Cosy Home Crafting

Below are some inspirational crafts that would look great around the home. I do especially love the simplicity of adding edge details on plain tea towels to make a lovely decorative feature for hanging in the kitchen.

Country Living

Photo credit Charlier Colmer

Photo by Andrew McCaul

Photo credit Sang An
Image from Ideal Home Magazine June 2008

Loving the Orient

I am off to Hong Kong for 10 days for work, it's been a year since I was last there. But it is one of those places that it doesn't matter how many times you go, as it's always exciting. I am also visiting Canton for the first time and going by train from Hong Kong so I am really looking forward to see more of the landscape through the train window.

Chrisian is coming too and although it will be work every day for the full time we are there and some very long days, we get to spend time together which is always fun. No cooking or housework for me for 10 days, yippie.

I will of course be eating chinese nearly every night, and a visit to Yoshinoya noodle bar is a must. Fortunately the hotel we stay in for most of our visit has a gym on the top floor with windows that are over looking the HK harbor. So peddling away my calories and watching cruse ships and little junk's bobbing along will make the torture of exercise more bearable for me.

I love this jacket from Smithsonia Store and I feel many visits to the ladies markets on Tung Choi Street coming on, I might be lucky to find such a treasure.

I will try and post and keep you updated with all our adventures, if any of you just happen to be popping by HK drop me a line we could meet for yummy noodles. xxx
Images
1. Carlos Mota
2.Image from Marie Claire Maison
3.Embroidered Peonies Jacket at SmithsoniaStore
4.Ralph Lauren

Lace Doilies

Photo credit Frances Janisch
Hand-stitch a doily or two, to the front of a cushion cover. Or try customising curtains by stitching doilies of varying sizes along the hemline.

Photo credit Frances Janisch
To make a doily basket, soak a doily in liquid starch, squeeze out excess, and place doily over an inverted bowl covered in waxed paper. Leave to dry may take one to three days.

Photo Livingetc

Photograph Con Poulos at Donna Hay
A great idea for old doilies try sewing them all together to make a runner

Sweet as..... Grandmother's

I seem to have been very busy lately , more than usual that is. Meetings here and there and so many appointments, time is flying by and I am trying to get all my artwork ready for the January launches. I am off on a road trip to see some suppliers about some exciting new gift lines next week but I will keep you in the loop about that another day.

English Rose my latest greeting card collection has been a bit of a smash since it's launch in September. It has now been licensed and will be featuring on many gift lines such as a recipe book, shopping list, memo pad, note books and ceramics. I am the most excited to see the cookie jar and mugs. Talking of mugs is it time for tea and biscuits?

I wonder what the mugs are going to look like, this was one suggestion, as soon as I see them I will take some photos.
At the top of this post is a photo of my maternal grandparents on their wedding day, Marjorie and Frank Hawtin. Not to sure which year it was maybe 1940/41. The embroidered flowers that feature in all the English Rose greeting cards were actually stitched by my Grandmother. I recently found a sheet that she had embroidered just after she was married to my grandfather, it was tucked in a draw in what was her sewing room. It wouldn't have seen the light since 1992 which is when she left us, so what better then to scan it and make it part of the collection.





and my favorite, Coconut Ice, my Grandmother would make this for me and I so loved it. We spent hours together either baking or sewing, she was defiantly a major source of inspiration in my life. I love you Nan and miss you xxx
Images
4. Vogue Girl Korea
5/6. Ops can't remeber
7.Crown & Crumpet This is my store of the moment see a whole post on just click on their name.
8.Retro Tuck Shop

Retro Treats

Day 5 - Retro Love
My last post for this week and all have been dedicated to Retro, so what better to finish the week off then sweets and treats. Have a lovely weekend all, Christian Faye and I are off to the Natural History Museum in London. xxx
No kitchen is fully equiped without a cute apron and what better then a Jessie Steele apron
Cake tin set from Shabby Chic Gifts
Retro signs from Meggy Moos

Image of sweets from Bah Humbugs My favorite were the chocolate tools and white chocolate mice, what was your favorite?
Loving Kitchenaid, I am very lucky to have a cream one just like this one. Making cakes is so much fun with this mixer.
How cute is this retro styled wooden play set for children, I am just trying to work out how I could justify buying this for myself! Available from Peanut Gallery

Beach Huts

Day 4 - Retro Love
I know summer is now over but you can not help but smile when you see beach huts. These ice cream coloured huts are adorable and day four of Retro Love week is dedicated to all beach huts every where.



Images 1 2 3 4 - Scrumptious photos from James Clarke



Photos from The Guardian

Beach huts in Mudeford, Dorset. You could have bought one in 1982 for £4,250 now you would need £140,000!!! To read the full case study click here for The Telegraph report.
Southwold, Suffolk beach huts form Snailtrail

Check out UK Beach Huts.co.uk to see their great selection of huts to buy.

Sheds on the Seashore

I had to add this book to the Beach Hut day as today I received a lovely email from it's authoress Kathryn Ferry, she told me that for research she had visited some 20,000 huts. I was amazed as I never would have guessed that there were as many in existence in the UK. Kathryn has two other books to look out for and signed copies are available direct from the author at www.beach-huts.com


Thank you for your email Kathryn it was a lovely surprise.

Constance the vintage caravan

Day 3 - Retro Love
Meet Constance a 1957 Sprite 14 caravan....... what more can I say other then I WANT ONE. Stop by Snail Trail for more retro goodies, all for hire. Do you recognise her? She was used in this Spring/Summer Joules catalogue.

Pink Camper Van

Day 2 - Retro Love
I have always wanted a pink VW Camper Van to jollying around the country side in. If I ever get to have another baby I will purchase one and even if it doesn't work I would love to paint and decorate it as a play den. Don't worry if I get to have a little boy I will paint it blue or maybe pale green or how about dove grey, decisions..... decisions. It would be parked in a lovely spot and be filled with squashy cushions and of course a tea set.
Flickr user Foshie
Flickr user Foshie
Photo at here.org.uk
Whilst day dreaming of play den Camper Vans I found the most beautiful paper art below.
Paper Illustration of a Romany Caravan by the incredibly talented Helen Musselwhite