Friday Finds: Valentine Hearts

This year time is running swiftly past, (seriously, where is it all going? I have way too much to do with too little time!). The end of January is drawing to close, I'm having a massive half price sale (check out most of my recent posts) and February is quickly descending onto us. With February comes valentines day. A day when couples everywhere get loved up, and celebrate being with each other. So ladies, now is the time to start hinting at the romantic gestures you would like you're other half to make. maybe a home cooked dinner, or how about being whisked away to Paris for a weekend of romance. maybe something simple would make your day, like finally putting up the shelves or hovering the house, while we dream and drool over romantic gifts...

 

 

Sew Happy Girls make what every girl wants, a fabulous, unique love heart pendant. We all have a heart necklace of some design (I was wearing one yesterday, complete with matching earrings!). Their felt heart sequined pendant is fabulous, I love the cupids arrow too!

 

 

Vintage Chic adoring domestic goddesses everywhere are dreaming of beautiful table cloths. This one, by Iren Garden is perfect for those romantic candle lit dinners for two...

 

 

Love Hearts where one of my favourite childhood sweets, (ok they still are, and I may just have some at home...). You can't go wrong with a cute Love Heart message, and here are 6 of them in shot glass format from Toasted Glass, perfect for playing a naughty drinking game!  

 

 

These intricate quilled heart earrings have been made by the very talented Quill Paper Treasures. I can't stop peeking at her colourful jewellery designs!

 

 

 

Wood Brands customisable photo frame makes the perfect valentines Gift. It's elegant, classy and completely unique, I can just image reframing your favourite wedding day photo as a sweet reminder of many happy years together.

 

Happy Valentines Day!

 

 

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Etsy CLOSING DOWN SALE! Time to Smile

My Etsy CLOSING DOWN SALE is well underway. My shop is stocked, (although there is more to come) and my shop viewings are growing. (I do always get lots of pleasure when things grow, so please lets keep spreading the word shall we!)

If you read my previous post, you will know why I'm having a SALE, so make the most of it and have a browse while my stocks (and stash for custom orders) last, and get a bargain piece of cross stitch jewellery, such as some cute earrings, a nice necklace, or a unique ring. It doesn't stop there though, You could also bag yourself a quirky key ring or even a cool fridge magnet, and don't miss out my Christmas section!

Phew! Hopefully we will both have something to smile about with all of that, like my grinning friend who can't wait to cheer up your day. My cross stitch smiley pendant, like all my other pendants is for sale at the bargain price of only £6.00!

He's working, I'm smiling! Are you?

Happy Sale Shopping!

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Friday Finds: Aliens!

Have you ever wondered what's out there, hidden amongst the infinite universe of stars and comets. The world is so huge we know hardly anything about it, let alone the universe. Could there be there other life out there?

Personally I find it hard to believe that there isn't some form of life out there. Who knows where or what it could be, maybe there are countless other worlds full of strange plants and creatures. Maybe there are worlds similar to Earth, and maybe there are ones so different that we wouldn't recognise that the life was even life. Who knows, maybe there really are the stereotypical aliens out that somewhere, maybe not, but here's a few aliens you could have in your home, so you appear alien friendly, just in case they ever come and decide to take over our world...

This friendly little Alien worm is perfect for keeping track of all your pens. S/He will be the perfect quirky accessory that will make you the envy of the office. If you fancy making your own you can even buy the pattern too! Get your crazy alien worm from Butterfly Love 1.

Who doesn't have a soft spot for ET, the friendly alien who just wants to phone home. I never had an alien friend when I was a little girl, but how awesome would that have been! Second Chance Jewellery will give you plenty to reminisce about with their geeky ET silhouette necklace.

Jupiter Moon have the perfect twist on a guardian angel, how about a guardian alien instead? The simple bold design is fantastic, even those who aren't sci-fi geeks will love this design.

Tea Parties will never be quite the same when served out of this alien tea pot. from Richard Symons Art. It's unconventional and unique, and will most certainly be the talking point when you pour the tea for your grandma.

I've only got eyes for you. With that many eyes it is indeed quite the compliment. Out from the Shadows card is a great way of showing your sentimental feelings to a loved one in a funny, geeky, science way.

Happy alien hunting!

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Friday Finds: Dragonflies

I had originally decided on blossom for todays theme, but it's grey outside, and looks like it's about to hammer it down with rain, so my mood's not really right for looking at spring blossoms. At a bit of a loss, I decided to see if there was anything on the Etsy homepage to inspire me, and I was not disappointed. This beautiful Golden Breeze Treasury was featured, and the very first item, this beautiful pair of golden dragonfly earrings by CyKLu, gave me an idea I could not pass on. After all, dragonflies are beautiful creatures, and come in all sorts of lovely colours, sparkling and flashing in the light as they dart over the water like flying jewels.

