Tag Archives: Handmade

The Dear Delilah Shop is Open!

by Katie on May 13, 2013 in Business, Craft, Dear Delilah, Handmade, Jewellery

Yesterday I finally opened my Etsy store! The shop had been ready to go for over a week, but I just couldn’t bring myself to take that final step and make it live. I guess that fear was holding me back again. Last night Reubs convinced me it was time to take the plunge and held my wobbly hand as I apprehensively clicked “open”…

Then this morning I woke up to discover I’d already made my first sale! I could hardly believe it. I’m taking it as a good sign.

I’ve named my shop Dear Delilah, after our sweet Daisy Delilah dog. The name was something I struggled with a bit, but in the end Dear Delilah just felt right. I’ve also created a facebook page for the shop, so if any of you would like to receive updates, information on special offers and sneak peeks of new products you can “like” Dear Delilah over there. I’d love that!

I just wanted to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to everyone who has urged me to take this step and launch my little store. Running an Etsy business has been a dream of mine for such a long time, and it feels wonderful to be finally making it happen. I owe so much to the kind words of encouragement offered here. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Katie x

Comments { 25 }

A Little Creative Venture

by Katie on April 12, 2013 in Craft, Daily Life, Handmade, Jewellery

Things have been a bit quiet around here lately. Reubs has been busy with work and I’ve been busy working on a special little project, which I am really excited to share with you today! You might remember me saying that I was waiting on some craft supplies? Yes well, they finally arrived and I’ve been feverishly putting them to use ever since. This project has been brewing at the back of my mind for such a long time… I’ll share that story with you soon, but in the meantime, I thought I’d give you a peek at what I’ve been working on.

I’ve been making a little collection of trinkets and treasures featuring antique bronze charms, delicate globes full of German glass glitter and glass pendants, handmade with tiny notes typed on my vintage typewriter. I plan to pop my jewellery into an Etsy store in the next couple of weeks and I am so excited about it! It feels really good to be doing something creative and productive. Making things makes me so happy.

Wishing you all a most wonderful weekend! I’ll be spending most of it perched in front of that mess on the dining table, with pliers and glue in hand…

Katie x

Comments { 37 }

Crafty Dabblings

by Katie on March 21, 2013 in Craft, Daily Life, Handmade

I have a big creative project that I’m itching to get started on. It’s something that I’ve been pondering and processing in the the back of my mind for a long, long time now. Something I should have started years ago. Now I’m finally ready to give it a proper go and make things happen… but I can’t. Because I’m waiting for supplies and the mail seems to be taking an incredibly long time. Every morning for the last week I have eagerly trotted down to the post office and unlocked our PO box, hoping to be greeted by a little pile of parcels, only to discover… absolutely nothing. It seems a watched mailbox is never filled. And it’s driving me slightly insane!

In the meantime I’ve been pottering about with other things, dabbling with this and that, trying to satisfy the urge to create. I made this little hoop out of vintage bits and bobs and planned to make a few more so I could create a lovely cluster of hoops on a wall somewhere, but then I just couldn’t get motivated to make more hoops. So for now the “do small things with great love” hoop sits all alone next to a cluttered pile of books on our mantlepiece. I pulled out the sewing machine and altered a thrifted muumuu style dress, to turn it into a little frock with an elastic waistband like this one and this one, but decided it wasn’t nearly as cute in real life as I had imagined it might be. I half heartedly started some granny squares only to abandon them half an hour later… I really want to be making things but I can’t commit to any of these projects because they simply aren’t the right ones for right now. Have you ever felt like that?

Reubs and I are going to start painting our walls this weekend. Up until this week it has been far too hot to even contemplate renovating projects, but the temperature has finally dropped enough for us to get back into things. Hopefully painting will distract my restless little brain for a while. And in the meantime maybe, just maybe, my much anticipated supplies will arrive.

Have you been working on anything crafty lately? I’d love to hear about your creative projects. I find people making stuff so inspiring!

Katie x

PS A few people have asked about making my guilt free chocolate mug cake in the oven, rather than the microwave, so I gave it go and happily it worked! I’ve added a little update to my original post with the details.
PPS The 20% off “houseofhumble” discount code for Shadow Moon Creations expires tomorrow.

Comments { 19 }

Shadow Moon Creations – a Giveaway!

by Katie on March 12, 2013 in Daily Life, Giveaway, Handmade, Home

This giveaway is now closed.

I have always been a bit obsessed with scented candles. The little ritual of lighting them, the warm glow of the flame, the gentle scent wafting through the house… Give me a book, a cup of tea and a nice candle, and I’m set! So naturally I was super excited when Karin from Shadow Moon Creations got in touch to see if we’d like to review and giveaway some of her luxury hand poured soy candles. Karin makes all of the candles in the Shadow Moon Creations range by hand, using soy wax and quality fragrance oils. Her candles are sustainably made and contain no GMO material or paraffin. We get so excited about people making beautiful things with care for their products and the world around them!

For our candles Reuben and I chose the French Pear and Gingerbread scents. Both are utterly delicious. The French Pear is sweet, fruity and a little bit sophisticated, while the Gingerbread is warm and cozy. Kind of like a hug in smell form! It will be perfect to burn when the weather cools down and our house is in need of extra cozying. The candles came in lovely glass pots with a lids (which are really handy for keeping dust and stuff from floating in) and they burn for such a long time. We’ve had the pear candle burning for hours and it’s barely made a dent.

Of course, it wouldn’t be fair to talk about the loveliness of Shadow Moon Creations’ candles without giving you a chance to get your little paws on some of your own. Luckily, lovely Karin is offering you guys the chance to win two large candles in the scent of your choice! All you have to do is pop over here to check out the range, then leave us a comment letting us know which scents you would choose if you won.

We’ll draw a winner at the end of the week!

Katie x

Update: The winner of the Shadow Moon Creations giveaway is comment number 45. Congratulations Clare!

And to everyone else who entered but missed out, we have good news! From now until next Friday 22 March, lovely Karin is offering House of Humble readers a massive 20% off the entire Shadow Moon Creations range. Simply enter the discount code houseofhumble to receive 20% off your purchase. Hurrah!

Comments { 92 }

Happy Mail

by Katie on January 29, 2013 in Craft, Daily Life, Handmade

Is there anything better than receiving good mail!? I don’t think so. Especially when it’s a handwritten letter or a parcel of handmade goodies, wrapped with love, brown paper and washi tape!

In the last week we’ve been lucky enough to have not one, but two sweet little packages delivered by the postman. The first was from lovely Alana and Koren. Somehow, miraculously, I won a competition on their blog (I never win anything, ever!) so I was the happy recipient of two cute animal totes, a little fabric bookmark and a package of yummy tea. Nice! The second parcel was a housewarming gift from the gorgeous Kelly. I have long been a fan of Kelly’s work (I mentioned it way back here!) and, thanks to the magic of the internet, am now lucky enough to consider her a real friend. Naturally I was thrilled to bits when I unwrapped that adorable plate! I am completely and utterly smitten with it. I just can’t wait to hang it up on the wall in our new house.

I am constantly amazed by the wonderful things this blog has brought into our lives. Of course the little packages of handmade goodness are wonderful, but even more beautiful than the gifts themselves are what they represent. The sense of community this space has helped us create, and the friendships it has allowed us to form. It makes our hearts so very happy. You make our hearts so very happy.

Thanks for being a part of our story.

Katie x

PS We are thinking of everyone in Queensland and northern New South Wales who have been affected by floods this week, and hope you are all staying safe and dry.

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