Anyone for a makeover?

My poor old blog like my poor old self is in desperate need of a makeover so please bear with me while I fiddle around and change things.

I am going to start by deleting bits and pieces so it may look a bit empty for a bit.

I am quite sure I will lose my title picture and various other important things but I am sure I can whip it all back into shape...eventually!

My Facebook like button has vanished into the stratosphere so I will try and retrieve that also.

Wish me luck......

The Flamingos have landed!

I had to do it, I mean after all if you own an Art Deco house you must have a set of Pink Flamingos. Right?


Well my mother is appalled at the thought of me displaying to plastic birds in front of our house, we live in a small town and everybody knows the house and its new owners.

But I have always loved pink Flamingos and well most of my/our (yes hubby gets a say too) aesthetic is classic Art Deco but is does require a touch of Miami kitsch especially since we have two enormous palms in the front yard too.

But poor F1 & F2 (yes this is a Bananas in Pyjamas reference - sad but true) have to stay in their little courier box a bit longer as plans for the front garden have only just begun.

We are starting will widening the driveway - cars must have been much smaller back then or people were more careful drivers and then we are ripping out the bark garden to plant a more organised array of plants.

I am very excited that hubby has unearthed the original concrete edging to the garden by the entrance. It has taken a little bit of sweet talking aka a lot of nagging and yelling to convince him to keep it and lessen the width of the new driveway so I can keep by beloved outline in one piece.

So there are lots of exciting plans for the garden which I just have to keep in check until time permits, until the weather clears and warms up a little or until Miss 9 months decides to take decent (or any) daytime naps.

I will keep you posted and let you know when F1 & F2 find their new home...I think I (well hubby) will have to make them some concrete feet so they don't go walkies!

More embroidery hoop love....

This time it is a gorgeous way to display your brooches.......



You can find all the details at 'one sheepish girl' which is a lovely blog that I follow.

I hope to add a sneak peak of some Christmas hoops & doilies I have been working on soon and stay tuned for a new Etsy store I am opening (like I didn't have enough to do!) selling vintage/retro stitching patterns and canvases......basically it is an excuse for me to frequent many garage sales and markets to find gems from 'Granny's' sewing basket!

Will let you know when it is stocked - I am sure to have some opening bargains.

P.S.........OMG Floor Doilies

OK so I am back on the The Inside site and still drooling and OMG I come across these...

Floor Doilies!!!!!!

I must have these as well.

I better include a very good bottle of wine (or two) with dinner (refer last post and this will make sense)!

Wallpaper - it was love at first site!

We recently bought and moved into a very funky Art Deco house (have been meaning to post photos!) and I am on the look out for some retro wallpaper. I am considering vintage and vintage look, just waiting for something to grab me.

Well this one has grabbed me and taken hold.......

'Dandelion Clocks' it is called and I found it on a fabulous New Zealand (that's where I live) website that I didn't know existed. The site is The Inside and specialises in wallpapers, curtains and decals.

So after dutifully pinning it on my pinterest Art Deco board I rein in my excitement and start navigating the site to find other goodies and lo and behold....

....there is matching fabric!!!!!!!

I must have both. I would like to put the paper in our kitchen/lounge area but there aren't any walls that don't have windows/doors/cupboards etc. Now I am thinking the main bedroom would be better with a feature wall behind the bed and a chair upholstered in the fabric or at least a cushion.

Hmmmm....wonder what hubby will think?!

I am also eying up this cute wallpaper for my sons room...

......Although I am sure he would get his crayons and try and colour it in.

And of course I couldn't go past these gorgeouse decals for my daughter's room...

....adorable!!!!!!!

You must go and check out the The Inside there is so much great stuff and they ship world wide.

I'm off to cook hubby a special 'I would like you to do more wallpapering even though you said you'd never do it again' dinner!!!

Vintage floral cross stitch embroidery hoop

Just something I have been working on that I thought I would share with you....

It is a vintage pattern which I have stitched onto chocalate brown fabric using waste canvas. It is just a 4" hoop so it is a great project size and I have been wandering around the house adding stitches when I can. I like to finish projects quickly so this was a perfect one for me!

Hope you stitching is going well!

P.S This one is for sale on Trade Me if you are interested. Find it here.

SALE.......50% off all Cupcake Cutie patterns...

Yes that is right I am having a Christmas in July special in my Etsy store and to say thanks to all my special readers you get 50% off all sewing and stitching patterns.

These are just a few of the patterns available......

You will need a special code though so write this one down.......

CIJ22

Just enter the coupon code at checkout and you will receive the 50% discount.

Click here to find all the patterns and start shopping!

Feel free to share the code with your stitchy friends.



More Hoop-la

A few more finished tapesty hoops....

These are based on Lichenstein paintings.  I think I stitched these about 12 years ago. I really like how they look in the hoops.

'Marilyn' based on a Warhol picture and Audrey which is one of my own patterns.

My challenge now is to actually create patterns for all of them as back then I drew straight onto the canvas with black marker and then 'coloured in' with stitches. This could take a lot of time and patience and strong coffee. Audrey has hundreds of stitches....

I do like how I have actually sewed on her pearls. Sometimes I look back on my old work and cringe but I still really like all these ones!

Finally finished....embroidery hoops

So I am getting serious about finishing my projects and doing something with all my completed tapestries and today I set myself the task of completing four and here they are...

Two from a vintage Semco tapestry canvas and....

Two of my own retro pattern designs stitched about 10 years ago...eeeek!!

I love using embroidery hoops to frame them because as a lot of the tapestries are only half done I can just frame the finished bits!

Guess what has been hiding...

in this crumpled paper bag for the past 12 years.....

...Lady Penelope and Parker...

Poor old things they have been rolled up for so long they are feeling unloved. I do unroll them often to say Hi and I always think 'I must do something with you'.

The trouble is I spent so long stitching them on seriously small tapestry canvas and I like the end result so much I am scared to ruin it. I guess I should just have it framed.....

What do you think?