Happy 2012!

                                                                                   Source: ffffound.com via Piotr on Pinterest

Happy New Year everyone!  

The year of Dragon is just a days away and I would like to wish you a creative year, full of happiness and precious memories! 
xxx

Merry Christmas!

Christmas is almost here and I am in a very festive mood today getting the last things done. 

Last year I've summed up my first year of Plushka's Craft in a collage and remember wondering what next year will bring... It tuned out to be an awesome year and I am delighted and surprised that I managed to do so much!  Here is my attempt to sum up 2011...

Magazine features, custom orders, opening of the Plushka's Makery, memorable creations and new toys! It's been so much fun!  The most important thing is that I've met so many wonderful people on the way who became my good friends and I am very grateful for that:) 


Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all my lovely followers and friends! Thank you for being a part of Plushka's journey in the creative world of Handmade! 

Happy holidays everyone and I'll see you back here in 2012!

P.S. I am taking a short break until 10rd of January. Shop will be open as soon as I am back with new collection to follow;)

Before the Christmas break....

Every year, before taking a well deserved break, I tidy up the studio to free the space from clutter and make it easier for the new creations make their way in to the studio!  Last night I started with the fabric. Well, this is the most pleasant part of cleaning the creative space, in my opinion. Besides, finding out some wonderful fabrics that were long forgotten, it's a great way to see which prints will be perfect for the new toys I have in mind. 


This morning, sewing table had a little makeover and cleaned from the felt fluff. 

Next, I need to update my inspiration board. I already found a few fabrics and crochet to reflect a new collection and inspire me while I create. Last time it's been updated, it was Christmas inspired and I went with pink and white. This season is going to be more green, natural linen and earthy colours.....
I am looking forward to sharing a sneak pick with you after Christmas! It's so exciting! I love all the new creatures and I cannot wait for you to meet them. 
Yes, there will be more then one;) 

Semi-holiday and new issue of Mollie Makes

It's been a long time since I blogged last... I had a mission - finish all orders by today and I can proudly say, they are all done and posted! There are a few orders left awaiting payment but it feel so good to be on semi-holiday:) Coincidentally (or maybe universe knew I need a little "pat on the back"), the new issue of Mollie Makes arrived today. It includes a beautiful 2012 calendar which is perfect as I am planning my new collections and wholesale orders schedule for 2012 this week. 

There are a few things to be done today like re-calcualting the postage prices, entering all the invoices, cleaning the studio and I need to work out a new pricing for my creations. However, with all that still to be done, I am so happy as finishing all Christmas customer orders is such an achievement for Plushka. 

Happy Monday! 

Wordless Wednesday: crochet love

Join here.

Pre Christmas de-stash at Plushka's Makery

Plushka's Makery didn't get much of my attention lately with Christmas rush and orders... However, I do have some grand plans for the next year! I am starting with a little de-stash to free the shelves from all the fabrics that, in a year or more, haven't found it's project. It was hard but I managed to get a big bundle together that  deserves a project and being used rather that being shuffled around and get stored for a year.....

Here are some of them and I try not to look at them again as I am very tempted to take some of them back! 

Anyway, you can find them in Plushka's Makery now.

Happy Tuesday! 

Online magazine feature

Recently, with getting my ipad out and synchronized, I fell back in love with online magazines! I love reading Martha Stewart's issues and other online magazines I stumble on. My fairly recent find is a "Tickle the imagination" magazine that I discovered through Facebook. It's a lovely magazine that is all about creativity, handmade creations and uniting creative community. 

I am thrilled to be featured in this divine magazine among so many talented people! You can find awesome mermaid party ideas, fabric kite DIY, summer fashion, interviews and other great articles. You can find an interview with me on the page 36;)

Also, get a cup of tea and and stop by Christmas issue where you can find Plushka's Christmas decoration tutorial on page 28.

Do you read online magazines? Which one is your favourite? 

My creative space...

In my creative space today, I gathered a few of the personalized items I've been making recently. The customer orders are something that I really enjoy doing especially when they is a name to be embroidered or appliqued.  This bunting was so much fun to make! It's a first bunting I ever made with letters on it. I picked green felt to go in contrast with very Christmasy red fabric and love the way it turned out!

The is a set of mini and large buntings with parents names on large flags and kid's names on mini flags. I think they will look so festive hanging together or on the opposite walls:) 

This owl was made with one of my favourite fabrics by Saffron Craig. Beautiful pink with white and red dandelions, this pattern is very easy to embroider on so I didn't have to use linen for the belly. It's so pretty and girly! It's a second personalized owl created with this fabric and I think it will be very popular next year too. 

Visit more creative spaces here. 

Have a creative Thursday!

Fellow Madeit sellers who blog - Bubby Makes Three

It's been such a busy season for Plushka and her friends! We all spending more time in the creative space then outside at the moment so it's nice to take some time to "chat" about blogging and enjoy a little sunshine:) Please, welcome Nicole from Bubby Makes Three! 

Why have you decided to start a blog? 

After I had my daughter Fern almost three years ago, I needed

a creative outlet. I'd gone on maternity leave from my position in local government in marketing communications and felt at a career crossroads. Ive always loved writing, and saw it as a way to share my thoughts and finds with the world!

Is there a story behind the name of your blog?

Originally, Bubby Makes Three was a diary of my venture into new motherhood, so Bubby Makes Three it was! I wasn't to know that later it would become my business name too!

Have your blogging style changed since you've started? 

I actually dont think my style has changed all that much -- Ive always written much like I speak, and find it hard to write seriously. I am almost always tongue-in-cheek which has sometimes gotten me in trouble! Over time my subject matter has probably changed but my style has remained true. 

Do you think blogs are moving to the second place now since Facebook business/social pages are becoming more popular? 

I think that the web has become saturated with blogs and that while they still have a place in the social media landscape there are just too many to keep track of these days, and I find it harder to keep up my motivation to try! I still love my blog though, and I like to have it bubbling away in the background waiting for me to come back to it when I can...

Do you have a blogging routine or any themes that you join?

These days I find it difficult to blog regularly, I am so busy with Bubby Makes Three as a business that my blog which was once my biggest creative passion has taken a bit of a backseat! I still like to write about motherhood -- the real motherhood, not the sugar coated kind. Thats where it all began! But theres a lof of crafty stuff on there these days, too!

What are your 5 most favourite blogs to visit and why?

Gosh, there are just so many good blogs out there these days that it is impossible to whittle them down to five! I have over 100 in my reader at any given time and am constantly adding to it! 

Any tips for the bloggers who just started? 

Be true to yourself and try not to get too caught up in the number of followers you do or don't have... write about what you know. Write from the heart. If you build it, they will come!


Thank you Nicole for visiting!