I had not forgotten it was Friday but have only just come into the office.  Rachie is moving today and I have been looking after Mollie, I had to do my first ever school run this morning!!!! Normally I would spend a while on the computer at home in the mornings, but Mollie had other plans.

Tony and I got her to school on time, Bev and Sam were waiting for us in the car park.  Bev laughed when she saw Mollie, "Auntie Ali did not want you to get cold then Mollie?"  Sounds like I had wrapped her up too much, I had even put a pair of my gloves on her as I could not find any of hers.  She loved them.

First Friday of the month so it must be voucher Friday.

So if you would like to win a £20 voucher to spend on our website then just leave us a comment and we will pick a winner on Monday.  Please do not forget that if you are unable to leave a comment due to our spam filter (refresh your screen after leaving a comment, if it has disappeared then Henry has eaten it) then email it to us at craftyribbons@gmail.com and we will add it for you.

The NEW Joyeux Anniversaire ribbon is almost on the site and can be seen here

Have a great weekend every one.

Wow you have all been creative with your black and red creations.  A super selection for our last challenge, do pop over to the challenge blog here to see if you have won.  Many thanks for everyone for joining in.

Our NEW Challenge starts today and is being hosted by Trish, she has picked a very difficult theme for me One for the men or boys in our lives.  Ooo er missus. I will give it a try.

I have not had a chance to create with our NEW French Macaron ribbon, so thought.............well the man in my live likes his tummy.................he also likes macarons (either that or I have a mouse in my studio, my supply of macarons used to produce these ribbons have dwindled!!)

So this is what I came up with...............

Is it male enough?!  What can you create for the men in your lives?  Go on and give it a try and join in with our new challenge here

Did you spot the Joyeux Anniversaire ribbon - no we have not spelt it wrong (well I hope not) it is Happy Birthday in French.  Well we could not produce all those wonderful French Macarons with out adding a little bit of French wording.

This ribbon is not only for our French customers, add a little bit of "je ne sais quoi" to your crafting. It will be going onto the site later today, I have a meeting first thing and will add them after.

Nearly forgot this new challenge is being sponsored by Mulberry Crafts. Bev has given a super selection of flowers and do I spot some ribbon!

Have a super day and I will be back later with the Joyeux anniversaire ribbon details.

Don't you just LOVE wednesday's? Say hello to wednesday  "hello wednesday" It's all downhill from now on to the weekend - yippee!!!

Do you remember our EXCLUSIVE New England Happy Christmas Saddle Stich ribbon with the little heart?  It is here to jog your memory.

It was so popular that we sold out and had to do a re-print in October,  and then it sold out again by the end of November!! Well it got us thinking................ maybe you would like it to say Happy Birthday, maybe you would like it printed on some zesty colours...................

...........................what do you think?

9mm grosgrain ribbon, five different colours all printed with the saddle stitch edging and the little stitched heart, and the best bit - they are EXCLUSIVE to us! Yeah!!!

I am not very good at using patterned paper, but these ribbons seem to go with everything.

You can find the new ribbon HERE. Hope you like it.

Wish me luck, just about to leave for another session of treatment on my thumb, I wonder which bit of my they are going to hurt today!!

Last day of our Ribbon Pack SALE

Find them here

I walked to work today in the snow!  Honest, it was not a lot I must admit but it was snow.

The little guys had got really excited and wore wellies and woolie hats to school, but it soon started to rain and disappeared.  I like snow, but only where snow should be, on hills and mountains and ski resorts not in Dorset where it turns to mush.

We had to pick double winners from our Bingo bag today, four winners for the macaron ribbon and two winners for the Pack winners.  As Sam and Mollie were wrapped up for their long awaited sledging (Bev brought Sam a sledge at Christmas and he sits in it while watching tellly - ahhh!) trip, but after school there was no snow so I took them to the woods instead.

Here they are picking the winners whilst sat on the Crafty Ribbons trailer!

ALL Sam and Mollies numbers for the Macaron ribbon winners

Number 3 = Laura
I've never eaten a macaroon and as I started reading I thought I should probably try one... but at a pound a pop?!  I might just stick to the ribbon!!

Number 13 = Marilyn McLaughlin
This is the first time I have heard of these sweet things.....but the ribbons are adorable! xx

Number 23 = Claire Boelema
Oh wow!!!! These are just stunning! This might even tempt me to bake :o

Number 24 = Clare Clubb
Oh how lovely, and no calories!

Mollie Picked the winners of the Friday FREEBIE

Number 3 = Sharon N
Here are my fav five it took me a while but I got there.
Saville Row
Jubilee
Green
Silver
Simply Cream

Number 24 = Julie
I hope that your hand will be back to normal very soon.

First, I would choose Purely White and Sparkle as they're my favourites from the packs I already have. And then to go along with them I'd choose Love Hearts, Silver and Paws.

Well done everyone, Marilyn, Laura, Claire and Clare you are going to be crafting with our super EXCLUSIVE Macaron ribbons and Sharon and Julie have bagged themselves some super January Pack ribbons.  All we need are addresses please to craftyribbons@gmail.com.

Thank you to everyone that left wonderful comments, and for your concerns for my thumb.  I have no idea what I have done.  My thumb has been unable to support itself for a while and has been really painful, at times I just wanted to chop it off!  After treatment on Friday they tell me I have damaged the tendons in my forearm which supports the thumb.  With all their prodding, pushing and manipulating the pain runs from my shoulder to my thumb, now I want to chop my whole arm off! I am really looking forward to my next treatment on wednesday - not!

Take care all.

Sorry for the delay in our Friday Freebie posting, I have only just got into the office and I am a little bit crocked.  My right hand is strapped with tape to restrict movement of my thumb and strict instructions not to use it.  Typing has never been an art I have been very good at, and left handed typing is harder than you think!

My plans have rather gone to pot with regard the prize I had for today, so how about a pick of our January packs.  Yes we still have a few left!  Which ones would you like, you can pick 5.

Leave us a comment and tell us which ones you could give a home to and we will pick two winners on Monday from our "bingo" bag.

Thanks for all you comments yesterday for the French Macarons, I am so pleased to hear you like them.  Even though I say so myself they are super!

Have a great weekend, I am about to make friends with a bag of frozen peas! 

Ali x

Anyone fancy a French Macaron?

The famous French confectionery has arrived! Smooth, domed top, ruffled circumference macarons with their mildly moist and melt in the mouth sensation can now be found on ribbon!

Macarons are to the French, what cupcakes are to us.  I have been asked for macaron ribbons ever since we started attending French exhibitions.  I have tried for many years to come up with a suitable design, my last attempt over a year ago looked like cow pats!!  Oh they did, so I gave up.

During our time in France over the Christmas holiday I had a brain wave - Why not photograph macarons.  Super.  Rachie and Mollie picked the macaron colours for me, a box of ten cost Rachie €14.  She almost had a heart attack that's £1 per macaron she spluttered!

I was so eager to photograph the macarons that I went into the warehouse on New Years Eve - it was freezing cold as the heating had been turned off.  But boy did I have fun, after a lot of work converting files and seperating layers to produce the artwork........look what arrived this week............

........the macarons in the photo are the ones on the ribbons, how wicked is that! We have two widths 25mm and a smaller 13mm, both are grosgrain ribbon and they are EXCLUSIVE to us. You can find them here .

If you would like to be one of the first to craft with this French delicacy then leave us a comment and have some fun. We will pick several winners on Monday..........Oo la la!

Don't you just LOVE wednesday's? Say hello to wednesday  "hello wednesday" It's all downhill from now on to the weekend - yippee!!!

Sometimes they come thick and fast, others are a slow drawn out process - ideas that is!

This card idea came to me like a flash, while Rachie was trying to teach Sydney another version of this rhyme.  Something to do with potatoes and trousers!!

I simply typed the words and printed it out on to white card.  Sewed a few buttons (here) in place with white thread and that was it.  Simple idea, simple to make and simply says it all.

If you would like to use this idea then you can find the artwork here.  Please copy and enjoy.

Oh no Tony likes some ribbon!!

We received some sample lengths of ribbons in today, straight off the printing press - they were so NEW you could smell the factory!!   I showed the girls first, they made all the right noises, ooohs and ahhs.  Bev claiming she thought they were the best ribbon she had seen.  Sorry can not tell you anything about the ribbon - it is TOP SECRET you know!

I then went and showed Tony, expecting to get the normal, "No not sure about that" - "will it sell?" sort of statement and comment.  But you could have knocked me down with a feather -  He liked it. I went back into the warehouse and told the girls we had a disaster on our hands, Tony liked the ribbon.

It has been a long standing joke, that if Tony dislikes a range of ribbons, they will become best sellers.  BUT for Tony to like a range.............doom.  Rachie even went to have a word, to see if she could change his mind.  I must admit that I am not sure that anyone could dislike these designs, thay are so cute.

I struggled to get anyone to pick my Friday FREEBIE winners today, Both Mollie and Sydney were engrossed in Where's Wally.  I only have myself to blame, I got them both hooked over Christmas.  Finally Rachie told them both unless they picked a winner for me, then there would be NO crafting with Auntie Ali,   Ooooh that was a bit stronge Rachie, I like crafting with the girls!!!

Sydney picked number................................

Number 32 = Lisa Hemmmings
Wouldn't mind getting my hands on that lovely ribbon
Lisa xx

Oooops, just realised that we should have picked two winners, so as Lisa is the last number, we will also pick the first number.

Number 1 = Audrey
I love the brooch - fantastic & well done - and great to have a stamp that matches the ribbon
I'm sure I could make something moo-ving with those ribbons!
Audrey

Lisa and Audrey you both have some mooooooo cow print ribbons, all we need is an email please to craftyribbons@gmail.com with your addresses to claim your prize.  Thanks to everyones mooo comments, rather amoooosing!

Thanks for joining in with the Friday FREEBIE this week.

It is that time of year again when we produce our little leaflets to hand out at exhibitions and to thank you for your orders.  We do this twice a year, to keep things fresh.  I wanted to try something a little bit different this year, and spoke to the printers yesterday to make sure they could print it - yes no problem when can we have the artwork.   Ummm, aaaaaa, the black and white text on the reverse, tomorrow (ie today!) BUT the photos of the ribbons for the front.........................we have not even received them yet.

There was a little mess up at the factory, we got all excited when we had a delivery this week, expecting to find our NEW exciting ribbons only to open the box and find FEATHERS! Tony came in at just the wrong moment "Who ordered feathers, why do we want feathers?".  We all looked blankly at him " not me!"

Anyway, our printers have confirmed that we can get our new leaflets in time for our Paris exhibition if we get the photos to them for Thursday.............come on DHL deliver our parcel, and please, please Mr Customs man, do not hold up our delivery.  Nice thoughts everyone.

At Hobbycrafts last November we met up with Andrea, Sharon and Mel, they came to see us so many times we lost count.  On one occasion I gave them some of our cow print ribbon to have a play with.  I received this wonderful email this week..........boy have they played.

Andrea loves the Tatty Teddy collection (so does Rachie!).  Look Tatty is playing with the ribbons as well.

Ooooh this card is so cute. 

Wow look at the design on the candle.  Tatty tells us to be candle safe and remove the ribbon before lighting it.

I think this brooch is my favorite, and think it would look stunning on a denim jacket.

Thank you girls for sharing your creations, I am really pleased to hear you enjoyed playing with the ribbons.  You can find the cow print range here

Would anyone else like some cowprint ribbons to play with?  Just leave a comment and we will pick two winners on Monday.  There are still unclaimed prizes from last weeks Friday FREEBIE, so please check it out.  Any problems with Henry (Sorry I have given him a name) our over active and very hungry spam filter, he likes nothing better then eating comments.  Just email  your comment to craftyribbons@gmail.com and we will add it for you.

What ever you are doing this weekend, we hope you have fantastic time.

If you are unable to leave a comment due to our spam filters (comment disappears when screen is refreshed), please email it to craftyribbons@gmail.com
and we will add it for you. All the comments go into our "Bingo" bag and we draw a random number(s) on Monday.
Please check back to see if you have won, it is up to you to claim your prize - we do not contact you.