Day 10 - I have set the date for a shop update

It's true, it is, the date has been set for the Yibble Liberation!

This Friday at 12.30pm Grenich Mean Time

14 Yibbles will be set free, off find new homes in foreign lands. They vary in size from 7cm (70mm) to 11cm (110mm), will have their very own valid passports and birth certificates and be ready to hit the high seas!

I have been really busy lately and things keep getting added to my lists, but nothing much is getting crossed off :( So over the next couple of days I am going to work really hard and get on top of things. Usually I get loads done at the weekend, but this one was spent reading and chilling out which I needed and really enjoyed. I am so enjoying my little donners with Pablo through out the day, there are so many little bits of my street which bring us so much pleasure, my favourite being a beautiful cherry blossom tree. (Pablo's is a tree stump surrounded by long grass and dandilions, which he seems to hide in!) So although my little routines have all changed, I love the fact that I am out in the fresh air, admiring nature.

Things to do this afternoon

1. finish 2 yibbles

2. check out all you blog folks pages

3. package up some goodies heading of to far off places

4. make up batch of cards for Mum

5. make up bracelet for fashion design and lifestyle debutant ball (I mentioned a little while ago that I joined this cool etsy street team and we are having a virtual Debutante Ball on the 1st of June, and the colour theme is turquoise and red, so I better get making and I will keep you posted on the teams etsy shop.)

Happy Monday to you all :)

Day 9 - Help is at Hand

Della's Yibble Cottage

Made using satin, silks, aqua beads and silver glitter glue

Yesterday the Yibble Liberation Front gained a new member, my little cousin Della. She has been the inspiration for the Yibbles from the start. She is currently working on a little book about them too, creating characters, their cottages and lots of other fine details. So yesterday we met up to do some making with fabric, beads, glitter glue and PVA and she suggested that we made some collage Yibble cottages! She was very clear on how they should look, 1 door for the Yibbles and 2 extra doors for foxes and mice! I had a wonderful time, it has been so long since I just cut and stuck. And I think Della enjoyed it too!

Close up of Della's "Button Collage"

This was my attempt. I have been struggling for weeks to come up with ways to creat the Yibble kingdom and 10 minutes with Della and it all becomes clear! So keep watching, when the Yibbles are Liberated you may well get a little cottage for them too! I would like to say a big thank you to Della for a fab day and all her Yibble help. She asked if I could post her pictures for you all to see and she'll be checking it out very soon, so hello Della P!

I would also like to introduce you all to Eleanor, the wonderful mind behind A good idea on paper. She is a fine artist who specialises in Book art and has a really interesting post about sharing a page from your sketch book. I think this is a great idea, getting to nose into a page of other creative minds and to share the different ways that we all work. Head over and take a look at her beautiful paper dress up doll pages, leave a comment and she'll post up your pages. Get going, I'm sooo nosey and can't wait to see what you are all up to!

This is one of the pages from mine, it is little Olive in Paris! I still love doodling about her and find the different surfaces of the book to really lead me in starange directions. Well I'm off now to walk my pup and get sewing and I'll be back and let you know the date for the Liberation and some more little details. Happy Wednesday x

Day 8 - The Yibble Liberation Has Begun!

I have been drafted in to assist in the YL Front's mission. To liberate and free all Yibbles trapped in my studio. They came to me armed with lists of jobs to do at the weekend and I have agreed to help out, (much needed help, they don't have fingers!) So my post in the movement is creative pioneer. This role was voted on and decided by a majority and my tasks include.


1. Cut, sew, design all Yibbles taking part in the movent.
2. Provide names and identities for all participating Yibbles.

3. Do everything in my power to find them loving new homes where they can begin their next adventures.

4. Set a date for Yibble Liberation Day.

I will be back tomorrow with a progress report and a date for the Liberation. So keep watching and consider if you could give a new home to one of them.

