How to make an Easter Chick

Downloadable PDF instructions available from Selvedge

Flowering Bulbs for Easter

Get the children involved in potting up some Spring flowering bulbs

in vintage china for the Easter table.

There is a tutorial on our website www.renaissanceshop.co.uk :

Displaying Flowering Spring Bulbs in Vintage China

Easter Gift Bags

Instead of Easter baskets Kristina of Jolly Hockey Sticks has knitted

these drawstring bags

and Cherry Menlove has a tutorial showing us how to make these sweet

Easter Favor Gift Bags.

Weekly Roundup

It's been a wet, wet week here at Renaissance HQ causing endless frustration with pruning and animals.

As for animals our little menagerie has increased by two Silkie bantams who are now settling in nicely with our tiny Seebright and Nankin bantams.

Of course the weather has given us plently of time to enjoy vintage film : The Innocents , look at books : The Flower Shop and wonder what to do with all those books we've read but know we'll never read again , maybe the answer is Green Metropolis. But I rather suspect they'll go to the charity shop as usual.

We've watched The Delicious Miss Dahl on TV and spent quite some time looking at the kitchen Sophie Dahl used. We even found a seller of vintage items whose wares would fit wonderfully into the kitchen: Jolie Trouvaille.

Talking of vintage we continue to add new items to the shop and there is now a rather nice selection of vintage prints there.

Hope you're all having a lovely weekend.

My Petite Planet

My Petite Planet

"My Petite Planète baby couture is dedicated to producing fabulously wearable children’s fashion using only vintage fabrics and 100% natural fibers. "

" Fabrics are discovered at vintage stores and markets. Based on the size and detail of the fabric, pieces are designed . The fabrics are thoroughly cleaned prior to any fabrication of pieces using environmentally friendly detergent."

And

"a portion of the proceeds from each sale goes to benefit One Clean World (http://www.onecleanworld.org/), a foundation that supports, raises awareness and encourages eco- and sustainability projects in the U.S. and globally. "

Les Deglingos

"animalos molto funnios"

See these toys on location: deep sea diving, sking etc

at deglingos.com

Stella Macartney

Watch out for the new Stella Mccartney collection for Gap Kid

coming to a Gap near you.

Weekly Roundup

Psyche by John Hopper

So this week we have had the sad demise of Hetty the ex battery hen, now of course we are contemplating additions to our little flock.

Inevitably after joining Lovefilm we've been watching films Kinky Boots and Mr Blanding Builds His Dream House.

Outside by the sea we've been walking on Cromer Pier and the joys of country living continue with pruning in the orchard. After a hard days work outside it's nice to come into a supper of something warm and filling like Pork & Bramley Apple Bake especially when you've grown the apples yourself.

This week in the books to read and keep section of Renaissance Newsletter we've looked at a book you're all bound to love, Home by Anita Kaushal in fact we bet some of you already have it on your book shelf.

We must have spent a long time browsing the internet because we've found several blogs new to us, all well worth a visit:

Elspeth Thompson's Gardening Against the Odds
The Flower Shop Stories written by Sally Page
and
Charlie and Caroline's Blog written by the owners of Pedlars

Browsing blogs has given us a date for the diary with Donna Flower's Open House Sale definetly one for lovers of all things vintage.

We've also been inspired by Alicia Paulson and Cherry Menlove to start posting here again for the first time since January.

It hasn't just been browsing on the internet we've also manage to load some new items like the vintage print pictured to the Renaissance shop .

By the way we'd still love to hear your opnion on the Shovel Birdhouse

Wishing you all a lovely weekend.

Posie Gets Cozy

Along with hundreds, probably thousands of readers we've been watching Alicia Paulson prepare a wardrobe of the prettiest dresses for her future daughter. The one above is called Starflower , there is also Morning Glory, Little Prairie, Lemon Layer Cake, Bouillabaisse, Strawberry Ruffle and the Watermelon Smock each one stiched with love and absolutely delightful. You'll find them at Alicia's blog Posie Gets Cozy.

Soft Building Block tutorial from Cherry Menlove

Visit ‘Cherry Baby’ at Cherry Menlove to learn how to make these adorable

mini soft building blocks for children.

What a lovely handmade present these would be for a newborn.