Attic24

Pom Poms and Pretty Things

A few weeks ago during the school holidays the Little People and I started making pom poms. It was entirely their idea, and I was entirely happy to oblige. I mean, how could I not? Little People asking to get crafty and some great old fashioned nostalgic yarn play, it's all good! I was was about to go to the recycling bag and dig out some cardboard to fashion some pom pom making kit, when I remembered a friend telling me how to do it The Easy Way. This particular friend is a primary school teacher and knows a lot about easy crafting with young children, so we gave her method a whirl. In a nutshell, instead of using any form of cardboard you simply use your fingers, like this. The simplicity of it meant that even Little B (who is not quite three years old) could have a go, with some help at the tying and cutting stage.

The Little People churned out a surprising number of pom poms using up odds and ends of aran weight yarn from my stash. Some of the pom poms turned out a little raggedy, but the fun that was had on that cold, damp Monday morning more than made up for the unkempt results.

I have to admit that although I loved the scruffy pom poms made by Little Hands, I began to hanker after some perfectly round super-neat ones. Proper Pom Poms. Fluffy and cute as opposed to raggedy and unkempt. I managed to dig up some long forgotten information from the tangle inside my Creative Memory, and went in search of magical Clover pom pom makers. I found them in various sizes, from Teeny Tiny up to Rather Large, so I opted for Small.

They come in packs of two, the small ones measuring 35mm and 45mm, you can find them here.

They are a complete doddle to use. You simply open out the semi-circular plastic bits and get winding.

Wind one side evenly with yarn until it looks all woolly and chubby, then fold it back in. Do the same on the other side so that you have two yarny semi circles sitting opposite each other.

The next bit is ace...you just snip around the circle with sharp scissors, snip-snip-snip. Just like that. Nothing falls apart. Nothing goes wrong. There is no cussing. WoW!

Time to tie now, get a short piece of yarn to slip between the two halves and make a tight knot. Easy! Oh-so-easy! Then all you do is unfold the semi-circular plastic bits and pull the two halves apart to release the pom pom.......

....ta-dah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This Pom-Pom maker is absolute genius, if a bit addictive. The small pom poms are very quick and easy to make as it doesn't take an awful lot of winding to produce really wonderful, fluffy little balls.

It'd be good if they had a use though eh? I've had them sat very sweetly in a plastic tub for the past few weeks, but they are destined for Festive Decorative Work eventually. I had originally thought about making some sort of pom pom and crochet garland, but that idea was completely abandoned when I came across this..................

............................it's a page from Prima Magazine (December issue).

Want to take a closer look?

Oh! Isn't that image just so perfectly beautiful? It made me gasp out loud with pleasure when I first saw it over on the Selena Lake blog. Selena often does the styling for Prima magazine, and I am such a huge fan of her work. It seems to me as if she has somehow had a sneaky peak into my heart and soul and created these images just for me.

Let me show you the pages that follow, you'll love them I'm sure.............

The feature is about creating hand made decorations and displays, and the style is very "Selina"....if you've seen her incredible book Homespun Style (which I love love love) then you will know what I mean.

There are bright and cheerful displays and gorgeous homemade wrapping ideas.

Beautiful iced biscuits and handmade stockings. And there are giant paper balls. Oh gosh. I would really, really, really love some of those in the Attic.....a tad expensive at a fiver a pop, but I guess they would last for years if I treated them nicely and only strung them up at Christmas? I have been looking at them online almost every day, wondering if I can possibly, in any way-shape-or-form justify the expense of them. I am still undecided.

But anyhow, lets not obsess about paper balls, cos I need to take you back to see that beautiful wreath.....

.............wow. So, so beautiful, isn't it? I was so charmed by this wreath, and very grateful to Selina for giving details of it's creator on her blog. It's the work of someone new to me, a very lovely Dutch lady called Maartje who makes all sorts of scrumptious things under the name of Silly Old Suitcase. Her work is so unique :: a wonderful, quirky mix of vintage treasures, crochet, patchwork, stitching and beading. I fell in love with her style, it made my heart flutter to see so much colour, creativity and unique personality.

This is another of Maartje's amazing wreaths, slightly different to the one in the magazine.
And I love this one even more than the first one, it's such a glorious, colourful festive mix! Pom poms, crochet, baubles, ribbons, lace, berries and flowers. YES! It has Pom poms!!!!!!!!!!

So you can see where this is going can't you? You can now picture me leaping about, getting all giddy at the idea of creating my very own Festive Wreath full of woolly goodness. A truly good justification for my pom pom making addiction if ever there was one. I shall show you very soon where I'm at with it, but first I need to tell you a little bit more about Silly Old Suitcase.

