Thursday 31 March 2016

Welcome April .... and take a look at this beautiful quilt!





April brings the primrose sweet
and
scatters daisies at our feet!



And Happy April Fools Day!









Is it going to be April showers? as we have had those in March I believe!  all I know is the months are going by and soon, I  hope it will be warmer weather for us all to enjoy.  I need warm air as I am still, can you believe it, coughing.  It rains and I cough, if it is warmer air ... not so much!

Today is all about my workroom and not so much stitching.  I am preparing for next week.  I am going to get into my work room and take some photos of some of the lovely bits and bobs that I have bought over this last week or so and then pack it all away.  Then it is April spring clean for my workroom so that I can get out my design book and make up some work baskets.  I have been asked if I can show some of them, which I will do next week when they are made up.  It is about gathering (for me) all that is needed including threads and needles.  Everything in one basket to be able to stitch and complete each project I undertake... There is something sad about finishing a project because you miss it but equally when you have to only walk into your workspace and find another basket ready to go, it is equally as exciting and wonderful.

I bought a beautiful quilt from quilterdown at The Vintage and Handmade fair in Chipping Sodbury and this has already been photographed so I thought I would show you this today.  Nicki bought a vintage quilt top from Jenny of Tilly-D fame and then she rescued it and made it into the beautiful small quilt that you see before you.  I love it so much and is added to my ever growing collection.  It may well end up as a wall hanging or just sit in the middle of one of the beds .. undecided as yet.

There on the back is Nicki's signature if you will . a little hexagon patchwork of vintage fabric in the corner and her label.  The quilt is so beautiful and great for this time of year with those pretty floral lemon colours .....


This is it pictured on our bed with the snoozing hare that I bought from Ayres & Graces ... It is just for the photograph as the quilt of choice at the moment is the one made of paisley that Nicki made that I showed you the other week.

Well I must away and get on, do not forget there is a great tutorial on here tomorrow for the weekend so have a great weekend all and I will be back on Monday with more of my ramblings...

Happy Stitching!



Sigh! a thing of beauty....
and a treasure forever.


















Wednesday 30 March 2016

The Vintage and Handmade Fair .... What a great event !






A quilt will warm your body and comfort your soul. 


Well we made it to The Vintage & Handmade fair in Chipping Sodbury on Easter Saturday!  The weather was terrible with winds and rain but it did not dampen the spirits of the hard core vintage hunters ....

Chipping Sodbury is a very pretty town and what amazed us was the FREE parking everywhere .. that was a real treat and so we were able to park near the Town Hall where this amazing event was taking place.

I went in and who should I find first ... but the lovely Nicki from Quilterdown and her very beautiful stall.  There were quilts and pillows, lavender bags and shopping bags to name just a little.  As usual we were laughing within seconds of talking to one another as Nicki had pointed out to me that in front of her were some tables and comfy chairs and she called it the 'man creche' !!  I did laugh because later on my husband along with a few others were indeed sat there drink teas and coffees with a plates of the WI cakes!!

I might have bought another small quilt from Nicki as well because as the saying goes  quilts warm your body and soul !!! .... will show you later.

Whilst I was talking to Nicki I spotted Clare from Daisy Darling fame but she was there as a buyer like me and not with all her beautiful things as a stall holder.  She said can I borrow you a moment there is someone I would like you to meet .... intrigued I trotted off with her into the larger part of the hall, where I was introduced to Gertie from Treutmade.  Oh boy! well what a lovely lady and her stall had me in awe... paisley everywhere!  can you imagine dear reader .. paisleys, buttons, cushions made from tiny hexagon patchwork from the Victorian era, Suffolk puffs from the 1930's ... I was, quiet frankly, undone!!  I asked how much for the lot at one point ... only a slight joke really because I was tempted.  I bought some beautiful things from here and was really restrained.  I did however spend the most on this particular stall and Gertie gave me a present of a really pretty light blue glass dish.  It is cut glass and I was so touched and thrilled. There will be doing a show and tell as normal later on.

