Thursday 18 April 2019

A new life in the country ....

Hello friends! 

Do you remember me? It has been so long since my last post you'd be forgiven if haven't the foggiest idea of who I am. I've missed chatting to you all, sharing news and creations. I know it has been so long since my last post ... are you still there? Ever since Frankie May's arrival I haven't been able to find time to blog. There always seems to be ten more pressing things that I need to get done first, and time just passes. There is also another good reason for my radio silence. Our little family has finally upped sticks and bought a house in the country! My Ma Larkin dreams have finally come true!  Pheasants, deer and various wildlife often wander into the garden. I look out in the morning and can't believe I'm here ... I'm waiting to wake up. I think of all of us are still pinching ourselves that this is now home, Ralphy included. 





It has taken some getting used though. Our old house was in a bustling market town, it was small and cosy, and while it had character, like many Victorian houses it was quite dark, and no matter how nice you dress it up, it could feel quite oppressive at times. Our new house has much more space and light, and it makes a huge difference to my day to day. It's an old house, with countryside all around. It was built in 1855 and the rear garden looks out onto arable farmland. It has everything you'd expect from an old house; wooden beams, stable doors, a farmhouse kitchen and crooked ceilings and floors. The thing I'm still enjoying most though is the light ... at early evening, golden sunlight floods the kitchen and it is my favourite place to be. 



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Wednesday 29 November 2017

Armchair makeover - before & after

Hello all. Well you may have noticed that it has been a little quiet on the AHC front. To be honest it has been a hectic year for me and I've been struggling to commit to all the things I have balanced in the air, which is why crafting and blogging have taken a back seat lately. So please don't think I've lost heart in this little blog of mine - blogging and interacting with you is something I really enjoy doing. I just have to accept I can't do everything. So while I may not post as often as I'd like too, I will keep it ticking over as best I can ... starting with this armchair makeover!


Armchair makeover - before and after


You may remember me sharing a piccie of this chair a couple of years ago. Suffice to say it is no ordinary armchair. It once belonged to hubby's lovely grandparents, who are no longer with us sadly. When they passed away we were asked if we'd like something of theirs to remember them by - and straight away we thought of this chair. Granny often sat in this chair and everything about it reminds us of them and their cosy, welcoming home. 

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Thursday 12 October 2017

The joys of autumn & foraging for a seasonal display



I've been thinking a lot about autumn lately (or 'fall' for my overseas friends) and I've been trying to put my finger on what it is about autumn that warms our cockles so. Many of us have our favourite season but autumn seems to be such a firm favourite for so many. While we know it is a rich and beautiful season visually, it also fills many of our other senses - it brings warmth to our bellies, our homes and even to the clothes we wear. Essentially, Autumn is one big giant hug! I don't know about you but when the trees start to change to hues of amber, red and gold and the fires are lit I crave slow-cooked stews, as well as pumpkin soups, apple crumbles, chai lattes and hot cocoa. (FYI I never said I was good at making any of the above, but I am very good at eating them!)

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Wednesday 23 August 2017

The joy of journalling + a handmade leather journal by Central Crafts





I really enjoy writing in my journal, but I find it almost impossible to keep a daily diary now - the days fly by far too quickly and there is no pleasure in writing just because you feel you should. I used to write a diary daily when I was a little girl, until the very worst thing happened ... my big brother discovered it and threatened to tell my mummy that I'd written a rude word in it! Well of course I was mortified, and what I had written was something like ... "In the playground today Dennis Gilbert said I was bloody rubbish at throwing!" Now the truth is my mummy probably would have just laughed to herself had she read it but my serious 8 year-old-self was taking no chances so I destroyed it - and all diaries from that day forward had padlocks! I continued to keep a diary into my late teens, which also makes for a very funny / tortured read ... "no one understands me and I'm DEFINITELY running away tomorrow" and the next day it read "didn't run away, went to cinema with Tara instead, went McDonald's after, was nice" :-) Those were the days when I wore motorbike books and dressed like Madonna in 'Desperately Seeking Susan' ... and no I'm not showing you any pictures!


