Cupcakes for Clara

sigh

Matilda started nursery this week. I'm going back to work fairly soon and we wanted her to get settled before then. Two days a week, and she seems to love it (after the first minute when she clings on to me like a baby koala with pleading eyes that say 'no mummy don't leave me here to play with other - eek - babies!'). 

I feel like a bad mummy. I sobbed. And sobbed. And sobbed maybe just a little bit more. But she was fine. 

And of course a big girl thing like nursery deserves a big girl mummy-made thing like a special nursery bag. It makes me feel just a little bit better to know that she is going with her very own handmade bag chock full of love.   

I snapped this photo on our way out of the door. Better bag photos tomorrow - promise. 

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.

Tomorrow...

Be sure to check it out! And if you don't already receive lovely little newsletters like this one, just let me know and start to fill your inbox with cuteness.

Aside from working on fun new products, I've been experimenting with an adventurous entry for the Holiday Softie Awards. What will it be I wonder?

And I've been thinking about cuteness, and how much I absolutely adore one particular song that Tom put on a new compilation he made for me. It really makes my heart melt. It's called I Like Giants by Kimya Dawson who you may know from the Mouldy Peaches. You can hear a bit of it here, I think.

Bonjour Je m'appelle Albert

Bonjour!

Albert is possibly the cutest crocodile you will ever see. He's learning how to snap, but it's taking a while because he's ever so shy. He has quite big teeth but isn't so sure how to use them!

And he has the sweetest little tail! He makes me laugh so much... just the thought of a fat round crocodile is enough!

Albert is available in the shop now. £35 / $70

Lets just hope he doesn't eat Lucy first...

Little Lucy is heading to a lovely birthday boy this weekend, who is about to have his new room decorated in a soft Laura Ashley blue colour.

Don't worry Albert, Lucy will be safe!

And I've slightly changed my packaging bags, putting the cupcake label on the side rather than the front.

Wear what you make

You know how people always say that you should wear what you make, so that you're like a walking advert in case anyone says...

'Hey there, that's awesome, wherever did you get it?'

... and then you can reply...

'Ah, well actually I made it. Oh yes, indeed I did, la di da!'

Um hum, that's how it works! So I was thinking that although I made the very wearable flattie Mr Kitten, you can't really wear fatties. And if I wanted to be a walking advert without yelling 'Hey look at my toys gosh darn it!' I really ought to make something quite wearable.

A Clara bag! With a pocket just for business cards, and maybe my phone, and maybe also my keys, small things do tend to get lost in the bottom of my bags. And you know what they also say... it's all in the details.

The bag is made from lovely brown tweed fabric. With straps from a shirt: I cut off the buttoned strips from the front of a shirt, so one strap has the buttons and the other has the buttonholes. The inside of the pocket is lined with cute pink stripey cotton, and little Clara is embroidered on the front. Plus it has a cupcake tag, oh and the green badge is supporting the Woodland Trust.

And the thing is, once you have your very own Clara and Macy, they want to come everywhere with you...

As soon as I purchase some bubble jet set, I'm going to make tote bags for selling. I think I'll make ones similar to this one, with a Clara pocket, except saying 'I'm grumpy but I don't know why!'