I think the change in the weather has focused everyone's attention on Christmas.  In Bug HQ this week I'll be mainly personalising Christmas Sacks! Several have been ordered already via Facebook. Hopefully they'll be added to the website over the weekend along with the new backpacks.

Most of the Christmas range is already on the website, including the always popular Reindeer Food and Magic Santa Keys.  There will be some more Christmas products added too, so if you haven't already, please like my Facebook Page to get a first glimpse.

A rare weekend off from events but I am attending a Ladies Charity evening in Derby Friday night at the Derby County Cricket in aid of the Laura Centre. So if you are local to Derby then please come along and support it.

This weekend has been a making weekend with the New Reindeer in Personalised Bag occupying most of it!  The week ahead is busy with a visit to a Mansfield Baptist Church Toddler Group on Tuesday, this is where my children went when they were small and I'm always receive such a warm welcome.  The coming weekend sees two more new events too. I'll also be trying to finish the Christmas range......oh and get the new backpacks live on the website.  There might be a sneaky peak of those on Facebook in the next few days.

He's arrived!!  And he's already popular with several going to new homes this week!  The Christmas range is now available on the website, other lines to be added soon.

 

McMillan, Tractors, Traffic and more!

What a week!  Several days spent this week attending McMillan coffee mornings,  thank you to the wonderful hosts, I'm pleased to say that lots of coffee and cake consumed but lots of money raised too so the cake was justified!  

It was Southwell Plough Match this Saturday too, thank you to all those who patiently queued for up to 4 hours to get in!  I gather that the organisers were limited by the local councils to one entrance which caused a problem or two. This resulted in a very quiet morning and very busy afternoon!  Met some lovely customers and had a great time with the fellow stall holders.

This week is 'Catch up' week with a stack of orders and a deadline of this weekend to launch the Christmas range.........eeekk!

Christmas is coming!! Look who is helping Santa get here!

Available to purchase on the website, when the Christmas range is launched later this month. if you want to be notified of the launch then please register on the home page.

What will the week ahead bring?  Well for me lots of tea & cake!!  September sees the McMillan Coffee Morning campaign and The Fabric Bug, and me personally are delighted to be supporting more than one! It's not just because of the cake that I'm delighted either!  I don't think I know anyone that hasn't been affected by cancer, my family included.  The McMillan coffee mornings are a great way of supporting McMillan nurses but there are also a great opportunity to catch up with friends.

I'll be at Kingsway Hall in Forest Town this Saturday, along with several other crafters. Mon - Thurs, I've been invited in to someone's home, donating a proportion of any profits to McMillan and then on Friday I'm at the John Fretwell Centre at Mansfield Woodhouse for my final slice!

A very busy week !  If you are local the please pop along to any of the events I'm at, or if you know someone hosting a coffee morning then please support them in their fundraising efforts. J x

Somehow we have arrived in September, the children are back at school, autumn is just around the corner and that can only mean one thing.............Christmas is approaching!

Preparations have to begin early in the Fabric Bug but I am running a little behind! 

In the Bug Room this week there has been an explosion of bunnies, the Bunny in Personalised Bag is definitely the most popular make at the moment.  But watch out because a new bunny is appearing soon.

Also this week I'll be making stock for the forthcoming events, Knitting Dolly hobby kits to start and hopefully later in the week finalising the 2013 Christmas range!

This coming weekend The Fabric Bug will be at two events, Saturday at a McMillan fundraiser in Forest Town, a really friendly event with various 'makers' selling and helping raise funds for McMillan, plenty of tea and cake too!  Sunday is a new event and outdoor........pink gazebo at the ready! 

We're Live!!

After hours of work we're pleased to launch our brand new website.

Keep watching as there's more new products to add over the coming weeks.

The New Bunnies have arrived!

After a long summer the new bunnies are finally here! Click here to find out more!

NEW Shaped Letter Bunting

Brand new products now available on the website - Shaped Letter Bunting click here

NEW Personalised Pet Products

Brand new products now available on the website - Personalised Pet Products - click here

NEW Personalised Baby Sleepsuits

Brand new products now available on the website - Personalised Baby Sleepsuits - click here

NEW Recorders in Personalised Bags

Brand new products now available on the website - Recorders in Personalised Bags - click here

Happy New Year!!

As we leave 2013 and move into 2014 I'd like to wish all of my customers and friends a very happy and prosperous new year.

Joanne

Busy Bug!

June is supposed to be a quiet month traditionally............but not this year.  I'm still trying to launch new products and new fabrics for the mini bunting boards but am also receiving lots of enquiries through the website for bespoke work.  Variety is great and often new ideas spring out of customer enquiries. 

I'm in the process of designing "Pirate Loot" bags for a Party Planner, aprons for some very special Teachers and Teaching Staff.  The Mini Bunting Board range is due to expand with some pretty florals, great for girls of all ages, some Elephant themed fabric, and for the boys dinosaurs and diggers!

The new Covered Button Hair accessories were a real hit at Arnold Carnival too.  I hope to get them on the website too but they do require a huge photography session!  If you can't wait then take a sneaky peak on Facebook, just follow the link and please like my page.

