Badgers, Biscuits and a Brainwave

Posts have been scarce this week. I've been blogging 3 months now and although I haven't yet established any kind of regular rhythmn or special time to blog I must say I do miss it if I don't. So a quick summary of my week would include lots of badgers, very few biscuits and a long awaited brainwave. Let me explain....

Images from BBC Wildlife

Far, far away in an ancient and beautiful land called East Sussex lived a portly couple with their two strapping boys. They had chosen to live in the countryside moving from the big shitty (London) as soon as they could (at the worst time for property prices which some would call foolish but so what) because they loved to walk and to enjoy the wildlife. 

The purchase of a large and very hairy canine friend was both a blessing and a curse in their pursuit of country ways. A curse in that being a sheepdog (of sorts) he had what the professionals would call "plenty of voice when working" which translates as a very loud and chatty bark when hearding his family. However, needing lots of exercise the furry one was also the excuse for dail, and sometimes twice daily, walks. Most of these walks might be descibed by others as stalks for they are often conducted in silence for fear of startling any deer. After something had been spotted the atmosphere is more relaxed and said portly couple  chat (or moan) about the days events. 

Over the years we've had some great spots -snowy owls, barn owls, weasles, stoats, hares, foxes, roe deer, red deer, fallow deer.....but oh dear NEVER a badger. Until that is this week. Because readers on 3 seperate evening walks at 3 different locations around these ere parts we have seen 5 yes 5 badgers. The 3 that crossed our path on Friday evening almost tripped us over and one actually brushed against the furry one and growled at him. What funny grumpy creatues they are and well worth the wait.

Sadly all this walking does not mean that the portly couple from the City are any slimmer. Drastic action has been called for and I've taken our weekly packet of Digestive Biscuits off the online shopping list. It has been 3 and a half weeks since I have eaten a biscuit of any kind. If temptation does become too much rest assured it will be Digestives I reach for first. True Brit blog puts i so much better than me as to why Digestives really are Michael Palin in biscuit form! I miss them.

And finally the Brainwave. Well I've been worrying,  as I do, about the propensity of fabric lovers - especially granny chic affecionados of doilies- to drape said textiles over their lampshades. Is this not a fire risk I fret? Well yes it is. 

What said doily lovers need is a professional lampshade PVC or vinyl that is properly fire retardant and is non flammable but which looks like lace and  can be adorned by doilies in all their glory. And so patient readers here is is....the first Folly&Glee doily lampshade.

7 of my favourite doilies were stitched on by machine. I'd like to try one with contrast colour thread next. What do you think?

Handrolling the edges to the lampshade frame takes ages but the end result is worth it.

I'm going to keep this one but they'll be a couple more in the shop by mid week. I'd would love your feedback.

So my 3 B's this week and now is time for b-----ed x

Patchwork Maker at the V&A

I like to think that when I am too old to be of much use to my brood I will don a lovely little hat, my best fitted coat and a treasured brooch and take the train to the Victoria and Albert Museum every ......say Wednesday. Here is I will wander through the lastest exhibitions, re- visit my favourites from Celia Birtwell and Missoni in the fashion collections,  do some people watching over tea and a cheese scone and catch the pre-commuter rush train home.....probably to feed an assortment of anxious waiting pets.

For now I must content myself with a few minutes of distraction, from the endliss list of STUFF that I should be doing, on some of the Victoria and Albert's online tools. A BIG thank you  for the tip off  to Jessica  who has some amazing "timewasters" on her blog  HowaboutOrange .

 My current favourite is the Patchwork Pattern Maker.  You just upload an image and it will convert into a pattern for making a quilt. You get to choose how many colours you’d like your pattern to have (up to 20) and the level of difficulty (larger squares = easy, small squares + triangles = expert). The pattern maker creates a complete pattern to download. You could use it just as easily for a paper collage or I guess even crosstitch or paint by numbers maybe?

I loaded to some 70s wallpaper in and went from these ......

to these.

Going to have to do something with one of them.

Reloved cabinets knob giveaway.

Via the myrical of the interweb I can see that there are  folk out there who know a thing or two about rescuing old cabinets and making them new. And oh my...what transformations.

1.ATLITW 2. Poppelolli 3. naturemomm 4. Maya:Flying with Balloons

5.Pour toujours 6. lutterlagkage 7. HollisQueen 8.Frillie Designs

9. Mo and Me 10. DottieAngel 11. Mo and Me

For a lesser mortal like myself who might see the potential beauty lurking in some old drawers but who sadly lack patience with a sander and a paintbrush the whole makeover can become something of a challenge. However "no pain no gain" as they say and sand  and paint on we go.

But wait.....oh no. The final hurdle seems too high.

WHAT ABOUT THE KNOBS!

HOW DOES ONE FINISH ONES RESCUED CABINET SO ONE CAN ACTUALLY OPEN IT?

oh blimey.

The existing ones are missing/damaged/too yuky.......

and that, my old cabinet loving friends, is where FollyandGlee comes in.

Your cinderella cabinet shall go the ball.

I present the glass slipper equivalent in knob/drawer pull form......original 1960s Hemo plastic cabinet knobs in 4 gorgeous colors.

I am giving away x6 knobs in the colour or colours of your choice. Just email me at hello@follyandglee.co.uk with a picture of your cabinet makeover, or pop a comment on the blog. The furry one will pick a winner on 23 June.

Heatwave delays Daisy Lamp tutorial

What is this?

Is it:

(a) Mum's mess on the kitchen table....again?

(b) An excuse for a cutting out job outside in the sun avoiding more necessary and useful tasks?

(c) A masterclass tutorial in the making for retro wallpaper Daisy Lamp as promised?

Of course it is all of the above. Alas the rather lovely heatwave currently hitting pale and paunchy Old Blighty has slowed even play work to a snails pace and I fear the tutorial may take a little longer.

Fear not I will get there.....even if I have now been somewhat distracted by the wonderousness of this patchwork fabric wall from the obviously uber talented  About Mo and Me.

Why is it so hard to just have one project on the go at one time?

1970s wallpaper - just for kids?

It was a funny old weekend.

Our 18th Wedding Anniversary but also the 1st anniversary of the death of my dear Dad.

Miss you Dad x

Due to the pretty much constant drizzle yesterday I did get lots done decorating our bedroom. Here's a peek at our new washbasin topped with 1970s wallpaper...

and the lampshade I've cut from a patchwork of ...yes 1970s wallpaper samples.

All is progressing well. But oh! what's this? Elle Decor (UK) arrives on the doorstep. I open with glee. An article on 1970s wallpaper with shots from the fabulous Retrovilla fotalbum advocating just how uber stylish 70s florals really are?

Photo from Retrovilla Fotoalbum

No not quite....more along the lines of they are nice and colourful for injecting "personality" into KIDS rooms! Not for grown-ups then? My heart sinks a little.

But hell no. I love my 70s patterns and I'm sticking by them.....sometimes quite literally.

Childs Chair from FollyandGlee