Indie Friday

Today as Black Friday begins I am thinking about the small independent shops, designers and makers. This evening and this weekend I will be at three separate Christmas craft fairs. Each will have a range of creators - each talented and each taking great pride in what they make. Each item on their stall has been made by hand with time and attention. It is something special, something different - something indie.

So if you're inclined to support small businesses, search the hashtag #JACIndieFriday on Instagram and shop, share and shout about something really lovely - a camaraderie amongst makers.

Have a great weekend. I can't believe this is the last one before Advent begins. The Christmas countdown has begun!

Katie

Santa Hat Garland

Earlier in the year I shared mySanta Hat garlands which were available to order.

They're also available to buy on Etsy! Along with other decorations that have all be knitted by hand, by me. They are all perfect if you've got pets or small fingers about -  they don't break if they fall on the floor.

The standard garlands are a 10 hatted string for £10 and a five hatted string for £5 + postage and packaging. Each hat measures approximately 3.5cm x 4cm. (And there's a SALE on now)

It is just over a week to advent and I'm already looking forward to getting out all the decorations and drinking from my favourite Christmas mug.

Katie

SALE - Christmas Is Coming

I just wanted to say that I am joining the sale over on Etsy. All Christmas cards and goodies are 10% off and there are a few miscellaneous designs and birthday cards thrown into the offer too.

Have a really lovely week!

Katie

Shop Small

Search the hashtag on Instagram next Friday for something special and lovingly made. This is particularly pertinent to me ahead of a weekend full of craft fairs at which warm friendly faces put their creations on display, and offer something you can't necessarily get anywhere else. Add a little colour to Black Friday and shop, share and shout about #JACIndieFriday 

Christmas Craft Fairs

Christmas Craft Fairs and Markets 2017 

Tuesday 7th November

Walnut Tree Pub Christmas Fayre and Tapas Evening

6 - 9 pm

The Walnut Tree Pub
Hedsor Road
Bourne End
Buckinghamshire
SL8 5DN

Website Here

Saturday 11th November

Bourne End Community and Craft Market

10am - 1pm

Bourne End Library

Wakeman Road

Bourne End

Buckinghamshire

SL8 5SX

Facebook Here

Friday 17th November

St Edmund Campion's Christmas Shopping Event

7pm

St Edmund Campion CP School
Maidenhead

Facebook Here

Saturday 18th November

Goring Craft Fair

10am - 4pm

Goring Village Hall

High Street

Goring-on-Thames

Oxfordshire

RG8 9AG

Website Here

Sunday 19th November

Goring Craft Fair

10am - 4pm

Goring Village Hall

High Street

Goring-on-Thames

Oxfordshire

RG8 9AG

Website Here

Friday 24th November

Naphill Christmas Gift Fayre

6pm - 9pm

Naphill Village Hall
236 Main Road
Naphill
High Wycombe
HP14 4SX

Saturday 25th November

The Downley Makers' Market

11am - 2pm

The Downley Memorial Hall

Downley

Buckinghamshire

HP13 5XJ

Facebook Here

Saturday 25th November

Hughenden Valley Village Hall Christmas Bazaar

From 2pm

Coombe Lane
Hughenden Valley
High Wycombe
HP14 4NX

Saturday 2nd December

Amersham Museum Christmas Craft Market

tbc

49 High Street

Old Amersham

HP7 0DP

Website Here

Sunday 3rd December

Amersham Museum Christmas Craft Market

tbc

49 High Street

Old Amersham

HP7 0DP

Website Here

Amersham Museum Christmas Market

Amersham Museum reopened this Summer after ten months of renovations. The museum looks amazing and I am excited to return for its Christmas Market on Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd December.

I had a table at this event in 2015, before they closed for their renovations, and had such a nice time. It was a windy and rainy day and yet everyone's spirits were raised. I am looking forward to seeing what the event will hold this year.

Merry Wednesday!

