~Lavender Attic Etsy Shop~

I joined Etsy in 2008...it has only taken me 6 years to actually get some of my handmade and vintage homewares in my shop to sell! It has been on my 'to do' list for ages and I made myself take some time this weekend to sit down and get to grips with listing on Etsy, and thankfully it seems easy enough. I got stuck at one point and was helped by the lovely Vivienne at Green Rabbit Designs :)
The kind of things I will sell are handmade items such as cushions, bags and tea cosies mixed in with vintage homewares.  Click on the link on my sidebar to visit.
This little beauty of a bookbag is just about to be listed...

I do love it so and want to keep it but I won't...made in gorgeous Sanderson vintage linen fabric.
Also these cushions are for sale, made from vintage 1960s fabric...

...the reverse is wool check fastened with wooden buttons.

 

So, I will see how things go.  I've also joined Instagram this week and has seen some of you on there, please find me as I'm still learning the ropes :)

~Thrifty coastal find~

Thankyou so much for leaving bloggy comments, I love hearing from you.
I am remiss at replying but forgive me as I'm a whirling dervish with the paintbrush at the moment - chairs, walls, skirting boards -interspersed with a bit of crafting and much ebaying of stuff with the aim, of course of a simpler life...
There is definitely a 5 year plan with regard to coastal living, and I am determined to streamline and organise. For my coastal cupboard of loveliness, I found these late 60s early 70s tin canisters in the Care and Share charity shop in Filey on Saturday for £1

They have twist on lids and are in fantastic non-rusty condition.
One of my crochet WIPs is this cushion front in Sirdar Sublime yarn which is also *ahem* coastal inspired...

 

 

The colours are inspired by this collection of seaside prints from my favourite artist Tracy Savage who is based in Hornsea.

Not sure how I'll feel when September comes and my fix of pebbles, sea and sand are reduced :(

~More painting of furniture~

I visited Hornsea again last weekend for a wander in the sea air on my ownio and did my run of the charity shops.  In a second hand shop I picked up (literally) a solid 1960s chest of drawers - loved the size and shape of them and the fact they were on legs. I got them for £18, with a framed floral picture thrown in for free. I hate haggling - but it did work!
The handles and the vintage wallpaper lining the drawers are currently for sale on ebay (link in my sidebar). Waste not want not and all that!

 

The handles after a good polish

 

Vintage wallpaper

Next stop was the vintage style interiors  'A Lovely Little Shop' on Market Place which sells fabric, Sass and Belle goodies, painted furniture and vintage bric-a-brac. After chatting about paint and furniture renovation, the lovely lady there put me on to this product...

...a chalk based additive by Molly's Paintbrush for paint which means you can use up all your flat emulsion bits and bobs and make your own chalk paint. I think they sell it on ebay too. It comes with full instructions of quantities to use - I'm using it to mix up small amounts which I store in plastic takeaway boxes with lids.
I've used the powder with leftover emulsion to mix up this shade of blue/green for the drawers...

I will hopefully finish it this week and share the end result and what it's been like to use.

~Simple Pleasures - Old Books~

I know that like me,  a lot of you fellow bloggers also find your books thriftily at car boot sales and charity shops.  I am a member of the library in the village, which is good for reference and craft books, but apart from that on my last visit I felt there were shelves and shelves of chick lit and I came away empty-handed.
One of my Simple Pleasures is searching out old books. I am inspired by old book covers - the nostalgic typography, illustrations and colours are so pleasing- and I also love the smell and feel of old book pages.
This image would stress a mimimalist; but I could live surrounded by books like this...

Image reproduced from Country Living March 2012

My recent finds have been a 1969 Pan Classic of Persuasion by Jane Austen for 20p (you can see where the charity shop staff have written 20p in blue biro near the title - why would you do that?). I've just finished it and I enjoyed it as much as Pride and Prejudice, which is my all-time favourite re-read.

...also this 1974 copy of Daphne du Maurier's My Cousin Rachel. I've read a fair bit of D du M recently, and this is wonderful, I highly recommend it.

We're off to the Yorkshire coast near Filey for a few days away in Chateau H, fingers crossed for decent weather! See you when I get back. Have a lovely weekend x

~York Festival of Vintage weekend~

Image from http://www.festivalofvintage.co.uk/

It's nearly time for the Festival of Vintage!

