A blog-driven life

Saturday: I go to the Post Office to collect The Handmade Marketplace, to make sure I've covered everything relevant for my first blogging workshop (fully booked, how exciting!)

My friend Malini and I scour the Asian groceries in Tooting for interesting tins to arrange flowers in (the below selection are printed directly onto the tin.) I go to a pricey florist to look for ranunculus, a flower I'd never heard of before I started reading blogs, for no good reason other than wanting to style my tins and practise this hand-tied bouquet method.


I buy muslin at the local sewing machine shop to diffuse strong window light (a photography tip I learned at last week's Etsy meet-up) - and to use the rest to make Rachel's homemade paneer (already made once, very successfully.) I buy a postcard for next month's Benevolent Postcard Society recipient.

I look at the contrail-free sky and consider taking a photo for Amelia's magazine's clear sky photo challenge. I make roasted rhubarb for dinner using this recipe.


Sunday: I go to the garden centre to look for tiny terracotta pots so I can make this potted chocolate pudding for my new job's baking rota (the most stressful part of the job - on day one I found out a colleague had brought a blow torch into work for his creme brulee contribution.)

I arrange my ABC cups (just stocked) with an apt blog phrase, tidy my kitchen and take photographs for a bloggers' interview I'm taking part in. I look online for a still life photography course (clearly much needed.)

I write this post while listening to this song I heard about on Twitter (love the illustrated video too), and implement an HTML tip I learned from Muesli Lover.

Believe me, I could go on...but yet I don't have any clean clothes ready for work on Monday.

Can anyone identify with this? In an attempt to work on some kind of online/offline and creative/practical balance (especially when the sun is shining) I'm going to have a little time off from blogging. There are lots of non blog-related things I need to catch up on in the immediate future, such as engaging in the political debate - lots of good resources for the election suggested here. I still have lots of blog post ideas in my head, plus a few car boot sale outings planned, so I'll be back in full swing in a week or two!

(On noticeboard (frame bought at a car boot sale) mini bunting, French flea market cards, dried glitter rose, Polaroid from Melanie, print by Cassie.)

Giveaway: Sibella Court's Etcetera

Sibella Court is an Australian stylist whose New York Loft I remember from Living Etc a few years ago because of its gorgeous tin ceiling tiles. So, I'm not surprised to find that her new book, Etcetera, is just my style. The book is beautifully presented, using brown paper, some translucent pages and a typewriter font typeface. This book focuses mainly on the small-scale - encouraging us to imagine our homes as 'a personal museum' and style it with lots of little collections. Not one for the minimalists perhaps, but any book which mentions glassine, origami paper and vintage French ribbons has my vote. A visit to the car boot sale next weekend? I think so.

The white flags look similar to these Mexican paper picados.

At first my favourite item here was the tiny taped leaf, but now I'm wondering whether I should try hanging a lamp off a picture rail as I'm always knocking my table lamp onto the floor (maybe using some silk flex?)

This was my favourite idea - simple brown paper cuffs for glass jars.

Originally, I had this book lined up for a giveaway - but I love it so much I'm keeping it for myself! Luckily for you, I've procured an extra copy. This week I'm having a trial run for my blogging course, so I'm asking for a little input from my readers. To enter the competition, please answer the following; what are things you love and hate about blogs? For me, I like large photos, and my pet hate is truncated or partial RSS feeds - there's nothing which will make me unsubscribe quicker. Good luck! The competition will close at midnight (GMT) on Monday.

Update: the winner is The Crafty Currant. Congratulations!

Photos by Chris Court, courtesy of Murdoch Books.

Tea of the week: just because it's pretty

Photo by Sweet Happy Raa on Flickr.

Five Friday Faves + other blog business

*Beautiful packaging
*Gorgeous violets
*Love these windswept coastal photos
*Just ordered this print (via Decor8.)
*Teas for good causes: buy Lifeboat Tea or organise a Twinings/Save the Children tea party.

Other blog business:
*I am reducing the no. of submissions in the straw styling challenge to 2 photos per entrant, as there's been a good response. I'm going to announce the judging panel soon (you can interpret that to mean I haven't asked anyone yet.)

*Last night I went to the Etsy meet-up. Penny Dreadful asked me to pass on any feedback. Well, it was more of a networking event, but there was a stand with Heidi Adnum giving advice on product photography for those of us who can't advance beyond the Auto setting... If anyone would like Heidi's handout, please email me as there are some very useful tips on it.

Events coming soon:
*A 1920's inspired Sunday afternoon musical event hosted by the Golden Afternoon Tea Company (tickets £5, which goes to charity.) There is also a chance to win two tickets here.

So, I'm sure that's too much information for a sunny Friday afternoon - I hope you can make the most of it, and have a great weekend!

Photo Brian Ferry on Flickr.

