Robson and Mason Haberdashery

Blog is now at www.haberdasheryandhome.typepad.com

2009-01-31T00:19:00.000-08:00

This Blog is now here.

explain....

2008-09-27T09:38:00.000-07:00

As we kept getting emails asking why we couldn't keep our blogspot account going, we decided to post almost all of the business one's here.

My personal entries will be mostly on Haberdashery&Home

I hope this keeps everyone happy.

Pictures of things to come.....

2008-09-27T09:13:00.001-07:00

From the new website, thought you all might like a peek:

I hope all the readers and Robson and Mason shoppers love the new photo's.

(please note all photographs are copywrited and I would be more than happy for you to email us to get permission to use them for your own blog etc)

2008-09-22T19:14:00.000-07:00

and in swept Autumn

I love the word Autumn. It also just also happens to be my favourite season.

This morning when I awoke I realised it was infact... Autumn in England! My house was surrounded by a light mist and there was a slight nip in the air which hit my toes.

So in a moment, we are no longer in Summer, the seasons change, but then everything is always changing around us...

So I thought it might be a nice way to end this season we've come to know as an English Summer ( a little sunshine and quite alot of rain) by sharing my Summer photographs.

New lightweight summer curtains.

Allium in full bloom.

Luscious green velvety leaves.

Trips to the local farm shop in the sunshine

Lots of herbs for using on everything in Summer, BBQ's , mint tea, salad....

New life in the garden...

Trying to fill pots with water...

I just adore the colour of these...

Little knitted flowers...

Something you don't see in Winter...

Made some new friends...

Made a new t-shirt....

Beautiful summer evenings...

Our NEW Robson and Mason Haberdashery Shop Coming SOON!

2008-09-10T09:16:00.000-07:00

Our New Haberdashery Store is coming soon!

Hello Eveyone.

Well, I am pleased to announce we have a new website coming! It will be a million times more exciting than the current shop.

We also have a huge range of buttons coming. 500+ styles. Kitch buttons, sunglasses buttons , lips buttons, stiletto shoes buttons, bear buttons, cherries buttons, strawberrys buttons, apple buttons, pencil buttons, star buttons, the list is almost endless.

Don't you just love a new haberdashery button range!? Personally I just love the classic fish eye buttons!

Posted at 07:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

ROBSON AND MASON'S BLOG HAS MOVED.

2008-08-05T15:19:00.000-07:00

WE HAVE MOVED BLOGS.

To http://www.haberdasheryandhome.typepad.com/.

We thought it might be nice to have a prettier blog to match our new website that's arriving in September.

www.robsonandmason.co.uk News

2008-07-21T14:08:00.000-07:00

Hello. It's Robson and Mason here.
We have been away doing our new website the last few weeks, It will be up and running in the next month. The website will still be http://www.robsonandmason.co.uk/ .

These of a few of our new photo's I do hope you like them.
Some of Robson & Mason's ribbons.
Robson and Mason haberdashery bulk ribbon.
Pretty Pretty pearl pins.
(All photo's are copywrite to Robson & Mason)
A lovely rainbow pallet of zips.

Haberdashery On Start Sewing.

2008-06-07T11:34:00.000-07:00

I've found a great site through my local Women's Institute, it's called Start Sewing .

Great if you have a sewing dilema, or you need a quick fix of sewing geekery.

As a Haberdasher I love anything to do with sewing, and this site is great!

2008-05-22T01:02:00.000-07:00

I love standard British Stamps.

I had never noticed before that the colours were written down the sides. 'Lime Green' & 'Pink' and 'Orange' when you buy sheets of 100.

I think it is sad when you visit a Post Office and they put a sticky label on for the postage cost.

I wish that they would add the postage costs up with 1p 5p and other stamps. It'd make the parcels and letters more fun and colourful at least.

To like, or not to like

2008-05-19T11:24:00.000-07:00

I am undecided on some fabric I have, I know this sounds odd, but I can't make my mind up if i like it or not.

