Just finished the new two colour grain sack design

 

I finally printed and created the prototype for my new design and I am pleased at how it has worked out, as this is the first time I have used a two colour process to print on fabric.  I took my inspiration from researching old traditional French grain and feed sacks and coming up with an original design printed on to a natural rustic burlap material.  For the insert I have used 100% duck feather as this offers a fuller look and tends to keep the cushion shape better.  I have already uploaded to the website and I will be looking to add some more images shortly.

Lots of Love

Printing Screens for New Cushion

Here are my screen printing screens drying.  Yes at last we have had some beautiful weather here in North Devon.  I will be posting the picture of the new cushion made up in a minute.  Thankfully it is a beautiful evening so I have enough light to take some.  This cushions needs to be made with 2 different screens as there are 2 different colours on it!  Intrigued?

Also there is the last of my alchamilla mollis.  Can anyone correct my spelling?  One of my favourite all time plants.  beautiful pale yellow delicate flowers and when it rains, it leaves stunning droplets on the leaves.  Also self seeds, to totally naturalises on the gravel.  Love it.  

New Design based on vintage grain sack with a hint of colour

Recently I have been researching some old grain sack designs and thought how great and timeless these designs are.  I noticed that for some reason most gain sacks had a coloured stripe down either the side or middle of the design.  Up until now I have only been working with black, so today I started a new design which will encompass this new coloured stripe.

 Unlike the previous designs, this will have to be printed in two stages using two screens to complete the full design.  I am going to experiment with this design, not only on cushions but also on sacks.  Sacks are something I have been thinking about recently as they can be used to keep a number of different things in while adding to that shabby chic and rustic look.  I have just recently made a sack for kindling wood to go in a fireplace based on a traditional grain sack design.  I am bored stiff with the usual basket that everyone has!  Anyway above is the design that I have recently produced and will be transferring to screen in the next two days. As soon as I have  created some products I will post them on my blog and website.

Lots of love

A Productive Day

Today I finally mamaged to transfer the new Eiffel Tower artwork to silk screen; unfortunately the first screen was a disaster as my photo emulsion was out of date. So starting from scratch, I reclaimed the screen, mix a new batch and went through the whole process again.  This time I date labelled my latest batch of photo emulsion so I would not make the same mistake again.  Anyway four hours later I am slaving over my Brother sewing machine making up the sample Burlap cushions with the new design.  Hope you like them, please let me have your comments and feedback.  All I need to do now is list them on Etsy and The Shabby Chick website.  My Sister is visiting us tomorrow with her two children for a week, so must get on with the housework now.

With Love

New Eiffel Tower Design

I just cannot help experimenting with the image of the Eiffel Tower design I found in an old encyclopaedia. This is the new artwork that I have just finished which I will be printing on to both cotton and burlap scatter cushions hopefully sometime this week. I will try and have them listed on my website www.theshabbychick.co.uk within the next 7 to 10 days. Please let me have your comments and feedback.

Lots of Love

New items added to my website - Vintage eau de nil plate

This is a beautiful vintage eau de nil plate.  The edges are scalloped.  I have 3 available.  They co-ordinate beautifully with any shabby chic style crockery.  They look especially beautiful with the rosebud tea set I currently have for sale. The signature underneath is: J. E. G. Meakin England. Jade.  A couple of them have crackled effect which personally I adore.  It adds to their vintage charm!  Price is per plate.  To visit the product page, click here.

fabulous teapot and plates

I fell in love with this teapot the moment I saw it.  I could not believe my eyes.  It is my favorite colour - duck egg green and even has gold around the top of the spout and the top of the teapot.  It matches so perfectly with all the other crockery and just looks stunning.  Nothing clashes, it's amazing.

The gold on these two plates is so complimentary with the teapot.  They will all match in really well with the other china I have listed on here, so you can really have a wonderful tea served up which will feel so special.

So pretty together

Beautiful gold detailing around the top

The photograph really does not do it justice, it is a really pretty duck egg green or eau de nil as some people call it.

The plates are Dresden fine bone china. The Teapot is English bone china.

These can all be bought from either my Facebook page or my website www.theshabbychick.co.uk The teapot is priced at £9 and the two plates are £4 each.

My fabulous finds

It is with a heavy heart, that I have decided to sell my latest finds.  My husband will not allow me to keep any more - the crockery cabinet is near breaking!

These are the most exquisite cup, saucer and plate fine bone china sets I have seen.  They are Royal Stafford bone china.  The perfect accompaniment to a shabby chic home.

The green base plate is not for sale at the moment, but will probably be listed over the next few days.

I will be listing these for sale on my website www.theshabbychick.co.uk.  A set includes cup, saucer and plate.  There are 6 sets available.  I also have a sugar bowl which I will be listing over the next few days.  Enjoy.  xx

The Shabby Chick

x

New Eiffel Tower Design

Hello everyone

We had a really exciting day here yesterday at the Shabby Chick headquarters.  We finally found the time to concentrate on our business rather than spending time at the beach every day  :0)

Myself and Mr Shabby had the most amazing day creating artwork and screen printing some new designs.    Here is the Eiffel Tower print on a lovely cream cotton.  This looks absolutely stunning when combined with the hessian crown cushion on a sofa or just as exquisite on it's own.  This cushion will be available in either frilled edge or plain.  This design will also be available on the hessian - photograph to follow, so you can really mix and match these cushions as you wish.  This Parisian type style is so popular now.  As always it will come with a 100% duck feather insert.  I will upload the photographs to go on the website soon, but here is a sneak preview.  Hope you all love it as much as we do.  Certainly instills a touch of French Chic into your rooms.  

Happy holidays 

Love

The Shabby Chick

Finally get the garden gates up

After having a pair of custom gates made over a year ago for the front of the house I have finally got around to painting them and having them hung. With two children and the Lab we seriously needed a gate on the front drive. Unfortinately due to my obsession for pale pastels, it really needed to be of a wooden construction so that it could be painted.

We bought the gates from our local agricultural supplier here in North Devon and as expected they did not offer the exact size we required and told us that the gates would have to be custom made. That sounds expensive; however we were very surprised when the Sales person told us it would be around £45. My husband surprised at the price asked whether that was for both sides, how embarrassing. Next we purchased the furniture as it is called and this includes some industrial size hinges, bracing brackets and latch as well as fixings.

After having the gate sat in our garage for the last year, I decided it was time to paint it. As it was an agricultural gate it was quite rough adding to the charm. Using some course sand paper I smoothed down any really rough edges and prepared for the undercoat.

The priming coat was from Farrow and Ball which I slapped on, applying two coats over the day. After 48 hours I then applied the first paint coat. The paint I used for the gate was Lichen No 19 Exterior Egg Shell by Farrow and Ball and applied three coats.

The next stage was just a case of waiting for some dry weather. April did not disappoint and one Saturday I gave Hubby his orders to put up the gate. After five hours of numerous complaints constant muttering about not having the right tools for the job and something to do with the pillars not being parallel, the gates were finally up.

All I need to do now is repaint the wall, which for some reason where we live seem to constantly get covered in green algae. So next week, off to the Agricultural suppliers for some Sodium Hydrochloride to kill and bleach the algae.