Attic24

Mini Crochet Bunting Strings

At the moment I feel like my Creative Force has developed an entire mind of it's own and is running me at Warp Speed. Ideas and Must-makes are spilling out of me faster than I can cope with. It's both exhilarating and exhausting.

Just to keep you up to date, I've left the tins for now and am working my way through an obsessive Mini Bunting phase. I've always loved strings of colourful bunting flags, I guess you'll know that if you've been visiting the Attic for a while. I made my crochet bathroom bunting three years ago now (ooooooo check out this post...almost exactly three years ago To-The-Day, how freaky???!!!!! Mid January must contain very strong Bunting Vibes!!!).....wow. I've lost all train of thought now, I just freaked myself out with that discovery.

Ok. Think. Yes. Bunting making. I've been falling in love with mini bunting of late, it's been leaping out at me as I journey through the land of Blogs and Pins. A few days ago I arrived at a gorgeous new-to-me-blog called Heart Handmade UK. Now I come to think of it, I got there whilst searching for Washi Tape inspiration, yes, that was it. Heart Handmade UK is a beautiful visual blog written with passion and love...I've not had the time to really dive into the archives but I really love what I've seen and read so far. It's full of wonderful and inspiring discoveries, and the overall visual style is very "me". Lots of colour and creativity with a dash of quirkiness! There are so many wonderful links there to follow, you will be off on an amazing journey with this blog I can tell you. One such link took me to a Dutch Blog called Zilverblauw, and that's where the mini bunting jumped out at me. That was it then, I just had to make my own. I couldn't wait any longer. 

I literally lept away from my desk, grabbed my little box of embroidery threads and a slim 2.5mm hook (conveniently still sat there following the Jolly Holly making), and set to work. Just like that. I chained a chain in green bamboo cotton first. I decided on 1 chain gaps between my little mini coloured triangles, so my foundation chain was made in multiples of 7 (6 chains for each triangle and 1 chain for each space between). Once the foundation chain was made I started at the right hand side and began to work weeny triangles directly out of the chain, as follows....

Row 1 :: draw a loop through the first stitch, chain 2. Work 1dc in each of the next 5 chains (remember to crochet over the top of your tail ends so you don't have to darn them). Chain 1 and turn [6 stitches].

Row 2 :: work 1dc in each stitch. Chain 1 and turn [6 stitches]

Row 3 :: 1 dc-decrease, dc twice, 1 dc-decrease (see note at end about the decrease business). Chain 1 and turn [4 stitches]

Row 4 :: work 1dc in each stitch. Chain 1 and turn [4 stitches]

Row 5 :: dc-decrease twice. Chain 1 and turn [2 stitches]

Row 6 :: work 1dc in each stitch. Chain 1 and turn [2 stitches]

Row 7 :: dc-decrease. Fasten off. Darn end in at back.

OK...about the dc decrease, this is how to do it in words......Insert hook into stitch, yarn over, hook back through stitch (2 stitches on hook). Insert hook into next stitch, yarn over, hook back through stitch (3 stitches on hook). Yarn over and draw yarn through All Three Stitches on hook. You are effectively turning 2 stitches into 1.

Also just to mention that the bunting benefited enormously from a light steam press with a medium hot iron on the wrong side once it was finished. I tweaked the pointy ends into a good pointy shape whilst the cotton was still slightly damp from the iron.

See how weeny and cutesome the triangles are?! They're diddy!

This is a super-fast project. I hooked up this little row of 8 triangles in about half an hour. Maybe a little longer with the end-darning. The triangles really are teeny tiny...the sides measure just 2.5cm.

As soon as it was finished I went around the house holding it up to various things to see how it looked. Strung under pictures. Under the hall mirror. Along shelf edges. Around a plain cream lampshade (definitely a winner).

And then finally it came to rest in the twigs. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh yes. That's it. I'll make my twigs into a Mini Bunting Tree!! Need to go stock up on embroidery thread now, cos I've got lots more bunting strings to make and I'm running low on supplies.

Oh sweet, simple crochet, how it rocks my world.

