Blue Peter stylie

With birthdays inconveniently placed in the post-Christmas-austerity period, I thought I'd try a bit of paper collage instead of the fabric I usually go for - I sort of like the result but as I'm not very neat it's a bit Blue Peter-ish I think.  I need to invest in some thicker card as a base as it goes a bit wonky when the glue hits it. But quite pretty nonetheless, so not a total disaster.  The enevelopes were another story: when will I learn that a little time spent measuring and planning  properly makes a world of difference?  I still kid myself I have an eye for a straight line - apparently not, but with a good slap of glue they made their way through the post safely enough.

Back to business

Well here we are very nearly in a new year after a busy happy Christmas with my lovely family and a rather long break from making anything at all - I seemed to spend way too much time browsing at Christmas fairs and not enough time at the sewing machine.  I'm ashamed to say that I made only one present this year - a cushion for my very dear niece Kate's new bedroom in her lovely country farmhouse.  It's a bit wonky - I had forgotten the perils of stitiching on crushed velvet, it has a life of its own, but I hope she'll be happy with it.

I did do a little festive baking with the delightful mini cake tins that I got for my birthday and although my icing-all-over made them a bit too sweet, the edible glitter and fresh cranberries made them look very pretty.

My most pleasing Christmas creativity was inspired by Country Living magazine and was much enjoyed by the local wildlife - I'm going to plant it in the garden and do this every year!

Now I'm brimming with ideas for things to make in the new year, which is a pretty good plan as I have a) no money and b) cupboards bursting with fabric just begging to be used.  Back to business with a vengeance!

Nova Scotia stylie

On our recent holiday to our home-away-from-home, I thought I would take a pic of some cushions I made for the 'boys' room - a cheery little nautical number and a lighthouse typical of a Maritime shore. I rather fancy a series of natty nautical niceties...  but, as usual, too much to do, too little time.

Cat in a Bag

So, I thought... what would a little girl like for her Birthday?  A bag perhaps?

 But maybe that's a tad dull... how about a little pocket.... with a mouse in.  And how about a little cat to hide in the bag and leap out on the unsuspecting mouse?  Good idea.  It all went swimmingly until it came to the cat's facial features - however, young Eleanor is reportedly delighted with the mad-scary-eyed-pig-cat - children can be so forgiving :)

Linen and lace

So here's my swishy 1957 vintage Vogue dress...

.. and here's the petticoat I made out of an assortment of leftovers (including an old linen tablecloth) and a bit of chunky lace from my fabric store.  I forgot what a chore frills are - endless stiching and pulling and pinning and faffing, but I'm pleased with the end result, and even more pleased I made it from scraps and didn't go and buy acres of net.  I've decided I want to wear cotton dresses every day of my life - ha, I'd love to see my colleagues faces if I turned up to work in this :)

Vintage dreaming

Well it's been a while - I have been neglecting the 'doing' side of things in favour of a spot of 'thinking' (aka daydreaming on Pinterest :)  But I now have another major source of inspiration - say hello to Dolly.

 My mission is to a) accessorise in a major way, b) load her up each spring with the results of my winter's crafting work and c) dress myself up all vintage-like and sell my wares underneath her pretty awning at craft fairs and markets across the province - now there's a plan...

 Speaking of vintage dress up, I've just made a rather swishy dress for myself from a Vogue Vintage pattern (the short sleeve one, in a pretty blue flower print)....

..... and now I need a fluffy but not tooooo bouncy petticoat to complement it.  Have searched high and low on t'internet and concluded I need to make my own, I'm off fabric shopping so I can make my own.  Am thinking floaty soft net, silk, ribbon and lace - but where to find that perfect pattern?  Back to Pinterest then :)

 

3 down, quite a lot to go

So - having promised myself I wouldn't buy a stitch more fabric until I had made a considerable dent in the stash I already have and don't have room for, I now have three quite pretty cushions but only one old table cloth used up; it's gonna take a while.  And somehow, my stash has mysteriously grown over the weekend - ah yes, that'd be due to a very happy Saturday morning at the antiques fair, where I found some lovely red velvet and the assortment of goodies below. I'm particularly pleased with the teacake stand which polished up quite well, and the album of little photos; it seems so sad that they've been abandoned, but I'll breath a second life into them somehow.  Couldn't afford any of the gorgeous old blankets I saw, but did manage a handful of scraps which should stitch up nicely into something... meanwhile, they've been added to the stash.