Rounding-off the Week.

Its been a funny week...not the best, but certainly not the worst...I've found myself in an odd kind of mood...hubby has been very busy (he has his own business, also works from home, and forgets that he shouldn't work past 9pm at night and is allowed to take a holiday...even if it is without holiday pay ;-))

I've struggled to keep up with emails this week, have wrapped and posted lots of my on-line shop orders - thank you everyone, and I started making some Christmas decorations for the next fair, yes, in July(!) - Clicking onto the V&H fair website and seeing that calendar countdown to the big day, is fatal! But I didn't get very far with my creating...difficult to think about sleigh bells and Santa's with the sun shining through the workroom window and the feint whiff of freshly harvested grass coming from the farm across the road...

So what I really needed was to get out into the big wide world again, to talk to a human being or two, and to re-focus. An ideal opportunity made itself known this morning; I had an invite to a vintage textile fair in Bradford-on-Avon...so I took myself off for a couple of hours...

This is the ancient Tudor Hall - isn't it lovely?

My favourite stand: just look at that chippy pink paint and those adorable little sewing drawers...

Sadly both beyond my budget...

But I did find some treasures...and someone to talk to ;-))

And after a quick cup of tea on the garden terrace, I headed back home with my loot.

Lots of French gorgeousness, which I am always drawn to...

I've bought jars of these French milk glass buttons in the past, but the lady dealer who sells them is coming to the end of her supply, so I thought I'd better stock up. They look pretty on display in their gingham topped jars, so if I don't use them all for a while, I shall enjoy looking at them anyway.

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I bought several lengths of antique and vintage lace, as well as the check muslin curtaining in the background, which I find very useful for dolls petticoats.
I thought these dainty lace motifs would make ideal wings for fairies, with a little starching.

Fine cotton voile handkerchiefs for gift sets...

Along with this eye catching 50's crepe hankie.

And I loved this small size French latte bowl (I have larger ones, but I've never seen this smaller size before)

I've sat it amongst my espresso cup collection. (A slightly bizarre obsession, given that I never drink coffee! - but we all need our little foibles, don't we?!)

Next is this delicious French fabric covered hat box from around the 1920's.

Look how vibrant the fabric once was...but I love its mellowed tones now.

And another box, this one from the Deco era, which I was instantly drawn to, but made a surprise discovery inside, thankfully not scattering the contents across the floor ;-))

I could actually do with your help, if you have any ideas...I just don't know what these are...

They are made from very thin slithers of wood which have been dyed in the typical 30's colours. The stamped writing is on both sides, with most of them printed with St. Raphaël Quinquina, which is a grape juice based aperitif, mixed with quinine. The circular ones have two waiters printed on, which was the trade mark used during the 30's - with the drink being available in red or white. I wonder if they are perhaps chips for a bar game in France?

I'm going to put them together with some other bits and bobs to make some small craft packs suitable for scrapbook crafters.

You can have such fun searching the www, can't you? I found these two lovely poster designs for St. Raphaël whilst trying to discover what the tokens might be.

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Back to my purchases; I'm afraid I was unable to resist this wonderful textile panel. It took most of my money, but it is a treasure in my view. I love it.

And finally this little textile piece, whose design fits within the old mottled frame so perfectly.

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When I returned home from the fair at lunchtime, there was a surprise parcel waiting for me on my doormat. It was from one of my lovely customers to my website. Thank you again Barbara!

Inside the pretty wrappings was this thought provoking book by Susan Squellati Florence, which was just what I needed this week…funnily enough I was searching the internet last night for some helpful words and found the quote that I posted on my blog yesterday…isn’t it funny how life goes, and just what you need seems to come along at the right time….I do love this little book, with its dreamy watercolour illustrations and will enjoy digesting its messages.

You can just be.

Take time to really listen to each other. Take time to forgive, time to forget.

Take time to pause and feel the golden gift of life.

Included with the book was Barbara's sweet note written inside this pretty card. It is a print of Carl Larsson's 'Letter Writing'.

