Busy, busy, busy!

It has been a while since my last post but it has been busy around here lately.

It isn't always doom and gloom at Nelliebrations Towers you know. I'm back to crafting because I was bored and my wrist recovered after a rest. And we got ourselves a Doggy! a big, black wrinkly, smelly, trumpy doggy!! His name is CJ and he is a rescue dog. We adopted him from Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary in Edenfield and he is the best thing ever! He is very licky and loving and absolutely adores the kids.

 

 

And also, Son of mine is moving out and setting up his own household with his lovely partner. They are expecting their own family soon! Yes, I am joining the Grandma Club! It is making me feel a lot older than I actually am. So, it's busy busy with the baby and housey 'stuff'!!

 

Watch this space!!

More sadness......

As usual, about 6 months has gone by since I last posted here.(I would have been here sooner but blogger has been a pain!) And what a 6 months it's been.

Sadly, I have lost another close family member to the dreaded Cancer. My Auntie died in February after she had been diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer. It was rather sudden really. She had all the symptoms last year when we were moving my Dad down here to us, but she thought it was just the stress of my Dad being ill. It never got better so she finally got herself to the doctors. She had one treatment of chemo, had a really bad reaction to it, and ended up in Hospital. She never came out.


My Auntie was a pain in the bum sometimes but she was always there for me - no matter what. We did sometimes have our disagreements but I loved her dearly. She was my substitute mum. When the rest of the family had a falling out (as often happened!)we always seemed to stick together and look after each other. I was always taken on holiday with them, me and her had some good day trips out too. The best trip we had was to London. She wanted to go to see the Horse of the year show and wanted company so she paid for me to go with her - and it was one of the best weekends away that I've ever had. We had so much fun!

I will miss her so much.

Spreading the word

I have been making things for a few years now. It started with handmade cards and progressed through to basic Jewellry making - bracelets and earrings. Always out of re-purposed materials. Long before it became 'the in thing'.

Then I got into cross stitching through a friend of mine that got herself featured in CrossStitcher mag with her own designs. There was a free kit on the front so I thought I may as well give it a go - and I loved it! So for years thats the only craft I did. Stitching till the wee small hours.

A few years ago, I re-discovered card and jewellry making and managed to get them up for sale in a local shop. I did sell a few things but then there was a change in management and my things were no longer wanted. Ah, well........


Then I started doing the Xmas fairs at the kids school and local church because I had so much made that I had to find a home for. Sold a few things, not much, but it got word around that I made things. About 2 years ago, I discovered Etsy and Folksy and opened a shop on Folksy. I have never plucked up the courage to fill my shop yet. I don't really know why.

I also noticed that other folk were showing their makes on Facebook, so last year I started my own page to tell the world about my things. So far I have had one sale - a pair of earrings. Its a start, I suppose! I have found and joined some Crafty Networking Communities on there. It's fun but for someone like me, who is not very computer savvy, it is hard work and takes me a long time. Learned how to tag but still can't do simple things like links. I am learning - very slowly.

I still love to be able to re-purpose things. It's satisfying to make something useful out of something that would otherwise be thrown away. For example, crochet Doormats out of old denim jeans and old duvet covers. Blankets out of 'unloved' wool.  So, still making and will continue to do so because I love it - and thats what counts!!

New year, New start

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! It has been a while (again!) since I last posted.


The few weeks before Christmas was hectic. School plays, works parties, Birthday parties, Pressie shopping and wrapping - oh, and the frantic cleaning and tidying before the family and friends start dropping by!

Christmas was good. Time for us all to be together. And we managed it without too much falling out. But, there did just seem to be 'empty space' where missing parents should have been. Though, I could hear my Mum muttering over my shoulder about the fact we managed to cook the turkey upside down!! New Years Eve was particularly sad. We had a 'wee dram' in my Dads memory, even though I can't stand Whiskey. Being Scottish, Hogmanay was the most important event for my Dad.


So along with remembering and relaxing, we got lots done too. My Studio is now FULL! And I do mean FULL!! All things are now moved out of the kitchen and in the studio and the computer and all its bits are now in residence in the cupboard where they should be. It took Husband-of-mine three days to get it all moved. The hardest part was drilling through the wall to re-route the phone cable for the broadband box. Two new drill bits later, he finally got through the wall! (walls in this house are impossible - even hanging a picture is a challenge!)

Now I just have to sort and clear out all the rubbish that I don't want to keep and then I can get all the books and wools and cottons and fabrics out there too. This year has to be the year I get started properly on making and selling. Husband-of-mine bought me a book for Christmas. 'How to start your online business'. So with having the Studio and the book and the support of my nearest and dearest, I have no excuse now.



NELLIEBRATIONS STUDIO IS NOW OPEN FOR BUSINESS!!

Pictures to follow if Blogger will let me!