Friday 29 September 2017

Little finds of loveliness ....












Ah Autumn, I love you.
My favourite season and
my cosy friend who returns
loyally each and every year.



Treasure Hunting ... at these kind of events is even more enjoyable some how.  Meeting up with friends old and new and being in the middle of the countryside and alongside Daylesford Farm shop as well it really was such a wonderful pleasurable day as you know.  So what did I purchase, when trying to be good - no easy feat because there was so much wonderful vintage treasure I had to keep pinching myself... Then of course the next day was the West Country Textile Fair and again the fabrics, threads, buttons and French goodies was so unbelievable.  I was good over the weekend believe me but I did come away with some gorgeous treasures that I would like to share with you today.

Daylesford Brocante 

In no particular order here is what I was able to truffle.

Well the first thing I did was go and order some ribbon tags from Rosehip with words on that I would like.  They will be sent through the post to me in a week or so.  You will see them over the next few months in photos on here.  I gave a list of what I would like and discussed fabric colour for the fabric ribbon.  Meeting the maker was indeed a pleasure and it was a lovely while choosing and also looking at her wonderful stall as well.



Then it was off to see Nicholas and Steele for some vintage empherma.  I was hoping for some papers and some bus tickets very old bus tickets and you know what Holly and Steve had both.
I was so happy.  The papers came in bundles with ribbon tied about them and so I picked a bundle that suited my needs and the ribbon I loved the best - had to be done.

Then it was the bus tickets and they were 20p each and came in all sorts of colours so I went through
them all in colour order and picked the colours I liked and thought I would use.  I had such fun doing that and I think it was a great idea so that people could have what they would like.  I will be crafting with these.












Little Wren Vintage a long while was spent here as you know not only shopping but chatting
to great friends.  If I over looked something then Chris might say have a look at this so it was like having another pair of eyes.  Christine was browsing through all the goodies and it was a great time.
So I spotted the dearest little very very old red and white bowl.  I am always looking for things for my desk in my stitchery room to put buttons and such in when I am working and for me as long as it has that function and is beautiful I am happy.  Then there was the matter of some gorgeous Suffolk Puffs all in light lavender/purple colours and to top it off a most lovely timeworn and pre loved piece of old quilt .... Perfect.







From The Old Haberdashery it was some beautiful threads for me and I got five of them. They are now snuggled down in the drawer that they all go in (with a still little bit of room for some more!) and I was very pleased to find these ones.  Sonia was saying to me she had been on the look out for some lovely and different sylko threads and she thought she had found some good ones and I agreed totally.















And my last purchase that day was some fabrics which I bought from Rebecca Shelton-Agar and these were gorgeous.  I loved the colourways and to be honest with you they were all in a basket with others and it was truffle time, and I love that.  I somehow seemed to just pick out these ones which blend perfectly so I am am so very happy.  I pressed them before putting them away and now they are happy and waiting to be chosen later on next year for a design that they can feature in.

As you can see I was extremely restrained given the goodies that were on offer and being good for my trip to America.





In addition we were heading to  The West Country Textile Fair the next day as you know and I wanted to have some spending money there so this is what I purchased last Sunday there.



Firstly I went to see Donna Flower Vintage and had a look around the choice was incredible and it took all of my will power I can tell you.

Baskets of vintage quilt pieces all tied in bundles.  Fabrics neatly pressed and folded just stacked in neat little rows.  A whole little thread shelf with jewel like threads and so so much more if you remember the photos from yesterday.  It was a wonderful choice of so many treasures.  I did take my time and making a little pile of things that I felt I needed to come home with me.

So what did I purchase well some dear little buttons on a card that were blue and so pretty.  They will stay like that and may even in time be framed but I loved them and they were unusual.  Then there were some threads, well look at the colours!! - Some antique quilt pieces which are so very pretty and well paisley .. I ask you.  The light on the photos are not great it is a dull day but you get the general idea of how wonderful all the bits were.  I was just paying when I spotted some threads in their original box and they somehow jumped in to my pile to pay for ... Happy Happy.





The Washer Woman had a very large piece of paisley and I had to bring the darling home with me.  The colours and pattern and well it is getting more and more difficult to buy.  Possibly because I have the world supply but hey there is was on the second day of the fair and it had stayed hidden until I got there at lunchtime!!  Andrew bought a 1920/30's man hat stand and he has it in his man shed to clean and do some repair..... but here is my paisley.

