Jessie Chorley Workshop

Hello.....

I've been away from blogland for longer than planned what with all the decorating, you know how you do one room then another then the staircase needed doing, new carpets laid .....but more of that to follow.

First let me tell you about last weekend spent with the lovely Jessie Chorley at Hope and Elvis studio.

"Once upon a time" we all arrived at Hope and Elvis studio to meet the lovely Jessie Chorley, who  showed us her beautiful work that had such detail in every piece and talked about different stitches and her inspiration and ideas.

Jessie must have spent hours and hours on these pieces that she then had printed and made into cards,

each one is embellished with buttons, found objects and carefully chosen words,

this is my favourite piece with the big old pram and umbrella it reminds me of Mary Poppins!

All Jessie's work was displayed in old boxes and suitcases

for a real old fashioned nostalgic look,

there were also some beautifully stitched wool cushions, postcards, sewing booklets and lots of brooches to tempt and inspire us

along with lovely linen to create our own work on.

After a cup of tea  and a slice of chocolate cake we gathered our fabrics and cottons and spent the day stitching and creating our own pieces, everyone making something different,

this is the piece I stitched I was going to frame it but then I thought I'd like to make  some more and maybe stitch  them into a book,
"a quaint little cottage down a country lane"

and I've also started a cushion, still a wip.

One of jessie's gorgeous little heart brooches just had to come home with me.....

"once upon a time"

isn't that how all the best stories start!!

Back soon.......

Love Lucey xx

A Bit Of Cath Kidston

"Inspiration for decorating"

It all started when I ordered a bookcase for the snug, I thought, this room could do with decorating  it's still the bog standard magnolia that the builder's painted it,

and it needs "prettying" up a bit! 

I thought we could paint the walls white and paper the main wall in Cath's  "Antique Rose" wallpaper,

so  off we went to York to get the paper when I saw that they had bedding to match,  that would be nice for the bedroom  as both rooms are next to each other.

I didn't want white walls in there  so I got  some paint samples and I was drawn to the different shades  blue,

this is the one I like,

and in the meantime at a vintage fair I saw this lovely old  sign

 a gorgeous pink feather eiderdown which I snapped up immediately,

a bargain at £15,

and a length of bunting that has been cut from the lace on an old tablecloth,

I wish I'd got two now as I could have put one in each room.

The bedroom is magnolia with plum coloured bedding and pictures so it will be nice to have some colour in there,

this is as it is now

the en suite is through the door on the right, we've added coving and painted the walls white and it already had the  pearly mosaic tiles in there.

I can see us being busy this weekend!!

Lucey xx

Julie Arkell

"TIC-TOC"

It's Julie Arkell time, guaranteed correct time twice a day!

While we were waiting for Julie to arrive at the studio, we rooted through Louise's stash of fabrics,

 bought vintage goodies from the well stocked shop,

 and got to know one another whilst drinking tea.

We were all excited and one of the girls's said "when Julie arrives do we curtsy" haha.

Julie put up all her display's to give us inspiration and idea's for the day's makes.

"Finding the words"

little houses,

lambs,

clocks and watches,

 and bunches of wild flowers,

beautifully displayed on old shirt's and jumper's.

We were all a bit giddy to be doing any sewing, but sew we did  and I decided to make a bunch of the "wild flowers"

these are what I've started on but still haven't finished, we've been off work this week and have been on days out here, there and everywhere, so no time to sew.

A few flowers,

a watch and a rabbit house, still lots of sewing and ideas to carry on with.

Louise and Miss Debs made us a lunch to be proud of and we all nattered the afternoon away but  all too soon it was time to say our goodbyes, I chose a couple of thing's to come home with me.

One of Julie's "tic toc" watches now resides on my arm, set at 20 past twelve, just in time for lunch, 

and "tender" or Miss Rosie, is now nestled, snugly on my jumper.

Thank you Louise, Miss Deb's and Julie and all the lovely girl's that I met, for a truly wonderful day,

can't wait for next year!!

Lucey X

Going On A Jolly.

I'm off on a jolly at the weekend but first I'll show you the case I've made for my knitting needles.

"Pretty coloured needles"

"Down the garden path"

I stitched two lovely old embroidered cloths together with a bit of wadding in between,

and stitched wavy lines for the needles to go in,

then rolled it up and tied it with some Sesame and Lilly "love" ribbon.

That's my new needles all tidy and just waiting for some lovely wool!!

Onto the jolly.

 I'm off to Hope and Elvis to do a workshop with Julie Arkell, a dream come true!!

Any of you fellow bloggers going? If so I'll see you there.

Lucey x

Granny Slip

I was rummaging through the "draper's drawers" yesterday when I come across this very long cloth,

I think in it's previous life it was a sort of valance for along the side of a big Victorian brass bed.

It's made from snowy white cotton with a lovely hand knitted deep lace border and just perfect for making into a "granny slip" to wear under my skirts.

I wrapped it around me and   snipped the remainder off the end, then made a channel along the top and threaded some elastic through and stitched down the side.

Someone must have spent hours and hours knitting  such beautiful fine lace, I added the old shirt buttons and a piece of initialled tape, and that's it, a gorgeous "granny slip" which I shall wear with pride.

Mr Lucey won me this bike for £1 on e bay so I potted it up with some spring flowers for a bit of prettiness,

and made a bit of bunting to drape across,

now all we need is the sun to shine, that's not asking too much in April is it??

Lucey xx