...so how did that happen?

I started off lost in a book and rummaging for words, so how did that lead to rummaging in wool, and in danger pf getting lost under a pile of wool, fabrics and ingredients?

So - the wool started when I decided to merchandise my books, and make some characters from  the books to display on my table at book signings. The sheep were the first - people love sheep, and it's not just the children who want to take one home, I get adults who find them irresistible too...

 Then came  the cats - no not the real ones who became the stars of my latest book Outnumbered by Cats - and were the inspiration for Basil and The Flappy Thing came from - no, I mean the little knitted Basil's who are new to my stock this Christmas...

...and are now causing a wool crisis as I'm rapidly running out of ginger wool, and can't find any more.

Then there's fabrics for busy books

 - and as fast as I can use bits up, I seem to run out of something else...

As for the ingredients - well that's just a family Christmas sneaking up on me, and all the ingredients waiting in an overloaded pantry to be turned into a traditional Christmas.

So this afternoon I'm escaping the craziness and going to play with books - my stock of books is going down, last week I opened a new box of Doodle Mayhem, and this week I need to break open a new box of But I'm Not Sleepy - still my bestseller.

The real cats might just get a new box to play with...

Quiet books

How have I never heard of these before...?

Of course a book, by it's very nature is quiet, so maybe it's other name of busy book is more appropriate. Now this whole concept is new to me, and nothing like the old style cloth / rag books.

For anyone else who hasn't heard of this wonderful invention, a quiet book is a cloth book with a riot of fun stuff stitched into it for a baby to pull at and play with, anything from buttons and zips, to string puzzles and things in pockets. So, I've been out to buy a selection of fun fabric and wadding, and I'm going to stitch the contents of my sewing box into it - OK so maybe that would be a bit over the top - but I'm sure I can find some fun stuff in there...

I'll add a photo to my blog of the finished book.
Why do I do this to myself...? Now I'm under pressure to do the project - and it's got to be good, not only to show you lot, but to withstand the excited hands of my grandson...