ScrapHappy September 2022

Last month I showed you the start of the latest scrappy crochet bunting. With all the donated scraps it was easy to find enough so that each of the flags was a different colour and so that I had enough to stretch across the width of the shop. Since each triangle tends to curl a little, I decided to counter this by sewing a couple of metal beads (from a pre-loved collection) on the point of each.

My other scrappy activity in the shop this month has been to put together some texture packs from lots of odds and ends of yarn. I came across a few such packs in a stash that I bought and they proved popular with customers, so now I’ve started to make my own. Each one contains a minimum of 30 m (and generally much more) of yarn in lengths of about 3m (plus some extra shorter bits if there are scraps left over). I select interesting mixes of textures and put them together in colour-themed packs. The packaging is all reused: cardboard from boxes and polythene wrap from packs of wool or fabric. They get bought for use in embroidery, weaving and macramé amongst other things, giving crafters a range of interesting yarn without having to buy lots of balls that would mostly go unused.

So, I’m not just making things with scraps myself, I also feel like I’m spreading the love of scraps to a wider audience.

-oOo-

I’ve been inspired to write this (and future) ScrapHappy posts by Kate,  Tall Tales from Chiconia. On the fifteenth of every month lots of folk often publish a ScrapHappy post, do check them out:

Kate,  Gun, Eva,  Sue, Lynda, Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy, Tracy, Jill, Jan, Moira, Sandra, Chris, Alys, Claire, Jean, Jon, Dawn, Jule, Gwen, Sunny, Kjerstin, Sue L, Vera, Nanette, Ann, Dawn 2, Carol, Preeti, Debbierose, Nóilin and Viv

If you fancy joining, contact Kate and she’ll add you to the list. It would be lovely to see more non-sewing posts, but any use of scraps is welcome.

22 Comments
by The Snail of Happiness on September 15, 2022  •  Permalink
Posted in craft, Scrap Happy
Tagged , , , , ,

Posted by The Snail of Happiness on September 15, 2022

https://thesnailofhappiness.com/2022/09/15/scraphappy-september-2022/

ScrapHappy August 2022

Last month’s ScrapHappy bollard covers have proved very popular, but they weren’t my only ScrapHappy make related to the Eisteddfod. Lots of people and businesses were putting up Welsh dragon bunting, or bunting in the colours of the flag – white, green and red. Since I’d already unearthed a pile of scrap yarn in these colours, it was a relatively quick job to knock up some bunting:

However, I like to ring the changes, and now the Eisteddfod is over, I thought it would be nice to have some multi-coloured bunting. The thing about this is that I can use absolutely any scraps, so I had a rummage through some of the bags of left-overs that I have upstairs in the shop and found a whole lot of colours that I probably wouldn’t have chosen, but that should make some cheerful decorations. I started on Wednesday, so I haven’t got very far yet, but it shouldn’t be too long before I have enough to make a useable string:

-oOo-

I’ve been inspired to write this (and future) ScrapHappy posts by Kate,  Tall Tales from Chiconia. On the fifteenth of every month lots of folk often publish a ScrapHappy post, do check them out:

Kate, Gun, Eva, Sue, Lynda, Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy, Tracy, Jill, Jan (me), Moira, Sandra, Chris, Alys, Kerry, Claire, Jean, Jon, Hayley, Dawn, Gwen, Bekki, Sue L, Sunny, Kjerstin, Vera, Nanette, Ann, Dawn 2 , Bear, Noreen, Preeti, Edith and Jule

If you fancy joining, contact Kate and she’ll add you to the list. It would be lovely to see more non-sewing posts, but any use of scraps is welcome.

12 Comments
by The Snail of Happiness on August 15, 2022  •  Permalink
Posted in craft, Scrap Happy
Tagged , , , , ,

Posted by The Snail of Happiness on August 15, 2022

https://thesnailofhappiness.com/2022/08/15/scraphappy-august-2022/

Blooming bollard

My Welsh dragon crochet is proving very popular, so I wanted to quickly produce a cover for the second bollard outside the shop. The “sock” is pretty straightforward now I have created a pattern and I managed to find some suitable leftover yarn in fairly neutral colours. However, embellishments take much longer. Fortunately, my appeal a few months ago for items with which to decorate the shop meant that I had a bag of crochet flowers from Sandra (Wild Daffodil) just waiting to be used. Small amounts of scrap green yarn were all I needed for the chain stitch stems and here it is:

Oh, bollards!

