happy anniversary

I’m not big on anniversary celebrations.

Example. On mine and my partner’s tenth anniversary, we abandoned our plans to go to a big party at a club – because we missed the bus into town and got cold waiting for the next one.

And on our twentieth anniversary, we went all the way to London for a party – and then repeated our tenth anniversary fail by not going to the party after all. What can I say… it was raining… and maybe we just don’t like parties that much any more.

So it’s not really surprising that I almost missed another anniversary: it’s now (just over) a year since I started this blog.

I’ll be honest. I started it as a way of getting more people to look at my Etsy shop and hopefully buy a cushion or two.

But it’s become more than that.

It’s a part of my life now. A way of sharing, reaching out, connecting.

I’ve “met” and even really met some lovely folk as a result. You’ve helped to restore my faith in the essential goodness of people.

Which I really needed.

An incredible two hundred people like modflowers enough to follow my ramblings about cushions.

I nearly cried when my sister told me that she reads all my posts. I had no idea!

And recently I was amazed – and touched – when a friend got a bit teary talking about how one of my blog posts moved her.

I’ll stop now before I go all Gwyneth Paltrow.

Thank you for reading. x

card carrying

I’ve always wanted to be able to whip out my business card with a flourish and say “my card!”

Well, now I can!

This small, sturdy, unassuming little white box arrived the other day. My new business cards from moo!

I am quite pleased with them. Much prettier than my old ones.

And more professional than the ones I made myself.

I went for pictures of a selection of some of my favourite fabrics.

Because that’s what I like to look at. The cards double-up as mounts for my birdie brooches.

But their real purpose is to spread the modflowers word.

I have already whipped one or two out and handed them over.

I couldn’t stop smiling as I walked away

give me a sign

I’ve been thinking about my next stall and decided that the time has come at last to sort myself out a proper sign.

My first few stalls had a banner of printed punched paper flowers for a sign, as there wasn’t time to craft something more suitable.

But they got creased and bent and looked, well, a bit rubbish.

So they were replaced by a printed vinyl banner that I got for free because I bought some business cards.

But I don’t like it much.

It’s ok, I suppose. But it’s made of vinyl. *shudder*. Practical maybe, but yucky.

Also the photo resolution wasn’t quite high enough, so the banner is a bit pixellated. And the typeface isn’t quite right (best of a limited selection).

Time to craft something more suitable.

I have made appliqué lettering before and love the look of it.

So this was yesterday’s project…

The backing is a rather lovely bit of vintage fabric I’ve been saving for something special.

It was going to live on my bed.

I was going to have a white background for my sign.

But I considered. I want the message to be both pretty and professional. (Like my wares).

And what could be more important than putting your best face forward for the public?

So shouldn’t I use my best fabric?

But, as usual, I’m not quite decided yet…

White or patterned? Patterned or white? White makes a good stall background for my colourful cushions. But pattern is what I do…

I haven’t stitched the letters down yet, so there’s still time to change my mind…

Which do you prefer?

blueberry pie

Blueberry is the latest addition to the tweetie pie flock.

She is perhaps my favourite yet (although I do reserve a soft spot for little Flora, bless her).

It’s just the way that this particular piece of that gorgeous 1960s fabric is perfectly placed to make Blueberry’s pretty plumage.

I never quite know until I’m done, but sometimes a plan does just come together.

Blueberry is available to purchase for £12 plus postage from my Etsy shop.

jo-joe’s market

As I’ve been going on about it a bit (sorry!) I thought I’d show you a quick piccy of my stall yesterday.

There were some lovely people at Jo-Joe’s Market.

Sunny Tweetie (on the left) and Charlotte Tweetie (at the front, on the right) fluttered off to new homes, along with a few of my cushions.

Flora (bless her) is feeling a teensy bit disappointed, but I promised I’d soon make her some new friends.

There are also plenty of goodies left.

So… modflowers shop will be re-stocking over the next few days.

I may also take the opportunity to have a bit of a sweep round and remove the cobwebs with my fancy duster, now that summer seems to have arrived at last.

lovely Lu-Lou’s

Last week I had a tip-off from a friend.

She had been alerted to a newcomer in the neighbourhood. She thought I ought to know.

I moseyed on down to check it out.

Run by Clare, Lu-Lou’s is a new and delightful little oasis of all things vintage and handmade. Whether your taste runs to fifties kitsch, scandi cool or granny chic, Lu-Lou’s has it covered.

And all at most reasonable prices.

Clare and I chatted.

Rumour has it that modflowers’ wares will be making an appearance on the shelves of this lovely little emporium very soon.

Watch this space… or better still, if you’re nearby, pop down to Lu-Lou’s and take a look. The shop is at 5 Haydn Road, Sherwood, Nottingham.

If you are like me, you will be severely tempted.

But unlike me, make sure you remember your purse.