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ps Just a note to say that this mini crochet bunting thing is most definitely not my original idea. I've been hugely inspired by the lovely Kate who recently made herself some and turned it into a necklace. That girl has such style x

 

Tins and Tape

Just a quick posting today as I need to get back to my Most Important Tin Coverage Mission. Don't try and stop me, my Tins need me.

I wrote up the tutorial for you yesterday (find it HERE).....I know it's a very basic pattern an' all, and many of you don't actually need such a picture heavy tute for something this easy. But I LOVE the idea of using simple projects with simple words and a gazillion step-by-step pictures to enable Newbie Hookers.

I've had a few comments about Sharp Edges. Yes, those inner tin edges can be devilishly sharp I agree. I found that my tuna tins opened cleanly and evenly with my tin opener and there were no sharp jags at all. But the pineapple tin (pictured above) actually drew blood. So I used the back of a spoon to press down a few of the nasty, wicked metal jags, then covered the inner edge completely with some pretty deco tape I had in the cupboard. I bought this tape ages ago from DotComGiftShop, and at 50p per roll it was a bargain. You can find it here, and there are other slightly more expensive designs to choose from too.

Talking of pretty deco tape, I had a little search for some on Etsy and OH. MY. GOODNESS.

I found WASHI TAPE.

How dreamy is this stuff???!!!!

Why did nobody think to tell me about Washi Tape before?????

Seriously, it is unbelievably gorgeous and desirable. DIViNe. Smoochable.

The above pictures are from an Etsy Shop called Le Box Boutique, one of many, many shops on the internet selling this gorgeous stuff.

I can feel a Potential Addiction coming on. Go peek here......and feast your eyes on the decorative possibilities!

Oooooooooooooo♥ooooooooooo Washi Tape Mini Bunting, you are SO in my future.

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Circle of Inspiration

One of the things that I am told most often by visitors to the Attic is that they find my blog Inspiring. Isn't Inspiration a truly wonderful thing? Both providing it and receiving it (as I do almost every day of my life) is such a thrill. It's one aspect of writing my blog that I never really bargained for when I started out. I never sat and thought "Well now, what I really want to do here is to inspire the creative folk of the world. I want to become an Inspirational Person". Nope, the thought never crossed my mind for one second. I simply had a desire to write words to go with my photographs. Wanted to try and document my life in a way that made me feel creative and productive. It was all very me-me-me, and to a certain extent it still is. I read a comment on my blog recently saying that blogs are often thought of as "Vanity Vehicles"...oh my goodness, I SO laughed at that, cos there is such an element of truth in it!!!

So yes, I can well understand the desire and delight one feels when one is hit with Inspiration. It can be quite an intoxicating experience, and I do often find myself craving it and going in search of it. And there is plenty of it out there for the taking. The World Wide Web, more precisely Blogland, Flickrville and Pinterest are chocka block full of it. There are oodles of inspiring images, words, projects, recipes and patterns waiting out there, waiting to send those creative sparks flying.

Do you like what I'm showing you today? These lush images of gloriously colourful hooky? They're inspiring aren't they?

I made this dear little blanket yesterday, on a complete whim. Whipped it up just like that.

Actually, I am pulling your leg here, I did no such thing. Sorry.

This gorgeous piece of hooky was made by a friend of mine, a friend who knit and occasionally did very complicated stitchy things involving vigorous counting before I taught her to crochet. Just before Christmas she asked my advice about edging a blanket she was doing. Pulled it out of a carrier bag to show me. OH! Oh oh oh OH HOW BEEEEEEEeeeeeaaaaaaaaaauuuuutiful!

I was completely and instantly smitten with her blanket. I recognised the yarn straight away (good ol' Rico Creative Cotton) but the pattern....oh where did the beautiful pattern come from??? It's yours, she said. Na, I don't think so, I said. Yes it is, I'm sure it is, she said. Well now. She happened to be right actually, it is indeed one of my creations, a sample design I worked on way back at the beginning of 2010 but had comletely forgotton about.

Isn't it wonderful, this Circle of Inspiration??? I love it. Love that I was inspired by an old crochet apron, which in turn inspired my friend to make this blanket, which is now inspiring me all over again to make a blanket of Granny Wheels. With deep dark navy edging. And stripes.

Wonderful Inspiration. Where would we be without it?