Look at those colours!











Last but not least was Sue of Vintage to Victorian now I had fun with the haberdashery there too.  I bought a few bits as you will see and some never used linen round threads one cream and one red ( not the threads with the peg and ribbon, although they are beautiful too)

Then the full card of linen covered buttons .... treasure!










There was a panel of old linen with red work on it and it was Christmas! I looked at it and thought you need a contrasting border put on you and then you are a Christmas table cloth so that is something I can tackle later ... I just loved it so much.









And that Ladies and Gents was my last weekends haul from the Cotswold's and the West Country vintage fairs.  I was happy with my little purchases and it all fitted into my basket.  I really was a very good girl indeed.

There are no more fairs for me before we fly so I have popped away my bounty and I am very happy.  I think that one the pieces of old quilt might be made into a Christmas present so we will see if I can at least start that before we fly.

I am now looking forward to showing you my vintage goodies and treasure from the American trip but you will have to wait until November when I return, because I have no clue as to what they will be and I have not bought them yet!!....

I hope you have enjoyed a peek at the vintage stitchery goodies today and hope that you all have a wonderful weekend.  All that remains for me to say is Happy Stitching! XX

Thursday 28 September 2017

West Country Textile Fair...















By all these lovely tokens September days are here, 
With summer's best of weather 
And autumn's best of cheer. 

Helen Hunt Jackson





Well as promised the adventure of last weekend continues because after staying over in the Cotswold's we got up and breakfasted and went to Ali's shop ( Betty and Violet) to say goodbye and then headed down the M5 to Taunton.  In a picturesque village of Lydeard St Lawrence is a village hall and this is where yearly three lovely ladies take it over with all their gorgeous stock of vintage treasure and sell all weekend.  The A team had got together and all under one beautiful old roof! 

The Washer Woman ( Lizzie and Jack), Donna Flower Vintage and  Vintage to Victorian( Sue) - We arrived at lunchtime to a wonderful welcome of coffee and cake! yes I know .. There is a lady in the village that make them for the fair and this time it was carrot cake and a ginger cake with large bits of gorgeous ginger on top of the icing!

The hall had coloured fairy lights on the beamed ceiling it was warm and inviting after our two hour journey ( which was so much better than the journey the day before, the traffic was not bad at all and
we had the music on with the blue skies above) ...

There was music in the background of the hall and a fresh pot of coffee was made and I had a large cup of that to start ( cake was later) and it was lovely seeing them all and catching up.  They had been there on the Saturday too and this was the second and final day when we arrived on the Sunday.  I had also organised to meet one of my lovely readers of this blog there and there she was Julie with her husband and we finally after talking and emailing for 2 years or more met face to face!  What a treat.  She had got there a little before me and had her cup of tea and was busy treasure hunting herself.  
So lovely to finally meet you Julie and say hello in person.  It was such a great place to meet because it is a intimate and cosy fair with a huge amount of atmosphere and laughter.  The bag that you had with you that you made was stunning and it was just so lovely to meet up with a like minded and talented stitcher such as yourself.

It was time for me to look around at all the goodies that were set out beautifully in this hall, trestle table after trestle table was filled with fabrics, threads, laces, trimmings, buttons, motifs, french laundry ribbons, linens, antique quilt pieces, antique whole quilts, vintage patterns and so so much more... Let the truffling begin and off I set - forgetting all about the list and having a great time.

There was constantly people coming and going but we were there the whole three hours left of this wonderful vintage textile fair in the heart of the West Country.  I wanted to catch up with them all and later Donna Flowers other half turned up and my husband and Johnnie love to talk cars.  Jack found time to have a chat with them and so the 'boys' were all happy.  I wanted to not only look at everything and take photos but indeed have a chance to catch up with all three ladies and we managed it and had a few

laughs along the way.


Firstly I went to see Donna with coffee and she had gone to the kitchen to get it for me and it was great just stood there sipping away at that and chatting about her shop, family and general vintage chit chat.  The work that goes in to being at a fair is enormous and for those of you who think it is a glamorous life then think again.  Not only have they got to source all the stock but fabrics have to be washed, pressed and folded as do the quilts and eiderdowns.  Then there is making sure of stock levels and getting it just so with so many baskets and gorgeous little display cabinets, lamps and more.  They do trial runs and set it all out after they know what the size space they have to display.  The travel to get to where they are selling and the packing up after along with cleaning the venue.




