Rankidoodle Labels

Am just working on some new labels for the pretty bow brooches my mum kindly knitted for my Rankidoodle shop on Etsy.  They will feature these old photographs of my mum in the 70s when her and my dad were just "courting".  The knitted bow brooch will sit in the middle of the card.

I haven't shown her yet!

Hope she likes em...

★ "MAKE IT" MONDAY ★

Welcome to my new blog feature "Make it" Monday where I will be featuring a weekly DIY project.  I LOVE making things and in this feature I will be showing you how to make gifts for friends, fashion items, gifts for children, for the home and much more.

Due to the current financial climate it makes sense to try to save money by making gifts, cards, homewares and with each project I will be revealing how much it costs to make, I think you'll be surprised how much you could save.

The projects range in the time it takes to complete.  I am starting with an easy 10 minute make, there are also 30 minute makes, 100 minute makes and Weekend makes.

#FASHION - Vintage Bow Brooch

These Pretty bow brooches can be worn to liven up any outfit or bag, they would make great gifts for friends.  They only cost 21p(34cents) to make!  Find details of prices and stockists here.  You could add a hair grip instead of brooch pin and wear it in your hair, very vintage darling. x

For this project you will need...

Felt  (21 x 3cm & 6 x 2cm)

Lace  (21cm)

Brooch pin

glue (glue gun shown but all purpose is fine)

Lay the lace over the longer felt piece and fold around so it overlaps itself by approx 2cm, I didn't but you can put a blob of glue here to secure before the next step...

...then fold the felt and lace in half longways and wrap the smaller piece of felt around the centre and put a blob of glue (where my thumbnail is) to secure... 

...then glue the brooch pin on...

...and voila!!!  You have your very own Vintage bow brooch.

My Heart Wanders

I have just bought myself a lovely new book "My heart Wanders" by Pia Jane Bijkerk.  Pia is an internationally acclaimed stylist, photographer and author specialising in interiors, still life and food.  The book is Pias own story about taking risks, letting go and making a home wherever you are.  It is full of beautiful, dreamy photography of Paris, Amsterdam and Sydney...

Pia is also the author of Amsterdam: Made by hand and...

Paris: Made by Hand available here and here

You can visit Pias website here, Blog here and Pinterest page here.

★ ETSY FRIDAY ★

"It's Pretty Old" is my new shop on Etsy where I sell Vintage goods I have collected over the years.

I am a little obsessed with buying pretty vintage books, scarves, crockery etc. and no longer have enough room to store them so am selling them on to better homes, please take a look...

King George V Silver Jubilee jug - 1935

1960s vintage french pop-up anniversary card

Alice in wonderland paperback 1960s penguin book

Lovely retro floral silk scarf

Looking in Junk Shops book - 1968

Please enter 'VINTAGELOVE' at the checkout for 20% discount.

♥ WEDDING WEDNESDAY - Bridesmaids ♥

Wedding Diary #4 - Bridesmaids

So everyone knows that you are getting married, all your closest girlfriends will be being extra nice to you hoping they may be one of the lucky ones to get picked to be a special part of your big day by being a bridesmaid.  How do you choose? How many bridesmaids should you have? Family? Friends?

Only you can answer these questions.  It is hard to choose as you don't want to hurt anyones' feelings.  One way is to ask friends to make a reading or be a witness instead.

When you have decided here are a few really cute ways of asking...

Bold, simple and to the point cards...

 Beautiful, with a personal touch and also a vintage keepsake.
You can buy this handkerchief from here

Love this idea, it's clever, fun and sooo pretty.
DIY guide here

Cute boxes full of goodies and info for the big day...

May have to copy this one as I will be 'Super obsessed' when the time comes 

 here is a 'lookbook' to give to your girlies including styles, colours etc.

A tiny bridesmaid invite inside this gorgeous charm ring

I will be featuring Bridesmaids dresses and gift ideas at a later date.

Homebird House

There is a fabulous new shop opened up in my hometown and I just had to tell you about it. It is called HOMEBIRD HOUSE and if you are familiar with Scarborough it is opposite the entrance to the Market on St. Helens square.

It's a home & body lifestyle store and stocks a wide range of products from window boxed cupcake bath bombs to really pretty lazercut cards, bunting, creative colour in wall paper.  You can get the perfect present for kids, mum, best friend or granny.

The shop is owned by a very friendly interior designer Alex Anderson.  It's a real breath of fresh air for Scarborough, as we are overun with tacky souvenir, charity and poundshops.

There is a great range of Christmas Decorations and gifts...

Love these frames...

...and these fellas...

...and LOOK they also stock my Rankidoodle cards and Teacup candles too!

For more info and pictures visit the website here and the facebook page here

★ INSTAGRAM FAVES ★

As you know I am completely addicted to instagram, if you are new to it and unsure who to follow I will be regularly sharing with you my favourite people to follow, here goes...

Sesame and Lilly grew from a little box of antique trinkets and

vintage french fabric, creating beautiful cushions,vintage journals and jewellery.

You can visit their website here

Sueshine is Mama to a brilliant & beautiful lil' gal who happens to be Autistic.

 Wife to a kind hearted & tech savvy man.

Dottie Angel is a big fan of 'Granny chic'.

She makes beautiful handstitched vintage inspired creations from the 

airstream trailer in her back garden, you can visit her blog here

Doodle_do is a collection of Collage Mashups/Visual Remixes

All created on the iphone, I'd love to learn how

Flashesofstyle is Bonnie Barton. 23 year old vintage lover.

Newly based in New York City and always finding beauty in everything.

You can visit her blog here

You can see some of my other fave instagrammers here

★ NEW TEACUP CANDLES IN MY SHOP ★

Please take a look at my New teacup candles in my Rankidoodle etsy shop.

I love vintage crockery and have been collecting these teacups for a while now from antique shops, charity shops, car boots and generous friends and relatives.  Eventually I got round to making something pretty and useful out of them, they would make great gifts for friends or relatives and for

£5 - £8 a bargain too!

             

I can also personalise them with names (see pic 4) or "Happy Birthday" etc.

For 20% discount on all Teacup candles type the code BLOGFRIEND at the shop checkout.

★ ETSY FRIDAY ★

#ZINES

Instead of featuring single shops each week on Etsy Friday I may also feature different product catagories or a particular trend or theme.

I am going to share with you my NEW obsession with ZINES!  A zine (pronounced "zeen") is a small circulation self published magazine usually reproduced via photocopier.  Zine content is very varied and can range from art and photography to fiction and poetry.  

As these zines are self published anything is possible!

Here are a few of my faves currently on sale on etsy...

A crafty collage zine from Kelly Zarb.

This little zine is jam packed full of great little crafty projects you can make including collaged gift tags, cards and much more.

A funny illustrated zine from willyoumarryme

A lovely vintage photography zine from paper boy press.  

This is a collection of 9 house fictions. It took over two years to write.

Beautifully illustrated travel zines from hello jenuine

Check out Small ghosts for lots of great zines including this book guide...

I fancy having a go at this zine making myself but what to do???

Here is a little fun video showing how to make your very own...