Clothes inspiration

Time to reinvent the wardrobe using creativity not cash! On Wednesday a friend and I are sharing ideas on customising charity shop finds. I put this page together in my notebook to inspire me. The slashing and sewing can start tomorrow.

Have you seen the coats and jackets Jigsaw is stocking from Cabbages and Roses ? Nice tweeds with that kind of unecessary detail - gathers and ribbons that make items hard to resist. But actually the prices make them very easy to resist!!

Buttons pictured above are dyed mother of pearl buttons with a matt wax finish. Love these. I found most of them at Ditto in Brighton.

Reindeer show

I saw this beautiful beast penned on the pavement in Chichester with a long queue of children waiting to pet him and have their photograph taken with him. Sorry but he looked hangdog to me. Not a very merry Christmas time for reindeer if they are exploited in this way. Brought to a strange country with no snow, hard pavements and hundreds of people staring at them. Unable to forage for food and missing the herd. If we don't join the queue and don't pay hopefully it won't be worth anyone's while to bring reindeer over to England next Christmas.

Green buttons

Some buttons from my collection. Busy at the moment so not much time to blog but it's annoying when you click onto a blog and it hasn't been updated for a few days. I'm making felt and doing orders. Tomorrow (Friday) I'll be working in Tricot Too.

Selling now!

For the next two weeks I'm taking part in an exhibition in Chichester.10-4.30pm every day except Sunday at the Oxmarket centre of Arts to be found in the town centre in Marks and Spencer's car park. I'll be stewarding tomorrow Tuesday 24th November and on Friday December 4th. So COME AND SEE ME!! I'm one of five makers sharing the gallery space and we're hoping that hundreds of people will look in as part of their Christmas shopping. Here are two views of my space.

Chloe's amazing cupcakes

Today I went to the first ever Makers Market in Petersfield and enjoyed this cake. Packed with blueberries I think you'll agree that it contained at least two of my 'five a day'. Congratulations to Chloe Bartron who had made 150 assorted cupcakes for the event. Despite the rain plenty of customers looked in and organiser Wanda Grosvenor is thinking about making it a regular event.

Making Christmas Decorations

sold

I made this one, above, first and it took so many hours that my second decoration, below, is a deliberate speed up.

If this doesn't sell immediately I will be tempted to add more decorations to the centre.

This afternoon I'm at a 'Makers Market' in St Peter's Hall, Petersfield from 2 - 5pm. Tomorrow I'm at the Goodwood Park Hotel for the day and on Monday I set up for a fortnight's sale at the Oxmarket in Chichester. If you come, introduce yourself -I'd love to meet you!

Peg Fairy

I've had great fun making these peg doll fairies. A couple have flown into Tricot Too and I'll be making more today! sold - this one has sold but more are available.

Big beautiful necklace!

Pictured with an Out of Xile outfit this necklace is one of the best things I've made. It's in Tricot Too's window this week. I'd like to make another one but I'm too busy with Christmas fairies and Christmas 'magic boxes'.

How did they do this?

Old Lace

When searching for something else entirely I came across this box of lovely pieces of old lace in the back of a cupboard. I'd forgotten I put all my collection of old lace pieces together before moving house and lifting the lid gave me a nice surprise. But can I bear to use them on Christmas angels? Or will they continue to sit in the back of a cupboard until they are completely forgotten about again?

Christmas is a-coming!

Coffee at Costa above and pretty lights in John Lewis, Southampton below.

American inspiration

Pictured is Nicholas Kniel's shop, Embellishments for You and Your Home in Atlanta. Featured in the December issue of Victoria magazine it looks a treat to visit.
I find it hard to resist getting the Christmas issues of magazines coming into the shops right now. But I won't buy magazines encased in plastic bags. In the past I've bought them, got them home full of anticipation and the content often disappoints. I like the way Americans do Christmas and two of my magazine must haves for December are Victoria and Martha Stewart Living.

Daisy

Daisy is a little girl's delight - all pink and purple. Yes, I know I said two pink dolls were in the making but the other one has a floppy head so I'll have to re-do her before she's ready to sell!

NEW dolls

Just finished - Emily above and Matty (short for Matilda) below. Two more to finish ready to all go on sale tomorrow at Farnham Maltings.

sold

The finishing touch

In Tricot Too's window this week. Above, the whole outfit and below a close up of one of my brooches.

Christmas Shows

I'll be selling at these shows:

Farnham Maltings Saturday November 7th 9am to 3pm
Petersfield's Makers Market Saturday November 21st 2pm to 5pm
Goodwood Park Hotel Sunday November 22nd
Chichester's Oxmarket gallery Monday November 23rd - Saturday December 5th
Petersfield Xmas festivities Saturday December 5th

A Shop of One's Own

I see myself in a shop. My shop, a dream shop. I've been planning it most of my life.The pretty merchandise, the kettle in the corner to give customers tea and coffee. The tray of work in progress that I'll get on with when the shop is empty. The unusual stock that women will ooh and ah over. It will be a habadashery shop basically with the most exquisite ribbons and vintage buttons. A place for other women to dream of what they can make and of how they can improve what they already own. A place to learn new skills and admire each other's creations...

Felt can look so beautiful!!