I spent ages looking through the threads on this gorgeous shelf unit of Donna's I mean why wouldn't you for a start but the colours and sizes it was like finding a precious jewel mine for me.

Then there were the quilt baskets with pieces of old quilts washed and wrapped beautifully, a basket of pieces of delicious fabric bundles and fat quarter size pieces of old and very pretty fabric.  I was in wonderland and I had hours of this to just enjoy myself.... 










Then there was this very old Clark's Anchor box of silk threads for embroidery just there! Oh my I was in
treasure truffling heaven and totally in love with buttons, threads, fabrics and more!
Truly I was having a great time.  What was so lovely is that you could keep going round and looking and matching this with that or deciding.  This was turning out to be a great vintage treasure hunt weekend indeed.








People coming in and the hall filled with chat and laughter and I moved around to where Lizzie and Jack were, I had kind of gone a different way around - for those of you who know me really well you will now know this is totally who I am.  Like an excited puppy.

Well so much to look at and I had spied some paisley on Lizzie's stall earlier and we had organised to look at a gentleman's hat stand for my husband so some choosing was being done and some catching up with how the weekend had been for them all and our journey going on the Saturday.

Bearing in mind there was some gorgeous and I mean gorgeous old fabrics that Liz had to offer I was fairly restrained but still had to look through everything just because.






There were boxes of buttons and baskets of lace and ribbons along with an old basket of French rubber stamps which were used to ink the image onto fabric for embroidering.

Rolls of old but still beautiful ribbons on shelves and so much fabric folded and display I just wanted to see everything.  I am so much looking forward to finally making our house move so I can buy some of the old furnishing fabrics and fabrics to cover foot stools and chairs with ....









Then there was this little pile of my kind of sewing and applique fabric and of course as I said I had spied some gorgeous paisley fabric from the moment I walked in the hall.  I am like a magpie when it comes to it and to me it just glistens and is like a beacon, even in a huge pile of other fabric I can almost sniff it out!!

Now it looked lonely don't you think and you can see why it was calling out to me!!







Now it was time to go a truffling at Vintage to Victorian / Sue, and we had a lovely chat first catching up on the time that she has taken off of fairs to just do things she wanted to do, as I said earlier the work that goes into to it all is huge.

 Sue is a wonderful gardener and knows so much about plants and things, my go to guru when I see a beautiful tree or flower - I take a photo and send it to her and she will let me know what she herself knows about it.  I am writing it all down for our forever home so that I know what I would like in the garden.

Well Sue has decided to actually give up the vintage fair circuit but is however hosting a large three day event next year in the Spring at The Dairy House.  I will be giving you all the details of this huge event where the haberdashery and gorgeous antiques will be amazing nearer the time with date,times etc.

Sue will continue to sell vintage haberdashery on line and at The Dairy House and she will continue with the West Country Textile Fair as well so do not panic vintage lovers.... She will from time to time pop up at fairs of course either on a visiting or helping capacity so she is not disappearing from us all. 








Now it was time to get in and truffle through the threads, buttons and cottons.  It was so exciting to just rummage about.  It is all part of it for me and looking through a box of goodies and finding something that is beautiful and you can use is just the cherry on top.

Look at the picture on the left A Cupful of Buttons for £5 how fabulous is that. !  This is the type of thing that makes a great vintage fair event for me.











There was a basket with little red and white samplers in and other embroidery bits.  Pegs with French laundry initial tape wound around it, threads, spools and fabrics and lace ... such a great fair with only three stall holders but with oodles of goodies, like walking into the best shop in the world!

Well the day was coming to the end but we stayed and helped pack up.  I got my lesson in packing boxes with goodies ... I was born to do that! and the putting away, packing the cars and vans and of course the sweeping, vacuuming and moping of floors.  Kitchen and toilets to be cleaned along with all the tables and chairs put away again.

 The hall looked like a new pin. This is hard work and the part of any fair that we the visitors sometimes forget.  With all that they do to bring these events to us the prices on the tickets are well worth it ladies and gents ....

There was a scary moment too, not where I was packing thank the lord but across from me, which was too bloomin' close for my liking a big black arachnid appeared I nearly keeled over.  I wanted to run but did not know where to run and which direction because the one thing I have learnt is they run too and if they head in the same direction as me I feel I am being chased and then of course huge panic and fear set in for me! ... eeek. I swear it had boots on! .....It was duly removed from the equation and brave me continued, well I thought myself brave anyhow.

