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!!

The Retail Factor

A month ago I went to see a friend who had rented a stall for the weekend to sell her cupcakes (the most yummiest cupcakes in the world) in our local shopping centre The Mall Sutton Coldfield.

She told me about this competition that she had entered called The Retail Factor. Where small businesses fill in an application and The Mall choose 3 finalists who each get 2 weeks to sell their wares to the shoppers in The Mall and the winner gets 2 months free trading on a stall and £500 towards stock!
  She told me I should enter as applications closed on the Sunday (the next day!).  So I did, on a complete whim and thinking the whole time "no way will I be chosen!".  I then went away for a few days with my husband (another boring Tractor Show!) and was extremely surprised to get an email on Wednesday to say I had made the cut!! WOOHOO!! I texted my cake friend straight away and was so happy to hear she had made the cut too!

Then things got a little stressful!  The Retail Factor gives each of the finalists 2 weeks on a stall to show shoppers their items and make some sales.  I was up first!! And I really didn't have much stock made!! Cue a huge fabric shopping trip and 10 days of 12 hr days making later.....

10 oven gloves

10 doorstops

20 draught excluders

20 aprons

9 make up bags

and many many more!!

 And I was ready!!  So On 27th Feb I started my 2 weeks.

This was my stall:

 This is my new gorgeous apron mannequin: 

Topped off with a cute little shower cap!!

 The official sign!!

I had an amazing two weeks  - so many people with such wonderful friendly smiles and beautiful comments.  Thank you all.  

It was hard at times. I was unused to spending 9am -5.30pm at work (something I hadn't done for 18 months) and missed my home comforts and my sewing machine!

But I had my favourite cup and a flask of tea to make it a little easier (and warmer!!)

I was extremely suprised when the local paper (after doing an initial write up on all the finalists) did what I was told would be a small follow up in the Sutton Coldfield Observer and came out with this.

I was soooooo happy. Its such a beautiful piece!!  

PS: Yes, that is me - the face behind the name! lol ;)

My two weeks ended on 10th March, to which I packed up my items and went and chained myself to my sewing machine to make all the orders I had in time to get them out before mothers day.  Lots of dotty draught excluders, doorstops and aprons will be winging their way to mothers all over Sutton Coldfield!

Including this lovely tea cosy:

and these super cute aprons for a set of twins:

Next up for the two weeks is Mehndi arts 

followed by my friend Maria with I love the Cake

Then the winner will be announced!!

The 2 months start on 16th April - 16th June

I will let you know!!!!

There will also be an overall winner as the competition is taking place at all The Mall's throughout the UK. This winner will get a weeks all expenses paid business course at Oxford University!! 

But for now I am busy getting ready for BCTF

A trade fair in Harrogate in mid April, my first trade fair!

So lots of planning of my stall and getting my wholesale prices ready. 

Very nervous, but there will be lots of other crafters there that I have spoken to via Twitter and Facebook, that have been soooo helpful!!!!

Thank you guys!

Kindle Case Winner!!

Congratulations to:

Richard Healey With his comment:

I have seen so many of theses cases being made and have yet to make me one. So I guess entering to win one is only fair.

http://richardquilts.blogspot.com
http://trackmyshows.blogspot.com

Richard wins the Kindle case!!

Please email me (info@yourhandmadehome.co.uk)your address Richard and I will post it out to you.

CONGRATS!!

Next post will be up this afternoon. as it might be a bit of a long one... xxx

Giveaway - Fat Quarterly Kindle Case

Hi guys - I've been super super busy - so first off apologies for not posting sooner!!

I was asked by the lovely Katy at Fat Quarterly to take part in the Quilt Block Challenge and got to play with these lovely fabrics!!

Nice and bright - not something I'm actually used to using being a floral vintage girl!! 

But I had an idea and went with it!!

This is the result:

A fab Kindle case!! With a quilted bright beautiful pocket at the front.

Do you like it????

Fancy making your own? Then head over to the tutorial on Fat Quarterly's blog here

Or........Fancy winning one???

YEAH??!

Thought you might!!

To enter please leave a comment below.

Simples!!

I'll be drawing the winner this time next week.

Good Luck!

PS: I'll be back soon with an explanation of why I have been MIA!!