Katie

Christmas Cards

It is only October and while I am loving everything orange (It is a big yes please to Autumn leaves and pumpkins!) I'm definitely anticipating Christmas! I'm looking forward to the craft fairs I'll be visiting with my cards in November, but if online is more your style some of my designs are available on my Etsy shop. 

I hope you're having a lovely weekend.

Katie 

Goring Christmas Craft Fair

On Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th November I will be at Goring Craft Fair again! This is an event I really like to be involved with each year. It is a great way to spend a wintry weekend day, and it is great for all the family. There will be all sorts of handmade gifts with hot drinks, food and activities for kids too!

This year the craft fair will be hosted by the Goring CE Primary School PTA. All proceeds will go towards school projects to support the children's education at Goring Primary School. The perfect excuse to have a go on their raffle!

It is the 25th September. Three months is too early to start a Christmas countdown but we'll take note of the date anyway!

Katie

Cacti Love

This cacti card is one of my favourites from this year. Plants are everywhere at the moment and I enjoyed making some of my own. I've been working on another house plant design this week at the same time as dreaming of the perfect plant to go on my bedside table.

I hope you have a good weekend. I am off on a lovely adventure and I can't wait!

Katie

A Thursday Evening Daydream

Today has felt very Autumnal - A chilly day ending in gorgeous sun. It felt like we'd said goodbye to Summer. I will never wish the summer away but there are a few things that I am really looking forward to. 

1. Chilly walks in the sun. Long sleeves, walking boots and a scarf. Bliss.

2. Hot drinks outside in the cold. Its like eating your breakfast outside in summer -  when the sun is out but there is still a morning chill in the air. Cold cheeks and warm coffee in Autumn is fine by me.

3. Pumpkin Barn. A necessity for October. I love seeing the mass of orange at our local farm shop every year.

4. Orange. In the trees or in decorations - I can't get enough of it at this time of year!

5. Cosy cardigans and layering up. Can't bloomin' wait.

Bring on Autumn!

Katie

BECCMARK

Last week I shared that I will be at Downley Makers' market in November and I am back to tell you a little bit about Bourne End Community and Craft Market. I will be there twice in the coming months -  once in October and once in November.

Saturday 14th October and Saturday 11th November

Pop along for a selection of handcrafted greetings cards! I will have some Christmas cards at the October event and some Halloween bits too. In November I will have a full array of Christmas goodies including cards, gift tags and my hand knitted garlands.

For more information visit BECCMARK's website or Facebook page.

Happy Wednesday!

Katie

Downley Makers' Market

Prepare yourself. I'm about to mention the C word. Christmas!!

It is September now and although I am reluctant to let go of Summer, I can't wait for Autumn. Crispy leaves, scarves, and preparations for Christmas. It is always around this time of year that I start to be on the lookout for present ideas. But what I really love to do is save some really special purchases for any craft markets I visit.

This brings me rather nicely to what I wanted to share today. I am happy to say that I will be at The Downley Makers' Market again this year and I am already looking forward to it!

I am always happy to be at this event! It is well worth popping along for some really gorgeous gifts as well as the lovely atmosphere!

You can find more information for this event here.

I will let you know about some of my other events at another time, and will probably remind you about this one nearer the time too!

Have a very lovely day!

Katie

Etsy

My Etsy shop is now open! 🎉 

My handcrafted greetings cards are available to buy online in the UK. Pop on over for special birthday cards and Christmas cards too!

Happy Tuesday!

Katie 

Day Dreams and Ice Creams

It has been grey for the last few days. Where has Summer gone? I'm finding it a little hard to believe that we still have August to go - right at this very minute it feels like it could be September and Autumn next week!

So I will day dream about sunny days and ice cream lollies instead. We can pretend we want to reach for sprinkles and strawberry sauce rather than kettles and cups of tea! This is another card from my sparkly birthday range - it is perfect for birthdays or as an invitation, and can be custom made in any colours.

I've just checked the weather with great optimism. It is looking a little brighter next week. I will cross my fingers and hope for Summer!

Have a great weekend!

Katie

Christmas Puddings

Yesterday I shared my hand knitted Santa hat garlands and today I am back with Christmas Puddings!

There are five Christmas puddings on this garland and I knit each part by hand -  that's the pudding itself, the holly leaves and the berries.

The garland is £12.50 + postage and packaging, and if you're interested in getting one please contact me on Facebook or by email at katiesarah.makes@hotmail.co.uk.

Also available to order are my Christmas pudding tree decorations!

These decorations are the perfect addition to any tree or room for Christmas time. Not only are they seasonal but, hanging on trees, they are also the perfect counter to playful pets and wandering fingers. They won't break if they fall!

Each little pudding is £3 + postage and packaging and they are strung on dark blue satin ribbon.

If you would like to order either the garland or the decoration, please get in touch. I would be happy to answer any queries.

Have a very merry day!

Thank you,

Katie

Christmas Hat Garland

Every year I fill a bag with tiny knitted hats and make these handcrafted Christmas garlands.

I love to make them and to see them come together as the perfect festive decoration. I made one for my family and it has adorned the mantel piece at Christmas for a few years. These hand knitted garlands are nice decorations for your home but they also make lovely gifts at Christmas - in a stocking or as part of advent.

For as long as I have been attending Christmas fairs I have been selling garlands alongside my handcrafted cards and this year I am excited to say that I am making my Christmas garlands available to order!

The standard garlands are a 10 hatted string for £10 and a five hatted string for £5 + postage and packaging. Each hat measures approximately 3.5cm x 4cm.

If you're interested in a custom garland, with any number of hats, I would be happy to discuss this and pricing with you.

To order a garland, please get in touch on Facebook or by email at katiesarah.makes@hotmail.co.uk.

It seems a little early to be talking about Christmas but I wanted to let you know that ordering is now open! I will be back tomorrow to share another of my Christmas garlands!

Thank you,

Katie

Sunday

I spent the morning wandering around outside a really gorgeous house, surrounded by beautiful flowers and plants. I had a cup of coffee under the shelter of an enormous barn, and then got a little lost in some other gardens and barns. It was lovely even when the hay fever hit!

I came home and dosed up on cups of tea before ending up here! All I have are a few little musings about what I've been up to in the last couple of weeks.

They have been a mish mash of all sorts. As per usual for our British weather we've seen blazing sun, as well as dull, grey skies that looked like they needed the pixar cloud treatment. In a similar fashion I've been making fun, colourful summery designs at the same time as creating for Christmas. On my desk there have been penguins and robins alongside ice creams and cupcakes! I'm not complaining - I like both seasons and enjoy making for both too!

Unbelievably, I don't think it will be too long before I will be sharing some of my Christmas designs for this year. Expect Penguins in hats, mistletoe and sparkly Christmas cupcakes! For now, I am enjoying summer and I'm hoping we're in for a few more sunny days. I've got plans and the cold and rain might put a dampener on them! :)

Happy Sunday. Have a good week!

Katie

Thank You

The summer holidays are almost here and it is that time of year again. Time to say thank you! I remember a certain amount of pride in choosing a small present for my teacher and writing in their card. The day I took it into school meant that I had weeks of holiday ahead of me and everyone always seemed to be in a good mood.

I know more than one person who is a teacher or who works in education, and I have volunteered at my local primary school before. I know the effort and ethic involved in this kind of work and, while I did appreciate it while I was at school I find it even more admirable now.

Thank you to everyone out there who supports, teaches and guides us!

Katie

A Few Things

Clockwise from  Left

1. I adore the colours in these beautiful landscapes. Created in watercolour with simple shapes and lines I think they are really striking and effective.

2. How wonderful is it that we laugh because our bodies cannot contain the joy. This pretty much sums up how I feel about those moments when you can't help but laugh as well as those moments when you just can't stop!

3. The plants I got for my birthday live on and I am very happy about that! I love what a plant can bring to a room and although I haven't quite got the space for a giant leafed thing I can hope for one day! I saw this plant pot and it is just my kind of thing!

