Crafting in 2015

For the last week or so I have been drafting a reflective blog about 2015, but I have recently decided that this is not the route I want to go down. And instead I will be focusing on the crafting that I did in 2015, as I feel that it has been a main part of the year.

In 2015 I was lucky enough to find a hobby that I really clicked with. When I first started learning how to crochet all I seemed to be able to do was create a knot and I got really frustrated with how hard I was finding it. After searching youtube I found some good videos which I was able to watch repeatedly and then I learnt how to crochet! I have done a lot of crochet in 2015, and in 2016 bigger and better crochet projects will be completed! So lets start at the beginning of my crafty and crochet year.

In March me and my boyfriend Dan moved in together and I have been able to indulge my crafting passion, this is also about the same time I started to crochet. I have met some great people through crochet and am so happy that I have a hobby that has come with great friends.

I was commissioned to crochet a light house, which was quite fun. I crocheted a few wreaths, one I still haven't decided what I will do with but the other was a Christmas wreath:

This was quite an early project that I started in my crochet career, and probably is the biggest one that I have finished. 

I made a few plaited ear warmers, one I made for my mum and one I made for me. 

I made this crochet scarf as well, I also made one for my sister as a Christmas present. I wear this scarf a lot as I can tie it around my neck three times and it really keeps me warm. 

Pictured above are three crochet projects I started (and two of them I finished), I finished the hat and the mini stockings were the start of a crochet advent calendar I made for Dan (pictured below). The pink square was a pattern I bought and was something I really wanted to make, but the pattern was so awful that I gave up! It was difficult because there was a lot of counting, but mostly the pattern which was sold by a company (that I have mentioned in a previous blog) didn't add up!!

This is the advent calendar with mini crocheted stockings that I made for Dan. 

In 2016 the crochet projects I will be finishing is my granny square blanket, this is already pretty big but I want it to be even bigger. I will also be crocheting my best friends wedding bouquet!!! I am excited, honoured and terrified to be doing this project. The wedding is in October and I have already started crocheting the flowers and doing some test runs, I can now do a flower in about 15 minutes so I'm not worried about timings. I will of course post about the bouquet at a later date. 

Another 2016 crochet project which is so very exciting is that me and a close friend have started a small business: 

My friend Lauren and I will be starting to run crochet weekends in Bath, we are very close to announcing all the information for the very first one. If you want to hear more sign up on the website and you will be emailed as soon as we publish the dates. 

So, 2016 is looking like it will be an exciting crochet year for me.

But in non crochet related news;

I went on two great holidays, one to Fuerteventura with Dan and his family.   

Then in September Dan and I went to Centre Parcs in Longleat for a light activity week. Even though it rained most of the week we still did lots of walking, bike rides, mini golf, exploring and a spa day. 

It quite a defining holiday and we have decided to go on more UK holidays (staycation), on the day we got back we booked another for June 2016 where there we will be more walking and bike rides! 

Centre Parcs

Centre Parcs

I am hopeful that 2016 will be an exciting year.

If you completed any big craft or crochet projects last year or have some new ones planed for 2015 let me know :) 

Crochet Conquest

Over the last few months I have picked up a new hobby; crochet! So I thought I would dedicate a post to the recent crochet conquests, some of which are good and some of which aren't. I mentioned some previous projects in my last post and since then I have continued and continued to crochet.

I have recently finished an infinity scarf - I couldn't find a pattern I liked so I was making it up as I went along, this wasn't as quick and easy as I had hoped it would be, but I finished it, and I love it. I will aim to post the final pattern here as well, so keep an eye out for that - or subscribe and get it straight to your inbox.

My crocheting had started to take over the flat I decided to buy some storage from IKEA, and it may have been the best idea ever!

available here: http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/30216536/

That is how the trolley looked when I first got it, it is now covered in wool, books and projects. I love it! It is an easy way to contain what I am working on without it taking over my flat.

