The Dress Shop

LemOn dRiZzLe cAkE

2012-01-14T11:26:00.001-08:00

ligHtInG iDeAs

2012-01-09T11:15:00.000-08:00

lEtS bE BrIghT & cHeErFuL

2011-11-25T15:11:00.000-08:00

tHe gOod oLd DaYS

2011-11-25T15:03:00.001-08:00

tHe gOod oLd DaYS

2011-11-25T15:02:00.000-08:00

eVeRY wOmAn nEeDs a pLaCe tO hIdE

2011-11-21T07:40:00.000-08:00

We have been working hard to make a little work space in our home, I was really inspired after visiting Monet's garden in France, he had built his wife a little cupboard near a window for her sewing machine. It overlooked the beautiful garden and was closed in to block out the sounds of the house. It was a small space but perfect as a little hide away. My mother had a sitting room next to the living room, it was her quiet space for reading sewing, knitting or just sitting by the fire and thinking.

Gareth has stripped all the old paint from the window, its amazing to see the many colours it has been over the years. We took out the fitted cupboards and found some amazing layers of floral wallpaper in bright yellows and oranges.

I have been looking for an old Mahogany curtain pole to finish the room off but I keep missing out on Ebay.

If the house goes quiet I know that my 3 1/2 year old son has hidden upstairs and is raiding my glitter, sometimes I find him with glitter sprinkles all over the floor - his favourite trick at the moment is to sprinkle glitter inside the grandmother clock, its also where i have found toy cars and mobile phones.

Spending the day sewing an apron made out of my Mothers Liberty's fabric from the 70's and 80's.

Basket of ribbons from The Shepherds Purse, chopped up clothes and wool

Jars of beads and buttons that i have collected over the years, shells from holidays, sequins from Bombay stores and buttons from my Grandma

aUtUmN wInTeR 2011 cOLlEcTiOnS

2011-10-05T10:11:00.000-07:00

aUtUmN wInTeR cOlLeCtIonS

The Shepherds Purse Dress Cupboard

Woolly snood available in three colours - cream, hazel and blue £24.95

Pheasant feather hair chip - Hand made by stylist

Noa Noa over sized knitted jumper with beautiful sequin detail available at The Shepherds Purse.

Chunky Noa Noa knitted leg warmers £35.00 available in rich brown and cream s/m to m/l

Avoca velvet vest top with pretty bow £110 available in autumn burnt orange and the most amazing emerald green.

Cotton pin tuck shirt by Noa Noa, brown velvet Noa Noa high waisted shorts available from small to xLarge

Leather hand bag from our mothers dressing up box, and trilby brought from an antique shop in pickering

pHoToGrApHy bY Arunas Staponas

The Shepherd's Purse Dress Cupboard
www.theshepherdspurse.com
@Photography - Arunas Staponas
www.staponasgallery.co.uk
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Staponas-Gallery/207318035994483?sk=wall
And some tunes for the preview - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxFe2Uk3FNM

Autumn stock has arrived

2011-07-27T07:59:00.000-07:00

Shepherd's purse faeries

2011-05-10T13:34:00.000-07:00

tHe giNgEr BrEaD FaCToRY

2011-04-03T16:44:00.000-07:00

Look what we found when we changed the window boxes

****

Before the shepherd's purse, 95 church street was home to Ditchburn's ginger bread factory

Whitby gingerbread from 1868 until 1952.

cLiCk HerE fOr wHiTbY giNgEr bReAd iNfOrMaTiOn

mAkE yOuR oWn sEa SaLt bOdY sCrUb

2011-04-03T16:28:00.000-07:00

Its so easy to make your own sea salt body scrub

all you need is a jar, course sea salt, olive oil and a few drops of essential oil

Try adding lavender flowers or chopped fresh herbs like fennel or thyme

I bet you have everything you need in your kitchen cupboards

1 kilo of organic sea salt £1 (sold at the shepherds purse)

You Could also try brown sugar and a tea spoon of honey for a milder face scrub

Why spend a fortune when you can mAkE iT yOuR sElf

pHaRaoH oUr nEw pUpPy

2011-04-03T11:06:00.000-07:00

fLeA mArKeT PiCkErInG

2011-04-02T11:26:00.000-07:00

The crazy Flea Market in Pickering North Yorkshire, sometimes you come away with nothing and sometimes you find something incredible.

