making plans...

Hello!   

I'm not even going to mention how long it's been since I was here last, let's just pretend I've been here all along, ok?  

The last few months have been busy, lazy, happy, sad, calm, crazy, all change, same old same old.  I just needed some time away, and now I'm back.   And rather than look back, I'm looking forward.  I am planning something exciting....

This is my partner Frank.  I don't talk much about him here, partly cause he's a very private person, and partly cause he's not covered in vintage fabric (he's not orange either, but I love this photo of him glowing in the light from our campfire in Cornwall this summer).  He is great, and after 14 years together, and 2 kids, we have decided to get married!  

This doesn't mean what it means to a lot of people...I didn't grow up imagining fairytale weddings and frilly white princess dresses. I was brought up by a strong feminist single Mum who taught me that a woman doesn't need a man, but that they can be nice to have around.  I never thought I'd get married, and I was fine with that.  So I'm not obsessed with sugared almonds and seating plans.  

We are keeping it cheap and simple, and we don't want lots of time to plan it.  On November 23rd, we will be standing in front of a select group of friends and family and saying our vows.  It's not about the day, it's about the years ahead.  But it will be lovely to celebrate with those who are special to us...and I must admit I will enjoy dressing up a bit.  I am buying a frock...it is not princessy, and it is not white.  But it might be a bit frilly...

I will pop in again soon...in the meantime, I'm now on Instagram, if you are too then let's follow each other! I'm Rainbow Vintage Home over there too.

Rachel xx

summer stitching...

Hello lovelies! First I have to say a huge thank you to everyone who commented on my last post...every one of your comments was appreciated...lots of them made me laugh, some of them made me get a bit teary, and all of them made me very glad that I blog, and that you take the time to read what I have to say.  You are delightful and delicious and I would love to give you all a hug, or make you a nice cup of tea if you're not that keen on hugs from random people that you've never actually met!

We're on holiday in Cornwall at the mo, and my menfolk have gone off to watch a medieval joust at a nearby castle...of course I could have gone too, but I have been to a fair few castles in my time, and the lure of a pile of magazines, books, and DVDs was strong!  So I am 'home' alone today, and while I lounge about waiting for my freshly painted toenails to dry, I am planning a new crafty project.  I used to do embroidery and applique quite a bit when I was younger, but in recent years my obsession with vintage patterned fabric has overtaken me, and it's been a long time since I did anything fancy with a needle and thread.  Then recently I saw this gorgeous piece of vintage embroidery over on Lazy Daisy Jones's lovely blog, and realised it's time to get stitching again. 

I love the details of the different stitches...

So here I am, with some white linen, a rainbow of embroidery thread, and an urge to stitch. Here are a few more pictures that I'm finding inspiring, all from my 'Sew and Stitch' Pinterest Board...some vintage...

and some much more contemporary...

Takashi Iwasaki

Takashi Iwasaki

Mariposima: I can see music Via happy crafts tumblr

by Smallest Forest

Right, my toenails are dry, and I'm itching to get stitching...hope you're all having a lovely week!

Rachel x

have I left it too long?...

Hello (waves tentatively)...I'm still here!  I really don't know why I have fallen out of love with blogging...it's not you, it's me...it's complicated.

I'm putting this picture in to avoid that dreaded beast, the text-only post. It has nothing to do with what I'm saying, but I made it, and it is pretty, so I thought you might like it.

I have been lurking, catching up with some of your blogs, but mainly just getting on with life, which has been the usual mix of delightful and dull, fun and frustrating, creative and crap...though always, on balance, far more of the good than the bad, thankfully.  There has been plenty going on that has been worth sharing, but I just haven't felt like sharing it...here are a few of the reasons why.

1. I am really not that interesting.  I know, I'm still the same person I was last year, when I was blogging  away like a very bloggy thing.  But I am somehow finding myself far less fascinating than I used to (this is probably a good thing).  I think it partially stems from coming across a few amazing and inspiring blogs, which are being written by people going through immensely challenging times.  Blogs like this one.  Somehow, wittering on about vintage fabric just doesn't seem that important after reading about stuff like that.  That's not to say I don't still enjoy reading your blogs about all those lovely vintagey, interiory, lifestyley, scandi-y things, I do.  This sense of mild pointlessness is directed squarely at myself, possibly because...

2.   I feel like a fraud.  I am starting to wish I had called my blog something different.  Like, um, my tiny messy home.  Or my teetering pile of crap.  Or my disorganised life.  Don't get me wrong, my house is full of lovely, colourful vintage things.  That bit is true. But it is even more full of the daily detritus of 4 messy people living in a tiny house.  I am not a tidy person; I do not like housework.  Although I love looking at gorgeously spare, airy interiors, I know that after a couple of weeks of me living in them, they would look a lot like my home does now.  MESSY.  I can aspire to minimalism, but I know I am incapable of achieving it.  This results in my life feeling quite un-blogworthy sometimes!

3.  I am a rubbish blogger.  Not just in terms of posting regularly, and writing interesting posts, but in terms of joining in all the lovely bloggy things that make blogland such a great place.  You know, linkys, awards, sharing the blog love, all of that.  It's not that I don't want to join in, it's that I am either too lazy, or too disorganised, or too shy to join in, so I don't.  And then I feel a bit crap about that.

Here's another picture to reward you for reading this far...it's not even a very good one...I told you I'm not much good at this!

4.  Most importantly, I was getting the balance wrong.  Too much time at the PC, not enough time living in the moment with my  gorgeous kids.  My youngest will be going to pre-school in September, and I did not want to waste my last few months at home with him sticking CBeebies on and farting about on Pinterest, or Blogger, or bloody Facebook.  I love all those sites dearly, and my Rainbow Vintage Home facebook page has been keeping me busy with fabric sales and likers and making lovely new online friends.  But I needed to take a step back. 

So we have been playing, and singing, and camping, and cooking, and making, and I've been buying fabric, and selling fabric, and making stuff with fabric (like the quilt at the top of this post).  But I have been very crap about keeping in touch with you lovely readers, and that has made me feel sad.  Because I genuinely like you, and have really enjoyed meeting you, and sharing with you, and I'd like to carry on doing that. I'm hoping that now I've got all this mildly discombobulating stuff off my chest, I will find it easier to just pop in here a bit more regularly, and share stuff with you without it feeling like a big deal, you know...'Oh now I need to write a blog post about that, what shall I say, oh it's too late now'...

If anyone has stuck with me all the way down to here, thank you, and here's another nice picture for you... 

As you can see, I'm as crap at ironing as I am at blogging!

I really hope you're having a lovely summer, and enjoying this amazing weather that we've been having.  I am going to go now.  But I'll be back soon.  

Rachel xx

Bye bye Google Reader...

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Happy Weekend!

Hello lovelies! Just popping in briefly to share some happy pictures with you, I hope they'll brighten your day a bit as they have mine.   

Here's my latest happy-making fabric purchase, I saw a picture of this design on Flickr years ago and have been hoping to find a bit ever since, and yippidy-doo-dah I found it!! I'm such a sucker for these cheerful naive 70s kids designs, sourcing this totally made my week.  

as you can see I haven't ironed it yet...

or taken very good pictures of it!

It only arrived this week so I haven't taken  my scissors to it yet, it tends to take me a while when I love a bit of fabric this much!  As I can't bear to cut into it yet, today I am playing with some other lovely bits...

I could spend all day arranging and rearranging fabric like this, but at the end of it I feel guilty for not having actually achieved anything...so I'm off to get the scissors and sewing machine out.  I've got a couple of commissions to do, and I haven't done any sewing for a few weeks, so I need to polish my stitching skills!  

Just want to say welcome to new followers, thanks for reading and joining me here.  And to everyone who comments, thanks so much...I am struggling to reply to all every message but I love reading your comments and will try to get over to your blogs to leave a message for you there!  

Hope you have a lovely weekend!

Rachel xx

life moves pretty fast...

...you don't stop and look around for a while, you could miss it.

Well apparently my blogging mojo is on some kind of extended holiday...hope it's not a gap year!  To remind myself, and you, that I am a blogger (of sorts), here's a few pics of recent shenanigans round my way...

Amazing bundle of fabric joy for my birthday, from the gorgeous Modflowers...

cushions made for our local Arts Trail (and my quilt - for display only!)...

 

Gorgeous birthday presents from my boys!!! Brooch from here, purse from here...

and a couple of new tins to add to the kitchen collection.

The boys enjoying Upfest, our local graffiti festival...

a happy picture by eldest boy that makes my heart swell with joy...

 

and him playing on our new family toy.

Wild garlic picked on a woodland walk...

and our walking companion!

Recent boot sale booty, a Figgjo Flint casserole dish...

and a small but powerful bit of childhood nostalgia!

 

In among all this I have been buying fabric, selling fabric, and trying (and failing miserably) to not let my house get taken over by piles of fabric!  I desperately need a studio or sewing room, but our house is tiny and we're not moving any time soon so for now I just have to muddle through.

I hope you're well and happy, and enjoying the sunny weather we've been having...long may it last!  Thanks so much for reading, sorry it's been so long since my last post, hopefully it won't be as long till my next one!

Rachel xx

I fell off the edge of the earth...

...and landed in a big pile of fabric!  No I haven't really disappeared off the map, though blogging-wise I might as well have.  It's been too long!

Things have gone a bit crazy over on my facebook page, where I recently announced a plan to sell some packs of fabric squares for patchwork & quilting, and I was inundated with enquiries and orders.  I've spent the last week using every spare minute to cut fabric, I had thought I'd cut enough to have a few spare packs for future orders (for instance, in case any of you lovely lot wanted one) but people just kept asking for them, and if everyone who asked for one confirms their order (most already have) then I'm all sold out!  

I will cut more in future and I think next time I will announce it first here, I feel bad that my lovely bloggy friends have missed out...sorry, it wasn't intentional!  

Here are  a few pics of the fabric mountain I've been climbing for the last few days...

 

 

So, I've finally finished, though I wish I'd cut a few extra - I think I could have sold them twice over!  I'm sure I'll do it again soon, but my cutting arm is tired out so not for a while.  And some of the fabrics that I've included are now running out, so will be going into my personal stash, which means I'll have to buy more fabric for next time - what a hardship!

I hope you're well, and that you have a lovely weekend.  I'll try not to leave it so long next time! 

Rachel xx

making progress...

Hello lovelies, how are you today?  I am getting better, hurrah!  Still getting tired after not doing much at all really, so lots of sitting down after tiny jobs like loading the dishwasher, but yesterday I actually left the house for the first time in 4 days, and didn't fall over, which felt like a major achievement!  Thank you all so much for the lovely comments, it's so comforting to get such lovely messages from you all.  I'm glad you all love my cat cushion as much as me, I will be coming back to him another day, as he has a twin who I'd like you to meet...

I am just popping in today with a tiny detail of our new kitchen, which although not finished is actually working beautifully!  We only have the tiling to do, but I don't want to show you the whole room until that's done as it still looks very unfinished without it.  But the other day Frank reinstalled one of my favourite things, a long shelf which runs right across the wall above the doorway...it's a tiny room so we have to make the most of any little corner that we can utilise for storage!  After my lovely man had put the shelf back up, I had fun doing this...

Aaaah, so colourful!!  Being able to display so many of my favourite tins in one place has brightened my week no end.  Hurrah! 

Hope you're having a lovely sunshine-blessed week,

Rachel xx

my week has been...

...up and down!  Started with me feeling tired after my night out dancing, and ended with me feeling very ill with a horrible virus.  Here are a few pics from it...

Another brilliant Puffin Annual...

With inspiring crafty activity pages...

and youngest boy's personal take on the face-making theme...

which was carried through to lunchtime!

some of my best friends this weekend...

and some more...I love my pillows so much, but especially the cat!

breakfast in bed...for the kids, I haven't been well enough to eat...

accompanied by some more comforting cats!  old classics are the best when we're ill aren't they?

So there you have it, another week has passed, I don't seem to be getting any better at this blogging lark, but I think I've accepted that I will just say something here when I feel like I have something to say, I can't force it.  I am cross with myself for not being better about replying to comments, but I have been trying to pop over and say hello on your blogs...if I haven't made it to yours this week, please blame the evil germs! 

I am going to have a stall at the Bristol Vintage & Flea Market on next Sunday, 28th April - I'll be selling some fabric, but also the results of an attempt at general decluttering.  I'm sharing the stall with the lovely Naomi who sold buttons with me at my last fabric market, so it should be fun.  I'll take some photos of our stall (before it all hopefully gets bought!) and I'll let you know how it goes.

Hope you have a lovely week.

Rachel xx

my weekend...

...has been a lot of fun!  One of my favourite things to do when at home, whether sewing, cleaning or hanging out with my kids, is to listen to music.  And I love the radio as it means I don't have to constantly make decisions about what to listen to next, and I get to hear new music or old classics I'd forgotten about.  

I think the radio programme I listen to most of all is the Craig Charles Funk and Soul Show on BBC Radio 6 Music - I love upbeat music that gives me energy and makes me want to dance.  But although I dance around the house while I do the housework, and have regular dining room discos with my kids, it has been years since I went out and really danced.

Well last night that changed....the Craig Charles Funk and Soul Club, an occasional live DJ set by the man himself along with lots of other excellent DJs, came to Bristol.  And I went out, with my dancing shoes on (flats, of course!) and my nails painted, and I danced my ass off.  It was brilliant to realise that after 2 kids, and years of domestication, my wild child is still alive and kicking inside me.  And when he played my all time favourite funk tune, I nearly exploded...

I will be doing it again sometime soon!

I hope you had a great weekend too. 

Rachel xx

holiday fun...

Hello lovelies, here I am again, late to the party as always, but I hope better late than never!  How has your Easter break been?  Here are some pics of mine...

Egg (and bunny) hunting...

Our Easter breakfast table at my Godmother's beautiful house in the country...

Homemade mini churros and chocolate sauce for breakfast = happy kids!

craft activity inspired by Jane's fabulous lolly people...

kept the boys entertained for hours!

a springtime visitor to a friend's garden!

I hope you've had a great time, whatever you've been up to.  We've also been busy with lots of house stuff; the continuing kitchen saga and an ongoing, perpetual attempt to declutter.  My facebook page has been keeping me busy, with some fabric flying out the door as soon as it arrives...I will take some more photos this week and update you on the latest additions to my stash! 

Today I have gained my 195th follower - welcome Debs and thanks for finding me!  I think I'll have to have a little giveaway when I hit 200, to say thanks to all of you lovely people who take the time to read and comment - it makes my day that so many of you enjoy what I do here, when I find the time to do it!

Schools go back here tomorrow so today we are watching a movie with the boys, and going to a friends later to let the kids go feral while we eat & drink to celebrate, finally, the arrival of spring.


Enjoy the rest of your Sunday,

Rachel x