Handmade And Thrifted....

I am doing my best to make, buy handmade, or thrift Christmas presents this year. I really do think there is something quite special about the handmade thing, even a little handmade card given, touches me.





Although I adore shopping, proper, new shop shopping gets me in a tizz, especially at Christmas. I get hot, hungry and a little moody so much prefer browsing junk shops and CSs to see if there is anything my family or friends would like. I shall probably offend, but in my olde age I am learning sometimes you have to stop worrying about what other people shall think so much, like I do, and do what you feel is right in your heart.

What was certainly right in my heart was purchasing Fleur's delightfully handpainted wooden personalised pencil cases, with a set of sweet wooden coloured pencils. I HAD to buy them for my children, though of course it is Santa who delivers them ;)


How could I not resist.





Fleur also puts the sweetest original vintage images on them. One for Master Poppins.





One for Miss. Poppins.





They really are the cutest things, and so lovely to have their names exquisitely handpainted at the top. Thank you Fleur for hand painting them so beautifully, a couple of very special gifts.


I also HAD to have one of these delightful handmade crocheted necklets made by The Scrappy Parrot although I did play the one for you, one for me game, I love so much. I bought one for my lovely Sister, who lives in Cyprus, and I bought one for me. The money I paid for the one for my Sister went to a worthy charity so even more special I thought. My Sister's has been sent, so here is a little photograph of mine.





Isn't The Scrappy Parrot clever, it really is the sweetest thing, and commissioned especially for me, extra special :) Look at the cute crocheted flower.





Thank you The Scrappy Parrot, I adore it and know my Sister shall adore hers too.


Well I have also found some thrifted presents.


Lovely books for the children.





I especially love this 1970s one, a little present from my children to me.





Look at the back cover.





Would you like to know why this book has a special place in my heart, well about two years ago I thrifted this 1970s book.





The back.





I love the fact that now I have my special Mum book too :)


I also found a gorgeous book for a £1.00 that looks perfectly brand new, and would make a lovely gift.





I know exactly who is getting these thrifted, yet brand new rubber gloves for Christmas, and is going to go down a treat I know it. It is Mr. Father-In-Law, he always wears black rubber gloves to wash up, anyone that knows me, would know that I couldn't think of anything worse. When I am at the in laws' lovely home, and he is wearing his favourite gloves, he always come up to me with his scary black gloves on and makes me scream.


Well I thought he could do with a new pair.





Far prettier don't you think.


For a little child I saw a beautiful Rexinter Toy elephant with its original £9.99 price on, being sold for £1.00. Yes a couple of his little stitches had come undone, but I thought he was lovely, so took him home with me.

Well, I stitched him up, gave him a little ribbon and think he is now as good as new.





I also found some 5p Christmas decorations.





And some wonderful 30p each handmade Christmas cards, they are so wonderfully handmade, felt a little guilty buying them at the cheap price.





Mmmmm now who could I give this cute £1.50 brooch to.





Of course, I do see things in the new shops I like for presents too.


I couldn't resist these Christmas toys, Master P shall love his new pals. TK Maxx, so quite reasonable.





Pretty twine from M&S.





Pretty fabric, present for me, Mmmmm maybe.





Well I do so enjoy buying thrifted and handmade presents. I only hope at the Christmas fair I am doing, the lovely ladies and maybe some gents like to buy handmade as presents too. Tis not about the money for me this handmade malarkey, it is the pleasure, hopefully, someone gets by receiving something handmade with love by me.


Right I should really unwrap my anniversary present.





Didn't even manage to pull the CK Christmas crackers last year, they were for decoration purposes only, well you can be guaranteed that they are going be pulled this year.






So pleased your giveaway treats got to you alright Ticking Stripes it was a pure pleasure sending your pretties and glad you and your DD like them :)


Happy Christmas shopping if you are doing any.


X

Handmade Extravaganza

Well there has been many a handmade pretty exchanging hands here and I thought you may like to have a little looky.


Firstly, I really enjoyed doing a little swap with Lisa at Knitty, Vintage and Rosy My lovely friend took a shine to a vintage paisley fabric cushion I had made, and I offered to make up a couple of pretties in the same fabric and suggested we do a little swap. Well, I adore the Romantic Homes magazine and Lisa kindly offered to send me one. Brilliant :) So I happily got on with making some pretties to send over to Lisa.
What a beautiful parcel I received from a lovely bloggy friend.


Not one





Not two





But three beautiful Romantic Homes magazines.





I adore these sweet little magazines and they take pride of place on my coffee table, and are a special treat :)


Not only did I receive these, but lovely Lisa also sent some adorable heart shaped vintage buttons. In fact the sweetest, prettiest little buttons I have ever seen. These shall be used in a VERY special project indeedy.





Some lovely, and very me, baby pink polka dot fabric.





Some beautiful embroidery threads.





The cutest vintage ribbon.





And an ever so sweet crocheted mat, all in my favourite colours, I love it and the pretty colours are a joy to look at.





Ohooo what pretty, pretty colours.





And then when you turn it over, you are treated to some cute cherry fabric.





