Unfinished Business

My Mum is the champion in starting some thing - knitting, sewing etc and never finishing the item. When I had my daughter, it spurred her on to finish the half knitted cardigans etc that she has started for me - 32 years previously.

I recently asked her to find me a small old suitcase that I knew she had kept - that used to be my Grandma's - that housed some of her unfinished embroidery projects.

I am planning to finish them off for her and make one of them into a cushion cover that she can use everyday. The only problem is that she embroidered as neatly as the ladies in Jane Austen times whilst my bits are scrappy. Any way, I think she will be surprised to see it finished - I hope I get it done in time for Christmas.
This stunning piece was started whilst she was at school (and she is now 72!!). It was going to be a tea cosy, but she didn't leave enough fabric to sew it together.
The embroidery and cut work is absolutely perfect. What can I turn this into?
There were lots of craft magazines etc in the suitcase, but this took my eye.
I reckon she must have hankered after one of these modern machines.


Well who wouldn't have!
She never got one - our washing machine didn't have as many gizzmo's on it - we did have a mangle though!
And these patterns had never been used either. How awful that Bust size 34 used to be a size 16!!!!

So it looks as if my date with George is off this week. To console myself - Ive booked to see Barry Manilow in Manchester next May. Now Bazza is 68 years old now, so I hope he's taking his vitamins a pro plus daily!!

My stall

Well, I survived my first Vintage and Homemade stall! I didn't sell any bags or earrings, but to be honest, the customers didn't look as if they were into that sort of thing. I didn't do too badly though, they loved my cards and I sold enough to make it worthwhile, and hubby and I had a great evening out and met some lovely people. I would definitely do it again.

Many thanks to Helen who invited me along (albeit by accident) - I hope you made lots of money for your toddler group.

Heartshaped Inc Update

Its been like a sweatshop in the heartshaped house lately as I try and build up stock for my forthcoming stall at the Christmas shopping event in Sprotbough (details at the end of the post).

I have made a fair few bags. I love this Clarke & Clarke Beach hut fabric which I have lined with denim and added a pin featuring a postcard charm.

I also lined this lovely autumnal cord bag with denim and added a Suffolk puff brooch with a shell button.
This is currently one of my favourites. A beautiful Italian suiting fabric, lines with Liberty fabric with a vintage brooch.
Stunning Flannel - made locally still in Huddersfield with a ribbon tie and a vintage bow brooch.
The addition of vintage brooches or hand made pins etc makes each one an individual piece.
A beautiful Huddersfield produces tweed lined with Italian silk and vintage brooch.
I have also made a few summer bags as I love this American glamour girl fabric and I have used the patchwork that I made earlier in the year too.
I have been searching for lovely beads to make earrings and working on my packaging.

And I have been beading the centres of my Rose Corsages.

I thought I might take along some of my patchwork cards to (featuring vintage Liberty, Laura Ashley and Cath Kidston prints)
A big dilemma I have is one that I know crops up time and time again with crafters - how much to charge. I am hoping to keep the bags well under £10 (possibly £6 for the smaller ones and £8 for the larger ones). £3 for the earrings and corsages and £1 for the cards. What do you think?

The shopping event will be held at Sprotborough Country Club on Wednesday 16th November at 7.30pm. I will let you have more details when I have them, but as usual, I hope you can come along and say "Hi".

Heartshaped Inc.

Out of the blue, I got an email from a lady who had been given my email adress (I assume from a blog reader)to see if I wanted to have a stall at a Christmas late night shopping event they were holding for a charity event in Sprotborough near Doncaster in November. Its something I have been thinking about dipping my toe into , so I said yes - then panicked! Then sat around the table and got cracking.

I've already made above 30 pairs of earrings - it really is quite addictive. And bead buying is now an obsession. I'm going to make a few cards too for my stall, and I've already started to make some corsages.

I'm making a few bags too as these don't take much time to make and I have a serious stash of fabrics.

I'll let you know nearer the time the venue and date of the event so if you are local you can pop in and say hello.

I had a great evening on Wednesday with my friend Nic, she came round for a crafting evening - she's new to all this, and she couldn't believe that I could cater for whatever craft she wanted to try! I realise that if I had never set foot in Hobbycraft or John Lewis, and never spent money on craft supplies, hubby and I would be able to afford a yacht in the South of France!

