My exciting news

I do not know how I've contained myself, but I didn't want to say anything until it was all done. However a couple of weeks ago, I was contacted and asked to make the bunting to decorate the Etsy UK stand at craft fairs throughout the country. After I'd finished jumping up and down, I put my thinking cap on and came up with ideas to meet the brief - to be bright, cheerful, standout, have orange lettering and Union Jacks in alternative colours.

My spin on it was to use Amy Butler fabrics. I matched the font to Etsy's and added a little heart to my Britannia Union Jack design. I also made larger flags than normal for the main Etsy UK banner.

So here is the end result

A bundle of bunting!

Union Jacks a plenty

Extra Large bunting, similar can be found in my shop http://www.littlekittenhomemade.etsy.com/

Buy handmade!

Here is the feedback - "Oh my! It's absolutely fantastic - Sarah worked with me to create several pieces of custom bunting, one of which had larger flags than she usually does, and the result was perfection. Immaculately hand made and wonderful design ideas. Worth every penny. The Etsy UK stall will be stunning at craft fairs around the country this summer thanks to littlekittenhomemade!!!" 6/09/2010

Belated Birthday

My birthday was back in February, but I still hadn't decided what I wanted from Mum and Dad, some lovely sunny days last week and some very tatty Birkenstock's, led to some Internet shopping and the purchase of some gorgeous new ones, (Gosh, how I hate my feet!)

and whilst ordering some more fabric from Cath Kidston, this fab bag just found it's way into my basket. As my mum says this is definately a Mummy bag, which made me think that my days of nappy bags and pushchairs after 6 years is soon to end.

How will I manage without my trusty pushchair to cart, drinks, suntan cream, first aid kit, sunhats, shopping, parcels for the post office etc etc.............. thank goodness for Cath!

Russian Doll Bunting and Bag

I've decided that I'm going to add two ready to ship items to my Etsy shop every week. This will hopefully increase traffic to my shop and increase my sales, win win, well that's the plan! So 'da da' here is my first creation a bunting and bag duo. I've been adding to my Russian Doll fabric over the last few weeks and had this bunting in my head. I love the mix of colours, the zetsy greens, pretty cerise pinks and the sky blue.

The idea of adding a bag was inspired by my daughter, who at 2 has already discovered a love of bags, she puts 'stuff' in them and carries them about all over the house. We have a bag for dolls, a bag for fairies, a bag for duplo, I think you know where I'm coming from. On a practical, more of a Mummy note, I did think it would make a very pretty pyjama bag too.


Whilst the dolls are gorgeous and look great machine appliqued to the flags, I felt the felt (pun not intended) embellishments in their hair added texture and a pretty detail.

All in all I'm a happy girl, next job get it listed.

Rule Britannia

Yay, my Britannia bunting is in another Treasury, thank you to http://www.gingerlilyuk.etsy.com/ (who take lovely photos)

Here it is, it's a great one

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c0ccd9038f76d91fdca6480/blighty-by-gingerlilyuk

I've also been working on some new Britannia colourways and will post some pictures this week, but just as a little taster, think British Cream Tea combined with Britannia, I'm loving it!

A WHOLE day sewing

Yesterday I had a WHOLE day, yes I mean a WHOLE day, from 7.30am until 6.00pm sewing, stopped for tea and bath time, and then did some more sewing whilst watching Star Wars, the original one (again) with Andy. Andy was in full Daddy mode and in charge of the children and I spent, the day, wrapping and packing, answering emails, hand sewing some personalised bunting and creating some new ready to ship bunting for my Etsy shop, photo's coming soon.

Not wishing to sound unsociable, but I had a blissful day. I love my family absolutely without question and I juggle being a SAHM, with my sewing, but every now and then I need some ME time AND I had lots to do. This was my first whole LITTLE KITTEN HOMEMADE day since Andy got back, it was sunny, I had the windows of my sewing room wide open, I had a few visits from the children, a friend, and my mum, but in the main it was me, my fabric and no noise. (which after a weeks half term is fab!)

Here's some completed bunting:

A gorgeous 'Amy' bunting using her duck egg, green and pink fabrics

A pretty Cath Kidston floral mixed with a delicate red and white stripe and green dot

More 'Amy' fabrics, this time in vibrant pinks and oranges

Pretty pinks, again, but with pale pink and soft green and some matching tie backs, a special commission

and last thing, Hooray, my Britannia bunting made it into a Treasury 'RULE BRITANNIA' , you can see it here

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=133961

Thank you to Cat from www.cattaylor.etsy.com for including my bunting.

Gorgeous Gifts

There are definate plus's to your parents buying and selling antiques and collectables, apart from the enjoyment it brings them, every now and then, they find treasures that the family will love and today it was my turn.

