plump pudding

New Ventures

The weather is so awful here today, that it's meant no car boot sales and rather than rampaging round the village the boys are sat watching a DVD. 

Which means that I am sitting trying to do a little work whilst I can.

A friend has approached me with the idea of running sewing workshops.  As you can imagine, I am all for anything to do with sewing and textiles.  And this is where I ask your advice, once again.


The first workshop will be to make a reversible tote bag.  But we don't know what day to offer: weekday (whilst the children are in school) or a Saturday.

What would you all think?  I know there are pros and cons to both, but please let me know what you think!

Thanks
Samantha

A little of what you fancy

I spent an enjoyable few hours last night making cushions.  I has such fun choosing the fabric combinations and was pleased with the end result of the cushions.


I should have bought more of the rose print fabric.  As you know I have used it to make peg bags and also trim my new shopping which - which I have used twice this week!


I may have to order some more, as I have such a teeny piece left that I am going to have to think long and hard about what I can use it for.


The second cushion I made was also using vintage style cottons and I have had the striped cotton used on the bottom for so long, I think it qualifies as vintage!


Unintentional, but there seems to be a red and polka dotted theme running through the cushions.  Two down and two to go, as I had four feather pads waiting for cushion covers. I think I'll tackle those next week.

And for Tracy from Cupcakes, here is a photo of Arthur gatecrashing my photoshoot - I think I'll forgive him as he looks so adorable!

Ditching the Plastic

I have to confess to not being too green when it comes to carrier bags.  I don't want to use them, but keep forgetting to take a bag out with me.  That and the fact that I only have one tote bag which invariably is full.  Determined to be a little greener, I took myself out to the studio and made myself a tote bag last night.

Sticking to the being green theme, I used a mixture of vintage fabric and fabric that was left over from my peg bag. 

I didn't line the bag as I am envisaging taking it out with me to check out the charity shops etc - no heavy items in it.  I think I may make some more and line them for extra strength.

And of course, it's so pretty that I had to hang it next to the peg bag.  Now all I have to do is remember to take it out with me!

Hanging Around

Even though I sew for a living, I don't sew much for me.  After painting and waxing the vintage French coat rack that I won on e-Bay, I decided that it needed a new peg bag to hang on it. 

I just couldn't resist this cheery floral print and teamed it up with striped vintage cotton.  I have so many pegs, that I decided to line the peg bag for extra strength. 

A vintage wooden hanger inside provides extra sturdiness. 

Luckily there was just enough fabric to make two peg bags.  So if you want to hang out your washing in style, you'll find one here.

A new lease of life

The half dresser is finally painted and hung on the wall.  I love it.  Unfortunately Stephen is not of the same opinion, but men.  What do they know eh?

I ended up using Farrow and Ball oil based eggshell - it took 2 coats after a coat of primer and a coat of undercoat.  So no was was needed, but I did end up using it on the coat rack that I painted in emulsion.  Still no photos - will remedy that soon.

I kept the handles as they were - as they would only get chipped anyway.  No distressing, I kept that for the coat rack.  I am intending on using the drawers for those jars of spices that are crammed into an old pyrex jar in the kitchen cupboard. 

My next task is to find some items to display.  I dug out some of my (forgotten) 1950s china, but they're not quite right.  I do love my Roberts radio on it - and it's out of the way of naughty boys who change the station from Radio 4.  It always takes me ages to find it again!

Hopefully the weather will be good at the weekend and I can find some vintage china to put on it.  I am thinking a plate or two and a jug.  Floral of course!

Now that this one is crossed off my list, I am after a round wooden dining table and a dresser.  I'll just have to keep an eye out for a bargain.

Not exactly a bargain - but I couldn't resist, was this beautiful orchid from Tesco.  A girls needs to have the odd feminine touch here and there.  Doesn't she?

Glossing Over Things

Poor Stephen, there he was in bed and the next moment he gets up and I am painting the kitchen and talkng about having won a dresser top for the walls - which, by the way, will need to be collected, painted and hung on the wall.

It all started with the cat string holders in the last post.  I was all set to pur them up, but decided that the walls were too grubby.  You can guess the next.  As well as the walls, the ceiling and woodwork needed painting.  One very long day later, they were all finished.

I just couldn't leave it that though.  Hence the next two purchases from e-Bay.

(Not my photo as I am going to collect it tomorrow).  I decided that this would  be fabulous instead of the giant framed Breakfast at Tiffany's poster that is above the cooker.  Thankfully it isn't too far and will fit in my car - that's a relief for Stephen!

I also bought a vintage French coat hook/rack.  I'll have to take a photo of that when it's painted.  Nothing too big, just large enough to go on the kitchen wall and hang my peg bag on.  That's once I've made the peg bag!

The other item that has been painted it the mirror that I bought from the boot sale last weekend - originally from a dressing table.