Some of my most recent projects are:
Plaited ear warmer. I made two of these, one for me and one for my mum (my first customer). It was quite fun to make, and after making it once I was confident to make a few changes to make it a bit better. The other day when I was shopping I saw a version of this in H&M!

I have also made some bunting with roses - these were quite difficult to photograph and I have now taken them to work to put on a display board there, so please excuse the background mess. The bunting and roses were fun to make. I'm really allergic to pollen and don't get on well with flowers so I am wanting to make a full bouquet of flowers for the flat.  

I recently decided to add some crochet detail to a necklace. I wasn't sure how this would end up but I really like it, I used a black chain necklace from H&M and a small hook. 

At the moment I have a lot of projects I am working on, such as; another scarf, gloves, hat, cushion covers and a blanket. I will aim to post a follow up with more photos of what I have been working on. 

The blanket does bring me to the bad part of the crochet story. I found an independent shop online (not local) and decided to order a blanket and a jelly bag. Unfortunately the whole process of the order was a total mess. After a long and hard think (and moan at my boyfriend) I have decided to not bother giving much detail about the whole process, but in summary, the company (Spit Spot Loves) didn't post the parcel for weeks, half of it arrived and they never sent the other half. This resulted in me discussing options with my lawyer as the store was not returning my emails or attempts to contact them on social media. In the end (a month after order) I received a refund for the bag that never arrived. The customer service was shocking, in total it took a month from order to resolution and not once did I get an apology or did it feel like I was getting a genuine response from anyone there. If you come across this company or their website I would highly recommend leaving them well alone! I have since spoken to other people who have also had a shocking experience with them. 

Anyway...enough of that negativity. Let me know if you are a fellow crocheter and keep an eye out for a new business adventure I am starting with a friend...also a crocheter. 

Craft Station

A few months ago me and my boyfriend Dan moved in together and it is great!!

Dan is very supportive of my crafting ways, however he isn't very supportive of the way I tend to spread the supplies around... So, we agreed that I would have a craft station!! I've never had a dedicated area for where I will do my crafting because I haven't had the space to do so or the necessary supplies. Luckily when Dan and I moved in he had a desk which he uses occasionally for work but this has now become my craft station:

Excuse Bullseye and the trainer...

On the station I have current, ongoing and future projects.

A couple of weeks ago I started crocheting and I love it. At the moment I am practising and trying to master the basics, I have made an apple, hearts, bunting and granny squares. I really love it and I am finding it so relaxing, in my bedtime routine crocheting has replaced watching an episode of something or general TV.

Through a magazine from Outlaw Craft Show I had the basics to learn crochet, since then my love for it has grown and I have also joined a local crochet meet up. A few weeks ago I went to Hobbycraft and bought a selection of clearance wool and a friend at work gave me loads of wool that she no longer used.

I have also started to buy craft books and magazines:

They are a great source for inspiration and instructions. And yes, that is a wedding craft magazine, which isn't for me, it is for my friend Becky who is getting married next year and I will be a bridesmaid!!! I am so excited about being a bridesmaid and my best friend getting married that I got carried away with anything wedding themed. 

A project I have recently started and is ongoing, is crease free hair ties:

These are an example from a shop, but these four hair ties would cost £8!! After a quick search online I found a selection of the same material for 99p a metre and 80p postage. So I decided to make my own:

I bought two different sparkly purple lengths and have experimented with different tie lengths. It only took a few minutes to make these and I am really glad I did. 

A new project I am about to start working on is sparkly hair slides, I found the inspiration from BuzzFeed:

So far I have the items I need:

Just not the time I want to make them. I will aim to post an update.

The other day I also learnt how to make paper bows. The first one I made was using scrap paper at work and then I bought a block of paper and glue for £2 total and can make loads in pretty colours:

I will be adding these bows to the envelopes of cards. 