This was so apt for me. I discovered Carl Larsson's work when I was around 18 years old - fell in love with it then, and still love it today. The interiors that he featured in his beautiful water colour paintings of his own home, influenced and inspired our first home. At the time, stencilling was a big fashion statement - do you remember that, back in the 80's? Well Carl and Karin's home was beautifully embellished with hand painted designs, but for the less artistic hand, stencils helped achieve a similar look. I fell for the turquoise and red pallet in a big way, with my favourite painting being this one, 'The Name Day'.

Even today I use lots of red in our home and we have a turquoise painted front door...

One day I should like to call at the door of 'Lilla Hyttnäs' in Sundborn, Sweden and will relish being in such an inspirational home...

I seem to have gone off on a bit of a tangent...its funny how small things can get you thinking and reevaluating ...and it has been a bit of a funny week...

Hope everyone has a fab weekend,

Niki x

Thought for the Day

"It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation." - Herman Melville

A Patriotic Trio

I have made an update to my on-line shop this morning. Included in the listings are three of my handmade rag dolls all dressed in union flag skirts that probably date from the queens coronation.

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There is Queenie in her cherry red mohair jacket.

Unity, in a smart check ensemble.

And Poppy, who is predominantly a vintage floral girl.

I've added several gift sets.

As well as lots of vintage treasures.

I hope that you will enjoy taking a look when you have a moment.

My thanks to all who made a purchase from my last update and I hope that you were happy with your treasures.

Have a great day!

Niki x

My Little Piece of Escapism.

It seems all but a distant memory now when hubby spent several days concreting 21 supporting posts into the ground of our very sloping site and we dreamed of creating our little bolt hole at the end of the garden...

Together we put up the panels of the small beach hut design and negotiated the unwieldy roof panels onto the top.

In the meantime, we watched our next door neighbours-but-one call on the professionals, and within a day they had a new shed erected at the end of their garden! Hmmm...but then they don't have the satisfaction of doing it themselves, do they?! ;-))

The very orange wood was our next task to tackle and several tins of paint later and a fair few days of activity were required to turn it from this...

To this...

There is a large old dog rose that rambles to the left of the summerhouse, which we intend to drag up over the roof, so that hopefully within a year or so it will all look as if its been there for years...

The new path that hubby laid now leads somewhere...

And its somewhere very inviting...

At first we weren't totally sure if we would make proper use of our new outside addition, but we've soon got into a routine of sitting after our evening meal with a cup of tea and switching-off from the hectic home life.

With having that detachment from the house, we don't seem to have the distraction to make us think that we should be doing this or that and not taking a ten minute break...

We wanted to make it as homely and welcoming as we could, so I've added bits and pieces from the house, or bargain buys from various sales. The little iron table came from the flea market a couple of weekends ago. I gave it a coat of 'Hammerite' paint for protection and it now provides a spot for a pretty potted pink pelargonium.

Would you like the grand tour? (Ha! If you can have a grand tour of a space approx 8' x 10'!!)

Here's the bamboo table that I made-over recently...

Home to the radio, my candle from Kelly, and a table lamp with a shade that I covered in a vintage Sanderson fabric. The dreamy cottage print hangs above, which used to be on a wall in my daughters bedroom when she was a little girl.

The shelf below provides a storage place for some of my old gardening books.

Just to dress the windows a little, I used a narrow length of another Sanderson fabric, printed with roses and birds, which I also picked up at the flea market.

They are simply pinned into place with these decorative flower pins. I bought them from Kelly last year and had been using them for my bulletin board, but I believe they originally came from America and are actually designed for pinning up curtains...

I'm really pleased to be able to put them to their intended use now; something I couldn't do before, as we don't have wooden window frames anywhere in the house. The colour of them couldn't be better either...don't you just love it when things come together?

Ideally I would have liked 4 Lloyd loom or basket chairs inside, but being realistic, there is comfortably only room for 3 of them. The blue one below had been relegated to the shed a year ago, when we no longer had the space for it in the house. I had already covered it with a fabric slip cover, which can easily be removed for washing, so is ideal in the garden.

