Monday 31 December 2012

2012 round up

Well 2012 is nearly over!! And what a fantastic first year we have had!!

Heres my round up of 2012...


January 1st  - Registered with HMRC and Your Handmade Home was born!!


February - Working on my first ranges 
March - Entered the 'Retail Factor Competition in my local Mall.

April - Took Part in my first trade show at BCTF 

May - WON the Retail Factor competition which included a free stand for 2 months and £500 (which I spent on a new sewing machine!)

June - A well earned rest in Cornwall for my 1st wedding anniversary
July - August - Sept - Moved into my new studio, did some seamstress work for a homewares company and started sketching new ranges.


October - November - Started Screen printing my own designs onto fabrics

December - Unveiled my new website and new ranges at Country Living Christmas Fair in Harrogate, won Business Person of the year 2012 in my local newspaper and hit 600 likes on my Facebook page!

Phew!! No wonder I'm taking it easy this Christmas!!
Hope you have all had a lovely Christmas and you have a safe and happy New Year!! 
xxxxx

Tuesday 6 November 2012

giveaway WINNERS!!

Hi Guys,

Just popping into let you know the winners of the giveaway are:



Angela

Smoochy Mahoochy (great name!!)

Anne

Thank you all for entering.

If you can please let me know your addresses by emailing me info@yourhandmadehome.co.uk and I will send you your tickets and your voucher - please bring both to the show - your ticket so you can get in to the show and your voucher so I can give you your present!!

I look forward to seeing you at the show!!

Melissa xxx

Tuesday 30 October 2012

Country Living Christmas Fair - Harrogate - GIVEAWAY!!

GIVEAWAY!!!

I have 3 pairs of tickets for the Country Living Christmas Fair in Harrogate to giveaway!!



It takes place 29th Nov - 2nd Dec (Thur/Fri/Sat/Sun)

The tickets are valid for Thursday, Friday or Sunday.
And there will be 2 tickets for each winner!!

All you have to do to enter is follow my blog and facebook page and leave a comment below letting me know you follow me! 

I will pick the winners randomly and they will also receive 
a special present from me on Stand B103
when they get to the fair!!

No anonymous comments please as I cannot get in contact with you - please leave your email address!!

Winners will be chosen on Sunday 4th November and I will post the tickets to the winners

Good Luck and please feel free to share this on your blog or facebook page/twitter etc 

xoxoxoxox

Sunday 7 October 2012

Catching my breath!!

PHEW!!! I can't believe its nearly been 2 months since I last blogged!! But there has been sooooo much going on this is the first chance I have had to catch my breath - and thats only because I have sprained my wrist!!  Nothing too bad - just me being stupid hooking my thumb in my new boots to pull them up and pulling my muscle in the process!  Unfortunately it means I can't sew!!!! Nooooo!!!








This is whats been going on over here in the last 6 weeks:


  • Went on a screen printing course - it was amazing! So much fun!!!!!!!  It was at Birmingham Printmakers and the tutor was Victoria - I highly recommend it if you are in the area!!!

  • Finished my contract order and started on some new items for them
  • Had a little break in Cornwall for a week and had some (expensive but worth it) fish and chips from Rick Steins fish bar. yum yum :) Monkfish and squid!!

  • Signed up for a stand at Country Living Christmas Fair Harrogate Stand B103
  • Signed up for BCTF for April 2013
  • Made a list of all the items I need to make in time for the CL fair in November and ordered some beautiful handmade ceramics to compliment my items

  • Panicked that I won't get it all done!
  • Sprained my wrist and panicked some more!! lol :)
  • Took a deep breath and realised that if I stick to the plan it will all get done!!

At least next week I can rest my wrist as we are going away on Tuesday for some sun :) As some of you know my parents live in Murcia, Spain and my and the husband are flying over to spend a week in the sun :)  This will be the first bit of sun we have seen this year as I work in a windowless basement :( and the weather in Cornwall this year on our holidays wasn't the best!

I'm really really looking forward to seeing my parents and having a shopping trip with my mommy :)  I will be taking my camera this year so hopefully will get some great shots whilst I'm there.

When we get back its all hands on deck to get ready for the CL fair.  Its on 28th Nov-2nd Dec and I will have some tickets to give away nearer the time so keep an eye out!!

xxxxxxxxx



Sunday 12 August 2012

Sunday morning catch up....

