So Many Firsts!

I've been given my first Blog Award! I'm so excited!


My first photo in the Chester Chronicle newspaper!!!! Which I will post as soon as I can find the stupid usb cable for the scanner!

AND Monday is our 1st Wedding Anniversary! I can not believe how quickly this year has gone! It seems like we only just had our big day!



Here are a few candid albums of our wedding celebrations...a year ago! Enjoy x

album 1
album 2
album 3

I've just gotten in from my second ever craft fair! It was great! I love meeting other crafters and chatting! A HUGE thank you to Jayne for being my all things crafty mentor! I couldn't be doing the stuff I'm doing today with out your help & support!!!!!

GIVEAWAY TIME!

Hooray! My first give away! I'm sooo excited! Thanks so much Christy from Sweet Tidings who is hosting the giveaway!

I'm giving away this "Amour" necklace made from 100% vintage bits!

For your chance to win this treasure, that I am having a very hard time saying goodbye to, head on over to Sweet Tidings and follow the giveaway directions! The giveaway is running until 2 December so hurry on over!
I'd love to have your feedback too x

Love,
Mrs Woo x

Just Wait Til You See This Gorgeous Tutorial!

I came across Holly's blog  Chez Beeper Bebe via Cut out + Keep!
Can you believe she's giving this gorgeousness away?!

 

 

 

 

Head on over to Chez Beeper Bebe to download the PDFs. You'll find lots of other projects to download too you lucky duck you!

I'm dreaming of a white Kitsch-mas!

I have a rule, and it doesn't just apply to Christmas.

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS TOO KITSCH!

I  ♥  kitsch!

Kitsch is {technically speaking} "the German and Yiddish word denoting art that is considered an inferior, tasteless copy of an extant style of art"...but it is oh so much more! Just ask the folks at Kitschy Kitschy Coo!

Many Christmas traditions and decorations in and of themselves are quite kitsch. And when I say Kitsch I mean FABULOUS!

 

My love of vintage started out as a love of all things kitsch...and my grandparents basement was a treasure trove of plastic snowmen,  three feet high "candles", reindeer & elves made out of some sort of weird fused plastic chips that looked like melted fruity pebbles and glasses purchased on vacation in Hawaii in the 70s.

 

Oh how colorful and wonderful!
When it comes to decorating my own home I am torn between tasteful vintage & kitschy goodness. I have lots of "tasteful" vintage treasures on my dressing table but I also have a pink Eiffel tower and hot pink glittery Virgin Mary money box.

I am so sad that all of the super vintage tree ornaments my family came across when I was a kid are long gone. We had some real kitschtastic treasures...but alas....

I shall have to start from scratch collecting pom pom poodles and Christmas tree twinklers!

Kitsch - do you love it or hate it?

One Craft Fair Under My Crafty Belt!

Hooray! We did it! It was so much fun & boy was I tired! We were up late making scarves and chocolates and cakes!
I dragged myself out of bed after a few hours sleep bagged the chocolates & cakes and had a mere one cup of tea!
Bags and boxes packed into the car Jayne & I were off to the Kelsall Community Centre!
The place was already hopping with people setting up their stalls so we unloaded and started setting up our table, number 8 it was. 
And here we are!

Jayne busy crocheting away!

Me at my first craft fair stall!

 Me looking busy....

We might have made it into the Chester Chronicle too! I'll have to check on Thursday!

We were even invited to take part in a fair happening at the same place next Sunday! So if you couldn't come see us yesterday there's still another chance next Sunday!!!!

Christmas Craft Fair

T-minus 2 days until my first craft fair! I'm really ready for Saturday to get here! I've been crafting and crafting and procrastinating so that I wouldn't have to craft anymore! My friend Jayne is partnering with me on Saturday - HOORAY! I don't know how I'd make it through the day without her! Jayne has been in retail for years and has done lots and lots of fairs so I'll be taking mental note of how she does things! Plus Jayne has insisted on giving me half of whatever money she makes. I refused saying it wasn't fair to her as I hadn't done any work and then she said if I didn't take it she wouldn't come....and I am pretty sure she meant it. All she wants is some American cake mix. Devil's food to be exact! I think I'd better take a trip out to SAMs club for an equally generous gift for Jayne!