I'd like to hear what others have to say about it please.

As Promised...

2008-05-16T02:18:00.000-07:00

A couple of photos of the wallpaper and lamp base from my Hall.

Just Ask......

2008-05-15T23:36:00.000-07:00

Our flyers

Our sticky labels.

Our A3 posters.

We have had a UK wide campaign to most Universities and some colleges.

Most asked us for promtional material to give out to students. Not only are they extremely eye catching and sassy, but they actually benefit people. We keep prices low, to help makers and students etc.

If you would like any for your School, Craft/Textiles/Fashion club, Stitch N Bitch club, Uni', or anywhere else. We will happily send you some if you email us at:

info@robsonandmason.co.uk

Haberdashery Book Worm

2008-05-14T01:12:00.000-07:00

I thought that it might be nice to show you some of the books that live on my many coffee tables, console tables and bed side tables.When I need inspiring, I go to Amazon and buy books.

First is my current favourite. Jane Brocket's The Gentle Art Of Domesticity, it is a whimsical, creative, mouth watering, taste tantalising book. The pictures that I took today are just a few of my favourites, but there is hardly a page turned, without bold, bright and brilliant photos.

Not only does she write about Haberdashers, she writes about cooking, baking, flowers, paintings, films, travel, knitting, crochet, the list is endless.

***

Another of my favourites is Cath Kidsons, In Print , I have also taken a few photo's from my favourite pages. Although Cath Kidstons shop is now too available for my liking, too commonplace , I do like her books. A friend of mine who is a fabric print Designer, recently met her. She said that she was a lovely lady.

***

In the photos below, she has the same Pom-Pom fringing as Robson and Mason has. I have also been scouting through her old catalogues, and in the Autumn 2005 she has the same pom pom fringing. Luckily ours is still available priced at £1.49 per metre.

***

Bend the rules of sewing has been on my coffee table for a while. It seems to be a nice book, if you have time on a Sunday afternoon to read, decide what you might like to make, and go and make it. It's patterns are quick, simple, easy and lovely. I think that Etsy readers would like it especially. The photos are nice and bright, and make feel inspired to go and create something wonderful.

GF Smith's Paper samples book is a book that lives on our main coffee table, it's full of bright colours, metallics, textures, and weights. Its a great 'book' for if you are a Graphic Designer, like my wonderful Ross. As is Radical Graphics. The covers cannot be missed.

Even though I am a older and wiser person, than I was when I was enjoyed reading children's books, I Still adore them. My favourite children's author has to be Dick Bruna. The creator of Miffy. However- I have a few other favourite books, and The Big Book of Love, I had this given to me a few years back on my Birthday from my parents. My mother said she knew I'd love it, and I do.

The pages are all raises, embossed and some even fuzzy with flocking, especially on his ears. It is a WONDERFUL book for parents-to-be, children, babies, birthdays, Valentines and a gift to yourself, from yourself.

It is the most enchanting book I have come across in a while, that explains love, and better still it's inexpensive!

***

When discussing children's books, I must mention Rod Campbell. He is a genius! But, I plan to write a whole other blog on him.

Wallpaper

2008-05-13T22:58:00.000-07:00

I am a HUGE lover of wallpaper. I always say it, but I wish I was able to have more big walls in my house, that I could wallpaper with fabulous, bold, personal splashes of wallcovering.

My favourite is my hall. I will at one point, after my camera is fixed, get some photos of my hall taken.

This is the beautiful wallpaper i have had for a while in my hallway. Next to it, I have a solid oak console table, with a crystal lamp stand and a black 'strung' lamp shade.

Lots of people comment on the wallpaper, so I thought it might be nice to share my secret place for wallpaper.

http://www.wallpaperfromthe70s.com/

Its a brilliant shop. They have a beautiful floral selection. When it comes to florals though I personally prefer Cole & Sons. Some of my favourites:

Another of my favourite sources of wallpaper is:

http://www.sandersonfabrics.co.uk/acatalog/Harlequin_-_Decadence.html

I really adore this one especially...

