PoppyCorkHill

Eat Your Greens!

2012-01-20T06:50:00.000-08:00

Well my dears, it has been a long time, hasn't it? Hope you all had wonderful Christmasses and New Years.

Don't know about everyone else but 2012 feels like a year to simplify things a little, so I have come to the decision to close my website down. Whilst I've loved maintaining it, it seems silly to be keeping that going as well as my etsy and folksy sites - especially as I'm quite bad at updating all three of them!

So for the next couple of weeks, I'll be updating those pages and poppycorkhill.com will be closed as from the end of January. Of course, I'll be keeping this blog going - how could I give up blogging?? You can always find me on Twitter (@dreamsinbooks) too.

The pictures you can see here are sneaky peeks of a small wall-hanging I made for my sister and her family as part of her Christmas present. I'll be making some more of these soon to sell through etsy and folksy - you'll see them here first!

Oh it does feel good to be doing this again!

Mapping The Heart

2011-11-29T07:53:00.000-08:00

I'm typing this on a Tuesday and once again, the world outside is bleak, wet and blowing a gale enough to turn even the sleekest hair into a novice nest-builder's nest. And mine is not sleek even at the best of times. But I like days like this, especially as I am currently toasty next to the heater.
If you've been keeping an eye on the website, you'll have noticed that things are still moving and changing over there: I've increased the font size so people can see what I'm saying without having to peer crossly at the screen. Each item I post on there will now have it's own page, which enables me to put more pictures up than otherwise, not to mention more information. Hopefully it also makes it easier to navigate around the site.

Unfortunately my etsy and folksy pages remain stagnant for the time being: not enough fingers or minutes in the day for everything! Once I'm done with the site to my satisfaction, I'll get and update those.

Going up today is another paper product made from vintage maps: Mapping the Heart. A glassine bag filled with seven origami hearts - these are great for sticking on presents or cards to send to those you love (or even just tolerate!), or you can thread them onto the red and white string included in the pack and make yourself a small banner. As I have at home: it now adorns the top of my 1930s mirror, making me smile as I put on mascara. Which is not necessarily advisable.

Priced at £3.50, they make great little stocking fillers or gifts for people you can't get to see this Christmas.

Don't forget that Christmas is looming fast and this year, my cut-off for last orders is the 19th December!

One Day I'll Get There

2011-11-22T02:09:00.001-08:00

Oh my dears, how the time has flown! Hard as it is to believe, nearly three months have passed since my last post and oh, I have missed it. *

The website has been undergoing a bit of a change ... a pruning, if you will, as I've switched things around and altered others and removed some things I felt I could no longer keep up with. The Letter Appreciation Society being one such thing. It was a hard decision but events of the past few months have shown that sometimes they need to be made.

Things are still a changin' over there but for now, I have soothed a tempestuous soul with some origami:

Specifically little boat origami.

Made from vintage maps of Europe, these 5 little boats sit in a glassine envelope that's been sealed with a strip of Japanese masking tape (cannot count the ways I love this stuff),

waiting to be let out and set upon the water,

where you can use the half-size straws included in each pack to scoot them gently across the surface.

Each pack is only £3: each boat varies in size, and they are available from the website from today. Etsy shop will be updated later this week, and I'm hoping there will be more additions as the week goes on.

Wishing you a most puddle-splashingest-wellie-boot-wearingest Tuesday!

*It should be noted that I have not missed Blogger's eccentric little ways with spacing my images and texts though!

As Pleased as a Pleased Thing on National Pleased Day

2011-08-25T06:10:00.000-07:00

Oh I am a very pleased as punch sort of person today, for on Tuesday I did collect unto my beating heart, these:

Yep, 4 of my very bestest, most requestingest card designs have been made into postcards! A decision that was a long time making but finally decided for me when I realised that I simply could not keep up with the demand, and that sometimes the originals are a little out of people's price range.

So we have (clockwise from top left): Stitching a Charm, Poppy and the Balloons, the new Cakey Kindnesses design and Drifting Along.

Each pack will contain one of each, measuring approximately 10.5cms x 15cms, contained within a glassine envelope (my new packaging love*) and cost £4.50.

They're going to be making their very first public appearance on Saturday at the Cotswold Vintage Fair, and on the website as soon as I have got my camera to accept that blurry lines, over-shadowing and general muzziness is not acceptable.

*Of course I have a packaging love, what right-minded person doesn't??

Saturday Saturday Saturday!

2011-08-22T04:26:00.000-07:00

Oh my, where has the time gone?

You're taking a stall at the Cotswolds Vintage Fair, asked my husband some months back.

Oh yes, says I, but fear not, for it is months away.

It is not months away anymore.

It is this Saturday.

And I'm so excited! Can't wait to see everyone I met at the first two again; can't wait to try the cakes; can't wait to watch my amazing Teen try her hand at running a vintage stall with her old mum. Yup, the daughter is coming with me. I have a sixth sense that all profits will be spent before we leave.

So we have sourced some really lovely items, including an Edwardian shaving jug and brush, some Victorian lace and a gorgeous tweed hat.

And I, as you can see, have been busy making things. The card you can see a small snippet of above is forming one quarter of a new idea I had: it will have all come together by Saturday, and I'll be able to post pictures of it and the day next week.

Oh I am so looking forward to this: Ali has organised some great publicity and I hope to see many of you there!

Edit: Aaargh! What's happened? Everything that would normally be at the side of my blog appears to have moved itself down to the bottom. I have no idea why but given my email problems over the weekend am beginning to suspect Google has it in for me.

Tsk

2011-08-15T06:00:00.001-07:00

And tsk again, for the time is a rolling on towards the next Cotswolds Vintage Fair on 27th August and I have run out of flipping ribbon!
Yes I did write flip. Can assure you I didn't say flip though.

I have a longer post planned for later this week with some new designs, vintage finds and an exciting new development. Well I think it's exciting!

And a final tsk to end on: the lovely Helen (yes, her official name) and her excellent eaterie can be found here: www.cafesalvation.blogspot.com. And verily they did eat unto there last Friday and it was good!

Salvation is just...

2011-07-15T06:34:00.000-07:00

...a short drive away. Those of you who were at the first Cotswold Vintage Fair may well remember Ms Helen and her unfailingly sunny serving of endless tea and cake to all who flocked through the door. She now has her own cafe!

As kind as ever, she is selling a few of my wares for me (there are plans afoot on that front, hopefully more next week), as well as some stunning jewellery that I completely failed to drag myself away from - the fern leaf ring is curling round my finger as I type.

Go here for the blog and I may see you there - am planning for it becoming pretty much my second home!

Ms. Helen at the Vintage Fair (ably assisted by my Mum on the day, she's now running a B&B - we are all busy!)

A Quick Update

2011-06-09T06:05:00.000-07:00

Current absence from the blogging world I love so much, not to mention the corner of sanity that is my crafting desk, due to the child turning 13.

A monumental event I'm sure you'll agree!

In other news - well done to Tracy from the lovely Romi & Bob blog for winning the wall hanging! You just need to email me with your address and the words you'd like stitched on and I'll get it to you.

Also, an update - original Cotswold Vintage Fair website has now closed and should no longer be floating around the webosphere. Please, please keep checking in with Ali and the fair's new home: http://www.thecotswoldsvintagefair.blogspot.com/. Hope to see as many of you as possible at the next one in August!

Hopefully back to it as soon as the family parties, construction of a telescope (her sudden, Brian-Cox-inspired interest in astronomy and physics isn't going away any time soon) and countless sleep-overs are done and dusted.

I may be a little while.

The Trials of Spellings

2011-05-18T02:38:00.001-07:00

Oh but I spent a happy evening pootling away with some scraps, Constance and a few words I wanted to get down somewhere. No better way to while away a slightly chilly Monday evening. So armed with a glass of wine and Elbow floating on the ether, I began.

Some gingham (that word always makes me think of reading The Wizard of Oz as a child: Dorothy's blue and white gingham dress) fabric and rectangles of handmade paper, scraps of vintage lace and wrapping paper, not forgetting my clunky little typewriter!

