Other New Stores: Ashley Ann Jewelry

http://www.etsy.com/shop/AshleyAnnJewelry

"Eco-Friendly Hemp bracelets, necklaces, and anklets here! 
All jewelry is handmade by the shop owners - Ashley and Holly (Ann). We specialize in hemp jewelry and hope you will take the time to look around. If you have any questions, please feel free to send us a message and we will get back to you promptly. As of now, we are not taking special requests as we settle in, but we will update you when we are ready to take them."

I found this lovely shop through the forums, on a request for people to shout up if they have a new shop. I love ecofriendly shops and products, it's why I do my small range of tote bags on my own Etsy Site. It's quite rare to see a jewellery shop that is concerned with how friendly it is the environment, but this shop really is great when it comes to that. The prices are fantastic too. Some sellers think they can just tack on the terms eco-friendly as and when they feel like it, but these gals seem really committed to it.
They offer a range of bracelets, anklets and key chains, so a good mix of stuff but it's a really easy to follow and succinct shop to look at and a pleasure to browse. Within their policies, they state that they are happy to replace items if you are unhappy with, which is fantastic as returns can be a tricky subject.


So there you go, one new up-and-coming shop to check out. I think these little items would be perfect as gifts as they are so easy to just slip into a little bag, and hand over.  

Hop! Hop! Hop!

Remember the Ava's Apparel rabbit, Crust? Well, sadly, she passed away on Thursday. However, she has been followed by a gorgeous little boy bunny, who looks like a reincarnated version of Freddie Mercury. Not kidding, he even has a moustache. In light of this new arrival and the soft pitter-patter of bunny feet on our floorboards, I thought another featured Etsy post would be in order with the theme of bunny love!

Easter Bunny Pendant

So this is just the single most adorable thing. I don't particularly like animal themed jewellery but this pendant is so sweet, I like the little heart to the left. It reminds me of when Crust used to sit on her back legs and look all annoyed because we weren't fussing her!

Printed Bunny Bag

 I absolutely love handbags. I have so many, and the majority of them were purchased because they were either cute or stylish, and this bunny bag is both! Look at it's cute little nose! I love bags that look like things, and this bag has adorable ears just like Freddie the new bunny!

Blue Bun Plush

Just, oh, it's so... <3 (I did a little squeal when I first saw it, and I don't know how to spell a word in a pitch only dolphins can hear!)

Bunny Earrings

This is exactly how Freddie's ears go. God bless his little half-lop genetics! I love these earrings with their lazy ear (that's it's technical name, honest!) and may have to be treating myself to a pair over summer!

And Lastly:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/MoonsCreations?ref=seller_info

An entire shop of knitted bunnies. I did have one set I liked, accidentally buggered up the web address so clicked the whole shop, and realised that almost *ALL* these items are squee-worthy! 

So that's it, my round up of some of my favourite bunny themed items, now I am going to have a snuggle. Freddie can't complain, I'm bigger than he is! :P

Phew, and relax!

Well, it's been a while hasn't it?
Sewing really is getting in the way of things and I love it! started a brand new Etsy store in the middle of April, so thought I'd use my first post back on the blog to feature some of the lovely wares I've found on my travels! (this might become a weekly instalment, who knows!)

Pinkie Pie Hat

Made by a friend of mine, this pinkie pie hat is adorable. I have a white wolfkin hat and Little Sister will soon have a panda one, after she stole mine and wouldn't give it back!

Portal Poster

During my absence I've been thinking a lot about Portal, even including some Portal bits in the new Etsy store. This print is lovely to look at, and not quite as brash and in your face as many of the other typography prints that you can find online. It, unlike the cake, is not a lie.

Large Owl Bag

Little sister ADORES owls, and shouted at this bag when she was sat next to me, looking at me all wide-eyed and stuff, so it has to be worth a mention. I love that has an adjustable strap and is lined, since lined bags make everything easier. I like that it has a range of owls on it, not just the same 2 owls over and over and over.

Panda Wall Art

Let's face it, how could you not love this, it's such a cute panda!

Taking an Interest

I love sewing and fabric, more than anything else in the world ever. I mean, I even have a board on Pinterest just based around pictures of adorable fabric. But it occurred to me that I should try and include things in my life that aren't ALL sewing based or reading based. I do some design work, but that's only because it runs along side my desire to get into college in September.

This has got me thinking about my friends and the activities they take part in which I could tag along to. My choices are exercise classes, LARP and re-enactments. Exercise classes are out, due to having wonky knees that often try to bend into funny directions when I exercise properly. RE-enactments involve lots of expensive kit and travelling. I love travelling, but along with expensive kit and not a great interest in history, I don't think re-enactments are for me.

Now, LARP. Where to start with LARP. I went once with boyfriend, just to humour him and I wasn't too sold on it. I liked that there was a sense of team work, but I'm just not that into fantasy things. However, I have always encouraged him to keep going and to make new kits and things, and I often hunt down new events. Through a friend, I found an online directory of UK LARP events, and there was a post-apocalyptic event. Now, that sounds more my thing! According the stats on my xbox live account, I've spent almost 500 hours on Fallout 3 and New Vegas, so that event would be right up my street. Going to look into a bit more today, and see what I can sort out!

Hopefully, it'll be really good and then that'll be my non-sewing hobby, but if not, the search will continue! What hobbies do you guys, my readers, have that isn't sewing?

Sewing: Demon Skill

So, I found a beautiful dress on Pinterest the other day. It was the most stunningly gorgeous thing I had ever seen. I don't often fall head over heels for inanimate objects, especially clothes, but this was just perfect. It was also more than £100.

... then I remembered that I can sew.

For less than £20, I made almost exactly the same dress, in the right length, with the right proportions for me and I adore it more than I did the first dress. I've impressed myself.

The fact I can sew just saved me £80+ and that is perfectly fine by me! Photos of the me-made dress can be found here.

Ahhhhh, fashion!

I'm going for an interview to get onto a fashion course at the end of next month. I thought I'd better get some proper, on paper qualifications if I'm ever going to end up a costumier one day!

It's involving a lot of odd things. The interview task is 3 line drawings of fashion objects that are not clothes and one tonal drawing of another non-clothing fashion item. So far, I've drawn my top hat/goggles as one line drawing, and my favourite Doc Martens as another. I'm not entirely sure on what my plan is for the other pieces of work, but I'm sure I'll have some amazing idea soon.

On another note, I have no idea what to wear. Thinking about making myself something to wear, a red and white polka dot fifties dress, to be exact. I think that, coupled with well styled hair and some classic black, heeled court shoes should be just about perfect for the interview for college, and for interviews for jobs as well. Also, I wanted an excuse to make myself something for a change so that fits in quite nicely.

What's on my sewing desk!

Someone suggested it'd be helpful to know what lives in my sewing box. I don't have a box as I have a work room where it all lives, so here's what lives on my sewing desk:

• Order book: I like to keep this close to my heart, as it really does keep my organised. It's bulging with receipts for postage and fabrics along with post it notes as to things I need to remember to buy and all sorts of other bits.
• A biscuit tin full of bobbins: It's a lot easier to just reach over to my tin than set up a new bobbin for the under thread. Every colour thread I get I also sort out three or four bobbins with the same colour on it, so I don't waste time having to re-thread!
• Plans for patterns: Future projects are always within arms reach!
• A drink: My God, sewing can be exhausting, and a nice cold drink or a cuppa tea fixes everything!