The Other Mousie Feature

This week it's the turn of the rather talented Sarah at TheOtherMousie to be featured and I am really excited to be able to pick some of her wonderful items to show you here today.

1. Where do you get your inspiration?

Actually - this is quite difficult! I admire loads of peoples work & wish I could be as clever or talented as them. But I have a grasshopper brain - it's always on the go & most of my ideas just pour out the top of my head - can't you tell - I mean where did Itty Bitty Pirate Kitty come from??

2. Describe your work space?
We have a very busy household so although I always keep my crafty supplies in one place I do tend to work wherever there is a bit of peace & quiet & a bit of space - which is very rare...

3. When and Why did you start your crafting business?
I actually started crafting properly over 14 years ago, just because I can't help it! At that time it was all craft fairs & I'd rent a space in my local library from time to time. I haven't done too much while I've been busy bringing up my 3 children. But as my youngest is getting settled at kindergarten I started to look at it again. The craft world has changed so much due to the Internet - I felt so scared! As soon as I discovered Folksy I knew things would be ok, they are such a friendly supportive bunch & have given me confidence too.

4. What is your most favourite item that you sell?
It has to be my Itty Bitty items - I think that's what people think of when they think of me! I do lots of what I call serious sewing too, but it's the fun items that grab everyone's attention.



5. Where else do you sell?
Apart from Folksy & Etsy, some of it now comes from word of mouth. Also I think I may have just developed a lucrative line of selling at the school gate to my daughters classmates - hope I don't cause any trouble...

6. Do you do craft fairs and do you think they are a good place to sell?
I did one in March that went very well indeed & I will be looking at doing some more in the future. Craft fairs never really change that much - they all seem a bit hit & miss what works for you doesn't work for others.

7. Describes your style in 3 words.
Kitsch, odd, whimsical or I'm not sure!

8. What are you working on at the moment?
A wonderful lady from Glasgow is getting married on International Talk Like A Pirate Day on September 21st & I'm making 72 (74 inc the bride & groom!) Itty Bitty Pirate Kitties as her wedding favours. I'm also continually thinking up new Itty Bitty Kitty variations & trying to fit them in too.

9. What is the weirdest thing about you?
Oh this is such a talent (!!!) I can take my socks off just by using my big toes & turn it into a sock ball - no hands required... it all comes back to socks really!

10. What 1 item would you like to buy from another Folksy seller?
Aaaarrggghhhh - this is a tricky question - I have so many favourites.... but if I had the money I would love to buy something from Jemima Lumley - her jewellery is stunning.

11. Where is your most favourite place?
My home with my husband & children around me.


12. What is your favourite book?
I don't get chance to read as much as I'd like at the moment. But last year I read Pobby & Dingan by Ben Rice & it still haunts me I've read it 3 times since. It means so much to me.

13. What is your favourite film?
Sorry - but out of all the films I love this is the only one I can watch over & over again & never tire of it... The Railway Children - it's a classic. I get to watch it on my own too because my family just don't seem to get the lure of it. Jenny Agutter on the platform saying 'Daddy! My Daddy!!'....... I just have to have the tissues at the ready!



14. What is your favourite song?
Ooooh that's a toughie... I have songs of the moment, I have quite an eclectic taste too. Can I have two - please???? Paper Wings by Gillian Welch and The Book Of Right-On by Joanna Newsom

15. If you could do anything for the day what would you do?
Just to be able to travel anywhere - stress free.

16. You are a Superhero, what is your power?
I would be a superhero that could transform into a fly!! The amount of times I would love to be a fly on the wall - well this could be my chance - think of all the things I could spy on!

Check out TheOtherMousie's blog, it's a really lovely read.

Lastly, many thanks to Sarah for letting me feature her and showing you her beautiful wares, especially her itty bitty pirate kitty which I adore.

Here's Something She Made Earlier

Recently I had a request from Oddsox over at Folksy for teeny tiny buttons in pairs. She bought loads, which was great ;-) and was such a lovely person to deal with. Well, I received an email from her the other day to tell me that she had listed some items in her shop that she had used my buttons on. They are so cute I wanted to show them on my blog.....and it just shows you what you can do with a smidge of imagination, a dash of talent and some gorgeous Here Pretty Kitty vintage buttons. As you can see I am not adverse to some shameless pluggin!!



So if you love what she makes, and believe me there are so many more cute items in her shop, or you want to have a go at making something with vintage buttons then pop over to our shops. I promise you a very friendly and pleasurable service from us both.

What a Weekend & I'm 'aving a Sale!!

I didn't get around to bloggin this weekend as it was non stop from start to finish!! It started with us trying to buy a car through Paypal and ended with us deciding we would have to sell a car!!

