Free Shipping

Ok so I decided to jump on the self promotional band wagon and offer Free Shipping until the end of March......That's a $5 saving on most items in my store
So why not take a look and see if anything grabs your attention while the offer is on.

OK so that's the sale pitch over, I don't know if it will increase my sales or not, but it's worth a shot, it's been pretty slow since I opened my store in January and I'm hoping that the free shipping will pay off.

I am also knitting bags like crazy for spring and summer. Here in France we have the spring fairs starting at the end of March and I want to get as much stock together as I can manage, so I have 2 bags ready to sew up, 4 need the handles knitting, and another one on the go, so I have been really busy. My hands are paying for it though, boy do they ache!

A few of my favourites on Etsy

This is something I've been meaning to do for ages, this is my first favorite item and it's by BeaG she does the most amazing key chain holders that are so useful, this one is a
keychain cell phone holder
She also does lip balm holders, shown in the picture, coin holders, even inhaler holders, they are so ingenious.
She sells pdf's of some of the items, if you want to have a go at making your own.

Bag for my niece

Well I finally got some pictures done and after 3 attempts of downloading them into different folders, I actually found them! Woohoo!
I made this bag for my great niece who will be 6 next week, so I must hurry and get it in the mail so it arrives in time.
I had a little woven straw bag with flowers on it when I was little, so this bag was designed with that in mind.

I use 2 strands of yarn throughout to give the bag some strength, it then doesn't need lining as it is quite a tight weave, the handles are made by knitting i-cord which is a bit fiddly but well worth the effort, in fact the i-cord takes almost as long to knit as the bag!
The bag is knitted in the round so there are no seams to sew up, which is a bonus for me as it's my least favorite part of knitting. The top edge is made using a picot row and then folded over to get the nice effect around the rim, otherwise it looks a bit not finised off.
I added flowers to this one as it's for a little girl, but would still be suitable for an adult who likes fun accessories, the flowers are really easy and take about 3 minutes to make and I think they give it a finished off look.

The purple bag without the flowers, will be added to my store today, I also have done a larger version which is a shoulder bag with longer handles and is more practical for an everyday bag.

I really love making these bags as they are so easy to make, they just take a little time, but I spend most of my evenings knitting, and most of my mornings sewing them up and making the i-cord.

The small bags take around 4 hours to knit, and the larger bags take around 6 hours, so it's time well spent while I'm watching something on the tv.

Featured Seller TranquilityKnots

Recently I bought a key chain, not just any old key chain, a really beautiful Red PanChang Knot Key Chain made by TranquilityKnots
This is made using the ancient art of Chinese knotting which dates back thousands of years, well it got my curiosity going and I wanted to know more so I have been doing a little research, Chinese knotted designs include symbolism, tradition and storytelling.




The two pictures are both designs of the Pan Chang Knot both made by TranquilityKnots, who joined Etsy in January 2008 and has been successfully selling ever since, I love her jewelry and decorative items, the colours are just beautiful and the work she does is simply stunning.

I will let her tell you the rest here is her bio, as she puts it better than I could.

"I always loved all types of chinese folk art while growing up, but chinese knotting is my true passion. It's all started several years ago when my mom bought me a wonderful birthday gift, a set of chinese knotting books and a bag of gorgeous cords and beads. I fell in love with it right then, and found myself making beautiful knots non-stop ever since. I love the fact that I can let my mind run freely and creatively, and then watch my new designs come to life. I have been sharing my creation with friends and family over the years, and now I am sharing it with you."

"Chinese knot is an ancient art form dating back to Tang and Song Dynasties, maybe even earlier. Culturally, they are expected to ward off evil spirits and act as good-luck charms. There are 12 basic knots, and by mixing them cleverly, you will get all the advanced knots and fabulous results. One major characteristic of this decorative knotwork is that all the knots are tied using one thread! Many types of thread can be used, however, satin or silk cord is the most common. Threads can come in a variety of colors, though the most commonly used is red, because red symbolizes good luck and prosperity."

"My designs are a combination of traditional and modern taste. Most beads or pendants used in my jewelry are chinese porcelain beads, however I do use gemstones, swarovski crystals, pearl, wood or metal or glass beads too. Every piece is designed and handmade by me, so it will be truly one-of-a-kind.
The reason I named my store “Tranquility Knots” is because that is how I feel when I making them or even staring at them. I hope my creation can bring you and your family good luck and peace too."

Photo hell

I am having a real problem taking photo's of my bags, I just can't seem to get them right, I really wanted to put up some pictures, but every time I get out the camera and take some pics, they just look really flat and uninteresting, so I am making it my mission for tomorrow to be creative and take some really great pictures.

That's not my only problem, once I've taken my photo's and download them onto the pc, I can't find them again, and then I have to wait for my husband to come in and search for them!
I really do need to get a bit more technically minded.

One a day

I failed already, I didn't get chance to post yesterday as I was ultra busy and didn't get a chance to get on the pc, except for to check my emails and shop!

I had a customer here to design her some wedding jewelery, we managed to get her bridesmaid bracelet sorted out which will be lovely and I will post pictures when it's done.
We didn't really decide exactly what she would be having as she was not quite sure, she wants something simple and elegant which doesn't distract the eye from the dress, I have something in mind but will wait until she has had a little more time to think about it first.

Also last night was the first night of getting my 16 month old to go to sleep by himself. It went surprisingly well, he was asleep within 25 minutes and went down for his nap this morning with no problem and he was asleep within 5 minutes, so fingers crossed it will continue. I have used the controlled crying method, where I go back and check on him every 10 minutes until he is asleep.

Just giving my blog some love

I'm not really very good at keeping my blog up to date, I never seem to get the time, so I am going to try and post something everyday, even if it's just my ramblings, which I do quite often anyway, and sometimes get very carried away!

I have been really busy knitting, I have completed 4 bags all except the handles which I make in i-cord, which is pretty slow going as they need to be around 6 feet long.
One of the bags is for Jessica, my great neice, who will be 6 in a couple of weeks, so I really need to get it finished. I am also making some knitted flowers to sew on to the front of it, it looks really pretty so far so I hope she likes it.

I have also had my order of rings for making chainmaille jewelry, I have made a sterling silver Trizantine weave bracelet for my friends son, luckily he's only got a little wrist as it took 138 rings to make it to 6", but it looks wonderful, it's the first time I have done this weave, I found it a little tricky to start with and had to undo and redo it twice before I finally got it right.
I have also just started to do a stainless steel byzantine 3 weave for my husband, it's tough going and makes my hands ache, so I do a little at a time, can't afford to damage my hands as then I won't be able to do any knitting!