tiny happy

making journal

recent posts

about

‘tiny happy’ was a journal of my handmade life from 2006-2025.

new life for old things (part two)

Sprigs

Sprigs 1

Sprigs 2

Sprigs 3

The mission to breathe new life into unloved things continues unabated around here. A while ago I found a little bundle of embroidered napkins, each with a little sprig of flowers in the corner. The linen around the embroidery was mottled and stained, but they were much too nice to just leave at the rubbish tip. Thank you, mystery embroiderer! You have the most delicate little stitches.

I made some small needlecases and pins from them as part of my etsy shop update today.

The flowers in the first photo were a gift from Tom's Mum a couple of days ago. Aren't they beautiful? She even delivered them complete with the leafy green bottle.

Posted in

29 responses to “new life for old things (part two)”

  1. Nancy Avatar
    Nancy

    Beautiful stitches. I like the needle books and pins very much. I have such a soft spot for embroidered flowers. Almost all all of my linens have stitches that were done by my great grandma

    Like

    Reply
  2. annri Avatar
    annri

    I am really drawn to that coral flower in the dark-framed brooch. Your work is so beautiful. We had a bit of thaw with rain lately, and our landscape is brown-green so all the sweet colors in your photos gives me so much to get excited for! Thank you.
    best ~ Annri

    Like

    Reply
  3. ingrid Avatar
    ingrid

    These are just darling, especially the little needle cases.

    Like

    Reply
  4. Carmen Avatar
    Carmen

    que bordados mas lindos, los prendedores están preciosos, los adoré!!!!

    Like

    Reply
  5. Margaret Oomen Avatar
    Margaret Oomen

    you always breath such beautiful life into old linens

    Like

    Reply
  6. Emily Avatar
    Emily

    Very pretty!

    Like

    Reply
  7. Jessica Avatar
    Jessica

    Så söt! x

    Like

    Reply
  8. Ruth Avatar
    Ruth

    Love the bottle and the needle cases are really cute.

    Like

    Reply
  9. lucy Avatar
    lucy

    Damn English time, missed out on those needle books 😦

    Like

    Reply
  10. Claire Garland Avatar
    Claire Garland

    I’m the same as Lucy – missed out on those beautiful brooches! Would you be making some more?

    Like

    Reply
  11. Annika Avatar
    Annika

    Ah, I have been watching spring approach for about 2 weeks now, and these just fit my happy mood, so pretty!

    Like

    Reply
  12. Ellen Avatar
    Ellen

    Very beautiful brooches. Simple and unique.

    Like

    Reply
  13. Melbourne Road Avatar
    Melbourne Road

    what a find!
    LOVE the brooches..so delicate and cheerful!
    What a sweet Mother in Law to bring flowers and cute vase :o)
    Lori

    Like

    Reply
  14. Denise | Chez Danisse Avatar
    Denise | Chez Danisse

    Your work is so delicate and beautiful, as always. It’s a treat to visit here.

    Like

    Reply
  15. Jill Wignall Avatar
    Jill Wignall

    so completely and utterly beautiful as always. Of course the brooches have already sold! Melissa, I always love to see your new works. You really do inspire me with everything you make! x

    Like

    Reply
  16. brooke Avatar
    brooke

    My eyes popped when I saw that beautiful embroidery!! They are stunning!

    Like

    Reply
  17. SmitoniusAndSonata Avatar
    SmitoniusAndSonata

    As beautiful as always !
    The bottle vase is perfect too . How nice to have a like-minded mother-in-law …. she must have been delighted when her son met you !

    Like

    Reply
  18. Mousy Brown Avatar
    Mousy Brown

    Snap! – I have been making things with beautiful old linens too – I think I like yours better though! 😀

    Like

    Reply
  19. Sarah Avatar
    Sarah

    So beautiful! And I completely understand (and share) your impulse to take care of old, unloved things.

    Like

    Reply
  20. Jenn Avatar
    Jenn

    You make such sweet things! I am loving your blog…

    Like

    Reply
  21. jasmin Avatar
    jasmin

    Ha, you know what kind of bottle it is? Its from Hierbas Túnel, a spanish Liquer. I always admired these bottles as a child but would never thought about using them as a vase. What a good idea!

    Like

    Reply
  22. Andrea Avatar
    Andrea

    I just bought a lovely tablecloth that is white with large blue corner embroidery. It is very stained though. With wine or something? I would love to make it into pillows for my living room but I need to get the stains out first! Any suggestions?

    Like

    Reply
  23. tinyhappy Avatar
    tinyhappy

    thanks, claire- yes, i will make some more but i don’t have anymore of the embroideries just like these ones.
    🙂

    Like

    Reply
  24. tinyhappy Avatar
    tinyhappy

    thanks jasmin. actually, she told me that the bottle was from a spanish liquer that she bought in majorca often on her visits there- but she didn’t like the taste of the alcohol- she bought it purely for the bottle/vase!

    Like

    Reply
  25. tinyhappy Avatar
    tinyhappy

    hey andrea, sometimes it’s tricky to get stains out of old linens, but i often have success when i soak the linen in warm water with baking soda dissolved in it for a while, before washing. also hanging the linen outside in the sunshine for a while can help. if the stain is kind of oily, i’ve tried using an old toothbrush to rub shampoo (or dishwashing liquid) into the stain and leaving for a while before washing as usual. good luck!

    Like

    Reply
  26. Nicole Avatar
    Nicole

    You’re right, those bits of embroidery are much too beautiful to be discarded. Luckily, they fell into the right hands. You’ve just added to their beauty!

    Like

    Reply
  27. Ulrika Avatar
    Ulrika

    So pretty!

    Like

    Reply
  28. Regina Avatar
    Regina

    I love those pins. Your needlework is always beautiful.

    Like

    Reply
  29. kotoamade@gmail.com Avatar
    kotoamade@gmail.com

    these are so pretty!

    Like

    Reply

Leave a reply to Jill Wignall Cancel reply