Stop to catch my breath

What a whirlwind of a night!

Once again, the BrisStyle Twilight Market was a bustling, colourful night of gorgeous handmade creations, from food and body products to clothes, jewellery and accessories. The whole night seemed to fly by so rapidly, I missed my chance to do a little shopping! But I couldn't resist a trade with my neighbour Rondelle, who makes adorable canvas art. We also discovered a shared love of b-grade zombie movies and alone time.

Oh, and once again, I took no photos! Tisk tisk, I was so busy chatting with shoppers there just wasn't time!
Instead, here are my 'Charleston Diva' button brooches, don't they look swell all watching the skies together?

HUGE BrisStyle November Giveaway!

Voila! My contribution to the BrisStyle November Giveaway - the movement and sparkle of my
'Dear Prudence' glass and Swarovski crystal earrings on lux oversize silver hoops, as seen in my Etsy shop, Miu & Umi. This giveaway is going to be impressive, so I recommend popping over to check it out!

All hail! The queen of procrastina....

Image from lululetty

Remember that scene in Black Books where Bernard does just about everything to avoid doing his taxes, including calling his mother and asking some skinheads 'Which one of you bitches wants to dance?'

Well, that's me.

Apart from taunting skinheads. But it's still procrastination.

So, I'm playing tiggy with Pom Pom and poking the dog. I'm looking at pretty pictures, like the dreamy one above and reading a good blog or two, like Kimono Reincarnate, which is clever and inspiring. And ignoring the pink elephant in the room, which is market prep! Once again, each time I sit at the sewing machine or my desk, I'm filled with nerves and doubt. It's crazy, because I know what to expect, but real nonetheless.

Cool to be kind

image from infinite smiles via happy things

But I think you look beautiful every day.

Self image is something that keeps popping up in conversation lately, and it's always the same conclusion.

As young women, we are so hard on ourselves (I can't speak of young men - I haven't thought to ask any. Do men think about this stuff?) , but looking back on our lives, photographs that might have seemed so cringe-worthy at the time are now precious reminders of how we glowed in our youth, our innocence.

We're quite cruel to ourselves, and I think it's a dreadful waste of time. If I could go back, I'd shake myself by the shoulders and tell myself  "Stop it! This time you're wasting on self-critique - you'll never get it back!"

And I wonder if, when I am 80, I'll look back on the me of now, and think the same thing?

I'm going to save myself a little time, and quit the cruelty now. There's just too much cool stuff I could be doing instead.

Eye candy

Image found through Design For Mankind (seriously a great blog) from I Love Wildfox.

Such a great photo. Frou-frou dress, pretty girl and a giant bag of fun!

BiECO compost

Oh, I know it's a dreadful photo, but I fell in love with the head-dresses from Wimcee. I bought one for each of the chilblains and couldn't resist putting one on and doing the woo-woo-woo hand over the mouth.
(This is possibly very non-PC, and if so, sorry. My aim is hardly ever to offend.)

The market day flew by in a blur of friendly faces, mile-a-minute chatting and some truly fab shopping. Luckily I had my two best peeps in the world, Kirsty and Cass to mind the stall while I bought up big.

Melanie (or is it John?) from Kimono Reincarnate held a most incredible sale of her fabric from Japan, and I think I managed to stay pretty calm in the face of so much glorious colour and pattern. And it was great to learn that I'm not the only one who hesitates to cut into something so beautiful.

Alas, there was no time to join in the 'softie workshop' with Teneale from Wicked Child Designs, so I bought one to go. I sewed him up today and attached his button eyes, and now I just need to think of his name...

Megan from Meggy Green and her cutie-pie daughter Ella were great neighbours, and I'm happy to have found my new fave place for sweet retro and Little Golden book covered notebooks. Love love love!

Highlight of the day? Music 4 U playing 'Crafty Lady' to the tune of Jimi Hendrix' 'Foxy Lady'.

My little slice of heaven - Miu And Umi

From Baton Rouge with ribbons and bows

Have I mentioned before how much I love the post?
I confessed my serious fetish for ribbons and fabric to Shelita, who lives in Baton Rouge and yesterday I had the unexpected pleasure of finding this package of sweetness in my mailbox.
All the way from Louisiana. Thank you Shelita, you're the bees knees! 

Thrifty love



Untitled and unsigned - mysterious, no?

I'm in deep infatuation with this painting I pounced on at the op-shop. Just exactly what it is that rings my bell, I'm not sure. There are no people, no animals, but there's movement.

It's one of those paintings where you half expect to see a figure in the window from the corner of your eye. 

Now all I need is a bit of wall space!