*Magpie* - Like Crochet Doilies for Snowflakes

On one of my recent magpie hunting trips to a huge brocante, I was lucky enough to score some top quality, beautifully hand crafted, vintage crochet doilies. They were not the usual op shop/charity shop prices but sometimes it really is worth paying more for such gems; and judging by the exquisite workmanship of these beauties and the intricacy of the designs, I am happy to have invested in some glorious textile heritage

Each design is totally unique and perfect. It struck me how similar they are to snowflakes; both in their individuality as well as their beauty

There is something quite magical about the serenity and purity of snowflakes, don't you agree? These vintage doilies hold the same appeal to me; I am completely captivated by them and would love to incorporate them into my home decor somehow

I'm not sure what plans I have for them as yet - perhaps as the collection grows I will have them framed against a deep grey background and hung on the wall, or maybe I'll sew them all together to make a beautiful curtain or bed throw

Until a decision is made though, I shall just get them out once in a while to coo over them and caress their crisp perfection (...oops did I say that out loud?!)

Lisa x

{all images by Lisa Pocklington}

*Designer* - New Sewing & Crochet Pattern by Get Smitten. Let it Snow!

We are experiencing massive snow storms here in the French Alps - the size of the snowflakes on Saturday night were the biggest I've ever seen.... like giant feathers, silently floating to earth; it was magical!

It is a happy coincidence then, that the latest pattern from my Get Smitten studio is all about having snow-fall on demand from the prettiest cloud in town. I launched the Let it Snow! cloud mobile pattern earlier this week on Etsy so I thought I'd let you know about it too!

I have committed to launching a new Get Smitten pattern each month throughout 2012 - so watch this space for updates and news..... and to keep me accountable to achieve that goal!

All my Get Smitten patterns are available in downloadable pdf format and contain full, detailed instructions on how to make each item. I take you step by step through the process as if you were on one of my creative workshops and provide close up photos to help you deal with any tricky parts. In fact those of you who have attended any of my creative workshops will know the level of detail and extra helpful information I put in my hand-outs!

The Let it Snow! cloud mobile is a super simple sewing pattern - complete with cloud template - which looks gorgeous made up in any of my Get Smitten vintage fabrics. All you need is...

* 1 fat quarter of vintage fabric

* some ribbon

* 1 skein of embroidery cotton

* a crochet hook

* pre-made mini pompoms or felted balls

* stuffing

....and it really should only take you a few hours to make {honest!}

The photos were taken a few days before this latest fresh dump of snow and it was about ten degrees below zero... seriously chilly stuff, we didn't stick around too long I can tell ya! I had wanted to wear my funky blue Mary Jane shoes with this outfit but there was no way my little tootsies would ever have survived! Fur lined boots were a much wiser choice! I'm also loving my new grey lace tights and denim blue nails; do you like?

The tiny pompoms used here were actually cut from some upholstery trim I had (in fact they were the inspiration for this sweet creation!) but you can buy pre-made ones in most craft stores or even have a go at making your own. My friend Samantha has written a great tutorial on how to make felt balls on her blog

I hope you like the first pattern release of the year, I am excited to get started on February's one already. I'll release it early on in the month as it will be Valentine related and you'll need time to get busy on it ready for the 14th!

Do you have snow where you are? Do you still get excited when the first flakes fall?

Lisa x

*Stylist* - featured in rom1.2.3 magazine

When we arrived back from our Christmas whirlwind tour of the UK, there was a lovely little parcel waiting for us from afar. Although I don't read any Norwegian, it was wonderful to flick through the December issue of rom1.2.3 magazine which featured a story we styled, shot and wrote here in France a while ago, in fact it was originally featured in Livingetc last winter

They used a great selection of the shots, want to have a look? Grab a cup of tea and scroll down!