Stretching the fabric in a hoop and losing myself in stitching what was beginning to feel like a charm:

typing, folding and more stitching - this time with Constance's expert help and straight-ish guidance, until I was able to sit back, pleased with my efforts:

Packed everything away and went to celebrate with a second glass (tsk, and on a Monday too!). Then I took it all out again on Tuesday to photograph and add to the shop. "Surely," said my brain, no longer addled by the finest Pinot Grigio the local Spar can provide, "there is a misspelling somewhere here?"

And my happy heart sank, just a little:

Who knew 'doubloons' to have so many 'o's in it? An unpicking-retyping-restitching-photographing-kicking-the-table kind of evening is planned for later this week.

Giving it Away

2011-04-26T01:04:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been a very long time since anything other than the day job has occupied my hands and my head, but it's finally warm enough to sit up in my little corner of our crooked house (I don't think cracks in the wall are supposed to follow the lines of the bricks but I'm resolutely NOT thinking about it), get Constance out of her winter hibernation, and together create things that make us both happy.

Although she, being Victorian, thinks that my stitching should be straight and invisible. I like crooked and visible, and as it's me threading her, I win. So another wall hanging was made and will find it's happy way into the shop later on today:

with it's ribbon and button loops,

crookedly stitched heart (notice the theme here?) on the crocheted doily),

hand stitching (Constance will only go so far),

and antique lace trim.

Now because I'm feeling warm and springy, I made a second with which to brighten the life of one lucky reader. Oh yes, you read right, this is my very firstest ever giveaway! The hanging shown below is made exactly the same way but with slight differences (click on the image for a larger viewing and see if you can spot them!), and the words haven't been added.

For good reason. If you would like to win this happy piece, email or leave a comment below with the 5 word phrase you would have added if you won. Constance, the child and I will pick a winner in a week's time, the stitching will be done and, voila, the lucky person will receive their very own personalised PoppyCorkHill wall hanging!

Verily my generosity does astound and exhaust me, so I'm off for a restorative coffee (with maybe a piece of cake to sustain me the long 2 and half hours till luncheon time).

This giveaway is open to all followers, browsers, lurkers and dippers in, be you of English soil or farther flung places. So get thinking!

Springing Back Up

2011-03-31T05:02:00.000-07:00

Such wonderful news I have for you my dears: the Cotswolds Vintage Fair lives!

T'is true: the wonderful Ali from Betty & Violet has taken on this herculean task, booked the hall, and set up a new blogsite for it.

So please visit www.thecotswoldsvintagefair.blogspot.com for updates and info, show Ali as much support as you've all shown me - it would have been impossible without you all. I'm hoping to be there purely as a stall holder myself, and really look forward to catching up with everyone again: feeling slightly like I've been out of the vintage loop recently!

Speaking of which, those of you dipping in to my website every now and then may have noticed that things have become rather static over there. Busy and distracted doesn't even cover my days at the moment: hopefully as the days have lengthened, lightened and warmed (it's been very cold in my office) I shall have more time for crafting and sourcing. So please bear with me during this short hiatus: things will return to normal!

2011-03-10T01:19:00.000-08:00

Ugh, have been laid up for a couple of weeks with a bad back that makes sitting at my desk for any length of time far too uncomfortable for words! It's particularly annoying at the moment as I was crafting something for a giveaway and now all plans are on hold until I can move around without looking like Julie Walters in Acorn Antiques!

In the meantime, oh my goodness - just how amazing are these shoes!

They even have them in my habitual black!

Available here (and yes, they ship to the UK) and spotted this morning on Maria's Lulu Letty blog, which never fails to cheer me up.

And there is a jumble sale in the next village on Saturday: providing I can find a willing carrier of stuff, I'm there!

ps: thank you to everyone who got in touch about the fairs, all comments were really appreciated. There is hopefully a solution in the offing - will keep you all posted.

Some News

2011-02-28T03:27:00.000-08:00

As some of you will know already, and some won't, my full time day job isn't PoppyCorkHill (as much as I would like it to be). Rather it's here:

a 14th Century building that used to be home to a monk from the local abbey; it now houses a museum of eclectic, rare and downright unique artifacts. I love this place more than I know how to put into words: fiercely protective yet always aware that it isn't mine to keep, staunch defender but eyes open to its faults.

And in the last 12 months, the faults have become ever more apparent and expensive. There is broken heating which led to pipes freezing and bursting in the recent cold snap (seriously: icicles as big as a grown man, people, just hanging off the eaves like the building was crying). There are shifting walls and chimney caps that need replacing; crumbling flagstones and loose cobbles - to name but 4 of the problems on the 4 page list.

So, funding being what it is, there is nothing for it but to start the ball rolling on a Heritage Lottery Bid. And this is no small matter: hundreds of thousands of pounds will be necessary to complete all the work and the paperwork, even at this early proposal stage is daunting to say the least!

So where is this rambling leading exactly? It basically means that as much as I've loved doing the vintage fairs, I can't do everything and for the next 3 years at least, the day job has to take priority. Soooo, I'm afraid that I won't be holding any more fairs for the foreseeable future.
It was a really tough decision to make, and I know that many of you will be gutted about this: I've loved meeting you all and the fairs have been an absolute blast but I have to commit to the work project and the fairs were distracting me just a tad!

This doesn't mean that there can never be another Cotswold Vintage Fair ever again - if someone else would like to take it on (that's the best thing about this sort of venture is that the ownership of it can be flexible and changeable!), please email me and I'll get in touch with details of contacts, website management, marketing etc. I'm more than happy to give all the support I can to the next organiser.

PoppyCorkHill will continue to exist - it's how I relax from the rest of the world! - and my poor neglected Letter Appreciation Society will finally get the postings it deserves, and, above all, my gorgeous place of work will get the restoration it sorely needs. For updates on that, please follow this link.

A Fine Substitution

2011-02-15T06:46:00.000-08:00

Good afternoon my children, and how are we all?

As you may have guessed from the previous post, all has been a little hectic here in Poppy Towers. Consequently the Cotswold Vintage Fair that I had been planning for May is simply not going to happen. But. Other things have been occurring so...

...fret ye not my lovers of all things vintage and handmade, for there is another place for you to display your wares whilst perusing others (not to mention the food stalls):

The organisers of the Winchcombe Festival of Music and Arts (click here for the link to the site) have arranged for an extravaganza of a street fayre to take place on the 30th May with music, street entertainment and sideshows taking place in this very beautiful little town, and they are looking for clever people to take stalls on the day. Yes, by which I mean YOU!

Vintage, handmade, crafty: whatever your vibe, they'd like you to become part of this wonderful weekend. Did I mention the food stalls?

If you're interested, email me (poppycorkhill@yahoo.co.uk) and I'll pass your details on to the organisers.

Well now would you credit it?

2011-01-24T05:46:00.000-08:00

I got an award!

How lovely is that? My very firstest ever! Thank you to the lovely Linda of Tabbyroo for nominating me for this:

As I am now, officially and undeniably a very stylish blogger indeed, you may know 7 stylish things about me:

1. I only ever wear flat shoes or boots. On the rare occasions I wear heels, I walk like Bambi on acid. 2. I never wear lipstick: my hair gets stuck to it, I bite my lips, it's not good. 3. I have a magpie attitude to jewellery and last week spent money that should have gone on my husband's birthday present on a pair of earrings from Etsy. In my defence, they are beautiful. No I don't know why he's married to me either. 4. I have over 20 scarves but only two bags. 5. If I could get away with wearing 40 denier tights all year round I would. Possibly the only person I know to actively embrace winter and it's tighty-goodness. 6. I have a thing about my outfits being made up of soft layers (3 today) but would put up with the itch of a proper tweed skirt just so that I could pretend to be Miss Marple for the day. 7. I have precisely 3 grey hairs on my head (according to the last count I made the hairdresser do): this is of concern because if I'm not going grey at this age like my Mum did, am I going to wake up with a beard like my Nan did?

Ungrateful blogger that I am, this is at least two weeks, probably more before I finally pulled myself together to post about it. Sorry Linda, I really am very grateful for it!

Now. Talk has been turning to the next Cotswold Vintage Fair. It's fair to say that life at the moment has been throwing me as much as it thinks I can handle and then adds a few more things just for the hell of it. As they say, shit happens.

