Blinds

Here are the pics of the roman blinds I made for my cousins daughters bedroom and bathroom, need to remember my proper camera, iphone isn't great! Hope your all having a great weekend!

Art Deco

Went to my favourite place today Florin Court Charterhouse Square London where Agatha Christies Poirot lived! I would love an apartment here, the block even has a swimming pool in the basement! Art Deco Luxury!

Snow again?

Well I left a little bit of snow in London Monday morning, to find a bit more in the country! Luckily the New glass has been fitted to my log burner in the workshop so it has been nice and toasty the last few days!

Lampshade Making

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGzlew6skSs

This looks like fun! has anyone had a go at this? I think I might order a few, can't wait :-)

Spray it!

Really pleased with this spray paint! Not sure what this was meant to be! But it always looked like a lampbase to me, found a push fit bulb holder the type used to convert wine bottles into lamps, with a bit of tweaking managed to fit into the small hole in the top! Unfortunately it was not drilled all the way through so couldn't hide the flex! Just need one of the huge white linen shades from ikea to finish!

Bedroom makeover!

Starting to think of my bedroom in the country! Sold the huge repro mahogany chest of drawers on ebay and replaced with the Ikea Hemnes chest i've had my eye on for ages! Found these wonderful black and cream knobs on ebay! They remind me of liquorice Allsorts!

Finally found the courage to spray paint my mahogany curtain pole grey! So pleased with the result, found a great wallpaper too and think i'll stick with Grey stripe fabric for curtains as I have it already! Just need to choose paint for below dado rail! More pics to follow.....

Getting there!

I have managed to make one of the three curtains needed for the sitting room windows, will try and make another this weekend!

Love this App!

Love the apps on the iphone, this one is called picstitch and it allows you to make moodboards etc. here is one for my bedroom in London, wallpaper is now up! Just need to find curtain material and headboard.....

For me!

Maybe I might get round to making my own curtains over christmas!

Long Time....

Well I am ashamed to say it has been 6 months since I last posted! I decided tonight to have a quick catch up and read a few posts I always like to pop in on 'Silver Sewer' and check things are going well in her life, and it's very comforting too see that this lady posts every day! I wish I could be that organised!

My only excuse is that so much has happened in the last 12 months, the business is going well, just churning through my last order before christmas! Should hopefully be finished Wednesday! Thurs and Fri off me thinks! catch up with the last few christmas things!

Well signing off now,  however I shall post a pic of my last curtain job tomorrow all packed up and ready to be hung!

Sorry for not posting in ages been so busy with work I've hardly had a second! Here is a lovely Picture of Durdle Door to cheer you up taken last weekend when I managed to escape for a few days!

Arrived!

Well the long awaited day arrived my new Janome 1600P Arrived! It was going to be my return to work encouragement, but a bad bout of flu gave me such aches all over my body I went back to bed for 2 days and extended my christmas holiday! However I did manage a few test runs on the machine one to check speed, and one to check how many layers of fabric could it sew, thankfully iit passed both with flying colours! So far i'm impressed Very Impressed, almost looking forward to work Monday morning and giving it a real test run!

Taking Stock

I decided that when I start back in January I want to start with everything new, the Machine is now on order, and quite frankly the last time I bought a decent pair of scissors is longer than I remember, The last pair of Fiskars I bought cost about £14.00 today they cost a staggering £26.00!!!! I also invested in a £16.00 sharpner, I did hesitate but thought i'd give it a go.....well i'm quite annoyed to be honest that £16.00 sharpner has returned my 15 year old scissors back to as new condition.......I could have saved £26.00!!!! LOL

New machine!

Well some very heavy interlined curtains saw the end of my faithful Elna, well not the end i'm sure a good service will have her running like new again! but it has proven since I sold my Industrial Brother machine, the Elna is being put under too much pressure, after lengthy investigation I have decided on the Janome 1600, if anybody has one I would love to know what they think of it! Hope your all having a great Christmas! X

Hello Everyone

Sorry for not posting been so busy with work which is great, but hardly have time for anything else! Here are a couple of pics of some Roman Blinds iv'e just finished for an Interior Design shop based in the town I live.

Quick Update

Just in case you were wondering what i'm doing, I'm still up to my eyes in work! here is a recent job 2 pairs of curtains 4 widths per curtain and over 13ft Long!!! I will try and post something more interesting shortly!

More & more curtains!

This embroidered silk fabric was beautiful! and made up so nicely with a natural bump interlining. They also had a nice broad border of plain silk on each edge. Bagged up and delivered!

Going well...

Well just a quick update so you don't think i've forgotten you all! Here are a few pics of the curtains I have been making, some of them finished some of them bagged up to be delivered, it's all going very well! I seem to have more work than I can cope with, and hopefully if it carries on I might be able to get an extra pair of hands to help! I am working weekends and evenings but it's worth it, I forgot how nice it was to be in control of my time again, I have even been able to meet friends for the odd lunch date! I am now starting to take pics of every project that passes through the workroom, I will start posting these regularly.

Some News........

Dear Bloggers I am pleased to announce that as of next month I will be going back into business as a Curtain Maker! The workrom is nearly finished, Business cards and web-site being set up! Perhaps not the best financial Climate but hey nothing ventured nothing gained! I will update you with more info over the next few weeks!

Lark Rise To Candleford

Don't forget all you period costume drama fans the new series 4 of Lark rise to candleford starts tonight BBC1 at 8pm! my blog is starting to look like a TV listings! Sorry news on the new work room coming soon!

Upstairs Downstairs

Did any of you start to watch the new series of Upstairs Downstairs? I have recorded them all but as yet have not watched any! So for those who have and also remember the 70's series how do you think it compares?? Is it actually the same house that they used last time??

Merry Christmas!!

Just a quick message to all the wonderful people I have met on here, I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a happy new year!

Sorry for not posting for so long! In the last few months there have been a few ups and downs, and I have also moved address! Will tell all in 2011 when i promise to blog at least weekly once again!

Merry Christmas from me and Ralph Xx

Finished!

And finally here they are! excuse the room as it hasn't been decorated yet! but i'd rather hang the curtains now and not have to press them all over again! Well I'll be posting my next project shortly and it will be very flowery for all you vinatge lovers!

More curtains.......

Well instead of another no make weekend I decided to make some curtains for the spare bedroom, I bought the fabric as a possible for the new sitting room curtains, but it was a little too dark, but for the spare room I think they will be fine, the fabric is a faux silk so I am going to Interline it and use a hand sewn heading, I will post a pic in the next few days when they are up! Hope your all having a productive weekend too!

Changing Tastes or am I mug?!

I was having a laugh the other day when I was emptying the dishwasher, how funny how an item you bought years ago that you thought so nice at the time, and how our taste evolves over time, I remember buying the sunflower mugs about 20 years ago, and how the bee printed on the inside was so unusual, I remember the Laura Ashley mugs with the lemons on and at the time I bought matching fabric and tablemats, I then remember the blue and white spode mugs they were in a set of six, far more than I could afford at the time but I loved them, then the hand painted one's again with a lemon design, I bought these in Heal's in the Kings road when a friend had a flat nearby. And then the one you will all recognise the Kath Kidston strawberries, and finally the one I bought the other day in sainsburys for £2.50! with the blue hand painted dots (not sure if they are hand painted!) as they are a little Emma Bridgewater in style!