I will probably make a snail to go on top of it eventually, but I’m pretty happy with it for now. So, big thanks to Sandra, without whom I would still be crocheting flowers.

13 Comments
by The Snail of Happiness on July 20, 2022  •  Permalink
Posted in craft, shop
Tagged , , , , , ,

Posted by The Snail of Happiness on July 20, 2022

https://thesnailofhappiness.com/2022/07/20/blooming-bollard/

ScrapHappy July 2022

I never had a shortage of scraps, but with the opening of the shop I have access to all sorts of scrappy items that simply weren’t in my stash. Many people very generously give me things that are left over from their own projects and which they don’t envisage a use for. In the future, this is likely to lead to all sorts of projects that are out of my usual comfort zone, but this month I’ve made just the sort of thing you would expect from me, albeit with a combination of my own and other people’s scrap yarn…. a crochet bollard cover.

Outside the shop are two wooden bollards to stop vehicles from parking on the pavement. You probably haven’t even noticed them in the pictures of the shop exterior, which is precisely why I thought that they might need brightening up. So here is the first of what is likely to be many…

It’s the Eisteddfod in Tregaron (i.e. up the road) at the end of the month, so Welsh flag decorations are all the rage around the area, and this is my contribution. I’m bringing it in every night as I really don’t want to lose it, but it’s getting a lot of public admiration and has been much-photographed over the few days it’s been out.

-oOo-

I’ve been inspired to write this (and future) ScrapHappy posts by Kate,  Tall Tales from Chiconia. On the fifteenth of every month lots of folk often publish a ScrapHappy post, do check them out:

Kate, Gun, Eva, Sue, Lynda, Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy, Tracy, Jill, Jan (me), Moira, Sandra, Chris, Alys, Kerry, Claire, Jean, Jon, Hayley, Dawn, Gwen, Bekki, Sue L, Sunny, Kjerstin, Vera, Nanette, Ann, Dawn 2 , Bear, Noreen, Preeti, Edith and Jule

If you fancy joining, contact Kate and she’ll add you to the list. It would be lovely to see more non-sewing posts, but any use of scraps is welcome.

14 Comments
by The Snail of Happiness on July 15, 2022  •  Permalink
Posted in craft, Scrap Happy
Tagged , , , , ,

Posted by The Snail of Happiness on July 15, 2022

https://thesnailofhappiness.com/2022/07/15/scraphappy-july-2022/

ScrapHappy June 2022

My friends have been very generous when it has come to setting up the shop, both from the perspective of fittings and stock, but that hasn’t been all. Gloria, a Knit Night pal, having seen me making decorations for the shop, kindly gave me several unwanted kits to make use of for this purpose.  One of these was a large heart pincushion, which looked like it might make a fun addition to the decor.

When I investigated, I discovered that the main ball of yarn was missing,  but that’s not a problem when you have plenty of scraps. I think that the original was red, but I found half a ball of dark pink that looked suitable and set to work. The instructions suggested embroidering the word “LOVE” on it, but Mr Snail came up with “MAKE” as an alternative.

Looking through what I had used for the first heart, I was quite taken aback with how little of the yarn had been used from some of the little balls of the secondary colours, so there were plenty of scraps to be had. Mr Snail, therefore suggested a second one, this time with the word “MEND”. I dug out some purple yarn from a previously abandoned project for the main part and created #2. Because this one represents mending, rather than crocheting flowers to decorate it like the first, I used a 10-hook Speedweve and played around with some fancy darning.

And so we have a pair of (mostly) ScrapHappy hearts, including a slightly uneven, but nevertheless effective, example of what is possible with a Speedweve.

-oOo-

I’ve been inspired to write this (and future) ScrapHappy posts by Kate,  Tall Tales from Chiconia. On the fifteenth of every month lots of folk often publish a ScrapHappy post, do check them out:

Kate, Gun, Eva, Sue, Lynda, Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy, Tracy, Jill, Jan (me), Moira, Sandra, Chris, Alys, Kerry, Claire, Jean, Jon, Hayley, Dawn, Gwen, Bekki, Sue L, Sunny, Kjerstin, Vera, Nanette, Ann, Dawn 2 , Bear, Noreen, Preeti, Edith and Jule

If you fancy joining, contact Kate and she’ll add you to the list. It would be lovely to see more non-sewing posts, but any use of scraps is welcome.

