the summer holidays.................

The countdown starts very early, the diary starts to fill, dreams of long lie-ins and days in the garden doing crafty bits and pieces and then it lands and ................................it's nearly gone!

I can't complain as I have been to Spain, done the V fest  and am off to France next week, loads of hols but that in itself means my crafty ideas have suffered!
I have promised myself to take loads of knitting and crochet with me to France next week and I will make the most of my final week off before I start my new job and get back to work full-time arrggghhhhh!

Finally....................the big business card reveal!I

I had these a while ago and time has been limited and I have finally uploaded pics of my new business cards which I am very proud of here is the front:

and the back, I could not resist more strawberries:

I have not yet had chance to show these at an event or even use my creative strawberry pens!!!!!
I had better get making for an event or start selling on my "ever developing" website!
<3

Camping Creativity....

A weekend by the sea and a great little yarn shop and I managed to knit this up in an afternoon at the campsite, love the colours and texture and am now inspired!!!

I'm a back! - Giveaway to celebrate!

Oh my life! Where has time gone?  Where have my crafts gone?  Where has spare time gone?
So much has happened in the last month I can't even think!  I finished at my current school and start another in sept, we are moving an office from the house into an office block, the bathroom is being done, the house is up to it's eyes and we have been on holiday for a week in between!! Loads of hols and visits planned for the 6 weeks and I find myself here, in the midst of the hols, no blogs not many WIPs and loads of ideas with what feels like no time!!
I managed to get some awesome bits in Spain last week, some great bags and gifts for people who buy things  - in fact I can feel a giveaway coming on to share my gorgeous finds!
Log onto my facebook page Creative Strawberry and "like" the giveaway comment to be entered.  I will randomly select the winner from those who like the comment on Sunday 7th August at 8pm and a little gift will wing it's way tot he lucky winner!
I am so inspired by those blogs and people I follow and can only wonder how they fit it all in so here is a pledge to do so!!
Can anyone out there inspire me with how to get back on track with my crafty goings on?

Looking forward to hearing your words of inspiration!

A wise old owl once said......................

Don't let that crazy woman sew my eyes on as I look weird!!!!

A weird few weeks really, not just the eyes.  My cat was poorly for a fair few days in the vets and I was unable to make a local craft fair.  Then, I fell in love with the little black cat opposite her in the vets (the ward!) and we rescued her and subsequently not much creativity has occurred!!
She loves yarn as you can see!  So I have battle with her over it!

Jewellery is a no no with her around as she is a monster and would go for the beads!!

A new magic trick!

I had a pile of jeans waiting to be taken up (3 in fact) so after the long drive home I decided to take the bull by the horns and tackle them and I managed it thanks to "DaciaRay" http://www.daciaray.com/?p=38 which has a tutorial on hemming jeans in a way I didn't even know existed, keeping the original hem line so they don't look taken up!
Over the moon, I feel like a magician!!
Try it and you will be converted!

A creative week plus lots of R & R!

Hey,
No postings this week, even though I had intended to document my crafty goings on.  You know what it is like, with one thing and another, time gets taken doing bits and bobs and before you know it there is none left....................time that is!
Started to make things for my fair on 18th June and we did a couple of "crafty visits" for supplies too.  I will be sorting out photos very soon.  My website is also still being done which is great as it looks ace and my new strawberry labels have arrived - all of my items will now have a strawberry label which I am very excited about.  So it is all go, go, go here. I am really missing my square a day in may but cant' wait to finish that after the fair.  My wrist is still very sore so I think it maybe helping if I lay off the hooks and needles for a while, even though my new books from the "twenty to make" range have arrived and I love trying out the things in there to help inspire me and help perfect certain techniques.
Just so you know that I am still being creative and that I appreciate you reading my ramblings!
Thanks and look out for my pics and facebook updates soon with new stock!

Ta-Dah....

Being blocked ready for being made into bunting like banner for my table at fairs and parties!  Love being creative!

And we r off.....................

Well, the creativity has started - my new book has taught me how to do letters and this is what I have done so far!!

Can you tell what ti is going to say??

Exciting times!

Well, after a couple of weeks being really busy at work and being poorly, I am back on it.
I have just ordered my brand new business cards so they should be here in 2 weeks and my website is being re-designed as we speak!  yay!
I have a week off work (half term) so I will focusing on my jewellery projects and items for a fair I am doing on June 18th, I am starting to think very summery, fruity - loving the fact that fruits are in the shops as it exactly the sort of bold, bright and fun jewellery that I love, my bank balance doesn't though!
My website will feature this blog and feature things that I make and people will have the chance to buy stock items or suggest items that I could make for them.  It will be a place where people can see what I do and what I am about.  I like to share my work and ideas and love to say thanks to people that have helped and inspired me along the  way.  It is tough when I am working full-time and being "creative strawberry" on the side but it is what I really love to do.  I have been side tracked and totally addicted to knitting and crochet rather than where I came from and started with a jewellery as about a year ago and I want to get back into making unusual and funky items!
I am taking a break from "A square a day in May" until my fair is finished but I can't wait to get back to it and complete my blanket which I think will look awesome and so fun!
The bank holiday weekend starts a week of creativity here for me so feel free to tell me what you are up to and make suggestions.  All of my jewellery pictures are in albums on my facebook page and I am always open to new ideas and inspiration so have a look!
I will update you in the week............. enjoy the bank holiday weekend!

