Wednesday 31 October 2012

Happy Halloween!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Sourced from HERE

I hope you all have a lovely evening - try to eat as many sweeties as you can!
xx

Tuesday 30 October 2012

Decorations for an Autumn Home

With Halloween just around the corner I am itching to get out the fake cobweb, paper skeletons and pumpkin bunting. But I am holding back. This will be our first Halloween on our new street, and I don't mean this to be a pun, but I don't want to scare the neighbours. So I altered my plans. I have gone for some subtle interior decorations until I can be sure that the neighbours won't mind me going all out decorating the front of the house. I thought it would be useful to give you my key Autumn essentials to make your home feel perfect this season.


For us, the fireplace has to be the centre of attention. In the autumn months we spend so much more time sat in front of it - doing a puzzle, reading a book, or warming our toes. There are always additional blankets on the sofa so that we can cosy up in the Autumn months. The majority of my decoration touches centre around the fireplace - and did you notice the giant orange tub of Halloween sweets? They are for the trick-or-treaters, I promise!


It's Halloween soon, so the first thing to consider are pumpkins. I love eating pumpkins and squashes so really relish this time of year when they are such great value in the shops. But rather than keeping your squashes in the veg basket put them on display. You can get such great colours and varieties, just pile them on top of each other in a convenient space in the room, or use them in the fruit bowl instead of actual fruit!


Another key Autumn essential is a wreath. The majority of people think of these as a Christmas related item but the Autumn colours of orange, browns and reds lend themselves to a great Autumn wreath. Whether or not you use actual leaves and foliage to create your wreath, or make one out of wool like mine, they look great over the fireplace as well as on the front door.


One item I love to have in the house is plants and flowers, however, flowers eventually wilt and I seem to kill plants! If you are like me, one of the best plants to get are succulents, things like Aloe Vera and cacti. They make a great display for Autumn when placed in terracotta pots. Their colours add a little lift to the space but their sharp and sculptural shapes add a Halloween feel.


The other must have regardless of the season is bunting! A lovely Autumn leaf bunting in the window is a must!

I hope these have given you some ideas for your Autumn Halloween displays. Now, I wander if I could get away with eating some of the Halloween sweets without anyone noticing???
xx

Monday 29 October 2012

Halloween Costumes

When I was little one of our neighbours had their birthday on Halloween. This meant we pretty much always had a Halloween party to go to, and my Mum had the task of finding a different costume for us every year. Luckily, she is very creative and practical so we always looked great! I think my favourite costume was the Were-Wolf. I had an old pair of slippers that were dog shaped cuddly toys that you shoved on your feet. We cut them up, made a little nose and ears for me, and used the rest to make it look like fur was bursting through my clothing. I loved it! However, I think dressing up like this, with such dedication and creativeness may have tainted me. Even as a teenager attending a 'Hero' themed party, when all the other girls were dressing up as sexy characters such as Wonder Women, I dressed up as Indiana Jones - and not a sexy version, I looked like a man (I had short hair at the time, and resemble my Dad anyway, so the transformation was not so hard)! I thought I looked great!

Last year we had a big family Halloween party and I spent a long time trying to convince my other half that we should go as a Halloween pair - I wanted little red riding hood and the big bad wolf! Unfortunately he wanted to be a zombie (which I think was very uncreative of him) so I went as a mad professor, and I rocked the Einstein look!

You can see that I do not take dressing up lightly. It is a serious business and I always want to look authentic.

Then, whilst checking out my favourite blogs, I saw this.....

Goldilocks and the 3 bears

This is a family Halloween costume, and I love it! It has made me so desperately want to attend a party this year and force my other half to pair up with me - we are getting married soon after all, so we will officially be a pair in the eyes of the law! I'm thinking maybe David and Goliath or Punch and Judy or Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort.....

.......I sense I probably won't win, but there is always next year.....
xx

Friday 26 October 2012

New Item Friday

It is a bit nippy outside so I have added the perfect item to the shop today.


This mug is just waiting to be filled with hot tea, I have had to stop myself using it several times!

