Saturday 18 February 2012

BRINGING THE OUTSIDE IN!








A little 'Green Fingers' weekend project for you...

Another little treat from our friends in Holland! This simple but beautiful table arrangement has been made using moss, twigs, tealight holders and Amaryllis bulbs.
This is such a different idea from the normal floral display and would make an eye catching centerpiece for your coffee table.

Occasionally spray the bulbs with water to keep them fresh!

Go on give it a go!! X
 


Friday 17 February 2012

NEW BOOKSTORE!

A very exciting day indeed!!


There are so many lovely books we want to share with you so we thought that we would give you the chance to step inside and have a browse around our new bookstore!


It's easy...if you are from the UK click on the gilt picture frame on the left and step inside, if you are from the US click on the books!


More books to be added soon X

Thursday 16 February 2012

GOING ALL DUTCH...









As I mentioned in a previous post I have recently been to Holland, Ede to be precise. 
We have some friends that live there on the outskirts of the town in a village called Ederveen, they live in a beautiful thatched farm house. 
Although Ederveen is mostly a farming community the houses are so neat and tidy and the land and gardens are all so well manicured to complement the houses and even the trees are kept pruned and are all practically the same height!
Loving tidiness and order this suits me just fine and I think I have fallen in love with Holland! 
The people are all so lovely too!!


I want to share with you some of the photographs I took inside our friends farm house, these are mostly styling shots but show perfectly how beautiful grey and neutral tones can create a peaceful and calming environment.


One other thing I noticed about Dutch interior design is that they have a great knack of bringing the outside 'in' using twigs, wood, flowers and bulbs to create calming displays around the house.



These earthenware pots make a lovely display in the kitchen.



I think these old French cutting boards are fantastic, I have some at home too, they are great for doing foodie platters on when you have friends round and look great leaning against the wall like these or I actually have mine hanging.

Beautiful grey!!


See what I mean about the twiggy things!




This grey bannister looks so good against the sisal stair runner!

Mixing up styles is a great idea, the two pictures of lighting above are quite contrasting designs but both work beautifully!

Be brave and mix it up!


I want these tiles for my own kitchen, they were imported to Holland from France.


The house is painted with colours from the Carte Colori range, these are traditional lime paints which give the most beautiful chalky matte finish.

I hope this post has inspired you to see grey in a different light!!! X



Wednesday 15 February 2012

VINTAGE PEONY

It was time to say goodbye to our lovely Valentine rosy wallpaper and move on!
So reverting back to February's mood board we have gone all grey and pink...hope you like our lovely vintage peony, it's here to stay till March!




More posts on the way X



Tuesday 14 February 2012

A FEW LOVELY THINGS...








One last post for Valentine's Day!


I just wanted to show you these little Valentine's gifts that I have picked up recently.
We popped over to Holland the other weekend and after doing a little bit of shopping we stumbled across a store called Blokker and being one for a bargain I managed to pick up these lovely little treats!! 


I got all these for under 8 euros!!




A mini hottie hand warmer!



A lovely little tea light holder!


And finally these lovely rosy napkins! (I already had the napkin holder!)


I think you will agree i did very well!!
So, for my friends that follow in Holland...grab yourself a bargain at 
Blokker and the rest of you will just have to enjoy the pretty pics! X





LAST BIT OF ROMANCE!








I just wanted to show you these lovely books, both of them 
very fitting for Valentine's Day.




I found this book while I was clearing out the shed the other week, it originally belonged to my auntie who died some years ago. I love the fact that although she never married she had been engaged four times!! I remember a story about one of the men being so devastated at the fact she refused to marry him he ran off and joined the Foreign Legion! Prior to that he had been a Barrister!

I wonder if this book was a gift from one of the four men!! 


It was originally published in 1957 by Faber & Faber of 24 Russell Square London, the price inside the front page says 7s 6d. I just love the colours of the artwork.
I checked them out on google and Faber & Faber are still going but now reside at:

Bloomsbury House
74-77 Great Russell Street
London WC1B 3DA
UNITED KINGDOM

If you click on the link highlighted in blue you can read a bit more about them...it's a lovely story and I'm so pleased that they are still going!

The book is now sitting on my bookshelf!


I bought this book in Paris back in the early 90's the price is still stuck on the back and it cost me 120F. It is by Roberta B. Etter and published by Abbeville Press 
in New York.
The book is filled with a vast array of charming trinkets that lovers have bestowed upon one another through the ages!

The book is still available to buy.





Monday 13 February 2012

IT'S HERE!









It's here at last!


Our Valentine's post is full of love, loveliness, love hearts and 
simply 'Lovely Things'!





Something we made earlier! Keep following...we're going to show you how to make one of these in our March posts.







Another little gem from Cox & Cox.



Hope you have enjoyed viewing our lovely Valentine's Day Treasure! X










TWEET!

Even our tweets have gone Rosy!!
Take a look...X

ROSY TWEETS!

LOVE IS ALL AROUND US!!








Love is even in the garden!!...


More romantic inspiration...






This lovely heart garland was a little gift for me last Valentine's Day!
It is by Gisela Graham we visited their stand at the Spring Fair last week, it was so inspiring!




I love these herb markers and must get some more!! They were only £1.99 each from a local garden centre Woodbank Nurseries .








With snow still on the ground and sub zero temperatures I 
still managed to find some treasure in the garden!!! X







A ROMANTIC MEAL FOR TWO!










Welcome to 'LET'S HAVE FRIENDS ROUND'! Clearly this time round we are most certainly NOT having friends round and instead we will show you how to dress a romantic Valentine's table for two! X




Here's what you will need...


This beautiful hand embroidered table cloth has been in my family for years, it will be perfect for our romantic Valentine's table!


I love collecting pebbles, this is a lovely and very inexpensive way to make a napkin weight or place name holder.


I bought these mercury candle sticks about 3 years ago from 
Cox & Cox they will be perfect!! 
(Oh I love Cox & Cox!!!)




The table decorations we made earlier!!




(CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE!)


A hand made menu card...




Don't forget the Champagne glasses...add some hand made 
hearts for a little more romance!




PERFECT!!!






Who says romance is dead!
We hope this has inspired you!! X