Milo, my cat, is very, very cheeky. On Sunday morning he cried and cried and pawed at my duvet to me up early....only for me to find him in my bed less than hour later! :) Cheeky boy! He has mastered climbing under the duvet and snuggling up...but seeing him laying his head on the pillow as well did have me in stitches! lol :) 

A sneaky peak...

I thought you might like a sneaky peak of my new line....

I don't have many purpley things in the shop and on my last fabric buying session I purchased some lovely purple gingham and some strong purple felt, then on Sunday I suddenly felt inspired! :) Check out my "Twit-twoo" owl! I think he's super cute. There is going to be a whole line of these gorgeous purple owl's so keep an eye on the shop this week to see more!

Insiration is such a hard thing to find sometimes and I wasn't feeling inspired for such a long time :( I think the day job had been taking too much of my brain just recently! :) So thank goodness I am now inspired!

Pin interest love

Sorry I've not been around guys...the day job has been taking over :( I took eleven students to London for the weekend (last weekend) with a colleague and it took a lot of planning!!!

However, fingers crossed the day job is calming down a bit now!

Not much to report I'm afraid guys...I've been working on a few orders I got this week, but I did want to shout out to pin interest (pinterest.com) for basically being just amazing! :) Full of inspiration, beautiful things and "how to's" - I love it!
I found this gorgeous quote on there.....It reminds me of my girls...love you! :)

So, back to the day job tomorrow....Hope you all have a great week!

Getting organised for the BIG move home...

I've been getting busy and organised for the BIG move home to the UK this year. I plan on moving back in July/August (dependant on many things). So I have been making things for craft fairs, as while I am inbetween jobs I am going to have to make some money somewhere..!! So I have been crafting away and making loads of things. These button brooches/pins are just one line of the many things I have been making. Don't they look like sweets? :) mmmmmm.... However...sweets without the calories! and at this time of year we all could do with some of those!!! :)

It's the Easter holidays at the moment, so I have a few days off work :) I have managed to get Milo to the vets to get him started on his pet passport for his BIG move to the UK as well, he wasn't happy about it and came home and went straight to my bed and hid under the duvet! :) He has however, now ventured out and seems to be much happier. Poor pussy-cat! :)

Happy Monday folks! x

FREE EASTER GIVEAWAY!!!

I'm having another giveaway! Totally free!

This time I thought I would have the giveaway for Easter...so I thought what better than these super cute Easter bunny egg warmers?! They are coming in this super cute little Easter basket, decorated in lovely yellow and green spring themed polka dot ribbon. The winner will recieve all 5 bunnies (as pictured), in the basket.

These are not only cute, but would make a great easter gift for a relative! Why not stuff the egg warmers with Cadbury's creme eggs? or other small chocolate eggs... This is such a cute gift idea!

To enter, all you have to do is "LIKE" my Sam's Shenanigans Facebook page by following this link... https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Sams-Shenanigans/280151604461

If you already "LIKE" my page, then "LIKE" this blog post on my Sam's Shenanigans page to enter. All names will be put in a hat and drawn at random. The winner will be contacted by me, through facebook.

Fear not though people, if you aren't the lucky winner....these will be available in the shop this weekend...just in time for Easter :)

Getting in the Easter mood...

Last week of term in the day job :) It means only one thing....H O L I D A Y S!!!

Ten whole days off the day job! More time for the shop! :) Yay! I am, as usual, going back to the UK for a few days next week, but I will also have a few days off to relax and sew :)

I got in the Easter mood last week with these little Easter bunny egg warmers....adorable or what?

An early Spring Saturday

I woke up early this morning to go to the market and get some fresh flowers, flowers here are much more expensive than in the UK, strangely. So I only ever have them when I'm feeling rich, but the weather has been so lovely and Spring like that I really wanted to invite the Spring inside....and look at these.....would could resist???

My little Bridget Jones style flat is now much more welcoming and homely :)

Tuesday...quite possibly the best day during the week!

I love Tuesday's in my working week. I hvae the morning off from my day job, so it gives me time to do some hand sewing or finish off orders that are looming. Plus, my lessons on Tuesday's are my favourite :) so the day job is quite good on a Tuesday as well!

I've been sewing away lots of little heart brooches for up and coming craft fairs this year, all different colours and patterns, but these Cath Kidston fabric ones are my favourite. They are so pretty and feminine and just scream Spring! :) Lush!

It's less than 2 weeks till the end of term....at last! This term has been VERY, VERY long! I'm looking forward to a few days off work and then a few days back in the UK. Fingers crossed for nice weather here and back home! Happy Tuesday everyone! x

Another busy Saturday...

