Week One Elliemagpie go go go

Heya all, today's post is the first of a collection of blogs I am planning following the set up of my new business venture Elliemagpie. I hope you like sharing my adventure with me and if you can offer any support or insider knowledge on the whole - 'setting up shop' front then I will be more than happy to hear from you. Please leave your comments on the blog or on facebook :)

Saturday saw my first purchases for the business both in term of stock and display. Have a peak at these beauties!

Scandinavian prints get revisited in this eclectic collection. Modernology redefines your idea of avant-garde with its bold florals in rich hues of red and blue, mixed with bright lime and chocolate. - sounds exciting to me - can't wait to get mixing from fat quarters from the range. This is by Pat Bravo
http://www.patbravo.com/FabricsMain.html
She has some beautiful ideas for bags and things on her site too - I am feeling very inspired!

Exotic florals and sumptuous medallions in lavish purples, gold and deep teal give a feel of mysterious elegance to this Moroccan- inspired collection. I soooo want to go to Morocco - it's on my list of places to go. Not many places left - this list needs revisiting and revising. Oooooo another idea for a bog - I need to scan in all my (very small) South Africa pictures from 2000 and put that together properly.

 A walk through the streets of Paris on an April afternoon. Dream about a new outfit for kids, a gorgeous quilt for your bedroom or many handbags. A seductive palette of colors with shades of sparkling pink and enchanting purple, mixed with kiwi and chocolate.
Wow, pink and golds - more beauty from Pat Bravo - I love the liveliness of this.
I am going to be stocking most of these three collections, then I will see how they go and look to expanding and moving to the rest of the ranges.

I will also be stocking these beautiful May Arts ribbons from the US. I love this stand aswell and hope to be replicating something similar for my shop - Dad!!!, Can you make one of these please!

Aren't they so beautiful. I am going to have to think of something to make using just ribbon - any ideas?

Then onto the lovelies and pretties I bought for the store. Some of these need some TLC but I have plans for them.

 A lovely corner unit

A square tub - must research what theses were used for but have fallen out with this for today as I backed into it and have given myself a large bruise (picture not included!)

This stool is a gorgeous pink but unfortunately a bit grubby so going to have to see how it scrubs up.

Super Victorian Pine corner cabinet - am a bit loathe to paint this as someone has painstakingly stripped it - we shall see..

Look at the gorgeous shaped shelves inside, so pretty.

A sewing machine - and not a Singer. Lovely gold colours on this model and it was a bargain I couldn't resist. Will have to get it up and running.

Another bargain, an old clothes horse/airer and thought I would use it to show some of the patchwork panels I am working on for cushions

The vintage pinks and lilacs are from the Stof basics collection.

The red hearts and the  cream red stripe cushions match with some of the bunting I have done and is available in my shops.
http://stores.ebay.co.uk/elliemagpieshabbychic
http://www.etsy.com/shop/EllieMagpie

And the chair, again needs some care and attention and just trying it out with some of the Stof vintage patchwork ideas but this is going to look really pretty :)x

Tomorrow and Tuesday are Spring Fair for me - the first time going when it's for my own company. I am going to have blast! Plus I get to buy and source some of the stock I want for my store and shop - how exciting is that; but a bit scary too - spending my own money instead of someone else's!
(My previous life was as buyer for a number of store groups)

The website is coming along too - I think I will write about this later. I am torn between giving too much away though! but I value the input - of course my customers are going to have to LOVE the site and find it easy to shop.

If you can't comment on here then please do comment on FB http://www.facebook.com/pages/EllieMagpie/272323092826099

Love
Elliemagpie x

We baked :) Me and El decided to make Birthday biscuits for Grandpa. This post is just to show that I can do some baking, of sorts.

So, all is well on the mixing front and a lovely smile from El as she sifts the flour.

 

Cutting out the shapes - some lovely hearts for Grandpa. Check out serious El!

Managed to pop outside whilst the cookies are cooking and take some snaps of my new buntings that I have just finished. (Snaps, lol, who says snaps these days!!)
It was a bit grey outside, trying really hard to get this natural light thing going!

And the biscuits/cookies are done - dusted with icing sugar and presented in a pink tin!
Not sure Grandpa likes pink as much as we do but it's the thought that counts.

