Acorns 2014

I feel like I am drowning under a sea of paperwork.  Who knew that getting quotes for every kind of insurance was such a right royal pain in the backside, or that if you’ve only ever been a ‘named’ driver, all your years of never having had any kind of accident or driving penalty counts for NOTHING.  It’s all a bit hard work at the moment, on top of which I desperately want the house finished (as in decorated and building reg’s signed off) there is at least a good few months of work to do there, but at the same time I have to get The Linen Cat back up and running, so today, despite Habitat still not delivering me the desk I ordered (I got a coat stand instead, having waited a few weeks for the first available delivery date and now have to wait longer for the replacement.  Poor show.  They make nice things but I wont order from them again), I’ve got on with it and will make do with the floor as a work space.  I realise the timing of opening the shop back up will never seen right, there is no space for a well needed re-design and a fanfare of trumpets, for every photo to be perfect, as I would like it to be.  Life is going to feel a bit stressful for the next few months so the sooner I got on with it the better; on which note, thank you so very, very much for the lovely comments everyone made on ‘the news’, I’m so sorry as I haven’t replied to anyone yet, but I do intend to, it was encouraging and comforting to read them and I genuinely appreciate every one.  Thank you.

Right, in a bid for normal service to resume, let’s crack on shall we.

We’re heading into Autumn so it must be……acorn time – hurrah!One of the most popular things I’ve ever made are acorns, in both the brooch and hanging versions.  I first made them for the shop back in 2012 and sadly I have never got around to finishing the second (big) batch, until now, that is.

The new ones were started with the idea they’d be ready for Autumn 2013, but generally 2013 was a bit of a disaster, what with my lovely Mum being ill that year, amongst other things, and I pretty much stopped sewing for a while…..a long while as my tax return for 2013-2014 shows!!  I like making the acorns though, so it was a pleasure to pick them back up in-between other projects, stitching a bit here and a bit there and slowly watching them form.  The only part I genuinely struggle with is felting the balls as it makes a mess of my hands but that’s a minor niggle really.  Matching them up into pairs always feels like a milestone.

Leaves are added, and for the hanging version neatly plaited.

As they were already started in 2013, these were part of my ‘get ahead’ list this year and to be fair, I was waaaaayyyyy ahead, the above photo being taken in March 2014. Oh yes, go me!

Then things slowed down rather, mounting them up onto card took me a little bit longer, but was finally completed in July.

I’m always amazed at how long packing up can take, but it’s very satisfying,

I like cleaning off an lint with cellotape then pinning them onto cards and popping them into a cello bag, sealed with a sticker, all ready to be posted out.

I would like to take some more shots of these, especially as some of the process ones were taken on dark days and the colour isn’t great, but I also need to just get them listed for now, I know some of you are waiting.

It’s funny how certain things sum up certain seasons and there is no doubt for me that acorns suggest Autumn.  I’m enjoying these final days of sunshine, but I can’t help but start to hanker for cooler days, I know it’s corny but I find myself thinking of hot chocolate, woollens, smoky garden fires and treacle toffee; it really is my very favourite season so bring it on, I am ready 🙂

They are here and – wahoo! – also on FOKSY, oh yes, I have even managed to get my Folksy shop back up and running, and about time too.