Nostalgia at the Stone House

Life

2012-01-30T17:35:00.001Z

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Sorry, not much time to blog at the moment...Normal services will resume as soon as possible :)
Have a great week,
Niki x

French Fancy

2012-01-27T20:24:00.003Z

Some of you may remember, just before Christmas last year, I completed a pair of patchwork curtains for our back living room. (The post all about them can be found here, followed by a bit of tweaking here!)

Initially I was pleased with all the work, but soon found I couldn't live with so many colours...

The patchwork curtains will look lovely (I'm sure! ;-)) in our spare bedroom, which will be used by our granddaughter when she's a little older and wants to stay for a sleepover. (This room is still a work in progress, which I am slowly getting finished during my occasional free moments at home.)

Anyway, you may have spotted a few changers happening when I posted a glimpse of the room from our hallway...

It started with the makeover I performed on the old tapestry armchair in December, which set the colour scheme back to my favourite red and white.

After taking down the patchwork curtains, I made another set from antique French lace panels (very tatty and full of holes...don't look too closely! ;-)), which I backed in C19th French linen sheets.

I love the way the light shines through them showing up the details and holes; those that should be there, and those that shouldn't really! ;-))

A little toile tieback wrapped around each curtain brings in a touch more red.

I made a small pelmet too from a piece of antique French quilted fabric that I bought many years ago, but lacked the confidence to use...But then I thought, what's the point in having treasures, if they're just stored away and not seen and enjoyed?

So, a few stitches later and it was done...I think it would have once been part of a bed canopy, as I have several more feet of it!

The curtains behind the glass in our fitted cupboard got changed back to red check (again)! (Something I did when we first moved to our house over a decade ago now, so perhaps I got it right first time and should have stuck with it?! ;-))

The French mirror that I bought last year is waiting to be hung on the wall above the arm chair, next to the lilac picture that I love.

With the other chairs in this room, we now have a lovely sociable area, perfect for sitting and chatting without the distraction of the TV in the main sitting room.

Its always been a difficult room to furnish, as it needs to be a walk-through; 3 rooms lead off it and there's the staircase down to my workroom too.

The little set of drawers to the left of the window were originally painted green.

I decided a dusty French grey would be more to our taste...

And I wanted to team them with an old French 'ghost mirror', I believe some people call them...

Which is where the silvering on the back is so distressed, that you can no longer see a reflection... Just the way I like them! ;-))

I painted the mirror frame to match, but I wanted the drawers to have a more French style to them to coordinate better with the mirror. I bought this rose moulding on-line. I would have liked to have bought several, to really go to town on an ornate look, but buying just two would have cost me more than the price of the drawers themselves! - So I settled for just one.

To be honest, the quality was not as good as I was expecting when it arrived, and the measurements given were confusing, so the garland was bigger than I anticipated. Luckily I was able to trim it and alter the shape a little to fit the top drawer.

Once painted, it did look better...

And hopefully is a bit more stylish as a complete ensemble!

Since finishing it, I've also had a play with the bits and bobs on top. There's the antique shoe stuffers that I had as a Christmas gift from a friend, which I have tied together and hung from the mirror. The painted floral mirrored panel is one that I've had for years and years and have always loved. I just propped it against the large mirror.

The single C19th satin wedding slipper is a recent purchase from an antiques fair (yes, it's all on it's own...sadly it lost its partner somewhere along the way), which I teamed with some gorgeous velvet roses (a gift from my friend again) and a little floral cushion that I made many moons ago, which helps them to stand up straight.

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Covered in a glass cloche for protection (and less dusting! ;-)).

Faffing complete...time to enjoy the room.

Hope you have a relaxing weekend,

Niki x

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I've been trying to add some more links to some of the new blogs that I've discovered recently, into my blog's 'links' on my sidebar below, but they just won't save into my list. Is anyone else having this problem? Or maybe I already have too many and there's a limit? - Am I being rationed?! I'd be sad to have to delete some to make space...Any help gratefully received, thank you.

N x

The History of Aprons...

2012-01-26T19:46:00.012Z

The 'Aprons of Love' email has been doing the rounds again recently...I've been sent it again this morning by my Mum...If you haven't seen it before, perhaps you'd like to read it too...

Enjoy...

I don't think our kids know what an apron is.

The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath because she only had a few. It was also because it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and aprons used less fabric. But along with that, it was used for removing hot pans from the oven...

It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.

When visitors arrived, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy littlies..
And when the weather was cold grandma wrapped it around her arms.

Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow,
Bent over the hot fire.
Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.

From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables.
After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the shells.
In the autumn, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected visitors appeared, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.
When dinner was ready, Grandma walked outside, waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that 'old-time apron' that served so many purposes.

REMEMBER:

Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to cool. Her granddaughters set theirs on the window sill to thaw.

They would go bonkers now trying to work out how many germs were on that apron.

I don't think I ever caught anything from an apron - but love!

Niki x

Benchmark

2012-01-25T20:19:00.003Z

The little wooden bench that used to be under our staircase before this happened...

Has now been moved upstairs to our master bedroom.

It just fits inside the window area, next to my mannequin...

With a few special pillows scattered along it...

And the tapestry that I bought on my last buying trip of 2011, hangs over the back.

I'm slowly getting around the whole house making it work better for us and our generally hectic lifestyle. (More of the living room make-over to come...)

Taking care of our gorgeous granddaughter for a whole day each week is great fun, and I wouldn't trade it for the world, but housework has definitely gone out the window of late!...

But you won't tell anyone, will you?! ;-))
Niki x

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Dust if You Must.

Dust if you must, but wouldn't it be better
To paint a picture, or write a letter,
Bake a cake, or plant a seed;
Ponder the difference between want and need?

Dust if you must, but there's not much time,
With rivers to swim, and mountains to climb;
Music to hear, and books to read;
Friends to cherish, and life to lead.

Dust if you must, but the world's out there
With the sun in your eyes, and the wind in your hair;
A flutter of snow, a shower of rain,
This day will not come around again.

Dust if you must, but bear in mind,
Old age will come and it's not kind.
And when you go (and go you must)
You, yourself, will make more dust.

Written by Rose Milligan.

A Few More Treasures...

2012-01-24T20:17:00.029Z

Latest treasures at the shop...

I was lucky to be able to buy several unused lengths of vintage fabrics from a lady who visited my shop last week...

There were two pieces of this Daisyfield design by Fothergays.

Several metres of this fabulous classic Noddy fabric...

printed in 1964 by Fothergays again.

And several metres of this stunning 1950's rose furnishing fabric still on the bolt.

I shall be using some for cushions etc for the shop...

But some of it may find its way to the V&H Textile Fair next month (if I can bare to part with it!)

I was also able to buy two super-duper hats from the same lady.

The Mitzi Lorenz hat sold the same day...

But there's also this collectable 1960's Christian Dior flower-pot style hat too!

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The rest of the new stock had to be hunted out in the more usual manner...

I found:

This old table tennis set (which I bought mainly because of the lovely box).

A couple of cigarette card albums (each contains a complete set).

This neat little ink well.

Vintage ballet points.

A Make do and Mend pamphlet...

with useful tips!

A mirror that I gave a coat of cream paint to on Sunday.

(Lace curtain sold today - thank you!)

A Victorian oil painting on glass.

And some French kitchen canisters.

I've been wrapping more of the sweetly scented French soaps..

Some in floral wallpapers and others in sheet music - Both tied with vintage seam binding and with a tiny violet embellishment.

That's all I have time for this evening...

Thank you for stopping-by and for leaving your wonderful comments.

Niki x

Comforts of Home

2012-01-23T20:21:00.004Z

I knew I wouldn't be able to live with it for long...;-))

Yes, I have made some changes to the iron bed under our main staircase!

