packed full

Stuffed brown paper hearts.

Cut two identical hearts from brown packaging paper (these are about 6 inches or 15 cm across), stamp a message on the front of one heart. Place both hearts together, and stitch with the sewing machine 1/2 cm from the edge all the way around leaving a gap at the bottom so you are able to fill the heart with the goodies of your choice, why not pop in a little lovely message too. Finish stitching and send to the recipient of your choice!

Viola! A lovely and quick valentine's gift. Vary the shape for a Birthday or Christmas surprise!

one or two things

Firstly, the double trouble commission is coming along nicely and i'm really pleased with how they are both taking shape, in fact i've very nearly finished, just the few final touches tomorrow and I should be there.

In the meantime I thought you might like to know that during advent i'm having a little giveaway over on my website. With every order placed during December I'm giving away one of my little cupcake or birdie brooches as a small thank you to all my customers and followers through out this past year.

It's something new, but something nice I can do for you!
Happy Stitching this weekend
Cat x

winter warmers

Recently I have been doing a bit of housekeeping on my website. I have to admit it has been rather neglected in recent months, but as Christmas approaches I wanted to tidy it up for any visitors that may pop by. This leads me onto my Christmas grotto on the site, somewhere all those Christmas themed cards, patterns and brooches can live in harmony with each other.

I am delighted that after a month or so of work on my Christmas designs that they have been printed and were delivered to the studio last Friday. Possibly for about a hour I was more excited that they were delivered rather than having collect them, which would have involved trekking across the County in my car during half term week. So a big thank you to Mr Printer for making that happen.

The designs were inspired by Scandinavian winters and Christmas decorations and I include them below.

                                                    Starry Night, C.Rowe 2011

                                                 Peaceful Wishes, C Rowe 2011

Both designs are available to buy on my webiste in packs of 10, (5 of each design) so have a look here if you're interested.

My next step is to keep tidying up the site, there's still lots more to do, I want to add several new products including new patterns, brooches and kits. Remove any dull bits and replace with sparkly fresh text so visitors always have something interesting to read. 

Thanks for stopping by and happy Autumn to you all.

Cat x

all the lights

It's the twelfth day of Christmas and all the decorations have come down and have been packed away in boxes for another year. This also includes some of my fairy lights, but I cannot relinquish them all.
I came across these gorgeous photos of some lights on the very talented Irene Suchocki blog, eye poetry. Her photographs capture the simple beauty of strings of small white lights so eloquently, and far better than my words ever could. So here's a new year's cheer to all things enchanting, and to strings of little fairy lights left up all over the world for yet another year!

on the highstreet

This is a picture of me taken on Sunday holding one of my Christmas cards in my local branch of Waterstones, I've finally arrived on the highstreet! You can see some more of my textile illustrated designs along the front row of the display rack (by my knee). The card in my hand is one of my all time favorites, and of course it's a robin! This cheeky chap is stood ontop of an old fashion postcard with a sprig of mistletoe in his beak.

An enlargement of the Post-Robin in question!

More of my Christmas designs are available through my website or through Art Press.