Its only 8.36am and here I am writing another blog post!  I have lots to do this morning as I had a 'day off' yesterday to help my lovely husband with a trade show at our local Fair - Canwell Show.  The weather was gorgeous (as shown by my slightly burned head and strap marks!!) and all the kids loved having a seat on the quad bikes and their parents were snapping away with their cameras!!  We had to put signs up eventually saying 'No sitting on the Quad Bikes' as thats not what they were there for!! (My husband sells the quad bikes and tractor window protection www.tractorguard.co.uk - blatant plug!!) I would have plenty of photos to show you as I took my camera - but made the epic mistake of forgetting to take the battery off charge and putting it back in the camera!! NOoooooo!!!! Silly silly me!!


In other news I have made some beautiful linen and scarlet bunting for a company Called 'Charlie Locks Skincare'  I have known the owner Julie for ages from Twitter and was thrilled when she showed me the photos of the bunting in its place - apologies for the screen shot from my phone - but my iphoto editing is not playing ball this morning!!


I saw this fantastic rainbow on my way home from my studio one night - gorgeous!!!
I work in a basement studio which has no windows!!  So seeing the light of day again and this beautiful rainbow made my day!!




During last week me and the husband were talking about films we hadn't seen and I hadn't seen the original Star Wars!! Husband was horrified by this and so i brought the box set of episode 4-6 and ew watched one a night whilst drinking lovely cups of tea with biscuits or eating a lovely beef stew I made (beef stew - in August!! - Crazy!! ) But the weather has been so crazy it was nice to have something homely :)  I must write the recipe down and post it on here for you!!! 


This is a bit of what I have been doing in my studio - as I'm working on a homewares contract at the moment I can't show you any of the beautiful fabric I'm working with by I can show you the sheer scale of the job - Below is 60 tea cosy lining halves.  All ready to be sewn up into 30 tea cosies!!
Its going very well at the moment and its nice to be busy again!! 


As I'm not working from home anymore I don't get to give my cat Mr Jack as many snuggles as I used to!! 



But he's happy curling up on the quilt I made him.  We have another cat now called Gucci and I need to make her a quilt too.  I have some Moda Sunkissed fabric Jelly Roll (strips)


 but I'm not sure I can bring myself to use it on the cat quilt!! lol :)

This week will be full of sewing for the homewares company and this Sunday me and my husband are off to the Cornwall Design Fair and Shepton Mallet Show.  Its going to be a long day as its 300 miles to Penzance for the Cornwall Design Fair but I may have a stand there next year so its worth checking out and we are popping to the Shepton Mallet show in Devon on the way home!!

Hopefully this time I'll remember to put the battery in my camera!!!

xxxxxxxxxx




Sunday 22 July 2012

Sunday's Post

I've been a bit of a bad blogger so I've decided to try and do a Sunday Post every couple of weeks!!

For my last two weeks at The Mall in Sutton Coldfield I started selling my new baby ranges - they were very well received!!  I finished on my stall 15th June and the next day we went on our holidays to Cornwall to celebrate our 1st wedding anniversary. (I'll be showing you some lovely pics of Cornwall in my next post).  When I got back I had lots of orders for baby items:


Boy bunting - This one says JASON which is my younger brothers name :)


Girl bunting - I love the name ERIN !!


Fab new whales fabric for baby bibs!


Girl Butterfly cushion


Boy Elephant cushion

I've had a request for a giraffe boy cushion which should be fun to do!!

I've also been working with a company sewing up some home accessories for them - I can't say who its for or even show you the beautiful fabrics - but rest assured they are gorgeous and I will definitely be purchasing some for my flat!!

For now I'm busy sketching out Christmas ideas as I am going to be taking a stand at the Country Living Christmas Fair in Harrogate from 29th Nov - 2nd Dec.  I will be introducing LOTS of new items at this show and will post the pics around September so you can get your orders in early!!  lol :)

Now I'm going to get back to my lazy Sunday morning - watching Ice Road Truckers with my husband, eating sausage and egg sandwiches with fruity sauce and drinking copious amounts of sweet, milky tea :)  

xxxx



Sunday 27 May 2012

Mini update

Mostly I've been on my stall in The Mall Sutton Coldfield as part of my regional Retail Factor Win.
Really loving it so far!!!!