Happy Wednesday!

Katie

RHS Chatsworth Flower Show

I am at home in the countryside and I think there is something really nice about summer when flowers are blooming and everything is as green as it can be. Which means I was pretty happy a couple of weeks ago as I wandered around the beautiful grounds of Chatsworth at its first RHS flower show.

There were prize winning gardens, natural installations, and blow up greenhouses. There were dozens of cacti and some of the most intricate plants I've ever seen including an allium called 'Art' - a simple and apt name!

The weather was a mixed bag. I started the day in layers, put my hair up against the wind and a scarf on, and then by the end of the day I had shed almost all of it and was having my first ice cream of the summer!

Below are a few snaps I got from the day.

I think my favourite part of the show was the giant greenhouse. It was a blow up dome based on The Great Conservatory that used to be in the grounds of Chatsworth. Heated by coal it was demolished after World War 1 as the cost of it became too much and they didn't have the man power to run it. I was completely inspired by beds full of striking white striped leaves and all the vivid reds and oranges. 

It was a chance to spend time with two of my favourite people in the beautiful grounds of Chatsworth, and with food trucks, coffee and live music too it was a pretty nice way to spend a day!

Have a lovely weekend!

Katie 

Mr or Mrs Fix It.

This card is a design that is relatively new to my stock. It seems to have gone down well with people looking for a greetings card for a man or someone who can turn their hand to any kind of DIY. It is also a nice thank you card for someone who has helped you out with a fix it job!

Like most of my card designs it was inspired by someone in my life -  probably one of my DIY uncles -  but what I love is that I can personalise it for someone you know! Whether you'd like it in a different colour or an age added I am happy to have a go. There's never any obligation to buy and I'll keep you up to date with pictures of my progress.

Have a lovely evening.

Katie

Happy Father's Day!

Dad, 

Thank you for all that you do and all that you've done. Thank you for putting up with my attempts to talk sport and for saying you like everything that I cook! I appreciate it. Don't worry I made you a card too! 

This was a custom order for a pretty special Dad. I was given a short brief and this is what I came up with. 

Thank you to all the Dads, Grandpas and Great Grandads out there. You're all pretty great!

Happy Father's Day!

Katie

Sparkly Birthday Cake

 

My range of sparkly birthday cards is always expanding and this time it is with this birthday cake. It incorporates elements of my other designs - there is sparkle and sprinkles, colour and stars - but with this card the flames flicker too!

These cards are a lovely colourful way of sending someone birthday wishes at this time of year. All my cards are currently made to order so I would be able to include any favourite colours or cake flavours. No request is silly and I'd be happy to discuss any ideas with you if you email me at katiesarah.makes@hotmail.co,uk or contact me on Facebook

Have a good evening!

Katie

Ice Cream Sundae

And all of a sudden we're into the Summer months. Not that you'd know from the rain we've had today. We had a small lake in our garden earlier and it has been more than a little blustery.  

Still as I am writing this there is a little bit of light peering through the clouds so I'll look forward, optimistically, to warm days when we can get out and about, and treat ourselves to some ice cream! 

I can't remember the last time I actually had an ice cream sundae but I love their decadence! Remember the ice cream at places like Pizza Hut where you could fill your bowl and finish it off with sprinkles and all the toppings?! What a treat that was. 

The design for this card stemmed from this colourful swirl of an ice cream. I still love using bright pastels in my designs and I like adding a bit of sparkle with the glittery white sprinkles. I will happily make this greetings card with whatever colours (or flavours) you fancy so don't hesitate to contact me if you're interested in a commissioned card. 

I'll cross my fingers the rain stays away. 

Katie 

p.s. For more of my summery ice cream designs have a look at this post. I still love making the ice cream vans and they are a favourite for this time of year. Perfect for Summer birthdays or party invitations. If you're interested in any of my designs do get in touch at katiesarah.makes@hotmail.co.uk for more information.  