Saturday is my favourite day of the week, not only because I was born on a Saturday (lol) but because I have time to work on the shop, uninterrupted, no classes to plan..or shock horror...teach. I can sew away. Of course, as with all creative businesses, not all Saturday's I feel inspired, so when a Saturday comes along in which I am inspired and fired up to go, I feel really happy at the end of the end of the day. There is something satisifying about getting a lot of things done. So, this Saturday was one of those days. I cracked on with five doorstop designs, six heart brooches and about fifty friendship bracelets! (I also managed to sneak in a cheeky glass of wine in the sunshine with a friend!) So, all in all, a productive day. With that in mind, I feel no guilt going out today with friends for a picnic in the park (and the gorgeous sunshine here in BCN) to listen to the jazz festival, more drinking wine in the sunshine me thinks! hee hee

Happy Sunday folks...hope you've got sunshine too! x

Spring has sprung!

It is really clear that Spring has sprung here in Barcelona! The sun has been shining strongly all week and it has enough heat in it for you to really feel it warming the skin...mmmmm.

It does make everyone feel so much better. It also allows you to get out and get some fresh air and blow away the cobwebs.

On another positive note...My laptop is back from the Laptop hospital and is so far (fingers crosse working well. It has to go back in for a check up next week and some further work, but I am so pleased to find out I didn't loose anything!!! I am one lucky, lucky girl! From here on in....back up! back up! back up! Everything is going to be backed up and saved to save the stress of loosing anything!!! So word of warning guys...save!!!!

Happy Friday all! Hope Friday treats you all well x

Lot´s and lot´s of lovely new stock!

My hands and my imagination have been extremely busy over the past few weeks. I´m not quite sure how I managed to get it all done!!! But none the less...there is a nice lot of new stock FINALLY finished (it´s all been sat for a wee while part-made) and today it got uploaded onto the shop. Although my laptop has still died and shows little sign of resusitation...I have managed to edit my photos on the work´s computer, so they are looking a little better. However, I really do need some time to sit and play with my images...a masterclass is needed!

The shop has been quite quiet this week, although lot´s of views...however with my lovely new stock, I am sure I can pull in the crowds! :)

I can´t believe it´s Thursday already! Where is March running off too???

Poorly Laptop....

My poor laptop has gone to sleep and doesn´t want to wake up :( He has to go to the repair man asap, however a friend lent me their laptop in the meantime, only for their laptop to die 2 days later.....what on earth is wrong with me and laptops??!!!

So I am now using the work computer when I have a spare few minutes and have no way of editing my photos :( So my shop is looking shocking! :(

I hope my little laptop gets sorted out soon! It´s very fustrating not having it!!!!

Bracelets coming out my ears!!!!

I literally...(ok..not literally...that would be weird! lol) have friendship bracelets coming out of my ears :) I have made over 100 this month for orders in varying colours, styles and lengths. I have been making them since I was 11 years old, when, then, I would pass them onto friends and wear them myself, however, now...I just sell them :)

I´ve had a few busy weeks with the day job and the shop has been having quite a few orders running through it as well, which of course, has made me very happy :) This weekend I am planning on taking the day off on Sunday (something I don´t normally do as I work for the shop on Sundays) and I am planning on going out. Fingers crossed for nice weather so I can go to the beach and have a nice spot of lunch and a cheeky glass of afternoon wine ;) The weather the past few days has been beautiful and today is so warm I have a t-shirt and a cardigan on...and...I´m warm! :)

The weeks are rolling in one and I can´t believe we are already at the door of March! It´ll be summer before we know it! Happy Wednesday folks! x

Hard week

It´s been one of those difficult weeks ..(oh, just realised - only half way through as well! urghhh...). I haven´t seemed to have enough time to do or catch up with anything, work is coming out of my ears, both in the day job (urgh..) and in the shop (Yay!), I haven´t even had the time to go to the supermarket and this morning I offically ran out of toothpaste :( lol. It´s also the anniversary of loosing someone too young and too soon today, this always makes me sad and makes me think too much. My friend has her mother´s anniversary of loss tomorrow :( So all in all it´s just being one of those shitty week´s you hope hurries up and buggers off!

although I have lieterally been too busy to buy toothpaste (lol again), I have managed to complete a few little projects for the shop for Mother´s day I was working on. See picture.

Okay...well, no rest for the wicked! I have another class to teach! Happy Wednesday everyone. I hope yours is much more productive and much happier than mine this week! :)

What a wonderful weekend!

