'eye candy' ~ part one...

on Saturday, i very successfully found myself in the japanese bookstore downtown..."how did you so cleverly manage that one, Tif?". ah ha, you may well ask...i told my man it was very important that i go and purchase a book for my very besty friend Debbie, who has bought her first sewing machine on ebay recently and is determined to learn to sew!

the last time Debbie used a sewing machine, i believe was at the age of eleven when we took home economic lessons at school. the little denim pencil case with a zipper was such a horrendous ordeal that it put both of us off sewing for years, i only ever ventured near a machine in my teens, to 'take in' jeans to fit my boney little legs...and it is true to say i have never attempted to place a zipper in an item since...

however, i know that a japanese craft book is just the job to encourage anyone hesitating to start the machine off. now admittedly there is the small detail of not actually being able to read any of the instructions, but i decided to ignore this little problem as the pictures alone are so inspiring...i have actually decided to teach myself japanese so i can go here and have a clue as to what i am placing in my cart and the exact yardage...which is quite an important thing i feel.

when i decided to do this with crochet, it took me two years before i actually started to teach myself, i am hoping to be a bit fastest with this, but sadly, i am thinking it will take me longer than the crocheting...

of course, i could not leave the bookstore without a few beauties of my own..i found three ("only three", i know i showed a great deal of restraint)...two were magazines and one a book..

as my man sat up in bed this morning having his 'father's day' cup of tea, he asked me what my blog would contain this week..to which i replied "eye candy" and then he said "are you talking about me"...i luckily did not spill any of my tea and merely told him sweetly (you have to keep them believing it) "sorry, i am talking about crafting 'eye candy', lots of pretty pictures of inspiring things"..

and so we shall delve into the pretty books and take a little poke around

magazine one: front and back (i tend to like the backs more than the fronts on the magazines, they are printed back to front to us, but obviously not to anyone who is japanese, confused? me too!)

magazine two: front and back

book: front and back

here are some lovely pages in between

looking forward to lots of 'eye candy' this week ~ Tif (who seems to be permanently dressing like a japanese craft book these days...)

me, my headache and a christmas tree...

when i woke this morning i had two things on my mind 1. were there any names rolling in and 2. a thumping headache...i did what most women do, i choose to ignore the pain and get on with the day...i thought if i donned a creative outfit it would help me get on with being productive, but alas it was not to be..

i have enjoyed each and every one of the names that are already in the jar (which is really a pyrex bowl), i love the fact you gave me reasons for your choices and i love the reasons! they are all fabulous ( Francesca, i can only imagine that 'Stanley' would be a cross dressing door who at night appears on the stage at Las Vegas with a flamboyant name). quite honestly i think they will all end up as names for my bags and slips...and if you think of anymore, or are still pondering, you can enter as many times as you like...you really have cheered my day.

after a morning of packing and labelling i got to midday and could go no further, my plans to catch up on custom orders was shelved and i did something i can't remember doing in years, i took myself back to bed in the middle of the day...with some painkillers.

the ramblings are low on the ground today, so let's just hit 'Tif 's Top Tips' head on..

my first tip would be 'do not drink and blog, it gives you a false sense of confidence and you come up with stupid ideas like 'top tips'. worse still you actually believe you can pull it off '

but i said i would and so here it is...

'Tif 's Top Tip for this week is GARDENING'

you have two options if you wish your garden to stand out in a suburban neighborhood setting, put plants and flowers everywhere, care for it day and night and mow the lawn regularly...strangers and neighbors will pass by and compliment you on your well kept space. alternatively, you can leave your poor yard to fall into a life of rack and ruin, this will also get you noticed, but not for the right reasons. our garden falls into the last category...so here are a few prize snippets from our carefully ignored yard

exhibit one

exhibit two

exhibit three

exhibit four

and exhibit five

and lastly my favorite specimen of all, our christmas tree, which has been in our front yard since January 3rd...it is nothing short of a miracle tree, it is now June and it is still going strong, with no roots...me and my man are keeping our fingers crossed the tree makes it all the way to December so we can bring him in again...i feel that would qualify as a bit of recycling.

wishing you pretty pots of flowers where ever you are, see you Monday ~ Tif

"do a little dance"...(courtesy of my friend, Debbie)

i did not intend to set out to do this post today...i promise you i intended to do 'Top Tips' but that will have to wait until tomorrow (big sigh of relief all round i think). you see dear readers, a landmark has been passed that i feel i cannot ignore...

i do not like the number 39, it is an ugly number that you will hear a lot more about in the next few months, but let us put that aside for today, less it cast it's dark shadow upon our celebration... i do however, like the number 100. it just looks right, it is even, neat and pretty. it feels like an achievement and that is why i am happy to announce that today my little shop, amidst the turmoil of my technical problems crashing all around me (another thing i will not loiter on) YES, my little shop made it to 100 sales! ("why that's just crazy talk, Tif" i hear you say). "i know" and what's more i reached it in 4 months (another nice number).

so i will do a little dance, i will let it go to my head for one crazy day and yes, dear readers i will launch a competition...

that's right! Tif, in all her excitement (and frustration with her computer) went crazy with her thought process and came up with

DOTTIE ANGEL'S '100 SALES' COMPETITION...

it's my way of saying a large "THANK YOU" whether you are a customer, a reader or a listener, this number would not be mine without you...

so, let's start the ball rolling....(feeling the excitement building) oohh and (hearing the drum rolls). this competition is open to anyone who feels not only would they like to name my new 'love at first sight' door but also they would like to own a dottie angel prototype 'Nellie Summer Garden Cuff"...here are a few pictures of 'said' cuff...just to get you in the mood

you can take a close up look here. now when i say prototype, that is exactly what it is. it comes hot off the press this afternoon. i believe the design will need 'tweaking' but it's pretty, it's vintagey and it's one of a kind...

all you need to do then is come up with a name for my door...now you might want to put on your thinking caps here, as we are not talking about any old door...i name all things that do and don't move in my house...please be kind and think of a name that suits her looks...then leave me the 'name' (and obviously your name) and i will place them all in a jar and then our #4 will draw out the lucky winner. (keep it clean, as he's a good reader!). the competition is open from today until Thursday 21st June. the winner will be announced on Friday 22nd...i can now hear lots of clapping and shouts of excitement around the globe...

of course, there is a huge possibility that no one enters, if so i guess i get to keep my little cuff and wear it all summer long...

doing a fabulous job at avoidance this week ~ Tif

as a little foot note ~ if you don't want to leave your name on my blog but would like to enter the competition, just email me at the address on my sidebar...