Showing posts with label Craft. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Craft. Show all posts

Crafty Creative Craziness: The 2010 Melbourne Stitches & Craft Show
PHEW!

That is the main word that keeps escaping from my mouth now that the mind-bogglingly brilliant and phenomenally fantastic Melbourne Stitches & Craft Show has finished. As usual, the Show was five chock-a-block days of crafty and creative goodness, with inspiration galore and enough fabric, fibre and paper goodies to make even the most stoic crafter go giddy at the knees!

It all began on Tuesday morning, when the great challenge of setting up began. I, of course, was still running around Melbourne like a mad chook, organising patterns to be printed, buying furniture for the stall, and folding and ironing fabric. 

Even though the venue opened at 7am for set-up, Sharon and I didn't arrive until 7pm... not that that stopped us from creating an exciting and extravagant Pepperberry & Co. stall, complete with a built-in-a-panic Ikea shelving unit!


As a small, indie crafter, I was lucky enough to have a stall in the beautiful Incubator section with a group of uber-talented, ridiculously fun crafters. Below are pictures of their amazing work- can you imagine being surrounded by this kind of brilliance every day and not buying every thing? Sheesh, talk about high expectations!

From left to right, top to bottom, my fellow Incubator pals were: Jen from Red Parka Designs and her stunning handbound books; Claire from Craft Shmaft and her super-cute owls; Jodie from Vintage Ric Rac and her too-cute-for-words softies; Nic from Yardage Designs and her stunning hand screenprinted fabrics; Michaela from Wren's Nest Studio and her incredible Paper Quilts; Kristen Doran and her inspiring fabrics and softie friends; Pauline from Funky Friends Factory and her collection of cute critters; Nicole Mallalieu from You Sew, Girl! and her amazing bags; and Lisa from The Red Thread and her funky cute friends. Also inspiring me on a daily basis were Hollie from Two Cheese Please, Caitlin and Leisl from Pippijoe and the girls from Ink & Spindle.

Apart from running the shop (which the wonderful Sharon was in charge of!), and shopping up a storm (which I was in charge of!), I also taught sewing classes, where I met some gorgeous crafters from all across Australia (and even the world!); gave Small Business talks to a group of inspiring and inspired up-and-comers; and even squeezed in taking some classes, which resulted in the world's cutest sock owl and a Japanese patchwork purse! 

To say that I'm exhausted would be an understatement, however the smile that is still on my face from the Show means it was all very well worth it. Thank you so much to Angela, Ross, Graham and the team for putting on such an extraordinary event! Here's to many more.

xx Sandra

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3:45 PM | Category: , , , | 8 Pepperberrians Said...

Sewing Pattern Testers Needed!
UPDATE: THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WONDERFUL INTEREST IN TESTING MY PATTERNS. I NOW HAVE A FABULOUS TEAM OF PEPPERBERRY & CO. PATTERN TESTERS AND AM THEREFORE NOT LOOKING FOR ANY FURTHER EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST.

Yep, it's true- Pepperberry & Co. Sewing Patterns are about to graduate from my Lab and into the real world! Before they can be launched at the Stitches & Craft Show, however, they need to pass one last test- the Crafty Community Challenge. 


What I'm looking for is sewers of all levels who would like to come on board as Official Pepperberry & Co. Sewing Pattern Testers. What you'll receive for participating is:

- A free sneak preview of a Pepperberry & Co. Sewing Pattern (the range includes a Passport Cover, Notebook Cover, Cushion Cover and Textile Card!);
- A free copy of the final ePattern of the project you have completed; and
- Your choice of one of any of the other Pepperberry & Co. Sewing Patterns, as a little thank you. 


As a Pepperberry Pattern Tester, you'll need to be able to do the following over the next 3 days:

- Get the materials you'll need for your pattern (they're small projects, so you probably have most of what you'll need in your scrap pile!)
- Sew the project, following each of the instructions in the pattern (each project takes no more than an hour); and
- Complete a brief survey about the pattern.


Pepperberry Pattern Testers can be anyone, from anywhere in the world, who has any level of sewing experience- including absolute beginners! The only thing you need is access to a sewing machine and the time to complete the project over the next 3 days.  

