Pre Country Living nerves! Part 2

For those regular readers I thought I would do a little follow up on my Pre show nerves and for those not so regular readers please refer to the post earlier this month. I want to thank so many of you for your encouraging and very flattering emails you have sent I appreciate them all. I sometimes feel as if I am talking to myself.
I have made some progress, not so much with my jitters they are still very active but with my mind set. I decided that yes things may go wrong but that I am going to plough on, I have had my head well and truly down this week and have been very productive. Last night for example I started at 7pm and worked right through till midnight. I was then up at 5am and got stuck straight back in. I can't complain quite the opposite it is a joy to work with such bright and beautiful fabrics, in this little selection I love the duck egg blue, raspberry pinks, sage green, pumpkin orange, chocolate brown all of them really.
On another note I am no longer taking custom orders for a few weeks I just want to focus on my forthcoming events.

Happy Friday.

Charity Shopping Week

Just a quick reminder that a Friend of mine Moira is hosting a charity shopping week at her lovely home ( Drumbeg St Martins ) There will be all sorts going on from cooking demos to card making as well as plenty of home baking I will be supplying sticky gingerbread. There will also be an opportunity for you to buy some lovely handmade and unusual gifts for Christmas. Please stop in if you can.
Happy Thursday

Some More Bamboo bibs

Just a little pic of last nights sewing. I just need to sew on the velcro now which takes quite a while, then onto the next batch.
Happy Wednesday.

Bamboo Bibs Going Fast

I have had such a run on my Bamboo Bibs, people from all over have been contacting me about my bibs. Its all so exciting. So my little sewing machine and I have been having some extra late nights trying to keep up with orders.

P.S. If you are still interested I only have a few Country Living tickets left so be quick.

Happy Tuesday.

Zippers

You either love them or you hate them. I did have a fear of zippers once but it is gradually wearing off I made a few little zipper purses. Perfect for money, credit cards, lip salve, my facial pads etc etc. And they all have a cute lining. Happy Monday.

Country Living Tickets

I have 10 Country living tickets to give to my lovely customers. All you have to do is buy something from the following list
Bamboo bibs £8
Bamboo Facial Pads 4.50
Key Fob £4.50
Crayon rolls £10
I will send your complimentry ticket along with your purchase. I will even give FREE POSTAGE, just email me your order .

Pre Country Living nerves!

I have got the jitters, with the show being so close. I am sewing like mad and in one way thinking I am not going to have enough stock and on the other hand thinking what if nobody buys anything. I think because I am so passionate about what I am trying to achieve, that my own self imposed pressure is steadily rising. I could go and buy stock but thats not what Made by Mum is about. All my products are made by Mum (ME) I want my customer to know that when they buy from me that I have taken time sourcing all my fabrics form all over the world that they have been washed in my machine and then hung out to dry on my washing line. That I have cut pinned and stitched each product with love and care. So last night when I was supposed to be making more gift baskets I was flitting from one thing to another. Today I still feel unsettled but am going to finish the baskets so that I can say thats something less to do rather than have a pile of half finishes items. I wonder if this is what other crafters feel like? I debated whether or not to write this post but decided I want my blog to be a true reflection of my business journey, the good and not so good. I hope to be back later with some pics for you.
Happy Saturday.

4 weeks until Country living fair Glasgow and a little Lunch.

I though I would show you a custom order that I have been working on it's 2 insulated lunch bags that I was asked to make by a lovely teacher. I hope she likes them. My arms and fingers are scratched all over as there is quite a few pins involved. Totally worth it though. I think that packed lunches can be a little boring, not with these bags.
Now back to prep for the country living fair, only 4 weeks ahh!!!!!!
Happy Thursday.

Cat in the Hat Baby Gift Basket

Two posts in the one day! but I just had to show you what I have been working on. These ever so cute but totally practical Baby gift baskets. Each basket is lined and padded with two little handles perfect for storing toys, books, changing supplies , even toilet roll. They then have 2 bamboo bibs, two bamboo wash cloths and a pack of 6 bamboo facial pads. I thought it would be a great gift for a Mummy to be. What do you think?
Happy Tuesday Evening.

Thread

Don't you just love thread? I do I love the colours, the different sizes and kinds I also love the spools especially when they are wooden I just can't throw them away. I had wanted to come up with some brilliant Christmas decoration using them but have drawn a blank so far. This thread is probably my favourite it is 100% cotton hand quilting thread its thick and shinny quite old fashioned it sews up lovely. When I am sitting in front of the stove hand sewing on a quilt binding I feel a strange connection with quilters of a long gone time. Totally relaxing listening to the thread putting through the quilt and the crackle of the logs.
I have a long list of quilts I want to sew this coming winter I look forward to the binding the most.
Happy Tuesday.

Made by Mum Sunday Sale

Today for my ALL my Customers from all over the world you can buy your Made by Mum bamboo bibs and eco facial pads with free postage anywhere.Bibs are £8 each or 3 for £18 and Eco Facial pads are £4.50 each or 2 for £9. Just email me with your order and I will post them first thing Monday.

WOW I DIDN"T THINK IT WAS GOING TO BE THIS POPULAR. THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE VOTE OF CONFIDENCE!
Happy Sunday.

