Shoelace necklaces from Chic

My fabulous God daughter and her super-cool Mum Helen have been busy collecting shoelaces to make flowers as advised by a rather good book called Chic on a Shoestring by MJ Baxter. Here are Ellie and her friend modeling their stunning accessories. I love the way they've used the multi-coloured shoelaces to make their designs, and they look equally good brightening up a pair of tap-shoes. 10/10 girls!

How cute are these!

I love these dolls by Jane Foster. So cute and beautifully simple.

Festival fashion

Yesterday I went to my first ever music festival. Given that I'm 40+ this is pretty astonishing, and I felt very much the festival virgin as the plastic wristband was snapped into place. I went with a couple of friends on a day pass to the Hop Farm Festival in Kent - nothing too seriously long-term for this festival commitment - phobe! Morrisey was the headline act, but great performances too from the Noisettes (fab headpiece) and Lou Reed (no headpiece). Have to say one of the best bits of the festival for me was checking out all the  fashion. For the men: bare chests and too-tight fur coats that actually worked a look; natty combos of check trousers and floral shirts that astonishingly made complete sense; and top marks to the guy who caught the eye in off-the-shoulder denim dungarees and squashed top hat!  For the girls: everything goes; short skirts, long skirts, vintage dresses, skimpy shorts with knee-length socks. I particularly liked a crochet square waist-coat and a great lilac poncho/shawl made of a very loose-weave crochet which incorporated 3d flowers slung over an orange mini dress. Long tanned legs and cowboy boots completed the ensemble. I could have people-watched for hours. Amazing array of hats on show - this is where secret hat-lovers can hang out in safety! A bit like a ski-resort in a way. People wear things here they wouldn't be seen dead in outside the perimeter fence! First prize though must go to the stilt walking candy seller whom I've since discovered is part of a quirky Dutch based group called Kim Brulee and the Flying Pans . An aeriel artist by training, she puts on food-theatre events at festivals all over Europe. Her costume deserves a home-made Chic on a Shoestring rosette!

Salvo Fair Knebworth House

The other day my mate Alex mentioned that he was going to the Salvo Fair at Knebworth House. As I had a day off, and have never been to one before, I thought I'd tag along. It was a whacking £15 to get in, which I thought rather steep, especially as the prices inside aren't rock bottom. We chose to go on the trade day - although how that differs from regular days I'm not sure (except on a trade day you have to pay alot more to get in - hmm.) Alex came home with an old chair that he's vowing to re-cover and a beautiful lamp from a ship. The company he bought it from,  which specialises in nautical ephemera, also sold Doctor Who the bulb that perches on top of the tardis! It's these sorts of discoveries that make a day out like this so enticing. Imagine a similar discovery taking place at Ikea?!

For my part, I bought a plant pot holder for the wall in which to display some jolly geraniums, and then I went slightly off-message! Attracted as usual to anything in the textile department, a fragment of patchwork caught my eye, as did a collection of beautiful hankies. It was the colours really that excited me and I'm sure will provide me with lots of inspiration. I also picked up a giant wooden darning mushroom for £10 - a little more than I wanted to pay - but I still managed to bargain him down from £20 - so who's grumbling? Not me! These mushrooms are fascinating in themselves, but they also make a great little hat block for cocktail hats. I've blocked felt on a similar one very successfully in the past and am looking forward to having another go.

Creative day out in Deptford?

CREATIVE DAY OUT WITH MARY JANE

Ok - I've had this idea! How about coming on a vintage/creative day out to Deptford one Saturday?

We'd start early with a quick coffee and a trip to the flea market to hunt for rags to turn into riches. We'd then drop in on Deptford's fab retro clothes shop to get the low-down on high-end vintage and check out my favourite local haberdashery. After brunch at the train-carriage cafe, we'd head to the charity shop and I'd give a heads up on customising. Then it's back to mine via Gimcrack where the owners curate an interesting selection of hand-picked second-hand goodies...

Chez moi - an afternoon of crafting lies ahead - with everyone having the chance to make a purse/wallet or mini-bag out of a vintage tie as well as a textile necklace.

We'd finish with tea and cakes.....

What do you reckon? Tourism with a twist? Book now!

My Hebridean working holiday - part 2

My two weeks on Tanera were marked by unremitting rain. The weather was so bad that the tourist boats (on which the cafe relies) were cancelled on all but two days due to stormy seas or unwelcome downpours. As I was meant to be working in the cafe in exchange for my holiday house - this left me with something of a dilemma. How was I to repay my hosts for my accommodation? I baked the cafe's faourites in anticipation of visitors, but there are only so many batches of brownie or flapjack that a girl can fit in the freezer. Fortunately I'd brought my sewing machine with me thinking that any loneliness would be chased away by my Brother. I was therefore able to exchange baking for sewing and willingly stitched for my supper instead. I made a little curtain for the butler sink in the loo block out of an old duvet cover (check it out if you ever visit!) and lots of cushion covers for the holiday cottages that are scattered around the island.

I started to feel like I was on some sort of sewing retreat and in my spare time I got to work on the two dresses I'd planned to make during my stay. They were both run up using the same pattern. I'd really intended to make one from an original 50's pattern that I'd bought at a fab second-hand bookshop in Stroud -  but the fit and style just didn't work, so I quickly abandoned that idea. Here are the completed dresses captured in a rare moment of sunshine!

And here I am wearing one of them back home in London - at one of my regular haunts! I think I look much more at home in this outfit than in the anorak and wellies at the start of this blog entry!

Today's fleamarket find

Oops! There goes the wheel!