Visiting Midhurst yesterday afternoon.

The new Cabbages and Roses shop in West Street

In the window. I love this soft velvet faded flowers fabric

The new book by Lucy Haywood, owner of the Country Brocante Store and Country Brocante Meeting House

If you like Vintage style, Midhurst has become the place to go to see lots of it.

Faded pinks, off whites and chipped paint furniture is a look that is very popular.Rachel Ashwell, an Englishwoman in America started the look over 20 years ago and I love her pretty books promoting all that is 'Shabby Chic' which she took as her brand name.

In West Street, Midhurst, Lucy Haywood who runs the Country Brocante Fairs has got two shops which are a joy to look round. The new shop called the Country Brocante Meeting House has a Cabbages and Roses shop within it. I fell for a long white velvet coat with dark pink roses on it. I guessed it would be around £300 and I was right. But this was the sale price. It was reduced from £600! I could imagine a Winter bride wearing it at a registry office wedding. Do you remember when Jigsaw had an area of Cabbages and Roses clothes? Always nice to look at.

In the original Country Brocante shop you can find zipped bags, cushions and lampshades made from Cabbages and Roses fabrics.  I particularly like the exquisite packaging created by Emma Gurmin whose company Velvet Ribbon sells through the shop.  She has packaged vintage fabrics in handmade envelopes from vellum and rag paper and the result is frameable!

If you want to get inspired by this look, get your hands on a copy of Lucy Haywood's new book Country Brocante Style.

Also worth going in is Stuff in West Street. I love this shop. Such a good place to find an unusual present. The merchandising and selection of gifts you don't see elsewhere is a treat.

And for me, 'Champagne tastes, beer money!' the Macmillan charity shop in the High Street, Midhurst is the best charity shop I know!

Easter gifts in Handmade Happiness

Kate Hackett makes these ceramic decorations.

Knitted chicks to hold a Lindt egg. Just £1 each.

My cashmere bunnies. These ones with pockets for  a  little chocolate egg. £4.50 each.

Painted Easter cards, blank inside by Jenny Stacy. £3.50 each.

Thinking of Easter and family get-togethers...you don't always want to give children just chocolate, especially knowing they'll have plenty of chocolate from other people. Handmade Happiness offers lots of non-chocolate choices or some items to tie onto an egg or put a little chocolate egg into.

I am hoping that lots of people will come in to Handmade Happiness in the run up to Easter because frankly if the shop is going to survive the Brexit retail downturn things will have to improve a lot! There I've said it.

Painted Flowers Brooch

Had to make a name badge so used painted petals and embroidery

Painting petals with brooches in mind

I had to make a name badge for Monday. It's a bit big but it will do. I recently re-joined what was the Embroiderer's Guild but is now known as Phoenix Stitchers in Petersfield. There is a speaker and workshop once a month. All members have to make a badge to identify themselves.

I painted flower petals in the shop thinking of using them in brooches or hair clips, perhaps layered together. It's blossom time here and the trees are heavy with it. The right time to be thinking of using some fake blossoms in our making projects. 

If I paint more petals I want to be more adventurous with colour and use some rich purples and reds. Still to resemble nature... because what I hate to see is real flowers for sale that have been made to drink dye in shades of blue or bright pink. That just feels wrong.

There is beautiful ballet video on Instagram at the moment of Christian Dior clothes with made flowers stitched under and over transparent fabrics. Check out bazaaruk the Harper's Bazaar magazine posts to find it. I love INstagram (I'm jenny_handmade_happiness by the way) because it is so easy to operate. I've never really got to grips with Facebook because I don't find it easy to operate so I ignore it although everyone tells me it is the best way to promote your business... 

In Handmade Happiness

New pots and a new throw from talented maker Niloo Wickramasinghe

One of Annie Sherburne's brooches on my coat

The shop is so lucky to stock Niloo Wickramasinghe's pottery and throws.

The throw, using Kate Forman fabrics, is entirely sewn by hand which makes it very special indeed.