My ETSY shop will be on vacation for the day on Saturday as everything is going out on the stall! Not only are we going to have a table, but I'm bringing my Christmas tree to decorate with jewelery which will be for sale! Jayne is coming over tomorrow night for pizza & so that we can get our heads together and be ready for Saturday morning 8:45!
If you've gotten to know me a bit by now you will know how I feel about crafts AND Christmas.
Please try to imagine my excitement about Saturday:

1. A craft fair
2. A Christmas craft fair
3. Christmas music
4. SANTA!
5. Crafting all day with my friend
6. The first mince pies of the season (Jayne and I are both waiting for Saturday to have our first mince pies of the year!)
   
7. Making money to buy Christmas presents and spending money for my trip home while helping a good cause!  

This fair at the Kelsall Community Centre  is being hosted by Ashworth Time Bank. Ashworth Time Bank is a charity that assists the elderly and others who live in rural areas and who need a bit of help so that they can remain independent for longer and help to build community. People "exchange" assistance. Some of the examples given as "exchanges" are giving lifts, Shopping or doing errands for people, Doing simple housework, gardening, babysitting, 
Telephoning people who are lonely, Visiting people at home or in hospital,
Letter writing and helping with form filling,
Sharing skills in music, woodwork, fitness, computers, knitting, & sewing.
How lovely is that?! I really like the idea of neighbor helping neighbor like in the old days.

SO if you're anywhere near or kinda nearish Kelsall on Saturday between 10 & 4 come on down! Support me & Jayne and AW Time Bank! How can you say "no" to Christmas crafty goodness, mince pies and SANTA!!!!?!

Workin on my Mommy's invites!

As you'll see it's my Mom's 60th birthday party is quickly approaching! Which invite do you prefer???
 Thanks to The Graphics Fairy for the vintage goodies!

 

or

I'd better.....

shake a tail feather.

I've got a LOT to do to prepare for the Kelsall Community Craft Fair next Saturday! I'm sooo excited! It's my first craft fair and Jayne has come to my rescue & is helping me! We're gonna have a lotta fun! I have a short list but it's a ton to do....so I'd better

get my skates on....

see y'all later x

Particulary Pretty Prints

I am so impressed by this pretty print! The time the artist Megan M. Eckman must have spent, with pen and ink in hand, creating the original really amazes me {as I have the attention span of a gnat}! This lovely print is part of a giveaway on Megan's blog! Can you believe she's actually willing to part with these beauties!

'Mini Art Lover' with her collection of even smaller works.

'Mini Ophelia' contemplating something deep and tragic by the river.

{very Waterhouse don't you think?}

 'Mini Hamlet' looking melodramatic as always with his skull and cape.

For your chance of winning one of these wonderful prints all you need to do is head over to Studio M.M.E. Blog and follow the directions!

FABULOUS FRIEND FRIDAY!!!!!!!

IT'S ME! I'M THE FAB ONE TODAY! HA!


Hello Mrs Woo!  Why don't you introduce yourself and tell us about YOU!

This is weird interviewing myself but hey...anything for y'all!
Well, my name is Felicia I'm from Charleston, South Carolina. I live in England now with Mr Woo {Woo is short for Woodhouse in case you were wondering}. We met in Scotland where I worked as a youth worker for 3 years. One day we decided to move on down to the country! It was in the rural Cheshire Countryside that we got hitched! It's actually our 1st anniversary November 30th!

I've been crafty for as long as I can remember. My dad kept me in art classes outside of school and my mom had me enrolled in a creative arts elementary.  Like other budding artistes I drew all over anything I could get my chubby fingers and crayons on! There are lots of photos and books with my "early works" all over them. In fact, I inherited my Aunt Linda's original Beatles albums after she lost her fight with cancer, one of the covers looks like the very early practicing of my name writing! Sorry Auntie!

