egg cups

A few weeks ago we went to Ardingly. It's an enormous antique fair thats held a few times a year. It was pretty awesome although sometimes when faced with big enormous 'treasure markets' like that {the little ladies words} I get a bit overwhelmed and ummm and ahhh over too many things so that I can't really make a decision about anything and end up panic buying right at the bitter end, convinced that I've missed a stall with an abundance of 'me' things.

Anyway. My mum collects egg cups, has done for years and now has quite the eclectic collection. I think it's quite a clever thing to collect really, as they don't take up too much room and can be found relatively cheaply. 

So I spotted these egg cups pretty soon into the Ardingly visit and instantly fell in love.

They are 1930's, made by Burleigh and are in perfecto condition. I gave them to mum for Mothers day.

Their minty springyness just makes my heart sing. I love the hand painted tree design and what looks like, can it be - feels like an age since I last saw growing - oh my goodness....are those ...... Daffodils??!

So, enough already with this freezing, snow flurried spring! Myself and the wee ones are off to go see if we can find the sun to warm our goose bumped flesh and put a rosy pink glow on our pale wintry faces.

Happy Easter xxx

pretty pastel style

Yesterday was miserably grey, damp and gloomy but for a little haven of pastel perfection in the midst of market day in Kingston-Upon-Thames.

It was the book launch/craft fair of Pretty Pastel Style by Selina Lake and I was uber excited about this when I realised it was hosted in my local town.

Lucky for me, Granny of the Icy North came to look after the children. It was so very nice having a couple of hours as me without the arm pulling and ankle grabbing of a four year old and a one year old.

Although that said, I seemed to over compensate for their absence by managing to knock over and disturb the delicate display of almost everything I went to have a looksee at! Which made my vintage shopping/ knitty cohort, Ms F, chuckle greatly.

But we bought lots. We oohed and we ahhed at all the lovely handmade stalls, we ate cupcakes and drank proper teapot tea from proper vintage cups and saucers on floral fabric covered tables with pretty posies in glass jars and swathes of bunting galore. 

Some of my favourites, and places I loitered, knocked things over, then bought stuff, loitered some more then bought even more stuff, were Anna Wiscombe, Mabel & Bird, Love Lane Vintage and Abigail Warner.

Most importantly I bought Selina's new book which she signed while we had a wee chat. She is very lovely. Her book is very beautiful. It sure is a pretty distraction from this horrible weather. Snow? Is it really Easter next week? Bbbrrr....

these simple shapes

These simple shapes are all about my creative space at the moment. And they came about quite unexpectedly.

In the midst of making some curtains for the little mans bedroom, I wanted to brighten up the white Ikea fabric I was using with a bit of a prominent border. Something bright and modern that would compliment the elephants breath walls and white and oaky bits of furniture.

The fabrics I picked out as contenders were just not going to be long enough. Mainly being fat quarters or off cuts. Oh dilemma.

Then I spotted { and fell in love with } a cute diy patchwork teepee whilst flicking through  Crafting a Meaningful Home

Instantly smitten with the idea of creating a patchy bit of decor on the bambinos drapes - I know, American term for curtains. So much better though, don't you think? Sounds so fifties too. Yep, think I might start calling them drapes - and thus, a new obsession was born in the thimbles household. Ace!

This is just about the most perfect evening stitching for telly viewing. So simple. Although I have had to endure the Mr humming the theme to Blockbusters while I arranged and rearranged the hexes...

I have a few more to do I think, then I will most likely spend far too long fussing with placements before neatly, oh so neatly, stitching them all together.

I'm loving the mint and tangerine hexes. So springy, eh? My goodness do we need springy colours and beautiful brightness in old Blighty right now?! Rain and grey clouds be gone, I will have no more of thee...

I custom sized and downloaded the hexagonal template from here

Linking to My Creative Space

lemon, mint, lime & teal

Today has been the coldest day that I've felt in my bones for ages. 

We shuddered and held hands tightly as we quick stepped to school, braving the snowy drifts and icy winds. 

Snow? It is March. MARCH! I tell thee!!!

Anyway, still feeling defiantly springy I'm surrounding myself with springy colours, mothers day daffs and some recent 1970's treasures which have been cheering and brightening these dark wintery days.

Mint green teapot {no mark} £2.50 

J & G Meakin 'Galaxy' casserole pot £2 

Mushroom pot {no mark} £2 

who's wonder woman?

Last year there was a bit of a run on 'superhero' themed birthday parties that the little lady was invited to.

Obviously I made her a little superhero outfit. I asked her if she wanted to go as Wonder Woman { having gone through a surprisingly short list of female super heroes I could think of before drawing an absolute blank}. 

"Who's Wonder Woman?" she asked.

I thought for a moment of how best to describe a 1970's cult tv show.

"Hhhhmmmm..." I replied "I think, deep down, we all are". 

