MessyJesse

Sweet Treats Embroidery Project

2012-01-26T21:05:00.001Z

I treated myself to some new embroidery skeins a couple of days ago and got started on the apple pie wall hanging project from the Sweet Treats cross-stitch book. It was the one that really jumped out at me from the book so I had to give it a go straight away :) I haven't done any cross-stitch in years, but it soon came back to me after the first few stitches.

It's so nice and relaxing, and perfect to do while watching the TV - as I lose interest veeeery easily! I just completely switch off and daydream about my next project! Am I the only weirdo that does this??

Thank You!

2012-01-24T20:16:00.000Z

Hello, hello friends! I had to share with you all this completely amazing gift I received from one of my dearest readers Melissa of 100 Billion Stars. She is just lovely, and gives such nice words of encouragement for my sewing projects. I still can't believe that she was kind enough to send the most gorgeous fabric and cute buttons to me! all the way across the pond :) I am so privilaged to have my blog readers and followers and I cannot thank you enough Melissa.

Just look at all that fabric goodness! Tanya Whelan, Dena Designs, and not forgetting PamKittyMorning too :D yayy! I am one happy sewer to say the least.
Jessie, xo

Last Week

2012-01-23T20:41:00.000Z

Hi guys, apologies for my absence last week. I had an eventful one to say the least! I was contacted by a friend of mine who is working on the production of a new film coming out called 'Summer in February', starring Dominic Cooper and Dan Stevens (the nice blonde one from Downton Abbey). She asked me if I would like to be a stand-in for the leading lady !!!! I was very sceptical as I had no idea what this meant? Later I found out that all I would have to do as a stand-in is copy what movement/positions the actress does in her rehearsal, so the camermen and lighting team can set up the shot while she's having a rest and getting her hair and make-up done.

So I thought that seemed simple enough, and a few days later I went and met a couple of the assistant directors and they said they were happy with my size and height but worried as my skin tone was much darker than the actress, but they had no other options at that time so I had to start THAT day! so after being bundled away in a trailor for a couple of hours, I was then thrust down to hair and make-up?? and I only had to go and do a REAL SCENE on FILM (camera's rolling etc etc!) with Dominic as a sillouette double eeeeekkk!!!! whilst 'improvising' a row, WHAT!!! obviously wasn't expecting this and was dying of embarresment as I'm super super shy and my whole acting career consists of primary school nativity plays, HA!
But looking back now I find it hilarious and I'm so glad I did it, what a great experience! I had so much fun all week, despite being outside all day and night in the freezing weather (paying for it now as I have a horrid cold :( Luckily I was only there for the week, as I've been axed now, it's a cut-throat industry haha! My colouring just "wasn't working!" :D

How about your week, anything exciting? I'll be back in my sewing room from tomorrow. Lots to share with you all! Jessie, xo

Thrifty Tablecloths

2012-01-13T22:38:00.002Z

Before we all head out for the weekend I just had to show you these cute vintage tablecloths I thrifted today. Aren't they so bright and cheery! They just jumped out at me amongst the piles of drab 80's bedlinen, so I couldn't say no. I think the yellow may be my fav? which is yours? It's making me eager to get my dining room finished now, I just have to wait for the boyf to fix the leaky roof (gggrrhh!) then I can work my magic with the paintbrush and get the job done at long last! I'm soo impatient, haha!

oh and I have just now signed up to Pinterest at long last!!! I have been trying to sign up for way over a year now, and it never accepted me! so yesterday I got Robin to sign up with his email instead and it worked straight away, duhhh! should have tried that ages ago... anyways you can find me @messyjesse1. A couple of questions about it first, how do I find people I know? and, I saw lots of pictures from my blog and etsy shop before I signed up now I can't seem to find them, any help would be much appreciated!
Have a lovely weekend, Jessie xo

Organiser Wallet

2012-01-10T20:21:00.001Z

Hey friends, I whipped up this cute little wallet organiser a few weeks ago and had to share it with you because it's great! I'm constantly needing to jot things down on the go so this is perfect for me and my handbag :) I used the tutorial from the brilliant Vanessa of LBG studio, the step by step was super easy and very straight forward. Though I had to change mine slightly from the instructions as I didn't have any elastic so I added a self-made button and ribbon. Next time I make one (as I'm sure I will do as they would make lovely gifts) I'm going to use elastic - definately more practical.

Looove this floral fabric by the Windham Storybook collection. I have ideas now to make a bigger version for a recipe book cover. Exciting!

Sweet Treats

2012-01-06T20:36:00.002Z

Hi! Just wanted to drop in and show you this new book i got recently, sweet treats in cross stitch. I haven't done any cross-stitch since I was a kid but I definately want to give it another go after reading this. Not only did it fill me with inspiration to get my embroidery needle out it also gave me a sweet tooth!

It features over 53 projects to complete, with lots of parisian patisserie designs to stitch and very clear charts at the back of the book. I'm particularly taken by the apple pie wall hanging, I'm envisioning it in my kitchen :)
Right, off to start practicing - or maybe have some apple pie first? p.s. i got my copy here, it's on sale! xo

Recent Sewing Projects

2011-12-30T23:51:00.001Z

Illness is still plaguing our house at the moment, but today I wanted to share with you some of my sewing projects of late.

First up, is another mug rug, I've discovered I love making these, it's a great way to practice making quilt blocks without actually having to make the quilt! (though I would love to eventually make one when I get more accurate with my cutting).

This is the dresden tablecentre that I made for my mum's Chirstmas gift. She has green kitchen countertops so I picked out some coordinating fabrics from my stash that I thought would match well. I sketched out the flower petal shape myself to use as a template and one of my biscuit tins came in handy for the centre peice as well, all I did then was finish it off with some ric-rac trim, and hey-presto!

Though I think for next time I may just buy one of those plastic dresden shapes as I found it quite difficult to not pucker the edges where each petal joins, a little too much un-picking for my liking...

and lastly, I made a little wall hanging for Robin's nana, though unfortunately I didn't get to snap a pic when it was finished. To finish I handstitched the little hexagons and used linen as the background with a sweet yellow binding. I liked it so much that I might have to make another similar one again for my kitchen.

Rest

2011-12-28T20:38:00.000Z

So this is where I have been sitting for three days straight... I managed to catch a sickness bug over Christmas! boooo! talk about bad timing eh!? Although, luckily it didn't come on until late Christmas evening so I managed to have my turkey :) I'm slowly on the mend now so I'll see you all in a few days, hope you all had a great Christmas.

p.s. this is the cushion I made for my sister, I didn't manage to finish all the handmade Christmas gifting I had planned but this one I HAD to get done.

Our First Home: Dining room

2011-12-20T14:45:00.001Z

Our final room to complete in the house is the 'lean-to', which we are going to use as a dining room; it's flooded with natural light and has fantastic double doors leading on from the front room, making it the perfect choice.

I'm currently in the middle of painting the table white and the chairs are going to be a range of lovely pastel candy colours, then I'm planning to recover them in some pretty fabrics. Can you believe I picked up these cute chairs from a local charity shop for free!

Hope you're all enjoying the festive season, I'll hopefully be finished painting by 2012 !

Scrap Mug Rug

2011-12-15T15:31:00.000Z

I realised I had a few extra quarter-square triangles after finishing off my quilted Christmas stockings, so I whipped up one of these cute mug rugs that I've seen lots of people making. I'm only a beginner when it comes to quilting so this is a good project for me to practise - and as you can see I need a loooooot of practice!

and yes, it IS tea in that Christmassy mug of mine ... haha I like milky baby tea! with two sugars!! yummmm.

Our First Home: Craft room update

2011-12-13T17:37:00.001Z

Well here it is, this is my new sewing room / studio for messy jesse. It's the perfect craft space, with lots of shelving and storage for my growing fabric collection. A new addition to this room is a wall-mounted TV over my desk yippee!

Wowee such a difference hey, It's so amazing what a lick of white paint can do! I haven't got my new scalloped blind or a light fitting in yet so it's not quite there but I couldn't resist giving you an update. I was lucky enough to already have the wall shelves there when we moved in so all they needed was a rough sanding and some fresh paint. The thread rack is handmade by a seller I found on Ebay. I also found a cute little place to hang my bunting :)

Note the victorian fireplace I painstakinly restored for DAYS! I haven't got a proper picture of it before I started on it annoyinly, but it was covered in a ultra thick layer of cream paint which I stripped down using nitro mors solution and a little metal scraper, hopefully won't have to do that again : I My trustee expedit holds my sewing books and my prized collection of Golden Hands encyclopedia's (mentioned in a previous post here). As well as lots of papercrafting bits and bobs. The ladder shelves house an array of sewing notions, threads, trims and paper patterns. I'm still working on this part, I'd quite like to have more of these things on show but I'm not sure how to work this yet.