I've been trying to achieve a 'summer-all-year-round' kind of a look, so have gone for flowers and lots of greens in a big way...as you shall see...

As space is tight, I added this folding chairs for an extra guest, softened by a cushion that I made from a section of vintage hand embroidery.

Other gift items about the place offer reminders to me of friends and their thoughtfulness:

The lovely purple daisy print cushion below that I had from Sue at Christmas.

A retro jug from Teena...

The wall pocket posy holder from Helen and a crinoline lady embroidery from Maggie were recent Birthday gifts.

My charity shop leather flower mirror, that I tried to sell at the flea market recently didn't find a home with someone else...thankfully now, I'm glad I came back home with it, as I love how it looks in one corner, reflecting the garden.

As a lover of vintage and nostalgia, I was torn between various accessories. Did I go for Victorian roses, retro or kitsch graphic designs, comfortable 1930's styles, or more rustic country items?...in the end, I went for a little bit of all of them!

The vivid red Lloyd loom chair was pilfered from our kitchen. (I'm actually enjoying the space its now freed up in there!) I added my daughter's old patchwork quilt to make it a bit more inviting, and of course another floral Sanderson cushion. The quilt makes a lovely picnic rug too, so can be spread out on the floor outside to extend the space during the summer months.

A £2 car boot sale table from a couple of years ago was painted in a turquoise eggshell paint found in the cellar. The ideal spot for a cup of tea and a vase of garden flowers.

One of my most favourite 30's prints hangs above, which will add some summer colour during the colder months.

More gardening books squirreled beneath, to enjoy during relaxing moments.

The other basket chair with my handmade French fabric slip cover came out of our laundry room - it always got used as a dumping ground by certain members of the family, so I'm glad to have removed the temptation!

The pièce de résistance is the painted cupboard at the back of the summerhouse. I really wanted it to be welcoming in here, so pretty things to look at are important, in my view, to create a homely feel and a place where we want to spend time.

This old cupboard has been in our kitchen in the past, also in my husband's office, and now here. (Its OK, hubby has the cupboard that was in our living room...The living room has a new (old) one that is waiting for a paint job from me! - nothing sits for long in our house

;-)) heehee!

I've gathered together all sorts of bits and bobs from around the house to display on the shelves - perhaps you recognise some of the items from past blog posts about my thrifting trips?...

The French wallpaper border adds a splash of colour to the shelf edges.

Reminders of days out are provided by some of the mementos on display...

Such as the pair of violet baskets from Ashburton in Devon...

My parrot from This n' That in Totnes,

And these two tiny teddies were bought for me by my girls when they were a lot younger.

Reading by candlelight...

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Time to contemplate the crossword...

Vessels to arrange a few posies...

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And a granny-squares blanket for cosy knees.

There we go...I'm sure I've bored you enough now...please excuse me while I enjoy the view for a few minutes...give me a nudge if I start to snooze...

I have a cupboard I should be painting really you know!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend,

Niki x

The Winner & A Day in the Life...

Thank you to everyone who entered my Blog's 3rd Birthday Giveaway. The winner of the prize above (chosen by a random number generator) is .....

Number 111....which is...

Isabel of Maison Douce.

Congratulations to you Isabel! Your prize will be on its way to you soon!
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Moving on...I am often asked how long it takes me to make one of my rag dolls.
The simple answer, recording the actual physical work, is usually one full day. However, I am always on the lookout for vintage fabrics, trims and embellishments, which get neatly (sometimes ;-)) squirreled away in my workroom until such time as the perfect selection of items come together with an idea for a doll. I often find myself thinking about how I would like the next doll to look, usually when I'm working at the tedious body-stuffing stage of another!

