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

manneqiuin obsession

from baileys home and garden

 a few weeks ago one of my trade accounts (the lovely maria from sugar and spice) emailed me to ask me had i seen Lucy's mannequin made from my paisley fabric.  Lucy owns a company called corset laced mannequins, and makes  these beauties in all sorts of fabrics, you can even send your own fabric and lucy will make one for you, have a look at her website which is lovely.

from corset laced mannequins

 since Jo and I have always had a thing for tailors dummies or mannequins as we should call them, i thought i would collate all of the pictures i have gathered over time and post them here.

 from etsy

  from ideal homes section of house to home

from corset laced mannequins

  from corset laced mannequins

 from corset laced mannequins

 from corset laced mannequins

 from pinterest

from urban outfitters via pinterest

 via pinterest

via pinterest

via pinterest

and if you feel like a DIY job heres one for you!

handmade from scrap bags

Jo and I have been lucky enough to take part in the fabulous vintage handmade textile fairs, and by far  our best selling wares are our scrap bags. We have several customers who make a beeline for our vintage sewing baskets filled with scrap bag packs. I thought it was high time we showed you how easy it is to make something from what is essentially a bag of  bits and bobs and small scraps of fabric.

so here goes in step by step photo instructions a kindle cover! (can be easily adapted for an iPad or phone!

 one of our small scrap bags.

 measure kindle and cut 2 x outside pieces and 2 x inside pieces, approx 3cm longer and wider than the kindle.

 bondaweb the reverse side of some scraps

bond a design on to one of the front pieces. i chose a leaf motif and an old linen button

 stitch some decorative lines on - will also stop the fabric peeling off over time.

do something creative with the other side!

 so here you have front , back and 2 inside pieces.

 sew the front to the front inside across the top edge, and repeat for the reverse side

 press flat.

 sew around the edges starting from the bottom of the inside. leave a gap to turn through.

 turn right side out through the hole, press and machine the hole shut.

 tuck the inside into the outside and press flat.

pop your kindle in!! not quite 5 mins, but about 10-15!

what are you making?

a few weeks ago over on lobster and swan Jeska did a post on making a pinboard - well the post was inspired by pinks (its a lovely post as always from lobster and swan) anyway she asked the question 'what are you making? i have to say i seem to have a whole host of started but not finished projects on the go - which is making the studio mighty messy and somewhat uninviting! i did however finish this for a special little friends birthday.

here is a little detail, i used a plain canvas, and then a bit of paper collage using some vintage paper - old books painted with watercolour and some old maps, and then stamped the old saying on.

i love giving handmade and homemade gifts, but it is always a dilemma, as some people thing they are they cheap option, when really they are not because the time and thought that goes in to creating them is more costly than dashing out and buying something, what are your thoughts on giving or receiving a home made gift?

garlands again!

a happened upon this lovely post on decor8 the other day and thought i would share it.
jo and i sold lots of scrap bags at the vintage handmade fair, and something of this nature would be perfect to make with them.
i love the styling by sania pell (who we featured a few weeks ago).
for the full tutorial head over to decor8 here

garland obsession

ok, so now i think i might have developed a garland obsession, and a quick scoot around flickr brought up thousands of them (actually there is no such thing  as a quick scoot around flickr!!)

true beauties from lobster and swan on flickr 1. Untitled, 2. Untitled, 3. Untitled, 4. Untitled, 5. Untitled, 6. Untitled

clever crochet
1. wall flowers..., 2. wall flowers..., 3. Flower Garland, 4. Daphne..., 5. WImpelketten_gemischt, 6. Hakelgirlande_bunt

1. Hakelgirlande_bunt

paper circles
. Wimpelkette_bunt 1, 2. Häkelgirlande_rosa_3, 3. A study in French - Circles, 4. snips + snails garland, 5. Circle bunting, 6. DSC_1105

1. Gh_j2, 2. DSC_1110tris

1. DSC_1103, 2. Art Paper Garland, 3. paper garland, 4. Paper garland - butterfly

design inspiration garlands

while we are on the subject of bunting and garlands, Jeska at lobster and swan posted this lovely 'how to'  this week - in view of that that half term is starting in the pouring rain - it could be a great way to keep small fry and mummies busy for a morning!

scrap bags

jo and i have been busy making hardaker & pope scrap bags for the forthcoming vintage handmade fair


















they are quite time consuming as we are both awful perfectionists and like them to be filled with the kind of delights that we love!!
anyway here are a few to wet your appetite and if you can't make it to vintage handmade (you should come it is a great day out - and a bit like being let loose in a sweetie shop) then contact us and we are happy to post them out.

the husbands just 'don't get it' they cannot appreciate little bags of loveliness and want to know the exact purpose for them....... we say they don't have to have a purpose, but their uses are endless ..................

dollmaking, scrapbooking, patchwork,  little gifts, heirloom treasures,  little pictures, cardmaking the list is endless,  what do you use your little bits of fabric for? let us know in the comments and go into a draw to win one of our lovely scrapbags .