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Thursday 18 May 2017

Our Wedding cross stitch sampler & cross stitch table numbers / letters


Wedding cross stitch sampler


Hubby and I recently celebrated our 4th anniversary. As most of you know, we handmade a lot of the things that featured in our wedding - and one of my favourites was this Wedding Day Cross Stitch Sampler. I also used the same kit to create table numbers! (well letters, actually.) I had never cross-stitched anything in my life before making this so I admit it was a bit of a plunge into the deep end, but when I saw this beautiful kit from socreastitch I just had to make it. Cross stitch is a lot easier than you might think, and many kits are colour coded. That said, this one wasn't but if I can get the hang of it, anyone can. It was such a pleasure to make - and I still remember evenings spent stitch in front of the fire stitching while hubby designed invites. We had the sampler on display on the actual day and it now hangs in our bedroom as a reminder of our beautiful day. 




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Tuesday 28 March 2017

A pretty pastel bedside makeover




As most of you know I've been having a clear out of late, and as a result I have to say I've been  enjoying my living space much more. I don't know about you, but one room that I often feel gets overlooked is the bedroom. Perhaps it's because visitors don't often venture into this space so we put our decorative energy into other areas of the home, but the bedroom really is one of the most important rooms in the house - not only do we spend a lot of time in this room but it has a direct affect on our mental and physical well being. If you do have difficulty sleeping you might find that creating a calm, peaceful and uncluttered environment makes the world of difference. After a good de-clutter I've given our boudoir and my bedside table some much needed TLC. Hubby's side needs more work however but small steps people, small steps :-)

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Wednesday 22 February 2017

My favourite little corner + my new Barker & Stonehouse industrial lamp


Barker and Stonehouse green vintage industrial lamp


I was recently asked where it is in my home that I choose to relax and unwind. My initial thoughts took me straight to the sofa, dog on lap in front of the fire ... but while I do relax and pass the time there in that cosy spot, the place I truly relax and feel at peace is when sitting in front of my sewing machine, in my craft room. My mind goes quiet there, and only ever there really. So for those that haven't visited my craft room, here's a glimpse at my favourite corner, plus I have a a recent new addition to show you - my Barker and Stonehouse green vintage industrial lamp! 


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Thursday 9 February 2017

'Jar of hearts' Keepsake memory jar




Memory Jars make beautiful gifts. They are quick and easy to make, yet they are an incredibly thoughtful way of capturing a moment in time. I made this one for my young niece who was turning 21. I asked everyone she knew to write something on one of the folded hearts - be it a favourite memory, or simply what they loved most about her, and she absolutely loved it, and in years to come or even when she's having a bad day, she can looking inside and be reminded of good times, and of how much she is loved. So since Valentines Day is coming up I thought I'd share this lovely little project with you, but remember it's also makes a lovely birthday / anniversary / wedding / christmas gift too!

You will need:

A jar
  floral or patterned paper 
Ribbon or string
scissors


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Wednesday 11 January 2017

Enchanted Forest Bag by Voyage

Whilst on holiday in Snowdonia in the Autumn I chanced upon the most beautiful bag in a shop - it was made by a company called Voyage and it was absolutely love at first sight. Of course the bag went straight on my Christmas list, so you can imagine how delighted I was when the bag in question fell down my chimney Christmas morning - straight away I thought of you, as I knew many of you would love it as much as I do ...



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Thursday 8 December 2016

Festoon ceiling garland decoration + for Christmas or Weddings




If you fancy doing something a bit different with your Christmas decorations this year, here is a very pretty and affective way to add sparkly to your festive season. This string of ceiling decorations are so easy to make and you can easily adapt it to your own style. I had a lot of leftover baubles so I came up with this garland to make use of them. I like to keep mine simple with brown string, fairy lights and mis-matched baubles but you could easily keep them uniform or even add tinsel! 

You will need:

A length of brown string / twine / ribbon

Battery operated wire fairy lights in silver or copper

Selection of baubles 

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Thursday 17 November 2016

Fairy light tree centrepiece for autumn, weddings, christmas or easter

My neighbour recently cut back one of the bushes in his garden ... so when I spied a stack of lovely long branches sat by his recycling bin a little lightbulb went off in my head! You only need a few elements for this project. I've adapted it for Autumn by adding pine cones to the base, and copper and gold skeleton leaves on the branches which look gorgeous sparkling in the glow of the fairy lights, but you could easily swap the pine cones for baubles and give the branches a spritz of spray snow for Christmas! then come easter perhaps hang some decorative eggs from the branches and add some straw in the base? Whatever takes your fancy this is a lovely affective centrepiece that takes no time at all.


Decorative branches & fairy light tree centrepiece (for autumn, weddings, christmas & easter)

You will need: 

4 branches
Glass vase
Selections of pine cones / conkers / baubles
String of battery operated fairy lights
Pack of gold and copper skeleton leaves 
Glue gun or all purpose glue

TIP: If you'd like to use real autumn leaves for this project gather a selection of small leaves and press them for a week or two, then glue away! 


