My Trip to London

We have been living in the country for 4 months now after moving from London and last week I was commuting to London for a week for some training, it felt nice to be back, nice to have some time to myself and catch up with friends and family and to see London at Christmas. I do miss it. Here are some highlights:

A large knitted 'O' in Argyll Street's Oasis store

Christmas window displays

Such an amazing collection of brightly coloured fabrics , I could spend hours in the Liberty haberdashery department

I loved these London patches by Jennie Maizels 

Amazing detail on these London Skyline cushions in Liberty

I loved looking around at all the tea sets, lots of vintage and these gorgeous cup and saucers with my initials!

Lots of sparkle in the Liberty window displays, loving the hot air balloons

I always preferred the Christmas lights on Carnaby street, a little bit more low key 

It did feel nice to get on that last and rather hectic train on Friday night and come home. To wake up and be able to spend a nice day with my family in the country relaxing. Then it was time to get my house back in order and organised for Christmas. So much still left to do but I am really looking forward to seeing lots of friends and family this week on the lead up to the big day!

I hope you all have a great time!

Love Lemon x

Christmas Goodies

We have a tree! Yes in November. Early I know but since moving to the country Christmas has seemed all that more exciting and festive. As a family we went to what can only be described as a barn of magical sparkle. Redhouse Barn is surrounded by fields of Christmas trees and you can even visit their reindeers. A great place to see Father Christmas or just browse the many decorations whilst sipping some spiced hot apple. We always like to buy a real tree and I can honestly say this years is looking the best yet. We even managed a Chevy Chase moment as we strapped the tree to the top of the car, it was possibly one of the windiest days too so an interesting drive home!
Every year I try to add to the collection of decorations, here are this years:

I was looking at last years table for inspiration:

This year I think less of the silver stars and more white sparkle snowflakes.

An easy festive crafty project is to use fabric to make a gift bag for any bottles you give away this year. So easy, just measure a piece of fabric using a standard sized bottle. Then sew the edges or cut with pinking shears and sew the 2 edges and the bottom together, making sure you sew them inside out, then turn the right way and pop your bottle in, use some ribbon to tie at the top.

I also wanted to add this, my favourite decorative find online at notonthehighstreet.com

Charley Harper 1922-2007
"I don't try to put everything in. I try to leave everything out"

Vintage Art

I was first introduced to vintage travel posters and artwork when my uncle gave me 2 postcards of Whitley Bay, a beach town near Newcastle where I spent some of my childhood and where some of my family still live. I love the use of such vibrant colours and graphical elements. The artwork was produced in the 1950's for British Railway attracting people to visit Whitley Bay.

I found more vintage posters like these available and so many were in an Art Deco style. A style I have always found inspiring for it's simplicity and graphical looking pattern. I used an Art Deco pattern for my wedding stationary, simple and elegant.

Essex born Peter Kelly produced many colourful cityscape posters

 

I love the idea of using this vintage art in the home, having posters of places you have visited that hold special memories. I found most of the prints I like at art.co.uk in a range of sizes, they have a large collection of Vintage Art to choose from.

Love Lemon x

All in a day...

I went out for the day with my mum and my little boy last week. Despite raining all morning the sun came out so we headed for the coast to Thorpeness in Suffolk.

We found another little gem called Emporium that sells collectibles, antiques and crafts. It was full of so many lovely things, all at reasonable prices. I picked out an ottoman for my mum who I have been giving interior design advice to for her new home and it was only £25. I am going to look for some pretty pale blue fabric to re cover it. I also found a few nice Christmas pressies to get me started. The place seemed to be full to the brim with jewellery, crockery, books, vintage clothes, enamel kitchenware and furniture. I even spotted a favourite of mine, an old school desk with lid. It was only £10! I will definitely be heading back soon.

I saw these Teapots outside a cafe. What a great idea.

Such a relaxing place to visit, we watched the swans on the meare and had hot roast beef sandwiches for lunch.

On the way home the sun was setting on a lovely day had by all.

Love Lemon x

Baking and Making

A very busy weekend this time, spent with my family. Feeling very refreshed and relaxed today. This morning I am off to the auction to see what treasures they have. I keep seeing a caravan for sale and dream about doing it up. I loved this campervan makeover on Junkaholique

This weekend I made some heart shaped scones (I don't have a round cutter!!), which were of course served with jam and clotted cream - amazing! So easy to make, here is a recipe from Delia

My sister in law got me these great vintage milk bottles with adverts on, bought in an antiques shop in East Dulwich.