The story is called Winter Dreams and tells how owners Flo & Guillaume transformed a derelict carpenter's workshop into the home of their dreams here in Chamonix. They have made amazing use of the space and worked so very hard to get it looking so cosy

Did you spot the Get Smitten cushions in Flo's grey lounge? She commissioned a set of grey cashmere snowflake ones from me after agreeing to carry the line in her homewares boutique Reves d'Hiver. And the Space Cadet artwork in Simon & Charlie's room is one of my textile art pieces too

My favourite is the main bedroom shot - I just love the mix of textures on the bed. I made the yellow vintage fabric with grey velvet trim cushions specifically for this shoot. I'm thinking they'll look fab in our 'new' campervan this summer if JW manages to fix all its problems! More on that another time... there is too much snow out there for him to tinker on it at the moment

It was fun to flick through the pages of a foreign interiors mag - especially a Scandinavian one; they have such a strong design sense, or perhaps the appeal is that it is so different to the English and French ones that I am used to seeing? Either way, I can tell you it has fueled my desire to visit Copenhagen, Stockholm and Oslo for some design inspiration

Where have you been in Scandinavia? Where/what can you recommend for me to visit there? I feel the seeds of a trip being planted!

Lisa  x

{photos by Jeremy Wilson, styling by Lisa Pocklington, pages scanned from December 2011 rom123}

2012 a year for change

As the first week of 2012 draws to a close I feel ready to decide on my word of the year. I already have a taster of what I feel lies ahead for me this year.. which is revealing in itself as previously I have had no idea. I have recently come through a very dark and lonely period of my life and feel as though I am seeing the world - my world - through a new pair of eyes. The personal work I have been focusing on for the past 18 months is really now showing signs of coming to fruition and for the first time in along time, I feel ripe for the plucking! (if you'll pardon the expression!)

I have fought demons, shone light into dark corners and wrestled mindsets. I have cleansed, purged and forged new habits. I have learned so much and have let a lot of things go. Change is already happening - for the better - and I am ready for more. I know that there are more things that I will need to let go this year and I can feel a lot of resistance around this. I am trusting that the outcome will be the right one

And this is why I have chosen Clarity as my word of the year for 2012. It is time to get clear on what my destiny is, make some decisions and take some action. I have been wandering aimlessly for too long and life feels too short to live that way

I also have a feeling that once clarity has done its work, the real changes will happen fast and so I am offering myself a second word to use in its place, when the time is right. That word is Purpose. It's time to live life with purpose and on purpose, but first I need the clarity with which to do that

I am scared but excited

I hope you'll join me for the ride

Lisa x

To read more about having a word for the year, read this great article by my friend Katy at Success for Solopreneurs - she explains it really well


And for help choosing your own word of the year, try Christine Kane's Word of the Year discovery tool


2012 crafty calendar by Mandi Cromer for Design Birdie

6 Ideas for a Handmade Christmas

 So no doubt by now you've already got the decorations up, the cards written & posted, the presents bought & wrapped and a stash of home made mince pies ready for any unexpected visitors who might just pop by.... no?... me neither!


Not sure if I've ever been organised for Christmas - it always just kind of creeps up on me and then before I know it, I've left it all too late and I beat myself up over how I should have done it and promise myself it will be different next year. I'm sure I'm not alone here (right??!)


Part of my problem is that I over commit my time - there are always commissions at this time of year, as well as the private sales I hold locally for my Get Smitten items and I usually have a whole list of gifts I want to make as presents too... not to mention the ideas I have for decorations for the house


Here's a round up of all the things I wish I had time to make this Christmas...

 First up is the totally gorgeous pompom wreath by Danielle Thompson... oh, I love the colours she has used in this (actually I love most of her work, Danielle is my kitschy vintage heroine!) It took her forever and she recommends using a pompom maker - as opposed to the good old fashioned 2 rings of cardboard way. A lot of work but totally worth it! You can see her Candy Coloured Christmas post here

A quicker version is the vintage decoration wreath by Georgia Pechez - what a stunning statement piece! I'm totally in love with vintage xmas decs and have a small collection that I started last year - right now I feel too precious about them to hot-glue-gun them to a wreath but I'll keep my eye out for a few bargains on my magpie hunts so that I can make one for next year. The tutorial on how to make it is here at Retro Renovation

 These printed Christmas tree ribbons are ones that I made for a Living etc photoshoot last year, they're really easy to do and you can use whatever text you like. I wanted to re-do them for this year using the lines from The Twelve Days of Christmas and using paler colours, in keeping with my vintage tree decorations like the ones used in Georgia's wreath. The full tutorial for the printed ribbons is here

