Panic stations!

No crafting this afternoon for me because when I was finishing my housework today I spotted TWO of my indoor cats in the garden. I rushed out to get them in as soon as possible as it was just getting to the really busy time on our road past the house.   So as I ran into the garden calling  the cats I heard a loud hollering from the top of the house.  Expecting to see one of the remaining rotters in a window lamenting the lack of adventure in the garden , I looked up and spotted my big Ginge sitting in the guttering.

He was absolutely terrified. I decided to get the other cats in first, hoping fervently he wouldn't chuck himself off the roof in the meantime.  When I got round to the front of the house my two escapees were clammering by the front door to be let in. Having admitted them I rushed upstairs to the loft rooms to get some idea of how to get Sumo the Ginge of the roof.  Looking through the window he must have busted out off, I realised that the blanket I had brought up was nowhere long enough to reach him. I had to try from the window in the next room as that came down lower on the roof. I threw the blanket out and expected him to clamber straight up it and have it all over and done with but he had other thoughts.  He was too terrified to turn around so he would only look at me over his shoulder.  I talked and cajoled shouted and threatened for ages until he got enough courage to turn around so he was facing me.  Then he got a brain short circuit and could only move backwards , so he actually lost all the ground he gained whilst moving round.

 My daughter then turned up (she took the photos). She came upstairs to remove the other cats from the loft as they were getting very worked up and were making loads of silly noises. She called all the cats and Sumo decided to look up at the window.  I suddenly could see the cogs turning in his silly little catbrain. I stretched out of the window and continued calling and cajoling him.  He then decided to stick his head UNDER the blanket.  Understandable,but not very useful. I pulled the blanket off his head and tried to convince him to CLIMB.THE.STUPID.BLANKET.  For crying out loud he's got claws, what's wrong with him?  He looked up at me again, his normally pale pink nose now bright fuschia and his eyes HUGE. I think  he just thought " Stuff it I, am going for it"  He started up the blanket and as soon as I could grip him, I nabbed his scruff and hauled him in. Pffff..... safe.  His thanks was a soaking wet tail in my face.  Cats....who'd have them!

Making a list of things to do.

Time is running away with me. I have hundreds of ideas but rarely get to do any. Why is this? Obviously a household with seven people in it takes a lot of time and effort but even that doesn't explain why I seem to be so short of time.
I really need to sort out what is going on. I suppose it doesn't help that my arts and craft stuff is all over the place. My craft room is in the conservatory and it just has been too cold to sit in there, so I drag my stuff to the sitting room. The problem with that is that I get distracted by all the goings on in there and everything gets muddled up and I spend a large proportion of time just finding things. (or the cats try to make of with my newly felted items!!)
I also find all the promoting of my website and Etsy shop hard work. Facebook and twitter don't come naturally to me and I am sure I do it wrong most of the time. It is rather frustrating to read all the experts telling you you need to "engage" your audience by asking them questions or giving them options to choose from and when you do this you get feedback from just one person and she is your old granny...
So what to do?  My plan is to make a list that includes all the things I need to do to make me use my time more economically. This will include clearing out my craftroom, throwing away a lot of  "it may come in useful later" items and make a schedule for Facebook and Twitter time.
And of course I need to blog more. But at the moment it feels like I just do not have much to share.  My daughters are encouraging me to do some Youtube videos too, but again I can't think what kind of things I should show. What I hope is  that when I start to organise my crafting I may actually be more creative and that that will then lead to more sales too.
So  I hope I haven't bored you to death, and you wil be looking in from time to time looking to see if I have improved!
To finish off, I have been making stuff, and over the last three days I have made some felt earrings. Please let me know if you like them.

They will be for sale on my website. And yes, I have finally remembered to put a direct link on here today. Just click on the Astrid's Garden button at the top righthand of the blog and you will be whizzed of to there!

Do you need a Fairy wand?

I had been toying with the idea of making some Fairy wands for a while and I finally got around to do it last night. I managed to make one and I am pretty pleased with it. I will (of course!!!!) have to get some more materials.  (How come I have tonnes of stuff but never the stuff I need for something?) However I thought it would be fun to show the prototype and you can let me know how to improve on them. 

