Friday Links + Happy Weekend

*A gorgeous autumn wedding moodboard
*Love this scary project & this lace tape project {which I'm going to try in some form.}

*And more, adore this autumn leaf project {and it doesn't look like a 3 year old's at all}
*Love the newest Cadbury's Fingers ad {and this behind the scenes video {look out for the tiny iron}, & especially the music}

*And following this post, thanks to Roseline for pointing me to this incredibly beautiful shoe storage - please say you agree.

Have a lovely weekend, and if you can suggest a Halloween party costume for me which involves practically no effort, it would be very much appreciated. I'm not enthusiastic about that, or the clocks going back. xo

Photo by Baby Picture This on Flickr, blog here.

Set designer: Linnea Apelqvist

Today I discovered the work of London-based set designer and prop stylist Linnea Apelqvist. I love this rainbow, from an installation at Gap earlier in the year. You can see more of her work on her blog, which includes recent collaborations with super-cool shops Supermarket Sarah and Auerbach & Steele.

I often see window displays I love near where I live - especially at Jigsaw (in the summer there was a giant striped paper bag and stick of rock). If anyone has tips for taking photographs through glass, please let me know...

Great Expectations

A new book cover love, indulging my love of stitched paper; this Great Expectations cover with design by Stephanie Posavec (Stephanie's original work on the left.)

Wednesday workspace: white and bright

So bright that it's airy feeling is continued by the Louis Ghost chair, but my favourite touches are the library bookcases (Laura Ashley has a similar bookcase), and the tiny posy of flowers - guaranteed to cheer up any space.

Photo via Ideal Home.

A little sparkle...

...for an otherwise gloomy day; faceted tealights from Plumo (£12) and jewelled pencils (£2) from None Such Things.

Matthew Rose

You --> Me print (£75, and nicely styled too) by Matthew Rose from Keep Calm Gallery.

{Update: in fact, an American artist based in Paris, I saw it on a British site so I assumed he was too. Thanks, Matthew, for the correction.}

Tea of the week: Charlotte Brown

A new week, and I'm totally enamoured with these tiny tea set photographs by Charlotte Brown. Aren't you? She also takes pinhole and ukiyo-e photos, and has just started a new blog for her MA in Mixed Textiles work (I also love, love, love embroidered photographs, so her recent work is right up my street.)

Friday Links + Happy Weekend

*Bunches of red balloons at Kate Spade's London pop-up shop
*Luscious greenery
*Anyone fancy blingo?
*Ploughing matches remind me of home (even though I've never been to one.)
*Pretty cotton wreaths

Have a great weekend, one and all. I hope to see Africa United, what are your plans? xo

Bold and bright...

...kaleidoscope collages and wooden beads from Paper Covers Rock (Etsy shop here.) There's something about these which reminds me of 1980's tv show Chockablock - anyone else remember that?

Barneby Gates

Honestly people, if I had the time, or inclination, I could come up with more interesting content than the occasional Etsy seller and yet another wallpaper feature. Yet, I can't resist sharing this wallpaper designer who I just spotted on Domestic Sluttery.

Barneby Gates wallpapers are the creation of ex-Vogue Living editor Vanessa Barneby and fine artist Alice Gates. Aren't they pretty? I love the sepia photographic paper (which reminds me of this notebook.) And stars are the next big thing, especially when they are a) metallic and b) described as 'a fluid constellation of gently decaying stars' - lovely. (Note, there's a lovely star scarf here, if you need confirmation of my style prediction skills.)

I'm trying to think of more interesting things to share, which won't take me forever to research, and some new little features. But be forewarned, there's at least one more wallpaper coming this way very shortly...

Autumn styling

I don't often read You magazine, but when I do, I am always really impressed with their interiors features. I particularly loved this weekend's, with all these muted colours, cosy textiles, autumn fires, and yes, distressed walls (just for a change.)

I loved the panelled walls (the left looks like it might be painted in the universally-lauded Down Pipe, although I can't confirm), the headboard on the right (an old artwork) and the chest of drawers from Rose and Grey.

I have the storage box on wheels on the right, also from Rose and Grey (not so beautifully styled, mine has printer paper in it instead.) If you'd like to see more photos, plus stockist details, you can see the full story here. Photos by Polly Wreford.

High Street Highs

Every Saturday I'm taking a course near the King's Road, London and invariably I end up popping into just a few shops nearby {usually Muji} on my way home. I could start a series called the King's Road Chronicles {which also involves spotting some low-brow celebs.}

This week, I was pleased with my bargain laundry basket in the Heal's sale {much larger and nicer than seen here {1}, and under £20} and a cupcake from the Love Bakery {2}. Other pretty things spotted, but not my colour scheme, 3. M&S Dress {I couldn't get a decent front view off their site, sorry} 4. Reiss gold shoes 5. M&S Shoe boots.

These celestial coasters {6} from Anthropologie really did wow me, as they also came in a larger pot stand size, and were so sparkly, but I had to leave the shop in shock when I saw a shabby chic kitchen chair with chipped paint and a graphic designed formica-ish seat cover for almost £450. Now, DIY is not my strong point, but even I could achieve a similar result with an early morning car boot sale purchase, a sample of wallpaper and strong varnish - let me know if I'm missing some truly artisan technique somewhere...

