Take a little look at my purchases at the Decorative Living Fair at the weekend!

 Why hurry over beautiful things? Why not linger and enjoy them?

Clara Schumann

As you all know my confession about the Decorative Living fair was that I did go into buying with enthusiasm! and I did promise you some photos, so here we are!

The thing is I am off again today to a vintage textile fair at Deans Court in Wimborne, Dorset!  But I am not going to any at the weekend you see as I will be in Devon again at our good friends, along with some hand stitching and my design book!..... Its ok I am just trying to justify all this to myself!

Firstly I would like to show you what I bought from Alison of Betty & Violet.  As I said to you Alison makes some really

beautiful things and one of them are these little dolls.  They are a thing of beauty and totally female, for most of you ladies out there you will know and see what I mean.  Also Alison makes lavender sachets but not the normal kind but ones that are stuffed to the gills with lavender and they are beautiful.  She makes the one that I bought and she makes ones that are like a manikin and you hang them.  All dressed up with vintage mother of pearl buckles, buttons, feathers and lace .... anything stunning.  You can see why I said it looks like it came from Versailles Palace.

They are truly exquisite.  You can find Betty & Violet on Facebook and Alison always lets you know where she will exhibiting next.  There are always beautiful photos on her page and I am sure if you contact her, if you can not make a show she may be able to post to you. Although the doll is delicate and has china arms and legs.... She is hand painted in some places and all the wings and clothes are made by Alison.  I will be doing an interview with her next week so you will all be able to learn about this talented lady!

The next purchase that I made were some cushions by Jo of Hesta Nesta!  Jo had made these beauties last week in her workroom.  She has made the fronts from strips of vintage  eiderdown fabric and has cleverly included on the side the gathered eiderdown ribbon detail.  The backs of the cushions are made from vintage grain sacks and although I forgot to ask, I would say that they are French.  I am so thrilled with these beauties.  I love to change the beds around at home ( by which I mean there dressing)  One month our bedroom may look like it is red and christmasy and cosy and another Spring like.  I love to put different throws, eiderdowns, quilts on the beds and change about the cushions.  It is the artistic nature in me.

Now Donna Flower had some really beautiful things on her stall and honestly can say I have never walked away empty handed from this ladies displays, be it at a show or her
wonderful shop in Barnstable!!  This day was no exception, you see she had some wonderful fabrics and ribbons and a set of three dear little antique books as well.  When I turned there was the eiderdown! it was all too much!( The picture is not fabulous I am afraid because it has not brought out the beautiful green colour)  but then I spied a little card and this has a story to it.  Last year I bought an antique wallpaper sample from Donna in blue and white and I have had it framed for my

workroom.  These are very rare and really beautiful.... And there was another one there and I thought that if I took that back with me and framed that it would look splendid with the other one I have.  I love to have beautiful vintage or handmade paintings, and pictures in my workspace it is pure inspiration!  So you can see a theme going on .... most of what I have shown you is for me personally and not my business.. except the fabric and ribbon from Donna!  

But ladies and Gents I did do better.... for a while anyway!  I found The Old Haberdashery and Sonia who owns that had some amazing stock with her.  Vintage embroidery threads!! yes pre 1960 ones and they were in every colour that god ever made!  I was in heaven.  Plus she had some fabric inspiration packs, vintage knitting needles ( I have an idea for these) and some vintage pure cotton string.... all beautifully presented and when I saw those and the knitting needles an idea popped into

my head and then of course they came home..... All of these purchases are for my business so I felt redeemed in some way!..

The embroidery threads are the colours I choose for projects that I have ongoing and ones for the future.  These are my sorts of colour range but believe me there were so many boxes of them to choose from any embroiderer would have been happy.

Opposite The Old Haberdashery was Christine from The Sea Garden! oooh!  Now Christine comes from Cornwall a little further than Donna so both had travelled to Kent for this show and to have them both under one roof was outstanding!  Christine is famous for her shell pictures

 but also she does some beautiful stitching as well so she collects stunning fabrics to create with.  When she has used and kept what she needs, she makes up inspirations packs as I think we all do.  This is the pure beauty of vintage .... it is fluid.  So I picked up some inspiration packs here.  Oh my I think you will agree these are really beautiful.  The colours, textures and the way they are presented are enough to make the fabric addicts in us squeal with pure joy!!  There were also some handmade yo yo's in the pack made from delicious antique fabrics.... I forgot to ask if Christine had made them and not used them OR she had bought them from another source...... I must get in touch to see.

When I was wandering around in a fabric comma I found Velvet Ribbons ... This lady had beautiful furniture and glass, enamel objects but also fabrics!! So in I dived to see what beautiful things were on offer

and I was not disappointed.  They were in little tied with string bundles done up with a button and I saw some beautiful fabrics and little bits of antique quilts that could not be rescued.  So had been cut up to be made into something and once again be admired.

As you can see these are my kind of fabrics because they have a delicate pattern and I am able to cut them and applique with them but you can still see the detail.....

Then the last personal purchase of the day was the most beautiful 1930's tea service! This was on Emma of Little Wren Vintage stall!  Now Emma is so talented both in stitching and in displays.  Her exhibits and displays are beautiful.  Glass cloches with ribbons underneath, quilts displayed on chairs and ladders or hung on a wall.  The way everything is set out is just pure eye candy.

 On her display was the most beautiful tea set with 6 cups and saucers, 6 tea plates and a sandwich plate as well in the most beautiful embossed cream colour and it has painted delicate little roses for more detail.  I was stood there admiring it and my husband came along...... He bought it for me!  I was over the moon and I am a very lucky lady.  Most men ( sorry guys but its true!!) say" what do you want that for?" or barely glance at something... Not my lovely husband, he gets it! and actually adores antique eiderdowns and quilts......  His pleasure is land rovers and land rover parts..... He shows me his purchases with enthusiasm and I really try to have some back but fail mostly.  I know I know I must try harder because he supports me totally.

Well I must leave you now and start off for Deans Court in Wimborne.... I will let you all know what it was like tomorrow so be sure to come back here.  Then on Friday I will do another show and tell... But I must have a little restraint .... fingers crossed!

Have a wonderful day and I leave you with a close up of a teacup and saucer from that beautiful set.

Happy Stitching!

A thing of beauty! ...... and it will be used as well.