I inherited my love of sewing from my mum, so she's always got a keen eye for sewing related items, she found the following:

A gorgeous printers block chest, a set of needles and a very lovely book on embroidery stitches

The chest, with a bit of love and attention, will soon be home to my huge collection of embroidery threads

The little book is so useful, with clear and precise instructions on how to do 29 embroidery stitches



and my absolute favourite a set of gold tipped needles, all in their rightful place

How lucky am I?

Latest Projects

I've been very lucky to have had lots of orders, yay!! I hope their new owners love their bunting

Wheels Bunting

British Cream Tea, with button embellishments

A new collection, still to be listed Rainy Days , more gorgeous fabrics by Riley Blake

Oh and another, Bed of Roses, Tickings and Roses by Tanya Whelan, how could I resist these!

British Cream Tea, with my little bird applique, this time with a heart wing

Fab, bright, zingy Amy bunting

My new cupcake applique, which is also available on bunting shown on a gorgeous Happy Birthday Banner

I just love the colours and pom pom trim

Another banner, this time in red cord and Wild Thyme fabrics

The banner with its matching bespoke bunting, destined for a camping holiday in France

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

Birthdays

So the weekend of the 6th Plane Birthday party arrived.

First Job, bake the cake. the cake of choice for my son is chocolate (would it be anything else!) I followed Rachel Allen's Chocolate Cake recipe from her Bake cook book.

For the cake
125g (4 ½ oz) dark chocolate
3 tbsp milk
150g (5oz) butter, softened
150g (5oz) caster sugar
3 eggs
200g (7oz) plain flour
1 tbsp good quality cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
Cocoa powder or icing sugar, for dusting, optional
For the chocolate butter icing
75g (3oz) butter, softened
1 tbsp cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
175g (6oz) icing sugar
1 tbsp good quality cocoa powder

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4. Butter and flour the sides of the sandwich tins (two 20cm (8in) diameter sandwich tins) and line the bases with greaseproof paper.

Place the chocolate and the milk in a bowl sitting over a saucepan of gently simmering water and heat until then chocolate has melted.

Beat the butter until very soft then add the caster sugar and continue to beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then fold in the melted chocolate.

Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and the bicarbonate of soda, and fold in gently to mix. Divide the mixture between the two tins and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of each cake comes out clean.

Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to sit for a few minutes before turning them out of their tins and placing them on a wire rack to cool.

While the cakes are cooling, make the chocolate butter icing. Beat the butter, cream and the vanilla extract until very soft. Then gradually sift in the icing sugar and the cocoa powder, beating all the time, until it is all added. Continue to beat until very soft, then whisk the mixture until it is light and fluffy. (I normally make the chocolate butter icing in an electric food mixer, using the whisk all the way through.)

Once the cakes are cool, sandwich them together (I normally sandwich them together bottom to bottom – if you know what I mean!) with the chocolate butter icing. Place the cake on a plate or a cake stand and dust with cocoa powder or icing sugar if you wish.

Next, decorate the cake, having coloured the my three balls of icing, and then having answered the door to the postman with blue hands, thought "Why did I not wear rubber gloves", oh well.......

I made lots and lots of RAF roundels

happily, the cakes did their bit in the oven

And after the addition of some yummy butter cream turned into chocolate cake heaven!




I also baked some aeroplane personalised (of course) cookies

wrapped them up with my homemade 'chocs away' stickers

along with the cupcakes

and added them to the homemade party bags.

phew, one party taken care of, 6 months until my daughter's birthday, I'm thinking a fairy party inspired by Charlie and Lola, with lots of Amy Butler fabrics, uuummm all makes sense to me, oh and did I mention the summer garden party we're having................

The Fairies have been busy

Camilla's been a busy fairy, she's currently flying off to a new home (yey made my first sale!) and she's been in a treasury



http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4bf3ecb34d168eefe9d447ea



Thank you to http://www.joeybb.etsy.com/


Sorry again for the lack of posts this week. I've had lots and lots of orders, which is just fantastic, I'll update tomorrow with some photo's. I've also been adding new collections to my Etsy and Ebay shops.

Other exciting news, my son lost his first tooth. Apparently it came out, with lots of encouraging wiggling, whilst he was drinking a smoothie from the tuck shop at school. Luckily he didn't swallow it! He was very excited when he came out of school, gave me a HUGE smile and said "can you see anything different". After a bit of research it appears that £1 is the going rate for the tooth fairy, a lucrative busy obviously!





He understandably wasn't very keen on having one of my fairies under his pillow, so between making tea, homework and playing, I made a rather cute felt toothy monster, which has, to a very nearly 6 year old, a bit more street cred!