I've got a new desk by upcycling the old kitchen countertops we ripped out downstairs. It's so sturdy, and a great neutral colour for the room. My old desk from IKEA bowed with the weight of my sewing machine so hoping this won't do the same?

And the crowning glory... the fabric collection! I've arranged it with vintage sheets, curtains and pillowcases on the bottom four shelves and modern fabric on the two shelves above that, then fat quarters all arranged my colour, topped off with some larger yardage peices including some beautiful linen I brought back from Turkey on a holiday this year (going to be turned into a couple of sofa cushions). Some CK fabric, and a stack of vintage emroidery bits and bobs I've been collecting from charity shops this year.

Haha my scrap bucket! what a disaster it looks but it actually works quite well for me. I need my scraps relatively easy to get to and not too tidy where it takes me forever to tidy. Do you have any good scrap organising tips? though I'm hoping to clear alot of it in the new year with some scrap-busting projects. A shelf of my vintage sewing baskets and tins store less-frequently-used items, like press studs, zips, alphabet stickers, and button poppers. Hmm have I missed anything out, let's see: deer ornament collection over the mantelpeice, vintage Singer sewing machine and spools of bakers twine = my perfect studio.

Christmas Decorating

2011-12-12T19:52:00.000Z

Christmas 2011 has officially landed in our house. The decorations are up and I'm so pleased! Didn't feel quite ready for it this year as the house is STILL not ready, but I guess Rome wasn't built in a day...

I spent all of yesterday evening popping popcorn for the tree garlands and the mantlepeice. It's not the most enjoyable Christmas chore, but I do love the effect. It's so cosy and reminds me of my childhood helping my mum doing it.

Did you also notice my Christmas stockings! they were the sneak peek image from my last post. They were such fun to make, I followed this tutorial to put them togther and made up my own stocking template and quilting design - using a quarter square triangle method. I really like the effect, and do a great job of brightening up the room!

I've been decorating with my usual mix of handmade, shop bought and a few 'new' vintage decs I have collected over this year. I also managed to find a new home for my quilted Christmas table runner that I made last year (tutorial here). It sits really well on my teak sideboard - perfect! ;) And there is still more decorating to do, I'm tackling the hallway tomorrow. I forgot how long it takes? or maybe it's just me?

Christmas Project Sneak-Peek

2011-12-06T20:04:00.001Z

I've been working on a very festive project of late, and I'm feeling rather pleased with myself. It's my first sewing task in the new craft room! I've been so busy painting and cleaning I've not really had the energy - or motivation to get my sewing head on.

I would love to have shared all of it, but unfortunately I have misplaced the lead for my camera to laptop so I can't upload any images dohhhh! (this one above is a quick iphone snap) though a new one is on it's way and I will be back on the blogging track as soon as it's here ;)

Our First Home: Pyrex collection

2011-11-21T19:48:00.001Z

OK, so I have officially had the BEST day ever! I've been busy unpacking all my beloved pyrex, enamelware and canisters. I've cleaned them, hugged them, stacked them, tidyied them, (hugged them a bit more) and after hours of deliberation, given them a special place in my 'new' kitchen cabinet. I scored this beautiful peice of furniture locally on ebay, it was in a pretty unloved state then but I gave it some tlc and a fresh lick of paint and it looks as good as new! I'm in love with the formica top, I think it makes a nice contrast to the oak worktops I have on the other side of the kitchen.

I adore my kitchen now it's finally coming together, we were making the shelves for the pantry today as well - it looks amazing!! can't wait to share more with you...

Our First Home: Update

2011-10-25T19:56:00.001+01:00

So I have been MIA these last few weeks; apologies for this :) I have to blame it on the new house, I've been beavering away on it almost every day since we've had the keys.

I'm pleased to say its almost all done upstairs, all the bedrooms and hallway have been given a new lease of life with a lick of paint. The carpets are fitted in the bedrooms, and soon the stairs and landing... I also aquired some GOR-GEOUS silk curtains at an amazing sale price from Laura Ashley, I got them in a nice off-white shade so I can spruce things up with my floral bedlinen and vintage throws. I'll share some pics of the downstairs soon too - things are slowly coming together, the bathroom is almost done and we are ~~going insane!~~ patiently waiting for our IKEA worktops to be delivered so we can finish off our kitchen at long last. Have any of you had experience with IKEA kitchens?

p.s. we've started moving in some of our stuff (well, my crafty things!) a whole TWELVE boxes!!! haha! it'll be squeezed in somewhere. I'll be back this week with more updates, speak soon.

Floral Tapestry

2011-09-08T20:04:00.002+01:00

I've been working on this floral tapestry for a little while now. It's the second one I've done, do you remember my first one? My mum managed to pick up a second hand standing frame at the car boot so I have been using that to complete it - it's soo much easier than a hand-held frame, much quicker!

The pattern is a CK design from her book 'Stitch'. I had my eye on making it as soon as I saw it, and I think I will now have the perfect spot for it as a cushion cover for the armchair in our new house :)
pssst... I also noticed on Amazon that she has a new book 'Patch', coming out this November, just in time for my birthday :) I'm sure we can expect more inspiring and cheerful projects to come!

Instagram Addict

2011-09-02T19:20:00.000+01:00

Hands up who has an iphone, and hands up who has the Instagram app? Me!! It's so much fun and annoyingly addictive. Its a great app where you can edit your iphone pics to give them an old school feel without all the hassle of using a vintage camera. It's perfect for snapping a few pics on the go, such as charity shop loot below.

You can also follow other people and 'like' their photo's. A nice little community :) feel free to follow me on Instagram @messyjessecrafts. Give me a shout out if you're on there too, I'm looking for some new people to follow.

Our First Home: Kitchen Inspiration

2011-08-22T19:39:00.000+01:00

As some of you may know my boyfriend and I will be moving into our own home quite soon. We have lots of work to do and I have so many ideas I thought it would be nice to keep a record of our progress with you. So in honour of this here is my first post under the new series 'our first home'. I hope you enjoy the journey along with me.
Lately I've been gathering room ideas for our kitchen, well every room actually, but I just thought I'd focus on the kitchen today. Whilst in my quest for all things culinary I've noticed a dominent feature... I seem to love yellow and turquoise! Something about these sunny hues make perfect sense for a kitchen, so bright and fresh looking.

house of turquoise martha stewart

We've decided to go for these bottom units from IKEA, with a lovely oak wood top. As we only have a small galley kitchen we're doing without the top units and opting for white open shelving as below. I like the relaxed, country feel they give. White brick tiles are going to be fitted behind the units so I'm thinking I may have to go for a pale, lemony yellow colour for the wall to add some colour? what do you think? I do change my mind often so I'm hoping I won't get bored of it anytime soon. Oh, and my big showpeice will be my 1950's turquoise dresser! I'm IN.LOVE with it, I bought it locally through ebay. Such a lucky score! with original turquoise/green formica top. Can't wait to share it with you, it will be holding my ever-growing pyrex collection.

house of turquoise house of turquoise

house of turquoise cath kidston

cath kidston garden trading

For our dining area I've already purchased one of these traditional fisherman's pendant lamps. Furniture wise, we have a lovely round wooden table that needs a little tlc and white paint ... cue boyfriend ;) I just need to thrift a couple more dining chairs and give them a pastel makeover! I'm also thinking about this wallpaper for the room, but I'm worried the design may be a bit busy? hmmm...

Bow Cushion Covers

2011-07-12T16:08:00.000+01:00

I've really enjoyed making these cushion covers, they're quite simple to make but look really effective when you have a bunch of them together. These are my nautical inspired covers, and I've also been testing out my vintage fabrics, which work really well too - they're so soft!

Coming soon to my Messy Jesse shop!

Vintage Sheets

2011-07-04T20:02:00.002+01:00

These are some of my vintage sheets I've been collecting these last few months, my mum is getting really good at spotting them! ;) This week I've been turning them into big bow cushion covers!

Instax Love

2011-06-20T15:22:00.001+01:00

Some time ago I purchased the brilliant Fujifix instax camera, which enables you to make the sweetest little polaroids. I happened to stumble across these pictures below in some recent un-packing, they were taken in Dulwich park during our snow flurry we had in the U.K. last winter :) I have lots more to share - just have to find them first!? If you like the look of this, you can see find more on the many dedicated Flickr groups, such as this one.

They take a little getting used to mind, and I have plenty of 'duds' that will not be re-surfacing any time soon. Danielle of thompsonfamily blog has found an ingenious way to upcycle these photo's that don't make the cut!

A Golden Hello!

