Popcorn + Crocodiles

Weekly planner pads + New Mini notebooks

Fri, 17 Feb 2023 14:35:39 -0800

I've got my shopkeeper hat on today, and I wanted to share some lovely new products with you today, as well as some early news of what’s coming soon …

Designed to fit in a project bag or a plastic wallets within an organiser, there are two colourful new mini notebooks available in the shop. While the mini ‘Out + About’ notebooks are designed to take to yarn events and woolly shopping trips, with lots of designated sections for shopping list and pattern ideas, the new additions are packed full of free form pages to write notes in. They have plenty of joyful colour and patterns to guide your musings, but that aside, they are a blank canvas for your own scribbles and notes. They are really compact (A6 size) and I keep one in each of my WIP project bags to jot down my hook size, where I’ve got to within the pattern, and any adjustments I've made. It’s also where I scribble down any pattern recommendations from friends that I want to look up later or add to my ‘to make’ list.

One item I’ve used regularly over recent years is a weekly planner pad, where I write my ‘to do’ items for the weekahead. I’ve pulled together the features I’ve found most useful amongst the different versions I’ve used, and have created Read More

How to get the best out of your organiser

Sat, 14 Nov 2020 08:07:47 -0800

So you’ve got an organiser (or you’re thinking about getting one), and you want to learn what the different sections are for … Here’s a run through of what you will find inside and suggestions about how you can use it. Of course this is just a guide – a key objective is that the format is highly customisable and fits around how you like to structure things. I would encourage you to experiment and figure out what works best for you …

There’s a bookplate and an introductory section for you to add contents to your notebook.
Each page has a space at the bottom outer edge for you to add page numbers if you wish.
There are a variety of free-text coloured sections and paper types (lined, squared, dot matrix and plain) for you to keep your notes and jottings. My current favourite is the plain, closely followed by the dot matrix. There are paper top ups available which I’m happy to provide in a single/ specific paper formats. Just drop me a line if you have a specific request and I’ll do my best to accommodate.
For each of these coloured sections there’s a coordinating yarn sample page. The card is scored, so it folds in on itself. This means that any yarn attached gets tucked away, and stays neat and tidy.

There are a year’s worth of compact perpetual calendar pages. There’s a page for each month, and a small shaded box for each day. I keep mine for yarn related plans - zoom calls with my knitting friends, knit-alongs or Instagram challenges I’m involved in, or virtual yarn events I’m joining. But I know other people add in family birthdays and other important reminders so everything is in one place.
There are dividers to separate different sections. In the printed folder these are tabbed, with a small space to label and index them; in the cloth organiser they are in a heavier card so the...Read More

Introducing the Adventures in Yarn organisers

Sun, 22 Mar 2020 10:32:48 -0700

It’s a little more than two years since I first launched my Adventures in Yarn notebook, and over that time it’s been interesting to see how I’ve been using my notebooks (yes, plural - inevitably there have been a few on the go at the same time, for different reasons!)

My own ‘field research’ combined with feedback from my lovely customers is that the content of the notebook has worked well. So for this reason I’m made minimal changes to the content you’ll find insider the organisers. The major change is the obvious one to the format, which has moved from notebook to organiser. Based on experience, some of the content lasts for much longer than others. Things like recording design ideas, and projects I’m still working remain relevant over months and even years (for me at least!). And other elements; to do lists and more calendar based elements such as monthly reminders + goals are used up much faster.

So the main idea behind the organiser is that at any point in time, the content in your ring binder is up to date and relevant. Useful but no longer regularly used content can be filed away for reference in a separate folder, and pages that are no needed can be recycled (for instance, to do lists which of course are very relevant at a fixed point in time).

The two versions that I’m launching are both designed to accommodate A5 sized paper contents:

A luxury, limited edition of 45 hand-made, cloth bound compact ring binders, made by artisan book-binders in Nottinghamshire. The fabric I have used for these is no longer available so it genuinely won’t be repeated quite like this, ever again! You can find out more about how these were made in this blog post.
A sleek, colour printed ring binder, all produced locally to me in Glasgow. This version is slightly larger and includes a tabbed set of dividers.

The making of the new ‘Adventures in Yarn’ ring binder

Thu, 02 Jan 2020 14:10:30 -0800

Recently I was lucky enough to visit the bookbinders that have been making my new ‘Adventures in Yarn’ ring binder. It gave me a new appreciation for the skilled expertise that goes into making each individual item. Each one is made from scratch by hand using a seemingly simple combination of fabric, cardboard and glue, plus a vast array of knowledge, skills and experience!

I’d somehow imagined the ring binders being produced in a spacious, noisy, factory-like space, with lots of machinery supporting different parts of the process. Instead I found a cosy space where local radio was interspersed with chatting, phone calls about recent football performances (not us!) and an occasional clatter of a machine as different tasks were carried out.

Rachel was my awesome assistant throughout this process – she patiently put up with my many ‘new to bookbinding’ questions and helped to interpret the vision I had for the folders, during each stage of the process.

So now I’d love to share with you more about each of the steps involved in creating one of these beautiful folders.

