It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

It feels like ages since I've updated my blog, but actually it's not been as long as I thought.  Amazing how time passes so quickly with birthdays and Christmas coming!  So it turned out not to be Chicken Pox... Or Whooping Cough... but just a horrendous cold that saw my little baby Samwel spend his 1st birthday in his bouncy chair, either sleeping, crying, coughing or being violently sick (7 times that day bless him!) What a way to spend your birthday :-(  At least he won't remember it!

Anyway in amongst the sickness and four birthdays we've had, I have actually managed to finish all my Christmas shopping! Woohoo! High fives all round... Now to the best bit wrapping! Managed to find a lot of fab pressies on top of others and can't wait for peeps to see them!

A brilliant find is Hambal and friends who I found on Facebook.  Fantastic crocheted little Hambals in all sorts of guises, but Christmas ones are especially cute (although if you into that sort of the the 50 shades of grey ones are just genius!).  I bought quite a few as they are perfect for teachers gifts I thought and something that little bit different!  I then shared their page on mine and my sister loved so much she bought her own!  I'm showing you her pic as it looks so fab!  Check out their Etsy shop for more examples, prices are approx £4-£4.50 per Hambal.

Next find was Kigu.co.uk who have brought the fantastic Kigurumi to Britain (and Europe) for the first time. Effectively they are Japanese animal fancy dress costumes, but with the introduction and popularity of 'onesies' they have become one of THE most popular 'onesies' going.  Worn by many a celebrity from Carla Delevigne to Lily Allen, and recently featured on This Morning.  I can't say exactly which ones I've bought as would give the game away, but can't wait to see peoples faces!  Also if no-one has got the hint by my Birthday (29th Dec) then I will ordering my own immediately from them!  With kids (especially cute) at £34.99 and adults at £39.99 they are certainly an affordable yet unique gift!

Lastly but definitely not least is a friend who makes all her own cards and has just experimented with candles!  We always do the School Christmas Fair and as we set up I saw these fab candles and bought 2 on the spot.  Great prices (under £10 for large pillar candle!) considering they are stamped (and that's a complicated process on a candle) and then hand coloured, for this beautiful result! Please check out her blog and pester her to continue with these candles as they are so gorgeous!

Anyway signing off now, probably for Christmas.  I have one confession to make in that I could not find a handmade Mario game for the 3DS that worked ;-), so unfortunately have had to deviate slightly from my plan on this one occasion   I hope you'll forgive as I've really had a great time finding some fab small businesses through all sorts of social media, making some great friends along the way and I hope you've enjoyed what I've found?!

In the New Year I will be back to concentrating on my own business, and be looking at all sorts to add to the collections as they stand at the moment.  I've found some fab suppliers for fabrics and would love to expand into bedding and soft furnishings from babies to kids.  But also want to look at other possibilities for my bespoke canvas collection and add some smaller more 'off the peg' canvases as well as other types of decor!  So follow to see my journey, warts and all along the way! LOL x

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Fay x

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Chicken Pox & 1st Birthday

Believe it or not I am still intending to write about my Christmas shopping adventure, despite the title. However as it says this is what I am up against, suspected Chicken Pox (and with the 2 eldest having never had this could be fun!) of baby Samuel and his 1st Birthday is on Wednesday! Such fun.

Anyway I'm at home waiting on my lovely mum to come round to sit with Samuel before I can go into work so thought I'd use the time to update you all on how I'm getting along.  Things have been pretty slow for Henry, Fred and Felicity however with several Fayres/Shopping Evenings coming up, I've been busy enough making stock for them so fingers crossed I do fairly well at these, as otherwise it's looking a little worrying at the moment.  Hopefully it's for the same reason as me, in that this Friday is payday and I'm skint till then!

Anyway in the meantime I haven't been able to do any actual shopping but it's given me the time to look for more ideas and finally write a proper list to make sure I get everyone's pressies and don't forget anyone!

Today's company i'm gonna mention is Baba and Tots, who are based in Cornwall.  These guys offer unusual clothing for kids at great prices, run by a mum of 3 who started the company only last year.  These Angry face joggers are a particular favourite, Age 2-6yrs only £8.50 plus £2,50 P&P.

and with 3 boys to buy for these will definitely be on the list!  Can't forget the girls as even though i don't have any of my own I do have a few to buy for, so this really caught my eye as soooo cute! and at only £15.00 plus £2.50 P&P I think it's a lovely gift for this Christmas.

Take a look as they have some fantastic and unique outfits for your kids!

Now the kids are near enough sorted I really need to start looking at the big people in my life! LOL.  So i'm off on Twitter and Facebook to find some fantastic companies that I can use this Christmas for them, keep reading and I'll let you know how I get on! Including the Chicken Pox!!!!

Love, Fay x

More Deliveries... It's like Santa's Grotto!

Long story, but all our mail gets delivered to in-laws at the moment till we get a mailbox (we're at the bottom of the garden) and even then delivery is usually about 4 in the afternoon! So as I was out last night I've only just got to open some lovely new deliveries in my quest to source all Christmas presents from small businesses found via Social Media.  

First of all I ordered MIL's gift from online company I found a while back Hollytree China, based in Norfolk they source Masons Ironstone China from Antique fairs around the country.  My MIL has green fruit basket, which has been discontinued, however in trying to 'help' my middle little man Freddie (5yrs) managed to drop and smash her cruet set, so my spirits were immediately lifted when I managed to find them online and saw they had a set.  I also have to mention their great customer service as I got a call from them the very next day to explain that the set had a slight mark on the lid of the mustard pot and that not only would they reflect that in the price but if when i did receive it I wasn't happy then I just had to send it back and they would happily refund.  Fantastic service, they are bookmarked for when our next 'helpful' moment happens (bound to, there are 5 boys between myself and my SIL!) and in the meantime I await my delivery.

My first delivery is all the bags I had ordered from Apple Bags, made from 90% recycled materials I ordered some insulated lunch bags for only £4.50 each and Satchels for £3.50 (now sold out I'm afraid - but sure they'll be back in stock soon), just amazing prices and fantastic communication from them.

They also do great storage solutions, back packs and have now introduced gift sets all in their amazing prints!  Fantastic gifts at any time of the year.  To be kept up to date, follow them on Twitter, Facebook and subscribe to their blog!  A firm favourite, I've already had the girls at work order after seeing my lunch bag!

Then this fantastic delivery caught my eye:

How cute is this packaging!  Inside and out this was just a lovely lovely gift for any little one.  This one happens to be for my own little man and I love them so much I'm going to make them his Christmas day shoes! (My little men always get a special outfit for the big day).  Based in Sheffield, founded by Catherine a shoe designer of 14 years, their aim is to create quality clothing and footwear in limited runs that won't break the bank and I have to say that they certainly have achieved this!.  The attention to detail is shown not only in their product but in their packaging and even with the added bonus of a free craft project enclosed for your 'tube'.  They even run a competition each month to see who can create the most unique 'tube' project. Again follow on Twitter and Facebook to keep up to date with all their news.

Well that's about it this week as I've been so busy making my own goodies (blankets, comforters & canvases mainly) for Christmas Fayres I have at the beginning of December, that I haven't had time to look for new ideas. However a couple I will be looking at this week hopefully will be Lulu's Boutique Designs and  Stork Up for ideas!  Hope you all enjoyed, please share if you did and keep an eye out for future updates.

Lots of love,

Fay

First delivery & some new found wonders...

So today I received my first lot of Christmas pressies courtesy of the lovely Sarah at The Trinket Box, including sweetie bracelets, beaded keyrings and an angel charm (Sarah if you looking I know there is one missing but that was cheeky one for me and it's already on my keyring!) Not only are they just beautiful but her customer service was amazing, keeping me fully informed at all times and I received everything in less than a week!  I implore you to take a look, perfect for unique stocking fillers or even cracker gifts if you make your own!

Since my last post I've found some fab new companies who I'll be looking at ordering from shortly including Blossom & Walker (who despite being in York I hadn't known about till recently) they produce furniture, gifts, accessories and fripperies to tickle yours & whose evers fancy! so I'll be making that trip into town specially to visit, they even have children's areas so you can relax while you shop #genius.  