My interest in creativity found it's way into the kitchen. My mom says that I used to help my babysitter, a lovely Jewish Grandmother, in the kitchen all the time when I was a toddler - so maybe that's where my love of cooking started. I can remember taking a book out of the school library when I was about 7, it was a cook book for kids, a really old {it'd be called vintage now!} copy with black and white photos. My mom actually let me make one of the recipes for dinner! Tuna casserole with potato chips on top! Gross, but I was so proud! I also made the baguette recipe that was a hard one for little me.
Family always gave me art supplies as gifts, which was wonderful.
My mom would let me take whatever craft classes we found too. At one point I had a little business going decorating stuffed animals in lace and making them look like posh ladies, I also painted t-shirts. Not bad for a 12 year old! I only sold 2 t-shirts I think, but that's still pretty good!
Like lots of things from childhood my love of painting and drawing and making things got put on the shelf when it became more important to fit in than to express myself. Since shelving and mostly forgetting the artsy stuff I've had 2 creative reawakenings. I am so lucky! Some people never get to go back! Once when I began a bi-weekly creative group for high school students and again, thanks to my friend Jayne about a year ago! So much has changed in this past year!

2. Your Blog, Etsy shop & facebook fan page are called "Made For You By Mrs Woo". 
Where did that name come from?

Mrs Woo became my nickname as my husband's nickname is Benny Woo. Woo is short for Woodhouse, our actual surname. My bridesmaid's started calling me Mrs Woo and even made a "Mrs Woo" necklace for a wedding present! It instantly stuck! After making cards and little gifts to sell in my friend Jayne's shop for a while I needed to come up with a brand name. Made For You By Mrs Woo is a bit long but nothing else would do!
It also captures how I hope that each thing I make is "perfect" for someone in particular! I prefer doing custom orders, creating something for someone that they haven't been able to find anywhere and something one of a kind! Uniquely theirs!

3. What was the last treasure that arrived in your mail?

Oh my! As you'll see in yesterday's post my friend Katia totally bowled me over with the sweetest, most thoughtful parcel! It contained all sorts of lovely treasures! I'm still over the moon!

4. Where in the world would you like to visit? why?

There is a list of places I want to visit Egypt, India, France, Italy, lots of places in the UK...but I really, really want to go home to visit! It's hard being so far from home and family and friends. I am happy in my life here, but there is nothing like being home surrounded by my Besties!  It's my Mom's 60th birthday next month and she's throwing herself a huge party! Everyone is chipping in so that I can fly home to celebrate with her! So I'm goin' home!!!!! eeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

5.  What 8 records or books would you would take with you to a desert island?

Oh man...this question is really hard! Everyone else has done really well! Ok....I'm gonna pull a combo here!  Like on Desert Island Discs the Bible and complete works of Shakespeare are already included!

• The Beatles' White Album
• The Best of Stevie Wonder
• Truman Capote's In Cold Blood
• Jon Lee Anderson's Che {cause it's such a huge book it'll take me years to read it all!
• I'm gonna have to have Bing Crosby's White Christmas
• The Works of Roald Dahl
• Some kind of Motown Girl Groups of the 60s best album
• and a blank journal & pen....I'll need to write my own story....
  

6. If you could go back and live in a past decade or century, when would you choose and why?

This is probably going to sound really strange, but I'd love to have lived in Britain during WWII and the 20 years following. There seems to have been such a strength and resourcefulness that we lack now.  Although we have more stuff and can do and go more now I really think my generation is seriously lacking an appreciation for the simple and "mundane". I know my view is only a romantic one, but I think something so extraordinary was produced in such terrible times. I almost feel like I miss it even though I haven't lived through it.

I am drawn to anything that comes from the time before me though, I love Vintage things including old fashioned lifestyle and recipes! If I were to choose a decade purely based on lifestyle and design I'd choose the 1950s in America {the1920s is a very close second}!

7. What is your favorite thing about creating something by hand?

I'm not sure I have a favorite thing about creating something...It's the giving part.  I LOVE seeing the pleasure someone gets from being given something made especially for them with only them in mind! I also love it when someone can't get enough of something I've cooked - Mr Woo makes me feel like the best cook in the world! Knowing that someone will take pleasure from something I've created is my favorite thing.

8. Please list three of your favorite things. Why are they favorites?

• Poppy my hedgehog because she's my perfect prized pedigree pig.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• My Hus because he is sweet, kind, patient, thoughtful, creative, loving, a good dancer and he makes me laugh lots, and he has breathtaking eyes {and great 'tocks}.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• My Besties. Nuff said.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

9. What could you eat/drink every single day and never grow tired of?

I drink tea every single day all day long! Every once in a while I have a cup of coffee, but it's usually sandwiched between cups of tea...this is why I no longer have white American teeth! I also have toast every single day - toppings vary.