24 Comments
by The Snail of Happiness on June 15, 2022  •  Permalink
Posted in craft, Scrap Happy
Tagged , , , , , , , ,

Posted by The Snail of Happiness on June 15, 2022

https://thesnailofhappiness.com/2022/06/15/scraphappy-june-2022/

ScrapHappy May 2022

I can’t believe that a whole month has gone by without me posting. I’ve been really busy in the shop, of course, but I still don’t understand how I haven’t managed to post even once.

This month’s ScrapHappy is once again about the shop. To maintain the ethos, we decided that, as well as selling scraps and pre-loved crafting supplies, we would fit the shop out, as far as possible, using pre-loved (sometimes un-loved) items. Mr Snail and I have already written about our scrappy counter, but almost everything is not new. We’ve tried to find items that simply aren’t valued anymore and make use of them them.

One example is the lovely bureau that we bought from a local auction. A wonderful, robust piece of furniture that we managed to get for a song. Brown furniture like this simply isn’t valued, despite the craftsmanship and beauty. Anyway, it’s now a card-making station, filled with pre-loved papercrafting supplies and tools, and ready for use by anyone who wants a handmade card, but doesn’t want to end up with lots of left over bits. Basically this is a way to avoid the creation of scraps at home – the scraps stay in the bureau ready to inspire and be used by someone else.

Elsewhere in the shop, the shelves were given to us by friends, who took them out of their basement, the tables came from Craft, a local an independent, not-for profit business whose sole purpose is to reuse domestic items and find them a new home, chairs and the china cabinet came from a little local auction and the library book cart had been left in the shop when we took it over. There are also several chairs (again left in the shop) that Sue is busily recovering for me from scraps (and her monthly ScrapHappy post). All-in-hall it’s a positive scrap-fest, so here’s a little peek into it:

-oOo-

I’ve been inspired to write this (and future) ScrapHappy posts by Kate,  Tall Tales from Chiconia. On the fifteenth of every month lots of folk often publish a ScrapHappy post, do check them out:

Kate, Gun, Eva, Sue, Lynda, Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy, Tracy, Jill, Claire, Jan (me), Moira, Sandra, Chris, Alys, Kerry, Claire, Jean, Jon, Hayley, Dawn, Gwen, Bekki, Sue L, Sunny, Kjerstin, Vera, Nanette, Ann, Dawn 2 , Bear, Noreen, Preeti, Edith and Jule

If you fancy joining, contact Kate and she’ll add you to the list. It would be lovely to see more non-sewing posts, but any use of scraps is welcome.

17 Comments
by The Snail of Happiness on May 15, 2022  •  Permalink
Posted in Scrap Happy
Tagged , , , , ,

Posted by The Snail of Happiness on May 15, 2022

https://thesnailofhappiness.com/2022/05/15/scraphappy-may-2022/

ScrapHappy April 2022

I’ve been waiting so long to write this ScrapHappy, but finally I can share with you our completely scrappy window display. It’s been getting a lot of attention…

It includes several creations from other ScrapHappy participants: a box from Cathy, scarves from Jenny, a blanket from Sue. Also in there, there are many things that have featured in my own ScrapHappy posts, plus some new ScrapHappy bunting made from two old pillowcases and some scrap felt. You may also have noticed that the Snail of Happiness knitted snails (made from scrap yarn) have made an appearance.

Elsewhere in the shop there’s a great deal of scrapiness, including some crochet bunting made by my dear friends Sarah and Katie, plus the wreath I was working on in my last ScrapHappy post, and not forgetting Mr Snail’s triumphant and entirely ScrapHappy counter, decorated with another of my scrappy wreaths plus a scrappy garland made especially for that particular purpose.

I’m constantly adding to the stock in the shop and fiddling about with the way it’s organised, so you can see Sue’s blanket making an appearance inside the shop in the photo above, which was taken whilst the sign was still in the window and so there was no room for the display.

Many thanks to all the people who contributed to our ScrapHappy extravaganza… more on the use of scraps and scrap throughout the entire shop in future posts.