As well as wreaths and bunting and other cutesome decorations, Maartje makes the most wonderful jewellery. I spied the above necklace in her Etsy shop and thought my heart was going to burst at the sight of all those beautiful, joyful colours. But sadly for me, this necklace is quite long and I have trouble with long necklaces. I just can't wear them without feeling irritated by them. They dingle and dangle and get snagged on things, and they are an absolute magnet for Little B who loves to fiddle and meddle with any lengthy dingly dangly things about my person. Long necklaces, scarves and apron strings are just so tempting for his Little Fingers and imagination.

So  this is what I did. I wrote a little note to Maarjte, telling her of my my love for this necklace and explaining my difficulty with it's length. I enquired, in my most politest and persuasive voice, as to whether she might be able to make me something similar but shorter. And being the sweetheart that she is, she agreed to my request and within a week, a happy little packet arrived in the Attic....

....oh happy day!

The necklace tumbled out of the wrapping into my hand and I wanted to cry with happiness.

The beads are so vibrant, they remind me of childhood sweets and sunny days. They shout Happy Things to me when I look at them!

It's a happy necklace for sure, and I adore wearing it. Thank you Maartje, thank you so much for the happiness you sent my way.

And if you don't already know, there is a super-sweet blog waiting out there for you to go visit....do bob by and say hello to Maartje won't you?

Oh, I almost forgot, there is something else about Selina Lake I wanted to say.....yes, it's a calendar! Joy of joys, the 2013 Mollie Makes calendar has been designed by Selina, yippeeeee!!

There are twelve stunning pages to take us through 2013, it really is absolutely beautiful. You can get it free with the December issue of Mollie Makes magazine which is in the shops now.

Right then my lovelies, it's been a pleasure chatting and sharing with you as always. But really, I do need to get back to my pom poms now if you don't mind. My fingers are twitching.

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Creative Swapping

The lovely Country Living magazine remains one of my all time favourite treats. Month after month it delivers an incredibly beautiful does of inspiration. The homes and gardens that sit within it's pages take my breath away. The wonderful ideas for decorating, cooking and homemaking inspire me no end. I've been reading this magazine faithfully since 1998, so I think you could say I am most definitely a faithful follower.

Back in May (which was the June issue) the magazine started a new feature called "women and their sheds"...wow what a terrific and inspiring idea! Knowing a little of what can go on in Creative Sheds throughout Blogland, I was instantly high on excitement over what Sheddy Goodness would be revealed as the summer months rolled by. First up was the shed of Esther Coombs, you can find some great pictures of this feature on Alun Callender's blog. Part two came last month in the July issue, and you can see the pages up above there......do you recognise that lady? Do you know her?

This is her most beautiful garden shed, a wonderful beach hut/shed/studio hybrid nestled amidst a sea of glorious flowers. It belongs to Emma Mitchell, a super talented jeweller who also writes a very lovely blog called Silver Pebble which you may know.

Shall we take a peek inside?

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh! How delicious!

Emma has transformed the inside of her shed into such a calm and beautiful working space, it has such charm don't you think?

Now if you are not already familiar with Emma's beautiful jewellery, do go and have a little look at her gallery. Her work is truly wonderful, and I love her style very much. I love the simplicity of the designs and the truly handmade nature of what she does. I love the teeny-tiny scale of her jewellery and the exquisite detail in every single thing she makes. I love the subject matter. Well, I just love it all really.

If you pressed me to choose a favourite item of Emma's, it would without doubt be one of these amazing little charm necklaces. She describes them as "beaded garland jewellery - you know, the delicate, jingly, pretty jewellery where beads hang from a chain. It’s like tiny, slightly tinkly, beady bunting." What's not to love?!

Two months ago, Emma offered the above four necklaces as a very generous giveaway, to celebrate her four years in Blogland. Oh my. I sososososososoooooo wanted to win! I wished incredibly hard for my name to be chosen so that I could miraculously own and wear the one with the silver pebble and sea shell. That was my favourite. I fell head over heels in love with it. I visited Emma's blog 67 times a day to see if she had made the draw, to see if I was a Lucky Winner.

Then out of the blue an email came to me from Emma telling me that sadly I did not win. I felt like I wanted to cry. But wait..........the end of Emma's email contained a gem of an idea and immediately my heart skipped a beat or two. She suggested that perhaps I would like to partake in a Creative Swap?? She could make me a necklace and I could make her a hooky something.

OH YES PLEASE!

And there began a delightful creative journey for both of us. A month of emails back and forth as we worked on our projects for each other. Emma asked me to make her a bag, and she asked for it to be made in Coastal Colours. So I formed a collection of aran weight wools that spoke to me of salty sea breezes, crashing waves and summer skies, of smooth pebbles and driftwood, of coastal sand dunes and cool horizons.

