Mad Hatters Tea Party!

Hello lovelies....hope you are all well!? We have had the most glorious few weeks of sunshine here in Cornwall...such a rare treat! It's been super baking hot but I've been hiding out in the shade and trying to do as little as possible! (not so easy with two little kids!!)

I had a stall with two fellow crafters at the Cowslip Studio Mad Hatters Tea Party Craft fair yesterday. I met so many fabulous artists and crafters and hopefully there will be some interesting collaborations to follow! This was the somewhat unusual hat I made!

Needless to say it drew quite a bit of attention.

The latest venture is a stall sharing crafty cooperative with two friends of mine, artist Chloe from Woolly Soup and  Ceramicist Sue Newell. We are collectively called 'Fox & Finch' and we are hoping to run a few stalls together. Unfortunately the sales yesterday were really poor, I'm not entirely sure why, but we had a fab day anyway!
Here are some snaps of our stall...

brooches by me..vases by Sue Newell

Our vintage case display

Pinch vases by Sue Newell

Bird Folk Dolls by Woolly Soup

I was also lucky enough to meet up with the lovely Kirsty Elson, Teresa of Willapark Designs, Emma Stead, Sian of Lancaster & Cornish to name but a few...so many wonderful stalls!
I was coveting this beautiful little cottage by Kirsty Elson...her little creations are just dreamy..

and I just LOVE the work of mixed media artist Teresa Dunne

 and finally I must mention the lovely folk at The Flower Mill, they kindly let me snap a few shots of my butterfly brooch in their gorgeous flowers! He looked so at home amongst them!

Phew...sorry for the photograph overload! There was just so much to see and I wanted to share it with you all! :)

Well, I'd better be off...got more nests to build! and butterfly wings to sew! (and tea to drink ...and rubbish tv to watch...ahem...and biscuit tins to raid)

Take care my lovelies xxxx

Love Dotty

I bought a house

hehe...a very small house! It is a very dinky little 2 bedroom cottage, about 30cm tall!!
I think I regressed back to being a little girl when I spied it. It is rather shabby inside and needs some renovations...but nothing a bit of paint and paper cant fix! As soon as I saw it I could imagine little birds living in it! I must get making some super small little birdies to live there.  I thought it would make a good prop for using on my stall when I'm at craft fairs but after getting it home realised that I don't actually have anything  small enough to fit in it!  So now i must make things to match my prop!

I do buy the most random things...I really can't be trusted in charity shops..I banned myself for a while last year but he lure of other peoples trash is too much...I cannot resist their shabby charm!

Ah well, I'm sure I will find some purpose for it!

Have you had any bargain buys lately...do you feel the draw of the charity shop...carboot sale too?

Take care my lovelies,

Dotty xxx

B B B Birds and Bellydancing!

Hello there, it's been so long ... :(

I've been absent from the blogging world and facebook for a while as we have been dealing with the illness after illness in this house. I was the last one to come down with the dreaded death cold...or ultimate man flu as I called it when Mr Dotty had it, only to realise now that it is very horrid indeed. I now feel a bit like a half dead cat that should be put out of its misery..I'm deaf in one ear, have sinitus and am generally pretty run down.

Anyways..so sorry for that grotty update..I have however been working away finishing off the odd project and tinkering with new ones. I just saw that it was the Faith Hope and Charity Shopping Tah Dah Tuesday link up and it prompted me to get posting again. So here is my little offering...

It's a blackbird which I am swapping with crafty and talented paper cut artist Kirsty M for one of her fabulous papercuts. I'm also making a foxy brooch for her but its not quite finished yet! The bird is adapted from a pattern by Abigail Glassenberg's book The Artful Bird. I do not sell them as they are not my original patterns but I have made quite a few a presents. 

My other Tah Dah moment was a bellydancing performance with my little group at the Vital Spark Big Celebration, an local event celebrating creativity  through dance, music and the spoken word. I do love the belldancing bling! My alter ego definately comes out to play when I'm shimmying!

I do seem to pull the same stupid face every time a camera appears...what a chump!

Well, there you go..I'm off to cosy up and watch a trashy dvd....and sniff a little, complain of how cold it is and fish for sympathy!

Take care my lovelies

Love Dotty 

xxx

 

New Tricks!

I was shown by a very kind and most talented friend how to make a lampshade! I've wanted to learn how to do it for a while now as Id love to make one with fabric that I've embellished and embroidered. I'm thinking owls and trees and birds birds birds of course!

A lampshade....I made a lampshade! It is really quite sad how excited I am to have made something so "proper"...a real grown up thingamajig!!

