Month: February 2013

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Half-term Holidays…

It’s snowing very gently outside, it has been since yesterday.  It wont settle, as the ground is too warm, but it looks very beautiful, gently floating down and makes me want to go for a walk….the boys (and M) have other plans, they are swimming right now and then we’re off to Maidstone Museum, because it’s really not very far away and we’ve never been, we do love a good museum.

DSC_0028Half term has gone well.  I’ve been admiring, cleaning and mending (where needed) lots of new (to me) vintage purchases, made over past months (which deserve a post of their own), including this fabulous fabric, which came from the UK-based Etsy shop NiceworkByTheYard.  I have no idea what I’m going to use it for, but I fell in love with the little clothed animals and it kind of jumped into my virtual shopping basket.  The colours, as it sits on my desk, seem to be reflected in my recent work.

DSC_0032I’m trying to get a batch of brooches ready, as they sell quite well for Mothers’ Day and it works well for me to be hand sewing when the boys are around.  They are mid way done, sitting on their project tray waiting for beading and then brooch backs, before being photographed and listed.  The red roses are for next winter, yet another thing started this last time around that had to be abandoned.DSC_0034I also have this fabric, which I am rather taken with, it’s ‘Red Folklore’, by Isso Ecco & Heart (Lecien) and it came from The Eternal Maker.  Again, when I ordered it, I didn’t have a specific project in mind, I just fell in love, but now I know exactly what I’m going to use it for and I couldn’t resist abusing my husbands regular US trips by ordering some in mustard and grey (which I can’t find here in the UK) for him to bring back next time he is over.

DSC_0030The boys have been amazing this holiday.  Although there have been the obvious squabbles, they have mostly played really well together, choosing to go outside lots, despite it being quite cold and inventing games together.  It has allowed me to get quite a bit of sewing done and I’m pleased to have made good progress on some projects that have been in the pipeline for months, if not years – more in the next post.

PS, just got back from Maidstone Museum and it was a great afternoon out, another of those fab Victorian collection museums; lots of costumes, animals (stuffed, as they tended to be back then) and much to the delights of the boys, an Egyptian mummy.  We had fun, I’d happily go back there.

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Open…and GIVEAWAY!!

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I opened the shop and Folksy back up last weekend, they are are a little bit empty to be honest, my ‘to do’ list, just to re-stock, is quite long:

Cashmere Bears (cut but not stitched up)

Lavender Birds (in a nice new spring colour)

Linen Mice (cut out but, again, not stitched together)

Tweed Bunny Purses (yet again, cut out, and partly stitched)

Monster Purses (I can’t keep up with these)

Felt Flower Brooches (mostly buttercups and auriculas)

As you can see, many have been cut but are sitting in their project boxes waiting to be completed.  I’m starting with a re-stock of flower brooches.  Almost the most time consuming bit of this is assembling the pieces to sew, but I do like seeing them all laid out nicely on a tray, ready for stitching.

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It reminded me that I have a tweed bag, complete with buttercup brooch, sitting in a box, ready for a Spring giveaway.  I couldn’t work out what was wrong with it when I took it out to photograph today, I knew there was a fault and it was why I’d popped it aside,

DSC_0026but I can now see that the strap is on the wrong side.  Doh!  otherwise it’s in perfect order and I don’t think it makes any difference really, especially if you’re left handed….although then the zip would pull the wrong way…maybe.

DSC_0001It has cheery ‘Snow White’ lining and is ready to be given away, so do please comment below to be in with a chance and I’ll pick a winner in the 2nd March.  I’ll post anywhere, and sadly, can’t reply to comments as it pushes the numbers out.  On which note, I am trying to catch up with all my blog reading and replying to comments here, so do please be patient with me.  Things are slipping.

DSC_0019And on a complete tangent, I have new boots, just arrived today from the Dune sale and I love them.  I might need to invest in some flouncy long Victorian style skirts.

Right, I have to go clean now, I’ve been neglecting my housewife duties and I’m at the point where I’d be too embarrassed to invite anyone through the door, never a good thing.

 

 

 

 

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Thank you

Thank you to everyone who left such lovely, and often personal, comments on the last post.  I really do appreciate the support, it was very comforting to read and I had hoped to reply direct, via email, but in all honesty right now, I find it easier to just move on as best I can so do please forgive me for that;  I know you will, but people wrote such lovely things I would have liked to have replied back, but for now I just need to leave it all be as best I can.

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So, I’m back.  Gosh I’ve missed my little studio space (now shared with the boys, who don’t know how to stick to their half….I think we might have to set some rules).  I have actually been sewing, but mostly tweed curtains for my sister and as I’ve mentioned before, I’m not mad keen on ‘straight line’ sewing.

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So today, I moved the nearly finished curtains aside and tidied up my desk, ready to get back to some fun sewing.  I love this room, even though it’s quite cold outside, the hint of sun warms up the glass wall, making it quite cosy in here and I often stare out into the garden and watch the wildlife.

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I have many piles of new fabrics, waiting to be put away, and lots of magazines that need filing.  I’m thinking of cutting back my subscriptions.  I find more and more that it feels repetitive reading the same ones, perhaps if I take a break, then come back later, I might find them more inspiring?  I couldn’t give up Country Living though, it’s my yearly little Mother’s Day/Birthday gift to myself.

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I’ve updated my inspiration/note board ready for a more spring vibe, although I might try to get ahead with some products for next winter whilst it’s still cold outside; there was so much I didn’t get around to that I’d still like to make.

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Right, I need to get back to tidying, now to tackle ‘their’ side, honestly look at it!  I’m not sure where to start.  Oh, there’s a giveaway next post to celebrate my (belated) bloganniversary – hurrah 🙂