Free craft stalls at Bolton Abbey

I'm exhibiting at Bolton Abbey this weekend! Check out Northern Belles Blog for all the info and to find out more about the free stalls.

Here are my new cupcake notelets:

Manchester Crafters meet up this Saturday

Hi All, just letting you know that we'll be meeting up to discuss the gorgeous muffins, and business of course, at the Manchester Craft Centre this Saturday at 10.30am. Any crafters or designer makers are welcome to join in.

I'm looking forward to my Northern Quarter fix! A mooch along the fashion market out side Debenhams, followed by a trip to Den, my fave interiors shop, a coffee and chat with the crafty girls in the craft centre, finished off with a vintage clothing shop in retro rehab. If I've still got time after that, a trip to Abakan (an aladdins cave of fabric treats) to get some nice trimmings and pick up some cute fabrics.

Indie Quarter feature - YAY!

Here's my feature in indie quarter - a fab blog with loads of really cool features. They found my things on Folksy - I've had so many great leads from folksy. It's been a really good venture - I don't really bother that much with Etsy now.

Check it out here, they feature my fathers day card, If you still need one, get one NOW - it's a week on Sunday!

Yummy design time

MMMMM. It's that yummy time of year where I start thinking about new designs. This is the best bit. I fly around in cyberspace picking up bits that i love. Start looking at the world in a different way and muttering and scribbling. Going out and about to new places and having new experiences to get my creative brain rammed up to superdrive.

Here are some things that caught my eye today. Completely random.

Stay tuned and follow my creative process, it'll be reet weird to actually watch myself as I've never thought about how the designs and collections come together!

Head in a spin

This is how my head feels at the mo! Only it's really not cool like this guy. Busy is not the word. I think I'm stuck on fast forward and I don't know how it creeps up on me. I think my enthusiasm for life doesn't tally with the amount of hours in the day.

Today I've resolved to get my life back to a manageable pace. Currently I run my card business, look after my 2 children plus 2 more, am studying a night course at college. I'm the president of a charity, I'm on the committee for our centenary garden who are organising a mini festival in 2 weeks, a member of a choir, I run the craft biz manchester meet ups, and somewhere in there I have to squeeze in friends, family and time out.

When I write it all down it's no wonder i feel like i'm spinning plates. I need to calm it down a bit, i'm coming undone at the seams.



Talking of break dancing, there's a wicked exhibition at the Lowry at the mo. It's an interactive dance type thing called Express Yourself - there's all sorts of costumes you can try on. My personal favorite was the hip hop bit, you can put on some gear and throw a few shapes in the disco room - perfect for forgetting about all those other jobs I should be doing!

Wild Swimming

The weather has just been too amazing for blogging!!! I've become lazy and haven't checked in for over a week. Hopefully you've all been outside too.

After my last post of Proper Camping, this week I have been mostly Wild Swimming. Heat in the city makes it really vibrant: HUGE afros, cool shades and t's, base pumping from cars, everybody out chatting, kids playing out on the street, hedge trimmers, ice-cream vans, the yout hanging out in the park. The cocophany of an urban summer. But when it all get's too noisy, it's time to escape the hot urban sprawl and go Wild Swimming.

That first dive in is totally FREEZING, but after your skin goes numb and you get your breath back you're fine. Having lived here for 15 years now I have my secret spots but there will be a place near you to swim outdoors so go on the wild swimming website and find one!

There's nothing more amazing! Just remember not to wear body lotion, hair products or anything toxic that will wash off in the water - remember living things share these waters with you.