I think it's the stripes that I like best,the stripes on the chair look so tactile and soft and the lucious mirror. (Which reminds me of Miranda's mirror, when she has the Interior designer in to redecorate her home on Sex And The City)

Betty and Jeff

2008-05-09T13:55:00.000-07:00

I've always liked the names; Betty and Jeff. I have even more reason to do so now, because here at Robson and Mason, we LOVE Betty & Jeff.

Betty & Jeff isn't an ordinary little quirky online boutique. It's the real creme of the crop, Harris tweeds, Clare Nicholson cushions for lazy days, beautiful rings, the list is endless.

I adore tweed, and Harris tweed is my favourite. I love ALL of the bags above, I am definatly going to put one of them ( probably the first, or last bag)at the very top of my Christmas List this year. Harris tweed is a lucious,tactile, soft but hard wearing fabric that i have loved since the age of 15.

I want them desperatly, if I am lucky enough to get one, I know it'd be a lifelong purchase like most of the things on their site, not a season-long fad or impulse buy. But a lifetime - loved item you will treaure forever.

If i am lucky in my quest for a Betty & Jeff Harris tweed bag, I will post you some picstures.

You can find them at:

http://www.bettyandjeff.co.uk/

A few of my favourite things .......

2008-05-04T11:41:00.000-07:00

H is for home.

In my first ever blog i wrote that i loved enamel items, and it's true. I adore them. The cake tin on my left is from:

http://www.hisforhome.com/

It is exactly the same print as my great grandmother had. But I am sure it was a sugar tin, alot smaller.

Its like stepping back to the 40's and 50's, but with the internet. An array of beautiful items which can be sent direct to your door.

If my home was not alrady filled with enamel goodies I would be ordering hundreds of pounds worth. Although- if anyone wants to send me anything, feel free.[ Im joking.]

*****

Re-froundobjects is one of my favourite sites, i'm not sure how i found it, but i know its one of those little websites, you will book mark and always go back to. I love all of theirproducts, especially the ones I have pictured here.

https://www.re-foundobjects.com/ is where they came from.

********

Hen and Hammock

The pictures above are all made from recylced materials. I saw people making those bowls when i was on holiday in South Africa from sardine and mackeral packaging. They are just BEAUTIFUL! I also desperatly want the plants pots, great for herbs in the kitchen.

From : http://www.henandhammock.co.uk/

******

I live best in a colourful home, i like to bring the out doors in, and the indoors out. I don't like to think as my house as one thing and the garden as another. I like to bring the two together.

I think it is sinful when you are driving along and see all these gardens with no thought, no ideas, no plants, sometimes no grass-just gravel! I really detest a boring street where all houses are the same, nobody has even pots of plants, let alone grass.

Another favourite internet haunt of mine, is Flower Farm, a fabulous place for all Bulbs!

Whilst eating my marmalade on toast this morning, i ventured on to their website, and ended up filling my 'basket' with £359 , somehow i think that would need to be a large basket! But i decided it was probably best to wit until October when it's my birthday and order them then as bulbs are best planted in Autumn.

Forget-me-not

2008-05-03T13:31:00.000-07:00

If i were a flower, i would want to be a forget-me-not in a huge meadow.

The best thing about forget me nots, is that they are a social flower, spreading and mingling about like a London socialite flitting about.

I do love flowers in general though, if i weren't a Haberdasher, i would probably be a florist.

My best friend, who is now sadly gone, always would send me Gerbera's for all occassions. They weren't as popular as they are now. Infact very rare, but i always loved them.

Cuckoo about Clare

2008-05-01T12:28:00.001-07:00

We are utterly cuckoo about the devine and talented Clare Nicolson.

At first glace you may confuse her with Cath Kidston, although we adore Cath's work, Clare is in a completely different world. Her fabric print designs are unique, thoughtful and they work so well with other prints unlike Cath Kidston prints.

