WOW!

Please indulge me a 'proud Mum' moment!

My middle daughter began her Art Foundation course at University 10 weeks ago. She has just produced this amazing outfit as one of her self-initiated project assessments. It is a corset and pleated skirt made from newspaper, which she has stitched and added painted graffiti and sequins.

Here she is modelling the outfit in a setting she designed and photographed herself, to represent 'victim fashion'. I am amazed and feel thrilled that she is pursuing a course that she obviously loves.

She hopes to follow a pathway into costume design.

A Tiny Treasure.

I discovered this tiny booklet at my local car boot sale one morning. It always amazes me that paper items such as this survive the years so well. I imagine it would have been given out at a Sunday School during the 1930's.

The illustrations truly are treasures and their colours are as fresh as when they were first printed.

Beautiful cottage gardens full of delphiniums, roses and hollyhocks....

...With pretty girls tending them.

Each one typical of the 1930's style.

Remembrance

Winner, Wreath and Wonderful Women!

Thank you to everyone who entered my giveaway to celebrate my website's 3rd Birthday; I was overwhelmed by the response. The name drawn from a hat and the winner of the goodies shown below is..........

............Tea from 'Tea and Margaritas in my Garden.' Well done Tea, I shall have the prize in the post very soon!

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We had some beautiful autumn weather last weekend, so I decided to harvest some more of my Hydrangea flowers.

"No chickens, those are not for you - you're so nosey!!"

I was inspired by Carol to make a wreath with some of them.
I had this rustic grapevine wreath already........

....so using my glue gun, I applied the flower heads all around the wreath base until it was completely covered. The flowers were still soft and supple, so there was no mess with falling petals. It will dry nicely when it is hung up on display.

I have placed it above my bed as a seasonal decoration and it adds another red accent to the room.

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I also want to use this post as a BIG thank you to Michele. I have chatted via email to Michele for sometime now and she mentioned to me that she had a whole roll of 1950's Sanderson fabric that she would like to GIVE me!! I couldn't believe her generosity; it is so difficult to find usable amounts of vintage fabric now-a-days and here was a WHOLE roll!!

We actually only live a short distance away from each other, so I was able to go and pick it up from her home.

As you can see from the photos, it is stunning! I am tempted to make curtains for my bedroom with it as the blue would be perfect in there! But I also hope to make some handmade goods to add to my website.

This weekend I will be making a special 'thank you' present for Michele, using some of it. I know the fabric holds sentimental memories for her, so I aim to make a special keepsake for her.

THANK YOU Michele, you are such a kind lady for thinking of me and parting with your gorgeous fabric. I am deeply touched.

Michele has a website where she sells her fabulous handmade cards and nostalgic box frames; please take a look at her blog for more details when you get a chance to: 'Cowboys & Custard'.

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I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend, Niki x

3 Years Later......(please join in my giveaway!)

It's my website's 3rd Birthday! I opened my website with on-line catalogue three years ago, to run along side my physical shop 'Nostalgia'.

I have since closed my little shop, but have continued selling via the web ever since....

That's a lot of vintage items that have found new homes with other nostalgia lovers.......

and mountains of hand made goods have been bought and given as presents to loved ones.

Piles of vintage fabric scraps have been recycled into bags and cushions in that time....

and new ideas have been fine-tuned and developed.

Please join in with my celebrations by leaving a comment to this post. Your name will then be entered into the prize giveaway for a 'Nostalgia' inspired collection. (Anyone, from anywhere, can enter, including non-bloggers, but I will need to ask for your address if your name is the random one selected.) I shall draw a name on November 10th.

The prize includes pretty things that I feel sum up a feeling of nostalgia. There is one of my handmade bags, made from vintage floral fabrics with a postcard centre panel, an embroidery backed clothes brush form the 1950's, the charming Czechoslovakian china mug printed with a rose border, a C1950's petal hat that would look perfect displayed on a dressing table and finally a sample size section of eiderdown cotton floral fabric tied with lace, mother-of-pearl buttons and a reel of silk thread.

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend,

Niki x

Unique Gift Sets.

On a recent buying trip I discovered this pile of pretty bone china saucers for sale. They are made by Royal Albert, England and are from the 'Flower of the Month' series.

Each one features a pretty floral printed transfer design.......

And I thought that they would make perfect soap dishes for the vintage inspired bathroom or kitchen, which could be changed with the seasons.....

I have made some gift set with them for my website, by wrapping the handmade lavender soaps in vintage wallpapers and adding ribbon ties and vintage costume brooches.

I love putting sets like this together, coordinating the colours of each element to create a thoughtful gift.

Sorry, all sold - THANK YOU!
I have also been making some candle gift sets for the winter season. Some have vintage fabric covered matchboxes and others are tied with antique lace with a matching vintage brooch and postcard; each one being unique.

I have updated my on-line catalogue today - I hope you will enjoy taking a look if you get the chance to.
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A couple of days ago I was lucky enough to receive a surprise parcel from Michele of Cowboys & Custard. I had entered a competition of hers and although I didn't guess the correct answer (!) she still rewarded me with a prize, which was a set of her delightful handmade cards. Thank you Michele, they are fabulous - I shall send them to extra special people!

Michele also awarded me with the 'Christmas Spirit' Award for encouraging her start her own blog, which I am flattered to accept! Thank you!

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I have received several emails from kind hearted bloggers who have asked why I have switched off the comment option on my blog. It was a tough decision, but it had got to the stage where I was spending so much time replying to comments and questions (I am not very good at ignoring emails!) that I wasn't getting enough of my work done. My website is my only income and I have to work hard making my handmade creations, answering customer emails/orders, packing the orders, regular trips to the Post Office, sourcing vintage goodies, typing website listings - oooo that takes FAR too long!, taking photos of new items....................................I could go on and on and on......

Anyway, it was suggested by a few that I switch the option back on for those who like to leave comments or read them, which I will do but I am sorry in advance if I am not be able to reply to any comments/questions received. I certainly wasn't looking to cut myself off from the Blogging community, I just felt guilty for not having the time to comment on other blogs!

Boudoir Doll Make-over

I would like you to meet Francoise - She is a skinny French boudoir doll dating from the Flapper era! Whilst she seems quite happy sitting here in a state of undress, I felt she needed a new wardrobe.......

I selected a collection of vintage fabrics that I thought reflected the era from which she came and made a pair of long bloomers, a petticoat, a dress with an amazing printed design and a fabulous deco velvet jacket. The white fur collar was original to her.

I also created a flapper style headdress using pink silk velvet ribbon, some vintage feathers and millinery flowers.

That's better....a more sophisticated look for a chic French mademoiselle!

I will be adding Francoise to my on-line catalogue very soon.......