To apply, please leave a comment or email me (littlemisspepperberry AT gmail DOT com) with responses to the following:
Name: 
Email:
Sewing Level:

And perhaps a little note about why you are interested in becoming a Pepperberry Pattern Tester!


I can't wait to hear from you!

xx Sandra

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UPDATE: THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WONDERFUL INTEREST IN TESTING MY PATTERNS. I NOW HAVE A FABULOUS TEAM OF PEPPERBERRY & CO. PATTERN TESTERS AND AM THEREFORE NOT LOOKING FOR ANY FURTHER EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST.

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3:24 PM | Category: , , , | 20 Pepperberrians Said...

Living The Dream

As you all know, this little Pepperberry journey that I'm on all began because of a wonderful, inspiring and life-changing craft gathering: the Stitches & Craft Show. What you might not know is that I have now come full circle, and I will be at the Stitches & Craft Show again this year- but not as a visitor!


This year, I am so, so proud and excited and happy to let you know that I will be there as a stallholder, speaker and teacher. I will not only be selling my handmade goodies, but also teaching other people on how to kick butt on the sewing machine and make Notebook Covers, Baby Blankets, Textile Cards and Cushion Covers. And if that's not enough, I'll be running Small Business talks to share all of the crazy things that I have learnt on this Pepperberry & Co. journey. Squeal!

Here are the details of the Show, which is happening next week (excuse me while I go and hyperventilate...):

WHEN: Wednesday 5th May til Sunday 9th May, 10am til 5pm daily
WHERE: Caulfield Racecourse
HOW MUCH: $10 for 1 day; $15 for two days; Children free!!

Now, if you've never been to a Stitches & Craft Show, you are seriously missing out. It is P*A*C*K*E*D full of crafty goodness- workshops, classes, freebies, competitions, hints, tips, networking opportunities, and so, so much more. I spent 4 days straight there last year and still didn't get to all of the crafty events I wanted to see and do! Don't dilly-dally now- grab your Show Guide here, book the classes you want to be a part of, and enjoy being immersed in craft heaven.

Last year's show, featuring the gorgeous Audrey & Maude. Photo from Living Creatively.

Now that I have convinced you of the wonder and joy of this Show, I would like to proudly present the classes I will be teaching at the 2010 Melbourne Stitches & Craft Show! To book into any of them (and pre-booking is advised!), just give me a call on 0401 766 348 or email me at littlemisspepperberry AT gmail DOT com.


WHEN PAPER MEETS FABRIC: TEXTILE CARD CREATIONS

Using handmade plant fibre paper and hand screenprinted fabrics, you will sew 4 unique, beautiful and personalised cards. Learn which threads and stitches work best with paper and receive a take-home kit so
you can keep on creating!

Photo by the gorgeous, scrumptious, uber-talented Cathie from the wonderful Melbourne Epicure

When:  Wed 5th May @ 11.45am ~ Thu 6th May @ 11.00am ~ Sun 9th May @ 12.15pm (incorrectly listed as Saturday in the Show guide!)
Level: Beginner +
Cost: $12



A COZY CUSHION COVER
Sew a unique cushion cover using stunning, hand screen-printed fabric and natural unbleached linen. Learn how to work with interfacing, insert an invisible zip, create boxed corners and make your own cushion
inserts. A take-home sewing pattern is included!

Photo by the gorgeous, scrumptious, uber-talented Cathie from the wonderful Melbourne Epicure

When:  Fri 7th May @ 12.30pm
Level: Intermediate +
Cost: $30


CUSTOM A5 NOTEBOOK COVER
Using beautiful, hand screen-printed fabric and natural unbleached linen, you will sew your very own notebook cover. Learn effective cutting/pinning techniques and how to use ironing templates, creative stitches and a walking foot. A take-home sewing pattern is included!

