Wednesday 23 February 2011

Feeling sheepish

I felted this sheep today. It's one of the projects in the Gillian Harris 'Complete Feltmaking' book I have.

Can I please ask anyone reading this to go to my daughter's blog and either click 'Like' or leave a comment. She has entered a competition to win a camera and the person with the most comments is the winner. Other competitors have resorted to having 'Giveaways' to ensure they receive more comments which I don't think is quite fair so Rosie needs all the help she can get. Thankyou very much!

Monday 21 February 2011

More Felting

Thankyou for your comments on my last post - it was interesting to read your views.
I have been experimenting with more felting lately. I am very much a novice but the whole process of transforming fibres of wool into felt fascinates me. The previous post I did on felting was using water and soap and friction to create the felt but I have also tried creating felt by using a needle. This is using one barbed needle placed over a sponge and the constant 'stabbing' makes the wool 'stick' to itself and form felt.
I have also made a bracelet with felt 'beads' and a rose corsage.
The blue piece is cobweb felting where much fewer strands are used. I really like this and my next project is to make a scarf. Looking at images on the internet I came across some stunning pieces of felting. One thing I would like to try is Nuno felting where the wool and fabric, usually silk gauze, fuse together and this can be used to create scarves, shawls and other garments. Meanwhile I shall keep practising and hopefully be able to show you some more items soon.















Wednesday 16 February 2011

Items on loan to magazines

I wondered if anyone who reads this has had items on their website requested by magazines for photoshoots and, if so, what are their experiences.

Last year I was asked to send four items to a very well known country magazine which I did. It cost me quite a lot in postage as one of the items was quite large and had to be sent separately. After I received them back I emailed the magazine to ask if they had used them. I received no reply so I emailed again (all very politely) but never had a reply. Last month another magazine, again a reputable antiques one, asked for an item to be loaned to them for a photoshoot. I duly sent this off, received it back and yet again, no emails and no reply to my enquiry.

What I want to ask is if this is the norm and am I being unreasonable when I think it is discourteous to ignore me once they have received the item? Surely a brief email thanking me and saying whether or not it has been used wouldn't go amiss?

I regularly buy Country Living, Homes and Antiques, English Home and Country Homes and Interiors plus some others now and then. I always enjoy seeing where items have been sourced and like to look at these people's websites. It is always interesting to see different websites mentioned (other than Cath Kidston and Cabbages & Roses!) especially ones that are new to me.
By the way it wasn't any of the magazines in the above photo. Ok, moan over!!
I am loving my newly acquired Asiatic Pheasant dish


and metal letter stencil. The shop only had three left for sale and fortunately one was an R for Ruth.









Monday 7 February 2011

Wedding dresses

I have already blogged about the history of this dress but I recently brought it back from my mother's to display on one of my vintage mannequins. Sadly, it is so small it doesn't fit them and even this new, size ten one is too big (as you can see it doesn't quite meet on the bust).
The dress was my great grandmother's (Lucy Ann Barnes) who wore it on her wedding day in April 1885. Sadly it has deteriorated over the years as there are some rust marks and the odd hole where the material has rotted but I feel very privileged to own it. It has been stored away for a long time which seems such a shame and I think it should be on display but I don't want it to deteriorate further. My great grandmother must have been so tiny, it must be about a size 6.

I also brought this dress home which I wore to my mother's second marriage in 1969 when I was a teenager. The mini had just come onto the scene and I had this as short as I dared (and was allowed!)

Whilst I was in Cornwall last week I visited a lovely shop called 'Two Little Birds' in Falmouth. If you are ever their way do call in as they have some beautiful vintage clothes etc.