Reading Matter...

My one weakness (in the manner of Dorcas from 'Larkrise to Candleford') is a subscription to a lovely magazine. The delight when the postman drops these paper bound visions of loveliness through my letter box is well, ~ I can't think of an appropriate word ~ but I know that you will all understand...

These are such little luxuries in my life now, finding the time to read without any interruption is rare, so I look forward to planning 'me' time in the day when I can sit quietly with a cup of tea and a fresh magazine to open up and discover the treats inside. The result is usually a mixture of thoughts in my head 'oh why can't my house look like that?' or 'I could try and make one of those' (when I get the time) but mostly I am simply inspired by the wonderful creators and creations that appear as each page is turned.

Over the years I have become a little more discerning in the publications that I buy ~ I used to indulge in every home and crafts magazine out there, but now have whittled the selection down to just a few of what I consider to be the very best...

Here goes the list; 'Victoria' ~ bereft was I, when this gorgeous magazine left the scene and now it is back! This comes directly from the USA in airmail packaging along with another favourite, 'Romantic Homes'. The best English magazine by far still has to be 'Country Living', closely followed by 'Homes & Antiques' which actually just keeps getting better and better (I give a gift of this one each year to my mum and get to read it when I visit!) If you haven't discovered 'Selvedge' yet, then you must, this is a real treat for textile enthusiasts and I just love it ~ this was on my Christmas list and I devour it from cover to cover.

'Romantic Homes'

'Victoria'

'Selvedge'

My absolute new favourites though, are the American publications from Stampington, which I discovered by chance last year. Oh my oh my, if you have not yet managed to see a copy of any of these gorgeous magazines then treat yourself... Magazine is really not the right word to describe them ~ more like reference books to keep forever, heaven forbid that one of these should see a recycling bin! The special titles to look out for are; 'Artful Blogging', 'Where Women Create', 'Somerset Life' & 'Sew Somerset' but there are many more to indulge in if you have the opportunity!

Stampington Publications

I also have a passion for reading old magazines ~ when I say old, preferably pre~1920. I adore the advertisements and the typography used and the content is fascinating too ~ full of inspiration for projects. Here are some I have bought recently;

'The Home Circle' dated 1905

love the little drawing and typography on this feature...

Edwardian issues of 'Needlecraft' 1909

the advertisements are decorative in their own right...

and look at the little treasure I found inside one of the magazines ~ a silk thread sample card

I even managed (in between reading magazines!) to get a little sewing done this week and finished a few more lovelies to add to my shop.

large 'handbag' filled with lavender made from a 1930's paisley & floral eiderdown fabric, trimmed with an old lace collar, 1920's silk velvet ribbon and old glass beads ~ a small handbag with a vintage whitework embroidered collar piece & two mini lavender hearts in vintage faded floral linen, old ribbon & buttons

I'm going to sign off now, as it is Sunday evening and 'Larkrise' beckons ~ does anyone else dream of owning a shop like the one featured ~ the drapers & haberdasher's? Have you seen the reels of ribbon on the shelves? I wonder, when I watch; are they originals found by the prop buyers for the BBC, or are they recreated and if so, who has this fabulous job?! I think I would start hyperventilating if I ever walked into an old shop like that!

Until next time...

Magpie Tendencies Anyone?

I have come to the conclusion that I must have been a magpie in a previous life ~ I would have been happily flying around with a tiara on my head, rings on my toes and maybe even a little sparkly number flung around my neck too...

It wouldn't have been the real thing of course ~ I probably would have been a poor magpie as I am in human life, but you see this doesn't matter to a magpie (or me) as a bit of fake bling ~ as long as it is vintage, is perfectly fine. More than fine. My absolute joy in life is to have a box full of lots of broken bits of old paste jewellery, that just need to be reinvented in some way. Odd earrings, brooches without pins, necklaces without clasps and even pieces with missing stones, I see past their little misfortunes and want to love them again and take them home with me.

