Crochet and Slate Necklaces

Well, good morning.
I have been busy with my crafts over the past couple of weeks, although I have my Etsy shop, I also have been doing some craft fayres, which has been good, as it is a way to meet up with fellow crafters.  Whilst at Mevagissey craft fayre, I took a chance and took some of my crochet scarves into a shop there to see if they  would be interested in taking some of them to sell on commission.  there is something truly scary about going into a shop and hoping that they like your stuff enough to take them........
Well they did, and so they have been displaying some of the scarves in their shop, I also had a couple of my slate necklaces with me and thought I had nothing to lose by seeing if they like them too.  The girl in the shop appeared to really like them and asked if she could have some of them to sell too, so therefore my little slate necklaces are going to be displayed in their shop too.

So now it is just a case of hoping that someone will like them enough to buy them.
I also am going to be doing some craft fayres in Falmouth on the beach, this is a new craft fayre and I cant wait to try it out, because it is actually on the beach my crafts should fit right in, and I will keep you posted with how I do........ selling and sunbathing, quite a good combination I think.
oh well all for now, thanks for stopping by
take care
Tracie x

Spending some time with family

Good afternoon
I thought that I would share the wonderful day I had yesterday.  My daughter Ashley and granddaughter Rose had come down to Dorset to spend some time with my Mum and Dad.  And as I am down in Cornwall I dont get to see them very much, so it was decided to take the opportunity to meet up.
Half way between Dorset and Cornwall is Oakhampton, and after a little research we decided to meet at a little place called 'Finches Foundry', wow what an amazing place.  The weather stayed lovely, no rain showers of the day before, and therefore beautiful, my Mum came too and provided a lovely picnic, and after much lifting and pulling of the pushchair (Ashley wished that she had bought the baby sling so that we could have walked further).

 This my beautiful Granddaughter, eating lunch, though she did prefer the Muller Lite yogurt that her Mum was eating!!

 A lovely picture of my Daughter Ashley, taken yesterday.

 My Mum doesn't like having her photo taken, but I am so lucky to have her as a Mum, full of different ideas and thoughts and it was her that chose this beautiful place.  Which made it a lovely day, though making up a picnic on a bridge used by lots of walkers and their dogs, was probably not her smartest thought!!  Try telling a Labrador that they cant eat the cheese and pickle roll that she was making was interesting!!

 Two more pictures of the beautiful Rose, though I am biased of course.

 I couldn't resist this Poppy that I aim to attempt to paint as a watercolour for my sister Colette (Poppy Cottage 18).

This was so beautiful and peaceful, it is a Quaker graveyard in the same grounds as the foundry.

So all in all a totally lovely day, and one that will stick in my memory for a long time.
Oh well, all for now
Thank you for stopping by.
take care
xx

My Etsy shop

Well, good morning,
I have been working hard at getting my Etsy shop off the ground.  It is so scary when you start to do something and hope that people will like what  you do.  I had got my shop up and running but wasn't sure if I had done everything right, and had some lovely advice from a lady that has a shop on the site and who lives in Porthcurno in Cornwall, her name is Joanne Poore and she has a shop on Etsy too, pop over and have a look as her paintings are amazing hppt//www.etsy.com/shop/joannepoore.

She said that there is a person on Etsy who will look at your shop and tell what is right and wrong and how you can put it right.  So I thought that I would do this, to make sure that I had covered all the angles, I was so surprised when they said that I had a lovely shop, and such a relief and that there were only a few little tweeks to make.

I have now started to make some sales, which is fantastic, and gives you such a boost. I have started to have a stall at a local craft fayre, which is lovely as you get to meet some other like minded people.
Here are a couple of my latest 'makes'

 
I had made a lot of things that  needed to be photographed, so I put them all in a big box and decamped to my favourite beach at Portloe on a low tide to take all my photos. There is a hotel on the beach with a terrace  and as the sun was shining people were sat out on the terrace...... lots of them came to see what I was doing 'I must have looked strange, arranging things all over rocks', but at least it was a little free advertising, as I merrily handed out my shop cards to everyone that came to speak to me.

I also have great news that two shops in one of the local seaside towns are selling some of my items, and when I popped into the shops I couldn't resist looking for my items, wow, they look so professional.
Thank you so much for stopping by xx

Visitors

Good afternoon,
Last week, was brilliant I had my daughter Ashley, my son in law Ray and my granddaughter Rose down for a visit.  Though they had planned on having an overnight pit stop at my Mum and Dads in Dorset to break the journey, the clutch in their car decided to become a real problem, and they had to have that done before they  could carry on the journey down to me.  My other half did it for them, which was fantastic as this meant that  it didn't cost too much.