I snuck that into the bathroom when everyone was out!  To keep this paining theme going, I also have my eye on a display cabinet on e-Bay.  I haven't quite worked out how to "sell" that one to Stephen.

But I would like some advice, if anyone can help.  I have painted the items in Farrow and Ball waterbased eggshell.   Obviously these need to be protected and am sure that I have read something about putting a wax on them.  I just don't know where I saw/read/heard this.

Does anyone have any suggestions/tips or pointers please.  I have to make these look as good as possible: for Stephen's sake and mine!

Incoming thriftiness

I have been a bad blogger and neglected this little blog.   It's more having got out of the habit rather than not having anything to say.  There's not much chance of that!

But I have been busy acquiring some "new" items for the house.  All randomly found at the boot sale and the village jumble sale.  The pyrex teapot and coffee pot were a snip at 20p each.  I bought one and Keanan bought the other one for me - what a sweetie!  Joining them today is this vintage tin tray of the pin up lady.  Far too bashed to use everyday, but she looks good from a distance.

The boys and I both love the bi-annual jumble sale held in the village hall and for the same reasons - plenty of bargains.

After a quick recce of the jumble sale, I ended up helping out on the bric a brac stall.  When I first arrived the table was piled with items and nothing caught my eye.  Later on as the piles went down, I spotted one of these cat string holders which had been languishing underneath everything.  20p into the tin and it was mine.  Five minutes later I spotted another one.  Another 20p and there were two to take home.  Doubling my collection from two to four.  They are patiently sitting waiting for me to dig out the drill and mount them on the wall.

Today was also a good day at the boot sale.  Plenty of sewing items.  I was lucky enough to find four pillow cases in a pretty floral fabric.  No plans for them as yet, but they will be used at some point.

The next lot that found its way into my shopping basket was this collection of vintage sewing items: glass headed pins, needles and pins used for mounting butterflies - I only spotted that whilst I was taking the photographs.

Keanan came home with a bundle of Marvel comics and I also spotted a mirror which was originally from a dressing table.  A quick sand and it has just received its second coat of Farrow & Ball eggshell.  I think the mirror will be put in our bedroom - just haven't mentioned that one to Stephen yet!

Photos of that to follow.  Have a good weekend and I promise to be a better blogger!

Spring

Since the clocks went back, I have been waking at 7.00am and it's light.  I love the lighter days and the facts that the nights are getting lighter.

And washing has been drying on the line instead of being draped over the radiators.  I spotted some delightfully spring shoes yesterday and just couldn't resist - even though my shoe collection probably rivals Imelda Marcos

And feeling inspired by the sunny weather, I have been trying to get ahead with the next Liberty order rather than having to make it all when the order comes in.  Hence the big pile of pincushions that now need stuffing

Plenty to be going on with.

Pre-owned Art

Regular readers will know by now that I am a minimal kind of girl at heart - but I just couldn't resist some paintings spotted whilst out and about trawling the charity shops.

Rather than small pieces of art, or even objets d'art as I prefer to call them as opposed to that general cover all title of crap that Stephen uses, I like larger items.  Just one will do instead of a few smaller pieces.  So when I spotted this oil painting in the window of a charity shop I had to go and take a closer look.

It's pretty big , about 2 foot wide by 3 foot.  And the frame was already painted white - perfect and ready to hang in the dining room.  It has initials on the painting and the date 1958 - so it's pretty old.  Always a good thing in my book.  The best part about it was the price: £10.  It was coming home with me.

The other painting (or I should say print) that I have recently acquired is now installed in the cloakroom.  Perched on the top of the cistern.

Flowers again - just can't get enough of them.

I'm not sure what this cat card was used for originally, unless it was meant as a gift.  The ribbon to hang it up was already attached and there is a price of one shilling and nine pence pencilled on the back.  I found this at the boot sale for 10p and rather than inflict it on Stephen, have hung it up in the studio.  There is only so much floral stuff that a man can take!

I will leave you with a photo of Arthur having hijacked Maudie's bed has gone to sleep.  How he can sleep like that is anyone's guess!

My boring blog

Due to a Liberty order and the Easter holidays, this little blog has been neglected.  Or as my friend Theresa put it, your blog is a bit boring Samantha.  Point taken.

The boys started back at school today and the car has been taken for an MOT which means that I have no excuse but to get on with some work.  Plus there has been the delivery of some new fabrics:

and some to replenish the fabrics used for Liberty

Another delivery straight from France: Marie Claire Idees. 

Mr Peacock has well and truly settled in.  He has been having a whale of a time being taken out and about with the boys and their friends.  Plus he has made a few doggy friends of his own.  We have even braved the boot sale with him. 

Here he is catching the sun rays in Keanan's room with one of his favourite "possessions" the oven gloves!