I Am Proud To Announce That .........

I have officially self certified my sock monkey design

and also my Ra Ra Raggie Doll Design

They will now be going into production.

CE Testing Update

Back in the summer I found out that the UK law has changed and all soft toy products (toys are anything that looks like a toy) must be CE certified.  It is not a task for the faint hearted or for those that give up as soon as someone says "no", but it can be done..... Not in the way that many people suggested which was to attach labels stating not for under 14's or under 3's ( not a legal cover) or say this is for display only (as they too have to be tested if they look like a toy, they are a toy)
Knit a hat for a child and sell it, no problem, but put the same hat on a toy and it then needs to go through a large range of tests.
My trading standards department couldn't see a feasible way to get tested as socks are clothing and thus not subjected to the same rules.... so I stopped trying, withdrew my sock monkeys from sale and started to research.
I've found a very helpful company and a group of other makers who have been or are going through the process.

It has not been a cheap process and takes a lot of time and paperwork.  You should see the piles I have.
Every single component has to come up to certain standards and be traceable, frlt, fabric, stuffing, thread, ribbon, buttons etc.  It means that you cannot use vintage or second hand fabrics because you can not trace the manufacturer.

So my monkeys have now had weights attached, seems poked, eyes twisted painfully, have been washed, tumbled dry and photographed like a top model and they are currently awaiting more torture  but the wind is currently stopping proceedings.  I need a still day.

Throughout the process, I have been tempted to give up, but with encouragement from other people going through the same thing I've very nearly reached my goal.

I have also been developing a new product.  Ra Ra Raggie Dolls are traditional style rag dolls who are also being tested at the same time.
So watch this space while I watch the wind!

Lavender Blue

Let me introduce you to a web site I've recently created for Gill Tomkinson.
Lavender  Blue is home to some really stunning Lavender and Dianthus (pinks) Plants.

 The new web site is now live and will be added to over the next few weeks

The full range of Dianthus

The full range of Lavenders

Gillyflower the floristry section

Indescribable

"Who has told every lightening bolt where it should go or seen store houses laden with snow"

Updates .......

For many many years I've been trading as Beads By Design and whilst that fitted my initial ideas, it's become more restrictive and does not really reflect my current creations in the same way as it used to.
I am also known as Crystal Velvet Weddings and as Ra Ra Bazaar and after some considerable thought, I have decided to move to being Ra Ra Bazaar as it enables me to encompass all my creations under one roof.
I will still have the Beads By Design and Crystal Velvet Wedding sections on my web site, but am gradually changing my public persona.
www.rarabazaar.co.uk will eventually become my main web address, but the others will still be kept on and will work to take you to the same place.

South Cave Snow Video

A few years ago, but each time snow falls here the beauty is the same

Jack Frost Visited

Spiders webs turned into lace

Little ice crystal trees

Wonderful fern like patterns on the car

Les Miserables

Last Friday I attended a showing of  Les Miserables.  I am still reeling from the impact.
I am familiar with the music and over the years have seen many snippets of the show, but never the whole thing, so other than a vague knowledge of the story, there was a lot left to discover.
The film was breathtaking.
I am now telling everyone I know to go and see it.
But I should issue you with a warning.  take your tissues.  They are essential.  At the end, the whole audience sat in stunned silence apart from the muffled sniffling.  I did not see anyone who looked unaffected   All the way back to  the car we could hear other people discussing it in very favourable terms.
I want to go again!

A Crafty Hoarder

A recent post on the Crafts Forum was entitled "Are you A Crafty Hoarder?" to which I proudly stand and say My name is Karen and I am a crafty Hoarder!
Growing up, my parents would despair at the mess that filled my room.  I wanted to be tidy, but it really wasn't in my nature, I'd tidy up and then somehow mess would develop around me and before I knew it, the room would be untidy again.
It wasn't until my late teens and early twenties that I finally understood "my mess", it wasn't mess at all, but creative clutter.

Creative clutter is a tool by which I am inspired.

Creative Clutter throws colour schemes and pattern before my eyes.

Creative clutter is recycling at it's best.

Creative clutter is essential to my creative process.

All Shiny And New

As a student at school, it was always a great feeling to fill up your old exercise book and start out with a brand new one.  Gone was the red writing from the teacher and the pages where your writing went all scruffy and there in front of you was fresh paper, crisp covers and the chance for a fresh start.
The new year 2013 lies before each of us as a chance of a new fresh note book.  The chance to start afresh on new journeys and discoveries and the chance to lay behind us things that have have made us unhappy.
Enjoy your new notebook!

Christmas Open House

For 5 or 6 years now, I have run an open house event in the run up to Christmas.  

I spread all my creations out through the downstairs rooms and pop on fresh coffee and warm mince pies in the oven, light winter scented candles.  

Turn on the Christmas music and ioen up to the public.  I send out invites to friends and extend the invite to clients and anyone else who wants to come and browse.  I really enjoy it as do many of my clients who ask in anticipation each year.

This year My Open House will be held on Wednesday 28th November from 9am til 3pm and from 7pm until 9pm.  All are welcome.

Contact me for further details or just turn up!
4, Nunnery Walk
South Cave
Brough
East Yorkshire
HU15 2JA

Jam Jar

Since glass jars have been produced, they have been re used to store things in.   Initially known as preserving jars as they offered air tight storage and preserving housing for fruit and vegetables meaning that they could be preserved and used over the whole year rather than just "in season".  The addition of sugar, vinegar or alcohol offered year round food supplies often a lifeline to poor families without the modern fridges and freezers.
Home pickling  chutney making and jam making is ever popular and many small cottage businesses have grown up around this trade.  The ability to keep costs low in production have been embraced and many of these small businesses are recycling glass jars.  Church hall fetes, WI ladies among others are also large recyclers of glass jars.
in the jam making and pickling process, all jars used are washed thoroughly in hot soapy water and  are then heated in the oven or microwave to sterilise them (instructions for sterilising jars are HERE).  Incorrectly sterilised jars will infect food and it will go off.
Recently there has been an uproar for the ladies in the WI, small businesses etc as a 2004 EU regulation has been publicised stating that jam jars used must be new and  made of pure glass.  The FSA has advised that each authority will make rulings and to contact your local environmental health department for guidelines and advice.
The cheapest glass jars I have located are: JazzJars 1lb jars wth lids pack of 56 £18.75 + £7.25 = 46p each
This is a lot for a small business to add into their costs and many of them may be pushed out of trading.

Teal Choker

I been making some new Autumn and winter jewellery and this is the first one in the new range.  it's a wooden choker with metal accents in antiqued silver

The teal beads are accented with a few jungle green beads from the same series.

The Earrings are on ahook topper, but can be changed to  clip on s or stud topper.

The set is available on my Folksy store

Ra Ra Bazaar

I Won A Prize

This morning I heard that I had won a prize in a card making competition.
The competition that has been run by Jill from Christmas Pie Crafts was a competition to make a card featuring flowers.  I had an afternoon of playing with quilling strips and created  this card.
I admit to being very very happy!!!

Guest Blogger on Christmas Pie Crafts

I am the guest blogger on Christmas Pie Crafts today.  I wrote the article a few weeks ago and had quite forgotten about it, so it was a lovely surprise when Jill contacted me to let me know about it.  Why bnot pop over and read about my preparation for Christmas.