Just intime to welcome in 2011...Spring stock...

Just in time to welcome in 2011...new Spring stock :)

I am very excitied about the new fabric I have in...limited edition cupcake´s :) There will be lots of gorgeous new items arriving over the next few days, so keep your eyes peeled

I hope everyone has a wonderful evening tonight and here´s to an amazing 2011!!! x x x

2010 brought me...my Gorgeous Nephew Charlie...

I am sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo in love with my nephew. I mean...look at him...How could I not be? ? ?

But seriously, it was more than love at first sight. This little man has me...completely - hook, line and sinker.

I hope 2011 brings me more "Charlie-time" :) :) :)

Merry Christmas!

I would just like to wish everyone a VERY Merry Christmas and a fantastic 2011. I am offically signing off from the shop today as I fly to the UK tomorrow for 5 days. Lots of madness (packing, cleaning, sorting...etc) before we go...so today´s going to be a bit stressful me thinks....

I hope your Christmas´are magical and shared with the loved ones you want at this time of year. Merry Christmas! x

Two sales today....Yay! :)

I thought that I wouldn´t be getting anymore sales over the holiday season really...well maybe the odd one...but last night I had another 2 sales! I sold this new plaque I uploaded only the other day :) Which I am really pleased about, this is my quote for life and I painted it on my studio wall to inspire me, so I thought it was about time I shared it with the world and made it into a plaque...and voila! and even better it sold so quickly!

The boyf is ill today...something in the 7 years we have been together I have seen VERY rarely. He has a fever and a bad chesty cough...so I think he´s coming down with flu. I´ve been doing my nurse part and fetching him pain killers and water :) Fingers crossed he feels better tomorrow.

Well...not long till the big day now :) Yay!

Happy Sunday Everyone! x

Handmade in Spanish...

Living in Spain for nearly two years now, having Spanish "family" and having Spanish friends I am of course now getting the odd request from them for my signs or "Plaquitas" in Spanish :) So Voila! The first Spanish order.

Feliz Navidad! or Merry Christmas to you and I English speakers. I do of course speak some Spanish and I think I would like to be able to develop the shop into a bilingual shop with bilingual products.....but that would need some time.....!!! As they say here in Spain Poca a poca... Slowly, slowly :)

I am going out this afternoon to my day job´s Christmas party, It´s normally a great shindig and plenty of laughs are had. Now just to find something to wear.....

Happy Saturday everyone! Not long till the big guy comes!!! :) x

Last few days of business...

Its the fast few days of the shop being open, until the barn doors are closed for a few days.

I have the last couple of local orders to crack on with and then Saturday can rest.

I feel I am very deserving of this Christmas...!!! I have worked my little socks off!! I have been very lucky with my Etsy shop this year and although it has been hard work, I have loved every minute of it :) My New Year´s Resolution...? To work on my Etsy shop even harder! ;) and I am opening a second shop next year...so watch this space :) 2011 is going to be a very, very busy year :)

Happy Wednesday everyone...half way through the week! I can almost smell the weekend! x

Handmade gifts and wrapping....

I´ve been a busy bunny this weekend :) But doing things I want to do :) Making gift bags for pressies for Christmas for friends and family. I love making things for the people I love. I made these gift bags and another two, plus I have three on the go! lol

I attached some gingerbreadmen brooches to them to make the gift bags look even nicer and it´s another little pressie ;)

I must say...I´m kinda impressed with myself!

I now feel well and truely festive and so much so that I really don´t want to work next week!!! lol :) But at least its the last full week till Christmas! :)

Happy Holidays everyone! x x

Mr and Mrs Gingerbreadman had a baby...

...hee hee. I´ve called him Mini Gingerbreadman :) and then very cruely attached him to a pin and made him into a brooch :) lol

I´ve been wearing him all week and had lots of lovely comments on him :)

He´s just perfect for Christmas! You can get your very own: www.samsshenanigans.etsy.com

I hope you´ve all got that Friday feeling! x

A busy day ahead...

