Tag Archives: Muswell Hill
Double Page Spread in Evening Standard Homes & Property ! 10 years ago.
I’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.
They wanted a colourful centre spread to coincide with Chelsea Flower Show, May 2004.
We’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.
But it was Victorian with a big garden that hadn’t been touched for 40 years and I loved it.
We 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.
It’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/
Filed under Patchwork Quilts
My Blue Garden
Every year at the middle of May, my garden turns blue.
The 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.
There 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.
The Ceanothus which was a tiny little thing is now 7 feet tall
and 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.
A 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.
The forget me knots spread more and more every year and I love them so much.
I’ve been cutting bits off very few days to have inside and they last surprisingly long as cut flowers.
It all flowers together for about 3 weeks and it’s a very special time in my garden.
It inspired me to make blue and purple floral garlands which I’ve put in my etsy shop.
Filed under My Old Victorian Garden
Very tasty pin cushions
I’ve been making pin cushions out of damaged, vintage embroidered tablecloths.
The 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.
You 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.
The 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.
I 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.
Saying 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 🙂 I’m glad they did it though so I don’t have to.
So here they are all together. I’ve also added some vintage fabric flowers to make them even more colourful and scrumptious.
And 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  year after year. Mine is one of the very first things I made and I still love it.
Filed under Vintage Fabric
I have a B&B at home in North London, visitors are welcome.
In 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” 🙂
So I got rid of the sofa and bought a good double bed with drawers underneath…..
got rid of some shelves and in their place put a clothing rail covered by a curtain….
and spent the Summer having a nice time “playing house” and making it into a sweet little boutique hotel room.
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.
There’s a kettle with tea, coffee, and hot chocolate, and there’s always a good selection of biscuits plus a few Lindor chocolates.
I put our flat screen tv on the wall to create more space and kept the Sky box for added luxury.
I bought some books of Muswell Hill (where we live) and books of London. My house is featured in this lovely book by Selina Lake.
plus maps and shopping guides etc.
I 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.
The beautiful Robinia tree which I planted 10 years ago gives a delicate dappled shade.
Guests can sit at the garden table too if they like.
The hallway outside the room.
Since I started 4 months ago I’ve met so many lovely people from all over the World. Â 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.
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/.
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.
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.
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.
Thank you Mumsnet. I’ll be back. Xxx
Filed under Miscellaneous
A few things I’m going to sell on eBay
http://www.ebay.com/itm/111205828670
http://www.ebay.com/itm/111205849140
http://www.ebay.com/itm/111205858716
http://www.ebay.com/itm/111205862824?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649
http://www.ebay.com/itm/111205853792?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649
http://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.
Filed under My Etsy Shop
Flowers, hearts and a pigeon in June 2013
Vintage 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.
Patchwork vintage fabric cushion covers with old Disney characters, embroidery and florals.
One of my cut flower collages which I make using vintage floral fabric.
Vintage fabric patchwork throw. Lovely over a settee or bed.
Flowers from my garden a couple of weeks ago. Tulips, wall flowers, bluebells and forget me nots in a tiny little glass.
One of my vintage fabric lavender hearts. This floral fabric was made in the thirties.
A small selection from my little on line shop.
Little patchwork pin cushion. The blue fabric is from 1940’s America and is so precious. I  treasure every tiny piece 🙂
The bluebells in my garden were extra blue and lasted a long time this year due to the cool damp May/June.
Flowers from the garden. Lilac, bluebells, wall flowers. I LOVE this picture………
Lilac, borage, ceanothus, forget me nots, fairy washing up liquid, my lovely pigeon card and cut out vintage fabric flowers.
More lovely blue and purple flowers. xxx
Filed under Miscellaneous, My Old Victorian Garden, Vintage Fabric
Muswell Hill Saturday Market, June 2013
This lovely market is on the second Saturday of every month in “The Village” pub 258, Â 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  http://etsy.me/194kKdp  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.
Marcia Knight makes the most beautiful children’s clothes and sells wool too in scrumptious colours.
Look at these beautiful dresses !!! Â https://twitter.com/Yarnsulike
There 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. Â http://www.curlabouttown.com/
Frances 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  making things. It’s for love, not money. https://twitter.com/franwen
Annemarie 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. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shes-Got-it-Made/158449937537923
On 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.
They 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.  It’s quite a new market so hopefully word will soon spread http://muswellhillmarket.com/
Filed under Muswell Hill, London, UK
OMG I’m in the book !! “Pretty Pastel Style” by Selina Lake
I received my copy of Selina’s brand new book a couple of weeks ago and was completely overwhelmed  to find so many pics of my house in it. I’ve taken photos of the pages and I’m not going to write anything with them because that would make me feel silly, like when an estate agent shows you round a house saying “this is the kitchen, this is the lounge” and you just want to ask him to please go away so you can look round in peace.  The photographer is Catherine Gratwicke and the words are by Joanna Simmons.
The lovely embroidered hoop is by Vicky Trainor
Selina’s bike
Thank you SO much Selina Lake, Catherine Gratwicke, Joanna Simmons and publishers http://www.rylandpeters.com
Nicky Grace Vintage Fabric & Gorgeous Things 