Minimal

This is the extent of my Easter decorating.

 

 

I don't decorate very much but I do have some nice painted eggs and other bits that I like to put out.  Now the time has come, do you think I can find them?  I remember coming across them a few weeks ago and making a mental note of where they were - ha!  That's not unusual for me, I can rarely find anything when I want it, usual story - too much stuff, not enough room.  Ah well, I did find these few things.

 

The knitted chick is new this year, from my dad.  I painted the rose eggs a few years ago.  I keep meaning to do more.  The colourful egg is wooden and probably brought back from somewhere abroad.

 

One of my favourites this glittery bunny in a glass dome.  Thrifted.  I wish I could find more like this.  The flowers are from Aldi - I like their selections and the flowers seem to last really well.

 

I have the day off today and have been making up these planted baskets.  We had loads of primroses in the shop for Easter but by yesterday they had almost gone.  The nursery is closed today and I'm working in the shop tomorrow and can't go, so I made these up from bedding pansies for a bit of colour outside.

Happy Easter!

Making

I do love to see what other bloggers have been making, I also love making myself.  Sadly I don't get to do as much of it as I'd like these days.  Occasionally though I do have a burst of activity.

 

I was inspired by a piece of fabric I unearthed whilst rummaging for something else. When I was just a young thing, I used to  make my own clothes.  This was a leftover piece of interlining fabric with a rather nice linen-look to it - proper vintage too!

 

So a day off was pleasantly spent matching up fabrics and trimmings and sewing up pincushions and lavender sacks.

 

These little wooden hearts were re-purposed - originally they had union jacks painted on them.  We had rather a lot of them in the shop so I took a few, painted them white, then trimmed with fabric and lace. 

 

 

This is my attempt at an Easter Bunny - it was a challenge as the fabric is quite stiff, not sure I'll be making any more, it was a bit fiddly.  I think the ears are too big.

 

 

I used self-cover buttons for some of the embelishments.  They are so easy to make and don't use much fabric, great if you only have tiny scraps of precious vintage fabrics.

 

Some hanging lavender sachets using checks and ticking.

 

 These makes will be for sale in the shop - except bunny who is booked in for an ear reduction.



 

With Mother's Day over now we are gearing up for Easter in the shop, plus preparations for our special event.  Hope to show some more pics soon. 

A table tale

There is a tale to tell about my coffee table, situated in the middle of the front room.  

It came along with Mr. Bloom and I don't like it.  Firstly it's too big.   It's also hexagonal, varnished wood and it has huge chunky legs. I have never hidden my dislike of it but it was a case of  "love me, love my chunky hexagonal coffee table".  It does have it's good point - it's very handy when having guests as you can fit loads of snacks, nibbles and drinks on it but that I'm afraid its only redeeming feature.

 

I have employed various tactics to deal with the situation.  I have tried to ignore it - not easy when it is so big, chunky and 'in your face'.  I have tried to conceal it with small doyleys, large doyleys, tablecloths - too small, too large, slid around, didn't hang right.

  

 

Then last week at the flea I found this beautiful cotton and crochet tablecloth in just the right aged Ecru colour.  It has turned out to be the perfect solution.  It hangs beautifully, doesn't slip and is the ideal length to conceal those chunky legs.  Even the hexagonal-ness of the table is less of an issue.  If I have to live with it then I can live with it like this!

 

 

Mr Bloom and I have our 'places' where we sit in the front room.  Mine is on the red sofa - you can probably see a dip in the picture!  My place faces the fireplace so I like to have some of my favourite pieces on there to look at.  Needless to say, the arrangement changes over time, currently it looks like this.

The clock is always there so we can see the time, there's nothing more annoying than looking at the clock to find it's not there any more.

A glass 'artefact' of Our Lady of Carmel and a  bottle filled with beads.  Sparkly lights obligatory, these are on a beaded string.

Pretty pincushion  made by Nikki, inside a small glass dome.  I have three of these little glass domes.  The came as part of some thrifted battery-operated resin Christmas Santa figures on a plinth with a little light.  I didn't want the Santas but saw the potential of the glass domes.

 

French boudoir dolls head, a recent lucky find at a Jumble Sale!

 

One of Nikki's stunning fairy dolls hangs on the lampstand in the window in perfect hues to match my colour scheme. And below, tulips add the finishing touch.  (P.S. the cabinet on the right conceals the TV - it' not hexagonal or chunky and it's very useful so I don't mind it at all!).

 

I have a busy weekend with the Eenie Meenie market, then I shall be preparing for the next Vintage Jumble in a few weeks.  Hope to pop back here before then!

Lucy x