So a date for the next fair hasn't yet been set but I think that now I'm looking more towards July for it: I'm still scouting out halls as our previous home just isn't big enough for all the new traders who want to take part, and I will keep you updated as soon as I have dates and venues sorted. Sorry to mess you all around like this but I'd rather postpone and have another really fantastic day than try to cram everything in and possibly be found sucking my thumb whilst rocking back & forth in a corner!

Companionable Belonging

2011-01-20T07:24:00.000-08:00

So, for the first time in what feels like an AGE, I felt moved to blow the dust off Constance and get some work done (although it's not really work, more just me and her, sitting and drinking tea in between turning the handle and picking fabrics out whilst listening to each other chat and hum)

I had some words in my head that I wanted to get stitched down,

and some ribbon scraps to use up,

not forgetting the antique lace that was too short a piece to trim any clothing,

and a crocheted doily that needed a purpose.

So slowly, slowly we bought them all together, tied them together with blue and purple cotton:

to capture our mood perfectly.

please click on the images above to see the big version

A Brand Spanking New Year

2011-01-03T07:20:00.000-08:00

Has indeed dawned and I'm feeling the need for a clear out!

Everything on the website has been reduced (apart from the cards), and the etsy and folksy sites will soon follow - pop over and have a look.

Hope you all had fabulous Christmas and New Year celebrations, welcome to 2011!

Salutations from the Snow

2010-12-20T01:07:00.000-08:00

Well my dears, it's been some kind of weekend: as near as dammit snowed in and the milk levels running dangerously low for my preferred coffee intake. My supery-dupery red docs have kicked the snow out of the way as though it were nothing, and the cat has discovered a new warm-and-fluffy side that will vanish the minute the temperature gets above freezing.

The dog, meanwhile, is skipping joyously around, developing fetching white snow slippers upon his fluffy feet, whilst the hens puck alarmingly at the hen-house doorway and refuse to come out.

So, for the rest of this week I shall be mince-pie-making, paper-snowflake-creating, candle-lighting, and frosty-window-tracing my way through the days.

PoppyCorkHill has officially shut up shop for the rest of the year but I'll be back to it in the New Year with a sale, and details of the next vintage fair as soon as I can get them. A huge, huge thanks and slightly bottom-lip-wobbly gratitude for everyone who has supported, bought from, commented upon or just followed in a completely acceptable random fashion.
This year has been extraordinary, but you lot have made it all bearable.

Have a fantabulous Christmas wherever you may be!

Mental Pyjamas

2010-12-07T05:59:00.000-08:00

Are what I appear to be wearing. After looking at my etsy shop every day for a few days, I stopped and asked myself why the product listings appeared to be vanishing, one by one.

Finally my brain got itself up and dressed, realised what was going on and relisted.

So I'm very pleased to announce the reintroduction of a fully stocked etsy shop! Pop over and have a look.

If you hold it, they will come*

2010-11-29T12:17:00.000-08:00

The second Cotswold Vintage Fair took place last Saturday ("did it really Tonia, I had no idea", I hear you all cry: "it's only been all you can talk about for the past month").
And, despite a certain amount of swearing on my part as I looked out of the window at 4am upon a powder dusting of snow, the day did clear up and the people came.

It was really lovely to meet up with some familiar faces from the first fair, and some new ones who braved the weather.

They came, they saw, the supped soup and munched cake (on plates provided by the lovely Steph of Miss Emmelines). Most importantly they bought!
Huge enormous cybery-thanks to everyone who came, be they trader, customer, press, supporter or browser.
And real hugs have been passed to my mum and sister who made enough food to cater for several fairs, and my dad who stood stalwartly behind the sink for most of the day. Also, to the husband and child for not only being there and running around on Saturday but also for putting up with me and my panic for the last 3 months!

That's it folks: Cotswold Vintage Fair is taking a break until the new year when we start looking at venues and dates for the 3rd fair, I'll keep you posted!

*and I apologise for a Field of Dreams mis-quote. Actually I apologise even attempting a Field of Dreams quote. It will Never. Happen. Again. Promise.

24 Little Hours

2010-11-26T02:46:00.001-08:00

Yippee! Oh almost-frabjous day!

For indeed, tis tomorrow that I will be here, doing this!

Doors open from 10, entry is free, all the traders are wonderful people with amazing goodies on offer, and the cakes (I have done the essential quality control tasting) are delicious.

Wish me luck!

Variations on the Theme of Envelopes

2010-11-14T13:19:00.000-08:00

A very misty and damp day here in the Shire, so no excuse (bar my usual ones) for not sitting down in my crafting corner and flippin' well getting on with something.

Now I love my little seed envelopes, but they feel like more of a summer thing and I wanted a wintery vibe to whatever was in the making, so I took the original idea:

added some winter-appropriate wording:

and filled them with tiny white snowflakes:

I'm now thinking these are pretty darn perfect to slip into Christmas cards this year for all those who are living in places too hot for the real thing (mostly thinking of my Bermuda-based cousin here - the one in Canada may have enough of the real stuff).

Here's hoping your Sunday's were as craftily perfect as this one!

14 Days and Counting

2010-11-12T05:56:00.000-08:00

Eep, can you believe that the fair is only 2 weeks away?! Met today with the fragrant souls who have bravely agreed to take on the catering (i.e. my mum and my sister) and who will be dispensing the warmest of soups and the most delicious of cakes to keep everyone nourished and happy! Have already ordered my share of the spicy squash soup and lemon drizzle cake!

The spaces are now all booked with my lovely traders (some returning, some new) who will blind you with their vintage treasures and handmade awesomeness (yes, that is totally a legitimate word, although I should see someone about my habit of talking like an 15 year old: I am a mere cider away from an 'innit'): see here for the full list.

We've had amazing support from the likes of Cotswold Life, Tewkesbury Direct, From Britain with Love and the local newspapers which has seen the website hits fly ever upwards, whilst I shall be flying about sticking flyers in appropriate places (nicely people, please!) this weekend.

The collection in August was for the Disasters Emergency Committee and made a very good £60. This one will be for Crisis - a charity I've supported for many years now who do really vital work, especially at this time of year.

So, if you're in the North Cotswolds area on 27th November between 10am and 4pm, pop in and see us, entrance is free and I'll be the one trying to stay awake after a 4.30am start!

Cocktails and Letters

2010-11-11T06:17:00.000-08:00

A bad, bad blogger have I been (sorry, can never resist a small Yoda-like twist of words). In my defense, stuff has been happening: work, vintage fairs, family and, best of all, parties!

Oh yes, a very good friend of mine turned hhmmmph years of age the other week and a party of the most mammoth scale was duly planned and carried out last weekend. Now a party of this magnitude surely deserves a letter the following week to say thank you?

If not to apologise for being completely floored by the one cocktail and having to bow out of the festivities early - oh yes, for truly I am even further from the age of 18 than she is.

Vintage fair news tomorrow!

Drifting Along

2010-11-01T07:02:00.000-07:00

Well, now look at the time! And all those days of silence from me when normally I can't be made to shut up without a danish in front of me...

...but I have genuinely been busy. I now have the tidiest and most organised desk in the Shire...

...some would call this displacement activity, I would call it necessary in order to achieve anything ever again.

I have press-released and flyer'd and generally sent the word out about this event like nobody's business...

... and in between I found some fabric scraps left over from a tablecloth I made...

...and some pebbles from a holiday last year; put the two together with some carefully inked words and seagulls. Lo and behold, a new design! Which is has captured my mood pretty damn perfectly, even I have to admit. On the website today, the other places soon.

Fair updates later this week: only 4 weeks!

And a huge hug hello to all new followers - massive apologies for being so slack with posting recently - but now you're here, tell me: carrot cake or malteser brownie?

Upping the Updates

2010-10-17T02:59:00.001-07:00

Happy sunny Sunday everyone!

Just a quick fair update for your delectation:
This paper was kind enough to feature us this week - every tiny bit of publicity really helps, so if you can think of anywhere else I should be bombarding with press releases, let me know!

All the large spaces for the day have now been taken - there are still a few B stands left but they are going fast!

And, good golly, it's only 6 weeks away!!!

That's quite enough exclamation points from me for one day, hope your days continue happy and bright: I'm off to get me some literary!

