And this is what I do when I am not blogging...

Those of you who have only been reading the blog or getting to know me on Twitter in the last couple of months would be forgiven for not having a clue what I do when I am not blogging about the Little Man, reviewing stuff or sharing scrummy recipes.

Forest Flower Designs is my own little craft business. I design and make everything myself and sell through a local shop, craft fairs and online.  It's all been put on hold for a bit recently while other stuff (you know, life) got in the way but now the Little Man is in nursery an extra day a week I finally have the time to devote to MY passion again so, just a warning, you will be hearing a lot more about Forest Flower Designs in the coming months.

There are a couple of exciting developments in the pipeline that I can't really talk about yet and a really interesting project/collaberation in the very early stages of planning that I DEFINITELY can't talk about yet too!
But in the meantime I am re-filling my shop at Folksy.com with some old favourites and some brand spanking new stuff too. Here's a little selection that I added today - I hope you like them. More lovelies will be added over the next few weeks :)

My Handmade Christmas (pt 1) The Tree!!

So I have been a naughty blogger... I have completey failed to post anything since November 1st but I do have an excuse. To be fair I have a number of them but among the more relevent ones are 'I have been really busy making things and attending craft fairs and Christmas Shopping events (as a seller and shopper both)', 'I have a lot of paperwork to catch up on...', 'I'm soooo tired...' and 'I've been gearing up for my own handmade Christmas...'

Actually it's the first and the last one that have taken up the most of my time. My plush scented decorations have sold really well and kept me busy since the end of August - there are only a few left now (I don't want to think how many of them I actually made...) and they have ended up on my own tree :) The Christmas Fayre Frenzy has more or less finished and most of my Christmas stock has been sold (for the few remaining things check out my Folky shop and if you are on Twitter search #handmadechristmas for loads of other fabulous present and decoration ideas.)

And now on to my own Handmade Christmas...

Those of you who have been reading my blog for a while will know that this has been my project for the second part of 2010 - promoting the idea of a Handmade Christmas to the world and encouraging you all to ditch some of the more commercial trappings of the festive season in favour of a more homespun approach. So have I been doing my bit? You betcha!!!

So first up is the tree...

Now I will confess that not all the decorations are handmade - I have been collecting baubles, stars, garlands, lights and tinsel for some years now and it would be a shame to waste them...

I love my red mirror baubles...

...and my glittery snowflakes. (The snowman was bought for Riley's 1st Christmas)

And I can't get enough of fairy lights!

But nestled in amongst the regular decorations are a few of my handmade scented ones, adding their festive fragrance to the room...

There are also a number of pine cones that I have collected with Riley over the past few months. Last week we had great fun painting them with glue and dipping them in silver glitter. I think you'll agree, the effect is lovely :)

and here's how it looks altogether...

So how many of you have your tree up now? I hope you had as much fun decorating it as we did!



**HANDMADE CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAY** And the winner is...

Firstly can I say I am overwhelmed by the response to my giveaway! Thank you so much to everyone who has taken part and a big "HELLO!!" to all new followers of the blog, Forest Flower facebook page and Twitter.

So now for the result you have all been waiting for........ Drum roll please......

Gosh this is nearly as exciting as X-factor!!!

And the winner is....

Kerry LouLou Milne

(better known to many of us on Twitter and Folksy as LouLou'sLuxeries)

Kerry chose the Vintage Patchwork design as her favourite and her bespoke set of Scented Tree Ornaments will be winging their way to her shortly. :)

Congratulations Kerry and thanks again everyone else for taking part.

**Handmade Christmas Giveaway**

Well, approximately 24 hours ago I had 196 'likers' of my Forest Flower Facebook page so I suggested that if I could get 4 more I would do a little giveaway...

I have been truly overwhelmed by the response - I seem to have attracted over 100 more likers overnight!! In fact the current number is now 330, well over the 200 I was aiming for!

So as a big thank you to all you gorgeous peeps I am giving you the chance to win some of my handmade lovelies for your very own Handmade Christmas - in fact I am giving you several chances!! (more about that later...)

Here is what is up for grabs

First up we have a pair of felt birds in traditional festive red and green. Made from quality wool mix felt and stuffed with soft high grade polyester toy stuffing and a generous scoop of 'Christmas Spice' scented aroma beads for a warm, welcoming festive fragrance wherever you hang them. The cute gingham wings are blanket stitched in place by hand and decorated with matching buttons. Each bird has a little metal hoop so you can hang them from decorative tree ornament hooks or tie pretty ribbon through them - however you choose.

