Monday, February 24, 2014

Vintage & Handmade

Thank you to all who visited my stand on Saturday, at the Vintage & Handmade February Fling.
I am very grateful to all who made a purchase. 













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A couple of my favourite stands at the fair...
This tiny hand knitted mouse (approx 3cm!) was on Belinda's stand.

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And this is Jane's fairy furniture, all beautifully crafted from natural materials. 

Have a lovely week,
Niki x

Friday, February 21, 2014

The Original Vintage & Handmade February Fling

Tomorrow, I shall be attending The Original Vintage & Handmade February Fling -
The Town Hall, Chipping Sodbury, Sth Glos, BS37 6AD.
10am - 3pm
£1.00 admission.

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Here is a taster of some of the items coming with me...
This lovely old Dean's rag book was the starting point for two special handmade rag dolls...
I thought the pretty printed pages, when stitched together, would make a truly nostalgic patchwork skirt for one dolly to wear.


This is the finished doll - I've called her Poppy.
I bordered the rag pages in a lovely old French cotton printed with poppies.
Beneath her skirt she wears a blue gingham petticoat and white bloomers.
Her jacket is made from pure wool, which I hand stitched at the edges and finished with an assortment of vintage buttons. 

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Her little friend Petunia is dressed in a similar style, with the rag pages I had left over being incorporated into her dress.

She has vintage knitted lace bloomers and petticoat. 
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I've made three fairy dolls for the fair...As a slight departure from my usual girls, I've figured out a way to make them seated.
Anemone is perched on an antique piece of coral...

And befitting a sea nymph who has just left the sea shore, she is dressed in an abundance of reminders of home...
An aqua pure silk gown topped with lace is decorated in tiny dyed periwinkle shells. She wears a c1920's mother-of-pearl crown and a fine selection of faux pearls.

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A rusty antique trivet was the inspiration for my next creation...

Lacewing.
A sweet fairy comfortable with her love for the tattered and torn, she decorates herself in the rusty treasures that others have discarded...An old key, a filigree button, and snippets of antique metal braids mellowed by time.
She sits neatly on one end of the trivet, leaving plenty of space for displaying your favourite tiny pieces, which she promises to take good care of! 

Finally Skylark...captured and caged, she happily perches inside, singing songs of spring with her jenny wren companion, who shares her feathers to adorn flamboyant gowns for her inmate.
This little rusty wirework cage originally came from Spain...The perfect home for a feather festooned fairy! 
I hope you like my latest handcrafted works.
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As well as the handmade items, I've also been going through my vintage stock, which I have also supplemented with some of my own personal treasures that I can't justify keeping with all the re-decorating and sorting out that's been going on at home...
This is just a small selection of items that I shall be displaying on my double pitch on Saturday...I'll also be bringing some of my favourite pieces from my shop. 




I hope you will be able to make it to my first fair of the year.
Niki x