Sunday 29 September 2013

kokeshi cuties.....

...i have had it in mind
for quite some time...
..that i'd like to try and make
my own japanese style
kokeshi art dolls...
..i love the simplicity of their
sweet faces...
....just a few painted dots or lines..
ko-ko' kokeshi available in my etsy shop
...and then their very simple
body shapes decorated with
florals and stripes...
...well i just so happened to be
in my lovely local craft emporium
...when i spied some fabulous
felted beads in all sorts
of amazing colours....
...i immediately knew their destiny...
..and snaffled a few into my basket...
...only to rush home...
....and set to work....

(i love this bit...putting fabrics,colours
 and lace together...looking for inspiration)
....this is my work in progress...
she's nearly there....
...just a few little extra tweaks needed...
...i am so close to having a little
bundle of them complete...
...back soon with the finished dolls!
...stitching in front of 'downton' tonight methinks...

p.s. small claim to fame that in my former life
i played the wife of the gorgeous new love interest
 'michael gregson' in a musical!
 (many moons ago ...he he ..secret squirrel???!) 

p.p.s gosh and i just remembered.....jude law was our son!!!

X


Sunday 22 September 2013

......lapin love........

..who doesn't love a bunny?
...well i recently found some
amazing vintage cot sheets...
...lovingly embroidered with
bunnies....
...and little pixie people
(which just so happen to be 2 of my most favourite things!)
...the sheets themselves aren't
in particularly great condition...
..but the images are adorable...
...so i decided to make some
lavender hearts and pillows....
....adding some squirrel touches
along the way...
...and letting each picture
tell its own story...
....so far i have finished 2 of them...
....'lapin'....
....and 'fleur'...

....i wonder what is the real story behind these lovely stitches?
X

Wednesday 18 September 2013

....50 minute makeover......

whilst out a-foraging....
...i spied a couple of retro basket trays...
....at first i walked away....
..not sure about the old fashioned images...
....they were a bit grubby and
possibly v.granny chic but not for me....
...but they kept calling me back...
....it was the beads...
...so i rescued them...
hmmmm.....
(fav stash of eidy fabric from sarah moore)
....tra la la.....
...ooh la la!!!
love them now!
croissant anyone?
x

Saturday 14 September 2013

...never can say goodbye....

..do you find there are some things you just can't part with...?
....like her very first cath kidston dress...
...or a pattern that reminds you of a time..
...and you simply can't let go?
...oh and those little shoes of course!
well i found some fabulous inspiration
this week....
....in a framing shop!
the talented staff at 
have created a 'wall of inspiration'...
with some wonderful ideas....
..not just for treasured clothes...
..but ways of using frames...
'outside the box'
..i loved this idea for your favourite books..
...and old photographs...
..whilst i was there
some stunning vintage embroidery was being
lovingly framed to give it a new
lease of life....
...and this 'denim patch pocket' board
is just brilliant for pens and brushes!
....you never know quite when or where
you will find inspiration...
..but do pop by if you are local..
...or try some of these ideas for yourself
(this was a pink painted blackboard in a frame!)
...have fun!

X


Thursday 12 September 2013

.....look into my eyes.......

....i just can't resist a pretty face...
....i have a particular soft spot
for these old polish dolls...
(you might have noticed????)
....they have such lovely hand painted
features....
...all these cuties are listed in my
....looking for admirers!
X




Tuesday 10 September 2013

...they call me the wanderer.....

...do you ever get distracted
from the task in hand?
...well i do...
...all the time!

yesterday i woke with a mission...
i needed some fabric..
...i knew exactly where to go
(the dorchester curiosity centre - i've taken you there before)
but it was high risk...


...because there are so many lovely things...
...it can be very distracting
for a squirrel on a mission!


...so it comes as no surprise
that 'en route' to my fav fabric stall...
...i fell in love....

...with this amazing retro kitchen unit!
it was perfect...
in an 'orla kiely' kinda way
that made me just stand and sigh for a bit...

...after coming to terms with the fact
that i was there for fabric...

...and that my love would have to remain unrequited...

....i pootled on only to be confronted with this:
...yup another amazing retro kitchen unit...
this one was a lovely pale blue...
...just look at those compartments!!!!
(i also loved seeing fred there too)

having never particularly contemplated
a retro kitchen unit....


...suddenly there i was...
...finding beauties at every turn...
...and contemplating:
(a) how i needed one
(b) how marvellous it would be to have one
(c) what treasures it could hold
(d) how stunning it would look in my home
(e) where it could go
(f) how i could possibly afford one!???? 

..it was at this point i remembered....
what i was actually there for...

...and contented myself with this teeny basket
of treasures...
(which i was very pleased with indeed)

...and the fabric of course!
(phew i remembered)

does this ever happen to you?
X


p.s. do keep an eye on my etsy shop as i am adding new things all the time!