Zara Home

I'm confident I could find a use for any of these items from Zara Home. Beware, I'm getting really into baskets and gingham check.

Wednesday workspace: breezy

An early start for me - don't you love being in work by 8am? (I do.) If I had an office like this, I know I would get nothing done - a gentle summer breeze induces daydreaming, as well piles of magazines...

Photo by Rumid.

Everyday is like Sundae

Vintage ice cream sundae dishes and Sunset Ices, in a behind-the-scenes feature on the BBC Homes and Antiques website.

Inspired by...

A few weekends ago some friends and I helped decorate for a Moldovan fundraiser. I'm full of good ideas - they just aren't always my own...

Inspired by Art as Life. I bought the paper lanterns from The Hanging Lantern Company and the tissue paper pom poms from Paper Pom Pom (you can make them yourself, following these instructions, but I know my limits, and they weren't expensive.) We were using the colours of the Moldovan flag (red, yellow and blue.)

Inspired by me! A colleague, Cristina, kindly translated English phrases into Moldovan for me. I should have bought the tulips before the very last minute, but oh well.

Inspired by A Creative Mint. We scanned Moldovan stamps onto A3 paper and printed some phrases in the centre.

Inspired by Lobster and Swan. We scanned Moldovan first day covers and made super-quick bunting with a stapler and ribbon.

Inspired by running out of table decorations, we quickly made some mini bunting using Japanese masking tape and decorated plain glasses. I love mini bunting.

On the right, bunting with red and white string and mini wooden pegs, inspired by a customer, Isobel, whose wedding photos I will be able to share with you soon.

It was fun, even if it was a little bit OTT on using every single good idea I've seen recently!

My photos are on Flickr.

Tea of the week: vintage tea tins

Pink Flower brooches by Gathering Spriggs (blog.)

Five Friday Faves

*Two cafes I'm dying to try - this cafe for cyclists in Old Street, and Penny University (serving only brewed coffee, only 6 seats!)

*Exactly the type of excursion I'd love.

*A birthday in Polaroids.

*Lovely flowers in tins (I still haven't done anything with mine.)

*The cutest baby thank you cards ever.

Have a lovely weekend, everyone. I'm so thrilled about the sunshine I've even agreed to go to a bbq on Sunday which involves watching England's next World Cup game. Honestly, I have no interest in football (and I'm not English.) The things you do...

Photo by Scarlet Traces on Flickr.

Strawberries

Did I mention I have tickets for the Wimbledon women's final next weekend? Some strawberries in anticipation...

1. Strawberry Thank You cards (£12 for 6 personalised) 2. Melamine beaker (£3) 3. Strawberry print tea dress (£47) 4. Strawberry jam (£4) 5. Strawberry planter (£12) 6. Thornback and Steel deckchair (£120.)

Selvedge Summer Fair

When Selvedge are involved, you know it's going to be good...this Saturday is the first Selvedge Summer Fair. I know it's tempting to watch football or tennis all the time (I'm still in shock that my current job lets me have a tv at my desk), but if you fancy a break I'm sure this will be just lovely. Thanks to Catherine of High Tea of Highgate (who will be serving tea and cakes) for the tip-0ff! You can find a list of exhibitors here.

Emma Cassi

I've followed Emma Cassi's lovely blog for quite a while. In my mind I've classified her blog into my 'blogs with sparkle' category (also see This is Glamorous if you'd like to further investigate the genre.)

I've seen Emma's pretty jewellery before but have just stumbled upon her styling portfolio. I love the subdued colours which I associate with her signature style, and especially the little bits of sequins and lace. Anyone else love the sparkly shoes?

Tea of the week: afternoon tea

Afternoon tea by Faded Film Strips on Flickr.

Masking tape madness

Lots of new masking tapes at Papermash, just photographed yesterday.

The shorthand journals in the background are a find from a jaunt last weekend to Wimbledon car boot sale. I quite like the quote on the top one, which says 'Talent develops in solitude, character in society.'
The ledger paper in the background parcel is also from the car boot sale and says 'parcel abstracting sheet' - if I'd been more organised and not furiously parcelling on the day, I would have tried harder to display the word 'parcel' in the middle... The gold and white striped tape is my favourite.

Not new stock, but I loved this idea so much (seen on Once Wed, where they used it as vintage book table settings for a wedding) that I had to re-style the photo.

I hoped to have some 'behind the scenes' photos taken of my styling efforts but unfortunately I left everything to the last minute (not unusual) and I could not be photographed in no makeup and unbrushed hair. I'm not that precious really but I don't think I was looking too hot. I can't actually be sure if that was the case as I don't remember looking in the mirror yesterday. Maybe next time.

Photos by Polly Eltes.

Thief!

Last weekend I was in the garden, hanging out my washing and minding my own business, when I spotted these gorgeous roses growing over the fence.

Quick as a flash, I went inside for my secateurs, and a few snips later these were mine!

It probably doesn't reflect well on me when I say that I never noticed these flowers before - I only wish I had seen them sooner! There are around 20 large roses in the garden - but most of them are past their finest hour. Imagine how fragrant and bloom-filled my home could have been...

I should explain that the garden is totally overgrown as there's no-one living there at the minute (due to a probate sale) so I'm only helping to cut back the chaos. The ones I cut are hanging over the fence into my garden anyway (well, almost), so I think that legally makes them mine? (Although if most of them weren't half dead I would have ploughed right in...)

London love

Porcelain rings ($25) from Etsy London seller MaaPstudio, a giant ship in a bottle in Trafalgar Square (photo by Richard and Gill, more photos at Pillar Box Post), Liberty London print ballet flats from Pretty Ballerinas (those on the left may soon be mine...)

