Crafts – Page 12 – Apartment Apothecary

katy 4th October 2014

Blog love

I hope you’ve all had a lovely week – how wonderful was yesterday’s weather? I went for my first walk with Jules and Otto in a while and it was so strange that we were both in short sleeves walking over dry leaves and squinting in the low sun. It was really quite heavenly.

Jules came to bed at 3am last night after cracking a bug that he’s been tackling for weeks (he’s a web developer). I could feel so much of his stress melt away so I’m hoping we are going to be able to have a relaxing weekend that seems to have eluded us for a while. I am, however, going to have to miss my favourite girl’s hen-do tonight, which I am very sad about – also sad not to be drinking all the gin 😉

What have you got planned this weekend? If you need a bit of reading, inspiration or a project or two, I can point you in the right direction…

A Quiet Style

Emma (one of my favourite IG’ers – check out her images here) has started a brilliant new monthly column called My Favourite Flower. Each month she invites a guest to share their favourite flower and how they like to display it around their home. You must pop over to see the first instalment as it is a beauty and you’ll get so many ideas.

Bright.Bazaar

Will has launched his first photographic print collection and there are some stunners! It’s such a happy and vibrant collection, all taken by Will on his travels. Check it out and decide which is your favourite (I love Fisherman’s Pride).

Fall for DIY

This is a blog that I have only recently discovered and it’s a delight – how did I not know about it before?! I love this DIY macrame hanging pumpkin tutorial – a perfect project for this weekend.

Mad about the house

I do this weird thing of looking at houses on Rightmove just for fun. As it turns out, Kate does the same thing and finds the most amazing houses to show us all in her regular column, Househunter. So, drift off into fantasy land and decide which of Kate’s picks is your dream home…

Wit and Delight

There are Dahlias everywhere I look at the moment and one of my lovely readers, Louise, even emailed me a photograph of hers to cheer me up this week – so lovely! In case, you have been looking on longingly and wanting to grow your own, there is a great guide on Wit and Delight this week.

Have a lovely one!

Katy x

katy 20th September 2014

Blog love

Happy weekend everybody, albeit a very wet one here in London. If you plan on staying at home today, I have the perfect reading for you…

Remodelista

A great interiors book is reviewed this week over on Remodelista – Beautifully Small: Clever ideas for compact spaces, by Sara Emslie. The photographs of this London cottage are featured in the book – I need to live there!

Sugar and Cloth

There’s a lovely, bright and cheerful DIY project featured on Sugar and Cloth this week. If you are looking for an easy craft project this weekend, this could be for you.

Growing Spaces

I have a thing about Sloe Gin – I love it – so I wanted to share Heather’s recipe. If you make it, please bring me round a glass or two.

Betty and Walter

I’m feeling inspired by the lovely Lisa Levis’s latest blog post to start more collections. She’s encouraging all of us to start collecting and share our finds using the hashtag #collectingcollections.

Lobster and Swan

Jeska recently shared a new and very exciting venture that she is undertaking, which is called The Future Kept. It will be a new online store and it is definitely one to watch as I know she will choose the most beautiful items.

Liberty blog

And last but not least, you can also check out my design tips for creating the perfect work space over on the Liberty blog this weekend 😉

Have a good one everybody!

Katy x

katy 15th September 2014

Liberty embroidered napkins for 91 Magazine

This month’s issue of 91 Magazine is out and looking so good and I’m very pleased to say that I have a sewing tutorial featured. What makes it extra special is that I spent the afternoon with the wondrously talented photographer Katharine Peachey to shoot the project at her new gorgeous home (I am so jealous of her kitchen, I can’t quite explain!).

I bought lots of gross cakes, picked wild flowers from my balcony and we pulled together our collections of pretty crockery to make a vintage tea party fit for my embroidered Liberty fabric napkins. We basically spent the whole afternoon throwing the napkins around and then scoffing scones, in between Katharine taking these beauteous photographs and me making a napkin or two. If you want to find out how to make them, you will have to head over and download 91 Magazine!

This was my first embroidery project, so I’m pretty proud of the results…

Liberty print embroidered napkins | Vintage tea | Photograph by Katharine Peachey | Apartment Apothecary

A vintage tea for just me and KP 😉

I chose a mini Betsy print for one napkin.

I had flowers searching for the sun in mind when I designed this floral motif. It is backed with mini Poppy and Daisy Liberty print.

This design is by Jenny Hart for the Kin Community and I changed the colours to the faded blues of my beloved Hydrangeas. I used their video tutorials to learn how to do French Knots and I found them so helpful whilst learning basic stitches.

I miss Spring flowers!

I wanted this design to look like wild flowers and grasses in a meadow, blowing in the breeze.

We ate all the scones.

I was inspired by blossom for this design and it works perfectly with Pepper Liberty print.

I used Phoebe Liberty print to back this design.

Make sure you pop back tomorrow for more of Katharine’s photographs as we recently shot a lovely home tour together.

Katy x

katy 13th September 2014

Blog love

I hope you’ve all had a great week and enjoyed the warm, sunny days. It’s been quite hectic around here this week so I’m looking forward to a nice, relaxing weekend. I’m off to a Thornback and Peel screen printing workshop at Smug cafe this afternoon with some lovely friends and then might sneak in some antiques shopping along Camden Passage. And then tomorrow will be all about staying in my PJ’s for as much of the day as possible. Here’s some weekend reading to keep us all going…

Geoffrey and Grace

Melanie has recently begun such an exciting project in this wondrous beach hut, beautifully named Margot. Find out all about the beach hut and take a peek at her newly opened Etsy shop – vintage fabric lovers with children beware!

Lapin Blu

I’ve been a bit obsessed with home offices recently, trying to get my own finished. Recently, Sarah-Lou took part in the blog-hop and we got a glimpse into her own home studio and some of her makes. You must take a look at her beautiful space – I love it!

Creature Comforts

I’ve also been a bit obsessed with paper flowers after learning how to make them last week. I came across this tutorial a long time ago but now realise how easy it could be. One for the to-do list and there are also lots of other lovely DIY makes on Ez’s blog so take a look through.

The Lovely Drawer

Teri was set a challenge last week to update a corner of her home for just £50. You must pop over to her blog to see the after shots – very inspiring indeed and perhaps something you could do this weekend.

Dear Designer

I willed myself away from real life when I came across this beautiful Greek island guest house on Carole’s gorgeous blog. I need to be there right now!

Enjoy and happy weekend all!

Katy x

katy 8th September 2014

Homemade London

One of the things that I have enjoyed most about starting a blog, is that I have been motivated to do a variety of craft classes. I love making, chatting, learning and being creative. When Homemade London, a craft salon in central London, asked me along for some taster sessions (along with cocktails) I couldn’t refuse.

Homemade London is a pretty studio space with a good dose of mid-century furniture, cosy lighting and lovely, approachable designers. Workshops vary from lino printing to perfume making and you can even have your hen party there.

Photos (except the featured image, which is courtesy of Homemade London) taken on my iPhone. Sorry, they are not great – sticky, crafting fingers and photo taking don’t mix well.

Homemade Lodon craft workshops | Apartment Apothecary

Cocktails and crafting – what’s not to love?

Making paper flowers.

Printing napkins.

Perfume making

A lovely studio space (can’t believe it’s dark so early already!).

I would definitely recommend booking yourself into a craft class near you. Take a friend, learn something new and have fun!

Katy x