Dragging myself away because I wanted to find Nicole from Pretty Nostalgic, you may remember I made the flag for this magazine and we have spoken so many times on the phone and emailed one another BUT never met in person.  So I went to her table where she was selling Pretty Nostalgic magazine back issues as well as the latest edition and I walked up to her and she recognised me from my photo on here and we had the hugest cuddle... It was was so wonderful to finally meet this incredible lady, who is so passionate about the way we all live and not being a disposable society.  Nicole has worked tirelessly on this publication and I wanted to support her even the more. I am so sorry that this will no longer be in print form but the prices of printing and to get the magazine shops to sell them and indeed people to buy it has been a up hill struggle.  It really is a bookazine .. meaning more like a book and I use mine for reference on some of the long lost recipes that are in there.  The A - Z of silko threads and so much more.  One of the issues has a section about looking out for and buying vintage glass and all the colours that are out there.  I love my copies and they are on a book shelf for me to go to for information or indeed just paw over the pages and pages of beautiful images .....

Then I met the W I ladies who were providing all the refreshments with there homemade cakes and smiles.  The men, as I said before that were there were most happy and I had a piece of lemon drizzle cake and a great coffee from them.  They raise money and do great work.

They all belong to the Rangeworthy WI and all the coffee/tea were served in bone china vintage cups and saucers and the cakes were beautiful.  There were bunny ear cakes for the kiddies amongst us and two different chocolate cakes along with lemon drizzle, fruit cake, coffee cake and carrot cake to name a few.  I do know my husband went up twice .......

Along the way was the great stall Ginger and Rose and this particular day I met Belinda who is the face behind all things scrummy!  They will be at the VB on the 16th April as well so if you are going along then look out for this really pretty stall.  There is so much to look at and buy.  Exquisite butterfly brooches for one along with an eclectic array of vintage beauty.  I love mooching and truffling around this stall and Belinda is a really lovely lady to talk to as well.

You can see the butterfly brooches on the top far right row of the photos.  They are presented on vintage image cards and would make such a lovely gift for someone or indeed a present to yourself!



The Town Hall was filling up with eager vintage buyers and it is not just the ladies believe me.  There was a great stall called Sopworth Vintage, which captured the gents that were there,and this gentleman was selling toy cars and trains along with vintage camera's as well.  It was displayed beautifully along with boxes to rummage around in, which always appeals to us vintage hunters who feel we have found treasure when we find something in a box rather than displayed.




I found Cowboys and Custard stall which belongs to one of the organisers of this lovely vintage fair.  I had seen it before but there were lots of people crowded around so I had decided to go back later and I met Michele for the first time as well.  It was lovely to meet her and have a chat.  Now on this stall as you may have guessed from her business name is toys.  I was looking around and saw some Enid Blyton books and I am sure at some point I had those very ones!  My mother was a throw away person, which was unfortunate for me and as a small child you do not question these things.  You are told ... you are to big for this now and you must make room for your Birthday or Father Christmas....  I loved Enid Blyton and I remember reading the adventures eagerly as a child.  There was a beautiful wooden shop with all the bits that come along with it and two stunning vintage rabbits along with teddies and dogs ...... all bringing home, to my mind, of childhood toys that I had owned or played with at one time or another.  Maybe not as old as some of these beauties but loved never the less.

Opposite was the other organiser of this great event, Jayne of Country Cottage Chic and although we have talked before on social media I had never met her before so this was turning out to be a a very social day as well.  There were some great children's sewing machines on display and I was tempted but I had spent quiet a bit at Gerties stall at this point ....  There was some great vintage china and some very lovely teddy bears as well.  







Then I found a really delightful stall called Miss Clementine and this lady makes some unusual and beautiful things ... stunning things to put into your home.  Teacups that had houses on top and  one with a mushroom ... all so very beautiful.

There was also some great pictures that were all stitched and embroidered pieces as well.  I love to see others imagination and work, it is truly inspiring and just shows how we all see our art in different ways .....








At the very back of the hall was Lucy Bloom's stall (pictures on the right) and she had spread out on to two stalls and there was so much to look at and buy.  Great tiny bundles of fabrics, china, cigarette cards, pegs with ribbons and all sorts of lovely things to tempt.

