tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91759635138023532302024-03-18T09:55:48.683-07:00Bilberry WoodsLaura Mirjamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10080467515786415069noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9175963513802353230.post-78037016287036907942015-03-05T08:36:00.001-08:002015-03-05T08:36:36.603-08:00Frog NotebookToday after I finished all my orders I thought I would try something a bit different – a true DIY craft project! It is not something I would often do although I used to do that a lot in my past. Nothing used to delight me more than covering a notebook of any kind with magazine clippings. Always something inspirational and fun so that you would be inspired to write, take notes, draw etc.<br />And today I did exactly that, although instead of magazine clippings I used our pattern that was created for some of our packaging trials but then got a little forgotten.<br />
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I love the pattern that has a photographs of Croaker the Frog (who watched the whole process eagerly, I think he was rather pleased to be featuring on the notebook) with lily illustrations by Faisal Khouja. My printer refused to print the entire page and the quality isn’t the best, but the main thing is that I am thrilled with it!<br />
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For such a long time I’ve been concentrating in designing and making something that needs to be repeatable or at least sellable, but today was wonderful to let go and just make without a worry how it would actually turn up!<br />
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And boy did I need that. Lately life has expertly thrown one obstacle after another and instead of getting too upset about it all, I decided trying to see the silver lining. It is not the easiest to see, but after enough squinting I think I managed to see something and hence I added a lovely quote by Einstein to the cover of my new notebook to remind me how difficult moments in life can be the very ones that changes the course of the world for better.<br />
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Laura Mirjamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10080467515786415069noreply@blogger.com110tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9175963513802353230.post-21039988330294717212014-08-16T09:55:00.000-07:002014-08-16T09:55:05.481-07:00Mandalas!<div style="text-align: center;">
I've been making hare ears today.<br />
And I never knew how much fun you could have with 12 pairs of ears :))<br />
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Laura Mirjamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10080467515786415069noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9175963513802353230.post-37964647731120056762014-05-23T04:18:00.000-07:002014-05-23T04:19:05.277-07:00Flower Therapy<div style="text-align: left;">
After a long break I am back here on this rainy morning. </div>
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I cleaned my studio and are now having a lovely cup of coffee and sorting our photos on my computer. I came across a lot of flower making photos and I thought they might bring a little bit of colour to this miserable morning.<br />
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Most of these flowers were used in our photographs for greeting cards and others I made into brooches.</div>
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Hope you are having a good end of the week! x </div>
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<br />Laura Mirjamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10080467515786415069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9175963513802353230.post-68169922138780254942014-04-30T02:02:00.002-07:002014-04-30T02:02:36.207-07:00The end of the 'official' Making ChallengeI suppose officially the two week Making Challenge finished yesterday...<br />
Wow, where did the weeks go? I didn't get even half of what I wanted done, but that is ok, I enjoyed it all anyway and it has been good to be back here in the blogosphere . So I will carry on making and writing :)<br />
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Last week our greetings cards arrived! I've been busy folding and putting them into their cello bags and now I have to start updating the website! But before that I just have to start making new animals that I've been thinking about in the last couple of days. I'll keep you posted how they are coming along. xxx<br />
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<br />Laura Mirjamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10080467515786415069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9175963513802353230.post-8883525032748651802014-04-26T04:20:00.000-07:002014-04-26T04:20:25.810-07:00Spring OwlsToday you are going to have two blog posts for the prize of one! Lucky you :))<br />
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Reason being that I never published the first one! Can't quite worked out how come... must have lost the plot momentarily, since I'm sure I did publish it! I was probably just happily reviewing the post and never actually pressed publish button... Oh well, never mind.<br />
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The good news is that I am still making owls so everything ties on nicely :) So here comes Thursday's making! (I think it was Thursday...)<br />
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As the weather was picking up today (Thursday), I just couldn't help, but making a few more Spring owls!<br />
This time they are a little smaller in size than yesterday, only about 6cm tall, but they are so much fun to make too.<br />
I continued with the yellow colour and then tried a couple in Liberty fabrics too. Perhaps they are a bit busy with the colourful stitching...<br />
And they have a little loop so they could be a nice little bag charm or chunky key ring. Just like I used to make them some time ago :) xxx<br />
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And then yesterday (Friday) I carried on with the owls and made these, blue to contrast with the yellow :)<br />
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As I was making these owls I remembered I made some keyring experiments about year and half ago that were based on these same owls, just a very flat version of them. So I dug out the patterns and voila! This was the result! And now I can't wait to make more, with different colour combinations.<br />
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So in the end of the evening I had this strange little group together with all sorts of owl experiments. Now I just need to decide what to do with them. Some will definately be made into making pattern or a kit, and perhaps nice little boxes for them would be nice too... And perhaps I should put some of them on Etsy as that was part of the original Making Challenge.... xxx<br />
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<br />Laura Mirjamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10080467515786415069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9175963513802353230.post-10410798620763574442014-04-24T00:54:00.000-07:002014-04-24T00:55:08.943-07:00Felt Owl TrialsOk, I'm a little bit confused as what day of the Making Challenge it is today? Day 7, I think...<br />
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It looks like today is going to be another rainy and cold day and the weekend's warm sunshine is just a memory. On Monday we took our little terrier to Crickley Hill Country Park which is this lovely little, but tall hill just below Gloucester and Cheltenham and the views are just fantastic.<br />
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Plus you can apparently find dinosaur fossils from there too! Not that we tried although Pixie did a fair bit of digging of her own. She found a mouse hole and while we enjoyed our lunch of leftover lamb roast sandwich she was well on her way to decimate the entire ancient hill. (We patched up beautifully the hole she created and the mice lived another day!)<br />
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On our way back we stopped for a lovely pint of cold cider and sat by a river and just relaxed. What a bliss that was! Pixie on the other hand seemed to have been on the hunt of more mice or water rats, who knows, but she was visibly licking her lips so it must have been something good!<br />
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So there we are, a little introduction to the life of our terrier and now we can get back to the Making Challenge.<br />
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On Tuesday I was completing orders and yesterday I was trialling felt owls that I am hoping to start teaching how to make. So hopefully there will be some owl making workshops here in the Brewery Arts in the autumn if not earlier!<br />
I haven't listed the owls for sale, but I think that is ok, since they are trials for workshops and workshops themselves are something that I've been planning to do for so long, so in that sense they fit into the Making Challenge :) I am also planning to make a proper pattern with instructions so that will certainly go on sale when it is all done. And maybe a little owl making kit too...<br />
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For now I just took what seemed like hundreds of photos and here is a tiny selection of them. xxx<br />
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The first trial was a pink hanging owl.<br />
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I experimented with pearls in the eyes, but decided to remove them. In the workshop you can decide or even use buttons :)<br />
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Then I made yellow "standing" owl. The idea with these owls was that they can be do all by hand stitching and it was working better than I thought. It would also give a lovely choice to use different colour threads to make it different!<br />
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Once I got going I made yet another one, this time hanging owl as well, but not such a flat version as the first pink one :)<br />
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<br />Laura Mirjamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10080467515786415069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9175963513802353230.post-54689291404541857362014-04-22T03:03:00.000-07:002014-04-22T03:03:41.684-07:00Day 4 of the Making ChallengeI've been making this bear throughout the week, but since it was a birthday present I didn't want to post it earlier, just in case the lovely recipient would see it!<br />
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It wasn't strictly speaking part of the Making Challenge, but on the other hand it fitted in well, since it got me making teddy bears again. I can't even remember when I last did a bear before this one! That is a bit sad, don't you think! I have tones of lovely materials, joints, eyes etc. so I will be making more :)<br />
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There is not much to say about this bear apart from that I had a couple of choices of fabric and eventually went with some really lovely and soft grey wool knowing that person that the bear was for loves grey. I also added a bow tie in the end – for the party :) – which was held on Saturday and I think there will be more bow ties coming along since I think it looks so sweet on the bear!!<br />
