May 17, 2012 in news
It has been so busy lately with work that this almost slipped me by: it was one year ago yesterday that I posted my first blog post! It seems an eternity ago and like it was only yesterday all at the same time! It was my friends Holly and Leslie who talked me into starting a blog while we were working on the Decorate book launch and I really didn’t think I would get such an amazing response to my little ramblings nor that quite so many people would pop by to spend a few minutes at my corner of the inter web. Almost 100 posts later and it’s one year on already, it has flown by so fast. I took these quick snaps of the number one on one of my vintage surveyors’ staffs this evening before the light disappeared.
I will be able to share some of the styling projects I have been working on as and when they are published over the next few months but, with the book launch too, I haven’t had much free-time for a while. I have lots of blog posts planned and photos taken and stored up and will get back to posting more often as soon as I can.
It has been an amazing, crazy, fun, hectic and creatively rewarding twelve months. A heartfelt thank you goes out to everyone who has visited my blog over the last year, especially to those who have commented on my posts (they really mean a lot!), said hi on my Facebook page and on Twitter and to those who have bought my new book. Thank you.
Sania x
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May 9, 2012 in books, interior styling
The book launch for The Homemade Home for Children at Liberty was a very special day for me and thank you to all who joined me to make it that way. I know there were friends who would have loved to have been there but just couldn’t make it on the day, so I thought I would show you the details that helped to make my corner of Liberty so cosy, so you too can join in and feel as if you were there.
I had two dusky green coloured trestle tables pushed together to create a making area on one side of the atrium on the 3rd floor, by the entrance to the Little Liberty children’s wear department. I brought some of the actual projects from the book along with some items I had made especially for the launch. The Floral Wall Hanging project from the front cover of the book was hung above an original fireplace – the perfect place for it – and on the mantlepiece I added the Bowl of Goldfish Mobile project, one of the dolls I made for the Vintage-style Doll project, a variation of the Graphic Boxes project and also the Butterfly Table Lamp project. I made the flower pots especially for the event too.
Above the trestle tables I hung an adaptation of the Enchanted Branch project. I made a much larger version especially to hang over the tables using more leaves cut from Liberty print fabric.
In the centre of the tables was a pile of vintage books – props from the Liberty prop cupboard. Plant pots were balanced on top , a bird cage and vintage patterned china acted as vessels for the fabric and materials I had prepared for guests to make with.
I wanted my guests to be able to join in and make something from the book so that they would have a little gift to take home with them.
The Flower Hair Band project seemed an obvious choice as it could also be made into a brooch too. I spent the week before the launch preparing, cutting out the circles (100 in total) that the base of the flower is made from, leaf shapes, flowers for the centres and fabric strips, to save time for my guests. All were a little mismatched but Liberty fabric is perfect for this, it works brilliantly with different patterns jumbled together. So my guests just had to decide which patterns they liked. The results were really lovely and I hope people were happy with their little fabric flowers. You can see some the broochs here. If you would like to have a go at making one you can follow the Liberty video that we made.
Another simple project was the Wishing Board project. Guests could make a wish by drawing on a card tag and hanging it on the wishing board. I cut up thin strips of Liberty fabric and had a pile of labels and Muji fibre tip pens with little bits of washi tape wrapped around them. One such tape was a much-loved Merci for Liberty tape. Once the wish had been drawn the tie was threaded through and the drawn wish could be taken home or added to the wish board.
I loved that everyone got creative with these and started stitching on them and really making them personal. The full illustrated instructions for each of the projects can be found in the book which is available through CICO Books and at Amazon.
The idea behind the wishing board is that it isn’t material things children should wish for, not Playstations or Barbie dolls, but things that can make you happy; a bunch of flowers, a holiday, a pony, even a rocket to the moon. As one of the gorgeous girls who modelled in the book, and came along with her mum, said on her tag “I wish I had a Hamster”. So sweet. I think I had the same wish when I was eight.
I hope all your wishes come true. x
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What a fantastic day my book launch at Liberty was. In fact I would go so far as to say it was one of the highlights of my career so far! I had been preparing for the launch for the fortnight before, cutting fabric, getting materials together and planning it all in the evenings and weekends. It was an early start as everything had to be set up before Liberty opened its doors but thankfully I had the help of my lovely friend Caroline who was invaluable. And we also got to raid the Liberty prop cupboard to help style the table!