Day 7 - How I got my groove back

My creativity seems to come in waves, some days I can come up with 100's of new ideas and others it is just the same idea over and over again. Over the last few days that has been the Yibbles, but everytime I try the computer shuts down. Now as you have read over the last few posts this has become a pattern. Yesterday, I just sat, and looked at the screen for about an hour and it came to me. I love doing Yibble doodles in my journal, I really love making the fabric ones and I have made quite a few now for family and friends and they are happily in new homes. So, I have decided that their adventures will continue as doodles in my journal and the fabric dolls will be liberated. I am having a Yibble Liberation! So I'm going to set them up in the shop and find them new homes and adventures aroung the world. I have a few to finish today, so later I'll let you see who's who and set a date for a shop update.

Yesterday I spent a couple of hours making up birthday cards and pulled out the beautiful fabric remnants I got from starlitnest and decided to work on my birdie collection, and I had such fun. I am going to work on a little range and I'll let you see them finished. Happy Friday :)

Day 4 Plodding along

I have just popped in to let you know Emily at Keepsake Couture has featured me in her Take 5 blog section. Thanks Emily. Head over and have a wonder round her blog and visit her shop, beautiful stationery.

Day 3- A whole lot of nothing (Friday)

I tried to post this last night but it didn't work, so here it is a day later!

Today has been one of those days where expectations are high, but nothing gets done! Therefor yesterdays list is fairly incomplete.

The flat was a tip this morning and I can't work while I know there are washings, dishes, and hoovering needing done. But it just seemed as soon as one job got crossed off another one got added. By 3pm I had the housey stuff done and needed to get out for a walk, so Pablo and I headed for his first visit to the park. A great time was had by all, I returned refreshed and P was knackered! So I managed a little bit of Yibble time.

1. Make Yibble for little cuz Tess. She would like green, but would settle for orange or wine coloured.

2. Decide on ideas for Mothers Day cards, think about materials I'll need. I want to take my jewellery and cards into some of the local business on Monday, so need to get ideas confirmed.

3. Think about new press release for magazines and newspapers. I have done a few and got great publicity through out the years, but have not done one recently so now is the time. Maybe I could do a post about the things I have learned and am still to find out?

I'll have a post filled with photos on Sunday night, you'll get to see the fruits of my labours. Happy Saturday :)

10 things to do today - Day 3

This was my Carey family tree in 2006 drawn by my little cousin Della for my Granny's 70th Birthday. It has grown again since then but I found it again this morning and it makes me smile!

Things to do today

1. Try 3rd time to colour in Yibble doodles on laptop, if no luck then scan originals, colour with ink and rescan.

2. Make more spicey soup. (Olive oil, garlic, 1 heaped table spoon Gara Masala, 2 x onions, 4 grated carrots, 4 handfuls of red split lentils, 2 ham stock cubes, 2.5 pints boiled water)

3. Make more paper flowers * maybe into garland.

4. List 1 new item etsy, relist 2

5. Make more birdie cards, at least 2

6. Make 7 birthday cards (May is a busy month for me for cards.)

7. Find new tutorial to try

8. Do more Yibble doodles

9. Look at wordpress to see if that suits my needs better.

10. Reaserch dog training on internet, P's puppy classes don't start till end of may and he can already sit, stay, down and get treats out of bottle by pawing it down hard and spinning the bottle. He has a hungry mind and is learning fast so I need to learn more ways of keeping him occupied!

I found this wonderful and quite simple tutorial for paper flowers, Kusadama Flowers I had a great time yesterday evening sitting during the rather frighteny thunder storm making a little batch of these up. I used square pink postit notes and double sided tape instead of PVA glue, which meant iI could work faster. I am going to thread them together today and see how that turns out. Give it a go and let me know what you think.

I am still having no luck with photoshopping the Yibbles, I have tried saving as I go along but everytime I get to do about 10 minutes of colouring and then the laptop chucks it :( So I think I will just work on them the old fashioned way and see how I get on.

May you have a productive day, I'm off now to start on more soup :)

10 things to do today - Day 2

"Someday" by yellena


It seems I am not alone in my list mania, it is such a comfort to know there are others out there who get a buzz from scoring things off! Thanks to the focus I found by writing my list here too, I had a very productive evening, very tired but things got done. So now I can share with you the fruits of my labour and much needed kick up the ...

