Asian wedding fair (and some delicious desserts!)

Hello,

Today I bring you pictures from my visit to this year's Asian wedding fair at the Excel centre in London. Some of you may remember my post about it last year. It is where I got my fabric that I made my Kameez with :) This year's show was just as good and the catwalk lasted a whole hour!!!! There were tons of lovely outfits to be seen down the catwalk but here are some of my faves:

I think this is the one I would most like to waer:

I love the red colour and the gold embroidery is very elaborate and luscious :-) Maybe when I get married..... :p 

And to finish a little bit of menswear:

Again- very luscious! 

After the great catwalk me and my took another walk around the show and she treated me to this fabric bundle from Fusion's stall (the sample place I got last year's fabric bundles):

Isn't it pretty? :) the ombre dyed matching scarf is really lovely- it is a great deal to get all of it for 7 pounds! I will have to start dreaming of what to make with it..... so many lovely possibilities! 

All my news from the Asian wedding fair is over now :( But I am sure I will go again next year and can bring you more amazing catwalk snapshots then!

Now, before I go it is on to food, food and a little bit more food :p I know my blog is mainly about textile related stuff but some food is so good you have to share it! plus, who doesn't like pictures of tasty food and desserts? :p

First up, on Sunday me and my family went to Planet hollywood in London. We got a deal from wowcher which included 3 courses and a drink for about half the normal price. Those deals don't come around often but when they do my mum snaps them up because planet hollywood is pretty fun :D

For starter I had vegetarian tostados:

They are soooohooohh delicious. Cheesy and gooey but then crisp from the tortilla and extra flavour from the fresh salsa and vegetables and creaminess from the sour cream. Mmmm too good! Me and my family are going to try making some at home some time- hopefully they will be just as good but I think planet hollywood has a secret something to make them taste so nice :p

For main me and my brother shared a pizza and a veggie burger. But now I must talk about dessert. Me and my brother both had their double chocolate chip brownie- which was extraordinary. First off it was huge- like a brownie brick :p and if had 2 scoops of ice cream, whipped cream and fudge sauce spread on top, look:

Not to mention it's warm! And chewy- kind of like cookie dough with big chocolate chunks in. Mmmmmm I would totally recommend this as well to anyone visiting planet hollywood- well if you love chocolate and desserts as much as I do!

I have been pretty bad this week as as well as making brownies for myself and a friend, me and the same friend (Graceypaste- her awesome blog is here: http://stitchbtch.blogspot.co.uk :)  visited pizza express during the week. It was nice to relax as everyone at college at the moment is working really hard on thier men's waistcoats. I really love it at pizza express and so do my family- it is probably our favourite resturant. 

We had 3 courses again and I had my top dessert,  chocolate glory,  as Graceypaste said - it really is the solution to all problems:

Hehe, I will leave you now but I will soon be returning with pictures of my finished waistcoat! :D I may have mentioned it before but mine is inspired by comic book and film villains and gangsters and is pretty theatrical, it will be good to show you all what I gave been working on the last few weeks. 

I hope you are all happy and well and if I have made you peckish from the food pictures, you might want to go and check out my new range of food brooches in my shop to satisfy your cravings: https://www.etsy.com/shop/StitchedbyJordan

These are just a taster. .. There are more in store including french fries and candy floss!

See you soon,

Byee xxxx

VLFW Giveaway winner + shop sale!

Hi everyone,

I am here to announce the winner of the Vodafone London Fashion Weekend giveaway!

 Drumroll please....... and the winner is...... 

********Graceypaste!!!*******

Congratulations :D Your prize will be with you soon!

Xxxx

And I gave more good news- for everyone this time, not just one lucky winner!

I am having a spooky pre halloween sale in my shop!: https://www.etsy.com/shop/StitchedbyJordan

To get 10% off EVERYTHING just use the code:
SPOOKY10

Discount code expires 25th of October 2014- don't miss out!  :)

I hope you are all well and I will speak to you again soon (I have this year's innocent hats to show you!,

Bye xxx

Better connection :)

Hi,

I'm glad to say that the Internet connection here in the IOW is much better so I can now come and give you all some updates!