I started blogging last May, just after this event and can't believe I now have 92 lovely followers and so many friendly and supportive folks 'out there'.  It's been a revelation to discover that I'm not actually that eccentric; there are lots of us vintage-lovers trying to live prettier, floral, simpler (and cheaper) lives. Thankyou all very much!
I had the most amazing day at this vintage fair last year, and am about to buy advance tickets for this year's event at York Racecourse Sat 28th and Sun 29th April. 

"Get dressed up in favourite vintage attire and step back in time to revel in the glamour and allure of the magical golden era as Festival of Vintage celebrates the sights and the sounds of the 1930’s through to the 1960’s. Visitors can enjoy a full festival of activity featuring Music, Dance, Fashion & Home & More for a true 20th century vintage experience. "

Read more about it here.  If any of you fellow Yorkshire (or nearby!) vintage-addicted bloggers would like to meet up in York, please do get in touch.

~Snowy Yorkshire~

There's a decent fall of snow outside so thought I would show a couple of photos as I've enjoyed snowy pics on other blogs today.  Small Dog loved the snow last night and ran excitedly in and out of the back door chasing snowballs. He's a bit more tentative today...

and has refused point blank to go for a walk, despite wearing his anorak, as the snow in the street is chest-level for him. Brrrrr! The view from my sewing room is this...

...it could almost be a Swiss mountain chalet, but it's actually in Yorkshire. This chalet-type building used to be a Farm Shop/ Greengrocers when I was a teenager. When we moved in 5 years ago, it was selling French brocante and vintage goodies, which was really lovely, but it's closed now. The snow-covered yard is used for caravan storage.  It wouldn't be everyone's favourite view, but I adore the vintage (1960s?) green static caravan. I'd love to move it into my garden and deck it out with curtains and bunting in green and pink roses fabric...
I've got some sewing finished this afternoon.  A small log cabin cushion for my nephew J, who will be 6 tomorrow.

His bedroom is CK Cowboys, so I hope it will fit in well.  I used fabric and buttons I had in already.

I also made this bunting for my cousin's baby daughter E, using the Laura Ashley trellis fabric I used in the previous log cabin panel, vintage pink wool fabric applique letters, and mini suffolk puffs in scraps of a Robyn Pandolph fabric, plus a couple of vintage buttons.

I need to post this off to Chester tomorrow, along with some other eBay parcels as I've sold a few vintage bits and bobs this week.
Now it's time for some stew with homemade bread rolls...

Hope you're warm and cosy wherever you are!

~Fairy Nuff~

The Christmas Fair at J's school was a real success. There was a fantastic high standard of stalls, with something for everyone...jewellery, scarves,  fair trade clothes and accessories,( my lovely friend Donna at Sugar Pie Lemon Drop)  2 card stalls, a Phoenix trader, gorgeous French-style brocante and vintage goodies, cupcakes, handmade cushions, painted signs, doorstops, bunting and Christmas decorations. Then there was me...Lavender Attic, with my chutney and bits and bobs. I always feel a bit amateur, but enthusiastic nonetheless, as I don't do selling,  and don't exhibit regularly at craft fairs. However, the chutney flew off the stall and there were tense negotiations over the last 2 jars...eeek! Calm down ladies and gents; it's only pickle! The lavender hearts didn't sell, but the mini-bunting did, and the vintage 1950s, 1960s and 1970s knitting patterns went down well.
I'll share some of my purchases with you too...

These cards are made by a clever lady called Pat from Leeds...very different and great attention to detail. This owl card was available in purple (above) green and this yellow/orange colourway (below) too (£2).

and then when I saw this lovely Christmas Fairy I knew I had to have her...

Wearing her heart on her sleeve and with her hand over her mouth in an oops-did-I-really-say-that way, she is perfect to watch over me! She has a label saying...

"Granting Wishes is really tough...

so please be patient...Fairy Nuff"

Her hair, made from braided and plaited baker's twine, is exquisite.

If you'd like your own fairy get in touch with Lisa and Jane at Yorkshire-based company Twisted Vintage. Very shortly they are opening a shop in Whitwood, Castleford where you'll be able to buy their eclectic mix of handmade country style as well as vintage home accessories and gifts.

I think she looks very much at home. 

Enjoy the weekend x