I´ve got a very busy day ahead of me. Back to work after three days bank holiday (thank you Spain!) and then in my break I have to get a train to central Barcelona and visit my dentist (one of my phobias) who may or may not remove a problem tooth, do a root canal or none of the above....however in my head there is also the option of rip out all of my teeth one by one because they are all rotten. The grown up in me soon realises the chances of this happening are seriously minimal, however the 8 year old phobic in me thinks this is a real possibility. Lol

I then have to dash back to work, to do two more classes, when I may or may not be fit to do so. I am also hoping from a finacial point that no work needs to be done...but I realise after being on anti-biotics for a week...there´s a big chance a lot does....

So then after my two classes...dash to the post office to send off a moutain of orders, dash back home and I have three or four things to list on the shop, a couple of orders to finish for posting tomorrow and at some point something to eat! :)

No rest for the wicked eh?

Happy Thursday everyone! x

Busy....Busy.....Busy....

The postman is going to love me in the morning! :) lol

I´ve finally caught up with orders and got waaaaaaaay more orders than I expected! :)

I love sending off things - I love receiving things through the post...so I often wonder if the recievers of these parcels will get as excitied as I do, when they get them, rip off the envelope with excitiment and have pleasure opening the tissue paper parcels to see their purchases :)

Right....no rest for the wicked...two more orders to go today! Happy Wednesday everyone...not long till the weekend! x

Homemade Christmas cake :)

Christmas cake is a pain in the bum to make. Especially the reciepe I like to use! Although it´s easy to follow...it takes ages of preparation; zesting and juicing oranges and lemons, chopping up nuts after roasting them....the list goes on...

So every year I make it, I have to give myself an afternoon to crack on with it, so I´m not under the pressure of time. So yesterday, being on holiday for the last 4 days I thought it was about time I gave myself time off from sewing and packing and get cracking with one :) and Voila!

It has yet to be iced and marzipaned...but I quite like it on it´s own ;)

(pics of before it´s numerous hours in the oven...and after. Yum!) Merry Christmas Everyone! x

New Signs!

The Etsy Epat team I am involved with are having a BNR sale! :) So for this i got cracking last night and made a couple of new signs to put in the shop. I love making signs as it was the first thing i started to make when I started the shop by going round craft fairs selling and they always got such lovely remarks about them. I used to love watching peoples faces as they read different ones :)

Caught red handed....

....little monkey!

He is terrible with tissues or paper...he has an burning desire to rip them up into little pieces and spread them everywhere. Naughty kitty!

Crafting & Creating...

Today I am up early. Not because I have to, infact I really don´t! I´m up because I am excitied I have the day to myslef to do as I please :) I can´t remember the last time I could slowly potter around creating or not, crafting, or not. It´s a nice feeling.

So, this morning I am going to pop into the English supermarket in Barcelona for some festive treats ;) I´m thinking mince pies, christmas cake, ginger ale and hopefully some gamon as I can´t get any anywhere to make a ham! Now, don´t get me wrong, on a day to day basis I eat more and more Spanish/Catalan meals...but it´s Christmas! How am I ever going to believe it´s christmas without a mince pie!

Then this afternoon I am going to create and craft till I am sick of creating...(it will be a late night then! lol)

Oh! I had a returning customer to my shop as well....more gingerbread ladies! :)

I hope everyone is having a lovely weekend! Happy Sunday! x

The weekend has arrived! :)

Finally I have time to stop and sit down. Relax.

The past fortnight has been crazy busy with the day job and orders and I now feel I finally on top and I have conquered the moutain.

Thank goodness for that!