This has been a whistle stop tour of my recent crafting and I hope you enjoyed it :) 

Do you have any tips of how to keep a craft station clean, tidy and organised? If so, please let me know. 

Outlaw - Artisan Craft Show

On Sunday I went to Outlaw - Artisan Craft Show in Bristol. I had seen it advertised on Twitter a few weeks before and was really excited to be going.

First we (Dan and me) had a quick walk around to check out the place, then stopped for coffee and cake. After that I made a plan of action to do a bit of a shopping and then do a couple of the Make and Take shows.

The first Make and Take I did was making a paper pom-pom which was fun, but only lasted 10-15 minutes. The presentation of the material and the tutorial was great, but we only had the chance to make one pom-pom.

The second Make and Take I did was making a mini pom-pom garland with Thimbleson and this was great! First we were shown how to make a mini pom-pom with the items on our table and then we were let lose to make as many as we could for our garland. My first one was a bit of a duff....I snipped one to far and the pom-pom reverted to being strands of wool. But, after that blunder I was onto a roll and made 7!
It was great to have the demonstration and be able to make something to take home. I also feel like this is a skill I have learnt and would be able to do at another time. It was a big bonus that the material we used could easily be found around the home or bought easily.

Dan enjoyed the pom-pom garland as well. 

Photo from: https://instagram.com/thimbleson/ 

In addition to the Make and Take theatre there were quite a few workshops and demonstrations. I didn't fancy doing any of these workshops as they weren't something you could easily walk into without some prep. There was a good selection of demonstrations to watch, I did pop into the gift wrapping with attitude which was great to see. I would have loved to see the learn arm knitting demo but missed it.

After the fun of the Make and Take and Demo I did some more shopping and bought two pieces from two different stalls:

The above was from Bookshell Bindery. They had some amazing products and Dan bought a lovely notebook and pencil from them. 

Dan and I joint bought the above illustration. Again there were so many pieces that we could have bought from Esther Connon, everything was beautiful! 

Overall it was a really fun day out, and I could have bought a lot more than I did. My only comment would have been that I would have liked to see more supply stores, so that when I left full of inspiration I would have new products to use and experiment with.

If an Outlaw show comes near you I highly recommend that you go and check it out! I hope it comes to Bristol (or Bath) again.

A Tribute to Sales

As you may have gathered by now I like a sale or bargain.

Today my love for sales and bargains have been reinforced by the Gap sale. It all started in January/February when Gap had a massive sale, with discounts of up to 75% and then a further 20% off at the till. This made the clothes so cheap. In one session I bought a jumper and a cardigan for less than £20. Buying the cardigan not in the sale would have cost £45. Because of this bargain session I keep an eye on Gap to see when they have their sales.
A week or so ago I saw the sale starting to be advertised, I waited a little while and popped in yesterday and on Thursday. In total I spent £30 and bought; 2 pairs of trousers and 2 t shirts. I am amazed with these little bargains and I love what I have bought.

As I don't have the best camera I have used the images on the Gap website to show what I have bought:

I saw these daisy print trousers online and then hunted them down in store. I bought them for £7.99, before sale they cost £35. 

I also bought these:

In the sale they cost £13.59, not in the sale they would have cost £35. I don't normally bother with trousers from Gap because I find the sizes very odd. For example, the daisy print trousers are a XS and the grey trousers are a S. 

I also bought two v-neck light t shirts which were just over £4 each. I can't find pictures of these online so can't show them, but they are great. For me, they are ideal for work and for this odd summer weather we are having. 

Whilst in the changing rooms trying on a selection of other things I heard two women talking about the sizes in Gap, and how they often find Gap Kids a better fit. Shopping in the child's section isn't news for me, I buy a lot from kids H&M and Newlook, the sizing, cost and cut is always great. Whilst I didn't have time to venture to Gap Kids today I will be heading over there tomorrow. 

Talking of kids clothes today I bought gym wear from H&M kids. In the grown up store everything cost £20+, yet in the kids section I bought leggings and tshirt for less than £20.