Besides those things I go through really weird food phases where I'll eat the same thing a lot for a while and then I never want to see it again. Among my food fixations were: pimento cheese sandwiches on white bread, grilled goat's cheese on rocket salad, lime tostitos, Ben & Jerry's Phish Food frozen yogurt, beans on toast, stuffed crust pizza from ASDA - it had to be the ASDA one, pasta with olive oil & capers & olives & parmesan, green tea ice cream, chippy chips, dry chex cereal, dry cheerios, bean burritos from taco bell, nachos, chicken biscuits from chic-fil-a, and my current one is jalapeno poppers at least Mr Woo is with me on this one. I also have a weird habit of ordering the same things at the same restaurants.

10. What is your favorite place? Will you describe it to us?

 My fave place is my home. Someone I didn't actually know once said to me "you're an old fashioned girl, your hearth is your heart". So true. My hearth is my heart. Where I am home is the best place. I lived in community for 4 of my 5 years in the UK and it was hard almost every single day. I thrive on solitude and quiet. It would probably surprise you to know how much solitude I need.  I thrive making my nest! I didn't cope well with loads of people living around me {up to 20+ at times}, and the worst part was that the people were constantly changing!
My favorite place within my home is the kitchen {historically the hearth would have been where cooking was done}, I am happiest making breads, cakes and jams while listening to the radio on a cold day.  
To me this is the perfect autumn day: Sitting in bed, under the covers, on a gloomy rainy day, reading and listening to radio 4, with a cup of tea, and something wonderful baking in the oven filling the house with goodness.
The perfect Winter day is CHRISTMAS MORNING! :)

I Has Losted My Marbles!

I know how you feel kitty, I know how you feel.
I've had one of those months when my marbles have gone missing. I really do want to find them and get back into my groove! Really I do!
Sorry about Tuesday you guys...I totally forgot about posting a template DUH!
Since I've been so out of it I haven't hunted down any fab friend to interview for tomorrow, so maybe it'll be my turn to dish out the answers and show you what projects I've been working on!

In the meantime, while I'm off hunting my marbles I'll leave you to look at some photos of presents I've received over the past few days from two of the most lovely, generous people I've ever met! I have no idea what I could have ever done to deserve such kindness - but rather than ponder the mystery I will enjoy the shower of loveliness x

 

Feast your peepers on this vintage babe! The friend who gave me her cold also gave me this fantastic dress form! Thanks so much Jaynie Waynie!!!! The "TwinFit" came to me in it's original box & with original instructions! Classssic 1960s goodness! But I think this actual dress form is from the '74 according to the delivery slip that is still with the box. The lovely curves you see belong to our lovely french fancy Floriane! Floriane came over from France to do a work placement in Chester several months ago now - we miss her but she left us a little something to remember her by x. In memory of our French friend's visit the dress form is affectionately called Floriane :)
There is a modern Twin-Fit but it's so totally not the same!

I am so looking forward to actually attempting to use the dress form to make some clothes, even though it does look so good just hanging out next to my computer!

Next I'd like to show you a total surprise that arrived from Italy yesterday!!!

I do not have words to express how I felt opening that wonderful parcel only to find treasure after treasure waiting to be unwrapped! My heart was so full. I just kept saying - "you've done too much". A few of the items {the rings and vintage doilies} included were items I had agreed a trade for with my dear friend Katia for handmade cards...however...she has spoilt me! She not only crammed that box full of such special things that I know will have come from her own home and her own Grandmother's trunk of treasures - but look at how gorgeously she decorated the box! It will have taken a lot of time! It's absolutely wonderful! I do hope her girls, the other hens in the army, helped! There is thought behind each item. They are all special to me. How can I ever find the words to explain how touched and how grateful I am.  Grazie con tutto il mio cuore Katia x

 Following Dorothy's lead............

I'M GOING HOME!!!!!!!!

I've been desperately trying to find a way to go back home for my Mom's 60th birthday party. The whole family is chipping in for a plane ticket and I'm coming home next month for about 10 days! 

'cause we all know.....THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME!