Vintage love: brass letterbox

I'm not quite sure when this brass letterbox dates from - it may even be antique - I think it at least dates from the 1920s or 1930s...

I am a big fan of fonts, I love examples of old fashioned typefaces, so this letterbox ticks lots of boxes for me. I currently live in a modern house so it would look out of place on our UPVC door. But it would be perfect in a chunky wooden door on the front of a large Victorian property...maybe one day I will get the house and door to fit around my letterbox!!



I mainly use it as a weight when I am cutting fabric out, it stops the larger pieces sliding onto the floor once I've chopped into it. Plus, it's perfect for propping open the lid of my seventy year old vintage trunk. It's packed to the brim with vintage fabric, I use it nearly everyday, but the lid no longer stays open and if I'm not careful it will fall on my head and put me in hospital! This letterbox is just the right shape and weight to hold the lid open so I can rummage for fabric in safety.

New additions

I have recently added two new market totes to my online store. I love these bags, they are so sturdy and useful. Based on the design of a carrier bag, they are designed to be held in your hand or slung over the lower part of your arm whilst out shopping. They make the perfect (and more attractive) alternative to plastic carrier bags.



Made in fab vintage fabric, these two workhorses come in chestnut brown and chocolate and toffee brown.



Not only are they perfect for shopping sprees, they make great knitting bags, book bags, gym bags, you can cram virtually anything into these handy totes.

Magazine feature

I'm so excited to be featured in the first ever issue of 'Sew Eco' magazine! Pouch is listed in the 'Gallery of Inspiration' section at the front of the publication. They have included a lovely big image of the 'go green reversible market day tote', I think it looks fab!

It's always lovely to see your work in print...

Paper Potter

My family are well trained - they know I love a nice eco gift! This Paper Potter was a Christmas present from my brother and his family. I have only just got round to blogging about it because I had to wait til Spring/Summer to use it!



I spent a relaxing evening cutting up newspapers and rolling them onto this little pot-making implement back in early Springtime. It takes a little bit of trial and error, the first few I made weren't that great. But after a while I started to build up quite a production line in the end, practise makes perfect and all that...



I think they look great grouped together, and they work really well. I grew sunflowers and nasturtiums in them back in April. They have been potted on and the newspaper will have rotted away by now.



I highly recommend these paper potters, just the fact that the company who make them have one of the best names ever is a good enough reason to buy one! they are a great way to make a small, ecofriendly change by rejecting plastic pots and using recycled paper!

Vintage or not?

I bought this large piece of fabric recently, I bought it because I loved it, the design, the colours, everything about it appealed to me. It almost has a screen printed quality to it and the pattern is made up of the most amazing acid green, teal blue, chocolate brown and taupe detailing.



When I got it home and took a closer look, I started to think that maybe this lovely fabric might actually be vintage. Usually I can spot vintage fabric a mile off, but I'm not so sure with this piece. My first inkling that it might be vintage was the narrow(ish) width. It is 46 inches (117cm) wide which is narrower than most modern fabric bought off the roll, although not as narrow as some very old vintage fabric.



The main thing that made me think it might not be modern fabric is the texture. I bought some 'orange circles' vintage fabric a few years ago an it has exactly the same feel - the photos below show the fabric I purchased still on the bolt and with it's original labels. The brand name is Cepea and it says it is in "duplex print". I am wondering if the fabric I am currently trying to identify, which has an almost barkcloth feel to it, is made from the same type of stuff...





It is in such pristine condition that I really can't tell for sure. I don't mind if it isn't vintage, I really like it anyway. But if I use it to make something to list in my online stores, I don't want to say it is vintage, if it's not! Plus, I am just curious and I would love to know if anyone thinks this fabric is modern or vintage, perhaps you recognise it and could let me know the brand name or its possible age!!

Vintage love: St Michael bedding

I recently bought this fabulous set of vintage bedlinen from ebay. It was a complete steal and in pristine condition because it is still in its packaging! Plus, they also still have their price tags intact - 85p for bedlinen - those were the days.



I also love the fact it says 'Made in Britain' on the packaging, always a sure sign that something is vintage as we hardly manufacture anything in this country anymore. St Michael, or Marks & Spencers used to pride themselves on only selling items made in Britain, but even they have succumbed to market forces...you can read more about the history of St Michaels here



I also want to tell you about two new items in my Etsy store, a sleepy owl and lavender rabbit in two new colourways. First up is my new Lavender rabbit in cornflower blue. It is handmade using vintage fabric in shades of cornflower blue, royal blue, pale yellow and pure white.



Second up is my Sleepy owl in sky blue and bottle green. This owl decoration is handmade using vintage fabric in shades of bottle green, navy blue and pale pink. It is filled with chemical-free, French Lavender and non-allergenic stuffing.

Four years of selling on Etsy

May 14th (this Saturday!) marks the 4 year anniversary of my very first sale on Etsy

So to celebrate I am offering free shipping on all orders for 48 hours over my anniversary weekend. All you have to do is enter the discount code 4YEARS at checkout. This offer will run from 8am (GMT) Saturday 14th May to 8am (GMT) on Monday 16th May.

I honestly can’t believe I have been selling on Etsy for 4 years, the time has just flown by. I also can’t believe that when I stumbled across Etsy in 2007 whilst reading Susie Bubble’s blog Stylebubble that it would become such a big part of my life

Pre-etsy I had been trying to sell my handmade bags at craft fairs, I had found it a disheartening experience as I was often faced with people who weren’t my target market tutting at my prices and making me feel about two inches tall. When I found etsy, it helped me to realise that you don’t have to undervalue your work and that there are people out there who will pair a fair price for unique, handmade goods.

Since opening my Etsy store in 2007 I have sold vintage fabric bags, homewares and accessories to 100s of people around the globe. I have received lots of positive feedback and my confidence in my products has grown. Over the past four years I have expanded the Pouch range to include not only bags, but belts, clothespin bags, vintage trims, lavender filled hearts, owls and rabbits. The latter have turned out to be one of my best selling products and I am constantly on the look out for bright and bold vintage fabric to craft even more owls and rabbits!

The biggest plus-point about Etsy is that it is not just a selling venue, it is a community. Through Etsy I have met many designers and crafters from around the world and in the UK. Most importantly, I have formed friendships with a small circle of like-minded crafters who offer me support and advice about selling, designing and also the occasional life-related dilemma. I have even met a number of my fellow crafters in ‘real life’. Most recently Lisa from seaurchin and Laura from Lupin Handmade visited my home city of Bristol and we enjoyed a cup of tea and a chat.

In my life, alot has happened in the past four years, I have got married and most importantly I have become a mum for the first time in 2009. To say my daughter has changed my life would be something of an understatement. My priorities have changed and I no longer want to work in my old job – I want to be able to make an income through crafting. It offers me flexibility as a Mum to a young toddler and job satisfaction because I am doing something creative, which motivates me more than any other job I’ve had.

I think my Etsy store has changed dramatically since I first opened in 2007. I have learnt loads and have worked hard developing my products and honing my photography skills. I am proud of the way my online store looks today, although there’s still lots to learn. There are so many talented designers on Etsy, that you have to continually raise your game to try and keep up!

So, here’s to the next four years!

Don’t forget, free shipping on all orders over my anniversary weekend, just use the code 4YEARS to claim your discount. Please visit my store here

If you are new to etsy, or are unsure how to use discount codes, please see this helpful etsy guide

NavyBlueNotes kindly gave me permission to use her birthday card image at the top of this blog post. 4th birthday card by NavyBlueNotes