As if that wasn't enough I am also offering a custom made complete set of my 'Christmas Spice' scented plush tree decorations. The set of four - a heart, bird,stocking and star- will be handmade to your specifications from a choice of fabrics. You can have ribbon hanging loops as shown in the pictures or you could opt for simple metal hoops as seen on the felt birds above and hang them from decorative tree ornament hangers. Each decoration measures approx. 10cm and includes a generous helping of the wonderfully festive 'Christmas Spice' scented aroma beads.  For more information and pictures please visit my Folksy shop

So how can you win these gorgeous handmade lovelies?

I am offering each of you not one but FOUR chances to win this great prize

First you need to pick which one (or more!) of these fabrics you'd like your decorations made with.

(1) Modern 'Dark Green with Gold Swirls'

 (2) 'Vintage Patchwork'

(3) Pretty 'Holly and Berries'

(4) Fun and Contemporary 'Modern Patchwork'

(5) Country Chic Red and/or Green Gingham or

(6) Pure and Simple 'White on White Stars'

Next leave a comment below stating your choice (that's one chance to win)

You could also become a blog follower (that's two chances...)

You can also 'like' my facebook page if you haven't already and leave a comment on the discussion board post *Handmade Christmas Giveaway* (that's three chances...)

and finally if you are on Twitter you can follow me here and tweet the message 'I have entered Forest Flower's #handmadechristmas giveaway. Have you? http://anthea-talesfrommountpleasant.blogspot.com '  just so I know and that's your fourth entry.

So there you have it. Simples :)

You have until midnight on October 31st to enter and the winner will be announced on November 1st at around 8pm (ish)

GOOD LUCK!!

Christmas is coming!! (no, really...)

 I know many people like to avoid even a sniff of the 'C' word before the second week of December, but these are probably the same people who moan and whinge about the 'commercialisation of a holy day' and the 'heaving crowds of desperate last minute shoppers' (of which they are a part!) They are also probably the same people who would sulk a bit if you 'forgot' their pressie!!

But putting the 'holy day' issue to one side for the moment I really think that anyone who leaves it all to the very last minute is really missing the point. It's not about buying as many gifts for as many people as you can think of in the shortest time possible or maxing out your credit card to keep everyone happy. It's about taking time to find something special for the people who mean the most to you.

As a crafter I have been thinking about Christmas all year, looking for ideas for presents, both to make myself and by other artists and crafters I have discovered on sites such as Folksy .

As a crafter who makes things to sell I have been fully immersed in Christmas since about the middle of August!!

This is my first Christmas as a seller on Folksy so I really don't know what to expect but I have been beavering away to produce, amongst other things, a line of gorgeous plush hanging decorations in a range of christmassy fabrics and ribbons all beautifully finished by hand and filled with the fabulously festive 'Christmas Spice' scented stuffing. They are very versatile and could be used as tree decorations or hung on door handles or in bundles around the hallway to welcome your guests. They would also make lovely additions to your Christmas present wrapping and are an extra present in themselves! Some are available in larger quantities (maximum of 5 listed but can make more to order). Some have been made from my stash and are limited. I am booked in for several Christmas craft fairs over the next two months and expect (hope) to sell the bulk of these to customers who can pick them up, appreciate the workmanship and most of all the divine fragrance but I would love to see some go further afield :)

There are three designs available from my Folksy shop right now but I will be adding more soon.

Here is a little glimpse of more of my handmade Christmas goodies...

 

In keeping with the whole spirit of giving I am currently planning my first blog/ facebook / twitter giveaway so if you like what you see above keep your eyes peeled for posts on how you can get your hands on some of my handmade lovelies for free!!

Where does the time go?

Once again I have been a bit lax in the old blogging dept but I do have an excuse...honest!

I have been working on my other blog The Old Shambles Village, visiting the new shops that have opened up and getting to know all the lovely people that are now based there. There are some great events being planned in the coming months including a Spooky Spectacular for Hallowen and a visit from Santa when he switches on the town Christmas lights. Subscribe to the blog to be kept up to date on this fabulous restoration and rejuvination project.

I have also set up a second shop on Folksy.  Forest Gems is a destash shop full of gorgeous semi-precious gemstone beads left over from my days as a jewellery designer/maker. Lots of lovely colours and shapes, including a few special one-off pieces to inspire your creativity. I am selling in small quantites: singles, pairs or packs of ten so they are ideal for those of you who would like to have a go and making for yourself or as gifts for friends and family but don't want the outlay of buying whole strings of beads (which is how many semi-precious beads are sold).