And yes, already! ;-))

It was all too busy and I needed to tone things down...so away went all the odd/mismatched cushions, quilts and eiderdowns...

And I've introduced a new calmer look.

I thought when I found the old cushion covers that were once on the sofas in our living room (whilst sorting through a pile of fabrics that I'd forgotten I had), that they could work better on the seat we had created here in the hall.

I'd made this set of large cushion covers at least 12 years ago, I'm guessing, all from lovely antique fabrics and quilts.

Several times they'd had to be patched and repaired over the years, which is one of the reasons I had reluctantly replaced them...

But here, where they will be used and enjoyed once again, it shouldn't be such a problem, as they will receive a lot less wear than on the main sofas in our living room.

Maybe I shouldn't look to change my style, and I should stick with the colours and textiles that I've always loved - If 12 years down the line I'm still liking these cushions, then that must mean something?

And I do think, this time(!) that I am settled...

I will get round to showing some of the other changes I've made around our home soon...All of which I won't be changing again in the near future!

;-))

Have a great week,

Niki x

Two Timer

2012-01-19T20:55:00.001Z

A New Year and a Birthday seems like as good a time as any to make some changes...

This coming Saturday, my little shop will be two years old already!

I am very grateful to still be in business during these difficult financial times and am happy to report a growing number of regular customers coming back time and again to my tiny corner of Somerset. Having listened to what my customers have had to say, I decided that a few changes would take place inside the shop this year.

Up until now, I have had a small vintage clothes section. An area that I have never been totally happy with - I feel a rail of clothes rarely ever looks tidy - Even though mine were contained within a lovely vintage wardrobe, they still looked a little chaotic. Also, not only has a customer got to find something they like, it then has to be in their size, and then fit them properly. The odds are stacked against a sale when only a small selection is on offer. So the clothes have gone (although I may occasionally stock something special or particularly beautiful or iconic) and I shall be keeping the accessories, such as scarves, hats and gloves.

So with the wardrobe taken away (thanks to a friend's Hubby!), what to do with the space it created?

Remember the collection of boxes I bought before Christmas?

Hubby and I worked until late on Monday evening to create a new display area on the wall.

The boxes were arranged and screwed into a backing board of MDF.

I'd lined some of the boxes with various old papers, such as maps...

Newspapers and sheet music, which is a similar style to the way I decorated the shop's fitting room.

Bright and early on Tuesday morning, it was then a case of feeding in some of my merchandise onto he newly created shelves and niches.

A closer look...

There's now lots more space for my handmade/re-purposed products...All I need now is more time to create things! This new area has had me excited - I feel energised and look forward to each new day at work.

Hubs and I also put up this old wooden drying rack, to replace the single pole that I had previously. It displays lace collars, baby gowns and pretty photographs.

The large dresser to the left has had a small tweak too. I am going to cut back on the amount of china in stock and introduce a bit more kitchenalia.

All the other areas have had a tidy up and the odd jiggle or new addition!

So, as the 2nd anniversary approaches, I would like to thank all who have stopped-by, made a purchase or offered words of encouragement. Its not always been easy (sometimes a little stressful or worrying), but it has been rewarding and enjoyable for most of the time! ;-))

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Now for a few photos showing some of today's makes.
A re-framed c1920's print in painted and waxed frame.

Vintage hand crochet lace on old wooden bobbins...

Rusty keys with antique braid and buttons.

A new collection of powder-puffs...

With antique lace and velvet flowers.

Each placed on a coordinating vintage china saucer.

A glass weight...

with antique French fabric.

And a revamp to the tatty old case that I bought on Sunday...

I couldn't bare to throw it away, after taking out all of the old film boxes...

So I glued on some old newspaper ads from the 1930's and tied a length of antique lace in a bow on the handle.

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Right...time to put my feet up now.

Enjoy the rest of your week!

Love Niki x

'Junking' in January

2012-01-17T20:31:00.002Z

The flea markets have begun again for the New Year - Sunday was a particularly fine January day...perfect for a spot of rootling through junk! Here are some of the items that came home with me...

I bought this book from the 1950s, which I loved because of the fabrics it features - Similar to many I use myself in my handmade products.

A painted umbrella stand and pretty parasol.

French fabric covered box full of buttons.

Teeny millinery flowers and a 1/2 dolls head to recycle.

Antique copper slipper storage box.

A case full of little film boxes in need of re-purposing...Perhaps gift boxes?

Trims and ribbons for handmade treasures...

Fabrics and lace too!

A double size lace bedspread.

A tantalising selection - The filigree brass triangle shaped piece will become a doll's tiara, I think.

Country kitchen scales.

Rusty keys and knitting needles.

A pair of cottage prints.

Postcards.

A painted table and a triple dressing table mirror.

(All for the shop.)
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And for me...
This cute musical jewel box - The bird on the perch swings to-and-fro when the drawer is opened!

And a cottage print to add to my collection (which I shall show (one day!) when the bedroom make-over is complete...)

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All the items for the shop found their way there today. I have almost completed the changes I said I was making, so will try and show them in my next blog post.

Hope you're having a lovely week so far,
Niki x

Inspiration...

2012-01-14T08:20:00.001Z

What do you get if you take the inspiration from handmade torso cushions...

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Combine it with the influence that only a vintage mannequin offers....

Along with the practicality of a traditional style peg bag(!!) ?...

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Well...?

You get this!

It hangs like a peg bag - Ideal for displaying on a hook, dressing table, or to store in a wardrobe...with the coat-hanger hook doubling as somewhere to thread necklaces over...

A nipped-in waist, just like a mannequin - perfect for storing belts, lengths of ribbon or lace and maybe a few other pretty keepsakes...

(Made entirely from fabulous vintage fabrics for added appeal. (French of course))

And a padded torso shape, softly filled like a cushion, for keeping delicate antique lace collars in shape, draping them over the shoulders...As well as it offering somewhere to pin a collection of twinkling costume brooches!

Boudoir chic for the girl who has everything...and needs somewhere to display it all! ;-))

The first of many! - More to follow, hopefully! - I love developing new ideas. :)

Happy weekend!

Niki x

Second Chances

2012-01-12T20:35:00.005Z

I'll start this post by showing you one of the latest items I've come up with for my shop. I had the rusty tin pots and a delivery of fragrant French soaps that I'd ordered, to work with...

I wrapped the soaps in vintage sheet music, held in place with lace/ribbon and millinery flowers. I trimmed the pots to match each one and put them together as pretty little gift sets.

Lots more to do, but the scent of the soaps is lovely in my workroom for now! ;-))

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It can be difficult to know sometimes, when buying stock for the shop, whether to commit to an item or not...after all, if I don't sell anything, then I can't pay myself(!) - It can be a risky business, when its all money up front. Sometimes, if an item has hung around longer than I would have liked, I have to look at it and think if I can change it in some way to make it more appealing...
This French bedside cupboard is one such item.

I've had it in the shop for a while - At first I felt I should keep its original wood finish - Its had some interest, but hasn't sold...
So on Sunday, out came the paintbrush!

The French grey colouring tones nicely with the marble top, so I hope it will find a new home soon.

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A plain/tatty suitcase had (unsurprisingly!), sat on top of the wardrobe in the corner of the shop for a number of weeks too.

So I decided to cover it in fabric yesterday. Its a large case and so would need a large piece of fabric - I decided to use a fairly modern chintz, rather than one of my more valuable vintage fabrics.
Half way through...(A bit fiddly getting the fabric to sit neatly around all of those metal fixtures! - It took me about an hour to finish.)

Here it is done!

I used to make these for my previous shop - A big trunk that I covered years ago can be seen on my other blog here (about halfway down the post).

