The Vintage Magpie

Butterflies, cats and mice

Its been a strange week. 

After much deliberating, tripping up, getting entangled and trying desperately to do a big sort out but failing, I have decided that my current 'sewing room' will no longer accommodate me!  Its infuriating.  There is no more room to stash my stash, and the walls are closing in.

So I have 'persuaded' my ever obliging husband that the study is too big a room to accommodate just him and his laptop, far too much space is wasted which could be put to good use as my new 'studio'.  He has somewhat begrudgingly agreed, so work is about to commence on the big swop.  However, I find myself a little nervous with butterflies in my stomach at the prospect of moving my 'sewing emporium' downstairs.  I was nicely tucked away upstairs in the box room, and now I feel that once moved downstairs Vintage Magpie will become more official, it must work as I am taking up an important room in the house.  So I'm a little daunted and finding myself making up excuses as to why we can't get started.

I have started sorting through the carnage, and have decided to separate vintage from new.

These are just some of the wonderful things that belonged to my nan and came from her sewing box.

and vintage ribbons which are gorgeous colours..

Absolute treasures.

Then I found these wonderful jars at the reclaimation site last weekend, perfect for loads of things.

This bit of course is the easy bit.... oh yeah.  Rooting about for 'completely necessary storage items'.  I find no hesitation on that score.

But work has been slow and scuppered by having to move around the house to cut materials, iron etc, which would all be contained in the one room downstairs with the mother of all locks on the door!

So, this weekend I shall start.  I shall pack away my fabrics ready to be transported, and slowing work my way downstairs.  Wish me luck... its a job of large proportion!

Have a great weekend!

Old Bears

Recently I stumbled upon our copy of Jane Hissey's book Old Bear.  I love this book and so do my children.  The illustrations are just fabulous, and the stories have a wonderful magic about them.  I apologise for the quality of the photos in this post, but the light was fading and it was past wine o'clock when I took them, so I was a large glass of Chablis better off.

There is something wonderful about old bears.  Their history of being loved and played with for years by a young child, and then carried through to adulthood.

This is my husband's childhood bear, called Ted.  Imaginative, I know.  He also had a white rabbit called Snowy.  There's a pattern happening here.

Needless to say he didn't have much choice in the naming our children.  One, two and three springs to mind.

Anyway, this is my old favourite bear...

His name is Little Ted.  I know, but at least I did get better.  My hamster was called Charlie Woo.....   :0

Anyway, I was quite plainly easily pleased. That Little Ted came everywhere with me, and I have heard many a tale from my parents about losing him, or demanding him when in hospital  etc etc.  Damn I loved that bear.  Could not sleep without him.  My middle daughter is the same, Boo Boo has to be in bed with her or all hell breaks loose.  Anyway, having dragged Little Ted out from my daughter's stash of softies, I decided to try and replicate him for a little girl we know who has just been born.  I say just been born, that's rather a generalisation on my part to ease the guilt of not having got round to the present sending yet.

So, here's  little vintage Rose, filled with lavender and made from vintage blankets, fabric, lace and ribbon with a little pair of Mary Janes to boot.

Hopefully she will be loved as much as Little Ted.

Rose will be posted off along with some rosy bibs

to keep her clean and beautiful

Welcome to the world Elena, sorry its a bit late!

Fabrics and Chakras

What a brilliant day.

Fabric shopping and market roaming in Totnes.

My favourite place to be on a Friday morning. 

Lunch in the pub at Shaldon, watching the boats on the sea at Teignmouth, and then off for my first Reiki healing session this afternoon.  Pure bliss.  My chakras are now fully aligned, and I am feeling fine.

All I need now is a large glass of wine.  Oh and one of these..

which my daughter Isabel rustled up for us this evening, together with this scrumptiousness which arrived courtesy of Amazon this morning

and I'm a terrible sucker for 'house management' books. 

I now have quite a collection.  I'm searching for the answer you see, to end my frustration at the mess I always find my house in come the weekend!  I don't think the 'lock your children in a cupboard' solution will be listed anytime soon however.  Still, they are always a great read, if only to sigh, look wistfully at and then burst out laughing over.  We can but dream...

Have a great weekend everyone x

Demands and Distractions

Our house has been a little frantic lately, we have all had a gorgeous new distraction.  I am overjoyed to introduce the new member of our family.  Meet Florence.

She is an angel of the short legged, long haired Jack Russell variety!  Needless to say 'kept on our toes' doesn't even come close.  But she's worth it... just look at that face.  Ten weeks old last Saturday, so I can't take her out for walks for another three weeks, after her injections.  I can't wait.

The housework, of late, has seemed like an uphill struggle.  Its like shovelling snow when its snowing, so I have this postcard up on my noticeboard for inspiration!

So far it hasn't worked.  However, despite having to shovel the earth back into my garden on an hourly basis ( Florence has a natural penchant for digging :o), I have managed a  few little attempts at some craft.

After gazing at Soulemama's site for hours, wondering how she manages it all, I am inspired by everything she produces.  After a few hours of rummaging in amongst the fabric stash, I came up with these:

We have recently had two friends who have produced more offspring, one boy and one girl, and as yet I haven't even sent them a card, on the basis that I was going to send it with a handmade gift.

Its a good job I'm making them toddler size, because I'm taking a long time to get round to it!

I've tried several different styles, on this one I have used an old duvet cover which has a gorgeous floral design

And for this one I used an old curtain fabric

which I love, very boyish with castles and piratey indians etc

I also managed to cover this tabletop ironing board in an old piece of floral fabric.  I'm forever putting my ironing board up and down when sewing, so this should come in very handy.

I've also done a little thrifting and found this fabulous book

which has some truly gorgeous pictures inside

And some hilarious quotes about modern day living!

And finally some inspiration to keep us all going...

Go forth my friends, begin.