KEITH IS IN THE HOUSE...

I am so excited... Tonight the fabulous KEITH JOHNSON returns for season two of MAN SHOPS GLOBE on the SUNDANCE CHANNEL. If you aren't familiar, he is the head buyer of all things fab for who else? ANTHROPOLOGIE...

For me, and this is JUST ME, American Pickers can't hold a candle to this dude. I tried to love the Pickers but enough of the gearhead stuff already...

So if you are lucky enough to get the Sundance Channel I hope you will tune in...

Can't wait to see what Keith's buying this season.

OH AND....

I forgot to mention I turned 51 on Sunday...

I would say it wasn't my most memorable birthday but maybe it was.

ROAD TRIP REFLECTIONS

So, back from the reunion and I have to say it used to be MUCH easier to do a turn and burn road trip...

And factor in a two year old passenger to make it more...well...interesting.

How many times can you watch Monsters Inc. or Finding Nemo in a thirteeen hour period... Or better yet how many times HAVE you?

Not as many as me I bet...

It is an art form to take a two year with you at EVERY bathroom stop, she goes potty, you go potty and she never touches a single dirty surface...

It was super hot in West Virginia... I think it was hotter than Florida...

Not good when you're having forty~five hot flashes a day... Makes group pictures less enjoyable...

But you know what? Unlike here where our air vents are in the ceiling, theirs are in the floor... Do you see where I'm going with this?

How delicious is cold air up your dress when standing over a floor vent during a hot flash?

It truly is the little things in life...

Halfpenny Home visits the I make fun stuff market in Ipswich

This was the lovely message left for us by Anna today. We're really glad you like our stuff Anna, we love it too!

What a lovely day for a craft and vintage market! The bunting was out and so was the sun in Ipswich today. The Saint's Market was organised by the I make fun stuff people and Loveone who have a very lovely shop in St. Peter's Street.
Loveone were hosting the cream tea parties today, we had 'two to go' and very nice they were too - thanks to Peter and Tracy Ranger for tipping us off! I've been email and blog buddies with Tracy since January but had we hadn't properly met until today and it was such a treat to finally get together as they are usually so busy looking after The Gedgrave Flock - we have their yarn at Halfpenny Home as it is so soft, shiny and beautiful to knit with (can't you tell we're big fans).
We had a little time to play hangman...
make pom pom ribbon bracelets...
and enjoy some refreshments...
before we packed it all back into the trunks ready for Adam to take us back to Halfpenny Home.

Thank you so much Pixieannie for all the giggles, hope the ride back home on your new bike wasn't too wobbly - your basket was very full! Thanks to Adam for putting up with us all and helping pack and unpack and finally, thank you for the lovely button doodles Beth. Nic x

How to Dress Up Store Bought Curtains – Part 1

Embellishing store bought curtains is a great way to get a custom and stylish look without spending a lot of money. It is also the perfect option for people who have limited sewing skills.

100 Decorating Ideas Under $100 / Photographer – John Bessler

Stylist - Donna Talley, Regional Editor and Producer for Meredith Publications

The curtains shown below were designed by Donna Talley (Regional Editor and Producer for Meredith Publications) and made by me. Both curtains are fashioned from a basic tab-top cotton panel available from Country Curtains. They, along with several other curtain designs, are featured in this month’s edition of Better Homes and Gardens 100 Decorating Ideas Under $100.

Although there are basic directions printed in the magazine, I wanted share in greater detail how these curtains were made. Because this turned out to be a rather long post, I have decided to divide it into two posts. Here is part one.

Top It Off
I created this valance using a piece of Amy Butler fabric. The biggest “tricks” to this technique are making sure your pattern is centered across the width of the curtain panel and using a fabric with a fairly large pattern.

100 Decorating Ideas Under $100 / Photographer – John Bessler

Stylist - Donna Talley, Regional Editor and Producer for Meredith Publications

Making the fabric topper directions:
Fabric width:
Measure the finished width of your pre-made curtain panel and add 4 inches.

Fabric height:
Based on the pattern of the fabric you are using, determine where you would like your finished top and bottom edges to be. Add 2 inches to the top finished edge. Add ½ inch to the bottom edge of your fabric using the fabric pattern as your guide.

Cut fabric to measurements above. For the fabric width, determine the center of your fabric pattern and measure out from the center mark.

Press top and side edges under 2 inches and then press raw edges under 1 inch to form a 1” hem. Carefully press bottom edge under ½” along fabric pattern edge. (Note: It is much simpler to use a large pattern.)

Pin fabric topper to pre-made curtain panel. The top edge should be lined up with the top of the curtain panel, directly below the tabs. The side hems should wrap around the edges of the pre-made panel. Sew in place along all four edges.


