Cupcakes for Clara

Toys and books

Lots of little fatties are making their way across the globe today. Before they left though, they enjoyed a bit of a rest sitting on these books. I found the books at a car boot sale over the weekend and I'm really rather pleased with them. I just love buying books - don't you? There is just something about a book, especially an old one that maybe you read when you were teeny, or a special posh one, that is just so appealing. We have far too many I'm sure, but they won't be going anywhere - except maybe to a bigger set of bookshelves!  

These fattie sparrow twins...

... would like to thank everyone for leaving me such lovely comments recently. It really warms my heart, and inspires me so much to create more lovely things. 

Thank you! 

So I bid farewell to the toys...

... and wish them happy traveling and lovely new homes. 

I'm working on quite a few exciting things at the moment, which I think you'll like too, including... 

More work for The Guardian 

An exciting and exclusive range of toys for a beautiful shop 

An article for a great website 

Lots more baby things - rattles, toys, play rugs... 

It's all go here! But I start maternity leave in 3 or 4 weeks so I might actually have time to make all of these things. Fingers crossed!

p.s. the lovely spray that smells like a candy store is actually Aussie Leave in Conditioner!

A pashmina...

I have this pink pashmina which I absolutely love. It is so soft that it's almost become my security blanket - I spray it with this gorgeous stuff which smells of Dylan's Candy Bar in New York (a marvelously brilliant and most wonderful place) and it makes me feel extremely happy. I've also got one in green but never wear it because really green just isn't my colour. So I thought... hmmm... whatever can I do with this? I know! I'll make the baby a comforter - a mini pashmina! Of course I had to add a little 'cupcakes for clara' touch, and so... voila...

Oh yes, and I made a little fattie rattle with a matching baby sparrow. I do hope that the baby likes them because making baby things is fun! Lots more things are to come! And just in case you're wondering... this is how I look now!

Patience...

... is a virtue. So I am told. I'm not sure Clara would agree - in fact I know darn well that she wouldn't. But you, my dear friends are indeed virtuous, for the patience you have been forced to show is much appreciated. I on the other hand appear to be virtue-less.

So, after yet another absence - now at least you know why - I really want to say thank you, Thank You, THANK YOU everybody for your wonderful support and encouragement over the past few months.

And look who has fluttered into the shop...

This little sparrow is very pleased to be finally finished. He has been sitting on my desk without wings or a beak for at least six weeks. But now he is done, although he remains nameless because I just can't decide on what he is. Any ideas?

And... he is not the only new addition. Keepsies have landed!

There are eight of them all lined up in the shop waiting for precious and most special things to be kept inside them. Each one is different, fully lined, embroidered, and tagged with a cupcake. And they all come packaged in a handmade cotton bag (very eco-friendly!).

Have a lovely afternoon all, I am going to rest, and eat cherries, and watch my tummy because it looks as though there is an earthquake going on in there! (Although I'm fairly reassured that in actual fact it is just a wriggly baby.)

Making something special

At last I can give you an explanation for my prolonged periods of absence - I'm growing my very own fattie!

We are so thrilled and have been waiting until after the big scan to share the news. In only 19 more weeks Tom and me will no longer be a two but will turn into a three. And crikey, it seems like we may have a bit of a monkey on our hands. Our big scan took almost 40 mins because of all the somersaulting, leaping, and general wriggling that was being performed by the very healthy little one inside.

I promise that I will still pay lots of attention to Clara, Macy and making toys. Now that the endless morning sickness months seem to have subsided, I have much more energy to actually create things other than a baby!

But for now maybe a bowl of raspberries and a little rest will do just fine!

Living Creatively

The lovely and most beautiful Living Creatively website has featured Cupcakes for Clara this month in its Creativity Exposed section. I'm so thrilled. It is a really great interview and just looks as perfect as a strawberry ice cream on a hot summers day. Thank you so much to Angela and Carolyn who put in all the hard work and were kind enough to choose to write about yours truly.

Thank you x

Keepsies

Keepsies \keep-see-s\ noun:
Lovely little pouches to keep your most special and precious things in.
-
'Aren't keepsies just marvelous for keeping your most special and precious little things in?'
'Oh yes, I just love keepsies.'

Do you remember all those weeks ago when I showed you this and left you guessing for far too long? Well, they are Keepsies. A new Cupcakes for Clara product. They will quite happily hold your mobile phone, digital camera, ipod, credit cards, money, lipstick, anything special and little.

There is going to be a whole range of keepsies. All handmade from wool felt and delicious printed cottons, with fun little embroidery in the Cupcakes for Clara style. A cute little button holds the flap down, and a cupcake label lets you know just exactly where it's from! They will even extend to larger versions soon, to hold your lovely books or notepads.

They aren't quite ready for selling just yet - I'd like to have quite a few made first - but if you are interested do let me know, and I'll send an advanced newsletter to anyone on the mailing list before they hit the store. If you don't receive newsletters but would like to please e-mail me and you'll be added.

p.s. a few extra pages have been added here and there if you fancy a browse... an about page, questions asked a lot, and other bits and bobs.

The Guardian

A belated but very happy Easter to you all. Of course, after another period of absence (explanation to follow soon), I am back! I can't help but think that if someone were to write a school report on me it would read 'could do better' and 'must spend more time concentrating in class'.

But enough nonsense, instead lets move to far more interesting things...

Did you happen to see the Guardian on Easter Saturday?

Cupcakes for Clara was published in it! In the new kids section called the Comic. A lovely feature on how to make finger puppets. And it was even on the cover...

I am excited beyond all belief! I mean the Guardian! And on Easter weekend too! I couldn't help but wonder how many little kids were making my finger puppets over Easter - it's amazing.

If you didn't see it, you can download the spread from the Guardian website here and then you can make your own little finger friends!

And here's what I'm doing at the moment... well, not right at this very moment because I'm typing right now, but maybe in a few moments, or a few moments after that, or a couple after that, but quite soon at least...

Little bird fatties! A robin and a newly designed sparrow.

The joy of printers

I'm still working on getting a few pop-up Mother's Day cards into the shop in time for actual Mother's Day but my printer is having a strop. I'll try again tomorrow - maybe I'll have forgiven it by then for wasting so many of my Sunday hours, although I can't be certain. Maybe if it makes me some cookies and gives me some 'I'm sorry' daffodils?

Here's a little sneaky peek at something new I'm working on for spring...

Can you guess what it's going to be?

Pop-up, pop-down

I've been working on a little pop-up card for Mother's Day (2nd March in the UK) featuring none other than your favourite mischief maker.

I'm not sure Clara fully understands the concept of Mother's Day!

I'm haven't quite decided what will feature on the front of the card, but I'm thinking maybe printing Clara's dress fabric might work. It's quite spring-y and sweet.

I know that Mother's Day is only a couple of weeks away over here, but I'm thinking of putting a limited edition run of these pop-ups in the shop. Would anyone be interested? Let me know and I'll do my best to get a few in there over the next day or so.

Happy Sunshine Day!

The weather here is beautiful. Frosty in the mornings, sunshiney in the afternoons. Yesterday we actually spent two hours out in the garden - planting bulbs, de-weeding, sprinkling seeds, drinking tea, being visited by my lovely brother. Oh yes, it was splendid. I even had time to browse around the sewing shops.

And time to photograph the much-promised pages from Making Stuff for Kids featuring Cupcakes for Clara work...

You can purchase your copy here or in many many good bookshops. If anyone makes anything I'd love to see how it goes! Good luck!

P.S. Quite a few people have been asking where the lovely fabric is from that I posted about last time. It's from this cute cute etsy shop called Matatabi.