March, April, May and June have gone by in a blur of bag making commisions. Some photos are on the ‘Photo Gallery 2013’ page.The leather flap/linen bags are proving so popular i had to have a list and work through a strict date when ordered rota. Luckily everyone was pleased to wait their turn and a few examples i had made to show people were snapped up immediately. A couple of lovely people have just taken delivery of their third commisions, as each time they saw a new example ordered another. The smaller versions feature a leather lace strap, larger versions a linen strap, all are lined in posh fabrics for example Liberty lawn etc.The outer fabrics are linens in new and vintage French, English, Liberty, Laura Ashley and Sanderson fabrics. All finished off with an internal  toggle or button fastener and vintage button detail on the leather flap,most have a  leather inside pocket for holding those essentials.Now i’ve finally caught up, i’m having a couple of weeks off to make myself a few things and then starting on the stock for the 8th Sept fair at Easton Walled Garden, plus bags for other things that are in the pipeline.

The past few weeks i have finally managed to start making the bag commisions i have been getting since last Sept! Lifes events meant i had to take 6 months out, but now i’m back on track.

The next few months will be spent designing and making bags for the many people who have been patiently waiting. Heres a few photos of three i have completed so far.

January, Feb and March have passed in a blur of Charity Knitted Easter Chicks! Janine has spent most evenings during the past few months, knitting, sewing up, strangling, beaking and eyeing hundreds of Chicks to sell for funds for The Nottingham Breast Cancer Support Group. I will post the final totals of money raised, Team Janine has already exceeded last years total!

I have been selling these through many outlets for afew years now, but this year i have been organising Team Janine, making, with help from my many helpers and sorting out the sales, getting in the money etc etc. Afew left to sell and the rest of the money to gather in. You would think thats it we could all have a rest, but no, knitting has already started for next year. Plus hens will be added to the mix, a budding volunteer has offered to crochet the plumes, prototypes were discussed and today shown to a few people, they met with excitement, so all looks good to go ahead.

I feel i should also mention that during Feb i lost a very special friend Debi to Ovarian Cancer. Its been a very sad and heartbreaking few weeks. Debi had been having treatment for over four years, and never gave up trying to find a cure and prolong her life. I have lots of private memories, we started off as work colleagues, but became good friends after Debis cancer diagnosis. We met up for lunches and afternoon teas every few weeks, went off on summer trips and shared craft stalls and also had adjacent stalls. Debi was the person who started me off sewing and was a constant help and mentor. I will miss her so much, we had so many more things we planned to do. I will remember the happy times.

Happy Christmas and a Healthy and Happy New Year.

Here at Bunny HQ the cards are written and the presents wrapped, just! Now to settle down to listen to Carols from King’s and then the last five episodes of The Killing (perhaps not all five tonight though!). There is no baking and cooking happening here as we always go out for Xmas lunch, anyway isn’t that what M&S is for!

Time to ponder and plan for 2013. Jan and Feb will be taken up with sewing up and selling hundreds of knitted charity Easter Chicks. Then when the ‘Man of the House/ Pain in the neck’ returns to a phased return to work, i will at last have time to get out the sewing machine and make the bags i had planned to make at the end of 2012 and didn’t. The end of Jan i will be going on a short course for inspiration and to learn a new technique which i may or may not incorporate into some new work. Then Spring and Summer will be over to design and development, then making  before the Autumn and Winter Fairs. So hoping to spend Xmas relaxing and recharging the batteries after a stressful end to the year. Heres hoping in 2013 myself and ‘the Man of the House’ manage to not spend quite so much time at both of the hospitals in our city!

P.S. Willow wreath grown and made at The Garden Bothy, Staunton, Derbyshire before i wound around Nottingham Lace and finished off with a silver bow.

My last fair of the year will be at The Southwell Garden Centre, Vintage and Handcrafted Fair on Sunday December 2nd, 10 to 4pm.

However a large selection of my Tweed Bunnies, Bags and Brooches are stocked at at the lovely shop, Rose and Peck, The Arcade, Newark, where Diane and Zoe are only to glad to help with those Xmas purchases. Its a delightful gift shop, which also supports local crafters like myself. Worth a visit.

I will briefly explain why the November diary has been empty. After a hectic and very stressful time since the end of Oct due to ‘The man of the house’ having urgent tests and an operation, (which the surgeon and consultant said indicated most likely to be cancer). After extensive surgery the results came back much to their surprise good news. ( I always said it could be good news, in my up days, but did try to mentally prepare for not so good news) I can’t describe the relief. Can only praise our GP and the staff at the ENT Centre at the QMC, Nottingham for the care and attention he had. The last few weeks have been spent looking after him, cancelling various planned events ( my planned trip to Brussels for my Birthday has been given away, nevermind a lesson learnt is get annual holiday insurance before booking!) Its quite uplifting giving away your birthday presents! Now things are slowly getting back to normal I have finally managed to use the sewing machine once this month to finish a few brooches. The commisions for bags, people have kindly said can wait till next year. A basket of Bunnies i have managed to get ready for sale, (50% of the purchase price of the bunnies will go to ‘Maggies’ Nottingham) for a friends Coffee Evening House Event, raising money to the above,  this Friday. So i will popping along for coffee and cake. Now my sense of humour has come back i now refer to ‘the man of the house’ as ‘A pain in the neck’. Who would of thought my mentioning to him he had a slight swelling on his left neck would turn our world upside down!

Janine will be at the following events in October:

On Saturday 6th of Oct 10 to 4pm, I will be at The Vintage and Handcrafted Fair taking place at Southwell Garden Centre.. Lots of Tweed Bunnies, Tweed Brooches and a selection of Tweed Scarf Bags are currently in the making and fingers crossed will be ready to take, i’m burning the midnight oil cutting out and sewing!

Saturday 13th Oct, 11 to 2pm. I will be at The Craft Fair at The Badgers Sett, Reservoir Road, Cropston, Leics LE7 7GQ.

As part of Pink Month, I will be hosting a charity Tea Party for funds for The Nottingham Breast Cancer Support Group. It will be held at The Debbie Bryan Studio, St Marys Gate, Nottingham, 12 to 4pm. Sunday Oct 28th. Debbie has for the third time kindly offered to open up her shop for this popular event. Have a go at various crafts, knitting, crochet, tatting etc whilst enjoying lots of homemade cakes, tea and coffee. Its also part of Lace:Here:Now events to be held in Nottingham celebrating our Lace Heritage. Please come along and support us. As a member of the The Nottingham Breast Cancer Support Group for the past four years i know the important part it plays in supporting women like myself during treatment and beyond. We raise thousands of pounds each year to buy equipment etc for The Nottingham Breast Institute which has an excellent reputation in its treatment of patients.

Website currently  under constuction due to technical problems , please bear with me for the next few weeks while the posts from March onwards and photos  are reloaded etc.

In the meantime here is a list of the next few fairs i am at :

 Sunday 9th Sept 11 to 4pm Easton Walled Garden Autumn Country Market

Saturday 6th Oct 10 to 4pm, Vintage and Handcrafted Fair, Southwell Garden Centre.

Sunday 2nd Dec 10 to 4pm, Vintage and Handcrafted Fair, Southwell Garden Centre.