Thankfully we have no markets this weekend - I think a duvet day is on the cards. But after Sunday it is non-stop until January......when we have our wedding! I have a couple of weekends of socialising coming up but then it is work, work, work all the way. I am very excited about the collection of vintage board games I have managed to accumulate for the Christmas markets, and from the start of November I will try and get as many on the shop as possible.

In the meantime I am on the hunt for Starbucks pumpkin latte. We don't have a Starbucks in my town so need I to go further afield.....
xx

Thursday 25 October 2012

Tutorial: Red Onion Marmalade

So I have another recipe for you today. The weather is predicted as being cold and wintery this weekend so I higly recommend making this gorgeous marmalade.

An addition to my Cheese Board Christmas hampers has to be Red Onion Marmalade. For anyone who is not familiar with red onion marmalade it is sweet and savoury and delicious. It is perfect with cheese but can also be used in your sandwiches to make them a little more interesting, or why not mix a spoonful into your gravy to add a bit of sweet and onion goodness. I got this recipe from the BBC Good Food website - HERE.


Just as a heads up, this recipe uses a lot of onions which all need to be peeled and thinly sliced. I wear contact lenses so the smell of onions does not make me cry. Carry out this recipe as an opportunity to test all those old wives tales about how to stop, or maybe use it for when you are feeling a bit blue and need a good cry.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2kg Red onions
  • 4 Cloves of garlic
  • 140g Butter
  • 4tbsp Olive oil
  • 140g Golden caster sugar
  • 1tbsp Fresh thyme leaves
  • 75cl Bottle of red wine
  • 350ml Red wine vinegar
  • 200ml Port

YOU WILL NEED:

  • Chopping board
  • Knife
  • Large saucepan
  • Spoon
  • 5 x 12oz Jam jars (sterilised)

METHOD:


1. Start by removing the tops, root and outer layers of the onions. Cut the onions in half and thinly slice. Place in a bowl to one side for now.
2. Peel and finely chop the 4 garlic cloves and add to the onions. Remove the thyme leaves from the stems until you have 1 table spoons worth, also add to the onions and garlic.
3. In a large saucepan on a low heat melt together the butter and oil. Once fully melted and combined pour in the onion, garlic and thyme. Stir everything so that the onions are coated in the butter and oil mix.
4. At this stage sprinkle over with the sugar and mix.


5. Keep the saucepan on a low heat and slowly cook the onion mixture. It will probably take about 40-50 minutes and you will be able to tell its done when the onions dissolve when pushed against the side of the saucepan with a spoon.
6. Once the onions are cooked and all the sugar has dissolved pour over all the liquids - the wine, vinegar and port. Stir everything.


7. You will need to up the heat as this stage so the mixture simmers gently. Leave uncovered.
8. At this point you can sterilise your jam jars. I do this by washing them in water and placing them in a 150 degrees Celsius over for 20 minutes.


8. It took me about an hour to reduce all the liquid but it may take less, just keep stirring it regularly. You will be able to tell it is done when drawing a spoon across the bottom of the pan reveals a clear path that rapidly fills with liquid. It will probably have reduced down in size by about two-thirds.



And your marmalade is done! This mixture yielded me about 5 x 12oz jam jars. This mixture can be eaten straight away but will also keep a while, perfectly in time for Christmas. Remember to store in the fridge once opened.
xx




Monday 22 October 2012

Colourful Bathrooms!

I have just discovered that I have almost the perfect vintage bathroom! Let me explain.....


As I have mentioned previously my new bathroom has a pink suite. It has taken a little getting used to over the last few months, generally I think bathrooms should be white and minimal but I have grown fond of my pink bathroom. Recently, I acquired some vintage home magazines. They are for the shop, but I am a bit reluctant to sell them as they are a great source of design inspiration. I was flicking through the Homes and Gardens September 1960 edition, seen above, and one thing kept catching my eye......Pink Bathrooms!





In this one magazine alone there are 4 different images of pink bathroom suites. So this has really changed my  mind - I think we should start to embrace colourful bathroom suites, and accessorise them with colourful tiled floors and bright walls. The zing of colour would cheer you up every morning (or give you a headache, one or the other)!

