About Me

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I currently live in Birmingham and come from Solihull. I have a love of all things crafty, developed from my mom's love of crafts as I was growing up. I currently work in marketing, but I'm a qualified Aromatherapist, and use to be self employed alongside a day job, might one day return to that. I try to fit in crafts when I can, I wish I had more time and money to spend on it! I enjoy researching my family history and finding out about the past. It can get frustrating, but is really rewarding when you have a break through! I hope to meet people with similar interests as me and swap advice/stories.

Tuesday 31 January 2012

Crafty Folk Creations

Selling crafts is both fun and hard work. Nowadays there are so many compeitiors that it is hard to get noticed and often, if like me, you start selling from what was a hobby- a few people you give handmade gifts to ask for custom items, people start asking where you got things from and slowly word spreads, so then you think, I'll try online selling.

It's tough.

I personally would be crafting whether I sell or not (but it's great when people do buy from you.)
So I have searched through the Crfty Folk team on Etsy and selected a few crafters who have wonderful items and need a littl boost to get noticed and get those sales!

Please take a look at all these great crafters, visit their shops, pass it on and fingers crossed...buy!!

Sunday 22 January 2012

Simple and Tasty Snacks

I do love cooking- when i get time! I enjoy making cakes and snack items, as well as meals, so I thought I'd give you a simple receipe for some flapjacks. These are great for lunches, in the biscuit jar or as a craft snack- goes great with a nice cup of tea!

Ingredients:
  • 175g / 6oz demerara sugar (sometimes I use soft brown sugar)
  • 175g / 6oz butter
  • 225g / 8oz rolled oats (porridge oats are fine)
  • Optional Extras for flavour: dried fruits / berries (blueberries taste great) / chocolate chips

Method: Preheat oven to 180 degrees C / 350 degrees F / Gas mark 4

Melt the sugar and butter together in a pan, mix in oats. Ensure the oats are covered by the mixture.
Add your chosen fillings, I like using dried fruit such as apple and pineapple, the apple goes really well with fresh buleberries, but you can pretty much add any filling you like!

Pour the mixture into a greased and lined baking tin, ideally 8 x 12" (20 x 30cm), I often just use whatever tin I have lying around and make either chunky or thin flapjacks. Ensure you press the mixture in firmly.

Bake in the oven for approx 30mins (depending how crunchy you like them.) Cut into fingers and leave to cool, once cooled move to a wire rack or straight into an air tight container.


This receipe makes around 16 flapjacks, just double the mixture to make more.

Quick, easy and tasty treat!

Sunday 1 January 2012

Handmade Gifts

Hope all had a fab Christmas and New Year!
Here are a few of the beautiful handmade gifts I received and gave this year. A lot of time and effort went into all these gifts and I have been very pleased with them!

My sewing jar - including all the basics for a sewing kit, one of my crafts I hope to spend more time on this year!




Handmade scarfs - one knitted by my sister purple and gold, one sewen with vintage fabrics.
Hand sewen lavender doormouse- now keeping the moths away from my clothes!
A beautiful hand bound notebook with polymere clay cupcake and cupcake photo - my new craft book so I can keep track of my crafts to make and my crafting ideas! This was made by my cousin who you can find at Careford Creations on http://www.folksy.com/



Another Careford Creation - polymere clay bookmark and my favourite- butterfly! In my current book - Downton Abbey!
More handmade bookmarks, this time by me! Various charm and beads were used.

A personalised cushion gift of a much loved dog. Made by Gemma Payne at http://www.folksy.com/

Wishing you all a wonderful 2012!