She had made corsages from wool which had been knitted and crocheted into beautiful spring flowers and had themed her stall with lots of Easter goodies as well, it really was eye candy...... I was tempted to some bits that came home with me including a tiny bundle of great fabric and I will cut out little hearts from these for my heart jar ...


The weather outside was worsening and it was nearly time for us to leave and find some lunch before our journey home but I managed to get some photo's of this lady's stall called Emma Giacalone textiles and she had made some really pictures and some were of cows, which I love.

There were chickens and camper vans and flowers in vintage marmalade jars ....  all beautifully made and stitched.

It was hard to leave this fair but my husband had been very patient in his man creche and so it was time to go and get him some lunch before our journey home.  The rain and the wind meant it was not an easy drive home.


This fair was outstanding and the first time I had attended one of the Vintage and Handmade ones, it will not be my last.  They have another fair planned for Christmas which is on my calender and is on the 3rd of December.  For further details go to vintageandhandmade.co.uk  I am sorry this blog will not allow me to link but if you write that down and google it, then you will find more details on these fairs .... They also do vintage jumbles so please take a look for details on where and when.  These fairs are not to be missed!

Well have a great day and I hope you have enjoyed a little peek into the great fair and as always Happy Stitching!






Photo above courtesy of Pretty Nostalgic
This is from the HOME bookazine and
is still available .....







Tuesday 29 March 2016

West Country Vintage Fabric Market in Trull ...







The West Country Vintage fabric market held at the Memorial Hall in Trull, which is in Taunton is a smaller fair than some of the others, that said it is a hall filled with beautiful textiles and haberdashery and some great vintage goodies
within those walls.

There is also vintage linens on offer both French and Hungarian linens from Beyond France.  There is always a lovely atmosphere at this fair and I met up with some great people although for us it was a flying visit this day.

The lovely Liz of the Washerwoman fame was there, which is no surprise as this lady runs this fair along with her husband Jack.  Her stall was so pretty as you can see with baskets of beautiful fabrics on offer along with some lovely vintage bits as well, including buttons, hand embroidery stamps but to name a few.  There was some lovely fabrics and some did come home with me...

Then I found the lovely Maud of Beyond France and I know you have seen her beautiful linens before but I am not sure I have spoken about where they are from.
 Maud travels over Europe to find
some stunning linens and she brings some beauties back from Hungary.  These are the most stunning of blue colours with some having white flowers on too. Based in a beautiful Hungarian village, we work with traditional Indigo dyers who hand print and hand dye the linen; enthused by their work we also hand dye the linen in bright contemporary colours.

The Hungarian linen is so versatile that it inspires us to design an ever-changing collection of goodies from lavender hearts, cushions and bags to rag rugs and upholstered furniture.

The unconventional homespun quality of this linen means that each product has its own quirky character that makes them unique.


Then I came across Susie and Russell Needham with a stall full of wonderful fabrics and textiles.  They had a large area and with shelves as well all in colour order basically there were piles of beautiful fabrics to choose from.  

Look at the blues on the right and the blue ticking and stripes as well.  There were floral's and gingham's in all sorts of colour ways.  The great thing is that there is good quantities on this stall and if you are looking to make some home furnishings you can not do much better because there is surely something for everyone on here...




Along from here was The Vintage Sewing Girl and as always she was smiling and happy and looked fabulous all dressed up.  There was not only fabrics but wonderful vintage baskets as well.  I was sorely tempted I can tell you but I have a few and until the move I am not going to buy anymore to have to pack up.  Plus I have an idea for them and have to see if it will work in our new home (when we finally move this year) ... fingers crossed.

There was knitted bunting hanging and it all looked so inviting as well.






Then I spied Michelle Martin and her stall with lots of goodies to tempt as well but I had spied a fabulous looking vintage embroidery book as you will see in the photo and it might have come home with me!!

You can see it on the right at the top.  It was display on a easel stand and I did apologise for ruining the display so early in the day, but if you dither to long at these events then someone comes along and snaps it up and you miss out... this is a lady talking from experience here so believe me if you love it then do buy as it most usually is gone and you never see another like it again.  There were vintage suitcases on offer along with some wonderful fabrics as well.


