Down the rabbithole: meet Cecile from Libertylle

Well hello everyone, from the almost-recovered sickhouse that is Planet Baby. Mr PB is still crook but I'm a lot more chipper. After 3 weeks of illness, I feel like I'm emerging from a cocoon. Stumbling out into the light, blinking. I haven't replied to any of your comments here for weeks - my apologies. Please know that I read, and appreciate, every single one. I hope to catch up in the next few days - I've missed our interaction!

Tonight I'm starting a column of posts featuring some of my favourite Planetarians. They're the people I've befriended offline as well as here. We exchange emails, write to each other, talk on the phone, send (and make) each other presents, exchange text messages, remember each other's birthdays, banter with each other on Facebook and Twitter and sometimes we've even had the pleasure of meeting. I'm calling it 'Down the rabbithole', given my fondness for an Alice metaphor. I hope you'll enjoy meeting some of *my tribe*.

Source

The first Planetarian I have the pleasure of introducing to you is Cécile from Nancy in France. I first discovered her over a year ago when I bought some of her divine blue hand-crocheted baskets for storing my haberdashery in. 

Look at the pretties she made, just for me

She was so chuffed to be sending her wares to the other side of the world, she posted about it here on her sweet blog, Libertylle! She was sweet enough to include a map of Australia so her readers could see where I lived. She also posted some photos of things I'd made. I was so touched by her kindness and thoughtfulness to a stranger.

I was enchanted by Cécile. I'd found another blogger sharing my passion for Liberty of London fabrics! And she was very crafty with them. Just up my alley! 

I introduced myself and shared photos of my Liberty creations. She was fascinated to make contact with someone in faraway Australia. We started following each other's blogs and exchanged some letters.

I've really enjoyed finding out a little more about her life in France as the mum of older children who revels in making pretty creations, especially from Liberty fabric. Here are a few of them.

She's clever, don't you think? I would never have thought to combine crochet with sewing like this.

Here are some lavender lovelies.

And some nifty magnets. Wouldn't they spruce up your fridge?

Cécile is also very generous in sharing very clear and detailed tutorials on her blog for most of the items she makes.

She has also joined in with the Post of the Month Club, to my great delight. She was kind enough to post about it here with great enthusiasm. It made me smile to see how warmly her readers responded to the idea. 

Just the other day, I received the most gorgeous parcel of her handiwork in a swap. Want a look?

I was already swooning just to see these scenes from her family holiday in Brittany. Look at those hydrangeas!

Inside was this divine Liberty flutterer. She knows my taste well. Butterfly? Tick. Liberty? Tick. And blue? Tick.

Here's the reverse of it.

Here's a pendant. I just need to buy a chain for it. Just stunning.

And some earrings. She's talented, isn't she?

And a divine reversible little pouch. What do you think I should keep in it?

Here's some more blue for a soft bracelet with a requisite French touch.

I adore them all. But the ones which make me smile the most are some tea-light covers she crocheted for me. We worked out that our Bonne Maman jam jars were the same dimensions in both France and Australia. Magic! So, very soon these jars on Planet Baby here

turned into

these exquisite creations. *Sigh*.

Here's another angle. Aren't they divine? They twinkle away so beautifully at night when the candlelight flickers out through the tiny holes. They make my heart sing.

Now I'm looking forward to crafting some Liberty loveliness to send to her. I can't wait to see what she thinks!

So tell me, are you pleased to have met Cécile? Do any of her creations take your fancy? If you're keen to see more, pop over to her blog here and say hello from me. You crafty folk will be so impressed and inspired by her tutorials. And if you want to buy some of her goodies, you can find them here and here.

And one final thing - let me know what you think about the 'Down the rabbithole' idea. I hope it will introduce you to some really wonderful fellow Planetarians. Enjoy!