Bons baisers de Paris

Bonjour mon bissums. That's the extent of my French so I'll just stop that carry on right now. Tomorrow I'll be leaving on a jet plane for a few days in Paris. I can only hope the grey skies and thunder storms of Edinburgh will give way to sun shine and general loveliness in the city of love.

Paris is a favourite destination of mine because even with only a few days, it's possible to feel like you've been on a true adventure and there will always be something wonderful to come back to next time. On my hit list this time are Chateau Versailles mainly for the gardens which should be looking super at this time of year. The other favourite haunt is the famous Les Puces at Clignancourt. This is the largest market in Paris and I've no doubt I'll be wiling away a good few hours there on Saturday. This market has proved a little overwhelming in the past but I'm going in with a renewed sense of purpose this time and hope to come away with some interesting little bits and bobs that the Bissums can put to good use back home.

The rest of the time is really up for grabs. There's no end of fantastic places to go in Paris but one of things I like best about it is just wandering around soaking it all in - coolness by osmosis? Perhaps not, but I intend to have a good time anyway! I always make a point of visiting Colette when I'm there but it's really just to have a sticky beak at all the impossibly cool and usually useless things they stock (fabric marker pens 'designed' by Stella McCartney anyone?). The other unmissable destination has to be the Art Nouveau rooms in the Musee d'Orsay. Some of my favourite objects in the whole world are contained in these rooms. I'm yet to figure out how I can smuggle an oak bed frame out of there unnoticed but I'll keep working on it.

So mon amis, here's wishing you a lovely weekend when it arrives and good crafting whatever you may be putting your hand to.
xx

Reckon I can get away with this get up for a trip to the flea market?

Weekend schenanigans

On Saturday I went trawling through some more local thrift shops and to my amazement I rocked up outside one just in time to see a tub full of old 1970's annuals being deposited out the front with a sign saying each book was only £1! This was a truly fortuitous find as these are becoming quite the collectors item. I snapped up six of the best, not wanting to be greedy and hoped someone else would be as thrilled as I was to find these treasurers.

Filled with enthusiasm I knew what I wanted to do with some of the pages from these nifty books immediately. I had a terracotta plant pot that was crying out for a makeover so off I went.

Sad pot before makeover

Happy pot after makeover

It's only been a couple of weeks since I got my new sewing machine so I am still in the honeymoon phase and wanting to spend every spare minute with her. I decided to have a go at making an envelope purse which is super simple. I drew a pattern onto some thick paper and then cut out on two different bits of fabric and away I went.

Pattern shaped something like a house

Lining made from an old sun dress

 Lastly I did make time to take the pooch for a clamber through our nearest local castle. She jumped straight on the battlements and I think she looks like she belongs there.

Thrifty haul

After a very productive morning at work today I was lucky enough to have the afternoon off. Pondering how best to use to this new found freedom I decided I would pay a visit to my local thrift shops. I had some bits and bobs I had been hauling around in the boot of my car for the last week which needed to be dropped off to a charity shop so off I went.

Upon entering my favourite local store, aptly named 'Charity Begins at Home', I was filled with a sense of purpose and was more than a little bit excited. I wasn't disappointed. This shop seems to receive regular donations of crafty haberdashery so I was in heaven. Elbowing others out of the way (kidding!...or am I) I picked up an awesome old curtain firstly with the pleasing price of only £3. Curtains are the forgotten heroes of thrifting. They come in some fantastic designs and are terrific value for money because of the amount of fabric you get.

Not to be deterred I moved over to the shelves holding all the sewing oddments. I picked up some great buttons on their original cards, along with new spools of coloured thread. All of these items were only 50p a shout- result! I'm not averse to buying new sewing paraphernalia when the need arises but if you pick the basic staple items for next to nothing, why not!
Other things I'm always on the look out for a buckles (for making belts) and handles (for making awesome bags). These both formed part of my plunder today.

All these items are on top of the curtain I picked up. Can you spot the wee buckle at the top?

Lastly but by no means least, I made my way to the ubiquitous doily box. Every self respecting thrift store has one. It pays to have a quick look at each item before throwing it into your basket with wild abandon because due to the very nature of these items, they can often be stained. Don't let the odd mark put you off though, you can applique over them when transforming them into something else wonderful.
I managed to walk out with 12 linen place settings, a clutch of lace edged hankies and a few other beauties.

All in all it was a very fruitful half hour and £20 well spent and will provide plenty of entertainment for the long weekend.  Oh, did I mention the super cute vintage Marks & Spencer blouse I picked up for £1 complete with peter pan collar!

Happy crafting fellow bissums.
xx

Crafty birds

Marion has recently discovered the wonders of needle felting and decided one sunny weekend to try her hand at making some little feathered friends (minus the feathers).

Each bird took around an hour to make but has provided an awful lot of joy already. Each one has a different style and wouldn't look out of place perched artfully around any discerning crafters abode.
I think it's just about time I got on board the felting train!

First post

Today after much deliberation (and procrastination it has to be said) I finally got round to getting this blog started. I have discovered the majesty of blogs fairly recently and decided rather than to simply be envious of all the crafty genius I have spotted in the blog-o-sphere, I am going to get into it! Please bear with me while I figure this all out.

For my first post I have decided to share a few pics of things that make me happy: flowers in my garden, one of my two chooks, Petunia, and my beloved pooch, Cleo. I took all these snaps this morning while the rain held off.
More to come soon!