A shed makeover

Tales of a Junkaholic is one of my favourite blogs. Artemis makes me laugh so much. I don't know if that's her intention, so I hope she's not offended! She shares lots of her vintage finds, work for her jewellery studio, Rust Jewellery, and lots of inspiring images and projects from around her South East London home. I feel very lazy when I read it because she's always so industrious (making bed bunting from her sick bed, for example.) But it's her most recent project which really made me go 'wow.' I think her shed makeover is one of my favourite things ever.

Who knew you could make a tiny shed look so spacious?

I spy some Merci for Liberty masking tape.

Head over to Artemis' blog for lots more photos, including 'before' shots and a photo of the gorgeous exterior - it is so stylish, and the outside has been thoughtfully landscaped too. Can you tell I like this shed? I just hope it warms up soon, as I'm not sure the shed comes with any heating...

Sarah Coleman

Beautiful calligraphy and illustrations by Sarah J. Coleman, spotted on the Central Illustration Agency's website. Sarah has won lots of prestigious awards, including 'Best handwriting in school' at Westfield Junior School in 1980. They spotted her potential early!

Sarah has her own website, blog, and shop - I want the bag of this bottom design, as green is my favourite colour too. Or maybe yellow. Or grey.

Is anyone else going to the Etsy meetup tomorrow at the Fashion & Textile museum? I've just signed up today.

Wednesday workspace: a Danish desk

I love everything about this workspace, from the Bertoia chair (although it doesn't meet my ergonomic requirements), to the small collection of vintage objects, to the one tiny cable. Most of all, I would love to sit so close to such beautiful plant-filled balconies and natural light.

PS Today is the last day to sign up for the straw styling challenge. There's been a great response so far. I may even rustle up a judging panel. International entrants are welcome.

Photo from Rum Magazine, spotted on Design is Mine.

Eak Design

So, I got so distracted by eggs and straw challenges last week that I forgot to finish off my round-up of the modern designers I liked at the Midcentury Modern Fair. This stall belonged to Eak Design, a partnership between Eleanor Stevenson and Kate Phillips, who had an impressive portfolio of graphic design and illustration work - I loved their bold, playful style.

They have a small range of items for sale on their website, including prints which are printed on recycled paper and textiles printed on organic, fairtrade cotton.


From top left: Twit Twoo print £15, Fruit print £15, Veggie tote bag £8, We love chairs cushion £30.

Tea of the week: Tea Rooms

Stoke Newington Tea Rooms ($10) by The Journey (Etsy, blog, Flickr.)

A challenge: straw styling

Sarah the Pirate

Creature Comforts

Cindy Chae

Some of the bestselling items in my shop are the paper straws. My own attempt at 'straw styling' wasn't that adventurous, so I thought I'd issue a little challenge here. Basically, I'd like to see your versions of straw styling. I've set up a Flickr group (which currently has nothing in it) and you can submit your photos there or send them to me to upload.

There will be an incentive to taking part: I will send my favourite stylist three boxes of straws (one of each colour), plus £30 of items of your choice from my shop. I hope someone will want to take part - it's just a little idea I had while cleaning my oven - I'm easily distracted!

To enter: please send an email to teaforjoy@gmail.com with your name and address and straw styling in the subject line, and I will send you, free of charge, six straws, two each of red, grey and blue. Not a huge quantity, but I hope you can work with that! You will have until 10th May to submit your photographs, which is a little while, but I'm about to start a new, quite demanding job and am not sure if I'll have much time to mull over paper straws in the next few weeks.

Conditions:

*Please don't ask for straws unless you intend to take part (if you receive the straws and then can't think of anything, I won't mind - as long as your initial intentions are honourable.)
*Your idea may be used as a styling concept for Papermash (not your photograph.)
*I'm not anticipating a huge response, but I reserve the right to have a cut-off point if need be. Even so, the last date to register for straws will be Wednesday, 7th April.
*I won't deduct points for basic photography or slightly bent straws (I'm not going to send them in expensive, padded envelopes) - it's the concept and props I'm interested in. Please note it doesn't have to be the most original idea ever - for example, if you want to use a milk bottle, but your composition is good and it's a pretty milk bottle - that's still fine.
*You do not need to use all the straws in your photograph.
*You may submit up to five, now two, photographs.

Happy Easter

Happy Easter everyone! Today I've been to the garden centre, bought some pastel coloured eggs from Waitrose, and am definitely feeling like it's spring (even though it is the coldest Easter I can remember...)

Just a few links:

*A brilliant egg craft project
*Some really helpful photography tips for a technophobe like me.

Have a great weekend.

Round up: daffodils

An interlude in this week's egg posts...1. Vintage metal daffodil tray, $12.50, 2. 1880 daffodil print (love this) $9.99, 3. Daffodil cards $12, 4. Vintage lidded bowl $15, 5. Daff-0-dilly card £1.50, 6. Wordsworth's Daffodil tape £3.75.