2011-06-18T20:24:00.001+01:00

Hello, hello friends! A long and overdue post. So, you may wondering what happened to Messy Jesse ... well, I have now left London and the big city living in exchange for a much slower pace of life back in Cornwall where I grew up. It was a big decision that me and my partner both decided upon, and I'm happy to say it's the right one! and the best news ... we are moving into our very own house in October!!! Our 1st home! I'm super excited, the whole house needs a biiigggg makeover so I have already been gathering inspiration and ideas for what we could do. Over the next few months I will be posting some of my interiors finds with you all :) Fortunately, I also now have a lot more time for my shop, which has been closed while we were moving etc but will be open soon with a much needed shop update!

Since being back I have re-discovered the wonder of our local charity shops. They suprise me each and every time I go, and I never fail to leave empty handed. I'm always scouring for little bits and bobs for the house now, but frequently find myself picking up some crafty paraphernalia! On a recent thrifty trip, I was delighted to come across a complete set of Golden Hands books on knitting, dressmaking, and needlecraft. They are amazingly informative and feature some great projects which I will be undertaking - not to mention the kitsch fashions!! From what I understand they published alot of knitting, crochet and sewing books in the late 1960's and 70's, not sure what happened to them after that? I know they also published a weekly 'Craft' magazine during that time too, because I managed to score a stack of them at Oxfam recently!! (will share more pics soon).

Friday Flickr Fav's

2011-02-11T12:58:00.000Z

Some of my Flickr favourites of late ...

1. Clementines, 2. my new iPhone zipper pouch, 3. tea & doilies..., 4. one of a hundred wishes, 5. kraft tags... i so heart you, 6. Mushroom placemat, 7. Red and White Trim, 8. RJR Fabrics everything but the kitchen sink 1930s reproduction fabric, 9. Untitled

Have a fantastic weekend all, and thank you for your lovely comments on my previous post! I would love to email you back individually from the blogger comments you leave on individual posts (as I've noticed other bloggers do), can anyone tell me how to do it? Thanks! xo.

I'm a Winner!

2011-02-08T22:39:00.000Z

I'm so pleased to tell you that I am now the proud owner of this amazing box of sewing goodies! I was the lucky devil that got the winning comment on the seamstar blog giveaway - featuring fabric's from Tanya Whelan, Michael Miller's knit range and Anna Maria Horner to name a few! It certainly made me a happy little crafter after I came home from work earlier in the week to find this waiting at the door for me :) THANK YOU SEAMSTAR I love it!

I would have shared the good news with you sooner but I couldn't find my camera cable to upload my pictures! I will be back again later in the week, speak soon xo.

The Needlecraft Book

2011-01-21T21:36:00.001Z

Labelled 'The Needlecraft Book', it most certainly lives up to it's title, covering everything and more under the huge subject of all things needlecraft. Including key chapters on knitting, crochet, embroidery, needlepoint, patchwork, applique and quilting! There are very clear photo's and detailed instructions for all topics, as well as galleries of ideas to get those creative juices flowing - once you have mastered the basic's of course! Though if your anything like me you'll want to jump straight into the most difficult project first?! It's perfect for all abillities and a great reference for when you need it. I especially loved the super clear instructions for simple things such as holding a crochet hook correctly and slipknot's; ideal for a beginner like me :)

So you can imagine how happy I was when I got it for £10 in the WHSmiths sale! ;) though don't worry you can also buy it here on Amazon.

I hope you all have a lovely weekend, one of my duties will be posting these little Messy Jesse shop packages. I also have a couple of custom orders I need to be getting on with and a family trip out. Are you doing anything fun?

Happy Mail!

2011-01-17T10:14:00.000Z

It seems to have been raining non-stop in the U.K. recently, so receiving my super bright and cheery 'happy mail' after a long day at work was the perfect pick-me-up! I'm absolutely head over heels in love with my new pyrex :) I already have two other dishes in the goosebery design but these were just too bright and colourful to pass up! (I think the official disease I have now can be described as 'pyrexia'! hehe) I also managd to snap up this amazing vintage sheet on Etsy, whoohooo! and how perfect do they all go together, it was definately a sign that I needed them all ;p

Have a great Monday everyone, I've got the day off today so I'm hoping to get some crafty sewing done :)

New Vintage Sheets!

2011-01-07T22:34:00.001Z

I got my hands on some lovely new vintage sheet goodness recently, there are some great sellers on Etsy that sell all sorts of lovely prints. I just couldn't resist this fat quarter bundle from whimsiedots. Don't they look so pretty all stacked together :)

I'm planning on learning to quilt later this year (when I have some time!?) so I thought these would be perfect for a first project and the fabric's on the left were found at a local fabric shop while I was at home in Cornwall, hope you like!

Have a lovely weekend all, I'm hoping to spend some time working on new products for Messy Jesse, can't wait :)

Inside Crochet Magazine Feature!

2010-12-30T16:24:00.003Z

I'm so excited to be featured in this month's Inside Crochet magazine! They have very kindly featured one of my crochet hook organisers in the 'things we love' section. It's such a fantastic magazine for crocheters and I noticed they are doing a great job in supporting us Etsy sellers, as I spyed lot's of other Etsy products throughout the magazine. I really can't believe how lucky I am sometimes, it just amazes me that people are so kind about my Messy Jesse products.

It reads: "A little house for your hooks. We're head over heels for this crochet-hook holder - it's perfect for keeping your tools safe and sound when not in use. It features a handy notions pocket for scissors or stitch markers, and will fit easily into your project bag. It costs £12 and is available in a wide variety of colours and fabrics." and It's available to buy online now!

p.s. a very happy new year to all my AMAZING blog friends! I truely thank you for being so kind and encouraging throughout the year, and I hope to see all in 2011!! Also, a welcoming hello to my new followers recently! I've finally reached 200 blogger followers wwwahayyy

Relax

2010-12-28T13:00:00.000Z

I've been catching up with Martha now I have some time at home relaxing ...

I think I'll also have another stab at some crocheting, I'm very much a beginner (even though I'm an Etsy seller of crochet hook and knitting needle organisers - I know!!) and still haven't mastered the technique at all after many failed attempts! If you have any helpful tips for a leftie please let me know! :) p.s. these are all available to buy in my etsy shop now.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T17:41:00.000Z

I just wanted to pop in quickly to wish you all a very merry Christmas! We'll speak again soon once we have all recovered from our big Christmas lunches! :)

1. Cute Pom~Poms, 2. Christmas Zig Zag Quilt, 3. merry and bright, 4. handcrafted & thrifted glee...

Update

2010-12-22T10:18:00.002Z

I have been quite lax this year on the making front for Christmas, usually I make my family Christmas cards and a couple of tree ornaments at the very least! Though due to my very unexpected busy spell over in my shop I just haven't had the time. I wasn't prepared enough unfortunately so I have been making stock each night trying to keep up with demand. Next year I'm promising myself to get ahead of the game and start preparing earlier! But I'm so pleased my little corner of Etsy is finally having it's spotlight and people are now noticing it :) I also have BIG plans for the coming year, I'm planning new packaging and NEW product lines yay! stay tuned I will be revealing all to my blog friends first :)
So below are just some of links I've been holding on to for a while, I thought I would share them with you all ...

1. I found a great little tutorial for some very practical tissue-holders over at the sewmamasew blog; perfect for last minute gift ideas!
2. This intricately quilted stocking from cluckclucksew is amazing too.
3. And twin fibres Christmas ornament quilt is perfect for hanging above a fireplace I think. It makes me want to try out the blanket stitch on my machine!
4. I also stumbled upon a few lovely quilting blogs that I will definately be following, raggedyowl is full of colourful sewing inspiration sure to get those creative juices flowing.
5. Retro mama is also another amazing one, she makes the cutest patterns! her photo's are flawless too.

Remember my table runner tutorial? well here's mine finished and on the kitchen table :) I wanted to add a pink polka dot bias binding around the edge but annoyingly I was a little short, so I'm going to have to do without for now.

That's it for now, I hope you are all having a lovely 'Christmassy' time at the moment. I will be attempting to drive down to Cornwall tomorrow morning to be with my family, hopefully no more snow tonight!? Are you going anywhere nice?

Bake It Pretty

2010-12-15T22:05:00.000Z

I've been so inspired by a lovely biscuit cookbook I recently acquired. Not being a lover of cake (I know, it's weird!!) the Biscuiteers Book of Iced Biscuits is perfect for me and it's crammed full of icing ideas for any budding biscuiteer, including some lovely Christmas stockings and baubles which are almost too pretty to eat! They would make fantastic tree decorations too if you made them from salt dough, perfect for fulfilling those crafty impulses we all get around this time of the year!

Whilst on my baking quest I came across some gorgeous Martha Stewart packaging ideas for wrapping your pretties and these super stylish IKEA tins for storing (though I have tried to get these twice in store now and they are never! available, so maybe check their stock levels before you head down!?).