I've been away this weekend, I went home for a few days for a very special event....My parents wedding. It always sounds so funny...what being the wrong side of nearly 30 to be saying that. I started the weekend being one of three and I am ending it being one of eight! (See photo for some of the siblings!) We had a wonderful weekend and it was really special to spend it with everyone. So here's to my mum and step-dad!!!! I hope you have a lifetime of happiness x x x x

Fun in the snow

I took a well deserved weekend off last weekend. No exam marking, no lesson planning, no sewing, no orders, no shop stuff.....just friends, snow and skiing. Eight of us went to La Molina, a ski town about 2 and a half hours away (by train) from Barcelona to spend the weekend in a chalet in the mountains, skiing and enjoying each other´s company. It was a great weekend and even better company. We even got a ton of real snow on the second day we were there :) (See picture - I´m the one in the pink! lol). My mind feels relaxed and cleared...my body however is achy and stiff....lol! Happy Monday! x

Hump day!

...Not literally as that would be a bit risqué even for me, to write on my blog :) lol But here, yet again, is Wednesday. The hump in the week,(Thus the "Humpness").

The weather in Catalunya is wet and very, very cold for here. However I secretly don´t mind too much as I am going skiing for the weekend (doesn´t that sound so cool and like I actually know what I´m doing!? The truth is it´s the second time I´ve been skiing in my life and the last time I was 13!) but if the weather is cold and wet here.....there is a very good chance it is cold and snowy in the moutains :) A large group of us are going and I can´t wait to get a big lung full of fresh air and no doubt have a relaxing and fun weekend with friends....even if I do spend 90% of it on my arse!

The shop is getting fuller....I have been adding a few new items that I have been happily working on over the last few days and I particulary love this mini scatter cushion. This actual piece has been in construction for the best part of 6 months!

I have a very busy month ahead, as well a few custom orders which are quite time consuming...so I doubt very much there will be many new items gracing the shop anytime soon :( Enjoy while you can! Happy Hump day all! x

New Stock

I´m trying to juggle everything at the moment, the day job, the shop, the orders, the house and keep some kind of social life.....mmm...juggle being the word.

But I have had a few little orders, actually some quite nicely sized orders through the shop recently and a lot of custom orders as well :) So I have been reminded to keep on at it and keep making new stock and advertising etc... So here are a couple of pictiures of the new stock in this week. I especially love this heart felt brooch...I want to make a few more of these in different contrasting colours as this one came out so beautifully.

I also love this new sign...the quote is so true!!!

Well....the day job calls...so I must dash...Happy Tuesday All! x

It´s a hard life!

Poor Milo...he gets up, eats and then goes back to his chair....It´s a hard life! but someone has to live it! ;)

A creation just for me, to remind me of you.

For those of you who read my blog regulary, you might remember the buttons my late Auntie Peggy left me??!? I brought a selection of different coloured/shaped ones back to Spain with me to make something for my house that would remind me of her on a daily basis. I decided on a nice cushion, with a heart design made of buttons on the front. With the mix of buttons and colours I thought it would look quite eclectic and unique. So for the past few months I have, every now and then been sewing one or two buttons onto the white cotton and although I have a way to go yet, I thought you might like to see how I am getting on.

Sewing the buttons on gives me great pleasure as I imagine what she used the buttons for, maybe a dress she used to love? or her favourite jumper? maybe her winter coat? I like to think that at least one or two of them were used and touched by her regulary and now my hands are touching them and renewing life into them by giving them a second purpose. It's a nice feeling and I am sure she is pleased they are getting used, rather than sitting in a tin somewhere. I have a whole bowl full of others so I will have to think about making something else out of those....but that's a project for next Winter! :) lol

As you can see, there is a way to go yet, but of course, once I have finished.... you guys will be the first to see :)

Shop sucsess

I've been working hard on my Etsy shop recently. I even purchased a great book on how to sell on Etsy that is full of great ideas. Some of which I was already doing, some of which I wasn't. But none the less, it inspired me to get on the shop and get promoting. For your information the book is called "How to sell your crafts online" and is written by Derrick Sutton. I have also found the shop stat's on Etsy really helpful and I have been tracking my progress for the last 10 days and so far, so good. I'm never expecting to be a millionaire doing this, but I do love running my shop and making things. The creative process of designing and making and then getting inventive with photogrpahs really satisfys me. So, I would like my Etsy shop to be a little bit more sucsessful and gain a few more sales if nothing else, just to keep me feeling valued and justified :) lol

I've added a couple of new things to the shop (like these great friendship bracelets in the photo). So onwards and upwards using all of these useful tools! 2012 is looking good for Sam's Shenanigans! Happy Saturday folks! x

Happy 2012!!!

Happy 2012 everyone!

I'm sorry I've been very hit and miss recently! Life has been manically running along....But finally it seems to be slowing down, (to a more reasonable pace anyhow! lol)

I may have been busy, but I have started the new spring/summer 2012 stock (see photo for the first sneak peak!) and two new hanging hearts are in the shop just in time for Valentines day! I love these, especially the red one...it's so cute!!!!