Let’s get this straight. I don’t share Mo’s obsession with the steam mop. 

It arrived just after me and shares my room. (I know it’s my room because Mo told me it was the You-Tility room.) 

It’s always on the go - no wonder its so skinny. All I have to do is dash in from the mudflats or from digging my escape tunnel in the garden - and out it comes, hissing and fussing. 

What’s wrong with muddy paw prints, I ask you? I think they give a place character. I’ve even seen some really expensive designer fleeces on the market with someone’s fat footmarks all over them.

I’m thinking of introducing a new line similar to that for Abbey Chic - I just need to get my paws on one of Mo’s rare vintage kimono silks so I can experiment........

How time flies

I got in another spot of bother the other day. It wasn’t my fault. 


I thought Mo and John were a bit busy so I nipped out by myself for a breath of fresh air down at the boat yard.

It was brilliant! I hung out with my mate Matey and two collies (short for cauliflowers, I think) l and before you know it, an hour had gone past. 

I really didn’t hear Mo and John calling me - or all the friends and neighbours who had a search party (Sorry I missed that. If it was anything like the Jubilee do, I bet there were loads of sausage rolls and pies involved.)

And then someone put a passing cop car on to me so I think I’ve got some kind of criminal record now. (I’m going to put it on my Ipod.)

I was just about to head home for my lunch when John found me. Mo was quite unreasonable about it. I’m  only 10 months old, she said, (10½ months actually).

I have no road sense apparently (there are no roads down at the boatyard. Boats - duh? There’s the clue.) and I don’t come back when I’m called.

I do!!! 

Eventually.......

Anyway, I had a great time and I’m sure I could look after myself. But if you ever see me out and about on my own, could you give a reminder of the time and point me in the right direction for home? It does get a little scary out in the big wide world. xx


PS This is my friend Matey. When I grow up I’m going to be like him and have adventures at sea.

Here’s some good cushuns

It’s Oliver’s birthday - he’s a nef-phew and that means he’s a boy. So I can’t believe what Mo got him for a present. I mean, what kind of boy would prefer a pair of cushuns to a squeaky turkey? Or a boomer acqua football?

It seems our nef-phew, Oliver, has just got a flat - so I suggested a puncture repair kit. Not as sexy as a big bag of gravy bones but I don’t think cyclists worry about that - have you see the hats they wear?

Anyway, Mo insisted on cushuns. She picked out some of her favourite fabrics and asked her friend Ioulia to make them. 

One had lots of drawings on it of skinny people dancing and was done by someone called A.D.Ziner. The other cushen was called “vintij” - which just means old. (I don’t think she told Oliver that.) and hand-printed by Marina Mill  who makes stuff for the Queen when she isn’t busy doing stuff for Mo. (http://marinamill.co.uk )

Here’s some pictures we took of them - I like the one best with my purple boot in it. 

Love Archie Art Director. xx 

If I could get my blogspot back off Archie for a moment....

..I'd like to tell you about our Genuine Originals shopping event hosted by Abbey Chic last Saturday at the Alexander Centre in Faversham. 


It was the first of our monthly "GO" shopping pop-up department stores featuring the work of local craftsmen, designers and artists - gorgeous furniture and soft furnishings, pictures and wall-hangings, teddies and dolls, jewellery and handbags plus a chance to rummage through Abbey Chic's vintage and designer fabrics - generous cushion size remnants at ridiculous prices! 


It was also a great opportunity to meet the makers and talk about how you can have anything you see at the show made to your own colour and size specifications.  We also introduced a new "Fabulous Finds" department - an eclectic mix of treasures you won't find in the shops.


We're back next month on August 25th, then September 22nd when we start our wedding department. More news on that later. 


In the meanwhile thanks for a great day to Ioulia Homecrafts(handbags and doorstops and other lovely things) Jason Muteham (wooden furnture), Mark (Alphabet Art), Sarah (The Lone Maker - dollies), Olga (Zonis jewellery) Marie Benedict (paperclay bowls and vases) and Pat (treasures and finds) - and of course to John and Anne and everyone else who pitched in to help Abbey Chic set up when Jane was called away. 


See you all next time - along with some great new faces and new departments in store! Mo


Back to you, Archie.....

Archie - Abbey Chic office dogsbody

I'm in truble on my first day as a Nabbey Chic junior dogsbody. Remember that Jingles bloke - the old bear the Abbey Chic girls seem to think is some kind of hear-o? Well, I just thort he could do with a bit of creative remodelling - a bit of a facelift. But I think I went a bit tooo far and..well ...I sort of lifted his whole head - right off his shoulders. anyone know a good speshulist - not too expensive? I have to pay for this out of my celery. I don't mind really becoz I don't really like celery - it's all stringy. I like lots of other food in case you were wondering. And those little gravy bone things. They taste better than Jingles. I didn't do anything else norty today - it was too hot. Tomorrow I'm having my pitcher taken in a Nabby Chic banana like the one that stupid HMV dog wore at the Genuine Originals pop-up shop at the Alexander Centre on Saturday. Jane says it's not a banana, it's a neck-ur-cheef but I'd rather look like a cowboy than Noel Coward. I don't like that stupid HMV dog - Mo said his name's Nipper but he doesn't look very nippy to me. He just sits there peering down some old metal funnel like he's lost his favourite chew stick down there. I wonder if that's where my new ball is? Bet he stuck it down there and is waiting for me to go to bed so he can get it out and throw it up and down stairs like I do. Well, he won't fool me - I'm staying up all night and then I'll .....zzzzzzzz 

Introducing Archie

My name’s Archie Fingal O'Flaherty. I’m 10 months old and I come from County Mayo. I think that’s where they make salad cream. Now I live in Faversham where Mr Barkaway’s famus pies come from - so I think that’s a lot better. I really hope they’re going to let me stay here. I have a lovely bright red collar which I inherited from my Auntie Bunty - it’s called a hair loom - my own basket and a toy box.

Yesterday, John bort me a rubber chicken which I ate - it was lovely. And a hejhog that looked like a ball. And I ate that too. I have fifteen toys now - some are three bits of one toy like the puple boot Mo’s big sister Ann bort me. She let me chewse it myself from Paul’s pet shop. She’s great - except she eats a lot of green things and doesn’t like me backpacking behind her on the dining chair while she’s eating. As if I’d want her watercress! 

My very best thing is a green ball that makes a loud bounsing sound when I throw it down the stairs. I do it a lot. Sometimes about thirty times. It's very funny - we all love it until John takes it off me and says "that's too mush exitment for tonight" in that grown-up voice he uses.

I've been on facebook and everyone said "ahhhhh" like they were sorry for me or something. John says it's just what girls say - and they also say a lot of exclumashun marks too!!!! (Like that)(But I'm not a girl - only pretending!!) (oops) 

Mo brushed me today and she laffed a lot at me. She made my hair stand on end and gave me a mad frinje. I might keep the mad frinje.

I must go becos it's my teatime and I'm having James Wellbeloved dried stuff which is delicious. But I like bananananas best and then carrots and then patee. Or maybe patee best.

I've got an eeemail address but no one to rite to. Will you sned me a note to archie@abbeychic.co.uk so I can see if it works?

Tons of love

Archie Fingal O'Flaherty xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx