Tag Archives: Muswell Hill

What’s on at The Green Shed…

More lovely Creative Art Classes with Caroline

Join us for another magical, Intuitive Arts session for Adults ✨ at
https://thegreenshedn10.com/ πŸ’š
Reconnect with your inner child and creativity πŸ’–
Walk or sit among the medicinal shrubs and trees in the expansive, beautiful garden. Experience the meditative art of shin-rin yoku (forest bathing) and reconnect to nature 🌿.

I will guide you and support you. ⭐ I will provide techniques that will help you to flow. ⭐
All Materials Provided ⭐

I look forward to meeting you 😊
lots of love and intuitive light ⭐ ✨ 🌈 Caroline xxx

Sessions:
Sunday July 7 1-4 pm Friday July 12 1-4 pm Friday July 26 1-4 pm Sunday Aug 11 1-4pm

Cost: Β£35 per workshop
15% discount if you book more than one.

No one session is ever the same πŸ’•

Call Caroline to book your place 😊 07939 224 758

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Illustrating Children’s Books Course for Adults

The price for the course is Β£200 for 10 lessons.

You’ll need to pay Β£100 in advance to book your spot (there are only 8 places available), and this advance payment is refundable up to a month before the course starts. 

The remaining Β£100 is due at the beginning of the course.

The course is open to all levels, and I will strive to provide personalised attention to everyone. If you don’t have a story, you can choose one that you love and recreate the illustrations.

You have to bring your material, but I’ll bring mine too, to try and share.

This course promises to be fun and relaxed!

For further information, please visit Judi’s Instagram page or her Website

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Children’s Craft Parties at The Green Shed

I ran 6 wonderful craft parties this weekend and the weather played a blinder so all the food was eaten outside. The children made the most beautiful bunting and lavender bags to take home and they all had great fun.

Lots of photos and reviews on my website and Instagram page.

The Green Shed N10

The Green Shed N10 Instagram

Nicky Grace Vintage Selling

Lovely day in June…

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Vintage Fabric Scrap Packs

I’ve been collecting vintage fabric and gorgeous things since about 1994 when I was making my mini bunting for The Country Living Fair. Since then I had my own bricks and mortar shop and made hundreds of lavender hearts for Cath Kidston. My home and work have been featured in many magazines and also β€˜Pretty Pastel Style’ book by Selena Lake. I live in Muswell Hill, North London and work from home. I have a studio called The Green Shed N10 where I do craft parties for children.

Please head to my Etsy shop

Vintage and newer scraps for journaling, slow sewing, the creative possibilities are endless…

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Filed under Adults Workshops, Childrens Workshops, The Green Shed N10, Vintage Fabric

Sewing Workshops for girls and boys 2019.

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Double Page Spread in Evening Standard Homes & Property ! 10 years ago.

20140628-144114-52874606.jpgI’ve just realised that almost exactly 10 years ago the lovely Pattie Barron who was and still is the Gardening editor came with photographer Marianne Majerus to take photos of my house and garden.

20140628-145810-53890325.jpgThey wanted a colourful centre spread to coincide with Chelsea Flower Show, May 2004.

20140628-150254-54174248.jpgWe’d bought the house the house in a completely derelict state two years earlier and lived in it with no kitchen or heating or anything much.

20140628-150914-54554174.jpgBut it was Victorian with a big garden that hadn’t been touched for 40 years and I loved it.

20140628-151114-54674921.jpgWe renovated it ourselves gradually uncovering some lovely original panelling. I asked the people who bought our old house if we could have the kitchen units etc back when they replaced them! As I knew that unfortunately they were going to modernise. We’d renovated that house too. So one Saturday morning year after we’d moved here, they phoned and said that they were about to put kitchen in a skip so we literally raced round and got it and had it fitted.