We all said goodbye and went on our way home.  It was a lovely drive back to the South Coast although it had started to rain.  We stopped off for a meal ( you can not live on cake, sometimes
vegetables are required!) and then got home around 9.15pm ...

We had a wonderful weekend with lots of wonderful friends and we were wished a happy holiday as we will not see any of them before now. It will be November when we meet up again.

Well that is it today and I hope that you have enjoyed a little look at The West Country Textile Fair,  they will be doing it all again next year and I will of course publish the details on here as well for you all.

Have a fabulous day and as always Happy Stitching! XX




Tuesday 26 September 2017

Daylesford Vintage Fair ....







Autumn paints colours that 
Summer has never seen.





What a most stunning setting at the most stunning time of year to hold a vintage fair.  With the leaves changing colours on all the surrounding countryside and in large marquees, it was the most beautiful vintage fair and it was such a wonderful day.

The day did not start great though as there was that incident on the M3 and we were very late getting there by our standards.  11.20am we arrived and the fair opened at 9.30am the journey was less than enjoyable to very honest with you,  however it got better when we walked in because we went straight to have a coffee and cake and I had chocolate cake and my husband had lemon cake.  We also had a small sausage roll each as well .. this was brunch for us.  We had our brunch with great company as well, It was with Lisa and Katheryn other wise known to most as Vintage Dahling and Demon Shopper!  Chocolate cake and great company ... fabulous half hour catch up.  They had been there since it opened but they wanted a little something before they were heading to the workshop run by Caroline Zoob.  Caroline was taking workshops there on a table in the main marquee.


So it was time to wander around and try and get some shopping done, catch up with friends and of course take some photos for you.  There were lots of stalls and some that I missed too because of the time I got there and time ran out but I managed to get a few snaps for you to get a taste.  I missed several people I found out afterwards and they must have been hugely busy and I passed by.  The fair was busy and very well attended.  Lucy and her team who organise these Love Lane Vintage Fairs have got it right and it really was beautiful.  This fair is held on the land that belongs to Daylesford Farm shops and of course there was that to look around too, which I managed to do last year but sadly not this one.




Not in any particular order but here is a taste of what was there. Rosehip were there with their beautiful stall.  It was a sight to behold so beautifully set out with such an eclectic mix of gorgeous vintage treasures, bits of fabrics and tucked in a corner they were very busy indeed, however it was a large space so I was able to get in and take some lovely pictures for you to see.

They had some really beautiful treasure including  the antique watercolour box - it was tempting but I had to be good.  I would have loved it purely to look at and  have on the side because the thought of using it all up would be a sad thing.  It has survived this long.


Then it was Betty and Violet and Ali was there with her lovely mum ( also Ali being one of the dinner party in the evening) and I wanted to find her to let her know we had arrived safely. Now I know she is a friend but WOW really this was such a beautiful stall to look at.  The gorgeous things that were there on offer.  So much gorgeous treasure to purchase and with this kind of antique quality that is still around.  The tiny shoes with mother of pearl buttons, you can imagine being done up with the little button hooks with mother of pearl handles.

Gorgeous hand made little lavender pillows so exquisite with the decoration and everyone different.  To pop into a drawer not to be seen is a crime but you could.  The thing is the one I bought a while back now is out for me to look at and sits on our bed to honest.  We had a chat and made our final arrangements for later and I scurried off trying to get some photos before everything was bought and I had nothing to photograph.






The next is Sam Lindsay and I had never come across this before and it was stunning with the best little rocking horse I had ever seen I was instantly in love, but good.  There was some beautiful pieces on this beautifully set out stall was getting lots of people so I was lucky enough to squeeze for a few shots.

There was some really lovely old quilts and pretty vintage blue and white china on a old dresser.  It was perfect.










Next was 3 Kings Decorative and It was lovely to see this husband and wife team again.  Earlier in the year we had bought the dresser base from them and it was great to say hello again.  They had some really beautiful things displayed to purchase including this amazing old clapboard dolls house with working sash windows.  It was sold and it was stunning I can tell you.  Lots of people were going mad over it.