I also bought a really cute black summer dress with daisy print neckline for £9.99! I love the length, how it is baggy and of course, the price. 

Overall I would say that I have had a successful shopping week and didn't break the bank to do so! 

In case you are curious I typically wear a size 8 (depending on the shop maybe a 10), and am about 5"6-5"7 and I will buy aged 12-14 in Newlook and H&M kids.

Do you shop in the kids department? If you have any bargain tales or recommends please let me know :) 

Thanks for reading. 

Hidden Fashion

A couple of weeks ago I saw a BuzzFeed article which was about online stores that sell cheap clothes - I am so glad I read the post. Most of the online stores were based in America, only a few were UK based. One of which was Hidden Fashion, where everything is £5 or under (really everything). 

At first I was a bit skeptical because I had tried everything5pounds before and wasn't happy with the quality. I decided to order two items and see what it was like, I then struggled to pick which two items to buy. Everything was £5 (or less) so everything seemed like a bargain and meant that I could buy things out of the ordinary and not worry about breaking the bank.

So, finally I decided to buy a floral kimono:

I am going on holiday in June and I can not get enough cover ups, due to my colouring I burn so easily, so having something light weight that will cover the delicate areas (shoulders, chest and knees) for £5 seemed like an awesome deal.

I also ordered a black, dip hemmed tshirt, with a detailed back. Unfortunately I don't have the shops pictures to show you, as once they have sold out that is it, no more :(

My order came in 3 days, but only the kimono arrived, I had to wait an extra 3 days to get the tshirt as when it was posted it was out of stock. When I rang to see where the other half of my order was they said they were able to send me the top... Experience of their customer service was good, their reply through Twitter was quick, I was able to ring and speak to someone quickly (an actual person without automated crap) and have it resolved in great time - and this kinda stuff really matters to me.

Now to the clothes:

The kimono arrived first and for £5 I'm happy with it, the hems of the lining and out piece didn't line up, so felt like it was sat right when I first put it on, but when I had got use to it it was the fine, the black boarders feel stable and flat. It also feel super soft and silky!

Overall I give it an 8 out of 10.

The black top arrived later, and this was the item I was most excited about and I have nothing negative to say about it! The material feels thick but not heavy, I don't have to worry about wearing a vest top under it so my bra doesn't show. The top is lose but flattering, the dippedness at the back is a great length as it just covers my bum. The only (only) thing I would have liked....is to be able to buy it in more colours. I saw it in an light blue and I wish I had bought that as well. 

Overall I want to give it a 10 out of 10...but am not quite sure it is perfect so I will give it a 9.5.

The next things I am looking at buying are a coat and these shoes. If I am honest there are alot more items that I want (read: need) to buy, but need to prioritise money towards my move. At the end of the month I am moving in with my boyfriend which I will be posting about soon.

Have you bought anything from Hidden Fashion? Or get any other online shopping gems? Please share in the comments.

T-Shirt Refashion

I have previously written about how much I enjoy using Natter, and I have previously written about how much I enjoy cutting up clothes and putting them back together. This week I was able to combine these two things. Natter was running a promotion, whereby if your kudos score got to above 500 in a certain amount of time you get a tshirt, and I managed to get over the 500 mark:

The t-shirt only came in one size so I decided to use my hemming mesh, a t-shirt which I love the cut of and made a few edits:

I am still planning on doing something with the sleeves, but this will be something simple like rolling them up and sewing them into place.

me and Dan modelling our t-shirts

I didn't take a photo of me wearing the t-shirt before I started cutting and pasting, but believe me it was huge.

International Day of Happiness

Today is the International Day of Happiness and hearing this on the radio made me reflect on the post I wrote last year about things that make me happy.

