Flapper Faces

You may be aware that I have a soft spot for items dating from the flapper era. Understandably, original pieces command high prices these days, even with condition not always the best. I have often created my own items in the style of the 20's, such as these hat stands. I like to use old materials to make them, re-purposing 30's wooden candle sticks, old doll faces and feathers, as here.

I have long been on the lookout for some flapper buttons, similar to these that sold on etsy last year by Puffadonna. 

Photo courtesy of Puffadonna.

There are some other examples on a Pinterest board here. I've had no luck so far finding buttons within my price range, so yesterday I decided to make some of my own. 

I used an old self-cover button kit from my stash, covering them in plain calico. I then carefully hand painted the facial features using acrylic paints. 

 

I used a short piece of velvet ribbon salvaged from a c1950's hat to make the little cloche hats, with the addition of a jaunty feather glued to the back! Then to use my newly made buttons in a way that would have been typical during the 20's - I decided on powder puff wands. Rosettes were created from a gathered braid that I had saved from an old French curtain pelmet. The puffs themselves were made from cream velvet (previously an (unworn!) vest from Marks & Spencer's) - A circle of velvet, gathered, and then softly stuffed with polyester filler. The wand handles were made from short lengths of wooden dowel which I covered in vintage 'hug snug' seam binding. 

The powder puff wands were then assembled using a glue gun, by sandwiching the dowel between the puff and rosette. The button added the authentic look as the final embellishment.

Here they are finished. Not sure why Blogger has decided to turn my photos on their side, as I had saved these pics as portrait, but hope you get the idea. 

I was thinking of making some more and perhaps taking them to the next fair - The Vintage & Handmade Textile Fair, Chipping Sodbury, is on February 23rd. I'm not sure what visitors will be looking for...Will they want hand made goods, or will they be looking for textiles to use in their own projects? As always, a crystal ball would be useful! 

Anyway, hope you like my latest makes,

Have a lovely day,

Niki x

Snow Business

As I type this, snow is falling once again...Much as I like the serene picture it paints, it has caused a few disruptions we could have done without. I won't bore you with the details, but with plans we've made for early next week, I'd really like to see it gone soon. 

During the cold snap I've been making sure the little feathered visitors have been kept supplied with breakfast! At the moment they are getting through a whole container of seed each day. 

Evidence of the frenzied mealtime! 

We've been rewarded with a great many sightings of blue tits, great tits, chaffinches, green finches, robins, blackbirds; not to mention the magpies, jackdaws, collared doves and wood pigeons. The blackbirds prefer to eat from the ground, so they've been treated to seeds and left-over pasty trims from last night's home made pie! 

With me safely back inside out of sight, within a moment the birds were back on the feeder enjoying the offerings.

***

I'm hopeful of getting to work tomorrow, as I've hardly earned a bean this month! - But, if we have more snowfalls over night, I just can't make the half hour trip in my little car. 

I would like to thank all of those who emailed to let me know that they would be happy to nominate my little shop for the H&A magazine people's choice award. (Details on previous post and via my Facebook page) Thank you!
I was a little concerned that I might come across as a bit cheeky for asking, but then H&A had produced the logos for businesses to use, so I thought, why not?!...I'm sure there are lots of others doing it too. 

Fragrant narcissus - Christmas gift from my middle daughter.  

Keep safe and warm...and don't forget to feed the birdies! :)
Niki x

A (not very!) Subtle Plea!

Homes & Antiques Magazine are once again running their antique/vintage shop awards. Although my little shop Nostalgia at No.1 is not in the short-listed vintage shop category,  there is a 'People's Award' where readers can nominate their favourite shop.  

Its easy to nominate on-line here...Voting is open until 28th February 2013.

I would be very happy if you would consider telling the magazine about my little shoppe! :) 

Congratulations to Sue for Dairy House being in the short-list for 'antique centre of the year'.

I've visited many times and always come away with a purchase or two!   

Thank you,

Niki x

Sitting Pretty

I braved the snowy weather yesterday - I called for my friend in my little car, and drove off to the antique's fair about 25 minutes from home. Not surprisingly, the amount of stallholders were down on the usual by about a half, but we weren't charged an entrance fee, so that was a bonus.   

Pickings were a little thin on the ground, but I did come away with a few treasures...

More antique bottles for my crafting. I am reliably informed by the seller, that these were dug up from an old WWII Canadian soldier's camp in some woods in the south of England. Its always worth chatting to the stall holders, as you never know what you might learn! :)  

A beautiful mother-of-pearl polished shell
And two shell necklaces.

Gorgeous ostrich feather boa, probably from the 20's. 

Two diamanté brooches.

The butterflies are actually fabric napkin rings, but I thought they'd make pretty wings for my handmade fairy dolls. 

I did make one more purchase, which I shall add in a minute. First I wanted to show the sad state our soft furnishings. I'm all for pieces showing their age; a bit of shabbiness is actively encouraged around here, but our sofas, for one, are wearing out...

Not to mention the patchwork curtains...

Or our poor old hand-hooked stair carpet.

Why is it that several things always wear out around the same time and all need replacing?! The two sofas have had a few incarnations over the years, (one here) but I've always gone for a similar feel. So when I found this lovely c1920's patchwork throw yesterday, I thought it was going to be ideal to fit in with our living room's style. 

I love the pretty red/pinks and black and silvery greys, but the other colours just don't seem to work well in the room. 

I had thought it would make an ideal cover for the sofa seat pads, but trying it in the room, I'm not so sure...

It will get used somewhere, but for now I need to think again. 

I'm considering perhaps a plain grey velvet, but I just don't like the modern dyes...
Ticking is another option, but I want to it last well this time...

I'm going to scour the web for more ideas...

For the last couple of days I've had the awful hacking cough that's going around and I have felt a bit worn out...I've found sitting at my PC and pinning images onto my Pinterest boards requires little energy and is great fun (I admit I am totally addicted!) - So that's where you'll find me for now, pinning and looking for inspiration.

Enjoy the rest of your day,

Niki x

Winter Wonderland

Hubby and I went out for a short walk around the village today.

The village church.

Our house on top of the hill (right).

A couple of characters we met on the way back.

Keep warm,

Niki x