I am now going to dream of more colour in my bathroom, rather than less, and keep an eye out for other 1960s bathroom accessories!
xx

Friday 19 October 2012

New Item Friday

Today I have for you a very special little item.


This perfume pot is from Avon and it has a lovely art nouveau inspired design on the lid. Although the pot is empty you can still smell some of the solid perfume that it once contained. This item looks fantastic just sat on the dressing table, but you could use it as a pill box or even as a container for your hairbands or accessories. I think it is very cute!

The shop will be at Ashton Gate Stadium in Bristol on Sunday. The event is indoors, so great if you are looking for something to do on a wet Sunday. I hope you will have time to come and see us.

Have a lovely weekend.
xx

Thursday 18 October 2012

Vintage Torches/Flash Lights

I managed to acquire a couple of vintage torches (or flash lights to our international folk) for the shop the other day.


They are a good chunky size and have a great shape to them. It got me thinking how lovely vintage torches are and I couldn't resist having a look for some other examples on Etsy. For me, a torch is always accompanied by a book - I spent many nights as a child waking up in darkness and reading my books by torch light for comfort.




Torches (top to bottom): 1 . 2 . 3 . 4
Books (top to bottom): 1 . 2 . 3 . 4

I love getting all nostalgic!
xx

Wednesday 17 October 2012

Before and After: New Studio

So this is the last room in the house. I have been avoiding this room as it is normally a mess and things are constantly coming in and out for markets. But I decided to brave it and show you what has changed.


When we first looked around the house the attic room was a bedroom. I could immediately see that this room would be a great space for my studio. There are windows on opposite sides of the walls which let in lots of light and the room would be empty of furniture, a nice blank canvas. After some negotiating, my other half was kind enough to consent to me claiming the entire room. I new I needed this space to have certain zones, and I have made an attempt, but if I'm honest it is still a work in progress.



The key zone in this room has to be the office desk. This is where I can sit and do my computer work or craft bits. I have my calender on display to remind me of upcoming dates, and all my important documents are easily accessible in their folders. It's also where I can sort out the boxes of items I have bought - a very useful space.


The other storage space that I needed was for materials. My hazardous or 'dirty' materials are all kept in the out-house, but I needed somewhere for some smaller tools, rags, tapes, etc.


The last zone for this room has to be storage for items. The bigger items tend to get piled up to one side but the smaller items are normally divided up into materials and categories and placed on shelves so that I can see what I have to work with. Unfortunately, when this picture was taken the majority of my items were in boxes ready for a market - but you can see a nice pile of Christmas related goodies being collected on some of the top shelves - something to look forward to!

I hope you have liked seeing my home. Rooms always change and adapt along with our own lives, so I'm sure I will be re-doing things in the future. But for now I am happy with my little world and don't won't to leave it.
xx

Monday 15 October 2012

Tutorial: Autumn Wreath

Yesterday morning I got up early to go to work. The sight that met me as I stepped out of the door really caught me by surprise - my car was entirely covered in a thin layer of frost. I then spent the next 10 minutes trying to scrap it off and melt it, which made me late for work. I've realised the hard way that Autumn is here and I need to get decorating. I love decorating the house for the seasons, and whilst searching on etsy I fell in love with this Autumn wreath from Embellished Living.

Find this wreath HERE
As much as I would love to just buy this one, I thought it would be more fun to give making my own a try. Why don't you try making one with me?

YOU WILL NEED:
  • Card
  • Scissors
  • Cello tape
  • Wadding
  • Wool
  • Felt
  • Needle
  • Thread (in co-ordinating colours with the felt)


METHOD:


1. I only had small pieces of card so I started off by cutting them up and cello taping them together to form a circle. If you have a larger sheet of card you can cut a circle in one piece.


2. I then placed a load of wadding on top of the card as evenly as possible. You can always secure some of it down with cello tape if needs be but you will secure it properly with wool.


3. The next stage is to secure the wadding down by winding the wool loosely around. You can choose whatever colour wool you like, I went with a rustic tawny colour as it is perfect for the Autumn.