I usually start with what I would like the jacket to be made from. I generally limit myself to French C19th white linen, Scottish mohair scarves, or pure wool blankets, so as to narrow my choice and fabric supplies. This stage is the most important, as if I get the selection of fabrics wrong, the doll won't be of a pleasing design and may be unsellable. But having said that, I am never entirely sure what the finished doll will look like, until all the clothes are put on her and I add any embellishments.

For a change recently, I thought I'd use the lovely soft green velvet that I bought at the flea market. Having that as my starting point, I carefully gathered together a selection of vintage and antique fabrics. The floral fabric, top right in the photo below, is one of my Scheurer panels. Yes, I am being very brave parting with it! I had to trim it a little; the sample size panels are just slightly too long for a doll's skirt. So yes, brave, mark II, was to take the scissors to it!

To coordinate, I also chose a Sanderson floral upholstery fabric, C19th French ticking and some cotton lace. I don't use pattern template pieces for my doll's clothes. I like to be dictated to by the design of the fabrics, placing the patterned area in a suitable position within the size of panel I feel is suitable. Sometimes too, I may only have enough of a vintage fabric to make a certain item of clothing - for example, the top or bloomers need less fabric than the skirts, dresses or petticoats, which I like to be generous with.

One of the reasons that I chose to stop supplying a shop in Bath, was that the owner began to regularly ask me to make dolls in a red or blue Vichy check dress and linen jacket. After making these for several years, I began to feel like a production line and the creative edge of my craft was lost.

I stopped making them completely for a while, before I found my way again, making solely for my on-line shop later on, with each doll being unique.

Once all the pieces of fabric are cut to the required shape, I sew them all together on the machine, adding any lace or trims I feel necessary as I go.

Necklines and waists are finished by hand, something I usually sit and do whilst waiting for photos to upload onto my blog(!), or whilst watching the TV in an evening- thinking at the same time about what my next project will be! - We women are so good at multi-tasking, aren't we?! ;-))

I often finish coats and jacket edges by hand too, with a decorative running/hem stitch, adding vintage buttons that I carefully choose from my collections.

The stage of making a rag doll that I least enjoy is the body. As you can imagine, I have made vast quantities of these and they are tedious! The stuffing of them causes me RSI problems too, as I like my girls to be firm and well rounded!

Once all the sewing is finished, the more enjoyable task of putting the finished doll together can begin.

Firstly, I hand paint the boots onto the dolls feet, then I press all the clothes.

Fluffy mohair tops trim the boots, along with vintage buttons. Here I've use old mother-of-pearl shirt buttons.

Then she starts to be made decent, first with a pretty French floral top and then a pair of ankle length bloomers, followed by a lace trimmed petticoat.

The fabulous floral skirt and velvet coat completes the outfit. She then gets her wig.

Which is prettied-up with a fabric rag ribbon bow.

I then decide if I think she would benefit from some accessories. This time I chose a handmade bobbin lace collar and added a vintage floral costume brooch which unites all the colours of her outfit.

After giving her, her facial features, (always a bit nerve racking, in case I make a boo-boo!) - I then decide what name I think suits. At first I was going to call her Jade, with her velvet coat being such a pretty shade, but it reminded me more of crisp Golden Delicious apples, so I've named this lady Pomona; taken from the Latin meaning 'apple'.

And here she is....

I shall be taking Pomona with me to the next V&H fair in November. She will be packed away safely for a little rest until then!

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Oh, she just said to me, before she gets packed away, 'could she please just show you her lovely layers beneath her Scheurer fabric skirt?'...you don't mind taking a peek do you?...

Have a great weekend, won't you?!

Niki x

(And Pomona!)

Feel the Love!

