Christmas gift ideas...

 We did so enjoy making these Padded, Heart Garlands when Christina came and held a workshop for me! We over ran slightly but as we scuttled around the shop gathering notions and cutting up manuscripts the time didn't seem to matter so much!

 There will be more pictures as more garlands are completed, so different but with one thing in common...they are all GORGEOUS!

One more 'normal' session on Thursday 24th October 11-3 and then a Christmas version on Thursday 7th November 11-3 £35

 Everyone knows how much I adore Free Motion Machine Embroidery! It's a brilliant technique that I never tire of and I think it's a useful tool in helping people conquer fears involving *whispers* sewing machines...the apliqued piece pictured below will soon become a cushion!

 An ideal Christmas giftmaking opportunity for me and I find the more I do the more I want to do...

 ...a little bit more on the Christmas Stocking! We're making these on Saturday 2nd November 1.30-5 and Friday 13th December 11-3 £35

 The other craft I can never, ever get bored of is Needle Felting! I reckon it's one of those things that you are always learning new tips and tricks...Jenny Tidman holds these workshops and I'm a tea girl!

 Three sessions coming up and places go FAST! 

Fridays

18th October

8th November

6th December

We always have fun, we always have a nice lunch and everyone gets addicted to this fleecy fun...

11-3 £30

 Another ideal gift are scented container candles and with Festive Firelighters scented with Christmassy smells it's a popular workshop and one that people come to time and time again!

 Saturday 19th October 1.30-5 and Thursday 28th November 6-9pm are the last two sessions this year! £35 and it's possible to make up to 6 candles and 6 firelighters, you are welcome to bring along favourite cups, jars etc.

 Soap making is fun to do and makes a brilliant gift at any time of year but especially so at Christmas and as cold process soap need time to 'cure' you need to plan ahead! Last two soap sessions are on Friday 1st November 11-3  and Saturday 30th November 1.30-5 and cost £50 due to the cost of the ingredients but you will make a good selection of soaps!

This beautiful soap is one of our new recipes and smells amazing, I used some at the weekend and it is a good foamer!

Some new workshops to HH HQ are the Bombs and Balms - our test run wet well and reports are of good fizzing fun...

Lip Balms, Healing Balm and half a dozen Bath Bomb Buns on Friday 25th October 11-3, Saturday 9th November 1.30-5 and Sunday15th December 11-3 £35

As always cake and plenty of tea are provided!

Book in the usual way, drop by HH HQ, text me on 07887511081 or email halfpennyhome at googlemail dot com

Nic x

Christmas Gift Workshops!

 Getting very excited as we get nearer and nearer to Christmas and this week we have the first 'Heart Garland' workshop which was inspired by this beautiful one made by Christina! Embellished with trinkets, sparkles and buttons it would make an ideal wedding, Christmas or christening gift with a personal handmade touch! Christina has a couple of spaces free on Thursday 3rd October 11-3 £35 and I can honestly say it would be an ideal, no pressure class for absolute beginners! I'm even getting the precious tin of gorgeous Mother of Pearl buttons out...

 After a *first* a *last* as it's the last upholstery day at HH HQ for this year on Friday 4th October 10.30-4 £35 and one of the keen upholsterers is also a BRILLIANT needle felter and has already booked THREE sessions with Jenny Tidman! Fridays 18th October, 8th November and 6th December 11-3 and £30 which also includes a lunch and splendid cake! BEWARE though that needle felting is horribly addictive and episodes of cuteness like this (see below) happen frequently!

 As we are all still crazy about giving handmade gifts it's no surprise that the Container Candles and Festive Firelighter workshop is often requested at the moment and thanks to a friend of Halfpenny Home we are also making the firelighters with teasles which are SOOO spikily pretty! Two more sessions this year on Saturday 19th October 1.30-5 and Thursday 28th November 6-9 £35 we usually end up making about 4-6 container candles and half a dozen firelighters!

 I've wrapped mine in rustic hessian and used one of the new 'naturals' ribbons that have just come in!

 Finished off with a gift tag...

 We've been making soap here for years and indeed HH HQ was once a soap factory! All this time we've loved the coconut oil and cocoa butter that goes into the cold process soap, it makes our hands so soft...so the jump from soap to balms isn't that huge at all!

 Balms with healing infusions and essential oils and bathbombs with dried flowers...the list is endless!

 My favourites include a minty foot cream and a coconut and hempwax lip balm, I also now have a use for all those empty jars of Tiger and Oriental Balm at last!

 Three sessions of Bombs and Balms on Friday 25th October 11-3, Saturday 9th November 1.30-5, Sunday 15th December 11-3 £35

 AND did somebody say 'soap'? 

Two more sessions this year Friday 1st November 11-3 and Saturday 30th November 1.30-5 £50 space for 4 persons only and we make 4 soaps which are then divided between the 4. Cold process soap is made with caustic soda in the traditional way and needs 4 weeks to 'cure' so the November workshops will be the last held before Christmas.

