Roseberry Cottage

Etsy Treasury :: Waldorf Doll Heaven

2012-02-13T11:02:00.000Z

Don't forget you can buy doll making supplies for Waldorf dolls from my Enchanted Fabrics website!

Tutorial :: Carrier Bag Holder

2012-02-13T10:35:00.000Z

How to Make a Jumbo Sized Carrier Bag Dispenser from Two Fat Quarters:

You will need:

2 x Fat Quarters (or other fabrics cut to 48x48cm size)

A piece of cord at least 65cms long

A remnant of elastic

(Fabrics photographed are available from my website www.enchantedfabrics.org)

Step One:

Start by deciding which of the two fabrics you are using as the contrast fabric (for the top and bottom pieces of your bag dispenser) and cut this piece in half. Discard one half and cut the other in half again as shown.

Then pin & stitch the two strips to the top and bottom of your main fabric and press.

Step Two:

Fold over 1.5cms of the top and bottom edges and press.

Then do the same with the sides. Be sure you do the top and bottom edges before you do the sides!

Once you have folded over and pressed your edges you need to make the casings for the draw-cord (top) and the elastic (bottom). I have not included specific measurements for the casings because it will depend on the thickness of your cord and the width of the elastic you are using. You just need to make sure they are large enough for you to thread your cords through without it being too tight a fit.

Step 3:

Put right sides together, pin and stitch up you bag holder making sure you only stitch to the casing. (put in a pin to make sure!)

Step 4:

Now here comes the exciting bit!

Turn your bag holder in the right way and thread the cord and elastic through the casings as shown below.

Et voila!

Fill with carrier bags and you’re done.

Note: These instructions make quite a large bag holder. This is ideal if like me you have a large household and seem to have more bags than you know what to do with, but if you wish to make it smaller you can do so by simply trimming your fabrics down to size.

HAPPY SEWING!

My Organic Lavender Stack is Featured!

2012-02-06T13:52:00.000Z

Enchanted Fabrics is Go!

2012-02-02T11:12:00.003Z

A little under a year ago I started my fabrics business Enchanted Fabrics. I set up the website using Mr.Site and began spreading the word through my network. I've had a few sales here and there but only one sale directly through the website as most of them came through Etsy or directly from Facebook contacts. I needed to spend more time on the appearance of the website and I needed to spend even more time networking and spreading the word to get people visiting and ultimately buying my fabrics. Unfortunately my (now ex) husband never appreciated just how much work was needed to get a brand new internet retail business up and running and with four kids and an unsupportive partner I found it impossible to put in the hours. I continued to have the odd sale through Etsy but the website fell by the wayside and lay there in desperate need of attention.

Well things have changed around here recently and this girl is all about getting things done and making progress. I have been working on the website this week giving it a bit of a makeover, revising prices, uploading better photographs and adding new stock.

Want to take a peek and let me know what you think?

ENTER SITE

The Idle Sewing Machines

2012-01-31T10:09:00.000Z

My poor poor sewing machines. I do hope they're not taking it personally. Bernie the Bernina and Nellie the Necchi have been sat side by side on my desk for weeks now waiting for some action while I pour all my attention into the fabric side of the business.

Nellie did get a little play a couple of days ago when she helped me create a carrier bag holder (I know, hardly exciting) and a Wheat bag. The bag holder was a special request for a special friend and the Wheat bag was more of a re-make really as I fancied a new cover for my old one.

Personal makes really. Nothing for my Etsy shop or the two Craft fairs I have booked for the Spring. Hopefully by the end of this week I will have updated the Enchanted Fabrics website, got everything listed on all selling venues and have freed up some time for being truly creative!

Alternative Valentine's Treasury

2012-01-25T14:39:00.000Z

Not a red heart or a cutesy cupid in sight!

More New Fabrics

2012-01-25T09:29:00.000Z

Well I've had some really positive feedback about this new range of fabrics so far so here a the other three patterns from the range for you to have a sneak peak at. You should be able to find them for sale in my Etsy store by the end of today but if you would like more information or want to order larger pieces of these then please contact me and I will be happy to help.

I am hoping to use some of these fabrics myself. So hard to choose though when they are all so pretty!

Hello 2012!

2012-01-24T12:37:00.000Z

I can't believe it's been over a month since I last posted here, there must be something in that old adage 'time flies when you're having fun'. There has been a lot going on in the background here but I won't bore you with that when I have much more exciting news to share. This afternoon I took delivery of some beautiful new fabrics. One of which,I have to admit I have fallen totally in love with!

Isn't it the sweetest print you ever set eyes on? Rabbits and Foxes and Squirrels oh my!

I have a bolt of this one so it will be available to buy in metres as well as Fat Quarters from my Etsy store and my new eBay shop.

