Happy New Year

Welcome to 2011! We hope this year is a great one for you!

We thought you might like to know what Rainbow Cottage has planned for 2011!

On our blog look out for 'Treat Yourself Tuesday' This idea is still under thought but what We do know is we will be featuring one or more products that would make a lovely treat for yourself or as a gift for a friend! We will be drawing them from all the mains sites that we list on...Etsy, Folksy, Dawanda, Art Fire and Zibbet. It may be that we feature an entire shop occasionally for those wonderful shops where everything is beautiful! So we hope you will be back to see our first feature on Tuesday!

I (Teri) never thought I would be able to make rings but there is an idea forming so do look out for rings coming to our shops soon! I'm also going to be making more Cuffs in a variety of colours as I know gold is not everyone's favourite! I have also bought new clasps for the gold cuffs I already have which will make them a pretty feature and easier to do up alone (cos we all know what a fiddle it is to do up a bracelet on your own)

So what else is going to be new for 2011? Well one of my (Teri's) new years resolutions is to lose weight which means keeping my hands busy in the evening so I will be doing lots more crochet and hope to make some lovely things like bags and blankets for our shop. Our dining room is now clear so we can get our sewing machines out and use up my very large stash of materials and make some very pretty shabby chic bits! If there is something you would like to have and it's not in my shop why not drop us an email and we will try to make whatever it is you require...just for you!

I (Jan) am intending on getting out my knitting needles and want to learn cross stitch and lace making so I'm sure we will be featuring more items made by me in our shops soon.

We also intend to make sure our Rainbow's Attic shop is stocked up so you crafters out there can find plenty to inspire and fulfil your creativity! We are opening a new sister shop initially on Art fire called Cottage Garden Poems (empty for now but will putting the postcards in the next week or so) for the original poetry postcards my dad has written and may open shops on the other sites for them to. I'll see how they go first. Look out for other products using his poetry this year!

Well it has been good for me to write this! It is very invigorating to have aims so you know where you're heading! So I hope this has interested and maybe excited you and you'll keep popping by to see how we're getting on and what's new! We will of course keep you up to date with new products as they get listed in our shops!

So wishing you again a very happy 2011!

Love Teri and Jan xx

Merry Christmas!

My First Etsy Treasury

I have done my first Etsy treasury ~ Christmas Wonder. It's all about seeing Christmas through the eyes of a child because I think you really experience the magic of Christmas when you have children about! The wonder in the eyes of the baby who is seeing a Christmas tree and lights for the first time!

I have had the idea for a few days and I think it is a lovely theme for my first treasury :-)

I hope you will pop by and support these lovely artists.

***New Bracelet Competition!***

Hi I have just had a creative couple of hours making a new bracelet!  I had this idea and wasn't sure how it would work out but am really pleased with it and my mum loves it!

I have taken photo's throughout the process as I thought you might be interested in how it came about! But before I show you that I would like to announce a competition! I have a giveaway running of a pair of earrings but it's not getting me the followers I need so in a slight amendment you can win one of those pair of earrings by being the winner of this competition!

So what do you have to do to win? Just 2 things...1. follow my blog here (see follow above left or to the right) and 2. name the bracelet! This is your opportunity to be part of my creativity and win a lovely pair of handmade crochet wire earrings in either pink or teal! See this post here for the photo of the earrings!

I borrowed this book from the library... 

and then chose a pattern from it...

then I chose black wire from my recent order from the crazy wire company...

then some red beads which I then threaded onto the wire...

then about 1 1/4 hours later...

it's all finished and the clasp has been added!

So what do you think? Do you like it and what would you name it?

I can't wait to see what ideas you come up with!

Crazy Wire and Other Lovely Bits

Today my Crazy Wire Company order arrived! It was very exciting! 10 metres of 15 different colour wire, a skein of recycled Sari threads some coloured tigertail and some ribbon crimps!

 All my goodies including the Sari threads...aren't they just gorgeous colours?

All the lovely wire. I can't wait to get playing with them too!