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And this dark wood chair has also been unwanted stock. (I actually like the original chenille seat pad, which is what drew me to the little chair in the first place - It reminds me of the fabric they used to cover the seats with on buses years ago!)

Anyway, another coat of paint...

And I made this removable slipcover at the shop today, using vintage ticking and French linen.

Fingers crossed that giving these items a second chance will see them sell soon.

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I made this floral bag today as well, from a vintage Sanderson cotton, which looks pretty displayed with the suitcase. . .

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My most recent buys include:
A (very!) rusty metal antique hat box. I love the finish its acquired (hopefully I'm not the only one, or the paint brush will have to be put to use again!)...

and so I wanted to save the rust as much as I could. I rubbed a generous layer of furniture wax into the surface to protect it.

And buffed it to a shine.

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This wooden box with distressed green paint caught my eye too...

But the top of it was a little too shabby to be considered attractive...

So I covered it in a vintage Sanderson fabric.
(I sold today - Thank you!)

This dainty little occasional table received a coat of paint at the weekend and is sitting in the shop this week too.

Other smaller items are, an original watercolour painting...

A warm and cosy traditional Welsh wool blanket...

An assortment of moulds and tart tins...

An adorable little turtle make-up compact and vintage 21st Birthday key, which have all been added to the shelves today.

I changed the shop's windows to include the new make-over projects...

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And there will be several changes to the inside of the shop over the next few days...

I've decided not to stock clothes at the shop any more. I need more space for my handmade products which have proven themselves to be my best sellers...so I need to work on that. (I'll be taking the vintage costume items that I have left, to some of the fairs that I've booked for this year. Its their second chance! ;-))

OK, That's it for now - Thanks for stopping-by! :)
Enjoy your evening,
Niki x

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A Day in Winchester

2012-01-11T10:36:00.017Z

Hubby had a business meeting in Winchester on Monday and he suggested my daughter and I go with him...We could look around the city whilst he was in his meeting and it would give us an opportunity to spend some time together before she goes to live in New Zealand for a year, next month. I'm always keen to visit places I've not been to before, so off we went...

Winchester is a small city to discover, but steeped in history, with many beautiful buildings.

It didn't take us long to find a fab vintage shop though! (Called Fab Vintage!)

Apparently it only opened last Saturday, so I promised the owner that I'd mention it on my blog for him.

My daughter bought a great plum coloured velvet jacket and a paisley waistcoat.
Then it was time to treat her to a cream tea for lunch!

Afterwards, we toured the rest of the city, before meeting-up with hubby again.

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And home, past the magnificent Stonehenge on Salisbury Plain.

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Lots of projects to get on with today, so I must fly...Have a lovely day,
Niki x

Sofa Bed

2012-01-08T18:25:00.002Z

Update 10th Jan - I wasn't very happy with the colour of the photos that I originally uploaded onto this post, so have added some new ones this morning.
The little Victorian iron bed that stood in our spare single bedroom was fine, until the mattress was placed on top...The photo below shows it without, but the 8" thick mattress, when placed onto the base, made the overall height approx 26" from the floor.

Given that the bed will mostly be used by our little granddaughter when she's old enough, I was worried that this height would give her some problems getting in and out and also be dangerous were she to fall out during the night. As I mentioned in a previous post, I managed to buy a beautiful old French bed at my local flea market, which will replace the iron bed in the spare room when we've done the work on it.

It seemed a shame to get rid of the iron bed though, as its very comfortable and we originally had to have the base and mattress specially made for it, as its a non-standard 2'9" wide. And with having three daughters, we often have their friends staying-over at short notice, so an extra bed is always handy!

We decided to try to create a sofa out of the old bed and slot it in under the staircase in the hall. We removed the castors from the feet and just used the wooden base on the metal frame, hiding the mattress underneath, which will keep it to hand if ever we need an extra bunk!

I've padded the base with various quilts and a duvet, which I've disguised with my favourite antique patchwork.

Any spare cushions that I could find were slung casually on top and a rolled-up eiderdown makes a comfy back support along the wall.

I'm sure it will develop and change over time, as nothing stays still for long in our house ;-))

- A painted bench that was here in the hall previously, is now in our master bedroom - I'll show this on another post, along with other projects (like painting the French bed) which I'm still trying to find the time for.

Niki x

Home Time

2012-01-05T11:48:00.009Z

Hope the New Year has been kind to you so far. I've been enjoying a particularly long break away from my shop - I have found it very useful to just have some time to think about home, rather than the pressures of running the business all of the time.

I've spent a leisurely day taking down the Christmas decorations for another year...

Whilst storms raged outside.

I've been creative too...

A friend of mine decorated my Christmas present with dried hydrangea heads...So I saved them and used them to make this simple wreath. I used silver birch twigs to make the base again and a hot glue gun to fix the flowers to it.

A larger project was to make a slip-cover for a second-hand arm chair that I bought recently. I wasn't keen on the tapestry effect upholstery, but the chair itself was a good size and was comfortable.

I decided to use an antique French linen sheet to make the cover as it is good hard-wearing fabric and there's plenty of it for the whole project. Some careful pinning and cutting, then it was all stitched together. I didn't worry about piping the seams or adding too many darts etc - It just fits where it touches.

I've had another arm chair at home, covered in a linen sheet, for about 5 years - They wash brilliantly, on a high temperature, so the fact that its white, isn't a great problem.

The beautifully hand embroidered monogram on the sheet, decorates the front of the chair, just beneath the seat pad.

I happened to have this smaller monogram saved from another sheet, so I used it on one of the arms.

The slip-cover ties closed at the back of the chair - Easy for removal on wash-day. And I added a pretty floral eiderdown cotton frill to the bottom hemline.

I've been making a lot of changes in the room I'm using the chair (the fact that most of the walls in our home are painted various shades of white, means that its easy to move furniture around from one room to another without having to worry about a whole new decorating scheme.)

The seat pad on the chair is very firm (I don't think the chair has been used very much in the past.) - Yesterday I hit on the idea of using a very large feather filled cushion (it is probably one of the traditional French pillows) that I bought at an antiques fair once. It has a gorgeous patchwork of early C18th French fabrics as its cover and is lovely and squishy!

It fits perfectly on the chair and makes it even more comfy and cosy.

I'll be back at my shop tomorrow, so need to push myself into the routine again, but I have enjoyed the time away. There will be some changes at the shop over the next few weeks, but first I have to build a new display system that I have been working on.

Enjoy the rest of your week,

Niki x

A Look Back at 2011

2012-01-01T10:41:00.005Z

HAPPY NEW YEAR! - May 2012 be all that you hope for.

As is usual for me on my blog, (here is the one I posted last year) I have recorded some of the events of 2011 in this 'look-back' post...These take a while to put together, so I hope you will enjoy it...

JANUARY

Having room to breath, seems to be important every year, at this time.

My shop was 1 year old last January.

FEBRUARY

Sadly, the month my lovely Nan passed away.

Weaving a tale.

MARCH

Floral inspiration.

A typical week of buying, crafting and shop.

APRIL

A tour of my workroom.

Decorating, gardening and my shop were this months priorities.

MAY

A fantastic day at the Vintage Bazaar, Frome.

A Birthday treat to Stratford upon Avon.

JUNE

An 'average' week in summer.

My most photo-rich post ever, when my blog became 5 years old.

JULY
I became a Grandmother.

A fantastic visit to Trevoole Farm.

AUGUST

Family holiday to Fowey, Cornwall.

A story of my past.

Salvaging treasures.

SEPTEMBER

A welcome break in Tenby, Wales.

Feeding my passion for vintage/antique fabrics.

OCTOBER

Always shopping and making!