Me and my family had a good time in Lyme Regis but the highlight of the trip would definitely have to be Rolys Fudge! It was absolutely delicious and melt in the mouth sugary goodness!

There were lots of different flavours from chocolate and honeycomb to lemon meringue and chilli (which was pretty hot actually!). They also had a range of fudge sauces which are yummy too (I have been eating them on ice cream warmed up! Mmmm):

And the good news is they have on online shop so I can order more fudge for special occasions at home! If you like fudge (or even if you dont- my dad doesn't but he did like rolys fudge :p) it is well worth treating yourself I would say: https://rolysfudge.co.uk/

Me abd my family have  also been having a good time in the IOW.

I have been collecting bits for a giveaway when I get back- so keep your eyes peeled! :-)

I have also had some time to get working on my next items for my shop.... using some cool fabric I got on my holiday travels. :) here is a teaser pic:

If you are intrigued keep an eye on my shop as my new items will be up within a week!

Today we went shopping in Newport and I think tomorrow we are going to play bowling and then head on to the chocolate apothecary for lunch- I can't wait! 

I will leave you with this picture of stone henge I took from the car while stuck in traffic when on my holiday travels... It really is fascinating stone henge, isn't it? :)

Ooh, and also this pretty picture of some pink seaweed I think, that  I took on the beach at lyme regis when fossil hunting, it has given me some inspiration for some textile art/felting projects as I thought it was very pretty in a way:

Hehe, see you all again soon.I hope you are well,

Bye xoxoxo

FLASH SUMMER SALE!

Hi everyone,

I am back from Inverness now. It is not actually long till I go away again though- to Lyme Regis :-)

Seeing as it is now the middle of the summer I wanted to do something to celebrate the sunshine- A flash summer sale!

I am giving 15% off anything and everything in my Etsy store with code: summer15

Also keep an eye out for new listings now I am back at home :-)

But.... The coupon code only lasts until the 15th of August so get in and grab yourself a bargain before then :p

I hope you are all happy and healthy my lovely readers. Speak to you all again soon,

Bye XxXxXx

My amazing day at Queenie and Teds!

Hi,

 

As I mentioned in my last post, today was the day I got to go and do some work experience with the cool clothing up-cyclers; Queenie and Ted. I had such an amazing time and learnt so much! :) They said I could bring something along and that they would teach me how to put some designs chosen by me onto my item.

 

I had a rummage in my wardrobe prior to today and found this velvet blazer I got a while ago, I did like it and had worn it before but I did think it could do with a bit of a jazz up: 

 

 

After today with the lovely ladies of Queenie and Ted (Kally and Linda :) my jacket has been totally transformed, look!:

 

The design I did on the back is inspired by the recent trips with my dad to the garden centres to buy flowers for our garden :)

 

The bunny fabric was so amazingly sweet- I knew I had to use it. Kally and Linda said they picked it up when they were in Japan showing their work over there :-)

 

Hehe, I don't think I need to explain why I put the scissors on there! :P

 

I am sooo happy with it, it looks so much better now, and as I said I learnt so much, so thank you Linda and Kally. Probably the best thing is that they said I can come and do another day (helping them with some of their stuff then, now that I have had some practice :).

 

Also.... they have a cabinet in their shop where they put accessories that other makers/artisans have made and they said that I could showcase some of my knitted brooches in there. I was extremely excited, having my work in a street shop, next to other makers work :D

 

Here are all the brooches that are now in their cabinet:

 

Fingers crossed some of them sell as that means; 1. someone liked my brooch enough to buy it and will wear it around, Yay! and 2. Some money for me and Kally and Linda :)

 

Can you tell I have had a good day...? Lol, I think you probably can :P

 

I hope all you people have had a good day as well- you are all so lovely so you definitely deserve it!

 

I better be off to bed now, so I am all ready to get up and do lots of making tomorrow now I have all new ideas after my day today. I also have lots more ideas for items I want to make for my shop too, including some more bracelets in the style of the 'Love' one I recently put up:

 

Keep an eye out here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/StitchedbyJordan

 

See you soon,

 

Bye XxXxXxX

 

News!

Hi everyone,

I have two bits of news, and then some pretty pictures of my half scale kimono!