Tweed Bags @ Hope & Elvis

On Sunday on day four of my birthday celebrations, I spent the day at the workshops of Hope & Elvis at one of Louise's Tweed Bags workshops. The day was made extra special because I got to spend it with three other bloggers, and Nic my blog lurker pal.

The workshops are great fun and we created like crazy!!! We were inspired by lots of lovely samples that Louise had made up.

The bags are made out of recycled fabrics, blankets or gents suits and ties.
Here's Nic on the left and the lovely lovely Debs (who looks so much like me on this photo its untrue!!) Debs helps Louise throughout the day and is an angel.
Totally out of sequence - but here is Wend of Ticking Stripes with her creation. I'm really sorry Lyn (Everyday Life) Ive not got one of you!! I'm sure if you pop over to Lyn's, she'll show you her creation!
After a quick instruction by Louise, we were invited to dive into the pile of old jackets etc to choose our starting point.
The workshop is like an Aladdin's Cave - and you can use any of it. There are drawers full of buttons, lace, ribbon, brooches, embellishments etc etc.
I choose a very dark grey pinstripe jacket that I choose to line with floral sprigged satin for a contrast.
I also added lace, made a Suffolk puff rosette, and recycled the label from the jacket.
I am in love with my new bag!
And I can't wait for the next workshop! Many thanks to Louise, Nic, Debs, Lyn, Wend and all the other lovely ladies who attended for your company - I thoroughly enjoyed it. xx

Our first village fair- and you are invited.

I don't do much crafting in Summer - I prefer to be outdoors exploring and making the most of the longer Summer days. However, I have indulged in a little bead work - since I became obsessed after a class at my W.I. group. My lovely bloggy friend Rosie had given me a great selection of Jewellery making paraphenalia when we met up, and this set me off making earrings.

I love earrings and feel naked if I leave the house without a pair.
Ive also found some lovely beads on my travels, and used some broken jewellery that I had too.

Don't forget that it is our village fair this Saturday - 3rd September. It's the first one that we have ever held, so I hope it will be a success. I am manning the W.I "Homemade & Vintage " stall - and I can promise you some excellent goodies at bargainous prices (it will all be priced to sell as hubby wants his garage space back!!!). Ive got loads of lovely very vintage china. One of the ladies has given me her Grans tea sets to sell - the lady who gave it to me is over 70 years old herself, so the set must be over a hundred years old! I have LOADS of gorgeous new fabric - some great Winter weight baby cord in lovely autumnal colours which I will be sellling for around £1 per piece - so you could end up with several metres for a £1!!! I have also got some vintage textiles, vintage jewellery, loads of books, some great kitchenalia, beautiful antiques etc etc The fair is to be held at Thorpe Hesley Community Centre which is right next to Holy Trinity Church, Sough Hall Road, Thorpe Hesley - Just off Junction 35 of the M1 motorway, and it opens at 12.30pm. I'd love to see you if you can make it - and bloggy pals get discount! xxx

An Easy Corsage

Ive been making a lot of these very easy corsages for fundraising and gifts. I thought I would show you how to make them.

I bought some cheap chiffon - the blue stuff came from Ikea and cost £1.29 for the roll, the green was a bit more expensive at £4.00 from a florist wholesalers, but there is more on the roll. I cut around 5 or 6 circles of varying sizes and arrange them so that the smallest is at the front. Catch them together with a switch in the middle. Then, using a special heat tool (I bought one for £12 from Hobbycraft), I start at the front and "melt" the chiffon around the edges.

This is what they look like when they "crisp" up.
You can then used beads, buttons, sequins etc for the centre. Add a clip on the back and hey presto!!!! You can add a brooch clip or a hair slide clip.

A Cornish Heart

We managed a magnificent haul of treasure this year from the beach in St Ives. Hubby and I trawled the beach at low tide every day, and Carolyn, Noelle and I squeezed in a wander too.

So on my return, I decided to make a heart to display some of this treasure.
I weaved on the remnants of fishermans nets I had picked up, and added a shell.
A bit of old tin can looked at home amongst the scraps of fabric and beads and ribbons (made to look like the froth on the edge of the waves).
I also added a dolphin charm (I didn't find this on the beach!) to remind me that we had seen dolphins in the bay.