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Thursday 20 October 2016

Sparkly pastel autumn pumpkins (as seen on ITV This Morning)


Sparkly Autumn Pumpkin Centerpiece


Autumn is here and I've been inspired by the pretty pastel pumpkins all over my Instagram feed lately. With Halloween around the corner we'll soon be inundated with scary-faced pumpkins so I though I'd create a pretty Autumn pumpkin table display that can sit and sparkly on our sideboards throughout the rest of Autumn. Perhaps include some scented pine cones so when guests arrive though the autumn period they're greeted by a lovely festive, scented display. The gold and copper leaf you'll be using for this project not only brings the autumn colours inside, it will also come very in handy for the Christmas crafting period too! If you'd like to see me making this project step-by-step on ITV's This Morning you can watch it by clicking here ... Sparkly pumpkins on ITV This Morning.

Happy Autumn folks!

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Tuesday 11 October 2016

VIDEO DIARY: Behind the scenes - my craft feature on ITV This Morning


Morning all! So here is my video diary with behind the scenes footage from my morning spent at ITV studios - filming my Autumn craft segment for the morning breakfast show 'This Morning' with Philip Schofield and Holly Willoughby. I'll be sharing these tutorial with you soon! 

If you can't see the video please click here and if you'd like to watch the whole craft segment on This Morning you can do so by click here ... ITV autumn crafts for your home.

JM x


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Friday 30 September 2016

How to make: Laura Ashley Embellished Tote Bag - with R&B Designs



Last week some fellow crafty bloggers and I spent the most wonderful afternoon at the beautiful Laura Ashley Manor Hotel. I had no idea Laura Ashley had a manor hotel, did you? well it is gorgeous let me tell you. We had a lovely time exploring the grounds, which was followed by a delicious afternoon tea and an afternoon of crafting. The fun and fabulous design duo Russell and Bawden (Amanda Russell & Juliet Bawden) led the workshop, and with their expertise and guidance we made some gorgeous Tote bags - using the latest Laura Ashley Fabric. I haven't used my sewing machine in a while so it was lovely dusting off the cobwebs. Here is my finished Tote bag, along with R&B's step by step instructions on how to make this lovely bag. I accidentally cut one of my shoulder straps so I made it work for me by adding fabric handles! I also embellished the bag using beads from old pieces of jewellery.




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Thursday 18 August 2016

Guest Post - Artisan eco-gifts handmade in Ukraine


I recently stumbled upon a quirky little website called myfancycraft which sells a variety of unusual gifts and handmade crafts, made by craftsmen (and women) from all over Ukraine. Each product is made by hand using eco – friendly materials.




I had a little browse, and came upon this lovely nature-inspired collection on their website which is made from slavic clay. (The wording on the website doesn't translate very well into english but don't let that put you off, their products are lovely and their customer service is great.) I treated myself to a mug and jug (as I do have a bit of a 'Jug' obsession) they also make a teapot in the same range (see below). They arrived slightly more 'glazed' than it shows to the pictures but they are lovely all the same. Would make a lovely christmas gift for a nature-lover don't you think?



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Thursday 11 August 2016

Canal folk art with Duncan Burrett

This week I had a wonderful afternoon chatting with Canal folk artist Duncan Burrett, who is owner and captain of a delightful narrowboat called 'Zendu' that is moored on the River Stort. Duncan has lived on the boat for 22 years with wife Zena. Ralphy and I often stop to admire Zendu, because not only is she the prettiest boat along the canal, but Duncan also sells a wonderful selection of old antiques and wares on the top of his boat which he paints in the famous 'Canal folk art' style. I have always loved the colourful vibrant style of Canal folk art but I didn't know anything about it until meeting Duncan. So when he invited us aboard to show us his work and give us a demonstration, I jumped at the chance. 




Duncan is a self-taught artist and used to specialised in oil paints and animal portraits. But it wasn't until 20 years ago he turned his hand to creating and selling canal folk art. "It started 20 years ago when I was sat on the boat painting a teapot, a lady stopped by and asked if it was for sale, so I told her to come back in 10 minutes and it would be!" Now he even demonstrates in schools, and is often commissioned by other boat owners. Duncan decorates all sorts with this style, especially old fashioned wares such as old watering cans, tea pots, urns, and even old boots ... and he also encourages people to bring their own objects along for him to paint. I had a lovely afternoon with Duncan, we chatted about his life, about the realities of boat-living, the interesting history behind folk art and how to paint in the folk-art style. He also makes a cracking cuppa tea! Read on to hear all about it ...