Then I spied the lovely Emma from Little Wren Vintage and her beautifully designed stall.  So many gorgeous things to tempt with.  It actually turned out to be a bit of a party here because as I was with her who else should be there but Chris ( of Cosy Club fame) and you will never guess but Christine from The Sea Garden in Cornwall ! We had not seen each other since last year at the Cowslip Christmas Fair and it was wonderful... There we all were talking sewing, the fabulous dolls house (above) and general vintage loveliness of the Brocante we were all at.  Showing each other fabrics and quilt pieces that were on Emma's stall and laughing it was a real tonic after my journey there.







It was time to move on and continue around and joy of joys Sonia of The Old Haberdashery was there with all her beautiful threads, cottons, sewing books, lace and so much more.  Sonia also as your must know by now has a shop as well so she comes with her stock and closes her shop for a day or so to attend.  It is wonderful to be able to stand there and go through all the cottons and threads to see if there are any that will do for tiny stitches on my sampler work and I was not disappointed I can tell you.







Suzi of Hearts 'n' Kisses was there with her wonderful embroidery pieces made into hearts, cushions and pictures.  Always a smile and a chat for all it is lovely to see her and her stunning work.  Then who should bounce up but Brenda who is a lovely lady who I met at The Cotswold's vintage fair last year for the first time.  We met up again this year  and she came and found me and again on Saturday.  Brenda is now a reader of this blog so if you are reading this it was wonderful to catch up with you again Brenda it is always a pleasure to have our chat.

Again we chatted and then I caught up with Suzi.  The thing about the Vintage Fair circuit is that is also has a very social part to being there  and meeting with like minded people who love the same things and sewing is an really wonderful thing. In addition to treasure hunting it is a great social event.










It was time to say my goodbyes and move on to get some more photos and I came across Decorative Antiques.  It was stunning look at these wonderful French wooden carvings.  Oh my what a beautiful and totally different stall.  There were candles going and all the gorgeous old carvings.

In a very busy event this stall almost had a calm aura around it.  Beautiful and serene such a truly lovely stall.  Thank you again for letting me photograph it.







Suitably Vintage were there and I caught up with them and saw some photos that they had taken in their garden with little baby hares sat there in it.  Just adorable.

There was some beautiful pieces there and some lovely fabrics but they had sold so much, which was wonderful for them of course but I was told that they had thinned out considerably and with such beautiful treasure on offer I am not surprised.












Rosablue was there with her gorgeous handmade dolls all dressed in vintage fabrics along side some other vintage treasures.  She will be taking a course to make her dolls at The Cosy Club in a few weeks as well, I am not sure if there are any spaces left but if you fancy it then google the Cosy Club and see.











 There were two large marquees at this Vintage Brocante and a circle outside of smaller individual marquees as well and I found Cher and Michael Todd in one of them.  Some truly beautiful antiques were on offer included a great patchwork wall hanging and some lovely stitched samplers.  Out side of there marquee was the most wonderful turn of the century step ladder with such ornate iron work on it.  My husband said if we had not been being good that would have come home with him.









I was still running around trying to take photos and who should walk up with a smile and a drink in each hand but my lovely husband.  He had a Bellini each... what a civilised way to be greeted.  I took mine gratefully as I asked where he had purchased them from.

He pointed over and I saw this little vintage van and it had been converted in to a prosecco van .. on tap no less!  It was called the Piccolo Prosecco and they had just started out and I really wish them all the very best.  They should do really well on the circuit along with weddings I would imagine and private parties.

Well we stood in the warm sunshine and drank our drink.  It was pure fortification! can I get away with the term medicinal as well after the journey? !!  .....







Along in one of the outside marquees was Hannah Wyman and Rebbeca Shelton-Agar who were sharing and with the both of their individual and  beautiful stock and baskets of fabric it was so lovely to have a real truffle about.

So much to look at and see it was really lovely.  They were outside of their spot sat in the sun and chatting to customers.









Hayley of Will and Bea fame was there and it always lovely to see this lovely lady.  Always a smile and some really beautiful goodies on offer.

Hayley also takes great photos when she goes to the South of France and makes them into pictures and they are so fresh and wonderful.

There is also my husbands favourite soap that he likes to purchase as well.











The King and I was there and I had never seen such beautiful set up and actually never met before.  I actually did not meet the lady as she was away from her space but Hayley of Will and Bea were sharing some space so I was able to ask to take photos and look around.  It was beautifully different and such lovely antique frames on offer.