Yay. Well done me, for such a deep, philosophical message to send to my 3 year old daughter. 

She thought for a moment, then answered,

"Can I go as a princess instead?"

To all Wonder Women {and princesses}, 

Happy International Women's Day!

adorable

Positively ages ago, I cut out the pattern pieces for the Miss Adorable Frock {from Sew La Tea Do by Pip Lincolne}.

Anyway, as usual stuff happened, like new babies and new houses type of thing and so the pattern pieces remained just that...in pieces.

I found them just recently and decided I'd better make them up into the pretty cute dress they were meant to be. 

The little miss is now four and the dress size was up to 3. I figured it may well still fit but erring on the side of caution before precious time spent at the sewing machine, I made a decision to keep the back open with just a single button fastening at the top. A bit like a smock. A bit like an art smock, even.

I also divided the single large pocket into two smaller pockets and trimmed with ric rac. 

I was quite pleased with how it turned out in the end.

The little fella is now just old and steady enough to sit himself at the art table with his big sister and have a go at colouring.

He loves it.

It's just adorable to watch them both sat there first thing in the morning creating their little masterpieces.

{linking to my creative space}

lemony snippets

Just before Christmas, Mr H gave me a lemon tree for our 5 year wedding anniversary.

Just after Christmas I thought I might have killed said lemon tree

I moved it around the house trying to find the perfect little corner for it to flourish in blissful lemony harmony.

It ended up in a prime spot by the back doors, a veritable sun trap.

But then I got a bid giddy with a surprising bit of sunshine in January, and thinking we were headed for spring {delusional} I moved the tree outside onto the deck.

When the temperatures dropped and the so very wintry snow flurries began, I quickly carried it back indoors. To the cosy warmth.

However, the very next day ALL the leaves fell off, tumbling to the floor like a bit of a dead thing.

Ooops.

So anyway, after much panicking, a bit of better late than never watering and a few gentle whisperings of encouragement to the last remaining and clinging on for dear life leaves and buds, I can confirm that our little lemon tree is back from the brink with a bountiful bursting of new greener than green leaves and a veritable bouquet of new blossoms.

We've quite enjoyed following the progress each morning, me and the little lady. Counting the flowers and newly uncurled baby leaves. Our little lemon tree is positively flourishing

Ok, not that flourishing! 

We are certainly not at the point of enjoying our own lemons, as it were.

But feeling in a bit of a springy lemony sort of mood and with a friend round for dinner on saturday night. I whipped up some lemon posset and served in some cute flower tea cups bought years ago from Laura Ashley.

This is sooooooo lemony and creamy { and I halved the recipe as it was just the two of us } that I'd be inclined to reduce the lemon juice quantity next time. And just a few spoonfuls of this dessert is more than enough. 

I dusted with icing sugar and served with raspberries and wafer curl biscuits.

desperately seeking spring

It's been so dark and gloomy here of late* that I can't help but seek out spring hues and surround myself with cheery colour. The blossom is slowly unfurling on the plum tree outside the kitchen window and yet the air outside is freezing and it makes me gasp in horror as though it is such a surprise that it is still so cold.

Even Miss Tabitha was unwilling to get her paws wet!

A few weekends ago, I picked up this stash of haberdashery delights at the Hammersmith vintage fair. A selection of 1930's buttons in subtle springy shades, a vintage buckle, some coral thread, a pair of 1950's teal flower earrings, a box of celadon green glass beads, some crocheted lace motifs. I also bought a pretty pastel patterned silk scarf and a couple of metres of vintage Liberty fabric { watch this space }.

 

It was quite a haul. It's my second visit to this fair and it is utterly ace. I'm quite addicted to buying vintage haberdashery bits, trimmings and fabric. I get quite carried away discovering old treasures to make new things with.

I am pretty much a seasonal shopper. I can't help but be influenced with the time of year when looking for thrifty treasures even if the weather has other plans.

So despite the lingering cold, frosty mornings, predictable rain and occasional and surprising flurries of snow, I'm utterly smitten, at the moment, with pastels and summer shades of jade, lime, teal, lemon and coral. 

So very optimistic of lighter brighter days to come.

It's no surprise that out of all the unfinished projects, the one thing I was keen to do of an evening was stitch together these candy coloured grannies. So bright and beautiful they are.

They started life as a blanket for the new baby. But new baby is now on the brink of toddlerdom and he has a distinct dislike of anything blankety which may hinder his 'destructive crawl'.

And anyway on the most recent count I worked out I had only enough squares to make a cushion cover. So that is what I thought I'd do.

Although I quite like them now as a seat pad for this newly painted { f&b 'green blue' } ikea stool! So now to decide....hhhmmmm...!!!

* I wrote this a few days ago. Then lo and behold, today has been utter springy perfection in a sunshiny  bright and breezy sort of way. Hooray!