One of the perks of living in Spain is the bank holidays...they love their bank holidays over here! I have three days off (monday/tuesday/wednesday) next week as bank holidays ;) So I get a 5 day weekend :) ahhhhhhhh.... I am not planning on doing much, just getting on top of everything and getting re-organised! I am going back to the UK with my better half for 5 days over christmas and I can´t wait! :) See my family and friends and get that lovely warm feeling in your soul that fills you up. I also get to meet my new baby nephew Charlie, who is going to get well and truely spoilt by his auntie Sam :)

So the photos are of the Christmas tree in my studio (pink of course!) and the lovely, lovely, lovely ribbon I bought (20mtrs) for my gingerbreadmen. It looks so lovely on a reel like that! and very christmassey too! For those of you in the UK.....I hope your still managing to enjoy the snow! I´ve heard it´s been a bit of a nightmare....and for everyone else "Happy weekend!" and enjoy the festive feeling this lovely time of year brings you!

End of term and exams...

So the end of term is ever moving closer and this week is exams. My poor students!

So far, so good and some real surprises (nice ones) over some of the grades :)

But because the day job is (yet again) taking over my life (so much for a part time job!) I haven´t been able to be crafty or get sewing! boo! Only just about able keep up to date with orders! So I promise over my next weekend (when I get a long bank holiday - yay!) I will bring you all up to date with my shenanigans!

Until then! Have a nice week guys and girls! x

Self promotion....

So....as you all know, my gingerbread MEN have been all around the world and flown out of my shop! and after a suggestion by a friend of mine...I made the lovely gingerbread MRS :) She doesn´t ever seem to get as much limelight as she deserves...until now!

The lovely Nina from Finland has included them in her blog :)

Check it out: www.whiterabbittreasures.blogspot.com

and this blog as well by a place for twiggs :) www.aplacefortwiggs.blogspot.com

OH! and Happy Thanksgiving America! x

Good Morning Starshine...the world says hello!

Good morning world! So today is the day the schools inspector goes and we can all breath a little better. I took my horrible class yesterday as well. although they still made snide comments and questioned me at every turn....I did good. I have decided that class has to be purely a business decision to do - I do not enjoy it but we need the money! ;)

Luckily I had my 4-5´s last night, who although were hyper....always make me smile and I get the added bonus of free cuddles! :)

The shop has been dead all week. I shouldn´t complain as I am managing to somewhat catch up with all these custom orders! But now I am having a ribbon dilema....I have nearly ran out of gingham ribbon and although I have ordered 15 metres of it over the internet, the post has been so slow recently and I just can´t trust it. I have been everywhere I know to try and source more...but no luck! Whats a girl to do?

Fingers crossed I get lucky and it comes today! I am however, expecting my new Moo Business cards today :) Same design for christmas...but I ran out of the others I have been that busy! :)

I have been cracking on with my Christmas shopping too! :) I have nearly bought everything...just a couple of really big things to buy and I am almost there! My favourite present is for my niece Lola, but then she is the perfect girlie girl and having an auntie who is the same....(moi) it is super easy to buy for her! I can´t wait to see her face when she opens them! :)

Well....I better get on with these custom orders! Happy Wednesday everyone! (nearly the weekend!) x

Oh to be a cat....

...and have no worries. Spend your day dozing away, getting up to eat or to just move a inch further into the sunshine ;) Lucky cats!

This is a picture of Milo this morning who generally, each morning will come and lay like this happily purring away next to me while I work at "shop" - either convo-ing people, answering queries, updating orders or such like.

I have an exceptionally busy week this week. Lots of orders to get out by Friday, an Ofsted/Quality control man in work for the first half of the week (meaning...observation!) and a particulary difficult class to try and get back to a controlable level. So if the week fairy approached me and asked me if I would like to rub out this week and skip along merrily to next week I would jump at the chance...but considering I haven´t ever seen the week fairy, I think my chances are rather slim! :) lol

So here´s to positive thinking and having a productive and positive Monday!

Thank goodness for tea!

So, very cleverly this morning I locked myself out the house. Even more clever than that I managed to leave my mobile in the house too! and to totally top it all off...it was raining! :) lol

Thankfully and unbeknown to me, I have very nice neighbours (who before this I had seen maybe once or twice in the hallway of the apartment block) and they came to my rescue whilst I was sitting outside the apartment on the floor! :) They took me in, got me to ring my boyfriend at work and then duely drove me to his work to pick up the other set of keys. How nice was that?