Photo by the gorgeous, scrumptious, uber-talented Cathie from the wonderful Melbourne Epicure

When: Wed 5th May @ 3.15pm ~ Sat 8th May @ 4.00pm (incorrectly listed as 3.45pm in the Show guide!)
Level: Beginner +
Cost: $24


SNUG AS A BUG BABY BLANKET
Sew a soft, cozy and comforting baby blanket using gorgeous natural cotton and snuggly fleece. Learn how to create basic appliqué, stitch around curves, work with stretch fabric and create mitred corners. A take-home sewing pattern is included!

Photo by the gorgeous, scrumptious, uber-talented Cathie from the wonderful Melbourne Epicure

When:Thu 6th May @ 12.15pm ~ Sat 8th May @ 2.00pm
Level: Beginner +
Cost: $20


And, if you're wanting to stop working a job and start living your passion, come along to my small business talk:


LIVING YOUR CRAFTY DREAM: MAKE IT HAPPEN!
Ever dreamt of running away from the rat race and crafting for a living? I did just that and so can you! Come along to this talk to learn all about the ins and outs of running your craft business, including blogging, online marketplaces, bookkeeping, taxes, local craft markets, advertising, marketing, media and more!


When: Fri 7th May @ 11.00am ~ Sat 8th May @ 11.00am
Level: Everyone!
Cost: Free!

Finally, of course, you can come say hi to Sharon and I by visiting our stall, where we will not only have hundreds of my handmade goodies, but also Sewing Patterns, Sewing Kits, Fabric and Paper so you can do it all yourself.

If you can't make it to Melbourne or the Show this year, fear not! All of the wonderful things will also be available at my Etsy shop, which I must say is looking rather sexy these days with all of its new Notebooks and Cushions!



See you at the Show!

xx Sandra

P.S. Sorry to have been away for a while- Sharon's Nana sadly passed away and we've been hiding away from the world just looking after ourselves and each other.

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2:02 PM | Category: , , , , , | 13 Pepperberrians Said...

Sewing Does Occur!
It may have come to my attention that I very rarely blog about all the wonderful little goodies I actually create.

Most of that comes down to the fact that I have the attention span of a flea, and I can never quite remember to take my camera to work, photograph the products, edit the photos, then pop them online. I'm exhausted just looking at that list!

Luckily, I'm surrounded by a group of wonderful crafters who actually do these things, and when they are at markets they do me the great favour of taking beautiful piccies of my things too!

So, thanks to the lovely Margaret from Konstant Kaos, here is my lovely range of Notebook Covers...



And a big fat stand of Passport Covers...


And here is a sneak peak of my Cushion Covers...


All of which will soon be available in my Etsy store... if my attention span will get them there!

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9:31 AM | Category: , , , | 17 Pepperberrians Said...

Crafty Market Love
After the rough trot of last weekend, I must say I'm quite looking forward to this one!

Friday night will see Pepperberry & Co. launching our sexy range (full of brand spankin' new Notebook Covers, Cushion Covers and even Luggage Tags!) at the brand new craft market at Borders in South Yarra- how exciting! Borders is one of my favourite places of all time- how could anyone not be just delighted to be surrounded by that many delicious books, gorgeous comfy couches, and the smell of roasting coffee? If this combination and a little bit of handmade goodness sounds like heaven to you, come and hang out with us at:


Then, a few hours of sleep later, I'm off to my favourite market- the Northside Maker's Market. This market is always filled with so many wonderful things- unique, handmade goodies, a warm-and-fuzzy community vibe, and great food. I don't know about you, but I sure couldn't ask for more! 

If you've never been down to the market before, this is your last chance- it's the fourth in a series of four and it's unknown whether this magnificent crafter's haven will continue! So come and play at:

And let's just hope that neither of the markets experience last weekend's bad weather or bad luck!

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2:42 PM | Category: , | 9 Pepperberrians Said...

My Very First Stockist!
Some things in life are so overwhelmingly exciting they just don't seem real.

A year ago, in March 2009, I dipped my nervous little toes into the big wide world after a bout of Chronic Depression and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

I found the wonderful Stitches & Craft Show.

I learnt how to sew. 

From scratch!

I started a business.

I made stuff.

I sold stuff!


And I slowly got better.

And now, a year later, I have another mind-blowing achievement to celebrate... my very first stockist! 