I was so thrilled to be working with these colours, as they are my true soul colours.

I began hooking straight away and immediately loved the way the colours worked together.

I worked on the bag in any spare moment. Sat outside while Little B played, at the cafe with a cappuccino, at the pub with a strawberry beer, snuggled on the sofa in the early mornings.

And as the stripes grew and grew I was thinking salty sea thoughts. I was daydreaming of past holidays, of happy times spent by the sea. I thought of pebbles and seaglass and the sound of the waves. And I was also thinking of Emma working away on my necklace, wondering what she was up to. I knew there would be a silver pebble (her trademark) and I knew there would probably be a button or two. I also knew (as I had begged for it) that there would be some amazing seaglass. I was unbelievably excited thinking about all these things while I worked.

The bag grew as the days and weeks flew by until I decided the proportions were right and it had reached the right size. I made a scallopy border around the top edge and I made straps. And then when I was about to start work on the decorative flowers Emma threw a little spanner into my creative works. She asked if instead of flowers she could have circles, sort of pebbly sea-circles. Oh! Well....ok then, I will give it a go, I will see if I can make some pretty circles.....

The circles were fun to make, and after a little bit of trial and error, I found a way to make them work as part of the overall bag design. They were needed both as decoration and as a way to hide the end of the straps where they get stitched to the bag.....

....I think they turned out beautifully. I went in search of some special buttons to add a final flourish and found these amazing mother of pearl ones in a local shop. The colours were perfect.

Would you like to see how it all turned out?

YEs, of course you would!

Ta-dah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I felt good ecstatic about it when it was finished, and everyone I showed it to seemed to love it. I still felt a little nervous though, I don't very often make things for other people and I really wanted this to be extra special. I wanted Emma to love it as much as I did.

One other thing I decided to do was to make a fabric lining. I chose a beautiful pale duck egg blue linen, and finished it off with some spotty ribbon along the top edge.

It turned out that I finished making the bag and Emma finished making my necklace at almost exactly the same time. We agreed that it would be fun to post our parcels on the same day so that we could kind of both be in a position to open them simultaneously. Oh my goodness, it is so hard to convey the utter excitement/nervousness of this whole bit of the swap! The feelings that it provoked in both of us was so funny! We kept emailing to make sure we would open our parcels together, and there was a point where we had both received the parcels, but hadn't yet found the right time to open them.

My parcel from Emma surprisingly contained two little brown boxes. Two?! The first one I opened contained these incredible little silver and enamel flower earings. WOW! So unexpected, an extra little gift that Emma said reminded her of me with their colours. They are truly beautiful.

The second brown box contained my necklace. The very sight of it made me want to leap through the roof.

How to describe the beauty of it to you? Each and every charm (there are sixteen in total) is amazing.

There is the most beautiful sea glass.

There are sweet little sea-washed stones, and there look is the silver pebble which Emma made using silver clay.

More seaglass, sweet little vintage mother of pearl buttons and a silver button charm made by Emma. Honestly, this necklace is pure perfection.

It is so incredibly beautiful. And it is truly mine. I said to Emma that it feels like she took my very soul and strung it on a silver chain. My love of the sea, my childhood, my own enduring obsession with collecting small treasures, it's all there.

Wearing this necklace is a dream. I asked for a short 16" chain as this is the way I like to wear my jewellery - quite high up round my neck so that it sits on my skin and doesn't get lost in my clothing.

I love the feel of it round my neck, it's surprisingly heavy. It feels like happiness.

♥

Emma's beautiful jewellery is for sale in her Etsy shop.

She is also a genius at working to commission, so do please feel free to contact her for a chat if you would like a special something made (more info here)

And of course her blog is pretty special too, I am currently drooling my way through her past archives.

Isn't creativity wonderful?! Yaaaaay for HaNdMaDe ♥

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ps...this evening we'll be heading 300 miles south to the Dorset coast. I can't wait to wear my necklace whilst strolling along the shoreline.

Will be back in a week's time ♥

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Simply Crochet Magazine

I bought this magazine last week, it's a special one-off summer edition by the same people who produce Simply Knitting magazine. Truthfully I very rarely buy crochet magazines as they don't often contain anything much that appeals to me. I find the style and content of them is often quite a long way off the mark for me, they simply don't excite me or rock my hooky boat.

Having said that, this one is actually pretty good. There is a good range of projects, plus lots and lots of interesting recommendations for inspiring blogs, shops, books, products and people. The pages are pretty chocka full of stuff, there is lots to take in.

There is lots of Granny Square Love in the pages which is certainly right up my street.

I quite like this scarf, although I would replace the back joining colour with a beautiful deep navy blue I think.

On the back page, there is a bit of a colour explosion. Oh, that must be me then.

