When Halfpenny Home Started...

I was looking back at some photos from this time last year and thought I would share some of them with you. Halfpenny Home came about after I saw a To Let sign on a building I had worked in a few years ago. I was getting ready to visit my parents in Northern Cyprus and two weeks later when I returned to the UK I had a plan...I had discussed it with my good friend Tariq over a couple of Efes at his bar and decided it was the right time to set up an Art and Craft Studio.
Liz Worsley very kindly designed and painted my signs and they are perfect. I'm a lucky girl!
I'm eternally grateful for the work she put into them, thank you Liz for being so patient, I love them and they make me smile every day!
Liz also for makes the best almond slices I have ever eaten!
My very good friend Maria made us some lovely cakes with buttons on!
Maria loves making things and we have a lot of conversations that consist of oohs and ahhs, her husband Wal loves old crafts like ragrugs and hates to see things wasted or thrown away - I think you can begin to see why we all get on so well...
They didn't get a chance to see the studio when it looked like this...
I bet you are all glad that the horrible old sink has gone!
All the racking has gone to good home too, Pat and Paul had some in return for a 10 litre tub of paint (we got through a lot of paint) and have helped me so much more since then!
It's been a lovely year, hope you have all enjoyed it too, Nic x

Apron Giveaway Winner!

Thank you to everyone who took the time to enter the apron giveaway sponsored by The Hip Hostess.  There were many lovely comments from long time followers as well as new followers. As a group, I think we were pretty evenly split between "planners" and "spontaneous gatherers."  There were even a few people who said they were both.

The winner, selected by Random.org, is comment #4 – Terra from Willow’s Grace. She said, “I just love the melon splash! How fun!!!!”

Congratulations to Terra. I hope you enjoy your new apron.

Reminder
The Hip Hostess is offering 20% off all purchases for Red Door Home readers through July 31, 2010. Simply enter the promo code “REDDOOR” to claim your discount.

NEWS FLASH

Okay stop the presses. I'm just back from an emergency trip to the grocery store, completely out of toilet paper, tooth paste, prilosec, all the essentials and had to post this. For all of you mourning the shuttering of Country Home magazine like moi...


IT'S BACK!

Now in the style of Decor, Cottage Style, Tuscan Style, and Country French, they are proud to re~introduce the title. I snagged the Late Summer 2010 issue which is chock full of gorgeous homes, many from past issues but who cares... I love it!

Next issue due in September.

Don't say I didn't tell you...











(all photos property of country home magazine)

TODAY WAS A TWO~FER SO PLEASE SCROLL DOWN TO THE FIRST POST FROM EARLIER.

Happy Jeans

Whilst pedalling furiously alongside Pixieannie last weekend on our way back from our favourite shop (see earlier post) I happened to ask her if she thought it would be a good idea to crochet along the edge of the hems on my jeans. She answered in the way that she often does after a bit of a ponder with 'do it' so I did and I love it!
The green is the yarn we found at 'the shop' and the pink is craft cotton that I dyed over the Christmas break with Dylon in mexican red. I cut off the hems of the jeans and turned over the raw edge 1/2" and blanket stitched all round. Then I crocheted a chain stitch into each horizontal part of the blanket stitch. For the second round of crochet I repeated the following pattern of stitches into the first round of stitches - single, double, single all into one stitch of the previous round. This gives it the wavy effect. The next round is just a single into each and I worked it in the pink to give it a nice border against the green.
I've been wearing them today and I'm sure that they have made a really good day a really great day!
Hope you like them too, Nic x

THE BLINDSIDE

Where to begin but the beginning?

Last Saturday Mr. Sweet Pea and I enjoyed a fabulous dinner at Carrabba's thanks to our oldest son and daughter~in~law, who had given me a gift card from there for my birthday. I was all set to let you in on the discovery of my new all time favorite drink on the planet in my next post. Sounds great right?

Until Sunday, the 4th... We were going to the neighbors for a 4th of July party, and I was sitting on the couch waiting for the ever sleepy Mr. Sweet Pea to wake up from his catnap. Out of nowhere, like a sudden drop in blood sugar (which you will never have to worry about if you have my new all time favorite drink) I had chills and it hurt to touch my skin, and most evident of all, I felt HOT. Off to find the rarely used thermometer...

Huh? I have a fever? I never get a fever... Ever.

Okay so I'm sinking fast, Mr. SP wakes up and goes stag to the party... Bummer.

Fast forward to Wednesday... Mr. SP is back on the road since Monday and I'm on my own... Sick. Not that he's a good nurse or anything cause well he... well he sucks. He'd be fired on his first shift. Since Sunday I've also developed in no specific order muscle cramps and the equivalent feeling of swallowing a cup full of ground glass as well as a fever that goes down in the am only to return full force in the pm... Oh and I forgot the part about waking up in a pool of cold sweat two nights in a row... Not damp mind you. Full on get up and change your jammies and find something dry to put on the bed... Not once a night but twice... Got to the point where I stopped turning on the light. You can come up with some interesting ensembles when you rely on feel alone...