I labour of love - A pair of patchwork curtains that I created for our living room. (They may find themselves somewhere else though, in 2012...watch this space! ;-))

NOVEMBER

Hubby and I spent a lovely day down in Dorset, at Dairy House and Shaftesbury.

I made a change to our kitchen.

DECEMBER
A collection of angels for the Vintage & Handmade Fair.

And a family Christmas was enjoyed at The Stone House.

I'm looking forward to another year in my shop, meeting like-minded people and spending my days sewing and creating. I have also booked several fairs again this year and enjoy the challenge of crafting for these as well. I hope you will enjoy joining me at my blog from time to time throughout the year...And I thank you for your interest and for the time that you have spent with me here in the past.

My warmest wishes to you - Lets hope its a good year for all!

Niki xx

I Hope You Had Fun...

2011-12-28T13:48:00.001Z

I hope you had a very Merry Christmas!
I was busy in the shop right up until the 23rd (mostly with men shopping for last minute gifts! ;-)) - So wasn't able to get round to all of the blogs that I wanted to, to wish the season's greetings, but I hope it was a good one for you all...

Ours was rather special...

As it was grand-baby's first Christmas. :)

And all my girls together for a lovely few days.

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Some wonderful gifts came my way...

Lots of them vintage :)

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And a quick funny story... My good friend bought me this tall hats stand (below)...She had picked it up at a flea market in Bath...The amusing thing is, that I sold it to a dealer who visits my shop...and I had actually made it myself a few months ago!! (I'd used a c1930's ash tray stand as the base and added a velvet top.) I have told my friend, who luckily sees the funny side, and so she's happy for me to try to sell it again! ;-))

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Our usual Boxing Day walk along the lanes next to our home.

And a family movie was enjoyed last night...

We finally got to see Hugo (not in 3D) - with the beautiful young Asa Butterfield playing the part of Hugo Cabret.
Images from PARAMOUNT PICTURES AND GK FILMS.

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I actually love this short time after Christmas. It feels like a clean slate and a bit of a breather. There's a long time ahead before I have to think about Christmas again, I'm able to spend some time away from work, to think more clearly and to make plans - I was given two books for Christmas by my Mum and Dad, which I've enjoyed looking through. One is Rachel Ashwell's latest book - I have always been a fan of Rachel's style and way of life. Even when her business, Shabby Chic, was on shaky ground, she was able to pick herself up, dust herself down, and start again with new stores and a new home.
I was also give the Where Women Create Book of Inspiration...which truly it is. My head is now spinning with ideas for our home and for the shop. Mostly I am struck by the 'less is more' message and I feel a need to simplify our home; and at the shop to re-focus on specialising more with the products I make and source...to make it more 'me'.

I think 2012 may prove to be a difficult one again, throughout the world. I may have to spend less time at my blog and more time developing my handmade products...With a more streamlined environment at home, with less distractions, I think this will help me to achieve this.
I can't wait to get started, so bye for now...I hope to be back here with a look back at my 2011 in the New Year.
Niki x

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-22T20:52:00.003Z

Wishing EVERYONE who visits my blog a very Merry Christmas!
Thank you for all of your visits and the comments left to my posts - I appreciate the time you have spent with me.

I hope that you and yours have a wonderful time over the festive break.

Keep warm, count your blessings, and have lots of fun!

Merry Christmas from our home to yours,
Niki x

I'll leave you with photos taken around our home over the last few days, whilst we've been preparing for the festivities...

And join me in song...

if you'd like to... ;-))

The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)...

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire,

Jack Frost nipping at your nose,

Yuletide carols being sung by a choir,

And folks dressed up like Eskimos.

Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe,

Help to make the season bright.

Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow,

Will find it hard to sleep tonight.

They know that Santa's on his way;

He's loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh.

And every mother's child is going to spy,

To see if reindeer really know how to fly.

*

And so I'm offering this simple phrase,

To kids from one to ninety-two,

Although its been said many times, many ways,

Merry Christmas to you.

Nat King Cole - The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting...)

2011-12-22T20:30:00.002Z

Packaged Delights.

2011-12-21T13:37:00.017Z

I bought this little selection of pamphlets and wholesale catalogues yesterday, which list goods supplied by Sharps and Peek Freans during the mid 1950's.

I know there are a lot of vintage tin collectors out there, so I thought some might be interested in seeing the special Christmas presentation editions...Perhaps you may recognise some from your own collections?...

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There's a few special festive novelties too, including boxes of crackers...

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And treat containers.

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My favourite tin for the season is this one made by The International Biscuit Co. I use it for storing mince pies of course! ;-))

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Whilst I'm here, I'd just like to mention a fabulous giveaway prize that I won from Cape Cod Washashore. It arrived for me yesterday and I had such fun opening the box, which had travelled across the ocean to my door. There were added surprises, such as a huge selection of the most beautiful little yoyo's (or Suffolk puffs as we generally call them in the UK.) I can't wait to start using them in some of my projects. Treasures indeed :)

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I'll be back very soon with my Christmas post for the season, hopefully including some photos of the decorations around our home for anyone free to stop-by.
Look after yourself,
Niki x

Door Decor

2011-12-19T17:18:00.007Z

Funds are tight for many of us this Christmas, but that doesn't mean that seasonal cheer has to be lacking. I made a wreath for our front door that cost me nothing, but which I had a lot of enjoyment making.

I created the wreath base from fallen silver birch twigs - Our garden has been littered with them since the recent high winds we had. I simply twisted and wound them around each other to create the circle.

I then harvested a few lengths of ivy (It grows like a weed everywhere along our garden's boundary) I also collected a few ivy berries and holly berries for colour.

These were all just pushed in to the twig base. I wanted it to have a simple country look, not too ostentatious, as I don't feel that would be appropriate for this year.

A wired ribbon that I'd saved from a gift was tied in a bow to complete the decoration.

Lots more to show you, but Blogger has messed up my post formatting, so I need to know this is going to upload, before I add more festive posts. (Is anyone else having problems with the old system on Google Chrome?)
Have a great week,
Niki x

Vintage Cutie

2011-12-16T17:11:00.006Z

Just a quick post this evening, as I wanted to show this little fairy doll that arrived for me at my shop today, bringing with her my friend Jill! ;-))

(The baubles in the background are some that I have been working on today - they need some German glass glitter sprinkled on them, so I'll show them on my other blog when they are complete.)

Back to fairy...Isn't she adorable?! Love those fabulous eyelashes!...And the turquoise tinsel... Just my colour.

Thank you Jill, I love her...

It was lovely to see you too, of course! ;-))

Have a peaceful evening,

And a great weekend, (Tree trimming, gift wrapping and mince pie baking for me.)

Niki x

The New John Lewis 2011 Christmas TV Advert - Amazing John Lewis Christm...

2011-12-15T20:19:00.007Z

Cute, but don't forget to clean your teeth before you go to bed, kids!

;-)

Niki x

Oh, The Weather Outside is Frightful...

2011-12-14T17:00:00.019Z

With only three days before Christmas where I haven't got to be at work, heavy snow was not what I had wanted to see when I got up this morning...On the day I had planned to finish all of my Christmas shopping...

Thankfully it didn't fall for too long and snow soon turned to rain, so I wrapped up warm and set off...We haven't started the Christmas decorating at home yet (we traditionally wait until the end of the school term), so I thought I'd get the festive feel going on my blog, by adding a few photos of some of the pretty shop windows around Bath...

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Gift wrapping to cross off the list next! - Hope you are more organised than I am!

Keep Warm,

Niki x

Last 'Flea Finds' for 2011

2011-12-13T08:24:00.003Z

Sunday's foray to the flea market was fairly productive...