Yes that's definitely me! I'm sorry my photographs today are pretty awful, the light here has been dire as we've had heavy rain All Day. But I'm going to give you a link to open up a PDF of this page, I hope it works out as my brain is fairly weary and I'm not quite sure I'm up to doing anything technical......did you click the link? Did it work? Do please let me know? Ta.

When I agreed to answer some questions for this feature, I ended up writing a surprising amount of blurb. Only a smidge was included here on the printed page so I thought you might possibly like to read the long winded version? I'm going to have a rootle through my photo archives and share some colourful crochet Ta-dah's with you too.

Enjoy.....................................

When did you start crocheting?

Summer 2007. It was the same time that I discovered the world of creative blogging and fell head over heels in love with granny square blankets.

Who taught you to crochet? What do you remember about learning to crochet?

My friend Sarah taught me, we were sat having an afternoon cuppa at a mutal friends house (we all had small children the same age, were part of the same post-natal group), and that’s how it all started. Sarah had recently taken it up and convinced me to give it a go. She gave me a ball of yarn and a hook and got me started with the very basics, ie how to hold the hook and yarn, how to make a chain, and how to produce a wobbly line of double crochet. I then bought a small book (“Learn to Crochet” by Sally Harding) and worked my way through all the basic stitches that very same day. I knew I wanted to make granny squares more than anything else, so I searched the internet to find a pattern and sat for hours practicing until I could do it. I was so excited! Within a few days I had bought a big stack of brightly coloured cotton yarns and began my crocheting adventure. It changed the whole direction of my life.

What is your advice to crocheters who are just beginning?

My very best advice is to try and find someone to get you started. The way that you hold the hook, manipulate the yarn and control the tension is the hardest part of learning, and it’s made so much easier if you can get shown this by a real person instead of a book page.

The other thing I wish someone had told me in the beginning was that there is a difference between UK and US stitch terminology. Always make sure you know which language the pattern/book is written in before you begin trying to decipher it, other wise you will end up pulling your hair out with frustration when it all goes wrong. I learnt that one the hard way.

Who is your crochet hero?

My crochet heroes are all the thousands of folk the world over who take time to share their creations on the internet. Through Ravelry, Flickr, Pinterest and Blogs, there is such a generous spirit of sharing and such tremendous inspiration to be found. I am full of gratitude for the online creative community, and so glad to be a part of it.

Where is your favourite place to crochet?

Wherever my heart is happy. In bed is always a pleasure. Or maybe sat in a warm, sunny corner of my home, or perhaps beside the fire in winter. But I think my favourite place of all is on a beach....I always think when I crochet at the seaside that the sound of the sea will weave it’s way into the stitches, trapping the essence of holiday feel-good into whatever I’m making.

How would you describe your style?

Playful, fun and colourful with a smidge of quirkiness.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

I absorb visual inspiration from everywhere, from books, magazines, artwork, stationary, ceramics, flowers, fabrics, interiors. Anything with an element of colour and pattern has the ability to inspire.

What is your greatest crochet triumph?

Coming up with my first design and writing a pattern for it (it was the yarn bag, still very popular the world over)

What is your most spectacular crochet disaster?

Choosing to edge a whole pile of large blocks for a double bed spread in white, then deciding 2/3 of the way through that the white was killing the other colours and had to go. It was the most unravelling I’ve ever done.

What is your favourite crochet snack?

Homemade cake with a frothy milky coffee.

What music do you like to listen to when you crochet?

Nah, no music! I prefer absolute quiet, or the gentle sound of birdsong or the sound of the sea. I like to be able to hear my own inner voice when I crochet, I do a lot of creative thinking when I’m hooking, and music/tv gets in the way.

Are you a member of a crochet group?

Yes, I think sociable crochet is one of the things that makes it so appealing. I go to a weekly “knit and natter” at a local cafe. I also started up my own little group which meets on a Monday night in the local pub. There are 8 of us, all good friends, it’s a very special and creative group and I love it. We laugh a lot, and yes some crochet gets done, but it’s become much more about the sharing of our lives in general, with the crochet providing the link that pulls us all together.

Do you have any unfulfilled crochet aspirations?

Oh cripes, yes of course, far too many to mention. I am chockablock full to bursting with ideas for new projects, they spill over in my mind at an alarming rate. I would also love to write a book one day.

What do you crochet when you’re on holiday?

It’s usually whatever project I’m working on at the time.

What is your top crochet tip?

Always make sure you are in love with whatever colours and yarn you choose for a project so that the whole making process is a complete pleasure.

Where do you keep your stash?

My current project sits in my basket ready to be picked up whenever there is a spare moment in the day. The rest of my stash is sorted into clear plastic tubs and stored in the Attic eaves.

