Romantic Collage

I'm still waiting for my new sewing machine to be delivered - I think the Bank Holiday must have slowed deliveries up....so in the mean time I have had to be creative in other ways....

I found this delightful old photo portrait of a pretty girl at a flea market. Unfortunately, as you see, it was in a bit of a sorry state. The glass was missing, the frame was chippy (but I love that about it!) and the photo itself was water damaged....

I gathered together some of my favourite vintage treasures, including antique lace and millinery flowers and set to work.

I glued the lace around the inside of the frame, gathering as I went. I highlighted her dress with a ruffle of millinery flowers and some velvet ones decorate her hair.

The tiny portrait was a Christmas card from 1903, that I stuck behind an antique photo mount. Finally a Victorian Rose scrap was added to the bottom and a scattering of Forget-me-not flowers were sprinkled amongst the lace.

She will hang from a pink satin ribbon.

Yesterday I received a delightful package from Heather at 'Pretty Petals', that I had ordered from her new website.

The sweet little linen bundle now rests on my basket full of linen hand towels in my bathroom. And the handmade pretty pocket hangs from the bathroom door. Thanks Heather, I love it all!

I also received this purple pack of craft supplies......

So until my sewing machine is delivered I shall get gluing instead of sewing....

Turquoise Treasures.

After spending time rearranging the furniture in my living room (see post below) I then had to find new positions for the items that I moved out! The grey chippy painted cupboard is now on our landing. (Although I am told by Louise that you call it 'the top of the stairs' in the States. Thinking about it, 'the landing' does sound funny; it's not like we fly up the stairs and have to come into land; but that could be fun!!)
I bought the over mantel mirror from a junk shop and gave it a coat of turquoise paint and added the Victorian rose decals to match the cupboard.

I have displayed an arrangement of vintage treasures, including a china wash jug and bowl and my wooden peggy dolls.

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I received this gorgeous parcel in the post from Lilia at Flea Market Studio.
The goodies were beautifully wrapped in turquoise and pink tissue and ribbons; the delights inside co-ordinated wonderfully - thanks again Lilia! I couldn't wait to start using some of them. I had the bird cage that I recently bought from Louise, waiting for a small make-over.


I stuck the pretty Little Styrofoam bird to the swinging perch.

I lined the base with a Violet printed 1940's wallpaper, then added vintage millinery flowers and a pink lace bow to the top bars.
The cage now sits on top of an old trunk that also stands on our landing, which hides all of our board games out of sight.


I have a wire work Mannequin there too, with a very flamboyant hat!

My sewing machine has broken down just now, so I am feeling very fidgety until my new one is delivered! I rarely go a day without sewing, so this is hard for me!
I treated myself to these pink Peonies yesterday. They are so delicate and pretty - just wanted to share them with you!

Time to Smell the Flowers....

I'm not quite sure where the last few days have disappeared to, or this month for that matter. Days seem to merge lately and there is very little time for the simpler things in life. I decided to take ten minutes yesterday and armed with the camera went into my garden.

Some of my favourite blooms at the moment are these fabulous Irises, the colour of toffee yogurt!

The heady scent of old fashioned roses and lavender is so comforting.

And have you every sniffed the fragrance of the Robinia Frisia tree flowers? They remind me of 'Germolene' the antiseptic ointment!

I've still not found the time to plant up my chimney pots. But the enamelware bowl was one I did last year...

And EVERYONE should make the time to sit with a hen on their lap!.....

"Come on Miss Millie, you're not hiding when you do that!"

All Change...

Here in the UK we have been experiencing a VERY wet May! The rain outside has deterred me from entering my garden, so instead I have been bringing the outside in, with bright floral fabrics. It has also been fun to move furniture from different rooms and make changes without redecorating!

The little green chippy painted table used to be in my laundry room, but always ended up as a dumping ground for the girl's school bags!

A larger move involved re-hanging the white glazed cabinet that houses my vintage hat collection. It used to be on our landing, but I never really looked at them up there.

Here it is in its new position. (What a patient hubby I have!)

The old French mannequin standing in the corner wears another vintage hat and a Victorian lace collar and feather boa.

Turning round in the room you would then see my wooden bench with a pile of vintage fabric cushions that I have been recovering.....

I also made a cover for an eiderdown, to make a squishy feather filled seat pad! (I know I need to recover the lampshade! That's next on the list!)

Next to the bench is my French armoire. Sometime ago, I saw a beautiful armoire with a cherub on the top in a Bath Antique shop. The price tag was humongous! - So I have made my own version with a brass cherub from an old clock, painted white and attached at the top!

The hand painted lamp base and rose printed shade is also French and was a recent purchase from my local antiques fair.
Have a lovely weekend. If we have more rain, at least my living room is cheerful and bright!