Friday 29 May 2009

So much to tell you about!

Firstly, these are the goodies I got at the Art Deco Fair I was telling you about in the last post. It was a great event, set in a huge school called Culford School just outside Bury St Edmunds. There was a lot there but luckily most of the gorgeous things were far too expensive to even consider buying. But I am a sucker for an old tin, these two cost me £5.50 in total! We also had our eyes on a wonderful orange 70s clock but unfortunately the seller hadn't tested it & when we did it didn't work.

Next is an image showing what i've been doing in terms of making during this half term week off. I've been cutting, printing and sewing union jack bunting. This picture also shows the dvd of Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day which I got for £6 in Sainsburys. Bargain! I still haven't managed to read the book but I saw the film a few months ago. It has Amy Adams in it of Enchanted (great spoof Disney film) and Doubt. The film is so sweet and lovely and the costumes and sets are just amazing. What I wouldn't give for one of those outfits...... Oh and a body like Amy Adams'!

Last picture is of some sheep I saw yesterday while at the Suffolk Show. It is the typical county show with farming animals winning prizes, show jumping, parades and lots and lots of stalls!! It was a beautiful day in the end and I had a great time. Bought a couple of things, a lovely knitted beret made by a company called Norfolk Knits, so look them up if you get chance and bead necklace which is currently stuck to my neck with sun cream. Nice.

Out of all the things I did I think my favourite part was stroking the sheep! It seems i'm a big fan of sheep. Pity there were no lambs.

Saturday 23 May 2009

Look at these beauties!!

I promised I would show you the pile of wonderful buttons that a friend had brought for me and here they are!

I have never seen buttons like this where I live or where I have visited in fact.

They came from a shop called Mrs T in Allesley Park in Coventry. And they were so cheap! I normally have to pay close to £1 found buttons in my local fabric shop that aren't anywhere near as great are these!! All, except for the for the large pink and purple ones, were under £1! The shapes were less than 50p each! I really can't as for more! So if you get chance to go to Mrs T in Coventry fill your boots!! I know I would! Now i just need to find an excuse to drive all the way to Coventry, other than to buy buttons!!

Tomorrow i'm going to an Art Deco antique and collectables fair, so expect pics of that over the next few days! It's half term so I will be having a productive week!

Saturday 16 May 2009

mmmm sewing basket...

Look at this beauty! I found it on ebay and couldn't help myself, but it was an absolute bargain! But I have been so busy this week I am yet to fill it up with things properly.

The really busy week is also my excuse for the lack of posts since last week. I have been getting home from my job at the college absolutely shattered thanks to organising a textiles project for a class with all the wax, dying, wax dying, wax dying, steaming that the batik process involves!

It has been so much fun though I have loved it all. Also this week I have been to Chris', seen Star Trek (it was awesome) celebrated Chris' birthday, been out for a few drinks with friends and been to Cambridge today. I bought wool. Oh yes!! And a friend has brought me a a big pile of the most wonderful buttons I have ever seen. I will take a picture to show you.

Also I made a huge pin cushion based on the brooch design for a friend. Look at the size of it!....

Sunday 10 May 2009

Kirstie's Homemade Home


Have you heard of this wonderful 'new' programme on Channel 4? Thursday nights at 8pm! I heard about it months ago, saw it in the paper a few weeks ago and then completely forgot about it! Until last night when Chris text me saying Kirstie is on Twitter. You can catch up with the last episodes on 4OD and it now works with your Mac wooo!!!

Kirstie has bought a house in North Devon and in each episode she is renovating a different room. You see her learning new crafts, from blacksmitthing, to candle making to screen printing and how she chooses and barters for her favourite vintage items. Oh my it is awesome!! She goes to shops, reclamation yards, markets and through skips. Watch it people. Kirstie is lovely and the programme is so exciting.

If you like my blog, and what it's about, I have no doubt that you will love Kirstie's Homemade Home.

Friday 8 May 2009

A New Stockist!

I recently visited my friend who lives in Manningtree in Essex and decided to visit the shop Wild Raspberry, the proprietor of which had contacted me in the past concerning bunting.

What a successful visit it was! The lovely Rebecca is now stocking several of my totes, brooches and some bunting and is a very helpful and generous lady. She offered me a great deal of advice and was wonderful to chat to.

The image is of Manningtree High Street. Borrowed from the Manningtree-Mistley website. It is a delightful little town with a few rather good charity shops and some nice little eateries. I was trying to find an image of the shop as the window is so lovely! But unfortunately my hunts have come up fruitless. It is a ceramics cafe which also stocks lovely things (of course! It stocks Cuppateaandcake!) and some amazing perspex jewellery which i REALLY have my eye on! Next time!

It was a great day.

Sunday 3 May 2009

Instantaneous love...


Even since I found the blog of the wonderful Anna Maria HornerI have been in love. Her house, her designs, the colours, and the way she speaks about her life.

And so ever since I have been trying to get hold of her fabrics. But have been put off from ordering from the USA because i'm not exactly flush when it comes to money. As much as I love the beautiful colour combinations I do not need to add to my ever growing stack of fabric that is waiting to be used. If I am going to order those fabrics I have to have a reason to use them!

Ha so much for that! I have now found Gone To Earth a fabric website that sells Anna Maria Horner fabrics AND patterns! Oh joy! If I could only decide which ones to buy, and let myself spend LOADS of money!!

Images from Gone To Earth. Go buy stuff!! But not before i've got what I want!

Ipswich Historic Vehicle Run 2009

Today we took a little stroll over to the local park where they were holding the annual Historic Vehicle Run. It is in it's 39th year! The cars, vans, buses, motorbikes and military vehicles all congregate at the park and then all ride off to the local seaside resort of Felixstowe where they line up along the whole of the promenade!

Look at these beauties! There were so many there Chris and I were a bit overwhelmed. We weren't expecting it to be quite so busy with cars and people.

Here are a few pics of my particular favourites but they had vehicles there from before 1920 right up until the 70s. The bus on the left makes me think of the Miss Marple Episode Nemesis where she is on a coach tour where all the passengers are linked by the same person. I also love Morris Minors especially the ones with wood cladding! I loved this one because of the picnic basket on the back. Chris agreed with me, one day we will have a vintage car, for summertime picnic outings!