VINTAGE CAKE STAND

This week we have been rummaging around the local junk shops - a family birthday is fast approaching and we wanted to make something unique.

Remembering an article we had seen in a magazine on how to make your own cake cloche the hunt began for the perfect trifle bowl...
With bowl in hand we got a hole drilled in the bottom by a professional glass man, we then purchased one very sweet door knob and simply screwed it in the hole. Finally with your cloche complete find a beautiful vintage plate checking it for size et voila!


Now this all sounds very simple, and Clementine & Bloom thought we would have this one wrapped up in an afternoon, but several junk shops later and a few too many goodies purchased for ourselves, we finally found a fitting bowl. Although the magazine suggested a DIY approach we would definitely recommend having the hole drilled by the professionals (note: you can't drill through pyrex)!

A wonderful home-made cake plate at a fraction of the price.

PLUS TWO

Introducing two new additions:-



The first is The Nursery Quilt. Small squares of brightly coloured cotton inspired by the baby's nursery, pieced together to form a patchwork quilt for the cot or as a play mat. On the plain squares each letter of the alphabet has been embroidered in upper and lower case.


The second is a new addition to our family. A brand new baby boy who will bring much joy and happiness and was the inspiration for all of the above.

BON VACANCES

This weekend we escaped to an idyllic corner of France, staying in a beautiful converted farmhouse complete with wooden beams and roaring fires.


The first morning of our stay we awoke to find a heavy frost had settled overnight, making the views from the farmhouse breathtaking.



Along with sampling the local red wine and indulging in the obligatory baguette, we managed to squeeze in a visit to the nearby brocante. Whenever we find ourselves away from home we love nothing more than searching out the local second hand markets and shops where we often pick up unique pieces for our home and any little treasures that may be of use to Clementine & Bloom.


This time did not disappoint - we found this beautiful carved wood dining chair tucked away in one corner and with a little TLC we have big plans for this chair.

PRINTED PYJAMAS


Introducing Clementine & Bloom's first printed fabrics.

These first samples were made as gifts for various family members. Early in December we designed the prints and sent them off to be digitally printed. It was so exciting when the fabric was returned and we could see our designs on the cotton instead of as flat images in a sketchbook. With under a week until Christmas we hurried to make our own pyjama pattern and sew the four pairs together. Come Christmas evening it was lovely to see everyone in their very own Clementine & Bloom pyjama pants.




We are planning on using all the left over fabric in future quilts, so keep your eyes peeled for them...

WALNUT CAKE


Family treat...baked a walnut cake using the walnuts picked last autumn from the tree in my garden. Thought I'd display it on this beautiful plate I picked up from Anthropolgie whilst working in New York last summer.

JOYEUX NOËL


Christmas is the perfect time to experiment with stacks of vintage dinner sets, complimented here with these hand-made napkin rings and table runner.

FLYING THE FLAG



Time to get patriotic! A lovingly handmade version of the union jack in quilted patchwork.