Chill Out

I'm taking a step back from work for a few days so I won't be about the blogosphere much until Monday. It's a bank holiday here this weekend and there is a great festival going on in Limerick, the Riverfest. This year I don't have a stall, so I plan to enjoy all the festivities as a punter for once. I'm also going to visit my sister on Friday, and to marvel at her 6 month along baby bump. Hope you all have a lovely weekend, here's hoping for a bit of sunshine so I can wander about the city in flip flops eating ice-cream, what one should always do then you have the day off !

Saturday Night

Last night I joined the real world and went out on a Saturday night! My friend Ann offered to put me on a guest list for a gig in Dolans, so how could I refuse?? I donned a frock, put on a bit of warpaint,and I followed a hair how-to for the first time in my life (thanks Sunday Times, I got lots of compliments!).The gig was the IMRO Showcase Tour 2010, so I got to see four acts for nothing, how recession busting is that??
First off was Nick Carswell and the Elective Orchestra, which were fantastic. I was really impressed by their orginality, and muscality. The four pieces are made up of a drummer, cellist/vocalist, double bassist, lead vocalist/keyboard player/guitarist, so quite an impressive selection for a wee group of people.There had moments that they reminded me of The Frames on a good day, and Sigur Ros from their energetic days. Rarely do I go to a gig and decide to buy an album from people I've never soon before, but I'll definitely be looking to get something from these guys, and will certainly be heading to their gigs in the future. Handy for me as they hail from Limerick!
After that we had Steve from Windings playing solo, some of you remember him from his previous incarnation from Giveamanakick. I've seen Windings a good few times over the years, and to be brutally honest I was pretty disappointed with his performance last night. I suppose people have bad days, but it was a shame. Priosly I have seen him doing stunning work on guitar, with intricate loop pedals mixed with charming quirky lyrics.
Supermodel Twins, the third band caused a not so serious fight between myself and John, we both disliked them but John claimed that they were crap. Which they really weren't, they are excellent at what they do, I'm just really not a fan of chirpy poppy rock music. They were tight and snappy, with catchy riffs, which is exactly what you need from a band like that. I can see them becoming really popular, like weezer in plaid shirts and Limerick accents. Whereas because they weren't doing anything innovative or new/cutting edge John thought they were tripe. ...silly stubborn boys!

Lastly closing the night were my good friends The Brad Pitt Light Orchestra, and I have to say it was one of their best gigs I've seen in a long time. They somehow squeezed their 8 piece band onto the tiny stage, and they looked like they had a blast for the whole time they were up there. They have a great mix up theatrical dark caberet mixed with delicate harmonies and strings. They've been gigging in various incarnations for 10 years, but are now releasing their debut album later this year (designed and illustrated by yours truely!). It was lovely to finish the night with couples waltzing on the dancefloor!

Handmade Cards

I was a busy lady again making more stock for the market. Since I went back to the Bedford Row market I've only had a small box of handmade cards with me, but I want to start using my very snazzy card stand again. But that means having the stock to fill it! So I knuckled down and used up lots of the lovely paper I've been hoarding. I also went browsing through my many editions of the Sunday Times Style suppliment for images to used in my collage cards. I got about 40 made in the past day and a half. Here are a few examples, and if you want to see all of them just head to this facebook album. I spent the past two hours taking and editing photos, as I think I'll list them on my Etsy shop. I know there is lots of people selling cards on Etsy, but there is no harm in trying eh?....ever the optomist!

300 Things to Say

Well this is my 300th post!! I can't quite believe it, I've been doing this now for about a year and a half so that's not too bad going really. So I'm celebrating by having a 'Things I love Thursday' post.

My Friend Ann: For telling me about the most amazing drink a few years ago- guinness and port. It's best with a single measure of post in a half pint of guinness. Yummy yummy, I was drinking lots of it last night, we proclaimed that it tasted like a raspberry coffee dessert. I mostly consider it a Winter drink, but the mood took me as I had been previously been drinking red wine.

John:For being a hero when he came home from football and getting rid of the nasty big spider. Just as I was sitting down to watch a film I noticed a giant black monster scutttling across out white tiled floor. I was brave enough to put a glass over him. But my hungover addled brain didn't want to deal with it anymore than that. So thanks baby!

Tidy Spaces: Last week I eventually sorted out all the buttons I bought last year! A friend gave me an old chest of drawers so I colour coded and sorted all the buttons. It's so much easier to work with them now. I'm also eagerly awaiting my next delivery so I really had to sort out the old stuff. I think I need at least one more set of drawers though.

Music: Last night I listened to a song I haven't heard in ages. Your Next Bold Move by Ani Difranco, beautiful and inspirational. Above is a live version I just found on youtube.

