Cluster Lampshades a Go Go

I am blessed to be working on so many great projects at the moment....thank you kind customers and fellow granny chic collaborators.

One of my favourites but easily the most complicated product development is a cluster of mini patchworked scallop bell lampshades. There are so many components to get right.

Being a FollyandGlee product I want to use to loveliest of vintage fabrics, cotton lace and rescued embroideries. But I also want use only cotton or 100% wool trims....what a mammoth search that's been. Come on trimming manufacturers. We want more natural fibres!

I also want to use a complimentary light flex or cord. Hoorah I have now secured super flexes in linen and cotton. They are BRILLIANT and you are going to love them.

Then of course there's the electrical bit. Anyone would have thought I wanted the moon the hoops there have been to jump through.

I've specified a contemporary ceramic bulbholder in both white and black AND an aged brass much more industrial looking bulb holder. To turn it all into a working light that you hang as a cluster of three or five mini-shades?...aah I have talked of nothing much but multiple apertures and cord grips for weeks....but they are all finally here and I'm chuffed.

Actually making multiples at a reasonable price for folk is the next biggest hurdle. I am a one woman business and so far the lampshade elves haven't turned up overnight to helpout. In the absence of elves two alternative plans are now coming to fruition....a series of workshops led by moi for you to learn to make your own traditional style vintage shades (and go on to construct your own cluster light) AND a move to my own studio. Yes I know..somewhere where I can have multiple projects on the go at once and shut the door on the mess and return to a sparklingly clean home (NOT).

Homage to the Crochet Hanger

For those of you who have been lucky enough to beg borrow or s**** of copy of Homespun Style you'll probably have spotted it is rather a homage to that most wondrous of objects - the crochet covered coat hanger.

All images: Selina Lake, Homespun Style - photography by Debi Treloar

Now if there was ever a bit of Homespun Style you should try for yourselves then this is one. You'll find a quick search online reveals all manner of vintage patterns, newby creations, video tutorials and even translations of the most gorgeous Japanese floral hangers.

FollyandGlee

 A couple of the hangers my uber talented friend Anne made for the book were adapted from our favourite tutorial by Dottie Angel.

Dottie Angel's Happy Hanger How-to

 Dottie has been at the forefront of the crocheted hangers resurgence for many years. Early shots of her gorgeous altered slips show their slippy straps slip free atop wooly sleeves of hanger.

Dottie Angel

I haven't yet spied any crochet loo roll covers amongst the Homespun homes but I'd keep an eye on the Mossy Shed cos if anyone can make one look stylish Dottie will.

Psssst. Shameless plug ...if you have trouble ( we did) finding plain wooden hangers the right "old fashioned" shape we have new stock arriving in the shop on Monday and they are only £1.50.

Shower curtain goes granny chic

Christmas comes early

Much excitment as our brave posty battled through a heavy old smattering of the winter white stuff to deliver 3 packages.

Package number one contained my new winter hat. If only I looked this good in it. It's jolly warm and a really comfy fit. Some people have suggested I look even more like the furry one with it on but I know they are only jealous.

River Island Trapper Hat at Asos.com

Package number two was my printed up mid century modern Christmas Cards. I'm very pleased with the folk from Moo. All is as it should be including no unwanted trademarks and the Folly and Glee logo on the back.

Ahhh but package number three...what could it be.....only a Dottie Angel pillow all the way from Tif as a part two to our recent vintage barkcloth fabric swap. He has settled in immediately making good friends with the Ercol and raises a smile every time I pass.

The attention to detail is inspiring as always. Thank you Tif.

Folly and Glee in the Mossy Shed!

Apologies for the blogging silence. Life has thrown our little family an unexpected challenge but I'm sure we will emerge stronger for it. I just couldn't not let you know about the vintage barkcloth fabric swap I did with Tif though. 

I can't wait to show you the amazing barkcloth I received...it is all quite gorgeous and so very DottieAngel. Those of you who follow the goings on in the Mossy Shed will know just how quickly the most amazing delights appear. Well now there is some Folly and Glee goodness in there too.

DottieAngel

Just look at that cushion - are those two barkcloths soulmates or not? Thank you Tif for introducing them.

If you love the yellow graphic barkcloth I have good and bad news. The bad is that there is only enough left for a couple more shades. The good news.........I have just sourced the same fabric in a sunny yellow but with darker tones of orange and pink!

If you love the orange and yellow rose barkcloth (GORGEOUS) stay tuned as I have four shades of different sizes hitting the shop on Wednesday 24th November.

Thank you's

A huge thank you to DottieAngel for her very generous words about "my follies and my glees". Imagine for just one moment the excitement in this house when it was discovered that the Queen of Granny Chic aspires to a Folly and Glee  lampshade in the Mossy Shed. There was some shrieking....and them some gasping....something dangerously akin to palpertations....followed by several hours of wry smiling. Even the boys read the post! I got to share the news with my good friend and crochet teacher Anne (aka Cloonty) yesterday. I'd taken the laptop along to our village's newly opened fab restaurant and coffee shop Dino's. Here a similar cycle of shrieking followed much to the amusement of staff and customers.

Anyway a big thank you Tif and if there is anyone out there who hasn't been charmed by Dottie's delights you know where to go and if you are writing your christmas list this book the second in the Suitcase series can be pre-ordered now.

Another nice suprise was that Whitney over at Whisker Graphics posted about the wallpaper bunting lampshade that was strung with the gorgeous Divine Twine in candy pink.

I'm delighted Folly and Glee are stocking the full range of colours in what I think is the loveliest of the baker's twines for all us folk on this side of the pond. Never has cotton string made such a difference to packaging......I could marvel at baker's twine uses for hours. Just look at the inspirational combination of the orange twine with a personalised stamp from Butterfly Fly Stamps on Etsy. Brilliant.


