Good times in London

Last week I journeyed off to London for work and decided to tag on a few day of leisure at the end of the week with my great friend Hilary. Our feet barely touched the ground for four days. We went to the ballet at the Royal Opera House and to the National Theatre in the evenings. During our days we visited the Courtauld Gallery in the beautiful Sommerset House with it's magical skating rink, the Pre Raphaelites exhibition at the Tate Britain and the Hollywood Costume exhibition at the V&A.

We also managed to squeeze in a trip to Spitalfields market where all manner of newly crafted and rediscovered objects could be purchased for the right price. I quite liked this beaut yellow coat stand.

We also trawled Portobello Road market on Saturday which left me with not one but two rugs to haul back north, along with the most fab pair of Doc Martens. London's markets put Scotland to shame but we're making our way ahead and the Edinburgh Drill Hall market this Saturday coming is surely helping to put our craft scene on the map.

Fab shoes on fab new rug

We also made a special trip to Liberty, one of my favourite shops of all time. That however deserves it's own post such was the fantastic nature of the visit. So, in conclusion London left me knackered but smiling and happy.

This little crafter went to market...

The Bissums are super excited about holding our first ever stall at a market very soon. We're going to be at a Christmas fair in central Edinburgh on Saturday 1 December.

We can't wait and are busy beavering away every spare minute we have making bits and bobs to take along. The hard part is not wanting to keep everything we're making!

I've taken a few moments to look on Pinterest for collections of stalls that have cheered the hearts of others. Here's a few I like:

Rene Trewern's collection

Natalie Souprounovich's collection

Deanne Wild's collection

Those crafty French

Well Paris was fabulous but you'd expect me to say that wouldn't you? One of the great things about the French is their fearlessness I think when it comes to trying something new. A few years ago when I first visited the Palace of Versailles there was an amazing Jeff Koons exhibition in the rooms of the main chateau. It was controversial at the time but it made a big impression on me.

Not to be beaten this time, there was a series of amazing installations by the Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos. Her work is pro feminist and uses many of my favourite techniques such as knitting and crochet, as well as materials I love like old doilies and tray mats. Here's a couple of snaps of some of my favourite pieces- crafty no?

There's a marble lion underneath all that lace!

I spent a good bit of Saturday trawling the flea market at Clignancourt, coming home with a 1937 and 1940 edition of French Marie Claire which I plan to re-craft into something else shortly. Here's a couple of snaps from the markets, well worth a visit if you ever get a chance.

Child's chair covered with Louis Vuitton fabric

Happy Monday everyone!
xx

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?

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