Sweet & Soutie Badges

Michelle and I recently made some badges for a Sweet & Soutie get-together. Neither of us had any idea how to do proper embroidery so we just winged it.

The theme we where given to inspire the badges was 'monsters'. We liked the idea of animal fur which then lead to patterns very loosely inspired by fur...you will have to use your imagination.

This is how we got to the finished product.

The badges all have metal back which I forgot to take a picture of.

Sew Long- Giveaway

Recently one of my favorite customers (am I allowed to say that?!), Huibri Schalkwyk told me that she started a blog called Sew Long. I am officially her biggest blog fan! Its always nice to find new blogs and especially ones which make you want to go out and make something.

Huibri is a graphic designer from Joberg who works in public relations but she is also a very talented sewer and crafter. 

We decided it would be great to run a competition on my blog for one of her amazing cross-stitched embroidery hoops. 

One very lucky blog reader will win this 9'' rabbit cross-stitch hoop worth R400 and you will be able to choose the colour of your rabbit as Huibri will customize it for you.

All you have to do to win this prize is follow the Sew Long blog and leave a comment on this post telling me that you have followed the blog and what colour you would like the rabbit in if you win. 

You get an extra entry if you tweet about the competition, don't forget to mention @shopbowpeep in the tweet so that I know that you have tweeted. 

The competition ends on Tuesday 16th. 

This competition is only open to readers in South Africa.

All images from Sew Long

Initial Paper Collage

Mothers Day is coming up, and I found this lovely DIY tutorial by Blank Space on The Pretty Blog. Its a nice idea for mothers day but also for any one really as you can use any letter. Look out for cool frames at second hand shops and somewhere like Exclusive Books usually has the best wrapping paper which would be perfect for this project. Let me know if you make it, I would love to see a picture!

 

All images were found on The Pretty Blog

Images from The Constantia Gift Fair

Christine Watters came to visit me at the Constantia Gift Fair today, she came armed with her camera and took some amazing pictures for me. I am always amazed at how she manages to take such pretty pictures in such terrible light. 

 Thanks Chris, for the fantastic pictures. Visit her website for more images by Christine Watters. 

Heather's Earrings

Heather from Heather's Leathers has recently expanded her beautiful range of leather brooches to include these very cool leather earrings. Check out her blog for more images. All her products are hand made and its incredible to see the attention to detail. 

All images from the Heather's Leathers Blog

Pictures from The Marketplace

I spent Sunday at The Marketplace in Somerset West, it was held on the very pretty Hathersage Farm. It was a such a nice Spring day and everyone looked like they had a great time relaxing in the sun on the farm. The food at the market looked amazing! The other stall holders were very friendly and great to chat to.

Favourite Things Spring Fair!

Its another busy week for me, I have a market on Friday, Saturday and Sunday...eek! 

But I am really looking forward to the Faviourate Things Spring Fair on Saturday. The last Fav Things market was great and this time its going to be bigger and better. 

Some pics from the Winter Fair

Woodmill Lifestyle Market

Its market time again! I am very excited that Bow Peep will be at the new Woodmill Lifestyle Market in Stellenbosh. The market will be held every Saturday from 9 till 2 and on the first Friday of every month there will be a night market. Expect good music, food, arts and crafts and as it is Stellenbosh I am sure there will be wine tasting.

This Friday: 5:30 to 10:00pm
Every Saturday from 9:00 till 2:00

I have been working on a monthly newsletter, if you would like to join the mailing list please ad your details to the mailing list link on the right of the page. Don't worry I wont be spamming you with hundreds of newsletters, just one a month. For those of you who join there will be discounts on selected products and other specials which are exclusive to mailing list members. 

The 2nd CIty Bowl Fashion Market

Yesterday Bow Peep had a stall at the 2nd City Bowl Fashion Market. Its great to see that word has spread about the market as it was packed. The vibe was really cool and it looked like my fellow business owners did very well. Thanks very much to those who came, the support is always appreciated. Cannot wait till the next Fashion Market on the 24 September!

 

Suitcase love

I just finished converting a R30 suitcase into a display 'case' for an upcoming market (will post images soon) so thought I would post the inspiration behind the idea.

 images (above) from: Sarah Klassen and Poppytalk

images from Natty Michelle and Indie Fixx

Product in progress: button earrings

Hi! Hope everyone had a good weekend. I was looking at my button collection yesterday and decided it was time to make some new earrings which are not fabric covered ones like I usually make. They will be on sale at this months City Bowl Fashion Market (4th Saturday of the month). 