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Edit to add :: I never had chance at the time to write up the pattern for the Granny Wheel, but I will try and do it for you in the next few weeks.

 

 

 

 

Summer Magazine Celebration

I think I mentioned t'other day about the stack of summer magazines that were sitting in a pile on my desk following my binge-read of them last month. Oh but they were good! In fact they were very, very good. The imagery between the pages of these magazines was sooooooooooo inspiring, I felt quite high and giddy on Visual Happiness after I'd been dancing through them all.

I do read my magazines you know, yes I do take time to read most of the contents. I read the editors letter, the articles, the lengthy shopping lists, the recipes. I even read the adverts. The words are interesting, but of course it's the pictures that really do it for me. I just adore that zingy feeling of being hit by wave upon wave of visual inspiration. I am quite addicted to it. So my magazines do end up with well-thumbed pages cos I tend to go back through each issue time and time again. Soaking up the visuals, drinking it all in, absorbing the feel-good.

Summer magazines are my absolute favourite. The June-September issues. There's something about the subject matter (picnics, holidays, summer gardens and breezy, colourful decorating ideas etc) that is very Me. I am most definitely a Summer Girl through and through.

So now that the summer season is over and the Autumn issues are in full swing (oh there is waaay too much brown in the Oct issues for my liking!), I thought I would share some of my most favourite, inspiring, uplifting images with you. A Celebration of Summer.

A few "Readers Home" to start then.....

This glorious home was featured in July issue of "Period Living"

A romantic retreat in June "Country Living"

A creative combination in September "Country Living"

July issue of "Country Homes & Interiors" featured the stunning home of the GreenGate owners. Oh my, that crochet BLANKET!!!!!! Swoon-tastic!

I love this jolly inspirational shopping page in "Ideal Homes" June magazine.

Now then, let me show you some of the features that I most love in this type of magazine. They mix general style inspiration with decorating ideas, then add in a humongous shopping list. In Country Living mag, these features are labeled as "decorating and design", and in Country Homes mag it's a more honest "shopping ideas" label. But whatever you want to call it, these pages sing with colour, joy, happiness and inspiration (and a dose of the Wanties)..............ENJOY!!!

Gypsy Rose inspired decorating and styling from "Ideal Home"

Matisse inspired interiors in "Country Living"

Outdoor decorating in "Country Homes"

Summer party time......

........with such lovely colours! (sorry can't remember which magazine this was, it wasn't one of my regular reads)

Country Homes made my heart race with this beautiful "vintage-style vacations" theme. I know it's all about shopping and is all very materialistic but....ooooooooo I Want It All!

Want want want want want.

I think this six-page spread in August "Country Living" is totally inspired. It combines seasonal feel-good with fashion, interior design and lifestyle. A total Aspirational Experience.......

Now tell me you don't want to Live That Life????!!!!

Bold, Bright and Beautiful, oh my GOODNESS. Prepare for your heart to soar......

WOW. Country Living totally hit my spot with these pages. Makes me think I could possibly do with more pretty florals here in the Attic, and definitely more red things. I love the red accents that pulse through these pages, don't you?

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Did you enjoy that little lot???

Yeah, me too ♥

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ps. Click on any of the above images and they should pop up in a new window and in a bigger size. Good if you want to scrutinise the detail.

pps. if you also swooned over the Greengate crochet blanket in the 6th picture, go and check out the  fabulous blanket Jules is making.  Oh, and there's also a matching sweet giveaway too. Prepare to drool.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trees and Triangles

My memory really must be very bad indeed cos I honestly thought I had shared this with you a few weeks ago. But it turns out that no I didn't, I just imagined that I did. Dear oh dear, I do apologise. So thank you very much to those of you who gently reminded me you hadn't in fact seen inside the map-package (mentioned in this post), cos you are in for a treat.

Isn't Internet Shopping so easy these days? And such a huge temptation too! I partake in a lot of  Virtual Shopping, lots of browsing and oooohing and ahhhing but on the whole I try very hard to keep my actual purchasing to a minimum. We have quite a strict Financial Control Manager here at number 24 you know.  If I come across something that I really, really, really think I want/need/desire, I tend to step away from the computer, sleep on it a few days, then re-visit and test out the level of Genuine Wanties for whatever it is. I am very rarely an instantaneous buyer. Is this bonkers? Anyone else do this?

