I had a lovely, unexpected surprise in the post today when I arrived home from work. A brown envelope was waiting for me which could have contained anything from a bill to some random advertising thing. However, it wasn’t anything as dull as that. It was a lovely treat… £25 of Hobbycraft vouchers!  Whoop Whoop!

The last time I was in my nearest store in Stockport it had had a facelift and they were having a draw to win gift vouchers to celebrate.  I duly filled in my details and forgot all about it.  You see, I never win anything!  I can’t say that any more can I!!

I’ve spent plenty money in Hobbycraft and other craft shops over the years so it’s great to get a bit of it back.  I think I may use my winnings to buy some lovely Amy Butler for Rowanyarn.  Last week I treated myself to 3 balls and haven’t decided what to do with them yet.  I might just pop back for some more and get enough to make myself a bag.  Yes, that sounds like a plan!

My next craft fair fast approaches (27th March, Horse and Jockey, Chorlton) so I’m busy making and doing.  I’ve a few new things on the go so needed to get a few bits and pieces in.

Firstly I needed some 5 inch zips.  Right now I don’t need 80 of them so I really can’t explain why I bought 80 of them, particularly when they were available in batches of 10!  But 80 I bought so if you ever hear me mention a need for zips, draw my attention to this post.

I’ve been working on some new little projects for the craft fair that required the little zips and I’m really pleased with the few I’ve made so far. 

The other thing I’ve stocked up on is a big bag of lavender.  I’ve been meaning to get some for a while but whenever I saw any in shops if was really expensive for a tiny amount. 

A quick search online found Daisy Shop which had all different quantities and types of lavender available.  I didn’t go as mad as I did with the zips, but got enough to fill a big old coffee  jar for the price others were charging for enough to fill a spice jar.  I’m planning to make some little hanging lavender filled hearts and will write about them as soon as I have something to show you. 

The parcel the lavender came in smelled great as soon as it popped through the letter box.  I hope the Royal Mail enjoyed the scent as it was winging its way to me!

I got THE cutest note cards on a recent visit to a garden centre with my mum and dad.  Cute tin, cute crochet and cute stationery!

The cards don’t have patterns for each of the cuties, but they each have their story on the back:

‘Bella, Morella and Fin are bees who love to perform.  They have just started their own singing trio, the Bee Flats.  They’ve already lined up their first concert at a local nightclub, The Hive.  The word on the street is that the night is set to be buzzing!’

Wouldn’t the chick make the cutest Easter card?

Although leaving the house was the last thing I felt like doing yesterday I had set my heart on going to Knutsford, and going to Knutsford we did. 

My main purpose was to go to Fibre and Clay as I wanted to get some lovely yarn to crochet something for myself.  I’m right in the middle of baby projects at the moment and looking forward to using some luxury yarns and vibrant colours just for me.

As usual Riana and her team were really helpful and remembered me from their crochet course last August!  I had to admit to having not touched knitting since then, in favour of crochet.

I didn’t go tooooo mad but I did buy a few lovely things.  I chose a book which I had been looking at online a few days earlier which didn’t really appeal until I was able to flick through it.  Loop Vintage Crochet by Susan Cropper contains 30 patterns for garments, accessories and the home.

Fibre and Clay stocks a great range of yarns and had quite a few in the sale – and it turned out all the ones I chose were reduced!

I got 7 balls of Louisa Harding’s Flotsam in a gorgeous pink to crochet a wrap from the Vintage Crochet book, 2 of Miraso Hancho, a red and purple hand dyed merino, and 2 of Rowan 4 ply cotton in a rich aubergine plum shade.  I don’t yet know what to do with the Rowan Cotton, but it is in my mum’s favourite colour so I shall make something for her with that.

So this will be my next project – the ‘Ava’ wrap from Vintage Crochet:

We also went to Waterstones and I got 3 novels to get myself back into reading, as I have got out of the habit in the last month or so.  I also got some pretty little butterfly post-it type stickers, just because they were so gorgeous – and useful as little bookmarks and place markers when following patterns.  Caveman can’t leave a bookshop without a) buying more books and b) saying ‘I just don’t have enough time to read’!  He was true to form on this occasion, but I wouldn’t want him any other way!

All in all we had a rather lovely afternoon out, followed by dinner in Pizza Express and then home for an evening playing with yarn and books!  A perfect Saturday!

I’m embarrassed to say this post should have been written about a month ago!  But its been nonstop round here; craft fair, Christmas shopping, weekend in London and busy busy in the day job and I’m now stuck at home with a cold! 

So I thought what better time to write about the goodies I got in Yorkshire (all those weeks ago) while I’m sitting under a blanket with a cuppa.

I have two sets of loveliness to report.  I think I’ll start with tea.  I had been really excited about visiting Harrogate, not least because it is the home of Betty’s Cafe Tea Rooms!  Purely by coincidence (honest) we ended up parking just near Betty’s so headed there first.  As expected there was a long queue and everyone was saying there was up to a 45 minute wait.  It’s no secret that I love tea, but balanced with my hatred of queueing, I was not going to wait. We decided to have a look around Harrogate and return. 

After a good look around Harrogate, including trips to Duttons for Buttons and Cath Kidston (see below) we returned to find the queue just as long.  There was only one thing for it… pop into the bakery and take some goodies home.  Here are the things I got:

A lovely lemon cake, tomato and herb loaf, Betty’s Tea Room Blend tea and a cotton Betty’s bag to carry it all in.  Yum!

And then there was the Cath Kidstonshop.  I have never been in one of her dedicated shops before, only the section in Selfridges nearby at the Trafford Centre (which is virtually my local shops!).  I have never particularly thought of myself of a fan of Cath Kidston, but my heart did skip a happy beat when I saw all the colourful and flowery loveliness in the shop.  I just couldn’t resist.  I am ashamed to say I have yet to do anything with the lovely things I bought (back the the aforementioned busyness I guess).

So what did I get, well, a pretty little selection!

I got 2 pieces of gorgeous cotton print fabric (I had a really hard job choosing which ones as cotton print fabric is my favourite of favourites, especially little repeat prints), a set of matching tins, a little butterfly brooch and a little green glass salt and pepper pinch pot.

I plan to use the fabrics just for myself.  How selfish is that??!  I think I might crochet some cushion fronts and back them with these fabrics.

I must be getting into the Cath Kidston thing as I have since bought her Sew book too!  Not had the chance to make anything yet, but it comes with the pattern and fabric for the bag on the cover, so that seems like as good a place as any…

And tomorrow is my first ever craft fair!  I’m so excited I can hardly think about anything else, despite having lots going on in the day job and Christmas itself, and all the associated craziness, looming large.

I think I’m all ready to go.  Tonight I’ve been packing things up and decided to use the gorgeous paper bags I have bought for the occasion.  If you want to know what’s inside them you’ll just need to come along!  OK, so I guess you’re not all local, so I’ll post some pics after tomorrow night.

Here are some of my little parcels containing the goodies I have been working hard on in the past few weeks, as well as those I’ve had stashed away awaiting their first public appearance!

I’ve also been working on my display.  I have a pink torso display, pink and white spotty cake stand, red flat metal Christmas tree, glass sweetie jars and pretty glass dishes. I also have some pink battery operated fairy lights.  Colours are largely red, pink and white.   Sounds ghastly doesn’t it?!!  However, I am sure it will be just the right balance of Christmasy, girly pink and and pretty, sweetie yumminess!