Basket Case Dress

This was the dress I was telling you about! Brian from Frock off its Mine sent me the pictures. What a set... There is something fascinating about this dress I'm not really sure why I like it so much... Can you imagine wearing this I would want to eat the strawberries but they might just be a little too much straw!

Lempicka Ladies

Tamara de Lempicka.. . an interesting artist! I went to an exhibition of hers at the Royal Academy. It was exiting to see all of her work together in one place. I thought that I would buy some postcards from the exhibition, but I don't know about you but I often just put them away and forget about them. I have had these Victorian picture album pages for quite a few years, I had sourced them from a jumble sale held on a freezing cold day in February! I thought as soon as I get the right pictures to put in them I would. Well I think that I found the pickys!!!

A blue sky mine

The Summer has arrived! There is something about the sky in the early Summer morning. How blue and intense it is when you crank your head back and look UP instead of looking down to avoid the snow and ice of the now dead Winter. You might notice a sky that is as clear and blue as the eyes of one of those photo shopped supermodel in one of your favourite magazines! Natural yet also un-natural in their essence. Those new blossoms on trees, whose colours are as sickly sweet in thier hue as honeycomb sold at the funfair or as sticky as candyfloss sold by the merry-go-round in the corner of the field. They hang heavy in their beauty....

Absolutely Potty for Pottys!!!

Hmmm! I'm not sure when I started to like pottys... but I think that it happened just recently when I was in a great little charity shop in Chesham, Bucks... like the old ones years ago when there was no new gear in and shelves filled to the rafters with bric-a-brac! I thought I'd died and gone to heaven! So there it was on the floor underneath some sewing patterns, an old blanket and next to some 'Mills and Boon' books. A romantic soul would have had a field day with the books... I had to choose between a potty and romance..... well...It was the blue one in the pictures of course! I had to have it .... I thought woh now that would look great with some plants in the garden... and it was only £3.90! I decided there and then that I would always keep an eye out when I was out and about with one proviso, they have to be under £5.00! I have seen them going for over £20 and well that is just too much for a potty that is going to hold a holly sprig! There is one thing apparently you have to do that is to bring them in during the Winter otherwise they crack... hmm I suppose I can always put them in the toilet, with the toilet!!!

Hot Water Bottle Covers

I never thought that a jumper could be so warm! Well they were 3 jumpers until I put it into a very hot wash and made them into felt! It really is as easy as that! Both of these were made out of jumpers/pullovers from different charity shops! Beware though if you decide to give it a go... make sure that the jumper is between 80-100 pure wool.... otherwise it won't work...then I did a little bit of embroidery to make the "Night Night" one. Also best to look for jumpers just when Autumn is creeping up on us as the charity shops change their stock around!! Night Night ...don't let the bed bugs bite!!!

By George its Badges!

I thought that I should get these out and give them an airing! About 5 years ago I was into my badge making. I had had loads of these samples of fabric from an old job I worked at! Small pieces about 4 inches square and thought what can be done? Now I could have made another patchwork quilt I suppose but to be honest I thought these would be destined for something else... A 'Super Badge-it' machine! Super cheap from Argos (I think that they have stopped selling them now) but hey for a short time a few years ago... I was a happy girl sitting in my room using a machine made for a 7 year old...oh the joy of crafting....!

And so the sun comes......

I found the little glass jug and sugar bowl in one of the charity shops that I frequent! They are probably European from the 50s I think! These were example of glass that were brought back with tourists returning from their hols!
And the lavender is from the little bushes that I planted about 2 months ago... time to think about my next lot of lavender bags!!

Bags Galore...3

I really must go and collect my bag from the storage unit!!It has been a year.... I remember that line in 'My Fair Lady'.... "...will any one buy my .....bags!" Have a look here at some of my other bags

Bags Galore ....2

I just wanted you see some more pictures... I did say that they were nice to look at!! Take a quick look at my other pictures... here

Let's meet up and be crafty....2

Well we met again and Romany came too! What gal! She was working on her necklace. It was amazing in the time that she was there she decided to made a red wooden necklace and a bracelet! Both of which she almost finished, damm I realised when I got home that I hadn't taken a picture! Hopefully she will bring it next time. We will certainly put the word out properly in the early Autumn about our group. Hmm just got to think of a name....but the theory is if you can carry it .....you can bring it! Liisa was working on finishing her beautiful blanket and I was trying to finish off a quilt that I had started making with some French fabric that I had found on ebay!

Suit Cases Galore! part 2

So as I was saying I did manage to get them all home... like Russian dolls one sitting inside another... I've put some of my embroidered tableclothes in the smallest who know what else I will be able to put in!!

Well there you go... sewing box as good as new!

Well here it is! Finished! What do ya think? I know it looks like it has been painted but it is the oil cloth!

Seaside Colours

What is it about Blue, Yellow and Red that are always used at the seaside, I guess it is the sky, sand but what about red... hmmm is that people who haven't been using their sun cream!? There has been so much rain last week I was thinking about my trip to the sea and the photos that I took! I love the imagery of the seaside the colours, whether used on my wind breaker (which I found in a charity shop in Holloway years ago) then I noticed that there are similar colours as well as lines such as the Punch and Judy show that was by the pier or the beach huts that were yet to receive their guests. Just wait until the sun comes out and they will be full of every type of activity although I have seen a couple sitting under their umbrellas with wellies reading the Sunday newspapers! Good to know that the good old British weather doesn't stop us from enjoying the seaside!!!

The London Vintage Fashion, Textiles & Accessories Fair part 3 13/6/10

There were loads of very interesting bits and pieces including some old tiny 50's French sewing machines and a little green beehive probably from the 30s. You would put your wool in it and it had a little hole in the bottom that you can pull the wool from the bottom. It also had little holes in the bottom depending on the size of the knitting needles! Just look at that.... and then there were the charming little 30s tea cosies!

The London Vintage Fashion, Textiles & Accessories Fair, part 2

Well you saw in part 1 that I mentioned that there were some fab people at the fair both selling and buying! Here are some of them... including a picky of little Lily, with her fur stole choosing her next pair gloves...! She looks fabtastic and well she looks like a vintage gal in the making if you ask me! Thanks Lily!

The London Vintage Fashion, Textiles & Accessories Fair 13/6/10 part 1

The London Vintage Fashion, Textiles and Acessories Fair has been around for over 10 years now I think and Paola who conceived the idea of 'Vintage Fashion' was kind enough to let me look around and talk to some of the stall holders... what an amazing fair! I had been before but this time wanted to take photos and talk to some of the stall holders.... If you haven't already been and you like 'vintage' or anything of yesteryear this is the first place to go...!

The two chaps from 'Frock Off It's Mine" were absolutely charming and promised to send me a photo of one of their fab finds.. a dress with a box of raffia fruit/flowers on the yoke and at the hem was what is supposed to represent the basket. I'll let you have a look when I get it! Jill from Butterfly Girl Vintage who let me take a picture of her cool hats and her lovely daughter Lily..... Lily, now there is a super vintage gal in the making, start them young that's what I say ... what great taste Lily! Linda Bee from Linda Bee Vintage and I had a lovely chat about 'Lea Stein' broaches, and the great personalities that turn up at the fairs... we both took a picture of the beautiful lady in green... I wish I could tell you about everyone but the one thing that always always stands out at these fairs is that everyone is passionate about vintage!