There'll be bluebirds over.....

You know I love things handmade and with a vintage feel, and I am lucky enough to have some wonderful friends who know this too.  Last weekend one of my lovely friends took a trip to the coast at the weekend and came back with a lovely find. 

Valerie May and and her felting can be found online (yippee) at ww.Nunovalenki.co.uk  here you'll find her amazing felted necklaces and corsages.  I had no idea when I looked on there that I would find this gorgeous little bluebird pin.  I fell for him instantly and ordered him.  He was with me the next day, preceded by a friendly email from Valerie herself.  I intend to make a trip to her shop as soon as I have a free weekend as she was kind enough to mention a couple of links to me which I want to thank her for.

The first mention was of the shop opposite Valerie's called Wayward Vintage Fabric & Trims, which sells some amazing fabrics and bits and bobs http://www.waywardvintagefabric.com/  I had a look at the photos and it looks like an Aladdin's Cave of vintage finds and would be a great way to spend a few hours.  It would be the perfect place to find some genuine vintage material and make a truly original dress.  Talking of which, a couple of weeks ago the designer from http://www.digforvictoryclothing.com/ was there buying material to make her fabulous dresses with. 

Dig For Victory is a sustainable fashion label which creates one-off pieces from vintage fabrics. Designer and maker Eleanor Callaghan selects vintage gems from antique fairs, charity shops and flea markets to create a palette of intense colours and patterns to work with in her Brighton Studio. A self taught pattern cutter, Eleanor plays with contrasting colours and textures of fabric to create panelling which accentuates the curves of the body in a playful take on traditional femininity.

This one is my favourite:

Inspired by the dressing up box she loved as a child, Eleanor takes inspiration from the many different eras of fashion represented in her vintage finds. Working with vintage fabric gives each piece a history and individuality while also avoiding the potential negative impact of modern textile production.