Lampshade Love

The other day I had an urge to learn how to make lampshades, it was a ping of inspiration from nowhere that made so much sense that I have no idea why I havent done it sooner! And I knew just who to call…

I met Ruth McAllister of Quincy Lampshades last year at the Lionheart Magazine Launch, her lampshades are bold, beautiful and modern and her successful business is an inspiration, she also teaches lampshade making in Bristol and Bath. I took along my Mairin Flora fabric and in three hours I had a gorgeous drum lampshade, Ruth is a wonderful teacher; generous and passionate about sharing the lampshade love. I enjoyed every minute and keep looking over at my finished beauty and smiling!

Christmas Steps Artisan Market

Saturday 1st December 11-4

As Petals Fall will be on the steps again this year, so come and say Hello!

I Love the Christmas Steps Artisan Market in Bristol, the beautiful cascading steps full of local handmade crafts, twinkling lights, mulled cider and jolly music . it’s the perfect place to pick up some unique Christmas gifts, soak up the festive cheer and you can also feel all warm inside in the knowledge that you have helped to support local independent businesses and crafts people. I always try to get my gifts this way as well as giving homemade offerings, the frantic high street is often quite stressful and I’m sometimes left with a feeling that the big business of Christmas is a greedy overfed monster. In fact this year my family are only giving gifts that have been homemade, so I best get busy!

x

Market trading

On Saturday I set up my little stall by the water at the Harbourside Market, It was such a beaut of a day, the sun was streaming and the boats were breaking the early morning ice…

My ‘Home is wherever you are’  and ‘I wanted to tell you..’ cards went down really well and it made me smile each time someone bought one to think of little messages of love being shared.

Here you can spy some of my *New* embroidery hoop frames, coming to the shop soon.

Flower of Bristol

Teapots, teapots and giveaway winners:

Thank You so much to all who entered my giveaway and supported the first two weeks of my shop by spreading the word, I absolutely LOVED hearing all your teapot stories and dreams and all your kind comments really make me happy.

My teapot collection currently houses: a very old blue and white one with a  japanese style design that has been with me most of my life and lived in all 8 of my houses, it is very sentimental and has the honor of wearing the red and white striped tea cosy, a Marmite one belonging to my husband, a small red one hand painted to look like an elephant which was a wedding gift from a friend, a Boden glass one that I refer to as the man teapot because of its masculine design, and a gorgeous brown art deco style one that my Husbands Mum handed down to me (I’m using this one to pick the winning names) . This small collection is one that I aim to build on until I have a shelf like this:

The teapot of my dreams right now is this beauty by Danish company Ferm Living:

Here are some more super teapots, including ones that you mentioned, to look at before I reveal the WINNERS!

*** GIVEAWAY WINNERS ***

*** 1st Prize:

**2nd Prize:

*3rd Prize:

CONGRATULATIONS Petals! Email me your address and I’ll post you your winnings, Hurrah!

Images:  1. Collection 2. Ferm Living 3. Bright Bazaar  4. Catherineholme Lotus teapot 5. Jansen & Co’s My Teapot   6. Typhoon Ching He Huang Teapot 7. Stump Teapot 8. Harlequin Pottery 50’s Teapot 9. Vintage 50’s Cat teapot 10. Hobnail japanese cast iron Teapot from Teavana 11. A trio of tiny tin toy teapots

New in the SHOP:

I have added some new products to my SHOP today including;

Petal Liberty apron – These pretty numbers are handmade with gorgeous Liberty print floral’s, perfect for stylish kitchen flouncing and suchlike. Available in Blue/ Purple and Cherry/ Grey.

Nest garlands – These garlands are handmade using a selection of Liberty, vintage and other bits and bobs of fabric, embellished with ribbon, lace and vintage doilies. They are perfect for hanging in your nest for a touch of handmade charm. 2 meters, available in different colour ways.

Wild flower tote bag – handmade in a gorgeous eye-catching fabric with a lining making it extra sturdy and ideal for books/ shopping/ all your bits and bobs

All available in the SHOP, pop over and let me know what you think. I’ll be adding even more over the next few weeks.

Also remember to enter my GIVEAWAY for a chance of winning some aspetalsfall goodness… (Winners announced on Friday 10th)

** A special Thank you to Hels for being a super model and lending me her garden.

New cards:

This weekend I was a busy badger in the studio creating these new cards.

Designs include; neon hearts in flouro pink, flouro orange, cobalt blue and metallic gold, typewriter text and some of my lampshade illustrations. They have that gorgeous tactile quality that only screen printing can produce and are the perfect excuse to remind someone you love them.

They will be available in my new SHOP launching later today…

Home:

Today I have been designing some new prints and bits and bobs with love in mind. I am using those particular words as they are a marvellous reminder of a simple reassuring fact that, for me, is at the core of love.

Hope you all have wonderous weekends, I’m off to London town to see friends, family and dance with glitter on my face.

x

Tenderfooting

On Saturday I was at a little Christmas market at Tenderfoot – a lovely shop in Bristol that is full of treasure, they stock a huge range of products from Bristol’s local handmade artists as well as hosting crafty events and workshops. I had a wonderful day there selling my wares, drinking mulled wine and enjoying the jolly atmosphere, Lori the shops co-owner is one lovely lady and another of my inspirations for ‘dream following’.  If you are in Bristol their shop is definitely worth a visit.

Tenderfoot blog

My little stall.

Looking forward…

Amazing jumper

This week I have been plagued with a dreaded winter cold, now I am better I am looking forward to being at Tenderfoots ‘Yule Love It’ Christmas market on Saturday, lots of lovely unique Christmas gifts on offer, including my wares, and mulled wine and mince pies…

I am also looking forward to the Lionheart Launch Party on Sunday, Music, craft, cake – made by the wonderful Homemade mama, Lions, joy, homemade pizza, aaaand we’ll be able to see the magazine in the flesh – SO exciting. There will be a lampshade demonstration by the very lovely Quincy Lampshades at 3.30pm, which I cant wait to see. I will be doing two crafty workshops at 4.15 – Moustache making, perfect for the photo booth, and sew your own lavender bag/ christmas decoration. At 5.30 there will be a live illustration session by Gemma Milly which I also can’t wait to see! And from 6pm onwards; good music and sparkles.

The weekend after all this action I am looking forward to a weekend off for my Birthday celebrations and some time with the Mr, and then it’ll be Christmas; I’m wishing for A novelty jumper, Christmas films, cheese, mulled wine, board games, an open fire and most of all some snow, it was magical last year:

Christmas market adventures

This weekend was As Petals Falls trading debut;

Saturday at the Christmas Steps was wonderful, such a charming setting and warm community and we were very lucky with the weather..

On Sunday we packed our merry selves off to Bath for The Makery‘s Christmas Craft fair, It was joyous to be based in the wonderful Makery Emporium for a whole day, such a magical place if you like being a crafty fox in your spare time and get excited by beautiful fabrics, buttons, ribbons…

The two petals hard at work!

** Thank you to all my lovely friends and, of course, Mr W who came along to support us**