www.coccuveda-crafts.co.uk

all my blogging from now will be on my fantastic new prize website at http://www.coccuveda-crafts.co.uk/

Making something Different

Last week in Coccuveda when a lady was in collecting her fascinator that I had made for her, she has a wedding next month, she was really taken with the vintage lace bridal horseshoes that I had made, then she asked me if I had any bridal garters. At that time I didn't and not being one to turn down a possible sale  I said " I will make you one." Oh help! Me and my big mouth! I have never made anything like that before and  I still consider my little sewing machine as "the enemy" Well, I  said it so now I must deliver.

Out comes my lace box, out comes the ribbon box out comes the button box too. I measured my daughters leg for sizing as mine are just a wee bit on the chunky side and I thought I don't want anything that is going to end up round the brides ankles instead of her thigh.
Eventually I came up with a couple of garters that I am quite pleased with and I think are sellable, all sewn completely by hand and tick the boxes of SOMETHING OLD..... vintage lace, SOMETHING NEW..... ribbon and SOMETHING BLUE ..... all have a little blue button in the decoration.
 See what you think?

Also new this week I have made a long mother of pearl vintage button necklace  I think it will look lovely with nice bright summer t shirt, I think I will have to make more. I have also been messing with other bits and pieces and have made a sparkly headband with matching cuff that in my eyes looks like something you might see on a 1920s flapper. It has been a good week|

Products of the week

 

Ribbon and Button Summer Brooches



Vintage Brooch and Pearl Tiara





 
 

While I was rummaging through my various boxes looking for some inspiration the other day, I came across some grosgrain ribbon in purple and blue random stripes that I bought last year in Bath. I didn't get very much of it, which is a shame, but when I rediscovered it I immediately thought summery thoughts. So with a bit of playing and a few buttons the result was a little trio of summer flower brooches that would add some individuality to summer t-shirt or cardi.

 One of my other productions this week is the Vintage Brooch and pearl bridal Side Tiara. I have been collecting brooches for a little while now, the one I used for this project was without its fastening. Again without much idea what I was going to do I sat and fiddled and twisted some wire until I had a tiara that i myself would love to wear.



A nice cushion for a gift for a friend



My lovely crafters have also been busy, and their new items this week are the ever popular cushions designed and made  by Ragbags she always chooses the most gorgeous fabrics and buttons and they make a really lovely gift for a friend.

Stained glass pieces are also very popular and this absolutely beautiful Turquoise heart will probably not stay in the shop too long, the colours are just amazing, and will look wonderful hanging up in a conservatory, i would be thrilled if anybody chose me a gift like that.

With most of the items in Coccuveda made locally there is always some unique things for sale and all with a minimal carbon footprint.



Beautiful Turquoise Glass Heart







Rothbury Daily: Day 40 19th May 2011

Rothbury Daily: Day 40 19th May 2011: "Sometimes when going about your normal daily routine you spot something that, strikes a chord. I spotted this message on the notice board ..."

A Thank you and A new Bag

It is so nice in Coccuveda , when I have spent sometime making a bespoke fascinator for a lady and when she collects it she is thrilled with the result. That happened on  Saturday, I had been designing an elegant little headpiece with white veiling and white feathers with a centre orange organza flower and a sparkly swarovski crystal. The lady has the most lovely short hair cut so the fascinator just looked beautiful on her.She was so delighted that she had found me as in Newcastle she was having great difficulty finding the exact colour of fascinator and style that suited her, having the knowledge that it is a "one-off" at a very affordable price was the icing on the cake. Later on in the day she rushed back in and handed me a lovely box of chocolates in appreciation. It made me feel glad and re-inforced in me that I am doing the right thing.

My New Bag
Sometimes in Coccuveda when crafters bring in some new designs to sell in the shop, I.  have to be very disciplined because I am so tempted to buy far too much myself, but the other day I absolutely fell in love with a new bag and just had to buy it.It is made from beautiful fabric with a vintage feel, and do you know what ladies, it is completely reversible!So I have the option to turn it inside out and use the other side which has a different contrasting fabric. It is a really useful size  as I can quite easily carry all my daily necessary junk, including my lunch. I road tested it yesterday and it stayed put on my shoulder with no slipping off at all. So a round of applause for the designer........Made By Grandad!

My Bag side 1

My Bag side 2

Rothbury Daily: Day 36 15th may 2011

Rothbury Daily: Day 36 15th may 2011: "May is beautiful bluebell time! On my hunt for some, Wagtail Road did not disappoint I didn't have to search for too long before I found a ..."

Rothbury Daily: Day 35 14th May 2011

Rothbury Daily: Day 35 14th May 2011: "Those of you who don't know Rothbury might look at this picture and think 'What on earth is that? Is that a bus shelter? What a funny place ..."