I know that there are others out there just like me; blogging has enlightened me of this fact! I used to think I was a bit strange. Very strange. Now that I have got a bit older, I relish the fact that perhaps I am a bit strange, as I don't want to be just like everyone else. That's where vintage bling comes into it's own. I have the most fabulous 1950's glass necklace in a smoky grey colour that every time I wear it generates compliments and whispers of 'where did you buy it?' followed by a gasp of surprise when they ask 'how much was it?' The gasp is for how little I paid for it! Perhaps I should just say 'Tiffany's' and keep 'em guessing!

my favourite vintage glass necklace from the 1950's...a bargain at less than £10!

This week I have painstakingly removed hundreds and hundreds of teeny glass seed beads from a fragment of a 1920's/30's dress. I just had to salvage those tiny little silvery sparkles just a bit bigger than a speck of dust. You see, I told you I was strange! They are worth it, new beads are lovely, but a bit too perfect. I like mishapen, I like a scratch here and there but most of all I like the colour of old bling ~ it sparkles but is not too shiny. I hardly need to mention this as I know that I'm speaking to the converted...

teeny tiny silvery pink glass seed beads...

Edwardian large brass & paste dress ornament...

1930's square faceted glass dress ornaments

an unusually organised bead box... (before gorgeous girl opens the lid!)

Art Deco glass buckle...

1930's beaded dress decoration

Victorian paste buttons...

one of my handmade miniature pillows...
fine dress silk in grey stripe c.1910, decorated with a 1920's diamante panel

There are a few exceptions to the vintage rule however, especially when it comes to handmade. Last year I met a talented jewellery maker who creates entirely by hand, wonderful sparkling rings using Swarovski crystals. Each one can take hours to make and they are so unique. I met Anne last year whilst participating in the same craft fair (I always see so many lovely things, I end up spending more than I make!) Her website Cristaline is well worth a look and you may be lucky enough to meet her yourself at a craft fair...

my growing collection of handmade crystal rings from Cristaline

I could go on and on about my magpie tendencies; the way candlelight bounces on the facets of little paste stones, chandelier lustres hanging on a Christmas tree, but most of all it's my eyes that light up when I spy a little sparkling treasure that all the other magpies out there have missed...

Is anyone else a bit superstitious about magpies? I have this thing about one for sorrow, two for joy, three for a girl etc. If I see a lone magpie I have to do a little salute ~ yes, as if I were in the army standing in front of an officer ~ that kind of salute! I was told a few years ago that by doing this I would avoid any sorrow. And now I just can't stop myself! Lord knows what people think of me if they see me driving my car saluting them as they go by. So, if you ever happen to witness this ~ it was the magpie I was saluting, honestly! Strange, strange, strange...

Until next time...

A Host of Memories...

I meant to post this in time for Valentine's Day, but time ran away with me...

The poem below was written by my grandfather (married to Betty ~ you can see him in the photo on the left) on the 12th February 1944, whilst serving in the army during the second world war, after Christmas leave. I have a small collection of writings by Grandad and an ambition is to one day put them altogether in a book of sorts, but in the meantime, I thought I would share this one as the date is so relevant. The poem is dedicated to Betty & also Angela ~ my Mum.

A Host of Memories

Wedding day, a daimler ride
Wine and happy hours
You as radiant as the bride
A church adorned with flowers
Angela shouting, dancing too
And earning admiration
Then to sleep without ado
And guns at Edgware Station

Angela rousing in the night
And waking me and you
Torpedo switch, electric light
The clock at half past two
A cup of milk, a piece of choc
A tiredness in my brain
Another glance ~ it's four o'clock
That's good! She sleeps again

Leicester Square to book for seats
My sister Eileen wins
A Mars Bar and a roll of sweets
To exercise our chins
Laughter, Strand, orchestra, tea
A crooner wasting time
'Green Man' darling, and with me
To seek a gin and lime

Party day and Sunday best
The children laugh and sing
And then recite before they rest
And gather everything
Including presents from the tree
And apples from the bowl
Whilst Angela climbed chairs to see
The dear and happy soul

Quiet evenings by the fire
Such softness for my head
The midnight news and then retire
On tiptoe into bed
Buying shoes in Oxford Street
A crimson frock and soap
Record exchange and 'Bitter Sweet'
Then tea served by a dope

Piano at midnight, siren notes
That caught us unawares
Angela bathing, playing boats
And scrambling up the stairs
A host of memories my sweet
And many more I know
But they must wait and take a seat
For now I have to go

Original poem written by my grandfather ~ February 12th 1944

Until next time…

Ali x

I Love Paris...

