Handmade Christmas

                                   

Every year I try and make some of the presents I give.

Now that Auggy is getting bigger, I am feeling the need to start some traditions. As kids we always has a stocking each Christmas morning. It was filled with little things like nuts, fruit,colouring books, socks, chocolate and games. It was a fantastic way to start Christmas, add in the wonderment of how Santa got into your room and you never woke up!

                     

Our stockings were normally a pillowcase, but I thought I would make Auggy and my niece their very own special stocking. One they can hang on the end of their bed every Christmas Eve.

                     

Felt is always my friend in these situation....Dutch canal houses, a tree and shining stars for the Pickle

Fat robins and flowers for my Niece. I used my beloved Pinterest for some scandinavian embroidery inspiration.

                     

I lined them with a simple linen and a gingham top! all they need is a ribbon loop and they are done!

I am thrilled with the results, and hope to fill them full to the brim for Christmas morning.

                     

Are you creating anything for your loved ones this year?

There is nothing quite like the sense of achievement you get out of making something with your own hands...not to mention they cost me only the price of the silk...Win win!!

Time flies!

This beautiful little man has taken over my world...i'm a Mama first and foremost. I have huge waves of guilt that my lovely sparkly world of Vintage Magpie is disappearing. Then I see the Sparkle in this naughty pickles eyes and I remember that bouquets can wait and growing boys cannot! 

My blog has been hugely neglected and I plan on posting more here...it will be mainly us, flowers and the garden...and I'm sure there will be many a creative project too!

Look at that cheeky chap, what a big boy holding Mamas hand while walking down the street...I love these tiny milestones...my heart grows bigger with every one.

Three Weeks Work

This is the latest Bespoke order for the beautiful Nina. She arrived at my home with 3 boxes full of jewellery she wanted to use, all of it glorious to this Magpies eye.

She was also getting married in 4 weeks & didn't have a dress yet!
I love a challenge

It was a joy to create something with such a personal touch. I put in two items, the rest was hers and totally unique to her; her family, and her story.

The glasses were my favourite....and the mother of pearl brooch. She had her initials, animals, her puffin book badge, a saxaphone (her groom plays), marine buttons, butterflies, horseshoe, key, a swallow, a St Christopher and countless of her grandmothers buttons...

...and this stunningwatch! It was Nina's grandmother, and the perfect finishing touch.

Tick Tock, Tick Tock....dont be late!!

All done in three weeks, a record for me! Even with a toddler wanting to help.

Doesn't she look gorgeous? And her thank you said it all...

..." Everybody was in love with it, I had to fight them off!!" 

What a joyous job I have

xxx

A Teddy Bears Bow Tie?

Dont you just love her?

What would you do with her?

I have waited for a while to see if the right bouquet came along which suited this 'Great Gatsby' style brooch...however no bride was lucky enough...so she is now in my little shop 

What would you create with her? Add her to your best hat? Create your own heirloom bouquet? A ribbon belt? A cute hair pin? A glamorous teddy bears bow tie?

13 of your english pounds people... an utter bargain!

Happy sunny weekend to you all!

xxx

Save it!

Remember these?

They are my most viewed blog post, so I thought I would make some more for you :)

Vintage Maps are still one of my favorite things, so where better to start?

My trusty stamps & bakers twine.

These are a joy to make and take me back to our gorgeous flat in Brighton and all the excitement of planning our wedding...such happy memories!

Today August saw how a hole punch worked...he was fascinated and dragged it around the house for a good hour afterwards!

The luggage labels are in my shop now. If you need bigger quantities let me know.

Divine Treasures

Vintage Magpie is having a face lift!
After my last post I realised I need to change things up a bit. My world has changed and I have realised I cannot dedicate myself to my bouquets. They are a solitary creation and a certain happy, noisy, intrigued little boy does not give me a lot of that :)

My heart has been toying with this decision since August came along. Being a first time Mama, you just cannot tell what is possible after your world is altered by these gorgeous little bundles. I could continue, but I feel my brides wouldn't be getting my 'all'; and that does not sit comfortably with me. Whatever I do I want to with all my love & creativity. 

My focus is now on selling small handmade items and Divine little treasures my Magpie eye is attracted too.

It is exciting, refreshing and mostly fun. I cannot wait to see where it takes me.

I hope you still follow my adventures here and I promise to blog a lot more regularly from now on. This is my little part of the world wide web, and I adore it.

xxx

Creativity

Creativity...is a hard word to define.

I have and will always be creative...I love to open a drawer full of goodies and work out what I can make.

However it seems my direction and focus had been firmly rooted in August's world.

From his room, his clothes, his toys, photos and parties.

I have had my head turned away from this world of weddings for a whole year...and to be honest it has been refreshing. 

This isnt bad, and im not going to tell you all I'm giving up VM...but I have realised a few things in the last wonderful year.

~ I create what I love in that moment

~Things I found beauty in a few years ago seem dull and boring now

~ My work is full on, time consuming, messy & solitary

~ Tiny hands love tiny bits of wire, beads, buttons!

~ I get bored easily

~ Vintage is an overused word which is used to describe everything, vintage or not!

When I started VM back in 2006, no one created these bouquets. Now you can take your pick, and your style is catered for by a whole host of different suppliers.

A lot changes in 7 years

I am very proud to be a leader in this business.

2013 will see me creating bouquets as & when I can I will not be taking bespoke orders.

When something moves me create a stunning bridal piece I will do it, and cherish every moment. Taking my time with my work has made me rediscover the joy...slow creativity is sometimes the best thing in this fast paced life we live.

