Diary 2011 Project

The lovely Kelly, who owns the shop Kokokelli on Folksy, tweeted recently about this fabulous 2011 diary.  It's a wow factor for me and it shot straight to the top of my Christmas wish list!  Hubby's just gone and bought one for me so I'm over the moon.  I have a trusy Filofax which has been used year in, year out for many years and although I won't be storing it away just yet (I do love it very much), I am very excited to be using a new, and very different, diary for 2011.

Please take a look at the website for all the information and plenty of lovely photos to feast your eyes on.  Each date in the diary has been designed by a creator resulting in a wonderful collection of art work.  Kelly is one of the creators featured (for the December 2011 page I see), so it makes it all the more special.  The book is printed using recycled paper or it can be ordered in CD format to print out yourself.  A link to book covers, that are free to download, is also available.

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Lovely birthday goodies ...

I celebrated my birthday on Friday and I was a very, very lucky lady receiving some fabulous presents (and I have more to come over the weekend too). Some of them came from the wonderful sellers at Folksy - chosen from my ever growing "favourites" list. Take a peek:


This gorgeous doggy handbag caught my eye recently when I was looking for dog items for my Folksy Friday picks. I promptly added it to my list of favourites and was chuffed to bits to have it as a present from my in-laws.


This photo really doesn't do this stunning picture justice. It's been put together beautifully with its different textures, felt hearts, silk background and darling little house. There's several to choose from and I found it very difficult to choose just one!


Never used to go for orange, not sure why (I think it reminded me of the family kitchen when I was growing up LOL!!). This chunky hat is the most gorgeous burnt orange colour and is sooooo warm. I can say this in all honesty as the weather has turned extremely cold (and very wet) and this hat has kept my head warm and dry far better than my old fleece one (and it's far more stylish too).


Isn't this just lovely? The moongazing hare pendant - what more can I say. I saw it, again when adding items for a Folksy Friday, and fell in love with it; it has a magical feel to it and it's really "me".

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"Bread and Butter" by Bev Jennings

Look what I treated myself to last week. This gorgeous little heart has been on my favourites list since I came across it not so long ago whilst compiling a Folksy Friday. I threaded it onto a leather thong to make the perfect necklace. Check out Bev's shop on Folksy to see all her lovely items for sale.

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Parcels - the best kind of mail

Two things arrived today to put a huge smile on my face. First package I picked up off the lobby floor was my printable fabric. I've been waiting a week for this and now, finally, I can crack on and finish my latest Woollie pony project.

My second package was even more exciting. It was my gift from the springtime Folksy swap that Zoe had arranged - my package was from Alison of Love Hector.


Wrapped in pretty pink tissue, I received a "pillowcase apron" with stunning pink ribbon ties to keep it in place around my waist. The various pockets perfect for holding whatever I fancy so as not to mis-place anything. Paul and Katie immediately thought it would make a good sewing apron and I think I have to agree with them. Carefully re-wrapping the gift to look at later (as I had a house full of guests today), it was only when I returned that I found, hidden in one of the pockets, a delightful little brooch - very spring-like with it's green fields and little woolly sheep. All very much a big hit for me.

Huge thank you to Alison for making my day (and future days) very happy, and to Zoe for arranging the swap.

Go and check out Alison's website for details of her lovely range of "vintage, up-cycled, unique" goodies on Folksy and Misi and keep up-to-date with Alison through her blog. She has a good range of bags, brooches and other fabulous handmade items.

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Valentine Heart Swap - meet Minnie

Owner of noodleBubble on Folksy very kindly set up a Valentine Swap between Folksy folk which must have been quite a challenge seeing as how so many people took part. The brief was simple "hand made heart" which had to be ready to dispatch to your designated swap person by 5th February.

I'll post piccies of the heart I made closer to the date just incase my swap decides to keep it wrapped until Valentine's Day.

However, I can share the swap that I received - the fabulous Minnie HooterNinnie that I from Oddsox. The postie delivered it a couple of days ago and I was initially going to put it aside for the 14th but Katie and Ben insisted I open it! Secretly, I'm glad they made me, I was desperate to rip open the envelope!

Inside was a lovely note telling me that Minnie HooterNinnie was my Valentine Heart Swap - I couldn't believe my luck, Oddsox's mini hedgehogs are the best and now I was a proud owner of one!

Here's Minnie HooterNinnie meeting Chips, the little Woollie Pony, for the first time. Minnie and Chips watch over my craft making and I think they're becoming firm friends.

They meet ...

they greet!

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Fabulous crafty items from my sis

I've had some fabulous presents this year (as you'll see in my previous post), but one of the most thoughtful was from my big sis. She made a Christmassy draw-string bag and bought lots of lovely crafty bits to put inside. They're all way too nice to use at the mo, if you know what I mean!



pins, ribbons, gold thread, buttons and pretty Cath Kidson pincushion.

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Gorgeous handmade presents for Christmas

Thought I'd take a photo of some of the special presents I received this year, some of them came from the lovely shop owners on Folksy.



We have the cute little cashmere puppy from The Hunny Bunny Company, the stylish brooch from pantsandpaper, keepsake stocking which is the home for the sweetest of little mice from Northfield Primitives, pretty phone charm (with a bead that matches my phone's wallpaper) from my daughter, Katie, and a scary Polymer Clay monster from my son, Ben.

On the giving side, I shopped from Folksy and gave my little neice a cashmere puppy and her mum, who absolutely adores poppies, a bright and cheerful poppy brooch by Crafty Koala.

Now that all present opening has taken place in our family, I can safely post up a picture of this bag I made for my sister from an unwanted Aran jumper. It is the first of my hand made items to have an "original by Ellie's Treasures" tag attached, so I'm quite thrilled with it! Inside I put a variety of girly things including a necklace that I'd made (but forgot to take a picture of), a mini tile magnet with pretty painted silver horse head designed by Katie, a family photo and a very pretty bracelet from Angels and Me.

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