Close Contenders: blue cheese dressing from luigi malones, watching soppy movies, buying new shampoo so I don't have to squeeze and shake the old one.

A bounty of Treasuries

I went a bit treasury mad on Etsy over the past couple of days. I'm loving their new Treasury East function, which allows you to have more items on show, and there is no expiration date. That means it stays in the archive forever, and there is no need to queue up to get one...how great is that? I'm not sure they've really caught on yet, it's been a long time since I was in the forums on Etsy so I don't know what everyone thinks about them. Personally I think they are a lovely way to keep your favs together, or to currate a look for the new season. My first stab was inspired by my friend Orla's raincoat. So I picked lots of garden red and green items. I really like the fun elements in it too.

Check it out here, please click and comment.

Today I knabbed a regular treasury, I currated it in a homage to the sunshine we have been having of late in Ireland. I included about 5 members from the Etsy Ireland team and I then sprinkled in a few other sunny picks from Etsy.

Please click here to view, and click and comment to your hearts content.

Enjoy the lovely sunshine-may it last!

Getting Organised

I usually bring some sewing with me to the market for two reasons. 1: So people can see that the pieces are made by me, and not by children in a sweatshop! I ended up talking to lots of customers at the market because the tell me stories about their mothers sewing lots, or their grannies button boxes, it's fun! 2: Sometimes it can get really boring if it's quiet and I would prefer to be doing something contructive rather that staring at the stall holder across from me. What I've been doing before was to bung a load of felt, thread and buttons into a box, and work things out when I got there. This mostly led to me making either ugly brooches that didn't match, or lots of half finished pieces. I was over at my favourite blog Lupin and she showed her whip box of tricks. She pre-cuts and bags all her pieces. Genius!!! I tried it on Sunday and I got loads made, with no waste. So yesterday I pre-cut 30 brooches, bagged them up, and they are ready to go. When they are finished all I do is staple a tag onto the bag and they are ready to sell, how handy is that??

Ps: there is a possibility of me maybe getting a pitch at the much sought after Saturday Milk Market in Limerick....if all of you could collectively cross your fingers for me I might be in with a chance!

Customers Creations: Part 1

Here is that post I promised about people who make things out of my supplies. Firstly I'll start with Liliy from London, who sells these amazing rings in her shop Lowusu. It was so nice to see my buttons being tranformed! She is also running a giveaway on her blog at the moment. The rings are in the region of $11-$13, which I think is a total bargain!

Next is the lovely Rebecca from Lucky Rainbow Designs, who makes the most beautiful cards. For the above card she used buttons from one of my mixed bags and also some of my pearl headed pins. This year was the first time in ages I actually bought a card instead of using one I had made myself, and my mother loved it! She has a great sense of colour and composition, and I'm not just saying that because we are friends. For more lovely creations check out her shop and her blog.

I will be continuing this series of posts if people get in contact with links to things made from Nice Day supplies, just leave a comment here.

What did you make??

I just had the pleasure of seeing some amazing rings made with buttons purchased from my shop. I would like to do an ongoing post about things made from supplies purchased from me. So if you have made something from the supplies you bought from me, I'd like to see them! Just leave a comment below here with a link to your shop, or email me the image please at ruthcrean@yahoo.ie. Looking forward to seeing your creations!

Hurray for Heckety

I just wanted to say thanks to the lovely Heckety Beckety for sending me these beautiful creations! The blue flower is a brooch, and the the other is a super cute pink bracelet. Heckety ran a challange for people to post links to some inspirational music. I chose Wallis Bird, and for that I got these lovely gifts!!!-how cool is that. Go check out her fantastic blog, or more lovely creations in her shop.

Speedy Gonzales

I have just entered the modern era,I got a 15mb connection. I can't quite believe how fast it is. At them moment I'm uploading photos to my facebook fanpage, before this was a horrible chore that I avoided. Now it's a breezy easy thing that just takes a couple of minutes. Up until now I've been working with one of those wireless plug-ins from 3G, I was paying 20 euro a month for a service that made me want to pull my hair out, and unfortunately we were tied to a contract. As soon as that was finished I rang NTL and Eircom to see what was on offer, after comparing the prices I went with NTL. After having a funny conversation with the telesales guy who couldn't understand that we don't have, and don't want a television, I decided on getting their package of 15mb broadband, and a phone line for only 46 euro/month. After a brief glitch of the the internet not working initially, it now working perfectly.

So to anyone suffering through slow internet speeds I highly recommend the switch, it's worth every penny, especially when I think of all those grey hairs I was getting with 3G.