20140628-152041-55241171.jpgIt’s just IKEA cupboards, an old sink and a plywood work surface that I’d painted but I was so pleased to have them back and they’re still going strong today and still looking ok for their age as they were in https://nickygrace.co.uk/category/my-home-featured-in-selina-lakes-new-book/ It’s all pretty much still the same apart from the room with the blue walls which we call The Middle Room which I used as a shop before I got my proper shop.I’ve now turned that into a little B&B with it’s own ensuite. The ensuite bathroom was actually the original kitchen when the house was built. There’s a lot of history in this house which was built in 1865.https://nickygrace.co.uk/category/boutique-guest-room-on-airbnb/

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Filed under Patchwork Quilts

My Blue Garden

20140516-194548.jpgEvery year at the middle of May, my garden turns blue.

20140516-194751.jpgThe Solanum which I planted about 5 years ago is very happy and has grown over the swing hammock so we can’t sit on it yet ! I’m a very lazy gardener and shouldn’t have let that happen but I don’t mind.

20140516-195247.jpgThere are lots and lots of bluebells which have now spread and are growing against the ugly old wall that I painted in blue emulsion when we moved here.

20140516-195636.jpgThe Ceanothus which was a tiny little thing is now 7 feet tall

20140516-195927.jpgand the Wisteria is apparently over 100 years old and is now on borrowed time as it relies on a very tall, brittle, dead plum tree for support.

20140516-200556.jpgA friend once gave me a very small old enamel bath that she no longer wanted. She said it was from an old ship. I put it behind the back door and planted a little lilac shrub in it which has got huge and smells divine in the morning sun.

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20140516-201142.jpgThe forget me knots spread more and more every year and I love them so much.

20140516-201818.jpgI’ve been cutting bits off very few days to have inside and they last surprisingly long as cut flowers.

20140516-202033.jpgIt all flowers together for about 3 weeks and it’s a very special time in my garden.

20140516-202237.jpgIt inspired me to make blue and purple floral garlands which I’ve put in my etsy shop.

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Very tasty pin cushions

20140414-184322.jpgI’ve been making pin cushions out of damaged, vintage embroidered tablecloths.

20140414-184916.jpgThe embroidery was done in the Forties and Fifties and I only recently realised the pattern was already printed onto the linen so in that sense it was easy as they had a pattern to sew on.

20140414-185619.jpgYou can tell how good the person was at embroidery partly because sometimes they didn’t cover the lines properly so you can see bits of the printing which should have been covered.

20140414-190022.jpgThe real art though is in the colours. I’ve been collecting vintage table cloths for 20 years and so often I’ll see one which has been expertly made yet the colours aren’t very inspiring and I always think what a shame to have worked so hard and spent so many hours making it yet the result isn’t too enchanting. That’s unfortunately the case with most of them which is why when I find ones like these it’s like finding gold dust.

20140414-190842.jpgI wonder about the ladies who made them. Were they young, middle aged, elderly ? How did they even have time to embroider tablecloths when they had so much else to do, cooking from scratch, hand washing, looking after their families etc without all the mod cons we have.

20140414-191429.jpgSaying that though, they didn’t have televisions and if I didn’t watch so much TV I could probably embroider at least a couple of large table cloths every week πŸ™‚ I’m glad they did it though so I don’t have to.

20140414-192300.jpgSo here they are all together. I’ve also added some vintage fabric flowers to make them even more colourful and scrumptious.

20140414-192538.jpgAnd here they are all dressed for Easter.
I think a pin cushion should be beautiful because it’ll be next to you while you sew Β year after year. Mine is one of the very first things I made and I still love it.

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Filed under Vintage Fabric

I have a B&B at home in North London, visitors are welcome.

20140122-183108.jpgIn June 2013 I decided to turn my lovely little back living room into a guest room for people to come and stay. Not a B&B in the conventional sense because I don’t do breakfast. The B&B in my case stands for “Bed and Biscuits” πŸ™‚

20140122-184154.jpgSo I got rid of the sofa and bought a good double bed with drawers underneath…..