4. You can then start winding wool round and adding layers. A good tip is to cut off sections of wool and combine them as you wind them round. Keep winding until you can not see any more wadding.


5. I then created some flowers out of felt. I decided to create an autumnal hydrangea bush using this tutorial HERE.
6. I then stitched the flowers on to the wreath, adding a few felt leaves and created a black felt loop at the top for hanging.


And my wreath is complete! I confess, it is not perfectly round, but I like it! The great thing about this idea is that you can combine whatever colours you like depending on the season. I'm sure yours look gorgeous too, but if not, just head over to etsy to find a pre-made one you can love instead.
xx


Friday 12 October 2012

New Item Friday

Hello everyone.
I have a new item for you today, this lovely coffee jar.


I seem to have an obsession with these jars as I have a number of other ones in different styles. They are super practical and look very cute. They would also make great Christmas presents, you could buy some fancy coffee and a pretty mug to go with it.

I am at a market all weekend so the shop will be closed but I will be back up and running on Monday. If you happen to be in the Salisbury area then please pop by Wilton Shopping Village to visit me.
xx

Thursday 11 October 2012

Tutorial: Cake Bunting

It was my Dad's birthday the other day. Because we were baby sitting the cats and house it gave me the opportunity to create something special for him. My Dad loves bananas, so rather than a traditional birthday cake I made him banana muffins. We had breakfast banana muffins with Greek yogurt and syrup, the recipe was sourced from HERE. To give the muffins the perfect impact when I surprised him with them, I made some cake bunting.


This cute little bunting is so easy to make and can be kept and reused. You can also use what ever colours you want and it can be a real show stopper.

YOU WILL NEED:
  • Coloured card (whatever takes your fancy)
  • String (I used wool which I happened to have)
  • 2 x Kebab sticks
  • Scissors
  • Double sided cello tape

METHOD:
1. You need to have a rough idea in mind what size you would like your lettering. I kept mine small as I was making muffins rather than a large cake.





2. Cut out thin strips of card double the length that you want. Fold the thin strip in half and cut out the letter you want. I was keeping my letters simple so for letters such as 'B' I left the holes in the letters filled. If you had a craft knife you could cut these out.



3. Cut the length of string to the length you want. Place the letters over the string. Cut small strips of double sided tape and stick the sides of the letters together.


4. Tie either end of the string to the blunt ends of the kebab sticks.

Stick your kebab sticks into your cake and you have some very cute bunting perfect for any celebration!
xx

Wednesday 10 October 2012

Discover Vintage this Weekend

Check out their website HERE

It is all very last minute, but I had to mention it to everyone, I have just managed to secure a place at a new vintage fayre for this weekend! At Wilton Shopping Village, in Wilton just outside of Salisbury, I am going to be joining Discover Vintage selling my wares. The fayre is on Saturday and Sunday with over 30 exhibitors of vintage home, textiles and fashion. I'm very excited about this one. It is all indoors so perfect if the weather is a bit dull this weekend - or if the weather is nice Wilton is a very cute place to have a wander round.

If you have no plans this weekend then please stop by.
xx

Tuesday 9 October 2012

Ebay Shop!

Sometimes I go to markets and I have a very successful day, I will sell at least one big item and normally lots of little ones. Sometimes I'll go and sell very little, but lots of people will take business cards and seem interested. There doesn't seem to be any logical science to it. It doesn't matter what items I take, the location or weather, success is a bit of pot luck. However, recently I have started to notice that people seem to be buying less, and if they do buy they will haggle to the hilt. I think it is probably a reflection of the current economic climate, but it has me worried none the less. So I decided to try and do something about.

Today I have been productive. I decided that the best way to sell more was to get my items more exposure, so I have become an Ebay seller! Although I sell my small item through my Etsy shop I decided that I would give the big items a try on Ebay and see what happens. So my first offering for you today is......

1970s GLC Design Chairs and Table

This one is a bit of a guinea pig, so we will see how much interest it gets and go from there. Fingers crossed it does well!
xx