Something for spring?
How about this cute retro kitchen? We’re slowly creeping into autumn here in Sydney but as it’s spring in the UK it seemed appropriate to feature something bright, sunny and colourful.
Oh how i suffer with pantry envy when i see this. It’s a dream of mine to have a pantry so i can line the shelves with some pretty oilcloth and fill with lovely looking tins, kilner jars of all my baking ingredients and boxes of clipper tea (not only is it the tastiest tea but has the most stylish packaging).
Ahh, my butter dish, bought all the way back from New York when Anthropologie in London was but a distant dream. One of my most treasured possessions, i know, slightly sad, but even sadder is that the lid broke, boo.
Get those green fingers out and plant your herbs in old teapots and teacups, makes the washing up a bit more pleasant at least.
{Styling by me, photography Heather Lewin}
Bits and bobs
A few little random bits and bobs today, first look what came in the post, yay!
Finally got around to making some business cards. One with pretty coloured thread although i couldn’t get the tension right on my machine as it kept gathering at the back, so i moved on to just using the needle and no thread.
Some crazy tiling spotted on the streets of Surrey Hills whilst out and about yesterday….
…reminds me a bit of one of the Inaluxe prints i featured here.
Check it out {Dan Funderburgh}
I found Mr Dan Funderburgh via Meet me at Mikes and instantly fell in love with his folksy designs. Particuarly the tools, ask any stylist and they’ll tell you how much they love a good selection of pretty tools especially when displayed on a bit of pegboard and these are super pretty.
I wish my staple gun looked this snazzy, instead it’s covered in bits of gaffer tape and craft glue.
Cool skateboards….
…And don’t even get me started on his wallpaper, just a glimpse as i think it probably warrants a whole separate post.
For the love of triangles
They are simply everywhere once you start looking and are just so darn cool…
Prints and the non triangle but nontheless gorgeous bedlinen from Castle.
Cute crafty project for coasters from Purlbee.
Beautiful handprinted linen cushion from Bookhou
Retro inspired recycled notebooks from Lox & Savvy.
Textile icon Marimekko teaming up with Converse – check out the other cool designs too.
Cosy looking cardi available here.
I have already featured the new Spring/Summer products from Ferm Living but hey ho, here they are again!
Pretty purse abailable here and find necklace here.
Zoe Murphy {for Osborne and Little}
The new Osborne and Little website launched the other day and whilst i was checking it out i stumbled upon their colloboration with Queen of upcycling Zoe Murphy. I’ve been a fan of Zoe’s work for a while and i love what she’s done with this new collection, plus having met her once i can say she is a really nice lady too!
I’ve been hunting down more images but these are all i managed to rustle up, you get the jist though.yum.
Stylish Blogger Award
Now this has been doing the rounds for way over a year now i think. As Jo @ Stylistsown who kindly nominated me rightly said, it’s more of a vitual high five travelling around the bloggashpere than an actual award. Ta very much and well said missus. So despite my reservations i thought it would be a good way for people to learn a few unknown facts about me.
1. I don’t really like writing about myself – so not a good start!!! I enjoy writing this blog as it’s mainly about things i’ve disovered and love sharing but actual hard facts about oneself, i avoid those if at all possible, probably beacuase they ain’t always pretty and the blogging world is mostly about pretty.
2. I was painfully shy when a kid (maybe relates to above) until a certain ‘gobby gob on a stick’ best friend bought me out of my shell (she’s still my best friend 23 years later). Most people who know me now would not believe this but it’s true!
3. I love dancing, mostly just in my front room. Hubbie will often come home to find music turned up very loud and a session of boogeying going on, usually accompanies a spot of cleaning. I always secretly thought i was ok and had rhythem, this all changed when i did a street dance class at the gym – i discovered a great unrythmic idiot dancing in front of a huge mirror, not a good day. Oh, and i didn’t leave the dancefloor once at my wedding, 3 hours straight.
4. All days of the week have a shape and a colour, it’s always been this way scince as long as i can remember. So tuesday is yellow and a rectangle, wednesday is a light blue triangle, friday a red semi-circle etc.etc.
5. I LOVE my job (most of the time), i sleep, breath and would possibly eat interiors/design/craft if i could. That said i think it’s good to have other things going on besides work, so eating is my next favourite thing, especially cheese, with wine.
6.Is that enough Louise factage yet? No, apparently there are meant to be seven. I think i’ll leave it at five, i’m breaking into a sweat here.
So now i have to nominate 5 other bloggers, Jo nominated fellow UK stylists so that ship has sailed, so how about my favourite blogging designers at the moment…..
Kirin notebook by one half of Ink and Spindle
Last but not least, Treefall Design.
{Top image styled by Jo Thornhill, photographer Max Attenborough. All other images from designers respective blogs/shops/websites}
A weekend away
So feeling nice and refreshed, as much as you can be after a weekend of wine tours plus cheese and chocolate tastings! Back to work but i thought i’d share a few pics from the weekend, we stayed in a fab hotel with the most beautiful veiws and we even spotted our first Roo’s (kangeroos to me and you!).
No checking in, just a code to get into your room which looks a bit like a tin shed from the outside but it’s all sleek and sophisticated inside, promise!
Cute little blackboard with a friendly welcome note, if we needed anything we just wrote any requests on the board. Needless to say boys being boys this had to be grafittied asap….
This colourful wall was in the lounge area where you can snuggle up in front of the fire, watch DVD’s and grab drinks and snacks or even a gourmet curry.
With veiws from our room of the Brokeback mountains the sunsets were stunning.
Something for the weekend {Bluebellgray}
Something bright and cheery for the weekend, from Bluebellgray, can’t get enough of the non chintzy florals, plus i LOVE pom poms! I know it’s not quite the weekend yet but we are off to the Hunter Valley for a little jaunt {wine tasting country, heaven} so it’s over and out for me this week.
A little pick me up
After dropping little sis off at the airport this afternoon I’m now feeling a bit bummed, boo. We’ve had a great time though showing her the sights and have managed to squeeze in trips to the beach, lots of brunch’s, a trip to the zoo, an exhibition (Annie Leibovitz, which i missed when it was in London) and moonlight cinema with a homemade picnic as the grande finale. It’s strange to think i’ll probably not see her for at least another year, so to cheer myself up i think i’m going to treat myself to one of Melbourne based Inaluxe’s gorgoues prints.
I love the way each print has a little anecdote or story to accompany it, The Love Fox here “is a thinker, and a lover! Never just satisfied with everything he is presented with, instead choosing to make his own mark in life, seeking out those things, and individuals that make it all the more meaningful!” How cool is he? and what a great philosophy for life.
This last one is called ‘Group Hug’ kinda fitting for today. Which one to choose though?
Greenhouse {by Joost}
So, with little sis here i have mostly been eating, sunbathing and wondering around the streets of Sydney…..
A trip to Greenhouse by Joost was special and anyone who lives in Sydney or near by should certainly make a visit before it closes at the end of March.
Everything and i mean EVERYTHING is recycled, sustainable etc. etc. All the food starts out as whole food so grain is ground daily for bread, dough and pasta (the pizza was yummy), juices freshly squeezed, yoghurt and butter are made fresh…
….Plus you get to drink out of jam jars, kinda cool!
Louise Rastall 