Around the house at Xmas

I had to improvise my xmas wrapping this year as my papers that I bought were used by everyone else, so I raided my ribbons and buttons and had fun with glue!
Mistletoe in my Katrin Moye jug
Felted robin picture

Handmade paper garlands
Lauras mini xmas tree
Sarahs paper chains
Star decorations from Cariad Clay

My beautiful print from Dee Beale alongside a Ken Eardley jug

As it turns out this has been a very handmade xmas and I love it :)

Happy Christmas

It's Christmas Eve and in my usual style I'm not quite done yet, just a bit of last minute food shopping to do this morning and then I think some xmas baking this afternoon.
We have a very quiet xmas this year, just us, which is how I like it. Thankyou to everyone who has commented and followed me this year and to all my customers, old and new.

Time to relax................................

Having a clear out

I just love having a good sort out in any room but most especially in my workroom. It allows me to think clearly as much as anything else and it will also mean that my printing tools will be easier to access ready for my new work next year.
So in my etsy shop today I have been listing some fabric packs, lovely big wodges of the most yummy fabrics, some new and also some vintage. They are an absolute bargainous £4.95 each and once they're gone..............well actually I will gradually list more over the next couple of days in different colour sets. it takes a long time sorting and getting them organised for listing so bear with me.

Special request!

I have been busy making more Miffy purses today ready for the More than A Mama Shopping Evening at Berkhamsted Town Hall 7 - 9.30pm this evening! As well as my regular stock I always bring some of these along as they are so popular.
And as a special request I have made some more Miffy cushions too! I haven't made these for a few years now so it was nice to rework an old idea!

Look forward to seeing you there!

Black Friday Sale 20% 0ff

Today is Thanksgiving in the US and apparently after Thanksgiving their xmas shopping starts. The day after Thanksgiving is known as Black Friday and heralds the start of a weekend long sale promotion for most stores in the US.

Etsy is having a big Black Friday Cyber Monday promotion and from today I have lots of stock at 20% off but only for this weekend.

Etsy in Pounds!

Blogging has certainly taken a back seat lately while I keep up with orders and fairs in the run up to Xmas. The weather has got soooo cold so I am glad of the new heating we had put in earlier in the year it is toasty warm in my workroom.

You might notice a difference in my etsy shops, in that everything is now in GBPs! Lots of UK customers have found my etsy shop and hopefully those of them that were new to etsy and worried about paying in dollars will feel that bit happier to shop. I like the way it looks to see all the etsy shops adopting their own currency, it really is exciting to be able to shop globally and support individual makers and designers around the globe.

As autumn fades

Time here is so rammed full of activity that to open my curtains last week and be faced with this at eye level just stopped me in my tracks. This cherry tree with the yellow of the hawthorn behind it is right out the back of the loft bedroom window and with the autumn sun as it was a week ago I could happily have stood there all morning.
But instead there is plenty of sewing to be done but I did love using some warming colours while I worked just as a reminder.
The flower print was a super lucky find on ebay a few weeks back, it had been listed with the darkest of photos that actually gave no clue to the colours but I took a punt and was so excited when they arrived and in perfect condition too! I goes beautifully with this golden Peter Hall Verdure
and then there is this, not very autumnal but fabric I have been hunting for some time. 'Coppice' by Mary White, an absolute gem of a fabric.

and so back to the machine, with the first of the More than a Mama fairs on Friday and orders rolling in from my etsy shop, I have employed the girls to help me this weekend which has been fantastically useful.

me on the FP!

In the midst of frantic sewing for orders and fairs came this lovely surprise this morning when my cars cushion hit the front page of Etsy. Thanks to the lovely trotinette ,who it has to be said, has a seriously good vintage shop.

Grand Designs - Scandinavian House

Lizard Peninsula: The Scandinavian House | 4Homes | Channel4.com

Last night I settled down to wath one of my favourite programmes, Grand Designs, and was totally in love with the design style it being a mix of Scandinavian and vintage. The owner Kathryn Tyler is an interior designer and had collected some wonderful vintage pieces to use in her home. As the programme drew to a close I leapt from my seat as one of my Vintage Houses cushions appeared on the screen!
I cannot tell you what a thrill it is to see something I made in such a beautiful home.

So very silly

Just a selection of items from my etsy shop where you can now find 15% off during the silly sale!
This is only on this weekend and when they are gone they are gone! I will not be relisting this weekend so get in quick for the ones you want!

Silly Sale UK is here!!

From 7pm GMT tonight the UK Etsy sellers are holding a massive Silly Sale and this is one you really don't want to miss! Banners and cake toppers from millalove


There is something to suit every style and budget and this is the best excuse to get some Xmas shopping done early. The beautiful cushion above is from the awesome Emma Lamb



Totally adorable baby slippers by cazhoffy
and xmas decorations coutesy of picciolo, now you know you are going to need these!

There are hundreds of goodies like these available to find the sales head on over to Etsy and search silly sale uk.

I will be taking part with sale items in both my shops and will be highlighting some of my offers here later!

Revival - John Lewis

I have finally got my hands on some of the new range of fabrics from John Lewis. The Revival range has been designed in house, but using the archives at John Lewis which feature designs by the likes of Lucienne Day and Terence Conran.
The results are stunning and I especially love the sulphur yellow and grey combination.
They work brilliantly with my vintage fabrics too as the top photo shows, with a cover in a classic Marian Mahler design.

With xmas speeding towards us I have been busy making purses over the last couple of weeks.
I've really enjoyed making some more grown up purses alongside my childrens range, and have been putting the small offcuts of vintage fabrics to good use.

Pearfection!

I have been included in so many treasuries lately, in one week over the summer I was in 10!! amazing. This one is the most recent so many thanks to LifeLikeThis for including my cushion, I love this selection.

Pink elephants on parade!

Having visited a local vintage fair at the weekend I was inspired to tidy up my vintageuk shop and add some things that have been patiently waiting for photos. So among other things out came this childs mug, so adorable and I am having the pleasure of its company in my workroom until it sells.

new fabrics :)

some new from M is for Make
some vintage, this one herbage by Susan Cook for Heals
and these last two lucky finds from the 60s.
These cushions can be found in either my ebay or etsy shops which you can find on your right!

If at first you don't succeed......

try, try again! Eureka!! I have been trying without success to add new posts this summer and finally my photos seem to be uploading again, who knows what went wrong but it is good to be back.

We have had a busy summer, both girls in final years and heading for new challenges in September, exam results......fantastic!, how proud am I that my girlie got A* for textiles!? words cannot describe.

Hospital visits with a positive outcome and relief all round, but tinged with anger that prescribed medication and restricted diet have been the cause and not the solution, we await final tests to be sure there is no lasting damage done, but am so thankful to have my beautiful girl back to health.
Holidays to St Ives, this photo is from our bedroom window we had a great week and pretty good weather considering how foul the rest of the summer has been. Holiday #2 to Hampshire to catch up with family and prepare wedding outfits.

But what about sewing? yes I have been sewing, lots of sewing making up stock ready for Christmas. My shops have been super busy over the holidays too and I'm so pleased that my Etsy shop has burst into life. I gave it a bit of a sort out a while back and it has really paid off, new banner, new stock, keeping the stock unified to give an overall 'look'

and to come, my sisters wedding, back to school and then autumn awaits.......and as I have pretty much given up on summer now, I am looking forward to autumn its colours and smells, we have large areas of ancient beech woods in the Chilterns and they look spectacular come autumn.

Snow white treasury

This weekend I was included in two treasurys over on Etsy. This one with a Snow White theme and another to spur on the Netherlands in the football, commiserations boys :(

Thankyou to Lily P Chic and Sydney Rose Designs

Sales on Etsy are on the up which I'm so pleased about, I've been trying to keep more of a consistency to the stock and it seems to be paying off.

No sewing today as I am off for a hospital appointment with Sarah, so we are sulking, we don't like hospitals they smell :P

Happy Birthday Miffy!

C0ngratulations to Dick Bruna whose leading lady Miffy is celebrating her birthday today. I think she's looking pretty good for 55 don't you?

She's back!!

Mt favourite rabbit is back! I have more of these available again in my ebay shop and will be listing some in my etsy shop ovet the next few days.


She has also been joined by Florence and Dougal made using some great 60s fabric. Both these purses have now sold but never fear I will be adding more!!