Hot off the press

Just a few quick photos of the latest cushion

Will take some better photos tomorrow in daylight, as these were taken hot off the press in my sewing room this evening so the light is poor.

Made from a vintage pink fabric with a vintage coffee coloured delicate crochet mat appliqued to the front, and adorned with a hot pink rose with a little cream heart shaped button.

The back is made from natural linen, with a pleated hot pink trim

I plan to make a few more variations of these for my Etsy and Folksy shops, as I have a good stash of these pretty crocheted mats.

Thanks for all your lovely comments yesterday. I hope you all had a lovely Valentine's Day.

You'll be pleased to hear that Mr G didn't forget to wish me a Happy Valentine's Day in the evening, and is planning to take me out for dinner at the weekend. So a happy ending. And as we have not really bothered much in the past few years, more than I expected!

Of Hearts and Flowers

Happy Valentine's Day to you all!

Especially to those who DIDN'T GET A CARD!  :(

Here's some hearts and flowers to share, and a few new cushions to rest your sad weary head on after all those tears if you didn't get a card. Or flowers. Or chocolates. Sniff.

I hope my husband reads this - I can sense the waves of guilt emanating from him now, even from over a 100 miles away. They are that strong. Or will be when I remind him tonight. He is away you see. But that's no excuse.

Here's the hearts - there are more, but the photos are on the other PC and I'm not clever enough to know how to access them from this one. Or maybe I just cannot be bothered today as I am so sad.

Cos I didn't get a card. Sniff.

lavender filled hearts made from linen and vintage lace with vintage buttons

and some flowers - these are some daffodil bulbs I bought a while back and have had indoors - they are Sir Winston Churchill, and they have a lovely scent.

Changing the subject completely, as I wipe away the tears (sob), here are some photos of my spring- cleaned bedroom - Vivienne's (Green Rabbit Designs blog ) early spring cleaning bug has finally bitten me.

and finally, some photos of the latest cushions I have made

red and white cotton/linen mix backed with pure white linen

a chartreuse and white contemporary fabric backed in a recycled Ikea duvet cover - I love this cover, but sadly it has been washed and used too many times and it has worn thin and ripped in places. But there is so much good useable fabric here that I shall enjoy re-using it for all sorts of projects.

Logan gives the thumbs up to the new cushions

Despite my inability to access the photos on the other computer, I have surprised myself in the last week  as I have.......

 * Got my Facebook page going and linked to it from here (although in error I invited everyone who has ever emailed me to be my "Friend" - whoops, so sorry everyone! Although a happy mistake when it includes you, my blogging friends, but not my daughter's school!)

* Put a photostream of my latest makes on my blog (still a few wrinkles to sort out there too!)

*Joined Pinterest and linked to it from my blog

*Set up another Facebook page just for Gillyflower makes ( and which I hope to link soon to the Etsy and Folksy shops that I set up last year but whose shelves remain, sadly, dusty and empty - soon, I hope, to be remedied.)

Now to most of you these are "yeah so whats the big deal" kind of achievements.

But to me, as I seem to be rapidly turning into a technophobe (despite working with computers since the early 1980s until last year in my "other "work life) and can usually be seen and heard saying to my husband and /or daughter that  " no, I don't want to know about it, just tell me how to do this one thing",
 these are proud moments.


Enjoy whatever today brings you (or doesn't bring you, sniff) and I shall leave you with this rather cheery picture of Logan, taken by Bella this morning.

Sharing some zingyness

Just thought I'd share some zingy brightness on this cold snowy night.......

 amazing crochet stool covers - makes me want to get out my crochet hook NOW

 granny square blanket - love this touch of naive country brightness in an otherwise simple room

 wow! how long to make that?

 If I had a modern flat........love that bright ottoman, and how the paintings have probably dictated the room scheme

 what a great idea to mix these modular sofa cushions

 love the contrast of the bold floral wallpaper behind the functional black cast iron stove, and that inlaid cupboard and shaped mirror adds an oriental touch

 love this room with its unique light fitting, comfy furniture in such restful but pretty colours, and the amazing wall art - moths ?

 a simple table, lamp and wallpaper...........but what a brilliant mix of colour and pattern

 a new take on the victorian tiles patchwork effect that works so well,  using 60s and 70s tiles here

 and still on the subject of patchwork, so much in the fore front of my mind at the moment, take a look at this bright rug

 love the red and white scheme in this pretty bedroom - the red cushions and quilt, and red patterned lampshade, offset against the white, and then that lovely custard yellow mirror as a surprise element

love how the turquoise and brown work here with the pink valance and brighttly coloured quilts

 my sister would adore this room - since she was little, lilac has been her favourite colour

 and this one - the jewel-like colours in the patchwork carpet are amazing, but having the rest of the room in the same shade as the beautiful velvet chaise longue balances it perfectly 

and this looks the perfect comfy cosy bed for a cold, snowy winters night such as it is tonight - with a roaring fire in the background too - such a rare but simple luxury these days, having an open fire in a bedroom - but a basic necessity in pre-central heating days.