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So here is a photo gallery of the making the bear. If you are interested in more how the bear is made, about any techniques etc. just ask me. I might even try to put a some sort of tutorial together in the future :) xxx<br />
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<br />Laura Mirjamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10080467515786415069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9175963513802353230.post-60282509914372007832014-04-18T21:02:00.000-07:002014-04-18T21:07:40.629-07:00Day Three of the Making ChallengeI was suppose to upload the Matchbox Shrew onto Etsy website and get on with other things, but somehow the old habits die hard and I ended up "fine tuning" the box and the shrew and totally went off the track. And then of course in the end the ones I did right in the beginning are absolutely fine and in fact better and really I should have just known when to stop. I so often do that and that is yet another reason why this Making Challenge is so good for me. I MUST keep focussed and not overdo things! Oh well, I will try harder tomorrow (or rather today, it is very early morning...)<br />
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Here are some photos of the making the lavender filled Shelly the Shrews and they are listed on Etsy :) <a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/186658274/lavender-filled-liberty-fabric-mouse?ref=shop_home_active_1" target="_blank">Shelly the Shrew</a><br />
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<br />Laura Mirjamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10080467515786415069noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9175963513802353230.post-17249646893210254662014-04-17T14:38:00.000-07:002014-04-17T14:38:23.578-07:00Shrew in a Matchbox :)Day 2 of the Making Challenge.<br />
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Today was another good day, although I must admit I feel tired now. The day has stretched out a bit too long and quite frankly I can't wait to go to sleep now. However I can't go until I've posted something for you to see what I've been up to.<br />
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I'd love to say that the work I've done today is all up and running on Etsy, but it isn't, I will though get on with it first thing in the morning! In fact I think we can alter the rules just a bit... I am allowed to combine two days into one blog post if absolutely necessary and with a good reason.<br />
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My reason being that I think I really need to add some extra finishing touches to the work I did today and therefore it is better to carry on with it tomorrow :) But here is one photo to give you an idea what is going on. More to follow tomorrow!<br />
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By the way, it is a lavender filled shrew in a matchbox! Isn't that exactly what we all need?! :))) xxx<br />
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(P.S. Sorry about the quality of the photo, better ones will follow tomorrow, I hope!)<br />
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<br />Laura Mirjamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10080467515786415069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9175963513802353230.post-4605008462794633332014-04-16T11:11:00.000-07:002014-04-16T11:11:44.159-07:00Maisy the Mouse<b>Day 1</b> of the <b>Making Challenge</b>. <br />
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Another glorious day and on our usual lunchtime walk with Pixie there wasn't even a single cloud in the sky. Pixie busied herself as usual with the squirrels and sniffing her way around the gravestones and I was soaking up the sun. <br />
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By the way the church yard here in Cirencester is really nice in case you wonder why on earth I choose to walk there! It's peaceful, there are beautiful trees, flowers, birds, squirrels and benches where you can sit down and have a little rest. I suppose I often cheat a bit with the walking part, but Pixie is always happy darting around and of course there is always the evening walk where we walk a bit more enthusiastically...<br />
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Anyway, so as I was watching Pixie running around I thought how well the day had gone so far. I got on with the orders really well in the morning since I was so eager to start something really fun in the afternoon! And actually now as it is approaching 7pm I can say that I have more or less met my goals set for today! Hurray, that really doesn't happen that often!<br />
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I cheated just a little bit... I made Maisy the Mouse, but really I had her more or less made up from another day.<br />
However for my defense I will say that I spend rather long time planning what courses to run and teach later on in the year here at the <a href="http://www.newbreweryarts.org.uk/" target="_blank">New Brewery Arts in Cirencester</a>, so that was good too and I think I will excuse myself. I will tell all about the courses later on, but for now here is Maisy and her shiny new box with Strawberry design by Faisal Khouja. (You can check our his website here for all the other amazing artwork he does <a href="http://www.faisalkhouja.com/">www.faisalkhouja.com</a>)<br />
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I thought the design inside the box would be so lovely, such a nice surprise when you open it!<br />
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So I will be looking into making more of these, since it is so much fun too. After all, I did fold and cut paper four years in the past whilst doing my paper restoration degree course and later on working for a commercial gallery in London. It felt rather good to be back working with paper! Now I can't wait to make notebooks. I found a lot of unused paper from previous experiments....<br />
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<br />I think I just need to add a little more 'finishing touches' with the box. Like a nice label and maybe a pretty gift tag and some ribbon. But all that can be left for tomorrow.<br />
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I am also pleased to say that Maisy is up on Etsy too! Check her our <a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/186423753/collectible-paperweight-mouse-handmade?ref=shop_home_active_1" target="_blank">HERE</a>. Unfortunately I didn't manage to clean up the shop much today. I'm desperate to make a lovely new banner and upload more photos, but perhaps all that can be done whilst making and uploading other items. So all in good time.<br />
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See you tomorrow! xxx<br />
<br />Laura Mirjamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10080467515786415069noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9175963513802353230.post-37677571152839559762014-04-15T10:55:00.000-07:002014-04-15T11:04:28.236-07:00A New Challenge!Today was bright and beautiful. The apple tree at the church yard, where I take our little terrier Pixie for a lunch time walk, was just about to blossom and peacock butterflies seemed to be everywhere (at least I think that's what they were...) Pixie didn't pay any attention to either, but instead she was on a hunt for squirrels. Probably no point in saying that she didn't catch any. Her lunch arrived later on in a shape of a doggy biscuit. <br />
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After lunch I finished off an order for <a href="http://www.teddybears.co.uk/" target="_blank">Teddy Bears of Witney</a> and then I started to plan out my next big adventure! Well, it may not be that big.... and probably not that exciting for anybody other than for myself, but if it all goes well, perhaps others can benefit from it too.<br />
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Basically, as I was tidying and rearranging my studio yesterday... I know, again! I do that ever so often! Some think I am completely mad, but I just love doing it. Will post some photos another day. Anyway, I realized how much stuff I have. So much fabric, thread, beads, buttons, ribbon and various teddy bear joints, eyes, stuffing etc. And it was then that I decided to set this challenge for myself that has two rules:<br />
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1. For a next couple of weeks (or more if this works out nicely) I am allowed to make items ONLY from the existing materials. If I desperately need something, say particular size of owl eyes it has to be seriously negotiated!<br />
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2. All the items made have to be from previous ideas that I have never had a moment to take further. The reason for this rule is that I can so easily get carried away with yet another idea and then run out of steam and put it on one side. It is time to pick up all those 'on one side' ideas and prototypes and let them come to alive!<br />
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Of course I will carry on making existing little characters and writing the stories, but you may just see some of the characters popping up in all sorts of colours and sizes. The aim is to do what ever I feel like on that day and I should try to get at least one item done every day, document it here with images and then put it on for sale on Etsy. <br />
(The reason I've chosen Etsy is that I find the system easier than my own website.)<br />
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So there you are! My new big adventure! It may not be the most riveting idea, but I can't wait! I will start tomorrow! I have some orders to do as well and getting Etsy shop looking nice again may take some time, so I am not going to be too harsh on myself if I can't get an item up on Etsy, but at least I will be making something fun and different! Or actually I don't want to say that, I may just feel like making another Mika the Mouse, but that is fine too as long as he comes with some sort of a new twist, like new packaging that I've been thinking about at some point! <br />
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Hope you had a good day too! I'll leave you now with some photos, one being more animated version of Croaker the Frog that I found and others are some of the materials.... x<br />
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<br />Laura Mirjamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10080467515786415069noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9175963513802353230.post-61202940299235095972014-03-01T08:20:00.000-08:002014-03-01T08:20:48.955-08:00Story of Mr Wilkins and Monsieur RoquefortI created Mr Wilkins who is a nearly 5 foot tall teddy bear and Monsieur Roquefort, a little mouse, for an exhibition "Journeys" that we had here in the New Brewery Arts Center last month. Here is their story.<br />