Firstly...

I'm participating in a charity gift fair today; I'm hoping that everyone will be loved up, full of romance and looking to buy lavender filled hearts...the car, as usual when going to an event, smells of lavender ~ wonderful!

Husband has been to Paris this week and is there next week too ~ I wish I had been able to get out there as well, I love looking in all the shop windows for inspiration, and breathing in the Parisian way of life. It is over a year now since my last stay there and I definitely have withdrawal symptoms. I am running low on ribbon stock and I have a favourite haberdashery store there that I always visit to buy a good supply Entree des Fournisseurs and just around the corner is a great little bead shop too Matiere Premiere. Both are in the Le Marais district which is so pretty, if you ever find yourself in Paris, these two little shops are such a treat...sigh...

I recently found a little collection of Paris photograph postcard books ~ vintage souvenirs, probably about 1930's which are really lovely, I just couldn't resist them. The photographs in black & white are beautiful and the typography on the front covers is so romantic. Once I have taken some scans of my favourites for future reference I will offer them for sale (if I can bear to part with them!)



I also bought a couple of old valentine cards ~ to add to my growing collection of vintage ephemera. There is something about handling old bits of paper with somebody's handwriting on them that makes you wonder about the people who have owned and enjoyed them before. I think they are so precious and I have a box full of cards, letters and scraps that I never get tired of looking at.

I set the photos up with some lovely bits of vintage & antique fabric bought recently from Donna Flower and an old micro mosaic heart locket. I'm not usually drawn to black in a big way, but I remember from my old 'interior design' days learning that every room in the house should have a tiny bit of black and also red in it whatever the colour scheme. It could be something as small as this little heart or a picture frame, book spine etc., but just adds a teeny punch of colour to draw the eye ~ and it works!

I found some pretty valentine graphics from the very talented Rhonna Farrer. You can find her work at twopeasinabucket which is a great site for lots of digital images, scrapbook ideas etc.


Have a wonderful, romantic day ~ sending more hearts across the airwaves.

Until next time,

Ali x

Birthdays & Beads...

Does everyone else have days and weeks that go by so quickly or is it just me?

The scary thing is, it's not just the days and weeks, it is also the months and years that are whizzing by my nose at an incredible rate. My gorgeous girl celebrated her 3rd birthday this weekend (how did that happen?) The years before gorgeous girl arrived seemed to stretch on forever and I sometimes struggled to believe that we would ever be blessed with our own family ~ it took a long time; fertility treatment, lost hope and then a miracle ~ our gorgeous girl.

Everyone says that when you have a child time seems to pass much more quickly and it is so true! Those years before she arrived now seem to melt away and she is 3 years old already! Caring for her is the hardest work I have ever done, but without doubt the the most rewarding, inspirational, funny and lovely. Today she said 'you're my friend, mummy' and I forgave her for emptying all my cosmetics onto the beige carpet, drawing a 'rainbow' with crayons on the kitchen floor and pulling the cat's tail ~ again!

Last week, in preparation for her birthday I ordered a wooden doll's house which; due to the weather still hadn't arrived by 6pm on Friday evening. So I decided that 'just in my spare time' I should stay up half the night to make a little quilt & pillow for her dollies cot. The miniature cot is a vintage wooden painted cot from the 1950's ish that my Dad re~painted in a creamy colour and was just waiting for this little set to be made.


I used a vintage printed pink (of course) floral cotton from the 1930's and backed it with a new cream pure linen. I filled the quilt with a natural cotton wadding to give a lightweight but tactile feel and stitched simple straight lines down the length for added texture. I also made a mattress that I covered in calico. The finishing touch is a feather pillow (I have these small feather inners bespoke made for me as I love tiny cushions on chairs) and it just fitted perfectly into the cot. I trimmed the pillowcase with vintage lace and new ribbon. I'm glad to say that gorgeous girl loves it and carried the quilt with her (and teddy) to pre-school today! All well worth the loss of few (more) hours sleep...


