Christmas Wants

Dear Santa,

I have tried to be very good this year, I haven't spent too much money on crafts or homewares (well, not all of it, anyway), and I've eaten lots of vegetables. I really, really hope you agree, and can find the following in your sack for little old me:

A new Cath Kidston carry-all bag to take my lunch / magazine / book / crochet to work in, as the one I got free with Easy Living magazine has met a sad end.


The delicious patchwork-style quilt from Toast, which would look absolutely yummy on our bed.
A divine velvet tunic, also from Toast.
The wonderful two-tone brogues from Kate Kanzier. Lovely!

Almost everything from Zara. Beautiful clothes that could well have been made just for me and my style.


Thank you very much, in advance.

Yours Festively, Vicky x

More Arts, Less Crafts

As well as my current crochet projects, I've also been working on some arty pieces lately. I'm not too sure what to do with them now - I think I'm going to make them into cards and then try and peddle them round the local gift shops and galleries. Wish me luck!

Further Adventures of a Fledgling Business

Another lengthy absence here in blogland to apologise for - I've just completed and posted my second crochet order, which has been keeping me busy for the last couple of weeks and away from the keyboard. I've discovered over this time that there is nothing as nerve-wracking as custom orders - will it fit? Will they like it? Will it even arrive safely?! The answer was yes, yes and yes, and thanks to a few well placed photographs on Facebook, I now have orders coming out of my ears.

Drum roll please.... drrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.........




It does help that my friends little girl is utterly adorable, and looks like one of the toddlers from the Boden catalogue, but I have to admit, they do look wonderful! I keep looking at them and finding it hard to believe that I actually made them, and not even from a pattern!

I've also been busy designing a little business-card-type-thing that I pop in with all my orders before I post them, which should hopefully direct everybody here to my little slice of blog-world!

Busy, Busy, Busy

I haven't been around for absolutely aaaaages, and as well as not posting, I haven't been able to find the time to read any of my favourite blogs either, booo.

This is what's been taking up all of my time - it has been a long, long process, but it's finally finished!


I'd made a really simple crochet garland that hangs in our living room, and when our letting agent came round to do the routine inspection, she decided she loved everything we had, and wanted a piece of the action for her Grandsons bedroom. And so, the personalised crochet garland was born!


It took simply forever, but the look on her face when she unwrapped it made it completely worthwhile!
I've also been making little things for little people - my friend had her baby, which called for a teeny tiny hat, complete with pom pom and ear-flaps. Excuse the terrible photo - it was taken on the Blackberry, on the kitchen counter!


I've since been commissioned to make three hats for a friends child and her nieces, so there'll be another project post coming up soon!

Old is Good

While my Mum and I were going through her old photo albums (her growing up, her marriage to my Dad, that sort of thing), we stumbled across her Grandfather's old clothing ration book from 1947. I love things like this - the old, spidery handwriting of my Great-Grandfather, who I never met, the old print design, the lovely colours...

Inside were a number of different colour tokens, which I presume had varying value. My Great-Grandfather died in 1953, which explains why the book is almost full. I would imagine that for a lady of twenty-something, there would just be the outer case and ticket stubs!


I can't help but look at them and see patterns (I tend to have a bit of a thing for patterns, the notebook is constantly out in case I see a good'un in the clouds or suchlike), and wonder if there could be a possibility for some sort of crafty project. Maybe a pillow case? Or even a panel on a dress? Hmmm.


Look at all those colours, working together to create a lovely little mosaic. It makes me immeasurably happy, and I'm pretty sure it's going to be turned into something wonderful.

We also found this little postcard, which I think will be nice as part of a piece of artwork for a child's bedroom wall...


I'm not convinced the Bible quote will make it into the final cut, though, not that I have anything against it, but I just think the little picture speaks for itself.

In other news, the Carnation household is now under a self-enforced and very strict budget. We had one final spend up a couple of weeks ago, which included our last takeaway (fish and chips, nom nom), a gigantic Waitrose chocolate cake and strawberries, a little bundle of trimmings, and various fabrics found in vintage shops.

The turning point was after the wedding when we looked at our sad little savings account, suddenly all-but-empty, and also when I realised I was spending £60 a month on Starbucks. I know their coffee is Fairtrade, but still, that's excessive! So I got myself a little book to record all spending in, and every single purchase gets noted down on a daily basis. I like the entries that say, "Bus Fare - £3.80" and nothing else the most. The days which have "Food Shopping - £92" leave a rather bitter taste in the mouth, and as well as recording all our purchases, we are going to be looking at wastage (there is inevitably a large amount of vegetables thrown away each week - but not so this week, hurrah!) and how to cut our grocery bill. I find it quite exciting, the sort of 'back to basics' approach that people used during the war. I was already enjoying the challenge, but seeing my Great-Grandfather's clothing ration book really enforced what I was doing as being right. Hurrah for the old things!

Last Week in Pictures

This week I have been mostly loving:

Free yarrow from the lawn outside the flat popped into a 49p vintage glass bottle from the charity shop down the road - what a bargain way to add a little decoration to my already nearly-full makeshift mantelpiece!

New charity shop bargains - a small floral dish and a vintage candle-holder from Barnardos, retro doilies and a 70's paisley skirt (to use as fabric in various sewing projects) from Sue Ryder, and a lovely selection of vintage-y tops from British Heart Foundation. Apart from the shop I work in (and supermarkets!), I can't remember when I last went in a shop that sold brand new things!

Beautiful sunsets from the lounge window and the light filling every inch of the room.

My ever-expanding plate collection. When we move house, my three requirements are going to be a third bedroom (for crafts, not extra babies!), a large garden (for the existing baby!) and a plate rack!

Beautiful gladioli and sunflowers from a beautiful friend.

Our bedroom being full to the brim of vintage and second hand clothes ready for customising and selling on. They seem to have spilled out of the wardrobe and across anything I can hang them from!

All in all, a good week!