Advice please!

I recently contacted David of ‘David’s Cottage Down The Hill’ blog, because the more I looked at his header picture, the more I loved the gorgeous green velvet peapod pinkeep – it’s so quirky. Probably one of those things you either love, or think very odd!! David kindly told me it was from Maggie Bonanomi’s book ‘Thistle Down Moon’. Anyhow I eventually managed to track the book down (had to send to America for it as usual, as this country just hasn’t really cottoned on to prim and the like yet – barely at any rate!!). What a lovely book!

This is the one in the book, but also check out David's version, which is really lovely!

The next thing I needed and couldn’t find over here either was the pea green cotton velvet – no surprise there then!! And I was just about to click ‘buy now’ on an American website when I actually put my brain into gear and set about searching for plain white cotton velvet in the UK that I could dye …………… another major task, googling and searching with little luck; sending for samples (no good – too heavy weight), when, again the old brain cranked up, and I thought “I’ll just go and try the ‘Fancy Silk Store’ near the market, before I resort to buying from abroad, and didn’t I just find a massive roll of plain white cotton velvet at only £6.99 a metre – how excited was I?!! So, out I came just a little later with 3 metres of the velvet (yes the pinkeep is only about 8 inches long!!! LOL) and several packets of different colour hand dyes. Well, what fun I’ve had dying the velvet all sorts of lovely colours and in particular, peapod green. It dyed so easily and feels beautifully soft – I was so chuffed with myself. And of course, saved myself a fortune by not ordering it from America!

So, back to the pinkeep itself! This is the first one I made up, with my own addition – the darker green leafy bit at the end made from wool fabric. The pinkeep is lined with ordinary cotton fabric and has 100% silk ribbon tied on the end, which I dyed with the velvet

I then made it a second time, but without the wool leafy bit; in other words, as it is in the book, although don’t you just love the tiny peapod antique brass charm I found and added with a green bead ………… and guess what? China for the antique brass charm!!

So ladies (and gents!), the advice I would like please is with or without the wool leafy bit at the end, because I simply can’t make up my mind. 

I shall really appreciate your advice.

And as for the rest of the coloured velvet?? I’ve since been and bought a bit more (4 metres LOL!!!) with more dyes, so I now have quite a stash of coloured velvet: well watch this space, because I’ve really fallen in love with it and have lots more ideas floating around in this head of mine!

Shazy Swap!

I am so lucky!! Look what I got from Shazy of Country Prims!

Recently in February, Shazy saw this woolly sheep I made for Wendy (Quiet Room blog) and was rather taken with it. Anyway after a bit of to & fro'ing, we decided on a swap. I know Shazy was a bit concerned about making something she thought would suit me, but oh my days, she could not have 'got' me more accurately. Inspired by Veronique of Born to Quilt, she's made this gorgeous Prairie Doll Pin Keep ....... isn't she just fantabulous?

 The detail is so lovely - the scissors, the tape measure ribbon, the acorn pin .............

........... and I just love the base. It's wooden but with a rust paint effect (I need to know how to do this!!!)

I love everything about her and she will adorn my new sewing room (ex-spare bedroom!!) extremely well

And as if that wasn't enough, Shazy also sent these two lovely Wool Charm packs - can't wait to find a use for them!! In the top picture, you can also see a lovely sheepy LHN cross-stitch pattern - flosses already ordered Shazy. Typically, amongst my pot of Crescent Colours flosses, I don't have any of the ones I need, but do not despair - they were ordered last night!! Plus a bag of chocolate eggs - yummy, scrummie - they will wait until Sunday ...... oh yes they will!!

Shazy, you're amazing - thank you so much. I have already emailed to grovel the fact I haven't yet finished my half of the bargain, my excuses being work, work & more work ...... been doing a lot of overtime lately .......... but they will be winging their way to you before long.

Now after seeing this on Simone's blog, I hot-footed it to WH Smith's to purchase myself a copy before they were all sold out! What a lovely magazine - very Shabby Chic - very droolable (no such word of course - I just made that up!!)

This 'Altered Art' is amazing - can't see me doing it though - too clever for me!

and this page - well, I just love this kitchen - very country cottagie (another made up word!) with the rustic beams and black & white flooring - lovely!

Nearly lastly (this is a bit of a longish post for me these days!) is a picture of the two vintage style crates I bought last weekend during a 'girlie' weekend I had with 3 of my cousins in Barmouth (mid-west Wales) - another reason Shazy for me being behind with your pressies!! Aren't they just luverley? The bigger one on the bottom is the colour as bought, but I've decided to wax polish them, as in the smaller top one, which I think makes them even luverlier!! What do you think?

 

and as I've mentioned it, I may as well show you a photo of me with my cousins from last weekend - don't we look a crazy, likely lot? We were quite well behaved though actually - honest!!

Pineberry Lane Pinkeep No. 2

Well, it took me longer than anticipated – I knew it would- but here’s Wool Pinkeep No. 2 from Pineberry Lane and it was a darn sight easier to stitch than the first one on the dark linen!

here’s Pinkeep No. 1 and Pinkeep No. 2 together

 

And speaking of woolly things, look at what I bought from Ebay recently from Old Scotties – beautiful dyed wool, so lovely and soft – it’s gorgeous. The colours in the picture are fairly true to life. Of course, I have no idea what I’m going to use it for. It’ll just be added to the stash for now (as you do!!). Seeing how lovely it is, I'm inclined now to bid on some other colours ....... well it is practically Christmas isn’t it and I ought to buy myself a treat (or three) – nobody else is going to buy it for me anyway. Sounds as though I’ve just justified it to myself doesn’t it LOL

Oh well, back to Christmas present wrapping I suppose ...... it seems never ending!!