Today I was lucky and found two trolls, (£2 each) those scary dolls form the eighties. My friend Lydia had millions and millions of trolls and i was insanely jealous. I had one as a child - he was really creepy with green hair. I do not remember him ever having clothes but the trolls i rescued today had full little outfits - one Dutch girl troll and the other, .. is Nurse troll.

Lupin looking at books

Really pretty shoe stretchers

nOa NoA fAsHiOn sHoW 2008

2011-04-02T11:16:00.000-07:00

The Shepherds Purse in 1970's

2011-04-02T04:47:00.000-07:00

Sophie and i have been rummaging through our old family photographs and we came across this image of the dress shop from the 70's. This is when our parents had the shop in the market place - now Arnie's cafe. We remember sitting on piles of wool eating sesame snaps and watching the world go by.

This week we remember our beautiful mother

This image was taken at the lighthouse at the end of Whitby pier, Rosie made patchwork dresses from Liberty fabrics.

Rosie selling beans and pulses from her living room

Amazing dresses brought back from india

Vivienne Westwood fashion show proves tricky for models

2011-04-02T01:47:00.000-07:00

You have to love Vivienne !

Sleeping beauty

2011-04-01T14:24:00.000-07:00

Sleeping Beauty

Grimm's Fairy Tale version - translated by Margaret Hunt - language modernized a bit by Leanne Guenther

Long ago there lived a King and Queen who said every day, "If only we had a child!" But for a long time they had none.

One day, as the Queen was bathing in a spring and dreaming of a child, a frog crept out of the water and said to her, "Your wish shall be fulfilled. Before a year has passed you shall bring a daughter into the world."

And since frogs are such magical creatures, it was no surprise that before a year had passed the Queen had a baby girl. The child was so beautiful and sweet that the King could not contain himself for joy. He prepared a great feast and invited all his friends, family and neighbours. He invited the fairies, too, in order that they might be kind and good to the child. There were thirteen of them in his kingdom, but as the King only had twelve golden plates for them to eat from, one of the fairies had to be left out. None of the guests was saddened by this as the thirteenth fairy was known to be cruel and spiteful.

An amazing feast was held and when it came to an end, each of the fairies presented the child with a magic gift. One fairy gave her virtue, another beauty, a third riches and so on -- with everything in the world that anyone could wish for.

After eleven of the fairies had presented their gifts, the thirteenth suddenly appeared. She was angry and wanted to show her spite for not having been invited to the feast. Without hesitation she called out in a loud voice,

"When she is fifteen years old, the Princess shall prick herself with a spindle and shall fall down dead!"

Then without another word, she turned and left the hall.

The guests were horrified and the Queen fell to the floor sobbing, but the twelfth fairy, whose wish was still not spoken, quietly stepped forward. Her magic could not remove the curse, but she could soften it so she said,

"Nay, your daughter shall not die, but instead shall fall into a deep sleep that will last one hundred years."

Over the years, the promises of the fairies came true -- one by one. The Princess grew to be beautiful, modest, kind and clever. Everyone who saw her could not help but love her.

The King and Queen were determined to prevent the curse placed on the Princess by the spiteful fairy and sent out a command that all the spindles in the whole kingdom should be destroyed. No one in the kingdom was allowed to tell the Princess of the curse that had been placed upon her for they did not want her to worry or be sad.

On the morning of her fifteenth birthday, the Princess awoke early -- excited to be another year older. She was up so early in the morning, that she realized everyone else still slept. The Princess roamed through the halls trying to keep herself occupied until the rest of the castle awoke. She wandered about the whole place, looking at rooms and halls as she pleased and at last she came to an old tower. She climbed the narrow, winding staircase and reached a little door. A rusty key was sticking in the lock and when she turned it, the door flew open.

In a little room sat an old woman with a spindle, busily spinning her flax. The old woman was so deaf that she had never heard the King's command that all spindles should be destroyed.

"Good morning, Granny," said the Princess, "what are you doing?"

"I am spinning," said the old woman.

"What is the thing that whirls round so merrily?" asked the Princess and she took the spindle and tried to spin too.

