Glitter light shade

I was perusing the fantastic blog Oh Happy Day for some inspiration and came across this amazing diy project for a light shade. I've been having trouble finding an inexpensive but fun/pretty way of covering the lightbulbs in our not so new flat. The kitchen has little spot lights but the bedroom and sitting room are tricky. We have low ceilings so anything big might be too much, but something small and white seems so boring. This idea might just solve our dilemma.

Photo by Elovephotos for Oh Happy Day

Simply get spray glue and glitter and a cheap paper lantern and tada! It would be great for parties too, imagine a dozen pretty gold ones hanging with a white linen table and gold candles...

Wishing for a smaller head

Look at these great bicycle helmets for children. Wouldn't they go well with some of these bike accessories for adults!

They are found at Look Mum, No Hands, along with other great bicycle buys

Vintage infographics

Look at this amazing display of data visualisation from the 1930s, made by using woodblocks and hand printing:

from Information Is Beautiful

It looks so modern!

Lego = amazing

Forget about the new iphone, have you seen the augmented reality iphone app, 'Life of George'? It shows you a picture which you make out of lego. It then marks you for how well you made it and how long it takes, or you can race against people. I'm desperate for a hand-me-down iphone now!

Thanks Mrs. Toad

Inspiration

I've grown to really quite like JK Rowling.

In this time of applications and interviews and general need for a challenge, it is such a relief to see someone be inspiring. My wonderful friend Megan put me onto this fantastic TED video. It has made me well up a good few times!

Letterheady

Wow, look at this website dedicated to letterheads. I can hardly pick favourites there are so many!

What a lovely thing to have, I say we bring back old fashioned letterheads and letters and good stamps and whistling posties. 

Andy Warhol

Hahhaa! A perforating machinery company!

Simple and refined, Leonard Cohen

Frank Lloyd Wright

Walt Disney's wonderful world of colour

Ok, Ok, I'll stop! But go and have a look and tell me your favourites...

Berkeley Brown Jewellery

Berkeley Brown is one of my favourite jewellery designers I've ever come across. She is from Canada but is Artist in Resident at Glasgow School of Art at the moment.
She has taken food as her inspiration, because she loves the pasion that it brings out in people. Berkeley says that "everyone tends to have quite individual, personal responses to food and I hope to evoke that in a playful way."

Here are some of her designs:

A grinder ring

A genius whisk necklace, with words about food on the 'wires'

A beautiful colander pendant 

My favourite is her moving petal ring, which Berkeley describes as an "effort to move away from the more literal references to cooking utensils...while keeping that original inspiration"

You can definitely get the feeling of a whisk in action with this amazing ring:

(Thanks Berkeley!)

For Heather, who takes a long time to drink her coffee

A mug warmer that looks like a camping stove, and only needs a USB to work. You can even adjust it to your preferred temperature!

A week off

We had a week off, seeing some of the best people in the world and having exciting day trips.

We went to Brighton and wandered the lanes, saw the sights, ate fish and chips and James kicked my sorry bum into oblivion on arcade games!

Look at the Royal Pavilion, it really does feel like you've entered a whole new continent.

Staying in London was also really great. We did lots of cycling around town and swimming in Lidos, brunches with brilliant people and spending time with my friend Antonia who is over from New York.
Oh Monday, did you really have to come so soon?

Flump

Hahaha!

by Dan Meth

Django Django

Django Django's single 'Waveforms' has had me humming along all week, it's SO good. They are doing a free single launch at the Shacklewell Arms tomorrow night which you should go to!

Cutting the mustard

Mustardy yellow is such a scrumptious colour. Renting a flat means not being able to paint, and all I want is to have a mustardy wall in this whitewash of rooms. I bought a mustard scarf instead! Here are some other items that definitely cut the mustard.

A design sponge makeover

What a spooky face, but a very nice hat. I like the copper bow too.

oooooooooooooooooh!

J.Crew have announced today that they will ship to the UK! I'm more than a little tempted by this jacket

Cable knit mustard socks are making me wish for a fire and some cosy pyjamas

Nice buttons, good fabric, great dress

Liberty Fabric II

Liberty Rocks!
Yes, you know my love of Liberty fabrics, but this isn't my revery - it is actually the name of their latest collection. The Liberty fabrics are inspired by musical decades and designed in house by Liberty as well as by artists and musicians such as Florence Welch. Take a peek:

Fabric by John Squire of The Stone Roses. It reminds me so much of my primary school library carpet.

After Edwyn Collins (from Orange Juice) had a stroke and lost the use of his right arm, he drew a bird every day as a rehabilitation exercise. His collection of drawings have been made into this amazing fabric.

Starry starry fabric named Adelajda, which is inspired by the 1940s.

My favourite Autumn/Winter Liberty fabric! Made in wool, it makes me think of all the cosy things I want to make for a winter in London. It is called Velvet Love Leaf and is inspired by 1980s hand painted album covers.

Dream holiday

Do you know the amazing glamping website canopy and stars? James and I stayed in a gypsy caravan in the Borders in the spring and it was the nicest holiday I've ever been on. They find the most beautiful places to stay in, from yurts to teepees, safari tents to old fire trucks! This is my dream holiday location with them:

It's a treehouse at Harptree Court. Bath in bedroom, bedroom in the sky. sigh.

