Beth Sprouts Purchases; Africa! Africa!

I busied myself with Brisfest last weekend, the new version of Ashton Court Festival. Went last year and drank too much cider and it is known in our household as 'Fightfest'. Nuff said.

On the Sunday I was taking things easy, my head was a little heavy, so to make myself feel better I did a little retail therapy. A shop called The Feather Tree had a stall there, I think they mainly aim to sell their feather hair extensions at festivals, but they also had lots of lovely simple pieces made from African fabrics. Well, you gotta love an African print, and it is more accessible these days with things like ASOS africa etc. They work with a guy in Kenya, buy the fabric second hand and then pay him for each piece he makes, so that he can benefit directly.

I'd check it out because at the moment tops are a tenner...but obviously I am not supporting cheap cheap clothing, but still you can't deny a bargain!

P.S there are boys clothes too!

Beth Sprouts Handmade; diory me!

Look Look! Raf must be an avid Beth Sprouts reader after seeing my rendition of his paisley excellences. Dior SS14 - featuring a 'curve shirt'. As seen here in May 2012...you heard it here first right? 

 Photo courtesy of style.com

Beth Sprouts; How Now Brown Cow

Fixed in my memory of childhood disgust was the 80s VW golf with the odd bug eyed headlights. Boy it seemed so very dated. Funnily enough I now find them uber-hip and would love a soft top. I digress, the other cause for complaint as a 7 year old was the - brown car. Much like below.

Mmm tempting, no? Dunked in poo. 

That's what we thought anyway. 

Well hold on to your hats general public - you will soon be coaxed into the new generation of sewage coloured vehicles! Yippee!

The above fiesta has now become.....

 

Ooooohhh Aaaahhhh I hear you cry.

Well here's some more eye candy for you wide eyed fans. A new world has opened for you hasn't it?

Beth Sprouts; if i lived in a shell

So I got wedded and this was an illustration created by the talented Steven Peebles, off of Mollusk Magazine, for the kiddies table mat. I LOVE IT.

Mollusk magazine to quote themselves, 'is a quarterly magazine which is about promoting new and upcoming artists in all fields, from illustration to photography, music to Nicolas Cage; each issue features an eclectic mix of fresh new photos, stylistic art, and interviews from those new artists willing to lend their services.'

And my wedding, well, 'it was fabulous!'

Beth Sprouts Handmade; me and my teddy bear

So here is my 'fairtrade' creation.

A pair of saggy bottomed cerise velvet overalls. I have already washed the car in them, of course. The little ted was a gift from my mum a few years ago, it is amazing the colour is exactly the same! And amazing how I managed to get such a teddy bear shaped rear view on the overalls.

The little clutch bag is of the same fabric, with a contrasting blue zip. You can't see it, but it is lined with a lovely liberty fabric remnant. NOW, I am pretty sure I have somewhere in my sketchbooks from a few years ago a design for the bag - which I never made - and then of course Celine has gone and done it.

I should also mention the T-shirt is also fairtrade - I have made two striped shirts with this pattern. I love it. Very airy, and there's something a bit more interesting about a T-shirt not made from jersey.

Beth Sprouts Purchases; Everybody's gone surfin'

Today is a special day. I am celebrating 27 years on the planet. YIPPEE!

These 1970s platforms are a small gift to myself. I saw them last week in a charity shop window display - and thought 'Holy Moly!' this piece of history must be mine! And luckily no one else had had such an epiphany and they were still in the shop - Phew!

More importantly they are in excellent condition and very comfortable, still there is room for twisted ankles, oh yes there is.

Around my neck like a medal commemorating my 27 years, is a wonderful carved apple wood pineapple. Pineapples being my new obsession. Not to eat of course. This was lovingly worked on by my hubby. Cheers Darl'.

Whilst in said charity shop this shirt called out to me. It has been darned a little here and there, and I am quite convinced it would have been a surfer dude's, playing his uke on the sand.

Beth Sprouts Homemade; Mediterranean summer

Ahh glorious sunshine. Oh how we missed thee. So much so that we chucked all our old summer clothes out!
(and by chucked I mean donated)

Sadly a shop in Bristol which has sold Fairtrade Cotton for the last 30 years or so is closing down. Even online. And more sadly I have only recently found the shop (or at least that they sold fabric), so have not had enough time to make the most of them. So in my last visit I picked up a heavy stripey cotton, in the style of Dolce and Gabbana SS13, and a funny shade of peach light cotton.

Playing with shapes here a little, so it isn't what you'd normally expect for an arm hole. Here's my new summer dress.