Monday, 31 December 2012

Happy New Year!

Image found HERE

Happy New Year everyone!
This is the last day of December, and the last day of my holidays. 2012 has been a strange year full of travels, new houses, new jobs and wedding planning. It is at this time I like to think about the year ahead of me, which will hopefully be just as eventful! A wedding, an anniversary, hopefully another new home.....anything is possible.

This evening I am going to be spending an intimate evening with my other half sipping mulled wine and watching movies.

Have a wonderful new years and see you in 2013.
xx

Friday, 21 December 2012

Merry Christmas!

Image found HERE

There are no new items for today as I am off on my Christmas holidays! All of my hampers are complete and wrapped, the car is bursting with stuff to take back and my best winter knits are in my suitcase. I'm set for Christmas.

The shop will also be shut for the next week so that I can eat too much food, read too many books and generally be lazy. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas. I will be back around the 28th to share with you some wedding preparations and new year fun.
xx

Tuesday, 18 December 2012

My Christmas Wishlist: Books

So there are a few spaces on my shelves which are aching to be filled. With Christmas just around the corner I can't help but mentally form a list in my head of books I would love to fill the shelves with. I thought I should share it with you.....






All images were taken from amazon.co.uk where you can purchase the books

What would be on your book list this christmas?
xx

Monday, 17 December 2012

Gift Ideas: The Unexpected Guest

There are always those occasions when you get a last minute guest come to visit, or you recieve a present from someone else and need to find something quick. These are 4 suggestions that you can keep in the cupboard, just in case. Some would also be ideal if you need a secret Santa present or if the kids need something for school friends.

KILNER JAR FILLED WITH SWEETS

Kilner jars found HERE

This is one of my favrouite things to give as a Christmas present. I would get a gorgeous vintage jar and fill it with some colourful sweets such as jelly beans. I have to say I have done this with other containers; just last year I filled a butter dish and a glass flour shaker with sweets. You can always find out the persons favourite sweets and fill the jar exclusively with those. Lemon sherbets in mine please!

A CHRISTMAS CAROL

A Christmas Carol found HERE

One year our work place did secret Santa slightly differently. Rather than pulling names out of a hat we all had a budget of £5 and had to buy something that was suitable for all. All the presents were put into a sack and we had to pick one out at our work Christmas meal. I bought a vintage copy of Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol and a box of chocolates (I secretly hoped I would pick my own present!). It sounds a bit silly but since then, I have started buying vintage copies of A Christmas Carol whenever I find one. You can also find lovely modern reprints and they make a nice neutral present. Why not go completely modern and get a Christmas DVD - my favourite has to be Santa Claus: The Movie.

BOARD GAMES

Vintage Lotto found HERE

It may seem a bit cheesy but board games are an essential part of Christmas. You can find absolutely gorgeous vintage games, which add a bit of quirkiness but you can always buy modern versions. They are good family fun, work really well for secret Santa and if you end up not giving them away, you can play them yourself!

SIMPLE FOOD GIFT HAMPERS

Vintage colander found HERE

As a nice alternative to all the Christmas food why not make up a pasta kit; a colander, a bag of dried pasta and a jar of home-made pesto. This idea can be adapted to a range of different foods. Why not try a wooden chopping board, a selection of cheeses and some home-made oatcakes. Or how about the simplest suggestion - a small muslin bag filled with cloves, star anise, dried orange peel and cinnamon. Attach it to a bottle of red wine with a fresh orange and written instructions for making mulled wine. The great thing about these gifts are, you probably already have the items in your cupboard!

xx

Friday, 14 December 2012

New Item Friday

I have some more Tupperware love for you today - a selection of new goodies added to the shop.





I'm afraid I need to keep it brief today as I need to go and cook the dinner. Cottage pie on the menu for this evening and I'm already starving so I better get to it.

I have a weekend of Hobbit watching and wedding preparation planned, and with Christmas just around the corner I will be making some presents as well. Time just seems to be running away with me at the moment - 11 days to Christmas and 25 days until I become a Mrs!
xx

Wednesday, 12 December 2012

Christmas Style Inspiration: Blue and White Paper

This design style is perfect for anyone on a budget. Generally all you need is a large pile of white and blue paper and you are set. You can also adapt it to other colour themes depending on your style. This style is also perfect for the family as you can get the kids involved in created some beautiful things to decorate your home. A real key to this style is learning some origami!

Create paper snowflakes for the window - Found HERE

Christmas trees made from tissue paper - Found HERE

Paper baubles for the tree - Found HERE

Why not even add a paper Christmas wreath, best to keep inside though - Found HERE

I am definitely going to be adding some of those white snowflakes on my windows this Christmas - save on the electricity bill and instead of fairy lights get cutting up some paper!
xx

Tuesday, 11 December 2012

Surviving Winter Travel

When I step outside my front door to go to work in the mornings the sun is just beginning to rise. Of course, the car is covered in ice and I spent the next 10 minutes trying to defrost it, making me late for work (I really should set my alarm 10 minutes earlier but I always seem to forget!).

My drive to work is one of the most enjoyable drives I have ever had. It is a B road so it is really quiet and flows through beautiful coutryside and small hamlets. With winter well and truely here, the view from my car window takes my breath away. The colours of the fields is muted from a layer of frost as far as the eye can see. I love winter! But this time of year always reminds me of a good friend in Scotland. Every year the snow causes them alot of problems and she insists that they never travel without blankets and a thermos. This put me in mind to producing a winter travel survival guide.