But she had scarcely touched the spindle when it pricked her finger. At that moment she fell upon the bed which was standing near and lay still in a deep sleep.

The King, Queen and servants had all started their morning routines and right in the midst of them fell asleep too. The horses fell asleep in the stable, the dogs in the yard, the doves on the roof and the flies on the wall. Even the fire in the hearth grew still and went to sleep. The kitchen maid, who sat with a chicken before her, ready to pluck its feathers, fell asleep. The cook was in the midst of scolding the kitchen boy for a mess he'd made but they both fell fast asleep. The wind died down and on the trees in front of the castle not a leaf stirred.

Round the castle a hedge of brier roses began to grow up. Every year it grew higher until at last nothing could be seen of the sleeping castle.

There was a legend in the land about the lovely Sleeping Beauty, as the King's daughter was called, and from time to time Princes came and tried to force their way through the hedge and into the castle. But they found it impossible for the thorns, as though they were alive, grabbed at them and would not let them through.

After many years a Prince came again to the country and heard an old man tell the tale of the castle which stood behind the brier hedge and the beautiful Princess who had slept within for a hundred years. He heard also that many Princes had tried to make it through the brier hedge but none had succeeded and many had been caught in it and died.

The the young Prince said, "I am not afraid. I must go and see this Sleeping Beauty."

The good old man did all in his power to persuade him not to go, but the Prince would not listen.

Now the hundred years were just ended. When the Prince approached the brier hedge it was covered with beautiful large roses. The shrubs made way for him of their own accord and let him pass unharmed.

In the courtyard, the Prince saw the horses and dogs lying asleep. On the roof sat the sleeping doves with their heads tucked under their wings. When he went into the house, the flies were asleep on the walls and the servants asleep in the halls. Near the throne lay the King and Queen, sleeping peacefully beside each other. In the kitchen the cook, the kitchen boy and the kitchen maid all slept with their heads resting on the table.

The Prince went on farther. All was so still that he could hear his own breathing. At last he reached the tower and opened the door into the little room where the Princess was asleep. There she lay, looking so beautiful that he could not take his eyes off her. He bent down and gave her a kiss. As he touched her, Sleeping Beauty opened her eyes and smiled up at him.

Throughout the castle, everyone and everything woke up and looked at each other with astonished eyes. Within the month, the Prince and Sleeping Beauty were married and lived happily all their lives.

Disney's Sleeping Beauty (1959) - Final scene

2011-04-01T14:20:00.000-07:00

The Unicorn

2011-04-01T14:17:00.000-07:00

Beautiful staircase

Alice in wonderland key hole, just waiting for him to talk!

Oh.. i love this baby. Just sitting in the forest with her headscarf, hand made clothes and knitted socks.

I have always wanted my own Unicorn

Old postcard of a horse with a very impressive main

Labyrinth - The Legend Of Darkness

2011-04-01T14:16:00.000-07:00

Delicate

2011-04-01T14:12:00.000-07:00

Dandelion

2011-04-01T14:11:00.000-07:00

I believe in magic

2011-03-31T11:58:00.000-07:00

Collection of poems about magic

Magic Night

Magic, it's there in the night
Please bring magic, to the night

Hear my plea, oh hear my cry
Guide me through, the darkened sky

What distant planets, do they clasp
Who holds them, in a deadly grasp

And hold them, there beyond the sky
Far away from, our wailing sighs

Magic, Magic, in the night
Can your magic, make it right

Please hear my plea, oh hear my cry
Or at least, please tell us why

Magic, magic, in the night
Why would you leave us, with no light

Oh don't leave us, such a dreadful sight
Extend to us, your powerful might

Their light shines down, no need to fuss
The brightness, has returned for us

The stars are out, they seem so bright
Magic's here, thank you, for a beautiful night

Magic never runs out

The words “Magic Flute” delighted me when
I was small, I ran about with shiny objects as
Magic Flutes, little cars as Magic Dinky Toys,
a long stick covered in foil was my Magic Wand,
I always carry a toy endowed with Magic Powers
by me, a beautiful children’s book is my talisman,
a guarantee that magic never runs out; an ethereal
fairy, an array of miniature birds, a dragonfly sitting
on my computer, create all the magic I need…

magic makes the miracles,
magic finds those who need it,
looking around,
moving around the world,
creating peace and battle,
we search for a great peace,
the nature around us,
full of magic,
the love and harmony cross,
loving those that love it,
searching for friends and allies,
love of magic is truthful,
and magic shall love you always.