You can see from my photos what I am talking about.  I rather like dried flower bundles in the frames instead of pictures!










Nicholas and Steele were there with their beautiful stall and I always find some great things there for sale, today was no exception.  I had a few things on my list that I almost knew I would find there and because I am loving mixed media at the moment it was great to be able to tick two things off my little list.  I love this stall and its owners such a happy husband and wife team and always have smiles for everyone.  Holly and Steve have  wonderful eye for antiques, you only have to look at the photos to see I am correct.










Last of the photos I managed to get was from Beyond France and the lovely Maud is the owner of this.  Always some gorgeous linens and pottery with the most gorgeous of blues in colour.  I had a chat and took my photos but she sent me a photo from her phone as well.  My husband had been talking to her before me whilst looking round and she thought he matched and blended so well that she asked to take a photo of him .... you will see in the photo on the left!  She loved the linen scarf he had on and jacket so he kindly obliged.....





Although there were lots more stall holders there I just could not get around to it with the late arrival which was such a shame so I am so sorry to any that I missed
We had such a wonderful few hours there and then headed off to our hotel to get ready for the evening of frivolity! and high jinx..... And we had a wonderful meal and a wonderful time.

The next day we had to leave no later than 10.30 ish as we were off on another adventure but you will have to come back here on Thursday to read about that one.

I hope that you have enjoyed a taste of the Daylesford Brocante and all that remains for me to say is I hope you have a great day and as always Happy Stitching! XX














Monday 25 September 2017

A slow stitch kind of day ....














Every leaf speaks bliss to me
fluttering from the Autumn tree.

Emily Bronté





Another week already, I do hope my vacation time does not go as fast as these past weeks seem to be doing.  The leaves in our garden are so beautiful the changing of them, which I have watched daily from my sewing room, is stunning.  It is colder out there now and today if the sun continues to shine I will be going out there with some hand stitching and a throw over me and watch the nature about me whilst I create.  It is a peaceful and quiet time and also when I seem to get ideas pop into my head.  I thought it would be too chilly to see anymore butterflies but to my utter amazement when I went into the garden in the sunny spot ... well I took a video so you can look because telling you would not be able to grasp it in words I do not think. It was not enough to describe it to you all so I took my little video.  I was over joyed. Excuse the quality of the little video as it was taken on my I phone in haste incase the beautiful sight disappeared!!

Butterflies dancing around in the garden from flower to flower is such a happy sight and  I thought I would have  to wait for next year to see them again...  The cat who is called Tibby who visits me on a regular basis will miss them when they do go because, he likes to chase them, he however will not miss me saying NO TIBBS in a rather authoritative voice! ... he stops and looks at me as much as to say, you do not normally raise your voice, you just snuggle me in .... hmmm! his face is a picture of curious at this point.!!

I have so much  choice here today as to what to start with on my creative journey today.  I would like to get Mr Robin finished but think I may start and finish my Autumn sampler.  Then I might do a little work on the gifts I am making and finally I would like to get my design journal out.  I can take my Autumn sampler out in the garden you see and hand stitch the rest of what needs to be done so I think that is my day sorted.

On Wednesday I am going to have a really good sort and clean of my sewing room it really does need
it as I have been routing about a bit of late.  I noticed in the sunlight some dusting needs doing too. When you are cutting fabrics it makes a cloth dust and I want to get it sorted as it is bothering me. Then on Thursday I start my day with some modicum of order - which I need to create, if my work space is in a muddle then, so am I.

So I have also made a start on my holiday journal which I have bought.  It is a moleskin one ( not a real mole you understand, this is a brand) it is orange colour and I have started sorting it for my ramblings and doing a little art journaling at the same time.  I have made some paper acorns as you know and other little bits and have got a few little Autumnal sayings going in there too.  I want this journal to not only remind me of our holiday with my thoughts as well as our days but also I would like it to be visually pretty as well.  I am starting this journal with this trip to America and I will continue with it when we go to Canada next year.

The other day  my husband was working from home but it was horrendously busy for him, so we broke off for dinner and an hours sit down and then he went back in his office to work.  I hate he is up stairs and I am down so I decided to be in my sewing room.  It was too dark to start stitching so I decided to journal instead.  Writing is another passion of mine and I love art too so I sat happily doing some artistic crafting whilst he was working.  I was having fun trying to figure out a way to stitch in some fabric bits to some pages, I love trying to work out the almost impossible.  If the book is already made up it is a little bit more tricky ..

