Didsbury Arts Festival 2013

Didsbury was blooming this week-end! It was the start of the 5th Didsbury Arts Festival. This community festival is growing each year with a week long programme of music, arts, crafts, theatre, comedy, exhibitions and workshops and much more. 

One of my favourite pieces; "Pencil shavings" shoe!
"Art over the counter"; installations created by local school children and displayed in shop windows in Didsbury Village and Burton Road.

Sylvia Glover ceramics. Gorgeous! I loved listening to the potter at her craft fayre stall enthusiastically talk about her glazes, tiny footholes on her delicate pieces and home made punch...another world!

"Remind me tunic" made of post-it notes and "recycled crisp packet dress" in the Barnardos charity shop!

"So Satsuma"are running workshops this week and selling their funky designs including bespoke matching dog coats and hats!

Inspiring! "The Loose change buskers" who helped to open the first day of the festival. The group travels to different events throughout the year busking and collecting money for Cancer research. To date they have raised about £80k! Didsbury village was so cheerful with the sound of live music!

I really enjoyed a "promenade production" of the ghost story "The Turn Of The Screw" at The Parsonage (Both inside and in the pretty gardens) It is one of the oldest buildings in Didsbury and a perfect backdrop. So much work had obviously gone into producing this lovely evening.

Local estate agent JP & Brimelow were one of the festivals sponsors. They produced special Didsbury bags and displayed Animal houses ,art over the counter in their window.

This lively festival takes place every year in June and is well worth supporting and enjoying!

    

 

Soho Flea Market 2013

This was the second annual Soho Flea Market, held on Dean Street, London. A delightful collection of about 30 stalls selling crafts, upcycled paraphernalia, jewellery, stationery, ceramics (Melody Rose) and fashion. Home made treats served by Meringue Girls and their pink flamingos, eco friendly lampshades (The Baobab Tree), lush chairs (Velvet Eccentrics) and sassy shoes (Valentini Argyropoulou) 

One of my favourite stalls selling quirky china - Jimbobart!

Passionate plates and ceramics! by Melody Rose

Eco-friendly home furnishings by The Baobab Tree - really liked these simple and pretty shades!

The market supported the work of Kids Company charity. For more details about future events please see www. Cityshowcase.co.uk
 

   

The tale of a patchwork quilt bedspread!

Over 20 years ago, my mum hand-made a patchwork quilt for my old Victorian bed.

Herself and my grandma sourced scraps of fabric everywhere, some of which were vintage at the time, some of which have now become vintage! Each patch tells a tale and has a history.

I love these 2 patches - which look as though they have been cut from old souvenir tea towels!

The majority of fabric seemed to be pretty vinatge florals which may have come from old aprons.

These 1950's style patterns, probably using old curtains, remind me of Orla Kiely prints

Stars, stripes and dots pre-Cath Kidson!

Remenants of baby grows/blankets that myself and my brother had out-grown, a scrap of fabric from my mums summer dress and old shirts of my daddy's were all used to create the quilt!

I like this travelling patch!

Taken from my grandmas old ball gowns?

The quilt getting another airing!

 

Old fashioned beaded necklace

An old fashioned necklace made out of vintage fabric and beads sewn on in flower shapes

Playing with the beads!

The beads sewn into fowers in different colour combinations

Measuring, cutting and sewing the vintage fabric, laying out and glueing the bead flowers

A pink variant - work in progress

 

Detail of flowers

Cluster of beaded flowers

The finished necklace

 

OT tempted by the ribbon fastening!



 

Upcycled vintage foot stool

BEFORE!
How the footstool started life; dull, dated tapestry print fabric and boring handles!
 

AFTER!
Recycled using vintage fabric, old trimming, left-over paint and spare kitchen cupboard door knobs



DURING!
Painting, replacing the knobs, pinning and securing the fabric, adding trimming

Before and after end view with magazine rack

Before and after side views

Before and after end views

Before and after drawer knobs 

Before and after fabric

FINISHED!

Handbag tissue pouch

This used to be a pair of old curtians that I found in a local charity shop....

...but then I turned some of them into a handy pocket tissue pouch

I was waiting for an excuse to use some of my lace trimming!

   

A needle in the Balmy Haystack!

Hand-crafted needle made case using fabric remnants, scraps of felt and old ribbon from my jar!

Untie the bow to reveal a felt inner to safely store all your needles!