From top left: Tripp Tins | Holiday Food Packaging | Doily Tin | Drommar Baking Tins |

I hope I have inspired you to whip up some of your own biscuits! Have fun :)

Quilted Christmas Table Runner Tutorial!

2010-12-13T22:59:00.009Z

Hi friends! I thought you might like to see my quilted christmas table runner I made over the weekend. Since all my Christmas decorations are at home with my parents this year I needed to spruce up our little flat with some bright and festive fun, so this is what I came up with. I took some pictures along the way so you can hopefully follow and make one yourself?

Firstly, you need to cut this shape out of paper to use as a template. Mine measured 5" along the bottom, 15" on the long and 2.5" across the top. You then need to cut 4 shapes out of each of your 5 fabric designs.

Pin one end of your first shape to the opposite end of your next shape (so they are top and tail). Stitch, then continue this with an additional shape, and so on until you have all your strips joined together.

Press open all your seams.

Cut out a peice of backing fabric to match the same size as your top layer. Lay this flat on top and pin.

Stitch together, leaving a gap of about 8" to turn inside out.

Cut a layer of thin wadding to fill the runner, then make a small slipstitch to close up the open edge.

I hope that was easy to follow, please let me know if you have any questions about it I'm more than happy to help. P.S. I reached my 100th Etsy sale over the weekend!!!!! so in honour of this acheivement I will be having a little blog giveaway to one lucky reader, please be sure to pop back soon to win! :)

Messy Jesse Featured!

2010-11-30T21:08:00.000Z

I was contacted by the lovely Polly from Polly Danger a little while ago asking if I would like to do a q&a on her delightful blog, of course I jumped at the chance! She has such a gorgeous blog, (which I am secretly very jealous of hehe!) with all sorts of crafty interviews, tips, tutorials and giveaways which of course we all love ;) please hop on over to read the whole interview ...

You also have to take a look at Polly's Etsy shop; she makes the most beautiful purses and bags. Like me, she also has a love of bias binding and pretty fabrics and we have both agreed that we are officially 'cute' twins! :) just look how CUTE they are! :) could be a perfect christmas gift for a girly loved one!

Tidy Room = A Creative Mind

2010-11-24T20:25:00.001Z

I had a proper tidy up of my craft room over the weekend, it's been getting in quite a pickle during my manic sewing sessions to build up stock for my shop in time for Christmas. After taking everything out of my expedit and re-arranging, I decided a swift visit to Ikea was in order to stock up on some more agen baskets - notice the new one's on the bottom shelves :) still things are full to the brim though. Time for a new expedit maybe ...

And this is my latest vintage find, a lovely little sewing basket - in perfect condition. A great ebay find in fact ;) quite a bargin price too! A have quite a small obsession with collecting sewing baskets and tins I just can't get enough of them, perfect hideaway's for all kinds of treasures.

I was also thinking of painting my ladder shelves that I use to hold all my fabric - what do you think? keep them pine or paint them white ... or maybe even a bright splash of colour! decisions, decisions :)

So 'Deerly' Loved

2010-11-15T22:14:00.000Z

Yay I have finally found some cute little deers!! I'm so happy :)

I've been after some since the dawn of time it seems but now I have finally got my hands on not one, but four! These two are my favourites :) I'll show the others soon. What do you think I should call them?

I have also aquired some vintage sheets and pillowcases; I have certainly jumped on late with the granny chic craft trend but I can say the hoarding addiction has already begun! Already I'm planning lots of trips to local carboots and charity shops to scour for vintage bedding when I go back home to Cornwall for Christmas. I have to thank Tiff from Dottie Angel, Jeni from In Color Order and Danielle from Kitschy Digitals for their lovely crafty vintage inspiration they have given me through their wonderful blogs :)

I'm so excited to start playing with them, oh what to make first?! I feel my first quilt coming on with the lovely coordinating pinks and purple fabrics, what do you think?

Picture Perfect Patchwork

2010-11-11T13:33:00.001Z

I just couldn't resist the retro daisy charm of this cotton from fabric rehab; so bright and cheerful and I knew I had the perfect coordinating partners to go with it! After seeing them altogether I thought they would make a cute little chair pad for my sewing chair; just a shame it's too small! eek!

I decided on a simple square block pattern to set off the bold prints, finished with some white pom pom trim I collected a little while ago from my local haberdshery shop which I hadn't quite found the perfect use for until now.

I'm really enjoying patchwork at the moment, it's getting quite addictive so I'm sure you'll be seeing some more projects of this kind from me :)

Cath Kidston Stitch! Book Review

2010-11-08T20:20:00.001Z

It was my birthday last Tuesday and Robin; my lovely boyfriend got me a copy of the new Cath Kidston Stitch! book. Oh how he knows me so well ...

Her craft books always seem to come around in time for my birthday, so there's always a build up to when I can finally sneek a peek at it!

And of course it doesn't dissapoint. I think this may be my favourite out of her previous publications Make! and Sew! Featuring gorgeous styling and photography throughout, it will definately get you in the crafting spirit. Since making my tapestry wall hanging last year I have been searching for some fun designs to stitch, but had no luck as they all tend to be very dark or muted colours, with the same tired motifs - so this came about at just the right time! I was certainly motivated to get my needle and thread out to whip up a few of the beautiful designs featured.

I think I will be having a go at making this seat pad in the near future, I just love it! Classic CK print! oh and it includes all the materials to make the pretty purse on the front cover, bonus!
Will keep you posted when I get started ;)

Books & Vintage Patterns

2010-11-04T23:29:00.002Z

Apologies for the lack of blogging of late; things have been getting pretty busy in the build up to Christmas - eek! Yes it's began already, especially if you have an Etsy shop to fill up! Have you been preparing for the festive season early too?

Asides from that, I wanted to share some lovely crafty books I have aquired recently, loving the lisa stickley book! I will have to share more pics and give you the low down on these once I've given them a proper read.

I also got these amazing vintage patterns too! i found them on a new'ish' little etsy shop called opal's owl vintage. She has some lovely patterns so if your crafty and into vintage clothes, check it out! I love this dress shape I can easily myself having it in a bunch of colours and fabrics, so versatile!

and this one would be perfect for the summer!

I have some more posts planned for next week so I hope to see you back again soon.

and a hello and big thank you to my new followers, I love visiting your own blogs so please follow through blogger or leave comments. I love reading them all!

Custom Knitting Needle Organisers

2010-09-27T19:31:00.001+01:00

I've had a few custom orders recently; weird how they all come at once? just thought i'd share a few pics with you :)

This customer wanted a organiser to hold all of her circular knitting needles, so i made the pockets larger and fitted in two rows for double the pockets.

This organiser features two rows of pockets for interchangable needles and fabric ties in coordinating fabric to the blue floral fabric, so i was really pleased to stumble across this rose-coloured cotton in my stash!

I got to use three different fabrics for this straight knitting needle organiser; i think the colours go quite well together ...

I was a bit nervous taking these custom orders as they were my first and it was a little pressure to make sure my customers like them, but they seem really pleased now so i'm glad i did them :) hopefully lots more to come!

speak soon, xo

New Sewing Machine - MemoryCraft 6500!

2010-09-21T20:27:00.000+01:00

I finally upgraded my sewing machine!

Look, look how pretty it is!!! I just love it! and i certainly needed the upgrade; my £40 budget machine just couldn't hack it any more. It served me well but it was time for a change...

It even has a button to lift the needle automatically and cut the thread, which sold it to me instantly! it's saved me soooo much time ... and thread!

oh, and did i mention the amazing stitches it does!? look how many it does :) and alphabets too!

Can't wait to play with it at the weekend! and i've got a new project in the works at the moment with it so i'll keep you posted with some pics :)

Handmade Quilted Coasters

2010-08-23T22:22:00.000+01:00

I've been making quilted fabric coasters with my new Nicey Jane fabric :)

ahhh... such lovely, pretty squares all ready to be sewn together with insul bright padding

nearly done, just have the top-stitching to do. i going to make a seat pad for the chair in my craft room next ;) these colour's just look great together!

you were right guys, the fabrics are better in real life than on screen!

Sewing Machine Thread Holder - Money Saver!

2010-08-16T22:14:00.000+01:00

I got this cone thread holder the other week; and I love it! I bought these huge cones of thread thinking they would fit my new overlocker... duhh! they dont, it's teeny tiny! but i found this money saving tool to adapt the large machine thread cones to my regular sewing machine - perfect! no waste at all, and it has saved me so much, i was going through the regular machine thread spools at lightening speed. If only i knew about this sooner.

So a money saving sewing tip for you all, does anyone else use any good tips for keeping our expensive hobby costs down?

and this is my new budget overlocker, i got it on ebay for £40, bargin! i only wanted a cheapy just to try it out and have a go... (as i've never used an overlocker before - hope it's not too difficult!)

have a great evening, speak soon.