An explosion!

Whilst feeling sorry for myself I decided to make something that would help, a bomb to blow up my sinuses and make me breathe properly again! lol!  The sun is shining here so it does inspire me to do things even while feeling poorly, who doesn't think the sunshine makes them feel better?  The conservatory (workshop) is lovely and warm and easy to use when it is like this but also makes me feel sleepy!!
It is also a friend for my lonely Mario Mushroom!
As a huge Mario fan, I got this pattern from a fellow Mario Fan Wolfdreamer, who does excellent Mario inspired patterns!

Yay, a little collection is building!

Square 11

Still feeling pants but managed this today:

It is even being blocked here!

Stuck on the sofa!

Well, still full up with cold and unable to go to work, bit fed up really but on a positive note I managed to do 2 squares yesterday for the CAL:

I loved square 9 - quick and easy to do, square 10 looks great but took what felt like ages

Square 9

square 10

 May attempt another one later today if I can muster up the energy, creeping along with the CAL slowly but surely!
Even blocking the squares I have done so far and they are looking awesome.  I was a bit dubious about blocking before, especially crochet but it does make a huge difference. I will post some pics when my nest lot are done!

Another square!

Still feeling pants but cheered myself up with square number 8!!
I love the look of this and it is a lot easier than I thought!

A relaxing sunday!

Full of cold so confined to sofa as feel rubbish but managed square 7 - it's not my best as I mucked up a bit and couldn't be bothered to go back but I love the pattern and will def use it in the future!

Long time no post.....

Manic week in school and now coming down with a cold and feel pants so progress is still slow (even slower!)
Still, I have done square 6 finally,

Bought some new books for inspiration and recommended on fellow bloggers' pages and here they are ,
great ideas and and projects!

And this one is even spiral bound, cool (thats what I liked about it!)

Knitting is out at the moment because of my poorly wrist so crochet it is for me, bring on the next square..................................................................

What a day!

Well 20 pieces of coursework (controlled assessments) marked, lots of school work done, a trip to the docs, an x-ray on my wrist (no broken bones but still very sore, luckily on my left hand!), finished a unit on my Spanish course and square number 5, all in one day!  Phew!
My fav one yet with colours and I am getting quicker!

It's not too late to join the CAL!

Slowly but surely.......

Well not quite the 8 squares it should be but I have now completed squares 3 and 4, I loved square 4, it was very easy to make.  As I am only using DK yarn I should probably use a smaller hook than 6mm but now I have started that way I should probably finish due to the sizes but hey, this is all about learning!

Also, my little baby got injured today and we have been at the vets tonight, look at my poorly bear!

Square 2

Here it is, with an extra border to make it the same size (ish) as square 1!
Taking slightly longer than I anticipated, especially being back at work but very proud and feel like proper "crocheter" when I see it completed!

Check out the CAL below if you fancy getting involved

Don't make him angry!

Yay,I know, I know I am always flitting between projects but that is me!  And now I have finished my first Angry Bird - The cardinal, thanks to Karla Fitch and my beloved Ravelry.
Here he is:

Maybe I should go for the whole collection?

A square a day in May - square 1

OK so it is 3rd May and I have finished square 1, not quite as the title suggests but I will finish it.  Back to work tomorrow so will have to juggle it with marking books and planning lessons!!
Anyway have a look at the progress at


Here is my first effort:

Not too impressed with the colour work but just grabbed whatever was close to me when I was "in the zone!"
Anyways, I have started so I will finish!
Got loads of WIPs at mo, at a loss at where to start!

A square a day in May!

Hi all, I saw this on a great blog Hooked on Handmade and am sharing it as I am going to get involved too!
Fancy it, come on?
All details are on the blog!

Mediterranean madness!

Well, I made it round the med, on flights and a cruise ship with my bamboo crochet hooks and my sewing kit with useless scissors! I managed not to get any of confiscated for being "dangerous" and actually managed to start a couple of projects!  Crocheting on a cruise ship at reasonable speed (lets not get "knotted" and technical lol!!) is not as easy as I thought in the breeze!  Especially while crocheting a pattern requiring, well what I ended up with, 5 small balls of yarn! I opted then for some basic granny squares to start my Mario blanket, a pattern I found on "Ravelry", 11 squares down, 241 to go according to the pattern!! http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/granny-square-mario-bedspread

My progress..... a while to go yet!

