The Vintage Magpie

**nEW deSigNs!**

Eeekkk!!

I have been having great fun making some new designs for the Vintage and Handmade Fair on Saturday..

I have been up to all sorts... designing new patterns in three different sizes, small, medium and large, hand-dyeing the mohair all sorts of beautiful colours, mixing and matching different eye colours, staining tags, dyeing up old lace and vintage paraphenalia, and dreaming up new characters... my sewing machine is smoking!!  We are all very excited!

I'll show you more on Friday...

Til then my friends...  enjoy your week xxx

An Invitation ..

It's coming up to party time again in this house... well its nearly four weeks away, but you know how these things need planning!

So we spent some of the weekend making plans and invitations... 

And now the wait begins... the questions.... 'how many days is it now?' , 'I wonder what I should ask for ?' 'What cake shall I have?' and 'how many days is it again?' .... !!!!

I love it really.

And then I spent some time on some new designs to take with me to the Vintage and Handmade Fair this coming Saturday ... oh my.. I said it out loud then.  This coming Saturday ... ARGHHHH!!!  How did that come round so fast?  I shall be busy this week with my sewing machine fastened to my hip so I can be sewing wherever I'm going!!

Whatever you are doing this week, enjoy! xx

Potting Up

We've spent some time basking in the sunshine this week, and potting up (a little late :o) some seedlings, bulbs and other gorgeous things...

Its the waiting we find difficult.

We want them all to be swaying in the breeze right now.

Oh well, patience is a virtue we are working on!

Have a great weekend everyone xx

Bliss ...

Hello Everyone!

We have just caught up and are resuming normal behaviour after spending a glorious little holiday in Portscatho, on the South Cornwall coast.

It was truly heaven on earth.  The weather was amazing (actually sunny!) and for those of you who have been part of or ever attended the HOmespun fair, you will now how enchanting the little village of Portscatho truly is.

The surrounding coastline is breathtaking.  Once we had arrived we didn't get back in the car the whole time we were there. 

We spent our time walking the coastal paths and lazing on the gorgeous beach coves doted along the coast line.

Resting and relaxing... and soaking it all in.

With a little bit of driftwood carving...

rock pooling....

knitting (obviously ;) )

Amateur watercolouring... ahem, just practising ;)

and cake baking whilst the men went fishing all thrown in.

Oh, and cake eating and tea drinking in the sunshine - yes my friends, there was lots of that too!

I miss it already... my morning walk along the coastline ..

Lazing on the beach whilst watching a little bit of 'friendly' cricket..

and my heart still aches for the view from our bedroom window... !!!

We stayed in the most gorgeous cottage, a stone's throw from the beach, the shop and the pub :)  Happy Days.  Hot afternoons could be spent in the terraced garden soaking up the sun, and when the chill of the evening set in we threw a few logs in the woodburner and curled up on the sofa.   Bliss. 

If you are ever in South Cornwall, go see Portscatho, and if you want to stay somewhere gorgeous here's where we stayed... Fern Bank Cottage - just perfect.

We fell in love, and I think you just might too!!

Have a good week everyone xxx

 

a WeLcoMe HoMe...

There have been some fun and games in the studio since I our return from Portscatho on Monday.  A new addition has caused quite a stir.

Meet Wilbur the terrier on wheels.  I was unaware he was quietly sitting on Jane's stall for the best part of the morning.  But when our eyes met across the crowded hall it was love at first sight.  I knew he had to be mine.  Our fate was sealed.  I tried for a good part of the day to turn my back on him, shut him out of my thoughts, but it was hopeless.  We were destined to be together.

When Jane showed me he had an ear missing, I knew I could fix it.  When she showed me his missing eye, I knew I had the perfect match waiting.

And when he came home with me to the studio, it was like he was always meant to be there.  Sweet, sweet, boy.

His place in the little window was already waiting.

Now its just a question of who gets to ride on his back every day!

Good Times! xx

Batman

 
Whilst flicking through some pictures we took during our walk at the weekend, this picture particularly made me stop and smile for several reasons.

James insists on wearing his coat like this.  Always.  This way his coat is a cape and he is batman AT ALL TIMES.  How wonderful is that. 

And secondly the socks.  I have to double fold his trousers over at the top to keep them out of the mud, which he INSISTS on stamping through time and time again.  Regardless of his footwear.  So his socks are constantly on show, this particular pair standing out rather more than others!  Gotta love that too.

I remember reading a book when the author mentions that his boy did the same .. the batman thing, only he went a step further and only answered to 'batman' too.  We haven't got that far ... yet.  But it's pictures like this that I think in years to come I will look back on and remember that chapter.  The 'Batman' chapter.  And what a wonderful chapter it is.

Anyone else got any batmans out there? 

x 

Bringing the Happiness Inside!

The 'Easter Box' has been opened and all the little familiar Easter faces are making us smile through the rain (and hail)...

Spring blooms having taken their position centre stage... they are just beautiful.

and the Easter tree has been started and is awaiting little hands to return from shopping to hang the rest of the eggs.

Cakes have been decorated as well as some other eggs, and the first  (hehem) Victoria sponge of the weekend disappeared before it hit a plate :o

Easter cards are being secretly made....

The kids love making these guys... so simple, one yellow paint thumbprint, and then a whole world of different characters come to life!

So, we are in full 'Easter Swing' here.... despite the flippin' weather.  We shall adorn our wellingtons and rainmacs and set out as we had planned... come rain or shine... or hail or infact snow.  Who knows, and frankly who cares!

And on Monday we shall be heading down to Portscatho for the Homespun Fair with some new Spring Rabbits and some other more familiar faces!  Hope to see you there!

Have a wonderful Easter weekend everyone xxx