It didn't take me long as my friend Maria predicted to get in a tangle (with the sari threads though not wire as she predicted...thanks Maria) but having got myself untangled I then had to get started making something fabulous with them! And here are the results... ok result as I have only made one thing. The threads are about 1mm thick so need beads with large holes and the only beads I had were pandora style beads but I do think it looks pretty and unusual and know I will have to go shopping for some more pandora or large hole beads!

Sadly my puppy managed to get hold of some of the threads this morning! I was very careful, honest and was sure I had taken it all upstairs but one bit managed to escape and so I think I should make myself something lovely with it as it is still very useable but I obviously can't sell it! I do always try to make things for myself as I see it as free advertising! So something pretty with Sari threads that I can have fun making and wearing to look forward to!

So what do you think? Do stop by and let me know! And I will put all my new designs on here when they're done!

Autumn at Folksy

Time to do a feature pointing you to my Folksy shop so here are some lovely items available on Folksy! As we have just entered autumn I have decided this should be my theme.

This beautiful bracelet is by Lonely Hearts

I'm currently doing a photgraphy project with a friend which you can see here. So I had to choose a photo. This one is 'Dusk in the Autumn' by Dave Amis Creative Digital Photography

 Isn't this pretty? It's a hair clip by Crown and Glory. I do love pretty hair clips but I'm not sure my hair is thick enough to carry it off!

This cushion is lovely! It really has all the glorious colours of Autumn! It's made by Sewflair

A gorgeous Hand crocheted Poncho! Perfect for those Autumn days when It's not cold enough for your winter coat but you need something just to ward off the chill!

Handmade by Candy Floss

I love this beautiful pendant especially the leaf! And I especially love the artists name ... The Whimsical Wren

I need a new notebook just to jot down things as I think of them so I don't forget which is what I do now! This is handmade by Crafted

I had to include this!! How cute is this sweet Autumn Fairy outfit? And doesn't the little model look like she is loving it too? Handmade by Ella Bella Fairy ... another great name!

And finally...

 With this gorgeous sun catcher you can make the most of the autumn sun! Handmade by Dormouse Studio

I hope you have enjoyed my picks and will pop by and visit these very talented artists! I am waiting for an order of wire and threads so look out for my own autumn creations coming soon!

Home Is Where The Art (Fire) Is

Ok so another week and another blog post this time to point you to my Art Fire shop Rainbow Cottage.

As I am looking to move to my own home soon I thought I would show you some great products from Art Fire sellers that I would love to see in my home!

My bathroom is going to be a birdie theme with towels in aqua and white! I think this would look lovely on the wall and I'm sure I would look at it and dream while soaking in the bath! This is by ChuckEByrdWallArt.

I love having magnets on my fridge! these would fit in beautifully with my already extensive collection! These handmade glass magnets are by StuckTogetherMagnets. I do think it's funny that she has cute little birdies on her logo it matches my bathroom theme!

 

For my lounge I think this lovely patchwork cushion will look fabulous on my rocking chair! Handmade by Quiltfinger.

A beautiful crochet doily for my dressing table! I'm sure it would look stunning against the white as it does in this picture! Handmade by BriarRidge.

Every dining room needs a pretty shelf! I'm sure I could find some lovely things to go on it! This one is made by LesBricollesDeCleo

I love this sign! I recently went back to Cornwall where I lived for 18 years! I hadn't been back for 5 years and hadn't realised how much it is my home even though I don't live there anymore! The journey home was very special and was more than just physical. It was very much an emotional journey too! Cornwall will always be my be my home as much as the place where I lay my head! This is by nesedecor. I would love to see this sign greeting me every time I walk through my door!

Finally, no Rainbow Cottage Treasury would be complete without a rainbow!

In my new home I plan to have a Friendship wall with photo's of all my special friends! I think this would look lovely in the centre! It is by efygiftshop.

I do hope you have enjoyed my Art Fire treasury do stop by these seller's shops to see what other lovely goodies they do and don't forget to enter my giveaway! All you have to do is follow my blog and then leave a comment stating which pair is your favourite! I will be drawing a winner when I reach 25 followers!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you come again soon!