'Lovely Layers' - New range of felt goodies!

Apologies for my lack of posts recently - I have making the most of some creative momentum and have been busy designing and making the new 'Lovely Layers' range, as well as getting involved in setting up a new Yorkshire based craft page on Facebook!
It's been busy, busy, busy here at made by lolly x HQ!

'Lovely Layers' 

As you can probably guess from the name of the range, my new items are made from several layers of felt! This is a different style to what I usually use and the simpler construction has allowed the opportunity to be much more experimental with the number of colours I use in a single piece! I must say it has been very exciting trying out the different colour combinations and seeing how they sit alongside the other pieces I have made. I keep trying to tell myself that the process is 'Research and Development' into new products - but really it feels like a grown up version of Fuzzy Felt - the ubiquitous lo-fi toy of my childhood!

I'm really pleased with the results so far - not only has it been great fun to do, but the finished pieces seem very versatile. At this stage I have concentrated mainly on brooches, (all of which are available to buy in my Folksy shop!) but I have many, many ideas of how the pieces could be used on other things.
I don't want to reveal too much now.... you'll just have to keep checking back for updates!

'Yorkshire Made'

As I said earlier, one of the other reasons it has been so busy here at HQ is that I have been involved in the  early stages of setting up a new page on Facebook.

Called 'Yorkshire Made', the new page is hoping to be the one stop regional shop for all things crafty in Yorkshire! We are hoping to offer friendship, advice and support as well as be a source of information - posting details about forthcoming events and local suppliers. It's currently in the very early stages of development but we have lots of ideas to help it grow!

We don't yet have a dedicated username that allows a quick link to the site... but we will have very soon! In the meantime, typing Yorkshire Made into the FB search bar should do the trick!
Please feel free to join us, and add your details to the page!

Practical in Pink!

First, two facts....

1. I am female

2. I do like pink

Point 1 you will have to take my word for (!) but to help prove point 2, look up to the top of this blog and view my banner, then look below where there are a number of items that I have made and which are available to buy from my Folksy shop:

 Pretty pink I'd say, wouldn't you...?

However, just because 

1. I am Female 

and 

2. I do like Pink

This doesn't mean I want everything I own to be in this colour!

I thought it was bad enough when trainers, sports gear, hair straighteners, underwear, kitchen utensils and cars started turning pink, but I have started to notice a very worrying trend in craft eqipment... yep, you've guessed it - PINK!

 

I am very proud of my newly acquired Sizzix Big Shot and heat embossing gun - the thrill of receiving new craft equipment, and the expectation of the new projects you may begin as a result of using it, is a very exciting feeling! But why oh why does everything have to be pink!

And...relax...
Rant over! Pink is still a fabulous colour, so here is my pick of the best pink items currently available on Folksy!

As always, click on the picture to be taken to the seller's shop!

Welcome to 2011!

Hello and Happy New Year!

I hope you have all had a lovely festive period and are looking forward to what the next year will bring - I know that I've come back from my Christmas holiday ready and raring to go! I've been lucky enough to receive some fantastic crafting equipment from good ol' Father Christmas and can't wait to get back into my craft room and get stuck in with the experimentation. By the end of January I'm hoping to be able to completely re-vamp my Folksy shop and launch some new product ranges.... so watch this space for more news!

In the meantime though, to acknowledge the 'new beggining' feeling that New Year seems to bring to many, here are a selection of items taken from Folksy that have been tagged with the keyword 'FRESH'

 

Just click on the picture to be taken directly to the seller's shop!

Saturday Shopping Selection - (Snow) Queen of Hearts

Off with her head!

Okay, so today may not be the most original of topics -
I'm choosing ...SNOW
(a very common theme to lots of blog posts recently!)
...and ALICE IN WONDERLAND
(due to the recent film this is also a very common theme!)

However, thanks to my creativity in the garden I feel that this might be the first time EVER that the two themes have been combined!

Well... you have to make the most of having a snow day! That's what working part time is all about! And who wants to just stick to snowmen?

As always, click on the picture to be taken to that sellers shop!

And please feel free to leave a link in the comments box to any pictures you may have of creative uses of snow!

Saturday Shopping Selection - One for the boys!

Over all the Folksy Friday/Saturday Shopping Selection blog posts I have done, I am very ashamed to say that not one of my posts has been planned with men in mind! I know that this is a place to showcase my personal favourites and so naturally there will be a lot of things aimed at members of the female population (being one myself you know!), but it is still embarrassing to realise that I seem to have forgotten the men completely!

Yesterday, I was lucky enough to have a whole day off with the other half and we had a lovely day pottering about - we even managed to get the Christmas shopping started (we bought one present!). Luckily I do know what I am going to get him for Christmas so that is one less thing to worry about, but there are still quite a few men in my life that need gifts. If you are in the same boat as me, and find men very difficult to buy for, I hope this selection will help give you some ideas!

As always, click on the picture to be taken to the sellers' shop!

Saturday Shopping Selection - Seasonal Stocking Fillers

OK, so the observant amongst you may have noticed that yet again I didn't manage to post a Folksy Friday! Somehow, working out in the real world just interferes with my regular blog posting!

I am however still dedicated to sharing some of my favourite Folksy sellers with you, and so I am pleased to introduce the Saturday Shopping Selection!

From now on, instead of a Folksy Friday I will endeavour to produce a selection of irresistible items every Saturday! The format will be very similar - six items from other sellers, all based around a theme (with the occasional bit of self promotion when I include one of my own pieces!)

Today, inspired by this gorgeous Christmas window display filled with clothes and gifts I can't afford, I have chosen a range of accessories that would all make excellent stocking fillers - all for under £5! That way, if ever I had the money to buy any of the items in this window, I would already have the accessories to match!

As always, just click on the photo to be taken to the sellers shop!

Folksy Friday - The November Sparks

This week I will be celebrating both November and December - firstly by promoting six of my favourite Christmassy items from those that have been listed on the November Sparks daily listing club on Folksy, and then by promoting six of my favourite Christmas items from my own shop!

Click on the picture to be taken to that sellers shop.

 

All of these items are available from my shop: www.madebylolly.folksy.com

Yes... that time has come, the clocks have changed, the weather has definitely made a turn for the worst, and some people I know are 'crowing' that they have already done all of their present shopping! In my house this means that I am already behind, so in case you are in the same boat (without a paddle!) I thought these items might help to give you some ideas!