Annie Sherburne's colourful jewellery is something else very special stocked by Handmade Happines. I love wearing this little brooch. The colours are so eye-catching.

If you haven't visited for a while, you'll notice the shop has new stock from several different people. It is currently undergoing a spring clean but still very much open to visitors.
This time last year I was writing another blog called 'Seeing India with Jenny'.
I was writing it after coming home so read it from the first post onward. The first post was written on Saturday March 3rd and called 'Have Yellow Hat Can Travel'. I've just looked at it again and the pictures are surprisingly good!  It's a shame it reads from last day to first but by clicking on newer posts at the bottom of each page it can be read chronologically. The weak post is about Gandhi which I remember copying from Wikipedia. Note to self - keep it personal!!

Making Painted Cards

Jenny Stacy designed and made this card

Keeping it simple! Card by Jenny Stacy

Love purples! Card by Jenny Stacy

I've just made 12 cards and I'm beginning to feel that all that practice of 'A Painting a Day' is finally paying off! I actually like these cards and from today they will be on sale in Handmade Happiness at £3.50 each.

Silk flower making with Anne Tomlin

The peony I made at Anne Tomlin's workshop yesterday in Petersfield

My peony with other students' flowers yesterday

Yesterday I was lucky enough to do a silk flower making workshop with the internationally famous Anne Tomlin. Anne makes life-like flowers for the hats she makes and also teaches at West Dean College. Her next workshop is in the Menier Factory as part of London Hat Week (April 4th to April 10th) 

Phoenix Stitchers which used to be the Petersfield Embroiderers' Guild invited Anne to give a workshop and it was such an interesting day!  To hand make one flower took all day. I never would have dreamed it is such a complicated and multi-stage process. Anne has special tools from Japan and after a life-time of studying flowers strives to imitate nature as exactly as humanly possible. Special fabrics are needed and metal tools have to be heated to exactly the right temperature. It is fascinating and a rewarding learning experience. If you get the chance to attend one of Anne's workshops -Go! You will love it!
annetomlin.com

Confidence

First framed painting by Jenny Stacy

Even rubbish paintings can be cut up and used for collage!

Painting is personal. So is making something. When it comes to sharing it with others, that takes guts. A very confident person will have no problem showing others what they have done, but for most of us it's a bit of a struggle...

I have no problem with things I make now. I've been making for so many years and some things are successful and some things less so but I always make to sell. However, painting is new to me. 

Exactly a month ago I started doing a painting a day just for the fun of it. But the last picture I did (the one above) is the first one that a respected friend suggested I should put in a frame and try to sell. So yesterday it went up in the shop, admittedly in the darkest corner of the shop but it's there and it's for sale...

By the way, if you love textile art and you live within reach of Teddington get yourself to the Landmark Arts Centre today. The Contemporary Textiles Fair is on from 10am to 5pm and there's some really interesting things for sale there.

I went to the preview evening on Friday and came home re-energised...!

Easter bunnies

Cashmere bunnies holding Lindt eggs by Jenny Stacy

Cashmere bunnies with sewn on flowers by Jenny Stacy

100% cashmere bunnies made by Jenny Stacy. Lovely fabric was a gift from Niloo.

I can't decide if I like the ones with flowers or the ones without flowers best. These are the softest little bunnies and just right to be held by a little one or to be secretly in the pocket of an older one.And of course adults can buy them for themselves! At £4.50 each they are reasonably priced and being embroidered and stuffed with toy safe kapok totally safe.

Easter is on April 21st this year and, from today the little knitted chicks will each have a  replaceable Lindt egg inside them and be available to buy at just £1 each. Knitted Easter baskets £2.50 and Sue Inglis' imaginative knitted Easter decorations - bunnies, chicks, lambs and carrots all £6.

Time for my 'painting a day' before getting ready for work. Have a good day everyone!

Anne Tomlin made these!

Blown away by the talent of Anne Tomlin!