The new blog of interest I found is in honour of my listy love. todolist is collection of hand written lists by various people and the stories behind them. The blog is by writer and editor Sasha Cagen.

"Candy" by Yellena

The new artist of ineterest I found is Yellena, an artist and graphic designer from Central Oregon. "Obsessed with markers, pens, inks, paper, patterns, good design, wallpaper, cacti, vintage fabric, empty journals and anything little." She uses pens, inks and markers to creat these stunning prints. She also has a blog which is well worth a visit.

The new card I made last night which I was meant to list on etsy is made, and quite cute, but I am still in two minds about adding it to my main etsy shop which has all my jewellery on it. I opened another shop a few months ago which was meant to be for cards and prints ect, but it was getting pretty hectic and costly listing in both. What do you think, should I add them to my main shop?

The journaling/ inspirational word for this week is:

glamour (US also glamor), n. an attractive and exciting quality. ORIGIN first meaning 'magic': from GRAMMER, with reference to the magical practices associated with learning in medevil times.

Hmmm, a lot to think about here, as usual my choosing technique is a favorite of mine, flick book open at random page, shut eyes and drop finger! It works for me :)

I found a new tutorial to share with you this week, so I'll work on making it up and letting you know how I got on. This will also tie in with my up and comming competition so that covers a few bases.

I did my etsy and flickr stuff too, and will try and list some new goodies today as well. Head over and check out my sale and let me know what you think, it would be much appreciated feedback.

And now for the sad tale of the Yibbles from last night. I drew, scanned and played, but half way through and at 12.27am my laptop went fizz and shut down :( It seems to struggle when I have lots of layers open in Photoshop, which makes me so sad, it is only 6 months old and I told the guy that I needed it to be able to process at high speed to allow me to work between packages. But alas things don't alays turn out as you would like. Anyway I'll carry on with them today and will hopefully have something finished very soon.

Well I'm off now to walk my daft pup and start on my list for today and I'll pop back later with a list for the rest of the week. Happy Tuesday :)

10 things to do today - Day 1

I have decided that since I have made nothing over the last week that I am going to publish my first blog list and see if that gets me in the mood for some making. As you seasoned visitors here will know by now I love a list and it seems to be a great way for me to stay orginised, motivated and focused. So here goes:

1. Tidy desk, (an absolute must, and need space for all these creations to take place!) DONE

2. Do at least one image in Photoshop with Yibbles KIND OF

3. Find a new blog of interest/ inspiration DONE

4. Find a new artist of interest/ inspiration DONE

5. Make a card to list on Etsy DONE

6. Pick a word to journal about this week DONE

7. List a new item on in the shop DONE

8. Decide on idea for a new competition and prizes KIND OF

9. Hunt down a new crafty tutorial to make this week and share with you all DONE

10. Add some new jewellery photos to Flickr and add tags to some old ones DONE

Do you write lists? What do you write them on? What kinds of things do you have on your lists?

Wish me luck, I'm going to have a busy night!

New editions

I would like to Introduce Stefan (in rusty orange and green), and Erika (in wine, cream and pink). These are the 2 newest editions to the Yibble family. I have decided not to have fabric arms and legs stitched on, this way when I use my tablet and pen to illustrate the stories they can be doodled limbs and can be more flexable.

This meant Anneliese had to have an op. She is now legless, but consoled by the fact she has a family now! I am still brimming with ideas for them but have some other less creative work on at the moment, so their adventures are limited to my joural at bedtime!

Today is a day for new editions...... but it's still a surprise I'll let you know more very soon :)

Not forgotton

I have not forgotton about Stefan, he is just still a work in progress. I have lots of ideas now, with bo's help, for the land of yibble and some adventures. We are thinking a recycled land, where all their finds (our discarded items) are transformed into wonderful useful or decorative things! More to follow soon.

I got this beautiful parcel on Friday from etsy seller starlitnest. They are 2 envelopes filled with beautiful farbric remnants and now I can't decide what to make with them, they are all so beautiful! Maybe they could become part of the yibble creations?

