Carpe diem!

Another beautiful Spring day here in South East Cornwall as I take an as yet unexplored branch of my life's road-into the world of blogging! I've admired so many wonderful crafting blogs for some time and finally, inspired by one lovely lady recently, it begins.  
I live in an 18th Century ancient (crumbling!)  Cornish farmhouse and it's from here I collect vintage fabrics and haberdashery, make handmade gifts and interior items, along the themes of the traditions of times gone by. 

The surroundings inspire me so much as I imagine what sort of country crafting must have gone on here over the centuries/decades. 
I do hope you will join me in sharing news of my vintage fabric finds, sewing projects and snippets about life here in Cornwall!  

Today I've been working on some simple patchwork cushions to use up some of my Cath Kidston fabric stash...so I can invest in some more! Here's some of the well known 'Rosali' :

This one is the gorgeous red Paisley teamed with 'Sprig rose'. I treated myself to quite a bit of this from the Bicester outlet in 2011 -£10.00 a metre, quite a saving but living so far away I don't get this chance very often.

This is the simplest patchwork-squares machined together, backed with a plain cotton. I always put zips in my cushions though, even these small ones so they can get a wash occasionally! 

The chair- 'Number 23' was one of my first vintage finds, in 1979. I spotted it sitting outside a second hand shop in the Midlands town in which I grew up. Walking past several times I don't know why but I just felt drawn to it-it was in a very shabby state with no centre seat. I bought it for £1.00, took it home whereupon my mother shrieked, 'What do you want that old thing for?'  My father rubbed it down, varnished and made a new upholstered seat for it, that you see in the picture. As my father passed away in 1980, it became one of the treasures that would always go with me. I don't know where it originally came from-would it perhaps be from a church? The second hand shop was located almost opposite the main church-just a thought. 

Strangely, years later when I met the love of my life, we were looking for a house together. Being in different areas he looked at a few and short listed some, one in particular. 'It's Number 23, Springfield Road' he told me excitedly.  We bought it of course and spent four happy years there, before moving to Cornwall. Coincidence? Serendipity, or a touch of Fate?