I really adore this birdie cushion, I must get round to getting a couple to go with my new Velvet Habitat sofa that's on order.

The fact they are such simple birdie shapes with a pretty pattern inside makes them all the better. Not too over the top, just as they should be.

Please have a fly over to the cuckoos nest at : http://www.clarenicolson.com/

xxxx

HAND AND LOCK

2008-05-01T04:08:00.000-07:00

Every year the world famous, Hand and Lock have a competition for embroidery.

It is sponsered by some of the most respected people in the textiles/fashion industry.

One of our favourites is the Saville Row tailors, Henry Poole & Co , who create the best bespoke tailoring in the world. [Closely followed by Oswald Boateng, famed for using eye shattering, bold colours]

It is also sponsered my one of my favourite galleries, the V & A.

If you've never been to the V & A, its a must. Please go, you won't regret it. Sadly for me, its been a long while since I have been, but I am desperate to go to the V & A Museum of Childhood. Infact- no! I am desperate to have a month of London museum trips, skipping from one, to the next.

The V & A of childhood, looks like the kind of place where you can enjoy as a family, or as a group of adults keen to reminis about times gone by, and the toys you once [or still] had.

If your applying for the Hand & Lock competition, feel free to leave a message with links to your blog. Im sure we would all like to see your work.

Best of Luck!

********************************************************

Also, just to mention. We now have a very large selection of beads on the website, and sequins will be added this week. The 15g tubs are £1.09 [rrp: £2.90] and the long 15cm tubes are £1.95 (rrp:£2.99)

They are of excellent quality, and you wont be disappointed.

When the letter box bangs.

2008-04-30T12:07:00.000-07:00

One of my favourite moments of the day is when the post man has been and you hear the metal 'clink' together for a split second.

I always rush to the post box to see what's there, as a avid subscriber to magazines, I was happy to see my new issue of Selvedge magazine had arrived this morning, ( http://www.selvedge.org.uk/ ) and when i gingerly peeled back the plastic mailer bag I found that I had been sent a gift.

A Saltwater make up case infact.

This issue was extremely uplifting and thought inspiring as it was packed with colour, [reminded me of an Innocent smoothie] texture and depth from within those well designed pages.

We are only on Issue 22 and I feel like it'd been her as long as Vogue.

One of the articles was on Julie Arkell's Paper doll- Home made House.

She is a delightful lady with a wicked sense for design. I spent most of the morning peering at the photo's of her home, and the thousands of little things that kept indivually jumping out at me.

They look like they are having a fab time don't they?

I particially like the way they look like they are side-stepping up the stair case!

As a Haberdasher myself, i simply adore this photograph of Julie's sewing thread collection. All the silky threads, glossy in the light.

What i found extremely interesting is that, you can book a class for a day to go and study with her. It costs very little, concidering what you would gain from the experience. Something i have mentally added to my wish list of things to go and do 2009.

XXX

Bead me up scotty.

2008-04-29T07:37:00.000-07:00

No, i am not a sci-fi maniac that beads while watching the TV.

I just adore beads though, beads on bags from Accessorize, beads on my necklace, beads on embroidered book jacket, beads on my alice band, beads and buttons on my jacket corsage, and beads on my mind. I can't stop thinking about beads today and how when my bathroom is tiled this weekend, that i want to push them between the grout and make it look like a huge patchwork tiled quilt.

The first time i came across heavily beaded things , sequins and bugle beads was Emilio Pucci, a man i adore. I think i was about 11 or 12 at the time, and i remember flicking through my Grandmothers Vogue magazine, which consisted of about 20 pages or so. Not like todays.

Above is a dress from the Pucci new collection, utterly sequin heaven!