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Once upon a time Mr Wilkins was a young, fit bear who dreamt of seeing different countries and travelling to all the corners of the world. He wrote several lists of places he wanted to go and he hung up a huge world map on his wall and he stuck green dots onto all the places he wanted to see. He also bought red dots ready so that when he had visited a place with a green dot he could change it to a red one. He also polished his piggy bank and started to work harder and save money for his travels. He was so excited about his plans.<br /><br />Mr Wilkins worked his socks off trying to save as much money as he could, but somehow something always happened and his piggy bank just didn’t seem to fill up. The car broke down or his household bills went up or he had to go to the dentist. But he was not to be defeated and he took a second job and worked even harder. He was doing rather well for a while, but because he worked so incredibly hard he got exhausted and had to take some time off and that resulted his piggy bank getting emptier.<br /><br />As the years went by Mr Wilkins started to peel some of the green dots off from his map and eventually he rolled the whole map up and hid it in the furthest corner of his attic. He had given up all hope that he would ever get to travel at all.<br />Then one particularly windy and rainy day, Mr Wilkins received a letter in the post that congratulated him upon winning a trip to France to the place where Roquefort cheese is made. He had completely forgotten about the competition that he saw in the paper’s food section and he couldn’t believe his luck. <br />He went straight to the attic and dug out the old, now slightly faded, map and hung it back on his wall. He then added one green dot over southern France north-east from Montpellier. Mr Wilkins had never felt happier!<br />Mr Wilkins didn’t own very much and it didn’t take long for him to pack. He put on his green coat, beige flat cap and red and blue scarf and he was ready to go.<br /><br />On his journey to France his long forgotten dream of travelling the world got reignited and he once more wrote a list of all the places that he wanted to see. Perhaps his luck had turned and he would get to see them all! <br /><br />Whilst visiting the caves where the famous Roquefort cheese is left to mature, he got talking to a grey mouse with a red beret. He was a very well spoken little mouse and his English was excellent. He introduced himself as Monsieur Roquefort.<br />
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<br />Mr Wilkins and Monsieur Roquefort got on really well and Mr Wilkins enjoyed hearing extra information about the area and its famous cheese from Monsieur Roquefort, he seemed to know every little detail about the place.<br />They stopped for a delicious lunch of bread, cheese and wine and Monsieur Roquefort showed great interest in Mr Wilkins and where he came from. Mr Wilkins told a little bit about his life, but he didn’t feel that he had a lot to tell really, just broken dreams and a lot of boring work related stuff. But Monsieur Roquefort was an excellent listener and Mr Wilkins even showed him his list of places he would like to visit. <br /><br />And then the most incredible thing happened. <br /><br />Monsieur Roquefort took Mr Wilkins’ list and said that he would like to travel to all these places too and if Mr Wilkins would only accept, he would like to travel with Mr Wilkins. Mr Wilkins didn’t know what to say or how indeed to have the money to do all this, but Monsieur Roquefort waved his long arm dismissively and simply explained that after he sold his secret recipe how to make the original and the best Roquefort cheese he hasn’t known what to do with all his money and this would seem like the best solution. <br /><br />Mr Wilkins was over the moon with excitement, but Monsieur Roquefort had just one condition and then they could set off to see the world: he asked if Mr Wilkins could put the list of places he wanted to visit to one side and write a new list that would have words describing what he had experienced so far in his life even if he hadn’t had a chance to see the world. Mr Wilkins started immediately and put on the list words like hardship, illness, poverty, exhaustion and as he continued Monsieur Roquefort commented that even though Mr Wilkins had had a hard time in life he’d still lived through all those hardships and so had learned a great deal about life and now he would travel the world with very different eyes and ears and he wouldn’t just be ticking off places from his list. He would be appreciating the journey as much as the destination and as Monsieur Roquefort is very keen on popular music he quoted the last two lines of lyrics from Snowpatrol’s song Warmer Climate:<br /><br />“I'm so glad that this has taken me so long<br />'Cause it's the journey that made me so strong”<br /><br />From then on Mr Wilkins and Monsieur Roquefort have been travelling the world together and Mr Wilkins’ list now includes words like: friendship, laughter and fresh mountain air.<br /><br />
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<br />Laura Mirjamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10080467515786415069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9175963513802353230.post-88741623990649415192014-02-20T06:49:00.001-08:002019-11-19T11:29:00.705-08:00Party Hats<div style="text-align: left;">
These miniature felt party hats are very easy to make and if you make them in red, they are perfect Christmas hats too! I got a little carried away and made the hats in many different colours followed by a birthday felt cake.<br />
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I used 100% wool felt to make these party hats, but any type of felt would do.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK5DOxZxDk5IcFz-SnWAyI6T4aJ87Ud9D_11nPcEY1Ohw8FHpHkK5UheLdXN-cF3taSGMMJqXa20BKlGMKWVRIW-XO1hhroNsWBHkhGF2G7QcVbFdugdDBvEeMD9MH2tjwuQUrS90kK1Y/s1600/IMG_1906.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK5DOxZxDk5IcFz-SnWAyI6T4aJ87Ud9D_11nPcEY1Ohw8FHpHkK5UheLdXN-cF3taSGMMJqXa20BKlGMKWVRIW-XO1hhroNsWBHkhGF2G7QcVbFdugdDBvEeMD9MH2tjwuQUrS90kK1Y/s640/IMG_1906.jpg" title="Miniature felt pink party hats" width="480" /></a></div>
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Cut out the shapes. </div>
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Fold over and stitch the edge wither by hand or sewing machine.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6qJymTRMcbkC-Jas0xO93K1rkM3hzpV6-iCzCAfIK1YLUW9DEYdwm4pBuHh65zoCici-RLdEk6voIW9NIqFR8e9u8sazGFUA1N44i1j2E6hgGtGpIOwd2PX8_sKWCyRj-OnVOB8O3l6k/s1600/IMG_1908.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6qJymTRMcbkC-Jas0xO93K1rkM3hzpV6-iCzCAfIK1YLUW9DEYdwm4pBuHh65zoCici-RLdEk6voIW9NIqFR8e9u8sazGFUA1N44i1j2E6hgGtGpIOwd2PX8_sKWCyRj-OnVOB8O3l6k/s640/IMG_1908.jpg" title="Miniature pink felt party hats DIY photo tutorial" width="480" /></a></div>
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Turn inside out.</div>
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Add the elastic band.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2kPSXdRtsjANes5vqV7CbxbN8hKD5abvNu8HJmUPs0BdSJJ9kTqfkiqd2aJLbN2nDOdWAcSCHVA1Z5WukCM1oOsikfumpa4P6Yuf15HZwr3Er2NI5tmIqiVQFDY5X3ur807TxzAuhueQ/s1600/IMG_1911.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="586" data-original-width="586" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2kPSXdRtsjANes5vqV7CbxbN8hKD5abvNu8HJmUPs0BdSJJ9kTqfkiqd2aJLbN2nDOdWAcSCHVA1Z5WukCM1oOsikfumpa4P6Yuf15HZwr3Er2NI5tmIqiVQFDY5X3ur807TxzAuhueQ/s640/IMG_1911.jpg" title="Miniature felt cake and felt mice with felt party hats" width="640" /></a></div>
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For the cake, cur our long strip of thick felt (3mm) and glue the ends together creating a ring. Cut out and glue a round disk of felt on the top. Cut an edging and glue to the top edge of the cake.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6rxtu23utzxcVzc9FsifJP1lMknjYbtyI0wfRdQV7vQmlthp66Jrm3y3KncWTvXz8tvfbb4Ii473Rg0s7hkCK8l_auWTlDJV9Wl0ATa30vPm_8ZpLiBh_Leo3EpArROR5pgh8dKu0_X4/s1600/IMG_1914.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6rxtu23utzxcVzc9FsifJP1lMknjYbtyI0wfRdQV7vQmlthp66Jrm3y3KncWTvXz8tvfbb4Ii473Rg0s7hkCK8l_auWTlDJV9Wl0ATa30vPm_8ZpLiBh_Leo3EpArROR5pgh8dKu0_X4/s640/IMG_1914.jpg" title="Miniature DIY felt candles" width="480" /></a></div>
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Cut pieces of felt to make cake candles.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYC-sfnklJCdMKmjmvYoj4M7vpr1O-yhEpJ6OaHM5aI7lPQptOfT5LZKX7repFLshFjZJ6-sDsayzIVjGpFuM5WIK5adyH_E8xP14GucpQiPKi0rYMnsFVkIaTGTgAOSUTsk_slcbLSrc/s1600/IMG_1915.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYC-sfnklJCdMKmjmvYoj4M7vpr1O-yhEpJ6OaHM5aI7lPQptOfT5LZKX7repFLshFjZJ6-sDsayzIVjGpFuM5WIK5adyH_E8xP14GucpQiPKi0rYMnsFVkIaTGTgAOSUTsk_slcbLSrc/s640/IMG_1915.jpg" title="DIY miniature felt candles soft play toys." width="480" /></a></div>
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Cut yellow felt like a flame and glue on.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNnZtygi1z06wyNZrCCaGn53LW0WHPDSNB8gAGbbU-zEXdTUKwscDlh_E3XdwAeRRvMw1N1poo0-KTBIms9XWXOIhD9goyJxTjWMYTvTf9Id09GF5h4OMVNK8dOaBORuIb7ZckTwCDxas/s1600/IMG_1916.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNnZtygi1z06wyNZrCCaGn53LW0WHPDSNB8gAGbbU-zEXdTUKwscDlh_E3XdwAeRRvMw1N1poo0-KTBIms9XWXOIhD9goyJxTjWMYTvTf9Id09GF5h4OMVNK8dOaBORuIb7ZckTwCDxas/s640/IMG_1916.jpg" title="DIY miniature felt birthday cake and candles with felt mice and party hats" width="640" /></a></div>
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Glue the candles on top of the cake.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh71OnP3o_2y-KNVHgeuroLuT-It86Zt-5dYByogDmRq1G8_IoUv8d7WRzYmwHzqnAD-BllUSCq2YAZdIe2affLaH0t4EFDJjW9AzEQrNvzf9g3rBP8koLZ72Z82gJx3HZowVyrGfl_5sE/s1600/IMG_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh71OnP3o_2y-KNVHgeuroLuT-It86Zt-5dYByogDmRq1G8_IoUv8d7WRzYmwHzqnAD-BllUSCq2YAZdIe2affLaH0t4EFDJjW9AzEQrNvzf9g3rBP8koLZ72Z82gJx3HZowVyrGfl_5sE/s640/IMG_1920.jpg" title="Easy DIY felt miniature party hats in yellow" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS3Y9uIbr6wdXzDCychLj_Kl0CHJqAMjWakAP_TPJDO2w11OWS56nDEmx_CU6ZHNjUT0dinaxR_CYx3nQW0oV3xdTbS9gCoTA4TjdliWpEqfqkxbT5TWeH8JRrApWQvM3HdD9DBVnXTjI/s1600/IMG_1921.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="479" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS3Y9uIbr6wdXzDCychLj_Kl0CHJqAMjWakAP_TPJDO2w11OWS56nDEmx_CU6ZHNjUT0dinaxR_CYx3nQW0oV3xdTbS9gCoTA4TjdliWpEqfqkxbT5TWeH8JRrApWQvM3HdD9DBVnXTjI/s640/IMG_1921.jpg" title="Easy DIY felt miniature party hats" width="478" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwBDXDfOmDKWXqywfKG-bZ2Yf0dlaK7NXxSSv9XTbet-0zNeT2yaCX3g4EGZUyFi9Em01sT1tJmerlVfJKAgwakFIWqpdqWlQt33oT-k9qmJWgJS59mvqwRhfCkHqf3zPeJXctvf5IX5M/s1600/IMG_1922.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="547" data-original-width="547" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwBDXDfOmDKWXqywfKG-bZ2Yf0dlaK7NXxSSv9XTbet-0zNeT2yaCX3g4EGZUyFi9Em01sT1tJmerlVfJKAgwakFIWqpdqWlQt33oT-k9qmJWgJS59mvqwRhfCkHqf3zPeJXctvf5IX5M/s640/IMG_1922.jpg" title="Easy DIY felt miniature party hats" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlvWpd4F_yZptyT3osmuHnrAJnOtgzgqrKgKp9jCxgGs1DqWb178GFCNYpiMx3lRnodLmmmBn1b9pVMxUhDSr3NGsBTTv1clh1tge_nha2BZEU6aTOnNfVqlZZXOuYNo0tQFBlKL7gqBE/s1600/IMG_1924.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlvWpd4F_yZptyT3osmuHnrAJnOtgzgqrKgKp9jCxgGs1DqWb178GFCNYpiMx3lRnodLmmmBn1b9pVMxUhDSr3NGsBTTv1clh1tge_nha2BZEU6aTOnNfVqlZZXOuYNo0tQFBlKL7gqBE/s640/IMG_1924.jpg" title="Miniature felt mouse with DIY felt party hat" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZCmbLsizIGmyXX4J6Vuf4-_XMjbayd5Pbr90F0buquXbRDInMoVIaRAcHipSPgoE8BcFzbLUhiwu5dDxxtzXquL_HJtA3V0mFzKIc7_EdYAf2-ISsyilVeDR1y9jNj0VH4jzutvHDb8g/s1600/IMG_1925+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZCmbLsizIGmyXX4J6Vuf4-_XMjbayd5Pbr90F0buquXbRDInMoVIaRAcHipSPgoE8BcFzbLUhiwu5dDxxtzXquL_HJtA3V0mFzKIc7_EdYAf2-ISsyilVeDR1y9jNj0VH4jzutvHDb8g/s640/IMG_1925+%25281%2529.jpg" title="Easy DIY felt miniature party hats" width="480" /></a></div>