Heather Bailey: Nicey Jane Collection

2010-08-11T19:58:00.002+01:00

I couldn't help myself, i just had to, i'd been putting it off for a week or so now...

. sprucing up a little corner, 2. Double dip Nicey Jane, 3. Nicey Jane Charm Tote, 4. Pocket Clutch - Nicey Jane, 5. Folder Holder, 6. new patchwork cushions, 7. ipad case/sleeve, 8. ipad case/sleeve, 9. small wet bag in pink church flowers

but i finally bought the heather bailey nicey jane fabric collection! i'm actually in love with it. The colours are amazing and go perfectly together. I couldn't help 'stumbling' across a flickr pool dedicated to it, which eventually let me to ordering nearly all of the collection... yikes!

but i'm so excited to receive it in the post any day now! yippeee! :)

Paper Bunting

2010-08-09T20:26:00.000+01:00

I was completely inspired by Holly Hanks 'dear lizzy' paper bunting i had to re-create my own version for my craft room. It was so fun to play with paper again! I've been glued to my sewing machine for months... I used all kinds of AC product; mainly the dear lizzy line because i love it! :) so cute.

Love my Martha Stewart paper punches!

I'll share more pic's when I put it up :)

Shop Update: Bags and Mini Purses!

2010-07-19T22:45:00.000+01:00

Hello friends! How is your week so far?

I'm pleased to announce i have finally updated my ETSY shop with a few new handmade goodies :) i have been working night and day to get stocked up so i'll will be updating all this week so please hop on over and take a peek...

Water Bouquet Soft Cotton Tote Bag

Bliss Bouquet Soft Cotton Tote Bag

new purses coming this week!

Speak soon.

Inspire: Pretty

2010-07-09T18:10:00.000+01:00

Hi there! How has your week been? I've been spending the last few days in Cornwall, visiting my family. Though, I'll be dragging myself back in the car tomorrow to leave for London!

Here are a few crafty images that are too pretty not to share with you all...

source unknown

what a cute applique design!

the perfect finishing touch to Tamar's beautiful jewellery

source unknown

love these fabric's and colour's together

scrapbooking storage ideas by valerie allen

i've just got one of these fuji instax camera's that prints cute pictures like these. now all i need is this album. Will share my own polaroids soon, once i master the technique a little more!

Have a great weekend!

Make it Monday: Magnetic Bag Fasteners 'How To'

2010-07-05T20:59:00.002+01:00

Hi! I've been making a few bags recently and found these magnetic bag fasteners really useful for keeping everything secure, they also add a lovely professional finish to your handmade bag. Here's how to attach them to your own bags :)

Firstly, you will need these; two magnetic fasteners and two metal backing discs to hold them to the fabric.

Find out where you want your fasteners to go, then mark two lines for the spikes to press through.

To make my fasteners really secure and keep my bags long-lasting, I cut two small squares of wadding (batting) and attached it to some iron-on interfacing. This acts as an extra layer between the fastener and the fabric.

Now poke one of the magnetic parts through the holes you made, then push the extra square of fabric (above) through these spikes to the underneath side of the fabric (that you won't see).

Add one of the metal disc's through the holes, then push the spikes outwards until they lie flat against the fabric.

Now repeat this for the other side; making sure these match up perfectly!

That's all there is to it, I hope this helps. Please let me know if this doesn't make sense! Have a great day :)

Etsy Shop Update: Crochet Needle Organisers

2010-06-30T22:24:00.004+01:00

Hi, just a little mesage to let you know I have updated my ETSY shop last week with some new crochet needle organisers; in a new bigger design - and the classie styles with some of my latest fabric :)

Other new products coming soon! Will keep you posted :)

Handmade Patchwork Cushions

2010-06-22T21:11:00.000+01:00

So i have been a busy little crafter lately, making all sorts of things! :) including these cute cushions for my new house!

I quilted panels of fabric and added ruffled, raw edgings for a pretty finish.

this cushion was just a case of making a series of rectangles, longer and longer!

I would love to make some more, do you know of any good online tutorials/patterns for other patchwork cushions?

I have also been filling up my Etsy shop with my crochet needle organisers, and i have some new products in the works at the moment too - i will share with you what they are as soon as they're done!

See you soon friends! and thank you for the lovely comments some of you left yesterday, it's really given me a boost to keep blogging!

New Craft Room!

2010-06-21T22:31:00.000+01:00

Hi!

How are you? I've been gone for so long! and missed you all so much! I have been very busy though, I have officially moved to London! Just adjusting to my new life and routine, so I haven't paid much attention to the bloggind world... but I'm back; and hopefully on a more regular basis :)

First thing's first, I have to share with you my new craft room!!! We moved to a two-bed flat especially for this! hehe! All you crafters and sewer's out there understand that you definately need a whole room dedicated for it once you hoard years of supplies of things; "you just may need some day!"

love my new HUGE desk, loads of room for cutting on this one!

Do you like my Etsy bag? :)

The ladder shelves are from Ikea, I now have two to store all my fabrics...

I hope you like it! :) it's not finished yet, so I will share more pictures with you as I get it more furnished.

Thanks for returning loyal readers! I look forward to catching up with your blogs again soon too...

Speak soon X

Christmas is Coming!

2009-12-24T17:04:00.002Z

It's Christmas eve!!! Yay only one sleep to go before the big day :) I have been watching Christmassy films all day and feel quite festive now..

Source: Cath Kidston

Some lovely CK christmas decoration ideas for your table tomorrow, if you haven't planned already and here's my dream Christmas wishlist! ha, i should be so lucky!

Have a wonderful Christmas everyone, i hope you all have a lovely day filled with lots of fun and food! :) I will be sharing it with my family in Cornwall.

See you soon! x

Etsy Top Picks Tuesday: 22nd December

2009-12-22T18:16:00.006Z

Etsy Top picks Tuesday is back after so long! Maybe it will give you some ideas for last minute Christmas gifts? i know i will be buying some of those cute red and white cupcake liners.

From top left: scandinavian birds pouch by girlbyAileen, cupcake liners by CupcakeSocial, horse hanging clock by Decoylab, owl zipper pouch by Enna

I hope you liked my finds this week, I'll be back tomorrow so I'll see you then! :)

Flickr Favourites!

2009-12-18T20:08:00.007Z

Some of my recent Flickr favourites! :)

1. sewing table - handmade accessories, 2. Sewing for Beginners - Dresses and Tunics, 3. Untitled, 4. Golden Leaf Hair pins, 5. Christmas cookies, 6. Advent house no5, 7. Pretty heart cookie decoration, 8. Christmas tree topper, 9. scissors paper cake @ magnolia square sydney

I also wanted to share these lovely mail striped christmasy gift tags i discovered over at eatdrinkchic. They're so cute! and you can download them for FREE over on their blog. I just love the vintage airmail style stationary that's popular now (as mentioned here in a previous post)

source

Cotton Time & New Purses!

2009-12-15T21:57:00.003Z

woohooo so happy to receive my latest issue of cotton time, i had a good read through, and then another .. and the another! and found so many wonderful projects i would like to make.

i think i need to brush up on my Japanese first!!
i made these purses the other day, i think i may give them to friends for christmas presents :) perfect size for coins and credit cards.
i think the pom pom trim gives it something extra
i love this new fabric of mine, so bright! the colours are so vivid in real life, not sure how it looks on the computer screen.

Pretty Etsy Packages

2009-12-11T22:12:00.004Z

I've a had a couple of Etsy sales recently :) slowly getting there lol! and my favourite part has to be packaging them, i love making them really pretty to make my customer feel special :) and since it's Christmas, they're having a lovely festive feel with my handmade holly decoration and kraft tag for a traditional Christmassy look.

and here's some new fabric i bought today, hmmm... so many things i could do with it! :)
Don't forget i still have my free shipping offer going on in my Etsy shop, and i've been uploading lots of new products if you fancy taking a look!

Do you have an Etsy shop? how have your sales been this December?

Finished Gingerbread Men

2009-12-08T19:26:00.002Z

Do you like my finished gingerbread men and women? :)

can't wait to see them on the tree!
and these are some display tags i made for a farmers market i do sometimes, showing descriptions and prices; thought i'd make it as bright as possible! :)

Getting ready for Christmas..

2009-12-03T19:29:00.005Z

I've been busy busy today creating cute little gingerbread men.. and women ready for the tree this year. I do love handmade Christmas decorations, don't you?

Apart from these i haven't done much organising for Christmas, i really need to crack on with the present shopping? and my Christmas cards! think i may have left it a bit late this year!

This is also what i've been busy with these past few days, they're crochet hook organisers (or makeup brushes?) They would make perfect Christmas present! i've taken lots of photo's today while the sun popped out, and i'm just in the middle of editing them so they will be up in the Etsy shop very soon :)

Home Ec.