Blue Lias Vintage had some great pieces on their stall and along with some lovely fabrics and textiles there was some haberdashery items as well.  I bought some beautiful bits on here.  There were cottons, thimbles, fabrics, table linens and buttons to name just a few vintage goodies to tempt all.

Also some lovely vintage china dotted about that was for sale as well.  I did buy some lovely things from here and they will be in a show and tell, I mean how could you resist?





Then I found Nicki Fretwell and her glorious stall all set out beautifully as always.  I have seen Nicki at the Vintage Bazaar on occasions and not only does she sell, buttons, fabrics, laces and haberdashery items but Nicki does make as well and she had made some beautiful dolls that were hanging up.  You can see two of them in the top row of the photos on the right,

Nicki had some great lace and cottons along with some beautiful vintage hand embroidered linens as well.  There was lots of really lovely things on offer to scoop up and call your own.

As I said we did not stay very long and this was all I had time for but there was about another four stalls I believe but they had people around so I could not get any great shots ... I tried but there are hands and parts of faces in the shots so they were not good at all I am afraid.  I will say there was a lady selling vintage Liberty fabrics and if this is your thing you would have been in heaven... I know a lady Nicki of Quilterdown who makes the most stunning quilts who would have loved to buy some bits on there. ......

Anyway that was a peek into our short visit and I hope you have enjoyed it. I must away to my stitching room and do a quick tidy then today it is stitch stitch stitch ..... I have made my mind up to overlook other things.  So have a great day and Happy Stitching!












Monday 28 March 2016

Easter Monday and a book review for you all ... it is beautiful





A book is a dream that you hold in your hand 
and whenever you read a good book, somewhere in the world
a door opens to allow in more light....



Well it is Easter! ....





This is a book that my husband bought me in my normal book pile present last Christmas.  I love reading and he knows it so every year I get a pile of books bought for me as one of my special presents under the tree, all wrapped individually with a ribbon tied around it .... This book does have a Christmas section by the way.

When I was unwell and resting I read this book cover to cover and it was beautiful and so I wanted to share it with you all today.

It is so intriguing and about flowers and arranging them at different times of the year when they are in season.  It is called Vintage Flowers and is by Vic Brotherson and on the front cover it says :



Rosy & Random
Blossom & Blousy
Herby & Homey
Blooms & Bonkers
Camellia & Constance
Holly & Ivy
Tools & Rules

The above which is on the front cover actually turns out to be the index for this beauty....


The photography is stunning and the flowers used in every section are both beautiful and arranged in a colour theme.  Vintage pottery and such like is used to display and there are step by step things included like how to make a hand-tied bunch or how to make a corsage.

There sections within on scents of different flowers as well as garden greens and herbaceous entrances.  Within the index headings is a section called mop heads and buckets and it is so lovely.


I highly recommend this book to you all and it is worthy, believe me, of the name Vintage Flowers.

One thing I love the same as vintage and stitchery are flowers and this book gives you great ideas, knowledge and is a thoroughly great read.  I fabulous coffee table book for people to pick up and flick through, although a warning, they will start to really read it !!




Anyway I hope you are all having a great Easter and I will see you back here tomorrow for our normal blog antics....


Happy Easter and Happy Stitching!

















Sunday 27 March 2016

Happy Easter to you all!












I hope you are all having a lovely Easter break, we certainly are here at Homespun HQ!  Little tiny chocolate eggs to nibble on.  Time out with family and friends and a little sneaking stitchery for me too.  I does not seem like working just a joy to sit and not think work, just sew.

HQ is done up in all its Easter finery and the sun has appeared several times ....

I was thinking that I never really do Easter stitchery as such and I must design something for our home to put up once a year like I do at Christmas, Halloween and the seasons too I suppose.

I change over bedding for Spring/Summer, Autumn and Winter and the patchwork quilts and cushions on the beds change.  We are now into Spring in our bedding and as you will see the snoozing hare who lives with us is loving the change...

So I think I must design a picture/sampler for our home to put up yearly and it will become another tradition in our house...

I must show you what I found in a charity shop for £4 and is now washed and in pride of place and filled with tiny chocolate eggs .... have a look at this, isn't it cute...

Anyway I leave you all now and have a wonderful Easter Day and do not forget to pop back tomorrow as there is a great blog ... I have something to show you all.

