Before and After

When I finally got my craft room sorted I came across a problem, I needed a chair....

I had a beautiful chair which I had given a make over ages ago, painted light blue and the pop out seat was re-covered in Cath Kidston fabric. Lovely. Only problem was, that chair was being used for my dressing table so I had to keep lugging it back and forth between rooms every day and night! Then on a chance trip to Watton I found this little beaut sitting outside a second hand furniture shop. I have been looking all my LIFE for a dressing table stool like this. And it was £10! Needless to say it came home with me and got the Polka.Button treatment instantly! 

Stripped off the pretty gross braid and fabric and removed all nails...

Popped to Wilkinsons 10mins before closing time to buy some pain... One coat satin in a lovely grey blue.

 And finally I covered it in a brand new fabric I had bought a couple of weeks before and had no idea what to do with it. FATE.

 

 Luckily I have a lot of trims and such so finding a Pom Pom trim in a matching eggshell blue amongst my stash was no problem! Finished it off beautifully don't you think?!

Every morning I sit at my dressing table and this little stool makes me very happy! One day I will re-paint my dressing table the same grey colour as I have rather gone off the pale pink that I painted it a few years ago. One day....

Cute as a Button #1

Cute as a Button is my new blog feature for all things cute as buttons, that aren't literally buttons....

Here is number one. I need this vintage style button poster... Christmas is a long long way off, but bare this in mind peoples! Or you know, if your just feeling generous?!

Available here... Found this on Button Candy.

I'm having major camera woes at the moment so may not be able to get many pics up on my blog or shop in the next week... Hopefully Amazon can save me soon?!

An Autumnal Affair

I was very excited to get an email last night to say my application for Clutter City's next fair had been successful! Yay! For those of you who don't yet know of Clutter City, it is a 'DIY Handmade Fair for creative independent crafters / artists / collectives to sell their work.' and it is held roughly every other month in the Norwich Arts Centre.

To find out more about Clutter City and the kind of vendors they usually have at these fairs, visit their website or find them on Facebook.

Stay tuned for special offers exclusive to blog readers for this event!

Saturday 3rd September, SAVE THE DATE. x

To continue with the Autumnal theme, I finally got around to photographing my new china tea set! The shape and detail of the pieces are so unique and the colours are definitely very autumnal...

 I love the square shape to the plates and the detail on the handles. And who doesn't love poppies?! They brighten up any day..

Does your grandma enjoy her crafts? Then how about a nice personalised tea cup pin cushion to show you care?

These china pieces will be available in a variety of ways at Clutter City!



New Collection

I call this collection 'Roses and duck eggs' because of the beautiful colours. These handmade fabric buttons can be turned into Earrings, Cufflink or just left as Buttons! I think F5 is my personal favorite, I may have to make up an extra pair of earrings, as part of my stock control tests you understand....

Oh and remember these little beauts?

Well I finally worked up the courage to turn them into earrings...

The colour in the photos not great as the blinding sunlight is giving me many issues today! I only have enough of these buttons to make 2 pairs and my head and my heart are having issues trying to decide whether I myself need a pair... Hope your enjoying the blinding sunlight where ever you are!

I Heart Vintage Dress Patterns

I had a little look through my ever growing collection of vintage dress patterns that I love too much to sell and thought I would share my favorites with you. They have such beautiful illustrations and I just find them so colourful and inspiring I felt I owe it to the makers of these beautes to share!

My MOST favorite, I'm sure you recognise...

Kenzo pattern

The most adorable little boys... agh I NEED a waistcoat covered in anchors!

My favorite illustration, so 60's, so bright, the photo doesn't do the colours justice!

Feeling inspired to re-create some vintage goodness? They sure don't make 'em like they used to!

Blogger app...

Just downloaded the Blogger app for Android. Thought I would test it out, blotting on the go, potentially very exciting!

I bought this gorgeous print in a charity shop on Saturday. It will look lovely in my little studio!

Vintage Haberdashery Love Fest...

Its all been happening this week at Polka.Button HQ!

First of all I now have an official Headquarters! Yep, I (with some help from my mum) finally sorted my spare room into an office/craft room. Its so nice to just simply have a big table to take photos on and have my laptop out all the time ready to blog at a moments notice! I am currently in the process of researching registering as a business... which is terrifying but exhilarating at the same time, but who knew there was so much to think about?! Tax, VAT, Book Keeping, Sole trader, Ltd co, Wholesale, consignment... ekk the list goes on!

