plump pudding

Out and About

I meant to post yesterday and show you all my neatly packed boxes etc ready for the Cowbridge Food and Drink Festival.  But time got the better of me, so I am posting photographs of my stall today instead.

Not a terribly good photo as the weather was overcast and we had some rain.  That didn't deter people though.

It is the first time since my summer Open House that I have sold to customers rather than shops.  I do enjoy selling and it is good to meet customers that were at the Festival last year and chat with new customers.

I met up again with fellow stall holders and thankfully the rain held off for most of the day.  But am I tired?  I left at 7.30am and got back at 6.00pm.  I feel like such a lightweight!  And I still have tomorrow as well.  Still, the show must go on.

Don't forget if you are in the vicinity and fancy a day out, pop down and say Hello.

Incoming Mail

Today was a good day with goodies arriving through the post.

Much needed fabric all ready earmarked for the Country Living Christmas Fair.

Although I have a feeling that this won't be enough and I will have to order more next week.  But it will do for now to make a dent in the big Sewing To Do List

I also received a beautiful smelling parcel from Claire . 

I did mention yesterday that I am at the Cowbridge Foodnd Drink Festival this weekend and I am taking some of Claire's lovely creations along with me.

The parcel smelt so beautiful as she had sent me surplus lavender from her garden.

I am adding to it to already harvested lavender which will mean I won't have to buy any for quite some time.

The third parcel in the mail was this book ordered from Amazon

After reading good reviews about it, I succumbed and ordered it.  But I have to admit to being a little disapointed with it.  The photography is beautiful (unlike my dodgy photos today)!

And there are some good ideas, but my disapointment was due to the fact that a huge amount of the projects are quilts.  Which are not my bag.

The one project I am most interested in is these birds

I think they may be finding their way into Christmas stockings this year.

Dodgy Connections

My internet connectivity has been erratic to say the least for these past few days.  Sometimes I am lucky and manage to get on-line whilst other days, forget it.  Thankfully today is a good day and I am back on line.

I have been busy finishing a wholesale order for a new stockist Fifi and Ally .  It was a little late in going out what with all the germs we have been harbouring in the Forde household, but thankfully it was sent out at the weekend. 

I love the feeling of attaching the labels and carefully placing everything in the box ready to post out.  That's one job, crossed off my To Do List.

I also realised that I have a work commitment this weekend: Cowbridge Food and Drink Festival .  I have a stall there this weekend: Saturday and Sunday.  So if you are in the area, pop along and say Hello.

There was a slight panic when I realised that I didn't have much in the way of stock to take with me.  So this weekend saw me making some noticeboards and carrier bag holders which are always popular.

I also took possession of a mannequin to take along with me to the various shows and fairs that I have lined up.

I bought a bog standard mannequin and painted the wooden parts.  Then I covered the body - not a terribly good job I have to say.  Cobbled together is the phrase that comes to mind. 

Dorothy (I think the name suits her) is currently waiting to be attached to the stand.  I think I may have to attempt to re-cover her again when I have some free time.  But she'll do the job - and hopefully the customers will be too enthralled by the bags and scarves that she will be wearing to notice the dodgy cover up job!

Off to the Fair

After launching plump pudding as a business "proper" at teh Country Living Spring Fair, I had decided that I would also exhibit at the Christmas Fair.  I was hoping that Stephen  would have a slightly different job that would mean it would be easier for me to take time away from the home to go off and do these things.

It hasn't panned out like that so I decided, reluctantly not to go to the Christmas Fair after all.  But plump pudding will be there. Two of the shops I supply to will be taking plump pudding stock with them.

Despite the bugs that have been lurking at home, I managed to make and send out one of the orders.  This one is for All the Fun of the Fair .  Needlecases and knitting needle rolls.

It felt so good to finish an order and send it out - almost unheard of for the past two weeks!  So that's one crossed off my list and a big order for Chandlers to take to the Christmas Fair.

Thanks to the readers who have spotted plump pudding in Liberty - still such a big thrill for me!  And I have just got off the phone from the lady in the haberdashery department.  We had a chat about the items they have and out of the knitting needle rolls, pin cushions and needle cases, the biggest sellers are the pincushions.

The most popular pincushion is the red umbrella print  and a tea cups print.  She said they are selling well - and she wanted my contact details just in case a customer should have a big order.  Heavens above!  Which means as well as getting ready for Christmas Fairs, a big order for Chandlers I really need to make sure I have back up stock just in case Liberty wants more!

And yes, I was a real crawler and said how thrilled I was so have the chance to sell at Liberty.  As my mother always taught me, good manners cost nothing.

Finally - just to add some more pressure on myself here, I have set the date for my Christmas Open Night:

THURSDAY 22 NOVEMBER from 6pm onwards.

Don't forget it's open to all.  As well as me, there is a potter called Gill Oakley, there will be cards for sale and beautiful handmade glass bead jewellery.

Put the date in your diary!