A year ago, as I was sitting in my sewing classes and listening to the wisdom of some of craft's brightest stars, I never in my wildest dreams imagined that one day, something I made with my very own hands would be sitting on an actual shelf in an actual shop. 

But there they are, at the gorgeous Little Shop Of Handmade run by the even more gorgeous Bec. 

The Little Shop Of Handmade at 8 Woorayl St Carnegie

And I couldn't be more proud! Thank you to all of you who have supported me from day one. I couldn't have done it without you!

May all of your perseverance, blood, sweat, tears, laughter and hopes too turn into a dream come true...

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1:49 PM | Category: , , , , , | 13 Pepperberrians Said...

The Mum That Became an Eco Power Knitter
One of my very favourite quotes in the world goes:

'If you think you are too small to make a difference, you've never been in bed with a mosquito'.

It always reminds me that no matter how insignificant it may seem, every little positive action can create an inspiring chain of reaction... well, maybe with the exception of a mosquito bite, which simply creates annoyance and some naughty words!

Whilst the internet is full of wonderful projects that take the concept of turning small things into big ideas to create magic, one in particular caught my attention today- the wonderful idea that is ReKnit. 


The mother-and-son duo behind the concept take your old, uninspiring sweater, unravel it, then knit a beautiful piece of fashionable wear and post it back to you. Better yet, each month readers get to choose which pattern the team will work on next by voting. 


It's design, creativity, recycling, ingenuity, community participation and fun all in one idea- perfect. But with only 30 items knitted each month, you'd better get that op-shop jumper in to them fast!

Now it's your turn to inspire me! What creative ideas have rocked your socks recently?

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6:36 PM | Category: , , , | 4 Pepperberrians Said...

Sustainable Craftiness
For anyone who has not ever had the fortune of visiting or living in Melbourne, please allow me to share with you one piece of advice: the months of January through March are the time to come. Why, you ask? One word: festivals. 


If this beautiful city knows how to do one thing well, it's celebrate. From the Midsumma Festival and Chinese New Year, to the St.Kilda Festival and the Melbourne Fringe, us Melbournians will head out in droves to anything that screams 'art', 'craft', 'culture' and 'environment'. And that's why I love living here!

This weekend saw one of the highlights of our festival calendar come to town- the Sustainable Living Festival. This 3-day show, which raises awareness around the issue of sustainability in all its manifestations, is filled with practical workshops, interesting talks, great performances, gastronomical delights and some of the year's best shopping opportunities. And did I mention it's free?


As any proud urban hippy did, I too headed to revel in SLF over the weekend. Ok, I did more than revel; I moved in. In fact, I have spent the last three days doing nothing but soaking up the inspiring world of people who are changing the world for the better in a crazy and creative number of ways. Bliss!

One of the absolute highlights of this year's program was the gorgeous Slow Fashion Show.  Now, before you cringe at the very idea of the misogynistic, self-absorbed industry that is mainstream fashion, know this: the Slow Fashion Show was the exact opposite of just that!


The models were stunning, 'real' women and men; the event was open to all members of the public and was free; and best of all, every single item on the catwalk had a light environmental footprint. There were four key categories: Fairtrade, Sustainable New Materials (such as organic, unbleached and hemp items), Locally Handmade, and Second Hand/Vintage. I felt very proud that Pepperberry & Co. would fit into two of those four categories... if only we did fashion!

After delighting in the creativity and eco-goodness of the Show, I headed off to Re-Mixed Re-Worked Re-Fashioned, a workshop aimed at giving sexy new lives to sold favourite, op-shop gems or shocking Christmas gifts. There, I spent five hours doing some of my favourite things: laughing with fellow crafters, chopping up second-hand goodies and making a present of funky and stylish 3/4 pants for Sharon.



The highlight of the workshop, however, was discovering a true gem of the crafting landscape: Social Studio. The Studio is an inspiring concept that fuses the creativity and wisdom of Melbourne’s refugee community with recycled and excess materials from local industry to create original fashion garments.

