Handmade accents

So I'm sure you've probably got the gist that I am mostly going to be kitting out my new home with second hand bits and pieces. This is a conscious choice as I think it's great to recycle and give unwanted things a new home, and the added bonus is it helps a lot when you are trying to do things on a budget.

But of course I'm as passionate about handmade as I am recycled, so when I have a few spare pennies or I feel like a treat I will be splashing out on some handmade pieces here and there. So I thought I might share the few things that I've bought in recent weeks.

First off this lovely handmade ceramic salt pig for my kitchen.

Every Sunday there is a farmers market at the Swindon Outlet Village.  A few weeks ago I was stood admiring the wares of a local potter and fell in love with the cute little salt pigs he had on display.  I didn't like the colours of the ones he had but I liked another range in lovely blue shades, and he offered to make me exactly what I wanted.  Fast forward a couple of weeks and voila the lovely piece above now sits pride of place on my kitchen work top.

Next up a beautiful stitched wall hanging that I fell in love with over at Terri's page

I've know Terri via blogging pretty much since I started blogging which is many moons ago now.  Her work is always so lovely, and I just knew this little bird had to fly over the pond and come live on my bedroom wall.  My photo does not do this piece justice as I took it at night so the light was crummy, but I'm sure if you have a look around Terri's blog you'll find a better picture.

Finally another piece of wall art.  Unfortunately I have no idea who the maker is, this was one of my thrifting finds.

This gorgeous needlepoint piece is huge.  It's been well framed in this gorgeous heavy wood frame.  I couldn't believe it when I came across this in a charity shop for just £5 what an amazing bargain for all that hand stitched loveliness.  Trees and the colour orange are two of my favourite things so there was no way I was leaving the shop without it.

How about you?  Have you bought anything handmade recently, what was it and what made you fall in love with it?  :)