kokeshi cuties.....

...i have had it in mind

for quite some time...

..that i'd like to try and make

my own japanese style

kokeshi art dolls...

..i love the simplicity of their

sweet faces...

....just a few painted dots or lines..

ko-ko' kokeshi available in my etsy shop

...and then their very simple

body shapes decorated with

florals and stripes...

...well i just so happened to be

in my lovely local craft emporium

butterfly bright....

...when i spied some fabulous

felted beads in all sorts

of amazing colours....

...i immediately knew their destiny...

..and snaffled a few into my basket...

...only to rush home...

....and set to work....

(i love this bit...putting fabrics,colours

 and lace together...looking for inspiration)

....this is my work in progress...

she's nearly there....

...just a few little extra tweaks needed...

...i am so close to having a little

bundle of them complete...

...back soon with the finished dolls!

...stitching in front of 'downton' tonight methinks...

p.s. small claim to fame that in my former life

i played the wife of the gorgeous new love interest

 'michael gregson' in a musical!

 (many moons ago ...he he ..secret squirrel???!) 

p.p.s gosh and i just remembered.....jude law was our son!!!

X

......lapin love........

..who doesn't love a bunny?

...well i recently found some

amazing vintage cot sheets...

...lovingly embroidered with

bunnies....

...and little pixie people

(which just so happen to be 2 of my most favourite things!)

...the sheets themselves aren't

in particularly great condition...

..but the images are adorable...

...so i decided to make some

lavender hearts and pillows....

....adding some squirrel touches

along the way...

...and letting each picture

tell its own story...

....so far i have finished 2 of them...

....'lapin'....

....and 'fleur'...

....i wonder what is the real story behind these lovely stitches?

X

....50 minute makeover......

whilst out a-foraging....

...i spied a couple of retro basket trays...

....at first i walked away....

..not sure about the old fashioned images...

....they were a bit grubby and

possibly v.granny chic but not for me....

...but they kept calling me back...

....it was the beads...

...so i rescued them...

hmmmm.....

(fav stash of eidy fabric from sarah moore)

....tra la la.....

...ooh la la!!!

love them now!

croissant anyone?

x

...never can say goodbye....

..do you find there are some things you just can't part with...?

....like her very first cath kidston dress...

...or a pattern that reminds you of a time..

...and you simply can't let go?

...oh and those little shoes of course!

well i found some fabulous inspiration

this week....

....in a framing shop!

the talented staff at 

the old barn framing gallery

have created a 'wall of inspiration'...

with some wonderful ideas....

..not just for treasured clothes...

..but ways of using frames...

'outside the box'

..i loved this idea for your favourite books..

...and old photographs...

..whilst i was there

some stunning vintage embroidery was being

lovingly framed to give it a new

lease of life....

...and this 'denim patch pocket' board

is just brilliant for pens and brushes!

....you never know quite when or where

you will find inspiration...

..but do pop by if you are local..

...or try some of these ideas for yourself

(this was a pink painted blackboard in a frame!)

...have fun!

X

.....look into my eyes.......

....i just can't resist a pretty face...

....i have a particular soft spot

for these old polish dolls...

(you might have noticed????)

....they have such lovely hand painted

features....

...all these cuties are listed in my

etsy shop

....looking for admirers!

X

...they call me the wanderer.....

...do you ever get distracted

from the task in hand?

...well i do...

...all the time!

yesterday i woke with a mission...

i needed some fabric..

...i knew exactly where to go

(the dorchester curiosity centre - i've taken you there before)

but it was high risk...

...because there are so many lovely things...

...it can be very distracting

for a squirrel on a mission!

...so it comes as no surprise

that 'en route' to my fav fabric stall...

...i fell in love....

...with this amazing retro kitchen unit!

it was perfect...

in an 'orla kiely' kinda way

that made me just stand and sigh for a bit...

...after coming to terms with the fact

that i was there for fabric...

...and that my love would have to remain unrequited...

....i pootled on only to be confronted with this:

...yup another amazing retro kitchen unit...

this one was a lovely pale blue...

...just look at those compartments!!!!

(i also loved seeing fred there too)

having never particularly contemplated

a retro kitchen unit....

...suddenly there i was...

...finding beauties at every turn...

...and contemplating:

(a) how i needed one

(b) how marvellous it would be to have one

(c) what treasures it could hold

(d) how stunning it would look in my home

(e) where it could go

(f) how i could possibly afford one!???? 

..it was at this point i remembered....

what i was actually there for...

...and contented myself with this teeny basket

of treasures...

(which i was very pleased with indeed)

...and the fabric of course!

(phew i remembered)

does this ever happen to you?

X

p.s. do keep an eye on my etsy shop as i am adding new things all the time!