2009-11-30T21:26:00.004Z

WOW i just had to share this beautiful shop/craft workshop with you. It's amazing right!?

Home Ec. as it's called is owned by the talented Jenny Ryan; author of Sew Darn Cute: 30 Sweet & Simple Projects to Sew & Embellish, (which i bought recently and very much recommend!)

Over at Home Ec. they have all sorts of brilliant crafty classes, which i would love to go to! just a shame it's in L.A!

ooohh i really, really want to go! Have a look over at her Flickr for more inspiring pictures..
All images from: Mrs. Jenny Ryan's Flickr

P.S. apologies for no 'Make It Monday' today, i will try my best to get some pictures ready for tomorrow :)

Look What I Bought Today!

2009-11-26T20:34:00.003Z

Some lovely bias binding!

and some more! CK fabric, this paisley one is so pretty. New ribbon too :)
i think they would make a perfect decorative trim on a tea cosy.

Messy Jesse Shop Update!

2009-11-24T11:38:00.001Z

i have been a busy little bee these last couple of weeks getting my stock together ready for my Etsy shop update, (hopefully in time for christmas shopping!) i have also given it a bit of a spruce up too, let me know what you think of my new banner and avatar! :) i will be uploading products all week so check back regularly..

and as a special Christmas gift from me i will be offering FREE SHIPPING to everyone! i hope you have some time to pop over and take a look :)

Make it Monday: Knitting Roll

2009-11-23T18:28:00.006Z

Did you guess what it was... it was a knitting roll of course! :)

it has room to store knitting needles and crochet hooks. I just love the colours, so pretty.

A Work In Progress

2009-11-21T08:41:00.003Z

This is what I've been making yesterday, it's not quite finished yet so i will share the completed pictures on Monday :)

The paisley fabric is a new one i picked up at Cath Kidston yesterday; on another St Ives trip!
Can you guess what it is?

Have a great weekend! See you Monday.

P.S. i have been taking lots of photo's of my pouches and boxy purses ready for my big shop update next week - so stay tuned..

I'm Dreaming Of..

2009-11-19T22:54:00.002Z

These lovely wooden name plaques, aren't they pretty! They are by barnvanligt, a swedish company i discovered while browsing Hus & Hem magazine online.

source

i can picture it here, in my imaginary dream office/craft room above my desk :) perfect finishing touch..

source

Custom Messy Jesse Stamp!

2009-11-12T18:43:00.003Z

Im SO happy today because i finally got my custom messy jesse stamps i had made!

do you like the swing tags i made :) this will be my new official logo, yay!

I'm also happy because I'm off to London tomorrow for the weekend, and i received my Beyonce tickets I've been waiting for, for ages! I'm seeing her live at the O2 on Saturday night - it's going to be SO much fun!!!!

Are you doing anything nice over the weekend?

Custom Wedding Invites

2009-11-06T17:41:00.004Z

I have been cracking on with my friends wedding invites recently, and they are slowly coming together. Here is a finished version..

They're a tri-fold design, and i'm making a pocket for the inside to store extra information; like maps and things like that.

this is how many i've completed fully - only another 100 to go! wish me luck! :)

Have a great weekend!

Make it Monday: Quilted Coasters!

2009-11-03T16:30:00.005Z

Hello friends! i have returned :) sorry for the lack of posting last week, normal posts will resume from now.. Here are some coasters i made last week, i love the colour combinations they work so well together. i will be making lots more with different fabric's this month so look out for them in my Etsy/Folksy shops soon.

this is the reverse..

hey, do you like my pretty cupcake i made!? :)
See you tomorrow!

Baker's Twine & Pretty Packaging

2009-10-23T19:34:00.005+01:00

Who doesn't love baker's twine? it's having such a revival recently huh!? I have bought 300 metre's of the stuff this week! I thought it would be nice to wrap my Etsy sales in :) with lovely tissue paper . . oooh nice!

1. tiny card sets, 2. packaging:, 3. DSC_6993, 4. Present for Jenny, 5. Bakers Twine Samples Top, 6. Apple Green Bakers Twine LOVE

be perfect to wrap up christmas presents too! :)

Have a great weekend friends!

DaWanda Featured Seller: O Christmas Tree!

2009-10-21T18:39:00.007+01:00

Is it too early to start looking for Christmas presents or decorations!? well.. i don't think so :) it always seems to come around in the blink of an eye, and leave me completely unorganised! So here's my first instalment of Christmas shopping ideas!

Aren't these THE best wreath's you have ever seen! I have fallen in LOVE with them and need one in my own (imaginary) home this year :) They are handmade in Cincinnati, USA. O Christmas Tree also has some other lovely festive decorations all at very reasonable prices. I'm sure they will bring some christmasy cheer to any home!

Recent Flickr Fav's

2009-10-20T19:48:00.004+01:00

Some of my recent Flickr favourite's, aren't they pretty :) I would LOVE a big proper storage system like these to store all of my fabric's, guess I'll have to dream about it until i have my own house . . .

1. Fabric storage, 2. Kraft Boxes, 3. Our kitchen, 4. Pink home office
1. Vintage threads stored in glass jars, 2. sakura, 3. Japanese patchwork book bag, 4. finished!

Make it Monday: Hexagon Pin Cushion!

2009-10-19T17:29:00.003+01:00

Here is my pincushion i started making ages ago! finally completed!
i finished it off with embroidery thread around each section and a nice big button for the centre.
makes my sewing area much more pretty :)
The fabric in the background is what i'm using now for my next project :) will share the pictures next week.

Polyvore

2009-10-16T19:12:00.004+01:00

I have discovered a new site Polyvore via HoorayDesign blog, it allows you to create 'sets' by adding pictures of clothes, homewares, celebrities.. anything really. You then publish them to the site, and add them to different groups and people can comment on them, it's quite addictive! Here's my first set.

FIRST SET by messyjesse featuring Christian Louboutin shoes

Items in this set:
Chloe Velvet tapered leg pants, $1,560
Philosophy Di Alberta Ferretti Sequined wool-blend sweater, $920
T by Alexander Wang Scoop-neck jersey T-shirt, $76
?Circus? cut out ankle boot, 820 GBP
miu042w-rn0613-wag-170, miu046w-rr1592-wag-003, Miu Miu Handbags. New Miu M..., $1,850

New Logo's, Labels and Stamps!

2009-10-14T18:13:00.006+01:00

(Image from: ModernArtStamps)

Do you like this stamp?

I bought it from Etsy to use as my new logo, I'm having it personalised with 'messy jesse' written underneath it :) I'm so excited i can't wait till it's here! I thought it would be nice to make thank you tags with my logo on when i have Etsy sales to post. I picked it because it reminds me of my original Messy Jesse logo - back in the day! i drew one of those triangle girls, do you know what i mean? my mum used to draw them for me when i was young, they used to have little triangle dresses and a cute bob like i used to :) so anyway, that's why i chose this!

and here is a design i made up for my new sew-in cotton labels. I'm going to stitch them into all my handmade sewing projects, cool huh! :) thought they would make my products look nice and professional. I found them on Etsy too, you can really buy everything! on there! good price too, i have shopped around for a while and thought these were the best deal.

HobbyCraft Purchases & New Pouch!

2009-10-13T20:21:00.003+01:00

Hello, just sharing a new pouch i made with some of my new fabric :)

i put ribbon on the zip to make it easier to pull, and a loop on the end to carry.
i have also made the inside a lot tidier; using bias binding along all the seams!

and here is a better view of my new purchases from HobbyCraft, i think most, if not all are by Tanya Whelan - i just love that blue one with the spots and flowers! think it would be perfect for a cute little apron maybe :)

More New Fabric!

2009-10-12T19:30:00.004+01:00

Hello friends, just a short post today, as i have just arrived back from a trip from a flying visit to Bristol and i'm sooo tired! I had just enough time to stop off to Hobbycraft along the way, so i will share my goodies tomorrow :) for now here is some other fabric i bought recently, im soo bad - i think i have a problem! ... although most were in the sale so that's my reasoning!

See you tomorrow! :)

New Purchases - in preparation..

2009-10-09T18:00:00.004+01:00

My new fabric purchases i received in the post today ..

ooh aren't they pretty!
i also bulk-bought zips, zips, and more zips! all in preparation.. as I'm planning a big Etsy shop overhaul in November, i have lots of time to spare as i will only be working over the weekends, so lots and lots of time to craft and create :) can't wait! hence the pimping of my Etsy shop! I've neglected it for a while really, well i've actually never spent loads of time promoting etc, so now i'm going to - new banner, avatar, new products, lots of renewing to keep me ahead of the game and maybe even some sort of free shipping promotion when i plan my big re-opening! well, we'll see how long the novelty lasts eh? though i'm thinking positively now :) Keep you posted..

and here are a couple of new pouches i made, ready for the Etsy re-vamp plan! :)
Have you got any big plans then? i always seem to have some sort of new craft venture or idea!? Doesn't materialise that often though :) Have a lovely weekend! See you here Monday.