 

 

This blank greeting card is the perfect way of sending a special message in a pretty way. It is a print of a watercolour by ARTonStuff, and captures the delicacy of a dragonflies wings perfectly. Check out they other cards too!

 

 

mbStitch is a very talented embroiderer who has hand stitched this bold dragonfly design onto a lavender bag. Hand embroidering takes a lot of time and patience (I should know) and this beautiful piece definitely caught my eye.

 

 

For some fluttering dragonflies and butterflies take a closer look at this lampshade by WEFT Bespoke Design. The cotton is hand printed, and this natural design is perfect to a touch of the outdoors.

 

 

There is a huge variety of gorgeous dragonfly jewellery on Etsy, but this one by Cottage Coppicing attracted me not because of the colour, but because a circle of beech wood has been used to house the dragonfly in a unique and funky style.  

 

 

We all have something we hoard, weathers it's buttons, receipts, or jewellery. This beautiful keepsake box is a great excuse to collect even more things! I love the shabby chic design and colours that Spiral Moon Fantasy have used on this hand painted wooden box.

 

Happy Shopping!

 

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Friday Finds: Oriental

It was my friends birthday yesterday (Happy Birthday Libby), and in honor of the occasion she arranged a meal out at Wagamama in Sheffield. I ordered chicken and prawn Wagamama Pad Thai, which was delicious! I even managed to eat all of the meal using chopsticks (it's probably been a year since I last attempted to use them). Ok, maybe not quite all of the meal if I'm honest, but the last few bits were small and really hard to pick up with chopsticks, and nearly everyone else had finished, so it made sense to use my hands for the last few bits. have you had to resort to alternative methods before? Be honest. Anyway, remembering my delicious meal made me think more about all of the other great things we have gained from South East Asia, such as china pottery, oriental dragons, and beautiful fabrics. A quick Etsy search later, and I am inundated with multitudes of fabulous creations! Alas, I only have space for a few, but here they are.

Der Musensohn have made this beautiful, quirky ceramic pendant. I love the Chinese design of a tree of Wintersweet. It definitely adds a touch of the exotic to your jewellery collection.

Trees are the perfect adornment for your home too, as this beautiful Sakura Flower lamp shows. Love String Lights have got it all covered, as they even include a converter plug. Have a browse of the multitudes of lights they have while your there.

Look cute in pretty oriental fashions with the gorgeous designs from Oriental Grace. There are so many beautiful fabrics and designs to choose from, I had trouble picking one!

When I think about China and japan, I think of Geisha's and the beautiful hair sticks they wore in their elaborate hairstyles. The hair style is up to you, but this gorgeous sparkly hair accessory from Unique DKZ is sure to make it an instant hit!

I'd best not forget chopsticks. They are an instrument which countless Asian people make easy to use, and which many of us European (or American, or Australasian, or [insert country]) all struggle with. These vintage chopsticks from Mickis Vintage Jewelry are so beautiful they need to be used.

 

Oriental Rugs Store is a must look for bold, bright, intricately patterned oriental rugs. They are all handwoven, so you're getting the real thing and not just a cheap copy. A unique feature piece for your lounge.  

Happy Shopping!


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Happy Birthday Rhian!

Yesterday was my best friends birthday. Rhian was born on that day a quarter of a century ago.  We met during a PE lesson at school thanks to our mutual rubbishness at sport, and our friendship quickly blossomed.

Rhian is a lovely person, and when it comes to choosing gifts it should be easy. She likes a lot of things. Jewellery is always welcome, along with anything Celtic (she's half welsh and loves Celtic patterns). She has also been a fan of dolphins for as long as I can remember. She is a supporter of Northampton Saints Rugby Team, and is a science geek. A chatterbox and a bookworm (especially for fairy tales). with so much choice, it should be easy. The trouble is that everyone else knows all of the things she likes, and she has a lot of jewellery, a lot of dolphin posters and ornaments, along with funny science posters. She has a Rugby Jersey, and lots of items with Celtic patterns, so how on earth could I choose. Where should I start.