Folding Hearts

2010-10-11T07:58:00.000-07:00

A splendidly frivolous afternoon was frittered away yesterday: scraps of paper were folded by me,

seams were stitched in place by Constance,

and then I stuck the whole lot together:

Poppy & the Balloons.

Quite liking the darker background: what do you think?

In the shop today, then to be found at all the usual suspects tomorrow.

Finally!

2010-10-07T06:57:00.001-07:00

Not being the speediest of creatures, it has taken me this long to even begin updating my Folksy account, but today I have managed a whole 15 minutes and 3 new items on there: at this rate, I shall be completely updated in time for New Year! Click here to see.

Fair Update: the lovely people at Cotswold Life magazine will feature the fair in their November issue (but also go buy this months as it features an exhibition at the wonderful Winds of Change gallery run by the also wonderful Jane), and the ever-adorable ones at From Britain with Love have also added the fair to their What's On listing.

Are we grateful? Yes we are!

Constance and the Machine

2010-10-05T00:41:00.000-07:00

So a friend of mine said they had a spare Singer sewing machine, did I want it? Are badgers stripy of face? Of course I did! Although it was a worry that I'd turn up and find one with cabling and wires and electrical capacity which frankly just scares the eebies out of me - they always feel as though they're the ones in control, one wrong move and the whole piece you're working on could run away from you.

Still, trusting their judgement, I went and collected what looked like a box for the ashy remains of a Transylvanian count:

I'm so glad I did, look at her!

Gorgeous, no? And blessings be upon my electrically-powered-singer-phobia, she is indeed a hand-cranking machine of the best kind!

So her birthday. How old could she be, I reasoned: after all, Glory is 82 and the 2 machines aren't all that different. If you click on the image above, you should be able to see that the serial number begins with an 'S'.

According to the website, this makes her birth year 1906. Yep, she is 104 years old and still working! Working beautifully I might add.

And she has the prettiest decorations that make me smile,

the stitches she produces are tiny and perfect,

and her name is Constance (how could she be anything else?)

Photo notes: I have the 1st new mobile phone I've had in about 4 years, and am still getting to grips with the camera bit of it, hence these are neither as clear nor as focused as I'd like!

Embracing the Hippy

2010-09-28T01:10:00.000-07:00

Some glorious green flowered vintage fabric has been rescued from the dusty shelf of unwantedness, washed and pressed, and then turned into headbands that embrace my inner hippy:

The child is proving an unwilling model: what you can't see in this photo is her enormous frown!

She has been promised time off cleaning her room in exchange. I think she may have the better deal...

Power to the Flower headband now on the website and etsy: I will get round to updating my folksy listings soon, I promise!

More Doings

2010-09-23T01:01:00.001-07:00

Finally getting my act together! Two headband designs added to the website and etsy store today:

The Miss Marple (as modelled by Helen on the Vintage Fair day!)

Miss Marple: the tweenage years as modelled by the child. This one seems to have gone down very well with her friends, which may save me a lot of worrying about birthday presents for a bit!

£4.50 each: see site and etsy links over to the left there. No, there. That's it.

Finally!

2010-09-22T01:30:00.000-07:00

Oh at last, happy happy happy day! Choirs of heavenly voices are singing down upon my pc and its reconnected (after almost 2 weeks) broadband!

So, with no regard for all the browsing and stuff it's vital I catch up on, I have loaded the following items onto my website and etsy pages (see links on the side) for your delectation. Including:

Staffordshire Paissley design storage jars

vintage cream leather gloves

and a new card design so flipping romantic you'll want to take it out for dinner.

More added throughout the week!

The Next One

2010-09-15T23:48:00.001-07:00

A quickety-quick (and picture free) post for this week as my usual posting time has been scuppered by a lack of internet connection (ah BT, truly thou art evil) and I have 5 minutes to get this down before heading off into the arms of my nervous breakdown.

The next Vintage Fair will be on 27th November 2010 at Toddington Village Hall!

More when normality has been restored!

Needs Must

2010-09-07T01:34:00.000-07:00

Finally managing to pull myself together and update the shop: huge apologies that it's taken this long! Gone in today have been three of the headbands and two of the vintage items I posted about here.

Things are being posted onto Folksy and Etsy on a daily basis (with more detailed images as soon as I can get the camera to focus properly - it and I have had words these past few days), so keep your eyes peeled!

With a quieter weekend ahead more should be photographed, tagged and added next week!

Pressing Matters

2010-09-01T07:33:00.000-07:00

The lovely Gloucestershire Echo has printed this article today!

Plans underfoot for the event in November, will keep you all posted via blog, twitter and email as to exact date and venue, but this week, I'm taking it easy!

What a Day!

2010-08-30T05:58:00.000-07:00

All the preparations, sleepless nights, anxiety and sheer nerve-twisting terror paid off: the traders were lovely, the customers kept on coming and the sun was shining on our little patch of the Cotswold's all day!

true words,

beautiful bunting,

gorgeous wares

and the lovely Ms. Helen serving up some delicious cakes!

Huge, huge Mexican Wave to all the traders, customers, browsers, followers and supporters for all their help and words of encouragement over the last few weeks; and massive rounds of applause to Helen and her family, my husband, daughter, parents and Nan for the smooth running of the teas and cakes - couldn't have done any of it without you all!

There is a flickr group (follow this link) for images from the day if anyone has any they'd like to upload onto it, or if you'd just like to see them.

It appears that many people want this event to continue (what have I created?!), so expect news of one for November shortly.

Thanks again guys!

xxx

*Tuesday update: the Gloucestershire Echo sent a photographer along on Saturday who got some great images - the write-up will be in the paper tomorrow!*

Thanks to all who donated to the DEC collection - we raised £32, which we've rounded up to £60 and sent off today. If you want to donate separately, just click on the link.

2010-08-27T06:18:00.000-07:00

It's tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow!

Everyone ready?

Update: we are on the homepage of this website: how exciting is that?!

Enough is Enough

2010-08-25T05:51:00.000-07:00

That's it. Officially finished before my poor wrist gives out. Some 23 headbands, 6 purses, 10 bags and 60 brooches later there will be No. More. Sewing.

And no more being attacked by the cat when I try to get at my fabric supplies.

How's everybody set for Saturday?

N.B. we also got a free mention in this newspaper: sadly not on their website yet, but I've seen the hard copy!

4 Days and Counting

2010-08-23T06:20:00.000-07:00

Yes, you read that right, 4 days to go before I finally get to meet all the lovely people who have supported this event: might even sell something. Will certainly eat cake!

The weekend passed in a frantic whirl of yet more hairbands:

Miss Marple: the tweenage years

Green Dreaming

Followed by some tablecloth stitching:

and more bunting stringing:

The hits on the website continue at a steady 100+ a day; BBC Homes & Antiques magazine will be featuring the day on their website roundup of bank holiday fairs and the Gloucestershire Echo has already published a mention of us!

All stall holders will be getting an email from me in the next day or so just to confirm times, placings etc but any questions, please just email, tweet or even call me!

That's it for now folks, see you Saturday!

Answers

2010-08-23T00:16:00.000-07:00

I promise a longer post with pictures and everything later on today, but right now I'd like to answer the anonymous person who filled in the comments form on my website:

All my products are priced apart from (and this probably led to the confusion) the cards and that's because you only pay for the bag they come in (for £5.75) and then select 3 cards you'd like put in there (for £0.00 each).

If you only want the one card, then please just contact me and we'll sort something out, but please leave your name and email, otherwise I can't get back to you!

Fair update later on: 4 days and counting!

Variations on a theme

2010-08-16T05:50:00.000-07:00

So, what exactly have I been doing?

Sadly, not eating ice cream whilst lying on a chaise longue, letting Himself massage my feet.

No, I have been the very epit-o-me of busyness:

sourcing new stock,

(how cute is American pyrex?!)

and making what felt like endless variations on the headband theme:

stripes

flowers and

my favourite, tweed & lace (aka the Miss Marple).

So many headbands in fact, that I have managed to give myself a pretty sore wrist (the drawback of a handcranking sewing machine).

Not to mention (or apparently remember to photograph) all the bunting of varying types: including some made with these doillies and this twine, which I promise faithfully to have captured on camera and posted on here by the end of the week.

