Pastures New...

Having moved from The Stone House some months ago, I feel it is time I moved-on from my space here too...
I am looking to spend more time in my new treetop garden studio creating my one-off creations and keepsakes. 
I shall make occasional updates to my new blog
I can also be found on Instagram
Folksy and Pinterest
My Website for all links.
Thank you to all who have visited here over the years - I am very grateful for your support and friendship.
Niki x

Doe, A Deer

source

I have been searching on-line for images of the beautiful dance performances of the Royal Ballet and their interpretations of the Beatrix Potter stories. I love the poses of the dancers, frozen in time and the costume designs are wonderful. 

This inspiration has helped me in creating these two ladies. Two little deer fairy dolls in ballet poses, larger in size to the fairy folk currently listed in my etsy shop. 

This is Fallow - She is dressed in antique lace and trims and I used the stained lining from an old beaded bag for her bodice, to give an aged effect to the finished doll. 

This is Dancer. She is dressed in hand embroidered crepe, salvaged from a c1920's bedspread. All the other fabrics and additions have a lot of age to them, as I was keen for these girls to have an antique style. 

They will stand if supported slightly, or they will hang from a thread loop. I shall be listing these in my etsy shop soon.

I've also been making over this little jewellery box charity shop buy. I stripped out all of the inside hooks and trays and then gave it a couple of coats of paint.

The inside was lined in a selection of papers. 

I'd like to make a fairy doll the right size to fit inside for display. 

Have a great day,

Niki x

Garden Studio Reorganisation Continued...

Before:

The ugly (but practical) metal and chipboard shelves that house all of my vintage fabrics up in my work studio, needed a little reorganisation...

After:

I trimmed the front edges of the shelves with some fabric ruffles and lace to disguise the frames a little.

And I've tried to organise all of my floral fabrics to colour as far as possible. 

(photos from my Instagram page)

French checks and tickings here...

And the old shop counter cigar display cabinet, safely stores away all of my tiniest scraps of preciousness...(a good promotion from cigars to fabric loveliness, I think? ;-))

French linen sheets and lace panels to the left and hand embroidered linens to the right.

Cutter quilts above and vintage velvets below them.

And heaps of soft woollen Fairisles.  

Smaller pieces of lace here, with two little Victorian dolls patiently awaiting their fabricy makeovers. 

I'm allowing any of this lot piled on my workbench to go (takes deep breaths and tells self it's not good to hoard too much!) - To be sold-off to a textile dealer friend of mine if she's in need of any of it (will find out at the end of the week)...The rest will be for sale on my stall at the South Molton Flea Market on Feb 14th. 

All shipshape at last, with my most favouritest fabrics safely stowed away ready to use in their next incarnation...I'm just waiting for inspiration to hit now...

Meanwhile, a colourful gaggle of fairy folk in my etsy store are eagerly awaiting adoption.

Enjoy the rest of your week,

Niki x

Fairy Findings

I do love my collection of antique French fabric covered boxes and had been using them to store many of my crafts supplies in my workroom....

Over the years, as things have been added to the contents from my frequent visits to flea markets and vintage fairs, it has become a little difficult to work with them, having to remember what's stored inside each and often pieces got overlooked when I'd forgotten what I had. 

So time for some changes and this week I decided to implement them...

Up in the tree tops in my garden studio, those nice removal men had very kindly carried my very heavy old shop's counter to it's new home. (It was asking a lot at the time and I have to say the guys from Pickfords were fantastic.)

It has become the perfect place to store all of my fairy-making supplies. The graduated drawers make it easy to see inside and with everything sorted into groups for simpler selection, I should be able to work a little bit quicker... 

Ribbonwork flowers and butterflies and birds.

Large millinery flowers...

Small millinery flowers...

and items suitable for fairy wings.

Glass chandelier crystals and...

beautiful flower stamens. 

Ostrich and marabou feather trims

Beads 

Buttons

Satin and silk ribbons

Velvet ribbons and ricrac

Braids and bobble trims

A tray of treasures (my favourites)...

including motifs and beadwork...

And special woven/embroidered ribbons and passementerie trims. 

Assorted lace lengths in another. 

Miscellaneous findings.

Glitter, tinsel and Christmas decorations

Glass baubles and bells.

A mishmash of short lengths; lace, braid and ribbons.

On top of the cabinet is overspill...

Including a suitcase filled with scrappy lace. 

I'm fairly tidy elsewhere too and ready for some serious crafting :) 

Today I started work again and have produced...

A little fairy pupa named Silky Ringlet (erebia gorge) after the butterfly of that name. 

And one of my medium sized rag dolls dressed in a patchwork of colourful vintage fabrics. 

She is called Madeleine. 

Both have been added to my etsy store today. 

Thank you to all who have welcomed me on Instagram...I'm getting used to it and am finding it a lovely place to be :)

Have a perfect weekend,

Niki x