July 8, 2011 in diy craft projects, homemade
When you have a special occasion or big party to go to, making a new necklace or brooch is a great way to re-vamp or glam up a favourite outfit. I made this choker necklace to match a dark blue party dress of mine. I love the dress but wanted to give it a new look as I’ve worn it a lot.
This choker is a simple piece of grosgrain ribbon that I hemmed at the ends and added simple ties to the back to fasten it. It’s embellished with embossed birds made of silver foil card, old buttons, sequins and metal snap fasteners – all simply stitched on. I then finished it with an antique brooch I had picked up at a flea market. The blue suede leaves I bought from one of my long-time favourite haberdashery shops VV Rouleaux – probably the best ribbon shop in the world.
It didn’t take long to make and made my outfit feel brand new. Plus you get the added benefit of people asking where you got it from and you can say “I made it!”
Have a fun weekend everyone!
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July 5, 2011 in diy craft projects, homemade, interior styling
Here’s a little lamp I made that sits in my studio and makes me smile, so I thought I’d share it with you. It also shows how the stripped back lampshade idea works as well for little shades on table lamps as it does for larger shades, like the one made for the Decorate book launch.
I originally made this shade for an Elle Decoration magazine story I did 7 or 8 years ago and still really like it. If you look through my tearsheets you’ll come across a picture of it’s original incarnation. I bought the blank wire frame new and then hand cut and embossed silver leaves from metal craft sheeting and wired them to the bottom of the frame along with some crystal beads. You could also strip an old lampshade and do something similar.
The lamp base is vintage and I bought it from a flea market last year whilst on holiday in Croatia. I had it re-wired by an electrician when I returned home.
I bought the crystal bead bulb cover years ago and have not been able to find another one since – if you know anywhere that sells them please let me know! They’re great for diffusing the light from the naked bulb. I perched the silver bird on top for a little bit of fun, it seemed the perfect home.
The antique mirror frame was a buy from a little curiosity shop and the little girl in the photo is my Mum when she was a toddler – sweet!
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July 1, 2011 in news
I love Japan and my thoughts have been with everyone there since they suffered terribly in March. I was fortunate enough to visit Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka on a sales trip when I was textile designing full time and fell in love with it. It is so inspiring, full of the most amazing things and probably the best place to go shopping in the world!
Back in February this year my home, my daughter and I were photographed for a new magazine-book (a ‘mook’) called Liberty Chic in Japan. It arrived through the post last week and I thought I had to show it to you. The photography is beautiful and included a little bit of Liberty pattern in almost every shot. I was delighted to be featured alongside the homes of jewellery maker Emma Cassi, Apolline who makes the most amazing dolls and Marie-France Cohen, the founder of the gorgeous Merci in Paris, which is one of my favourite shops (along with Liberty).
My daughter Leila, wearing a Liberty print dress that I made for her, wrapping a strip of Liberty fabric around the lamp in her bedroom. This is the lamp from my book that was customised for the shoot by wrapping Liberty print around parts of the wire shade.
The bottles, lavender heart and lavender bags above are all projects from my book The Homemade Home. My son was at school that day but he was happy too as his drawing of an elephant made it on to the front cover if you look closely!
Liberty Chic is a 60 page magazine-book that features interiors and fashion, homes, clothing and products that all have a Liberty print focus. It is in Japanese only and comes with a Liberty print tote and mini pouch. It’s available from Hugowar.com.
Thank you so much to Masaki and Makiko, and to Teruyuki Yoshimura for the wonderful photographs. It is something we will treasure forever.
By coincidence, this was my work desk yesterday – a lovely Liberty print muddle!
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A place to share my work and the things I love: interior styling and great design; fine art and contemporary craft; exciting new products and flea market finds; handmade and homemade; celebrating the old and embracing the new; creativity, family and fun. The things that I believe make your house a home.
Line Up contemporary craft exhibition, curated by Sania Pell, at Flow Gallery, 1-5 Needham Road
London, W11 2RP.
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