So I now know that José and Mari, my lovely neighbours are indeed that...lovely neighbours! :)

I managed to photograph this lavender heart before the commotion :) lol although my camera is blurring a lot these days so I need to have a technical play with it I think. That or ask the boyfriend to sort it out ;) and I am aiming on creating something new today. I have a mountain of orders to do but they can wait till tomorrow when I have a full on sewing day...today is cleaning, washing and creating day :)

Happy Saturday! x

I know I am poorly when....

...I go to bed early with no tea, (I eat a lot...so not eating is a real sign I am unwell).

It appears I have been buring the candle at both ends (what with the shop being as busy as it has been the last few weeks) and working "part-time" as an English teacher, (I say "part-time" as I am in EVERY morning and EVERY evening...go figure..). I was violently sick yesterday after lunch, which unfortunately seems to becoming something of a habit....and then cleaned myself up and went to work. I should have however, rang in and not gone in as I really wasn´t well. Let´s see what today brings....

On the positive side however I may have been burning the candle at both ends...but I have caught up with a lot of orders and even started designing some new stock :) That´s the best bit...designing the new stock ;) I am awaiting a button, ribbon and brooch bar delivery...once they arrive I´ll be one even happier bunny! :) I am aiming to finish orders this weekend and then have at least half a day to myself where I can freely create or just chill out....depends on which mood takes me.....I´m guessing the creative mood will win over ;)

Happy Friday everyone! x

Orders...orders....orders...

I

I got an order from a work friend to customize one of my blue cupcake magnets, for her sister (see photo) and I think they look quite cute! I might make some up for friends and family for Christmas! :)

There´s a gingerbread frenzy! I have three big orders of gingerbread men and women to make up before the month is out...I´m talking 71+ gingerbreadmen and women to hand sew!!! I am going to be a busy bunny! Luckily I have a couple of hours inbetween classes today so I can crack on with a few...

Happy Tueday everyone! :)

Milo...

Milo made me smile today :) I was packing orders in the studio and he decided he would get into the washing basket and make himself comfy! lol

The funniest thing was that when I got the camera out to take a photo he kept batting it, like he was embarrassed :D

hee hee

Silly kitty!

Welcome to the world Charlie!!!

My nephew was born this morning! 9lbs and 2ounces big! I am totally in love with him already and we haven´t even met yet! :) Being in Spain and them being in the UK, I can´t meet him till Christmas...which is a killer....but look at that gorgeous boy! Every second I have to wait will be more than worth it!

Welcome to the world Charlie Matthew Edward Boyle :) The 14th November will never be the same again!

Strange day...a mentally disturbed woman started a fight with me....

...I have to add...she won! :) lol

No, seriously, a woman approached me and got very cross and distressed when I told her "I´m sorry, I don´t smoke". All in all she showed herself to be disturbed and ran away when I opened my bag. Very strange and very random, made more scary in a foreign country and a foreign language!

So, I uploaded this image of my bitten gingerbreadman...this is how I feel right now! :) lol thankfully now, however, I am back home, safe and sound and with wine! I rang my mum (good old supermum to the rescue), had a cry, had a moan and feel much better! Unfortunately though, this has made me loose a few hours pulling myself together when I should have been sewing orders! Hey ho...tomorrow and Sunday will be busy days! :) The shop is doing well at the moment and I am on the verdge of turning away work (something I REALLY; REALLY never want to do) because I have been unindated. I´ll just have to make these fingers sew faster!

Hope your all having a lovely Friday! Happy weekend everyone! x

Holidays are coming....Holidays are coming...

Yay! to Christmas! This is my newest item on my shop :) www.samsshenanigans.etsy.com

The shop has been manic this month (even bigger Yay!) people are obviously starting their shopping early! 3 nearly 4 (currently convo-ing about setting up a custom order) all in one day! Wow! I´m going to be a busy bunny!