20140122-184615.jpggot rid of some shelves and in their place put a clothing rail covered by a curtain….

20140122-184848.jpgand spent the Summer having a nice time “playing house” and making it into a sweet little boutique hotel room.

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There was already a bathroom ( originally this was the kitchen when the house was built in 1865). So now it’s a private en suite just for the guest room.

20140122-190022.jpgThere’s a kettle with tea, coffee, and hot chocolate, and there’s always a good selection of biscuits plus a few Lindor chocolates.

20140122-190342.jpgI put our flat screen tv on the wall to create more space and kept the Sky box for added luxury.

20140122-190605.jpgI bought some books of Muswell Hill (where we live) and books of London. My house is featured in this lovely book by Selina Lake.

20140122-190946.jpgplus maps and shopping guides etc.

20140122-191135.jpgI swept and tidied the area outside the French doors and put two of our chairs and a table out there to create a little private patio area for eating/smoking/sitting in the summer breeze.

20140122-191519.jpgThe beautiful Robinia tree which I planted 10 years ago gives a delicate dappled shade.

20140122-191814.jpgGuests can sit at the garden table too if they like.

20140122-192134.jpgThe hallway outside the room.

Since I started 4 months ago I’ve met so many lovely people from all over the World. Β Some come just to see London, some come to visit family, some come for events at Alexandra Palace which is very near by, some come for courses or work. It’s always lovely to meet them and they have all enjoyed their stay here. You can read all the reviews on the website.

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/1626486

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Filed under Boutique Guest Room on AirBnB

Mumsnet BlogFest November 2013

On Saturday I went to mumsnet blogfest. http://www.mumsnet.com/blogfest with Lindsay from http://www.reddesk.co.uk/.

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We went last year too which was the first time they did it and it was very lavish and impressive. This year it was in Kings Place which is a massive swish building in nearby Kings Cross. I’m not one for big corporate events at all but I started blogging (with Lindsay’s help) about 2 years ago so it’s a lovely day out with lots of blogging tips and talks plus panels of interesting people and lively discussion.
As different as everyone there is, we all have one thing in common…..that we’re interested in social media. A few months ago I’d have felt a bit of a twit using that expression as it seemed a bit twatish but I don’t think it is any more. It’s progression whether we like it or not and with Linday’s help I’m vaguely managing to keep up by the skin of my teeth.

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About 400 people, mainly women attend from all over the country and we were treated like kings with as much tea, coffee and biscuits as we wanted.
I’m very comfortable in the company of women and it’s all very relaxing and friendly. It was superbly organised like last year and worked like clockwork.

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I’ve had a great affection for Mumsnet since 2008 when I stumbled upon it by accident at a time of crisis and I found more support there than I knew was possible. It’s a massive place of support, friendship and laughter as well as spats, rows, entertainment, help and lots lots lots more. I shall always be grateful to Mumsnet and in turn I also lent my support to women in crisis who had no where else to turn.

Anyway, the lunch on Saturday was out of this world just like last year, and the puddings were sublime.

Jo Brand, in her role as feminist comedian was there at the end to finish off the day with some funny anecdotes and a Q&A which was a huge thrill for me as I adore her, especially in her series Getting On.

On leaving everyone was given a heaving goody bag full of lovely things. Needless to say the champagne truffles have all been eaten And I love the nail varnish ! Just my colours.

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Thank you Mumsnet. I’ll be back. Xxx

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Filed under Miscellaneous

A few things I’m going to sell on eBay

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http://www.ebay.com/itm/111205828670

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http://www.ebay.com/itm/111205849140

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http://www.ebay.com/itm/111205858716

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http://www.ebay.com/itm/111205862824?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

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http://www.ebay.com/itm/111205853792?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

20131108-171658.jpghttp://www.ebay.com/itm/111205839799?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

Andy Bridge is my favourite artist and I’m lucky to have collected his work for years. Now that I’ve given over a room to my little guest room business https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/1626486 I’ve had to be a bit ruthless and de clutter slightly so I’m going to give other people a turn to have some of these beautiful pictures.

