Sale!

Hope you had a wonderful Christmas and are looking forward to celebrating the beginning of a New Year...
The winter sale has just started in my on-line shop today.
Niki x

Merry Christmas!

The tree we cut down and brought in from our garden...Going to plant several more next year.
Wishing all who visit here a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year.
Love Niki x

All The Small Things...

Lovely to have had a bit of time for all the small things...

Like baking mince pies.

And putting together a mini hamper as a gift for our lovely new neighbours. 

To include; a baked Camembert kit...

Homemade preserves

Cinnamon Honey Butter

And an old favourite from my childhood - Peppermint Creams dipped in dark chocolate. 

All were gift wrapped and packed into a small box with some freshly laid eggs from our hens - It was very well received :) 

**

I've been helping my daughter make a few gifts for her friends too, such as this cushion made from a cosy wool charity shop cardigan and a tweed skirt. (We shortened the skirt for her to wear and used the off cuts for the back of the cushion! - frugal recycling :))

And I used some other wool off-cuts to make a pair of lavender filled hearts as another gift for my daughter and her partner. 

Then one more simple little project got whisked up; evergreen snippets from the garden were simply tied to some terracotta pots with jute string. Church candles were pushed inside and packed with moss ready for the dinning-table.  

Hope you're having some festive fun!

Niki x

A Country Yule

I just happened to be in B&Q last week and spied that they'd reduced all of their natural blue spruce wreath bases to just £2.50...

One came home with me, as I knew it was going to be a challenge to wind a natural base from twigs this year, with no flexible birch twigs available in our newly inherited garden, like I usually use.

All the other adornments for my wreath did come from our garden though. I was very keen to reflect the rural farming landscape that surrounds us here.

There were small red apples from our orchard, pheasant feathers and sheep's wool gathered on walks, some barbed wire removed from our boundary fence and lots of festive greenery, twigs and berries. 

Most of the materials were just pushed firmly into the base...

But I used florist wire to secure the apples and barbed wire. 

Here's the finished result to welcome all of our visitors this year. 

Hope you have fun if you intend to make your own wreath too.

Keep warm,

Niki x

Made with Lace and Love...

Last week I bought these lovely lace angel wings by Jeanne D'arc from Donna's wonderful vintage shop in Barnstaple. 

I had a special project in mind...

for a special client...

My youngest daughter! 

The wings were the perfect size for one of my handmade fairy dolls. 

She had requested one for her 'bottom drawer', which will become part of her Christmas decorations when she has her own home in a year or so... 

Here's what I have created for her, using antique lace and pretty vintage trims...But keep it a secret, won't you? ;-))

Her name is Angel Eggnog !

Hope you're having fun with your festive preparations,

Niki x

Sofa Project

The reason my craft blog here has been a little neglected for the past few days, is that I've been busy being creative in our home...

A large pair of red jacquard brocade curtains bought for £10 at a local charity shop became the main focus of (another!) makeover for our sofas.

 I combined this with a Sanderson linen and fabulous vintage rose fabric, which I also used to created the 4 pairs of curtains in our main living room (LOTS of sewing!!)

All rosy and ready for the festive season :)

Niki x

Feeling Festive...

Thank you to all who visited my stall at the South Molton Winter Wonderland event, held inside the beautiful Assembly Rooms. And special thanks too, to the lovely Rosemary for working so hard putting the upstairs fair together. 

It was an opportunity for lots of Christmas shopping...

(All of my handmade fairies have new homes to go to this year - Thank you!)

There was a chance to indulge in delicious sweet treats...

Meet special guests...

And out on the high street...

Have a chat with Santa in his grotto, inside a Shepherd hut! 

Ride the vintage Ferris Wheel and carousels... 

Or walk up to the church for the Christmas tree festival...

Where over 100 specially decorated trees could be found inside, to raise funds for charity. 

Simple pleasures of the season that bring a community together.

Niki x