Sooty love

A couple of weekends ago Littlest Jammer had a party to go to. We bought a present but I wanted to add a homemade gift. I know her parents love vintage stuff and she's a huge Sooty fan so...

a rummage in my stash and a Sooty lavender pillow was born.

This got me thinking..

 Thinking I've also got that Sooty fabric in blue.

Then look what happened!

 

 

a similar one with Noddy on...

 

 A little while later a collection appeared all backed in matching vintage wool

 

 

reminding me of Battenburg cake!

 

If you're interested there are just a few sitting quietly on the shelves of my etsy shop. There's quite a lot of wastage of very precious fabric making these so the rest will be cushions to make the most of it!

 

On the non virtual shelves of Custard Hall this month... 

 Squeezing potential presents into every space 

 

Right up to the roof!

We've got Christmas Cracker Night tonight, so a year since the shop opened! It's been great but sadly probably my last month there. When I look through the lists I've sold loads over the year but financially it's a killer. Whilst I completely understand rents in the town centre are high it's so disheartening to give it all the hard earned pennies back in rent.

So next year you'll still find me at The De Danann Antique and Vintage Centre DT1 1NF where I'm in my 14th year - gulp!!



Christmas toys to love

It seems everyone has a soft spot for an old toy. I've been saving a few up ready for Christmas at Custard Hall and enjoying their company in the meantime.

I've snapped them all and try and post new stock on my Facebook page or Instagram to give further afield vintage lovers a chance if anything takes their fancy.

The Little Red Dolly turned into a swap with The Vanilla Squirrel and you can see her at home here! I can't show you what I swapped her for yet as it's a birthday present for a certain little jammer in few weeks.

 This gorgeous pink monkey was a tough one to say goodbye to, but he's off on a journey as I type, to another bloggy home with Bobo Bun! I know he'll be well looked after there.

 I need a big space for this lovely Merrythought elephant pyjama case!

 Can never resist these peg dolls

 This little bun was snapped up straight away by one of the staff at Custard Hall and is on his way to America about now.

 
 

 And to finish I got into a bit of a monkey sharing thing on Instagram with Bobo Bun and The Vanilla Squirrel. I have to say Ms Squirrel wins hands down for the most amazing collection of old monkeys. She even has a monkey cupboard for them to live in. But here are my two...

Love them!



Etsy update

Just to let you know I've popped some new makes in my etsy shop

Let me introduce you to the Winter Bunnies

Similar to their cousins the blankety bunnies but more wintery!

They love to snuggle up against the alpine cushions

 and hey presto

they match the cushion back!

 

These lovely old Christmas postcards dated 1909 were the inspiration

for Christmas lavender pillows

All stuffed with 100% lavender and embellished with bells, bows and hand stamped tags

Naturally they are all backed with vintage fabrics

Well you wouldn't expect anything else would you?



 



Elsewhere things have been too quiet for my liking at Custard Hall so I've desperately been filling the shelves with all things festive and wintery

  

Whilst customer orders have helped keep me ticking along

Thank you to everyone who 'likes', 'shares', orders, pops into Custard Hall and helps keep this little bit of my life going!

A busy 10 days making

Goodness, I hadn't realised my last post was 10 days ago! I feel a bit out of the bloggy world and will be catching up with your news over the weekend. Work and Jelly Jam have both been busy as we hurtled towards the end of term and Easter.

Those of you who found Jelly Jam's Facebook page will have seen (and purchased) some of these things already - sorry for the repetition!

These mini tote bags are just right for collecting Easter eggs and caused quite a stir. I had to whip up a few more to keep everyone happy!

 The baby animal fabrics were disappearing at full speed through the sewing machine and coming out as cushions as well!

These are two of my most favourite fabrics. I'm now right out of the duckling print. I always hate using the last bit of a vintage fabric in case I never see it again! I've kept a cushion for home and I think might have to make sure I hang on to one of these too.

Easter wouldn't be Easter without some blankety bunnies and I was really pleased when I realised one I posted off was heading to a blogger's home!

As well as sewing there has been some spraying going on. Not my idea but pinched from numerous blogs where I've seen these jars now. They've been a top seller so much so that when the girls at Custard Hall told me there were only three left last night I resorted to looking through the fridge and tipping screws and tacks into other containers in my quest for more small jars! A lovely cream set emerged this morning only for me to discover nowhere in town has any mini eggs left. Oh well I shall be ahead of myself next Easter.

Whilst the paint was out this swan got the same treatment. I rather like it.

 I've tried to make the shop look as pretty and Eastery as possible...

...you'll spot a few of my makes and some of the china I potted up on this shelf. I don't know who makes the birds but they look great altogether.

 Meanwhile this is my unit upstairs.

Happy Easter to you all. I'm looking forward to popping by your places in the next few days!

x

Cushion making, it's Monkey Business

My best sellers at Custard Hall have been cushions. I just popped in today and found another two have gone off to new homes.

This month I've been topping up with a few more in vintage children's fabrics. I adore this barkcloth with blue koalas and monkeys playing on a bamboo type plant. It's really unusual and I've not seen it before. One of these has already sold in my etsy shop and is off to New Zealand.

Do you like my monkeys? I have a huge soft spot for old toys and these two I've had ages and wont be parting with. There's a boxful under my bed. I'll show you some more another day.

I only had a small piece of this animal fabric and with spring on the way thought it was time to use it.

 I've backed it in green wool.

 This pink toy fabric has been sat in my stash for ages and the need for cushion replenishment meant it's finally got to the top of the pile!

 Backed in pink wool.

Just some of the cushions I've made this year!

If there's anything you fancy pop over to my etsy shop.

 I've stocked up on fabrics today and got some more projects planned for half term, but looking at this lot possibly not cushions!

Have a lovely week.

x



Hearts for Vintage Lovers

 Any spare moments in the last couple of weeks have been spent stitching hearts.

I've been using off cuts to get stocked up for Valentine's Day.

All are stuffed entirely with lavender so nice and solid with no padding!

 I ordered some lovely mini bobble trim that finishes them off nicely.

All are finished with a button and ribbon

 and hand stamped tag 

I delivered a dozen to Custard Hall last week and they've been selling well.

 Funnily enough I thought the pinks would be the most popular with Valentine's but I was pleasantly surprised. No...

 First to sell was my favourite - the painterly squares in bluey greens (about 7 o'clock on the picture above)

 So I've tried to top up with some less pink fabrics!

Friends to stay tonight and I'm hoping they wont mind if I do a little bit of handstitching whilst we talk and drink. I've got a pile of pompom trim just waiting to be tacked...

Have a lovely weekend.

x