This is what happened with this particular purchase. I came across it by happy accident as I was searching for something entirely different at the time. I was on Flickr, looking for bunting inspiration. Which I found (more of that in a bit), and that then led me onwards to a new blog which happened to showcase some amazing artwork. Clickety click and I arrived at an Etsy shop where the aforementioned amazing artwork is for sale. Ooooooo, the wanties kicked in immediately. I really wanted/needed/desired this artwork in a BiG way. So I walked away from the computer, slept on it a few days, chatted to husband/friends about it, tried to gauge if these particular wanties were strong enough to give in to. Back to the computer screen, clickety-click and YeS, that overwhelming heart lurch and I was certain I had to go for it. It helped that the FC Manager had provisionally given this potential purchase The Nod.

Good-o, clickety-click then and it's done. And so I waited. I waited and waited. The Little People waited with me, for they found it incredible that a package would be arriving from the Upside-down side of the world and they were very excited at the prospect. It takes quite a few days for a package to travel from Australia to the UK, so we continued to wait, and one morning it finally arrived.

As you can see from the above picture, it arrived beautifully wrapped. We were (all three of us) very impressed by the map wrap, not to mention the delightful little paper crane. So thoughtful! So clever!

So do you want to see inside the Mappage?

Want to see what got my heart a-skipping?

OK, here it is...........................................

.........this is the sweet little card that accompanied my purchase................

.....and this is the purchase itself. What do you think? Isn't it just beeeeeaaaaauuuutiful???

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh deep sigh. I L♥VE it so much.

It's a print taken from an original artwork called "Backyard with Stars" by the super talented Loretta Grayson. What a creative whizz Rett is! Her crochet work is hugely inspiring, but it's her artwork that really blows me away. I was fascinated to read this post with step by step pictures showing how each artwork is created. It made me love my little print so much more once I got a feel for it's creation. So clever.

The colours in Rett's work are incredibly close to my own instinctive colour palette don't you think? You can see how beautifully it fits in around here...it's right at home in the Attic I can tell you.

I love seeing it propped up there on the mantel, but I do intend to have it framed soon so that I can hang it on the wall.

So if you'd like to see more of Rett's work, do pop along to her Etsy shop and be prepared for The Wanties to strike.

Anyhow, cute little Trees aside, lets talk Triangles now shall we?

The above photo shows Loretta's fabulous crochet work :: this amazing bunting is what caught my eye in the first place over in Flickrville.

You see, I decided to finally take down my Advent Star Garland in the New Year and it left behind it a big wide open empty gap. Even the Little People commented on how empty it looked without the garland there, and we decided between us that the space was in desperate need of Something Else to fill it. Triangle bunting, I thought, and off I went to Flickrville to search out some inspiration.

So I had in mind to make some crochet granny bunting (ie triangles worked in the round with holes in, as opposed to triangles worked in rows without holes)...lots of patterns around and about in Blogland for this sort of thing.

The pattern that I fell in love with is to be found on Alice's blog Crochet with Raymond. What a gem of a blog this is, do go and have a rootle around at Alice's place if you don't already know it, it's a true delight. Her granny bunting is sooooooo pretty (that's her picture above) :: the dinky little picot edging and sweet little pointy bit at the bottom really captured my heart.

She's written up a super pattern for her bunting and it is all yours for free if you should want it...go here to find it.

I started working on my own bunting way back in early January, turning to my trusty stash of Rowan Handknit cotton. I switched down to a 3.5mm hook, and have to say am very happy with the results. I've not blocked them yet so they look a little bit wibbly and roundy still, but they are very sweet indeed.

I'm making mine very slightly different to Alice's original pattern in that I'm making the picot edging round in a different colour to the last granny round and also working an extra row along the top of the triangle.

I reckon I'm going to need twenty triangles in total to fill my very wide archway......only done four so far. Cos I got sidetracked by the Japanese Flower Scarf (almost finished!!!!!!!!), and then that in turn got tossed aside for a wee while when I needed to steam ahead with the Secret Project (very finished!!!!!!!).