Thank you for all the supportive comments I received to my last post - I know so many of us have a heavy workload, so can easily empathise when a fellow blogger talks of feeling snowed under, over-worked, overwhelmed or just plain shattered....its a shame that women still feel the need to 'do it all', often at the detriment of looking after themselves properly. I appreciate the fact that you actually read my ramblings, and so were constructive in your remarks. It means a lot that you took the time to do so...I think this very hot weather is getting us all a bit jittery too, so look after yourselves! x

After making a fairy doll yesterday (wahoo, go me!), and spurred-on by feelings of embarrassment, I had to do a bit more hacking and slaying in the garden...We have a huge grapevine growing up over a rusty metal arch tunnel. Our window cleaner arrived bright and early - He's one of a dying breed who still uses long ladders and not those cleaning tools on long poles; apparently he's probably breaking a health and safety law, as our top windows are three floors up at the back of our house. Anyway, there he was grappling with his ladder, trying to negotiate the grape vine, which looked like it could devour him at any moment, in an attempt to reach and clean our tiny utility room window.

So, with feelings of guilt that I'd made his job even more arduous, the hair cut began!

Another filled wheelie bin later, the hot task was over. The vine creates a shady area in the garden and a walkway out from my basement workroom - as demonstrated by Miss Millie here!

Later on I thought I'd take a few photos of whats looking lovely in the garden just now...

The other rose that my brother bought for me is now in flower - its called 'Times Past' and is a climbing variety.

My foxgloves have been sprouting baby flower spikes from their base.

Astrantia.

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I love these astilbes - they really are that colour - I've not digitally altered these photos at all - a gorgeous rich ruby red, with the off-white ones in the background.

Summer bedding in a terracotta pot.

Penstemons are another of my favourites.

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I wasn't the only one enjoying the flowers...

buzzzz...buzzzz..yummy, yummy....

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A bit more 'faffing-time' and I should be able to show you the summerhouse...hubby and I sat and had a cuppa in there yesterday evening, listening to the birdsong...it was wonderful to escape the day for a few restorative moments...

Have a lovely day,

Niki x

My Own Worst Critic!

Firstly, thank you to everyone who has entered my Blogoversary giveaway so far...you have until Friday to leave a comment. I'll keep things fair by using a random number generator to find the winner, to give all who enter an equal chance :) Good Luck!

I am very grateful for your visits to my blog - those who come by regularly will know that I am not generally a negative person, in fact I would prefer not to post on a 'down-day'. I suspect you also realise that I'm not particularly good at, or including, anything too personal on my blog too; but today I thought I'd wear my heart on my sleeve...just for a change...to see how it goes...

Hubby and I have been working very hard recently on various projects in our back garden. Our garden isn't a 'pottering' sort of garden, but more of the 'hack and slay' kind! Constant taming of mature shrubs and trees and regular repairs to the old stone walls and general maintenance of the borders are what's required. This has meant that we haven't been out on one of our little local jaunts for a couple of months now...and I missing them. I wouldn't go as far as to say I'm suffering. Cabin-fever is a little way off yet ;-)) But I guess I could do with a break really...

I am a 'doer', rarely procrastinate and like to see a job through to the end...But just recently I've been feeling like I'm getting nowhere fast...sorry, I'm getting a bit heavy here - not like me at all to give too much away...and I certainly don't want sympathy, as my life is very good, thank you! In fact, I was reading my recently delivered copy of Somerset Life in bed last night and inside was an article written by Tiffany Kirchner-Dixon, who was saying that she lives by the quote 'If life doesn't get any better than this, I am happy'. She went on to say that 'if life doesn't get any better than it is right now, it is great; I choose to be happy. I want to be happy. When I am happy, people around me are happy.'

Such wise words Tiffany, I couldn't agree with you more and I think that even if this positive attitude isn't one that has been instilled at childhood, it is one that can be learnt and will be discovered with age...'older and wiser', as the saying goes...

In the past I have been extremely self-critical, consequently I lacked confidence. I would become cross with myself when I didn't achieve all that I set out to, and would not allow myself time-out to relax, which obviously led to some bad days...Friends were sympathetic, for which I will always be grateful, but taking time to find the happy-place first time round is a better way of existing, I think.

Working from home means I lead a fairly solitary lifestyle, so being in a happy frame of mind will reflect in my work. I used to think that I should be creating 24/7, but now know that its OK to take a tea break, or take a bit longer making one of my dolls, for instance, if the end result is going to echo the effort involved. The pressure I put on myself to constantly have my web-shop refreshed and restocked was unhealthy. Yes, I need to earn a regular wage, but reaching a balance is important too.