Thank you so much Lisa, I thoroughly enjoyed doing my first international swap, it was brilliant fun and thank you for sending me some wonderful treats :)Would you like a little looky at what I sent Lisa.

Knowing Lisa loved the pretty fabric, I made her a pretty covered clothes hanger for her favourite pretty dress, and cute little brooch that the lovely Gem inspired me to make.





I love making lavender pillows and thought Lisa may like one made out of the same lovely fabric.





I also decorated the edges with some hand sewn vintage buttons taken from my favourite buttons tin :)





A couple of Christmas handmade pretties





And gathered some little treats for Lisa.





So, a lovely swap and I am so happy that Lisa likes everything. Knitty, Vintage and Rosy is a beautiful blog, do have a little looky.


As you know from here I received some beautiful handmade treats for the family from the lovely Karen , who asked if we could do a little swap.

Here is what I had handmade for Karen. A Christmas Rag Heart using pretty Christmas, and gingham fabrics, and some lovely lace kindly given to me from the lovely Elaine at the SC Cafe.





Being a Christmas heart, I popped a little cinnamon stick in through the pretty Ribbon given to me from the lovely TG from the SC Cafe, who has a Yummy website selling pretties.





I also wanted to send a little something for Karen's charming son. So, what do you think little boys love, cowboys I thought, and a little boy always likes to see his special initial on things :)





And the yummy back





I am so glad you liked your little pretties Karen, it again was a lovely swap :)


I have also received some adorable pretties from bloggy friends, we all decided to make a little something for each other.


I received a gorgeous handmade Stanley from kind Mel Mel





And a cute little handkerchief, perfect for a little crafting project.





Thank you Mel Mel.


From the lovely Rachael I was given the prettiest fabric strawberry.





I had given Rachael one of my pretty Rag hearts as a little gift and Rachael as a thank you kindly made a very pretty handmade corsage.





It is very pretty. I adore corsages and have many, really I think maybe 25 or so. I was very inspired by many Carrie Bradshaw wore in the famous HBO series, and also the bigger the better for me. Do you remember the corsage dress Carrie wore in one the opening credits, a vintage one I gather, and it was shortened by the wonderful Patricia Field, I adored the clothes in that programme, Carrie's more than anyone's, my, what I would give to have a closet like hers.

Anyone here queue up for their Jimmy Choo's ;)



Photograph courtesy of HBO


I enjoy making them too, and can be seen fiddling with fabrics making different ones. Here are a couple of my favorites I made a little while ago.





Of course there has to be heart inspired ones too ;)





And now for the very special lady that is Lesley look what a beautiful gift Lesley made for me, a sweet and ever so Mary Poppins pretty eye mask. I love it, she hangs on my bedpost looking all wistful, and I smile everytime I see her :)





A little thank you gift too from Lesley as a thank you for finding her a little something Lesley wanted from a shop.


The most adorable crocheted floral brooch, using the finest mohair. I love it and isn't lovely Lesley clever, it really makes me smile when I wear a pretty that someone has handmade for me, I get a certain glow about me :)





So thank you girlies for all your lovely handmade gifts, I forgot to take pretty photographs of what I made, but Lesley, Rachael and Mel all recieved a handmade personalised hand towel using pretty pink fabric and lace and a little Parisian lavender pillow.

I hope they liked their handmade gifts.


Right, I really should be crafting for the Fair, I really don't want to be crafting at midnight the night before the fair like I was for the Summer one, Ohooo that twas stressful.I have purchsed some pretty fabric so I should really get on and do something with it, I can't look at it forever can I ;) I am making some simple doorstops to sell, lightly fragranced which are very pretty. Ohooo dear, I do wonder if all my hand made pretties are rather simple in their making, I really don't have the motivation for the intricate stuff.

Good luck to you all doing craft fairs, I only have experience of the Summer one I did. The hearts and bunting were a real favourite, and I know there are some lovely ladies looking forward to browsing at my little table at the fair. But, also you never know what could happen, one can make £100.00 or one could make a £1.00. We shall see, as long as I go with a smile and come back with a smile I shall be happy :)

A couple more photographs of some pretties I have made.

Do you remember the clothes sent to me by the lovely Heather to repurpose into something pretty and sell to make a little money for a worthy charity.

Well here they are before





And after, pretty reversible bunting, two lavender hearts and a cute Alice band.



I love that you can reverse the bunting, depending on the look you want.





Thank you so much Elaine for buying the pretties, and thank you for helping out a worthy charity too :)


I have also made some sweet personalised Christmas stockings, they were given as a gift to two adorable little children.





Well I hope you have been a little inspired to make something handmade, tis always so special I think to make and and receive handmade :)


Thought I would also show you two little items thrifted for Master and Miss. Poppins. If you have ever thought that thrifting clothes or shoes wasn't for you, honestly, some items are brand new with tags, being sold for pennies. I was so happy to find these for my children.

Brand new trendy baseball shoes for Master Poppins and some pretty brand new leather Marabar heart slippers for Miss. Poppins.





Always worth a looky in the CS when you walk past, you know I am a fan, and have found some wonderful, wonderful things.


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