A Weekend in Sussex

Last Bank Holiday I went down to Sussex for a weekend away. It is somewhere I haven't spent a lot of time but now I would  like to go back! The area where we stayed was beautiful cottage after beautiful cottage. The village had a green in the middle of it and more than one pub. We had do-it-yourself quesadillas one night. The chicken came sizzling on a skillet.   

Petworth 

On the first day of our weekend we went to Petworth House. For a weekend that saw us hiding from the rain for a chunk of it we got lucky with blue skies and fluffy white clouds. A cup of tea, a look around the house (renowned for its art particularly the Turners) and a visit to an exhibition of Sky's Landscape Artist of the Year was topped off with a wander into the grounds. 

Little Hampton

The second best thing to a beach in the sun is a beach on a grey, windy day. It all looks a little moody and you can wrap up like Michelin Man! Trust me I did. It was so blustery that as I rearranged my scarf I was overwhelmed and got lost in it.  

Not exactly a vibrant day at the beach but I'll always enjoy a wander down to the water or a walk along a very British promenade.

This 'bench' seemed to run the length of the beach with coloured panels all along it and a couple of these installations too. 

Weald and Downland Living Museum

It is always interesting to see a snatch of history in this way - with buildings from all different eras. I don't think I've been to a museum like this since I was a child so it was nice to go back now I'm older. However the child in me couldn't resist making a wish and blowing away the clock of a dandelion. There was a meadow filled with them and a small lake with adorable little ducklings.

This day was a mess of crazy British weather. I started the day in layers and was down to a t-shirt at one point. That was for a second before the sun slipped behind the clouds and I needed to put a jumper back on. Still with moody clouds and blue skies everything was very vivid.

Getting a breath of fresh air is one of my favourite things to do. I try to do it on the day to day but it is always nice to escape for a few days. 

I hope you had a lovely long weekend. I got a good dose of laughter, friends, family and food. 

Katie 

To the Seaside!

It is these hot, sunny kind of days that make me want to go to the beach. I'm usually there on grey, windy days and while I appreciate those days for their Britishness, I have lovely memories of colourful beach towels and dripping ice creams in Summer.

I don't live very near a beach and with lovely plans for this long weekend I couldn't just leave to find the closest bit of sand. However I can pretend I am at the seaside in two weeks!

On Saturday 10th June I am having a stall at Napfest. This is Naphill and Walter's Ash's summer fete and this year the theme is 'At the Seaside' I'll be there with a wide range of cards including some seasonal specials - ice cream lollies, beach huts and lighthouses to name a few.

I've been visiting this event since I was small and it is the perfect occasion for all the family - stalls, a BBQ, and I believe there is a fancy dress competition. You can find out more on their website.

I will be taking orders on the day so if there are any special birthdays or anniversaries coming up, this might be the perfect time to talk to me about your ideas. (Or you can email me at katiesarah.makes@hotmail.co.uk at any time. I will be happy to give you more information.)

Have a lovely afternoon and I hope you enjoy the rest of the long weekend.

Katie

Father's Day

Father's Day is coming up on Sunday 18th June so I am sharing some of my greetings cards for this year! I've take elements of my favourite and most popular designs and created some cards to show those dads out there that we care and are really grateful for all that they do!

I am now taking orders for Father's Day cards so if there is something you see and like, don't hesitate to get in touch. As with all my creations elements can be altered and colours changed for an extra special greeting. Or maybe there is something else you have in mind and would love to send to your Dad this year - I take commissions too!

It has been such a gorgeous day today. I haven't had a chance to soak it up so I am hoping it sticks around until the weekend when I have a few nice things in the diary.

Have a lovely week!

Katie

Roar-some!

Please excuse my lazy, laughable pun! 

I love making these lions for my cards. From the colours through to the crazy mane to the moment they become a character when I add their eyes. 

I made this congratulations card for someone special who was particularly fierce and had done really well. They were worthy of a medal and a trophy!

Whatever you've achieved today - Well Done!

Katie 

Sunday

A little slice of my Sunday. 

