Vintage Pleasure

If You Need Me I'll Be Here!

Me,a mountain to climb and Little House On The Prairie!

Distressed!

Sorry for the lack of crafting around here lately but it is the schools hols you know!Keeping 4 (sometimes more) children happy is a full time job! How you homeschooling mums manage to fit any crafting in I'll never know!I have managed a little painting though.Don't get excited I'm not a budding Van Gogh or the like just a spot of furniture painting.

As I've mentioned before we are having a major re-shuffle of the bedrooms.This corner has always been a favourite with me, and others it seems as it is my most popular photo on Flickr!Unfortunately as Lily is moving rooms it just no longer works for us.It looks pretty but just doesn't store enough.So now the corner is Kittys and looks like this.

She's begun collecting her favourite things together including her special tin full of daddys childhood old coin collection and some fancy shoes!

The chest of drawers is one of a pair,Josie has the other one,that we inherited about 10 years ago.I say inherited but really I rescued them from my step-dads apprentice who hacked at them in the workshop where they were used as storage for tools etc!They original came from my great-grandparents.We had them stripped  and waxed as they were coated in 100 years worth paint.In fact when I came to repaint them I found this on one of the knobs.

Just a small taste of the changing fashions over the years.Now the knobs look like this.

I went with this distressed finish for lots of reasons, the chests are pretty beat up anyway,children aren't so gentle and a little scuffing doesn't show,I had the paint and it's easy to do!I learnt this finish when we first got married more out of neccessity really.It was a way to make all our thrifted and hand-me-down furniture tie in.In fact I even had a little success in selling some pieces in my parents shop.Now we are at the stage where we only want to keep or buy things that we love.Well I love these chests for very sentimental reasons and was determined to keep them somehow. I'm also painting a few other pieces to go in the room so that's where the WIP comes in!

The print sat on top is one of a vintage pair this is the other sat on Josies chest.

Hopefully one day they will get hung on the wall.Now hanging pictures really is work in progress for me!

Just so you know I'm still stitching away more Simplies. Some are for an almost completed wholesale order that I'm very excited about!

Apples And Pears

I have a a few of my girls dresses that I just can't bear to part with.They bring back such happy memories.I have been thinking of ways to re-use them and already have a half finished quilt made from their baby clothes.When I saw Mandas beautiful apple and pear cushions I asked her if she would make me a couple panels the same.I just knew they would be perfect with a couple of dresses that belonged to Lily and Maisie.

Aren't they lovely!I have a few ideas of what they will become but any ideas?Just look at Sampson posing for the camera!

In true swap style Manda included some extras!

Some great IKEA napkins that yes Manda I would have bought if my hubby would let me go!He won't have much choice soon as a new store is being built almost within walking distance of my home!!!Thanks Manda they will be great for Kittys birthday party next week.She also included sample panel that Lily has pinched and a beautiful little pin-cushion for my collection.It's in the shape of a house and made from vintage fabrics.Not just any vintage fabrics though oh no!These are Zoobtastic vintage fabrics!That's right straight from the studio of Caroline Zoob where Manda was lucky enough to visit.Just look at the lovely detail.

Also in the parcel were some pieces of vintage fabric including some of Mandas vintage curtains.So ,so beautiful and immediately said to me 'badger'.Yes you heard right 'badger'...

So that's my friday WIP.A new member of the Simplie family and what else could she be called but Bella of course!

Thank you so much Manda and expect your parcel anytime soon (well not too soon but soonish!)

Simplie Ages

Well this 'Work In Progress' post should really be a 'Long Since Finished and In the Shop' Post!I have promised so many people that these little fellows would have been finished midweek and here they are still in their unfinished glory.I can only say that I do have mitigating circumstances!

Not so long ago Amanda posted about a fantastic local artist and I just had to take a peak.I ended up buying 2 prints!One is for a special little someones birthday and the other was this pair.

They inspired me to create a new face for my owl Simplie.I was feeling that the busyness of the vintage fabric was meaning the features were lost.So I took the fox template,it took a while,and came up with this.

I really like the idea of using the same basic template so while I was at it I came up with this (cos I like these!)

And this as I have some great fabric just crying out to be an elephant!

They still need to be sewn up and stuffed but I think I like them?

Simplie Progress

Work In Progress

Even amidst the chaos that reigns chez nous we have managed a little crafting.

A few Simplies in various stages of completion.Two more foxlets ,a badgerlet by me and a bearlet by Lily.