In a nutshell, some of the most disadvantaged members of our community are welcomed into a space where they learn, create, craft, build long-lasting relationships and gain employment. It just makes my little former-Social-Worker's heart go all fuzzy! The Studio is located in Collingwood and runs these types of workshops every Saturday, and worldwide shoppers can also support this brilliant cause through their Etsy shop.

What did you all get up to on the weekend? Were you also spoilt with some crafty goodness?

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1:44 PM | Category: , , , | 3 Pepperberrians Said...

Custom Love
Receiving a request for a custom item can be many things: exciting, challenging, flattering, and fun. Unlike the production of regular stock, a custom order presents you with the opportunity to get back to your roots and... shock!... get creative. 

There's the mind-boggling, mathematically-loaded logic puzzle that is figuring out the pattern...


Then there's the trial-and-error process of making, fixing, remaking, fixing, remaking, wanting to cry, and then fixing it again...


And finally, there's that precious moment of putting it all together in the most beautiful fabric you own and being presented with the final piece...

 
A Pepperberry & Co. Luggage Tag

Which comes out beyond all of your expectations and makes you feel all warm and gooey inside. And is that, ladies and gentlemen, not exactly why we craft?

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8:58 AM | Category: , , , | 8 Pepperberrians Said...

An Interview & a Giveaway from Pink Lily Press
Welcome to another Tuesday Tale! Today we chat with Jennifer from Pink Lily Press in Washington. As is the tale of many crafters, Jennifer first began selling her work as a way to make money to buy more crafting supplies. "A few friends that I was taking a jewelry making course with introduced me to Etsy, and I thought it was the perfect opportunity to make some money to buy more beads!" she laughs.

It didn't take long, however, for Jennifer to realise that jewelry is a challenging market to jump into on Etsy. "There are so many talented jewelry makers out there that it's difficult to stand out," she laments. Luckily, Jennifer had a back up set of skills: "I had been making greeting cards using scrapbook paper since college and I decided it would be fun to start selling cards."

After playing around with designing some of her own cards, Jennifer realised how few wedding invitation designers there were on Etsy. "As soon as I started designing wedding invitations, my business took off," she recalls. "I left my job in the mortgage industry in May of 2008 to focus on Pink Lily Press full time and have not looked back since!"

Through Pink Lily Press, Jennifer primarily designs and prints wedding invitations and personalized stationery. "I also make any paper items necessary for weddings such as favour tags, menus, programs, and other fun paper goodies like recipe cards and personal calling cards," she explains. Jennifer creates all of her designs by scanning in her own drawings and digitally enhancing them, or by manipulating her own photos.

"I love being creative," Jennifer grins. "I have always enjoyed drawing, doodling and learning new crafts, as well as things like cooking, baking, and decorating my home." She finds inspiration in the world around her, whether it's browsing through decorating magazines, going for a walk through the neighbourhood, or taking photos while on vacation. Add this inspiration to her love of computers and paper, and you have the perfect recipe for a stationery business.

Like many crafters and small business owners, Jennifer admits that she has a hard time sitting and doing nothing. "If I have the luxury of sitting on the couch to watch TV in the evening, I usually have a pencil and pad of paper on my lap!" she laughs. When she is taking time out, Jennifer adores spending time with her family ("the older we get, the more we enjoy spending time together!") and is passionate about her home. "Home has always been a very important place to me and making home feel like a warm and welcoming place is essential, as is entertaining family and friends."

Her business is also her passion, although Jennifer acknowledges that running a business by herself is incredibly challenging. "Not only am I responsible for the actual design/production aspect of the business, but also record keeping, tax filing, and all of the other nitty-gritty responsibilities that accompany running a business." She is still learning how best to balance all that is required of her, and thinks it will continue to be a learning process for as long as she runs Pink Lily Press.

That's not to say Jennifer doesn't adore every moment of her journey. "The best piece of advice I can give someone looking to start their own business is to do what you love," she smiles, "because in the end, that's what keeps you going on a daily basis when you're so busy that you don’t have time for anything else."