MAGIC

Magic in life is made of resonance of different tunes
Like the fragrance of different flowers in a garden
Magic lies in different colors of rainbow
Like blending music making feelings grow

Magic of harmony lies in blending different notes
Like sounds of symphony has different range of beats
Magic lies in flavors of different cultures
Like the different phases of mother nature

Magic of crowd lies in different faces
Like words are different when pleading for God’s grace
Magic lies in different seasons of the year
Like the different expressions of laughter and tear

Magic

magic is in the music
magic is in the air
magic is all around us
magic are you there

magic is in the flower
magic is in the picture
magic is in the hour
magic are you there

magic here
magic there
magic every were

White magic women

White magic women seen walking on the rode

White magic women with poison lips and bitter eyes

White magic women with that black magic hair

White magic women with skin and bones

I saw that white magic women on that rode

I saw her kiss you with those poison lips and stare with bitter eyes

I saw that black magic hair

I saw that white magic women with skin and bones

I saw that white magic women

2011-03-31T07:07:00.000-07:00

Peacock feathers and faerie net

2011-03-31T03:44:00.000-07:00

I love this time year, the excitement of travel, the smell of spring. the early morning sunshine, seed planting and looking forward to a summer of sun and friendship.

Nougat home

2011-02-17T14:26:00.000-08:00

ITS IN, ITS AMAZING & ITS SELLING FAST

Please check out our new range of beautiful bath and body products

A Stunning collection of bath, body and home products

lovingly made in the UK

Nougat London

Only the finest natural ingredients, none tested on animals, are blended to create our unique and beautiful product.

Indulgent bath and shower products help you find a sense of inner peace

2011-02-17T14:17:00.000-08:00

2011-02-15T15:35:00.000-08:00

2011-02-15T14:59:00.000-08:00

Spring Knits

2011-02-15T12:57:00.001-08:00

ROSE & HONEYSUCKLE

2010-04-26T08:56:00.000-07:00

FRUITS OF NATURE

ROSE GIFT BASKET

Rose & Honeysuckle

Bathing is a blissful indulgence as the delicate and romantic scent of summer Rose arouses your senses.

The gentle bathing foam contains extract of Honeysuckle which is moisturising and perfect for sensitive skins.

It also contains mild and effective cleansers that leave your skin feeling smooth, moisturised and wonderfully re-hydrated.

The beautiful Rose scented soap is infused with extract of Honeysuckle to sooth sensitive skin. The rich, luxurious, creamy lather will leave the skin feeling soft and smooth. And smelling of Roses.

Basket contains:

Sea grass box - made in China

Face cloth 100% cotton - woven in India

Foam Bath 60ml

Hand Lotion 60ml

Fine soap 85gm

Bath Salts 150gm

Natural ingredients
No SLS/Sulphates
Dermatologically tested
No animal testing

Made by Fikkerts LTD

£20.00

BLUEBELL AND WILD POPPY

2010-04-26T08:50:00.000-07:00

FRUITS OF NATURE

BLUEBELL GIFT BASKET

Bluebell & wild Poppy

Dream of springtime woodland and imagine the delightfully heady perfume of Bluebells whilst luxuriating in your bath. this precious blend of Himalayan salt and Sea salt restores and replenishes the natural radiance of your skin.

The rich bathing foam will give you lots of delicious scented bubbles. The natural plant oils, minerals and salts will help your skin feel smooth and really nourished.

Basket contains:

Sea grass box - made in China

Face cloth 100% cotton - woven in India

Foam Bath 60ml

Hand Lotion 60ml

Fine soap 85gm

Bath Salts 150gm

Natural ingredients
No SLS/Sulphates
Dermatologically tested
No animal testing

Made by Fikkerts LTD

£20.00

CHOI TIME TEA

2010-04-19T06:41:00.000-07:00

Damask Rose bud tea

These miniature rose buds are sourced from the Fujian Province, one of the most famous tea growing areas in China. This is a delicate, light and fragrant drink that is completely caffeine-free.

