The Leopard Anchor

Brighton birthday funtimes

Last week was my 27th birthday, and I was long overdue a day out with one of my favourite friends so we hotfooted it to Brighton for the day. I had floral nails for the special occasion.

We started as we meant to go on, by eating. We went to Infinity Foods Cafe for a veggie sausage sandwich and a veggie BLT. Both delicious!

There was wandering and shopping.

Including a visit to the Irregular Choice shop, where we drooled over many shoes (the ones with the swallows and bows WILL be mine). I spent some of my birthday money on yet another rabbit ring.

There was more food and drink. And more wandering.

We decided to take a look round the museum, I can't resist nosing round galleries and museums.

Then we ended up at the beach, found a bar that served special winter drinks, a hot toddy and a hot buttered rum later that was the end of our day out.

Yay. I had such a fun day, hopefully we're going to go again before I set off to Canada (in less than two months, eek).

Crafty Pint Handmade Christmas + when bloggers collide

Saturday was the day when I finally got to meet Karen from Did You Make That, hers was one of the first sewing blogs I started reading and so it was appropriate that she was the first blogger I met. As a fab bonus I got to meet her lovely friend, who blogs at Huggie Does Homespun. Karen is exactly as great as I knew she would be, I had so much fun with these ladies.

Saturday was also the day of Crafty Pint's Handmade Christmas event and it was FANTASTIC. Truly. There's something really great about spending the afternoon in a room filled with people making things. I've already posted a bunch of pictures from the fabulous venue, so there's only a few here. 

The whole room was set up with mini workshops to dip in and out of, it was heaven, if a little overwhelming at first! We had to get a drink (see? you need a bar at these things) to aid the decision making process.

Our first stop was pottery painting, the table was run by Caragh Buxton who sells some delightful things!

I loved painting my mug, but it's harder than I thought. And we were concentrating so hard there was barely any time for chitchat!

Our masterpieces, I can't wait to see how they look when they're all fired! I don't think Karen will mind me saying Huggie put us both to shame, check out her fab work on the right.

I gave my mug some hallmarks so that my future ancestors know where it came from when it becomes a treasured heirloom! Heh.

After that we hit the shrinkie tables, where we spent some more time in deep concentration. Making these things was so simple and I'm positive there is a little magic going on in the shrinking! The reindeer & moose designs were traced and I drew the anchor design myself, we drew our designs on to special plastic and then they were blasted with a heat gun to make them shrink. These tables were run by Vicky of Stars & Scars, she declared my anchor design of the day :) I bet she says that to all the girls!

I will no doubt return to Tooting Tram & Social, I really think it's a special venue. I'll also be looking out for future Crafty Pint events, they know how to throw a fun party. And I'm hoping to meet up with the lovely Karen & Sarah again too.

xo K

The best way to spend a Sunday

Yesterday I ventured to Tooting for the first Got Craft? fair held in London, and it was LOVELY!

It was my first time at the venue (Tooting Tram & Social), I thought it was a great space. And I think that every craft fair should have a bar!

On top of the fabulous location, Got Craft? was full of very sweet, very talented vendors! These were some of my favourites:

Hannah Melin

Robin & Mould

Tilly Flop Designs

The Aviary

And my absolute favourite - Pretty Zoo, I bought this ring from her and it is by far my favourite piece of jewellery, I'm in love with it. It is no exaggeration when I say I could have bought everything on her stall.

Perfect Sunday!

I hope you had a good one.

xo Kirsty

Yet more day off fun-times

I'm fine-tuning my recipe for a perfect day off and I think I've got it. Take a favourite friend and a camera or three, throw in some sunny but breezy weather, the most wonderful veggie burger you've ever tasted (thank you Boston Tea Party) and go somewhere cute, must have multiple charity shops and lots of old things.

This time we went to Salisbury, a city that's only 20-odd miles from me but that I hadn't visited for 10 years, it's LOVELY. Why didn't anybody tell me?

This is one of the most delightful spaces I have ever seen - I wanted to skip round it barefoot then lay a checked blanket out and have a boozy picnic under the trees.

We hit up more charity shops than I can count (I scored big with the cutest deer bookends) and the antiques market which, apart from being stuffed to bursting with fabulous old stuff, had the most wonderful light for taking photos.

Almost too many pretty things for one day!

xo Kirst

What do you do on your days off?

This week I have had two days off, much needed let me tell you! I've had a fab time. One day spent alone, relaxing and thrifting, scribbling in my notebook and spending some time in my studio. The other spent with a good friend, fabric shopping and eating, and a bit more eating.

One of my favourite ways to spend a couple of hours, chai latte, treats, notebook & my headphones.

Accidental charity shop visits, I got lured in on my way past and found these treasures! I'm especially delighted with the camera.

Craft shopping.

Cream tea.

Making things for my Etsy shop (coming soon).

Fabric shopping is always a pleasure. Went to Hansons again.

What do you do when you've got time off of your day job?

xo Kirsty