To Market ...

A quick reminder that I will be at The Caboodle today.

These porcelain duckling finds are labelled and ready to go too. The gorgeous tapestry tea cosy behind them is staying at home though. That was made by my mom years ago!

Genteel and Affordable...

Recently I moulded most of my doily collection into little plates and bowls. Each doily is dipped into Plaster of Paris and is then coated and gently baked with a layer of sealant. This makes the delicate dishes slightly more robust and water resistant. 

They look good used as tea light holders, hung on a wall or placed on a shelf. Many of them are for sale at The Caboodle, and I'll have a batch at the i♥market too. 

Here's a delightful definition to enjoy:

A doily (or doilie) is an ornamental mat, originally the name of a fabric made by Doiley, a 17th-century London Draper. Doily earlier meant "genteel, affordable woolens", evidently from the same source.

They are crocheted and sometimes knitted out of cotton or linen thread.  Openwork allows the surface of the underlying object to show through. 

If It Rolls Like a Duck...

This vintage pull-along character and I - We will both be at The Caboodle today! 

This duck was a recent vintage find and a have-to-buy. Hand-carved and painted and mounted on wheels, it's seen lots of wear, but has a real appeal.

Also at The Caboodle and soon to be in the online store - large rectangular vintage crochet cloths/throws/bedspreads. 

A Milestone.

My daughter's 21st on Saturday went so well! It was an awesome celebration. Unfortunately I didn't take as many pics of the decor as I would have liked, but these will give you an idea. 

Blackboard signs made from black paper and wooden frames:

The evening was held at Bellevue Cafe.  The service was excellent and the food was amazing. I can really highly recommend them for special functions.This pic was taken as we were setting up in the late afternoon:

The guests had so much fun with the props - picture frames, hats and umbrellas.  I am glad my son captured the paper packet lanterns too!

The theme was floral vintage and we used paper flowers, lace, heart confetti, doilys cast in plaster of paris, vintage silver, etc to help set the the theme. 

 Well done Christy on a stunning evening.

Party Time

So much is happening behind the scenes here. Top of the list is my youngest daughter's 21st birthday party this coming weekend. All the photo-dress-up goodies [picture frames, umbrellas, hats, gloves, etc] are ready and piled up in a laundry basket in the corner of the dining room

I am also involved with developing a new product, training someone to make existing products, and have been commissioned to do an enormous origami project. So things have been rather quiet on my blog, but super-busy in real life!

Market This Saturday

Another inspirational poster announcing the next i♥market.

Freshly Found will be back there again this month!

Tapestry Neighbourhood

What a delightful find - this vintage tapestry street scene. It's been deframed and rehung with bulldog clips and vintage paisley print cord. 

It will come with me to The Caboodle today and if it hasn't been snapped up by then, it will be at the i♥market on Saturday.

Soft Pottery

The thing about having a growing business, is that you have to make, (or organise to get made) a lot of the same thing. Being a lover of new things and new ideas means that its quite a discipline for me. This past weekend, I took a creative break.

I felt like a potter at the wheel, but instead I had string and a crochet hook. It was extremely satisfying to create this soft free standing pottery vase.

Photographed here against the backdrop of a beautiful sari I bought on my trip to Pietermaritzburg last week!