Has crocheting ever caused you to neglect your duties?

Of course! Most days I choose to crochet when I should really be doing something else. Occasionally I also forget to feed the children, but they are now quite good at nagging me when they are hungry.

Who is your favourite crochet companion?

I really prefer my own company when I’m “in the zone” with a crochet project. But my Monday night pub gang are great crochet buddies.

What are you working on at the moment?

Currently near to the end of a single bed sized ripple blanket using Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino. I also have a couple of small decorative projects on the go :: a circular cushion and some small roses for a summer wreath idea. I’m also in early stages of sampling some crochet using embroidery thread, kind of a cross between a scarf and a necklace made up of delicate leaves and flowers.

Describe your family life growing up.

The first part of my childhood was spent in London, we lived in a small rented terraced house on a busy urban street, opposite a famous football ground. I remember lots of noise and traffic and being scared of the busy main roads all around. Playtime was confined to the garden. The second part of my childhood was spent on the south coast of Dorset which has given me a love of the countryside and the coast. We had much more freedom, and playtime extended out into the fields and woods near our house (a rented semi on a new housing estate).

My parents are both creative, there was always lots of making, drawing and creative play. We had no television, there was very little money, I would say that out of necessity we lived very simply. Frugal even.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

Oddly I always wanted to be a Librarian, I adored my weekly visits to the library as a child and for a long time was obsessed with the whole way in which libraries functioned. This was in the age before computers, when library book information was recorded on little tickets and catalogued in huge drawers in alphabetical order. To this day I still adore old cabinets with lots of drawers, it would be my dream to own one.

Describe your family life now.

Happy! I am married with three children and I absolutely love my role as Stay At Home Mum. We live in a Victorian terrace house in a warm, friendly neighbourhood within walking distance of a beautiful old market town. I love being able to walk everywhere and don’t own a car now. I would say we live quite simply, we holiday in our old caravan, or at my parents down in Dorset, but mostly we are happy to stay close to home as we have the glorious Yorkshire Dales on our doorstep.

Describe your home today.

It’s relaxed, warm and cosy, a tad scruffy but in a comfy way. Still a work in progress, we are slowly decorating and making some changes as time and money allows.

Which is the best home you’ve ever lived in?

Without a doubt it’s this one, number 24. This is the first time I’ve felt truly “home”

Where would you like to live, apart from where you live now?

Beside the sea! If I could transport this house and town to the coast I would.

What would you change about yourself, if you could?

I would be less forgetful and disorganised, I often feel so ditsy and out of touch with reality!

Besides crochet, what are you really good at?

I would hope I am a good Mummy and a good homemaker, two things that I am passionate about.

What are you terrible at?

Remembering names, dates and facts, my memory is atrocious.

Besides crochet, what do you do to relax?

I bake. It’s my fail safe stress buster.

What are some of your favourite things?

Fresh flowers in the house, blankets, clear starry nights, the sound of the sea, caravans, wooden childrens toys, carrot cake, stripy socks, little houses.

Do you have any favourite colours and colour combinations?

I like bright, pure colours, not necessarily rainbow colours, but colours without white or grey added. Undiluted, saturated tones. Happy colours.

What are your favourite decorative styles?

My favourite decorative style is homespun/handmade. Lots of textiles, colours, artwork, pretty objects and painted furniture against plain walls. Relaxed, colourful and fun.

 What is your most irresistible temptation?

Danish pastries, ooooohhhhh how I adore them.

Do you have a motto you live by?

To Love Life. It’s such a gift and we only get to live it once.

Tell us a secret (it doesn’t have to be about crochet)!

I can’t swim. I love the sea, but I really don’t like being in water.

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Edit to add :: thank you SO MUCH for all your wonderful, heart warming comments on this post, it has absolutely made my weekend to read them all. Thank♥you.

I just wanted to add that the super-talented Sarah London has written about her own inclusion in the magazine along with some delicious photos. She also mentioned that the mag will be distributed in the UK, USA and Australia, and that a digital copy will be available via Apple Newsstand (enter Simply Crochet in the search bar). Thanks to Sarah for this info, she is obviously very much more in-the-know than I am!

Second edit :: 3rd July :: Simply Crochet magazine is available to buy mail order with world wide shipping, yaaaayyyy!!! GO HERE to buy youself a pretty copy!

♥

 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Easy Summer Days

Hellooooooo! We are back home again after a fulsome and very enjoyable jolly in Connievan last week, boy it was certainly fulsome! I'll be uploading my holiday snaps in the next day or two to share with you, I'm looking forward to doing that very much.

The past few days have been spent easing back into our lazy summer routine at home after all the activity and hectic-ness of last week. It feels rather wonderful and luxurious to wake and greet each day with a blank schedule. No timetable, no appointments, no arrangements. Just me and the three Littlies hanging out at home.