Any way on a more breezy topic... this weekend I had a ridiculously fruitful trip to my local charity shops. It was heaven and I only spent about a tenner! I know your just dying to know what curios I purchased... How about a massive photo fest of the loveliness? Yes? Oh ok, if you insist!

Vintage dress patterns? Check.

Vintage buttons? Tick.

Vintage anchor buttons? In abundance!

First edition book on needle craft from 1938!? Don't you just know it!

It smells the way books should smell... when they were made of really heavy paper.

When I get a chance to have a really good rifle through this gem I will scan in a few pages for your pleasure.

Click image to enlarge.....

I also found a good few pieces of vintage china which I will post on another day else you overload on pretty, fabulous things! Now I'm off to buy three quarters of a yard of silk....

Success!!

Yesterdays Fayre was incredible, even the rain managed to hold off for most of the day! The EDP were covering the event and have a Photo Gallery online of the day (See if you can spot me!).

I hope that those of you who made it had as good a day as I did, although its always a shame that I never managed to actually wonder around much and experience the fayre in all its glory but it was lovely meeting all the people who popped along to Polka.Button and a big thank you to those who purchased something or took a card and found your way to my little slice of the world wide web, I hope you enjoy my blog!

I managed to take a few pics of my stall and new products before I started selling...

 

 Vintage embroidered tablecloths. These went down really well, which I am very pleased about because they are so beautiful I wish I could keep them all, but I don't have enough tables! Remaining tablecloths will probably make it onto Folksy shortly.

 Vintage china trio stands, these beauts got a lot of wonderful comments and a couple of sales to boot, I will be putting the rest on Folksy today. Promise!

 'Say it your way' cards. Beautiful fabric covered cards to personalise. I'll be doing a post about these soon, so stay tuned!

 

Haberdasery table.... Vintage china pincushions, one still remaining, on Folksy today! The vintage dress patterns sold brilliantly once again and I even got a few offers from people asking if I would be interested in buying some. The answer is YES. Always yes!

Right better get photographing and Folksying... Don't forget, you can follow me on Facebook for the most up to date posts, news and offers and also have a look at some of my 'likes' while your over there for some of the best shops and designers Norwich has to offer!

Norwich Lanes Summer Fayre 2011

So over the last month I have been working on preparing my stall and stock for the Lanes Summer Fayre this Sunday! I still have a few little bits to finish off but I'm almost there and I have lots of new goodies available like these teenie, weenie, mini, polka dot button earrings... Available in 20 gorgeous shades!

One pair for £3 or 2 pairs for £5

Click on image to enlarge

So if you made it here to my blog and your planning on coming down to the Lanes on Sunday then I reckon you deserve a little treat... So if you see something you like at Polka.Button then for one day only you can receive 10% off all your purchases! Just quote the password...

'MAGENTA BUTTON'

It's that easy...

St. Benedicts street is open from 11am til 5pm so I hope I will see some of you lovely folks there!

Time for Tea?

This weekend has defiantly been a crafty old weekend! Today I started turning my ever growing collection of vintage tea sets into cake stands....

But maybe tea parties are not a common occurrence in your life, yet you adore vintage china and the nostalgic charms that are associated with it? Well who says cake stand are only for cakes?!

Why have a beautiful stand of vintage plate and get it out only for the occasional tea party when it could be out on your dressing table for ever more looking pretty and oh so very practical! Store jewellery, trinkets and even make up on these little wonders. The tea cups on top are perfect for holding makeup brushes and pencils or whatever your heart desires!

More vintage china plate stands will be coming soon and added to folksy very shortly, alternatively you could pick up one of these beauts at the St. Benedicts Summer Lanes Fayre!

Also today I took a little trip around some of my local charity shops, and although I didn't find what I was looking for, it was well worth the trip because I found vintage buttons so delicious I cant imagine how I will ever use them to their full potential!

Oh my... these little mint green flowers are definitely the most beautiful buttons in my life!

On top of all this excitement I also found a new (to me) magazine which is relatively new to all as the current issue is only the 2nd. 'Mollie Makes' is possibly the most beautiful magazine I have seen in my life! With a beautiful mixture or crafts, thrifting, vintage and interiors it is really so worth the £4.99 (subscribers save 25%!) I promise I'm not being paid to say these things, but I am definitely going to look into subscribing because I am absolutely gutted I've missed the first issue! Check out their website to find out which stores stock the magazine near you and have a sneak peak at the pages of Mollie Makes, I promise you won't regret it!