Baby Booties

My mum knitted these booties for Polka.Button, which will be on sale tomorrow. I finished them off this morning with some polka dot buttons (naturally!) and tied them together with some pretty polka dot ribbon. I love the colours, very 'Polka.Button', and they are machine washable and go in the tumble dryer! Pretty and practical!

Now to finish off some of my pin cushions and aprons! See you tomorrow!

New stock

Wow 3 weeks is a long time with no blog! I've been so busy making more jewellery and sewing that the time has just flown by! Preparations are well underway for the Norwich Lanes Summer Fayre this Sunday, I've even got some tasty little things to share with you this morning before I chain myself to the sewing machine for 24 hours!

I finally got around to turning my polka dot buttons into pretty little earrings! The buttons measure 13mm and come in 14 different colours, all as lovely as the last! Each pair is £4 but if you come down to the fayre this Sunday you will find these little beauties on offer, 2 pairs for £6 while stocks last! Perfect if you cant decide which of the 14 colours to choose from! But if you can't make it on Sunday, any left over earrings will be up on my Folksy shop next week!

These two colours are my favorite as they match perfectly to my Polka.Button colours! Yum.

Introducing... Polka.Button's handmade buttons! I've made a small range off button packs using some truly scrumptious fabrics including some vintage, Cath Kidston and Liberty fabrics! Packs of 6 19mm buttons with metal backs and shanks only £5! Again, what I don't sell Sunday will be on Folksy next week!

Well I'd better get on with today's sewing! Hopefully see you Sunday!

Cufflinks, finally ready!

The manufacture process has fully evolved now for my fabric button earrings and cufflinks! It took awhile but they are now finished to a high enough standard for me to start selling them. The method I have used ensures they are very strong and long lasting! I may start selling these soon on Folksy or I might have to wait till the Norwich Lanes fayre so I have enough stock for my stall! If you would like a pair though just leave a comment or email me and they will be reserved!

Boys like blue right?

Top cufflinks are 100% cotton, bottom left is a Liberty of London print cotton lawn and bottom right is a poly-cotton.

Yellow for the summer? The ones on the right are a personal favorite, definitely have a retro charm about them! Both 100% cotton

Retro red and green dots, both 100% cotton.

Cufflinks are silver plated and £8 a pair they will come in a personalised gift box or a handmade pouch to keep them cosy in the sock draw!

Earrings coming soon!

Polka dotted jewels

Agghhh! Ain't they purdy! I am so in love with these polka dot buttons! I already had some in lilac, red and black, but now I have a complete set! 14 colours all as beautiful as the next!

You have to click on the photo to see them in there true beauty, I've bundled them into complementery colours. My favorites are the aqua and wedgewood centre top, and the teal below. Mmmm I have such a craving for smarties now....yum! These lovelies will be made up into earrings in the next week or so to be sold at the fayre if not before on Folksy! But if you can't wait till then let me know what colour you would like and I will make them to order! I will try to photograph the earrings I have made in the last week tomorrow and get them on here!

Very exciting news!!

Sorry for the lack of posts recently I have been very busy indeed! A couple of months ago I tried to sign up to do a stall at the Norwich Lanes Fayre in July but they filled up really quickly and I was on the reserve list, however I received an email last week to say they have some stalls available now and would I still be interested!? erm...YES! So its been full steam ahead around here to try and get ready in time!

It promises to be a brilliant day! It will be on Sunday 11th July in the glorious Norwich Lanes (erm..Obviously) from 11am to 5pm!

Here is abit more information from the Norwich Lanes website to whet your appetite.....

'The fun family event celebrates the unique area that is Norwich Lanes and includes a chance to sample the area’s unique shopping diversity and arts culture. The event will take place throughout Norwich Lanes and include stalls selling vintage clothes, handmade crafts and foods along the length of St. Benedict’s Street.

St. Gregory's Green will play host to acoustic music, comedy, circus acts and poetry recitals throughout the day with ice-cream, food stalls and refreshments and cushions aplenty to enjoy the entertainment.

Venues in the immediate area including the Arts Centre, the Birdcage, St. Gregory’s Church, the Rumsey Wells, the Ten Bells and the Bicycle shop will have a co-ordinated schedule of entertainment such as dance, live music, barbeques, story-tellers and exhibitions.'

I will be sharing my stall with the two lovely ladies from 'Amity Vintage' so there is sure to be a great mix of handmade and vintage swag to be had! More info will be given as I get it, but put a note in your diary for Polka.Buttons first fayre!

I will get some photo's up soon of my new earrings and buttons that I have spent all week slaving over a hot soldering iron for! As well as a bit of sewing that I have managed to squeeze in!

Ceramic buttons and more birthday delights

This weekend was spent in one of my favorite places to spend a weekend, Ginny Cottage, home of Sarah, Tom, Steph and Will. Saturday was Will's birthday and a fine old time was had by all, and as Steph and Will were in Cornwall last weekend during my own birthday festivities, a bag of all sorts of lovely stuff was awaiting me!

I was first instructed to open the little package that wrapped these beauts! Are they not 3 of the most beautiful handmade buttons you've ever darn well seen?! Stunning and far too special to use for anything other than framing I feel, although Steph did tell me they are machine washable! I would never dare put these fragile little loves through the ordeal of a washing machine though of course!

I also got a rather lovely (not to mention my first) vintage cameo brooch!