The key elements that Jennifer sees in running her business are time, a lot of trial and error, and being prepared to make mistakes and learn from them rather than letting them get her down. She also recommends a willingness to create custom items, as she has found that they have given her some of the best ideas for new products. Finally, she says, "Be prepared to evolve. As your business grows, you may discover that a different product is more likely to bring in more customers."

To continue following Jennifer's journey, you can find her at her blog, on Facebook and on Twitter. To check out her gorgeous goodies, head across to her Etsy shop, 1000 Markets shop, or her website.

Jennifer has generously offered a giveaway prize to readers of Pepperberry & Co.'s Tuesday Tales. The winner will receive a set of 10 Notecards of their choice, with the option to have them customised!

To enter, you must be a follower of Pepperberry & Co. and leave a comment letting Jennifer know what your ideal custom Pink Lily Press design would be.

If you blog, Facebook or Tweet about this giveaway, simply leave an extra comment for each to receive up to 3 extra entries. Good luck- I'm so jealous (as always!) that I can't enter!

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11:41 PM | Category: , , , , | 57 Pepperberrians Said...

Mission: Molly the Mouse
Once upon a time, there lived a Mouse named Molly.

Molly was a vibrant Mouse, full of energy and smiles. She liked to chew on rubber cords, sniff inside her pet cat's ear, and nibble on her own tail. Her very favourite thing to do, however, was to play with shiny Christmas baubles.
Molly knew she was a special Mouse. She knew most mice had to live in small cages and run on strangely repetitive wheels. She also knew they had to eat very odd foods and that they weren't allowed to nibble on their own tails. Molly didn't think she would like a life like that, and Molly knew what she liked.

There was one thing that Molly didn't know, however. One very important thing.

Molly didn't actually exist.

Molly was merely a figment of her owner's imagination, but she was a figment that was slowly coming to life. But why slowly? Well, her owner, the Giant Pepperberry Mouse, was lovingly bringing her to life, but because Giant Pepperberry Mouse's Sewing Machine was currently on holiday, she was creating her by hand. And creating a vibrant Mouse like Molly by hand sure took time!

So far, Molly had two ears...

A nose...

And some arms...

All made out of this glorious Organic Cotton, Vegetable-Dyed, Hand-Woven, Fair-Trade fabric.

But Molly felt confident she would grow up to be a Big, Strong Mouse who would be able to play with Christmas Baubles and nibble on a tail that existed. She felt this confidence because she knew that Giant Pepperberry Mouse was on a mission: Mission Molly the Mouse!

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P.S. Would you like to bring your very own little Mouse to life? Visit the endlessly talented Jodie over at Ric Rac to download the free pattern!

P.P.S. Thank you for all of your entries in the Finki/Tuesday Tales Giveaway! Molly the Mouse has deemed that the lovely Kelly O. from John's Daughter is the winner due to the fact that the Finki Notepads remind her of her father, who has passed and whom she celebrated daily in her blog. See you next Tuesday for another inspiring Tale!
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3:50 PM | Category: , , , , , , , | 12 Pepperberrians Said...

When Handmade Craft Goes on a Recession Diet
Q: What's better than a one-of-a-kind crafty piece that has lovingly been created by hand?

A: When that crafty piece is nearly half the price it used to be!

That's right, darling Pepperberrians! My Etsy shop has gone on a Recession Diet. You'll now find each and every one of my goodies at nearly half the price they used to be! I've also put over 15 new items in store for your viewing pleasure.

So, if you've ever coveted one of my Notebook Covers...


Or perhaps you would like to travel in style with a Passport Cover...


Or you simply want a cute little Snap Wallet to store things in...

Then now's the time to grab one! Nothing in the store is over $17, and prices start at just $10. A bargain for handmade goodness!

And, if you blog, Facebook or Tweet with a link to my store, you can also have 25% off shipping costs to anywhere in the world. Just put the link in the message to seller and I'll refund the costs to you.

It's Christmas time at Pepperberry & Co.! Come and stock up those merry stockings.

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P.S. Welcome to all my lovely new Followers who I've found thanks to my Apple & Eve giveaway. Remember, it's not too late to enter to win one of Eva's marvellous hedgehog softies!
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8:40 PM | Category: , , , | 4 Pepperberrians Said...