Washed Up Glamour...

I'm not sure when I'll next write a blog post that doesn't start with "Apologies for the lack of posting...", things just seem to have been super busy since finishing Uni 7 weeks ago. BUT I am finished with my placement at Gillian Arnold and now I'm looking forward to getting stuck into my own projects.

SO I thought it could be a good idea to run my ideas by you guys, put the feelers out there so to speak, and kill two (or three) birds at the same time.

The summer months are not made to be decorating so I will be concentrating more on accessorising and pulling themes together until were all feeling a little more inclined to stay inside and stake out the paint brushes.

First things first I'm going to be spending today gearing myself up to get stuck into uni work next week, (I am planning to have a very productive few days, lets see how that works out!). I've been thinking about concepts and themes for a while but haven't had the chance to get down to business. 

I'M THINKING OF "WASHED UP GLAMOUR" (Title is a work in progress!)

I'm imagining a concept around the idea of how things change over time and the effects that the sea has on once very beautiful things, in particular bird feathers (I seem to have a new found obsession with bird feathers, you'll see when I elaborate and in the next post). Running parallel to this I'm thinking of how life does the same to us, and how peoples aesthetic and behavior changes as we age - sounds deep I know, but my Nana was THE MOST GLAMOROUS PERSON I EVER MET. God love her, she is ageing, her mind is not the same, her eyes are failing her and she struggles to pull off the immaculacy she once had - she does still manage her lipstick and copper/ red wig everyday though!!! I really wanted to make this project personal so thought what better way that to use my glamour puss Gran as concept colour palette inspiration!

Picture seaside textures, scrawny seagull feathers, mangled driftwood HIT UP WITH HUGE DOSES OF DEEP RUBY RED, EMERALD GREEN, AND SUMPTUOUS PURPLES, PEPPERED WITH MONOCHROME, ART DECO, AND DRAPED IN COSTUME JEWELLERY.

This concept needs a lot of work, but I really want to take the 'seaside' theme and throw it in a cocktail glass! My seaside surroundings have a big impact on me and I love that, but I get tired of seeing the same old stuff, especially interiors products, does anyone else feel that way? Whitewashed, blue striped and shell laden is not what I'm picturing here guys, this will be seaside with a difference.

While I work on my own mood board (which takes more time than you imagine!), here is my pick of the best home accessories to fit this theme if you like the sound of it - would perk up a bathroom or bedroom perfectly if you ask me!

P.S I am writing this post under the will of a reader whom I met out yesterday evening. I still feel surprised and sometimes even embarrassed when people approach me to tell me they enjoy my blog, it's such a lovely feeling to know that people are reading it let alone enjoy reading it. So I would like to thank you all and will hopefully continue to provide you with more content and easy reading! HAPPY SUNDAY, I'm off to the beach! ! XOXO

P.P.S Posts to come include:

OWN PROJECT WORK IN PROGRESS

CRAIGS DECKING PROJECT NEARS COMPLETION

LIGHTING LOW DOWN

House reno. PART I...

Sorting through some photos on my mac I came across some 'before' snaps of the house. So for those of you who don't know, we've been busy renovating our house - its not been lots of major, structural stuff but still its been a bit of a long haul. Seeing these pics makes me realise just how much we've done, it definitely feels rewarding. We are almost there so more pics will follow, but in the mean time here's the living room and conservatory snaps...

The living room before we started, when we moved in we stripped a load of bright pink flock wall paper, and paired it right back. we opted for paper on one wall to compliment the natural colour of the  original fireplace. We ripped up 13 year old Karndean flooring and lived with painted floor boards for the 1st year, which I really quite liked at the time but looking back it was all a bit pale.

Then after about a year we made the decision to add a log burner, the house is pretty cold and with the conservatory being all glass its almost unusable in the winter. After a few domestic tifs about where the burner would go and getting past the complications of the glass roof , I finally got my own way and we decided to go for a through and through burner (means it is open in both sides), and we knocked through from the living room into the conservatory. My advice to anyone doing anything similar would be question the obvious. To me, this comes pretty natural, I question EVERYTHING, but my husband wasn't getting it and I was starting to feel a little ganged up on by men to say the least.

STICK TO YOUR GUNS. Yeah it cost a little more, but to me if I couldn't have it how I pictured then it wasn't worth having at all. Both my husband and the fitter were making faces when I asked if it was a possibility, but as soon as I heard him say "It's more difficult, but yeah", I snapped it right up! Don't just do things cos' it's the norm or cos it's all that your workman is capable of, if you visualise something in a certain way, PIPE UP and don't settle for less until you know that it's absolutely IMPOSSIBLE.