 Then I decided to get ready for bed and sit there and read until he had finished ...  I know if he gets what he really needs to do, done, then he will sleep well for the next very long day ahead of him.


I keep a journal of sayings and quotes that I like and some are mine that I have written and the rest are from others.  I had scribbled a few down in my rough book and so I was able to write those up as well.  My husband always says his writing looks like a spider has fallen in a ink well and climbed out over a page ( it does actually) and he says he never enjoyed penmanship but wish he had.  I  love writing and I guess it why I love writing to all my pen pals as well so that we send and receive lovely hand written letters and keep the art of snail mail going ....  Nothing like getting a letter through the post and sitting in a cosy chair with a warm drink and reading a letter. You get to read it again too and with chatty news and few little gifts we all send to one another it is so much better that a gas bill, don't you think!

Today I must collate the photos from the weekend of the vintage fair wonder that was Daylesford today so that I can do a write up for you tomorrow and I have lots of delicious stitchery to do to so that is it for today from me.  I will see you back here tomorrow.

Have a wonderful day whatever you are up to and of course as always Happy Stitching! XX

Fingers crossed this little video works ....






















Friday 22 September 2017

Fabric, buttons, embroidery, list and excitement!











Needles threaded, fabrics sorted,
gorgeous bits and bobs to be added.
The joy of gift making.







It is the Daylesford vintage fair tomorrow, well in point of fact it starts today but we are going tomorrow and of course meeting up with our wonderful friends.  I am gearing up to laugh a huge amount as I always do.  Last month when we met up my tummy hurt from laughing for days ... The best soul food ever in my opinion.

So first thing this morning I was going through my stashes and seeing about anything I would like to purchase or indeed need.  I can tell you I need very little but would like, well that is a little longer list. However I am going to be good and wait to go Stateside so my list is very small indeed.

I will take lots of photos for you all to see and report back on it next week,  Tuesday,  after I have collated all the photos on Monday afternoon, then it will be easier to write my blog for you.

So after my early morning curl up in my chair in my stitchery room cuddled in a quilt and watching the birds outside eating there seeds and fruit ( they get fed first in this house daily) I was sipping my first cup of coffee ( no syrup) and writing my list.  My attention then turned to the gifts I want to make for family members and friends for Christmas presents and I spied some great little bits and bobs in one of my clear boxes stacked at the side of the armoir.... Then it was a case of best not start moving those about so early and wake the household up!!

So after this I am going to go through some of my boxes and gather some little bits up and then get
those all in the basket for gift making.  Then I can really settle down to lots of work later, this is my plan of attack today.  As Coco Chanel said add more red lipstick and attack!

My husband works from home on a Friday, I love Friday's for that reason alone to be perfectly honest with you.  I get to each lunch with someone and he is just there, working, but there.  Commute is no time when he finishes and of course as we are up at the crack of dawn tomorrow to get to Daylesford, well it is lovely to be able to have an early supper too.  He also worked from home on Monday as well which was great, unexpected but really lovely.  We take it turns making warm drinks .. I love it.

I have also decided to do some embroidery on some ribbon again, I enjoyed doing that last year I think it was and I want to stitch some flowers on some very old ribbon.  I have my hoop out ready and thought that was a great thing to do this  up and coming week for a little change and also it is really lovely to have some ready when needed in a design.  It looks so nice when its stitched and then wound around a old peg ready for use.  I have chosen a very pale green colour ribbon and it will be a gorgeous embellishment on a sampler even.

Loving having stock ready and waiting it is so great when some things are done already and little white and lemon daisies over the ribbon or other tiny flowers will go with so many things, even if I end up tying it around a little gift for someone it is lovely to have it in hand.

Enjoyment at the moment is knowing apart from personal items that I want to stitch or gifts my sewing for the next month or so is done.  I will be starting my next years designs when I return from holiday but I will be starting on next years Summer, Autumn and Winter designs so I am well and truly ahead of my game, such a difference to last year and this ...

My wire basket that I keep out with rolls of pretty fabrics in and quilt pieces has got to go away.  I want to empty it and put it all away with the lavender bags around it all .. safely tucked up.  I keep
bits out when I am here for inspiration, photo shoots and of course design.  However when I am not on patrol for the munchers!! and I can not expect my friend to remember to start worrying about it so I am going to put it 'all to bed' and leave the basket empty then when I return I can  have lots of  fun choosing some more bits to pop in there. It will be changed from Summer colours to winter reds ...


