It's half term here this week, so I am home slobbing about with the Little Peeps, relaxing and unwinding and generally trying to be as lazy as possible. J is home from work for the week too, although he isn't quite as good at slobbing as we are. This morning, despite the grey skies and threat of imminent rainfall, he managed to chivvy us all out of our pyjamas and out into the cool of the morning to Take A Walk. It was good actually, the right thing to do, and there were only a few spots of rain. We stopped at our favourite local bakers up the road and purchased paper bags of sweet baked treats, then walked up the hill, past the chickens, behind the castle and into the damp woodland. A stop beside the pond to tuck into those paper bags (mmmmmmmm caramel shortbread), then on up the steep steps to emerge in the open. I didn't have my camera with me or else I would be showing you pictures of twigs and green moss and waterfalls and a beeeeeautiful carpet of snowdrops. You'll just have to imagine all that, see it in your minds eye, if you don't mind.
What I can show you are the things I brought home with me. Some little twigs of sweet catkins plucked from the fallen branch of a tree. Such shocking storm damage, it was heart breaking as the tree was quite considerable in size and had been completely snapped in half. But I didn't feel bad about bringing the catkins home in my bag to make a lovely little posie with some snowdrops from my front patch and some of the bendy-droopy narcissi from my mantel. I love assembling a little posy of seasonal stems to pop into my old ink bottle, it really does give me such a lot of pleasure to do this simple thing.
I also brought home these scrumptious leafy clementines that I picked up from the market on our way home through the town. Ten for one pound, their incredible colour and fresh zesty presence on the table gave me a little heart flutter. And oh my, the taste. It's the taste of sunshine for sure, so juicy and sweet and a fabulous antidote to a grey English winter.
Mollie Makes arrived through the post this morning too. I have been a subscriber from the very first issue, but to tell the truth I am about to end my subscription as I don't always find a lot in those pages that makes my heart leap these days. It is a tad too On Trend for me, lots of cool, quirky designery people doing cool, quirky designery things. It is a bit too over-styled for my taste too, but that's just my personal opinion and I can see that it's still a very well loved magazine for many. Funnily enough, the thing I most like about browsing this magazine is the advertisements. I love to find new people, new shops, new sources of creative inspiration, and today I felt like I unearthed a diamond.
The diamond is delightfully called The Homemakery, an online shop selling yarn, fabric, haberdashery and papercrafts. This is a truly beautiful wesbite. Very visual, charming, wonderfully designed and inspiring from the start. The products for sale at the Homemakery are really scrumptious, just look at these ribbons!!!!!!!
And this wonderful bakers twine too, oh yum yum! There is so much to tempt in this gorgeous place, and it gave me such a lift just skipping from item to item, drinking in the colour and the creative possibilities. There is a sweet blog too. I love making new discoveries like this. Do you have any favourite places on the www that you can recommend? Anywhere you routinely go to when you want to feel inspired? Do share!
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I love www.fatquartershop.com to look at all the pretty new fabric lines and colors :)
Posted by: Melissa | April 05, 2014 at 05:42 PM
I totally agree with you about Mollie Makes - it's too trendy for me too! I've recently stopped my subscription too... it seemed a waste to buy it just for the adverts!
Thank you for such a lovely blog - I love reading your take on the colourful world.
Posted by: E | March 10, 2014 at 07:47 AM
You're spot on (as always!) For a while now I've been trying to work out why Mollie Makes was no longer doing it for me and I think it's as you say the fact that it's "over-styled" And sadly so many blogs seem to be going the same way. :-( Sad, but I guess it will at least save me some money on my subscription.
Posted by: Penny Carr | February 28, 2014 at 05:32 PM
Oh dear, looks like the mollie makes readership will now go into decline. What you write bears such sway Lucy! I agree though.
Posted by: Anna | February 25, 2014 at 09:29 PM
Sounds like a lovely day - interesting too as I have been with Mollie Makes since the first issue but cancelled my subscription at the beginning of this half term week - like you I'm not finding it that inspiring anymore and I don't think I'm young enough for many of the products or projects!
Posted by: Jane | February 21, 2014 at 06:26 PM
Nice to have a little lazy-lay-around break! That website is gorgeous - love the ribbons.
Posted by: Lizy Tish | February 21, 2014 at 04:37 PM
I was looking at Mollie Makes in despair yesterday and couldn't quite put my finger on why I found it so annoying. It's the "cool, quirky designery"-ness of it! You put your finger right on it!
Posted by: PendleStitches | February 20, 2014 at 09:30 AM
Yes, I go to your blog to brighten up my day, thank you. Val x
Posted by: Val | February 19, 2014 at 10:53 AM
Thanks a lot for the information. This post it's really interesting!
Posted by: Green Coffee | February 19, 2014 at 08:02 AM
I couldn't agree more about Mollie makes and their sister magazine Gathered. Since I have found blogland (I am a bit of late starter) anyone can have such a wonderful inspired time to find craft inspiration. I am just trying to be good and finish a tapestry project and then I am going to make the heart wreath with all the bits of wool that are left over!!!