Here is my first little offering...I am so very pleased with it (despite its many flaws...which are well hidden!). the fabric is quite a cheap one from Ikea but looks brilliant in its new role. I'm eager to get practicing and practicing some more until I get the hang of it. I need to make a few more for my house and my mama has asked me to make some for her house too..my first customer hoorah!

  I'm going to have a bash at making one with sunflowers like the one I embroidered on my Mum's curtain.

 and here is the "before" pic...poor dull lamp ..now so bright and fresh!

BEFORE

AFTER

Do any of you crafty bloggy folk make lamps...can anyone recommend a good (and cheap) place to place the fixings online? They seem quite pricey to make unless you buy in bulk.

Thanks for reading..I'm sure no one else is really that bothered about a lampshade but.. ha ha!.. I felt the overwhelming need to share my new tricks! 

Love Dotty

xxxx

and what on earth is going on with the weather...we are on a weather warning for snow again now??. 

It's dropped from 15 degrees to -1 in a couple of days... bbbrrrrrrr I'm so glad I've been slack with the gardening..I've no seedlings to worry about! :) 

Birds, Badgers, Beach huts ...and frogs!

I would firstly like to introduce to you Prince and Princess Froggy..these were lovingly and speedily sewn by me for my daughter for Christmas after she fell in love with a Froggy Prince I made for my Nan (read about him here) .  

 I do love making these little folk but I 'm quite new to doll aking and there are so many tricks I need to learn..they can be pretty fiddley to make!

and for no other reason than i'm being rather terrible and avoiding doing any work..I'd like to introduce to you a special pair of rooks, we fondly call George and Mildred...random yes I know..we are quite well acquainted as they nest in my chimney..somewhat unfortunately, as one day I would quite like to have reinstated it! 

and on the sewing front I've been squirelling away doodling some new designs for badger, squirrel and hedgehog door name hangers. I will be trying out the new designs tomorrow! My daughter, Little M was joining in and stenciling deer...maybe I should try a deer too!?

and the final B is for beach huts...these lights are sooo sweet and lovely and I'm especially pleased as I won them in a giveaway with the fabulous lighting company Essential Decoration did a giveaway on their new facebook page.  Please go and check out all their gorgeous lighting....they have some Morroccan style light that I'm a little too in love with...I may have to treat myself rather soon!! .

well...thanks for bearing with me..a slightly rambling and dotty post as per usual! I do so love to hear your feedback..I'm a lonesome cyber nerd a little too much in these cold months whilst my partner seems to be continuously marking books and writing lesson plans etc etc...Being an English and Media Studies teacher seems to make for A LOT of wordy things to mark.

oh and one last thing...I promise...if you are still there...? Please do enter the giveaway on my facebook page.  If yo are not on facebook then keep your eyes peeled for there wil be a giveaway starting this week!!

well well...that was supposed to be a little post...whoops...goodbye folks and thanks for stopping by xxxx

Love Lisa...the DoTTy OnE

Inspired..52 lists...Week 1

Hello there,
I am not usually a list making type of girl...but I thought I'd try something a little different. I'm going to join in with Moorea Seal who is running a little project called 52 lists..there will be a different theme prompt every week. I just feel like I need a little something new to inspire me, I'm feeling a bit bogged down in my messy chaotic mind...so many things I'd like to do...where oh where to start!?? (at the beginning of course I hear you say!!) 

So the inspiration for today's list was simply 'list the words that touch your soul'. I wrote my list whilst snuggled in bed next to my poor sick little girl, who is now sleeping again. It is so eerily quiet in the house, I miss her constant chattering...even though it drives me crazy too!

So here goes...

 My words...most of which popped into my brain instantly were:

nurture
create
dream
freedom
dance
flowing
kindred
family
mother
earth
liberation
fly
love
innocence
beauty
discover
heal
courage
serene
fleeting
remember
patience
peace
grow
feel
release

Its quite an interesting exercise and quite telling about my state of mind and where I am in my life. I'm going to find myself a nice book or maybe decorate an old one to keep m lists in. I realise this is a bit of a different sort of post to the norm..but I hope you can find inspiration in it too.

it's back to raining again today but I took this lovely shot early yesterday morning..so peaceful. Those two little Jackdaws are always together, they all sit in pairs in the tree. I think these are the pair that nest in my chimney.

