The winner is.....

THANK YOU...

so much to everyone who entered my 100 followers celebration giveaway - and hello to some new followers who found me as a result....I'm hoping to pop over and visit some new distractions soon.

I wrote out a list of entries and used a random number generator...but couldn't get it in my post so have copied and pasted! How base!
True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 10 Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Which means the winner is Jane, who lives in Tasmania and also has a wonderful thought inspiring blog called Planet Baby

 

Jane...I'll be in touch and look forward to personalising your blocks over the next few days!

Now, what else has been going on? Well, Elvis has officially left the building! Kenzie's hamster Elvis died yesterday. Kenzie wasn't particularly concerned at the news - but then we have done the circle of life in a big way this year (already losing 2 hens to a fox, one hen to natural causes, one hen drowned, 2 ducks escaped through the hole left by the fox, and one other hamster!).

Since we gave GB's hamster BJ (yes, really) a mini gathering of thoughts in the back garden it seemed only right to do the same for Elvis. The ceremony will be tonight after school. It may be just me and Cleggy!

Ned the tortoise got put in the workshop fridge for the winter at the weekend. 

It always feels wrong to do it but after a successful hibernation last year we feel a little more confident this time round.

 Granny really doesn't like the fact he goes in the cold and asks me lots of questions (to boost my confidence about the whole thing!) like 'are you sure it's ok to go from the warmth of the house to the fridge without cooling him down?' Granny, he'll be fine!!! (fingers crossed)

 Speaking of The Granny...she is getting ready for her big trip to Israel next week. She and I went on a big shop for appropriate clothes a couple of weeks ago (I bet Gok hasn't had the remit 'capsule wardrobe for The Holy Land'!) so she's all ready.  

Well, I thought she was! She popped in last night to show me the wares she'd bought yesterday, from, of all places, Joules! I have to admit, I was a little green at the gorgeousness of them (and look forward to borrowing them on her return!)

I got a wonderful package in the post this week from a lovely customer Sarah (will show and tell her latest commission next post) who somehow knows me extremely well! It contained 2 fab old ladybird books ripe for chopping, a gorgeous collection of buttons (from her own collection- we all know how hard it is to share!!) and a bar of Green and Blacks Maya Gold. As good as any package gets - THANK YOU Sarah!It made my day, and the chocolate made my lunch!

One of the books was about puppies and kittens - which I MUST have had as a child as these 2 pictures in particular were very familiar:

 

My Chipper Nelly shop is nicely busy in the run up to Christmas. I had a great week last week so treated myself to a new glasses case (I know, last of the big spenders!)

It's from a fellow seller on NOTHS called Samantha who has a shop Pants and paper - her things are lovely - do take a look (here)

And finally here are the latest Chipper Nelly offerings:

A new block with bells on:

   It's made with Martha Stewart papers which I haven't used before but am liking. Quite Scandinavian

 A new size of Girl and Boy Blocks - available with any letter or number stamped:

 And a single Bird Block:

 Before I go and start the week, has anyone else felt their eyes well up just a little at the current John Lewis advert? The one with the boy counting down the days? And not because they've used one of my favourite Smiths tracks (that's OK with me BTW, I know there are some up in arms about the whole thing....aligning the genius of Morrisey/Marr with middle class shopping etc! I happen to think John Lewis is genius too, so find the combination perfect!)
Anyway, off to contact the winner!
Happy week to one and all, fee x 

another random post

I found this little thing outside the workshop today, soaking up the warm Autumn sunshine...love how vintage those delicate wings look.

So, I know I'm late with the Halloween thing but had to share the campest red devil (sorry Geordie - but all your pictures have that foot thing going on!) and a genuinely scary kenzie clown.


So scary that none of the boys wants to keep said clown mask in their bedrooms!

 

We had a lovely big family trip to Lyme Park at the weekend (setting for the BBC's Pride and Prejudice new film The Awakening). The new (ish) play area there is a boys dream and we even managed to get a photo of The Granny with all her grandchildren, nearly all looking at the camera         ...a first!

The sunlight at the end of the afternoon was begging for photos - unfortunately boys were begging for tea so I only managed a few:

 In the Chipper workshop it's been a mixture of commissions and Christmas blocks galore. This treasures box was for my lovely friend Sue who has become a fairy godmother and wanted something to welcome little Eva into the family. Sue writes stories about fairy folk and also paints - she designed this little fairy Betsy for inside the box (complete with tinkle bell on back)

The next set of 9 blocks depict the Fruits of the Holy Spirit, made for my SIL Alice. Lots of the paper used on this set is recycled wrapping paper (previously given to me by Alice!) which mixed in well with the other papers I already had.

... a new size of Love Block

And some new designs - single Christmas blocks 

(available here!)

Finally, a HUGE thank you to everyone who has entered my first giveaway! I was full of trepidation when I posted it - can you imagine the shame of offering up your work and no one being interested??! Anyway - I really appreciate all the supportive comments - and hello to the new friends I've made as a result of my button being on some fancy sidebars! Isn't blogging fab....?

fee x
(if you haven't entered - it's not too late - just leave a comment on the previous post!)