Also new in on the bolt and immediately available are these two:

The two Woodland themed fabrics above are part of a new collection the rest of which I have available as pre-cut Fat Quarters. I will post pictures of these tomorrow and as always if you would like larger pieces of any of these fabrics then please contact me and I can arrange this for you. The red spot fabric is actually double sided and therefore a very versatile mixer to add to your fabric stash!

Just a quickie post for today. I shall be back tomorrow with more!

Will I Blog more often? Maybe!

2011-12-16T12:25:00.001Z

I'm writing this post from Novelty island, experimenting with the joys of iPhone ownership. I opposed the idea for a long time, convinced I had no use for any kind of smartphone, but it's not even been 24hrs and I seem to have taken to it like a Duck to water! I'm loving the social networking Apps so far and I'm adding music like there's no tomorrow. I've never even owned an Mp3 player so mobile music is something I've not had the pleasure of since I last owned a Walkman back in the mid 90's. Walking the dog may very well become a tuneful affair.

I feel as though a whole new world has just opened up me. I think I will spend the weekend getting to know my new toy and then hopefully I'll have got it out of my system before next week and post about something rather than nothing :)

A Winter's Day . . . . .

2011-12-09T10:05:00.001Z

. . . . . in a deep and dark December, so the song goes.

These dark mornings are certainly posing a challenge for me this year! I can hardly believe that six months ago I could get up at 6:00am before the rest of the household and spend almost an hour pottering about the garden with my Coffee. If I could get out of bed at six now I'd be getting so much more sewing done. By this time last year I had made Christmas puddings, Mincemeat, Chocolate Fudge, Peppermint creams, Candles, Lip balms, the list could go on. This year I've helped the kids make an Advent calendar and that's about it when it comes to Christmas preparations. Last night we got the decorations down from the loft. The children have now entered the 'zone' and the hype has begun. No escaping it now Mama, the festivities are almost upon us!

Origami Advent baskets from Activity Village

Trying to keep on top!

2011-11-29T14:13:00.000Z

I am so distracted from my work at the moment! I have got to focus more so I may well be using my blog to force that focus for a while. Which is good because it means regular posts and pics of what I'm getting up to! These two personalised cushions are for a custom order and need to be finished and posted to my cousin in Surrey before Christmas last posting, the date of which is still a mystery to me because I've still not remembered to check! Another thing for the 'to do' list.

A Big Update!

2011-11-28T19:01:00.000Z

So much to talk about. There have been major changes here. I am now a single mama! I'm actually very positive about it all as it simply marks the end of a very turbulent six years during which I felt more and more suffocated and controlled. The future is bright. The children are already sounding happier around the house and I'm free to build my business without criticism and resentment from their father. I have a new found sense of freedom! Once the technicalities of the finances and the divorce are all sorted I will be one happy mama :)

The sale I mentioned here went really well. There was a lady there who used to own a shop and she said that if she still had a shop she would definitely have taken some of my stock. It gave me a real confidence boost to hear that. After Christmas I think I'll make up some samples and approach some of the local shops.

I've also booked a couple of craft fairs for the spring. I'm very nervous about this but it's one of those things where I am just going to have to take a deep breath and do it! Hopefully I will have had a couple more sale evenings at people's houses to get me into the swing of things. My mother is quite keen to host one which is promising. She took some stock to show her friends a couple of weeks ago and came back with £96.50! Good old Mum! She's also talking about cutting her work hours down and making some handmade goodies to sell alongside mine. Not quite sure how I feel about that but I'm not one for stalling someone when they get the creative urge so I guess I'll see how we get on.

The children are all in school. I did briefly toy with the idea of Home school again recently but it in reality I would still have a fight on my hands from their father and it isn't practical or necessary any more. Rose is very happy at school now. A huge contrast to her experience in Foundation. It just proves to me that it was too early for her to be there. Daisy is also happier now and preparing herself for secondary school next September. I am really keen to grow the business too, now that I'm standing on my own two feet. Not sure I could carry that and Home schooling off at the same time! It's still nice to know that it's there as an option and that I could do it if I had to.

Craft wise I've dabbled with Crochet a bit (thank you Shell for your patience!), made (and sold) lots of fabric button fridge magnets, got a couple of scarves on the knitting needles, made some personalised cushions for a custom order and a few other bits and bobs. As my head starts to clear from the fogginess that surrounds a marital break up I will start to post some photographs again.

A month or so ago, an on-line friend asked if I was still blogging about the children and family life. I've found it very difficult to do that this year I'll admit. It had become very difficult to see the joy in everyday life and if I couldn't see it, I couldn't share it. I am hoping that I will get back into the swing of things now that the negativity has lifted.

So there we are. I now have a future full of possibilties. I have a feeling that 2012 is going to be one hell of a year, but definitely in a good way!

Etsy Treasury :: Organic Pink Bunting

2011-11-12T08:01:00.000Z

Just popping in quickly!

2011-11-05T12:33:00.000Z

Hi. Just popped in to say hello. Things are crazy here for all manner of reasons, I'm under stress from personal issues but also under pressure to get things made in time for a private sale on Wednesday evening so that's why I've been quiet. I apologise for all the Treasury posts or rather the lack of proper posts between them but I can't not celebrate and share when I've been included can I?
I had a sale on my Roseberry Cottage Etsy store on Thursday. The first in a long time and still only the second since I started the new store but there are plenty of people adding my products to their favourites now so hopefully things will pick up soon. The fabric store has gone very quiet and I'm starting to wonder if investing in all that fabric was such a good idea. Maybe I haven't been putting the effort in on the promotional front. I don't know.

On the subject of Etsy, I was thrilled to learn this week that my best friend Vicky has plans to open a shop on there too offering an eclectic mix of vintage finds and handmade treasure. I'm really looking forward to the launch so I can share it with you. Watch this space!

After Wednesday I will try and get some pictures uploaded of recent makes etc, but for now I have to get my head down and sew like a mad crazy lady...no wait I AM a mad crazy lady ;)

Below are the invites I printed off for my host to hand out.

Yay, I'm in another Treasury! Nutkin Bag

2011-11-02T20:59:00.000Z

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T09:44:00.000Z

Etsy Treasury :: Pin-cushions featured!

2011-10-30T18:42:00.000Z

New Card design :: Button Flower

2011-10-25T21:32:00.000+01:00

I made these a few days ago. I was making the Christmas Tree cards (blogged earlier) at the time when the latest Cath Kidston mag arrived in the post. I stopped for a cuppa and a quick thumb through and low and behold I was struck with inspiration. . . . . . .

I've hand stitched the stalk, using a button for the flower and the floral background papers are from upcycled from various Cath Kidston magazines.

Cards :: Tiny Christmas Trees - Finished!

2011-10-25T13:30:00.001+01:00

All finished and packaged up ready for sale. I will list some of these on Etsy but I'm keeping the rest (I made a few more than shown) back for a private table top sale I have booked for the week after next.

Etsy :: My Autumn Treasury

2011-10-25T10:40:00.000+01:00

My Lavender Pillow is in an Etsy Treasury!

2011-10-25T09:46:00.000+01:00

Cards :: Tiny Christmas Trees!

2011-10-21T12:28:00.001+01:00

Here's this years Christmas card design. So much simpler and quicker to stitch than last years Holly design (which I can't show you a picture of because I still haven't got my images back off the old hard drive!) so I'm churning out a few today.

Will post pictures of the finished cards tomorrow (hopefully).

Squirrel Away!

2011-10-19T13:10:00.002+01:00

Just finished this book bag off this morning. I won't tell you when I started it because the amount of time it's spent in the 'to do' pile is embarrassing!

I made one for my daughter a wee while ago and it was always my intention that this one should go up for sale. So to my Etsy shop it will go!

New Look?

2011-10-18T18:07:00.000+01:00

Forgot to mention the new look blog. What do you think? Like that vintage looking header? I took this photo of a banner I'd made from an old Ladybird book;

Cropped it down and sharpened the colours up a bit . . . .

And the played with it on the LoFi app to get this . . . .

A bit of text added via Picasa and Voila!

Easy peasy.

Today's Crafting :: Mobile/ Gadget cases

2011-10-18T17:58:00.000+01:00

I have to confess that despite having received all the Mollie Makes magazines (bar issue one) I have never managed to complete any of the cover kits. Yesterday evening as I was tidying my once again messy craft corner I cam across the Gadget case kit that came with issue 5. My 13 year quickly took an interest when she saw a picture of the completed item so I whizzed it up there and then and it's now housing her mobile phone. No photo of that one I'm afraid. It's already upstairs in Teenland where I fear to tread!

I quickly knocked up another one using a spare bit of the red fabric provided in the kit and some lime green spotty fabric (rather partial to a bit of lime green!) and this is the result:

I added a loop of ribbon so that the button is now functional and my phone is snug as a bug!

I had already decided I was going to make a few more in different designs (don't want to get told of for copyright infringement!) to sell at a sale I'm having next month but this morning the Postie came with a parcel of goodies from a friend in California and in it was the perfect ribbon for . . . . . . .

. . . . . these!

You'll have to excuse my ancient mobile phone in the pic! I would've photographed it with my daughters iPod in but she had it with her at the time. We have tried it and it fits perfectly!

Will be loading some up onto Etsy soon!