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Hannah Cowie

Life Coach and Multi-Crafter

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I’m filling the time while solicitors chase each other around by thinking about decorating our new house. When I chose the kitchen for our current flat I couldn’t get the colour orange out of my head. I also wanted it light and bright so gloss white and acrylic splashbacks were the obvious choice. Next time though I want something warmer so I’m thinking wood. I keep seeing loads of kitchens with dark blue kitchens and wooden worktops which are lovely but I want something a little bit different but that suits a 1930s house. Swipe for some ideas I’m thinking about.

A very creased picture of this beautiful silky fabric which I’ve had on my stash for a while. It didn’t have a particular destination until @newcrafthouse announced their summer party theme this year is Italian Riviera and - although I’m a little hazy on exactly what that means - I decided this floaty fabric had the lounging-on-a-yacht quality I was looking for. I couldn’t get a wide legged jumpsuit out of my mind so am mashing up the @sewoveritlondon Camille trousers with the @ninaleelondon Kew Dress top. I reckon I’ve got about three hours more work in it so I should just about be ready to go to the ball tomorrow night. Who else is going? @weak_ankles #newcrafthouseparty #fabricstash #italianrivierastyle #soicamillejumpsuit #ninaleekewdress #sewingismysuperpower #sewcialists #sewistsofinstagram #sewersofinstagram #imakemyownclothes #handmadewardrobe

This is what 41 looks like. Acne with added sun spots and lines. I’ve suffered with acne my whole adult life (though not much as a teenager). I’ve tried medicines (which only worked for a year or so and gave me the sun spots), supplements, various brands of face wash and moisturiser, diet and every acne lotion and potion you can think of. I now put a big splodge of Sudocrem on the afflicted area overnight and cover up with Bare Minerals power foundation which I find doesn’t cake and crack like cream or liquid versions. People often say they’ve never noticed when I mention my acne which is either them being nice or means I’m doing a good job with the make-up. It doesn’t mean it is any less painful or that some days I just don’t want to leave the house. And I NEVER leave without make-up. Ironically the week I’m off work and don’t have to leave the house I’ve chosen to post on Instagram. I’ll still be covering up next time I go out but if it helps anyone else to know they are not alone here it is!

Matthew has revealed that he hates what I’ve done to our entrance hall, branding it: ‘something Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen would have done on Changing Rooms’. I’m going to take that as a compliment since I was always a big LLB fan! I even have a signed copy of this book Fantasy Rooms (a tv show of his I don’t actually remember anymore). In my early 20s I queued to meet him at the Good Homes Show and asked how I could get into interior design as a career. He actually had quite sound advice - I was a PA so he advised getting a PA job in an interior design company. Instead I got a PA job in a publishing house and 16 years later I still work with books. Good advice Laurence, shame I didn’t follow it a bit more closely!

What a week. It’s gone in such a flash I can’t even remember half of it but the most important thing is that we had an offer accepted on a house! It’s got an amazing garage turned art studio in the garden with running water and electricity so I am finally going to be able to do more marbling. I made these papers at my workshop with @jemmalewismarbling and have been dying to do some more at home but it’s quite a mission in our current space. We also accepted an offer on our flat at the end of last week so we are go, go, go! I know buying a house can be a stressful and precarious business so I’m not getting too excited, just in case, but for now we reservedly celebrate.

As promised a few days ago here’s my finished @ninaleelondon Kew Dress. I made it in a lovely cotton from @sewoveritlondon although it would probably be better in a slightly drapier fabric eg a cotton lawn. I made a lot of alterations to the bodice: a dartless FBA which left me with a lot of gaping around the neck so I had to redo the gathers over the facings. I also lengthened the bodice by 2” but then removed about an inch again (and it could still do with a bit off the back as you can see if you swipe it’s bagging there). I also sewed the front pieces the wrong way round so I had to adjust the hem! I thought I wasn’t happy with it but when I wore it I loved it and didn’t notice all its faults. I’ll write up a full review on my blog when I ever get any time. Life is quite busy at the moment what with selling the flat. We now need to find somewhere to move to but I’m working at the Harrogate Crime Festival this weekend and have something on every night next week!

Soooo, the flat is on the market, eek! We’ve had five viewings booked within 36 hours of being live so are keeping our fingers firmly crossed. I know it’s summer and Brexit and all but why wouldn’t you want to live here? I love this flat and the area. We’re only moving because I really want a garden. So it’s a bit sad but also exciting. Plus I’ve finished doing up this one so now I get to start all over again!

I’ve finally finished my first @ninaleelondon Kew Dress. I’m not entirely happy with it, even after a fair bit of alteration work, because I should have chosen a drapier fabric but it’s a great pattern. Photos coming soon. Fabric from Sew Over It.

A rare photo of something I didn’t make myself inspired by @thestitchedit, @victorialucilleanne and @untitledthoughts new hashtag #fashionfeelsfabulous. I just bought this in the @finerylondon sale and I love it. It makes me feel like I should be wafting through a meadow but can easily end up in a pavement bar drinking a g&t. It’s made of a cool viscose and has princess seams which always seem to fit my shape well. Their pieces are also perfect for my 5’10” height. (Their footwear always fit my size 42s too; they don’t do many lines at the moment which is a shame). Not an ad but might as well be! 💜 Dress: Daniella Shirt Dress, Finery Earrings: @ohemaa.jewellery Shoes: @roguematilda

Right now this is where I want to be: my mum’s spare room in the south of France. Sadly we think there’s too much going on to go on holiday this year. For one we are just about to put our flat on the market 😬. Fingers crossed everyone looking for a 3 bed flat is south east London follows me here and this is all the marketing we need to do. Failing that, fancy estate agent photos coming soon to a RightMove near you.

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