I really suck at blogging.

Apologies, avid readers, for my once again unavoidable delay in filling you in on the trivial goings on in my craft life.

You know those times when life just seems to get on top of you? Yeah, I was feeling like that, and then the world decided to give me even more to deal with. On the plus side I'm now not poorly! But I do have a very important meeting tomorrow and it's half 4 and I can't sleep because of muscle spasms in my back. I have a feeling it's not going to go brilliantly.

Due to a miscommunication somewhere along the line I now don't have a craft stall on Saturday as I had originally thought. That's probably a good thing because I've been so busy I've barely had time for naps. And I love naps.

I've been having issues with funding for support services which I won't go into too much detail about but it's been stressing me out too much to even want to make things, which is a very rare occurrence but I did manage with some moral support to make a load of "Breakfast Pockets" thanks to a tip off from a friend. And then I made some gingerbread because gingerbread is awesome.

I managed this evening to do a big batch of water marbling so expect (not soon) some new earrings to be available! I'm particularly excited about some Saturn shaped charms.

I also had a late night craft moment last week. I was on some steroids for my really nasty cough and decided to dye my bathroom floor, as you do. I think the steroids were making me feel a little strange. Anyway, I was pretty pleased with the result and here it is with my brand new, eye-wateringly orange chair:

I've also played around a bit more with my 3doodler, making a festive rudolph!

And I've been wasting a lot of time playing with these addictive little magnets.

One very exciting thing that has happened this week is that my ever wonderful father has finished making one of my new desks, and here it is, in situ. It's a great height to work at in either my new chair, or, as pictured, my wheelchair. This means lots of options for reducing joint pain which makes me a very happy Colourful Crafter!

 It slides away! How neat is that!?

Anyway, I think that's probably everything even vaguely interesting.

If I don't get round to writing again beforehand, I hope you all have a very merry Christmas if you're celebrating it, a fantastic yule if that's your thing, a happy winterval if you're from Birmingham City Council, and a great festive season and new year, celebrating or not.

Janet

P.S.

Mau posed under my Christmas tree all by himself. I know I'm biased, but he is pretty.

My first craft fair is DONE

Hello there, internet dwellers.

It's done. It's over. I did it. 

With my beautiful assistant, Corrie, I have done my first craft fair! 

Suitably colourful I think!

What's more, I broke even, and I think I was the only person there to do so. Sadly, not many people came. Probably because it was half term and the weather was poor, less people came than otherwise, and also it was the first craft fair there so I think they were all factors to the poor turnout. I sold two pairs of earrings, one to my dear mummy and one to my friend Lubna, and a phone case to my sister in law. I did a henna tattoo on a small child, one on a fellow stall holder, one on Corrie and one on me.

Overall it was a really positive experience, if a little disappointing in terms of turn out. It made me realise how much I like doing this! It's been a stressful week, but I love making things, and I love other people liking the things I've made, and if they want to buy them, that's even better! I also love doing henna on people. I think I'm getting better at thinking on the spot about designs, as shown by the last picture. A heart is not something I would usually do, but I think that turned out really well, and I'm also impressed with how dark this henna is. I've put the remaining cones in the freezer to preserve them as the colour is awesome. I think I'll definitely be buying from that supplier again.

When I got home last night, I sent a few emails about other craft fairs and I've got a table (subject to me completing the form!) at a shopping and pampering evening in Kenton on the 8th of December. The stall cost is £25, but I'm fairly confident I can make that back. I'm going to be offering henna, a small amount of jewellery and t-shirts. I'm going to do some more hand painted ones for that event as I imagine it will be people looking for slightly more luxurious products than my printed t-shirts, not that they aren't nice, but they're better for a different audience I think. Slightly longer to prepare for this one anyway :D

My back has been rather angry with me today for the abuse that it has suffered this week, so another thing I have learnt is that I really need to give myself more time to do things, and not take tables at craft fairs with a weeks notice, however much I want to do it!

I think I'm going to spend the next few days asleep (subject to the forecasted storm noise!), and then I'm seeing my lovely family and helping my cousin make a Victorian costume. I think she's going to be a chimney sweep/beggar child! Also hoping I get to take her trick-or-treat-ing! 

Hope you've all had a lovely weekend.

Until next time...

Janet

P. S. Corrie took this lovely picture of Mau!