It's a chipper nelly giveaway!

Hooray

 for 100 followers! 

And I believe it's customary to partake in a little giveaway to celebrate such a milestone.

There is (of course) a story behind my choice of giveaway. You may remember a lovely little set of blocks I used to make from old Beano comics....until the man from Beano said 'I don't think so'! (see here). 

Well, last week I heard from the people at Ladybird! To be precise, the lady from the licencing department at Penguin, who own Ladybird, placed an order for one ladybird block, featuring a single '!'. 

I took it as a gentle warning - what do you think? Being such a scardy cat I decided I shouldn't sell them anymore - but it doesn't stop me Giving them away!!

So - I hereby offer up a set of 6 unique chipper nelly blocks featuring images from vintage ladybird books AND 5 vintage Beano blocks... NOT available in any shop!  If you would like to see more images and examples here's the link to a flickr set. 

I'm happy to personalise them with a word or words of your choice and will post them ANYWHERE in the world.

To enter simply leave me a comment on this post. For a second chance to win grab the button and share the lo♥e on your sidebar, and let me know (can you believe I've made a button and managed a grabable code? I'm SO pleased with myself). 

I'll be drawing a name at random on 14th November.

So what else has been going on? We spent the first half of the half term holiday in Edinburgh. Cleggy and I spent a year living in there when newly married and have very fond memories. 

Cleggy's brother and family still live there - and kindly shared their (beautiful) home with us. We don't see nearly enough of them.

Our boys LOVED seeing their Scottish cousins!

Not many photos but hopefully these sum up our precious family time - thanks Gareth and Alice - we love you very much.

And, as always, lots of chipper nelly makes! I've got a whole new batch of Christmas products waiting to be photographed but until then some commissions - always a welcome break from Santa!

Birthday blocks and signs for boys for one of my favourite customers:

And loads of these nursery blocks for notonthehighstreet customers.

Each set ends up being quite different - 

I try to make the boys names more boyish and use lighter colours for the girls.

Another customer ordered three of the home blocks for a new home gift (with a lovely message on the back) so we did something a little different - which worked nicely! hope the recipients liked them too...

I know I've had a few new blogging pals follow recently - I'll be over to yours for a proper hello this weekend. Cleggy is away on business for the next few days...so I'll be whiling away my evenings blog hopping! (and maybe partaking in a small amount of dark chocolate..for my health you understand)

fee x

Going to sleep until March...

No, not me (I wish!) but Ned the tortoise! 

After loving the unexpected sunshine a couple of weeks ago he's definitely started slowing down, has stopped eating and is getting ready for the big sleep. After a couple of weeks, when we're sure he has nothing left in his stomach, we'll put him in the workshop fridge for the next 12-14 weeks. 

We were thrilled last year when he survived his first ever hibernation. See here for more lovely pictures of our my favourite pet waking up.


The ladies have all started growing some winter feathers and have also been loving the sunshine this weekend. Apparently we have some more rescue chickens booked in to collect sometime soon! (knew it wouldn't be long)

The ducks continue to be a joy to watch - but hard work to put away at night. I frequently find Myrtle the black duck in with the chickens - but Bertie the boy duck refuses to get in the duck house unless she's out of there and back where she belongs! They are very vocal - I swear they are laughing at me trying to herd them in...

Other than that it's been more of the same in the Chipper Nelly workshop - lots and lots of Christmas makes!

Some vintage Christmas blocks

 

Some Santa blocks

Vintage hearts

Happy holiday blocks

Some more vintage blocks

And, my favourite, Ho Ho flamin' Ho blocks

These blocks are bigger than my usual ones (6cm). The 'flamin' block comes separately so that it only need come out when the festive cheer begins to wane!

Thank you so much for the lovely comments about my previous Christmas offerings - the Snowy Vintage ones are my favourite too! All available HERE!

Now, my blog has very nearly 100 followers (how funny!) which I think warrants a giveaway! See next post...

fee x

(providing I get the elusive 100th follower that is!!!)

Harvest festival, Halloween and Christmas...

Yep - I'm all over the festivals this week!

It's still incredibly busy here - and I keep forgetting to take my camera whenever we do go anywhere/do anything worth blogging about so scant news to share.

The beautiful sunflowers are a gift from The Granny for helping her decorate the church in readiness for harvest. They are a welcome burst of colour in a room seriously lacking in sunshine this week!

Here they are in all their glory - with the Northfield Primative elephants proudly marching in front of them.

 Autumn is well and truly here in Manchester - which means Halloween plotting for boys 

 and Christmas planning for me. Its certainly more bearable now the beautiful weather has gone.

Here are my first offerings....snow babies!

...some snowy blocks

 

 ...and bird overload blocks (can you ever have too many birds?) 

More next post.

Right, off to lock up the chickens and ducks - the latter being particularly tricksy when it's raining (like right now!) 

I may be some time....

fee x