Fame at last - I'm featured in The Green Parent magazine!

A few weeks ago I had a message on my Blackberry from the lovely Tracey Kifford at Wow Thank You asking if I'd read an email she's sent. Of course as usual I was rolling around on the floor in a pile of fabric so hadn't picked my emails up. The Green Parent magazine had contacted Tracey to ask if they could have an image of one of my products available on Wow Thank You to feature in the latest issue of their magazine. Luckily, I responded just in the nick of time and so my beautiful vintage 1950s linen roses cushion is one of the items in the "Get the Look" feature.

Visit http://thegreenparent.co.uk/ for the latest issue of The Green Parent magazine, available online or in selected stockists nationwide.

Post 3 of purple group CRAFTfest stalls

Here's another taster of what's available in September's CRAFTfest

Nevar

Nevar, the place to come for beautifully handcrafted jewellery featuring semi-precious gemstones, Swarovski Crystals and carefully hand selected beads and pieces of sea glass. I use various techniques from wirework to chain maille and create gorgeous and unique pieces of jewellery which are suitable for all occasions, either as a treat for yourself or as a gift for a loved one.

facebook  twitter  Pinterest  Wow Thank You  Linked In

Tasha's Creations

Handmade Clay Creations from Rose Accessories & Jewellery which would be a lovely accessory as well as a good addition to a wedding or special occasion. Create lovely Pandora Style Bracelets and other jewellery using amazing techniques to create amazing and unique patterned jewellery as well as creating unique gift ideas

website  blog  facebook  twitter  Wow Thank You

My Small World

My name is Katie and I live in Chester England. My shop is called My Small World and I make and sell traditionally made, hand sewn collectable bears, fabric and felt brooches, freemotion embroidered gifts and badges, mini decorative canvases and more.

blog  twitter  Etsy

Cheeky Rose Studio

Cheeky Rose was born from a love of beautiful clothes, for women who want something unique, and an alternative to today’s mass produce fashion. With a passion for vintage sewing patterns I experiment with original patterns and adapt and make them relevant to the women of today. I am a skilled dressmaker with years of providing beautiful and unique clothing to satisfied customers. All my clothing are made by hand, this means that I am free to customise clothing, mixing fabrics and design elements to suit. Although the designs are inspired by vintage, they are not restricted to one era, but embrace the fun and flirty best of all decades with Cheeky Rose own twist.

website  blog  facebook  twitter

Personal Space Interiors - Vintage

Personal Space Interiors Vintage stall is the place to be for gorgeous vintage fabric goodies for you and your home. All of the items in my vintage range are handmade by me using a range of quality upcycled and unused fabrics. I make cushion covers, curtains, pinboards, bags, lavender gifts and Christmas decorations using hand and machine sewing, knitting and crochet. I also do bespoke work so if you fancy something unique, why not get in touch and see what we can create together?

website  blog  facebook  twitter  Pinterest  Etsy  Wow Thank You

Vintage French gingham - it's got the X factor

Views and admirers for my vintage French gingham cushion cover have gone crazy on Etsy and other platforms. Which makes me wonder; What is it that gives a product the X Factor?

Vintage French gingham cushion cover on Etsy

Is it the colour, the texture, the pattern. Or is it that when we see an item becoming popular, we join in to be part of the crowd? I wonder. Lets hope I can get the same reaction for my new cushion covers getting ready for launch this week. Some vintage, some contemporary. Watch this space...

Time for a smackerel?

Chocolate melting moments

Makes 20

125g softened butter, beaten well
50g icing sugar
50g cornflour
25g cocoa
100g plain flour

• Preheat the oven to 180C
• Sift the dry ingredients together and add to the softened butter
• Mix well to form a firm dough
• Roll into walnut sized pieces and place evenly spaced on a lined baking tray
• Press each piece with a damp fork to flatten a little
• Bake for 10-12 minutes
• Lift carefully from the tray and leave to cool on a rack 

Caravan chic

Just look at my vintage lovelies hot off the sewing machine...



I'm just loving them. Caravan chic at its very best. The colours are so vibrant and the designs playful without being garish. They bring a little sunshine in. Both available now in my Wow Thank You store. You'll find the turquoise ones here and the green ones here.

I'm having a vintage stall at CRAFTfest in September, so I thought I'd better get my act together and start creating some goodies with my vintage stash. After all, I didn't really buy the fabric just to stroke it and say "I love you"...

Ooh I do love a touch of vintage glamour

Here are my latest vintage lovelies as promised

Gorgeous, or what?! I want to keep them all for myself but that would be greedy. So instead they're available to buy from my website. You'll find them here on the Vintage Cushions page.

Sewing. sewing, sewing

Well what a busy day yesterday - hence the late post. I finished these cushions for a customer.

Now that all went swimmingly and I thought "What a very productive day I'm having!" But then came my new nemesis - the piped round cushion. Aargh!!! It just doesn't work. If you try to put piped edging on a round cushion, what starts off as a lovely circle ends up as a very wonky pasty shape when you put the pad inside. So, after four hours (yes four hours) of fiddling, shouting and swearing I accepted defeat and looked to the internet and my trusty sewing manuals for help. I wish I'd done that in the first place because apparently, this is just what happens so you don't do it! So when it got to 9pm I thought enough is enough - time for a glass of wine or two...

What's for dinner?

Wine, wine and some more wine...oops! (hic)

I must write blog, I must write blog

Having neglected my blog since before last Christmas it's high time I pulled my socks up isn't it?

I promise that starting today I will write a daily blog including a recipe of the day. I always promised myself I would!

CRAFTfest is almost upon us with lots of lovely handmade goodies from all our clever designers and makers.

Don't forget to pop along Saturday 9th - Saturday 16th June
http://creative-connections.ning.com

I'm busy getting everything ready for my stall. Look out for some lovely new cushions in gorgeous fabrics old and new.

Busy working on a commission for a lovely customer who's going vintage crazy in her dining room with a hotchpotch of fabrics and styles. So it really didn't help when I had a powercut all afternoon! It's amazing how lost you feel when you can't email, or surf, or update your website, or fiddle with your digital photos, or use your sewing maching, or watch the news, or put the kettle on...the list is endless. Never mind I'm back in the real world again now so tomorrow it'll be all go.

What's for dinner?

Quesadillas

Serves 4

4 large flour tortillas
150g grated mature cheddar cheese
1 tbsp chopped jalapenos
1 red onion finely sliced
2 roasted red peppers (from a jar)
a little olive oil

• heat a little olive oil in a wide shallow pan on a medium heat
• sprinkle one half of each tortilla with grated cheese
• layer the remaining ingredients over the cheese
• fold the tortilla over to form a half moon shape and press firmly
• fry the quesadilla on each side until golden brown
• season with salt and pepper and cut into wedges
• serve with a crisp green salad