Where does the time go?

Actually, I know exactly where the time goes: it gets eaten up by sitting at the computer faffing about. Nom nom, yummy spare time says my computer: check your emails! reply to them! file away those pictures! delete the ones you don't need! back them up! start your accounts! hunt around for that photo you put somewhere! look up new cameras! etc etc etc.

Needless to say, I have been goggle-eyed in front of the computer screen for the past few days. It is most dull. I still haven't replied to all my emails. I still have a meeeeeellion photos to label and file, and I still haven't really made much progress with my accounts. Sigh.

I have at least done a couple of scans of my work from this past week, to try to make up in some small way for my lack of a camera. My camera broke on day 280, but after taking lots of lovely photos (hurrah!). I am totally counting photo-taking as craftiness! Then day 281 I moved furniture around to extend my crafty workspace (and rescue my supplies from the depths of the spare room). Even if I had a working camera I couldn't show you this yet as it's still the most embarrasing mess!

So, then this week has been days 282-90 and I've been drawing many many new patterns (staying top secret until I get them sewn!), and also attending to some works in progress. I finished a big batch of doves and bluebirds, which look like this:
And I've also been sewing and embroidering LOTS of oak leaves. The finished ones look like this...... but there are more still to embroider. The leaves are destined to be lots of fun things: necklaces, bracelets, hairbands and brooches. A whole range of leafy accessories :)

Being Busy (365, day 279)

Yesterday I finished a whole bundle of things...
A custom pale pink poppy brooch, a custom Lily of the Valley ornament (I love making special ornament versions of my brooch designs), an assortment of poppy bracelets, and two new masks: a white rabbit (with seriously lopsided ears) and a brown bear. I also made my first flower necklace but foolishly omitted it from that picture. I went to take a quick snap of it to put up on this blog, and DOOM! my camera had died again!! Argh. So far giving it a good whack has not fixed it. Not good :(

I suspect I will be buying a new camera next week, even if it does spring back to life. I have so many new things I want to photograph and list, these delays are just too annoying. Luckily, I did manage to get some fab shots this morning of my masks and hairbands being modelled out in the sunshine. Ooh, that reminds me, I still need to edit those... better go do that really... (I also might try whacking the camera again, you never know, it might work, right?)

UPDATE: My poppy design is now available as a sewing pattern! Visit my shop to see all my printable PDF patterns

HURRAH!

We have a working internet connection!

At last!

Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!

*Does happy dance*

To celebrate my return to the 21st century, I'm having a mini SECRET sale in my Etsy shop for 24hours. UPDATE: sale has now ended!

Counting Down the Days

We've made the switch to a new internet supplier after WEEKS of no internet and terrible customer service from our old supplier they've finally given us the code we need to make the switch and our new modem etc is in the post! Hurrah!

In the meantime please buy lots of things from my shop to cheer me up, haha :P

No, seriously, in the meantime check out these excellent visual treats from Etsy...

Awesome teacups and cake stands decorated with amazing and whimsical illustrations from EstherCoombs. Quirky pictures by laurennassef - I particularly love the collectors with their thought clouds brimming with their obsessive collections. Sweet tea-themed pictures by whatkatydoes and jenskelley. Oh, and great teatowels (I do like a nice teatowel) featuring buttons and dishes from new find annabelwaterman and old favourite showpony.

We Are Not Amused

Our internet connection is still down. Our broadband provider are now claiming to have "no idea" what could have occurred and to have "no record" of the call during which they told us we'd be reconnected by today. Aaaaaargh.

We will be trying to switch internet providers asap this week, but until then I'm still stuck internet-less and the blogging hiatus must continue :(

In the meantime...

I'm still stuck without the internet for 99% of my day (sob!) but I just wanted to mention that there's an interview with me over on IndieFixx today, hurrah!

I am rather pining for the pretty colours and fantastic inspiration offered by lovely design blogs like IndieFixx... particularly Poppytalk (and so many of the great blogs linked to on there) and (my current favourite) Print & Pattern - always so much lush stuff to look at, and so much colour! I may have to go out and buy a glossy magazine to tide me over, but it just won't be the same...

Back Next Month

Aaaargh! My broadband provider has informed me that I'm getting my connection back in MAY.
I am trying to work out some wireless piggybacking off my neighbours connections but it's quite likely that I won't be blogging again until next month :(

I'll still be sending out orders from Etsy etc, and will try to reply to messages as quickly as possible. Be sure to check back in May for a big update on what I've been up to, and for lots of new items in the shop :)

Problems

I'm having a few problems with my internet connection. Nothing too drastic and hopefully back to normal soon, but I am taking this as an opportunity to turn the computer off for a bit and make some stuff! :)