With a Chinese heritage running through her veins, Choi Tim'e founder Melissa Choi knows good quality tea. Melissa's Grandmother taught her the virtues of tea drinking at an early age, and instilled in her, the importance of drinking good quality tea at all times.

Benefits

An excellent tonic to relieve anxiety and stress. It will boost circulation, give your skin a healthy glow. This caffeine free roses are rich in vitamins A,B,C,E & K.

Great taste award 2008

Press

Choi Time has proven to be a huge hit for style, health and beauty addicts everywhere, landing endless press from magazines such as wallpaper, Vogue, Red, Glamour, Instyle, The Guardian and the Sunday Times Style.

Soap and velvet flowers

2010-04-14T03:31:00.000-07:00

Velvet flowers in Ivory, antique pink and butter cup yellow, perfect for decorating picture frames, mirrors, wedding tables or just to wear in your hair.

Beautiful hand made soaps from Fikkerts Lavender and Clary Sage, Geranium and Rose.

£1.90 each

Rosie's Dolls House

2010-04-07T07:26:00.000-07:00

This is my mothers dolls house, we do not know where it came from but i have always remembered it taking pride of place in her sitting room. We played with it as children and i remember all the little pieces and how we would treasure the little cakes, sewing kit and jack in the box.

The children's play room was my favourite room, notice the tiny box of paints and the wooden Noah's Ark.

The kitchen has miniature weighing scales, cakes and tiny pots and pans.

Sophie Dahl

2010-03-31T10:39:00.000-07:00

SOPHIE DAHL'S ETON MESS WITH RUBARB

This is one of the quintessentially English summer puddings: massive, creamy and delightfully unpretentious. This recipe makes about 32 small meringues, so save the extra 16 for later.

Preparation time :	30 minutes
Cooking time :	1 hour 10 minutes
Total time :	1 hour 40 minutes Serves 6

Ingredients

500ml Double cream
50g Toasted flaked almonds, to serve

Meringues
6 Egg whites
340g Caster sugar
¼ tsp Salt

Compote
3 tbsp Caster sugar
600g Rhubarb, chopped into 2cm pieces
1 tsp Rose water

Method

First, make the meringues. Preheat the oven to 140˚C/gas 1. Line a baking tray with non-stick baking parchment. In a very clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form firm peaks. Gradually mix in the sugar and salt and whisk well until the mixture is thick. This should take about 8 minutes: an electric mixer is a blessing here.
Spoon the mixture into blobs on your baking tray, leaving large gaps between. Bake for about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, make the compote. In a pan, boil 75ml water; add the sugar and then the rhubarb when it starts bubbling. Stir and let it cook for 5 minutes. When the rhubarb is tender, remove from the heat. Add the rose water and set aside.
For the mess, use a large bowl or six glasses. Whip the cream until just soft. Mix it with the rhubarb and mash in 16 meringues. Serve with toasted, flaked almonds.

I bought this book for my sister at christmas but could not resist getting one for myself, indulgent i know but i just can not leave beautiful cook books on the shelf, they should be loved, used, covered in jam finger prints and flour. Tuesday night is my new favorite night for snuggling up on the sofa and watching the telly. BBC2's gorgeous James Wong ' grow your own drugs' then followed by Sophie Dahl cooking in her amazing kitchen with peach lace curtains, embroidered pictures and vintage coffee pots. I love it. All girls should be surrounded by fresh flowers, beautiful food and old trinkets collected from flea markets and car boot sales.

Into the Wild

2010-03-31T07:46:00.000-07:00

You have to see this movie!!! Directed by Sean Penn and staring the beautiful Emile Hirsch

The film is based on the 1996 book "into the wild" about the adventures of Christopher McCandless, who gave his university fund $24,000 to Oxfam, setting off into the wild to discover adventure. He abandoned his car and set of into snowy alaska with bags of rice and a pocket guide to the regions edible plants.

Labyrinth soap "SAY NO TO PALM OIL"

2010-03-31T05:51:00.000-07:00

Your skin is the first line of defense against attack from infection and disease, so why choose to smother it with chemicals that break down the very oils that form the body's own natural defenses?
Commercial soap manufacturers use artificial chemicals in order to enhance colour, act as preservatives and emulsifiers, and to artificially create lather. Many commercial soap bars can't even legally call themselves soap, often describing themselves as 'Nurturing', 'Beauty', 'Cleansing' or 'Deodorizing' Bars, in order to disguise the fact that they are really petroleum based detergents. Little wonder then that many people find that they cannot use commercial soaps because of adverse skin reactions and irritations.