Anthropologie is Crossing the Pond!

2009-10-08T18:08:00.007+01:00

I'm so excited that Anthropologie is coming to Europe! :) They are opening their first store in the U.K. 23rd of October 2009 on Regent Street, London. Make a date in your diary! I sure am, i will have to plan a trip to London.. over five hours away from where i live now! If your not familiar with Anthropologie, they are a U.S. shop.. of course! and sell all sorts of amazing homewares, really quirky! They also have clothes and accessories, i got a really cute 'granny' style cardi from them a couple of years ago while on holiday in Florida and wear it all the time. The display and layout of the shop is wonderful too.

source

(images taken from Anthropologie)

Some pretty goodies from my wishlist, soon to be realised!

Make it Monday: Foam Lined Laptop Case!

2009-10-06T19:02:00.006+01:00

Hello! Sorry for the late post again today, i got caught up sorting out my CV last night to quickly apply for a job closing date this morning..

This week I'm sharing with you this laptop case i made :) It's foam lined and double stitched for added strength. It was supposed to be a custom made one for my boss for his 17" macbook but I cut the fabric too small duhh! so i made it to fit my 15" macbook instead! i will have to make him another one soon enough..
i would love to make more and sell them in my Etsy and Folksy shops eventually. Some for the girls with pretty fabric and some for the boys like this..

next time i will change the bobbin thread colour to brown, forgot to do that on this one!

i made the pattern up myself, so i'm quite pleased with the results. It took quite a lot of thought to get the foam in, getting the right size foam etc! Maybe need a few more practice attempts before i get it perfect enough to sell in my online shops :)

What would your ideal laptop case look like?

World Card Making Day & Etsy FIRST Sales Happiness!

2009-10-03T18:57:00.007+01:00

Hello, hello, hello! I'm SOOO happy today.. i came home from work earlier, checked my emails as i usually do to discover i had my FIRST Etsy sale :) i had sold a cowboy print boxy pouch!

then, after dancing round my room with joy, i listed my cupcake needlecase and large red and white polka dot pouch, tweeted about the new listing on twitter and hey presto a minute later it's SOLD!

I'm so happy, it's really given me the motivation to make more for my Etsy and Folksy shops, because it was getting me down a bit that i've never sold anything until now.. so hopefully now i'm going to be more pro-active and make an array of pretty things to sell :)

Also it's world card making day today! So i hope you can join in on the spirit of creativity and make someone special a handmade greetings card, everyone love's a handmade card! Here is a birthday card i made recently for my friend Laura's birthday..

Have a great weekend, see you Monday! :)

60's Vintage Fashion

2009-10-02T18:05:00.006+01:00

I have recently started a dress making course to learn all about making clothes! I have always wanted to make my own dresses so i'm so excited to now finally learn :) i'm making dress A from this Burda dress pattern, and i've chosen a lovely navy blue wool with cashmere blend fabric. I can't do things by halves! i had to go straight in at the deep end and chose the most expensive!

i'm on week two at the moment and i've cut my pattern pieces out and were doing 'tailor tacks' now. Can't wait for the finished product! I'll keep you posted.. :)

While i was initially looking for my dress pattern for the course i came across a whole world of vintage patterns, it's amazing! I love the 1960's era especially, and could resist these little gems i found on this website - very addictive! I fell in love with the dress in the top left picture but it was sold :( so i snapped the others shown as quickly as i could! probably won't have a clue what i'm doing once i get the envelope open?

Also i discovered the sizing on vintage dress patterns very odd, they're SOOO small! i am normally a UK dress size 6, but with these i work out at like a size 10? maybe 12! people back then must have been tiny! no wonder Marilyn Monroe was famously a size 14 or 16?

Some 60's inspiration . .
1. postcard - it 46981, 2. Untitled, 3. domus, 4. Lover Come Back, 5. doris day, 6. 0238 [Doris Day] WHITE DRESS PORTRAIT_(c)_Leo_Fuchs_Photography_(www.leofuchs.com)(www.theheliosgallery.com)

Have a lovely weekend :)

Jessie.

Make it Monday: Quilted Make-Up Pouch!

2009-10-01T17:35:00.004+01:00

Hello friends! Here is a belated 'make it Monday' weekly feature, better late than never eh! i made this quilted make-up pouch for my friend Laura's birthday :) she loves all my handmade things so i needed to make her something really special, and personalised with her initial!

Piping in a circular disc for the edging, proved to be quite difficult! i had a lot of hand sewing to get it nice and tight to both sides of the fabric before i finished it off with the sewing machine..

i appliqued her initial with some red fabric and a felt background, finished with pom pom trims and embroidery anglaise - because she's a girly girl like me :)
The whole thing is quilted with lovely cotton wadding to make it nice and snug, i also put a handle on the end, which is filled with wadding as well..

She loved it! I'm so pleased, i love making nice handmade presents for family and friends :)

Crafty Projects and Crafty Fashion!

2009-09-30T20:33:00.005+01:00

My craft books turned out to be GREAT! i love them all, i don't think i could pick a favourite.. I'm making a lovely hexagon pincushion as my very first project! though i could only get half done, as i don't have any stuffing :( i hate when you run out of things halfway through a project, im sooo impatient!

will share the finished project soon enough! :)

and this is a little purse i made to keep all my embroidery threads in one place, the clear plastic bag just wasn't cutting it anymore! it's a new moda fabric i purchased recently.. very nice for sewing related projects like this.

Also i discovered this amazing t-shirt in this months Sew magazine (the one i'm featured in!)

i have to have it! it's my birthday coming up soon so i may ask my boyfriend to get it for me, it's just so ME - i would wear it with pride! It's by lazyoaf, and they have loads of other really cool t-shirts and jumpers on their site too! :)

Messy Jesse Featured in Sew Magazine!

2009-09-29T17:22:00.006+01:00

Hello fellow blog friends! Today i have some exciting news to share with you, I can finally reveal the feature in Sew magazine i mentioned a while back! They very kindly sent me a copy that i received this morning and i was absolutely blown away, i'm SO happy, i literally danced around the room when i saw it :) .. very weird seeing my face in print!?? They did a lovely little Q&A with me about my blog, sewing creations, what keeps me inspired etc and it's all turned out very well. It hits news stands on the 2nd of October, so be sure to pick up a copy.. But here is a sneak peek incase you don't see it!

They also had a lovely feature on Jenny Hart, of Sublime Stitching. She's such an inspiration; opening up a world of embroidery to a new generation of crafters like me :)

It's great to find out more about her, i think i may have to invest in some of her transfer embroidery books now!

Tea Towels Galore!

2009-09-25T20:57:00.004+01:00

Hello, hello! it's Friday already, hasn't this week gone fast! are you doing anything nice over the weekend? i'm hopefully going out for a meal with some friends tomorrow, if i can shake of this cold i have just woke up with this morning.. Anywho after browsing homeshoppingspy i came across this lovely print.. well what i thought was a print, it's not, it's actually a tea towel! doesn't it look great, who'd have thought a tea towel could be such a lovely piece of art :)

source

i also thought the message quite appropriate while i have the 'lurgie' at the moment!

Here are some other gems i found whilst i was in tea towel search mode..
1. Rainbow Penguin, limited of 1 print!, 2. New Arrivals - Tea Towel
1. P6060079, 2. Starling- Tea Towel

Have a lovely weekend! :)

DaWanda Featured Seller: Carolmaro

2009-09-24T18:56:00.005+01:00

Today I'm sharing another DaWanda seller i discovered on my searching quest last week. Carolmaro sells the most beautiful Japanese decole, stationary, fabric, bags and purses! so many cute things i don't know where to start, i'm a huge fan of Japanese craft and design so of course i already have my wishlist, here are few sneak peaks ..

i love this picture so much! all the things that i like; buttons, doilies and pretty Japanese fabric

(images: Carolmaro)

I've been finding so many great sellers on DaWanda, i can't get enough of it! :) I'm finding it more interesting than Etsy these days, i get so overwhelmed with the size of Etsy i don't know where to begin!

Craft Book Love!

2009-09-23T20:12:00.008+01:00

After a recommendation from Happy Zombie blog, i decided to purchase 'quilting in no time' and 'sewing in no time', they looked so bright and colourful i couldn't resist them..

and then i couldn't stop there, oh no i had to buy another two...

i also pre-ordered the new CK book 'sew', can't wait for that! :) previously blogged about here

Also have you seen the new Tanya Whelen's new fabric collection Dolce..

ooh i just love them all! don't you? can't wait to get my hands on some soon :)

p.s. If you haven't had a nose at Decor8 today, go and take a look at Holly's pictures of the fabric market she visited in Hannover, Germany .. it's a lovely bit of eye candy if your a fabric addict like me ;)

Etsy Top Picks Tuesday: 22/09/09

2009-09-22T16:43:00.005+01:00

Hello! Here is this weeks Etsy Top Picks :) Hope you like my finds..

