HAPPY NEW YEAR

The last post of 2012.....it's passed so fast hasn't it?

Here's Auld Lang Syne with some beautiful scenery from Scotland, one of my favourite countries.

All you e-mail recipients will have to visit the website to hear the bagpipes  :o)

Big Ben, London

I started a new journey in 2012, this blog and an Etsy shop.
I am very much looking forward to seeing what 2013 brings
for myself and Textile Trolley.  I would like to thank anyone
who has stopped by to visit this blog and to those that
have subscribed to reading it via e-mail.  It keeps me going
knowing that someone out there is reading this.  I hope that
I will be able to provide even more interesting and useful posts
for you for 2013.

Here's to a wonderful year for all of you out there.
I wish you lots of health and happiness for the year 2013,
may it be all that you wish for.

Until next year....

HAPPY NEW YEAR,

Louise

Hip Children's Names for 2013

Reading around the Internet as I sometimes do I came across a website called
'She Knows' some of you may have heard of it????   I hadn't.

I was researching something else but what caught my eye was their list of predictions for popular boys and girls names of 2013....I thought it was quite interesting.  There are of course some oldies and some very unusual names.

According to the Social Security Administration the baby names claiming popularity the fastest in 2012 and likely to grow even more popular in 2013 are......
Briella, Angelique and Aria for girls. 
Brantley, Iker and Maximilliano for boys (and just for the record spell check came up on 2 out of 3 of those boy  names LOL)

'She Knows' also predict the following names will be a hit in 2013

Girls

Pearl
Olive (my personal favourite after my Grandmother)
India
Dixie
Clementine
Penelope
Matilda
Eloise
Cora
Scarlett
Quinn
Odette

Boys

Zaiden
Nico
Hawkins
Kannon
Knox
Brooks
Jace
Ryker
Axel
Ronan
Duke
Slade

Any of you out there pregnant and deciding on a name?  Got any unusual favourites?

A new camera - Happy Christmas to me!

Well I hope you all had a lovely holiday this week......for those celebrating Christmas.....Happy Christmas.
I have had and continue to have a lovely time at home.  Christmas is always busy no matter how well you plan....each year I find myself saying I'll be more organized next year!  Really I should just be very grateful I get as much done as I do.

I had a lovelier than normal Christmas bonus this year from my generous bosses so I have treated myself to paying off my fabric debt and a brand spanking new camera.

This is what I bought.....Nikon D3200 and can't wait to start learning how to use it.  I'm hoping it will improve my blog and Etsy photography.

See....I haven't even put the lens on yet!

I used my trusty Sony cybershot to take these pics.
I look forward to comparing pictures by both cameras.

If anyone has any tips on taking great close up pics in a light box with this camera....please let me know.

O.K. I'm off to read the instructions......I wonder which chocolate bar will help me concentrate the most.

A Book Review: I'm Bored by Michael Ian Black

It's been a while since I did a book review....this book is for children.  My little girl brought it home from the school library this week and read it to me while I was cooking dinner.  It's very humourous.

The story is by Michael Ian Black and the illustrations by Debbie Ridpath Ohi.

This is a story about a little girl who is bored....so, so bored.  Sound familiar?
She doesn't realize how lucky and not boring her life really is until her conversation with a certain potato (yes I said potato) who is also bored and who claims children are boring!

During the course of the book the little girl proves to the potato why being a child is SO not boring.  She shows him just how much fun you can have at home with everyday items and a great imagination.

Just when she is starting to convince the potato....a flamingo shows up and the potato looses all concentration!

This book is great for the child in your life who claims "I'm bored".

Candy Wreath update

Well outside might not be the best place to put the candy wreath.
I arrived at work this afternoon to find the candies melting and dripping down the door and believe me it's not hot here in N.J.  There was a pool of candy juice at the bottom!  LOL  A quick clean up but they are obviously best kept in doors!

How to make a Candy Wreath

I know, I know there is no other wreath better than a candy one to a kid.  And the good thing about this for parents is that they can't eat it!!!

Here's what my little friend and I created together!

GORGEOUS!  Don't you think?

Here's what you will need

All the ingredients necessary

Hard candies
Glue gun and glue
A foam wreath (ours had a flat back)
Glitter paint spray
Wreath hanger

First I sprayed the wreath with the glitter paint and let it dry for a few hours.  I did this outside on cardboard.

When the wreath was dry we took it inside to decorate.  We then began the tedious task of unwrapping all the candy.

I operated the glue gun and my little girl placed the candies in the glue.  She had a very serious talking to about how she was not to touch the glue gun and to very carefully drop the candy in place and push it down with one or two fingers!

Our wreath took four rows of candy.  Two on the top and one on the inside, one on the outside.  We left a gap at the top so the ribbon could go around but really it wasn't that necessary.

The finished product hangs on the screen door that is propped open in the porch.  Our front door was too thick for the wreath hanger to go over.
You could also hang it anywhere using a hook.

My bosses are worried it will attract animals.  What do you think?  We don't have too many bears in the area so I'm not worried.  I could possibly imagine a squirrel curled up in the bottom of the circle taking a nap while licking on the candy  LOL.  Or maybe the birds will peck it to death!!!
I'll keep you posted!

Have a great weekend.

New items on Etsy

Hey guys....I'm busy sewing and posting on Etsy....here are a few items that I put up recently.....I know, I know they are all bibs ....getting ready to post other items soon.  I'm in bib mode....what can I say!!!!

Love this Moda print Bungle Jungle Elephant in Blue.  The Star fabric is from Goodnight Spot.

Goodnight Spot in green.

A popular print for the 'Rock Star' to be!  Michael Miller's Groovy Guitars.

One of my favourite prints, Ric Rac Rabbits, I 'think' they are supposed to be pigs dressed up as rabbits.  And the red flowers is a Remix print.

Beautiful pink and orange dots let the outfit be the star of the show, not the bib.

LOVE these Little Kukla Dolls by Kaufman.

How can you go wrong with Amy Butler?  Here is a bib, burp cloth set made from her Midwest Modern Fresh Poppies in Fuchsia

Almost vintage Lilly Pulitzer fabric.  I will only be able to make a certain number of these as I don't think the fabric is for sale anymore.

Such a fun Christmas print by Michael Miller.  Although you could get away with using this all year round.

Kumari Gardens Teja print.  Better wear something plain with this because this print steals the show.

And for the boys a classic argyle print by Joel Dewberry for Free Spirit.

Miller's Groovy Guitars in a gift set.

And finally one of my personal favourite colours....kelly green.  I painted my studio this colour!

Check out all my goods on Etsy here....
http://www.etsy.com/shop/TextileTrolley

If you want to have a go at making your own bib check out my previous post how to!
http://textiletrolley.blogspot.com/2012/07/how-to-make-babys-bib-stylish-enough.html