After a rather wet and dismal weekend, today has been super-duper here in my patch. Stunning blue skies, warm sunshine and a breezy breeze. Perfect for doing Easy Things and making the most of outdoors.

This morning I took my coffee and snook out to the back yard, bare foot and still in my jammies, tiptoeing quietly out the kitchen door away from the children. The morning sun was creeping into the yard through the gate, it was a wonderful, sneaky little bit of me-time. Those quiet sunny moments alone were very much appreciated I can tell you.

Once my coffee was warm in my tummy, I went about my daily chatter with my flowers. Oooooooo the glorious orange of the marigolds in my hanging basket really made me smile! Can't normally grow marigolds in the back yard as they are prime fodder for the sizable slug and snail population, but in their hanging garden they are safe.

And my sweet peas have finally begun to flower too, I was so excited to see them there at the weekend. I am completely over my fear of cutting them, in fact I mercilessly cut them the instant they show any sign of petal. Snipetty snip and indoors they come, I am so addicted to the smell of them, I just have to have them right there under my nose.

I'm so very proud of my little ink bottle garden posies, so proud that these delightful flowers have come from My Very Own Garden!! Every year I bring in these small but precious little handfuls of flowers and love them to bits. Like really love them in a totally over the top way. I can't get enough of them. I sniff them and admire them and want to somehow eat them up. They're just sooooooo beautiful!

I screech like a Mad Thing when Little B climbs onto the table and pulls them all out and tries to drink the water from the bottle. Uh-huh, it happened. Twice. The climbing-pulling-drinking-screeching. Followed by precious re-arranging. Twice. Gosh. Calm me down. Tell me, do you think I am a nutjob?

Breakfast on these lazy, easy summer days happens as and when. As and when the Little People realise their little tummies are empty and grumbling. I've started bringing in their brekkie things on a tray when I make my morning coffee, then leaving them to help themselves as and when they are ready. It's all a bit sloppy really, but they seem to like it this way. They like pouring their own milk and seeing how much sugar they can get away with administering. They sprinkle liberally when I'm not looking, I just know they do.

I do eat breakfast with Little B though, we eat together every meal. He is pretty good at feeding himself now, just needing a little help with scooping or stabbing, depending on whether it's a spoon or fork job. Today he had mashed banana with warm ready brek, yum yum. He opens his mouth ridiculously wide to accommodate the spoon, it makes me laugh every time.

Ahhh I just LOVE being home in the hols with my Little Peeps, I really do. I love them so much. Their simple requests, their happiness when they are granted their wishes.

Little Man says Mum, can I make myself a honey sandwich?? Yeah, sure, go right ahead I say. He punches the air with a happy Yeeeessssssssssssss, delighted at the prospect of extra food between meals. Happy happy.

Little Lady says Mum, can you paint my nails like you did last holiday, with red and blue nail varnish?? Yeah, sure, why not. Lets do it. She rushes upstairs to my bedside drawer to get the little drawstring bag which contains my modest nail varnish collection. I have five bottles :: pearly white, pink, red, peacock blue and clear with glitter. Happy happy.

All three Littlies have been treated to new wheels this week. Little B has this new plastic cart that he pulls and pushes along and it's proving to be a huge hit. It only cost a few pounds from the supermarket, it had some sand toys in it with a dinky little red spade and watering can (strewn across the back yard now I think). He doesn't like to put anything in the cart mind you, he insists on keeping it empty but he appears to love it very much.

The Little Peeps both have new scooters. High excitement. Little Lady's scooter broke last week at the caravan site so we bought her a replacement which she is very happy with. Little Man has a Birthday coming up in a few weeks so we treated him to his Hearts Desire and bought him a much longed for JDBug scooter. He has not been separated from it since, and is more than happy with it.

We head to the park almost daily now, sometimes in the morning, sometimes in the afternoon. You can see the Little People scooting down the grassy slope look, fast tracking their way to the swings. We often take other children with us from the street too, whoever's about and wants to come along really. I had 5 of them with me this afternoon, and it was fun! Once I got over the heart-in-mouth nervousness of watching the boys tackle the ramps and slopes in the skate park on their scooters, I had fun! Honestly!

In between the business of mothering my brood, I am amazingly managing to carve out little snippets of me-time. The past few months I've had no time or inclination to stroll in Magazine Wonderland, for some reason I just haven't wanted to sit and read at all. But like a parched and dehydrated addict who's not had a drink in a fair while, I've been totally indulging in recent days. I think I've read about five magazines cover to cover, one after the other. Three issues of Country Living and two of Country Homes, with one still left to go. It's been wonderful!!! So much visual lovliness and sparkling inspiration, quite overwhelming at times, but oh so good for the Creative Spirit. I remain Addicted, no question about it.