A starfish from the fore mentioned Cornwall, which will take pride of place (along with my french jars!) in my bathroom! A lovely gold carved bangle, which is the most perfect fit, and finally a beautiful vintage hanging glass decoration which I can't wait to hang in the window with all my others! Thank you again Steph and Will! I have been so terribly spoilt this year and I've loved every minute!

Worlds Smallest Buttons?

The smallest buttons come in the smallest jars...

Click to enlarge and see just how tiny these beauts are! I especially love the little heart shapes!

The smallest of the lot...can you see it? Not sure I could even get a needle through it!

Love them, Thanks Sarah and Tom!

Retro Tins and Haberdashery Haul

It's been a pretty good haul this year I must say, I finally got around to taking some photos this morning, although this is by no means all of it! I will start with one of the first presents I got, from lovely Sarah and Tom!

Beautiful retro weetabix tin which will be full of Weetabix soon! But arrived to me full of all sorts of goodies including the tinnie tiny buttons (which I will post separately as it is button Friday!)

Another retro tin, full of ribbons in stunning colours! Oh and the fabric these items are on also came in the tin, Sarah you know me all too well!

Pretty coloured pencils and a lovely big rose, there was also the most amazing silk scarf which I haven't taken off all week and the daintiest locket earrings which I haven't been able to photograph yet. Thank you lovelies!

Then I got these beautiful french glass jars for the bathroom from Holly, they are just lovely, exactly what I've been looking for to class up my bathroom and oh so fitting with my forthcoming trip to Paris, how did you know Holly?! Thank you!

Then came the Cath Kidston haul, and it was a goodun this year! These came courtesy of my boyfriends family, you spoil me, all of you!

Isn't this just heavenly!? Two tea towels in such stunning colours and roses, almost makes me what to do some washing up, almost...

Now this apron is giving me the urge to do some serious baking! Its the most beautiful faded vintagey print, just gorgeous!

No Cath Kidston haul would be complete without a new bag! The photo does not do the colour justice, its the most stunning shade of teal with vintage polka dots! Thank you Jackie, Conal, Cat, Luke and the boys, who also got me some lovely earrings!

My parents who had already spoilt me with my trip to Paris also got me 'The Art of Tim Burton' which is an amazing coffee table book and will forever take pride of place on our antique coffee table! Here are a few shots from inside...

Sketches for Edward Scissor Hands

Artwork for Sweeney Todd, done 20 years before he made the movie.

Sketches of his characters from 'The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy: And Other Stories' Which is a brilliant book of short stories and poems written and illustrated by Burton.

 

This is my favorite painting in the book, I personally think it is a self portrait of himself and Helena Bonham Carter. Its really is such a stunning book and he is a true artist through and through!

My second book of my birthday was from my lovely man who spoilt me once again! 'The Homemade Home'

Its got some lovely projects in the book as well as 'quick ideas' on how to personalise your home and belongings, It's not solely a sewing book either, it has a range of different craft techniques with easy to follow instruction. Would defiantly recommend even if only for the beautiful pictures!

Also from my boyfriend came this beautiful birthday Tusker! I have quite a collection now but its always lovely to add another to the shelf. I just wish I could have a tiny little elephant wrapped up in polka dot paper, I think my heart would explode!

Thank you so much to everybody for all my gifts and for making my 21st so very special, hopefully I will get around to photographing the rest in due time! But until then its good to be home!

Busiest weekend of my life!

This really has been the busiest weekend of my life! On Thursday we had the dress rehearsal for our graduate fashion show and the big event was on Friday. All 3 shows went really well, a few hiccups here and there but that is to be expected really. I have some videos of the show (which will go up if I can work out how) and will hopefully be able to steal a few photo's off of friends to show you soon.

Then Saturday was the big move from Lincoln to Norwich and then out for dinner, drinks and dancing with my lovelies to celebrate my turning 21 at midnight!

Sunday (my actual birthday) we went off to the beach as it was such a lovely day, but alas it was pretty chilly by the coast but had a nice BBQ on the beach and got a little tan, so not a wasted day by any means! I went to my parents Sunday night for a lovely roast and to receive my surprise present which had been driving me to madness for the past 3 months, I am useless with surprises, I just need to know! It came in a rather small envelope with a ticket that informed me I was off to Paris for a mini break! I cannot wait to trawl the flea markets for vintage buttons and fabrics! I will probably come home with some massive piece of antique furniture strapped to the eurostar too! Thanks Ma and Pa, you're legends!

I got lots of lovely stuff and sometime this week I shall show you the haul (which includes a fair bit of Cath Kidston, naturally) I also received a selection of what has to be the smallest buttons in the world! Once I can bring myself to open the beautifully wrapped jar I will take some photos of them too!

And finally today I received an email to inform me that I had won 2nd place in a glove design competition I entered around Easter! It was a British Glove Association competition to design a child's winter glove, this was my design...

Naturally it involved polka dots and a couple of pretty floral prints!

Hope you had a delightful weekend too!

Something for the Boys

I decided to make something for the boys, in the form of cufflinks! My boyfriend actually wore the blue ones to his graduation last week, I was very proud! I've just started out with blue and green polka dots, but more colours and patterns may follow. If there are any boys (or girls) out there please feel free to give suggestions on what sort of colours and patterns you think would work best for cufflinks!