The other project is still all tangled post-suitcase so expect that soon!

Well, my trip - I started (and finished) in Venice, famous for it's Murano glass and I picked up a few items that I loved while I was there:

As you can imagine, my favourite find, the glass strawberries!!

Some sweets with no sugar content!

A wine stopper!

Some grapes I was going to use on necklaces - what do you think?

A Bag hook, a stylish way to keep your bag off the floor!

The trusty old paperweight - what a gorgeous pattern!

Now that is what I call a quirky pendant!

After Venice, is was off on our travels around the med, Santorini was our third stop and is is the basin of a volcano so I got some beads made of Lava rock and thought I could make them the focal pieces for some necklaces and bracelets - even lava bead earrings?  Any suggestions or ideas are also welcome fellow crafters!!
Here are the sizes I got:

These are lovely and you can even see the small air bubbles which have formed in the rock!  They will look great against other colour beads too!
I have one week left to try and get crafty, I have such a back log and not long until I am back to work so I had better get off and crafting!
Feel free to make comments on my finds and make suggestions on the lava beads or grapes.
Bye for now, CS <3

Easter hols Mediterranean creativity!

Well, the sun is shining on the first weekend of the Easter hols and I am finally all packed for some Mediterranean creativity.  Starting in Venice and then round the Med for a few days!  I am now armed with yarn, fun patterns and my mini sewing kit with crochet hooks!!!  I hope to come back with many pics of my fab hol and lots of ideas and fun creations!  I am feeling computer games inspired with a Mario bedspread and bag that I found from some other creators on Ravelry (I love Ravelry - the knit and crochet community - it inspires me every day!) and the angry birds plushies to start when I am away (providing it all fits in my case of course)!!  (I bet I am fed up of the sight of angry birds now I have charged my ipod ready for the plane!!
Happy Easter to all and I will post my pics when I return rejuvenated and full of creativity!

Facebook giveaway!

Fellow bloggers and creative folk!  I will be doing a giveaway if I reach 500 fans on my facebook page Creative Strawberry by Easter weekend so have a look on there at some of my other creations too!!
Over and out!

Long time but good news!

What a few weeks it has been!!  I got a new job for a September start this week which is awesome and I can't wait!  And................drum roll please..........................one of my knitted items won runner up for "Let's knit" magazine and is in this months edition!  I am very proud considering I could not knit until last summer and I think it is great so I have to show it off!


Here is the item:

And here is a pic of it in the Magazine!!!!!!!

So published and a new job, don;t they say things happen in three's?????

Watch this space!!!!

Lots of things to plan while on the Easter holidays, loads of projects I need to finish and then start especially while I am on my cruise holiday relaxing, yay!!!

Updates!

Hi all,
What a crafty weekend, I spent loads of money (far too much!) at the Hobbycraft event at the NEC but have some great project ideas and can't wait to get them going, roll on the easter hols!
In the meantime, with a few bits and pieces I picked up I am knitting through a list of bits and pieces for my lovely friends and their tots!
I have posted a picture of him on my facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Creative-Strawberry/114815615220989 and am asking people for names, bless him, will pick one very soon!

The bags are still ongoing and lots of things happening at once here at Creative Strawberry towers along with working full time and trying to have a social life!  Some may say it is sad but you crafters out there will know that there is never enough time to make stuff and have fun crafting!!!!

Evening project finished

Thanks to www.berroco.com and their "strozzi" pattern, the leaf necklace evening project of mine was finished today as a gift for a poorly friend of mine,hope it cheers her up!

A plan coming together.................

Well a couple of things have brightened my day today, one of which was the fact that the heavens did not open like the weatherman predicted and the other was that I can see one of my creative ideas coming together.....

This was the prototype and first attempt at the creative strawberry label that I will have on all of my knitted or sewn creations.  Whilst it was a lovely strawb, I decided I liked it best without the yellow pips and I wanted the name on the back and so this is the finished piece.

This is the side that will appear on the front of the bag (with the longer bit sewn into the seam of the bag)


This is the reverse of that and will be seen from the back, all hand made and all exactly what I wanted for my bags made from scratch!


Here is a peek at the start of the first clutch bag in the range, I am inspired by "irregular choice" shoes and bags and love the fact that they are original and different which is why I started to design and create my own stuff in the first place - to have stuff that was original, unusual and different to the "norm".

Here it is with the label as it will be...










Watch this space for the finished piece at Creative Strawberry Towers!
I will be uploading general pattern and info when it is complete (haven't quite worked it out myself yet!)