1. Yesterday I planted a strawberry pot! I am hoping that I can grow at least a handful of strawberries from the plants we have. There'll be something satisfying about growing my favourite fruit! Kneeling in the sun with mud on my hands yesterday afternoon was nice enough even if my attempts are not very fruitful! (These strawberries are from my fruit greetings card)

2. The other day I found this recipe for an orange and rhubarb cake. I don't bake very often but this was a different choice for me. There was no chocolate in sight! Now my cake didn't look as aesthetically pleasing as the pictures on The Kitchen Paper (my Instagram picture proves this) but it was still a very tasty cake to eat.

3. I stumbled across a painting not long ago which led me to this blog. I wish I could remember which painting I first saw because it perfectly captured a thought of mine. I spent a little while browsing a few of these personal messages yesterday. They convey big ideas and make you think.

4. Yesterday I baked and I cooked. Good Food is a great go to for recipes and this Fruity pork steak was a hit in my house. With red onions, apples and a five spice dusting to the pork it had a great flavour!

I hope you had a good weekend!

Katie

Big Birthday Celebrations

It seems like I have put a birthday hat on almost every animal however it wasn’t until I was brainstorming a birthday card design for a friend’s mum that I realised I’d never made an elephant birthday card. I’d definitely never put an elephant in a party hat!  I didn’t really know why considering elephants like these are some of the most popular greetings cards. I said I’d mock one up and see what my friends thought.

They were happy and I was even happier to alter the design slightly and add this fun card design to my stock. It picks up the same sparkly theme as my cupcakes and ice creams and uses some of my favourite summery colours. I am drawn to anything in these bright pastels!

This birthday card has already stemmed a number of other ideas that I plan to work on soon!

I hope you have a very good weekend!

Katie 

Lately

I'm taking a moment to appreciate the small things.

At one point last year I decided I wanted to have some plants. I had a couple of succulents and the poor little things didn't make it. I don't think I got the balance quite right when it came to watering! For my birthday earlier this year I was given (entrusted with) a few plants including a lovely hand painted pot of cacti. So far so good!

I first found this recipe for cheese and Marmite muffins when I wanted to bake but someone else was bringing pudding. On the few occasions I have made these cheesy treats they've been met with raised eyebrows. It takes a bite! And after that people are convinced. They've even won over a couple of 'hate it' Marmite people! A note to anyone who is making them - They look nothing like the picture. They look messy but taste good. Make sure you try them warm!

I've really been enjoying listening to Rag and Bone Man while I've been working this week. The perfect accompaniment to creating, admin and ticking jobs off the list!

Happy Wednesday!

Katie

Elsewhere

I know I've been a little quiet here lately.

Writing for my blog and sharing my creations and finds is something that I miss. I really hope to get back in the groove with regular posts but, in the mean time, I'd love it if you popped over to my Facebook or Instagram and gave them a like or a follow. You can see my latest greetings cards and I'll be sharing some Father's Day cards soon. As always, anything that you see is available to order and open to customisation.

Have a very lovely week!

Katie

Happy Easter!

I hope you're all having a good day!

David Hockney

At the weekend I visited the David Hockney retrospective at the Tate Britain. The exhibition showed his most well known works from across six decades. There were paintings, drawings, prints as well as the art he has done on an iPad.

What I enjoyed seeing was the development in Hockney's style, techniques and subject matter. It was good to see his iconic Los Angeles swimming pools alongside his bright Yorkshire landscapes. The latter were probably my favourites  and his charcoal sketches of a wood in Spring too. It was scenery I am familiar with and colours that I love.

It is nice to visit an art gallery or museum and find something you weren't expecting or didn't know much about. At the top of the stairs and through a doorway we found Forms in Space... by Light (in Time) It is an installation by Cerith Wyn Evans which you can't help but walk under and observe from different places around the room. You're not just looking at it because with every angle it changes. It is too detailed and complex to take in all at once.

I hope you have a good weekend exploring or taking it easy -  whatever you have planned!

Katie