A wonderful selection of old wooden boxes, which I shall be fashioning into a display piece of furniture for the shop, as I have plans for changes there in 2012.

A pretty chocolate box print, probably from the 1930's.

Lovely lace and awesome antique hand stitched broderie anglais.

Handsome hand painted (and hand knitted!) items by the very talented Jennie.

Blinding bling for fairy folk...I'll be starting a new batch of girls in the New Year... Those diamanté and pearl Deco pieces below are crying out to be used as tiny tiaras!

Tempting trims to transform other handmade products into something special.

Millinery miniatures and (more) tatty trims to recycle.

Beautiful buttons to brighten up bags.

A cluster of clasps, which I can't wait to use for something unexpected... Watch this space ;-))

Postcards printed in ages past.

Tiny tin pots to re-purpose with a few trinkets and trims.

Victorian va-va-voom.

Velvet framed wall sconce with mercury mirrored back.

Delightful dwelling for little lodgers.

Floaty feathers and more crusty keys.

Tantalising tapestry to dress a one-of-a-kind rag doll.

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And for me...

I've been looking for a special single bed for a while now, to complete our spare bedroom. This fabulous French one will need a little work, but is just what I've been holding-out for.

And another tapestry treasure to dress an armchair I am working on.

A little worn in places, but still wonderful.

Thank you for visiting,

Keep warm,

Niki x

Three Little Maids...

2011-12-12T12:01:00.002Z

I've added 3 of my handmade rag dolls to my on-line shop today - I hope you will enjoy taking a look. My thanks to all who have made a purchase from my on-line shop and blogs recently.

Have a great week,

Niki x

Furniture, Fairies and Fuzzy Fabrics.

2011-12-10T08:20:00.004Z

The wintry weather finally seems to be upon us...which does make taking photographs a bit of a challenge....As you will see by the paint colour of this little drawer unit that I made-over this week, which changes shade in virtually every shot. I forgot to take a photo of how it started, but basically it wasn't very much different from this, just it had a uniform coat of pale cream emulsion.

I re-coated it in a warm almond colour, then distressed areas of wear. It then received a clear coat of furniture wax to protect it.

I added a dowel rod just under the drawer line, as I wanted to make little curtains for this section. I used an antique French fabric for these...

Simple, with a channel stitched along the top to thread the dowel into.

I also lined the inside of the drawers.

A pretty French/country cupboard in the shop this week!

A lovely old over-mantel mirror moved in too.

Luckily for me it already had its original cream paint finish, which I liked.

I've also been doll making this week...

Fallen Angel.

SOLD TODAY - THANK YOU!

'Twinkle'.

SOLD TODAY - THANK YOU!

And Gilded Angel.

I've made another of my rag dolls...

This is Ivy, in her festive colours.

I'M SOLD - THANK YOU!

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A puff patchwork bag made from vintage eiderdown cotton.

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And I've had lots of fun with vintage wool blanket fabric.

More greetings cards (with stockings and mittens that can be removed from the front of the cards and hung from the Christmas tree.)

I made a variation on the mittens too, with a Scandinavian look.

A hand-stitched woolly heart card...

And larger hanging hearts, filled with lavender and with an antique lace pocket...

To hold special messages...

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Keep warm! - Have a cosy weekend,

Niki x

Bath by Night II

2011-12-09T18:31:00.002Z

The German style Christmas market is once again trading in the centre of Bath. It is very popular with locals and tourists alike and can get extremely busy during the day. We made our usual late night shopping trip last night as a family. As we left home, it was pouring with rain and we wondered if we'd made a mistake in going at all...But it soon cleared up and we had a relatively quiet Bath to enjoy in all its festive finery.

The majority of the market surrounds the beautiful Abbey...(Market runs until this Sunday.)

Which looks particularly spectacular when floodlit for the season.

Our youngest bought one of the hand knitted rose topped hats for a certain teeny-tiny person we know. (Its such fun buying for a baby again...spoilt?!..Maybe just a little... ;-))

The dynamics of Bath have shifted a little recently, mainly due I would say to the relatively recent opening of the Southgate Shopping Centre at the lower end of the city. It is clear that some once flourishing areas of Bath are now struggling, such as The Podium, which shows in empty shop units, or temporary businesses filling the spaces.

But mostly, Bath remains a lovely city with plenty to offer. Perfect to explore day or night.

A selection of shop displays...

Hope you enjoyed the trip too!

Have a lovely weekend,

Niki x

Mollie Makes

2011-12-07T13:46:00.006Z

Whilst out Christmas shopping the other day, I grabbed a copy of Mollie Makes magazine on my way home...Laden with several bags of shopping, I was unable to flick through it before I bought it, but I thought it was going to be just my cup of tea...

I have to be honest and say that it wasn't...When I sat down in the evening to enjoy it, I turned the pages one-by-one rather quickly and found nothing that really inspired me, even if I were to substitute antique fabrics and materials for mostly the modern ones featured in the articles and ideas...

Its quite an expensive magazine (comes with a free calendar for 2012), and knowing that there are Mollie Makes fans out there, I would like to offer it to the first person to request it. I will post it off to you after receiving your address details. Either leave a comment here on my blog, or email me directly via my blog's profile, and I will get back to you.

UPDATE: My copy of Mollie Makes has now found a new home on the other side of the world! Thank you for your interest, Niki x

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Yesterday I had to take the stock that didn't sell at the V&H Fair, back to my shop. I sold the painted ladder, as seen in my previous post, first thing, so I created another display outside.

I also wanted to get the festive look going in all of my shop's windows.

I bought this little twiggy tree last Sunday. I placed it in an old weathered terracotta pot and dressed the top with moss pulled from out of our lawn!

I then added items as I unpacked them throughout the day.

This sweet little Victorian velvet frame had a seasonal vintage postcard added to it.

And two dolls joined the scene later too.

A few other new items found there way onto the shelves, including these handmade felt tilt hats - So cute!

To finish, I'd just like to thank Susy for the post she added to her blog this week, all about my little shop - Thank you again Susy, it was very kind of you!

Thanks for dropping-in...

Hope you're having a great week.

Niki x

The Weekend...

2011-12-05T16:44:00.012Z

'Twas a busy one...!

I stayed open late in my shop on Friday evening for the town's Christmas event...

My shop was suitably dressed before the crowds arrived...

Including lots to tempt inside as well...

With everyone assembled on the Market Place, all enjoying mince-pies and mulled cider, the countdown for the turning on of the Christmas tree lights began...

The switch was flicked by the carnival queen and the evening continued with carols and bell ringing.

When the crowds had dispersed, I then had to start loading up my car with some of the items from my shop, to take to the V&H fair the following morning.

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An early start the next day and I arrived to find a larger pitch than I was expecting upstairs in the Chipping Sodbury Town Hall.

I set about dressing my table in anticipation of the busy day...

I used the fabulous tablecloth that was given to me by Susanna last year.

I was set up and ready quite quickly, so I had a quick flit around the hall, and downstairs before the doors were opened...

This was my neighbours stall with her beautifully covered lampshades.

Tea and cakes, courtesy of the local WI.

Jo was ready and waiting in the foyer.

And Louise had added the last finishing touch to her stall at the front of the main hall. Most of the other stall holders were still setting up, so keen not to get in their way, I headed back upstairs.

The sun had started to pour in through the large windows and so to try and shield my stall a little, I hung my three large angels from the window catches.

The doors opened to the public at 10am sharp and I'm glad to say that many did venture upstairs. It then hit me how tired I was and I'm still aware that I wasn't totally myself...I was saying some rather strange things at one point, as I just couldn't concentrate...But everyone who stopped for a chat was very supportive and kind. Thank you!