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Thursday 14 July 2016

Floral & faded wood tutorial - using napkins! (plus how to make a fire-pit table)




I absolutely love the old worn and faded ‘floral-pattern-on-wood' look, and I've been meaning to have a go at achieving it for some time. I finally got around to it this week and I'm so happy with the outcome. It's incredibly effective and so easy to do. You can achieve this lovely faded worn look on any wood surface, and it looks especially good on tables, drawers, chairs, welsh dressers and wooden trays. I'm going to try this on my welsh dresser next but first I wanted to give my copper fire pit a makeover. Since I have a small garden I decided to make use of space by giving the fire pit a dual purpose - so I had a piece of wood cut for the top of it, so when it's not being a fire pit it can be used as a table! this provided the ideal surface for my experiment!


decoupaging wood with floral napkins

A floral wood tabletop tutorial

How to make a fire pit table top


My cosy little seating area looks so pretty now, and if you're admiring my new Peru wooden deckchair loungers you'll find these at Homebase, and they cost £99 for a pair. I absolutely love them, they look so natural and blend into the garden perfectly, they're also incredibly comfy and come with a head rests! I also headed to Homebase for my varnish and hand-held sander (links are below.) You could use simple sandpaper sheets for this, wrapped around a wooden block but I love the smooth finish of a sander, and I’ve used it on a range of projects time and time again.  

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Wednesday 18 May 2016

How to make a flower crown + for weddings, festivals and flowers girls

A few weeks back I was invited to take part in a blogger challenge by the Luxury Silk Bedding company Gingerlily. I love a crafty challenge so I was more than happy to join in the fun. We were sent a box of silk flowers and some other bits and bobs, and with the Chelsea Flower Show as our inspiration we were told we could create anything we wanted using the silk flowers as our main element of inspiration. 


how to make a flower crown


For a day or two I kept wandering past the flowers on my craft table, while I waited for them to shout out to me and tell me what it is they wanted to become - I toyed with a fairy garden, then a summer dining display ... but these flowers were so pretty I wanted to wear them ... so I asked myself in what scenario could such flowers be worn? of course ... weddings and festivals!! So here is my floral crown - inspired by the fresh flower crown I made for my own wedding day. This would be perfect for a flower girl, a bride, and I'll certainly be dancing around wearing it at festivals this summer :-)


How to make a flower crown

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Thursday 12 May 2016

My new craft room + storage for small spaces


Finally ... here is my new workshop craft room! This used to be our music room (AKA hubby's man cave) but since he's moved it to other premises it now mean Jodie Podie has a CRAFTY ROOM! We gave it a lick of paint and I went about sourcing myself a new craft table and some rustic storage. Welcome to the new AHC headquarters ....


creating a craft room


Tips on sourcing a workshop / craft table

The first thing I wanted was a rustic craft table. They're expensive to buy so I created one, which I've already showed you in my previous post: How to make a scandi-chic trestle table. Trestle tables are ideal for craft rooms & workshops as they are collapsable, should you need to make room for large floor-projects. The top of my table has two large holes which is ideal for threading my sewing machine leads through. I also pop my bin under the other one and knock through any rubbish / threads. Is so nice being able to leave the sewing machine set up for long periods of time, it means I actually use it. 



rustic trestle table
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Tuesday 3 May 2016

A month in pictures - April


It’s May - the bluebells are in full bloom and buds are bursting all over. We had a lovely walk at the weekend. It was a new walk and we got lost twice and had to find our way through woodlands, over babbling brooks and fields. Getting lost is truly one of my favourite things … I just love it. It’s one of the few times I find I’m able to stay fully mindful and in the present. When I find myself on a walk I’ve done a hundred times before, I find it so easy to let my mind wander back to work, back to chores that need doing, back to the mundane ‘to-do’ list. I try so hard to stay in the moment, and it frustrates me that I can’t always leave such things behind. So escaping for the day, and getting lost is sometimes exactly what I need because there’s nowhere to be but right here, in the moment. How strange that it takes getting lost, in order to feel found? Oh that’s quite profound for a Tuesday afternoon eh? Anyhoos. I’m sharing my new craft room later this week. It’s still finding its feet, but it’ll be nice to show you where I’ve been crafting of late. In the meantime, here’s our month in pictures!



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