Part of the reason for my setting up the secondary blog was to serve as a reminder to me as to how hard I have worked over the years, and to see the proof of all my hours of sewing.
The listing of each item for my on-line shop is what takes a large proportion of my time, along with answering emails, packing parcels and dispatching them - after a large update, it can be a week before I have a moment to start sewing again, and then when goods are created, there's the listing...yes, that is the nature of selling on-line and I guess you'd say I've made that choice and, of course, am very lucky to be making some sales.

However, I did enjoy making for the V&H fair recently. The fact that I could take my time to make each piece and then carefully pack it away for the future fair was refreshing. Of course less was added to my on-line shop during this time, but I was able to tell myself that something has to give now and then! Something friends have been trying to tell me for years - Thankfully, I've got it now guys! ;-))

Right, I'm not about to become a lazy-lass and skive at every opportunity! But I have booked the next V&H fair in November and although that sounds a long way off just now, stock doesn't make itself. I would like to have a good range of items to take to the fair , as well as to work on some special Christmas pieces. Please forgive if I don't restock my on-line shop quite so regularly. I do receive quite a few emails asking when I shall be adding new dolls to my shop - I am thrilled by your interest and will endeavour to do so as often as I can...juggling it with the gardening and running the home! (School hols coming up soon too! ;-))

So, if you're still with me and haven't left because I've bored you rigid! - to continue with the rosey pictures... I shall share with you what I achieved over the weekend.
Now I'm sure you all recognise this wallpaper design below, and don't need me to tell you where you can buy something similar! In my opinion, this lovely lady receives too much free advertising on Blogger as it is! ;-))

Don't get me wrong, I admire all that she has achieved, its just that I will always prefer to buy authentic vintage goods whenever possible, rather than repro. In fact, I did try wallpapering a bedroom wall once with vintage paper, but it was so brittle, it kept cracking and breaking....it was a pretty hideous job and I had to have a rethink!

So I think this pretty repro paper was a wise choice! Having said that, it is at least 5 years old(?) already...this cream version was discontinued some time ago and I was able to snap up several rolls for £5 each! They've languished in the attic all that time, as when I suggested to my daughters that they have a pretty feature wall in their bedrooms, they turned up their noses!

Well, our back hallway has been looking in a very sorry state for a couple of years, if I'm being honest, so the weekend was the time for action. I rootled around in the cellar and found half a tin of white emulsion paint which was perfect for the ceiling. Then I found the cream satin that I had used to paint two of our kitchen chairs a few weeks ago...

Just enough for the skirting boards and architraves. There are 5 doors in this tiny space, which is a lot of architraves! Once all the painting was complete, I could tackle the wallpapering. It took me all day, but I'm very pleased with the final result and all for a bargain price.

Looks pretty from the kitchen too, echoing the red and cream scheme in here.

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The pine pantry door has always had this funny little hole in it. When we first moved in, it had a fine mesh stretched over to stop flies getting in, but that meant you could see into the pantry. Not good when it wasn't tidy! So I replaced it with a section of chicken wire, which I have now backed in a piece of vintage fabric.

A pretty rose fabric, naturally ;-))

Thankfully the old lampshade looked fine once re-hung again, so that saved me another job.

The final task that does need doing though, is to sand and re-varnish the old back door.

Having such a busy pattered space does mean that additional accessories aren't required - I think a floral framed print, for example, would be lost. So it will be nice to keep this area clutter-free.

And when I stand in the corner of our back living room and look first left, and then right...
...where we have the white version of the rose wallpaper, the effect is cohesive and calming.

Of course a weekend spent wallpapering on the spur of the moment, did mean that one on-going project at the end of the garden has been a little neglected...and there I was saying about seeing a job through to the end?...I'll get right on it!

Hope you're having a lovely week,

Niki x