In contrast our handmade soaps contain only pure, natural products. No artificial chemicals, preservatives, animal fats or animal derivatives whatsoever. We use finest quality butters and oils to produce a soap that not only cleans but leaves your skin feeling refreshed, moisturized and invigorated.

A natural by-product of the soap making process is Vegetable Glycerin, a highly effective and very efficient skin moisturizer. Commercial soap companies extract the Glycerin from their soaps because it is a very valuable commodity that can be sold on to the cosmetics industry where it is used in moisturizing creams etc. The result is a soap that dries out and stretches your skin, stripping it of it's natural beneficial oils, and leaving you running to the cosmetics store to buy expensive moisturizers containing the very Glycerin that was removed from your soap in the first place! By using traditional soap making methods to create our handmade soap all of the naturally created Glycerin is retained, producing a soft, mild soap that is both fabulously moisturizing and incredibly gentle.

A slice of soap cut from one of our handmade soap loaves.

A plain slice of soap wrapped in tissue - the quiet elegance of understated luxury.

say NO to palm oil

Palm Oil is one of the world's most popular vegetable oils, used in thousands of everyday products - including soap. Unfortunately the demand for Palm Oil is leading to the destruction of the rainforests as huge areas are torn up to make way for vast Oil-Palm Plantations. The cost to the environment and the global climate is truly devastating. In Indonesia alone, home to the last remaining Orangutans, almost three million hectares of forest are lost each year, (equivalent to over ten football pitches every minute), and this loss of natural habitat is driving the Orangutan to the brink of extinction. When we became aware of the devastating effect the use of Palm Oil was having on the environment we determined to find an ecologically responsible alternative and our soaps are now all Palm Oil free.

Monday's Child (Face and Beauty Bar)

Rich in moisturizing oils and butters our face soap has been formulated without the inclusion of essential oils, making this suitable for even the most delicate and sensitive of skins. Vitamin A and Silk have been added to the recipe to nourish and feed the skin leaving it feeling revitalized and refreshed.

Used as an all over body soap, the Labyrinth Monday’s Child is not only fair of face!

Palm Oil

2010-03-31T05:04:00.000-07:00

Palm oil is the most significant cause of Rain Forest loss in Malaysia and Indonesia.

The Orangutan's habitat is fast disappearing because of the spread of plantations producing palm oil, which appears in 1 in 10 supermarket products and is labeled "vegetable oil".

The beautiful "monkey lady" Charlotte Uhlenbroek has launched a campaign to help the plight of the Orangutan. She is a biologist and t.v presenter who made "the Jungle" for BBC 1 in 2003.

Any one who saw the program would have been captivated with her beauty, love, patience and enthusiasm for monkeys.

This industry could drive the Orangutan to extinction within 12 years

" If no action is taken we will have to explain to our children that the Orangutan became extinct, not because of the lack of knowledge but because of corporate greed and lack of political will"

Ian Redmond, Chairman of the Ape Alliance.

The terrifying thing is that plantations have doubled in the last 10 years!! Palm oil is found in many every day products like chocolate, crisps, bread, detergents and lipsticks.

Goth Weekend

2009-11-23T04:08:00.001-08:00

Originally uploaded by The Shepherd's Purse

The festival was held yearly until 1997, when it became twice-yearly, now held in April and October. It has since grown into one of the most popular Gothic events in the world, attracting attendees from across the UK and around the world. Most of the events are held at the town's 1,000 capacity Whitby Spa Pavilion; however, other venues such as The Metropole Hotel are used for overspill and The Resolution Pub for unofficial events.

This Halloween evening was fantastic, the streets filled with Witches, Monsters, Warlocks, Wenches and fabulous Burlesque and Gothic costumes. This year Whitby Goth Weekend had its first Custom Car Show in the car park outside the Leisure Centre. Book early if you want to come and visit Whitby at Halloween, its very hard to find a place to stay. Its an amazing weekend and a great chance to join the dark side for a few days.