MISS CHATELAINE

Last Saturday I was delighted to be going to another of Viv, Hens Teeth's workshop

at the lovely Weston Hall in Staffordshire.

I attended the same workshop last year (see pantry violets blog) and so I had been thinking about 

what I could do this time - I had a sudden flash of inspiration - a rare and unusual thing these days,

I would make a chatelaine which included a needlebook.  All week I was poking about in bags and 

boxes digging out likely things to include. 

 I decided to make not one but two!  One for Viv who has been a good friend supporting me

 this past year, and one for myself.  Fair enough I didn't start soldering til Friday evening - as I

 havent soldered for Lord alone knows how long, probably wasn't the best start.  Anyway, 

I set off taping up and covering stuff, fixing jump rings but I had to throw in the towel after 3am!!!  

I decided a couple of hours sleep was definitely required before I set off.... two may have been

a tad ambitious.

We started work, I started polishing the soldered bits!  Then I made my little needlebook, I just

put a piece of an old quilt inside a delightful little progressive whist card I'd found stitched it in and

crocheted a chain to close it with a beautiful little button. 

By this time it was lunchtime and I had to get a bit of a move on, most of the other bits and pieces just needed fixing on to dangly bits and attaching to the wooden bobbin I'd soldered jump rings to, however, this didn't prove as quick as I'd expected, and Viv was coming round looking what we were doing so I had to keep some bits well hidden until show and tell time!  I used some antique ribbons, a test tube with a lotto number stopper, two watch part vials, a little tin I'd painted and applied labels to and a little matchbox I covered and put Vivs initial on.  All the containers were filled with bits and bobs.  I'd also so applied some little quotes i'd found; my favourite being - 'changing the world one sequin at a time' - Lady Gaga, and one I knew Viv would love, (and she did) see below ... and of course, a dobber with the long-eared lovelies from

Viv's blog header ...

Just in the nick of time it all came together, I added the top piece which has a pin on the back to secure it

Viv, who had admired the bits I'd been working on was blown away when I gave it to her - she was so thrilled, and I was thrilled she loved it as much as I did.  She says she will treasure it all her days, isn't that

lovely.  Essentially, you really can turn a pile of bits and bobs as shown at the top into something like this

Now all I have to do is finish mine!

Many thanks to Viv for letting me use her lovely photographs, as you can see, my poor effort on the stone leaves a lot to be desired!!

I hope you like it - let me know what you thinks as comments are always welcome.

Love to All

xx

Di

DONKEY UPDATE

BON JOUR!

As always apologies for the delay, I am permanently trying to catch up with myself and be disciplined about blogging but it never happens!

Last time, you may recall I asked whether I should give my donkeys a colour wash - thanks for your suggestions.  I made a third donkey a couple of weeks ago and I decided to use a watercolour wash in a pale greyish colour so that it wasn't too coloured.
I made some paniers from a snippet of cloth, as usual from my Rag Rescue stash.  I couldn't for the
life of me decide what to put in the paniers, but, last week whilst I was in France at Les Soeurs Anglaises
for a bijou holiday with Becky, Jone and Oolie I had a sudden flush of inspiration.............. what better than French Lavender?  Mon Dieu! Why didnt i think of it before, I think its perfect, do let me know what you think ..................

I also said I would blog about my second Hens Teeth workshop makes.
On the first workshop made three brooches in total, the first two took most of the day

 Then in the last 10 minutes, I had a flush of inspiration - I love paper and decided to put together scraps of
haberdashery labels and card to make another brooch - it turned out to be my favourite of the day ........

When I went to the second Hens Teeth Haberdashery workshop I decided to continue to explore this theme and here are the results ...............

 
Again in the last 10 minutes I decided to try my hand at a donkey brooch, pinching Viv's glove fingers for ears idea I stitched up this little beauty ................

I finished him off in France last week, tidied up the back, put the pin on and added his eyes, originally he was going to have two press studs but I'd lost one, routing about in my sewing kit I came across the vintage red diamonte - all the girls agreed it was just the ticket!  It would seem that he was never intended to have matching eyes......................... Again it was my favourite of the day!  

I sent the 'saved' brooch to Julie Arkell before I left for France and gave the goldilocks haberdashery brooch to Katie Elliot Armitage and the darning thread one to Dean Spille who had admired Katie's when she took Becky, Jone and Oolie to see him and his lovely wife Billie Spille, I figured Billie could wear it and Dean could look at it, but he did wonder if he could get away with wearing it himself!

Do let me know what you think of my makes, I find your feedback very encouraging!

Oh Yes, here are my delightful Julie Arkell pieces;  'A gentle Stillness', I love Donkeys' and Little Donkey on my recently completed bedroom fireplace, you may also spot the Jennifer Collier lampshade and a couple of Viv, Hens Teeth brooches.  All of which inspire me each night when I go to bed and each morning when I get up.

Love to All

xx Di