A Right Royal Knees Up

There's an awful lot of Royal Wedding c*** out there right now but there are also some uber talented crafts folk and designers doing their bit for (future) Queen and Country.

1. Kate in a re-worked God Save the Queen by Zoobs at www.artipolis.com
2.Party invitations on http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/  3.Yummy iced biscuits from http://www.thebiscuiteers.com/ 4. Knit your own royal bus from http://www.thelittleknitkitcompany.co.uk/ 5.Cute stamp from Skull and Cross Buns on folksy.com 6.Sick of it already? You'll need one of these from http://www.lydialeith.com/ 7.Royal Parade prints and tape from http://www.belleandboo.com/. 8. Cross stitch sample from http://www.pearlandearl.com/ 

If I honest the only one likely to make into into our house is....

www.pieminster.co.uk

...cos I do love a Pie.

Nonetheless I  felt compelled to think about my own tribute to "Big Willie" and "Babykins."

As the mums in the pub seem to have talked ourselves into organising a "right royal knees up" in the Cricket Pavilion (please boys?) ....I have decided upon a big cake for sharing.

And upon that cake I shall have.......

drum roll please.......

.....Mini Union Jack Bunting with the gorgeous red/white and blue bakers twine from FollyandGlee. 

What will you be up to?

Crochet for the masses?

Anybody else feeling that it is more confusing than ever as to when something is homemade and handcrafted and when it is actually mass produced for the high street?

Take the crochet loveliness currently in store at the great British institution Marks and Spencer.

3D Knit Flower Rug £225 from MarksandSpencer

Square Floral Pouff £139 from MarksandSpencer

Lets hope those who hooked all those beautiful flowers received a fair wage eh?

For my own pleasure I feel my must attempt a crochet puff flower. There is a super duper tutorial for a 6 petal puff stitch flower on the lovely EasyMakesMeHappy blog.

Tutorial on EasyMakesMeHappy Blog

Thank you Tara. Don't miss Tara's Mamachee crochet patterns on Etsy for just the best lamb bonnet and owl hat.

Cross stitch murals on the brain

I'm finding it impossible to stop thinking about painting an oversize cross stitch mural of a big pink cabbage rose on my bedroom wall this weekend. Not an original idea you understand  and I sense I am not alone.

The Home of Eline Pellinkhof via Bloesem

The response to those images of Eline Pellinkhof's bedroom wall posted by Bloesem this week have been so positive that Eline is going to put a cross stitch mural set (of stencils?) together.

Can we wait? Who will crack first and just have a go and do one?

Selvedge Spring Fair

Selvedge is just the most amazing publication. I fear that because  I am a latecomer (or perhaps more a leery gatecrasher) to the world of textile crafts it is out of my league. Something for the real professionals.

However, the serenity and downright wonderfulness of a course I've been doing here  for the last few months put me in rather a chipper mood this afternoon and so on my way back through the wonderful North Laines of Brighton to my car I bought my first copy.

The temptation to attend the Selvedge Spring Fair is now strong.

And look who's exhibiting. Yeah congratulations to my favourite crocheteer and curator supreme of images and colour palettes - Emma Lamb. Emma has some amazing new "ladies" and the freshest of spring garlands all ready for the event. They look fab- see the close ups for yourself on Emma's blog.



Emma Lamb

Emma's in great company with exhibitors of some stunning work. I think three of the stalls I'd need to oggle right away would be these three:

Holy-Smoke, Becky Adams , I Love Spoon

See you there?

And mine's a slice of coffee and walnut.Ta.

Ps. word to the wise...check the Selvedge Blog for chances to win prizes from some of the exhibitors.

Colour trending and old wives tales

Remember the one about "blue and green should never be seen without yellow in between."

Well we are big fans of that particular colour trio so it is with a small whoop that I read in this months interiors style bible -Elle Decor- that they are the colours that "most keenly represent the mood of the moment". OH my goodness says I. And why is that? Well apparently "blue exudes calm and peace, yellow liveliness and energy and green optimism and excitement that growth is possible".

Crikey I hadn't reckoned on the science behind it. I've just been admiring the bluetits in the garden (and sadly the kitchen floor thanks to horrid killer cat -Ja Ja Binx).

Photo courtesy Ron's Wildlife Photogrpahy Blog

T'was enough to make me dive into the barkcloth stash and pull out a fine blue/green combo fabric scrap big enough for a handful of barkcloth button brooches.

Remember the old nursery rhyme?

"What are little boys made of?

Frogs and snails

And puppy-dogs' tails,

That's what little boys are made of.

What are little girls made of?

Sugar and spice

And everything nice,

That's what little girls are made of."

Well it doesn't get much "nicer" than this puppy dogs tail and my boy's mighty fine too!

And yes observant readers will spot that is a highback Ercol chair and the exciting bit is my mate plans to paint it ( colour tbc) and recover in some Folly&Glee barkcloth.

Blooming marvellous

It's been a while but good to be back. I think the last couple of months have thrown us what some might affectionately call "one of life's curveballs". But things are looking rosier now.......quite literally. 

Maybe its my refound sense of optimism but I've been compelled to raid my vintage barkcloth pile for some of its blooming lovelies and fill the shop with rosy lamp shades.

 Folly&Glee appears to have become a bit of a refuge for lost lamps. Cast aside because of old or faulty wiring I've discovered that with a bit of love, care, rewiring  and a Portable Appliance Test by a qualified electrician (!) old lamps can be made good as new. Better than new actually for many of the designs and materials are far superior to anything you can get on the high street today. Take these three super cute bedside lamps.

 

I'd guess they are all 1960s and were rescued from the recycling in a sorry state.

They thought their light had gone out for good. But now look at them shine with their fancy new shades. There is hope for us all yet.

xxx