Bridport, here we come!

Well I'm packed and ready for two days of activity in Bridport. First up is a new fair. The Bridport Vintage Fair is being held at St Mary's Church Hall on South St and promises lots of interesting stalls as well as homemade refreshments. Following that I'm back for the monthly Vintage Market down at The Old Albion.

As Mr Jam recuperates I've had a flurry of making in anticipation of the weekend. I even had the eldest Jammer stuffing lavender pillows this morning!

Take a peak at some of my stock I'll be taking...

Crates of Woods Ware Jasmine teasets and dinner services

All stacked and ready to go along with lots of freshly famed Ladybird pictures.

Yesterday I decided it was time to revamp some display shelves I'd bought (yes I really did pay money for them!).

Here they are yesterday evening...

And by this afternoon they'd had a couple of coats of Farrow & Ball Skylight and were ready to show off my wares!

Mr Jam's brother kindly picked up this cute little 'Pony Express' for me and he arrived today!

I have a bit of a thing for Mobos so the question is should he stay and join the family of three already stabled in the attic, or should I sell him? Hmmm, tricky one.

And finally, I've nearly finished a new children's quilt. Just 'done' the corners - my least favourite bit and now just need to sew on the 28 buttons and it's done! Excuse the rather dingy photo in my rather dingy living room.

It's made from a lovely vintage textured children's fabric with a pure wool backing. I think it's suitably spring like and might drag it along tomorrow if I get sewing now!

Keep that sun shining for Sunday, I've heard rumours of rain for heaven's sake!

New additions

Easter came early for the Jammers. One of our reasons for moving house was a garden with grass for the much wanted guinea-pigs. Imagine our (ok make that 'my') delight when we heard a breeder lived in the street! So off I went a couple of weeks ago to reserve two for Easter. Eldest Jammer had requested a toffee coloured one and Smallest Jammer a beige one!

So last Saturday we all toddled up the road to pick them up... 'Fudge' for the eldest,

'Jack' for the smallest...

...and this cute little grey one for me! Well, they're brothers and it would have been cruel to leave one behind, wouldn't it? No name yet, any suggestions welcomed!

Mr Jam spent last Friday constructing a lovely run for them and just in time to. Little did he know he'd get a call from the hospital on Monday inviting him in for an op on Tues! So plans have changed and we've been busy with 'at home' activities this week whilst we take turns to play nurse.

The Smallest Jammer's drawing is coming on a treat. This is her version of the Pussy Willow design from her curtains.

The longest game of Ludo - ever!

And lots of Simnel Muffins to be decorated.

Just right for busy little fingers!

Now I'm chief lifter and shifter for the next few weeks I thought I'd set this stunning pair of sleigh beds up for a photo shoot. If you're after furniture, all mine has 20% off til the end of the month!

Don't forget the Bridport Vintage Fair on Saturday 23rd and Bridport Vintage Market on 24th April.

Fingers crossed for sunshine!

Hurray! This weekend it's the return of Bridport Vintage Market. Sharon hosts a range of stalls outside her fab shop on the St Michael's Trading Estate. Lots of other antique and vintage shops are open too, as well as a cafe, pizza jalopy and music. Well worth a visit.

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This week I've been busy making some stuff to take with me. since Christmas I've been focused on our house and thought it was about time I replenished my stocks. So... some more memos from lovely old fabrics and lots of lavender pillows.

Some vintage wooden jigsaws and these cute cloth dolls.

Some rectangular cushions, more puzzles and cute springy bits will all be coming with me.


Must go, more lavender pillows to stuff!

Yum, Pussy Willow!

A little while ago I gave you a sneak peak of one of my latest makes for the smallest Jammer's bedroom.

Well here they are in full glory... her long awaited Pussy Willow curtains! I was lucky enough to find this pair in a shop in Bridport last year. At that point we didn't have a house to hang them in but I knew we'd find one with the right size windows eventually... Just had to lengthen them with a bit of spotty fabric.

