Happy November

Happy November. To celebrate the new month and my new life due to the fact that I have worked my last day at the bank! I am hosting a week of giveaways. First up is this beautiful book-Farrow & Ball Living with Colour by Ros Byam Shaw and a colour chart to help you decide which colours to start with.

"Paint is the least expensive way to transform a room. And, unlike knocking down a wall or tiling a floor, it is not difficult to rectify if you have a made a mistake. Colour should be fun; at its best it is joyful." Ros Byam Shaw, Farrow & Ball Living With Colour.

Rylandpeters.com


All you need to do is leave a comment below.

I am afraid this give away is open to my UK readers only. Tomorrows will be worldwide xxx

A week of pretty

Fondant creams, favourite books for inspiration, frilly layers, lavender and rose, cushions and colour charts. I love making things and this week off has really been great. Sad to go back to the day job next week.

Something Shiny for thursday

Adore these F-Scott Fitzgerald book jackets by senior cover designer at Penguin Books Coralie Bickford-Smith found via 100 Layer Cake. Adds a new flourish to one of my favourite books-The Great Gatsby, I can't wait to get a copy or maybe the whole set.

The Homemade Home.

The Homemade Home by Sania Pell. I love this book, bursting with gorgeous pictures, styling and fifty pretty projects that add a bit of extra flair to everyday life. Most of which can be made with things you would find laying about the house like fabric scraps, broken jewellery, tired furniture or old jam jars. A perfect way to brighten up a dull corner and make the most of rainy weekend mornings.

I have been saving some liberty lawn cotton for ages and decided to finally tear it up. The first project from the book that I tried was these fabric covered coat hangers, I have loads of plain old hangers from my high street shopping addiction that are looking rather sad, so now all of my dresses are going to get the royal treatment. I didn't have wire hangers but these ones ended up showing more of the fabric and I am super pleased with them, I will post a photo of them all together next time.

All watermarked images by photographer Penny Wincer for The Homemade Home available from publisher CICO Books

If the good weather fails to last and you get driven back indoors what will you be making this week? I would love it if you were to post some links and share. Happy midweek.

Well dressed

Love this book The well dressed home by Annette Tatum, so much loveliness on every page, collections of pretty clothes and beautiful interiors. Inspiration boards and decorating ideas. All these images have really perked me up.
Michelle Long's home was featured in the book and you can buy some of the items and similar vintage treasures in Michelle's Etsy shop Bohemiennes's.

All images by Karyn R. Millet for The well dressed home

At last

At last. It's mine. I have it in my hands. To keep. Forever. Flicking through all 213 beautiful pages at all the wonderful places to visit. Already planning another trip. To go back to Paris and take this handmade tour. To follow in Pia's stylish footsteps. An Autumn weekend in Paris sounds perfect to me.






All images Pia Jane Bijkerk

books on my list 1

Summer just brings out the colours in me and top of my must have reading list is Sense of style Colour by Shannon Fricke. I want to dive right into the beautiful photos (taken by Prue Ruscoe) and soak up all the shades and tones strewn throughout its wonderful pages.


All images Prue ruscoe at the The names agency.

Tuesday so soon

Saturday I had a great day hanging out with a soon to be new mummy friend, in the sun with just a wrap to keep snug. Sunday had a promising sunny start so Dean and I popped to town to grab some more record cards and browse the estate agents windows again. A few flakes fell then a dash more. We decided snow was the perfect reason to spend the rest of the afternoon indoors keeping warm by baking. So with a new recipe book tucked under my arm and new icing bag in hand we made our way home. Two hour later we looked out of the window to see this! Thought I'd catch it on camera as it doesn't snow in the south of England very often. Unperturbed we braved the snow to visit some nearby friends with a batch of hot chocolate brownies and a plate piled high with hot Churro's, yummy spanish doughnut sticks. This recipe is from the new recipe book Piri Piri Starfish: Portugal Found by Tessa Kiros. This is such a beautiful book that paints your thoughts with pictures of age old traditions and a great big dose of happy family time spent around the kitchen table. I hope when you click on this image you can read the recipe.
we had great fun making these, mind the hot oil though!

Late now, as usual, will be back later with some thank you's!