February 29th, 2012

Happy Leap Year Day!  And, more importantly, happy 7 months until my wedding day!  It was so nie of the world to give me a February 29th this year so I could continue my wedding countdown accurately, love that!

So I must fill you in on the past couple of days, or at least explain why my last two blog posts have been so rubbish!  As some of you may knnow, Andy and I met through our joint love of Meat Loaf (singer, not food!)...I've loved him since I was 7 and have spent pretty much my whole life following him.  I met Andy through the fanclub and now we get to do it all together, if Mr Loaf tours, we're there, so we're very well-travelled of the world's arenas!

Anyway, yesterday Meat was in London promoting his new album so of course we went down to see him, which was great as the last tour ended in December 2010 and we were starting to have something that resembled a normal life!  Great day, great to see some old friends, and of course the man himself.  He was on top form and made time at the end of the event to come and say Hi and wish us Good Luck with the wedding, aw! (The pic is Andy, me & our friend Michael - not Meat Loaf!)

Back to reality today (though today has been an epic business day, as you'll find out in tomorrow's blog!) feet are blistered, can hardly feel my legs, but all worth it!

I must now change the topic completely and refer back to one of my previous blog entries... Yorkshire Puddings.  Some of you will have seen my rather magnificent Yorkshires that I made due to putting an extra egg in the mixture.  Now, this morning I received a phonecall from the person who gave me the recipe wondering where his credit was, so I must publically thank Geoff  "The Brigadier" Carr who told me to do it.  I actually suspect that I should be thanking Mrs Carr (my Cheshire Mum!) because I do not believe for one minute that the man whose recipe for Steak & Kidney Pie consisted of him going shopping to buy steaks, kidneys and pie would ever have come up with this on his own.  But all the same, Thank You Geoff - where would I be without you?!

February 28th, 2012

Today we've done a round trip of cheshire to London and back all to see our idol, Meat Loaf. Epic day but right now I can barely blink let alone blog, so as promised I'll fill you all in tomorrow!

Bedtime!

February 27th, 2012

Quickest blog ever tonight!  I shall elaborate more on Wednesday but just now I'm racing around getting everything ready for tomorrow, as we're up and heading to London in the morning to see the main man in both mine and Andy's life - Meat Loaf!

Long, long story...I promise I'll explain on Wednesday and make it all sound less weird!!!!

February 26th, 2012

Evening all!  Should really be heading to bed, just been looking at the diary and Andy and I have the busiest week ever...we might have an extra day this February but we've filled that too, I think we get to have some sleep some time during next Sunday!

Desperately tried to get as much done as possible before the week started, got a lot done but not nearly as much as I'd have liked.  Did managed to get the Folksy & Etsy shops completely up to date though, so that's something, just got a massive pile of sewing to get through now.  Shouldn't complain, I love to be busy, but sometimes I feel like I could do with a week of February 29th's!!

 

February 25th, 2012

Not one to break with tradition, my other blog posts and pics have been about what I've been up to that day, but today I fear I may have to show you something completely unrelated...we've spent today working on the new site and you're not seeing anything to do with that until it's done!  What I will say is that Andy has worked like a trooper and I'm so so happy with how it's coming along - he's done good!

So I shall give you one of my badges which is about to go on Etsy, because that's all you're allowed to see today!!!

February 24th, 2012

So today I discovered Pinterest...someone's going to have to explain it to me though!  My understanding is that it's basically an online pin board/mood board where you can upload pics of your favourite things and places and things that inspire you...which is great but I'm not entirely sure what happens after that?!  Do you "follow" or "like" a board so you can keep up to date with it?  Not a clue, but when I do get to grips with it one of my first pics will be this -

As someone with a fairly serious button fetish these are just a dream to me!  Really want to have a go at some of these (need to do something with the millions of buttons upstairs!) and don't tell Andy but I've still not ruled these out for the wedding, I just love them!

The biggest Well Done to whoever made them - they are fantastic!

February 23rd, 2012

You know, as I look back over my posts from the last 6 weeks, I do nothing but work!  Every post is about having had a productive day and what I've managed to get done...that's quite sad really, perhaps I need some time off!!!

But not one to go off-topic, here's a little peak and something new I tried today!

February 22nd, 2012

After a long day of making, here's a sneaky look at one of my new fabrics....some of you might recognise it..?!

February 21st, 2012

Happy Pancake Day folks!

