Category: Craft
Set…Go!!
A huge WELCOME!! to all who come here on this wonderous day of a different kind of blogging..our inaugural BLOG PARTY..come in, have a mojito..
Or something from the strawberry bar..
..take the weight off your feet and have a look around!
Our post today is about our Preview launch on Tuesday 11 June..but before that, here is the list of amazing and eclectic blogs for you to ‘Blog crawl’, visit and enjoy!
First of all we want to add in three extra Blogs because they have kindly posted about our launch and spread the love:
www.thewordgirl.co.uk – a lovely, personal post from a great blog
seventy7q.com – beautifully written
dressing4dinner.com – Manuela will be writing her post very soon
reasonstobecheerfulandsad.wordpress.com
traveltalesbytash.wordpress.com
thevintagetraveler.wordpress.com
rachelfashionblogger.wordpress.com
sarathewindowshopper.wordpress.com
diamondsanddirtdotcom.wordpress.com
We’ll be seeing you all very soon!
Now us..we wanted to do the Blog Party today to celebrate one thing – the first ever Preview of our new label MasonBentley..and here are a few pics from the night..there’s not a huge amount as I hardly had time to have my camera in my hand..but I hope it gives a flavour of what a fun, buzzy night it was!
The night was an achievement in itself..but the reality?
It’s just the starting point…
xxxxx
Ready?!
After a truly hectic week – launch and the aftermath (amazing!) plus teddy bears picnics, Sports Days, school fetes and all the wonderful extras that indicate the winding up of a Summer Term (which I do love..must remember a pirates costume for Charlie on Monday..) it’s time to brush up the Blog for the Big Party tomorrow..the glasses are polished..the buntings up..fresh flowers ordered…strawberries plump and ready from the Farmers Market (with a choice of fresh clotted cream or rose water of course)…So I think we are nearly there…just need to write tomorrows ‘Welcome’ post – always lovely to see when you walk through the door!..but most importantly here is the list of all the wonderful bonkers Blogs that are joining us for the fun..(I am more than happy to update if we get more requests)…this is completely mad! but personally I can’t wait to share a glass of something special with you all tomorrow!
reasonstobecheerfulandsad.wordpress.com
traveltalesbytash.wordpress.com
thevintagetraveler.wordpress.com
rachelfashionblogger.wordpress.com
sarathewindowshopper.wordpress.com
diamondsanddirtdotcom.wordpress.com
I’m aiming to get round the whole list. Fingers crossed!
xxx
It’s Pardy time! (With an update x)
Our big day was Tuesday 11 June when we finally Previewed our First Collection…more on that a bit later – but we’ve been thinking..what better way to celebrate than having a Blog party?!
Lord only knows if it will work!
The plan is that all who want to join leave their Blog addresses in the comments below..then all day on Sunday 16 June (Got to have a bit of advanced warning to get the nibbles in..) We visit each other’s Blogs on the list and share the creative spirit..
Up for it? Or is it utterly bonkers?!
P.S. Little update: The Preview was a BRILLIANT night! Fantastic turn out..very buzzy…and most importantly..SALES!! We are delighted (understatement) !!..I will write more as part of our ‘Welcome to the party’ post on Sunday – but I just want to leave this main post here till then as a point of contact for as many potential party goers as possible..we are so thrilled by the response to this idea! I will post a list of all razzle dazzlers on Saturday evening UK time – whoo hooo! – and update the list on Sunday if nec..we really can’t wait!…
xxx
The Creme de la Creme..
I often wonder if winning the lottery would actually make my life better. It’s a moot point. However I do know it would make my walls so much more fantastic. I apologies for the next pictures..they are pure avarice and excitement and are (cough) ridiculously expensive (a pot of paint and a bit elbow grease won’t rock it with these babies) but they are sublime, aspirational and quite frankly give me giddy butterflies.