Firstly- I AM NOW ON ETSY!

Yes, I have finally set up my new shop with some new bits (Including one of my lace bridal headbands). I spoke to people and the general consensus was mainly that people seemed to know their way around Etsy a bit easier so after all my Folksy item listings expired I started setting up my Etsy shop.

Here is the link: https://www.etsy.com/shop/StitchedbyJordan

Please do drop if you get time as I still have some more new items to add over the next few days and would really like peoples feedback :-)

Secondly- Today I had a mini interview type thing with Queenie and Ted (see their website they do some really cool up-cycling of clothing!!!: here!) and..... I get to go back on Wednesday next week and work with them and learn all about what they do :D I am sooo excited, it will be a great bit of experience! I will make sure to show you all what I get up to next Wednesday using lots of juicy pictures :P

Hehe, now I am done with all my news I will show you the pictures of my kimono, my first project I did at uni, which I got back in the last week of term and have now completely finished up:

I made it so that it was pretty much reversible using my colour scheme, here is the 2nd option:

I am really proud of it. It is nice to have it all done to show people (like all of you lovely people).

I hope you are all having a lovely week- and if you have any news please do leave a comment below, I would love to hear :D

Speak to you all again soon,

Bye XxXxXx

The good, the bad and the very ugly!

Hi,

 

I will start with the good news as it is always best to go for the good stuff first :)

 

Well, I am having a sale on my shop! I am thinking of moving over to Esty from folksy so it is easier for people not in the UK to buy items. EVERYTHING in my shop is now £2.50 OR LESS (most items are less!) so get over and check it out, if you've had your eye on something for a while now is your chance to get it at a bargain price: click here!

My other good news is that I finally actually started to finish off the Kameez I drafted the pattern for aggess ago after I went to the Asian wedding fair and my mum bought me the fabric bundles, here is what I have got so far:

 

 

Just the neckline, cuffs and vent sides left before I am done :D I reckon I will finish it by the end of my holiday, I have the whole of next week still left which is plenty of time!

 

Further good news, I am all ready for mothers day tomorrow :) I finished  my mums card today, I turned the little cupcake cross stitch kit I completed a while ago (and blogged about :) into a cute little brooch to go on the front:

 

I hope she likes it!

 

But now.... We come to the bad news and the very, very ugly......

 

.... Yesterday I went to the tailors and dressmakers I still visit when i get time off and I broke the machine needle, I was changing it but I didn't turn the machine off. I was just thinking that I should turn it off because I reckon I could do myself a nasty injury and- BOOM- the machine needle suddenly goes straight through my finger! I remained calm and just kept apologising to Michael and Stephanie and saying 'I'm such an idiot for not turning the machine off!'

I didn't pull it out (which was the right thing to do- you should leave it in to prevent fainting, lots of bleeding, infection etc...) and Micheal took me to the hospital and I was in and out in under an hour- the hospital was really great. luckily I didn't hit bone, the needle only went through my nail and the top of my finger. Hehe, I was back rhinestoning a wedding dress and Micheal and Stephanie's with one arm in a sling afterwards! :P

 

So remember to turn sewing machines off when you are fiddling with them! Don't be lazy like I was!

 

Here is a picture of my finger with the needle as I know some of you (like I usually am :P) may be curious (Micheal told me to take a picture- I was more worried about getting it out at the time!). There is no blood in the picture as my finger did not bleed- the needle held it in so there is no gory stuff but I don't recommend looking if you are extremely squeamish- I don't want to upset any of you :) just warning you of the dangers of sewing machines!

 

So look or look away now:

 

Here is what I have got for the next few days:

 

One bandaged up finger.

 

Some lessons you learn harder than others I suppose, and I am thankful to the hospital for sorting me out so quickly, the nurse I had said she had done the same before and so had Stephanie so that made me feel less stupid! I have to wear a plastic bag over my hand in the bath- hhehe I don't think anyone could make me feel less stupid about doing that :P

 

One last pointer- never ever hold pins in your mouth, this is something I actually never do, I have heard too many horror stories about that.

 

But sewing is relatively safe, so don't be put off! :) It hasn't stopped me sewing, I was working on my Salwar all of today!