Ok, so I wasn't actually making pancakes, this mix was actually for Yorkshire puds but it's all the same batter right?!!!  I promise to make pancakes this weekend!

If today is pancake day, tomorrow is the first day of Lent!  What are we all giving up?!  I'm utterly rubbish with Lent, I go into it with every good intention of giving something up and sticking to it and I just never do!  So I'm trying to think of something positive to take up, rather than quitting something....not doing too well though!  The obvious one is exercise but I promise you all right now I wouldn't stick to that one!

Any ideas welcome!

February 20th, 2012

So yesterday I was telling you all that there's some changes coming to Lucy Liz, thank you for all of the messges, nice to know people want you to do well!

But I couldn't let Handmade Monday go by without a product photo, so as promised (about a month ago!) here's one of the coin purses I did.

As yet I'm not sure if these have made the cut for the new site, the new purses I've done are bigger so these might not have a place, though these are very different to the new ones so perhaps there's room for both?!

Will have to wait and see!

http://www.lucyliz.co.uk/

February 19th, 2012

How on earth is it Sunday night already?  I'm quite sure it was only just Friday afternoon!  Time must fly  when you're having fun, or working like a trooper!

As some of you may have noticed, http://www.lucyliz.co.uk/ is temporarily closed for some spring cleaning.  We're hoping that it won't take too long but it will definitely be worth it as we'll be re-opening the site with lots of new products and a very different strategy for marketing...I'll be honest, what we're doing is a pretty big risk but fingers crossed it'll be worth it!

So today was Day 1 of getting it all started!  Andy spent the day photo editing and exploring new ways to set my site up ( I know exactly what I want, just need to work out if it's possible!), whilst I set about with costings and fabric cutting for the first of the new bags which I love!!  I'm extending my existing range to include some bigger bags which have a much bigger surface area so the fabrics look so much better as you can really see them!

Worringly my To Do list took two sheets of A3 paper and contains 54 things to do, so I should have no problems posting new products for Handmade Monday for a while!!!

February 18th, 2012

Another late one for me!  I keep forgetting to blog during the day, next thing I know it's stupid o'clock and I'm barely awake!

Such a good day today, feeling very organised and full of direction...I'm sure something will happen tomorrow which will send me into a spiral but for now, I know exactly what I'm doing, which can only be a good thing.  Lots done today including getting a couple more totes done, really enjoyed doing these as I'm making them to send up to my friend's shop so there's no rush for them, was nice just to sit back and enjoy doing them!

Back to it tomorrow, so I'd best get a good night's sleep before it all starts again!

February 17th, 2012

So...tired...will blog properly...tomorrow....promise!!!

P.S. got some more new fabric, will fill you in tomorrow!

February 16th, 2012

What a day!  Mum came down on the train this morning and, armed with the Sat Nav, we set about wedding dress shopping.  Tried a few more on but I'm absolutely certain I know which one I want, typically it's the first one I loved in the first shop!

As Andy will vouch for, things with me and my Mum never go smoothly, our lives are like one long comedy routine, only it's only funny for everyone else!  And today was no exception.  Having raced back to Manchester Piccadilly, almost killing us twice, my Mum missed her train home to the north east by the skin of her teeth.  She was quite happy to wait an hour for the next one but there's no way on this earth I was leaving my lovely Mum sitting in that station, alone, to then do her journey, so we jumped in the car and I drove her back as far as Scotch Corner...she isn't waiting around on my watch!

So my less than an hour return trip to drop her at the station turned into a 5 and a half hour one, the things you do for your Mum!!!

http://www.lucyliz.co.uk/

February 15th, 2012

With Round 2 of wedding dress shopping starting tomorrow I thought I'd let you all know how Operation Bride & Groom (our plan to lose weight) is going.  This about sums it up:

We're just rubbish!  My excuse for Mars Bar ice creams?  I bought Healthy Choice garlic bread which has 50% less fat, therefore these are free calories because we would have eaten them in the bread anyway.  That is the mentality we're going at this with!!

I'm sure once the clocks change we'll be much better as we'll be more inclined to go out for walks on an evening rather than closing the curtains and eating...that's the hope anyway!!

http://www.lucyliz.co.uk/

February 14th, 2012

Happy Valentine's Day everyone, hope you've all had wonderfully loved up days and have been suitably spoiled!