Several people suggested that I should put the prices up on some of my hand made products (particularly my dolls)...Which I have to say was very refreshing, as its usual in this line of business to have people haggling on price (even when an already reasonable price is being asked! ;-))

The sun streamed through the windows and during the day several ladies had to put on their sunglasses in order to see what was on my table! Marvellous December weather - what a treat!

There is a fab photo on Hen's lovely blog, which shows the true colour of my stall far better! Here.

Thank you again to all who came up the stairs to visit my stall, made a purchase, or offered your words of support. It meant so much - I look forward to the next event in February! :) - Thanks to Jayne and Michele for all of your organisation. x

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Sunday I was up again scouting at my local flea market, but sadly didn't find many treasures. Thankfully I have a couple of furniture makeovers to finish this week, so the shop won't be empty!

;-))

Have a great week,

Niki x

Sing Choirs of Angels.....

2011-12-02T08:27:00.001Z

I'm quickly posting this morning, as I may not have time this evening, as I am staying late at the shop...then there will be the packing of the car when I get home...I may not have time to pop back here...

I've been revisiting one of my old rag doll designs over the last few weeks...

Many years ago I used to make these 'hippy angels' with a friend, which we used to sell at a gallery around Christmas time. Here they are photographed hanging from the tree that I mentioned on my kitchen post, which was part of our daughter's fairyland playroom.

Apologies for the quality of these photos - these are 'pre-digi'! I took my inspiration from this selection of angel dolls, but have adapted them to the style I prefer today...

I've come up with this host of girls...5 in all.

I think they make a beautiful decoration for Christmastime...

But can also be suspended above a bed for the rest of the year.

Each one wears an antique baby gown, which I adapted to fit.

And their wings are adorned with tiny sparkling trinkets and treasures.

Let me introduce you...

This is Angelica in an off-white cotton gown.

Tiny Holly in a muslin baby dress.

Evangeline with diamanté trims.

Little Joy in a sweet ruffled dress.

And finally Faith in a crisp pure white baby nightgown.

All will be winging their way to Chipping Sodbury for the Christmas Fair tomorrow!

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Next is my collection of dainty fairy folk, all dressed in antique/vintage fabrics and trims:

Pearly Queen

Dancing Queen

Rose Tinted Fairy

Festive Fairy

Snow Queen

Fairy Queen

Gilded Angel

Fallen Angel

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3 of my large rag dolls are waiting for the journey...

Lydia

Lacey

and Blossom.

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And 3 medium sized rag dolls.

Lavender

Eve

And Lucia.

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I will be taking lots of other smaller stocking-filler gifts for my stand too, which is upstairs this time - I know I've mentioned that before, but I don't want to be forgotten about! :( - Hope to see you there - the line-up of stallholders looks fabulous! Thanks to Jayne and Michele for organising this event again! I'm really looking forward to it...I'm hoping to do a bit of shopping myself! ;-))

Have a wonderful weekend, whatever you have planned.

Niki x

Checking Up!

2011-12-01T17:18:00.001Z

Yesterday I was able to tick quite a few projects from my 'to do' list...

I ventured briefly into my garden to pick some lengths of ivy and bay leaves for a display I wanted to put together at my shop today...More of that later...

Whilst I was there, I picked this rose which was happily flowering in the border...but I think frost is finally on its way, so I thought it would be safer inside :)

Then it was down to business...

I've collected a few pairs of vintage shoe stretchers over the last few weeks, which I've wanted to give a makeover to...(I've always loved decorating these old friends :) - (Here too!)

This time I used a pale pink velvet ribbon for the metal sections and assorted antique lace for the wooden pieces.

These will be on my stall at the V&H Fair.

This dresser was actually given to me by a lovely couple who visit my shop whenever they are staying in Shepton Mallet. They have always been very supportive of my small business and I feel very lucky to know them. Its not a particularly old dresser, in fact it is made from MDF, but as it had been previously painted, I thought a fresh coat would smarten it up and give it a more country feel.

I used toasted almond emulsion paint, by Crown, and gave the whole piece two generous coats. (I actually started this last Sunday.)

Whilst the second coat was drying, I covered the shelves in a cheerful gingham fabric and made a pair of curtains to fit into the door panels.

When completely dry, I set about adding a coat of tinted wax to protect the paintwork and give a more rustic look.

Lots of buffing then followed!

The shelves were put back...

And I fitted the curtains onto tension wires.

It was delivered to the shop this morning...

And dressed with suitable accessories.

I've also recently covered another set of drawers, this time using a rare antique French fabric.

(Also coming to the V&H fair - I'm going for a red and cream theme to my stall this time.)

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This corner shelf unit had been in my shop in its plain pine finish for a few weeks, with little interest, so I decided to paint that as well.

It now has a distressed look, which I hope will be more appealing.

Another simple make-over was this little stool. I liked the original gloss paint on the legs, but was less impressed by the 1980's fabric on the top!

So using more of the red and cream check upholstery-weight fabric, I went for a simple country look.

Here's my 'blog profile dolly' looking very happy with the re-do's! :)

And the greenery that I mentioned at the beginning of this post...

I used it to decorate an old painted ladder that I've just bought. I placed glass cream jugs on the steps, each with a tea light inside. I shall light these tomorrow evening, when its late night Christmas shopping in Shepton Mallet.

Have a lovely evening - I hope to be back on my blog tomorrow with a post showing all the dolls and fairies that I have made for the V&H Christmas Fair which takes place on Saturday.

Niki x

Brown Paper Packages Tied up with String...

2011-11-30T09:54:00.002Z

What a surprise I had yesterday when Postie brought in a parcel to my shop for me to sign for. I wasn't expecting anything...

Inside the package was something lightweight and squishy, wrapped in brown paper and tied with string. The sweet little Christmas card said it had been sent by Krissie.

And inside? Oh, my!

This gorgeous handmade boudoir pillow, made from exquisite antique French fabric - I'm not sure how Krissie could bare to part with it! (And I'm certainly not sure what I've done to deserve such a beautiful gift, lavished with such skill and love!)

I am amazed that someone I have never met would know me so well and send such a treasure.

Thank you again Krissie. x

I have placed the little pillow on a painted French chair in our master bedroom. Krissie wrote a lovely post all about her latest creations here.

Have a lovely day everyone!

I have a day of painting and crafting ahead of me as I put the last finishing touches to the items I shall be taking with me to the V&H Fair on Saturday.

And you may have noticed in the first photo of this post, that the Christmas tree has been put up on the Market Place - I shall be open later on Friday when the tree's fairly lights will be switched on by the Carnival Queen and there will be a few festive treats going on in the town.

Niki x

Daytime TV?!!

2011-11-28T20:07:00.007Z

Now I'm not usually a daytime TV viewer (not much of a TV viewer full-stop), besides, I'm usually at work during the day, but today, whilst babysitting the littlest member of our family, I sat down to give her a bottle and switched on the box...

I discovered this fun programme called 'May the Best House Win'. I think many of us love visiting the blogs which show areas of their owners homes...so I thought perhaps this show might be of interest to some, purely as a guilty pleasure, you understand?! ;-))

I particularly loved Christine's cottage. Her artistic style shone through, throughout her pretty home and her handmade touches were everywhere. It didn't seem to go down particularly well with her house-guests and fellow competitors, but I for one loved that her home reflected so much of her personality.

If you'd like to visit, the episode can be found here for the next 30 days - you may need to click on 'Part Two' for Christine's cottage. (For copyright reasons, the programme is only available to UK viewers.)

Niki x

That was the Week That Was...

2011-11-27T16:15:00.002Z

Last week was a busy one...

Our youngest daughter turned 18...I'm now adjusting to the fact that all my children are officially adults...