Starting with the folder structure

Firstly, templates were used to create the correct size and location of the front, back and folder spine. I was keen to create something pleasingly tactile to hold, so one of my specifications was that I didn’t want sharp, angular corners. After reviewing a few samples of differently angled corners, I’d settled on a gently rounded corner, so corners were accordingly notched off and filed to create the perfect shape.

Fabric was cut to the size required to cover the exterior of the folder, before glue was applied by hand using a roller – this helps ensure there’s an even coverage, and nothing is missed or applied excessively. There was what looked like a vintage machine that is used when there is a large volume of gluing required. Having seen a demonstration of how this works it seemed far from a speedy or...Read More

The start of the year

Wed, 06 Feb 2019 14:28:16 -0800

Despite my best of intentions to check in here more regularly this year, I realise we’ve already skipped straight past January! So hello, and goodbye the first month of the year, and welcome February! I do hope you’ve had a good start to the year? It seems that there’s quite polarised views of January, I know that some welcome a slower pace after the madness of the festive period (in this part of the world at least), and I see others jumping straight into planning and goal setting. Finishing one diary and inking the blank sheet of the next seems to create a disproportionate amount of pressure and expectation!

I’ve made a big effort to treat January as I do any other month or the year. I enjoy planning and have a structure and scheduled life. But despite a relatively quiet Christmas (well as much as it ever can be spending time together as a family & stepping outside normal routines!!) I recognised I was craving quiet and reflection, not loads of planning. So I gave myself time to ease into the month, to get back to the daily flow of work, school, nursery and all the essentials. And to plan when I felt ready. To be honest I’m still getting there. And that’s just fine. I’ve done what I’ve been able to, and enjoyed the process. I’ve got time set aside on Friday to do a three-month plan – because I feel ready for it now.

This has been the third year I’ve chosen a word for the year; I know this is not for everyone but I love the way it works as a guide or anchor when prioritising, considering different opportunities, or testing how I feel about something. This year I’ve chosen NURTURE. It feels perfect for what I feel I need in my life at the moment. It works on so many levels – investing in my relationships, my mind, body and health, my Popcorn + Crocodiles side hustle! It felt more intuitive than in previous years – perhaps there’s an element of familiarity now with the process, and perhaps I managed to hone in what I needed. As usual I used Read More

Gartur Stitch Retreat

Mon, 18 Jun 2018 14:08:35 -0700

My first foray into yarn retreats

Absolutely ages ago I talked my dearly beloved into taking on solo parenting duties for our two little people for a whole weekend, and booked a space on my first ever yarn retreat.

Over the last few years there seems to have been a surge in knit and crochet retreats and I’ve been desperate to go, but it’s been hard to leave the small people and arrange work/ life/ family logistics. Anyway, this time it happened and on a Friday afternoon in May I jumped in the car and had the most gorgeous drive to Kat’s farm at Gartur, a few miles from Stirling.

Arriving

When I was a couple of miles off, the heavens opened and it bucketed with rain, and with a sinking feeling I realised that my beautiful flowery wellies were still in the corner of my porch at home … I needn’t have worried as that was the first and last rain we saw over the course of the weekend!

Gartur Stitch Retreat was organised by Joanne and Kat from The Crochet Project, plus their long-time friend and collaborator Rachel from Coop Knits. I’d attended a crocheted shawl class at Kat’s last year so that gave me a bit of an indication of what to expect from the weekend (i.e. lovely home-made food and lots of cake! All big thumbs ups in my book …)

The afternoon into early evening was filled with all the attendees arriving, introductions, copious cups of tea, over a little crochet or knitting. I think I had the shortest trip, other attendees had come up from Surrey and Hull, down from the...Read More

Edinburgh Yarn Festival 2018, part 2

Mon, 30 Apr 2018 13:50:59 -0700

I decided that perhaps you had probably read enough of my EYF ramblings for one sitting. Cue the next instalment of ramblings!!

As I mentioned in my last blog update, my Saturday at Edinburgh Yarn Festival was spent with my great friend Sarah which was lovely. We arrived promptly around 9am and the marketplace was once again, beautifully quiet and easy to navigate around bright and early. We both like to take a good look at all the stalls rather than making a bee line to a particular vendor, so we’ve got to a tried and tested weave along each of the aisles so we don’t miss anything! We spent a lovely morning browsing the marketplace, doing a little shopping, refuelling with coffees and having an occasional chat to yarn friends, before having a proper sit down for lunch and recharging ahead of our afternoon classes.

‘Knitting the Landscape’ class with Karie Westermann

I’ve followed Karie for a while via Instagram and her blog, and supported her recent crowd funder for her awesome book ‘This Thing of Paper’ so I was really looking forward to meeting her in person (and felt a little star-struck!). The class lived up to and completely surpassed all my hopes. I wasn’t really quite sure what to expect to be honest, and I was feeling quite anxious about my limited knitting skills and whether that would make it hard. But it absolutely didn’t, I wish I’d taken a stitch dictionary with me to guide me through some stitches I can do but need guidance with. If I’d had a resource like this available it would have broadening my stitch repertoire. But as it was, I worked very effectively with the basic stitches I did have at my fingertips, and it certainly didn’t reduce my enjoyment of the class.