Happy Easter and as always Happy Stitching!












Easter Poem.....



When Easter comes the violets lift

Their shyly hooded faces.
Where late the frozen snows adrift
Heaped high the woodland spaces.
When Easter comes the sunbeams dance
On green leaves all a quiver,


And grasses rally, spear and lance,
By rippling brook and river.

When Easter comes the lilies haste
What time the bells are ringing,
To bring their perfumes, pure and chaste,
From hallowed censers swinging.


Shine dim church aisles on Easter day
Beneath their serried whiteness,
And happy children kneel and pray
Amid the lilied brightness.

When Easter comes, a merry train,
The robin, wren, and starling,


With song and wing are here again,
And many another darling.
The bluebird and the oriole,
The martin and the swallow,
“Away,” they chant, “with grief and dole,
Here’s spring, and summer ‘ll follow!”


Poem by Margaret E Sangster








Saturday 26 March 2016

How to Blend Embroidery Floss || KIN DIY











Good Morning All I hope you are having a great Easter break.

Well this is a great little video to show you how to blend two different embroidery colour threads.  I have never separated threads like she does in this video but it seems to work beautifully so I learnt
something new when I saw this.

You can buy mixed blends of embroidery thread but this tutorial shows you how easy it can be to mix your own.

This is a great little video to watch and brings a whole new dimension to your stitchery if you use this method for certain designs.  So why not make a warm drink and enjoy this little tutorial....












Friday 25 March 2016

Good Friday ... and also a great vintage event tomorrow!





Easter spells out beauty, the rare beauty of new life.  ~S.D. Gordon




Well it is Easter this weekend so we have four glorious days off.  I am hoping that the weather will be kind to us all and a bit warmer.

I have a blog on Saturday for you all and then all over Easter too.  I am having time out with my husband but will probably do a little stitchery whilst munching on some little chocolate eggs!

We are not sure what we will be doing or where exactly will go but rather see what we fancy on the day.
Today we have some friend for dinner this evening and that is as far as the plans go.  It will be really lovely to have some down time as well.  It has been a very busy few weeks with vintage fairs and trying to catch up  with everything since I felt so poorly.  I have to report I am still holding on to this bloomin cough though and I just can not shake it. When I hit the cold air it is worse so I am hoping for the weather to warm up a little now.   It is officially Spring out there but it really does not feel that way and we are still having open fires as well.

I might well make up some new project baskets this weekend and sort out some of the beautiful fabrics that I have bought lately.  After Easter I will show you some that I bought at Trull textile fair and some lovely bits from the Country living fair as well.  Because it has been a busy vintage fair time I am still catching up showing you all that at well....

Hopefully with some quiet time I am able to catch up on some stitching as well.

Whatever you are all doing over these four days I hope you have a lovely time and enjoy your time with family or friends or just rest.

There is a great fair on at Chipping Sodbury in Glos tomorrow so take a look at the these details.....

Hoping for a fun day out this Easter? Then look no further than the first Original Vintage & Handmade Fair of 2016 which will be an Easter Extravaganza on the 26th March. Now in our 8th year, the V&H is a firmly established favourite on the South West vintage scene. Our fabulous sellers from across the South West & beyond always make a huge effort to bring along their best stock & display their wares on attractively arranged stalls. The V&H has always presented the very best combination of vintage treasures & handmade delights.


Expect to find everything from vintage home wares, toys, haberdashery, fabrics, clothing, books, jewellery accessories & more, plus beautifully handmade hats, decorations & gifts to suit all tastes. In addition, our favourite vintage publication, Pretty Nostalgic, will be there & of course our fabulous tea room will be serving teas, coffees & home baked cakes to raise funds for local good causes.

So, why not join us on Saturday 26th March at the Chipping Sodbury Town Hall, South Gloucestershire, BS37 6AD. We are open from 10am - 3.30pm. Entrance is £1.00 (children free) & there will be special treats for the first 50 visitors of the day.


I might well be going along myself ...

Have a great Easter and as always Happy Stitching and Happy Treasure Hunting if you are yourself going to a vintage fair this weekend.






Thursday 24 March 2016

Show and Tell of vintage goodies from the vintage fair at Blandford.....