From top left, 1. small notebook B5 by Bubbo, 2. california road trip badge set by Minorthread, 3. Vogue knitting magazine by Vintagevice, 4. wing dress by Verypurpleperson

Isn't the wing dress lovely! i need it in my life, just a shame the summer has just ended now, so i probably won't have a chance to wear it until next year! i came across it whilst browsing her blog it's a great read and lots of inspirational projects too! :)

Make it Monday: Quilted Tea Cosy

2009-09-21T18:38:00.006+01:00

Hello and welcome to another make it Monday! Here is my quilted tea cosy i made last week :) i used some lovely Michael Miller polka dot fabric, with light blue cotton lining. After some failed attempts and snapped sewing machine needles it finally came together! I also used wadding or batting, not sure which it is? to make it nice and padded, it was also the first time i've done quilting and i'm really pleased with the effect.

So i gave it to my nana as a present to use with her pretty teapots and she loved it :)
After feeling the quilt bug, i purchased a pattern to make some quilted bags and accessories, here is what i'm making at the moment for a friends birthday this weekend ...
i've never followed a sewing pattern before, so it's all learning! hopefully it will turn out ok? :)
And lastly, don't laugh... here is one of my many attempts at crocheting i have been doing over the weekend? i don't know how to make it straight, it keeps getting shorter on every row? hmmm... i'll figure it out soon enough!

Flickr Inspiration:

2009-09-18T17:12:00.003+01:00

Hello friends, here's a quick post today with some more inspiration courtesy of Flickr aren't they a lovely end to the working week :) I hope you have a lovely weekend wherever you are.. I'm going to enjoy this miracle of an Indian summer we're having in Cornwall, and hopefully have a stab at this crocheting malarkey! wish me luck :)

image credits 1. diy packaging., 2. digitallacedress, 3. Stamp mook - japanese stamp book, 4. cotton time 2009 available

Crafty Purchases!

2009-09-17T19:31:00.008+01:00

Hello! I'm posting some pictures today of some recent crafty purchases! :) My mum bought me a beautiful vintage sewing box from a local car-boot yesterday..

guess how much!?

only £4.00! how amazing! :) :)

and here's some more pretty Cath Kidston fabric's i bought because i can't resist them!

and here are some super cute fabric cake slices i got from ebay, they are handmade from this seller - she also makes little cupcakes too.

and lastly here is my new knitting roll (of course another CK purchase!), i thought i would get back in to my knitting again, i've only dabbled with it in the past.. because I'm pretty useless! but I'm going to try and stick with it this time.. Also you may notice my magazine in the background, that's Cotton Time if your not familiar with it. It's the best craft magazine around, though it is all in Japanese! but the pictures are amazing!

Here are a couple to tempt you...

I have just taken out my life savings by subscribing to an annual subscription aahh !

hehe .. it's not quite that much really ... ? but it's worth it, I've been wanting it for ages and just decided to finally take the plunge.

I hope you liked my craft purchases, aren't they the best things to buy ... such a buzz! :)

DaWanda Featured Seller: Prinzessin

2009-09-16T17:50:00.005+01:00

Hello! firstly thank you to all your lovely comments you've been leaving, I have such pleasure reading them all and clicking on your links to find out more about you - if i don't know you already! :)

I recently joined DaWanda, the German or French? handmade online site, like Etsy, Folksy and the rest of them, and i'm so glad i did there is so many amazing things to be found! Like Prinzessin, who makes the most wonderful crocheted accessories :) since i'm loving crochet right now i thought it fitting to share with you some of her pretty pictures ...

source

aren't they adorable :) very reasonable prices too! though the item descriptions etc are all in German!

Make it Monday: Sewing Machine Cover (late!)

2009-09-15T15:31:00.007+01:00

Hello friends! I am sharing with you my sewing machine cover i made this weekend, sorry my make it 'Monday' has been delayed until today, i hadn't quite finished it yesterday! :) I used some new CK fabric's I bought recently, and i couldn't wait to use them.. so this is what i came up with, hope you like it :)
keeps my little sewing machine all nice and tidy and dust-free!

I also made this, i was thinking i might sew it onto my machine cover; like this....

but I'm not so sure, (i only used a little tape here, so i can take it off again?)... what do you think?

Vote for my project!

Flickr Favourites

2009-09-14T17:26:00.003+01:00

Hello all :) sorry for the lack of posts at the end of last week, where does time go! Today I'm sharing with you some of my recent Flickr favourites, which feature quite a lot of crochet - as I'm loving it at the moment, I'm desperate to learn! and I really really want to make a beautifully bright afghan blanket..

1. Granny squares, 2. stool cover, 3. Crochet Granny Square Cot Quilt, 4. IMG_1605, 5. IMG_1566, 6. IMG_1568, 7. Easter Breakfast, 8. livingroom from left to right, 9. granny squares, 10. Crocheted Teacups and Cake, 11. The rope, 12. Dreamy blue-green Hamptons bedroom: Benjamin Moore's 'Spring Mint' + white trim

DIY Envelope Book

2009-09-09T19:12:00.005+01:00

I love stationary, and i especially love retro, airmail styles. It will always add a touch of glamour to any letter arriving in the post. After having a browse around DesignSponge the other day, i noticed this amazing little DIY airmail themed envelope book to keep money-managing tasks at bay.

source

After getting excited about the prospect of making this, i had a nose around Etsy to find some other airmail themed goodies :)

airmail stationary with vellum envelopes by DoubleTabby

airmail stationary by DonovanBeeson

Airmail No.1 handcarved rubber stamp by kirkus

vintage airmail envelopes - set of 5 by FoundPaperCo

do you like my Etsy finds!?

DIY Ice Cream Parlour

2009-09-08T19:20:00.003+01:00

ooh i just had to share these pretty, pretty pictures with you, you may have already seen them featured on other blogs, but i had to show them on mine in case you hadn't! ahhh i love them so much - i NEED to have make my own ice-cream parlour display, who knows why or when I'll need to have one but who cares it's cute!

source

Find DIY instructions and free printables here

Etsy Top Picks Tuesday: 08/09/09

2009-09-08T19:01:00.007+01:00

Some more Etsy goodies to tempt you this week :) all of these products from the sellers featured today (apart from the fabric) were found via their own amazing blogs. . don't you just love the world of blogging, you can find such wonderful things you might have otherwise missed!

Come check out they're lovely inspirational blogs here, here and here!

From top left: 1. Set of 4 flower house coasters by Mairuru, 2. mini pocketbook by HoorayDesign, 3. she likes tea - pillow by Olive, 4. strawberry - japanese fabric (1/2 yard) by Fatconnection

Make it Monday: New Polka-Dot Pouch

2009-09-07T18:17:00.006+01:00

After my earlier post on Pip Studio, i was so inspired i had to create something with a bit their of Dutch flair. So i came up with a new bigger pouch, featuring the fabulous reds and pale blues used in so many of their designs :) look out for it in my Etsy shop soon!

P.S. I have already listed a few of the smaller pouches in my Etsy and Folksy shops. . . more coming soon! :)

Messy Jesse: I've Been Featured!

2009-09-03T16:35:00.009+01:00

I just wanted to say a big thanks to the people at Buffet Today for mentioning my little Etsy shop on their blog! I was so happy to see it when I was browsing their site. Thanks again for your kind words :)

I also want to thank Alex over at the wonderful Make do & Mend blog for putting forward my cupcake needle case tutorial on Craftig, and tweeting about me :) I got a few more blog followers because of it, so I'm very grateful. You have to visit their blog as well, it really is worth a look! They feature some great things and have amazing free printables! like these:

source: makedo&send

Also Craftig is a place worth visiting if your interested in all things crafty, it provides a base for people to share new projects, ideas, tutorials or freebies.

p.s. I have some REALLY exciting news to let you in on too! I'm going to be featured in a magazine!!!!!! It's called Sew, A UK based sewing magazine launched in May this year.

If you haven't read or heard of it before and your into sewing go out and buy it because it has some really good things to make, I've already made a knitting roll from of it! :) I can't tell you any more details about it now, but you will hear more about it soon enough ;)

lovely Inspiration: pretty things

2009-09-03T11:44:00.005+01:00

Some inspirational pictures that were floating around my computer so i thought i would share them with you :) mmmm i love vintage china...

found via: bagel*tumbler

found via: beachvintage

found via: bottomoftheironingbasket

found via: paper&cup

found via: adaanddarcy