I have also been sorting out more stock to photograph from the collections I have accumulated over the years and bought recently from my antique textile dealer friend who always seems to have a great selection of treasures that I just can't resist. I have a lot of gorgeous glass beads of all shapes and sizes that have taken ages to put together in little bags and co~ordinate in colours ~ it has been driving me crazy picking up teeny glass seed beads that I keep dropping! I've taken some photos to include in a flickr group that I have joined organised by the lovely Sara at Sadie Olive (who designed my website for me) and this week's theme is hearts, which are my absolute passion in life! So here are a few examples (I will try and save some for Valentine's Day!) The flickr link is on the left sidebar of my blog page if you want to see the full selection so far...

Ceramic heart with monogram A bought in France ~ I'm mad about collecting things with initials on!

Finished handmade hearts in my workroom...

Mini lavender filled hearts in a bowl...

1950's diamante scatter pin with a Victorian mercury glass dish and vintage glass beads...

Until next time...

Let it snow...

I love snowdrops in the snow...






I hope that you are all warm and safely tucked up inside ~ what a winter wonderland it has been this week. A great excuse for lighting the fire, eating toasted teacakes with loads of butter and copious mugs of tea ~ oh, of course making an enormous snowman with gorgeous girl!

I was in the Cotswolds over the weekend and didn't manage to get back home until Wednesday, so would like to apologise to those of you waiting for packages ~ most of them were despatched today, but the postman didn't make it to me this morning so I'm not sure how long they might take to reach you. I try and send packages via recorded delivery, which of course means a car trip to our 'local' post office. I say local but in fact is not that near as my genuinely local post office closed last year. We have a very entrepreneurial pub close by offering limited post office services with minimal opening hours, which sometimes helps, but not if you live in the back of beyond like me (actually more like the middle of a field!) on a snowy day. So, I trudged in my boots to one of those little 'lollipops on sticks' post boxes which you can just about fit one envelope in and hope that some arrive with you in the morning!

I have been trying to navigate my way around Photoshop and when I have a moment have been playing with the special effects ~ I love the way old photos look with a faded grainy look to them, so I applied a very subtle layer to the above photo of my house taken in the snow today.

Gorgeous Girl in the snow

Taking Stock...

Or perhaps I should say, stock taking...

A busy few days. I decided that my fabric collection & buttons, ribbons etc., were somehow multiplying secretly without my knowledge as I just can't fathom out how on earth I have got so much stuff...

So, I decided to take have a bit of a sort out, which actually for me is very therapeutic and a perfectly lovely way to spend an evening ~ clearing out lots of boxes of buttons, ribbons and bits and pieces that I have been keeping to make lovely things or just for a rainy day. I feel the need to bring in some fresh pieces to look at for inspiration, which is all very well, but I need to make more room...

My dream is to have a whole room full of just my things ~ am I being selfish? It is not easy when the family home is just that but also has to accommodate an office for a husband who works from home, a 3 year old gorgeous girl and of course a fabricaholic with a creative streak! One of my current favourite books is 'Where Women Create' ~ I wistfully look at the pretty rooms filled with vintage French armoires and stacks of neatly arranged textiles; books standing like soldiers on their shelves, fresh flowers on a table next to a sewing machine and an old box full of threads and buttons and ribbons. Yes, I know I am looking at life through rose tinted glasses, but sometimes you have to just to get through the day...

So, back to real life ~ I do not have a room that could be included in a book like the one mentioned, but I am really lucky to have space in a spare room with a work table and bookshelves and a few touches for inspiration.

Where this woman creates...

inspiration on the wall above my desk ~ a Victorian button salesman's sample card

I have been busy taking photographs of stock to sell on my website and ebay whilst looking after gorgeous girl who has had a nasty virus with a name I have never heard of! Buttons were high on the priority list for reducing in number ~ I realised that my collection of mother of pearl buttons are scattered around the house in various glass jars...I don't make life easy for myself!

on the bookshelf in old perfume bottles that I decorated with vintage labels & trims...

on the windowsill in the downstairs cloakroom...

on a shelf in the bedroom...

on a chest of drawers...

I finally got it all sorted out and photographed, so I now have some fresh stock to showcase ~ here is a little taster of what will be for sale...

Thank you so much for the lovely comments, it means a lot to know that there are more of you out there that share the same addiction! Until next time, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...