To frame or not to frame?....

Our latest dumflings went into the blog shop yesterday and as you will see we have chosen to not frame them.

Why?

• Do we use small frames or a large mount and a large frame?
• What colour frames set them off best? Dark or light? White or black?
• Does the frame suit the room it is to go in?
• Natural wood frame or a painted one?

and of course

• The postage is so much cheaper without a frame and the frame won't get damaged in transit.

Framing is so very personal and of course you have to remember both Jo and I are Librans so deciding on a frame would be next to impossible [we are so indecisive!]  :-)  We have put a couple on the picture shelf that just suited their frames to perfection....and who would argue that the top poppy picture that Jo did isn't just perfect in that frame?

So?  Please pop over to the shop and then pop back let us know what you think.  We really do appreciate your comments.

Hugs,

Jo and Annie x

Happy Funday Monday....

All tinies love my dollies,

They're cuddly, cute and bright.

They can carry them and hug them,

 And snuggle them at night.

Such cheery little faces,

So fresh and bright and sunny.

All different in every way,

Good value for your money!

I have now completed my latest 3 little dolls and this morning I have uploaded pics of the first 9 little rag dolls in the blog shop.  So, if you would like to be the first to put in an order, please follow the link and email me with your requests to wipso@toucansurf.com.  If there is something you would like but would prefer it in different colours, then please let me know and I will be happy to do my best to meet your requirements.

Rag Doll shelf in the blog shop.

Crafter's accessories shelf is now full....

Update....We have had a really busy morning and the Crafter's accessories shelf is now full.

  Wahooooo.  

Please make yourself a cuppa and pop over and have a look.

I just thought I'd write a quick post about all the lovely items which are ready to go on the Crafter's Accessories shelf over in our blog shop.  I spent ages taking pictures and uploading them yesterday all ready for the launch later today.  I have a feeling Twiglet and I will have a busy morning getting it all ready but am getting excited already.

The response from our blogging buddies has been amazing and Twiglet and I have received lots of suggestions in emails and on our blogs (most of them printable!!).

We have been busy sewing all sorts of crafty accessories and the whole stash looks fab!

I hope all those that gave us the ideas will pop over to have a browse and let us know what they think [.....and hopefully buy an item or two  :-)  ].  Please also pop over to check out if you have won this week's draw for the pen roll and put your name down in the new draw for the wonderful crafter's bag.

There will be a further "Joannie" draw starting Monday 14th March and then the following week, Monday 21st March we hope to launch our BIG followers draw with an added extra prize for people who have made purchases since Jan 1st 2011.  This will be drawn on April 4th to give as many as possible time to enter the draw.

My latest picture...

I have now finished this picture and will now upload it in the blog shop so make yourself a coffee and pop over for a browse.
Happy shopping.
A x

WOYWW and my latest Paula update

Firstly...and the most important bit this week...I have just had my latest update from Paula's hubby.....

She had her op as planned yesterday morning and although they won't know exactly what they have done until the Dr's round this morning she was on the right side of it all. She was in quite a bit of pain though last night so I'm really hoping they get that under control for her. At least now she has got rid of Tommy [the name she gave to her lung tumour] and now every day she should feel a little better. They have told her to expect to be in hospital for about a week. I'm sure we are all sending her lots of really positive vibes and lots of love.

Now for those who join Julia our Queen of snoop for the what's on your work desk Wednesday this is my space today.

I'm pleased to say this is my done rail. When I started my day yesterday I had 20 hangers on my to do rail ...should have been 21 but Twiglet had put two items on one hanger and yes she was given a written warning for such an over sight :-) :-)
I had a really good 'catch up Tuesday' and as you can see I have now reduced my to do rail to .......

.....just 4 hangers, but I'm afraid to say these are pretty tricky jobs on this rail so will take me the best part of today....especially as Twiglet has just text to say she is coming down this morning to cut some curtains for me...she really doesn't like to think of me taking time out to chill :-)
Seriously for those that don't know what a fab relationship I have with my big sister Twiglet she is one in a million and does her best to do the curtain cutting for me so I'm not kept waiting for her to do it [I have a replacement knee and can't kneel on the floor to cut out curtains]. We make just the best of teams.