I won’t go into detail about...Read More

Edinburgh Yarn Festival 2018, part 1

Fri, 06 Apr 2018 04:29:34 -0700

My oh my, what a treat Edinburgh Yarn Festival was again this year! I know that for many of us, it’s the jewel in the crown of the yarn festival calendar. This year was no exception, it was as varied and exciting as always, an occasion to catch up with yarn friends old and new, admire the most exquisite selection of knit and crochet garments, and to mingle with the best sort of people, over a shared love of wool and yarn. The newly incorporated marquee was a huge improvement; it provided loads of extra and very welcome seats (500 I think!). Whenever I popped in there was so many groups of new and old friends chatting and creating, sharing shopping excitement, admiration of all things yarny, and recharging batteries. I know it was used for some of the evening events like the knit night and the ceilidh so it was a really asset!

I’ve always visited EYF with my lovely friend Sarah and I have such happy memories of the previous four events that I’ve attended. 2016 was particularly memorable as I had my then 3-month-old (and she had her 9-month-old) in tow in baby carriers! That year our marketplace browsing was punctuated with plentiful feeding and changing stops! And slightly aching backs … It was a conversation opener, but there were certainly no classes that year! This year was special in a different way as Sarah has now moved away from Edinburgh, and we were able to enjoy a rare child–free day out, and combine it with a weekend together. Such a treat.

This year I was fortunate enough to attend on two days, for two separate classes (if you’re not already aware, class tickets are like gold dust, they usually sell out within about 15 minutes of being on sale. When tickets were released I was at a children’s trampoline party with my 5-year old; the wi-fi was a little unreliable so it felt slightly miraculous that I managed to secure both of the tickets I was after …)

Thursday

I’d had the best of intensions to arrive promptly at 9am...Read More

Fast forward into April

Mon, 02 Apr 2018 14:44:58 -0700

Oh my goodness, where is 2018 going! I can’t believe we’re already moving into the second quarter of the year. I think the prolonged cold, overcast, wet weather is not helping me to feel that it’s springtime. We are forecast snow in Edinburgh again tonight which I fear is going to cause more havoc for the beautiful spring flowers and the blossom which is just starting to peep out. Come on, sun! I am ready for a little warmth to accompany the lovely lengthening days!

Family life has been slightly marred by minor illnesses over recent week – our little people have had tonsillitis and chickenpox (false alarm followed by an actual nasty dose). So there’s been lots of unexpected time off school and nursery to contend with, and juggle alongside work, on top of broken nights of sleep. It’s moments like this that make me very grateful for a supportive family who travelled to ‘rescue’ us at very short notice, and helped out with childcare, meals etc so things were as ‘normal’ as they could be in such circumstances!

That aside, there has actually been lots of highlights during the year so far …

Positive reviews for the "incredible" Adventures in Yarn notebook ...

I sent a copy of the Adventures in Yarn notebook to the lovely Nadia at Cottage Notebook, who reviewed it and very kindly hosted a giveaway for a copy. I managed to hand over the winners notebook in person at Edinburgh Yarn Festival which was nice! If you haven’t already come across Nadia’s blog and podcast I’d thoroughly recommend it; she explores lots of different aspects of creativity, from yarn to writing to parenting, and really encourages and builds a community around this. You can find out what Nadia thought about the Adventures in Yarn notebook in her Cottage Notebook blog...Read More

More about the notebook

Sun, 04 Feb 2018 13:23:33 -0800

One of my main objectives as I designed the notebook was to find the right balance between providing enough structure and some useful prompts, whilst allowing for plenty of opportunity for flexibility and personalisation. I’m sharing my thoughts about how I’m using it, but in the full expectation (and indeed, hope!) that you will experiment and do as you please!

Let's start at the beginning

There’s a pretty self-explanatory name plate as you open up, to add in your name, contact details (in the awful scenario that you lose this treasure!), and genuinely to make as pretty and colourful as your heart desires.

The few pages after this could be used as indexing if you chose to – I’ve added page numbers throughout my notebook and I’m indexing as I go, as I add content in. (I’m starting to dabble a little with bullet journaling and I hope the notebook provides the flexibility you need if you’re following this approach).

The colour wheel is there to hopefully trigger some ideas if you hit a brick wall or fancy trying new colour combinations. Then there’s a handy measurer to check your hook/ needle size if you’re out and about!

The various coloured sections ...

The five coloured sections are designed to help you quickly find what you need. Each coloured section contains a mix of different paper layouts: lined, squared and plain. Based on how I’m using my notebook at the moment (mainly to keep notes on designs that I’m making, and progress/ amendments that I’m making), I think I’m likely to cover 2-3 projects in each coloured section. If you’re following a train of thought and developing your own idea or a design, you may decide to set aside a whole coloured section per design.

I’ve also used part of one of these sections to write a list of EVERYTHING that I have on the radar that I’d like to make, from something generic like a...Read More