There will be things to pop away in my sewing room upon my return, including my gorgeous threads but I have made room for things and I am very pleased.  I am hoping that at the Vintage Emporium in Concord I will find some more amazing carved mother of pearl button and some antique sewing trade cards as well.

It is strange as well because of the English settlers all those many years ago, they came into Strawberry Bank in Portsmouth NH, bringing with them bits from here.  Then you go over on holiday and find something that started its life here and finally returns back to its original home shores .. Always on the look out for the odd gorgeous quilt as well, bears paw would be a find I can tell you, in muted colours it would be a dream of a find.

Anyway that is it for me today as I really must get on.  I am going to make us a warm drink here and get on with my day.  I am looking forward to this weekend and I hope if you are going to Daylesford you will come and say hello.  Whatever you are doing this weekend I hope the weather holds out for us all and you have a great time.  As always Happy Stitching! XX






























Thursday 21 September 2017

Seasonal little leaves ...












“The woods transform From green to red.
Small creatures build Their wintry beds.
The radiance of Summer wanes,
displaced by soft September rains.
As spiders spin Their silver webs,
 The ghostly mists Of autumn spread.
The nights are trimmed With candle flames
As autumn's magic Fills my days.”
 
 Amelia Dashwood.












Leaves of all sizes, shapes, colours and types are filing my mind and I am having such wonderful fun and creative pleasure from making them.  It watching them from my stitchery room window in the light rain and light winds the past few days ... They have captured my imagination and my heart.  I keep thinking of all the gorgeous leaves I will be picking up in Henniker, New Hampshire, especially in the grounds of the Shaker Village ... the most stunning of colours and so many hues of each colour of red, orange, yellow, brown and green.

Of course my adaption for my work purpose is that of whimsical, made with paisleys and paper and watercolours ... My imagination is going into overdrive and I would like to make some to stick into my travel journal along with the real thing.

The picture here is maple leaves I cut out after drawing them and on little acorn leaf to see how it will look.  Then it was time to get the water colours out ....


I had some fun with mixing colours and making them look a little whimsy and colourful yet ragged around the edge and not take away the fact they are made from extremely old French paper with old writing on it so I wanted them to be Autumnal coloured leaves but wishy washy enough to see the
original beauty of the paper beneath and I feel I am getting there nicely.

I got out my baby watercolour palette as it had all the colours that I needed within, so I did not need to get all the tubes out and mix anything more than what was contained in the palette.  I need to do a little more to them but the picture was taken when still wet for the second time to show you.  I am pleased with them ...

Having enormous fun with mixed media work at the moment and of course I am continuing with Monsieur Fat Robin too so whilst things are drying I have things to do.

In addition to this I decided to play further and these will be for my holiday journal to put in some pages, I wanted to make it very visual as well as descriptive of my time.  As you know I want to collect some maple leaves and others with their incredible colours but thought I would pre decorated some of the pages in my journal.  I know I will sketch bits but as I had all the old paper out I decided to play ...

So trying to think of other things Autumnal apart from leaves I sketched out three size pumpkins to paint and also two acorns and an acorn leaf ..

So now it is a case of doing a little water colour magic on them and sticking them in my journal ...

Having had so much fun with antique empherma over the last week or so tomorrow will be back to pure fabrics.  I have so stitching to do and to add to The Robin picture and now its time to add fabrics, buttons and some hand embroidery.  That done I will get on with some making of a few gifts I think.  In addition it is time to finish my Autumn sampler and I have had it pinned up to keep looking at it as I pass by.  I have decided what I feel it needs to finish it so that is on my list to do this week if possible and probably into next week I will see.  These things should never be rushed it is best to make sure you do not spoil something at the last moment with time pressuring yourself.

Having already had two wonderful large coffee's oh and I this morning on the second one I added some pumpkin spice syrup to it.  I only drink black coffee no sugar normally but I decided to treat myself to a little sweetness and it made me all happy and autumnal ... as if I needed any further push in the general direction ....  Its not even October and I am in overload!

So it is time to make a herbal tea.  My desk is set up with what I need to start with today so all that remains for me to say is have a great day whatever you are up to and as always ............

Happy Stitching! XX