Flowers made by Anne Tomlin

A daisy chain entirely created by Anne Tomlin

Yesterday I went to a talk on 'My Life in Textiles' given by the artist-maker Anne Tomlin. Anne makes hats and flowers for both jewellery and decoration. Her creations are extremely life like and she has devoted her life to studying nature to see how to copy it as accurately as possible.

If you want to find out more about her classes, her work or perhaps invite her to give a talk to the group you belong to her website is annetomlin.com and her Instagram name is annetomlinflowers.

I feel so lucky to be attending one of her workshops in Petersfield next week. I look forward to sharing my experience with you afterwards.

In Handmade Happiness

Thank you to the person who left a pile of magazines on my doorstep for me to make into bags

Ceramic brooches made by Samantha Robertson for sale in HH

Samantha Robertson's work in Handmade Happiness

In these uncertain Brexit times it is important to take time out for yourself. Handmade Happiness is an oasis of handmade calm! Everything in it is designed and made from scratch by one individual. British craft by British craftspeople - pure and unadulterated.

It is energising and inspiring just to look around so VISIT!!

When I was younger I had the opportunity to get my designs copied abroad and this is one of the ways that craftspeople can make money in an easier way. I didn't like the idea, choosing to be poor but happy. It's like stepping from making into industry or more accurately to become the designer and not the maker. Whatever is right for you. But Handmade Happiness will continue to promote only things made in this country by one individual and that's that. I wonder if it is unique in that respect?

I'm continuing to do a painting a day and if you feel you'd like to do this do give it a try. I've also made quite a few bunnies with Easter in mind. I'll show you those next time!

A painting a day

Water. Jenny Stacy paints every day!

Circles 1. Jenny Stacy paints every day!

Gold splash abstract by Jenny Stacy

Flower meadow by Jenny Stacy

Gold and colour. Jenny Stacy paints.

Flowers on blue by Jenny Stacy

Every morning I paint for an hour or two before breakfast. I started this regime a fortnight ago and I really enjoy playing and experimenting with paints and water and lately, a touch of gold.

Do you make or paint every day?

I am knitting a lot at the moment but I find painting a lot more satisfying somehow.

I used to paint sheets of paper only to tear them up into little pieces for collage and no doubt some of these efforts will end up being torn up. But maybe they will be practice pieces for something better to come. I find that I am learning what works and what doesn't look good as I go.

And for someone who has never had an art lesson in her life that is valuable experience. So I'm having fun playing with paint every morning and it would be great if everyone had the same opportunity to get a bit of art therapy into their lives. 

New glass in Handmade Happiness

Sue Palmer-Simmons creates these unusual glass coasters or tiles

More glass coasters by Sue Palmer-Simmons

Fused glass by Sue Palmer-Simmons

Interesting, arty kiln fired glass new in Handmade Happiness. Lots of different patterns and colours by Sue Palmer- Simmons.

Knitting and Stitching Show - sights and observations

Some fine needle felting

A pretty stall selling vintage habadashery - E62 Simple Vintage Designs

These fake flower crowns were selling like hot cakes at just £1 each!

What I bought - Drops yarns from Blackbird Designs and felt pieces from 'Woolie and Feltie'

I noticed more stalls selling individual dress making patterns, more needle felt animals and a lack of textile graduates work. I normally go to the October Knitting and Stitching show at Alexandra Palace but I was pleased I visited its Spring equivalent at Olympia yesterday.

So crowded and the queue for a cup of tea almost convinced people they weren't really thirsty! But I met Sue Stratford who wrote the knitting pattern book Knit Me, Dress Me Love Me as well as lots of other pattern books and I had a good chat with her and bought her latest book on knitting garden birds which will be fun to try.

I hate to close the shop for an odd day and I do hope no-one was disappointed to find it closed yesterday. But quite honestly February and January are the quietest months shopwise and I feel it's important to visit these shows in search of new makers.

The next show I'll visit - but I can go at night after work to this one - is the Contemporary Textiles Show at Landmark Arts, Teddington. It's on the weekend of March 23rd and 24th. If you love textile art you'll love this show.