After some contemplation I searched for 'celtic dolphin' in Etsy. A few pages of gorgeous items were found, but one type in particular caught my eye. It was a necklace with a mini book pendant, with a dolphin on the cover. Perfect. It was a little expensive however, and was pre-printed with a poem. Inspiration had struck however, and after a little more searching I settled on this red leather bound mini book pendant by The Press Gang, it even has a cute little clasp. The pages were blank, so I filled most of them with various quotes and pictures of us and places we'd been. I then carefully packaged it back up, (it had arrived beautifully packaged in brown paper tied with twine, simple and stylish) before hastily posting it along with the card. Considering I didn't post it until Tuesday Afternoon, I was very pleasantly surprised when Rhian texted me the next day to say it had arrived, perfect timing for her birthday!

Designing a card was somewhat easier. I wanted it to be fairly simple, so 'Happy Birthday Rhian' was an easy message to include. I also included small Celtic pattern motif's in the corners. Red had to feature as it's Rhian's favourite colour, and I wanted to outline the Celtic motif in Gold to make them stand out more. However, I wasn't sure what colour to use. Maybe a darker red for contrast, but that could be a bit boring, or maybe purple, her second favourite colour, but I didn't think it would compliment the red. Que Chris, who suggested green when I asked his advice. Perfect. I love the combination of the bright colours, and I think it adds to the Celtic effect. It also made it an easy choice to use yellow card with a red inside, using the same technique as that of the Fathers Day card I made previously. What do you think?

Happy Stitching!

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My Top 5 Products!

I'd like to say I'd been busy adding lots of my stock to my new Etsy Shop. The reality is, unfortunately, rather lacking. I have still managed to post an average of 1 item a day after the initial burst of activity last Wednesday, when my shop launched, and I currently have 13 items in stock. Unlucky for some, so I guess I'd best get busy enhancing my photography skills and developing my Etsy shop further. I have yet to add any of my key rings, and I have many more designs of my rings, earrings, pendants, hair clips and fridge magnets just waiting to pose for me. They are clamouring to be seen by the masses, and soon they will be. At night when I get home from my day job as a Cell Biologist, I whisper to them 'patience, you're turn is coming' before selecting a few to photograph for the next day's listings. Currently, my shop is full of some of my favourite items, many of them new designs, but here is my top 5 pick.

No 1:

There's something about my ladybird pendant that I love. i can't decide if it's just that ladybirds are one my favourite insects, or if it's the boldness of the design, or the 3D seed bead detail. It's probably all three!

No 2:

Cupcakes are fashionable at the moment, but they're also delicious, and that's why this cute earrings come in at my number 2. I love that the colours are turned around, with a hot pink case and blue icing instead of the more common blue case and pink icing. The seed bead decoration is the cherry on the cake! (ok, pun is intended!)

No 3:

Seeing smiles makes me smile, and with all of the rain we're having at the moment, I need something to brighten up my day! These cheerful chappies are certainly busy smiling away, and encourage anyone who sees them to do the same. After all, that is their job, they're smilies!  

No 4:

I'm not sure anyone is truly 'English' anymore; our history is riddled with invasions, be they upon us, or caused by us, we have met many many different races of people. As far back as the Vikings, and the Romans, to the British Empire, and more recent immigrants, I doubt any of us truly have English blood. After all, who doesn't like something that's exotic? I am still an English woman though, and proud to be one, despite all the things wrong with this country, after all, that's the case everywhere. As such, I am proud to wear my St Georges Flag ring.

No 5:

I love tulips. Along with daffodils, crocuses, and bluebells, are they one of the flowers that symbolise spring, and that means longer days, warmer nights and (just sometimes) less rain. The Tulip is embroidered rather than cross stitched, so it gives a different effect but is still bold and brilliant. And did I mention, Tulips come in all sorts of gorgeous colours!

What is your favourite item in my shop, or in your own? It's hard to choose, I love looking at Etsy and on Pinterest, the only trouble is tearing myself away from it all to stop and stitch!

 

Happy shopping!

 

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Olympic Torch...

... It's come to Sheffield! Unfortunately I wasn't here on the 25th of June when the olymip tourch was here, (I was busy visiting my sister and her fiance in their new flat, having not realised the torch was here when I booked the train tickets). Plenty of Sheffielders turned out to see the torch and support the torch bearers. What an honour it would be to carry the torch! Plenty of worthy people have/ are taking part in the olymip tourch relay, spurrned on my the crowds who have come to witness this special event. You can follow the torch's route here.  Here's a few of my favourite photo's from Sheffield!



Photo from thestar.com



 

Photo from Barnsley.towntalk.co.uk


















Photo from getconnectedsheffield.com



Photo from Barnsley.towntalk.co.uk



Photo from Thestar.co.uk

Photo from PeakFM.net

 
In honour of the occasion, and to show my support for Team GB, I have designed a cross stitch Union Jack Pendant. It is handstitched using embroidery threads, and set in a silver plated mount, 2.5cm in diameter. The chain is 18" long, and is also silver plated. It could be yours for just £10.00 via my Etsy shop, or my website.