 

I hope I haven't scared any of you with my post- just go back to the pretty Kameez fabric at the top and treat yourself to something in my shop if you feel shaken! Lol

 

I promise no gruesome pics next post. See you all soon I hope you all have a lovely Sunday tomorrow,

 

Byeeeee XxXxXxXxX

Happy valentines :)

Hi eveyone,

I hope you all had a great Valentines day with your loved ones yesterday :)

 

I had a lovely day with my family. My dad treated me to this cool multicoloured rose (and a box of lindt chocolates!). It is a real rose and everything but they used coloured water to make it these amazing colours:

 

 

 

It was called a Harlequin rose. I love it soo much!!! it reminds me of cirque du soleil, it is very theatrical :P

 

Talking about flowers, this week (as it has been reading week for me) I have had some time to work a bit more on a little half scale dress I have been working on- I designed it, then draped the pattern and now I am making it up in the real fabric :0) Here it is so far, the skirt is inspired by petals:

 

It is also inspired by the dress in Disney's Princess and the frog (I love that movie!). When I have finished the dress (it will be ribbon laced at the back and may even have some form of sleeves :-) I am making a petticoat to go underneath to puff out the bottom for the petals to drape over. I have been really careful with the construction and pressing and am really proud of it so far :-)

 

This week I also finished the new stock I have been working on for my shop- some of my little knitted Easter chicks!:

 

 

I have uploaded four sets of two; one set of light green (pictured above) and one set in pink, blue and yellow- All at only £2.50 per set.

 

Do pop over and take a look: Click here :)

 

Today me and my mum went to see the Isabella Blow fashion exhibition at Somerset House in London. It was really fantastic- so many amazing hats and dresses to look at many of them quite outrageous making it all even more fun! :) Then we went for an afternoon tea at Hush Brasseries in St Paul's which I treated my mum too, We ate it all before I remembered to take a picture though :P It was very nice there were little scones and mini macaroons. Hahaha I didn't know I liked macaroons until today and now I have a craving for more! The slice of mars bar cheesecake you get at the end of the tea was tasty too :0)

 

Tomorrow me and my family are going out for a meal (Hehehe, I will try to remember pictures this time :P) as it is my last day of reading week then i am going back to uni- to do more corsets, yay :)

 

Talk to you all again soon and I hope you all have a lovely Sunday,

 

Bye xxxx

 

 

Happy new year!!! :D

Hi everyone,

I hope you all had a good New years eve/day and I would  like to wish you all a happy and healthy new year! :)

 

Normally I have a whole long, long list of new years resolutions but this year I didn't really have any that I hadn't already started before new year, so my new years resolutions aren't so much resolutions, more continuations :P

 

My first aim is to become more chillaxed and happy as exams really stressed me out for A levels and all that but now I am finished and have started uni I am trying to stress less and not be afraid of getting things wrong sometimes. It is going well so far as I already feel less inhibited in my crafting and other things now I am allowing myself to make the odd mistake, which at the end of the day is just learning- making me better at my craft and other things anyway :P

 

My second aim is to keep reading and working hard at uni an trying to learn new skills to improve my sewing and crafting abilities :) hehehw I think learning new craft/sewing skills and improving at them will be on my list forever as I want to be amazing!!!

 

And my thrid aim is to look for more lovely blogs to read, as well getting a bit better at keeping up to date on all the fabulous blogs I already read. Sometimes I miss a blog post and don't see it till the next week so my comments are late- bad me! Now I am more settled in my routine I should be better :)

 

And my fourth and final aim is to keep working on and improving my shop (and blog as usual :) and try to make some happy customers this year :D Heheh I have already uploaded some of the new stock I made for the new year:

 

>Decorate your own button monster kits! (do you remember the button monsters........:

 

 hehe :)

 

> Friendship bracelets

 

>Fimo cookie buttons

 

And I have many more plans for other items!

 

I am looking forward to the year ahead :D I even have something very exciting happening tomorrow- I am meeting my blogging/ravelry friend Eleanor from My life, my thoughts, my hobbies :) We are going to catch up and chat and do a bit of sale shopping together so that will be uber fun, I can't wait!

 

See you all again soon,

 

Bye xxxxxxxxx