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Laura Mirjamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10080467515786415069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9175963513802353230.post-6982095732738563112013-10-24T07:03:00.000-07:002014-02-20T08:30:22.489-08:00The Return of the Blogger :)<div style="text-align: center;">
(Yes, it's been awhile, sorry.<br />
I am writing this in brackets as just a little footnote type of sentence, so that I am not drawing too much attention to the fact that is has been a while since I've been here...:))<br />
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First of all I just have to say this: I can't believe it's nearly November!! <br />
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I'm feeling poorly today and instead of animal making, which there is plenty, I am taking time out to sort out other things, mainly updating things online and working on my website (fabulous iweb is back in action, thank you Apple! so I'm busy converting my website back to how it was before Big Cartel).<br />
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I initially thought that Big Cartel would be a great option, but with my non existing computer programming skills I've found their set up a little limiting.<br />
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Anyway.<br />
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Then there are lots of other things I could write about...<br />
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Lets see.... Yes, felt.<br />
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I've started using wonderful 100% wool felt. Not felting, but using it in a fabric form, so still everything stitched into a shape. And I love it!<br />
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The only thing that is slightly dampening my spirits about it is that many people think I am now using somehow cheaper and less inferior materials, but it is not like that all! The felt is actually more expensive than the woven fabrics and it is beautifully manufactured in Germany.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD3KeliwIGVi-aAcVyB-NECSLovW5-qrVS1PomMTs2JKiomlr_YDg_t5elIkHyPcPuW2Lk-PuAkIXRtnlsHWtQTIyMF6Q1JeLMMTfA3drLpvOMJOU9eQHsJ11XFzBm69ifq6Fv4fWCDLk/s1600/feltgroupS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD3KeliwIGVi-aAcVyB-NECSLovW5-qrVS1PomMTs2JKiomlr_YDg_t5elIkHyPcPuW2Lk-PuAkIXRtnlsHWtQTIyMF6Q1JeLMMTfA3drLpvOMJOU9eQHsJ11XFzBm69ifq6Fv4fWCDLk/s320/feltgroupS.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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It also creates wonderful clean lines that really bring focus back to the shape of the item and some ways it is even harder to work with than woven fabrics. But then again it is some what easier to cut and it has a lovely slight stretch that works so well when filling the animals as you can accentuate the shapes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGpLydpd8O4qdUNaaTG1I190zETVOCgIjCQ3K735oXuZAm2eFwEscNdqB-RjRqeQNnbrjobya9PXT5M2s6Ttm_28JBg77ftHMTODuCmhLX_c6nMHwrZmzRdChWTACY3uEE4y6wj3aOf14/s1600/doublefeltbadgersS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGpLydpd8O4qdUNaaTG1I190zETVOCgIjCQ3K735oXuZAm2eFwEscNdqB-RjRqeQNnbrjobya9PXT5M2s6Ttm_28JBg77ftHMTODuCmhLX_c6nMHwrZmzRdChWTACY3uEE4y6wj3aOf14/s320/doublefeltbadgersS.jpg" height="297" width="320" /></a></div>
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Also the colours are just gorgeous. I particularly like the natural shades, they so remind me of Finland, plus it is lovely to bring some other colours to the pallet. Now you could have a sweet little mouse in pink!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5sRnmP9Fpj2dIJHC1n5OLH_zQ7aEQJ-JAjU88bSKvfh2CPLMpUO2dz9BsCuOZNkwWwsJzMqTkemY3dZbel2Q24IoU0uSDOBF2W89NkWpF0tZKw9-X7t2kR14VBJnUHYT0tVWAL5ZOZmU/s1600/pinkmouseS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5sRnmP9Fpj2dIJHC1n5OLH_zQ7aEQJ-JAjU88bSKvfh2CPLMpUO2dz9BsCuOZNkwWwsJzMqTkemY3dZbel2Q24IoU0uSDOBF2W89NkWpF0tZKw9-X7t2kR14VBJnUHYT0tVWAL5ZOZmU/s320/pinkmouseS.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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So here we are, it is nice to be back and I will try to return earlier than a month or two later :)) x<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5fKpqVsRq9M_dlk5DyFG3ejwtOcwN6N-7R4lYQUW8Nx4aGTFxdmWLeW74-DWXP5EMOnZqtfKItq8lrEhzzGhw7sIYChwfuzZk42je2toiIcivi20R7ECg5B1YDjmJCcw9RSqnwQqfoQQ/s1600/feltfoxgroupsquareS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5fKpqVsRq9M_dlk5DyFG3ejwtOcwN6N-7R4lYQUW8Nx4aGTFxdmWLeW74-DWXP5EMOnZqtfKItq8lrEhzzGhw7sIYChwfuzZk42je2toiIcivi20R7ECg5B1YDjmJCcw9RSqnwQqfoQQ/s320/feltfoxgroupsquareS.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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Laura Mirjamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10080467515786415069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9175963513802353230.post-86905218373876673032013-06-05T09:35:00.004-07:002013-11-22T02:29:42.495-08:00Life is tough, but you must be tougher<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Do you ever feel like the whole world is against you? </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Or that you are cursed or that when things are going well there is someone who watches and says: "Really? You think this is going to work? Try this." And sure enough something happens and what started like a great thing becomes a problem.<br /><br />People tend to try to make you feel better and say: "Bad things come in threes." I think they missed out the zero in the end. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Instead of listing all the horrible things that have happened recently I dug out these and try to follow their lead :)) x</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">“Life is tough, but you must be tougher.” </span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">~Unknown</span></span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fall seven times, stand up eight. </span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">~Japanese Proverb</span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">“In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.” </span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">~Einstein</span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><br />“If you’re going through hell, keep going.” </span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">~Winston Churchill~</span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on. </span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">~Franklin D. Roosevelt</span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> And isn't this last one so lovely?</span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">When
the Japanese mend broken objects, they aggrandize the damage by filling
the cracks with gold. They believe that when something's suffered
damage and has a history it becomes more beautiful. </span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">~Barbara Bloom </span></span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy-CbCtyMVVNKtfy-Y1RQ-gh_DldmimzcardcmzfJjHWty8OFHvTnhxlpledCicm3gDlMfsKGox8K1FVjYV6DIAfqSkTZhLGduW8zXrmaQoCUadjtTLBk2BnMxPFyDIKC9I7tyfNDBqUI/s1600/IMG_0746.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy-CbCtyMVVNKtfy-Y1RQ-gh_DldmimzcardcmzfJjHWty8OFHvTnhxlpledCicm3gDlMfsKGox8K1FVjYV6DIAfqSkTZhLGduW8zXrmaQoCUadjtTLBk2BnMxPFyDIKC9I7tyfNDBqUI/s400/IMG_0746.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />Laura Mirjamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10080467515786415069noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9175963513802353230.post-39183604244618574782013-05-09T01:06:00.002-07:002013-05-09T01:06:43.084-07:00Learning A New Language<div style="text-align: center;">
I've been learning a new language in the last couple of days.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoPgfJ9NLoy8fziE9wWNTOEdEuPA7p_U5Z4CSiNIbc6gHC5w_R0j-7BUW-OZAM0iTVf1jzkZ85dB4Cun2unSk5-i1FLO1Q-w3JX_0aNxbV0YR3ePcHliq-TJcD0xAuRVnwgsj9vfoeOTY/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-05-08+at+17.38.27.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoPgfJ9NLoy8fziE9wWNTOEdEuPA7p_U5Z4CSiNIbc6gHC5w_R0j-7BUW-OZAM0iTVf1jzkZ85dB4Cun2unSk5-i1FLO1Q-w3JX_0aNxbV0YR3ePcHliq-TJcD0xAuRVnwgsj9vfoeOTY/s400/Screen+Shot+2013-05-08+at+17.38.27.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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I wish I could say it is romantic French or beautiful Italian, but no it is more like this:</div>
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"CNAME"</div>
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"DNS records"</div>
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"TTL"</div>
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"SPF"</div>
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"PTR" </div>
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etc. etc. etc. </div>
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Looks familiar? </div>
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Well it doesn't to me!!</div>
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For those who know about computer language I am sure each of these terms means awful lot, but for me it really is a new, and very annoying language.</div>
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All I am trying to do is to get my old web address to take you to my new website, which I've nearly finished building. </div>
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Now building the website didn't come without problems either. Why is it that you never get the real deal before you actually start using a service that you just paid for?</div>
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When you are looking example websites (provided by the company you are thinking of using, shall I name and shame?) they are so beautiful and you think this is brilliant, but as soon as you start, the cruel reality slaps you in the face when "the computer" announces that you can do these things, which are about two, by using these simple tools over here and anything else you can do by just <i>simply </i>customizing HTML, CSS code etc. </div>
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And of course if you do some HTML coding it is totally up to you and the provider cannot make sure that anything will work. Well of course they can't and I am not asking that, but surely they could have been a bit more clear in the beginning that these website examples are created with some customized coding. Or indeed they could have mentioned that you would have to buy another template to get anywhere near to those results.</div>
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So thanks a lot Big Cartel. </div>
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Having said all that, maybe it is a good thing. Now my website is very simple, very clear and in a way it has been a good spring clean that I intend to carry on.</div>
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Have a look and see what you think:</div>
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<a href="http://mirjamidesign.bigcartel.com/" target="_blank">http://mirjamidesign.bigcartel.com/</a></div>
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Hopefully once I've learned this new, exciting (ha-haa), language I will be able to lose bigcartel from the address.</div>
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And to finish off I have to agree with Ludwig Wittgenstein:</div>
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<i>"The limits of my language means the limits of my world."</i></div>