Fair Update

2010-08-11T13:02:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post folks as I am tired beyond belief after three days spent making, marketing and muttering (usually as Glory refused to wind the bobbin for the 13th time that day).

You'll be pleased to hear that we are full, full, fulldiddlyfull (to quote Mr. N. Flanders esq)! No more tables to be had within the building.

Now if I could just guarantee the weather...

a fuller post tomorrow with pictures and everything, I promise, but for now, the sofa has a space with my name on it!

Thursday update: I know I said I'd post for longer today, but then this equation occured to me this morning:
friends on their way over + untidy house + chicken that won't cook itself = nothing doing, I'm afraid!

Fair Update

2010-08-04T07:59:00.000-07:00

Oof, just where has the time gone?! You will all be pleased to know that I haven't been letting the grass grow under my feet but have been trampling it into submission with my busyness!

The lovely people at the even more lovely website, From Britain with Love, have added the website link to their events pages (click image below to check it out):

The website itself has been receiving a stonking 30+ unique hits a day - that's hits from people who've never visited the site before!

The wonderful Steph from Miss Emmelines is kindly lending her vintage crockery for the tea room so the homemade cakes can sit in vintage glory, whilst I have scoured the land for doilies to dolly up the tables!

All the tourist offices within a 1-2 hour radius of the venue have received posters and this week flyers will be sent to local hotels. Press releases are an ongoing thing (as I know from my day job) and the interest from the local media has been very good: fingers crossed for some free publicity!

Thanks to all and everyone who have been spreading the word: every little bit of it is appreciated. Here's hoping for some good weather!

Celebrations of Cool

2010-07-29T05:44:00.000-07:00

Every now and then an idea comes along that is so amazing, and so inspiring, that all you can do is curse that you weren't the one to come up with it:

Celebrating 5 decades of British cool (because we can be cool when we want to be), Vintage at Goodwood is the kind of extravaganza we vintage lovers dream about.

So you have to be grateful that the magnificent Hemmingways thought about it.

Pop over to the site: everything about it looks great! Is anyone going?

Busy Fingers

2010-07-27T06:26:00.000-07:00

Do you remember me mentioning these tiny envelopes?

Well I ordered myself some handmade Lokti paper,

got the glue stick at the ready,

primed the alphabet stamps,

typed my little fingers off

and made these.

The slips of paper in the envelopes say "Because I think you are simply wonderful" or "When I see you my whole day smiles", but they can be customised.

They are on sale on the website, the etsy and the folksy. £2.75 each.

Recognitions and Realisations

2010-07-23T06:00:00.001-07:00

So here I am, back at work, tinkering around the ole interweb, when I notice a message on my Folksy account: it appears that the lovely Jen Owens has been running a series of alphabet themed Folksy Fridays for the past few weeks.

This week it's 'J' and these favourite makes of mine got picked:

Jazz Your Jacket brooches, £2.50 each. You can buy them from here, or here, or here

Also go and have a look at Jen's streetname cards: I love them!

On another note today, all you Cotswold Vintagers may be interested and slightly panicked to know that there are only 5 weeks left now before the big day!

Absences

2010-07-16T06:57:00.000-07:00

'Tis my long-looked-forward-to birthday this weekend, so I'll be out of communication and the office for the next couple of days. Apologies if you've emailed or commented in the last 24 hours, I'll have returned to normal by Monday and will get back to you then!

Have a great weekend folks!

bitesize chocolate malteser brownies sprinkled with edible gold dust, in case you were wondering...

***20th July Edit; it appears I've managed to develop tonsillitis over the weekend, so I'll be taking a longer than originally planned break from this blog - hope to be back and blithering on again soon!***

Fair Update

2010-07-14T07:42:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post to keep reassure everyone that it's all coming along nicely (and, even more surprisingly, smoothly!)

Special note to all the lovely stall holders: I'll be sending you all a poster and some flyers over the next few days: if you could display, hand out etc at any of the fairs or shows you may be doing over the next month, it would go quite a way to getting more people through the door on the day!

A call out to all those about to clear their attics: we're still looking for vintage china plates and cake stands for the tea room on the day, so if you have any you don't use or are happy to lend, please get in touch.

Newest of New Small Things

2010-07-08T07:35:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, there are scraps of things that are too nice to be thrown away.

Sometimes a thought can only be expressed in a small way.

Sometimes the 2 come together to make a big gesture.

Tiny envelopes and typed sentiments crying out to be backed onto a card and sent to someone I really care about.

A few may even end up in the shop...

All The Space

2010-07-06T06:16:00.000-07:00

How could I forget to add this in to my last post?! There is now a grand total of 3, that's right, just THREE stalls left for the vintage fair. If you'd like one or know someone who might, leave a comment below or email me (address on the right) for details.

*** Update: there are now only TWO stalls left! ***

All Buntinged Up

2010-07-06T05:57:00.000-07:00

This weekend Glory and I were busy turning old shirts into something

new and bunting-y to decorate the fair with.

I think we did ok.

Then we turned some vintage fabric into

wardrobe bags: mine's clipped onto a skirt hanger with my scarves rolled up neatly inside.

This week, I have plans for some ladybird books (remember them?): all sadly mistreated, they've lost their covers and some of the words have been scribbled over by discerning, crayon wielding hands.

Still, the illustrations are intact, although the odd princess has a brick-red face here and there, and that's all I need.

Some Progress

2010-06-29T06:25:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who got back to me about stall specifications - all is now sorted and straight!

There are still a handful of tables left (types B, D & E) but they're going fast: you can email me for an application form, or leave a comment below and I'll get back to you.

floor plan, stall spec and price list

A whip round my favourite hunting grounds has yielded some very nice thrifty china for the cakes to be served on (keeping the vintagey theme running!).

Over the next week or so, I'll be cobbling together a website for the fair (this will mean that when it's googled, it comes up on the first page); so if you have any stall or website images of your own that you'd like put onto the 'Who's There' page, send them along!

Fair Update

2010-06-25T13:07:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to let everyone know that I'm finalising details of who has booked, what size stall, etc this weekend and will be in touch with all of you next week to make final confirmations.

It's all shaping up really nicely though and I'd like to thank you all for your support during this confusing time!

Rest easy people and have a fabulous weekend in the sun!

Monday Update: just to let everyone know that there is now a facebook group called Cotswold Vintage Fair - come join in!

I tweet, therefore I am

2010-06-24T05:53:00.000-07:00

Well it's been a funny old couple of days and all my regular postings fell by the wayside, but I think you have to admit that the little group below make up for it:

mustard pot, blue & white bowl, mini patience cards and a-z notebooks

The pot, cards and notebooks will all go up on the website in the next couple of days: I have waxy plans for the bowl!

For all those keeping up with the vintage fair news, please note that I now twitter (the things I do for you...): updates and randomness can be found here. Come join me!

Well that's gorn and done it

2010-06-23T05:01:00.000-07:00

It's confirmed, it's booked, it's filling up and it's coming along nicely.

The Cotswold Vintage Fair will go ahead on 28th August at Toddington as previously arranged.

Next week I'll be letting you know who'll be taking a stand on the day, details of a facebook page and plans as and when they get caught by my attention!

If anyone passing by this blog would like more information about booking a stand, please email me (see address on the right) or comment below, and I'll get back to you with details.

Some sewing and some thinking

2010-06-21T06:47:00.001-07:00

Sunday was a day that called for some quality time just Glory and me: you could feel the sighs of relief from both of us as I lifted off her cover - it had been too long and I had some lovely thrifted fabric to play with.

Lo and behold, the 'Odd Sock' bag! My way of ending the heart-wrenching misery of odd socks being lost and forlorn without their partners for an eternity. Now they can wait patiently in their cottony home, enjoying the view from the wall and chatting to other lost ones: once a week I will hold a reunion and our little woollen souls will rejoice.

I have enough fabric for one bag left: it's unlined and meant also for the lost woolly ones of your home (hence the spotty linen sock on the crocheted bit). On the website and etsy today for £4.95.

I received the news this weekend that the Cotswold Vintage Fair was going to be cancelled and was a bit gutted about it (my exact words were 'damn, damn, dammit), so after some serious thinking (really serious - I stared into space for hours) and with the kind of caution that makes fools rush in, I've offered to take over the organisation of it.