I'm very lucky to be able to say that not much has changed in this year (in terms of things that make me happy), I could update the photos, but the sentiment in still the same:

 

 

Over the year I have documented somethings that have happened so I won't go back and re-hash them. But now to looking forward, at the end of the month me and Dan are moving in together, so I am hoping to get some DIY crafting things done and I have started weaving! Once I make something I will let you guys know.

Happy International Day of Happiness :)

Preparing to Ace 2015

2014 was a pretty swell year for me, it had some ups and downs but overall I can look back and say the year was rewarding and full of joy. I don’t tend to celebrate New Years Eve with a massive bang, but this year I am celebrating by reflecting on the positives and negatives of 2014 to prepare to ace 2015. I have done this by using some questions about 2014.

If you had to describe your 2014 in 3 words, what would they be?

The three words I would use are; eventful, successful and happy. There have been some ups and downs, I completed my Masters degree and have had a great promotion. I have been surrounded by the best of family and friends, and my amazing boyfriend. I chose 3 words because in 2014 I have really got into using Natter, which is a nano-blogging social network.

What new things did you discover about yourself?

The main thing I discovered was that I don’t give myself enough credit for the things I do achieve. And I am not often kind to myself. With some tools I have been able to realise this and am able to target self improvements which have really changed the way I look at what I achieve and how I handle situations with others and myself. 

 Which of your personal qualities turned out to be the most helpful this year?

One of the personal qualities is being kind to myself, I have forced myself to do this, and overall it makes me a happier and kinder person.

 What was your biggest break-through moment career-wise?

I would have never of thought this when it happened - but when I lost my job as an admin assistant in February. I was devastated I lost this job, I thought my world was ending. After leaving I worked in a bar for a month before landing my current job. In the last 8 months, I have gone from part time admin, to full time admin and recently office manager. I really enjoy my current job and role, being full time has been something I have been aspiring to for a while. I find it fulfilling and love having a pay day to look forward to. This break-through moment has inspired me to work harder and really go for it! 

Did you achieve any major goals?

I completed a Masters of Research from the University of Bath - for me this was massive. And it didn’t set in till I was sat waiting for my name to be called at the Graduation service. When I was in Primary and Secondary school I never thought I would go to University, let alone complete a Masters, I wasn’t encouraged to go into further education, teachers actively discouraged it. And I didn’t grow up aiming to be in education, so this was a major goal for me. 

What do you deserve a pat on the back for?

How I have handled some tough situations and my investigation into new avenues (such as meditation). 

What activities made you lose track of time?

Anything to do with crafting! I really found my love for it this year. Since starting work full time I haven’t done as much as I would have liked to. But I still make time for it when I can. And scrolling through the Vinted catalogue. 

 What advice would you give your early-2014 self if you could?

This will be a great year. Don’t fret. 

What cool things did you create this year?

Some of the cool things I have made this year would include: these boots; and these boots and earrings. These are all upcycling projects, and I have really enjoyed them. 

What or who had the biggest positive impact on your life this year?

There has been a what and who for biggest positive impact.

The who is a mix of my boyfriend and some of my best friends. These two people have always been there for me. They are the best people to have around and are always supporting what I do. 

The what, is something that my boyfriend introduced me to, which is meditation. I am very much in the very early stages of meditation, but I can feel a positive experience from this already. I use OpenSit to log my sits, and to be able to discuss sits and experiences.

I chose to write a blog reflecting on 2014, because it has been a good year, and it is nice to take some time to think about the good points of 2014. I am also writing this to welcome 2015 with a positive outlook. I don’t tend to set myself resolutions or a list of things to complete for the next year, but I am writing this with the aim to have a eventful, successful and happy 2015.

Why not take 10 or 15 minutes to reflect on 2014 (good and bad) and think about the skills and experiences you want to take into 2015 to really ace the year. If you want to share them with me, drop me an comment.

Happy 2015!

Wardrobe Detox

My name is Gina, and I’m a shopaholic. I am having a big clear out to right the wrongs I have previously caused (by shopping too much), I am trying to resolve these by selling these clothes. Whilst doing this I will be logging my progress (the good, bad and ugly).

