some books to help me. Only problem is kiddie has been off school since Tuesday so I can't go anywhere. Aaargh!! Frustration.

Really need to get sorted with etsy and Flickr (no - I still haven't done it yet. I don't know where the time goes. I haven't made anything for ages either, apart from a few pin badges. The only creative thing I've done was on Wednesday. Kiddie was bored so I got out her French knitting kit from Christmas. She had a go at that but then decided she wanted to do 'real' knitting. I showed her how to do that then I taught myself to crochet!!! Yay - at last! Results not great but at least I've finally got the hang of it.

All the half-made sock monkeys are still looking at me but I have burned out monkeywise. I really ought to finish them and get them sold somewhere. They do look a bit sad in a heap in the corner. Maybe tomorrow...

I really need to sort my workroom out before I tackle anything else. It is such a tip I can still barely get in there. When it's all nice and tidy I might feel more inclined to produce something.

Getting very itchy fingers now.


Have been 'wasting time' looking at loads of other crafty blogs and getting very inspired. Can't wait for school to reopen on Monday so I can get stuck into sorting out my PIT and getting to work.


swirlyarts is a fantastic blog and it's almost like looking at myself - even down to our names being the same! The bit that made me laugh out loud/sigh with relief was swirly's photo of her IRONING MOUNTAIN. So glad to see it's not just me.


I have decided that I really need to begin by using up stuff that I already have before I begin to buy more stuff. My badge machine hasn't had a proper workout yet so pin badges will be high up on the list. I always intended to make little embroidered ones without using the plastic film on the front. Lots of lovely texture and colour!! Could even embellish with beads, etc. Ooh I'm excited!


Have still got a pile of half-finished sock monkeys that need attention. Could make them into 'cupids' for Valentine's day...? Hmm...


I really must get some photos on here. I suppose Flickr is my next challenge. I shall go and investigate now...