Charity Shop Challenge: February

If you read regularly, or follow me on twitter you'll be excited about today, becauase as the last Friday of the month, it is the very first Charity Shop Challenge! Lots of folks have already joined the Flickr group that a some of us set up a few weeks ago (see original post) and today I uploaded my star-find.

It's actually 2 things- the first one was a batch of old zips (priced in shillings and old pence) which were 3-for-10p. Total bargain.

The second is probably just as great a bargain- a Liberty pansy printed cotton skirt- which was only £3.49 from the local Bernardo's. It was elasticated at the waist, and a little long for me, so with a bit of sewing-maching magic, I took it up a few inches at the hem and added a proper waist-band and the zip at the back...et voila!

For lots of other excellent thrifted outfits, check out the Charity Shop Challenge Flickr group, and be sure to tweet your additions with the hashtag, #charityshopchallenge!

New in Store: Prints

Yesterday I treated myself to a day in the studio printing some brand new work. It's always so exciting trying out colours and seeing your work come together in a new medium- and once you get going, screen-printing is so satisfying! I managed to print two (go me!) new editions of prints.

Both my Kettle Compendium and Malted Milk prints are available now in my Folksy shop, for only £8.00 each.

Sunflower Babies

One of my personal resoloutions for 2011 was to try to make more time for myself in amongst work and the day job and everything else- so- in the last few weeks I've been trying my hand at a little gardening. Well, not so much gardening (due to our crucial lack of garden) but more window-sill plant cultivation.

And it seems to be going well, for now! These are my baby Sunflowers, which were grown from seeds from Poundland (which has a wealth of garden-supplies for beginners like me) and despite being in their own little pots now, they started off life all together in an old Ferrero Roche tub.

I'm waterring them everyday and making sure they're nice and warm so they'll grow up to be big and strong!

It's Pretty Much the Best Drawing I Ever Did...

This valentines, I borrowed an idea from one of my all-time favourite movie characters, and drew my beloved in true Napoleon Dynamite style.

Of course, my Michael is far more handsome: and if you were wondering- the shading on the upper-lip didn't take as long as the original Napoleon drew of Trisha. And if you havn't seen Napoleon Dynamite yet- I suggest you do!

eBay Yard Sale 2011

Living in a city centre flat, I don't have a yard (and if I did, living outside of the States it'd probably be called a Garden) so I can't have a "Yard Sale", in "Real-Life". Thank goodness for eBay- who'll be hosting my 2011 Yard Sale for the next 9 days.

There's loads of really great clothes starting from only 99p that I've not worn in a long while, and need to find a new home. Have a raid through my wardrobe today and get yourself a bargain!

Charity Shop Challenge

UPDATE: We now have a flickr page to upload your finds to: check it out!

Twitter is a wonderful communication tool, especially for those of us who are self-employed and don't have a regular team of buddies to work beside. Today, a wee group of us (who all love a good rummage in our local charity shops) decided to go bargain hunting, then report back with any exciting finds.

The idea of rummaging en masse seemed to appeal to many a twitter-friend, and so Charity Shop Challenge was born!

Hilary took the liberty of penning our Charity Shop Challenge guidelines. I can't wait to get going!

The Guidlines

1. Your outfit must comprise of a key-garment from a charity shop plus any other pieces/accessories etc to make up an 'ensemble'.
2. Annotate your outfit. Include a description of the garments/ where you bought or found each piece/ price of charity find.
3. Upload your image onto your blog by the last friday of each month.
4. On the last friday of the month tell everyone about it and tweet with the hashtag #charityshopchallenge
5. Extra credit for those who customise their charity shop find.

Photo of a very cool New York Salvation Army store via www.inherclosetandco.com

New Couch Biscuits

After the creation of my Tunnock's Teacake Cushions last year, I've spread my screen-printing wings into the world of couch decoration!

This week, I finally got around to realising a cushion idea that had been floating around in the back of my head since I was at Art School. I'd started experimenting with quilting, and inevitably I quilted a biscuit.

So, here it is- the Custard Cream Cushion! It's hand-printed onto lovely cotton, and is available to buy right now in my Folksy shop.

New Jumper, New Drawing

In my attempts to firstly do more drawing, and also to take more time out to relax, I spent a little while yesterday buying myself a new jumper, and then drawing it's knitted pattern.

I usually find clothes shopping on the high street pretty uninspiring, but this lovely pillarbox red cotton knit caught my eye in Zara yesterday. I've probably got too many jumpers, but then living in Scotland a wardrobe stocked full of woolies in pretty much essential.

Happy Frosty February everyone!