Hide n Seek

I've been a fan of Hidden Eloise's work for sometime. So I've been very excited about receiving this parcel.

I find Elosie's drawings enchanting, full of magic and wonder, and this print is my favourite. Even the name of the print makes me fall in love with her caracters that bit more
"He says he can hear the forest whisper"
......I can only hear his big heart.
Her blog is also a wonderful place to escape to for awhile.

Even though the print looks right at home amongst my growing forest of vintage trees, it is actually a present for a very dear friend.
But I don't mind, for I know that she will full in love with the fairytale print just as much as I.

Happily Drowning in Vintage Fabric!

I'm having great fun sorting through my vintage fabric and putting prints together to make more Christmas Tree's.

My Christmas Forest is certainly growing and more sets will soon be available to buy in my Folksy shop

I've just added some more vintage baby bibs

I love this print but are quickly running out of the fabric, one of the draw backs of working with vintage fabric, though it makes the handmade item that bit more unique.

I'm really happy with this print. I've been searching for a vintage fabric that is suitable for a boy for quite awhile, and I think this is perfect. It certainty will add some retro vibe to any boys outfit.

I'm building up quite a selection of vintage bibs, that I think it's about time I tackle the storage buckets I was busy making for the boys when my machine broke. I'm quite nervous though as the fabric was obviously too thick that it did quite a bit of damage to my machine so I think a re-think is in order!
So it's back to the drawing board for me!

Autumnal delights!

Autumn you have truly blessed us, with the most gorgeous sunny days of late.

Days so bright and crisp, perfect for learning to ride a bike. 

You have shown us such beautiful light and the most spectacular Autumnal colours.

Days so sunny that we have managed to harvest yet another picking of runner and green beans, and a good harvest of borlotti beans. Your rays of sunshine have helped ripen our tomatoes and we even have a few cucumbers in the greenhouse ready for picking.

Days so dry and warm that we found ourselves playing on a deserted beach, paddling in the warm, yes warm shallows!

We have spent days foraging, the last blackberries, the apples that fall to the ground like heavy jewels, destined to become fillings for pies and crumbles.

And maybe best of all has got to be the afternoons spent sitting by the back door in the last heat of the day, teaching eager hands how to use a nut cracker to get into the nuts of our sweet small harvest of hazelnuts.

For all of this and more I thank you Autumn.

Please don't leave us, not for a while anyway!

Why Buy Handmade?

There can't be a better example of why I love buying handmade than this, Meet Mr Fox....
No wait,
before I introduce you to The Linen Cat's Mr Fox, let me show you why I buy handmade;

 
The first thing I did after opening the box was to call Mr D to come and take a look, the second thing was to grab my camera. The care and attention Beth has put into her packaging alone is amazing. Have you ever seen a mass produced item arrive so well packaged? Let's just say Mr Fox arrived in style!

And then there are the personal touches, the little extras that are well thought out,
and the ones that are, well quite frankly naughty!
Thanks Beth!

With the internet, and most crafters these days having blogs and twitter sites, it allows us to follow the whole design process through words and photos, it gives us a chance to "get" to know the makers, and this adds to why I find handmade items so special.
So without futher delay, let me introduce you to Mr Fox!

As soon as I discovered Beth's blog I knew that one day I would have to own something that she had made.
 I can relate to Beth, she crafts in between bringing up two young boys, grabbing every opportunity she can to sew, inbetween doing the school run and the daily chores, I know the limitations of that, the frustrations that it brings. And all of this adds to the story that lies behind her handmade creations. I find her posts of how she works fascinating, I've seen photos of nearly ever stage of my Mr Fox being made and this helps make him special.

It is clear to see the dedication Beth puts into her work. The quality is amazing, everything is so perfect, so well thought out, so well designed. Even his cravat is a liberty lawn print and is ever so soft, and makes him look so dapper! Her dedication to detail is just fantastic.

So why buy handmade, well because the item you buy is unique.
No two Foxes will quite be the same, yes they have the same outfits, matching cravats, but they are different for the fact that they have hand sewn features. Their hand stitched noses give them their own personality that is unique. So I urge you if your not familiar with Beth's work go take a look at The Linen Cat  you won't be disappointed.
For now "my" Mr Fox, is going to stay in his home, in his very posh box as he is  #3's Christmas present from Father Christmas, (Santa has very fine taste!) so less of "my" Mr Fox, more of my daughter's Mr Fox, but at least I have a linen bird to call my own!

Hidden Tree, Hidden Forest

I've been busy making trees! 

Christmas trees with a touch of "granny chic".

This set of five trees is now available in my Folksy shop and will make a great alternative to your more traditional Christmas decorations, sitting either on their own or together as a "forest".

They are very 'child friendly', and can be stacked on top of one another to make one large tree or stacked inside one another turning this into a fun hiding game of "Hidden Tree, Hidden Forest"

I've already made a set for us at home, and all the kids have had delight playing with them, it's been interesting watching them as they stack and sort them, then watching as they turn them into hats and then start playing games by hiding other toys under them and having to guess which tree the treasure is hidden under, not that you have to guess to hard as #2 ends up telling you within seconds!

So if your looking for a Christmas decoration that is unusual and quirky and one that is sure to add a vintage vibe to your celebrations then this could be the one for you!
I'll be adding more sets in different vintage fabrics and colours over the next few weeks or if there is a colour-way that your interested in then please email me.

The Next Chapter

Our little girl turned one over the weekend. 

Her first year has flown by and she has quickly become her own person with a lovely cheery character, a great chuckle and a tremendous high pitch squeal, especially when sticking up for herself amongst her brothers! 

 She has made our family feel complete, (at reading this my mum is probably breathing a huge sigh of relief!) so amongst all the celebrations I can't help but feel a sense of sorrow, a feeling of an ending of an era, the realisation that the "baby" period is behind us. I'm excited at the thought of the future, at being able to watch my children grow, change and blossom. Though I try not to think too far ahead as to be honest I find it all a bit scary and a tad daunting.

{#2 trying to splat gnats! }

For now I'm concentrating on trying to learn how to find a nice balance of keeping three very different individuals, an artistic and very emotional 5 year old, a "wild" free spirited 3 year old, and a strong minded one year old, who seems to think she can do anything her brothers can do, happy and content. 

 So Happy 1st Birthday my little one, 

I'm sure you'll grow out of turning the TV off every time your brothers are trying to watch something they enjoy, 

the need to sample the cat's biscuits before emptying the entire contents of the bowl over the kitchen floor,

and the fascination you have with the potty!

Well let's hope so!!!

Come Back Autumn Sun..

{This moment}

A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. 

A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

 Inspired by Amanda Soule .

Wishing you all a great weekend x