If everyone is happy with the idea, it goes ahead on 28th August as planned. Ideas, plans, thoughts from you all gratefully received: comment below, or email me at poppycorkhill@yahoo.co.uk ...

Are we sitting uncomfortably?

2010-06-17T05:38:00.001-07:00

So, my other news? Well in my day job, I manage to fit in being a buyer for the little shop we have attached to the museum, and for a long time, I've tried to source as much as possible as locally as possible, but never anything of mine.

And then I gave my colleague one of my brooches for her birthday: she wanted to know why I didn't stock my own stuff here. So did friends I mentioned it to. So did family. So did the husband.

I didn't know why, only that it felt vaguely uncomfortable as if it were favouritism aimed squarely at me and that wouldn't sit right. My colleague got tired of me umming and aahing about the place, the husband said words along the lines of 'bugger favouritism' and I've agreed. Brooches and seed envelopes go in next week on a sale or return basis so I'm only getting paid for what actually sells, more lines added if it all goes well.

I'm trying to develop a thick skin as I type: that too is a little uncomfortable. The million dollar question though - did I do right?

Speak of the devil: new brooches

Making stuff out of bits

2010-06-15T06:14:00.000-07:00

A long blogging absence, which is unlike me, but I have been busy on the other one, so am I forgiven?

I've also been busy actually making things: some new fabric scraps have lent themselves perfectly to making new brooches.

They should be on the website and etsy by the end of the week.

I appear to be unable to stop making brooches: I love them, customers love them and friends love them. It's getting to the point where they may need a page all to themselves.

I do have some other news but I'm still having reservations and thoughts about it, so I'll get back to you on that one later in the week!

Well now, how did that happen?

2010-06-04T06:12:00.001-07:00

I have been reliably informed that it is June already and, whilst I might prefer to ignore the galloping away of the months, I can't.

So, all my letter appreciators, it is time to bend pen to paper, to chew on ends of pencils, to fearlessly wield glue sticks in the name of 'Correspondence'

I have another thank you to do as well as a 'new baby' message to get out: as most of mine at the moment seem to take the form of a card, it was lovely to see on Gracie's blog, an actual real-life letter being written.

Time to apply myself properly methinks.

Getting round to it

2010-05-27T05:49:00.000-07:00

I may not be the fastest worker in the world when it comes to things I need to do for myself, but eventually they get done and thank yous get sent:

see the little birdie on the bottom left. Oh yes, that would be considered application of my newest treasured possession!

As I'm off for the weekend tomorrow (East Grinstead, as you ask), I won't be able to confirm orders or answer any queries until next Monday.

Have a good long weekend my lovelies!

A tinkering sort of a day

2010-05-23T07:13:00.001-07:00

In a bid to rid both blog and website of unsightly pictures
I spent quite a while today setting the scene,
talking to the camera,
and, finally,
staring through the lens.

I love the wrapping paper I found a few weeks back,

and the vintage lace from a flea market.

All the papery goodness items have been re-shot
(no camera was hurt, nor photoshop used in this process);
hopefully the rest will get done over the next few weeks!

A satisfactory sort of a Sunday...
...now where did the barbecue chef disappear too...?

More Seedy Goings On

2010-05-20T05:40:00.000-07:00

Sometimes your brain comes up with an idea and won't leave it alone, so today we have a new product for your delectation:

little seed envelopes (approx 10cms x 6cms),

made from handmade paper and stitched together by Glory and me.

Sold seedless so customs and excise don't go into conniptions.

Sold in 3s at

£2.25.

Going on the website at the weekend.

I'll be melting some candle wax in my cauldron for the bowl you can see in the photo: pretty ain't it? Small bowls are my new love but there only so many dip bowls a person can use!

A Vital Research Is Carried Out Successfully

2010-05-18T04:35:00.000-07:00

Whilst out 'researching (read 'shopping' but shush), I found these gorgeous bird and nest stamps...

...now I have a thing about stamps (and pretty much all stationery), so these made my acquisitive little heart beat faster...

...and I deemed that whilst I may be following the challenge in my private life, surely it didn't count for the Poppy side?

So reader, I bought them and my life is sunnier for it. Should I ever get a physical shop all of mine ownsomes, this company's range will be in it.

Fairly Vintage

2010-05-14T06:28:00.000-07:00

Scary times, people: I've just signed up for this:

Never done a fair before, so a little nervous when handing my cheque and form over to the lovely Jane.

If anyone happens to be in the area on 28th August, come see me: I'll be the one hiding behind the bunting!

Being seedy in the best possible way

2010-05-11T05:25:00.000-07:00

I finally completed the little seed packets I'll be sending out this week to friends:

made from some gorgeous handmade paper and stitched roughly together, each one will have a pinch of mixed lettuce seeds inside. I love them!

The website has undergone a bit of a change today, so when you next visit, you'll notice that all the pages are now listed on the left hand side (much nicer than a 'more' tab) and the background is clear and crisp to make viewing easier.

Happy browsing!

Somewhat dropping the ball

2010-05-03T05:57:00.000-07:00

First up, an apology to all current Letter Appreciators, and all budding ones - I had let things slide just a little for a couple of months whilst I focused on other things. Back now and itching to sit down with a pad of paper!

This month I shall be sending short letters to ease myself back into the routine, but I'll be including little seed packets with them to spread some lettuce-y love.

What will you be sending?

tick tock

2010-04-28T06:02:00.000-07:00

I love clocks for their tick and I admit to being an inveterate clock watcher, so when I saw watch faces for sale, I had to grab a few.

But it was only last night that I decided what to do with them:

front view, from left to right: a railway timekeeper face, a very genteel florally embellished face and an attractive little retro face

back view, left to right as before.

So, for your purchasing pleasure, they are now on the website and etsy, £3.75 each.

Successes abounding all over the shop

2010-04-26T06:49:00.000-07:00

Several things this week have come together with a resounding smash of happy cymbals:

a new card design of the cheeriest type (Poppy Contemplates a New Dress);

Glory and I achieved the marvellous feat of creating a separate top and skirt from an old edwardian nightdress;

and those who know of my struggle with the Trusty Red Camera will have noticed that there are no yellowing issues here (except where the landing light was shining in).

The card appears on the website.....

....now.

The top and skirt will be worn by me on my days off when I wish to appear arty and floaty around the place,

and the camera has just won itself a reprieve.

Adventures in fabric

2010-04-19T05:50:00.000-07:00

Some time ago, you may remember that I did these, and was so enamoured of them and how much I liked to make them, that I resolved to do more in other fabrics.

So I tried tweed. This was not successful, as the tweed I have is too thick to fold nicely around itself, but happy moments were spent discovering this just before people arrived at our home to be fed and entertained.

So I tried denim. Which left me feeling a little bit Meh: it wasn't really that interesting. And I'd had a glass or few of the Pimms.

Then I tried an old spotty fabric remnant:

these are much better, to my way of thinking, and really rather worth keeping for myself. However they will go on the website today for your purchasing pleasure, because I'm just that nice.

Glory and I have not had a minute to bond this weekend, so special time has been arranged over the next couple of days. Fingers and hand-crank willing, there will be some results, and not too many tears soon.

Glory Update: she and I spent some quality time together the other night. I have threaded the needle, wound the bobbin, fitted the bobbin in the shuttle and sewn some straight lines. It's a lot easier to control the speed with a hand crank!

2010-04-15T01:10:00.000-07:00

Well, I said to myself, what on earth will I find in this large, heavy box, with it's original key?

Glory be, I cried, behold a Singer Sewing Machine of the hand cranking kind!

And her serial number has given her a birthday of 15th August 1928

Surely all the bits cannot be intact, I asked of her: lo, she produced orginal parts

and manual, and receipt.

She is deserving of a name but it's not a matter that can be rushed.

For the time being she sits proudly upon the only clear space on my desk and casts her golden light all around.

Did I mention she was free?

shamelessly self-promoting...

2010-04-14T04:51:00.001-07:00

... I am not, but even I'm pleased with my ad on Lulu Letty!

My first foray into the new world of blog advertising, and Maria couldn't have been more accommodating...or patient.

Go see it!