There is nothing like truffling and rummaging
at a vintage fair and when you find
treasure its the cherry on the cake.




Happy with my treasures is an understatement really.  I enjoy a vintage fair so much.  Wandering around taking photos and chatting to friends and people you have just met.  Looking at what each person has on offer on their stall and finding vintage wonders.  One of the lovely things about it is that each individual has a treasure in mind, we are all different.  We love to see what others have found and bask in their delight, whether it is something that would not be for you or indeed you wish you had found .... We are a friendly and happy bunch of people.

When I went in and found Liz of The Washerwoman I knew she would have some fabric that I would love.  This day was no exception to the rule.  I look for smaller prints for my work and often paisley and this was just right for me.  I have no idea as yet which of my designs it will be used on but believe me it will be used either in my business or personally. Tied with some lovely vintage green ribbon I feel I got two for one! .. The ribbon with be used as well in something.

When I saw this stunning blue and white  piece of china on Jenny's stall (Tilly - D) I could not help myself, even if the dressers are full to bursting.  It is so beautiful and it is very very old but is Spanish.  The birds and the butterflies caught my eye as well as it colours and hues of a pre-loved and treasured piece of china.  There is not a chip or a ding on it and as my husband said ' all it needs now is a home baked cake on it'  I think that is a hint ... don't you?

As I walked round this wonderful fair I saw Marina of Vintage Jane and as you know I had a book to deliver to her.  She had won it as a prize on here.  I put all names in a bowl and then one is picked out by someone else, husband, friend or neighbour .. who ever is about really.

Because I was now carrying this great piece of china I felt the book needed to find it home to lighten the load... not for long though because Marina had a most lovely pottery jelly mould and so I swapped the books weight for that!!  As you can see though it was well worth carrying.



I spied on the stall in the foyer bit a couple selling garden bits and yes antique linens and I am always on the look out for linen to cut up and make into a sampler and two of them are very old French linens.  One is a tea towel and one more like a square cloth but they have a gorgeous design within their weave and one has a light red weave pattern and the other is the same colour weave ... these will be a fabulous base for a sampler with embroidery and maybe applique.  The third one is a really lovely pale lemon table cloth with vintage hand embroidery and to be honest with you this is for me personally and I think will look wonderful on the kitchen table at Easter when it is washed and pressed.   The picture does not do it justice really but it gives you an idea.  I will take another photo when it is in pride of place for you to see properly anyway take a look.

Louise Harris makes some beautiful handbags and purses either knitted or crocheted and the bags are fully lined.  As you know I have one of her bags and I have ordered another one but I wanted a new coin purse and I thought this one was beautiful.  Remember I said in my earlier blog could you guess which one I brought home with me.  Well it was this beauty and it took some work Louise said with all the little granny squares being crocheted.  It is unique, funky and now treasured.  Did you guess correctly?



Lastly but certainly not least I bought two fabric packs from Emma of The Little Wren Vintage.  I managed to get to see her properly this time as Saturday it was impossible.  I did not buy something from Emma on Saturday as you know but I could only get to one side of her great display .. This day I got to have a great rummage in a basket full of inspiration packs.  Beautiful vintage scraps of fabric some are very early French as well and I am delighted with my finds.

The picture on the right at the top is the two packs and the two bottom pictures are the two packs opened up for you to look at.  The two fabrics on the top picture and the top of the inspiration packs are my favourites but there was ribbons, mother of pearl buttons, hearts cut out of fabrics as well......

I was fairly restrained as you can see but to be honest with you in the last fortnight I will have attended five vintage fairs so I knew pacing myself was a must.  I still have to show you my booty from the Country living fair and Trull so watch this space.

Anyway must get on and get down to some stitching this week, I have lots to finish and complete and loads to start!!

Have a great day and as always Happy Stitching! 












Tuesday 22 March 2016

Spring Country Living Fair 2016






 I think London’s sexy because it’s so full of eccentrics.  - Rachel Weisz


When I travel to London I always go on the train with my husband who works there and commutes daily.  He luckily does do some days working from home now but I pick the days when he is in the City to go up and back on the train with him.