Next is the felted Christmas tree from the super talented girls at The Purl Bee, they also do a green stripe version with a white snow-cap but I love the hot neon pink against the white. Simple but so effective. The tutorial for making both versions is here

 Staying with the felt theme, I love the simplicity of these snowball tree decorations, again from The Purl Bee. I like the subtlety of the monochrome but would be tempted to make these in hot neon pink too! The step by step tutorial for making them is here

And finally, how about some tinsel swizzle sticks for jazzing up your egg-nog! I'm not a massive fan of tinsel (some people need a serious lesson in how to use it effectively... just sayin') but these I love. And they would see you into the New Year party vibe too! The beautifully photographed tutorial is here on Odessa May Society blog

Are you organised for Christmas? Do you hand make any of your gifts or maybe support indie designers by buying handmade gifts? What amazing tutorials have you seen online that you've earmarked for next year? I'd love to know

Lisa xx


{photos in order of appearance by Danielle Thompson, Georgia Pechez, The Purl Bee, Odessa May Society}

Penguin Classics Embroidered Covers

{sigh}   When I was studying textile design at Uni - I specialised in embroidered textiles - this is the kind of project I dreamed of... I love literature books, I love colour and I love threads. Imagine working on a project that enabled you to pick your favourite literary classic and interpret it, using fabric and thread into a beautiful book cover...    {sigh again}

This became reality for embroideress Jillian Tamaki when she was approached by Penguin Threads creator Paul Buckley to hand embroider the designs for the latest re-prints of three of their timeless classics: The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, Black Beauty by Anna Sewell and Emma by Jane Austen. What a dream job... and what a mammoth undertaking! Aren't they stunning?!

The books themselves - released this October - have deliciously embossed covers to accentuate the embroidery detail and make it look as 'real' as possible, I've not yet actually handled one of these beauties but The Secret Garden is so going on my Christmas wishlist {yeah, that's a hint!}

Here are the full covers, I just love how the back includes a small snippet of a quote from the book - a real book lovers treat!

The inside flap shows the back of Jillian's handiwork, which I think is a lovely nod to the tactile quality of hand produced work - they say the mark of a quality embroideress is that the reverse side is as neat as the front!

Be sure to check out Paul Buckley Design's full range of shots on Flickr to see the whole collection. Work is already underway for the next three books; The Wizard of Oz by L Frank Baum, Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame and Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. This time stitched by the expert hand of Rachell Sumpter and due for release next year

I am besotted with this collaborative project. Which books would you select? I would love to see Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling, Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carrol and, of course, my all time favourite, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen!

{sigh}

Lisa x

{images by Jillian Tamaki}

Attitude of Gratitude

Although Thanksgiving is not a holiday we Brits (or French) celebrate, it is fast becoming my favourite celebration... I'm a huge convert to the power of an attitude of gratitude and am very much still in the habit of keeping a Gratitude Journal

Here are a few things I am giving thanks for right now

1.  For the new friendships I've formed over this last year via my work and passion for textiles
2. For all the wonderful friends I've been able to reconnect with thanks to the internet
3. For my improved mental & physical health
4. For being able to spend rare quality time with family members this last weekend
5. For everyone who has bought a Get Smitten product and attended any of my workshops
6. For the clarity I now have on where Get Smitten is heading
7. For the interesting work opportunities that are beginning to show up
8. For laughter and kindness
9. For unconditional love both near and far
10. For being called 'my best friend' by my 3 year old niece
11. For booking a trip back to England to see family and friends for Christmas
12. For my early Birthday prezzie from the girls (seriously gorgeous shoes!)
13. For the swift recovery of my dislocated knee-cap (gross)
14. For the incredible resources at my fingertips
15. For learning how to cut negativity out of my mindset and choosing to be positive
16. For being able to do what I love and love what I do

What are you giving thanks for today? Do you keep a gratitude journal? Does it make you feel warm and fuzzy inside when you express gratitude? It does me

Oh and by the way... thanks for being here, I really appreciate it!

Lisa xx

{huge thanks to Amanda Cowell of Violet for her Gratitude Embroidery Hoop framed wall art, I totally love it!}