Spring Shopping 2014 - Pretty Picks from Etsy and beyond

I have been feeling the Spring Love lately and starting to look around for some more 'of the moment' clothes and accessories. The sun is out! There might be weddings and summer fun just around the corner. Apparently we are all supposed to be wearing pastel colours, florals and statement necklaces. Not sure if that fits in with my generally grunge-tastic lifestyle, but a girl can dream of being soignee and having a fashionable wardrobe, right? I have included some lovely pastel ribbon in case you are of a mind to upcycle something in this seasons colours.... Here are some of my favourite finds from around the High-Street and the Internet. Happy Browsing. 

1. Pink Bird Ceramic Earrings by Damson Tree Pottery
2. Pointelle Girls Cardigan by Marks and Spencer
3. Selina Dress by Boden
4. Grosgrain Ribbon from Cloud Craft Supplies
5. Linden Necklace by Stella & Dot
6. Rainy Day Coin Purse by Emy & Wilma





Please note:
This is not a sponsored post. I have not recieved any payment of any sort to write this piece.  The suppliers and businesses I have chosen reflect my personal taste and I have had successful purchases from them in the past. However, I am not responsible in any way for the companies mentioned and cannot be held liable for any dealings that you have with them.

How I prepare for craft fairs

1) make something I was not planning to

2) tweet it

3) go and use Facebook

4) make a list

5) indulge in self hate


6) go back to sewing room at last possible moment and sling it all in a box

Happy Weekend! xx

Spring! March Flowers at last

There has been such a long run of cold wet weather that it's been hard to get into the garden and inspect what is going on. At last! A few sunny days last week and all the old friends appear. What I love about this time of year is that areas which were previously completely empty and glum are suddenly brightened, as if overnight, by the arrival of some small flower. 

Witch Hazel/Hamamelis, I think

 First, the terribly large, apparently boring bush at the side of the patio suddenly bursts into tiny delicate white blossoms that have a beautiful smell. Hello, Witch Hazel.

Then the darkest dampest corner of the garden has it's moment. Apparently nothing in the world likes to grow there - apart from Hellebores!! - there are huge clumps of the lush white and purple flowers there are the moment (they're not called Lenten Roses for nothing). The rest of the year the bed is a bit yawny with nothing but great sprays of dark green hellebore leaves, but right now it's a knockout.

Hellebore

My favourite, most tiny performer in the garden over the last month has been the little Iris. I planted lots of bulbs a few years ago, to see if I could get some more flowers going - we're a bit of a shrubbery most of the time - these are always so very pretty winking at you in the cold. How reassuring they are, the little frontrunners of another lovely gardening year?!

Iris (Reticulata)?

Spring Sunshine

Well the sunshine is out here, although still COLD. I have been pootling on Etsy, avoiding the real work I have to do of labelling stock for a craft fair tomorrow. Well, as Alain de Botton says 'Most time wasting is due to terror' (I may be paraphrasing). 

In the meantime I have been creating lovely Etsy treasuries about the Spring. And my husband says this crafting is not real work. Pah!

Etsy Treasury Wednesday - April Showers Theme

So I have been doing this team treasury challenge for Team Undiscovered on Etsy (because my shop there is suffering from a distict lack of custom - seems the credit crunch has dissuaded people from splashing out on fabric whale toys at the current time!). This weeks theme is April Showers. If you would like to see the other entries stop by the team blog but what might make me win is if you make sure you click more on mine/comment on mine more. Just sayin' is all.....

The Sun Has Got His Hat On!

There has been an amazing small summery heat wave here over the past week. We all rushed to the cupboard and pulled out a crumpled array of long neglected summer clothes, sun cream and hats and headed for outdoors. Sigh. It was lovely but today it has gone all rainy and gray again so here are some photos of the brief glory period to cheer us all up. It's probably a good thing that it does not last - I'll never get any work done!

New in my shop(s) for Spring!

I don't very often post shop updates here on my blog, as you can get your regular Made by Dolly fix on the Facebook Fan Page. However, I have a few new and seasonal lines starting so I thought I would give you a photo guide of what's new this Spring (so far!)

Large Easter Egg (Detail)
Apple Coin Purse
Small Easter Eggs available at Etsy and Folksy!
Mushroom Coin Purse with gingham loop

Etsy Treasury Monday

Spring Birdies

Despite the grey skies today there has been a distinctive spring mood about the place lately. Today, I heard the first cuckoo and have been musing on home decor of the avian variety ever since I got my new lampshade through the post. Now planning my reading room around the crazy bird cage that will dominate it!