book week... day two

the book i am sharing on day two of this thrilling book week

is one that appeals to the magpie within moi.

42 years ago i was born into a magpie nest.

being born of collectors of the utmost kind

i did not stand a chance.

despite my denial for many a year

i have now embraced the magpie within me

and learnt to live with my gene to collect,

doing so in little vignettes with plenty of space inbetween.

forsaken little souls

vintage doilies

retro linens

children who talk back

peachy clogs

quirky stools

winter boots

pesky critters

anything pretty

anything kitsch

and now it would appear

jam jars

and that is why i am attracted to this lovely book,

it talks to the magpie within

Detaljer Hemma (details at home)

by Annika Huett and Ulf Huett Nilsson

it is not so much a book about collections

but a book highlighting how the everyday in our lives

can be beautiful and what really makes a house become a nest.

from bathroom taps to light switches,

the authors have travelled around Swedish homes

full of eclectic details and wonderful bits 'n' bobs

recording their findings in all it's colorful glory

Detaljer Hemma is a picture book of pure eye candy

for anyone that has magpie tendencies like myself

and now i stop to think about my magpie genetics,

i see the magpie gene has been passed on to another generation in our family.

Our #4 is doing a grand job at becoming a collector extraordinaire

there is a lovely interview on FromSTHLM

where you can find out more about the authors and this peachy book.

actually can i just say i am really excited to have found this interview.

obviously i own a dectective hat i did not know about, until this moment

and i am wondering what other lovely things i may unearth with it upon my bonce.

going back to yesterday and my obsession with jam jars

since being inspired by Shelley's lovely knitted ones

shown in Covet Garden

i thought perhaps it might be nice if i mentioned

i am working on a tutorial for the gleeful season...

now i know it is only the beginning of October

and usually i am never ever prepared.

however Our #1 is coming home for christmas

and so i have gleeful things on my mind.

my gleeful tutorial week will involve jam jars of varying sizes

along with yarn and other fabricky things from one's stash.

so instead of just springing it upon you in middle November

and then perhaps sending one or two of you into a jar finding frenzy,

i am alerting those that may be interested, ahead of time

to avoid frantic frenzies.

she is quite sure there was an easier way of saying it, but when did she ever make her ramblings easy to read ~ Tif

book week... day one

gosh i am tres excited about this week being book week.

i am thinking, there is nothing quite like a lovely book...

first up for day one of book week

is a perfectly peachy book all about crochet trimmings.

Our #3 gifted me this book on my birthday a few weeks back,

i can tell you it is probably one of the most loveliest gifts

i have ever been given by one of my clan.

to know my teenage son can walk into the local bookstore,

head to the crafting department

and find amongst all the beauties resting upon the shelf,

the one book most suited to my crocheting needs is quite extraordinary.

until i unwrapped my gift i had no idea as to this books existence

and yet it is perfectly suited to me,

which truly warms my mothering crafty heart.

upon seeing my lovely red book

i exclaimed to Our #3

how wonderful it will be to have other options

beyond my usual picot edging

delving into the world of fancy crocheted trims

all because of his thoughtfulness.

this is perfect timing as fall is on its way

and with it i am getting all nesty

and with nesty, i am getting all crochety

and nothing says 'nesty and crochety' to me

like a blanket with pretty edgings.

as perfect timing would have it,

i have just finished off a lappity lap blankie

and will be picking a suitable trim from my new book.

i have high hopes and will do my utmost,

despite predictable hiccups along the way

not to resort to my picot stitch,

i am most fond of my picot

but it is time expand my crochet trim horizons

aided by my trusty new red book and Mr Hook.

fitting in nicely with my 'nesty crochety' mode

is the need to clothe random jars around the shed in little winter jackets.

i did not know i needed to do this until the lovely lynda wrote to me,

telling me of Covet Garden, a beautiful online magazine,

which she produces with the help of some lovely creative folks.

i clicked,

and one click led to another click

which in turn

led to my obsession with making little jackets for jam jars.

the 'how-to' is for knitted little jackets,

which you will find on page 21-22 of issue 2

and on close inspection of the article

it looks to me this lovely book also contains brilliant how-tos.

how fabby is that, even more nesty things to inspire!

for a moment i was tempted to break out my needles

having laid idle for many a year,

but i could not do it dearest readers,

no i could not.

Mr Hook is my constant companion these days.

so by friday afternoon i was raiding the fridge,

tipping out contents in jars well past their sell by dates.

this was a grand moment for me,

made me feel my kitchen crappity crap ways, have a silver lining.

by friday night one jar was proudly on the mantelpiece

soon to be followed by another.

my clan actually marvelled at the jars and their little winter jackets.

now let me just say, my clan rarely marvel at anything i make,

it is one big blur of crocheted doilifying stuff and passes them by.

but i have discovered, much to my glee

a simple little crocheted winter coat on an old food jar

appears to be worth a marvel.

she is thinking little jars with winter jackets would make the most loveliest gifts this coming gleeful season ~ Tif

granny goodness at its best...

i do like a bit of granny chic

and so i thought it might be nice

if i told you about two lovely granny chic loving crafters whom i admire.

i have admiration for the lovelies they make

and i am quite sure if i got a ganders at their vintage fabric stash

another huge wave of admiration would come over me,

perhaps even turning me a little faint.

first up is the delightful polly from folly and glee,

she caught my 'granny chic loving' eye a few months back.

after all, an ercol couch would stop most granny chic folks in their tracks.

on further inspection not only does her furniture deserve a mention

but her wonderful bark cloth and wall paper lampshades.

alas she lives across the pond from moi,

for mossy shed would look most grand decked out in folly and glee shades.

polly has an online UK store full of granny chic mid century goodness,

i actually have to look through squinted eyes

for her shelves truly are stocked with eclectic housewares that quicken my heart.

you can also find a few of her pretties on Etsy

and then there is the lovely rachelle of ted and agnes...

i have known rachelle for quite the while,

she is a challenger of the utmost kind

and she also has the most fabby wallpapered walls in her nest.

recently rachelle opened up her online store

and it is full of eclectic pretty wares made from vintage fabrics.

i can personally recommend her aprons for i own one myself,

i have noted upon wearing it in my kitchen,

it has not aided me in my orange meals,

but it does an excellent job at protecting me from my messy ways

it also has the added benefit of making me feel most peachy

whilst all around is not going according to plan.

i think that in it's self proves what a apron of the utmost kind it is.

rachelle also dabbles in other lovelies like cushions, tea cosies and other good old granny stuff.

so there we have dearest readers,

i think you will agree

there is nothing quite like a bit of granny chic to start the weekend on a lovely note.

she has plans for 'book week', coming soon to a rambling blog near you ~ Tif

footynote: please do note all images shown today belong to polly and rachelle and their granny loving selves.