View my treasury list HERE

On etsy I created a treasury list of the essential items you may need to survive the winter period - all are items that probably should be in your car boot. A thermo and blankets are essentials, but maybe think ahead, a book and torch could be very useful if stranded for a long period of time. At the end of the day, it is good to be prepared but make sure you spend some time to enjoy the beauty that winter has to offer.
xx

Monday, 10 December 2012

Gift Ideas: The Book-Worm

This is for the quieter member of your circle. The one who is content to curl up and get lost in a good book. This personality is me. If I got this set for Christmas I would be very happy.






You can always adapt this set depending on the age and taste of the recepient. A kid would get just as much enjoyment from this Christmas present as any adult. For kids you could swap the blanket for a cuddly toy or a set of pyjamas. Maybe even throw in a jar of hot chocolate as a special treat. There is nothing better when you are little than to curl up in bed, with a nice hot drink and to be read a great bed-time story.
xx

Friday, 7 December 2012

New Item Friday

The weather outside is frightful, inside is so delightful, we've got no place to go.....so lets curl up with a cup of tea and a good book.






The items added to the shop today tell of childhood evenings reading books by dim-light and sipping hot drinks. The dim-light probably explains my current need for glasses.....which is making me wonder about the 'square eyes from the tele' old-wives tale??

Tomorrow I am going to be doing my last market before Christmas at the Rook Lane Chapel here in Frome. I was meant to be doing another market next weekend in Bath but the bad weather has been taking its toll and it has been cancelled due to flooding. I have to confess it will be nice to finish up markets so that I can get concentrating on Christmas and the wedding. I am starting to get those festive feelings!
xx

Thursday, 6 December 2012

Tutorial: Retro Stockings

So, I have a lot of markets lined up for December and need to give the stall a Christmas feel. The problem I have had is that the shop, being retro furniture and homewares, does not necessarily lend itself to Christmas. Traditional Christmas decorations don't really fit in with the retro feel, and some retro decorations take alot of stomaching.

Sourced from HERE

I rather like this silver Christmas tree but there are a lot of people that don't. So I came up with a nice alternative. I decided to create some traditional stockings but in bright and colourful retro fabric.

YOU WILL NEED:

  • Colourful fabric
  • Plain fabric (for the liner)
  • Scissors
  • Thread
  • Pencil
  • Pins
  • Needle
  • Ribbon
  • Paper


METHOD:
1. I used a rough design of a sock drawn on to paper and cut out as a template for the shape of the stockings.
2. I then used the pencil to draw around the template on to the fabric. You want to draw around the template twice, but so that the drawings are a mirror image of each other. Make sure you do this for both the fabric liner and the colourful fabric.
3. You then want to cut out the sock shape from the fabric but make sure you leave about half a centimeter around the pencil line. Also cut a strip of colourful fabric which is just over the length of the opening of the stocking (basically measure the top edge of the sock template, double the measurement and add 1 centimeter). And don't forget to cut a small strip of ribbon which will be used to hang up your stocking - you can make this whatever length you like depending on how low you want it to hang.


4. Once you have cut everything out you should end up with; 2 plain socks, 2 colourful socks, 1 colourful strip and 1 x ribbon strip.
5. You then want to marry up you plain socks so that the pencil line is on the outside and pin together. Sew around the edge in a thread in a matching colour, using the pencil line as a guide. I have white fabric liners so used white thread. You can use a sewing machine for these bits but I did mine by hand so that I could sit infront of the tele!
6. You want to do the same with the colourful fabric. You want the front of the fabric to be facing each other and use a thread that is in a matching colour. You also want to fold the strip of colourful fabric lengthways and sew along the edge using the same colour thread.


7. After these stages you should end up with; 1 complete plain sock, 1 complete colourful sock, 1 colourful strip folded in half and 1 strip of ribbon folded in half.


8. Next turn the plain sock inside out and fold the strip of colourful fabric in half so that the back is no longer visible.
9. Place the colourful sock inside the white sock. This will be a bit tricky but it doesn't have to be neat, so long as the top edges are lined up properly. Place the the ribbon so that the loop is facing downwards and is positioned in the top back corner. Place the strip of colourful fabric over all the others so that the frayed edges are in line with the top edges of the socks. Pin in place.


10. Next stitch along the top edge about half a centimeter from the edge of the fabric. I would recommend doing this bit by hand as the fabric is a bit thick for the sewing machine.
11. Fold everything inside out and your stocking is finished!


As you see these are very simple to make, and you can use whatever fabric you like. I think they will be a lovely addition to the shop, giving it that festive feel. They would also be perfect for the kids bedroom as they are bright and fun. Why not give them a try.
xx



Monday, 3 December 2012

Gift Ideas: The Caffeine Addict

I think this type of individual needs no explanation - simply, they are obsessed with tea or coffee.






Although this set is perfect for the coffee or tea lover amongst you, it is actually a very safe present for someone you don't know very well such as a work-place secret Santa. All you have to do is check that they drink coffee or tea and specialise the present for them; some nice ground coffee, a cafetiere, a mug and some nice biscuits for dunking or some loose leaf tea, a tea infuser, a tea cup and some more biscuits.

xx