Sewing and Crochet

This year so far has been about a new job for me, juggling a toddler and working from home is a challenge but I like the work. As a family we have been for bike rides and to the beach already and I hope for many more trips.

I wanted to share with you my beautiful antique sewing box that my mum bought me for Christmas. I love it. We saw it together when we went to Vintage Forty Six which featured as one of my Little Gem's.

I couldn't wait for a free moment after Christmas to fill it with all my sewing bits and pieces and get rid of my homebase tool box!! Such elegant legs and curved edges.

A lovely piece of furniture for my craft room that keeps all my things organised. It also makes me more determined to give a little TLC to my antiques sewing machine box. It needs a new lining and new wheels, definitely nearer the top of my 2012 project list!

I also wanted to share a photo of the yarn I got in the post today, especially for my granny square a day in 2012 challenge. Brought to my attention by nomoredisco and started by Mollie Makes I decided it was a good way to keep focused and make the blanket I had been hoping to make this year. I am 6 days behind today, some crochet catch up needed this afternoon.

I am going to do 4 rounds per square and experiment with colours. I want a brighter blue and a green in there too but these white, yellow, blue, orange and navy yarns are to get started with. I bought these from  Cucumber Patch for £1.75 a 50g ball, a great choice of colours on there. I will keep you updated on my progress. Let me know if you fancy joining in too!

Love Lemon x

2012

I have been reflecting a lot over the last few days. I like the start of a new year, a time to make some life goals and aims for the year ahead. I loved the idea of making a mood board to reflect this which blogger notsupermum has started. So here are some visuals of inspiration for my 2012.

Happy New Year everyone!

Image

Image

Love Lemon x

My Trip to London

We have been living in the country for 4 months now after moving from London and last week I was commuting to London for a week for some training, it felt nice to be back, nice to have some time to myself and catch up with friends and family and to see London at Christmas. I do miss it. Here are some highlights:

A large knitted 'O' in Argyll Street's Oasis store

Christmas window displays

Such an amazing collection of brightly coloured fabrics , I could spend hours in the Liberty haberdashery department

I loved these London patches by Jennie Maizels 

Amazing detail on these London Skyline cushions in Liberty

I loved looking around at all the tea sets, lots of vintage and these gorgeous cup and saucers with my initials!

Lots of sparkle in the Liberty window displays, loving the hot air balloons

I always preferred the Christmas lights on Carnaby street, a little bit more low key 

It did feel nice to get on that last and rather hectic train on Friday night and come home. To wake up and be able to spend a nice day with my family in the country relaxing. Then it was time to get my house back in order and organised for Christmas. So much still left to do but I am really looking forward to seeing lots of friends and family this week on the lead up to the big day!

I hope you all have a great time!

Love Lemon x

Christmas Goodies

We have a tree! Yes in November. Early I know but since moving to the country Christmas has seemed all that more exciting and festive. As a family we went to what can only be described as a barn of magical sparkle. Redhouse Barn is surrounded by fields of Christmas trees and you can even visit their reindeers. A great place to see Father Christmas or just browse the many decorations whilst sipping some spiced hot apple. We always like to buy a real tree and I can honestly say this years is looking the best yet. We even managed a Chevy Chase moment as we strapped the tree to the top of the car, it was possibly one of the windiest days too so an interesting drive home!
Every year I try to add to the collection of decorations, here are this years:

I was looking at last years table for inspiration:

This year I think less of the silver stars and more white sparkle snowflakes.

An easy festive crafty project is to use fabric to make a gift bag for any bottles you give away this year. So easy, just measure a piece of fabric using a standard sized bottle. Then sew the edges or cut with pinking shears and sew the 2 edges and the bottom together, making sure you sew them inside out, then turn the right way and pop your bottle in, use some ribbon to tie at the top.

I also wanted to add this, my favourite decorative find online at notonthehighstreet.com

Charley Harper 1922-2007
"I don't try to put everything in. I try to leave everything out"

Vintage Art

I was first introduced to vintage travel posters and artwork when my uncle gave me 2 postcards of Whitley Bay, a beach town near Newcastle where I spent some of my childhood and where some of my family still live. I love the use of such vibrant colours and graphical elements. The artwork was produced in the 1950's for British Railway attracting people to visit Whitley Bay.

I found more vintage posters like these available and so many were in an Art Deco style. A style I have always found inspiring for it's simplicity and graphical looking pattern. I used an Art Deco pattern for my wedding stationary, simple and elegant.

Essex born Peter Kelly produced many colourful cityscape posters

 

I love the idea of using this vintage art in the home, having posters of places you have visited that hold special memories. I found most of the prints I like at art.co.uk in a range of sizes, they have a large collection of Vintage Art to choose from.

Love Lemon x

All in a day...

I went out for the day with my mum and my little boy last week. Despite raining all morning the sun came out so we headed for the coast to Thorpeness in Suffolk.

We found another little gem called Emporium that sells collectibles, antiques and crafts. It was full of so many lovely things, all at reasonable prices. I picked out an ottoman for my mum who I have been giving interior design advice to for her new home and it was only £25. I am going to look for some pretty pale blue fabric to re cover it. I also found a few nice Christmas pressies to get me started. The place seemed to be full to the brim with jewellery, crockery, books, vintage clothes, enamel kitchenware and furniture. I even spotted a favourite of mine, an old school desk with lid. It was only £10! I will definitely be heading back soon.

I saw these Teapots outside a cafe. What a great idea.

Such a relaxing place to visit, we watched the swans on the meare and had hot roast beef sandwiches for lunch.

On the way home the sun was setting on a lovely day had by all.

Love Lemon x