Country Living Christmas Fair SECC

No pictures today I don't expect you would be interested in seeing my working station, it is under quite a pile of carefully cut fabric ready to be sewn into chef sets, bibs and crayon rolls. This is a method of working I have been adopting recently and it is working for me. I cut several projects first and then sew them together rather that 1 product at a time.
Well if you haven't already clocked the clue at the side of my blog I have been accepted to exhibit at the country Living Magazines Christmas fair at the SECC in Glasgow in a few weeks time. To say I am excited is an understatement I have been planning this for a while and I am chuffed to bits that I have been accepted it feels like I am a legitimate craft business now. Anyway as all of you Mothers out there will know that balancing our family and home commitments at the best of times can be a bit of a juggling act I am trying to keep up with 4 super busy children's scheduals a Husband who rarely seems to stop and of course my increasing workload. My sacrafise is sleep I am soo keen to do myself proud at this big show that my candle is burning at both ends. I am going to try and give a sort of count down to the country living show with what I have been making and all the other prep I have to squeeze in .
Wish me luck. Happy Saturday.

Basket of Goodies

I have been working on a little idea lately, I have realised that I don't need to go to craft fairs and events to sell my products. Hence the basket it contains a selection of my creation, enough to give a feel for my work and is super portable. I will let you know how I get on with it.
Happy Friday.

Cosy Toes

Can you feel the heat? It smells wonderful.
Happy Thursday.

Cat in the Hat Promotion?

Anyone interested in a cat in the hat promotion? let me know I could be persuaded.

Mini Eco revolution

One of the most interesting and positive things that I noticed over the weekend was the changing of peoples attitudes towards reusable products. Real nappies were once seen as old fashioned and inconvenient, however large numbers of soon to be mums were queuing for information and supplies for their soon to be born baby. The nappies themselves were soo cute and soft as well as functional. From a financial prospectus they make lots of sense too as well as reducing our landfill waste.
My little contribution to reusable products were warmly received my little packs of eco facial pads went down a storm and my bamboo wash cloths nearly sold out. So all in all a mini eco revolution may have started in the Highlands.
Happy Tuesday.

Highland Baby Show, I'm back

What a weekend I am totally exhausted. I left Perth early on Saturday Morning and arrived at Eden Court Inverness at about 8.20. Eden Court was a very impressive venue with beautiful views over the river. The actual show was really busy with so many cute babies and funky prams on show. I met lots of funny and interesting people. In my rush I forgot my camera otherwise I would have some photos for you.
From a business point of view it was great I made lots of contacts and sold quite a bit. On the down side I missed my own family and going back to a hotel at the end the day instead of home to kiss and cuddle my own children was pretty hard.
So now I move onto the next on the list which I am soo excited about and nervous THE COUNTRY LIVING CHRISTMAS SHOW at the SECC Glasgow ahh, I have a mege amount of sewing and prep to do so I must be off. Happy Monday.

Be Organised

2 posts in one day when I am up to my eyes. I just wanted to let you in on a conversation I have just had with one of my lovely customers. It went something like this I would like to buy a chef set and bib in x fabric that I saw on your blog a while ago, I reply I don't have any of that fabric left I sold out several weeks ago. Customer disappointed but managed to find an equally fab fabric that she liked and custom order underway.
Please please please if there is something you like and would like to buy shout out, handmade is not the same as mass produced I have limited runs on fabrics and once its gone its gone. And although I love to do custom orders for people, on the run up to christmas with the mass of events I have scheduled I don't anticipate having that much time. It was lucky this time as afore mentioned lovely customer was flexible in her fabric choice. The lesson is don't be shy.
Happy Thursday evening.

Highland Baby Show

Some new Bamboo Bibs that I will be taking with me to the Highland Baby Show.
Happy Thursday.

Highland Baby Show

I am up to my eyes in sewing and fabric and planning for this weekend's Highland baby Show so just have time for a quick photo. Happy Wednesday.

Eco Facial Pads Across the Pond

Just thought you might like a little look at an order I have been working on today. (I have square eyes) it is on its way to a lovely lady in the US. I made up an order of my Eco Facial Pads a few weeks ago for her as she is opening up a new gift shop selling handmade soap and the like, well the Grand opening was last Saturday and she contacted me late Sunday night to re order as they had just about sold out in the first two days.
Being of small stature I have been brought up with the saying "good things come in small packages" and that certainly fits the bill with these goodies, can't you just imaging these in a glass jar on your dressing table or in someone specials christmas stocking, or maybe even wrapped up for the offices secret Santa.
Happy Tuesday.

Second Course Offerings.

On to the second course. Happy Monday.

Christmas Cooking and Cat in the Hat

With Christmas just around the corner I am beginning to thing about all the yummy things I might make this year I really enjoy cooking but my first love is baking. Christmas cake, puddings and cookies you name it. I usually have a little helper or 2 or 3 or 4 my children just love baking my youngest says he is the master mixer my kitchen wall know this only to well. So I try to make it lots of fun and hope that they actually learn something. I would like to think that my recipes will be getting eaten long into the future and not just made by mum and this is where the chef sets came in. Not only are they adjustable (Mums want longevity from their purchases) they are fun and practical. What a great christmas gift for your little Master Chef.
Have a relaxing Sunday maybe you could do a little baking.

Chocolate for the Boys

Since its Friday I thought some chocolate might be good. Not the high, fat high sugar kind but some guilt free oh so sweet eye candy kind. Christmas stocking don't have to be all holly and robins to be cute.