How to make a rabbit pie - BFI archives

I've become a little obsessed with the British Film Institute archives. They are such a treasure chest of entertainment and information. Look at this one about making rabbit pie. Roll over Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood, this woman would make an excellent British Bake Off judge!

I've watched this one on the Peak District a few times too. 'Dirt. Smoke.' It makes me want to go hiking in the hills as though in the Famous Five.

Autumn fashion wish list

London is getting chilly! I was worrying about getting too hot and sweaty down here, but I needn't have feared! I am going to have to sweep the patio tonight as the leaves have started to collect at the door.
I do think autumn is beautiful, but I'm not ready to give up on summer just yet...I'm off to swim in a lido this evening to prove to myself that it's not THAT cold!
If it's as goosebumply as the north sea, I shall have these snuggly autumn fashion choices to fantasise about instead:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

1. Two tone Oxford shoes by Toast
2. Checked midi skirt by ASOS
3. Peacock coloured quartz necklace by etsy
4. 70s style fit and flare coat by ASOS
5. Dresden Coat by Toast


Actually, come on autumn. I like you!

Erika Spring (of Au Revoir Simone)

I love it when you wake up to an e-mail that makes you *super* excited. This morning I got a message from the very beautiful and talented Erika Spring from Au Revoir Simone. Anyone who knows me knows how much I love that band, and I think Erika's solo stuff is going to give me many hours of pleasure too.
Take a look at her first single - 'six more weeks', it's pretty special don't you think?

Buy it here

Erika is also on Twitter: @erica_spring and Facebook
                  

Interior Dreaming

Wouldn't this be fun? I dreamt of having something like this as a child, and am still dreaming...slides and stairs are my first purchase when I win the lottery!

This image and more adventurous photos here

Also, I keep thinking about this simple, fun and cheap idea for shelving. They are simply pallets! Oh, I do wish I lived on a farm again now!

Instructions here

Twin Peaks!

Since moving to London I've found out that a few friends haven't seen Twin Peaks (shock. horror.)

Tonight this will be rectified by a night of Twin Peaks and popcorn, and maybe some tweed skirts.
I have so many favourite wee moments and sayings that I know I'll be reciting for weeks, again!
I also totally love everything about Audrey which means I'll be looking for saddle shoes and wearing red lipstick:

Shoe heaven -

from Nick Drake tumblr

Tweed skirt -

from art deco girls

What do you love most about Twin Peaks?

I Break Horses

I've fallen out of touch with finding new music due to not doing the radio show with Toad, but this Swedish band have made me want to trawl for all things beautiful. They have recently done a bedroom session for Pitchfork that sounds like a mix between Beach House and Au Revoir Simone...you can't go wrong!

Here's the Winter Beats song in session, enjoy!

A pre-blonde Marilyn Monroe

Wow! I'd never seen her be anything but blonde, I think she looks amazing. I'm still sometimes tempted to bleach my hair, but I get too scared as I've been a brunette all my life. This photo makes me happy to be a scaredy cat!

Thanks to Another

Kakao by K

Karina, the Scandinavian wonder that brought Kakao by K to Edinburgh, has some beautiful things in store just now. I've moved to London now but if I was still up north I would be going and grabbing myself this amazing dress:

For work, for parties, to dress up to dress down. It makes me want to be partying in Paris in the 60s with smokey eye makeup and patent shoes. 

Formation Creation

I love the restrained crowd!

Yum

I hurt my neck yesterday and couldn't do much, so James and I had a night in with iplayer!
We decided on The Great British Bake Off, which my friend Mary told me to watch. Have you seen it?  It's SO GOOD!  (Also, there is a sweet baker with beautiful eyes to watch out for!)
In the one we watched last night, they had to bake different types of cakes, and they (mostly) looked so delicious. James said that he felt like he'd eaten lots of nice things just from watching it! One of their tasks was to create their own cupcakes that had a different flavour sponge to the topping. I saw this amazing recipe on Pinterest and I'm determined to make them this weekend, although I might need to get James to help me as I can't do much moving!

Photo from http://blogs.babble.com/

Send me some more cupcake suggestions please!

For the record

This is too amazing! Wouldn't it be perfect for sending a special message?

I do like: Catherine Lindow!

Hurray! At last you can check out Catherine's illustrations! Her website is up! and what a marvellous one it is! People and places, buildings and babies...I think they're all amazing.
Don't you wish you could live in a house like this sometimes?

I can't really complain about the weather over the last few weeks, but on Saturday we had a rainy day in a roulotte (more to follow) and it made me think of this one:

I also love all the children's ones...



Helter Skelter

I've had a busy old week this week, it feels that everyone has been flat out. There's been lots of excitement though!

Yesterday my aunt held a Beetle Drive, which became VERY competitive and full of energy (between the tea and cakes). I think we should bring back games sessions, it was such a nice way to spend a Saturday afternoon.



My first ever friend, Bryony had a baby last week. I can hardly believe it and felt totally overwhelmed when I saw pictures of her. I'm so happy for Raj and her...Welcome to the world beautiful Gracie!

Keeping with the baby theme, I saw this brilliant video of twin babies having a natter. Don't you wish you could join in?

(Thanks Norah!)

ALSO, look at this amazing idea so that even the smallest space can create a garden - VERTICALLY!

(Thanks Roz!)

It's called a whirligro and I want one! My mum has just moved into a new house and it only has a tiny space for growing things so maybe she will get one for a moving in present!

Happy start to the week everyone!

Rx