It's late in the day here now you know, eleven pm. I am riding on caffeine (tut tut) and feel like I could sit and chat with you pretty  much all night, but really I do need to sign off and go to bed. It'll be a 5-6am start in the morning and although the days are easy (ish) and lazy (ish) they are still long.

But I've had such a lovely day today. Full of sunshine and breezes, kids and friends, play and chatter. Easy summer days filled with nothing in particular. Just the way I like it.

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Edit to add :: for those not in the UK, the breakfast cereal the Little People are curently devouring is Weetabix. It was my fave brakfast as a child too.

 

 

 

 

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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Autumnal Inspiration

Hello....I'm afraid I'm feeling a little muddled today and although I have many things I'd like to say to you all (including a big thank you for your response to my Wrist-Warmers !!!!), the words just won't seem to come out properly.

I've tried, honestly I have! I've sat here at the pc for what seems like an age and tried hard to formulate my thoughts into something coherent, but it's just not been happening.

I've drunk coffee and baked white chocolate and cranberry cookies (and ooooo-eeeee they are goooooood!). I've faffed and mooched and pondered and muddled my way through the morning, but nothing is happening right. Just one of Those Days I guess.

So instead of wittering at you in a rather muddled fashion, I thought I might simply show you some inspiring pictures that I took a few weeks ago.

Pages from last months Country Living magazine (UK October issue) which quite honestly make me hyperventilate with pleasure.

Don't you find these images so heart-achingly Beeeeeaaaaauuuuutiful????

Exceeeedingly, totally, Inspiringly Autumnal???

I love them, truly I do, love the whole heap load of feelings they stir up. Love that they make me LOve Autumn.

And thats coming from me...someone who outwardly mourns when the Spring/Summer issue magazines come to an end, and inwardly groans at the thought of the Autumn/Winter ones taking over.

Yet this year, I am surprising myself by LOvIng the whole style of the Autumn magazines (with the exception of some persistent Brown-ness), and feeling inspired by it.

I'm seeing some purchasing of colourful squashes and pretty cyclamen in my immediate future. The creation of an Autumnal table display. Possibly I might go forth into the great outdoors and gather some pretty Autumn foliage too, fashion myself a twiggy wreath and the such like.

Yes, I feel there's much to look forward to this season, much to be Inspired by.

However, this afternoon I'm going to proceed to drink tea, munch a cookie and crochet a Granny Square or two in celebration of Autumnal Cosiness.

The seasonal gathering, fashioning and displaying can wait till tomorrow.

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Drippy Wet

Hello....another very drippy wet day here in my patch (again), although we seem to be having what I think is known as Intermitent Short Sharp Showers interspersed with Brief Sunny Spells. It rains, then it stops. Rains then stops. And each time the rain stops and the sun comes out, Little People go outside to play, hopeful that the rain will stay away for good this time, only to find their games are cut short by yet another downpour. So it's been a rather In-out-in-out kind of morning so far. Right now they are In, although not in at Attic24 :: no, they obviously got bored of their own surroundings and decided to decamp across the road to number 21. So all is peaceful, all is quiet here right now. And I am enjoying the Intermitent Solitude.

This morning, during one of the brief Sunny Spells, I ventured out back to make my daily check on my poor, rain sodden, saturated, drippy backyard blooms.
I thought that they looked quite beautiful in the morning light, laden with drippy wet droplets of rain. My second lily has flowered, and is the most magnificent deep pink colour imaginable (top photo).
I really enjoyed taking these photographs (and yes, I was wearing my pyjamas at the time), and put together a little drippy wet mosaic for you....

Captures the weather of today perfectly :: Sunshine and Showers.

All this wet weather is proving to be heavenly for the local molluscs. Look at this beast, caught in the act of eating his delicious Marigold breakfast. Ah well, thats life :: I do try and adopt the Live and Let live approach to gardening, so refuse to get my knickers in a twist over it.

With the Little People out the house for a short while, I've been taking the opportunity to indulge in some peaceful idling this morning. And my goodness, let me tell you I am Veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeery good at Idling. Could probably do it professionally if I put my mind to it.
I've been sat amongst my blankets and cushions, looking through the August issue of Country Living magazine, for the umpteenth time.

It really is delicious.

Uplifting.

Inspiring.

Beautiful.

Scrumptious.

I enjoyed my mornings Idling a great deal :: thank you Country Living UK, we are very lucky to have you.

In other Idle Moments during the past couple of days, when I've been trying to take my mind off BB, I've been using up the remainder of the Rowan pure wool to make a simple granny square cushion cover. Which also remains unfinished, cos I realised that it too needs that missing blue colour.