Images from Butterfly Fly



Crochet Therapy

Why am I hooking away with my feet up at 10.30 am when there are a 1000 and one things I should be doing?

I am crocheting for my sanity! Being a newby hooker I wondered how such a seemingly fiddly process should calm the senses. I had read that it was so from those whose work I admire. And I had sensed a whiff of cheerfulness and serenity from those that hook regularly. But I had not experienced it for myself until now.

Our boys have started their summer in some style.

With one doing this....

and another doing this...

...it is perhaps no suprise that we might have already incurred an injury.

Always armed with dressings and my trusty antiseptic cream I am no stranger to scrapes and cuts. Sadly Big J's accident on Friday whilst dirt jumping was more serious. He has fractured his wrist in two places and needs an operation next week to "bolt" the break together. Oh my goodness .......typing the words makes me feel more than queezy. There is NOTHING worse than having your child suffer.

A difficult few days in and out of hospital waiting rooms has passed and J must now cope with the dissapointment and frustration of cancelling all those holiday activities with his mates he had been so looking foward too. We know we are in good hands for the operation to come nonetheless I am feeling somewhat anxious but at the same time VERY thankful that his injuries are not worse.

So that I'm afraid is my reasoning for why for a few moments the washing, cleaning and the business can wait a while and the hooking takes over. To have found the donkey brown Rowan cotton in a charity shop for only 50p helps lessen the guilty pleasure even more! And dear Anne (aka Cloonty) if you're reading this thank you so much for teaching me how to wield a crochet hook. I'd still be staring at written pattern instructions in total confusion without you!

For those of you who might be interested....yes I was sitting here first. As usual the Furry One is by my side and saw a photo opportunity plus a ready warm spot to steal.

Make over, make new- it's easy to do.

Connie Con-Tact is so right - sticky back plastic is great for giving you a lift as well as your home.....

..or at least it can be.  Apartment Therapy and Design Sponge have both blogged excellent round ups in the past of what's available in stores (in the US) today. Some of it seems a bit grim. Its the vintage stuff that I love - the patterns from the 1960s were amazing.

I've been collecting original pieces for a couple of years now. It started with the kitchen shelves. We would love to remodel the kitchen at some point (who wouldn't) but as that's not an option right now it seemed like the shelves were going to have to get a paint job like all the other cabinets. Being so close to the hob they get grimy easy so I tried a temporary piece of contact paper and it was so easy to wipe clean it's still there several months later. It seemed silly to stop there so you see the rather crazy results below. The shelves are certainly a cheery sight for bleary eyes on grey mornings.

 You already saw our paper organizer files covered in assorted contact papers but I'm afraid that is not the end of the story. I found evidence in the hallway with telephone directories hiding in a box filed covered in Pucci inspired 1970s fablon. (The furry one says why keep the directories at all cos you can look everything up on the interweb. Gotta point cos then I could get rid of that naff hall stand.)

 ...and I fear there are plans for this gorgeous roll on vintage French paper to soon be in the bedroom. 

Alas I may be saved from completely covering the house because seems like its getting harder and harder to find. You can still score some great vintage rolls for sale on Etsy. Try searching the vintage section for fablon, contact paper or adhesive shelf liner.

1. summer flowers manufactured by Adorn from pumpkintruck 2. gold Kwik Cover from JenniesJunque 3. set of 3 vintage samples from lovenestdesign

4. cute fruit print from BluePrintVintage

I haven't found a Flickr group of sticky back plastic lovers yet? Anyone know of one or want to set one up with me? I did find a few pictures with a couple of inspired ideas of what to do with your precious roll once you find it.

1. faux bois parcels at bugsandfishesbylupin 2. Go Gay from strangebehaviour 3. magnetic mushroom noticeboard from vintage pleasure

I'd love to hear if you get sticking. Any one wanna swap contact paper samples?

Getting organised with sticky back plastic

Kitchen wall bravely attempting to look organised. In theory we all now have our own personal pinboard for urgent and or special reminders/invites. Plus everyone's got a file box for daily mail and general bits of paper. I used bits of vintage fablon or sticky back plastic to cover the boxes cos it so much easier being adhesive already.

Must admit I'm rather in love with old sticky back plastic. That's what we used to call it in the UK. Blue Peter fans will remember it making a regular appearance covering old cereal packets to make Dad a handy memo board etc. In France they call it Fablon and in the UK Contact paper?

I'm off to do some research......back soon.

Lampshade love

It has been an exhausting week with all manner of ups and downs none of which would be unfamiliar to anyone with........teenagers facing exams, busy busy partners, a passing interest in the UK economy and our political future, youngsters with mysterious tummy aches, overweight pets, plumbing emrgencies, mild obcessions with retro 70s wallpaper, tadpoles who are getting worryingly big for their container, unruly hair that desperately needs a cut and some colour....I could go on.

A beacon of light was the sunny afternoon spent putting together another lampshade I've had in my head for some time now.

The best bit was sorting through the box of old vintage tablecloths, napkins and tray holders I've been hoarding away. None of them were perfect anymore. All had either a stubborn stain or just wear and tare. But everyone has something lovely still and it was my job to rescue it and show it off to the world once more...all be it as a lampshade!

Choosing who was to be placed where and next to whom was hard. Stitching them all together with the crazy patchwork stitch I found on the machine was harder. Fixing to the special fire retardant lamp PVC and handrolling the edges to the shade wires was down right difficult. I was really pleased with the result though and so it seems was its new owner who snapped it up yesterday. Hoping to get another done this week.