The thing I really like about markets is I get a lot of feedback on my products, a few people suggested that I should sell packs of earrings (2 or 3 pairs together) so I am working on that for the next market.

The mini cookie cutters were also a big hit at the market, and someone said that the more unusual the shape the better, so I am on the hunt for some new shapes. 

Also if you ever have pictures of you wearing any Bow Peep products please email them to me and I will post them on the blog. It would be great to see what you use the button packs for.

Paper lanterns

How beautiful are these parer lantern? I found them on the Martha Steward website.

Win some buttons!

I just uploaded some fabric covered buttons to the Bow Peep online store. The buttons come in packs of 6 and in two different sizes. You can use them for absolutely anything! Chop the buttons off your clothes and replace them with these ones, sew them onto t-shits... the list is endless. 

The small button packs are R35 each and R40 for the large packs. I make them all myself (don't worry I use a button machine so they wont fall apart). 

Soooo....now for my first blog competition!

One reader will receive two button packs of their choice!

How to enter?

All you have to do is: 

comment on this blog post and tell me which two packs you would like...(visit the Bow Peep online store to see the various designs) and 'Like' the  Bow Peep page on Facebook. If you tweet about the competition you get an extra entry! (just let me know by mentioning @shopbowpeep in your tweet.

Anyone from around the world can enter this competition, the winner will be announced on the 29th of July. 

new ribbon 'things'

My sister gave me the idea for these ribbon 'things' a while ago and I finally got around to making some yesterday. Not sure if I should turn them into brooches or put them on Alice-bands but I think they could look cool sewn onto a t-shirt or cardigan. 

Let me know what you think I should turn them into and also they need a new name, ribbon 'things' wont pull in sales. 

New Products: Nautical button badges

I blogged about these new badges last week, and finally finished them yesterday. They are only R25 from my online store.

Hire a crafter

I started Bow Peep at the beginning of the year, and recently I decided to offer a service to the Bow Peep range. I love making things, anything really, so I am launching my new business idea, 'Hire a Crafter'.

If you are in Cape Town and need any decorations made for an event of any kind please drop me an email and lets chat about how I can help. 

 I have been making buntings for events and now I am offering me services for any decorations you might need for a party, wedding or even just to decorate your home with. Let me know what you need made and I can see how I can help.  Over the next few weeks I will be doing a series of post about party decorations and hopefully they will inspire you to throw a party!

Nautical button badged

Made a new button badge today after I saw these buttons at a fabric shop. Its a little kitch but who cares! A little kitch never killed anyone and I do love the nautical vibe even though the fashion people will think its so last year. I say lets sail away! 

Will upload the one above on the Bow Peep online store when I have tested the strength of the glue (it takes 24hours to dry) and I also plan on making some as hair clips. Let me know what you think!

Bling ribbon

I haven't had a very productive week so this morning I decided to price some fabric hoops at Fabric City and find some fabric to make a cover for my new MacBook Pro (yes I did just casually drop that in) but I walked out with more than I expected (as usual).

I found this very kitch glitter ribbon which was a little 'expensive' at R5 a meter but I got half a meter of each colour to pay around with as it could be a bling addition to some Christmas stuff I need to start making for the end of the year. 

But the other day I saw a tutorial on Pugly Pixie on how to make glitter 'washi inspired' tape and thought the glitter ribbon could work well instead of loose glitter. 

Stick the side without the glitter on some double sided tape and stick the other side to what ever you want and bam, you have glitter tape! 

DIY bakers twine

I am still on the hunt for Bakers Twine (which doesn't cost R5 a meter) but in the meantime I found these cool tutorials (click here and here for links) showing how to make it yourself! And for a small business owner like me cheaper is better! I only saw the tutorial by Persia Lou after getting home from the fabric shop, it looks like a neater option so will try it out one day.

The permanent market was about R1 from a Chinese shop and I used some crochet string (probably not the correct term, sorry) which was not expensive at all.  

Its super easy to make and cheaper than ordering bakers twine from the USA. The tutorials that I looked at made theirs much neater than mine but I think it takes some practice to get it neat.

My favourite things from this weekends market

Some images of my favourite things from the Winter Fair yesterday. 

Vintage Candle Co, Essie Letterpress, Starstruck, Funky Junk, Heather’s Leathers, and Mimi. For info check out the Favourite Things website