Lovely Leonora

Leonora is my newest creation...she is a soft and gentle beauty. She has stunning French beaded daisies, intertwined with vintage crystal, jewellery, buttons and millinery flowers...off white...sparkling....

....Love Me, Love me Not....

She is a true Parisian charmer... sophisticated & a true classic.

She is now available in my shop

HERE

It feels good to be back, however it will be a slow start, I plan to gently get back into the swing of things this year...Life has taken such a different pace since having August....it can be such a whirlwind being a Mama!

xxx

Buttonholes a Plenty

Well we don't want the boys missing out do we?

Powder Blue

Matching buttonhole to join Belle on their journey over the vast ocean to South Africa, for a new years eve wedding....how amazing is that?

I sometimes wish i got to go to all the wonderful place my bouquets go too!

Life at VM has been so busy of late...August is still keeping me on my toes with teething at the moment. I can normally be found looking slightly frazzled walking a baby around Hungerford trying to get him asleep! The fun of being a Mummy. 

We also moved into a lovely big house...its bliss, but i do not advise to move with a 6 month old with 10 days notice...that is just silly :)

However it is still the best job I have ever had! He is a real cracker, and keeps us all laughing....

As you can see he wants to be a pirate when he grows up...

...Adorable 

xxx

Blonde Beauty

She shimmers and sparkles like a professional...she has subtle hues of champagne and gold...

pearls, and crystals adorn her...if she was a woman she would be a 1950's film star...

Maybe she would have been Marilyn's cup of tea? I like to think so

My wonderful bride had this to say...

"I just wanted to say a massive thank you for my beautiful creations.

I could not love her more! Absolutely gorgeous!

Every time I look at her I find something else I love about it!

They are even more beautiful in the flesh!"

 I think Marilyn would have been the same...even more gorgeous and delicate in the flesh.

Ohhh I love my stunning brides, their inspiration and creating these beauties for them!

Finding Inspiration

Being a Mummy is the best job in the world....however I am really missing creating beautiful bouquets.

I have just finished my last bespoke order of the year, and I have loved every minute of making it.

I have been looking back at my work, and I had forgotten about this beauty....I love the soft colours, feathers and those stunning mother of pearl buttons.

My shop is calling me to fill it, now I just to find some time in between feeds, playing and being like a love sick school girl!

Four Hundred

Can this really be my 400th post? Wowsers...how amazing!

10 buttonholes & One Bride

Awash with Sparkle

Frayed silk, and aged trinkets...faded pearls and glimmering crystals.

This mixture never gets old to me.

Muted colours...Ivory, white & Champagne

Add in a Bride who's wide smile, and sheer delight, made this Magpies month!

Happiness to me is still a bouquet of Sparkle.

Here's to another 400 posts!

xxx

Miss Ingredient's VM Bunting Cake!!

Have you seen this gorgeous cake??

Miss Ingredient asked to design a cake around my lovely 'Love' cake bunting and Wow doesn't it look amazing??

I can see the beautiful country inspired wedding where this cake would shine.... gorgeous jam jar filled with summer blooms, bunting swaying in the breeze, hessian table runners and a stunning Bride in a flowing gown.

Why don't you go and check Miss Ingredient's cakes out. She has just won cake designer for the south west, which was voted for by her lovely Brides...a fantastic award indeed.

My cake bunting topper is available to buy HERE

Happy Weekend

xxx

Baby Magpie

So this Magpie has 6 weeks left until 'D Day'...I cant quite believe it has come around so quickly. 

We are all organized and Pip's Room is all neat and tidy ready for his/her arrival.

Would you like a look around?

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The room is not the biggest in the land, but this Magpie lived in a box room for 8 years of her young life so it looks pretty spacious to me!!

The Wonderful One and me have tried to create a space perfect for either a baby Girl or Boy. We have reused items we already had, and bought very little which is new, so his/her room fits in with our home fantastically well.

The nesting has set in, and even the drawers are neat...this however will not last long I can assure you!

Most of our Pip's clothes are Dutch, as they have lovely bright & colourful unisex ranges; which England is sadly lacking, which has made it very difficult to buy something which will suit Pip no matter what s/he is!!

So Hema came up trumps again!

I couldn't resist making Pip's bed....it made me teary thinking about the babe which will be in there soon.

The gorgeous spot blanket was a Christmas pressie from my Darling Ma, who is so excited about our arrival. However she still doesn't know what she is going to be known as...grandma is a definite no...so if you have any ideas do comment, and maybe she will find one she loves!!

I made the curtain using Cabbage & Roses fabric I won ages ago from Jeska at Lobster & Swan. You can also see our Valentines present to one another in the garden...our bird table, which we love.

Pip will never lack a good book to read, we have a lovely mixture of Dutch and English classics.

Bedtime is going to be such fun!

We cannot wait to meet our little Pip, our little year of the Dragon baby :)

On the Vintage Magpie front....I have one bouquet to complete before the Pip arrives. After that I am going to be on Maternity leave. This has been a tough decision for me, as I would love to create stunning bespoke bouquets for all the gorgeous 2012 Brides, However family will always come first. I cannot wait to be a Mummy, and understandably want to give that my full attention. 

As this Pip is my first baby, I really don't know when I will be ready to come back to my bespoke work. I will however still be selling my
'Ready to Walk' bouquets on Etsy,
 as well as lovely Vintage finds that I come across in my travels.

I will still be updating this blog regularly, so do keep reading & commenting it really does make my day to hear your thoughts.

xxx