Pussy Willow has to be my favourite children's fabric and I've got a waiting list of people wanting me to make things from it. I promised the smallest Jammer we'd make some things for her room first and then some things to sell. So this is what she got.

A memo board we've not got round to putting up yet!

A collection of cushions in all three colours. I bought a little bit more of the pink from Donna http://thefabricofmylife.blogspot.com at Talent for Textiles last weekend. Not made a bolster cushion before but quite pleased with how it turned out.

Some bunting of course.


And finally a little bit of colour each framed!


One happy Jammer! Now I've just got to finish the quilt I've started...


and then I promise I'll make some things to sell with the rest of it!

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Thank you, Dusty!!

We've lived in our new house for almost a month now and for that month we've been the proud new owners of Dusty the bantam. Every morning the Jammers let her out and check just in case she should have laid an egg. Sadly we'd not had any and began to wonder if we would. However what we didn't know was that Dusty was waiting for Pancake Day!

Lots of excitement in our house today when we found this tiny but perfect little egg!

So we could have pancakes after all. I think Dusty's would have fed a doll so we topped up the eggs with a shop one.

I was surprised at the difference in yolk colour. "My what orange yolk you have Dusty!" "All the better for making pancakes with".

From this ...

...to this...

...to this...

How do you eat yours?

I can't wait for a day off now as I've got this lot just waiting for me to get my hands on it! Roll on Thursday...

Finally we're here!

Well I thought it would never happen but ten months on and we've finally moved! Not to where we'd originally hoped, or the one after that, but to something completely different. A 1930's house that ticked all our boxes; garden for guinea pigs, more downstairs space, parking and a workshop. Sadly less character than 'Pinky' but we have anew addition...

...Dusty, who came with the house. Possibly the world's most expensive bantam! She has been a great distraction for the Jammers this week whilst we've set to work on their bedrooms.


She doesn't mind any of this kind of stuff.


Or this.

And follows us all about the garden! Welcome Dusty.

Meanwhile I had a stash of fabric with the Jammers name on it. Firstly, the eldest. She plumped for Sanderson's 1930's panda fabric. I'd collected quite a lot and although I think she'll outgrow it very quickly she loves it. 'Panderson' as it's known in our house was destined to be turned from this...

...to this.

With a quick memo board, cushion and some mini curtains thrown in.

Such an odd print with the strange looking little boy and his panda friend getting up to all kind of antics.

The rest of the bedroom kept us busy with a paint and wallpaper job. Hopefully once she's outgrown 'Panderson' we can add in something a bit more grown up without having to redecorate. Not having wallpapered more than an alcove before we were under pressure as I'd booked carpet for the following morning and we began our two walls at 6pm! Eldest Jammer was delighted with the excuse to stay up late as her useless parents slowly worked their way round the room, wishing they'd started days ago... 10.40pm and she finally got into bed as we cleared up around her. Oh well, it is half term!

Doesn't look too bad for a first attempt. One whopping bubble that shows in daylight is causing me slight concern. Not sure how I'll get the whole strip off to replace it without wrecking the rest? Might have to live with it I think.

Anyway there was loads of wallpaper paste left and I'd just read Hen's blog http://henhousehomemade.blogspot.com/2011/02/fabulous-frome.html and seen some fantastic paper mache creations from Julie Arkell. Eldest Jammer had a half term homework to create an Egyptian artefact so all inspired she typed up lots and lots of facts about pyramids and printed them out in interesting fonts. Mr Jam helped turn a packing box into a pyramid - just like that - and it was left for her to get pasting. Must admit I rather enjoyed helping. Took me back to my college days.

And here is the finished creation... still drying ready for school tomorrow.

I'll leave you with a taster of what's to come in the smallest Jammer's bedroom... Mmmm my favourite and my best!

Check back soon to see the whole room once I've finished sewing.