I also really like old vintage sweetie jars and these mini milk bottles are really sweet

Dotcomgiftshop sell these 6 bottles for £8.95


This week I also had a play with some washi tape, I know I am completely behind the times with this, however I think it's brilliant stuff! Such a cheap way to add your own detail, my plain white jug from Ikea looked so much nicer with this patterned blue tape:

There are lots of ideas out there for Washi tape, Super Lovely have some great tutorials. I tried their idea of using Washi tape on pegs, a very simple idea but I think I will make a load of these for Christmas cards to be pegged around the house:

 

Right I must go and make some Halloween cupcakes and carve my pumpkin!

Love Lemon x

Happy Monday

Well after an extremely uneventful weekend I thought a collection of the things that make me smile were in order. A husband with work to do and a sick little boy meant no family outings, however I did manage to check out some very inspiring blogs, since starting this blog I have enjoyed discovering all the very talented people out there. So here are a few things I love.

You can't beat homemade soup and fresh bread, my favourite is mushroom

I like to add Thyme to my mushroom soup

Flowers from the garden

Charity shop treasures

This placemat for 75p is perfect for my Ikea carafe

These fabrics are so pretty, now all I need is the perfect project for them

I'm very much a beginner at crochet but I really enjoy it so I'm trying to make time to teach myself more and more and practice lots. I would love to make a family blanket to cosy up with, maybe for next winter.

This week I am hoping to make some scones, practice doing some more crochet granny squares and have a play with the Washi tape I bought recently.

What keeps you smiling?

Love Lemon x

Little Gem 22/10

I love finding a one off shop full of treasures at reasonable prices - a little gem! Through my blog I hope to introduce you to some of the places I find making this a regular feature.

This week I went to Vintage Forty Six in Wickham Market, Suffolk. It's a very lovely shop with a range of antiques including a selection of sewing boxes, lots of jewellery, kitchenware and furniture including this stunning retro piece:

Some very individual and interesting things to be found to add some vintage to your home.

An added bonus is the little cafe attached to the shop which I thought was a great idea. Homemade sandwiches, soups and cakes are served. I loved the chapel chairs and antique furniture in the cafe too and the kitchen area in the middle makes it feel very homely.

Please share any little gems of your own.

Love Lemon x

Going, going....gone!

This week has been all about vintage, retro and antiques. Lovely stuff!

I do love a teapot, I really liked the retro print one in the middle

I went along to the auction house near where I live for my first taste of an auction. The first step is to go at the weekend and have a look at everything that will be up for sale the following Monday. Everything is laid out in these huge barns and numbered. You collect a catalogue and make a note of anything you want to bid on.

The colours and design were so pretty on this dinner set

There were so many interesting things to look at: old cameras, sewing machines, typewriters, record players and lots of furniture including some lovely retro sideboards and 1940s wardrobes. So much to see; almost too much to take in really. I have always liked vintage furniture but it was lovely to see the mechanical and early electronic pieces too – none of these sleek modern pieces of plastic with their hidden mechanisms.  The Singer sewing machine was just beautiful – if only I had somewhere to put such things.

What a great old Philips record player

So. Monday came and I settled myself in front of the auctioneer's stand worried I was a bit small and might not be seen. I then suddenly became aware that any move I made might be seen and taken as a bid. I tried my best to be still and study the action around me. It was good fun to watch and all happened so quickly. When it came to items I wanted to bid for I became incredibly nervous. I tried to copy what I'd seen from the other, mostly male, auction goers around me and managed to pick up a retro formica table and two chairs for a fiver and a cute chair for my little boy! I was thrilled. I am going again next week for a much needed wardrobe.

The great thing is that every week there are different items for sale and different people bidding, so you just don't know what will take your eye and you might be up against!

Very exciting stuff and I can't wait to go back. I think my husband is worried I might spend a small fortune!

Here is the Formica table and 2 chairs I bought for just £5!

There are auction rooms across the country, why not see where your nearest one is and see what you can find. Please add your stories/auction rooms below.
Love Lemon x

My One Day to Myself....

I took this photo a few weeks ago, I love living closer to the sea

My day would go something like this....

....scrambled eggs and coffee for breakfast sitting outside one of the little restaurants in St Christophers place watching the world go by. A browse around the shops, maybe picking up some lovely haberdashery and fabric in Libertys and some vintage finds from Kingly Court.

Then head out to the Suffolk countryside, stopping at the beach to sit on the sand dunes with a picnic of parma ham, olives and crusty bread and a nice glass of red as I watch the sunshine twinkle on the sea.

Then to a country spa resort for a facial and massage and relaxing swim in the pool. Heading up to my luxury hotel room to relax with a book for an hour before ordering some steak for dinner to have while watching a film I haven't seen yet like Bridesmaids. Finished off with a nice glass of wine on the balcony looking out to the stars.


Thanks to Brit Mums for this blog prompt.

Love Lemon x