Going is very civilised as we get a warm drink from a good drinks van at the station and then sip at that and have a little chat, mostly though we both work on the train when the wifi allows it.  If I finish what I need to be doing on the train I people watch and I try (and fail bitterly sometimes not to stare) The quote from Rachel Weisz is correct eccentrics seem to pour in and out and live in our Capitol and I love the quirky dress and the way no one is self conscious  at all of how they look or what they wear.  On the way back on the train we normally have a gin and tonic and talk about our day for a while.  My husband then has to work for a bit and I busy myself with collating all the photos that I have take that day.

Normally if I am going to London we meet for lunch but not on the day that I am at this show.  I had
a VIP ticket and I have some lunch in the restaurant inside.  I was going up to look around and to find the vintage stalls but also to meet up and see Jo Butcher who was exhibiting there with her beautiful hand embroidery pictures that she makes.  As you can see on the right this is the lovely Jo and her work is exquisite .... Might have bought one too!!!

The Country Living Fair is held at the business centre in Islington and I normally jump in a cab from Waterloo and go directly there.  There is normally a small queue but there are several doors to go in and with my coveted VIP ticket I normally do not have to wait too long to get in and hand in my coat and walk into wonderland..... And this day was no exception it was straight in.

There were a few stalls selling vintage and lots of jewellery stalls (actually too many I thought) and lots of handmade stalls which was great to see.

It is not like our vintage fairs though where you are able to take photos of the stalls because the volume of people is immense so I have just snapped a few photos for you.  Knowing Jo I was able to get some snaps as this was my first point of call and I found her straight away.

I met some great new people and it was a really lovely day.  I met the ladies from Daisy and Grace and they make patchwork patterns and have fat quarters of fabrics and lots of scrummy things to tempt the quilter.  Such lovely lovely ladies and it was so great to meet them.  There were some beautiful designs and there are some new designs being launched soon ... plus they are going on the Create and Craft channel and when I get the date I will let you know for all you patchworkers out there.....


There was a huge vintage stall called Simply Vintage Designs and it had great buttons, threads, hankies, fabrics, china, inspiration packs and all sorts of goodies and I was able to snap away on this lady's stall who was really helpful whilst taking them.  I bought some great bits from here including so vintage silver cake forks .....and buttons and things  .. grin!

I found Chloe Designs as well and there were some great vintage linens on offer and so two came home with me ... Again Chloe was very helpful in letting me photograph for you.  Chloe also makes tiny hearts from antique fabrics and fills them with lavender and does her own gorgeous embroidery as well on cushion or she had some panels she had embroidered so that people to buy them and make cushion from them or simply frame them ....

With all the lavender filled things her stall smell divine plus it helped that behind her there was a dried flower stall with lavender and roses and all sorts of beautiful smelling a gorgeous looking things on offer.


I had to come away with some bits for the house and they are out now and it smells like Summer in here with roses and lavender wafting around...... So looking forward to the Spring/Summer now for lots of reasons including getting rid of my cough, which comes back with vengeance in the cold air.

Look at the stag head all made from tiny red rose buds!!

As you walk through the show doors there was a display of beach huts with a boat with bunting outside full of fresh flowers and inside one of them it was made like an office .... It was fabulous.

I was able to snap away at this because people tend to get inside and almost run to the stalls to be able to get in to them and look.  Each stall has three walls .. a back and two sides so each exhibitor can decorate it as they choose, add dressers inside and and shelves and design their own little shop in a way.  Only the very large stalls tend not to have sides and are at the ends of each row.



I had a nice lunch in the VIP lounge and a few coffees which are complimentary and you receive a goody bag to take on home with you.

This was only a tiny peek I am afraid but it is worth it if you have never been to get a ticket and make the journey one day to one of their fairs.  The Christmas ones are much bigger and then you get lots of food stalls that are on another level.

Some exhibitors do both the fairs and some only do Christmas it seems so I suggest you look online to see who will be there if you are looking for someone in particular.

Jo Butcher and her beautiful embroidery pictures is always at both so you can be sure to see this talented ladies work when you go.

Hope you enjoyed this tiny peek ... Have a great day and as always Happy Stitching!




This is a small video I took of the fair after 10 minutes of it opening .....  Enjoy