Very quite Valentine's for Andy and me, to his credit I do usually get a pressie, and always a bouquet delivered to my art room when I was studying away if Valentine's fell during the week, but in The Year of the Wedding we've been very sensible and not spent money on flowers that will die and chocolates that won't see tomorrow! 

So I spent this evening doing the most loved-up task I could think of, and set about writing batch 1 of the wedding invitations!!  (The pic isn't brilliant but I don't want anyone really seeing what they're getting yet!)

www.lucyliz.co.uk

February 13th, 2012

(Being a little bit cheeky this week and linking to Handmade Monday  twice, but seeing as I'm blogging every day they're two different ones, so hopefully no-one will mind!)

Two important things to blog about today!

Firstly I must thank you all for the lovely comments regarding the bag I posted yesterday, always so great to get your feedback!  I did say that it wasn't my favourite and that the next one was, so here it is!

I just love this one, London is one of my favourite places ever so this one's just perfect for me.  I've been wanting to do something like this for ages but there's so many restrictions on things like the tube maps and London Underground logos that this fabric was a God send.  For those who've not seen it before, this fabric isn't of the London Tube Map as you know it, it's actually a version that someone put together which is the based on the existing tube maps but the locations are more geographically precise.  Oddly I almost prefer this version as it's not as perfect as the original versions.

Secondly - and perhaps more importantly - Lucy Liz will be closing for a couple of weeks.  Comments and feedback over recent months (and a very exciting bit of news I received today) have lead me to decisions to make some changes about my business, not about my products but more about the marketing and branding.  So the site will be down for a couple of weeks but will be back with a bang by March, loaded with lots of new products!  I'll still be available on email if anyone does want to order whilst the site is down though.

And with that, I'm off to bed!

www.lucyliz.co.uk

February 12th, 2012

Well I must say, Andy has seriously worked for his dinner today!  After sweetening him up with tea and a bacon sandwich he set down to a day of photography and editing...couple of new bags finished and ready to go, coin purses done...he's a star!

So here's introducing one of two new bags, something floral ready for Spring 2012!

This bag isn't my favourite but I'm really pleased I've done it, my favourite bags are actually very dark - bags like New York and Vegas are based on black so it's nice to have something like this one to really brighten up the collection.

The other new bag (which I'll show you all for proper Handmade Monday tomorrow) is one of my favourites yet!!!

Night all!

http://www.lucyliz.co.uk/

February 11th, 2012

Such an exciting day today!!  A couple of weeks ago Andy and I went to a wedding fair and ended up booking an appointment with a Savile Row bespoke suit tailor.  Today we went to the appointment and we're going ahead with the order!

I honestly can't tell you how at  home I was there, at first the lovely man didn't know what I do for a living so he was talking to us about the importance of not only the pieces being handmade, but the detail too, how every button hole is cut and sewn by hand...he was wonderful!  Of course this won't be coming cheap but Andy is coming away from this with a beautiful, made-to-measure, handmade suit which will last a lifetime, and you can't put a price on that!

On a side-note, while we were there the man did ask what I do, and I told him.  I had one of my own bags with me (obviously) and he asked to look at it....ohhh the pressure!  I reluctantly handed it over - I put a hell of a lot of time into my work but Savile Row it isn't! - but I'm relieved and proud to say that he absolutely loved it, which was quite a pat on the back for me!

Very good day!!!

http://www.lucyliz.co.uk/

February 10th, 2012

All in all, quite a good day today!

Got all of my bags finished and ready for posting, had a hospital appointment which went very well, got some very exciting news about someone we're going to see at the end of the month (but that's a massive blog for another day!) then got home to find lots more press interest for Lucy Liz!  Can't complain at that lot really!

We've got a busy day ahead tomorrow so for now I'm just looking forward to meeting up with a someone I love that I feel I haven't spent time with in ages....

...my pillow!!

http://www.lucyliz.co.uk/

February 9th, 2012

A very long but productive day today, got a few bags finished including some customised totes!  Really enjoying the tote bags as this is the first time I've been able to do a more personalised product where I'm making something based on what someone's ask me for, and the colours of the bags are great too!

Here's one of two custom bags;

...and the other is Keep Calm and Eat Chocolate - something I do far too often!  Just got to work out how to photograph these things now.  Managed to get snapshots which are ok but they're not great product pictures, they don't look professional at all so got to work out the best way to show them off!!!

http://www.lucyliz.co.uk/

February 8th, 2012

A very, very quick blog today!  Absolutely shattered, don't know how or why I'm this tired but I am, had a good evening of making though including 4 new piece, so that's not bad huh?!