Germs R Us

Well, they aren't any longer.  Thank goodness.  Keanan was the latest casualty in our house on Thursday.  Lots of vomiting and an upset tummy. 

Thankfully it only lasted until Thursday lunchtime and he spent the rest of the day and Friday lounging around on the sofa willing himself to get better as he had a sleepover invite for Saturday night.  So I had told him that if he was sick at all on Friday that he wouldn't be able to go as it wouldn't be fair on the other children.

Luckily for me, there was no more vomit and both boys had parties to go to on Saturday night.  (I remember when I had a social life that involved going out on a Saturday night).  And of course it involved a handmade present somewhere.

Ethan's present came from my Tilda book

A pocket - suitably girly.

Keanan's gift was a copy of one that Lyn had made a while ago and I had loved.  New socks - of course!

They each went out happy and I hope the recipients were pleased too.

Now all that leaves is an enormous pile of "work" sewing to do plus sewing for the various events that I have during the run up to Christmas.

No more vomiting for us - please!

Uphill all the way

So much for the promised shop update yesterday.  The lack of it was due to the fact that I caught the bug that Ethan had and spent the entire day in bed.  Actually that's not true.  I alternated between the bed and being sick in the bathroom.

I managed to take Keanan to school and Stephen finished early to collect him and give the boys supper.  Otherwise they would have had to make beans on toast themselves.  I woke up this morning feeling better - tired but better.  But the state of the house was unbelievable.  What happened?  I was only ill for one day!  After a frenetic tidying session, the house is back to normal and I spent the whole of today updating my website.  And what a herculean task that turned out to be.  So please bear with me, ignore the mistakes and pop over and have a peek.

As well as goodies I have made, I have updated a few items of vintage loveliness that I couldn't resist on my trips out.

Items such as these:

This adorable tote bag made from vintage fabrics

Remember the children's vintage hangers ?

I made a cushion  cover from beautiful Anna French fabric

This sewing kit  would make the perfect Christmas gift for somone

And my favourites: vintage handknitted dolly clothes

The only problem is which colour do you like best?

Extending the birthday

Although my birthday was over a week ago, I have kept some of the momentum going with presents.  The first to arrive was through the post.

Now that my cold has gone a little, I can appreciate the beautiful smell, but at the time I couldn't even smell the perfume of the roses inside

And look what was also included

A big thanks to Kim .  I've told her that this little hanger is so delightful that she should put some in her Etsy shop.  Wouldn't you agree?

The other birthday present was from my friend Theresa who called round last week.  As well as beautiful petunias she also wrapped up this vintage patchwork kit

Keanan has recovered enough to go back to schoool today and I had such plans to catch up with orders etc.  But it wasn't to be, as Ethan was sick all day yesterday and stated home from school.    Thankfully I have recovered a little and should be able to start the seiwng again tomorrow.

I did play hookey at the weekend and make one item from some stunning vintage fabric I found

I also spent a hefty amount of time sorting through vintage finds that need to go up for sale:

If I can manage to update my website myself then that's where they'll be tomorrow.  If not then they'll be listed on Etsy.

Either way, you'll be able to get your hands on some delightful vintage goodies.

Germs

Thankfully Keanan has recovered from his virus and is now back in school.  Ethan is a little under the weather and I am ill.

All those little kisses and hugs that Keanan insisted of having means that he has passed his bugs on to me.I spent last night on the sofa watching TV all night.  Unheard of for me and then went to bed feeling very sorry for myself.

Which means that my sewing has ground to a halt. But as promised here are some photographs from the book my sister gave me for my birthday.

It really is a lovely book and has some wonderful ideas in it

When I have got rid of this cold thing I am planning on trying out a few ideas from the book to go into the shop.

That's after I have finished the two wholesale orders that I am behind on!

Birthday Bugs

We've had an odd few days here at the Forde household.

Keanan has picked up a nasty virus and spent Friday laying on the sofa.  There was some kind of recovery on Saturday and then back to being ill again yesterday.  Back to the sofa again today.  Which has meant as well as trying to sort out a broken printer, make birthday presents for my father, I have been filling up hot water bottle and making warm drinks as though they were going out of fashion.

My father and I share the same birthday - which was yesterday.  But what to get for someone who doesn't need anything?  I ended up buying some beer and making the remainder of presents.

Rock cakes for the birds.  These are very similar to a normal rock cakde recipe, but the difference is there is only a small amount of sugar and no glace cherries.  And the birds love them - they really don't last five minutes once you put them out.

Flavoured oils.  This one has rosemary from the garden with whole peppercorns.

The other one is garlic, chilli peppers and whole peppercorns.  They take about a week for the flavours to develop properly and the shop bought ones aren't a patch on these.

I was spoiled.  As well as the Beast number one, that I had a few months ago, I had a wooden garden arch, chocolates. perfume and a lovely Tilda Hus book from my sister.  I will be showing that tomorrow and have been flicking through it and am determined to find some time to make a few items from there.

Until then, here's a photograph I took of Keanan at his insistence

Boys eh?