.......and tell me...where has this week gone?? Thursday tomorrow already?!? Crazy! I suppose it is going to do this from now on right? :)

You can´t catch me...I´m the gingerbreadman!

.....literally! I can´t seem to keep up with Gingerbreadmen orders :) I am not at all complaining though. I just never imagined they would be so popular! I have two big orders to rattle through this week and at a push next, and then I want to get creative as I haven´t had time to do anything new...but I had been stocking up on fabric over the last few months, so I have lots of things to play with when I do get a moment. I also recieved my gorgeous new business cards (see the super quick snapshot) and they are sooooooooooo cool! Very impressed with them...so much so...I ordered some more! You can never have too many business cards! ;) lol. I am quite amazed at how fast the week is going this week...it´ll be Christmas before we all know it! Happy Tuesday everyone!

Steph cae to stay...

I had the pleasure of my best friend to stay this weekend :) It was wonderful to see her as i haven´t seen her for nearly 6 months. It was nice to show her the sights and introduce her to important people over here. It´s just always so sad to say goodbye. Living abroad has any positive things to it, but the major downside is not seeing those important people as much as you want to or need to, and goodbyes are rubbish! :( I´m going to have to work hard to keep my sad face at bay today!

Bank "holiday" Monday...

So today was a very welcome bank holiday here in Barcelona. Unfortunately, i had to spend it catching up on the shop orders...I say unfortunately...but I really enjoyed it and get a great deal of satisifaction from it :) So, so far I have made 16 gingerbreadmen (I need 39 for orders and at least that again for a craft fair...!) and finally finished off my friend table runner...which I really hope she loves as it was a bit of a bugger to make! As per usual little Milo has spent the entire day sat sleeping and purring next me while I sew away...#gorgeous cat#

Tomorrow back to the day job, I have an early class at 9.30am and quite a busy day there after so no rest for the wicked! But roll on the weekend as my best friend is coming to stay :) YAY!

Happy Monday, oh! and Happy Novemebr everyone! I can nearly smell Christmas!! :)

Yay for the weekend!

...Especially this weekend as its a bank holiday here in Spain! :) Yay!

Though apart from tonight, when the girls are coming round for girls night, most of the bank holiday I will be working on orders. I have so many orders in my little Etsy shop, made a lot bigger by a massive custom order that I will be sewing away most of the weekend....not that I am complaining...as sewing is my favourite thing to do! :) I am so pleased that the shop seems to be finally taking off! Take a look for yourselves: www.samsshenanigans.etsy.com

This is one of my new items. I have these gorgeous buttons and some new felt and thought they looked good together. I am completely and utterly in the "Christmas zone" now :) It´s not normal! :)

But, alas...not much sewing can be done today...I have a party for us ladies to organise and food and drinks to prepare...as well as cleaning this apartment!!! So I must dash.....firstly - yummy food to buy :) Happy Saturday everyone! x

A handmade Christmas....

This year, because I clearly have lots of time on hands (...not!) I am going to be making a few christmas presents...Scrabble pictures being one of them. The picture is one I am making for myself (as clearly I can´t put other peoples christmas presents on here yet!) and I particulary like the scrabble pictures. Of course a few relatives will recieve the odd "Sam´s Shenanigans" item...lavender hearts etc as stocking fillers and I am going to try and run up some bags for the girls...but we´ll see hoe much time I actually get!!! :)

I have been buying lots of lovely Christmas pressies from the wonderful other sellers on Etsy as well...spread the love..you know...

So, so far, so good on the christmas pressies, but I´ll have to hold off for a few weeks till more pennies Nearly at the weekend folks....not long now!!! Happy Thursday :)

Getting organised and creative :)

So my studio was getting a little out of hand....So last night I found 20 minutes to go in and have a sort out. I have been stocking up on lots of supplies recently and things were pouring out of jars and out of bags and it was just a mess! I am not a naturally tidy person at all...I blame my creativity! ;)

But I got some lovely new jars for my buttons and because I had got organised last night I was able to make some lovely new things for the shop :) pictures coming soon.......