Some Findings

2010-04-13T01:31:00.001-07:00

There have been lean pickings in my usual hunting grounds just recently, but I did manage to find a rather pretty little collection of items scattered about, looking lonely.

So I gathered them together and have promised them a new Crafty Bag home.

The eagle-eyed will have noticed that my Trusty Red Camera is once again turning all it surveys yellow. This is very frustrating and many a word was spoken in anger yesterday. To which it stopped working utterly, claiming 'low batteries'.

Normal pleasing tones will have been restored by the weekend!

A Pondering is taking place

2010-04-08T06:01:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone for the response to the etsy shop: it always takes me by surprise to see that people have been viewing what I do and actually seem to like it!

Now I'd like some feedback please: I have two projects that are flipping about in the disordered chaos theory that is my brain and I'd really like your opinion before I go ahead with either of them, as I seem to be suffering from 'can't-make-up-my-mindness'!

First of all, I've been tinkering around with the notion of a poppycorkhill zine for some time: thanks to a delicious package of handmade papers that I've stitched together in rough small-book shape, the idea of a limited edition handmade zine has sprung up. What do you think? What would you want to see in it?

Secondly, and somewhat controversially amongst my friends, to twit or not to twit? If I twit, am I? Actually, I answered that second question myself! Twitter is used increasingly for marketing, as well as just being flippin' well sociable but I don't know if I'm ready to take that step myself - it took me years to start blogging!

Opinions please, in a stamped, addressed envelope...or just commented below. Oi shall be hever so grateful....

...note to self: never, never, never attempt comedy cockney accents in type

A little etsy for your deliberation

2010-04-05T05:50:00.001-07:00

The etsy version of my shop is now up and running: click here. It's still in the development stages, so not everything has been added yet, possibly the cards will remain a poppycorkhill.com speciality.

New additions will appear over the next couple of weeks, so keep your eyes peeled!

Three ships

2010-03-30T01:09:00.000-07:00

Finished cards, each with a different legend written on (click the image and it should be large enough for you to read them), going on the website today*

Thanks for all the lovely comments about the new logo and banner!

*because of course, when I said this week, I meant the next one.

Am working on an etsy shop for the next week or so: less time to spend at the sewing machine but the ideas keep on coming!

2010-03-25T06:20:00.000-07:00

Imagine for a moment if you will: woman in her thirties, evidence of past trouble distinguishing cake from oxygen gathered around her middle (although her ankles are still pretty shapely, thank you), running along the small town streets, crying out to the troubled passers-by in their matching pac-a-macs, "Behold! Behold and rejoice!"

That would be me. But it's not because I don't do running.

Still, through the fiber-optic cables of cyberspace I virtually-run, indeed crying out "Behold", for the Glorious Bess hath made me a logo fit for the gods. Now feast your eyes upon its magnificence and be joyful...

...that's an order.

Afloat or aground

2010-03-22T05:59:00.000-07:00

In amongst all the weekend things: lying around, reading a book, eating some food, I did manage to get some work done, including a new card design.

Smooth, flat pebbles found on Cornish beaches suggested the sails of small boats,

My total inability to sail suggested the pencilled words: in order to sail effectively, it is important one should be afloat.

I'm not sure whether to leave it in pencil or do something more...more...

...the husband has just suggested 'professional' as my missing word.

So many more words roll easily off my brain for him.

An update: I'll be keeping the little homily in pencil (nyeh to the husband) as I like the way it works with the boat. They'll be added to the website this week.

Scraps of this and Bits of that

2010-03-16T07:09:00.000-07:00

So I had some scraps of the lovely tweedy/plaid fabric left over from the Just Enough purses.

Then a little packet of turquoise beads found their very own way into my letterbox with no help whatsoever from my credit card or our Very-Grumpy-Indeed-Postman.

Then the Inspiration Fairy came and smacked me over the head until I agreed to sit down and do something with said beads.

I'm not finished yet but the problem is, I'm not sure what they will end up being.

Brooches or hairclips?

The tail end of a bookmark?

A line of them sewn together to form hat-brim decoration?

Small floppy frisbees?

I think the big IF dislodged something.

An update: the child has looked upon my creations and declared them as 'confusing, why have you cut shapes in them, what are they for' over and over again. Phhssshp, children. What do they know? Although she may have a small point. Some rethinking is taking place.

Completions

2010-03-09T01:24:00.000-08:00

Finished brooches/rosettes!

I went with buttons in the end - decided the numbers would be just too much even for my kitsch tastes! On the wesbite from today, priced just £2.50 because I enjoyed making these so much, I'd rather make more of them.

And in first place...

2010-03-04T01:05:00.000-08:00

One of the sadder things about getting older and (it has to be admitted, but quietly so no one notices) wider is that I no longer go horse riding. I loved everything about it: the smell of the tack, the grooming, the clothes (oh hacking jacket, how do I love thee - more than is normal appears to be the answer) and, of course, the horses.

Even now, mmmphmm number of years later, I miss it. So this week, I've been indulging myself and creating fabric brooches that look a little like rosettes. They're not finished - I can't decide whether to use big white buttons in the centre, or circles of card with numbers on them - what do you think?

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to stand in the saddle section of the local Country Store. And, yes, I am aware that is possibly as unhealthy as it sounds.

More givings please

2010-03-02T05:39:00.001-08:00

It seems that no sooner has one disaster blasted through a country, than another sweeps through a different one. The Chilean earthquake has been hugely devastating and the Red Cross are there as well as in Haiti, doing what they can to aid rescue and look after survivors.

I am so lucky to be living in a country where the worst I could complain about were the pot holes left after the snow (and complain I did!), and can't begin to comprehend how it must feel to have everything you own, not to mention people you love, crushed or swept away.

Until the end of April, I shall be donating 20% of sales to the Red Cross: alternatively you can donate direct by clicking here.

Pootling and Rootling around

2010-02-25T05:51:00.000-08:00

After the surge of creativity last week, I've allowed things to slide this week, quietly pootling away amongst the scraps of fabric, paper and sanity I found in drawers and boxes. The following have kept me company:

This weekend I'll be working on some gorgeous mid-20th century style fabric I found. Blue and green flowers all over my desk!

In the meantime, I'd like to send you over the The Shop Floor Project: simply the most amazing website design I have ever seen. I want this necklace so much it hurts...

A rethinking comes to fruition...

2010-02-19T08:00:00.000-08:00

...finally, after a long talking-to with my camera, and the weather so that the sun would come out, and my computer so that it would load images quickly and not sit there for a long time, pondering the task I had given it before looking innocent and confused, claiming to have No Knowledge of said images, I am pleased to announce that the PoppyCorkHill website has undergone a Changing for the Better.

The Papery Goodness page has had the biggest change of all which I've just spent 10 minutes trying to express clearly and logically, but I can't. Clearly all this talking-to has affected my circuit boards as well. Follow the link from this blog and all will become as clear as Zooey Deschanel's complexion.

Also added today are, as promised, teacups and candles:

I feel the need for celebratory toast right now, so I'll leave you to your browsing. As always, comments and thoughts gratefully received.

All Hail the New Arrivals

2010-02-17T01:17:00.001-08:00

There has been a busyness about my makeshift office (otherwise known as the Corner-of-the-bedroom, or, The Pit) this week as I took what had been found, and made it better:

A felt needle case but I prefer it as button storage:

Each of it's four felty pages have four shiny buttons sewn on, waiting to brighten your days and your jackets.

A gathering of random lost things (buttons, thread, tape measure & needle case) that have come together in the spotty/denim home that me and the mother's sewing machine tustled over.

Poppy and the flowers: I'm very, very pleased with myself about this one. So pleased I don't want to send her into the world, but break free she must. Two fabric flowers and 1 bead flower hand stiched onto the green backing. The most fun I have had this week so far!

It has become a sad realisation that my Trusty Red Camera has issues with the lighting in my house: everything comes out brighter-than-bright white, or ever so slightly yellowed. I am not pleased. Some time this week will be devoted to sitting down with the TRC for a good talking to.

More to come later this week: teacups, candles (yes, I really did fiddle with hot wax in a totally non-gross way) and, finally, the appearance of the new packaging for the cards. Gawd bless chintz!

A rethinking has occured

2010-02-09T01:04:00.000-08:00

Proof that I have indeed been busy, or at least, minorly productive!

My current way of selling the cards I design hasn't been pleasing me for a while, so from next week they will be sold in groups of 4 (mixed designs), presented in these chintz & denim bags, which you will be free to do with as you please.

Suggested uses:

makeup bag
cotton reel storage
carrier for small kitten (that came from my daughter)
handy odd-bits-of-lego stashing place

If you'd like to suggest which cards should make up the mix, please comment below, or email me - I love to hear from people, feeling ever-so-slightly like Sally Field when she won her Oscar when I do!

Umm, about this week...

2010-02-05T06:08:00.000-08:00

...the fact is that the plans I had for crafting and creating this week all came to naught thanks to a glasses disaster, a missing extension cord and a minor drilling and filling incident which left me feeling woozier than I had expected.

So, I promise, faithfully, to get right back at it this weekend. No I really do. Really.

May all your weekends be productive....

...and may you not run into one of these

Steady as she goes

2010-01-30T05:42:00.000-08:00

Things of an unexpected and trembling nature have occured here today! Not only have I been oh-so-busy with needle and thread with exciting developments to tell you about next week, but I've also been entering the realm of unknownness and purchasing my own domain.

You can now browse and purchase from the website at its new address: www.poppycorkhill.com.

I'm off for a lie-down. Have a fabulous weekend one and all!

Partially Triumphant

2010-01-26T05:46:00.000-08:00

Well it has been a bit of a selfish crafting week, this week, so I should really leave this post blank, but I seem to get an allergic reaction to static blogs: mine anyway, others (Helen!) I live in hope for.

With Himself's birthday last weekend, I have been busy making cards, only to discard them all as none really said what I wanted them to - basically, I love you but please stop moving my stuff. Then I moved my attention to covering the very plain, workaday diary I've got with some lovely fabric thrifted from the charity shop over the road (the lace courtesy of the last flea market I went to). I think I need to practise the fine art of book covering a little more!

One more weekend of birthday-related madness and then I've promised myself some time to spend developing new ideas for PoppyCorkHill - including the purchase of my own domain, which is rather exciting!

P.S. I've decided that all the crafty, thrifty blogs I follow will be listed on here, rather than on the stream of consciousness currently known as 'The Fairly Constant Reader'. I like to pretend to be organised.

Ink and Stamps

2010-01-19T05:52:00.000-08:00

There is something so incredibly evocative about stamps from other places, and they are much more beautiful than our run-of-the-mill stamps here in England: each one feels like a miniature work of art and usually sets of a chain of questions in my head.

Which I will not bore you with now!

This card design came about when I was trying to think of a romantic (but not sloppily so) design for my husband's birthday. This isn't what he'll be getting, but you lucky people can!

Visit the website and click on 'Papery Goodness'. There it'll be, costing a whole £1.75.

stamps will vary from card to card and cannot be specified

2010-01-14T05:38:00.001-08:00

Well I was going to show you a new card design today, but after this has happened, it seems rather inappropriate to coo over pretty stamps.

The Haiti earthquake has been hugely devasting and the recovery could take years. Relatively small amounts of money make a huge difference: £15 buys mosquito nets for a family of 5, £30 for 3 tarpaulin sheets for those who have lost their homes and £50 gets hygiene kits for 3 families. The Red Cross have already released £200,000 from their Disaster Fund but far more will be needed as thousands of people have been affected.

Throughout January, February and March, 20% of all PoppyCorkHill sales will be donated to the Red Cross.

Alternatively, you can donate directly to the Red Cross Haiti Earthquake Appeal.

Airmail!

2010-01-12T06:33:00.000-08:00

Oooh yes. Finally! I have managed to sort out the lack of airmail but who knew it would such a deeply complicated issue? Or that I wouldn't be able to draw a paper aeroplane?

So, if you live outside England, Wales, Scotland or Ireland and want to order from me, you can to your heart's content. Just add 'International Postage' to your cart from the We Like Post page on the website, and I'll make sure your lovely bits wing their way to you, like so many crafty-thrifty butterflies.

Letter, letters everywhere

2010-01-12T05:35:00.001-08:00

The husband, inconveniently, chooses to have his birthday in a week's time, so invitations are in order: handwritten using my new pen and inks the parents bought me for Christmas.

For such a simple idea, it took me a silly amount of time! There are no delete buttons to hit with pen and ink.

Further thoughts upon vintage finding

2010-01-11T06:18:00.000-08:00

I posted a picture last week of the tape measure I'd recently found during one of my rummaging-and-foraging-and-pretending-its-work trips and since then, some people have suggested they'd be more likely to buy if it was offered as part of a collection of things.

Pour example: tape measure, needle holder, fabric and buttons.

Would love to know what other people think: you can leave a comment below, or email me using the address over on the right.

I've been playing around with the site just recently (my second favourite thing to do!), so there is now no longer any blog page there as it seemed silly to be repeating myself and I hope to have the international shipping sorted by the end of this week. Let me know if you have any thoughts at all about the website: improvements gratefully received, praise even more so!

Vintage Finds

2010-01-07T03:53:00.000-08:00

Some rummaging in cobwebby nooks recently has turned up these lovely little goodies:

silver metal tape measure (measures in inches) £3.50

lovely buttery leather handbag £6.25

green sewing kit (ok, the buttons and things were added by me)
£3.95

These will all be added to the website over the next few days.

Welcome Back!

2010-01-04T06:21:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone had a fantabulous christmas and new year! No matter how great mine are, I'm always soooo excited about getting back to normal: even more so this year as I really have kept my promise and found you some lovely things to ooh and aah over.

Not wanting to overload your systems with too much niceness all at once, I'll just let you know about this one today:

This little purse has been handmade by me and my mum's sewing machine (one day, if I'm good, I have been promised one of my very own to keep) using thrifted fabrics and buttons. Just big enough to hold card, cash and key, it's ideal for carefree days and laid back nights when a bag just seems like too much trouble. £4.25 each - limited stock.

Letter appreciators - start writing: I can't wait to see your images! Please note that membership to the LAS is free and open to all those willing to make an effort, regardless of how small, big or what continent.

2009-12-18T06:04:00.000-08:00

After some thought and reasoning with myself, I've decided to take a small break over the Christmas period (maintaining 2 blogs and a shop may be too much with all the merrymaking that is required by law in our house).

Don't fret though, I shall be back in the new year with new stock and masses to blog about (maybe even a way to solve the pesky international shipping costs - it just shouldn't be that complicated!).

Thanks to you all for all your custom and support over the last few months, have a wonderful Christmas and New Year's Eve: may all your presents be big and your bills small.

P.S. Letter Appreciators: you can start sending me images from 4th January to 23rd of all your efforts in scribbling. Can't wait to see them!

Nice banners, shame about the limerick

2009-12-16T05:44:00.000-08:00

This week I have been mostly finishing off name banners for the littlest and youngest people I know, in the hope that one day they will look at them and realise that T'anTon really did love them enough to stick pins in her fingers. In their honour, I also composed the following limerick:

Evan, Devon and Ava,

never let their nerve waiver:

in need of a boat,

to keep them afloat,

they all climbed aboard a semiquaver.

And no, I don't know where you'd find a semiquaver in the middle of a lake either. Possibly by singing.

May they all have the loveliest of Christmasses!

I told you she'd be back

2009-12-10T06:08:00.000-08:00

Poppy Flies a Kite (blue heart)

Poppy Flies a Kite (stripey circle)

Poppy Flies a Kite (green & blue circle)

I love these three cards (14.5cm x 10.5cm) and they are going on the website today priced £2.50 each. There are only the three, so be quick!

Introducing...

2009-12-08T05:42:00.000-08:00

...Poppy. She will be appearing on cards later this week but I'd like to know what you think of her first of all. For her first adventure, she will be flying a kite.

Now this isn't what it seems...

2009-12-03T11:49:00.000-08:00

I'm giving all you Letter Appreciators the month of December off in recognition of the fact that we're all too darned busy at this time of year!

However I expect to see you all, images at the ready, when January finally rocks up: plenty of thank you letters to get out!

Keep them all safe in one place with this gorgeous bird paperweight from Plumo