I’ve mentioned a few times on my blog how much I love Vinted. I mainly use Vinted to swap clothes, but this time I am doing a buy one get one free selling sale! I have had a big clear out of my wardrobe and have decided that this is the best way have a clear out.

First things first, a wardrobe clear out:

I have a couple of motivational factors behind this clear out, and sale:

1. In April I am moving in with my boyfriend (yay). When we are looking for a place to share our lives I don’t want the main concern to be clothes storage.
2. I know I have too many clothes that I don’t wear - it isn’t kind to the clothes to keep them and not wear them.
3. My boyfriend has quite a minimalist wardrobe. He doesn’t have an excessive amount of clothes, has regular clear outs and always looks great. I’m a bit envious of this, as in comparison have way too many clothes, not all of them get worn and I carry on buying clothes…
4. I love clothes, I tend to buy things that I would only wear once, or buy for an occasion and then leave them at the back of my wardrobe or chest of draws.  

As I have a few days before I go back to work, and as it is the New Year this seemed to be a good time for a clear out. I will be selling some of the unwanted items on Vinted (http://www.vinted.co.uk/members/94127-ginashaw), I am doing a buy one get one free sale (cheapest item free), so check out my items.

Day 1 of clear out:

Today I planned to start slowly; unpack and organise all the Christmas presents and have a general tidy. This escalated, and I was able to fill one black bin bag, fill two bags for the charity shop and one bag for Vinted!

I also had a big tidy of my room….I did however get a little distracted as the day went on and decided to call it quits (for the day) halfway through a job. Which is really bad, the distraction was dinner and by the time I got back to my room, it was movie time and everything I had left to organise got put on the floor!! Which undid a lot of my hard work. And I didn’t even start on the wardrobe yet, I know I am trying to avoid the clear out of my wardrobe as I am so very attached to everything in it. But that is tomorrows task.

Day 2

Has been unproductive, I got sidetracked by watching Breaking Bad. I did managed to upload the bag for sale clothes onto Vinted, but that was all.

Oops.

This perfectly highlights how I never get around to actually having a clear out. It feels like such a big and painful job that I put it off. A little while ago I started a pinterest board to help me when doing a wardrobe clear out. And I have decided to go by this flowchart to assist me to clear out.

Am I also going to use the question; if I was shopping now would I buy this item?

Day 3

SUCCESS I have managed to clear out the wardrobe.

Whilst taking about 20 minutes to even start the process of tackling my wardrobe I have realised why I resist it so much:

• The amount of unworn clothes I have in my wardrobe represents wasted money, and that is something I really really hate. So by me resisting this clear out is another way I am trying to hide from the amount I have bought and not worn which is wasteful.
• I also put it off because I have clothes FOMO - What happens if I throw away a dress which would have been perfect for an event in week or a month?! The answer is, obviously; wear something else.

So, here are the steps I followed:

Step 1 : remove ALL clothes from wardrobe

Step 2: go through all items referring to the above question and flow chart.

Step 3: put the items that have survived back into the wardrobe. For those who have been turfed out, decide if they are to donate or sell.

Step 4: get clothes trunk (yes, I have a trunk of clothes that don’t fit in my wardrobe), repeat step 1, 2, and 3.

 

Before organisation ^^ After v

    

It feels good to be able to look at my wardrobe and for it to look lighter. I also have a bag of clothes which I am going to donate to charity and a bag I am going to (try) and sell on Vinted.

I still have a way to go, and will have some help from my boyfriend with this. But for now it feels like I have done a good job. It feels good to identify the clothes that I loved in the last year and identify the clothes which haven’t been used and hope they go onto a better place. 

I now have a much neater wardrobe with less clothes in it:

 

But also have a pile of clothes which I don't know what to do with:

 It feels like a successful detox - I feel much lighter :)