Bee Happy

                

Bee Happy is my message for the weekend...enjoy the sunshine...and hopefully a cool breeze!

These darling little earrings are now in my shop...they would be perfect for that summer outfit you have ;)

Happy Weekend

xxx

Rainbow Days

                  

These glorious hazy summer days are bringing the colour into my work.

1950's Childrens flash cards made into luggage labels, finished off with my beloved Divine twine.

                                       

                 

Baby Matilda arrived a few weeks ago and we are off to visit her on sunday....The wonderful one is baking her a cake and I made the decorations! I adore this simple fun rainbow colourway.

                 

This however is my usual white felt backing with rainbow silks...not so in your face...but just as fun!

All these sunny days are spent trying to entertain a teething toddler...life seems to be going at some sort of super speed and i cannot believe it is July already...i wish it would slow down a bit and give me a chance to soak it all up at a more leisurely pace.

I hope you are enjoying my new offerings...i am loving making them :)

Happy sunny weekend everyone

xxx

{ All of these items are now in my shop, why don't you pop over and have a nosey about! }

                   

New but Old

We have finally got a chance to make our new house a home....we have added new items, changed a few things about, throw and charity shopped a lot to fit into her petite measurements!!

I still feel she is a bit cluttered but its a work in progress right?!!

This painting was a junk shop find...in the most horrid yellowing plastic frame, I walked past it twice, moved it into a few different lights and decided I loved it...with the Wonderful Dutchman giving his seal of approval we bought it for £15...an original oil painting...yellow plastic frame and all!!

A lovely new frame later and a freshly painted wall she looks as good as new.

Every time I walk past it, it captures my attention, I love how art can do that to you.

The Hidden Secrets

In the beautiful world of Vintage items, there is always something that surprises you....

...These feathers are no exception....I found them a couple of months ago, it is a rare find; vintage showgirl feathers, so I bought without looking very hard at them. Last night I started on a bouquet I have been looking forward to...my best friends, soon to be wife...I knew these feathers would be perfect...then I looked again at them....well I was amazed....

these are huge feathers....doubled up and sewn together. but as I took them apart I discovered that in order to make the feather longer they had knotted another feather to each strand...can you believe that...EVERY STRAND hand knotted....WOW....firstly who would have done this? A small child? A tiny handed lady? I cant imagine there is a machine that would be able to do this?

Nearer the top of the feathers the bottom strands were doubled up and one strand knotted on top of them....this really does blow my mind....I love fiddly jobs but this is crazy!! and just how long would it take to create one feather?

Nothing ceases to amaze me in this world of vintage....workmanship, attention to detail, beauty and tiny hands....I think I was born in the wrong era!!

It also reminds me why I love to use vintage items in my bouquets...the history and stories they create are priceless!

Sitting pretty

Found; Charity shop
Description; Yuk, Yuk, Yuk!
Colour; Off red...slightly orange....hmmmm not good
Price; £10
Price I was going to pay for new draughtsman's chair; £65 + P&P
Thoughts; BARGAIN!!




Now here she is after A bit of Vintage Magpie love.....

So much better than a new £65 chair and I got to choose the fabric! It took an afternoons work, with radio 4 chatting in the background.... a few sore fingers.... but one huge smile!

Once the studio/workshop is not a bedroom/workshop, things are going to look gorgeous.... Can't wait!!

New or Old?

Today me and the Wonderful Dutchman strolled along the seafront into town... on our way we saw this crazy person......

...why, oh why would you ever think that this a great idea at 10am on a Sunday morning I will never know! Her screams where enough to put off most adrenalin junkies.

Then we saw what I have been dying to see....

The sparklingly, 1 million pounds worth, new Hove bandstand!! I have lived near and around Brighton for rather a long time. I have always loved the bandstand but I have never set foot on her... she has been deemed to dangerous for as long as I can remember. The walk way had never been seen by my 28 year old eyes....

I have to say part of her appeal to me was the faded grandeur... the 'Brighton' aqua green and the chipped and ram~shackled look she had....

Can you see the break in the railing where the walk way would have been?

But she is now pristine..... sparkling in the sunlight and framing the blue sea so well.

I got to walk along her walk way and look out over the sea and the white horses....thankful for a new aspect of the seafront I have never seen before, and thankful that my favourite part of the seafront, although not 'Brighton' Aqua, was under my feet.

First...find camera!

I thought it would be fun for all you lovely people who take the time to read my blog to see the stages of my work...



Also the wonderful bride I'm doing this Scottish inspired bouquet for, wanted to be kept updated on my progress.



So here goes...First find lovely new camera... then the raw material... a gorgeous, heavy, scrummy silk, given to me by the bride. (She is making the bow ties out of it and incorporating it into the table decorations...I'm liking her style already!!)



Then I have had this wonderful, Dita Von Teese burlesque feathers in the most vintage colour...they have been sitting on my desk, willing me to use them in something! (can you believe how good they look with the tartan??)

Then a raw ivory silk....hmmm loving the silks.



So my lovelies this is how the VM brain starts working...i hope you log on to the next stage and I would love to hear any comments



I'm off to create!! xxx

Oh my...!

Well it seems there is two types of brides....one is organised, and the other is not!!

Don't get me wrong I love you all the same, but the past 2 weeks I have had 3 brides phone me up for last minute bouquets. Sometimes a challenge is just what you need....and I'm very grateful for them.

After having two weeks off I feel ready to frantically wire until my fingers drop off, run around to find lovely Vintage treasures and enjoy every minute!

So watch me..... ready......set......GO!!!!

Hard to believe this was what I was doing this time last week!! sigh....

Loving Jane Taylor Millinery

Do you want a Hat/Hairpiece/Fascinator to go with your Vintage Magpie Bouquet? Something that ties your Vintage look together??

....Well you just must look at Jane Taylor Millinery. She is a wonderful designer, who uses vintage finds in her work! Seems I have been getting a few requests for hairpieces/fascinators I thought I would let you see her work for yourselves!

She has a studio in Southwest London, and offers a bespoke service. Designing to your needs, she can dye to order, and ladies that includes your shoes and bag!!

She is a wonderful, exciting find and I hope you take a moment to look at her collection.