Ashley was sad that  this meant that the time they had down with me was cut short, but as I said I would rather they came for a couple of days and be safe rather than to chance driving all the way down with an unsafe car.

So they arrived on weds evening which was lovely,  I had made a huge spaghetti bolognese which apparently was very appreciated.  It was so lovely to have them down, you don't realise just how much you miss them when you are caught up in day to day stuff.

On the Thursday I took then to Fowey, which they enjoyed, and I sneaked in a little shopping for a gift for Rose ( isn't that what Nana's are for), although trying to negotiate the steep hills with a pushchair was a little worrying.  I did say to Ashley that we ought to attach her to the pushchair with a lead for added security!!!  Ashley and I went for a little retail therapy whilst Ray took time out with Rose and the daily paper, he also had a caricature done of Rose which definitely used artistic licence.

We left it to Ray to push Rose back up the hill, he did a nice line in power pushing, whilst Ashley and I followed behind.

All too soon it was time for them to leave, I must have given Ashley the biggest hug on record, and Rose and Ray too, till I see them again.  Although they have asked if they could come down in the summer for a longer period of time, and that goes without question to be totally fine with me.

So that  is all for now,
Thanks for stopping by
xxx

The Christening

Well, all went well for the Christening.  Arrived in Dorset on Friday afternoon and then travelled up to the christening on the Saturday morning.  This was a little fraught as we left a little late, after me reminding the other half that  he had promised to take a welsh dresser up with us. As it had belonged to one of his customers and was now destined to reside with Ashley and Ray in their home in Chichester.  Therefore it was a rather fast journey up towards the M27, then when you are worrying about getting there on time, you spot stationary traffic in front of you....not what  you want to see!!.... this then entailed a detour via the New Forest, very lovely horses, cows and donkeys strolling along without a care in the world, and us going rather quickly following the weird directions coming from the Sat Nav.  Eventually we arrived at the church, parked the car, me dashing into the church and the other half getting changed in the church car park.

The christening was lovely, my Granddaughter Rose Olivia behaved brilliantly, not a cry or whimper, even with the cold water on her head.

After the christening we all went next door to have something to eat and drink that  Ashley and Ray had provided, which was lovely as the sun was shining and the weather was so lovely and warm.

I had been to a vintage fair the week before and had bought Ashley a silver bangle to give her on this special day, I was hoping that  she would like it, but she said that  she really liked it, so I breathed a sigh of relief.

Oh well, all for now, as my eyes are getting tired.
Thanks for stopping by xxx

Christening

Well, today I am travelling back up to Dorset and then on to West Sussex for my granddaughters christening.  It doesnt seem five monutes ago that I was having my daughter christened.  Living down here in Cornwall whilst she lives in Chichester means that I dont get to see that  much of either my daughter or my granddaughter, which is heartbreaking but I am going to make the most of seeing them this weekend.  But then again I am lucky also that  they are coming down to stay with me the following week.  My daughter by the was is Ashley of http://countryrose7.blogspot.com/ , and I am so proud of her for giving me my first grandchild. 
Oh well, this was only a quick one, and I will write some more when I come back, with lots more pictures.
Thanks for stopping by xx

Fantastic summer weather!!!!

The last few days have been so lovely, the temperature seems to be going up and up.  Have had a few days off from work so took the opportunity to take my crochet and a book to the beach.  I must admit you do get some strange looks from people whilst sat there in a bikini crocheting japanese flowers!!!

Each day I have woken up wondering if the weather is going to break, after all it is only April, but we seem to be continnuing with fanstastic weather. 

Although the weather has been so lovely the beaches where I live have been relatively quiet, which is strange as I would have thought that  if you were on holiday in Cornwall and the weather was lovely and you had young children, the best place would be the beach!! But I wasnt complaining, some quiet time.

Yesterday I took a wander down to the waters edge to cool down, and withput really realising I had walked into the sea up to my middle............ dilemma! do I walk back out and look silly or go for it and swim................ I chose the latter, so I can now honestly say that I have been swimming in the sea in APRIL..... and I really recommend it.

Oh well, all for now,
Thanks for stopping by xxx