Vintage Supplies: a new shop section

Another first for 2011, a new section in my Etsy store - Vintage Supplies.

I have been busily listing a gorgeous selection of vintage trims in my Etsy store, perfect for adding a unique twist to your next crafting project. Due to the fact these trims are vintage, they are limited edition. Once they are gone, I cannot source more - so if you see something you like - grab it quickly!

This is going to be a very image-heavy blog post! I think the trims speak for themselves, so I wont add too much description, except to say this is a selection of the warm colour trims in shades of citrus orange, crimson red and honey yellow. Next time I will blog about the blue and green trims.

You can see the full selection here

New for 2011

I have recently listed some lavender hearts and lavender owls in two new colourways.

The hearts are made with vintage fabric in shades of lemon yellow and cotton candy pink. They make great ecofriendly Valentine's day presents and they are also perfect as a wedding, bridesmaid or hostess gift.
vintage fabric hearts in lemon and cotton candy pink



Next up are some lavender sleepy owls in lilac and plum. I already make rabbits in this colour so decided to create some owls in the same vintage fabric. They are filled with chemical-free, French Lavender and non-allergenic stuffing. You can either place them on your pillow to help you float off to sleep. Or put in your wardrobe (they don't mind the dark!) to make your clothes smell nice.
Sleepy owl in lilac and plum

Sustainable Fishing

Channel 4 are currently running a season of programs to highlight the current problems with the way fish are caught off our coastline. I watched Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall's program the other night and it sent my blood pressure through the roof. It's a good job organisations like Channel 4 run programs such as these or I would never learn about the senseless waste of precious fish stocks.

Most people know that the seas are over fished and you assume that EU fish quotas are set up to help this situation. Apparently not. I cannot believe that nearly 50% of all fish caught in the north sea are thrown back dead. Fishermen are not allowed to land over-quota fish such as cod and haddock, so they have no choice but to throw them back. You can read more about the campaign here. You can also keep up to date with the campaign by following @hughsfishfight on Twitter.

If you are interested in joining the campaign to send a letter to to Commissioner Maria Damanaki, members of the Common Fisheries Policy Reform Group, and all MEPs, check out the Fish Fight website. Over 94,000 people have already signed up which is great news.

Channel 4 are also urging people to eat types of seafood that are traditionally less popular. They want to encourage people to eat more sustainable varieties and not turn to the usual suspects such as Cod, Salmon and Tuna. Find some inspiration here

It's ceratinly made me think about the fish I buy and I'm going to try out some of the recipes over the coming weeks.

2011 - the Chinese Year of the Rabbit

Goodbye 2010 and hello 2011 - the new year seems to have come round quicker than ever! Time seems to speed up when you become a parent, I can't believe how quickly the months pass these days...

2011 is the Chinese Year of the Rabbit, which is good news as I love bunnies! The year of the Rabbit is "traditionally associated with home and family, artistic pursuits, diplomacy, and keeping the peace."

So in that vein, I am following "artistic pursuits" by working on some batches of Lavender Rabbits, some are in fabrics previously seen in my etsy store and some are in brand new colours. I am also working on some new ideas for bags, can't say too much yet as I need to try out some prototypes first. I am also planning to launch a new vintage supplies section in my etsy store - I just need to find a parallel dimension where time is no object and I should hopefully bring all these ideas to life in 2011.

And in the spirit of "home and family" I want to try and help a local charity called Children's Hospice South West. I have wanted to create a charity listing for some time now and I am determined to make 2011 the year I bring this idea into fruition. Some months ago a good friend gave me this fantastic green vintage fabric.



So in the spirit of 'paying it forward', I am going to use the fabric donated to me gratis to make some Lavender Rabbits. A percentage of the sale price for each rabbit will be donated to Children's Hospice South West. The reason I have chosen this charity is because it provides invaluable support for families experiencing one of the most traumatic experiences any parent could face. Another deciding factor was I attended a funeral of a lady on New Year's eve who was a tireless fundraiser for this charity. I would like, in some small part, to try and continue the work she can no longer carry out.



So Happy New Year to all my blog readers and I hope 2011 brings you health and happiness!