Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Dedicated to anyone.....


who has ever been bullied, picked on or purposely excluded.
To anyone who has been made to suffer by other people, who, for whatever reason decide that YOU are on their hit list.
Some people seem to take immense pleasure in upsetting, controlling or manipulating others.

Well, you know what?

Let 'em get on with it.

And while they're having fun scheming, bitching or whatever....have a seat here with me, next to the fire.



Look, it's gone six, let's open a bottle of wine and have a glass, or two...



Never change yourself for others.
It's o.k. to try on other peoples opinions now and then, but don't lose sight of your own.
It's your life, make sure you live it your way.

Here are some quiet corners...enjoy!



Friday, November 30, 2007

Scallop thumb

No, not the infamous condition that plagued 18th century fishwives across Cornwall, but a scalloping blister...
Can you see it? It hurts so much, I think it should be redder :0(
There is a very cool reason for my complaint, however.
I have just edged 100 pinky dinky postcards with my scalloping scissors, all packed up now and to be shipped to...New York! The amazing Smitherman & Barnwell are using them as 'thank-you' note cards in their boutique..
You can check out their wonderful collection at www.smithermanandbarnwell.com or they now have a fabulous etsy shop too, www.smitherman.etsy.com.




I'm in the throws of colour artwork now, for what will be my last bok before baby comes.
Then it's a new year, new beginnings and a new way of life.
It's all very exciting, yet terrifying at the same time!

Have a groovy Friday!

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Hello

I am still here....
just tired, and under deadline pressure...
I'll be back soon :0)
In the mean time, here's a lovely picture of a robin for you to look at...

Friday, November 9, 2007

Pink Shed Publishing



Well, here's what I've been up to!
I've actually made a start at Pink Shed, and will be starting business (small scale) this weekend on ETSY.
I've just got these four Christmas card designs so far, which will be available in packs of four and mini packs of three.
There will be a few other little bits and bobs on there too....




It's gone one thirty in the morning! I'd better get to bed! I've got a mega deadline for tomorrow and have to be up

E-A-R-L-Y!

I hope everyone's week is going well :0)

Night!

Erica
xxx

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

What's the crazy pregnant lady up to now?



Well, I'm up to my eyes with deadlines, hence the lack of posting...
I do have a bit of a secret project on the go though, watch this space for details....

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Erica
xxx

Saturday, October 27, 2007

Ooooouuuch!!!

Oooh...aaaagh....ooouuuch!
I have pulled a muscle, somewhere inside my chest area.
I can't move...at all...well, a little, but it hurts soooo much.
It hurts when I breath....cry :0(

Anyways, here's a little cutie-pie to cheer things up!
She's called Myrtle, and is from Donegal.
Her Aunty Minnie brought her a beautiful vintage hankerchief back from France (from Madam Grotte's), and she has made herself this cute little outfit, complete with vintage button.
Ever since, she had been calling herself 'Marie', and speaking in a French squeak...how sweet!

She'll be in the shop at some point.

Bye for now! Ouuuuch!

xx

Sunday, October 21, 2007

Autumnal girls




BIG NEWS!
I've opened my ETSY shop!
I still need to figure out all the details and design a banner, but these three pretties are up for sale!

Fleur D'Oranger (Orange Blossom)
Clementine and Arianne De Abricot

If you want to have a peek, my shop address is www.ericasatticstores.etsy.com

I must dash, as I have a very, very important parcel to pack up for posting tomorrow morning...

I hope today is as lovely and sunny and autumnal for you, as it is here.

Friday, October 19, 2007

Tagged

Well, I've been tagged twice over the last two posts, I will get around to the desk top one, (or rather my PA Thomas will), as soon as I can!
Speaking of my PA Thomas, he really does seem to be confused as to who's working for who.
I am a busy illustrator/mouse maker/baby maker, so the simple request to help me find some amusing collective nouns would, you would think, be no problem....
Instead, he retreated to his private study, muttering something about brandy and "feeling put upon".
Still, he did hand me this scrap of paper this afternoon.
Apparently he had 'his' PA draw it up for him.

Really...

So, as requested by www.wethreecats.blogspot.com, are my eight collective nouns -




(click to enlarge)

And in other news.....



I've got a few more lovely meeces to show you very soon.
I am going to try and get time to open my ETSY store this weekend...wish me luck!

Erica
xxx

***Oh, and many apologies for my PA's frightful thought bubble spelling.
And to think he once studied at Cambridge!

Sunday, October 14, 2007

Yaaaaaaawn!



It's lovely expecting a baby, but good grief, it tires you out.
I'm good for nothing.
I have sat, on my bum, all day today, and don't even have the energy to make any meeces.
Mr Nick is running me a bubbly bath and cooking me my tea.
Then jim-jams.
Then I might make a start on a mouse.
Or set up with etsy.

yaaaawm....

later gaters

x

Monday, October 8, 2007

Bonjour!


I'm back!
Sorry for the terrible, in-excusable gap between posts.
I've been locked away in my little shed, and my make-believe attic...

Eventually, I am very proud to announce, that some of my little mice are looking for new homes.

First, allow me to introduce -

Rosa, the bird keeper.







She is made from creamy felt, and is just over 4 inches tall, head to toes.
Her beautiful skirt is made from a vintage, French silk hankerchief, and is the most subtle shade of blush.
Her skirt is fastened with a very, very old French button. Both hankerchief and button are from madame Grotte's brocante in deepest Perigord Vert, France.
Her bodice/petticoat is deep cream, gathered elegantly, recycled from an old blouse that once belonged to the seamstress.
She wears a polka-dot sash and her slippers are made from salmon coloured vintage ric-rac.
She sits on a gold satin cushion, embellished with polka dot ribbon and vintage French button.