New Vintage pieces and New window

New window display

The Royal wedding has happened , and what a beautiful occasion it was, so it was about time I had to de wedding Coccuveda's window.I have a couple of new crafters who have brought me some lovely wooden pieces, pens and carriage clocks. I thought the best place for the new things were in the window for everyone to see. The clocks are especially getting a lot of attention, my favourite is the oak one which has a tiny oak leaf and acorn on it, I reckon it will sell this weekend



Ivory Vintage lace with Burgundy ribbon bridal horseshoe



Midnight blue and Pearl corsage necklace

I have just recently started to appreciate the beauty of lace, for many years it has been very underused but with the recent popularity of Vintage things it has come way back into being stylish again. What a great many years I have been without realising how many gorgeous things can be made from it. I am really enjoying making the wedding things, the lucky bridal horseshoes and just yesterday I made an Ivory wrist corsage which would look lovely on a bride or bridesmaid



Lace and button bridal horseshoe



Vintage Lace wrist Corsage



Rothbury Daily: Day 33 12th May 2011

Rothbury Daily: Day 33 12th May 2011: "Jacobs ladder in Rothbury first photo from the top and second from the bottom, don't ask me how many steps there are as I lost count after ..."

Rothbury Daily: Day 32 11th MAY 2011

Rothbury Daily: Day 32 11th MAY 2011: "Not one to be put off by yesterdays lack of wildlife I decided to try earlier in the day to catch something, so on my way to open up Coccuve..."

Rothbury Daily: Day 31 10th May 2011

Rothbury Daily: Day 31 10th May 2011: "Today i was hoping to capture a bit of wildlife for my photo of the day, it proved very difficult wildlife was most elusive I saw one bunn..."

Rothbury Daily: Day 30 9th May 2011

Rothbury Daily: Day 30 9th May 2011: "The first photo was taken from the shelter of a huge National Park brolly, the picture doesn't really capture the heaviness of the shower. ..."

Wishing Kate and William a happy wedding day

April 29th is almost here and royal wedding fever ( or indeed lack of it) is growing. I dressed the window at Coccuveda in a vintage wedding theme, all looks very lovely if I do say so myself. The wedding dress is an edwardian style high necked ivory piece which ticked the box for the vintage look i wanted, but I have to stress, just in case you thought that it was my wedding dress, it most definitly was not. My own dress was far more beautiful than that. My daughter thought that it reminded her of an old victorian nightie and it creates an almost ghostly figure in the window. I have made some lovely bunting to go outside too i will wait till Thursday to put that up just in case there is rain between now and then. If you are in Rothbury on Friday anytime after 2pm, please call in and have a cake and a glass of bubbly to toast the right royal pair

New Designs

It has been a busy month at Coccuveda,  lots of people begining to think about up and coming weddings they are going to. The design "HAT"  has been well and truly on, bridesmaid's tiaras, mother/grandmother of the bride headpieces and new items like bridal horseshoes and button necklaces, creativity has been working overtime. With the royal wedding just around the corner now i am thinking about how Coccuveda should mark the occasion. With the actual wedding in the morning, and I don't want to miss a thing, shop opening might be delayed til around 1pm but I think I might have a late night opening event til about 8pm and we may have glasses of celebration bubbly and cake  for all our customers, not quite a street party but a shop party. I will keep you all informed

Shrove Tuesday

Lemons lemons lemons!FOR ONE DAY ONLY, Pancake day, Coccuveda is having a special lemon sale with a table full of items on sale for just £1. Including packs of card blanks, ribbon packs, keyrings and fridge magnets and lots more. So come in and grab yourself a bargain while you can!

First wedding fair

Last week  I attended my very first ever wedding fair, it was held at the lovely old country house hotel Embleton Hall at Longframlington. I would definitely consider it successful. It was lovely having a display of my fascinators and tiaras and encouraging people to try them on, a few people, who thought that they didn't suit fascinators, when they tried on a small lilac crin and feather headpiece i made they soon realise how nice it looked and how it just finished off the whole wedding outfit.  I had my beads, wire and tools with me and I made a hair vine while I was there, i  reckon the pearl hair vine and my newly finished button  posy proved to be the most popular items.
I have been very very busy recently designing some long button necklaces and bracelets using a mixture of vintage/reclaimed beads buttons and lace, even if I do say so myself I am quite pleased with the results, they look very summery.
As a celebration for our 3rd birthday and to keep Coccuveda new and fresh i have started to offer complimentary tea and coffee for customers which creates a lovely warming aroma as you come in the door. If that excitement isn't enough we are having a free prize draw throughout March.... the prize 2 tickets for ladies day at Newcastle races so please call in to be entered and have a free cup of coffee.
I hope you enjoy looking at the pictures of my new designs.

Happy 2011

Usually I never really look forward to January as it always seems to be a long bleak miserable month, this year however I seem to feel a little bit differently, I actually looked forward to the New Year.The only reason I can think to feeling this way is that after packing Christmas away in Coccuveda I am eager to get cracking with my new stuff. I will not say too much about it at the moment but my head has been full of new plans and ideas and lots more new designs for the new season fascinators and bridal stuff....... so just watch this space! Hopefully if I manage to get things sorted out in January all will be revealed in time for Coccuveda's 3rd birthday celebrations In Feb