A week of ups and downs

A week today I visited one of my longest standing customers who use my design service. I took Bob, I thought some of you might be worried about him as he hasn't been seen for a while and of course rabbits don't hibernate so here he is.

You can see we went to the Wold Top Brewery, high on the Yorkshire Wolds and it was the most lovely, bright, sunny winters day.
Had a great meeting and came away with lots of work in the pipeline so handmadey things will have to take a back seat for now.

Although I do have one or two things which just need finishing for the forthcoming Harrogate event. I have moved from gloves to birds.

Brooches and a pendant with one of my seaglass wrapped beads and little cotton pouches to package them in.

In amongst the 'ups' for the week was a lovely birthday parcel from my dear old school chum. 

Look at this cute book of felt zombies,

And what fun I'll have making and decorating Russian doll biscuits :)

Bought myself some Liberty fabric from the new range of art fabrics, these are Mackintosh inspired.

So I had a good day and then as usually seems to be the case living here, I get slapped around the chops with a wet fish the next day and have a bad day.

The strong winds have whipped off one of the new roof tiles leaving a hole again to the elements. I had the stress of the dreaded call to inform the landlady and I had the more or less expected response of not really being that bothered to get it replaced and protect her property. It does get me mad when some people must be so well off with their property portfolio that they do not have to worry about maintenance like us normal folk would.
Anyway I've informed and sadly the only one worrying about it now is myself as the rain is battering down again and the winds are picking up with the potential to whip off some more tiles near this hole.

Lets end on a slightly more positive note, I've had some fabric samples back from a UK print place and they are excellent, just as good colour and quality as Spoonflower so hopefully I will be able to move some of my designs there and have more fabric for sale in my shop and maybe a bit more competitively priced. If you fancy a go at digital fabric printing (free delivery too), check out

http://www.wovenmonkey.com/

Happy Valentines Day everyone and hope you are managing to stay dry!

Laura Ashley 60th anniversary

I was a big Laura Ashley fan in the early to mid 80's. I had a beautiful collection of summer tea dresses, winter cord and tartan dresses, skirts, jumpers and then homewares, fabrics and even perfume. (still have some non fitting dresses packed away!)

It is quite amazing that Laura Ashley is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year and with the reissue of one of my favourite fabrics, Emma.

Imagine how delighted I was to find a special 60th Emma mug the other week to enjoy my Earl Grey in!

I used to have the fabric, the table linen a lamp shade and the Emma perfume. I went rummaging in my vintage stash and found some of those items. Below, alongside the 'new' Emma mug is the original Emma tea pot cosy, napkins and table cloth and still in good condition.

I think Laura Ashley clothes lost their way a bit in the 90's and lost my interest, and what with the passing of time, I can't afford to look at their clothes these days but I'm happy to hunt down a LA garment in a charity shop!

It is a joy to see some of the old fabric designs being reproduced again for the anniversary and it brings a warm nostalgic glow for those of us of a certain age I suspect!

http://www.lauraashley.com/page/60th-anniversary

Whilst I was rummaging, I also found my lovely, vintage Liberty tea towel which has suffered in one of the damp houses I've lived in these past few years. We were lucky enough to have a Liberty shop in York which was a real treat to go in but that has long disappeared.

Here is my teatowel.

It seems like a weather storm is brewing, Bob and myself have been traveling for a few days so we must go and unpack. The clocks are changing so maybe we will put the central heating on for the first time tomorrow, been hanging on as long as poss but I guess winter is upon us.

Batten down the hatches folks!