More of Scarves and Secrets coming soon I promise. Although do feel free to (gently) remind me if I forget to remember to show you. You know, if I imagine that I did but in reality forget completely. Thank you. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

The Stuff Of My Dreams

I treated myself to a new book last week after seeing some of the pages reproduced in Coast magazine. I've always had a major passion for any type of thing that can be prettified and turned into a cute little homey hideaway, you know, sheds, summerhouses, beach huts, caravans, camper vans and the such like. Have never owned any of these things mind you (excepting a very small shed full of spiders and dirty underused garden tools), but ooooohhhh I've certainly dreamed long and hard about these sorts of places. I just love-love-love the whole idea of creating a Cosy Happy Place in which one can while away some hours and be surrounded by cosy cuteness. Comfy seats, cushions, blankets, dinky little curtains hanging at dinky little windows etc. And if this Cosy Happy Place happens to be on wheels and can take one away on holiday too, then woohoo so much the better. Yes, this is the Stuff Of My Dreams.

This book really is visually very lovely indeed. The blurb on the back tells you that the book contains "forty stylish caravans of all vintages from across the world. Packed with inspirational photography. Exploring how people refurbish and customise their caravans. A visual voyage into the unexpectedly stylish world of modern caravanning". 

Ooooo Ok, so quite a quirky but very trendy-cool subject then. Cos it's all about style and vintage and being cool, obviously.

But you see, personally I'm not too fussed about the Vintage Credentials or about being Cool or Trendy or Stylish. No, just show me Interior Prettiness please. I want to see dinky curtains and brightly coloured melamine plates......

........pretty tins and lovely cutlery, and oh oh yes some bunting too, and if there could possibly be a blanket or two I would certainly be jigetty-jigging with the pleasure of it all.

 

Ah yes yes yes!!!! Page twenty and I see a crochet GRAnNy BlanKet and I'm oh so happy, doing a jigetty-jig!!!!

Aren't these images just adorable? Heart-skippingly lovely and sweet and the stuff that my Cosy Happy Place dreams are made of. For sure.

Would you like to know more about the delightful vintage caravan on these pages??

 

Here she is....she is called Constance, and is owned by a very nice lady called Lucy (haha, no not me, although I wish). Now Constance is no stranger to me as it happens, I have come across her before in fact, over in Flickrville.

Yes, I have drooooooled over the above image of Constance's interior more times than I can remember.

 

I have swooned over that blanket. And the cushions. Curtains too.

Oh and the bunting, the floor, the Greengate tins, the spotty tray. Yes I have swooned, admired, desired and been inspired by Constance for a long time now. She is the Stuff Of My Dreams.

I emailed Constance's owner last week and told her how much I was in love with her caravan, how the Granny Square blanket made me go weak at the knees. I asked her pretty-please could I share these pictures with you all, cos I wanted to show you the Stuff Of My Dreams. And she very kindly said that Yes I could most certainly bring Constance to Attic24 to show you all.

But that's not all.

No, there's more.

As well as the lovely Constance, Lucy also has a fleet of amazingly adorable VW camper vans that she hires out through her company Snailtrail. Oh my friends, you are going to LOVE these campers so much....take a look at some of the interiors....

 

First up we have Betty, doesn't she have the most beautiful interior?

 

This is Elsie......oh her blankie is so so so yummy in all it's grannified squariness!

 

And this is Flo...oooooooo spots and dots and great big granny squares and mugs of tea with jammy croissants!!!

How FAbUlOus!!!! 

How beautiful and fun and inspiring and heart-skippy these pictures are!!!!!!!

OK, I shall stop exclaiming now, shall calm myself down and talk in a normal voice.

Now then....as you may or may not have guessed by now, this post does in fact have something more behind it other than me just hyperventilating over other peoples caravan/camper interiors.

I shall not beat about the bush....shall tell you without further ado that on the 1st of May we made a New Purchase for our little family here at number 24. Rather a big New Purchase.

Yes, we bought ourselves a Caravan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just an ordinary type of English caravan you understand, nothing cool or trendy or vintage.

But she is ours, all ours, and we are so so so so so so so so excited here at number 24!!!!!!!!!!

She's 18 years old and has been lovingly used by two families (brother and sister) and is now about to become the Stuff Of My Dreams. 

You see at the moment she looks quite ordinary, a little shabby, a little tired.

 

Inside she has some rather dubious carpet and quite a lot of dusky pink and beige going on.

 

But in my Minds Eye I have already given her an Attic24 makeover, I can see her so clearly!! (remember The Chair, remember how clever my Minds Eye is??!) She is going to be made to look beautiful, colourful, cosy, happy, heart-skippy. Yes, I can assure you I've got it all worked out already. Can't wait to get started.

We're taking her out tomorrow, we are spending our first night caravanning at a local site in the woods near Bolton Abbey. I hope it's going to be the first of many, many happy days (and nights) spent holidaying with her, I really do.

Excited??

Ohhhhhhhhhh YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Cards

I love cards very much :: greetings cards and postcards that is, not the ones you play games with. I have a long standing habit of buying and hoarding cards, I think I could be a little addicted actually.

I have an old shoebox full (yes, I mean full) of postcards which I've collected over the past twenty odd years since my art school days. And I keep Little Piles of pretty cards around the house, cards bought on a whim because the artwork appealed to me or inspired me in some way. Some in the bedroom, some in the attic, some in the downstairs cupboard which quite frankly is not for the faint hearted (cards stay in there a long time cos it's so hazzardous getting anything out). I also keep cards which've been sent or given :: cards which remind me of people, places and occasions, cards that have feelings attached to them.

I do really like to have cards about the house :: I prop them up around the place, on bookshelves, on the fireplace, next to my bed. I stick them up on the walls too, in unexpected places so that they catch my eye as I walk past. Every so often I change them about and put new ones up, it does really please me to do this, to think about which images I'd like to surround myself with and where to display them.

The three cards I'm showing you today are on display around the house at the moment, they are my current Cards Of Choice. And looking at them now, it occurs to me how apt they are, how they pretty much sum up my life at this time.

The top card was sent to me by a very close friend on my 40th Birthday. The illustration is by artist Jenny Muncaster and I love everything about it. It really does make my heart flutter. I mean, whats not to like? Fresh flowers in a pretty jug, a plate of cakes and tea in a  favourite cup :: the makings of a little moment of Daily Bliss. A reminder to take a moment each day to stop and rest and enjoy a little bit of Pretty Refreshment. Ahhhhhhhh yes indeed! This card is currently propped up against a small pile of books on my bedside table. 

The middle card was one of many cards we received when Little B arrived on the scene, and as soon as I saw the image I was smitten. Love that cute little baby with his rosy cheeks! Love the Mummy's funky flowery dress! Funny enough, my hair has grown quite a bit during the past year and I often wear it in two bunches (although not quite on top of my head like that, I'm not that eccentric. Not yet anyways, although could very well be heading that way.) This card is currently on the mantel at the dining room end of my living space :: one of my favoiurite places for displaying cards.

The bottom card has been with me for a long time. Can't remember where I got it from, but I've had it since my arty student days (eh-hem, that'll be ooooo about twenty long years then, gawd I do suddenly feel very ancient indeed). I remember having it pinned onto my little Inspiration Board at college, and I remember having it stuck up on various walls of various rooms that I lived in at various times in my long-ago past. I just adore the image sooooooo much. Love, love, love the patchwork cover with a passion. And oh-oh-oh I'm having a major love affair with all things Bed at the moment, I can't tell you how much I dream and fantasize about being cosied up in bed these days.

Speaking of which :: time check :: 8:28pm :: about time for me to go and bliss myself out under my puffy feather duvet in it's crisp pure cotton cover, with my head resting on Cath Kidston Rosy pillows and my luscious Big Blanket keeping me warm and snug.......

Right-oh, thats IT, I can't stay away any more, I'm off to bed.....see you again soon

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Crochet Fashion

 

Following on from my last post, it was really amusing reading all your comments about the 1970's crochet fashion. But awwww you did disappoint me with the Granny Square Bikini, I was so damn sure you would be begging me for the pattern, that it would become the new trend in Blogland ;o)

Maybe not eh.

It did get me thinking about crochet garments though, and how I'd love to make something wearable one day. But it's a risky business, making crochet clothing. I'm aware that there's a veeeeeeeery fine line between stylish and naff, between nasty and nice, and I'm not sure I'm quite subtle enough to sit on the right side of that fine line.