Then there's these Poco Nido shoes at Cissywears which are just the cutest things ever. All styles come in the original Poco Nido tube box which cleverly doubles as a postal tube, meaning less packing waste and includes a free recycled craft sheet for sibling fun!  Loads to choose from, but my particular favourites are the Monster and AB/CD styles.  I will no doubt be unable to choose between and end up ordering both for baby Samuel! And then there the wellies....

These are my main projects for next week (although am on family holiday to Teesdale, so how much I'll actually get done I don't know LOL) although I also want to mention a find that I feel is worth a mention even though I don't have anyone to buy for, from them... yet!  Netherton Foundry who are based in Shropshire, make beautiful products to create beautiful food wherever you are! In fact I may put them on 'my' wish list instead! 

Hope you enjoying my adventure I certainly am!  Doing well, but still so much to do and only two pay days to go! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh....

Fay x

Christmas Shopping #buybritishbrands

So finally getting the chance to start the blog I'm so excited about!  This year it's my mission to buy all of my Christmas presents from British companies I've found this year on Twitter and Facebook.  

Over the past year I've been trying to get my own business off the ground and know exactly how difficult it is to get those all important sales and also to get noticed out there in an ever increasing small business market.  so I've decided to make it my mission to help fellow business owners in getting their name out there, while at the same time getting some fab and unique gifts for my friends and family.

First on the list are some fantastic lunch bags from the wonderful AppleBags, they are a small business run by Keiry and Belinda. They sell a range of bags from picnic bags, to insulated Lunch bags, to handy pocket bags that can be whipped out in case of a shopping emergency! I bought a lunch bag for myself after finding them on Facebook and aswell as now wanting to order some insulated bags for my friends girls, I've also got some orders from the girls at work for themselves! The prices are fantastic too, only £2.50 for normal lunch bag and £4 for insulated and with a fantastic choice of prints, you'll be sure to be as excited as i was!

Next is The Trinket Box who I also found on Facebook, with some lovely keyrings, which I'll be buying for a certain two girls I know (they may be reading!) as well as friends this year.  Also check out their sweetie bracelets, I've just seen now after checking their page again, they are so cute!  Again prices are really good, with the keyrings coming in at £2.50, and the sweetie bracelets at £3.00 or 2 for £5.00

Anyway that's enough to keep me busy for now, but keep watching for more updates and fab new finds for my shopping list on my FB and Twitter pages as well as full blogs detailing them all! 

1st week back to 'day' job

So it's been a full week since I've returned to work after my maternity leave and boy oh boy am I feeling it!  I'm lucky enough to only have to do 3 days a week, but I'm just really struggling to fit everything in...

On Mon & Tues I have to drop the wee fella off at Nursery around eightish, in order to get back in time, sort out the boys, walk them to school, come back, jump in the car and drive to work.  I then do an 8 hour day, drive back to pick up baby S and then grab H & F from after school club.  A Tues isn't sooo bad, compared with a Monday when I then have to take them all down to the football pitch to watch F train, before bringing them back, getting baby S to bed and doing H & F their tea, before getting them to bed.  But as it is, it's usually at least seven or eight before I even get to sit down and think about Henry, Fred and Felicity, then I normally get 30 mins (1 hour) if I'm lucky, before I then have to start on 'our' tea (you'll notice my OH is never around at tea time as he's either working or at squash/golf #convenient). By the time we've finished eating I feel I need an hour or so to relax in front of telly before I go to bed.  By Tuesday night I feel like I've done a full week already and I just want to get 'crafting' and have a glass of wine!

The rest of the week isn't so bad as I'm off Wed & Frid and a Thurs, Grandma has the kids so she comes here and there's not so much running around.  But of course what I had 5 days to fit into, I now only have 2, so gone are the afternoons of crafting to my hearts content.  It really is a case of never a free moment...

My SIL text me last Wednesday (1st day back at school for the kids) at about 11 and asked if I was enjoying the peace and quiet! LOL I nearly screamed down the phone.  I was already on my second load of washing, was trying to place an Internet shop, had a teething baby, trying to keep up with twitter and Facebook, while writing a press release.  

It would be so easy now to just give it up and say, hey it was just too much, but I'm a fighter, I'm determined and I know that in a year or so I won;t need the day job and I'll be the one laughing and enjoying my crafting time again.  That's what keeps me going...

That and the faces on kids when they are fast asleep in bed looking like angels!

Night x