Stripe It Rich
The curtain shown below is the perfect solution for adding length to an existing curtain panel. I started again with the same basic panel from Country Curtains and added two panels of pretty turquoise linen fabric.

100 Decorating Ideas Under $100 / Photographer – John Bessler

Stylist - Donna Talley, Regional Editor and Producer for Meredith Publications

Directions:
Fabric height:
Determine the desired finished length of your curtain. Calculate the finished length of the two blue panels and one white panel, by using the following formula:

Finished curtain length minus the length of the tabs and curtain header, divided by three plus seam allowances (the seam allowance number will be not be the same for each panel)

The seam allowance for the top blue panel and middle white panel will both be 1”. The seam allowance for the bottom blue panel will be ½ inch plus 6 inches for the bottom hem.

Fabric width:
Measure the width of the curtain panel, including the side hem allowances.

Once all measurements have been calculated it is time to cut the pre-made curtain. Cut the pre-made curtain panel ½ inch below the tab top curtain header to allow for a seam allowance. Then cut one white panel from the pre-made curtain using calculated measurements. Cut blue panels from linen fabric using calculated measurements.

Assembling the Curtain:
To attach the three panels and tab top, you will need to take apart a few inches of the existing hem of the pre-made curtain on each side. With right sides together, pin and sew top blue panel and the tab top panel together using ½ inch seam allowance. With right sides together, pin and sew white panel to top blue panel using ½ inch seam allowance. With right sides together, pin and sew bottom blue panel to white panel.

Make bottom hem by pressing under 6 inches to wrong side of curtain. Press raw edge towards seam to form a 3 inch hem. Sew.

Finishing side seams:
Press under side seams (same technique as above) to match the existing seams from the pre-made curtain. Sew side seams by hand for a finished

As you can see, both of these ideas are simple, stylish and easily doable. Next up will be directions for creating a curtain using an embroidered table runner, as well as many more inspiring ideas for embellishing pre-made curtain panels.

THE WILD BLUE YONDER

Just a quick note to let you know we are off tomorrow bright and early for Mr. Sweet Pea's family reunion in WILD WONDERFUL WEST VIRGINIA. 13 hours in an SUV with a two year old... I wonder how many times we'll watch Nemo or Monsters Inc... Do you remember family vacations in our day as children? No DVD player that's for sure... My parents used to put a mattress in the back of the family truckster (station wagon) and we (the four of us brats) slept in it all night the night before so they didn't have to deal with us in the am... How times have changed... I'll let you know how it went when we return...

Still making my way through the WBC posts. And appreciating all your sweet comments.

Amazing number of creative women in this world...

Until we return...

Hugs,

Shelley

Pre-match preparations...

Knitting is calming and relaxing, we'd like to think that this is why Adam joined us this morning for 'a knit' in preparation for this afternoon's big game.
Yes, he is knitting on our 'stunt' ball of yarn from Knit Collage. It's so lovely to knit with so we have some 'on the go' in the shop - no one can resist it! We are eagerly awaiting a shipment due any day now.
Actually... we reckon it was the cake, two to choose from today - orange or chocolate?
We did make him knit a decent amount before we got the cakes out. Nic x

Knitting Bonanza!

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous! I just love this wool! Nic has let me loose with this to knit something! I haven't started yet....it needs to be something very special and also needs to bear in mind this will be only my second knitting project. But, I tell myself, I have mastered the strawberry tea cosy so, onwards and upwards. But then I look at it again and consider it a piece of art as it is!

Here we have some of the Gedgrave Flock yarn - totally different but just as gorgeous.
Back to the Knit Collage yarn, this time a sampler of it when knitted...mmmmm

The socks are done! Yay!

Well done ladies on your acheivements. They are already busy on the next pair. And the weather in Suffolk was so cold this weekend they went straight into service!!

Jacqui x

DID SOMEONE SAY PARTY?

It's time for the second annual WHERE BLOGGERS CREATE PARTY hosted by the uber talented KAREN VALENTINE of MY DESERT COTTAGE blog. I'm pleased to join all the other talented party goers in presenting my studio to you...

Come on in...

After you've checked out my creative space, please head over to KAREN'S to see all the other fabulous studios.







One of my DIY projects... The stripes are off... I like it anyway...






I love nature stuff. Nests, wasp nests, butterflies...














Remember when I made this coin purse necklace? Started a trend among bloggers... Thanks Anthro for the inspiration...


I love my zinc top work table...


These fab boxes from Tuesday Morning hide a multitude of stuff...


My chalkboard I made from an old huge mirror frame. Used to hang over the counter in my shop... Recently painted grey...








My baby pic in an old pocket watch case.


I love this saying...














My inspiration board. A DIY that turned out right for once...




My reading nook. The old painted cupboard in original grey paint houses some of my many decorating books...






Some of my flower frog collection...

Thanks for stopping by...