cold snap

Is it arm warmer* weather?

Today yes!
(unless you live in the southern hemisphere!)

I'm linking up with Rachel 

at stitched in color with this cold snap post.

two reasons 

one. the inspiration for her quilting bee was my summer of love quilt.

Go take a look it's going to be beautiful.

two. the inspiration for her colour palette included a fashion shot

with the very same arm warmers!

My chunky crochet blanket is nearing completion,

I'm thinking of edging in different colours....

and I happen to have some chunky yarn that matches the arm warmers..?

Right I'm off, 

I need to find some toe warmers.

ps. sorry about the old orange jumper,

it's like my comfort blanket!

*arm warmers Christmas present from 2011

Joules.

vintage fair booty calls

 Whilst we're on the subject of rummaging and the repurposing of found items,

I just had to share my £3 booty (minds out of the gutter)

On a recent outing to a vintage fair

I spied these three beauts in the £1 box,

you know the one

full of broken treasure

of no use to anyone??

I am not interested in the beautiful table top wares,

I prefer to squirrel scrapple about rummaging through boxes

whilst to be fair, showing a great amount of booty!

When I'm at such fairs I have the kind of brain that says 

I could....

The tiny watch didnt work,

but it was teeny and cute and thought my husband would love the challenge.

Who couldnt love a four leaf clover

with all it's ambery goodness.

The last piece was surely made to be worn on the head?

Thats what ran through my mind ala Downton Abbey style.

It has a rhinestone missing, 

I don't care, 

anything can be fixed!

 Rhinestones aren't just for Christmas!

 After a rummage this morning 

I have found a piece of velvet ribbon*, a piece of wide elastic* 

and some black thread*

And in my ad hoc throw it together kind of way I made a head band.

(in the dark I might add)

Vintage fair booty calls

Remember don't neglect the rummage boxes 

Always have room in your head for ulterior motives

If it captures your imagination and it costs a pound buy it.

Wear a longer shirt that covers ones behind whilst rummaging.

Take a chance on a broken watch...it might well end up being Swiss made

and could also be coaxed into ticking....

even if a little intermittent!

* vintage haberdashery family hand me downs.
ps
I've been wearing my hairband all day
even to put out the rubbish..
how very glamourous!

home styling, interior designing or making a house a home?

  Whatever you wish to call it..it is the best bit right?

Time to re-purpose all those 'finds' that have been squirrelled away..

and there are many for I have been a squirrel for decades!

Remember these fabric finds?

The one on the right is a vintage fothergay 'anemone' piece,

alas I only have enough to make one curtain or two curtains with added fabric?

The piece on the left is an old patchwork quilt.

Both were were £5 and both from charity shops.

How do we feel on mismatched curtains?

This arts and crafts stool purchased at the Shepton Mallet fair,

has been crying out for some love for a long time.

 When you have an extension built
it doesnt leave you with much in the way of folding money,

so being inventive with squirrel finds is all the more rewarding.

Cheap shelves from B&Q painted in satinwood.

 Not all objects are easy to re-home however..

this lovely convex mirror belongs to my husband,

bought 20 years ago from a carboot!!

I have so far struggled to find it's place..

but watch this space I have an idea.

Anyone want to rummage in my loft,

I know there are many more nuts to find!

black friday

We don't really 'do' black Friday* here in the UK

though it's catching on.

Anyway I thought I would link the day with my recent makes,

which contain black.

These beauties are for my friends kids

 whom I've been making silly Christmas gifts

for a few years now.

Their tastes are on the Gothic side,

so I went for black yarn,

which I rather like,

even if it makes my eyes turn spirals like the fellow below.

Remember last years makes?

*black friday falls the day after thanksgiving.

It denotes the beginning of the Christmas holiday shopping season,

where many shops have huge promotional deals.

The 'black' name relates to businesses

recording their losses in red ink

and their gains in black.

home stylin'

 Hey...just a brief glimpse today.

I think I may have just finished painting..

The kitchen colour is overtly olive by dulux.

I love where the white inner wall meets the green.

*library photo..no sun today!

Between the diying, I've been doing a little crochet..

after all when the Christmas country living mag is out,

it's surely time to use up last years gifts, ie the wool*

*big softie by sirdar~shade egg.

etc..

..or etsy as most of you will know it by.

I'm only gonna blinking well do it girls!

Don't expect miracles,

I will probably, for want of a better word

and as procrastinate is so last year,

fart about a bit

worry about posting world wide

and generally stuff things up.

 If you can offer me any morsel of insight into

the online selling world

I would be eternally grateful,

and maybe even hold a giveaway

to celebrate.

In the words of Dottie Angel 'I do have high hopes'

and praying I do not turn into an omnishambles*

*oxford word of the year.

ps. dont go looking for me yet,

I've got to sort stock out,

expect patchwork garland type features,

as above.

xx
pps.
on third day of painting...totally spent
ppps.
does anyone know a nice place to purchase fabric labels?

my fair lady

Well I can tick 'do a craft fair' off my bucket list!!

Thank you for your encouragement and well wishes.

After I realised New Milton has a huge blue rinse population (older persons)

I sat back and prayed for some yummy mummy's to turn up.

And they did.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the older generation,

I love a natter as much as the next person,

my 'stuff' is, shall we say aimed at a younger crowd

(one that doesnt knit, crochet or sew).

So what did I learn through this experience?

1 research your craft fairs demographic...

2 ....and price accordingly

3 let your hair down, it's friendlier

4 take some sewing with you

(it kept me awake through the slow times and adds interest)

5 make more garlands and less patchwork

6 smile and enjoy!!

7 seriously think about selling online!!

I would like to thank everyone who supported me 

and to Anne who left me a lovely message

and is hopefully getting to grips with some paper piecing

Anne if you get stuck, click on my tutorial.

Now I can get on with all those exciting things

like housework and painting our new extension.

I'm whitewashing, it's real fun

anyone want to help me?

xx

roll up roll up!

 As Christmas creeps up on us..

let the fairs begin!

I have been sewing like a mad woman,

I feel a touch insane.

I only pray that the good folk of New Milton, Hampshire

like my oddities this Saturday!!

New Milton craft fair November 10th

held at the memorial hall.

Be there

at meet Clare

xx

ps. before anyone thinks I'm selling single hexagons

they are just labels,

I'm not that crazy!!

pps. be warned if you have late night online chats with fellow bloggers

you will dream that you have moved in next door...

far far too much excitement,

but a sweet dream none the less!

friday finish

xxx

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