As always I need to take the proper product pics, got a ton of photography to do actually, but for now I'll leave you with a peek of my new bag which I am really excited about!!

http://www.lucyliz.co.uk/

February 7th, 2012

It's a funny thing, as soon as I properly moved out of my Mum's house to live with Andy (even though I'd unofficially been here for years!) there's certain things that I found myself caring more about in order to be independent, a good housekeeper and wife to be...those funny little things that don't seem important at the time but actually you really care about, and top of the list...decent Yorkshire Puddings!!

I was determined to get the hang of decent Yorkshires, my Mum had them right every week, I think there's some skills that you only obtain the minute you become a Mum, it's like your brain won't let you learn them until you're a parent!   But today, thanks to two top tips, I feel I may have cracked the issue of my puddings!!  Though I will say that the pic doesn't do justice to the height of them!

Seeing as I'm in a good mood, here's my two top tips for decent puddings - tip 1, shamelessly stolen from Kirstie's Handmade Britain, don't make puddings in the middle two spaces in the tin.  It's something to do with the distribution of heat but they rise better if those two are empty.

Tip 2, which came from someone I work with - use two eggs instead of one.  One cup of flour, one cup of milk and two eggs.  Don't aske me how or why, it just works!!!!

Happy cooking everyone!

February 6th, 2012

Finally back on a proper PC and not blogging on my phone...such a great facility but it drives me mad!  Not strickly "handmade" for Handmade Monday but definitely art!

Just got back from such a brilliant London trip, without question it's one of my favourite places to be, I literally could never be bored there!  I think perhaps I lived there in a former life because it makes me feel very at home, which is odd given I'm from the North East!

Anyways, the reason we were there was to see the Da Vinci exhibition at The National Gallery.  For those who don't know what it was about, due to how fragile the pieces are they are no longer moving them around so this was the last time that they will be shown as a collection.  I'm a massive Da Vinci fan so there was no way I was missing this one, so at stupid o'clock we headed into London to join the queue at watch the sunrise over the city.

I can honestly say I've never been so cold in my life.  As I posted yesterday the fountains were covered in icicles, the temperature was actually about -3 but with the wind-chill it was much, much colder.  6 HOURS later we were let into the gallery for tickets!  I know it sounds like madness but it honestly was so worth it, truly a once in a lifetime thing, and actually it was wonderful to see how many others turned out to queue too, literally thousands of people.

Can't say much about the exhibition as there aren't any words good enough!  Just outstanding, not only the paintings but the drawings too (truth be told I actually prefer the drawings)...to see the sketches and rough ideas that eventually became some of the most famosu paintings in the world really was something special, and to stand in front of the actual Madonna Of The Rocks was out of this world!  I'm honestly sorry for anyone who didn't see it!

A wonderful day finished with a walk back through London in the snow, a magical day!

February 5th, 2012

Back home from London, too tired and too achey to think.  Tomorrow I'll fill you all in on our London trip but for now, the rest of my evening will consist mainly of this:

http://www.lucyliz.co.uk/

February 4th, 2012

Another short one today but can I tell you that London is freezing! Desperately cold!  Typing this post from a cafe window watching the snow come down in Trafalgar Square - I love this city more than any other in the world!

Will fill you all in on what we've been up to when I'm back on a proper computer for now, I'll leave you with frozen London!

February 3rd, 2012

Literally nothing to say! Today's plans were postponed due to illness so pretty much just waiting for tomorrow!!!

February 2nd, 2012

Determined not to fail my challenge, as promised here is a blog post from my phone, brought you from the M40 south!  And here's my view!

February 1st, 2012

February 1st already!  And must say well done to myself for managing to keep this "blog a day" thing going for a month!  Only 11 to go!

Quite a productive day today!  Didn't get any making done but lots of the "admin" side of Lucy Liz done, including buying in some new fabrics which is one of my favourite things - second only to the fabric actually arriving lol

Chosen two or three knew ones but with spring on the way and a lot hot British summer to look forward to (ahem!) this floral number is definitely my favourite and I cannot wait to get stitching it!!

And now a word of warning...Andy and I are heading London tomorrow so I will be blogging from my phone, so I appologise in advance for the mess I'm bound to make of it!  Wish me luck!

http://www.lucyliz.co.uk/