-oOo-

I’ve been inspired to write this (and future) ScrapHappy posts by Kate,  Tall Tales from Chiconia. On the fifteenth of every month lots of folk often publish a ScrapHappy post, do check them out:

Kate, Gun, Eva, Sue, Lynda, Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy, Tracy, Jill, Claire, Jan (me), Moira, Sandra, Chris, Alys, Kerry, Claire, Jean, Jon, Hayley, Dawn, Gwen, Bekki, Sue L, Sunny, Kjerstin, Vera, Nanette, Ann, Dawn 2 , Bear, Noreen, Preeti, Edith and Jule

If you fancy joining, contact Kate and she’ll add you to the list. It would be lovely to see more non-sewing posts, but any use of scraps is welcome.

18 Comments
by The Snail of Happiness on April 15, 2022  •  Permalink
Posted in Scrap Happy
Tagged , , , , , , ,

Posted by The Snail of Happiness on April 15, 2022

https://thesnailofhappiness.com/2022/04/15/scraphappy-april-2022/

Now we are 10

Apparently today is my 10 year anniversary of starting this blog… how far we have come. From an idea to write about sustainability and sharing some of the projects for my Diploma in Applied Permaculture Design to opening a shop – who would have thought? Along the way, I’ve got to know some truly amazing bloggers and found some firm friends. I’ve mourned the passing of some important people in my life – my dad, my PhD supervisor, my statistics mentor, and dear Pauline, who blogged as The Contented Crafter – and I’ve celebrated successes – being awarded my Diploma, learning to crochet and, most recently, opening the shop.

Thank you for reading my random musings, and for joining me on this journey. So, to celebrate, here are a few pictures from the past 10 years.

I hope I’ll be here for the next 10 years.

29 Comments
by The Snail of Happiness on April 12, 2022  •  Permalink
Posted in blogging
Tagged ,

Posted by The Snail of Happiness on April 12, 2022

https://thesnailofhappiness.com/2022/04/12/now-we-are-10/

Open for business

It’s been a hectic few weeks, hence the lack of posts, but I just wanted to let you know that we are now open.

ORIAU AGOR ~ OPENING HOURS

Dydd Llun―Monday
Dydd Mawrth―Tuesday
Dydd Mercher10.30 – 3.30Wednesday
Dydd Iau10.00 – 3.30Thursday
Dydd Gwener10.00 – 3.30Friday
Dydd Sadwrn10.00 – 3.30Saturday
Dydd Sul―Sunday

Do come and say hello if you are visiting Lampeter, we are at 10 College Street, SA48 7DY.

14 Comments
by The Snail of Happiness on March 29, 2022  •  Permalink
Posted in ethical living, shop
Tagged , , , , ,

Posted by The Snail of Happiness on March 29, 2022

https://thesnailofhappiness.com/2022/03/29/open-for-business-2/

ScrapHappy March 2022

I’ve been so busy this month that there hasn’t been much time to write, but some of the busy time has been spent making scrappy things. I’ve been crocheting more flowers for wreaths and garlands to decorate the shop, but none of these have actually been transformed into a finished object yet. All the yarn is scraps left over from other projects and where stuffing is required, I’ve used tiny yarn ends.

Away from the shop, poor Sammy has been feeling the cold a bit overnight, so I have managed to find time to knit a woolly coat for him out of yarn left over from a jumper I knitted for myself quite a few years ago. Becuase I changed my mind about the pattern for my jumper, I ended up with rather a lot of left-over yarn – enough to make a very snuggly coat for a chilly hound!

Next month there should be lots of finished stuff to share!

-oOo-

I’ve been inspired to write this (and future) ScrapHappy posts by Kate,  Tall Tales from Chiconia. On the fifteenth of every month lots of folk often publish a ScrapHappy post, do check them out:

Kate, Gun, Eva, Sue, Lynn, Lynda, Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy, Tracy, Jill, Claire, Jan (me), Moira, Sandra, Chris, Alys, Kerry, Claire, Jean, Jon, Hayley, Dawn, Gwen, Bekki, Sue L, Sunny, Kjerstin, Vera, Nanette, Ann, Dawn 2 , Bear, Noreen, Preeti, Edith and Jule

If you fancy joining, contact Kate and she’ll add you to the list. It would be lovely to see more non-sewing posts, but any use of scraps is welcome.

18 Comments
by The Snail of Happiness on March 15, 2022  •  Permalink
Posted in Scrap Happy
Tagged , , ,

Posted by The Snail of Happiness on March 15, 2022

https://thesnailofhappiness.com/2022/03/15/scraphappy-march-2022/

« Older Posts
%d bloggers like this: