A round up of the last week...

Its been a rather hectic week.

The biggest event was leaving the Boscombe Underground. I'd always been indecisive about the whole thing. Yes, it was exciting and great to have a share in the stall and an opportunity to sell my own bits, but it didn't really work out on a few levels. It was a fantastic experience though, would have been perfect if it was just a weekend thing.

Anyway, there's Winchester next week. Now that certainly has crept up fast. I'm not sure if i'm looking forward to it or if i'm apprehensive. I definitely do not feel ready but at least i'll be going with my buddy, Nicole of Hearts and Skulls. Do go over to her blog and say 'Hi' btw! She's new on the blog scene but has been crafting for many years.

So. What have I been up to?


Bargain Hunting! Inspired by Bex, Nicole and I went to a Car Boot last weekend and I snapped up 2 lots of buttons. All these for £3. JOY!


Dyeing! I think this will be my last batch of 'colour experiments' for a while. The past experiments were a bit nuts, but the yarns turned out better than i expected!


Spinning! After a too long a hiatus I spun Shepards Delight, which will be up on Coriandr some time next week. Also, if its still with me it'll be on show, with the rest of my yarns, at Winchester :D


Also spun up some more natural BFL tops. Thick and thin art style.

Next week will involve gearing up for Winchester and waiting on some packages in the post. Oh, and quite possibly melting as we're heading for temperatures of 30˚C in the shade. Joy...

Coriandr Express: FruteJuce

For a fabulous array of handmade goodies, FruteJuce is sure to quench your thirst!


Alison is the lovely lady behind FruteJuce which is a fantastic shop. There's bound to be something to suit your gift giving needs - or perhaps something to treat yourself with, as there are lots of different items here.


The first items that really catch my eyes are these totally awesome free motion embroidered t-shirts and vests for kids. These scream modern design in my mind as they are simple yet so eye catching. You're sure to have people comment if you kids are wearing these. If you don't have any kids then no worries! Alison will be happy to make up adult sized free motion t-shirts!


Not only is Alison skilled at free motion machine embroidery, she is also adept at hand embroidery. This apple is so detailed. It would look lovely on any fridge or family magnetic notice board.


Finally, i would like to talk about the purses Alison makes. Not only does she make square zipped pouches from funky fabric, but she also makes these adorable Russian Doll coin purses! So sweet, these would be great for girls and ladies alike.

To keep up to date with all things Frute Juce, be sure to follow Alisons Blog. Or for those into micro blogging, follow along on Twitter. For those on Facebook, become a fan!

Coriandr Express: Snapdragon Beads

The current Coriandr Express VIP is Snapdragon Beads!


I adore this shop. The beautiful macro photography, the colours, the amazing workmanship. Its so easy to be drawn in by the loveliness. Alice makes brooches, hair grips, pendants and earrings out of simple beads, but makes them into extraordinary designs. I think for this blog, i'll let the pictures speak for themselves. Theres nothing i can say to make these pieces more stunning.





If you love Alices work as much as I do then become a fan on Facebook, follow her updates on Twitter and keep up to date with her work on her Blog.

Coriandr Express: myfuroshiki

For eco-friendly wrapping, look no further than myfuroshiki!

Mich and Olivia's shop is so beautiful. All those wonderful patterned fabrics, there's sure to be something suitable for you to wrap your special gifts in!


Furoshiki are a really simple way of wrapping your gifts. You don't need any scissors or sticky tape. Just a furoshiki square and the ability to knot!


These fabric squares can be used to wrap gifts again and again, meaning less impact on the environment as theres no waste! One of the best things about using furoshiki is that wrapping those difficult odd shapped objects with heaps of paper and sticky tape is a thing of the past. No matter the shape, your gift will look beautiful in one of their beautiful printed fabric squares!


Furoshiki aren't just for wrapping gifts. They also make wonderful bags! Just think, its like having multiple bags in one as you can fold and tie them in different styles to suit your needs!

If you love MyFuroshiki and would like to find out more, check out their blog - loads of tips for using furoshiki, become a fan on Facebook and follow their updates on Twitter!

June Giveaway: Follow Up

I just wanted to share this awesome hat Lynne made with the yarn she won from this months giveaway:

Lynne wants to sell the hat and donate the money to the Macmillan Fund :)

I'll keep you posted on where this hat will be sold, sounds like it could be in for a bidding war on eBay! Lets hope this raises loads of pennies for Macmillan!!

Coriandr Express: Debbs Elliman

Debbs Elliman Is the next VIP on the Coriandr express!
Debbs shop is like a treasure trove! There are so many beautiful pieces of glass and jewellery that there'll be something to suit all tastes!

It was quite difficult to pick a favourite piece, but this one for me stands out that little more! Its most likely due to the soft, earthy tones in this piece and the intricate work of wrapping the wire around the leaf. All this at such a great price, too!

I think these glass buttons that Debbs fuses herself in her own studio, would finish off a turquoise or black caplet beautifully.

Glass and Jewellery is not all that Debbs can do! Look at this awesome Owl Tote bag for only £5! She used stamps and fabric paints to create this cute little scene. So sweet and a great gift for the eco-firendly owl-lover in your life :D

Debbs can be found on Twitter and writes on her blog regularly!

Thanks for reading :)

Coriandr Express: Mrs Toad Designs

Our latest stop on the Express is the work from the very talented, Mrs Toad Designs!

Catherine has an eye for all things cute and sweet! Her shop predominately is based of felt textiles, including pincushions and lovely little brooches.



I love the stitching detail on these cupcake brooches, particularly this one with the starry detail on the casing!

Look at all these felt cakes makes me hungry! But just think, wonderful, yummy cakes with out the calories!


Cupcakes and sweets made of felt aren't the only talent this lady possesses. Se also make wonderful jewellery!


I wish i were the type of person to wear earrings, as i think these are beautiful. The hand beaded centers look like silvery snowflakes or flowers. Really nice and delicate, these would make a lovely gift for that someone special.

Keep up to date with Catherine and 'Mrs Toad Designs', through her blog! :D

Coriandr Express: Nicsknots

This blog post is over 2 days late, but i just had to write about Nic's wonderful shop!

This shop is a knitters and crocheters dream. Nic makes these wonderful bags for you to keep your projects in.


This design with the sheep fabric is perfect for yarnaholics! The drawstring on these bags is perfect for knitting/crocheting on the go - your yarn wont roll around all over the place or get tangled :)


In addition to project bags, Nic also makes these awesome Needle rolls, great for keeping your needles and hooks all in one tidy, organised place! I really love this 'Love Hearts' fabric, its got a cool retro feel about it!


Another must have for any knitter or crocheter is a notions case. These are ideal for keeping all you accessories in, such as stitch markers, darning needles, a tape measure, stitch holders... the list goes on as every knitter and crocheter knows :D This one will match up nicely with the project bag too - a great gift idea for the knitter or crocheter in your life!

Don't forget the kids! The little girl in your life, whether she be your daughter, granddaughter or niece would love one of these!


To find out more about Nicsknots, be sure to check out her website, or perhaps follow her updates on Twitter. If you are smitten with Nic's bags like me, become a fan on Facebook!

And The Winner Of The June Giveaway Is...

...the author of comment number 2, Autonomous Artisans! I'll contact you shortly for your address, Lynne!

For those who weren't as lucky this time, don't worry! There's still 11 skeins to give away, so check back again in July for the next one :) Thanks for taking part!

Am I Dreaming?

Apologies to everyone, particularly those involved with the Coriandr Express for my hiatus the past week or so, its been a very busy week and I am now glad to reveal why.

I was given the chance last Monday to take part in a new alternative market called the "Boscombe Underground". It was really short notice and so i've been busy preparing stock and buying tables, bookcases and what not to display on!


The market started trading on Saturday the 6th June and was officially opened by the Bournemouth Mayor.



I'm sharing a stall with 2 lovely ladies who run Charlie Moo's and Ollie's Closet. I'm sharing my third with a friend of mine and we have started a network for handmade artists in the south called "oOak Tree". We sell under this name at the market and want to help other local handmade artists sell their work at the BU too.




As you can see, my stock for Coriandr is there hence why it is currently empty!! I think i will put the hand spun and hand dyed yarn back online, i honestly can't see people buying it there.

I gave up my cleaning job for this and it's like a dream come true. We've all made sales and i honestly hope that things can only get better for us!

So if you're ever in the Bournemouth area, please come and visit to say 'hi!' - I would love to meet you :)

Coriandr Express: Creativesque

Todays stop on the Coriandr Express is with Creativesque!

Between looking after her two kiddies, Stacey-Ann is a very talented illustrator. Her work can vary widely and I really like this about her pieces as they are all individual with their own stories to tell.


As well as selling her artwork, Stacey-Ann also produces her illustrations on book marks, gift tags and other useful stationery items - these can be found in her Coriandr Shop!


Although more aimed towards children, I think this car bookmark would be a great Fathers Day gift for a Dad who loves reading but is into motors. Its very whimsical and cute!


Illustration is not the only talent this lovey lady has. She makes good use of paper and in this case, old books to make other nifty stationery items. These mini envelopes from a Robinson Crusoe book would look great in a journal. Or perhaps a treasure hunt for the kids to hide clues in!

There are some really lovely items in Stacey-Ann's shop. Well worth a look!

If you'd like to know more about Stacey-Ann's work, why not check out her website?

Coriandr Express: Pirate Pixie Crew

Batten down the hatches! The next stop is the Pirate Pixie Crew!



As a knitter and crocheter myself, I love this shop! The reason I got into those crafts is because of people like Lynne making the most awesome hats ever. I love hats. They can show a persons personality through them, particularly the more zany ones :D


Although this particular one is for a child, my favourite hat in the shop is the pixie style ones. Fun and unconventional, you don't see many people wearing this style at all. I must confess that the main reason i like this style is because it reminds me of Link's hats he wears in the "Legend of Zelda" games. But then he is pixie like, so its all very fitting! If you like this hat but would like an adult sized one, just contact Lynne and i'm sure she can cook one up for you!


Did i mention yet that i like hats? This slouchy style is very much the in thing at the moment and i'm pretty sure that the style will continue through this winter too. This particular crochet example would look wonderful on a young lady. The colours would really warm up a cold day.


Hats and other accessories to keep you warm aren't the only items on offer at the Pirate Pixie Crew store. How about this hair tie with dreadlocks so you can have funky hair without the worry of loosing you job? Or for a bit of fun, or maybe a fancy dress party, this polka dot eye patch?


There is a great story behind the 'Pirate Pixie Crew" that will appeal to young and old! When you buy a hat, you get a membership card to certify that you are a part of the crew. Find out more about the captain and crew on the website and the in the Captains log! You can also become a fan of the crew on Facebook!

June Giveaway

Now that June has arrived I wanted to get some monthly giveaways going! This month will be this totally shocking hand dyed yarn!



The yarn was from a batch which was rescued from being thrown away about a year ago. Using the yarns in that batch I dyed to my hearts content, playing with all kinds of dyes and colours :D I wanted to share this with you guys so i am now going to be giving away one skein a month!

This particular skein is 1 of 2 I called "Pear Drop", as it reminded me of the sweets of the same name! Theres over 72 meters of this 50% wool, 50% nylon blend which will knit up nicely on 4.5mm to 5.5 mm needles or alternatively a 5-6mm hook!

All you need to do is comment on this post for a chance to win :) On the 8th June, i'll use a random number generator to pick a comment and the author of the comment will win! Huzzah! :D And please, only comment once!