Handmade loveliness!

Apart from the banter and the connections with like-minded people on Twitter, it is a great source for handmade shopping....if you're following who I follow that is!! 

The great thing about handmade items from little businesses is the flexibility with making. This week I really wanted a birthday card for my daughter. But I didn't want to just settle for any old card that looks remotely OK for her, oh no, I wanted giraffes AND for it to say 'Happy 7th Birthday' on the front! So where else could this happen but at Craftyguider! Louise happily made me a beautiful card, fit for an Isobel!! Not only has it been lovingly handmade but the profits go to Louise's local Guides group, so it helps me feel good about myself too! And before you think of moonpooh.com, this is far better quality and it has been made by a person, not a computer! 

I also bought one of Craftyguider's ready handmade cards for my cousin. It has a Sarah Kay stamp on the front which reminds me of a plate I once had as a child with a similar picture on the front! Very nostalgic!

I have been looking for a handbag recently, or maybe all the time but hey! But I wanted one that looks pretty to satisfy my prettiness craving, has a strap that goes over my head to assist the sensible mum side of me, is big enough to fit my A5 diary in to help the organised Uni side and small enough for me not to lose every damn thing I have in there! 

Louise from Craftyguider pointed me towards Nicola of Good Girl Designs who makes gorgeous handbags using fabric and washing line! 

My partner said he would buy me a bag as a gift which was very lovely of him, so I asked Nicola for a bag to be made to my measurements and I also chose the fabrics! 

Once my fabric arrived from USA, Nicola made no delay in starting my bag! It was great to get a tweet on a Saturday night when I was out at a friend's to say that my bag looks lovely already! I was so excited!

I received it in the post on Wednesday and I absolutely love it!!! It is the perfect size and the perfect colours! It also has lovely green lining, an inside pocket and a tag thing for attaching keys too! Very handy! Everything fits in perfectly, including all my 10 lip glosses in the inside pocket!! Because it is made by wrapping fabric round washing line, it is a really solid, sturdy bag that will be able to take a few years of wear, plus it is machine washable! It's a pretty damn good bag!

I also bought some new yarn! I have two commissions on the go, luckily they are both using the same yarn and also that it's my favourite yarn of the moment (still)! One of the commissions is for my mum, we are having our own craft swap....I am covering her two ikea chairs with crochet and fabric squares and she is knitting me a gorgeous lacy cardigan! Craft swaps really are a very good idea! I have joined in with the Popular Crafts heart craft swap this month and have been paired up with a lovely lady who makes ceramics! I cannot wait to make her something (which I am still thinking about) and also to see what she has made me too! It is encouraging me to think about making something new and different which is brilliant!

So now I have successfully procrastinated away half an hour, I had better get on with the Uni assignment I was supposed to be doing....ooh, hang on,  the Pinterest tab is calling me now! Byeeee!