A stud chimney breast had to be built on the lounge side in order to create room for the chimney to be diverted away from the glass roof and out to the house roof.

We (I say we...Craig), knocked out the brick under the window, when we had new windows fitted through the house, we opted for French doors here. The idea here is that one day we will build a balcony along the back of the house...one day!

DRUMROLL....TA DAHHH!!!!....

 In the conservatory besides the log burner I'd say the game changer has been painting the mahogany woodwork. It's really lifted the space as well as modernising it at the same time. The walls look so bare on these photos and were crying out for a coffee table or ottoman in this space but I'm holding out to find 'the one'.

So were obviously not totally finished, the most important touches are still yet to be added but like Craig keeps telling me, we can collect those over the years we plan to be here. Like the conservatory the lounge walls still feel so bare and we definitely need some rugs going on. And like Abigail Ahern keeps on telling us, there should be way more lighting in this room- we do have a dimmer though so that's a bonus ;) Keep reading for updates on our very own house reno. and please feel free to comment ;) XOXO.

Decorators notebook...

Good morning, today I'm sharing a shopping spot, if you're hunting for lovely home wares and have an ethical conscience, look no further than Decorators Notebook. The brother sister partnership that created this unique little online shop search the globe for unusual handmade items made by real artisans, then they make it easy for you to buy them by bringing them altogether in one place.
http://www.decoratorsnotebook.co.uk
Products range from textiles to accessories to kitchenwares along with loads more gorgeous stuff. If you are always on the hunt for beautiful things, you definitely should give this place a look - if not only to sign up to their newsletter to assist their pledge to give children across the world a better education ( they donate one exercise book to UNICEF for every one person to sign up!!!- isn't that brilliant!) Head on over and shop til you drop, in the mean time here are my fave picks...

Double sided picture frames in a copper finish from £12.95 - I'm desperate for these for my hallway, thinking of making a gallery wall and these would be perfect with photos swell as memory clippings we've collected. 

Kenyan Basket collection from £18 - every room needs a basket, or three! baskets are useful little things that can be used for just about anything and will instantly ground a space and make it feel cosy and warm. These have the added bonus of being hand woven so your's would be completely different to the next shoppers!

Woodfired terracotta cups from £9.95. I am just desperate for some rustic ware like these ever since attending Abigail Ahern's design masterclass (www.abigailahern.org) and being served up gorgeous coffee in equally gorgeous little cups like these - made the coffee taste even better! 

Finally I couldn't miss this feather print cushion as I'm feather mad at the minute! It's neutral pallette and subtle design makes it a quirky little addition to any style of seating. It's a bargain in the sale at £30!

http://www.decoratorsnotebook.co.uk
XOXO.

That FRIDAY FEELING...my working week in pictures

Morning!

It feels so good to have made it to FRIDAY, we break up for Easter today and I have to say I've worked hard this week to be able to enjoy a little break - it feels so good to be organised and up to date with my time schedule.
This week has mainly consisted of dyeing fabric using the heat press and transfer paints and then screen printing onto them, this will hopefully mean I can sample some embellishment and finishes over the holidays ready to come back and piece it all together on my final piece - a large hanging chair that will be fully covered in layers fabric feathers of mixed sizes and techniques! Heres my week in pics, happy weekend guys. XOXO

 Heat transfer dyes painted onto large sheets of paper - started  with cartridge only to realise it was too thick so then moved onto using newsprint- this worked much better giving truer colour finishes on my polyester fabric.

 After all of my fabric was dyed, I spent time planning what print techniques would be used on each separate metre of fabric. This meant I could be organised when it came to printing and just rattle off exactly what I wanted :)

 Playing with foil glue...

 ...and devore paste to burn away fibres from the fabric...

 On this goretex fabric I was sampling, the more rubbery side gave a deeper colour. I wasn't expecting to use this side but I will now. It will also add another dimension of sheen to the layers of different fabrics.

oooh I just love the heat press! Here I painted EAGLE FEATHERS with heat transfer dyes, the popped them under polyester crepe de chine and through the heat press for 45 second and...VOILA!!! A gorgeous translucent looking feather print ...Happy days!

And here is the result of a crazy busy week! almost 450 screen printed feathers down, and a workbay that I can't physically sit at! T.G.I FRIDAY!