I hope we do well, as does every supporter, but I also hope that all of the competitiors enjoy their visit to London, the competion, and satisfaction at knowing they were selected out of hundereds and thousands of others to represent their country in their favourite sport. 

Let's hear it for Great Britain!

Friday Finds:Etsy

Hello, and thanks for reading my first ever Friday Finds blog post. Since opening my own shop on Etsy earlier this week, (and quickly being a bit obsessed at scrolling through all of the wonderful crafty items on there) I have decided to show a few of my new found favourites each Friday.

This week I was busy browsing the jewellery, a girl can never have too much! it's also given me some inspiration for new designs, I'll keep you posted! Etsy has thousands of beautiful, unique handmade items, way too many to just have 'jewellery' as my theme for this week. Narrowing it down, however, is no easy task, but after much deliberation, and further Etsy finds, I have decided to feature flowers for this week. It is summer after all!

I just love the bold red colour of this beautiful flower pendant by artyscapes.

Classic and contemporary, this lovely adjustable ring from Just Gorgeous Things (JGT's) is perfect for those looking for something elegant. 

These beautiful Hibiscus Flower earrings by Sweetie2Sweetie are absolutely gorgeous, I love the colours (Purple is my favourite after all). 

For delicate metal-heads out there, this intricate trailing flower pendant by Alwaysabridesmaid is a beautiful adornment.

Fans of cherry blossom will love HapaGirls cute creation.

ShuliDesigns wastes no time with her polymer clay flower design. The detail is exquisite.

Right, I must stop browsing for a bit now and get stitching on my own jewellery!

 

 

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Pintrest!

I've recently discovered Pintrest. Well, I lose that term loosely, I had heard about it before, but I've only recently started to actually use it.

In case you are a Pintrest newbie, It's essentially a website which allows you to 'pin' photo's to virtual 'pin boards'. so your friends or 'followers' can see what you like. You can link a photo from a website you have seen, upload one from your computer or repin something you have seen elsewhere. Essentially, it's a way of connecting the things you and your followers both like, and sharing ideas.

I joined Pintrest originally to advertise  for You Sew Should, but it's so easy to become distracted, there must be thousands of pictures pinned, and the rest...!

My first 'pin' was of my Tulip Pendants. Yes, I thought you'd remember them...

Then I quickly got cracking, pinning my cupcake earrings and butterfly earrings, before browsing other crafters jewellery on Pintrest. before long I came along these cute earrings, for every knit-a-holic, and this funky tattoo style pendant.

It didn't stop there and the DIY and Craft selection soon had me engrossed. It didn't take long for me to discover some awesome crafted items, and a new crafty fun and fabulous treat board quickly developed. How fabulous is this chess set and the rose?

You can follow me on Pintrest here.

Pintrest isn't just for us crafty few though, and as wonderful as many crafts are, we talk about plenty of other things, and there is no shortage on Pintrest to keep our interest. There is plenty of Sport, Gardening, Food and Drink, Humour, Wedding, Geek, Outdoors, Cars, Kids, Pets  and  even Architecture!

Right now I'm off for a browse...

WEBSITE LAUNCH!

Hooray!

After a fair bit of trial and error, a significant amount of frustration, and a lot of backtracking and experimentation, I have finally finished an published my website!

You can now buy some earrings and my first ever Pendant design, Tulips, on here, so check it out now!

I will continue to add more products to my website, next on the list is Anchor Pendants....!

But for now, here it is...!

www.yousewshould.com

NEW PRODUCT: TULIP PENDANTS!

Hooray!

I've finallised my Pendant making technique, and here are the results! What do you think?

The Pink one was my first attempt, I love the variated thread as it adds extra depth. After finishing it I asked my boyfriend Chris what he thought.

Chris sounding puzzled 'Hm, yeah it looks nice'

Me 'It's a Tulip'

Chris 'Oh yes, I can see that now, I didn't realise it was a flower because it didn't have a stalk'


Tulip no. 2 was then made with a stalk! I think it does look better, so thanks Chris!

These unsual vintage style tulip necklaces are now for sale at the introductory price of only £9.00 on my facebook shop (normal price £10) which includes P&P. They are available in a range of colours, all made to order!

More pendants will be available in my shop soon, and at a Vintage and craft fair in Sheffield City Centre on May 19th!

Thanks for reading!