Anyway, Wednesday is the day I finally caved in and sought medical treatment... Dragged my butt to the doc sans makeup (isn't it funny how you change as you get older) in my now much looser fitting loose fit boyfriend jeans... ah a silver lining after all... I do want to mention that I did shower out of respect for the general public mind you. Off to get my much needed antibiotics the size of a Cadillac Escalade from there... Why do you get the biggest pill in the universe when you have the least ability to swallow it?

Note to self... Do not put above mentioned mega pill in mouth until you have actually gotten the glass from the cabinet and the water from the refrigerator...

So one more night of sweat~a~palooza... I thought a fever broke once????

By Thursday feeling better in the throat and keeping fingers crossed for a sweat free night which hallelujah did finally come...

So here we are at Friday... Not 100% quite yet but on the way there. And for those of you who are wondering why I waited til Wednesday to go to the doc, well I think I'm Superwoman. Not really... I just don't go unless I really need to. I don't want antibiotics at the drop of a hat like a lot of docs are doing these days and I rarely get anything serious. So I wait it out a little... That's all.

Now on to the good stuff.

The drink, remember? Blackberry Sangria. Nectar of the gods I tell you. I tried to get the recipe from our server... You would think I asked for all her tip money... Anyway google it. There are a few recipes for it out there and I picked one that said they got it from a friend that bartends at Carrabba's. Or better yet just go there and have them make you one. I personally can't wait to make a pitcher, but that will be next week after I choke down the rest of the Escalades...

Thanks to all who wished me well. It really helped.

I'm leaving you with some random pics I took today around the house. I hope you enjoy...

Hugs to all,

Shelley

Tickled Pink and a Color Connection

I have been blessed to meet so many extremely talented and generous people over the short time I have spent blogging. I am constantly amazed by the creativity and the willingness of others to share their ideas, time and gifts. Today I wanted to spotlight two special bloggers and new friends - Holly from 504 Main and Marian from Mustard Seed Creations.

Tickled Pink at 504 Main

Today I was honored to be included in Holly’s Tickled Pink Friday feature – a day to share what you love about your own blog or from other people’s blogs. Every Friday, Holly spotlights her favorite things from the past week and offers a great giveaway. Her topics include entertaining, cooking, creating, kicking up your heels, and more. Lots of fun and creativity all in one place!

As a bonus, a few weeks ago I was the winner of this fabulous journal set from Liberty of London. Thanks Holly!

It has already found a new home on my desk. I now have a stylish place to record all my ideas. The trick will be keeping my daughter from claiming them as her own!


Miss Mustard Seed and a Color Connection

I was very excited the day I discovered Mustard Seed Creations. Marian’s blog is so inspiring and is a tremendous creative resource - wonderful before and after photos, decorative painting, favorite vintage finds, small business tips, furniture feature Friday linky party and so much more. Needless to say, I have been a happy follower ever since.

In a recent post, Marian talked about, and showed pictures of, her newly repainted living room and dining room. Her color of choice was SW Aria Ivory. As most of my house is painted with this same color, I left her a comment telling her how much I too loved the way it made the white woodwork stand out – “a color without being a color” if that makes any sense. Below is Marian’s beautiful dining room.

Miss Mustard Seed

The irony of this story is that unbeknownst to either of us, Marian had used my living room which had been featured in Women’s Day Budget Decorating, as her inspiration for her color choice. She had received a copy of the magazine from her mother-in-law and saved the article.

Photographer – Michael Partenio

Stylist – Donna Talley, Regional Editor and Producer, Meredith Publications

Photographer – Michael Partenio

Stylist – Donna Talley, Regional Editor and Producer, Meredith Publications

Marian quickly figured out the connection after visiting my blog and seeing this post. She was kind enough to email me and to write about our color connection HERE.

I hope you will take the time to visit these two wonderful ladies. Their blogs are delightful!

It's a First!

Here it is! Our first ever blog giveaway. We thought it was time we shared a little bit of Halfpenny Home with you, so we've carefully put together a little selection of goodies that we hope you'll like including pom pom trim, gingham bias binding, velvet ribbon, a selection of buttons and a fat quarter.

To be in with a chance of winning, all you have to do is leave us a comment on our blog between now and 31st July 2010. It's as simple as that! Good luck!

We can't quite believe it but next Saturday, 17th July, will see our second Vintage & Craft Fair take place at Halfpenny Home. It's on between 11am and 4pm. Amongst the stallholders, Scoffins will again have their yummy scones and muffins for sale and one of our regular Halfpenny Home visitors, Maria will also selling her lovely button jewellery - above is a picture of a pretty button ring that she has made, together with the beautiful cake box also made by Maria. Hope you can make it!

Jacquix