Tea of the week: an autumn tea party

An autumnal tea party by Simon Filip.

Friday Links + Happy Weekend

*Lovely use of an old tin
*Contribute to the white floors debate
*Pretty coffees
*Has anyone visited the new Comma shop (more here)? (love Ben Javen's sign.)
*1930's style

Have a great weekend? Do you have exciting plans? I'm taking it easy {still getting over a virus} but hope to go and see The Social Network - have you seen it?

photo via Marco Siguenza on Flickr.

The Englishman who posted himself

Have you heard of this book The Englishman who posted himself and other curious objects? It's the story of an Englishman who decided to challenge Royal Mail's guidelines by posting all kinds of things to see if they were delivered - including crocheted postcards, envelopes with pictorial addresses, a carved turnip, and yes, himself.


I have to buy this book - especially as my long-held affection for Royal Mail is on the up {after a significant blip last year due to the postal strikes, furthered by a lack of love for courier services that send you to Surrey and beyond if you miss the parcel.}

If you click the images above you can see a larger version, plus there's a fun review at the New Yorker.

New stock at Papermash

I'm feeling relieved after a photo shoot last week as I now have everything on Papermash for Christmas... I've decided not to get anything else new in but concentrate on staying on top of stock levels before then.

I'm now stocking some lovely items from Rifle Paper Co, including my favourites, these recipe cards {I think a nice present for cooks} and these striking floral thank you cards.

A few new notebooks, this watercolour garden design, and these mini notebooks {which I really love because they have checked paper inside - the right one has tiny pink squares!}

New tapes {ever popular} - this lace tape and Venetian design. And I have some amazing masking tape of a seasonal variety - can't bring myself to post Christmas pictures here yet!

I need to turn my attention elsewhere for a few days - I have a few job interviews this week, as selling straws and sellotape does not pay my bills {but I'm confident it will eventually.}

In the meantime, I just did a guest post at Oh, hello friend if you fancy a look... Congratulations to Danni & Nick on their recent wedding - I can't wait to see the photos. There is a sweet little video here - I love that it was a low-key, relaxed wedding {my favourite kind.}

Happy sentiments: Aardvark

I don't like hearts, and I don't especially like typographic prints {am I alone?}, but I love these sentiments {and the prints} from Aardvark.

London shops: EW Moore

I've lived with a wall full of various wallpaper samples for at least two years now, so I no longer notice that they are there. Although I think I've eliminated all of the samples, they are still on the wall...

A new discovery, which might take me in a different direction is EW Moore's wallpaper shop, which sells wallpapers from the 1950s onwards, and which are very competitive on price with some of the modern designer options {their papers are from £25 a roll.}


I was mainly drawn to the yellow wallpapers on their website, which means at least I may have narrowed down my colour choice... {a non-vintage wallpaper I'm newly considering is this one, although I don't have the super-stylish option of a yellow formica table and white floors to compliment it.}

Brown and orange, a colour scheme that reminds me of my parents' first carpet.

Lots to think about, but I think I'll take some more time to mull it over...

Tea of the week: Ekaterina Trukhan

Love this illustration {even though it makes me feel sad} by recent Camberwell graduate, Ekaterina Trukhan.

Lucia soaps

I'm a soap and water girl, so I love the packaging and scents {pomegranate and redcurrant, yum} of these Lucia soaps {£8 each} available at Hush.

British blogs: male edition

A short roundup of that rare phenomenon {at least for this reader}, the male blogger...

Man Make Home {spotted on Living Etc's fab new blog, Life.Style.Etc} is written by an American in London with impeccable taste, or so say I. Above photos by Carl Kleiner.

Another American in London, I suspect many of you are already drooling over photographer Brian Ferry's blog, The Blue Hour {professional portfolio here}. I'm thinking of lots of adjectives for how his photos make me feel, and I'm not sure they're for public disclosure. Oh, and I was pleased to see him recently namechecked on my favourite food blog, Orangette - isn't it a small {blog} world?

Obsessilicious is written by Cardiff-dweller Griffo68, a major Eames fan with a penchant for buying classic chairs, and then more chairs...if you love mid-century modern style you will love this blog. Above photos from Flickr, credits unknown.

If you are based in the UK, or are a British expat elsewhere, and missed the opportunity last time, feel free to add your blog to the list below - no duplicate entries please from the previous list and no business blogs - this list will be capped at 50. And if you have a British blog you love, please let me know in the comments. You can see my previous recommendations here, here and here, or check my blogroll for more.

A treetop...

This table with its integrated tree, on display in Bluebird, is a product of Hendzel and Hunt's Made in Peckham range, which uses reclaimed wood and waste materials sourced from SE15. See more of their range here.

St George's Market, Belfast

A few photos from St. George's Market, Belfast, on Friday morning, one of my favourite locations for antiques shopping.

Stating the obvious, perhaps, but there's often interesting Irish memorabilia (above gives you the controversial Londonderry/Derry option.)

Lovely embroidered Irish linens - I can't have enough (so far, I don't have any.)

Lots of silverware, but there were relatively slim pickings on Friday - the tea strainer in the right photo was my only purchase.

Tea of the week: Tospann

A lovely enamel mug, from the new-to-me but very inspiring blog {in Norwegian, I think}, Tospann.