Tuesday 22 September 2015

Simply Neutrals Tuesday - Unexpected treasures

Sometimes, when I am at a brocante and searching through old suitcases full of scrunched up fabrics, wools and all kinds of sewing stuff, I come across a screwed up ball of something which I think might be provide a bit of fabric for a tag or a collage. I found this ball of old netting, didn't really look at it, just stuffed it into a little bag with other bits and pieces of fabric, lace and trims, haggled for it :-), and brought it home, thinking it might be ok for a sea themed tag or collage -



Bits of netting are always useful, right? Because they are so easy to manipulate and stretch and pull, especially when the net is as soft and silky as this one was. So I started to untangle it, and look what started to emerge -


only the most gorgeous, most delicate, finest lace! -


This is one of the pieces I rescued -





Ahhhh, such beauty! And all that hidden away in a screwed up little ball.

I am linking this post to Wen's 3rd Simply Neutrals Tuesday over on her blog. Hop over, drool over the beautiful photos, and then join the party yourself :-)!

Toodlepip xxx


Tuesday 15 September 2015

Simply Neutrals Tuesday - Antique French Communion Bow

I didn't want to miss Wen's second Simply Neutrals Tuesday party , so I took a break from unpacking and took a few quick photos of this absolutely gorgeous 19th Century French Communion bow. It is huge, much bigger than any others I have found, and really beautiful. Made from watered silk fabric, with the prettiest knotted silk fringe, it is a really impressive piece. I wish I could have displayed it better though.








If you love neutrals, why not hop over to Wen's blog and party along?

Toodlepip xxx

Tuesday 8 September 2015

Simply Neutrals Tuesday No. 1

I hope this is going to be the first of many! Wen from the beautiful AppleApricot blog has started this wonderful new linky party for all of us who love the beautiful soft neutral colours in our homes and in our creations. I am so happy, I have really missed the Blissful White Wednesdays and Grey Dey Thursdeys parties, so I am super excited about this new one.

I really love the faded beauty of old hydrangea flowers, those soft shades of beige are so gentle and warm, and I always keep some on my little desk, often as a background for new little finds -



And here are a few of those recent finds in delightful neutral colours -

I adore these beautiful old French creamy white crosses


Victorian era French night cap, trimmed with delicate hand made broderie anglaise -


1870s small jardiniere, the silver plate finish long gone and now all grey base metal, but beautiful all the same, filled with some old parcel carry handles from a store in Paris -

I hope lots of you are going to join the party with your beautiful neutrals, I am so looking forward to seeing lots and lots of gorgeous posts.

Toodlepip xxx

Tuesday 1 September 2015

Rainy Day Crafting

We had a massive thunderstorm last night, and it is still raining today on and off. The water butts are full, the veggies are drinking up the rain, and the yellow courgettes are being checked morning and evening now to make sure we don't get any more monsters :-).

I love being in the craftavan when its raining, it is cosy and somehow more inspiring and productive. I made this week's Tag Tuesday tag, Blues and Browns, and also the Linen and Lace ATCs for Kimberly's September swap ( see sidebar ).

Please do tell me, which background do you prefer for the Blues and Browns theme this week? I really can't decide -




Blue, brown or white-ish?

Linen and Lace is a wonderful theme of course, and I had such a good time making these ATCs. I finally got to use some of the lovely images and words my friends Dorthe and Rhonda had made a long time ago, and I used some beautiful antique laces on the cards as well. Can't use my sewing machine at the moment, so everything had to be glued ( fingers crossed that it all stays glued, lol ) -






I am going to the kitchen now to wrestle one of yesterday's monsters into the soup pot! Toodlepip xxx