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Maybe a little bit of computer language learning wouldn't be so bad after all.... Would certainly open up a totally new world! :)<br />
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P.S I think I should add here that now that I've had my little complain about Big Cartel, I must admit that they are pretty good especially if accepting all above and I shall let you know how I get on when the website is up and running.</div>
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<span class="bqQuoteLink"><a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/y/yakovsmirn376224.html" title="view quote"></a></span><span class="bodybold"><br /></span>
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Laura Mirjamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10080467515786415069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9175963513802353230.post-3820534751470850142013-05-01T12:01:00.002-07:002013-05-01T12:01:23.313-07:00<div style="text-align: center;">
When I started Mirjami Design I had two options:</div>
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1. To sit down and make a business plan. (All good, proper business people to that :)</div>
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Or</div>
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2. To sit down and do this and embark on a journey that I had no idea what I was doing!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-AboSzh3tp4cibvy2GzkfrTFh1DeeX8vB_Y1dmfSKeLjvvzbrDHpbVnE7QI-7R_W9mX23lIbMnNquCR9KSe3MLSRrxrv5HceodD0vv4ILwB9n__UQS9-CsbfntYa2vPnatzY4qQq4fyU/s1600/P1000221.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-AboSzh3tp4cibvy2GzkfrTFh1DeeX8vB_Y1dmfSKeLjvvzbrDHpbVnE7QI-7R_W9mX23lIbMnNquCR9KSe3MLSRrxrv5HceodD0vv4ILwB9n__UQS9-CsbfntYa2vPnatzY4qQq4fyU/s400/P1000221.JPG" width="335" /></a></div>
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(Look at it! It's a far off from what I am making these day! Looks like some deformed horror film character!)<br />
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What happened next was that I learned as I went along. It is not the greatest way, but boy you learn from it! <br />
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It is a painful way and once you've gone through all silly mistakes you really wish you did stop for a minute right at the beginning and thought through what you were doing. You, well I, would have saved myself a lot of headaches.<br />
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But maybe that is the way it is.<br />
If you, I, did think it all through I would have never been brave enough to go ahead with it all.<br />
Also if you think too much about practicalities and put your business hat on too tightly you will kill the flow of creativity.<br />
What you really need is a good balance and if possible have someone to keep you in check! I certainly wouldn't have been able to make it without some harsh love from the nearest and dearest of mine :)<br />
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Not too sure why I decided to start here, although it is of course an obvious choice since it was the beginning!<br />
But I've been having such a bad time lately that I have really started to doubt if what I do is really the best thing and when those doubts arises it is nice to look right back to the beginning and from there, from this little bear (he's about 8cm tall when sitting) I see again what I saw then: a promise to reach something different and special to me. <br />
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I wanted to create something that made me feel like I am a magician turning something as boring as white piece of felt into something that has a life of its own that shines through its character.<br />
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My life hasn't been easy (a lot of illness, sadness and tough times) and I suppose creating my little characters have given me joy and hope to carry on.<br />
I suppose in a funny way (and totally bonkers way!) these little creations are my way to fight back in the though world and I must say that nothing makes me feel like I'm achieving something when my creations bring a smile to someones face!<br />
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Now that must be worth more than a boring business plan :)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9DbPAuOV_U6HTNWJpxlFFGpBK4X6j90OPY5iUmZ8y5baYNskjZU9x8JjrA-kigAcVFxmQPMxUK6bpepEOv7Y4_HhrEsiysAIN54p008qpPZ-LLoMq6quG5yIVFVs2x298gOHFbkaTv5Y/s1600/IMG_1123.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9DbPAuOV_U6HTNWJpxlFFGpBK4X6j90OPY5iUmZ8y5baYNskjZU9x8JjrA-kigAcVFxmQPMxUK6bpepEOv7Y4_HhrEsiysAIN54p008qpPZ-LLoMq6quG5yIVFVs2x298gOHFbkaTv5Y/s400/IMG_1123.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
This latest bear I've done is a little different from the first one....</div>
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<br />Laura Mirjamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10080467515786415069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9175963513802353230.post-53305173244988012292013-04-25T01:58:00.000-07:002013-04-28T08:35:22.730-07:00A new promise...<div style="text-align: center;">
Aren't promises made to be broken?</div>
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If so there is not much hope for this coming promise or maybe it is a perfect excuse if I can't keep my promise....</div>
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It is a very simple promise...<br />
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I WILL TRY TO UPDATE THIS BLOG REGULARLY.</div>
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There, that wasn't so bad at all! Although if you read that carefully I left many get-out clauses in it.... Buy hey, it's a start right?</div>
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What I am planning to do is to look back how Mirjami Design came about. What has actually happened in the last three years? Like how did it all really start, how I became a supplier for Liberty or Colette and how is it all going at the moment. </div>
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I feel like the months and dare I say years have gone by and a lot of it has kind of settled into one big pile of cat played (or our mad terrier torn) cob of wool. And it is not even just one tangled mess, there are other bits hanging from it and many loose threads... Doesn't sound pretty, does it?<br />
But now I would quite like to untangle it.</div>
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This may not be the most exciting journey for you, but for me it is essential. </div>
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I mean look at these boxes of thread I have! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkb5g-i4y7-pBycz-MgiVbxbQEkr2XWo_FFSb7X2nT5T9cPP3g8gdTL5Eta3CBoCW6o33Nk6pNR545PbWXhNipgnXe8N8OszSaWZ6chdUS3F1kCr7oTYyOL4SEwSpXwjHi666QhqKtwsw/s1600/IMG_1148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkb5g-i4y7-pBycz-MgiVbxbQEkr2XWo_FFSb7X2nT5T9cPP3g8gdTL5Eta3CBoCW6o33Nk6pNR545PbWXhNipgnXe8N8OszSaWZ6chdUS3F1kCr7oTYyOL4SEwSpXwjHi666QhqKtwsw/s400/IMG_1148.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCzauuUVrRKgPo_qvxPQoOl-_Dl3YxusKZMou06CZuwFxJ-KYXOae1Ie2-3LcAEAi-MHkqgysIekPzDFOVDZMjBt4sXgZr365qZlZH8Ynk88d5-Nwf5u-DqVCAD_EoEamaGQeCGWWhtm4/s1600/IMG_1149.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCzauuUVrRKgPo_qvxPQoOl-_Dl3YxusKZMou06CZuwFxJ-KYXOae1Ie2-3LcAEAi-MHkqgysIekPzDFOVDZMjBt4sXgZr365qZlZH8Ynk88d5-Nwf5u-DqVCAD_EoEamaGQeCGWWhtm4/s400/IMG_1149.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drawer full of thread that I use... It's particularly fun trying to get of the bobbins :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj78N_xnmwNLDiYuBw4v7qQYaGI5h2Ol5B9GKFm3KIvD2qMVimmv272lCHnQFz2QM8uMsabTTwI19Zje_mP01lNZXB00iWKbj4rsBNxpKjq8HJN_VE6nSQ69Mhh9tryUlGE2tUdVJ4vvYY/s1600/IMG_1150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj78N_xnmwNLDiYuBw4v7qQYaGI5h2Ol5B9GKFm3KIvD2qMVimmv272lCHnQFz2QM8uMsabTTwI19Zje_mP01lNZXB00iWKbj4rsBNxpKjq8HJN_VE6nSQ69Mhh9tryUlGE2tUdVJ4vvYY/s400/IMG_1150.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another beautifully organized box of thread....</td></tr>
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And another warning: I am putting all my fears and embarrassment to one side about my English language, which is not very good. Full of mistakes and sometimes it all comes out so strangely that it is even hard for myself to follow what I am trying to say! I'd love to say it is all because English is not my mother language, but that would be a lie.... Try to read my Finnish and you'll see it is even worse! I just find it hard to keep to the rules and regulations of proper language!<br />
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Previously I would read and reread these posts and get them proofread many times too before I felt comfortable to press the publish button. But from now on it is just going to be how it is. </div>
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So please consider this as my spoken word and ignore all the mistakes and skip along when things get too hard or even better let me know and I'll try to explain it all again! Although that could be a long, long road. I do have a tendency to revert from my course very easily...</div>
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And just to mention, before you get totally confused, I also tend to place commas where I think a lovely little pause is needed :)</div>
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So there we are, the new journey has begun and hopefully it will be a good one and in the end all my thread will be organized like this box that I hardly use!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEr7RysQ_Bllgasaamlzf_7jLGB5gn1cmrfho9xPg-UqkUMi9wr0oGzgrCtVH9lUx9N3w3AwNKdmtCw6yHpB-k24UG7ZdzNAZ4UwLs5lOvgaj6ATXG8jzMDLaVvXKaeaw1joVem3-2NzA/s400/IMG_1151.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
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<br />Laura Mirjamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10080467515786415069noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9175963513802353230.post-34482594808569291982012-11-01T08:45:00.000-07:002012-11-01T08:45:12.915-07:00Luxurious Leather<br />
Leather is a material that harkens back to early man, who we know depended on animal skins for many aspects of his life such as to provide clothing and shelter. In fact there is something satisfying when you start working with leather, knowing the long history of dependence that humans have had with this most fascinating of materials.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNEmKoW9p7QamD5EvHqwDT3DT4ph3hd9Fi6MGIFY8av7jkPxhuME1QNVGfJ4_dekr87vRv0-zdYxUW9GFgTCBSZOxf5hahKqBBl_5lSMxrW37j5-NVUiOL99EP1TyH6BVxF4iCvfJjUhA/s1600/IMG_0198.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNEmKoW9p7QamD5EvHqwDT3DT4ph3hd9Fi6MGIFY8av7jkPxhuME1QNVGfJ4_dekr87vRv0-zdYxUW9GFgTCBSZOxf5hahKqBBl_5lSMxrW37j5-NVUiOL99EP1TyH6BVxF4iCvfJjUhA/s400/IMG_0198.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Laura choosing hides with Will from <a href="http://www.awmidgley.co.uk/" target="_blank">A W Midgly & Son</a></i></td></tr>
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Before I decided to use leather in my new range of large contemporary craft animals for Mirjami Design, I wanted to find out more about the production of leather to see if it would fit in with my ethical stance on materials.<i> </i>Fortunately I found a decent local family run supplier by the name of<br />
A W Midgley & Son who advised me that all their leather, as well as being a natural product, is also a by-product of the food industry. Safe in the knowledge that animals weren't being killed just for their skins, I began to use these beautiful Antiqued tan hides for my new creations!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii3u2yIIqaLmxs5hD6sIBBXLYDlgYLlhF1P_AfT5ZkiCx7pwPAYl416MKEdL4D86JPEvmIKQvsGs8g8_1rJxt14lVRQiU9rYzlJeR6GWRx8VU8lp5HdUs2FFo3_kR7XkQtIZI4iiWoyDI/s1600/giantowlclose72.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii3u2yIIqaLmxs5hD6sIBBXLYDlgYLlhF1P_AfT5ZkiCx7pwPAYl416MKEdL4D86JPEvmIKQvsGs8g8_1rJxt14lVRQiU9rYzlJeR6GWRx8VU8lp5HdUs2FFo3_kR7XkQtIZI4iiWoyDI/s400/giantowlclose72.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ozzy the Giant Leather Owl of <a href="http://www.mirjamidesign.com/mirjamidesign.com/Giant_Animals.html" target="_blank">Mirjami Design</a></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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There are many stages to the production of leather hides including flaying, preserving, grading and tanning. And while the chemicals used in these processes have some environmental impact, they are necessary to ensure the final product is fully cured and safe to use in the many industries that use leather. While I am using leather for my artwork, it is more traditionally used in the fashion industry, in the upholstery of furniture as well as in a myriad of other niche areas such as in the creation of saddles, and cases for shotguns.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdGItaxwcPBJtTCWJRu_q6GaphXYI7I9-klrMiLwvi4F5o7OXpQ-wlq1VtR81n0f0aRgslEVCky7lRRpmgCeZKZEdzklk1hWSZ7wzQjUCLsGxidiFcMx2PNPcyROLXhnGaQiICYs39gNQ/s1600/IMG_0204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdGItaxwcPBJtTCWJRu_q6GaphXYI7I9-klrMiLwvi4F5o7OXpQ-wlq1VtR81n0f0aRgslEVCky7lRRpmgCeZKZEdzklk1hWSZ7wzQjUCLsGxidiFcMx2PNPcyROLXhnGaQiICYs39gNQ/s400/IMG_0204.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Floor to ceiling hides of all grades and colours in the warehouse</td></tr>
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There are many benefits of working with leather for me. It is tough and durable and has a pleasant scent. Also each hide is slightly different and the subtle marks and blemishes add to the characteristic uniqueness of each one. In a way they tell the story of the animal of which they were a part of. In this way, since I am once again creating animals with the leather, I hope the characters of my own creations can embody some of the resonance of the original owner of the skin!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQTF3Yaqv0CkpzvZz9GbkEuRSFCsLrMAldch0bgSZw81Ivk9vi5uBUrpbXB5sOEvVivNnngEde01UVqlrkE9hOlZFB88c28dmRwRDpT-2p1y9KKxmwbxdG3zoP2ZXbo8WymUeVuWz9Cl0/s1600/laura2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQTF3Yaqv0CkpzvZz9GbkEuRSFCsLrMAldch0bgSZw81Ivk9vi5uBUrpbXB5sOEvVivNnngEde01UVqlrkE9hOlZFB88c28dmRwRDpT-2p1y9KKxmwbxdG3zoP2ZXbo8WymUeVuWz9Cl0/s400/laura2.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laura Mirjami working her Magic</td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9175963513802353230.post-51015843206802461562012-05-02T13:10:00.002-07:002012-05-02T13:10:52.043-07:00Tour of the Studio<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I had a very nice Spring clean yesterday in my studio and here is a little tour of the space!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVCvmKymd6VnMpblBV88YL0cO09LuC8pDFDg9HZzYBk5yKKKzHTjedLsdXOZclb-po737ee8Beq6-U8QomZL8QkX5TZbTVg6e38qdajmM7AvSEG1XaIbL6vkXnSBKFyLgXS626KbvxwUc/s1600/IMG_0244.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVCvmKymd6VnMpblBV88YL0cO09LuC8pDFDg9HZzYBk5yKKKzHTjedLsdXOZclb-po737ee8Beq6-U8QomZL8QkX5TZbTVg6e38qdajmM7AvSEG1XaIbL6vkXnSBKFyLgXS626KbvxwUc/s400/IMG_0244.jpg" width="300" /> </a></div>
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From outside. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXb-ByXtvhbF31No4fwd7ycNpIXXeUJ9EHFYDrn3Cex0p5VWeXS_bH4qMXLKXw7SCkF89xrn4yeSQMlkbryMHJC13o1UEnOtRFxV7WsvrgYhsokRk8i0dqdunMzkIGlmxOtX3gjBiLZIw/s1600/IMG_0245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXb-ByXtvhbF31No4fwd7ycNpIXXeUJ9EHFYDrn3Cex0p5VWeXS_bH4qMXLKXw7SCkF89xrn4yeSQMlkbryMHJC13o1UEnOtRFxV7WsvrgYhsokRk8i0dqdunMzkIGlmxOtX3gjBiLZIw/s400/IMG_0245.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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As you walk in.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC2OPia3zYwcmZWp8OVc2ugXld6-4B9shpMNaX3UFmmVVE6j4Totx85RZb2QgUoh8hhohAWKN4eL5AGIwVj5lE2hVbvr4ah6y5qRr2aXlK354C4gLwxxjR7MOuMv3OpUx_L38XiK7g8gY/s1600/IMG_0246.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC2OPia3zYwcmZWp8OVc2ugXld6-4B9shpMNaX3UFmmVVE6j4Totx85RZb2QgUoh8hhohAWKN4eL5AGIwVj5lE2hVbvr4ah6y5qRr2aXlK354C4gLwxxjR7MOuMv3OpUx_L38XiK7g8gY/s400/IMG_0246.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Turn right...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif6CgJy9XC4L3z-5NyUgsIlb7q-MNtbrq712T2DrHfAM1KEd34ACQjuNBF6-zsn0WcnM-vF2qlt1IFrLEC_40OiC-WQrpH44r92YqrsJTVSvVY9NwegsMhkJtKINEVjgfV04Zonb9telQ/s1600/IMG_0247.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif6CgJy9XC4L3z-5NyUgsIlb7q-MNtbrq712T2DrHfAM1KEd34ACQjuNBF6-zsn0WcnM-vF2qlt1IFrLEC_40OiC-WQrpH44r92YqrsJTVSvVY9NwegsMhkJtKINEVjgfV04Zonb9telQ/s400/IMG_0247.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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then left...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGXU3ca_W0TAkZJL-OIt-CpPSqUPzxg6sM_qtcMmyEdsr0ft0HR6Q74KffhGJI2UQCwK3yeLk-mcHRy5VThdJY0wFFP0lwc4jKE58_N2vK7KotrGq0qd0vAH0yBg2bNluuKAopiNeqso8/s1600/IMG_0248.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGXU3ca_W0TAkZJL-OIt-CpPSqUPzxg6sM_qtcMmyEdsr0ft0HR6Q74KffhGJI2UQCwK3yeLk-mcHRy5VThdJY0wFFP0lwc4jKE58_N2vK7KotrGq0qd0vAH0yBg2bNluuKAopiNeqso8/s400/IMG_0248.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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then right again...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcneb5fvmT6sWxZ78nMZqa7ajabCIVx8A7L6e_DPzPfT6JMyDhCqArQN9TT1pd5-r5NYyDDlRyUZLUlGWYQ38evYtPHshVy4wWLKQDZUJy8y_rSIEg1qPzIkufpWneh7KyHBANc-r8UwQ/s1600/IMG_0250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcneb5fvmT6sWxZ78nMZqa7ajabCIVx8A7L6e_DPzPfT6JMyDhCqArQN9TT1pd5-r5NYyDDlRyUZLUlGWYQ38evYtPHshVy4wWLKQDZUJy8y_rSIEg1qPzIkufpWneh7KyHBANc-r8UwQ/s400/IMG_0250.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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and carry on!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz_kRiceJAkFEomBEcpXbMcXL3_MKl5hyBf-jd95QYbIquzX0Fg8ylJgIPPqBQqPlVKFi_7HCwHmM1C10A_ZaYc3ns-Tw4IC1-fpXAnxKco-LTsnlFnwAM9KYaRuqg0KW4JqtF9Ry6jI0/s1600/IMG_0251.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz_kRiceJAkFEomBEcpXbMcXL3_MKl5hyBf-jd95QYbIquzX0Fg8ylJgIPPqBQqPlVKFi_7HCwHmM1C10A_ZaYc3ns-Tw4IC1-fpXAnxKco-LTsnlFnwAM9KYaRuqg0KW4JqtF9Ry6jI0/s400/IMG_0251.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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Artist Faisal's lovely lino cut 'Willlos' and some greeting cards based on the other original linos.</div>
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And a few new experimental cushions... hand printed, based on Faisal's original lino cuts. All displays on the side window.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUMLMAX-28Cywcd5UE6QClV2QWlzC9khDbpI31MBJbhb6KmTd10_eD20T-y4NK34FffWXBZzX53ns0lLPOzq-i41lApBNsfADD-pfFxDUko0QTwHk1TNamthGKsL5sm6NfgR6fm8F4Jvo/s1600/IMG_0253.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUMLMAX-28Cywcd5UE6QClV2QWlzC9khDbpI31MBJbhb6KmTd10_eD20T-y4NK34FffWXBZzX53ns0lLPOzq-i41lApBNsfADD-pfFxDUko0QTwHk1TNamthGKsL5sm6NfgR6fm8F4Jvo/s400/IMG_0253.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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My workbench.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF2Ivb0swYdCtCwYTXZuWrVDUcyFH-b1PGQDclFn4aDpTi7V14A0jJYHd18Cq1UI1iXwbJiM3lKossBX0ziRmYl8YgEXw73Q1oocDcoj0og3kohtmKV0edLmoU7yDUO9oiyAtxsJ_XptA/s1600/IMG_0254.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF2Ivb0swYdCtCwYTXZuWrVDUcyFH-b1PGQDclFn4aDpTi7V14A0jJYHd18Cq1UI1iXwbJiM3lKossBX0ziRmYl8YgEXw73Q1oocDcoj0og3kohtmKV0edLmoU7yDUO9oiyAtxsJ_XptA/s400/IMG_0254.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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More little animals!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijQheRx7BQSphHbnuYj14f_hiN8QOrGP7fOEyhMfq3Z-mocb6ig8Wc0vgUhTvLfqOMwbEDIdXdG2SuL0D9vXi0GzWGp3loJZfkfrOXoGiKC7t1-cdODie8kk2fSdxVTKc9pn-Ao2lAttc/s1600/IMG_0255.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijQheRx7BQSphHbnuYj14f_hiN8QOrGP7fOEyhMfq3Z-mocb6ig8Wc0vgUhTvLfqOMwbEDIdXdG2SuL0D9vXi0GzWGp3loJZfkfrOXoGiKC7t1-cdODie8kk2fSdxVTKc9pn-Ao2lAttc/s400/IMG_0255.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Workbench again.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi90iAE9XutsGWHlmjgbHgX6QcLAP-xxZ-KZFqg3JoCcvU_AJ8tm7Ovyw8mfnz4amRWqbyqz4sfDAFrKgAkpkYVNV6SLDRkgaQjBqjwozMggt3sSRSwrSxXh2V4shSyjEbyfjxFy3JbtQM/s1600/IMG_0256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi90iAE9XutsGWHlmjgbHgX6QcLAP-xxZ-KZFqg3JoCcvU_AJ8tm7Ovyw8mfnz4amRWqbyqz4sfDAFrKgAkpkYVNV6SLDRkgaQjBqjwozMggt3sSRSwrSxXh2V4shSyjEbyfjxFy3JbtQM/s400/IMG_0256.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Little Pixie that lies on her bed underneath the sink and barks at the customers most of the days (very annoying).</div>
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My workbench from my side.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRCfkPl517LMD2FUGldQ6d_q1m42OwxrmmhYGD8pjkFE2_9ZcUhn66CUUeoJaEAZg3MQ_U5tbEHNGomcLglOkR3NT2hTbQKvnVPLHXPux48TN9BJeYUwZbXELHWvT9dGCzZW0vvfOIxDI/s1600/IMG_0268.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRCfkPl517LMD2FUGldQ6d_q1m42OwxrmmhYGD8pjkFE2_9ZcUhn66CUUeoJaEAZg3MQ_U5tbEHNGomcLglOkR3NT2hTbQKvnVPLHXPux48TN9BJeYUwZbXELHWvT9dGCzZW0vvfOIxDI/s400/IMG_0268.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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And from outside the window that looks inside the Brewery Arts corridor.</div>
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Hope you enjoyed the tour! </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9175963513802353230.post-6208733928124587522012-01-30T03:00:00.000-08:002012-01-30T03:00:07.581-08:00Mirjami Design TagineIt's been a long time since I've been here, sorry. And the warmest welcome to the new readers! Not much to read, but hey – maybe the New Year will bring new changes and I will write more.<br />
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These days my favourite thing to do on Sundays is to cook. To prepare a roast or a casserole, have a tipple or two of wine and let the cooking dissolve all the stress of the week. Perfect.<br />
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My all time favourite used to be a roast chicken or lamb and then to make a delicious curry from the left overs, very yummy.<br />
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However, a couple of weeks ago we discovered the magical <i>tagine</i> and now the Sundays are all about tagine, tagine, tagine!!! Love it and couldn't rate it more highly!<br />
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As I was getting the initial stages of tagine cooking I smiled to myself of the realisation how it resembles all a bit too much of Mirjami Design! We got instructions to cook our tagine from Larry at the <a href="http://www.goldenfleecetrading.co.uk/" target="_blank">Golden Fleece</a> in Stroud and lamb is now our definite favourite.<br />
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The basics are these: pour a good lug (a lot and lot) of olive oil to the bottom of tagine and then cover the bottom with a layer of onions followed by marinated meat and a pickled lemon. Let it to cook slowly for a couple of hours and then add your vegetables and carry on cooking for another hour or so. And there you are – the most simple, but the most delicious meal!!!<br />
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So as I was layering the bottom of the tagine with sliced up onions I thought this is just like my business and all the work involved. Larry who gave us the recipe, calls the layer of onions "the sacrifice", because the onions will protect the meat when cooked so that if anything gets burned it will be the onions. Poor onions :(<br />
It made me think how many things I have sacrificed to get my business running....<br />
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However if the tagine is well looked after, making sure the heat is not too strong and it is left alone unrushed, the onions will only get dark brown and caramelised adding the most amazing flavour to the whole dish. If rushed the result will be a burned bitter mess.<br />
So a good solid foundation is the key....<br />
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Then I thought about the meat. The best is if you can marinate it a night before. Again the key is not to rush it, but also choose your spices well and use good quality meat. It might be more expensive now, but what a difference it makes in the end. <br />
The good ingredients make always a better result.... <br />
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Also what is added this stage is a pickled lemon. Cut it into a few segments and cover with meat. It will gently cook away, releasing lovely lemon flavor and in the end it will all dissolve only leaving the skin behind. Absolutely delicious! But if you put too much lemon in, the whole dish will taste a bit like lemon scented washing up liquid. (Not that I've tasted washing up liquid, but trust me this is what it would taste!)<br />
So basically, don't over do it or you ruin the lot!<br />
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The next stage is to do nothing for a couple of hours. Maybe go and read a book, walk a dog, take a bath, do what ever you want to do, but don't disturb the tagine! Let it gently simmer and do what it is meant to do. <br />
Sometimes it is so easy to over do things. And also, the best things comes for those who wait :)<br />
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After a couple of hours it is time to add vegetables. I used simply a humble butternut squash, a red chilly and whole garlic cloves, a pinch of salt and a generous bunch of fresh coriander. It is very tempted at this stage to pile up all sort of vegetables, but I think simplicity is the key. Otherwise the flavours will get lost and it is easy to forget what it was that you were making...<br />
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An other hour or so and voila – it is all ready! Perfectly cooked meat, surprises of succulent garlic cloves, tender squash and a hint of fiery chilly. Serve it with couscous and why not to add a few side dishes to bring out even more flavour from the main dish. Maybe make a cooling cucumber yogurt as a side dish. A piece of flat bread and hummus, maybe a few olives and the meal is fit for a King! <br />
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So simple and delicious, but it all must be planned ahead, use good ingredients, execute with love and cook slowly without rushing it through.<br />
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P.S. In no way this is a perfect authentic tagine recipe, but it works for me :)<br />
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</a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9175963513802353230.post-48106391253801158822011-07-18T08:27:00.000-07:002011-07-18T08:27:01.799-07:00Artist's Statement – What to Write?I need to submit my Artist's Statement today that will be used in the exhibition at the New Brewery Arts called <a href="http://www.newbreweryarts.org.uk/contemporary-art-craft/main-gallery-c-454_507.html">the Art of Childsplay</a> that opens this Saturday the 23rd of July and I will have a selection of my work exhibited amongst other fantastic artists.<br />
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I’ve been trying to write my artist's statement now for a while. I’ve cut and pasted various sentences from different ‘about me’ sections of my website etc. but I don’t think I still got it right. What is an artist’s statement?<br />
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Am I suppose to state what I do and why I do it? Are readers interested in my background or more of how I created any particular object? Are people really reading all these in an exhibition? <br />
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Maybe the statements are like a good story: crab people's attention right at the beginning and maybe you have a chance them reading the whole story.<br />
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I suppose my trouble is that I still don’t consider my self as an artist and therefore I have never really looked at my work from an artist point of you. I’ve always thought of myself as a maker. Someone who creates by making something solid.<br />
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I very rarely sit down and think first as what I am about to make. In fact I never do that! I never think of a message that I am trying to convey to the others. I just simply make and I love it. I love the process of making. Call it fiddling, I can fiddle for hours without any reason at all! Is that good enough bases for an artist’s statement? Probably not....<br />
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Then there are the materials and colours, should I have a reason better than I just think the materials and colours work on my items?!<br />
I haven’t been on a search for different techniques or materials. I haven’t tried to find anything new and ground braking. I just make things from what I like at the time.<br />
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Now having written all that down and have read it back I realized that it is not all true. I suppose I do think a bit as what I do. I chose to use the woollen fabrics because they are local and I love the quality of it all. I love going to the mill and see what they have, what wonderful ends of rolls they have pulled out this time.<br />
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I realized I often buy fabric because I like it not because it is for something particular. In fact the fabric often tells me what it want to be made into. For example, I bought bright yellow fabric not even liking yellow that much, but I just had to have it. I tried to think as what to do with it to justify the cost, but I couldn’t think anything at all. Of course I bought it feeling a little guilty, but then much later on the light bulb switched on and I exclaimed: “lions”. That is what the fabric will be used for! <br />
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I’ve also have fabric waiting to be made into a frog and another into a Kingfisher, but I haven’t got that far yet.<br />
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And when it comes to the Bears I simply go through my fabrics until I find something that crabs my attention on that day. After the Bear is made I think of the accessories. What would this Bear like to wear today....? And right in the end I name the Bear and that is when my work is done.<br />
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I suppose now I have to get all this into much shorter form.... <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp-dGXGOvuBr6VHN8Fj2xjwUY3HGD8PhXWwZi3EYG_5Smwk3bvLrpdS1MLBY_ib1cwUH1u3HFfUpjGhQjLiA3jno3PcDgr2nxJxJdXcawW5viMaHShFbchEyaiNVV-nXe04bB3r-fSH8Y/s1600/P1010255.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp-dGXGOvuBr6VHN8Fj2xjwUY3HGD8PhXWwZi3EYG_5Smwk3bvLrpdS1MLBY_ib1cwUH1u3HFfUpjGhQjLiA3jno3PcDgr2nxJxJdXcawW5viMaHShFbchEyaiNVV-nXe04bB3r-fSH8Y/s320/P1010255.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nearly finished... </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9175963513802353230.post-77840497045925008252011-07-04T12:34:00.000-07:002011-07-04T12:34:52.947-07:00Time FliesWow – the last posting was written last November! Where did the seven months disappear?!!!<br />
<br />
So much has happened since then and I vaguely remember thinking that I must post a proper update and then it would be easier to write about other things when the 'basic info' has been dealt with.<br />
But then more and more happened and eventually this simple task of recording the changes became daunting and only now I am willing to face it.<br />
<br />
Sad really since the last half a year or so has been absolutely incredible and it would have been nice to share it with those that ever wonder here to my pages. Now all I may offer is bullet points...... Or is that cheating? All I can say that if I embark on the journey of telling you every detail you'll be here for a very long time and in fact you will probably never return since it was such a painfull experience. Nobody of course are forced to read on, but just in case you did.<br />
<br />
So here is the bullet point list of what has been going on in my life and to make it a little easier I have tried to illustrate every point with a picture. <br />
<br />
December 2010<br />
* Christmas sales were incredible and I had a lovely time in Selvedge Christmas Fair. <br />
* I got my second order from Liberty through.<br />
* Very exciting, but a tiring month.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitsAMsYMiqghMq8I9sk9WKUMUHHHzO2Wh0ZykudlHRP5v2uygfw2Gt0NS6z1ubYSVlkemPxrqoXnoMR7ObceKEllnc2IPTiePPKxKxrNlxwmvcHGIebCcH-CghgNJ4hE5jNFUnCX7nTkw/s1600/P1000950.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitsAMsYMiqghMq8I9sk9WKUMUHHHzO2Wh0ZykudlHRP5v2uygfw2Gt0NS6z1ubYSVlkemPxrqoXnoMR7ObceKEllnc2IPTiePPKxKxrNlxwmvcHGIebCcH-CghgNJ4hE5jNFUnCX7nTkw/s400/P1000950.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
January 2011<br />
* I moved my studio to Cirencester to the New Brewery Arts.<br />
What I thought would fit into max. two Volvo car fulls took at least six goes and then lots and lots of other journeys with more and more bits and bobs.<br />
* Very stressful, but very exciting times. I meant to document it all, but now I don't even have a photo to illustrate the whole move!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDUDNaheh59KyWU7IsiTMlxCHPIbdRe1R53WPL_VrF5C6y12q2DA_X7U8gCYFItcxWq_sl-pEdeDD29bRBIYmx3NVRpxeRIpLGBYZHk-55zTnUU2sJfp5pVR-Cy-1i_S27QkubkoirtAI/s1600/P1010009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDUDNaheh59KyWU7IsiTMlxCHPIbdRe1R53WPL_VrF5C6y12q2DA_X7U8gCYFItcxWq_sl-pEdeDD29bRBIYmx3NVRpxeRIpLGBYZHk-55zTnUU2sJfp5pVR-Cy-1i_S27QkubkoirtAI/s400/P1010009.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
February<br />
* We would have hoped to find a new place to live, but failed miserably. Luckily a friend of hours let us to stay at hers whilst the search for home continued. <br />
* The Country Living Magazine featured my little brown mouse and The Gardens Illustrated featured my Blackbirds and Mouse and the sales rocketed.<br />
* Very confusing month, but I was getting settled in my new studio and was very busy with orders.<br />
