Welcome to my blog! I am Nan, the human component of this blog. B.A.G.S. (a.k.a. AINE) is my pug. This blog will notate musings, muses and British inspired goodies with an American twist. I own The Portobello Road Shoppe located at theportobellord.etsy.com. My specialties are: sewing, stitching, paper crafting and felting. Oh, and the occasional nummy brownies.
It is official. I have a store facebook page! I have a goal of getting to at least a 100 *likes* by the end of this week so please pass this link around to anyone you know! Thank you in advance!
One of my biggest goals is to get my website together and get my portfolio in gear. Just going through the pictures that I had I realized....
I seriously need a photo booth/thingy/that professonals use!
Speaking of pictures here are a few things I made this weekend.
This Puggy Ornament is going to Green Mountain Pug Rescue's auction! YEA! It is 2.5 inches high and 1.5 inches round. It was so fun to make and I hope it makes loads of money for the rescue! The last one I made for DFW rescue made $50.00 for the rescue! Yea! Btw - did I tell you? For every pug item that I sell from now until the holidays - I am donating $5.00 of that purchase to a pug rescue of your choice. I am sorry but the best way to see my pugs is to go to my facebook page or look on my flikr or this blog. I am happy to state that most of my pugs don't even make it to my etsy. So if you would like a specially made puggy - please feel free to contact me! Or contact AINE. She gets so lonely when I needle felt. It is hard being a model. Very hard. So she would appreciate your emails. :)
These little guys are going to a craft fair tomorrow.
I love puppets and I will be making more of them. Also cats have been requested so I am practicing as much as I can. Especially when you see pictures of this little guy - who is beggin to be felted!
I mean seriously. IS HE NOT THE CUTEST KITTY EVERRRRRRRRRR!?! Ugh Want to eat him up - and I am alergic to cats!
OH! Also I am quite interested in 1000pugs.com. If you have any puggies that want to be photographed, my friend Donna and I are trying to get 50 pugs to wrangle for the Milwaukee Pug fest next year. Please email me if you are interested.
So much fun new stuff coming! Hugs all! Nan and zzzing Aine
I read Craft all the time. What is your Craft 5,4,3,2,1? Mine is below!
One Project You Are Particularly Proud Of:
1. My needle felted royal wedding pin cushion ring.
Who knew two obessions -anglophile(lover of all things English or British -btw there is NO SUCH THING as a Britophile!) and needle felting - could collade into a wonderful mashup of goodness? This was probably the quickest needle felted project I have ever done. I needed a pin cushion, I needed it now and oh wait - Prince William just got engaged to Kate and she has Princess Diana's ring?! SWEET! ta daaaaa!
Yep, there is a reason why there is a little CNN in the left corner. It made it to CNN.*squee* And than the interviews came in for USA Today and BBC and BBC again. Who knew a fascination with craft and royalty could bring this much fun? I still have to pinch myself, I sincerely never thought I would get this much attention. Definately the highlight of my summer.
Two Mistakes You've Made In the Past
1. Stay true to what you like to do. Don't cave to the popularity of another craft. This is the hardest thing to figure out when you are Crafter - what the heck do you like to do? It is especially hard when you like a lot of different crafts. It took me a bit, but realizing that I could focus on one piece of the collective pie -could actually free your mind a bit. And it did... which shocked me. lol.
2. Remember *why* you went to this craft. Yes -I would love it if my wee little shoppe could be the next big thing - but you know? The organic growth of my shoppe is okay. I am a super Type A person, so to not be all Type A about my craft was like *whoa*. But than I remembered WHY I went to sewing, multi-media, card making, crocheting and finally needle felting - the process of creating kept me sane. It was the balance in my work and my life. Any success from this was a bonus and even more appreciated when it happened!