Of course if they don't work as Fairy wands they make pretty good cat toys, I had to fight my mini tigers off cause they love the glittery ribbons....  Maybe another idea for the shop?

Celebrating 500 followers on Facebook!

A few days ago I realised that there were 500 followers to my  Astrid's Garden Facebook page.  I decided that would be a good reason to celebrate with a give-away.  I have a pretty charm bracelet as a prize.

So what do you do to have a chance to get this pretty thing? Nothing hard, just tell me what you would like to see in Astrid's garden. Tell me what kind of things you would like me to create. Tell me if the items I have made are what you like or which ones you don't like and please tell me why. Anyone who leaves a comment on the blog will automatically enter the draw.
So have a look here astridsgarden  and in my Etsy shop
I look forward to reading your comments and being inspired by your ideas!

If you like purple.

Haven't blogged for ages, but thought it might be an idea to start again. I have decided to let my Folksy shop fizzle out and am putting my efforts into my Etsy shop and am pleased to announce my new website. So what am I doing to fill these shops? I have been busy, but unfortunately not creating stuff, but indeed setting up website and filling in tax return. However I have managed to make a pretty necklace today, particularly if you like purple!

Here are the raw materials and some of my handmade felt beads.

And here is what I made of it

Hope you like it, it's for sale in my Etsy shop.  I have just bought a pile of seed beads too and have plans for some really gorgeous orange and also limegreen jewellery.  So keep popping in and having a look as new things are being listed all the time.  And don't forget, if you like Octopusses there is always Squids In which has now got a new home on my website too, so if you're in need of some funky cephalopod cards that's your port of call

Long time no blog!

I haven't been blogging for a while as I have been busy making stuff for various ventures. However I thought I should just write a little blog post and just let you all know what I was up to. I have been setting up my website. You can now find me here. I chose this webside provider because they said it was really easy to do.... Well of course me being me I couldn't make heads nor tails of it and got quite frustrated by it. But help was not far away and my daughter helped me to sort it out in short order.  I have also started a shop on ASOS  (PS my daughter is also the gorgeous model in my ASOS shop!) and have been happily promoting Shhim.  So all in all a busy time. I hope that it will bring some benefits in the form of sales as they have been a bit thin on the ground recently. Anyhow here are a few goodies I have made recently

And a few  nice shots  of my furry companions too, who keep me on my toes as they have a crazy obsession with the wool I use for felting. I managed to keep my stuff out of their way but they are very cunning.....

The A to Z of me (just a bit of fun)

A - Age - 45

B - Bed size - Kingsize, but I usually en up with a tiny part of it, squashed between hubby and mister cat


C - Chores you hate - Washing up


D - Dogs - no dog at the moment.


E - Essential start to your day -  a nice espresso.


F - Favourite colour - Blue/turquoise.


G - Gold or Silver - Silver.


H - Height - 5' 7"


I - Instruments you play - learning to play the saxophone.


J - Job title - expert finder of other people's belongings, and in my spare time  painter and jewellery maker


K - Kids - 5.


L - Live - Wales.


M - Mother's name - Geertruida


N - Nickname - Don't have one
 
O - Over night hospital stays - When  my daughter was stillborn.


P - Pet peeves -People driving too slow, as we have to drive great distances for everything here in Wale


Q - Quote from a film -Did you all see that, cause I won't be doing that again! (Pirates of the Carribean)


R - Right or left handed -mostly right.


S - Siblings - Two older brothers.


T - Time you wake up - I don't like waking up, alarm goes of at  7.20


U - Underwear -  whatever is reasonably priced and not a thong.


V - Vegetable you hate - none really but not fussed on broad beans


W - What makes you run late - Kids cats and hubby.


X - X-rays you've had - can't really remember x-rays, only remember ultrasound scans.


Y - Yummy food you make -  loads, love cooking.


Z - Zoo animal - Fossa, stunning looking creature


Copy the list and add your own answers! It's fun!