Miss Russ,

A friend of mine has just opened an Etsy shop (and about time too!) as an outlet for some of her limited edition art prints.  I've know Amy (yes, another Amy) since we were both about 4 years old as we both went to the same primary school, and then the same art foundation course.

These two are some of my favorites,

You can see more here and also at Amy's official website.

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My Etsy shop is now topped up with books and for those in the UK who prefer to go through a UK site I've put some on Folksy too.  Don't forget to join the Flickr group and load images if you make anything from the book.

The funny side,

Well, it's happened.   What every author waits for with baited breath.  The Amazon reviews.  

Ho Hum.  

Only way to deal with it is to rise above, keep calm and eat chocolate carry on, always look on the bight side.  The amusing thing is, usually if you read between the lines, some are actually quite funny...

Review of the book 'Little Birds' - "disappointed, it just contained projects about birds" - errr, the clue is in the name.

"Some of the projects look like they could be made by a child" - not quite getting the point behind varying projects within a book to cater for a wide range of abilities.

Review of a book about paper crafts - "disappointed, it just contained projects made using paper" - errr, again, the clue is in the name.

"Patterns needed tracing" - so you would seriously be happy cutting up your book?

"I bought the Kindle version and then realised the patterns needed tracing" - no kidding!

"I was going to buy this book, but..." - so you're reviewing a book you don't have based on the 'look inside' feature alone from which there are large chunks of the book missing?

"I'm giving this book 1 star as when it arrived it was damaged" - yes, because the postal system is indeed the authors fault.  Obviously!

Anyone seen anymore Amazon gems I should add to the list??

Poor little Peahen!

Last week I tidied the room (or cupboard, it's that small) where I work, and although it's much tidier, a couple of significant things were misplaced in the process.  Firstly, I lost all of my grey felted wool.  That's 3 jumpers all together, a dark, mid and a light grey.  A big deal since at the time I was in the middle of making a (grey) Raccoon. And secondly, I couldn't find the, still unfinished, Peahen.

Thankfully, both have since surfaced.  The grey jumpers were all at the bottom of my rather large scrap bag (no idea how they got there) and the Peahen was in a box underneath a box of books.  Not very fitting for a little Peahen.  So she has now been finished off and is finally in the shop (sold, thank you)

On another subject, while working on the Peahen given it's more or less the same pattern as the Peacock from the Little Birds book, I have been giving PDF patterns some more thought.  The more patterns I continue to produce, the more the likelihood is of items made by these patterns turning up for sale on Etsy.  Normally my policy is that any patterns or tutorials are not for commercial use, but what I'm finding with that route, is that some will respect that, and others won't.  So in order to flush the state of mind away of constantly feeling like it would need policing, I am seriously considering of changing this to allow small businesses to sell items made from my patterns on the condition that they credit 'Lucykate Crafts...' with the design and link to where the pattern is available (and don't undercut me on price!).

What do you think?

10 signed copies...,

now up on Etsy

which means if you are in the UK, you can have your book now rather than waiting until May!

First 3 orders will also receive one of the handmade conkers as a free gift!

Dragonflies...

In celebration of National Craft Month, the Dragonfly from the 'Countryside Softies' book is up as a free downloadable pdf pattern on the Stash Books blog!

I've also set up a Flickr group, please feel free to join and post any projects made from the book there.

Raccoon,

 

...I'm slowly getting there with this one.  He has just lost his feet (they weren't right), but nonetheless, I am getting there.

The wanderers return...

FedEx have just visited...

The last time I saw this box was in May 2010 when I first posted it off to America.  This isn't everything, some has stayed behind for exhibition purposes.

Also arrived...

My author copies of the book.  I will have some of these up for sale on Etsy shortly, once I've signed them!

Fancy some chocolate...?

Right, now I've got your attention, I'll get to the chocolate part shortly.  First, a friend of mine, Kerry is ,amongst other things, the Editor for Popular Crafts magazine and website and after a continuing spate of copying Indie Designer's work by many larger retail companies, has written an article for the magazine covering a few of the most recent cases, mine included.  This is always a tricky subject to cover but I do think Kerry has expressed each case in a valid, balanced and unbiased way.  Click on the image above and it should come up large enough to read, and Issue 7 of the magazine is out now.

Now, back to the chocolate.  Kerry has also just started a new venture into the world of chocolate making called Trufflepiglet, and has been very kind enough to offer a 20% discount specially for Lucykate Crafts... blog readers.  Just type in the code LUCYKATE when you place an order to make use of this discount.  There is a minimum spend of £5, and this offer will run until the 7th April 2011.

Go take a look, I have taste tested.  These look yummy!

This,

I have been a bad blogger.  There has been too much of this going on...

and not enough work!

Back to the grindstone.  Am having a go at making a Raccoon today, wish me luck!