I just love your blog so much
Thanks from Bolivia
Posted by: Peta-Ann Cowan | February 19, 2014 at 03:15 AM
I agree with what you say about Mollie makes. However, I thought so right at the beginning when it first came out. Lots of style in the photo shoots but little of substance I want to make and the contributors seem to keep coming up again with more patterns, as if there is a designer shortage. Mostly those whose work does nothing for me. I dislike it when patterns from books I have already purchased, then appear in a mag I have also paid for.
I think this way about most of the crafting mags though. Including Simply Crochet, which I find very similar to Mollie Makes just all crochet. I purchased it last month and regretted it as there really was nothing in it that held my attention. This month you have a project which is really lovely but in truth I'm not paying the price for a mag with only one pattern I like in it. Last month the yarn for the heart cover kit was really not to my taste at all and this month they are giving away a giant button! Seriously, I have no need of such a thing. Not only that, there were errors in both the patterns. It tells you to turn on the one you don't and not on the one you do.
I try hard to find magazines to buy but find them less interesting than people's blogs which are usually good to read, with professional images and a good range of skill and talent. I also dislike how people's blogs are used to fill free space with, as well as filling the pages with adverts which are paid for. The projects and articles seem very samey and I am seldom interested. I would love to find a craft magazine that is attractive and value for money. Until then it's the internet for inspiration and my own skills put to good use.
Posted by: Sandra | February 18, 2014 at 08:53 PM
And they even stock the Attic 24 stylecraft colour pack!
Posted by: Wilfing mum | February 18, 2014 at 08:49 PM
I imagined the moss and leaves very well thank-you - such glorious colours in close up shots. I mostly enjoy looking round other people's homes in Mollie Makes, but sometimes I don't like the style of those particular people which is disappointing. Just perused Mum's Simply Crochet this morning while fending off flying porridge, and I may have to switch allegiance. Hmmm...
Posted by: Jen | February 18, 2014 at 08:40 PM
I was thinking the same about Mollie Makes. hHaving bought quite a few in the past I decided last year to take out a subscription but I crossed my mindwhile browsing the latest one than perhaps I wouldn't renew it.
Posted by: Wendy | February 18, 2014 at 08:15 PM
I'm a 42 year old mum of 3, definitely neither skinny nor trendy and I still love my Mollie Makes sooo much-I find it inspiring and uplifting. On the contrary have just ended my Simply Crochet subscription as I no longer enjoy it as much. It just goes to show that us creative crafty types are a quirky, multi-talented bunch with many different interests. Thank goodness there are so many excellent publications to choose from these days.x
Posted by: Donna | February 18, 2014 at 08:08 PM
Thanks for saying this about MM. I thought it was just me who found it overstyled and a bit artsy and not too crafty.
Posted by: Vanessa | February 18, 2014 at 08:07 PM
Hi Lucy, maybe you like to read the blog of the disigner of some of the farbenmix ribbons. Her name is Nic and her blog is called
www.luziapimpinella.blogspot
Greetings from Kate
Posted by: Kate | February 18, 2014 at 06:15 PM
A new crochet magazine is out, and exclusively online. See mainlycrochet.com No advertising mixed in the patterns to view on your computer or to print out. Check it out. I'm just a recent subscriber and I live in Washington state, US. Mainly Crochet is in Maine, US.
Posted by: AnnB | February 18, 2014 at 05:34 PM
Best online places for inspiration for me are...well, first and foremost this blog of course,then Bunny Mummy, sometimes Pintrest. I also find Posie Gets Cozy quite inspiring, especially in general go-do-something-creative kind of way.
Posted by: Zorana | February 18, 2014 at 04:44 PM
I used to buy Prima a lot years ago until they stopped the free patterns. My kids were all dressed in Prima Homemakes...or.... Womans Weekly.... I have started buying that again now.. I have been buying the WW knitting mag or the online sho or Simply crochet if they have patterns that I like.
Posted by: sue (UK) | February 18, 2014 at 04:24 PM
Oh boy, thanks for that shop/blog tip! That stack of ribbons makes me feel all gooey :)
Posted by: SparklePetal | February 18, 2014 at 04:21 PM
YOU!!!!! I am always inspired by you lovely!!
Posted by: sue (UK) | February 18, 2014 at 04:20 PM
yes lucy when i want to be inspired i log onto attic 24 very inspiring
Posted by: mrs savory | February 18, 2014 at 04:19 PM
Just had a look at the Homemakery and they already have an Attic24 yarn pack which you can order! Do you have to give your permission for them to use your brand Lucy?
Posted by: Mel | February 18, 2014 at 04:00 PM
I like www.mooglyblog.com She has a weekly round up, showing other crocheters Taddah's and links to their blogs. Most of the patterns are free too.
Posted by: Leah | February 18, 2014 at 02:46 PM