Its not just the beading each print is unique, you can’t mistake a Pucci print. Since the late-1940s, when Italian skier (he used to go skiing every year and decided to start making printed ski suits) and he was an utter socialite, Marchese Emilio Pucci casually tried his hand at design, this label has been synonymous with bold, brightly colored graphic patterns with a kaleidoscopic, slightly psychedelic feel. Totally head ache inspiring and causing as I stare at them for hours.

Made with love.

2008-04-27T05:23:00.000-07:00

Ric rac has always been a favourite of mine, in my first ever flat i made a kitchen blind with ric rac sewn on it in stripes, kind of like a rainbow or a candy striped dress hanging at the window.

Ric Rac....

I recently came across someone else fond of ric rac. I totally adore this smooth zig zag curvy trimming, in bright colours or metallics. My favourite has to be lime green and purple i think. Although, i'm not really sure why.

I am extremely desperate for the jungle print skirt, i know it would be my favourite skirt ever!!

If i get chance to buy one, i will take a thousand photo's of me wearing it, and put them on here for you all to look at.

The apple print one has to be a close second favourite, i adore the bold print and fabulous cut of the skirt, a classic.

The above picture is another favourite, picked from the vast choice on offer. It is a 'Ribbon print' skirt which is extremely folke-y and like a kitch tapestry you can wear.

If you're wondering where these devine handmade pretties come from they are from:

http://www.madewithlovebyhannah.com/

Enjoy and get shopping!

Review!

2008-04-27T05:00:00.000-07:00

We are proud supporters of the fabulous Manchester Craft Mafia http://www.manchestercraftmafia.com/ and today we got our first review from them.

Below is the lovely logo they have for entering their site.

"As part of our lovely membership deal, we’re working with some fabulous suppliers to come up with tempting discounts for crafting supplies and services. Our newest supporter is the gorgeous Robson & Mason, online haberdasher extraordinaire. Be warned their store is a veritable sweet shop for stitchers, makers and magpies alike.
Lucky for you (and us) they’re offering members an extra 10% off their already low prices. If you can’t wait for membership and your discount, head on over for a quick haberdashery fix. Don’t say we didn’t warn you…"

What a delightful review!

xxxx

Are you unique?

2008-04-24T04:50:00.000-07:00

Most creative people get excited when they spot something unique, peculiar, unusual, and bizarre, something that they strive to find for days, weeks or months.

We have realised that you can find it all under one website roof http://www.etsy.com/ whether it be a purse, a painting, a printed dress, a posh apron, a pretty embroidered bag, this place has it all.

A truly magical place where every click of the mouse, opens cyber doors to hundreds of Aladdin’s caves.

Truly wonderful. Nearly as good our Aladdin’s cave otherwise known as http://www.robsonandmason.co.uk/

xxxx

"Hello"

2008-04-22T01:25:00.000-07:00

Hello!!!!!

This is our first blog. I am writing this on a bleak, dull, English ' April showers day' and i plan to bring sme sunshine into your life, if not your computer screen.

I think we should start with the popular '7 random things about yourself ' that seems to be floating around at the moment.

1: Ok, here it goes:I am obsessed with enamel things, enamel clocks, enamel paint, enamel pots for cooking with, enamel bread bins. In fact the obsession with enamel bread bins should be in a category of it’s own I feel. I have several.

2: I love dunking my biscuits in coffee and tea, but actually hate coffee and tea as a drink. Eugh!

3: I love chickens, chickens in my garden, chickens on my aprons, chickens on my cups, chickens that are free from battery cages.

4: I adore green and magenta everything- separate together, stripy, patterned, flowers with green stems, odd socks.

5: I collect fabrics, like a child with favourite toys, I collect them like they are going to out of fashion. Corduroy, printed cottons, printed satins, tweed [preferably Harris Tweed], adorable tea towels, children’s clothing samples. I mostly adore things that are printed though.

6: When I’m feeling low or tired I eat a tablespoon of icing sugar.

7: I adore unusual wallpaper, below is the wallpaper from my hallway, i adore it.

So, there are my ‘7 random things ‘please leave a comment in the comment box with yours if your feeling happy.