From Scotland to Anywhere.

Well it's been a busy time here at Aileen Clarke Crafts over the past couple of weeks.

Most of my crafting time has been taken up with an order for 100 cards. They are off to an English language bookshop in Nerja, Spain! I got the order through Facebook so anyone still not sure about the power of social networking for your business....get a Facebook Fan Page set up now!

I also had a lovely visit to Twist Fibre Craft Studio to stock up on felting supplies. It is such a beautiful shop to visit and just bursting with inspirational ideas. As well as fibres, yarns and all things knitty, they sell beautiful fat quarters, buttons and beads. 

I made this cuff just so that I could line it with this gorgeous printed quilters cotton.

I've stitched little squares of shimmer organza onto the felt for a little bit of shimmer and shine and added a  swirly vintage button from my own collection.

 

I just love the lining fabric.

I've used it to back this bookmark too.

 

Both the Cuff and the Bookmark are available from my Etsy shop now.

Coming up this weekend is a Craft Fair at Cupar Corn Exchange. I will have a wide selection of work available including some of these smaller felt Landscapes at £25. They come complete with frame and are also available Online.

The Bookmarks have been a great success with sales coming in from as far afield as Italy, Sweden and Slovenia.

I'm working on a batch this week to go to 'Room 15', a lovely little gift shop in Oban. 
With these you can send a little bit of Scotland to anywhere!

I also made a couple of purchases. 

My best friend who taught me to make felt also makes and sells her felt creations. She is into needle felting and makes fabulous cushions, 3D animals, pictures and hot water bottle covers. She is still in the process of building up her little business and I took this piece below in to the studio for the last Open Day. I then brought it home and hung it on my wall for safe keeping and now I cannot bear to part with it! It reminds me so much of looking across to 

Great Blasket Island from Coumenole beach.

Now why on earth would I be buying a felt seascape when I make them myself you might wonder. Well, every time I make something that I think I might keep, I end up selling it and my walls are bare. I also think it's good to have other peoples art around the house. I find this piece very relaxing and dreamy.

'Dream Beach' by Kirsty Tudor
Falkland Felts.

My other purchase arrived last night.......

It may seem daft but I am so delighted to have my feet back in a pair of Dr Martens! It has been a good few years since I wore my last ones.

The winter weather can do what it likes now. I am prepared!

Sea Inspired Wrist Cuff

Regular readers of my blog will know how much I love the sea and how much I enjoy playing with my embellisher machine.
This cuff is inspired by the sea, especially the waters around the Isle of Iona.

It is also inspired by my cousin Lynsey. I made her one similar last week and got it to her before she headed off for the summer. Lynsey loves to travel and these are her favourite colours. She also has an affinity for the sea.

I added the vintage pearly button to add to the sea theme and lined it with a beautiful stripy muslin in toning shades.

I have been listing lots of cuffs in my International Etsy Shop but this one is available from my UK shop at Folksy.com

Inspired by The Isle of Skye

Along side the madness of trying to get stock ready for the Open Studios weekend as well as new work to send out to my stockists, I have been making a couple of things with my new yarn that I bought on Skye.

'The Peat Bog Cottage'
9x14cm

These little 'Peat Bog' pieces incorporate the rich golds, greens and burgundy shades.

'The Peat Bog Croft'
12x12cm`

This cuff also includes some of the green and gold sections of the yarn.

While this daisy necklace, cuff and earrings set include the purple and blue sections.

The earrings are a new idea. I just used beads that I had in the box but I think they would really suit being teamed up with silver foiled glass beads. Might have to nip into Bead Crazy in Perth this weekend!