....and good news an old colleague of mine is doing a big Christmas market in Beverley, East Yorkshire (my hometown) on the 12th Decemeber and has asked if my little gingerbreadmen would like to go on a sale or return :) How thoughtful! So I will be busy with gingerbreadmen and mrs for the next few weeks!!

I got up early...

So I got up early to photograph some new stock and do some sorting out, as you can see Milo decided as he often does, that he would help. He sat as good as gold for about a minute then took great delight in flicking my new buttons off the table and watching them bounce to the floor.....naughty kitty!

He really is very sweet though...wherever I am, he has to be. He gets quite distressed if I close a door and will sit and cry outside it. A total mummies boy!

So today is Monday :( Booooooooo....... but I am not too down about it, next Monday is a bank holiday and I am going to try and just get through the week!!! One week....One week.... I am having the girls over for "Girl´s night" on Saturday and the following weekend

one of my best friends is coming for the weeekend and I haven´t seen her since June :) So lots to look forward to! :) Right, let the week commence....

Halloween make it....

So I´ve started getting ready for Halloween....

#Horrible witchy Halloween cackle# :)

Lazy Sunday Morning...ok...day ;)

So Milo and I have decided that Sunday should be a lazy one. We´ve been really busy of late and both Victor and I have had ridiculous stress levels recently....so a lazy morning that turned into day has been a welcome relief! :)

Milo has enjoyed the autumn sunshine through the patio doors and I´ve enjoyed catching up on the shop, facebook and emails while watching a cheesy chick flick :) Gotta love those lazy Sundays! Hope your all enjoying your day as much as we are here in España!

Fin de Semana!

Finally the weekend has arrived! It has been a very long week and I really needed a break (or change of job as I call it, to cleaner! lol) But I am hoping to have at least a few hours this weekend to get creative! I recieved some much needed supplies in the week.

This gorgeous Babushka applique - not sure what I am going to use her for yet....but she keeps whispering my name and calling me back into the studio to make something with her. I bought her from a fellow Etsian, check out her gorgeous items:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/PacificCoastie

I also recieved these gorgeous buttons from:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/thaifabshop

Check it out! Amazing little buttons and supplies!

So I have plenty to keep me entertained ;) I have started my Christmas shopping as well...and I am loving reciving the little parcels filled with pressies through the post. Happy Fin de Semana all! x

Good Morning Everyone :)

The weekend has finally arrived :) I have quite a busy little weekend again, today we are having lunch with the in-laws (who are actually very nice....just don´t speak a word of English and so my Spanish is very much tested), we have to venture back to Ikea (after the mammoth 5 hour stint in there last weekend) as they didn´t have a rug we were after, so going back to retrieve! Then doing a little clothes shopping as we are both very desperate for some new ones. Sunday I am going to the beautiful village my friend lives in called Vacarisis (about 10-20 minutes away from us in the not so beautiful Terrassa) for her birthday, there are a few of us invitied for a good old English cakes and tea afternoon :) How kitsch is that! :) So I am in charge of making a cake....which I am actually quite good at...so I better get on...it´s not going to make itself!

No real creative plans this weekend...not that I don´t want to be creative...it is sooooooo fustrating not having the time anymore! Next weekend I am dedicating the WHOLE weekend to it!!!

Oh and as you can see....I am looking forward to Halloween and carving my pumpkin :) The photos were taken when we went to Portaventura the other weekend and they got me in the mood for it all.....Happy weekend everyone!

Lovely Jan at the lovely Fabrique Fantastique...

I had a lovely comment left by Jan the writer of "A passion for vintage textiles" (blog), please see link:

http://fabriquefantastique.blogspot.com/

I met her, I say "met" via the Etsy Expat group and she has some gorgeous items in her Etsy shop...lots of wonderful vintage finds and fabrics..worth a look...so please check her out on her blog (link above) or shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/fabriquefantastique

As for me...the lesson went much better this morning you´ll be pleased to hear...thank goodness! But the Etsy shop is a little slow. Time for some more items me thinks!