I mean, one could go so Horribly Wrong with Granny Square garments.

Could end up a hideously expensive mistake if one was not veeeeeeeeeeery careful indeed.

However.......I think if one got the colour palette right (think muted, vintagey tones rather than garish brights), then it could work. Could work out veeeeeeeery nicely indeed.

Have a look at these pages from the latest Country Living magazine :: a fantastic new fashion series which showcases real people and the everyday clothes they choose to wear. This month it's the turn of florist Liz Wallace. 

 

There she is look, doing a spot of recreational painting......AHHHAAAA!!!!!! Did you do what I did and zoom your beady eyes straight in to that picture of her and fixate on her amazingly gorgeous crochet cardie??? Did you??? Did it give you palpitations, make your heart skip a beat? Oh, that was just me then....

 

....when I first caught sight of this image I yelped out loud with joy, it was instant love-at-first-sight. Heart flutters and palpitations for sure.

Isn't it fabulous????

I desperately searched the magazine article for more information, and there it was in the small print  :: "Patchwork Crochet Cardigan, £360, Odd Molly"

So straight to the internet went I, searching out Odd Molly.

Odd Molly is a collection of very unique clothes and accessories, you can browse through their current Spring collection by clicking here.

There are a few crocheted garments, these two are my faves and are pictured on page 2 (click here to see, they're second row from bottom)

What do you think?? I think they're absolutely beautiful, inspiring, gorgeous, amazing.

Really really.

A huuuuuuuuuge step up from the bikini, poncho, tank top and hostess apron of yesterday.

Hmmmm....me thinks I might just HAVE to make some sort of hooky garment for myself at some point in my future. You know, when I've nothing better to do.

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♥ Four Things ♥

Four things making me heart-skippy happy today.......

Thing #1 :: from the market ::

:: I visited my lovely Plant Man at the market today looking for some seasonal flowers, and ended up being seduced by this gorgeous seasonal foliage ::

:: Thing #2 :: from Ikea ::

:: I visited the big Blue and Yellow warehouse on Monday night and came home with this gorgeously desirable and  delicious tray which I am totally In Love with::

:: Thing #4 :: from WHSmiths (the magazines, not the bun) ::

:: whilst in town this morning doing my rounds of the market/butcher/baker etc, I bobbed into the newsagents and treated myself to three scrummy magazines ready for the weekend ::

:: this first one is a one-off publication called "Get Creative" and at first glance looks really wonderful...it's published by BBC Good Homes magazine, and is all about creative ideas for the home. Divided into seasonal chapters, the Christmas chapter looks especially lovely and inspirational ::

:: this one is BBC Homes and Antiques (Jan issue, which also comes with a lovely free calendar this month, yeah, I know, another one to add to my stash). I spied Teena's gorgeously beautiful home shining out of those pages and can't wait to read more ::

:: Country Homes and Interiors (Jan issue) also looks wonderfully cosy and seasonal....I've only had a quick flick through these magazines this morning and I can't wait to indulge in some snuggly blanket+tea+cake+magazine time over the weekend ::

 

:: Thing #4 :: from Up Above ::

:: the colour of the sky today is an absolutely breathtaking shade of blue, and it has made me feel ridiculously smiley-happy ::

Happy Friday to you all, hope you find some heart-skippy-happy things to enjoy today!

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Overexcitability

I have to tell you I am suffering at the moment, reeeeaaaaaallly suffering. Yes, I have been struck down with a most severe case of Overexcitability and it is so bad that I am quite beside myself. I can't sleep properly, I am all over the place with the giddy-jitters and my mind is bursting with so much inspiration and so many creative possibilities presenting themselves to me at the moment.

Of course, this is not a new experience for me, no-no-no, it's all too familiar. I often suffer from this affliction, and it just today occurred to me that it could possibly be seasonal (see this post from this time last year? See how remarkably close the dates are?? Uncanny or what??)

