You Can't Beat A Vintage Fair...

... for a great day out!

Armed with my trusty knitting, a copy of "Homes and Antiques" and a purseful of pennies I took the train to Sheffield for The Vintage Fair sale.

Squeeeeeee!

Tea Time

My Tea - nom, nom, nom...

It was so busy I couldn't take a decent picture without the crowds

Lovely things

The sales were pretty good.  I struggled back home with this lot at a very reduced rate.   

Sun dress, era unknown but could encompass many

American day dress.  This is the one I think I'll wear for my vintage stall next time.

Another sun dress, soft floaty fabric and an even floatier matching scarf accessory

Boned strapless sundress, fab for the hols

How 80's can you get!

50's day dress in that watered taffeta type fabric that shimmers different colours.  

Possibly 80's trousies, which  fit me well and look good (if it was actually the 80's anyway)

Good old C & A!  A Yessica dress that still looks okay today.

And finally, one for the boys - a Lambretta shirt, perfect for the Jubilee!

Which one do you like best?

Yo Ho Ho and the Latest Trend for 1935

Pirate Bunting!

And a little bit of love

 

 My mum was having a clean out of an old cupboard and found this book lurking at the back.  It's an A6-sized catalogue for shops to pick their display papers ... in 1935.   

Have a look at a few of the pages below to see what was trending with the Schiaparelli generation.

 

 

 

 

 

There are also lots of shiny papers and even some which feel like suede and wood.  Mum thought I might like to cut it up for cards or just throw it out - sacrilege! 

My Pretend Name Is ...

THE GIRL GENIUS: "Let's have pretend names.  What are your pretend names?"

 ME: "Er... Mary Jane."

DAUGHTER (TGG'S AUNTIE): "Josephine ..." (desperately looks around for inspiration, sees old Christmas card), "Josephine Penguin"

MR C: "Bernard the Squirrel"

ME: "And what's your pretend name?"

THE GIRL GENIUS (adopts thinking pose): "... Bottom"

In which pastels become brights ...

As you know, my dears, I do love a bit of vintage pasteliness.  In preparation for the Diamond Jubilee I'm making bunting ...

 ... and also making a mess.  How do other people have neat and tidy workspaces???

 

 However, these lovely yarns were in the sale and I couldn't resist the glowing jewel-like colours.

 Then the real bright, bright brightness set in!  Very unlike me but I bought these vivid spotty fat quarters and created fleece-lined fruit bags to keep your lunch 5-a-day safe and unbruised.  They work too, having dropped one with an apple in (oops!)

 

Have a happy week, lovelies xxx

Crown That!

I couldn't leave them alone - two new cushions from Dunelm.  A simple plaid, I thought, to give a bit of a colour change to the lounge, but no.  I had to embellish!

I printed off two crowns onto fabric and blanket stitched them onto the cushions, giving a sort of Balmoral-y feel.  After all it IS the Queen's Diamond Jubilee this year.  Bunting is underway, yet to be photographed...

Cro(t)chety Old Ladies?

Not at all!  We are not old (not in our heads and some of us not even in age).  We are not crotchety, but we are crochet-y.  

Welcome to Crochet Club.  This takes place on the first Saturday morning of every month at my favourite shop, A Good Yarn, the fabbest knitting shop in the world. I vaguely supervise the proceedings, helping where I can and learning new stuff in the process.

 One of our ladies brought her lovely 15 yr old granddaughter to learn the art, opening her up to a  world of creating her own unique fashion accessories.  In the foreground you can see Dawn's pile of crocheted squares for her blanket.  They are taken from this book, which is a must for all crocheters of cushions and throws.

Amazon link

 Coffee, cake and chat - the three wonderful "C's"

 Samples and a happy sheep or two.  How I wish I'd made that glorious throw!

I did make this fun cardi for The Girl Genius, though, using up all my leftover bits of yarn.  It's certainly one of a kind.

Good to be Crafting Again

I definitely feel the crafting mojo returning.  As I lay in bed waiting to go to sleep my mind is running through ideas and projects.  I do love my sleep but I'm quite excited to get the night over and start making.  Annoyingly, proper paid work keeps getting in the way!  Here are a few of my latest thingies:

This was a plain £5 jacket from a charity shop.  I've upcycled it with applique from an old torn skirt.

Back view using the panel from the skirt

This is a removable decoration which can be a brooch or bag ornament, but I rather like it on the pocket.

 

Little lacy hearts made from doilies, ready for Valentines.

A tin heart which was originally plain and a garish pink.  I've painted it with "Bone" from Farrow and Ball and embellished it with a fabric bow and vintage belt buckle.

A rare, manly gift - a chunky key holder.  This is a lump of paint-washed wood, adorned with paper, fabric and a large, rusty and rather lovely old key.

Good luck with all your own new crafting ideas! xxx

New Year, New Title

I'm really ringing in the changes with the New Year.  I've made over the look of my blog and now, with thanks to ShabbilybytheSea, have updated the name, which implies a pleasant, daydreamy state of nostalgia, and that's where I'm happiest. 

So ...

to

Faded Reverie

 This is my current project, a crocheted cardi using up all of last year's yarn ends.

 This is my new project, a crocheted ballet top for my tiny dancer.

And this is my "make it up as I go" UFO, which hopefully will become a sleeveless top for me, but don't hold your breath...