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Filed under My Etsy Shop

Flowers, hearts and a pigeon in June 2013

Photo 10-06-2013 16 42 10Vintage fabric mini garland in my shop. I love making these so much as every piece is different and beautiful. There is old embroidery of hyacinths and patchwork in this one and I’ve cut out some flowers too.

Photo 12-04-2013 18 59 12Patchwork vintage fabric cushion covers with old Disney characters, embroidery and florals.

Photo 27-03-2013 11 41 00One of my cut flower collages which I make using vintage floral fabric.

Photo 15-04-2013 12 38 12Vintage fabric patchwork throw. Lovely over a settee or bed.

Photo 07-05-2013 12 57 29Flowers from my garden a couple of weeks ago. Tulips, wall flowers, bluebells and forget me nots in a tiny little glass.

Photo 08-05-2013 12 26 04One of my vintage fabric lavender hearts. This floral fabric was made in the thirties.

Photo 10-05-2013 19 08 31A small selection from my little on line shop.

Photo 08-05-2013 12 55 52Little patchwork pin cushion. The blue fabric is from 1940’s America and is so precious. I Β treasure every tiny piece πŸ™‚

Photo 16-05-2013 19 54 16The bluebells in my garden were extra blue and lasted a long time this year due to the cool damp May/June.

Photo 21-05-2013 13 44 38Flowers from the garden. Lilac, bluebells, wall flowers. I LOVE this picture………

Photo 27-05-2013 15 51 11Lilac, borage, ceanothus, forget me nots, fairy washing up liquid, my lovely pigeon card and cut out vintage fabric flowers.

Photo 27-05-2013 15 15 12More lovely blue and purple flowers. xxx

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Filed under Miscellaneous, My Old Victorian Garden, Vintage Fabric

Muswell Hill Saturday Market, June 2013

2013-06-08 12.26.13This lovely market is on the second Saturday of every month in “The Village” pub 258, Β Muswell Hill Broadway N10 3SH. It’s large, and airy and free to enter, 12-5pm.

These are some of the stalls which caught my eye last Saturday.

Above is the most amazing cross stitch by Emma Congdon Β  http://etsy.me/194kKdp Β This photo doesn’t do it justice at all. Emma sells the kits for people to do themselves and this Muswell Hill one is brilliant.

2013-06-08 12.29.39Marcia Knight makes the most beautiful children’s clothes and sells wool too in scrumptious colours.

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2013-06-08 12.31.34Look at these beautiful dresses !!! Β https://twitter.com/Yarnsulike

2013-06-08 12.57.57There was a stall run by a mother and daughter from Margate who sell postcards and little mirrors etc of photos they’ve taken. I bought some of the ice cream and flake cards which are absolutely adorable. Β http://www.curlabouttown.com/

2013-06-08 12.37.37Frances Cronin makes these sweet and lovely little rabbits !! There were lots of them but I like the ones in dresses best. I love taking pictures of people’s things for my blog because I like chatting to the lovely people who make things. It’s something they do because they (and me) love Β making things. It’s for love, not money.Β https://twitter.com/franwen

2013-06-08 12.59.02Annemarie Fearley had a stall outside and makes bright colourful owls and other animals with vintage fabric. Lovely for a child’s room or anywhere in the house.Β https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shes-Got-it-Made/158449937537923

2013-06-08 12.48.47On the way out I bought a box of mixed cakes to take home. I’ve bought from this stall before so I knew they’d be good.

2013-06-08 12.49.14They were all made freshly that morning and the little cheese cakes were out of this world.

There were lots more stalls and it’s a lovely atmosphere but it’s never as busy as it should/could be. Β It’s quite a new market so hopefully word will soon spreadΒ http://muswellhillmarket.com/

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Filed under Muswell Hill, London, UK