Love Elliemagpie x

Sunday Sunday

Planning my new studio/office/stock room - I decided to get straight too it today and swop over my cellar rooms and store all our garage type stuff in the smaller room and move the desks and tables into the larger room ready to kit out further with shelves etc once a lick of paint has been applied.
Luckily the radiator works, yay, despite being off for 4 years, so at least I won't freeze down there.

This is not my studio.... yet! I am loving these ideas and this is what I need to aim at. Thanks to Riki Treleaven, I heart Shabby Chic and We heart it, for the ideas!

I am going to need some storage for all the lovely fabrics I am going to have in. Here are some ideas I am toying with. Thanks to Craft Storage, Little Quilts and Polkadotmum.

And this is how it looks at the moment:

hmmmm, a long way to go, but it is functional if decidedly uninspiring :(

And the tidy bit:

Oh and Ellie wants a mention in this blog so here she is modelling my new bunting finished this weekend (but yet to be listed!)

Have a great week everyone :)x
Oh and whoever broke twitter this evening - naughty!

I Jinxed the Gingerbread :(

What a busy busy weekend! Turning up at my old friend, Loula Belle at home's house on Saturday, 45 minutes late - mums and dad's fault, found her in one of her gorgeous pinnies, having made a fresh batch of gingerbread dough ready for the kids to rolls out and cut out the 'men'. Yum.
Now I love gingerbread dough, more than the cooked menfolk and sneaked many small portions from said dough whilst the rolling/cutting was being done by the little tinker.
This behaviour was of course then copied, personally I think we should have foregone any rolling,cutting, messing with flour on the table and just eaten all the dough, but procedures must be followed and the 'men', both large and small were duly made. I did try to 'personalise' one the the little men with a lovely J on his naval but being upside down I did this the wrong way round and in trying to correct my poor attempt made the little fellow look like he had undergone a serious operation.
The little tinker was even less dexterous than me (only just though and I have 32 years on him!) and almost severed one of the poor men in his attempt at branding!

So having sillied the making, I then proceeded to gossip non stop to Loula until we smelt that familiar, oh dear just a couple of minutes too long, kind of smell coming from the kitchen. What she needs is obviously a louder ringer on her timer, that can drown out my rants!
I am pleased to say that most if the gingerbread men were able to be saved and eaten although some of the extremities had to go in the bin!

I also notice that Loula didn't blog about baking this weekend - sorry love!

Here's some Loula and tinker made earlier. I was not involved in this batch :(
I was not offered the decorating tools for my men either :(


So to make up for this and to allow you all to get the proper recipe for these delicious treats I am linking  Loula Belle's blog and etsy shop for you all.

http://loulabelleathome.blogspot.com/
http://www.etsy.com/shop/loulabelleathome

Check it out - she has some seriously nice stuff to bake and also to wear while you bake - just make sure you get them the right way round!

New Lovelies...

Despite the hectic weekend I did manage on Friday night to finish off some of my next round of goodies that I had been working on. Then on Saturday morning, in the freezing cold, I photographed them outside in the garden to take advantage of the best light.
All these pretties will be available on Etsy this week, by tomorrow I should expect!
Enjoy!

These lovely hearts are my first real spring time project. There are 6 available in the white and I have also done another couple of prints too - I will photo these soon.
They are 7" (9" including the ribbon) and look great hanging from any spare knob or knocker!

What a sweet bear! He's just a little one and he looks a little sad :( I made this one from some boiled wool so get a lovely fuzzy texture.

Look at this pair! They make me laugh so I have to give them some equally comedy poses. Just noticed I have to straighten some of the neck wobblers (or whatever they are called - should I know chicken anatomy before creating them in fabric???) on the standing hen!
These are going to look fab on any shabby or pine kitchen sideboard or wall shelves. Or perhaps in the peg basket!

Some of my largest characters to date and these are just great for kids to play with (no under 3's though pls as I haven't had my button stitching tested to 50 newtons!) They have finger and toe nails too - I embroidered one set on and painted on the other - I think both applications look great.

  Okay okay, the third picture is just ridiculous but I couldn't resist! Taking photos early on a freezing morning, outside in pyjamas and a coat, must do this to me!
These G Raffes are my tallest creations to date at 22" (56cm) to the top of their horns. Like Ellie Phant above these are great for older kids and make excellent dance partners.

Hope you like

xx