Picnic and Plays at the National Theatre

A few weeks ago I went with a friend to a preview of the National Theatre's Picnic and Plays season at The Deck, which overlooks the Thames.

It wasn't quite as glamorous as this picnic... (styled by Finola Inger)

..but, oh my goodness, the food! For a moment or two I didn't even notice how good it was, as I was too giddy about the yellow and white striped paper bag my Scotch egg came in, and the tiny Kilner jars with potted ham.

The bags were similar to these (these are from Etsy as there are no decent photos to be found anywhere, but you can get them here too, £6.60 for 1,000!) and the teeny jars were a similar size to Jamie's tiny storage jars (£2.50).

The picnic was a foodie's dream - homemade piccalilli, chutney, smoked salmon and fennel salad, cheddar with pecan and raisin bread, asparagus and broad bean salad, and summer berry trifle, all washed down with Pimms and lemonade. It was just a pity we had to rush off and see the play! At £55 it isn't the cheapest evening out, but I highly recommend it as it was such a treat.

Top photos from Flickr.

Blue rooms

Well, the less said about SATC2 the better, although it was a pleasant enough way to pass a few hours. It raised the same question for me as SATC1 - not should Carrie have married Mr Big (no, I think) but would I ever paint a room blue? The only blue room which has really caught my attention in a good way is Zooey Deschanel's apartment, above, but now I come to think of it, if she wasn't in it, and she wasn't wearing that yellow skirt, I'm not sure I'd be so keen?

Chris Tubbs, Polly Wreford

Paul Massey

Polly Eltes, Rachel Whiting

Design Sponge, Polly Wreford

Design Sponge

I think I'm a grey and sludge green kind of girl. But as a teenager my room had yellow and blue striped wallpaper, in a similar configuration to Zooey's, except that I had a navy blue gloss dado as my decorating USP. Perhaps I've just moved on, but never say never...

Have you ever decorated with a colour you never thought you would?

Tea of the week: Benja Harvey

I've been fascinated with paper engineers ever since I worked at a publishers (I love pop-up books such as this quirky Alice in Wonderland) - so, it's no surprise I love this afternoon tea by Sydney-based Benja Harvey. Isn't it amazing? I'm especially fond of the cucumber sandwiches and the lemon slices.

(via Graphic Foodie, a great Brighton-based food blog.)

The Papered Parlour + a blogging workshop

Last weekend I took a photography workshop at The Papered Parlour, in Clapham, South London. I love their little tea parlour, especially the counter made from old doors and reclaimed wood.

I learned so much! Who knew that using an SLR camera is actually quite straightforward? The tutors Louise and Sam were so helpful, there were lots of practical exercises (including trips out to the Common) and afternoon tea and cake too. I never thought I would be one of those geeks who buys digital photography magazines - but now I totally am!

These are not my photographs, in case you were wondering. When I said it was easy to use an SLR, I meant that there aren't that many concepts to grasp...

The Papered Parlour has one of my favourite website designs ever, and runs workshops such as dressmaking and silversmithing, as well as hosting hen parties with a craft activity and tea-based cocktails!

On another course note, due to illness I recently rescheduled a blogging for beginners workshop to this Saturday (5th). There is one space left. The course is aimed at those whose blog is quite new, or even those who don't have one yet. The cost is £45 - feel free to email me if you have any questions. It will be held in SW17.

Straw Styling Challenge: the winner

Thanks to my lovely judges, Jeska of Lobster and Swan and Ellie of Home Shopping Spy (also Deputy Shopping Editor of Ideal Home), I'm able to announce the winner of my Straw Styling Challenge. If you're on Twitter and tweet a link to the results (or RT my tweet), you can also have some competition fun - I'll enter anyone who does into a draw to win a £20 Papermash voucher, plus a box of straws in each colour. Now, without further ado...

First prize winner: Alessandra of La Casita. This was a unanimous decision, so well done Alessandra. Here's what the judges had to say:

Ellie: "I love the way this picture tells a story - there's a life 'off-stage'. The Beatrix Potter book, the retro lolly and teacher's apple hint at a child going to school - perhaps the straw is for morning milk. The stylist has repeated the red of the straw in the other props - the cherries, the jacket of the squirrel on the book, and the red apple for the teacher. It's subtle, but this is what ties this shot together visually and I think it really works."

Jeska: "I loved the idea of this little package of simple items tied up with string that could make a day complete. It really appealed to my nostalgic side."

Alessandra wins a £30 voucher for Papermash and a box of each colour of straws.

I'm also sending a box of each colour to Jeska and Ellie's second and third place runners up.

Stripy pipes by Mindy Coleman.

Jeska: "I loved the way the straws were used to create a new toy in this one, so simple but clever."

Kiwi Rose by It's my own invention (who incidently has some gorgeous photos in her photostream.)

Jeska: "I just adored the little bunches of forget-me-nots, one of my favourite sentimental flowers."

Playstraw by Die Frau im Haus.

Ellie: "This is a playful shot, which toys with scale and presents the straws in an unusual, unexpected context. Its technically crisp and in focus, and I like the simplicity of this picture."

Gallopers by Crafty So and So.

Ellie: "This is a really creative shot - technically brilliant - and such a simple but effective idea. It's a clever observation that the straws look like merry-go-round horse poles, and I like the stylist's sense of humour."

Thanks so much to everyone who took part - they are all such creative ideas, and I'm so pleased you took the time to enter! I've reopened the Flickr group for submissions (there are a few who missed the closing date) so feel free to add any more photos you might have.

Thanks again to Ellie and Jeska for making up the judging panel - both have impeccable taste so I knew they'd be perfect for the job.