About Me

Hello, my name is Wendy! 
I guess you're here to find out a little more about me, well...


I'm a graphic designer & photographer from old London town - who now lives in the leafy shire of Leicester 
I knit and sew in every spare moment
I dig on for victory in my allotment
I am a scribbler of lists, lots of lists, lists make me happy
Quaffer of Babycham 
I love old trains, planes, and I guess buses
I sing - if you can call it that - along to old records
I battle daily with my bad spelling - Thank heavens for the squiggly line & Grammarly
I watch too much Poirot and anything Sci-fi
I am a lover of history and I am especially fascinated by the 1940s
I am a hoarder of fabric, sewing and knitting patterns

All of the above is done under the watchful and perpetually unimpressed gaze of my judgmental moggy, Beau.

"Hello, weak and feeble human....Feed me-naow!"
I called this little space of the interweb 'The Butterfly Balcony' after spotting a butterfly landing on one of the newly grown (all by me) flowers on my balcony back when I lived in Walthamstow. My mum, however, is convinced its name refers to the fact I can never settle on one thing for too long and I'm always flitting between projects, which if I am honest, actually works just as well and at least makes it sound like I'd put some thought into it!

I started blogging as a way to keep track of the things I was making for friends and family, and also so that I could share my love of history, crafting and my vintage wardrobe with the world. When I started blogging there was no way I could have known what a life-enhancing experience it would be for this shy woman from Walthamstow. Finding that there were like-minded people in the world, has been a huge confidence booster and meant I have I had the good fortune to get to know some of the most lovely people in the world!

Some Random Facts:
  • My favourite book is Enigma by Robert Harris.
  • I would pick a war film over a Rom Com or Chick Flick EVERY time.
  • I have worked as a Groom in a Hertfordshire Stables, a Lab Assistant in a Snappy Snaps in Knightsbridge and currently I'm the head graphic designer for a scale model company.
  • I have a real weakness for Converse trainers, cute animal pictures, bad TV, salt 'n' vinegar crisps, pickled onions & Sushi.
  • I could not go a day without listening to music, picking favourites is actually impossible as there is soo much to love, but it's 1960s music I am most likely to be found immersed in!
  • My mum taught me to knit and sew when I was little, though when my mum was not looking I would get my nan to 'help' me finish my knitting projects, mostly scarves for teddies.
  • I could live on Marmite & toast and have often tried!
  • I have an exclamation mark problem!!!!!!!! I'm prone to use them with abandon!!
  • I have a crippling fear of flying despite an obsession with wartime flying exploits, it makes no sense!
I also have another blog called The Vintage Pattern Files, which is where I link up to free vintage patterns from across the web, so if you like that kind of thing why not hop on over!

Wendy x

*AKA: Beaufighter (when aggressive, a 24-7 sate of mind), Beau Diddley (when he is being nice -  ok asleep), or Beau-zo (when he is being stupid, jumping at closed windows, yes seriously)