These hand painted chinoiserie wallpapers are from the company de Gournay. And looking at them you feel it is the timeless work of centuries of work from old master crafts men passing their craft down from generation to generation. In fact the Company was founded in 1986 by Claud Cecil Gurney. After searching for artisans to restore the antique wallpaper in his own home he discovered the traditional art was on the verge of disappearing. He made it his mission to resurrect it. And I for one am so thankful that he did.
To give you an idea..the paper is so expensive you can have it steamed off if you move… and re-used in your next millionaire mansion!
Laters, Kate x
Cushions with a touch of vintage..
Slipping in an extra post for the lovely Rubyfoot who was wondering what to do with her scarfs…and for the wonderful Lizzie at the vintage traveller who has just been given a beautiful scarf!
These pictures are from a project Anna and I did last summer when we were experimenting with vintage..there is an amazing stall in Portabello Market that just sells silk scarves, we trawled the rails to unearth the best to turn into cushions…when you see the beauty of some of the designs (the still life is one of my favourites) you appreciate they really are works of art and should be admired in their full glory.
Laters, Kate x
It started with a spring clean…
I’ve had gremlins..or little fingers…logged on this morning to find no post. Gone like the dew in the morn except for the first paragraph in draft form and 2 comments! Great. So here it is again, sort of – and I apologise to anyone who got this ditty twice due to the re-publishing…
It started snowing again today…snowing. In London. In March April. It’s pathetic. But somewhere deep inside there is a feeling of spring coming – because I don’t know what else is making me want to clear out cupboards and fill up dustbin bags. Which would be rip roaringly good except I have come to the conclusion that I am probably the worst de-clutterer ever…take this morning..I attacked our ensuite with the firm intention of getting jewellery sorted into piles, old make up thrown out (read ‘give to daughter’) and detritus removed. I got as far as the jewellery…I have this pile of old earrings in a brass bowl..
They’ve become part of the furniture. I keep them for some sentimental reason or other because the majority are dangly earrings and I never wear dangly earrings..
Then I had this thought – what if I could change them? turn them into stud earrings? Surely worth a try..so I set off to the shops…
These caught my eye.
And then I couldn’t resist these.
And these just had my name written all over them…
Removed the dangly hook thing, added copious amounts of this..
E Voila!
Macabre jellyfish skeleton men on juju juice! Why do I love these so much?!
Got utterly carried away and added additional gemming – but these I WILL WEAR with a white shirt dress and wedges in the summer…which admittedly could be never..
The additional shape, the little pop of colour..makes all the difference.
Neon orange stud hoops! J’adore!
I LOVE this combo.
Pretty non?
My alien babies! You look at them…and then look again..
Moral of the story? – Mess is obviously inspirational.
My tip of the day? – make sure the buggers are completely dry BEFORE you put them on…previously I never used to wear them…now I can never take them off..
Laters…much later, Kate x
Idylic Islington..
Another foray..if you ever want a posh place to trawl vintage then head to Islington. Ever want a delicious place to shop?…to eat?…to be? then Islington is your place…
Super cool idea for vintage jelly molds..
Seriously good vintage shops – and not just clothes.
Not quite so sure about stuffed fido..sometimes I think we love our pets toooo much.
The vintage clothes shops aren’t bad either.
Beautiful lace inside this shop – it was so cold, my camera seized otherwise there would be shots..
It is a really pretty part of London with lots of Georgian houses..it’s actually where my parents live..hello!
A shopper/browsers heaven.
Lovely boutiquey coffee shops
And this ones awesome door handle..
Scrummy food..
And on the way home I spotted this violet…surely a sign spring IS on the way??..pretty please with a violet on top???!
Laters, Kate x
The Cool Dude
The following pictures were taken over the Easter weekend..first my cool dude son, three year old Charlie…just because he is..
Who then went down with Chicken pox…or as he calls them chicken Pops!
Nice one son..
Flying eggs…just for laura! x
On Easter Sunday everyone had to decorate an egg – and race it!
The spotty one won!
Laters, Kate x
Thing of Beauty 2
Baby it’s cold outside – but there’s always a little bit of summer in my house…
This is the statement light in our hallway which also creates the most amazing natural wallpaper..
Now for the truly amazing bit…I made it myself. Blush…well, not entirely myself…it started life as this :
The Makros pendant from Ikea…which I love, but then everyone knows it’s from Ikea..and it was screaming out for a tweak…and to be honest, I have a fascination for silk flowers..
Which actually start life as these:
Those terrible plastic imitation wannabees you walk straight past in the pound shop…
But pull them to bits and the magic happens…ta-daa!
(Little tip: Exceptionally useful and essential arsenal when wrapping presents…dip them in glitter for a Christmas variation..)
The middle bit of the flowers on the light? Those glass beads that come in plastic string bags and catch your eye in a devious way because you strangely want to like them but you know they have absolutely no use unless you want them as algae gatherers in a large vase….until now.
The glass beads and flower petals were stuck onto the saucer shape at the end of the long prongs with a HOT glue gun (as supposed to a cold one with is less powerful) – I left some of the prongs with just beads to increase the light and add variety. I also used a selection of flower types as I was in an experimental mood and thoughts of summer meadow fields were running rampant..but the choices are really endless..single colour flowers, single colour beads, single colour with multiple varieties…your imagination is your limit…
And now their moment to shine comes every time I turn on the light!
Laters, Kate x
Beautiful Bracelets x
Spotted this whilst riding the computer waves. There was no re-bog button – but all credit goes to Erica at ‘Honestly WTF’ with a link to the original blog post here. Sometimes one just has to create – and it helps if it is something beautiful…. Enjoy x
DIY Macrame Bracelet
Posted by Erica on May 1st, 2012
You’ll need:
- 4 yards of 0.5mm chinese knotting cord
- a connector or charm
- an embroidery needle
- a pair of scissors
- flat nose pliers (optional)
- a lighter (optional)
Start by cutting the knotting cord into two 30 inch, two 20 inch and one 10 inch lengths. Fold the 20 inch piece in half, pull the loop through the ring, fold it over the ring, and pull the rest of the cord through the loop. Repeat the step on the other side of the ring. These strands will be anchored and remain stationary.
Center the 30 inch cord under the two middle strands. Fold the right cord over the middle strands and under the left cord. Pull the left cord under the right and middle strands and through the loop on the right side.
Pull tightly and slide the knot up to the top.
Finish the 2nd half of the square knot by folding the left cord over the middle strands and under the right cord. Pull the right cord under the left and middle strands and through the loop on the left side.
Pull tightly and repeat the steps – left, right, left, right . . . Continue knotting until the desired length is reached. Keep in mind that the clasp will take up approximately half an inch.
To finish the knots, thread one of the cords onto a needle and sew up the center of 3-4 knots along the backside. Pliers will help pull the needle through the tight knots.
Repeat the same step on the other cord.
After sewing up both knotting cords, trim away any excess. Save the scraps and melt the tips with a lighter to seal it for extra hold. Repeat the same exact step on the second half of the bracelet.
To make a sliding closure, shape the bracelet into a circle and overlap the middle strands. Use scraps to temporarily tie the cords together at each end.
Take the 10 inch cord and center it under the strands. Start tying square knots exactly the same way the bracelet was executed.
Stop at about half an inch and sew the knotting cords into the backside of the closure. Remove the temporary ties.
The two sets of middle strands are now the adjustable ties of the bracelet. Adjust to fit the wrist and tie each end into knots. Trim away any excess.
Your adjustable knotted bracelets are finished!! xx
(HonestlyWTF DIY bracelets & Tai pink crystal bracelet; Mr. Kate & Catbird rings; all images by HonestlyWTF)
Maison Bentley Style 