Well lots to do, I am still relisting things on etsy with new photos, making bracelets and have a card commission to work on over the next few days, plus some much needed book keeping, so I need to keep my head down and get stuck in. I managed to waste a whole hour this morning writing a new set of lists and scoring off done jobs. What a joy! Do you write lists? What kinds of lists do you like?

Keep posting for the competition new visitors, the time is coming soon, and I better keep posting I'm only at 85 and I only have 7 days left! Let me just do the maths...... so thats 7 days and 15 posts... oops. Well I'll come back tonight with something to show from my soon to be productive day hehe.

Chocolate inspired

One of you, and you know who you are, suggested making some chocolate inspired earrings, so here they are!

These "Topaz Triplets" are in the shop now. Well I'm going to go now and turn this computer off and set up my desk to make some new charm bracelets. I was looking through the shop today and realised how bracelety bare it is, time to bring in some fresh sparkles. And if I have time I'll work on Stefan....... a new Yibble perhaps?

I have arrived!

I would like you to meet Annelise, she was born last night at 9.56pm and isn't she cute? She is the first real, live Yibble! I have been wanted to do some more sewing for a while now and keep looking at the beautiful pile of fabric and decided I would create a Yibble and see if that helps me focus on stories/ doodles ect. She is made of linen from namolio and she is stuffed with a cushion I got from a thrift shop. I have spent some time today working on the first of many "Yibble Adventures". And tonight I'm going to watch a movie and make some more of the family.


Now for your imput, what types of adventure would you like to see Annelise go on?

Got some lovely new earrings I'll be adding to the shop over the weekend so pop by for a wee look. And I'll let you into a little secret too, I'm getting ready for an etsy spring sale! More details coming soon.

I went to one of my local thrift shops the ther day to hand some things in and could not resist these 2 little jars. I haven't decided yet what I'm going to put in them, but my bo has been full of useful ideas, his favourite being one for collecting his tummy button fluf! Somehow I just don't think so!

A big hello to all you new visitors to my blog and thanks for enetring my competition. Keep your entries coming, you still have another 16 days to enter. (I know it seems like ages away!)

Play day

Firstly thanks for all the comments on my 100th post competition, I'll put all the names from all the comments from yesterday until March 31st into the draw so keep adding your reasons for blogging and top tips.

These are a couple of new earrings I added to the shop today, and I have lowered some of my prices too, to make room for new stock, so pop by and have a wee peek. Tonight I spent some time with my little friends the Yibbles and even brought myself to bring out the water colours! I have never really learned how to paint with them but just love how they look with the fineliner, but hey who cares it's all about enjoying what you're doing isn't it? What are your favourite materials to work with just now?

I have just started making time for play dates and although it is hard at first to say 'no, I won't put those clothes away, or clean the kitchen, instead I'm going to play!'. But when I'm done it is so much more rewarding than filling another load in the washing machine. What do you like to do on a play date?

"Spreading the Love" was inspired by all the new friends I have made in blogland!

Sibble and Dibble

Tonight's Yibble inspiration came from my bo bringing me a small bunch of dafodills. We were out visiting my bestist friend and on the way home he nipped in to get some bread and came out armed with flours! What a man, this is so special because it's not really his thing, he prefers to buy me a plant that will last for years not just days. But he said they had been reduced to 30p and he couldn't resist.

Now less of the soppy stuff, I have decidied on my competition so pop by tomorrow evening for more details and how to enter.

Just finished this bracelet as a little commision and wanted to let you see. I love the cubes of rose quartz with the large gunmetal beads, pink and jet are one of my favourite colour combinations. I think I'll make another one up for the shop this week.

Doodle day

I had a lovely afternoon on Friday and the Yibbles were born! I love them and have so many ideas of where they can go and little stories about them. I have just started to work on them in Photoshop and am really looking forward to the weekend to do more. I have been making MORE earrings but haven't had time to photograph them yet, but I will tomorrow morning and let you all have a little look. And I'll get them up in the shop for Friday. I am making them up for another one of my 'boxes for business' so I'll let you know how I go!