I wanted it to be informal so we had a big craft table that sat about a dozen people and it was filled all afternoon with people making, chatting and laughing and some children joined us after school, including my own, which was lovely, everyone making and drawing together. It was so much fun.
Everyone could have a go at making the flower hairband and hair clip project, and I also brought brooch pins so they could be worn on your clothing, showing how easily it could adapted for grown ups as well as children. Everybody seemed to love them and even guests who considered themselves non-sewers had a go and loved what they made. We also had the wish board project there, and guests could make a wish by drawing it on a tag and hanging it on the board with a Liberty fabric tie. There were lots of sweet and fun tags on the board by the end of the day.
On the Tuesday before the launch Liberty asked me along to be filmed making the flower hair band project for their blog too which was fun, though I am much happier behind the camera styling than in front of it, so if you couldn’t make it to the launch and want to have a go at making one it’s all in the video, I hope you like it. Liberty also interviewed me and you can read it on the Liberty blog here.
We have also uploaded all of the photos my husband took onto the Homemade Home Facebook page, so do have a look and please comment if you see yourself! Don’t forget to hit the ‘Like’ button too if you would like to get the updates there. Or if you came along and took pictures I would love to see them and feel free to post them on the page. I have been very busy since the launch but will be posting again with images of the displays and things we made.
Go to The Homemade Home on Facebook
Some special thank yous go to all of the Liberty team who were fantastic and helped it go so smoothly. Sonia, Cindy and the CICO Books team for all their support. Caroline, Polly and my husband Mark for all their help and to my mum and dad who brought my children along after school. And a big thank you to all of you who couldn’t make it along or were far away and sent sweet messages.
The biggest thank you goes to everyone who came along on the day. I really, really appreciated it and without you it wouldn’t have been the success it was. I do hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!
Sania x
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Well I’ve been super busy preparing for the book launch at Liberty tomorrow as well as working on client projects, having meetings and juggling the school run! My studio is covered in gorgeous Liberty fabrics which I have been cutting and making into things to display or preparing ready for you to make with.
It’s going to be a kind of ‘make and meet’ to celebrate the launch of the The Homemade Home for Children and I will be there between 2pm and 5pm on the 3rd floor near the entrance to Little Liberty. You will be able to join in the fun and make a Liberty print hair clip or brooch to take away with you or make your wishes come true by adding a wish tag to the wish board. And rather than doing a talk I am keeping it informal and will be there to show you how it’s done and help you have a go, and we can happily chat away while we make. So if you have any queries about projects from the new book or from my previous book or any other questions do ask.
I will also be taking along some of the items to display like the floral banner that is on the cover, the play sail and other projects which you can photograph if you wish. Copies of the book will be available to buy from Liberty and if you would like me to sign your copy just ask.
The invitation and details are on this link and if you haven’t visited Liberty before a map is here, it is a wonderful emporium so do browse the rest of the shop when you are here, it’s fab and you won’t be disappointed.
I do hope you can come along and say hi, or if you can’t make it but know someone who can please tell them about it. The more the merrier.
See you tomorrow!
Sania x
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If you would like another peak into my new book, pick up the new May issue of Country Living magazine which contains a six page feature called ‘Get Creative’ with projects from The Homemade Home for Children. If you haven’t seen the magazine it is a complete lifestyle magazine and includes homes, gardens, food, crafts, health and travel. A big thank you to the Country Living team for the feature.
Things are hectic here as I have been busy preparing for my book launch at Liberty this Thursday and my house is covered with swatches of Liberty print fabric and other goodies in anticipation! More details of the launch are here.
I do hope you can come along!
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April 19, 2012 in diy craft projects, homemade
This is a favourite brooch of mine that I made and wore at the Decorate book launch last year in April. I was intending on wearing a high street brooch I had bought from Hoss (a favourite store of mine), but decided the day before the launch that I should wear one that I had made rather than bought. So I got busy and made this little felt cloud brooch. The silver scissors and heart key charms were lucky finds at Sunbury antiques fair in Kempton and are little surprises amongst the glistening silver beads of rain. The scissors open and shut and are really quite special.
There is an embroidered felt brooch project in my new book and the rain cloud motif also features in a project too. Both projects have full step-by-step instructions on how to make them if you want to try this at home. If you love jewellery you might also like this post.
Wearing a homemade brooch on your clothing is something that people always notice, and, as I wrote in my first book, there is nothing like the feeling you get when someone remarks how much they like something and you can reply “I made it”.
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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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