I had a day and a half on the phone to Paypal customer service this weekend......by the way there is not much customer servicing that they can do as it turns out. I am still unable to log in to my account due to a page I was accessing being frozen on one of their servers needing one of their tech guys to kick me off.

Their tech guys are all in America so that helps alot!!!!

We managed to sort payment out another way and get the car on Saturday at 4pm with my partner then having to travel another hour to get a special birthday present for my brother in laws 30th birthday...by the way we got him an acrobatic flying lesson, hope it doesn't get too sick :-) The party was that night so it was all very rushed.

Sunday was abit more sedate except for the hungover mess Sean was in. We took the dogs for a nice walk which ended when I fell down a ditch onto my bottom stinging my arm on nettles in the process. I must have looked a right state as being a bit on the front heavy side had to wait until Sean could help me up.

Anyway, enough about my weekend lets talk money off!! I am having a sale, woohoo....on my beloved Folksy to begin with. 20% off the item price on anything in my shop. This will run until 5pm this Sunday.

Most important thing of all though is to message me first so that I can change the amount as I cannot go into Paypal at the moment to refund any discount.

So you could get a lovely 20% of these.....

Or these...

or even these...

Polka!!

It's that time again, my Wednesday featured seller and this week is the turn of Polka over on Folksy. I am a sucker for buttons and bright colours and she's uses both in abundance.

1. Where do you get your inspiration? Mainly its from the HUGE!! collection of fabric I have gained and hoarded. I chop alot of my childrens clothes especially Maisy's and I just love a good rummage round the charity shops. I also LOVE buttons and will sometimes buy something in a charity shop just to chop the buttons off. As for the designs on my brooches and bags they simply evolve as I go along usually based on the colours.


2. Describe your workspace? Ha Ha that's a really easy one!, I completely take over the dining room table, sometimes it spreads to the lounge and my supplies have taken over the garage ( very bad hoarding habit!)

3. When and Why did you start your crafting business? I have always done sewing, making my sindy doll clothes!. Luckily I hope it progressed and improved from there, I started by making collage pictures from fabric, buttons and stitching. I started out by doing stalls at local events including Lichfield festival and Melbourne open arts events. I stared on folksy because I wanted to see if my work would sell to a wider audience and all my friends kept pushing me to do it!

4. What is your most favourite item that you sell? This is quite hard! I really love the tweed bag in my shop with green crochet flowers and buttons, mind you I also love the bird brooches as well.



5.Where else do you sell? Only on folksy at the moment but also registered with Misi, would also like to open a shop on Etsy need to make more stock!

6. Do you do craft fairs and do you think they are a good place to sell? I'm planning to just do some of the school summer fairs round my area. There is a big Christmas craft fair at Kedleston Hall, Derby that I have applied for and also one in Leicester that a fellow folkster ( lisa from noodlebubble) has organised. I think doing a craft fair is abit hit and miss depending on the fairs promotion, also some are very pricey so its quite daunting if you don't sell anything. However I do love the buzz of face to face selling and positive feedback is great.


7. Describe your style in 3 words? ahhhhh!! clashing, funky and busy!

8. What are you working on at the moment? Just finished a really sweet handbag, soon to be listed, its pink and orange floral with garish orange floral flap, this has a pink polka dot flower with a gorgeous cerise button and turquoise gingham handles. Sounds really garish but it looks nice trust me!



9. What is the weirdest thing about you? I've got eyes in the back of my head!! well I say it to my children enough so it could be true.

10. What one item would I buy from another folksy seller? I love the pendants from seaurchin especially this one, mind you my favourite list is very long! http://www.folksy.com/items/27412-Porcelain-Pendant-with-Glass-Bubble-Moon

11. Where is your most favourite place? Definately St Ives in Cornwall I just adore it there I love the arty community and the relaxed atmosphere also Porthcurno Beach at the Minnack Theatre again in Cornwall, one day if I win a cool million I can move down there!


12. What is your favourite book? No favourite books really more into mags!! sorry not very grown up I'm afraid.

13. What is your favourite film? Goodfellas and any other gangsta blood fest!! Casino, The Godfather and I love horrors.

14. What is your favourite song? "oh my god"by the Kaiser Chiefs in fact pretty much anything by them, I love them!! went to see them at the nia and it was fantastic.

15. If you could do anything for the day what would it be? Rally driving!! I love driving fast round lanes and that would be the perfect way to do it, would also like to go shopping with an endless budget, I love buying clothes and shoes.

16. What would your superhero power be? To be invisible, so I could see my children at school to see what they get upto.

I just wanted to say a big thanks to Polka for taking the time to answer these questions.