 A new workshop this year inspired by the gorgeous new Christmas ribbons! Make a stocking using techniques including applique, embroidery and using bias binding! I love the pompom snowflakes and the turquoise linen is a lovely vintage cloth which is a joy to use! Two sessions on Saturday 2nd November 1.30-5 and Friday 13th December 11-3 £35

 Using the '42 Hands' keepsake quilt as inspiration we have a couple of sewing sessions called hands and feet in which we capture the cuteness of our favourite little people's hands and feet in faded floral fabrics and vintage linens. Learn how to applique, piece quilt and patchwork a work of art! Saturday 5th October 1.30-5 and Friday 11th October 11-3 £35

 The quilt in all it's glory!

Carrot cake for today's workshop and we'll go from this...

 ...to this in just over three hours!

I have a couple of private sessions for groups of four ladies booked in to make the bag and stocking, indeed any of the above workshops can be booked in this way and I can even bring them to you!

I am also available for one-to-one tuition in all aspects of stitchery, knitting and crafting. 

Crafting parties are a fun way to spend time with friends and I can provide a wide variety of these with prices starting at just £10 per person. Most are also easily adapted to suit children who have an interest in craft!

Book any of the sessions above by either dropping by HH HQ, texting me on 07887511081 or message me via twitter @halfpennyhome

Have a splendid weekend! Nx

Workshops 2013

 Workshop season is upon us - this means I get to try out a few new ideas in order to inspire the crafter in you!

The old needlework magazines with the templates for embroidery pattern and monogram initials led to the 'Welly Freshener Hearts' you see above - embroidered by hand or machine on old French linen and tickings!

 We've had a few workshops already this year - bunting making...

 ...and needlefelting have been great fun to do! 

The next workshop at HH HQ is cushion making and even complete beginners can become confident on a sewing machine and produce something to be proud of! Saturday 25th May 1.30 - 5 - £40 with all materials provided along with plenty of tea and homemade cake!

We then welcome back Jenny Tidman who is gathering quite a band of needlefelting groupies - this time she's showing us how to make 2D garlands using templates - I am VERY excited about this one! Friday 7th June 11 - 3 £30 with a light lunch included. There are only a few spaces left on this one as Jenny's workshops are very popular, so much so that she has agreed to come and do needlefelted figures again on Friday 21st June! Book early as places are going fast...

 Another workshop which has had a lot of interest is the one where we will be making a Vintage Style bag with the fabric set into a clip frame - there are also fixings within the frame allowing you to attach a chain or fabric handle! Saturday 22nd June and 28th September 1.30 - 5 as well as Friday 19th July 11 - 3 £40 with a large selection of vintage fabrics and linens to choose from!

 This little piece of handmade cutwork trim has been picked up and admired soooo many times - I've lost count of the number of people who have tried to buy it! I dyed this with my good friend Lynne during our experimental plant dyeing sessions - it is (of course) dyed with INDIGO! A magical dye which never fails to surprise me...we're getting the dyepots out again on the following dates:

Saturday 8th June 1.30 - 5 for Madder and Mordants

Friday 28th June 11 - 2 and Saturday 20th July 1.30 - 5 for Indigo

Saturday 24th August 1.30 - 5 and Friday 30th August 11 - 2 for seasonal dyeing with purple feather reed heads, locally grown plants which produce a rich, pistachio green shade!

All the dyeing workshops are £40 per session and you will leave with a skein of yarn and some silk...that way you can make something beautiful with it when you get home!

 I'm the welly wearer in my house and now I'm keeping my wellies fresh with lavender filled linen hearts - teaming old linens and lavender from provence with some very stylish initial templates from some vintage needlework magazines! 

 Smelly wellies no more!

 Soap!

The soapmaking workshops are great - along with the candlemaking they make the shop smell amazing....Saturday 6th July and 21st September 1.30 - 5 £50 using essential oils, cocoa butter and coconut oil and the cold process method to produce delicious soaps - 1 kg of various soaps in total!

These two look after HH HQ and the one on the right was made by the rather clever Jane Southgate and is me! The shady character on the left is the scoundrel Alfonso, breaker of hearts all over the world...we're having one more ragdoll day at HH HQ - a handsewing workshop and a lot of fun! Saturday 13th July 1.30 - 5 £15

Crochet!

Get to grips with hooking and create some frocks for rocks - suitable for beginners and a fun way to learn....Saturday 15th June and 3rd August 2 - 5 £25 - limited spaces!

Other workshops include...

Scented Container Candles on Saturday 27th July and 14th September 2 - 5 £35 each person makes at least 3 container candles per session

Altered Mends on Sunday 2nd and 30th June - bring along those ripped hems, loose buttons, that dress you've been meaning to alter or those trousers that need taking up! 

With a whole haberdashery FULL of notions available! 

Includes plenty of tea and cake £20 per person (machines, threads and tools along with a selection of hard haberdashery included in session fee any extra materials will need to be paid for at the end of the session)

Text Nic on 07887511081 or drop by HH HQ on Monday, Tuesday 10 - 4 Wednesday 1.30 - 4 or Saturday 10 - 1 for more details. 

A workshop place is secured once full payment is received and a full refund will be given on any workshops cancelled due to illness, bad weather or low booking numbers.

Happy Thursday! Nic x