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

A busy busy Springtime!

Hello there my lovely blogging buddies...how are you on this fine Spring day? I'm feeling mighty fine, albeit exhausted after looking after crazy kids single handed seeing as Mr Dotty chose the Bank Holiday weekend to be ill..waah! Poor Mr Dotty...I am so bad at giving sympathy!

I have been feeling very inspired lately, not sure if it's the Spring time vibe but ideas are emerging at quite a rate..but, alas,  I have so very little time to make them real!

But first...i must show you the most lovely little transistor radio I found at a carboot on Saturday. It cost all of 50p and I thought it would make a fab prop on my stall at craft fairs. I was even more happy to find out that it actually works and I now have to it tuned to a fabulous French radio station. ♥ I love it! ♥

and now on to some of my makes since the last post...

I was asked to make a tea cosy by my sons teacher. It is the first one I've made and I'm rather pleased! I think it may the first of many. I must make myself one next!

next..I was asked to make an owl cushion by a friend... meet Miss Hoot!

and I'm making a window panel for another friend..

and a crocodile tail for a little birthday boy! (a last minute pressie!)

and a card for my father in law...

and finally a new little project I'm working on!!

and LOTS of washing fabric while the sun is out

phew...

I am starting to panic a little though because I've booked in for quite a few craft fairs over the Summer and I really need to get making some stock. I just can't stop myself from taking on random orders though!

Well I hope you have had a lovely sunny bank holiday weekend too! Do let me know what you are up to...are you feeling inspired too?

Take care 

Love Dotty

xxx

***A GIVEAWAY***FOR YOU***

Just to spread a little LOVE around the bloggersphere I'm hosting a little giveaway for one of my handmade dotty heart brooches. I am indeed very dotty about dots and this dinky brooch has red polka dots fabric and a tiny little blue dotty button!

To enter all you need to do is to follow this little dotty blog and leave me a message to say you'd like to enter .....if you are already a fellow blogger buddy then fab..just leave me a message to let me know you want to join in!

If you would like a few chances of winning then you can also share the picture above on pinterest/ flickr/ facebook (my facebook page is www.facebook.com/littledottybirddesigns and there is a post to share there)or give me a mention on your own blog...and for each way you share the love...I'll give you an extra chance. All names will go into a hat to be drawn on Monday 4th February at 7pm.

So just let me know if you want to join in and if you've shared...well I think that's it!!?? oh and its open to folk all around the globe!

on a random note..this is the little cafetiere cosy I made for the Mr. It's the first time I've made one and I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. The writing scrawled across it reads "Owl always Love You"...I'm a sucker for a pun!

I am in love with a book called "Findings" by Kathleen Jamie, it is so beautifully written and I'm now scheming and dreaming about visiting Scotland again, especially the Orkney Islands...I would love to go there!. Thank you to my lovely friend for introducing me to her work. x

on a final note...the winner for the facebook giveaway, which was pulled from a hat by my trusty assistant little M,  turned out to be MJ from Wander Wonder Discover blog who I have followed for a few years now and happen to think is very lovely indeed! So a little heart is winging it's way to the USA..how exciting!

Well, that is all folks!!

I hope you are well, warm and happy

Love Dotty xx

(If you would like to buy a little dotty brooch of your own..they are for sale in my ETSY SHOP too.)

Hip Hip Happy Hippy

Hello there my lovelies!

I just wanted to say a quick but VERY BIG THANK YOU!!! 

Thank you for taking the time to read my ramblings!

Thank you for every kind word of encouragement...and even those who don't leave words...thank you for looking x

and Thank you for buying my hand made Dotty wares! 

and I can't go without mentioning one of the best things I've ever made....my little terror child Mr J who is 4 today! Happy Birthday crazy boy xxxxx 

and some portraits taken today by little Miss M (6yrs)

 Lots of Love to you all

Lisa

the Dotty one 

xxx

Happy Solstice!

Hoorah hoorah indeed! We have reached the Winter Solstice and at last the days will begin to grow a little longer.  Spring is on the way...honest!

"No matter how long the Winter...Spring is sure to follow"

 

 My lights are up and wreaths have been made (better late than never ay!?)

Also busy pickling pears, making chutney, piccailli and fudge...

and fitting in some rather manic sewing in an attempt to finish all the presents before Christmas...only 3 days to go!

I'm making a Froggy Prince and Princess for Little Miss M..she loved this little prince that I made for my Nan back in June. 

Monsieur Grenouille

Frog Prince production line!

New makes...

I was asked by a lovely friend to make a little something and this little chap is the end result.

He is a door hanger/wall hanger/tree decoration...or where ever you like really! I will be personalising him with a name across the banner he is holding in his mits (but shhh it's a secret so I've left it blank here!)

I was also asked for a more boyish door name hanger and came up with this retro rocket...

and finally I've made this wee owly for my sons Montessori nursery...and I'm making another for his other village preschool!

I thought he would look rather sweet hanging on the entrance door, looking down on all the little ones.

Well I'm off for a well deserved cuppa. 

Take Care and **Thankyou** for all your lovely feedback , it means a lot to me!

xxx

(and I thought I'd add a splash of colour and cheer to my blog so I've gone all yellow!! What do you think?)

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