This is just one side of my stall.

I've got some lovely items by other crafters too:




Sock monkeys by Cuddles For Jossie.




The most beautiful jewellery by Handmade By Lena.







Beautiful cards and jubilee limited edition framed prints by Rachel K Design




And the cutest little worry bears by Susan Shamel :)

That's all for now folks!

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Last word from Jack :
Nite nite :)



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Thursday 19 April 2012

The power of three

Do you ever have that thing - where things either good or bad come in threes?

Well I've have a bit of that lately - all good though!!

I really can't stop smiling!!  I must explain:

1) After finishing my two weeks at The Mall for the Retail Factor Competition I applied for BCTF (British Craft Trade Fair) and got accepted!! This was my first trade fair and I was so nervous!!  Me and my husband travelled to Harrogate on Saturday morning and got all set up ready for the show to start at 10am on Sunday and finish 5pm on Tuesday.  It was a great show - it was so nice to see peoples work I had admired from afar and chat to the lovely people.
These are my stand pictures - Including my lovely new dresser :)




I used picture frames and my lovely husband spray painted them for me :)



I had a lovely time at BCTF. My favourite stands were 
Jorja Wilkinson Designs - gorgeous quirky lampshades and cushions
Amanda Mercer - fantastic ceramics
Bagladee - the most beautiful bags!!

I received my first order too and I'm really happy!!  



2) I was shopping for new smart clothes for the trade fair last Wednesday when I received a phone call from The Mall asking if I was busy and did I want to be busier as I had won the Retail Factor!!!  OMG!!!
I had to stop myself from squealing at the top of my voice and jumping up and down!! LOL :)
I am soooooo grateful to all who voted for me. Thank you so so much!! I start trading tomorrow (eek) for 2 months finishing on 15/16th June when I (finally) get to rest and go on holiday with my husband to celebrate our 1st wedding anniversary in Cornwall.
 I visited my stall today to have my picture taken for the local paper and couldn't believe that I had my very own sign!!  I have been moved into a better position opposite Marks and Spencer too.  (This also helps by keeping me away from Laura Ashley and her half priced linen!!)

3) I have just been accepted as a trader for future Country Living Fairs!! I will have to see if the stall goes well so that I can afford it (fingers crossed!!) and I will let you know more details!! :)

Only thing I'm worrying about now is 3 bad things coming to even it all up :(  I hope not!!!!







Sunday 25 March 2012

Back in the swing of things!!

I'm totally back in the swing of things after my two weeks at The Mall!!

I've got loads of idea for new things and I've finally been able to start on some of them.

This time its tea cosies and egg cosies.

All waiting to be free hand embroidered :)

These will be the Mr & Mrs 'wedding' egg cosies


 New Tea Cosies:

Beach huts (WIP)

Cupcakes
(baby cupcake, mommy cupcake and daddy cupcake!)



 Huge mug of tea!



 These beautiful red tea and tea pot really stand out on the vintage tea stained fabric.

And my best seller - Vintage Stacked Tea cups


Chick chick chicken!! In lovely Liberty :)


Another best seller:
Loving the red :)



I think theres about 15 or so to be made up. 

Another thing I've done this week is take a little trip to the NEC for the Sewing for Pleasure and Hobby craft event.  
I knew exactly what I needed to buy and tried to stick to it as I still have some of the fabrics left after I went a bit mental and brought loads last year!

These dotty and plain are my main fabrics so lots of these brought in my fave colours (all from Dohertys) :) Still missing a light blue though - and I want them all in stripes too now!!!

Some beautiful greys, whites and neutrals
From top: 
Clarke and Clarke Grey strip
Clarke and Clarke grey dotty
100% white linen
wool/cashmere/mink mix fabric (soooo soft)
50/50 cotton/linen mix neutral 

I also picked up a few cheeky extras like these 1/2 mtrs from Eternal Maker to match the grey stripes and dots (I'm thinking beach huts)
And it wouldn't be right to come away without any colour!!!
These are for my iPhone and gadget cases
LOVE these colours!!

I tend to stick to quite neutral colours but I am delving into colours thanks to my friend Emma at Sew Sweet - If you check out her website you will see loads of beautiful colours ! 
I'm off over there now to place an order for some lush wool felt roses, polka dot ribbon and dotty buttons  for my summer collections :)

See you!!