Chestnut Sunday

Traditionally, Chestnut Sunday is the second Sunday in May, when people celebrate the flowering of the chestnut blossoms. For me, it is those crispy autumnal Sunday afternoons, coming home with handfuls of shiny conkers to admire and pockets of spiky sweet chestnuts to roast. These sweet chestnuts were from our walk around Bedgebury Forest. The adjoining Pinetum is beautiful and I'm looking forward to returning to see the Electric Forest.

Halloween brooches

I'm making more of these brooches again. I'm not keen on fancy dress but I like to wear one of these as a subtle way of celebrating Halloween. As well as putting a few on sale I'll be giving a few away to the trick or treaters along with the chocolate eyeballs! The fabric is from the US, I really like the little cats with their masks.

An apple a day...

Saw these cheeky chaps in one of the local charity shops today. I really liked them in all their appleley weirdness. They were made in China 2006, but what for? Are they souvenirs from an Appleworld experience out there somewhere? I love all the apple permutations, toffee, sauce, peeled and cider looking a bit sick from too many apples! I wonder if there is also an apple pie chap to complete the set. I didn't buy them as I'm having to come to terms with a home that is already full to the brim, but looking at this photo now I'm fighting the urge to nip out again to the charity shop. I hope someone buys the set and gives them a fitting place in their home.

Foraging

Orange peel mushrooms, originally uploaded by Fabric Nation.

We spent a lovely day out in the woods and with the help of a local fungi expert, picked an exotic collection of edible mushrooms, including these beautiful orange peel fungi.

We didn't pick this one.

And this one had an unpleasantly lingering spicy after taste...

They had wonderful names, like this one, called Elf Saddle...

And we found all of these...

Which we cooked up into a delicious forest picnic.

We added some garlic and thyme, but the best flavour was knowing we had picked them all ourselves (after our fungi expert double checked we hadn't snuck anything deadly into our baskets). A perfect autumn picnic.

I'm having an exhibition!

I'll be teaming up with local illustrator Caragh, for an exhibition in Sprout, our new community art space from Tuesday 9th November to Saturday 27th November.

We will be filling Sprout with all things handmade, from Cara's hand painted ceramics, original artwork and prints to Fabric Nation's bags, brooches, purses, cushions and other vintage textile treasures.

We have an exciting programme of ceramic and textile workshops for all ages throughout November. No previous experience is needed and all materials and tuition is provided. Full details are listed on the Tooting Artists website. Please contact us for more information or to reserve a place.

Look forward to seeing you. xx

Brooch making workshop

Brooch making workshop, originally uploaded by Fabric Nation.

Some of the lovely brooches made during my brooch making workshop during Wandsworth Artists Open House.

Seaside Sisters at We Make London

I donned my Seaside Sisters hat last weekend and took the Seaside Sisters Bunting Making Party to We Make London. Linda and I set up in the beautiful setting of Chelsea Town Hall. I love this building, it is so grand and ornate, like being inside an exotic birthday cake, but so municipal as well with little brass signs and hatches for ticket sales.




My bunting adorned the entrance to the hall, and signs lured crafty fingers to our bunting making party. The lovely Sidney very kindly swapped places so we could take over the corner (we liked her hats) and we later spent the day swapping textile tales with her.

The highlight of the day was seeing all the lovely visitors of all ages to our stall create, decorate and sew fabulous bunting flags. Bunting makers rummaged through our stash of vintage and retro fabrics, trims and buttons to craft individual bunting flags or spell out messages. I love seeing how each person creates something so different and the pleasure they get from designing and learning. I never get over the different ways people can approach a simple idea that just needs minimal sewing skills to create something personal and fun. Many of our visitors were stall holder's children, who, not surprisingly, were very creative, including the lovely Cara's. Only later did I realise we had visits from Picciolo and Tobyboo's little people, both designers I really like and who's talent has clearly rubbed off on their children! We were also pleased to have a visit from Louise at ehive and enjoyed taking part in her We Make film and sewing with her daughter.



As usual, We Make was overflowing with beautiful creations, talented makers and lots of lovely people. Across the room, we admired Love from B, I liked their ice cream sundae fascinators so will be back for one of those and enjoyed sewing with Cariad. I bought a moustache adorned baby-gro for a friend's soon to arrive baby from Emily the Pemily - these are a very welcome alternative to the cutesville look that dominates baby clothes. We liked the orange maid lolly brooches from Mockinghorse, so realitistic they made our mouths water! Mary and the We Make team work really had to make these events a success - thanks lovelies!

All in all a buntastic day! Next stop Vintage Goodwood for the Seaside Sisters bunting-bikini-gocco making eco-craft-a-go-go!