Take care

Love Dotty 

xxx

and another thing....Jenny Blair (the artist formally known as Love & Peas ..ha!) has forwarded me the link to her fab tutorial on how to make your own note book...please take a peek, they are most lovely indeed! The tutorial is here. I will definately have a go..hopefully it will be finished before the end of the year to store all my inspiring lists!. x

Out with the old....in with the new!

I've got that new years buzz today...wondering what the next year will bring...so many questions...so many possibilities!
....will my children eventually learn to play together without it ending in a brawl?
....will I ever sort out/ebay/carboot the growing pile of stuff that is beginning to take over my craft room?
...will there be some snow....? pleeeeease I have a sledge at the ready but we've not even had a frost yet!

 The first mission this year is to get some chickens. My parents have moved in next door so between us we should be able to care for them, I keep being told how easy they are to care for but as I have never owned a pet I'm a little nervous! Any advice on which breeds to choose would be most welcome. We are looking for interesting eggs and funny feathers rather than prolific layers (daft I know!).

Anyways, gotta go dig the garden now! Hope that your new year is off to a good start too...what are your missions and plans  for the year??! x

Take Care, 

Love Dotty 

xxx

I didn't have a pic of a chick...so a  Flamingo will have to do!!

Winter Greetings

Hello there!

I'm starting to freak out...just a little..because I am so completely unprepared for Christmas. I've been so preoccupied making things for other folk that my crafting for family and friends has not even begun yet! I can feel a bit of a last minute frenzy of creating coming on! Fortunately I  am quite well adapted to last minute panic driven work as it's always been my style! 

Talking of making things for other folk, here are some of this weeks goodies that have gone to new homes!

a little dotty brooch

and I had another delivery of lovely felt , ribbons and buttons from paper and string and recieved my free crafting kit (for loyal customers..I am most loyal as I think she really does make an effort to package everything so well and its lovely quailty). ...and no I'm not being paid to say that!

I've been making and **selling** more of my nests. I'm still so super happy that other folk seem to love them as much as I do! So I can keep on making them! yey!

 and I'm starting to feel a tad chiily so I'm off for a drop of mulled wine and some choccies..yum!

Take care and well wishes you to in this magical season

Love Dotty

xxxx

Everything must go....!

A bit of a longshot but I thought I'd post a few pics of the things I have left after the last craft fair. I haven't had much luck finding a pitch at another fair before Christmas so thought I'd put my offerings on the web! I will get round to updating the etsy shop but that might take me a little longer!

If there is anything you are interested in, please message me through the comments or on my email: littledottybird@hotmail.co.uk

thankyou x

there are 7 left, yellow, red poka dot or floral wings £14 +p&p

Add caption

Dragonfly brooches and Butterfly brooches or hairclips are £7.50 + p&p
Hearts and Mushrooms are £4.50 + p&p
Birdhouse hairclip holders are £6.50 + p&p 

 I have a few nest hairpins and clips but I can make more if you would like a brooch!?
They vary between £8 and £12 depending on size.

 some shark fins.. they fit ages 3 - 7 approx The waistband is elastic so they do stretch qute a bit!.
£7 + p&p

and I have plenty of fox tail and ear sets (£12 +p&p)
leopards tails and ears, Dalmations tails & ears, cat tails & ears and wolf tails and ears. I also made some gold crowns to go with the wolf tails so they an be like Max from "Where the Wild Things Are". The crown, ears and tails are £15 +p&p as a set.

There is also the option of adding a little rose bud bow to the ears. I can gift wrap with a box, ribbon, and tissue paper for £2 extra.

I can combine p&p and accept paypal / bank transfer. Thanks for looking.If you want any further photos please message me. 

and check out these amazing Starlings, they were flying about like crazy early this morning at Sunrise. Gorgeous little things!

I'll be away until Sunday night so I may not be able to message back straight away although I will try to check whilst I'm away!

Take care

  Love from the Dotty one

xxx

an oh so brief update...

In between some minor flooding in the hallways, making christmas puds and looking after the kids whilst Mr Dotty is away with work I've managed to finish the butterflies, nests, tails, owls....

Here'ss a little peek of some of the finished goodies.

I'm really pleased with the boxes as packaging for the mini nest brooches and pins. They are made from 100% recycled fibres from post cosumer waste and industrial waste. The company is called Tiny Box Company. I have hand stamped them with a little nest and a bird. I have larger versions of the same box to put the tails in..pics to follow!

Well, must run. The first craft fair is tomorrow! I'm both excited and nervous to see what folk make of my ecclectic handmade wares!

I will be putting some in my Etsy shop soon but if there is anything you are interested in please email me! littledottybird@hotmail.co.uk.

Take Care

Love Dotty

xxx