Art therapy

Energy by Jenny Stacy

Waterfall by Jenny Stacy

Colour play by Jenny Stacy

Did you know that painting gives you energy? I didn't.  I usually paint paper to tear it up again and use in collage cards. But this week I painted 'Colour Play' and found I didn't want to tear it up. I liked it as it was. And that same day I was on my feet all day, full of energy.

I decided to cover a piece of paper with paint every day. A painting a day. I get up early and have time to do a painting or write emails before getting ready for work. I highly recommend doing this and I guess that practice makes perfect - well not perfect but you know what I mean!

Are you a lark or an owl? My brain goes to sleep as darkness falls but I can achieve quite a lot first thing in the morning. Definitely a lark. But if you are an owl you could paint at night. Art therapy - in an ideal world everyone would have access to it. I heard on the radio that one forward thinking medical practice actually prescribes it. Making or painting and getting absorbed by what you are doing is so beneficial. I expect you know this already. Visitors to the shop say the trouble is finding time to be creative in their busy lives but they really want art in their day...

By the way the top painting I did today. The middle one was the day before yesterday and the bottom one was yesterday's effort. If I get any comments I'll be encouraged to show you further daily daubs. If not I'll share other things instead. Enjoy your day.

Just buy a card!

The latest knitted boy!

 

A girl with pig tails! Knitted by Jenny Stacy

As a shop keeper struggling to find the rent each month I am getting increasingly frustrated with the 'We're just looking' brigade! Before I had a shop I am sure I used to go into pretty shops to look around and often leave empty handed. But from the other side of the counter every sale, however small, counts towards all the overheads a shop has to pay every month regardless of how much (or little) money has been taken!!

If everyone who came through the door bought just one card ( and the starting price for a card in Handmade Happiness is just £1.95) it would make a difference.

Ironically it is just those people who love the shop the most and tell me how beautiful/ special/ 'I could buy it all' it is, that don't spend. The quiet, purposeful customer who knows exactly what she wants and buys it or the hurrying men who have to get something but want to be out of the door as quickly as possible are the ones who contribute to paying the rent.

In these Brexit-anxious days most people are trying not to spend. But please, we all need cards. Buy one now for when you need it. HH has a great selection.

And to those enthusiastic people who love to come in and be inspired but never buy, you may find that  the next trip you make to Handmade Happiness may be a waste of a journey. It will have closed down and you will be really disappointed. Then you may wish that you had supported the shop by buying something there just be keep it open for you to enjoy 'just looking'...

More knitted dolls and the most unromantic card ever!

I've enjoyed knitting these little dolls ...

. 

Imagine receiving this on Valentine's Day!!

This week I have been using leftover yarn to knit little men. I was intending to knit three little women so each man could have a partner but two of the ladies turned into little boys. And actually I like the little boys best.

I feel desperately sorry for anyone who received an unromantic card on Valentines Day! I spotted this one and hid it behind lots of nicer ones, hoping no-one bought it! It takes the prize along with another one I saw with just a picture of a sloth on it.

I agree with people who are reminding us that Valentines Day is a chance to think of all the people we love - partners of course, but also children, our parents, grandchildren and good friends. And to tell them that!

New in the shop and creative happenings

Little knitted men. 

Niloo Wickramasinghe's beautiful ceramic pots

Rubecula Thread's new purses. Knitted and lined with velvet backs.

Spring flowers for a dark and rainy winter's day!

 It's official! I've been talking about doing workshops and free 'creative sessions' in the shop for ages and yesterday I sent out an email to all those who have come in to the shop asking about workshops.

A couple of years ago I rented Winton House at night and we had a series of successful Handmade Happiness workshops there but now I want to do something in the shop during the day because frankly it's too darn quiet at this time of year and it would be great to have the company of like minded people sitting round the table making something gorgeous while enjoying a good chat!

These 'creative sessions' will be free of charge. And there will also be once a month workshops to learn something and use materials provided. These will cost £20 and will be bookable in advance as there is only room for 6 people at a time. The first one on Experimental Knitting will take place on Wednesday February 20th. Email for more info at jennystacy6@gmail.com