Three Things That Make Your Work Unique
1. Did I mention I am a Anglophile? LOL I create British Inspired goodies with an American Accent; as I say in my Shoppe. Even though I do adore and will claim that I am Anglophile to the day I die, I love my country too. And I love especially the differences between the UK and the US. It is the nuances not only in the language but between our two cultures that I find facinating. It is those little bitty details that inspire me to create pincushions in the shape of Tardis's or Georgie,the Tea Party Baby Elephant.
2.Geek. *points to the above tardis pin cushion reference* - Need I say more? Who else would want a Doctor Who inspired pincushion except a geek like me.
3.Humor. I made a cat with a fez once. This is before the 11th Doctor Who and his infamous Fez. Yep. My humor is kinda quirky. And if you know about the Doctor Who Fez reference? You my friend, are a geeky fun person like me! YEA! Go us!
Four Tools You Love To Use
1.Needle Felting Thimble. Never felt without it. I have worn it out and I need a new one. It has saved me from buying stock in band aides. For reals.
2. Franny my dressform. Franny is named after my Grandma, Fran -an amazing seamstress. My Grandma is no longer with us but Franny helps me out anytime I need sewing help ;)
3. My artbox/sewing box. It basically keeps my needle felting tools organized. If not - ugh.
4. My iPad. Besides being the BEST INVENTION EVER, you never know when inspiration strikes - hence having my iPad ready - always helps me sketch things out before I forget the idea.
Five Inspirations
1.PUGS. Especially my little Aine. I mean, will you look at her cuteness? How could one not be inspired?!
2. Illustrators Gemma Correll and Nikki Schulmann. You have seen me go on and on about Gemma's work. I mean - her tea towel was part of the 2am welcoming committee at my Royal Wedding Party.
Nikki - I dont think my blog readers have heard me mention her. My husband and I received her calendars and we fell in love with her illustrations. For my birthday one year, Joe(my late hubby) got me all of Nikki Schulmann illustrations he could find. Than all of a sudden it seemed like she disappeared off the net. I am so happy to hear that she is back on the net - this time doing quilts! Her mastery of detail and colors is amazing. Her prints hang in my studio and inspire me all.the.time.
3. Antiques and Antiques Roadshow. I would love to be one of the Keno's assistants. Just saying. But no - it is the crafting around a particular antique that I adore. Like my latest obsession with Automata. When you see something like this, anything is possiable.
4. History(ALL countries history I am interested in -from their clothing to why they became amazing at xyz) and architecture. Or in this case,
an architecture of a hat. LOL
5. My family and friends. Who else lets me needle felt their dogs decked out in Cub gear?
Btw everyone - this is S&P named after my sister and brother-in-law that just turned a big bday and oh btw part2 - they are both CPAs. Get it? S&P - S&P 500? Oh and did I mention they are die hard Cub fans?
So there you have it! Welcome to the world of Me. Please tell me what your Craft 5,4,3,2,1 is! xoxo Nan and Aine
This about sums up my Vacation! Happy to ohh boy. Still working on BBC Interview number two - but it will be delayed a bit. xoxox Nan(who is trying to get to bed) and Aine(who is Pug spa camp)
For you ultimate trivia folks. This is what you call a "group of " insert name of animal here" collective nowns. A business of Ferrets. WHO KNEW? Now I want to know why the below is called what they are called! Welcome any and all thoughts! I believe there should be a specific "group" name for pugs. It is only befitting. xoxox Nan
My name is Sebastian. I am new to The Drawing Room at Aineburgh Hall. AKA Nan's studio. I was created this weekend in the Vintage Toy Workshop taught by Jennifer Murphy.
But I am not the only new critter. No.Sir.re.BOB.
"Hi! I am Sebastian, what is your name?"
"MEOWWWW, I am Lottie, the Kitty Kat from Jennifer Murphy Studio. I was adopted over the weekend. I am here to inspire Nan and keep all her wee little pins in order."
"Great. 2 other critters in the studio. NOT PLEASED!" says Aine.
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Did you remember to comment for the RAK? If not, please see yesterdays post! Remember to comment on what you would like to see Needle Felted.