Rosa, although you would never guess from her confident and sparkling peformances, is terribly, terribly shy.
She is convinced she has a 'tete grande', and is very self conscious of her left leg, which bares the scar of a terrible bare-back riding accident many years ago.

She likes 'Cabecou', and will not touch any other cheese.

She is priced at £55 plus postage, and comes gift wrapped in a stiff box with her bird.

Next we have - Mimi, Rosa's younger sister.





She too is a bird keeper and made from felt, 4 inches head to toes.
She wears the same underdress/petticoat as Rosa but her skirt is made from dusky pink French lace, picked up from Madame Grotte's cave in the Perigord region of France. It is fastened with a vintage button from the same brocante.
Her slippers are dark wine coloured ric-rac and her sash is polka-dot ribbon.
She sits on a claret coloured cushion, embellished with rust coloured twine.
Both Rosa and Mimi's noses and whiskers are made from vintage French woolen thread, in dusky pink.

Mimi loves all cheese, except anything "northern", so best steer clear of Camembert or any thing similar.

Mimi is also £55 plus posting, and comes gift wrapped in a stiff box, with her bird of course.

This is Etoile, from Montremartre, Paris.
Bare-back rider, dancer and chanteuse.





Etoile is made from felt and is just over 4 inches from head to toes.
She wears a beautiful cream slip, embellished with aqua beads, with an net petticoat in aqua also.
Her slippers are vintage turqouise ric-rac.
Her slip is set off beautifully with an eau de nil coloured chiffon ribbon.
Her pretty lace head dress is from Madame Grotte's cave.
She sits on a matching mat.

Etoile will only eat cheese shipped in from a special fromagerie in Montremartre. Luckily she orders it in herself.

Etoile is £45 plus posting and comes gift wrapped in a stiff box.

If you would like to give any of the above mice a home, or have any questions, please email me.
"info@ericajanewaters.com"

***Please note - these mice are designed as objects of desire and are not toys. They are unfortunately not suitable for little children to play with.
The mice are designed to sit on their cushions, not stand. They can stand with a bit of fiddling and the aid of some pins.
Pins are of course included :0) ***

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

An afternoon out!

After a poo-pants day yesterday and this morning, I took myself off to Market Harborough for some coffee, cake and much needed bustle.
I wont rant on about Kettering, but it is quite possibly the pit of the earth. I don't think I'm ever going to go there again. (I don't mean to offend anyone who happens to love Kettering, but you gotta admit, it's gone downhill!) Harboro's only an extra 10 minutes drive and is lovely!
The slice of heaven that you can see below you is, wait for it, Toffee crunch cheesecake.
I treated myself, (and of course I have the excuse of nursury bookshelves to stock!), to a few picture books from Waterstones. I also bought two lovely roomy, bump accomadating jumpers for £20 the pair. One in raspberry, the other in plum, (as modelled in photo below).
I just love Harboro. It just feels more academic/coffee shoppy/boutiquey, as apose to Kettering's chavvy/sports shop/supersaver pound shop/scuz-bucket atmosphere. (oops, I wasn't going to rant).
I also bought the Autumny issue of "Country Living" magazine, and will spend the rest of the evening plonked firmly on the sofa, fire roaring, reading and dreaming of moving to my Perigordine farmhouse.



Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Slow and messy worker, but end result is always good.

That was what Mrs Morgan wrote for my third year Home Economics report when I was about fourteen years old.
It's scary how that comment sits so well with every element of my life, not just cooking!
Everything from growing up, finding love, my career (still messy work in progress)...everything.
I remembered this comment this afternoon whilst making JAM!



hmmm, now where did I put that packet of jam making sugar?






It's been a dull old afternoon, and not alot has been accomplished. I reeeeeeally must do my tax return. I WILL do it on Saturday, you heard it here, now I have to do it.

The last layer of hay has been stripped off the field and the farmer is muck spreading today. I can't wait until it's ploughed, I love ploughed fields. Anyway, I leave you with yesterday's hazy Autumn sunshine and haystacks.

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Button Boutique

The BEST shop in Kettering is closing down.
It's been selling buttons, ric-rac and fabric for nearly 50 years and hasn't changed a dot in all that time.
Button Boutique, what am I to do without you??
I'll have to remember my camera next time I go...

I popped in today just to top up on a few bits



Then, popped around the corner to Burton's, another really old fashioned shop, and found these little pretties!



I don't think the shop lady quite "got" my excitment. There was a whole box of them on sale, left over from last Christmas. Apparently they didn't sell very well due to the rather peachy tone of their breasts, not red enough for the festive cakes of Christmas 2006. I kept telling the shop lady that they were charming in their own little, special way. But she just looked at me, like I was mad, and then continued to criticise them. I only rescued three, I may go back and collect the rest. The self esteem issues with the three little ones above are heart breaking. Horrid lady. Just look at their gorgeous little faces, how could anyone say anything derogatory?

So, inbetween painting 'Flutterbugs' and spells of incredible fatigue, look who came a visitin'!



Please allow me to introduce you to Balancing Beatrice of Bordeaux.
She is staying with me here in Northamptonshire for a few days as, being famous for it's cobblers, she could think of no place better to come for some new satin slippers.
I shall put her on the bus into town tomorrow.




I'll leave you with some pictures of the butterfly tree in my garden....