I currently have some lovely rose quartz, tigers eye, moonstone, mother of pearl, jasper, snowflake obsidian, carnelian and red goldstone on offer along with some very special, and quite difficult to come by, genuine Jet beads.  Lots more to be added soon including hematite, amethyst, jade, turquoise, pearls and - if I can bear to part with it - some fabulous Baltic amber!

So do pop by and have a look!

Also with the Christmas season just around the corner me and my sewing machine have been beavering away producing some festive lovelies for your delight... But more about that next time!

August A-teamers part 2

I am afraid to say I have been a little lax in the blogging department these past couple of weeks. To be honest I have been a little lax in just about every department! The house is in desperate need of a day of cleaning, sorting and tidying. The paperwork for both businesses is piling up and really needs looking at and filing before I forget to pay people I should! We've all been laid low with a tummy bug this week too, which hasn't helped!

I have however managed to keep up (more or less) with the A-teamers at Folksy listing a new item (almost) every day! Here is a little selection of things that have been added to the Forest Flower shop recently...

I have had a few other Forest Flower developments too.

The 'Fairytale' Mini Bunting range I have been working on using the gorgeous fabrics from Makower and featuring pirates, mermaids, fairy princesses and cute farm animals is coming together nicely and will hopefully be in stock at our wonderful local independent bookshop - The Forest Bookshop in Coleford in time for Christmas!

(For a little look at the Pirate bunting click here.)

I have also been looking into increasing the range of 'scented' products I make and expanding on the actual fragrances available. After all, homegrown lavender is lovely but not to everyones taste and, besides my harvest is almost depleted! I know a little about essential oils but was concerned that just adding a few drops to the stuffing would a: not be enough and b: possibly leave oily patches on the fabrics.

So after posting a question on the fantastically helpful Folksy forum and doing a little online research I have found a great product called 'Aromabeads'.

These little plastic granules literally soak up the fragrance oil and lock it in creating strongly scented beads I can add to my stuffing. There are hundreds of cosmetic grade fragrance oils to choose from - it was difficult to know where to start but I have settled on five for now and we'll see how they go!

So keep a look out for new scented birds and hearts available from Forest Flower soon! 

(Shame we don't have a virtual 'scratch and sniff' button but you'll just have to take my word for it that they are all GORGEOUS!)

Folksy Friday - Polka Dots!

I am just a bit dotty about Polka Dots (some might say I'm a bit dotty full stop, but that's another story...). Actually I'm almost obsessed! Polka dot fabrics appear quite frequently in my work - most notably in my Spotty Cats and the 'Polka Dot and Roses' range. I have a big collection of polka dot fabrics in lots of different colour combinations so hopefully you'll be seeing a lot more dots at Forest Flower in the future.

In the meantime I had a gander round Folksy and found some lovely Polka Dots!

This gorgeous Kitty in Paris bracelet from Fluffs Stuff caught my eye - very cute and very dotty!

Kirsty Elson Designs Owl In The Moon would make a cute, quirky addition to a nursery.

Keeping with the baby theme - these adorable Polka Dot Baby Shoes by Angelic Folk are almost too cute for words!

Something pretty and practical - this glorious Pink Polka Dot Bag is from Polka - a shop so packed full of polka dots I felt I was in polka dot heaven...

Who could resist this fab photo from Miss Sugar Bone Makery.

I must find some space in my kitchen for it :)

And finally, lets not forget that boys like polka dots too...

These subtle polka dot Cuff links from Lilies and Daises will add a stylish finishing touch to a crisp white dress shirt.

I hope you enjoyed my selection - there a loads more fabulous Polka Dot pretties available on Folksy - just put 'polka dot' in the search box and see what comes up!

Forest Flower is growing...

Been having a bit of a play with the Folksy shop this week. In the light of a couple of recent trade enquiries I realised I needed to adjust my prices a bit to take their necessary discount into account and not loose money on my makes. 

Putting a price on your handcrafted items is always a difficult one - you need to take into account the cost of your materials, your time taken to make the item and lets not forget the fact that generally it is something unique and special and unlike anything you'd find on the high street. Sadly a lot of people (usually non-crafters) are so used to paying peanuts for imported, mass-produced items they lose sight of the fact that each of your handcrafted goods were designed and made with love, care and attention and that this means time and time equals money - as much as I love making my stuff and love seeing people walk away with a bag of goodies and a smile on their faces, I have to put food on the table just like the next person...

A case in point... last weekend we had a little stall at a local free music festival - a family event that combined music, dance, workshops and street entertainment. I was up till 1am the night before making sure all my goods were properly labelled and ready to go. We spent a good hour setting up our stall making the most of our small space, trying to make it look as eye catching as possible...

Unfortunately for us the stall next door was being run by a (lovely) local business woman who was selling very cheap, pretty costume jewellery, imported from China. There was just no way we could compete with her on pricing and as punters were generally working their way down the line from her stall to ours inevitably the mutterings of - 'it's a bit expensive isn't it' were heard. As anyone who crafts to sell will tell you, it hurts that people show so little consideration for your time and effort...

 Now to be fair the whole event was advertised as a 'free' music festival and many visitors weren't there to spend money (although I suspect the pubs did a roaring trade that day...) but despite the beautiful weather and the good turn out we didn't even manage to cover the cost of our stall. Definitely a lesson to choose our events more carefully in future...

But back to my Folksy shop... I have updated the banner with my new flower logo and I think it looks much better - it's bright, fresh and simple. I have also updated my profile with a little help from a great Folksy Blog post that includes tips on what to include and some basic HTML tags.  I have adjusted my postage and packing charges (they are lower!) and also my prices (I hope the small increases don't put anyone off...)

Please take a look here and let me know what you think.

Dilemma sorted...with a little help from my friends.

Thank you to everyone who helped me decide which way to go with the new 'Forest Flower' logo I came up with yesterday. Taking everyones comments into account I tweeked the colour one slightly, just muting it a bit and changed the text to a dark grey and this is what I ended up with...

I hope you all like it at as you helped to create it :)

I will also use the black and white one for packaging etc. I am really pleased with the result but, as one of my friends who deals with logos as part of her job pointed out 'it's a bit spikey' so maybe I will redo it again at a later date and take a bit more care over the 'stitching' (when I have some time :) )

Thanks again for all your helpful comments everyone.

Forest Flower Logo Dilemma...

It's hard work trying to run a home, work for my partners business, set up my own business and design and make all the stock and keep a lively, inquisitive toddler amused so I am constantly trying to find ways of entertaining the little man whilst being productive. Today I introduced him to coloured pencils, having been successfully scribbling with crayons for some time now, and whilst he had a great time taking them out and putting them back in the tin and experimenting with colours, I did this...

Which, thanks to the digital wizardry of scanners and the Picasa photo editing program became this...

and this....

and...urm...this as well....

I love them all - the colours look great on the top one, the simplicity of the black and white version is gorgeous and I love the vintage feel of the sepia coloured one....

So now I have a dilemma - which one should I use as my new logo?

I would very much appreciate some help with this decision so please, lovely people, don't be afraid to leave a comment and let me know what you think...

Sunday, busy Sunday...

Well now that the euphoria of being followed on Twitter by Duncan Bannatyne has worn off (or at least subsided a little - though it still makes me grin when I think about it :) ) it's time to get back to work.
I had a very busy day at The Shambles yesterday, chatting with all the shopkeepers there and taking photos in preparation for a new blog I am setting up chronicling the transformation of this tucked away courtyard just off the main road through the town of Newent  into a busy retail centre dedicated to local traders, artists and crafts people, including the OH's shop Biker Dean and also Lara's Den.  The blog is still in the planning process at the moment but I will let you all know when it's ready to role...

On top of that I have just booked a stall for Forest Flower at the Coleford Summer Festival on July 25th - so I now have to fill a market stall full of lovelies!

Oh and getting all the Biker Dean paperwork for 09-10 all finished up and sent off to the accountant... phew...

It's no wonder I have fallen behind with June Loons... (although technically as i have listed 2 or 3 items on some days I haven't really  ;) )

So...better get cracking then I suppose... *sigh* .... whatever happened to lazy Sundays?

'It's raining, it's pouring...'

...I wish I was snoring...!

Actually I don't really, but a nap would be nice. Riley has taken to waking up bright and early (ie 5am) the last couple of days - despite blackout blind. I suspect the over-enthusiastic dawn chorus from the newly fledged blackbirds in our front garden may have something to do with it!

Had a quick scout round the garden in between the showers and I am pleased to note the anti-slug measures seem to be holding up. There are loads of strawberries and raspberries just beginning to form - in fact I might have to get some netting to protect the raspberries as the local bird population has definately noticed them as well.

Still continuing on with the June Loons - and the two new additions to my shop look like this:

Sub-Lime Polka Dot Needle Book ...

...and matching Sub-Lime Polka Dot Pincushion

As I have listed so many items in the past couple of days I feel quite justified in skipping a day or two. I hear Spotty Cats calling me...

June Loons Day 8 (and 5,6,&7!)

Well it's been a bit hectic over the past few days what with work and nephews birthday party and all that so June Loons had to take a bit of a back seat.

I made up for it yesterday by listing three cute co-ordinating purple pincushions and needlebook - two of which sold almost immediately!

Whoop Whoop! 

The sales fairy hung around my place for a bit and helped some mini blue bunting on it's way too!

So today I am listing another needlebook - this one goes with the Stars and Stripes pincushion listed last week...

Stars and Stripes Needlebook

Although I have been keeping an eye on all the marvellous things being listed - and coveting many of them! - I haven't had time to do a favourites... maybe later folks...

June Loons - Day 4

Running a bit late today... got to make the most of the sunshine while it lasts!  But now the little man has worn himself out running around the garden and splashing about in the paddling pool and is having a snooze on the sofa, so I thought it a good opportunity to catch up!

I have listed another pin cushion today - this one is a pretty pale green with pink roses, complimented with pink candy stripes.  I love these pincushions. They are pretty and practical and have been a really good seller for me in Lara's Den. Tonight I am going to be working on matching needle cases because, lets face it, a girl can never have too many co-ordinating accessories!

Pretty in Pink Pincushion

Other news is that the lovely Trish at Moody Cow Designs featured my Strawberry mini-bunting in her strawberry themed Folksy Friday blog - thanks Trish! There are some more lovely berry-based items showcased too so go and have a look.

Finally - just in case you thought I'd forgotten - here is my favourite June Loon item from yesterday's bumper crop...

Once again it was so hard to pick just one but I really love this Verdigris Dragonfly Necklace by The Whimsical Wren.

Got a busy, busy day tomorrow - working at Lara's all day then off to nephew's birthday tea so may have to double list on Sunday... Although the bug has bitten and this Loon just can't get enough!!

June Loons - Day 3

Day three already! More gorgeous offerings from all the 'Looneys' yesterday - my favourite from the bunch was this amazing brooch from Steampunk Storm

I just love the Steampunk blending of late Victorian 'Arts and Crafts' style with intricate clockwork components.

Today I have listed two items although they are really one item in two different colours...

Baby Bunting in pink

Baby Bunting in blue

Aren't they sweet? The perfect gift for a new mum if you want to give something a little bit different.

I can also do personalised ones withthe little one's name instead of the work 'BABY' - just leave a comment if you are interested and I'll get back to you...

Now I'm off out into the garden to enjoy the fabulous sunshine! TTFN...

June Loons - Day 2

So many fabulous things were listed yesterday on the first day of the June Loons listing challenge it was nearly impossible to just pick one as my favourite - but here it is. I hope you like it too!

Cute Curvy Purse by Mushy Makes

I just fell in love with the gorgeous fabric and fresh colours!

And here is my second offering - a funky pin cushion in red and white. Keep an eye out for the matching needle case coming soon...

Stars and Stripes Pincushion

June Loon - 1st listing...

Here is the first one of my 'list an item every day in June' items...

Very sweet mini bunting in blue

I will be back later with my pick of all the other June Loons first offerings.

Keep an eye out - it could be you! ;)

June Loons!

Well after a grand total of 3 weeks on Folksy I am already feeling like part of one big, happy, crafting family. Admittedly I am spending far more time on the forum than I probably should but the what the heck, I'm sure the novelty will wear off sooner or later... well maybe...

For the last two months some of the more 'hardcore' (ie- slightly bonkers! ) forum regulars have set themselves a challenge to list one new item in their Folksy shops every day plus tweet/facebook/blog etc to the max to ensure that everyone gets a bit of extra publicity, shop views and , with a bit of luck and a following wind, a few extra visits from the sales fairy!

So April Fools and Mad Mayhemmers have become June Loons and this time I get to join in too!! Woohoo!!

We're all going on a summer holiday...

That's right folks me and the little man are off to North Wales for the week with my mum and dad.
Nothing special - a caravan on the coast - but I am so looking forward to a change of scenery and a few days of not having to think about business... and I bet Riley is gonna love spending a week with Grandma and 'Ganda' :)

The Folksy shop will be set to holiday mode so you won't be able to purchase anything till I get back (booo!) but any questions/queries/requests can be emailed to forestflower@hotmail.com and I will answer them as soon as I get back home!

In the meantime hope everyone has a fabulous week!