Funny how our perceptions of luxury change over time. 

To me these days, having moved from a gas centrally heated house (where it was warm enough to wear a t-shirt on the coldest day) to a much colder, larger house reliant on expensive oil for heating, luxury now is a hot bath in a warm bathroom!   

We rely heavily on our wood burning stove and electric room heaters most days for heating, especially if its only me at home during the day time, to conserve the oil (as it takes hours to warm the house with the oil heating and would need to be on constantly at great expense heating unnecessary rooms) thus only heating the rooms we are using, and using the oil minimally for an hour at the beginning and end of the coldest days.

We have got used to just adding an extra layer of clothing, making sure we shut doors to conserve the heat, and relishing the warmth in the rooms provided by the woodburner in the living room, and Rayburn range cooker in the kitchen, in contrast to the chilly hall and landing!

What's your idea of luxury? Simple delights, or can you imagine far more exotic luxuries???!!!!

Do share!

Whilst you're pondering that,  I'm off to pop a few more logs on the stove, curl up on the sofa with the dog on my lap, with a cup of coffee and a good book! My idea of luxury!

And then maybe a hot bath in a warm bathroom- luckily the chimney goes up through the bathroom so its always cosy when the fire's alight!

All images from Vintage Home tumblr

Pieced and patched

Outside, as I type, a gentle snow is falling, lightly coating roof tops and gate posts like a fine dusting of icing sugar.

Thankfully the lane appears clear, just wet, and it doesnt look as if it really means business.

It's a year today I started writing my blog - the 115th post, over 30,000 page views, nearly 170 followers, and, most importantly, some good, like-minded and supportive friends made from all around the world.

Together through our blogs we have shared our latest makes, our recipes, our gardens and gardening tips, and the ups and downs of life with our families.

Thank you all so much for sharing this blogging adventure with me.

Just a few photos of my latest "makes" today - I have been on a cushion roll ever since the new year dawned, similar to this time last year I think - cushions are my all time favourite things to make!

Since my last post I have finished another three pieced cushion fronts, and one complete cushion made from vintage 9 patch blocks from America which I must share with you.


I also tracked down my small collection of reproduction 1930s feedsack fabrics last week, and made up a few more cushion fronts.

this one from two different red repro feedsack fabrics

 blue repro feedsack fabric and cream cotton

 a design inspired by a Vasarely painting from re-purposed plain fabric

I won these patches below on eBay a couple of years ago, and they are so charming in the random way in which they are pieced together - crooked and not very well sewn, yet someone has taken the time and trouble to cut and sew these fragments of old shirts, dresses and blouses together into 9 patch blocks, some fabrics probably dating from the 1940s and 50s onwards.

Look at this sweet little fabric!

Yesterday evening I had the urge to press and join them in a simple way to make a rectangular cushion, and then this morning I added a simple back using one of my favourite things to recycle - old work shirts! Ready made button fastenings - and I see in my new Cath Kidston  book "Patch!", that I got for Christmas,  that I am not alone in recognising the joys and possibilities of old shirts!

My poor husband only has to have a slightly worn cuff, or slightly gaping buttons, for me to pounce on it and declare it unfit for future wear ;0 - another one bites the dust (and makes the stash, he he!)

So one made and enough for one more similar and one in a different design.

I now have to get myself in the mood for a production line to finish and make up the backs for 7 pieced cushion covers, 

8 including this one on the table at the moment.

patched and appliqued cushion cover

I have been quite organised in my approach to these cushion covers believe it or not, making up designs from ideas that were written or sketched down a while ago, and it is quite satisfying to see them transformed forma an idea on paper to the real thing.

Maybe this is what I need - to be more disciplined!

Welcome to my new followers, and thank you for still being here to my older followers - i cannot believe a whole year has passed!

Apologies if the photos are a bit all over the place today, but I'm still finding my feet with the new look blogger which I have finally been forced to succumb to - it edits differently and I've made a bit of a hash of this post I think :(

I can't even seem to edit and add more photos for some reason - I hate change - I am getting old and grumpy, gggrrrrr!!!!!!!!.