So in a weeny short while, I shall finish my idling and go and retrieve my Little People and set forth down the A56 to visit the yarn shop, to purchase the yarn, to finish the blanket, to set the scene, to take the photographs for the long awaited BB-Ta-dah moment. It is almost time folks.

Right-oh..all that remains for me to say today is a hhhhhuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge big thankyou to all of you who took the trouble to vote for Attic24 over at the Dorset Cereals Little Blog Awards. More than 500 of you have voted in the last 24 hours, and you have totally rocked my colourful little world.

((thank you)) with all my heart.

See you tomorrow...
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Edited to add :: 2.40pm :: The Blue Yarn Has Landed!!! BB here I come!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thrifty Chic

Heeeheeee!!!!! I am smiling and laughing to myself here, pootling about in my own little world today, thinking my own little thoughts, dreaming my own little dreams, planning little projects, gathering ideas, images, inspirations and generally being sort of quietly, mentally, hugely creative, do you know? Lots going on with me inwardly right now, so very, very much I wish to do, create, achieve, make happen, I am bursting at the seams with it all. Its exciting beyond words sometimes, living life in such a creative, colourful way as I do, and with a mind and imagination as ditzy as mine.

Last night, do you know what my dreams were filled with?

Can you guess?

Patchwork!! Lots and lots and lots of colourful, crazy, wacky patchwork!! hahaha yes, sadly it's true...my mind has turned into a big, messy piece of Patchwork.

Ahhh I was SO hyped writing yesterday's post, so hugely pleased to show you my Chair, and I thank you enormously for sharing in my enthusiasm over it. Your comments mean so much to me, most especially as my family, as lovely as they are, just do not get it. J has not really commented on the Chair :: I think he said something along the lines of "hmmmm very good", in an absent minded sort of way like you talk to a keepy-on, pestery child when you are trying to concentrate on something else and they are interrupting you with nonsense.

But somehow, the Chair has turned out to be hugely important for me personally. For one thing it has started me out on the Patchwork Highway (even in my dreams!) and I can't tell you how excited I am about that, don't know why it's taken me so long to be honest. And for another thing, it has kind of opened my mind to the whole delicious concept of breathing life into old abandoned objects, of Re-purposing, Recycling, Revamping, Restoring, whatever you like to call it. Of course this is not a new concept by any means, but in the present climate, this style sure is having a huge revival, and I for one think its Fantastic.

 

You know I am a Magazine-o-holic, right? Yeah, week after week, page after page, magazines continue to inspire me enormously. This mag I'm sharing with you today is BBC Good Homes (June issue) :: not one of my Must-haves but one that I always flick through and will buy if anything grabs my attention. And being as the words Thrifty chic were on the front cover in bright magenta letters, it caught my eye right away.

I just LOVE that phrase *Thrifty Chic* it really tickles me! 

This magazine spread is actually a decorating article and is all about livening up rooms by making and transforming things on the cheap. I find the overall style is a bit full-on, but there are some lovely ideas in amongst it all. By the way, you can click on any image on my blog and it should pop up larger and in a separate window so you can see it better.

 

I really, really like the above image, that slightly battered but oh-so-gorgeous turquoise shelf is right up my street. The idea here is to cover old boxes with gift wrap or fabric remnants to make pretty storage :: oooooooo I SO want to do that! In my cellar, accompanying my stash of empty Bonne Mamman jam jars, I have a collection of empty cardboard shoe boxes. Yes, tis true. I am a Grade A hoarder, no doubt about it.

 

The ideas on the above page are to do with revamping old furniture with bright paint and wallpaper samples (YEs, i can do that!), making slip covers for dining chairs (yes yes!) and sticking bobble trim along the bottom of a plain blind (why of course, a bobble trim makeover, how fabulous!)

 

And the above page is my favourite of the lot. ahhhhhhh yes, I am really all of a flutter now, because all on the same page there is a stripy tea towel, patchwork seat covers and those melamine tumblers which I love!! All of my favourite things! In fact I love the idea of using giftwrap to stick up behind shelves or on cupboard doors. In fact, I think I might have found a new avenue of Retail Therapy to join my paper napkin and tea towel buying addiction :: Giftwrap! Yes yes yes!!!!

 

The magazine also came with a little booklet called "Make it Yourself!" with an assortment of projects to make and do.

 

I love the painted chest of drawers...

 

...and the repurposed old enamel containers used as plant pots.

Yes, I think I could really get into Thrifty Chic style.

It really appeals to me.

I think I might need to buy this book too, you know, just to be really sure.

Then me and Chair can cosy up together, browse the pages and dream and plan and get inspired.

Have a great weekend one and all, hope it's an inspiring and dreamy one!

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