'Penny necklace'

Toby made me the most wonderful necklace for Christmas, it is about 5 foot long, knotted on various shades of hemp, which I wind around my neck a few times ( see the top image). When I am not wearing the necklace, it hangs on the kitchen wall in one long line and looks really pretty. What makes it extra special, are some of the elements knotted onto it. Many of them have memories for me. In the bottom image you can see some close up, for example, 'Bubble beads', these are the 2 creamy coloured handfelted beads, made from our cat 'Bubble's fur!! There is a tiny pencil, Laurence, (my husband and Toby's Dad) often has little pencils behind his ear when he is working, making things, and this is one of them, from Ikea, and he drilled a hole in the end so it could be strung onto my necklace. There is a black bead, this is made from volcanic ash, we bought a string of them on our holiday in Lanzarote, to break up for Toby's jewellery designs. Bottom right is one of the many stones with holes that Toby and I collected on the beach in the Isle of Wight this year. There are so many elements, vintage crystal beads, old keys, curtain rings, hooks and eyes, poppers, parts of suspenders! pretty buttons people have given us, pieces of chain, it goes on and on, it's quirky, unusual and pretty, I am SO pleased with it.
Thank you Toby!!

Seasons Greetings!

Here's wishing you all a very happy time over the holidays and all the best for 2007.
love from
Penny, Laurence, and Toby Attrill.

Dons material

A while ago Toby received a package of fabric in the post from our blogging friend Dons: http://craftyoldthing.blogspot.com/ These are some of the things he has made.
Firstly part of a small cushion cover, practising sewing together stripes of fabric on the sewing machine.
Next you see a lavender bag Toby made for Yvonne's birthday. Yvonne is the friend who did all the tech side of our website: www.naturalattrill.co.uk
Finally, rather tatty now, as it has lived under my pillow for the last month, the lavender bag Toby made for me, which is an interesting shape and has eyelets and sewing machine doodles.

Wirydoodles

These are my wirydoodles.
They are pieces of craft wire twisted together with beads and odd bits and bobs and one of dons' buttons. My first attempt is at the top and my latest at the bottom, as you can see i got better as i went along!
Toby.x

Another one for sale!

As the bracelet we showed you before (see 'silver sale' 25th October) has sold, Toby made another using little buttons on a stretchy silver plated chain. If you would like this one it's £10 plus p+p email Toby: info@naturalattrill.co.uk sold

Blog buy!

It is fun buying from fellow bloggers, much nicer than giving my money to the shops! Here is my latest purchase, some might say 'coals to newcastle' as I am primarily a card designer myself, but I love to have other peoples work. To see more, visit Karens blog, where there is also a link to her webiste http://karenjinks.blogspot.com/

Anthony

Hi everybody!
About a month ago i sent a letter to the band Psapp, visit www.psapp.net their website, and here are some videos http://www.dominorecordco.com/site/index.php?page=multimedia&artistID=63&artistID=216&view=videos , have a listen, and see what you think.

Today got a reply! In my reply i got some psap badges and stickers, some postcards, and, ANTHONY (he is the green cat in the pic.)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anthony is a home-made woollen cat that they made themselves.
THANKS PSAPP!
Toby.x

Example commission

This shows you what you would see in the first stage of an order before Toby makes a hemp necklace. After you select your colour theme, he emails you close up of buttons and beads, and rough idea of necklace design. At this stage it is fine to swap and around and change your mind!

Order a Hemp Necklace!

This is just a selection of some the wonderful colours of naturally dyed hemp we have bought. To make a necklace, Toby selects strands of various colours, knots and plaits them together with beads and buttons. If you would like one for Christmas, email him now, info@naturalattrill.co.uk, and he will send you a jpeg of various buttons and beads to compliment the colour scheme you fancy, then you can choose anything you like, for your own special necklace. Toby will then send the finished piece to you, for £20, plus p+p, and £1 extra if you would like a gift box, for a present perhaps. Toby likes cheques! but we have a paypal account if you prefer.

Matching hemp necklace and bracelet

Yesterday I took Toby to Hebden Bridge to the birthday party of one of his clients, Chrissie, at the hat shop, which has been open for one year. Above you can see one of his commissions, firstly the necklace is on its side, the hanging button would be at the back of the neck where it fastens at length of choice, and then a close up of the bracelet, which is also adjustable. They are both made with Chrissie's mussel shell buttons, then Toby colour co- ordinated them with his handmade polymer clay beads, vintage glass buttons and beads, and knotted all on two colours of naturally dyed hemp.

Toby has a variety of hemp if anyone would like this style of jewellery made up he will email you a selection of buttons and beads to choose from in your colour choice. info@naturalattrill.co.uk

Chrissie had a good idea, to visit a button factory, does anyone know of any in the UK?

Little buttons

And here's another for sale, £10 plus p+p, gift boxes available if you are giving as a present.
Dont forget to visit the website: www.naturalattrill.co.uk

Window bracelet

For sale £10, email: info@naturalattrill.co.uk
Yesterday Toby had his first sale from the display in our window, it was the stretchy silver plated button charm bracelet, that we showed you before. Needless to say Toby was out, and I was in my dressing gown and socks (being a professional saleswoman) when the doorbell rang! A teenage girl bought the bracelet as a Christmas present for her friend. So, this morning Toby is busy making more, each one unique, the one above has pretty pale pink glass beads to compliment the little buttons. I have laid it out to show you all the elements, when it is worn the beads and buttons dangle down and the bracelet is flexible. Another coming soon........

How to disappear a tomato

Step 1
Gretel sends her home grown tomatoes to us (they were delicious by the way).

Step 2
Restrain your mother from eating them all at once.

Step 3
Scan in a tomato under a checkered, tesco, value, tea-towel, and then eat them.

Step 4
Save into a temporary file on the computer.

Step 5
Forget about for 2 (or so) months.

Step 6
Get up on a saturday morning with nothing to do and start fiddling about with the scan of the tomato on 'Adobe Photoshop'.

AND........
This is the result!

Toby.

'How to'

Select from the beads and buttons above, and have a bracelet made up especially for you. Alternatively email info@naturalattrill.co.uk with an idea, say, a colour theme you would like, and you will receive back an email showing buttons and beads to choose from. You could even have your own beads included! Stretchy silver plated beaded bracelets are £10 plus p+p. Gift boxes available. See previous post on 27th November for a close up of this style of bracelet.