* I decided to take our dog in and she took upon herself to bark at every single person who came in. Very annoying.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4jBIpqBnH4O82jJEE4AT7-ZM6wDMIyu10GpNoxDf4OLPKlcunFMOkBxG6rARIQB311SncwlA_oZEOhD0rVy6H2lmSusH4WnovVGKOd89Tg4k4Dm0tNZlR_hOFy6hd2C4sHHmQuC4mqpQ/s1600/P1000993.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4jBIpqBnH4O82jJEE4AT7-ZM6wDMIyu10GpNoxDf4OLPKlcunFMOkBxG6rARIQB311SncwlA_oZEOhD0rVy6H2lmSusH4WnovVGKOd89Tg4k4Dm0tNZlR_hOFy6hd2C4sHHmQuC4mqpQ/s400/P1000993.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
March<br />
* The search for a new home continued and we grew even more stressed out and tired, but the business was going well.<br />
* The dog carried on her barking and I think there was a mutiny on the way against her since her barking echoed everywhere! Plus the better I knew the person, the more she barked. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnm8ZZDAej-PfM_-tM_DdUAfpZNmjdecUhv9x2MYSmowtqtFq_aDqObWSxt4y15-qFcx6wnmvr27YjwXeXiJ731qc0UjidF5mBVtlF4Xp_bxox9V89DFV3kAhILriW21wOgHhro8HWKTc/s1600/P1010001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnm8ZZDAej-PfM_-tM_DdUAfpZNmjdecUhv9x2MYSmowtqtFq_aDqObWSxt4y15-qFcx6wnmvr27YjwXeXiJ731qc0UjidF5mBVtlF4Xp_bxox9V89DFV3kAhILriW21wOgHhro8HWKTc/s400/P1010001.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
April<br />
* We found a new home and moved.<br />
* The whole month seemed to whizz by with the move. How did that happen?<br />
* I started making girl bears inspired by a new commission.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFi8QIzHWuxmYTaM2_CQbk_p8oc1jeUWxcr1TpJqDWcNh20CqrYOFbhKMzi2qa272SwqHBBoAuRS5EloRnJCOPNtxVh-uJplJjYEhmXTb-bzLvZxdXZnl_lIbNxxf1sYlLTLuhSLHSa8M/s1600/DSC_0002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFi8QIzHWuxmYTaM2_CQbk_p8oc1jeUWxcr1TpJqDWcNh20CqrYOFbhKMzi2qa272SwqHBBoAuRS5EloRnJCOPNtxVh-uJplJjYEhmXTb-bzLvZxdXZnl_lIbNxxf1sYlLTLuhSLHSa8M/s640/DSC_0002.jpg" width="467" /></a></div><br />
May<br />
* Mirjami Design took part in the Stroud International Textile Fair and Open Studio Trail was great fun.<br />
* The fifth Liberty order was in the making and the new summer range made from Liberty fabrics was finally done.<br />
* Horrid cold/flu took its toll and things were falling behind.<br />
* The Dog stop barking!!!!! I forgot how quiet Brewery Arts can be. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-JLIvVASbcIuy2e-2bInLs69yDrqpP0lecc6qE9Pb6tH3H_e-hRBwTgfvagCat0aOajJWJapM7oTPTg8qpFXnZ-GZ3rXCYRjR5kdTGOEq4EXn-3Ngg7q_5xrhqpxGqaQqD-qYAjc7WTg/s1600/DSC_0019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-JLIvVASbcIuy2e-2bInLs69yDrqpP0lecc6qE9Pb6tH3H_e-hRBwTgfvagCat0aOajJWJapM7oTPTg8qpFXnZ-GZ3rXCYRjR5kdTGOEq4EXn-3Ngg7q_5xrhqpxGqaQqD-qYAjc7WTg/s400/DSC_0019.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
June<br />
* I started developing new animals: fox, frog, mole, elephant etc. were forming in my mind and then on the paper followed by numerous misshapen creatures that are still in making.<br />
* The mid summer came and went and my thoughts turned to Cxxxxxxxs (won't dare to say the word aloud...)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmTGr5K4NRB-kWVue0YHgR20VSjVTWb5Pps17pe9tUfXS3nOxXgkwThyphenhyphen-U4De3qdTlGzV5bL9dkbjrDm3D4cAvEdLifmKUQJ_XQsHCYs1LUmJOK4tWtSGdyckE9m7L77vHNqYb1uVsh78/s1600/DSC_0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmTGr5K4NRB-kWVue0YHgR20VSjVTWb5Pps17pe9tUfXS3nOxXgkwThyphenhyphen-U4De3qdTlGzV5bL9dkbjrDm3D4cAvEdLifmKUQJ_XQsHCYs1LUmJOK4tWtSGdyckE9m7L77vHNqYb1uVsh78/s400/DSC_0001.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
And now we are in July!!! So there you are, not too painful :)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVeHvCgxCdTvZHKWyNHkrF9hk7kl6i8aqchuQMxnXaqWI0bG9TTNw7bPLBpo1Hxj6DcGA6td1-pub_VkFMKFr-thna-Zw8dZ26BT-wyLMzzrCH1BgQMh7pNL301znVqtfjjQRdOq8FVt8/s1600/DSC_0001+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVeHvCgxCdTvZHKWyNHkrF9hk7kl6i8aqchuQMxnXaqWI0bG9TTNw7bPLBpo1Hxj6DcGA6td1-pub_VkFMKFr-thna-Zw8dZ26BT-wyLMzzrCH1BgQMh7pNL301znVqtfjjQRdOq8FVt8/s400/DSC_0001+2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9175963513802353230.post-60258836005784063352010-11-30T04:34:00.000-08:002010-11-30T04:37:04.087-08:00Winter WonderlandThe end of November and the weather has turned very, very cold. The nature looked yesterday as it is made from ice and today started with falling snow flakes.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixisI4fsuFGH5QBPvnUSlJB4nC1Kt_VtGijIkzF3nBjOnZxmXA4XKiXkO7mHfeIUXF18E-QqsC2qpkYwyQ0jlKnS2Gdws_S0wZa14vZcUCcIN9cCMw7ZzGLYHGqX4w3t4A1ixvaCw2deY/s1600/P1000943.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixisI4fsuFGH5QBPvnUSlJB4nC1Kt_VtGijIkzF3nBjOnZxmXA4XKiXkO7mHfeIUXF18E-QqsC2qpkYwyQ0jlKnS2Gdws_S0wZa14vZcUCcIN9cCMw7ZzGLYHGqX4w3t4A1ixvaCw2deY/s400/P1000943.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
My workshop is freezing and I so wish that our little wood burner from the sitting room could be moved to my workshop! To our terrier's bliss, I've kept the fire on day and night. She sits on front of it the entire time so at least one of us is nice and warm.<br />
After coming back from a walk with her it is rather amusing to watch her to rush straight back to the cosy fire.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwhY5MFYkvmehgL9bogD5n1VWgDuW5dZ0mLXs6EGBFL_cMI2BS-gwVazYVefhT4y8FmesaWAYK9agm6L0Cl31NxC2ogGJ566hdD7BySvv-zLF7KYqkrlJ6y-ix3bQM42ts0KQTnOWraJw/s1600/P1000940.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwhY5MFYkvmehgL9bogD5n1VWgDuW5dZ0mLXs6EGBFL_cMI2BS-gwVazYVefhT4y8FmesaWAYK9agm6L0Cl31NxC2ogGJ566hdD7BySvv-zLF7KYqkrlJ6y-ix3bQM42ts0KQTnOWraJw/s400/P1000940.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Then I must apologise for those who might actually occasionally read my blog and say that I am really sorry not to have written anything for what feels like forever!<br />
<br />
Things just have been so, so busy. It's been now a couple of weeks since the Country Living Fair finished and wow what a time we had at the fair!<br />
I had hardly any finished stock done and at first I thought I would just take orders. Silly me, nobody wants to place an order if the very mouse or owl is sitting on the table looking at them and asking them to take it home!<br />
Therefore I had to sell what was finished and at the same time trying to finish others off!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrjNZjT4_r8CZV5jZK71sMEQJpPLmOaPy04wsKnrKaKIFmf50GohDh_7uDnQe9NJlEnc9GxC9D4C1WoK5QiYxhyphenhyphen7lzuC8I9rn5TiKo-1WWOs0_z2PselSZYVYXif3krRpSp7Z8xO4-L0I/s1600/P1000882.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrjNZjT4_r8CZV5jZK71sMEQJpPLmOaPy04wsKnrKaKIFmf50GohDh_7uDnQe9NJlEnc9GxC9D4C1WoK5QiYxhyphenhyphen7lzuC8I9rn5TiKo-1WWOs0_z2PselSZYVYXif3krRpSp7Z8xO4-L0I/s400/P1000882.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My stand at the Country Living Fair. 'Less is more' is all I can say about the stand!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
I took my lovely old Singer sewing machine with me and at times it stole the show completely. Visitors told me time and time again how their mother had a machine just like mine! And as I praised my little machine and demonstrated how well it works, I learned how many actually still had their mother's old machine, now tucked away somewhere up in the attic. Most of these people left my stand with a new determination to dig that old Signer out and see if it was still working.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiri7Th2YmBnQ6k1GECbO-UI1bC3ESKUxsA2rZKFvYLGo6ls6Vjmgi4yy8PU6qmYFRCPBUqCjI0OBWDFVhVvZySQQkWSLVd0K2Cj91CTZeZbcz6658w366pG6EoDSC1qeXOXxgimnn-PWQ/s1600/P1000886.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiri7Th2YmBnQ6k1GECbO-UI1bC3ESKUxsA2rZKFvYLGo6ls6Vjmgi4yy8PU6qmYFRCPBUqCjI0OBWDFVhVvZySQQkWSLVd0K2Cj91CTZeZbcz6658w366pG6EoDSC1qeXOXxgimnn-PWQ/s400/P1000886.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Country Living Christmas Fair</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
The whole fair was a hilarious experience and a true race against the buyers, which I think I won for the most part, but even then there were always those few disappointed customers at the end of the day that came back and their favorite animal was gone and no substitutes :(<br />
So basically we sold the maximum that we possible could have and I just would like to say a HUGE thank you for all those who came by and bought an animal from me. It was wonderful to find so many good homes for them!<br />
<br />
So this time I am pleased to say that not only the feedback was good, but the sales too :)))<br />
<br />
What was also nice, was to see some good old friends from the previous fair and meet some new, lovely people. I would particularly like to mention Nikki, <a href="http://www.thecowlady.co.uk/">The Cow Lady </a>, who was next to me at the last fair and who was there again, sadly in a different area, but whose glorious cows were just as charming as ever.<br />
<br />
Lovely new neighbours were <a href="http://www.nicoladecruz.com/">Nicola</a> and <a href="http://www.dagnyd.co.uk/">Dagny</a> from who I've got a lovely new purse that is more than perfect and most wonderful scarf that annoyingly I cannot have till Christmas.<br />
<br />
We also exhibited at the City of London Club Christmas Fair last Thursday where many more animal paperweights found new homes. It was a rather fun day and just wanted to say thank you for the organizers who looked after us ever so well.<br />
<br />
The next very exciting Fair (last one of the season!) will be <a href="http://www.selvedge.org/default.aspx">the Selvedge Magazine Christmas Fair</a> next Saturday. I'm in the process of desperately trying to get more stock done and in fact should go and carry on pretty soon! I'm really looking forward to Saturday and will try to report back as soon as I can.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEl_W4efkuQTOuRrezCugOcytGDAdlh_DwT3-hKYgPYYHC662VVcnZIQunZ1Sa7oSpnR9SyzGMEvx1eWUiKOZuF7eKJgzJvBB8dzjEYFxpF6_CDazkPiiIwatvuO8FYeLi7a5Fz7nNSsI/s1600/P1000944.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEl_W4efkuQTOuRrezCugOcytGDAdlh_DwT3-hKYgPYYHC662VVcnZIQunZ1Sa7oSpnR9SyzGMEvx1eWUiKOZuF7eKJgzJvBB8dzjEYFxpF6_CDazkPiiIwatvuO8FYeLi7a5Fz7nNSsI/s400/P1000944.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Isn't is amazing how these spiky chrystals are formed?!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9175963513802353230.post-2257911928082391782010-09-23T01:02:00.000-07:002010-09-23T01:02:02.699-07:00An Exciting Order!Last time I mentioned about a London shop possibly wanting some of my animals and they did placed an order!<br />
Soon my Paperweight Animals can be purchased from the shelves of <a href="http://www.liberty.co.uk/fcp/content/ServicesHome/content">Liberty!!!</a> Soooo exciting!<br />
And what is the icing on the cake for me is that they found me and approached me wanting to have some of my animals!<br />
Aah, sweet success :))<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7W74bT4O1N_3jCfDegS6Kmk97EsBLMr47AaiX3uWzknWosWUe38wIrMbMEuvk9lIinIHcbSvH-TUIx3qLh-q_4kJvV8b7Ye4GHcBr0thtsx8sTFIleffukF_Ie2UceNSVHSq8uY1rGac/s1600/DSC_0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7W74bT4O1N_3jCfDegS6Kmk97EsBLMr47AaiX3uWzknWosWUe38wIrMbMEuvk9lIinIHcbSvH-TUIx3qLh-q_4kJvV8b7Ye4GHcBr0thtsx8sTFIleffukF_Ie2UceNSVHSq8uY1rGac/s400/DSC_0001.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
But now of course I have to make them...... a lot of them! It'll be looooong days from now on, but I am not complaining! What a change from those cold and miserable winter's days when nothing seemed to be happening no matter how much work I put into things.<br />
Now I cannot stop smiling :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3