So let us chat a little about the Root Cause of my current Overexcitable condition shall we? Well it's been brewing for a while you understand, but finally came to a head yesterday when I left the house at 9.30am, and drove myself across the hills to Harrogate to visit the Knitting and Stitching Show. It was quite a spontaneous and last minute decision to go, but I am so glad I made the effort. It was sooooo exciting! I only took one photograph at the show (the above amazing stitched vase of flowers), cos I was quite honestly too busy rushing around hither and thither working myself up into an Overexcited frenzy.

After a medicinal cappuccino and a danish pastry had been consumed, my first stop was my favourite button stand to replenish my stock of deliciously coloured plastic buttons.

I spent a lovely time here selecting from the colour themed pick-and-mix tubs, filling my little bags with same-size buttons, chatting to the other customers as we took turns making our selections, swapping places when necessary, admiring each others choices. It was a lot of fun, and I love-love-love my buttons.

Second stop was to be fabric. Now then....I had it in the back of my mind that I might possibly be able to buy some rather nice fabric at the show, but had not really entirely planned it you understand. The whole business of buying fabric and Building a Stash scares me a little, it always seems so frivolous and extravagant, and there is often a lot of associated Guilt involved.

But you see, I've had it in me to make a Patchwork Quilt for the Longest Time now, I really, really, really have desperately wanted to do it for years. You may remember me chatting to you about it earlier in the year, and showing you my modest stash back then. You may also remember my patchwork chair seat cover, and how I managed to end up with a whole stack of extra fabric squares now waiting patiently to be assembled into Quilt Formation.

 

So yesterday, with this quilt idea in the back of my mind, I ended up going a little bit crazy and went off on a bit of a spontaneous fabric-buying splurge. I visited four different fabric sellers and in a frenzy of Overexcitable buying I ended up with the above fat quarters. Sixteen in total, a mixture of Kaffe Fasset, Amy Butler, Heather Bailey and Anna-Maria Horner.

What do you think?? Aren't they LUSH????

Oh I have been fondling and smooching these little stacks of fabricky gorgeousness like you wouldn't believe, I am very much smitten.....

.....and once they were added to my other fabrics, I realised with complete joy that after many years I have now assembled the Perfect Stash to make a quilt with. And I am so excited.

SO VERY EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But deary-deary me folks, that is not all. That is not the end of my Overexcitability I'm afraid. No, there was one other thing that Got me yesterday :: my third stop at the show was the amazing "Decopatch" stand. I wish that I'd had the thought to take some photographs at this stand, it was completely brilliant, and hugely inspiring, I just could not resist it's colourful charms. Already buzzing from my button and fabric purchases, I kind of just went with the flow here and indulged my creative Overexcitability to the max.

So what is Decopatch?? Well it's basically a form of decoupage, where one uses specially dyed thin tissue papers with a special glossy glue, and proceeds to cover all manner of household objects.

The blurb describes it as the "exciting new 'paint without paint' papercraft technique. It's a funky addictive papercraft that's amazingly simple to use, a modern twist on the traditional decoupage.  All you need is the paper, the object that you're going to cover and the special glue varnish.  Simply cut or tear your paper into small pieces - we've found postage stamp or a bit bigger works well - paint a coat of the glue-varnish onto your object, stick the paper on and pop anopther coat on the top and hey presto, you're a decopatcher! And you'll find projects everywhere, you can cover practically anything: old furniture, glass, wood, stone, cardboard, the possibilities are endless!"

Ahhhhhh just LOOK at the papers I bought!!! Aren't they amazing?!

 

Can you just imagine me in a complete state of Overexcitement here, gathering these pretty papers together, jigging from foot to foot, almost hyperventilating with pleasure :o). Well yes, you know me well by now, I'm sure you can imagine it very well indeed.

 

So now I am about to become not only a Patchwork Quilter, but also a Decopatcher too. I bought these wooden LOVE letters as my starting project and plan on doing that tomorrow. I am hugely excited by it I have to tell you.

By the way, I've discovered today that there's lots of stuff on the www to do with this amazing craft...a couple of good sites/stockists I've found are here and here, should you find yourself as Overexcitable as me and be tempted to give it a go.

Well, after all that dizzy show-n-tell I really need to go have a cup of tea and try to calm myself down a bit now. Deep breaths, reeeeelax.

Have yourselves a lovely, creative, fun, inspiring, happy day my lovelies.....

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