teachers gifts

I don't remember my teachers being inundated with gifts at the end of every term but it seems to be the thing to do now days so I've been busy with the children trying to come up with ideas of things that THEY can make. 

My little girl was given this book of iron-ons by Sukie and has had great fun choosing specific transfers for each teacher, and carefully using the sewing machine and iron to create these little lavender bags.  She was content for quite a while making these, unfortunately baby (now a lively 4 year old) and Boy don't have the same 'staying power' and persuading either of them just to write their name on a label is quite a challenge so their teachers may not be quite so lucky!

Peggy Lady

 

 Every now and then I like to make the effort to do something special with each child on their own.  Our little girl in particular relishes being the centre of attention but rarely gets such luxury being the middle child.

 Last weekend however we had a special day and went to a Peg Doll making workshop at Olivia Dell's house.  We had such a lovely time, quietly sitting in Olivia's studio, rummaging through her fabrics and threads to find just the right thing to add to our mini people.  What was so amazing was the way the pegs 'told' you who they wanted to be.  Olivia had said we should start with the face because only then do you know who you are making and it was so true.  I really wanted to make a beatific, whimsical fairy for the top of our Christmas tree but that was not to be. 

When I added her hair she turned more Paula Yates than - an angel fallen from grace!  And I loved my Rumanian Princess,  I found the twisted thread for her hair and was going to chop it off once the glue had dried and then realised that it was beautiful and made her character come alive.  Meanwhile my little girl was busy making her wedding lady and then her extremely glamorous shepherd lady with her very own sheep.  You really could have hours of fun doing this, but unfortunately our afternoon came to an end and we had to take our new friends home.

lavender lovelies

we were super inspired by the lovely sania pell to get back to making some  lavender products.

back when we very first started we made and sold tomes of these to keep us in beans, and somewhere along the wayside we forgot about them!!

  so inspired by sania we have resurrected the idea and they will be available on our newly updated website from the end of july. Customers will be able to choose a colour and we will make 3 co ordinating lavender pillows tied with ribbon or vintage lace.

if you have some scraps of fabric that you love, they couldn't be easier to make yourself. simply cut 6 co ordinating squares of fabric approx 14cm sq. pair them up right sides together. starting from 2cm in from a corner stitch all the way round the edges and finish 2cm after your last corner (so you have a gap to turn through) . trim the corners and turn right sides out, press flat with stuffing the gap pressed in so that it is in line with the edge. stuff with lavender and a sprinkle of rice for weight, and stitch the opening closed. tie your bundle with some vintage lace or ribbon.
they do make a rather lovely gift

feeling blue

i have always loved blue, but in my days at osborne and little it was never considered a good seller. now i am on my own and can please myself i have added a beautiful blue group to the new collection
i really like it teamed with our soft warm french grey.