Teacher Gifts, flannels, cute apple magnets and apple bags have been well received too. 

Looking forward to finishing designs off and getting them onto the website (nudge, nudge hubby!!).

Joanne

It's Flying again!

That's time again. The reason I've not posted for sometime is the usual 'life' together with some technical problems. Since my last post I've been away with the Family for a much needed break. We had a week in Malta, a beautiful place and the perfect tonic! My husband who manages my website and all things technical has been very busy with his business launching a new office in Newcastle (www.solutionsforaccounting.co.uk). And here in the Bug Headquarters I've enjoyed creating some new products using fabric covered buttons. Hair bobbles, hair slides and magnets all made with fabric covered buttons will debut at Arnold Carnival this weekend. As will teacher gifts. Teacher gifts will hopefully make there way onto the website this weekend, pictures are already on Facebook. The range includes cute apple bags, apple magnets and "Top Teacher" Flannels - practical gifts and priced between £2.50 and £3.00 they make a perfect token gift for teachers and TA's. So Arnold Carnival looms this weekend, I really look forward to this event each year and this year I'm joined by Kirsty of Kirsty's Contemporary cards and Emma from Beyond Benefits. The Carnival has great free entertainment all weekend. Lets hope the sun shines!

It's late! Well this post is not late, provided I finish it in the next 45 minutes, it's just very late in the day!! I'm aiming to post a blog every Wednesday at least. I've kept up with it so far, but this week has been exhausting! The Fabric Bug workroom has been a bit neglected. We went away for the extended weekend, had a fab weekend with lovely friends, some we haven't seen for years...had plenty of sun and a great catch up! So there hasn't been much activity with the Fabric Bug, nor any movement on the 'to do' or 'to create' list. However I have enjoyed some lovely feedback this week from customers. One customer called me "Super Woman!", not sure of that but it is always great to receive feedback. I've now have a couple of days to replenish stock and carry on with the new designs. I'm at Bawtry on Sunday, at the New Hall, for those that don't know Bawtry it is a lovely town, with some great shops and eateries, well worth a visit and it really springs into life over the weekend. Fab 'individual' shops and always a warm welcome. Next week I'll be gearing up for Etwall Well Dressing which is always a busy weekend, if you've not seen Well Dressing before, it's a Derbyshire tradition and well worth seeing. So if you're near to any of my events do pop by and say hello. Hopefully my new lines, toy storage bags and new goody bags will be available soon, so watch this space. Joanne

Busy Bug........... Well, this time of year is supposed to be less busy with events giving me chance to keep on top of everything.........yet I'm busy both with The Fabric Bug and family life. Last weekend I went to a Craft Fair at Mapplewell in Barnsley, it was a great event and I met lots of new people, I also got signed up to do more events in that area later in the year. It's always good to try new areas and there were some lovely crafters there (yes I spent...occupational hazard!). In my workroom (called the 'Bug Room' in our house) this week I've been completing some bespoke orders......it's often customers that give me inspiration for new ideas. I've completed father and son aprons (XL and tiny!). I've also been doing quite a few of the bunting boards, more aprons...and yes more aprons! The new designs for the Personalised Toy Storage Bags are still work in progress! And the new party bags haven't even begun! It's a hectic weekend with the Family this weekend and catching up with some old friends so having the weekend off from events. But have a full 'to do list' ready for next week. Thanks for stopping by. (Hooray....proud I've managed to keep to my promise of weekly updates) Joanne

A new beginning...........

Well, it may be a bit late for new year resolutions but it's amazing what a few days away can do to inspire you! 

At Easter I had a few days in Valencia with the family and did quite a bit of 'business' thinking!  Top of the list when I got back was to update the blog and make a commitment to it!

Having caught up on the orders ..........I'm finally on it!

So, another event to look forward this weekend, off to Barnsley for the first time.  The lovely Helen Johnson invited me to attend the Mapplewell Village Spring Craft Fair this Saturday 27th April. The last time I met with someone from Barnsley it was a WWII Veteran who had successfully escaped from Colditz!!  Looking forward to meeting some new people at Mapplewell it sounds like Helen and her friends have a great selection of craft stalls at the event so hopefully it will be a good day.

In the "Bug Room", this week I've caught up on orders, finally got the Miniature Bunting Boards on the website (Thank you Iain). Also, in the 'creating' stages are some new toy storage bags with new applique designs...so watch this space.

Thanks for reading and I promise it won't be so long next time!

Joanne

Southwell Minster Event & Update

Southwell Minster was a great day, despite the weather! It was well attended and the reception for some of my new products was great. It was great to see some familiar faces and some of the stalls were just equisite. It is so tempting to spend at these sort of events!

I am still hopeful that the new range will be on the website sometime in the next fortnight (Iain!) and I still have some ideas to develop.

Cromford Mill is a new venue for me, I will be there this Sunday and just hope that the weather is good so that people venture out.

If you fancy a trip into the wonderful derbyshire countryside then come and see me there!

Joanne