But my daughter did announce to me on Thursday, "It's OK Mum, I don't intend to be an adult until I'm 21, like they did in the old days!"

I guess she'll be wanting me to do her laundry etc for another few years yet then?! ;-))

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Her Birthday celebrations were all a bit of a rush, as we had to get her back to school (an 18 mile round trip) each evening for her to perform in the school cabaret, which ended at 10.30pm each night...I don't know how she managed to keep going...

She was a compare...

Was in several comedy sketches..

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And is a member of the girl's choir.

This was the finale where they performed several songs from Grease.

Saturday evening we took her into Bath for a meal with her friends to celebrate her 18th and the end of the cabaret.

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Whilst home life has been full throttle, I've also been busy in the shop making things and keeping the festive feel going.

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I've made some Christmas tree decorations from the old keys that I showed on my previous post.

And there's some more made from dusky pink chandelier drops.

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I've made a new collection of brooch pillows too.

My doll making has also been at full production and I have a big line-up to show you when they are all complete. These I am saving for the Vintage & Handmade Christmas Fair next Saturday. I shall be upstairs near to the tea rooms this time - Hope to see you there if you can make it. I shall give a preview of the dolls that will be coming with me later in the week. I also have a new design to reveal too! ;-))

Have a great week,

Niki x

More Trinkets and Treasures

2011-11-23T10:39:00.002Z

Good morning!

Thank you for your feedback to the question in my previous post...I'll carry on posting about the treasures I find on my travels... :)

Coming up are the goodies I discovered at the weekend...

Vintage brooches and pretty necklaces.

A lovely old sewing basket (love the floral fabric cover) full of useful sewing equipment and supplies.

Colourful Christmassy baubles in time for the festive season.

Baby gowns in need of recycling...I've started working with these, so will reveal all when the items are complete. ;-))

These cute doll-sized knitted items are going to be used on Christmas cards to friends.

Adorable miniature flue-cover. (Sold yesterday)

Tactile sea shells and an urchin.

Rusty keys will become Christmas decorations with the addition of a few twinkling trinkets.

A fantastic old Good Houskeeping Cookery Book.

Love those colour plates!

Metal flower frogs, always a useful find for displaying postcards and such. Pretty glass cologne bottle, that I have since tied with lace and an old millinery flower, which I'll show towards the end of this post.

A baby's portrait on milk glass, dated 1896.

Two beautiful Victorian photograph albums...

with plenty of delicious illustrated mounts inside.

A large pile of linens and lace...

Now freshly laundered and waiting to be pressed this morning.

Chippy painted garden spade.

And a standard lamp to provide extra lighting in my shop.

A wonderful over-mantel mirror, which I feel needs painting (another for the to-do list! ;-))

I also moved this gorgeous chest of drawers with its fab original paint into the shop yesterday, as several pieces sold last week.

It makes the ideal base for my Christmas display.

I'd just like to thank Belinda for her post about the goings-on outside my shop recently, which she has posted on her Somerset blog here.

Thanks for dropping-by Nostalgia at the Stone House!

Enjoy the rest of your week,

Niki x

Christmas at the Dairy!

2011-11-21T09:37:00.004Z

After visiting one of my usual haunts to buy some treasures for my shop yesterday, hubby and I then headed off to Dairy House late morning. Lizzie and Woo (mostly, I think?) had organised a Christmas Market as an added attraction to the antiques centre.

There were several pretty stalls outside, under the verandah, making the entrance look very inviting.

Just inside the main doors there was spiced mulled wine on offer and delicious mince pies and nibbles!

Throughout the three floors, the regular displays were interspersed by visiting dealers offering a tempting array of antiques, vintage goodies and handmade products.

Most of the centre was decorated with seasonal greenery and the carols playing made the atmosphere very relaxed and, well, festive! :)

Here's more of the lovely displays that could be enjoyed over the three floors...

Of course I did make a few purchases yesterday, but wonder if I bore you with my regular posts about the things I buy?...I can show the items later in the week (am baby sitting today, so time is strapped! ;-)) - Busy week this week too with school cabaret, an (extra) important Birthday, and lots of my handmade pieces to finish for the V&H fair on the 3rd, etc etc.

Hubby and I rounded off a lovely day out with a late lunch in a cafe in Shaftesbury overlooking Gold Hill that we have visited before...

with a walk around the picturesque town afterwards.

Then it was time to head home for a family roast dinner...

Perfect!

Hope you had a lovely weekend too,

Niki x

PS: Thank you to Shabbily by the Sea for the mention on your lovely blog!

Fun with Fabrics

2011-11-19T08:16:00.014Z

A little painted set of drawers that I bought this week...

Received a quick makeover...

Paintwork was waxed for protection...

And I applied this wonderful old Huckleberry Finn fabric that I bought from Sue, to the drawer fronts...

And the top.

Cute as a child's beside table.

I also wanted to show this little pelmet that I made from a gorgeous appliquéd net that I bought from Lizzie.

I carefully trimmed away the net from around the bottom edge of the appliqué and made a channel at the top to thread a wire through.

It hangs in the room that I gave the recent make-over to.

(Hides the ugly plastic window frames!!!)

OK, that's all folks!

Have a great weekend...

I'm off to my shop now,

Niki x

Kitchen Capers

2011-11-17T19:10:00.002Z

Our kitchen has seen a fair few changes to it over the years....When we first moved to the Stone House, we used the room as a playroom for our three girls, as they were all quite young at the time. I shall have to try and find some photos of it - We created a purple hazed fairyland, complete with a real tree spanning from floor to ceiling and festooned it with fairly lights.

As the girls grew, I expanded my small business and the room changed from the fantasy grotto into my shop.

After closing the shop, the room then became our kitchen! It has evolved several times over the years, but I think that is the beauty of not having a fitted kitchen - Its easier to make little changes without having to rip out units etc.

From blue and white...

To cream and red...

To vintage floral for a short while...

And then back to cream and red again! ;-))

...With a touch of grey and mocha too!

Anyway, as I mentioned in a previous post, I bought a new, actually Victorian, glazed cabinet recently...

Complete with its original wiggly glass and old patterned paper lining the inside.

We already had the heavy shelf above the radiator (hubby made it from an old scaffolding plank and some antique metal brackets), so we simply rested it on that, and then drilled it into the wall in a couple of places.

Then the fun bit!

As most of the items in our kitchen are red, I thought I'd add some more colours and introduce all of my vintage china from various places in our home, into the cupboard.

I also fixed some vintage wallpaper border to the shelf edges.

Whenever I buy vintage and antique china for my shop, there is inevitably one or two pieces with chips or cracks. These are the items I usually keep myself, as I'd rather sell perfect china. It does mean I have amassed a varied collection of mis-matched bits and bobs (not all imperfect, some we use everyday), but all piled in together, I think they look cheerful and fun.

Lovely to look at whilst we are sat at the dinner table too!

(An added bonus with having it all behind glass, is that the dusting is minimal! ;-))

Thank you for visiting my blog and for your recent comments. And welcome to the new followers who seem to have found me somehow...Its lovely to have you here,

Niki x

The Thrill of the Chase..

2011-11-16T13:25:00.001Z

Latest pur-chases!

As usual, quite a floral theme...

Two pretty framed vintage prints. The shoes stretchers are larger than those I normally find - I shall be covering these in lace to make them prettier.

Gorgeous Barbola plaque.

Fabrics! I had to limit myself with these though, as they were very expensive. Most had come from France, so I understand why; poor exchange rate, high fuel prices and ferry costs, and the fabrics have to be bought and sold at profit...I'm just glad that I have accumulated a lot of fabrics over the years and still have those to work with, otherwise it would be very difficult to survive at the moment...