Our fun day Monday was just that....fun. We laughed, drank tea and coffee, ate chocolate [an essential on a Monday] and we created. Thought I'd snap a bit of the creating to share with you all...



The friend that joins Twiglet and I was making the most gorgeous Faberge inspired eggs to put on Easter cards. She has dumfed wools and treads on felt and is now embellishing them with beads, gems etc.

(Twiglet sat here wetting herself - I meant dumfed wools and threads! - lol the thought of T. treading felt - like you would grapes has got us both howling - we are easily amused!)

Twiglet is using dissolving plastic and mounting wools, threads and pretty bits between two layers before fixing them there with machine stitching. I just love the colours she is using and am certain she will be blogging it all at some point....well, I hope she does :-)

This is a little Wedding inspired dumfling that I've been playing with. I've yet to stitch on the beads. Not sure how I will use this yet but may use one of the suggestions we have had in our Wedding challenge over in the blog shop.

Lastly but by no means least....This is a little treasure I found enjoying the sunshine on Sunday. I didn't see one ladybird in our garden all last year so was really thrilled to spot this one and thought I would share it with you all. :-)

Don't forget to pop over to the blog shop to check out the Bridal/Wedding blog challenge and be in with the chance to win.

Bridal department challenge.....

Spring is upon us and we are feeling perky and productive. It's the season for romance and wedding plans. So, we are taking the bridal theme for our latest challenge and we are hoping to involve all our blogging friends as well. We are planning to launch a Bridal department in our blog shop in the next few weeks.
The above pic shows some of the beautiful items we already make. These include bridal keepsakes, like hearts and little bears, ring cushions, wedding memory journals, wedding cards and brooches. So, now we want to extend our range so that we can create a new, well stocked bridal shelf.
We both have lots of ideas but would like to throw the challenge open to you wonderful, creative folk out there. We would appreciate your comments/feedback and any ideas, on a bridal theme, you have to offer.
We will give a little gift to the 3 ideas we like the best, so please put your thinking caps on.
We have had such lovely feedback and brilliant ideas that have helped us over the last months and feel we have made some wonderful friends through the contact you have made with us. Thanks lots.

From such small uninspiring beginnings...

Ann commented on my last blog about them being such "small uninspiring beginnings" so I thought I would show you how things developed :-) Thanks to the suggestion by Felted House I have just completed my first embellished picture using an artist's canvas to mount my work on and I'm really thrilled with the result.
What do you think? I will be uploading it on the shelf in the blog shop soon. If you've not been over there yet please click on the link on the right and pop over to Sisters Crafty Creations. You can join in the Gift Draw then. Good luck.

This week has passed so quickly. WOYWW

As a lot of you will know Twiglet and I launched our shop this week so our Fun Day Monday was spent dusting the shelves then filling them with goodies. If you've not found us yet then please click on the link on the right and go and have a rummage. We would really appreciate your feedback/comments. Thanks.

Joining in the WOYWW for this week I have snapped and uploaded my photos but as you can see my work spaces are full of clutter today. I have shown them just as they are so you know I am not always tidy and organised :-) Please feel free to pop over to Julia's and join in the fun.

We still have a lot of goodies to snap yet to fill the shelves of the shop so I have piles of cards and pictures in various stages of completion on my table.





I have also been really busy with customers for sewing this week. The snow had been keeping them away and now it has gone [it's actually snowing again now!!] they have been flooding to my door. I have already shortened huge lined curtains [with Twiglet's help to do the cutting] , put a new zip in a sheepskin coat and altered 2 posh frocks. My next job is to tackle lengthening the sleeves on a jacket that looks like a leopard. Hmmm it's very strokeable. :-) I get all sorts of challenges here.
Well my friends, I must get moving. Lots to do and shelves to fill too :-)

Do keep an eye out on the shop because as soon as we get all the shelves filled we are putting together a parcel of goodies for someone to win to say Thank you to those who have encouraged and supported us in our new venture.

Shop opening soon...

Twiglet and I are opening a blog shop so please look out for future developments here. Lots of people have shown real interest in our crafts and many have asked if we are selling them. As we have decided to work together on this, our new blog site will showcase gifts and cards made by each of us. Our shop will take a little while to get up and running so please watch this space.