I am pleased with the ones I bought, and look forward to working with them soon.

The magenta fabric below is a lovely soft velvet. There's a pink pinny and the orange/yellow floral is a lovely handmade early 40's apron.

Lace and old broderie anglais for fairy making.

And other pretty trims...some the perfect shape for fairy wings.

I'm also going to use these tiny baubles in my doll making - they'll be ideal for some Christmas angels that I shall work on for the V&H Christmas fair. (Dolly face for my handmade hat stands.)

I found a whole box of vintage Christmas decs too...which will come with me to the fair as well.

*

I don't feel I have a huge amount of items for the money I spent, but at least I have something to show for the chase!

As I was walking round the antiques fair, I kept going back to look at this fabulous French mirror...every time I went back I breathed a sigh that it was still there...

So in the end I took the plunge and bought it for myself. I love the original artwork in the top panel, the shabby old painted frame, and the aged silvering of the mirror. Perfection.

I also bought this little French bodice. Probably from around 1880. It is entirely hand stitched and remarkably tiny.

I adore all the details and will enjoy looking at it hanging in my bedroom.

That's it for now - Thanks for stopping-by,

Niki x

Tweaking!

2011-11-15T20:35:00.001Z

Following on from my post about making the patchwork curtains for our back living room, I've been adding/changing a few things around in that room. I've taken these photos at various times, so they jump around a bit, apologies for that, but I haven't had a lot of free time lately.

In no particular order...

I've placed the little glazed cupboard on top of the drawers. It was one I had in our kitchen, but it had to move after we added the large glazed cabinet in there last week, that I've mentioned previously. (I'll show that on my blog later this week!)

This gorgeous leather barbola picture was a recent purchase from a friend's shop - Only £5!

Love it!

I've changed the fabric in the fitted glazed cupboards at the end of the room...

For a colourful vintage floral Sanderson.

I brought in the cushions from our summer house, as things can get a bit damp in there over the winter.

And the dresser at the other end has been tweaked a little - Having had the lace curtains behind the glass closed for a while...

They've now been opened a little to reveal my collections inside.

And I've hung my angel that I made for myself one year on the front.

My favourite original 1800's pencil portrait hangs beside the dresser.

Sorry I'm in a bit of a rush this evening...

Hope you're having a good week so far,

Niki x

Lace, Leather and Stone.

2011-11-12T19:44:00.001Z

My shop is smelling very lavendery at the moment!...

I've made lots of little lavender filled hearts - Ideal for the Christmas tree, but could also be used afterwards to scent your wardrobe!

I used antique lace and C19th French linen.

Larger brooch pillow heart (also filled with lavender.)

Plus some with mother-of-pearl buttons.

There's another vintage wool Christmas stocking...

with lace top...

And I thought I'd just show this little number for any ice-maidens out there!

An original designer Iceberg dress, made from Italian silver leather!

Perfect for the party season.

To round of this quick post...

A progress report on works that have been carried out on the Market Cross that stands outside my shop in Shepton Mallet.

The barricades are finally down and the renovated stone work is revealed in all its glory.

There's still work to be done, to include up-lighting and possibly some new stone sets around the base I've been told, but the work has certainly moved on...

And I can see daylight again, thank goodness! - Now that my shop can be seen from the top of the High Street once more, I'm hoping I shall see a few Christmas shoppers at my door.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend,

Niki x

Lest we Forget

2011-11-11T08:05:00.001Z

The Motherhood Book

2011-11-10T08:25:00.001Z

*

I bought this lovely old book the other day entitled The Motherhood Book. It dates from the 1930's, but an inscription in the front cover says it was given as a gift in 1940, which, (I hope she doesn't mind me telling you), is the year my Mum was born! To think that her Mummy may have had a book similar to this, to help her raise her newborn...

There are several chapters about how to look after babies and young children at the front of the book. Boiling the glass milk bottles in a saucepan must have taken some organisation every day!

'Modern' prams of the era!

Similar to the one that I sold in my shop a few months ago.

The book then moves on to making clothes, with lots of knitting patterns...

And other craft items and toys.

This beautiful layette basket below reminds me very much of the one I found in Bridport earlier this year.

I love books like this that offer a glimpse as to how life was in the past.

***

I've been crafting this week and amongst my makes is this torso cushion with a slight nod to motherhood.

I used vintage wool and dressed the cushion with a pocket made from antique French hand stitched mesh lace, and gave her a vintage hand crocheted collar at her neck.

The collar fastens with a pretty filigree butterfly brooch.

A Victorian photograph of a child and a French Christmas postcard are slipped into the pocket.

It has a separate feather-filled made-to-measure pad inside (made by me).

A cute decorative pillow for a Mum-to-be? - The photos could be swapped for family photos or keepsakes instead.

Thank you for all your kind comments to my previous post - Have a lovely day,

Niki x

Family Matters

2011-11-09T10:05:00.003Z

I found this quote by Lucy Liu and it made me smile...

"Everything I buy is vintage and smells funny.
Maybe that's why I don't have a boyfriend."

Does that mean that us 'vintage girls' that DO have a boyfriend, or an understanding hubby, are extra lucky??!

I know I am thankful for what I have and often stop to count my blessings.

Occasionally in the past my daughters would question why I collected some of the vintage things that I did...

But I think as they have got older, they saw that the pieces that have surrounded them in our home as they were growing up, are old and interesting and have a story to tell, or have something else to offer that a modern piece does not...

These days my youngest is happy to rootle through the rails in a charity shop to find something different to wear from many of her peers...

My middle daughter often accompanies me to the flea markets looking for inspiration for her textile/fashion projects for college...

My eldest daughter is a little different and has learnt that none of the material goods (vintage or otherwise) in our home are what is really important. She has moved-on many of her possessions and has a clean slate to start a new chapter of her life in the New Year.

And my hubby is happy if we're all happy! :)

Yesterday he helped me put up a new (old!) glazed cabinet on the wall in our kitchen...Him knowing full well that it offers me another opportunity to move my collections around and perhaps add to them...

I do wonder what our little granddaughter will make of us when she's old enough to consider things for herself...

Will she see a funny family that live a slightly unusual, but interesting life...?

Or will she not question, and all will seem the norm...?

When I visit some friends or relatives, and walk into their room with the 'wallpapered feature wall', matching sofa and the big black box in the corner, for me it's a home lacking personality. I'd prefer it to reflect those who live in it - Personal keepsakes or souvenirs on display bring a heart to a home.

Of course it will always be those living within it that matter most, but it doesn't hurt to add a few frivolous fancies here and there! :)

OK, this was probably just an excuse for me to add photos to my blog of the treasures and trinkets that make me happy, but now I see where they have taken me and has got me thinking about what is important...

Thanks for stopping-by...even when I don't really have very much to say!

Have a lovely day,

Niki x

Autumn Glory

2011-11-06T17:43:00.004Z

Whenever we visit Bath on a Sunday, we always park our car in Victoria Park if we can find a space, as its free to do so. Its a bit of a walk into the city centre and the shops, but is a very beautiful one...particularly at this time of year.

I thought I'd share a few photos of the glorious autumn day we had today, and the walk back to the car after we had done our shopping...

At the back of one of Baths typical Georgian terraces, there is a renovated Georgian garden which is free to enter...

Formal, neat and fairly easy to maintain.

I could do with some of that!

Back into the park again...

And pass-by the Royal Crescent.

Through one of several pairs of park gates...

And we're back to our car...which I think beats returning to a multi storey car park in a concrete jungle.

Hope you've enjoyed your weekend,

Niki x

Please to Remember...

2011-11-05T08:14:00.002Z

Have a fun bonfire night! - Its a beautiful night for it...

Be safe,

Niki x