Lights of my Life

I recently bought 2 new lampshades. I have been searching for the right shade for a vintage base I bought a while back. Another great purchase from All Mod Cons.

I found the perfect shade on the Jorja Wilkinson Design site, I got in touch and asked if I could have the 'poppy' pattern in a bright orange colour. I am so pleased with this shade. It's a modern design but all Georgia's designs are influenced by the wallpaper and ceramics of the 1960's so it felt like the perfect match for my vintage base.

I also spotted a shade for a base I had in the bedroom that I had also been looking for. I love this repeat pattern, it's called Fizz and goes perfectly in the bedroom.

Love Lemon x

What Katy did next....

So here we are 11 weeks after I gave birth to our gorgeous baby boy. It feels like a lifetime ago, yet we are still settling into things and getting to know the new member of our family. Although bath & bedtimes are still what I call 'meltdown' time we are managing to get out of the house slightly quicker and generally getting used to being a family of 4!

I have managed to fit in a break to London to have some time off and see my closest friend for a catch up as well as seeing my family. It was a great weekend. I even managed to visit Spitalfields market and browse the vintage stalls after a great breakfast at The Breakfast Club.

On the crochet front, I have managed to make 2 snoods as presents for my friend and sister in law. I wanted to have a go at using a bigger crochet hook and wool. I haven't exactly got loads of time to spare with a new baby and toddler but I managed to make these in no time and really loved the chunky wool. I used Sirdar Big Softie which is a really soft, snuggly wool.

I found an easy to follow pattern (I am a BIG fan of easy to follow patterns) on Carly's blog. I decided to use a bigger 12mm hook for mine and a cheaper option to Rowan Big Wool as I mentioned and I just made them to the desired width.

I also finished off my second baby blanket as a present for friends who had their baby girl a few weeks ago. I loved working with these bright colours.

I am now desperate to learn more crochet and improve my understanding of patterns. I am working on setting up a local crochet, knitting and sewing group to hopefully learn more and share my skills.

Love Lemon x

Vintage Market Sep 12

A few weeks back now I went to yet another great vintage market here in Suffolk, this time in Woodbridge. It was such a lovely sunny day to browse the stalls.

I bought 2 items pretty soon after I arrived. A bright red vanity case, with gorgeous purple lining in great condition.

I also bought this vintage metal tray, I really liked the pretty floral pattern and although I was originally looking for a square tray this actually goes well in the corner of my kitchen.

I wanted to share a few tips on vintage shopping that I like to follow, I hope these are helpful...

1. Have an idea in your head of some items you need/want for your home before you go to any markets/shops. I could so easily get carried away with ornaments and fabric when what I really need is some storage or a mirror.
2. There are a variety of prices for vintage items, I always have a budget and try my best to stick to it.
3. Check for marks/stains etc. Vintage items are used and can have some marks and signs of ware and for me this adds to the character but be sure to check that it's not too worn or marked for your liking.
4. Check sizes of furniture/curtains/fabric/mirrors so that they fit in the space you have in mind. I made the mistake of not measuring up for some curtains I needed meaning I missed out on a great vintage pair recently. If you want to make something with vintage fabric then have an idea of how much you need. For example for a cushion a 45cmx45cm would be enough for a 40cm cushion and you could also use a plain fabric for the back if there isn't enough.

Let me know of any great finds and markets you have been to recently.

Love Lemon x

Baby Boy

As some of you may know from me mentioning on here and twitter I was due on September 10th and my baby boy arrived at 2:17am on the 11th. We are thrilled to have him here and loving being a family of 4 now. I had a quick labour and gave birth in water, I was very pleased to have the birth I wanted this time!

Meet baby Joe:

I am taking a few weeks to get used to my new role of mum of two boys! I have lots of post ideas and looking forward to sharing some vintage finds from a recent vintage market I visited so I will be back soon, wish me luck!

Love Lemon x

Love & Heart Hoops

I know embroidery hoops are becoming more and more popular for displaying work and fabrics, I really like the look of them.

So I bought 3 small hoops with the idea to group them together. I stuck with a love and hearts theme and used mostly black, white and red to go in the bedroom. I really like how these look on the wall:

It's such an easy way to add some colour and detail to a wall. I like the idea of just grouping some brightly coloured fabrics or personalising some with letters for gifts too, it feels like the options of colours, sizes and ways to use these are endless.

Has anyone else used these at home in a similar way? Here is a great example on Pinterest.

I have linked up with the Pinaddicts, check out what others have been making this month here.

Love Lemon x

Craft Projects Sep 12

This weekend I have been working on completing a few craft projects on my list. Of course there are always more ideas and projects floating around my head but for now I am going to relax before baby comes and it may be some time before I get a chance to dust off the sewing machine again while I get to grips with being a mum of 2!

This week I have also been doing lots of washing of tiny clothes and blankets ready for baby too.

My first project was to complete some bunting I wanted to put up in the dining area, I decided against curtains as I love looking out onto the garden and we aren't overlooked but the window needed something and I really like the colour the bunting adds:

I then made a cushion for the sofa bed in the boys room after finding this great moped fabric. I did the back in a bright red with white stars. My little boy seems to love it:

I know I promised a tutorial on how to make cushion covers. I will get around to it but for now this is a good one to use Cushion Cover Tutorial.

I know some of you will of seen this already, I was so pleased to take part in this months Style at Home magazine, I made a few comments and tips on some of the articles and had a little photo in there, it was really nice to have my name in print and give some advice and comments on interiors. I would love to do more.

Love Lemon x

Quirky Interiors

On our recent week away to Norfolk we stayed in a friend of a friends house. The house was packed full of nick nacks and themed rooms, vintage wallpaper, fabrics, mirrors and prints on the wall and bright colours. Every surface full of odds and ends, stones from the beach, vintage ornaments, handcrafted items and candles. Even the kitchen had a bright red vintage oven and retro shelving units. It was inspiring but also very manic!

It got me thinking about interiors and quirky styles. For me the house was a nice holiday home and I loved some bits, particularly the Paddington Bear bedding in the kids rooms that was exactly the same as I used to have as a kid, however I'm not really sure I could live there full time?

I have always been a bit of a tidy freak, I like things to have a place and I don't like clutter. However I love pretty vintage things and lots of colour and I feel like my style has changed a lot over the years. I wouldn't ever say I liked bare walls or sideboards but I always kept it limited to a few key pieces. Now I just want to fill my home with pretty colourful things, fill the walls with prints and bright colours and use fabrics and blankets to add texture and colour to sofas and armchairs. These days I find myself buying vintage or retro inspired items for my home that add a lot more colour and interest.

I love this poster inspired by vintage Scandinavian design by Jan Skacelik, you can buy this along with loads of other great posters from his Etsy shop.

The quirky house in Norfolk certainly got me thinking and inspired me not to be too concerned about clutter and think of all the pretty things and collected items along the way that can really make your home individual and unique. Pictures and photos of places once visited and people you love. Collected items that always make you smile. Handmade crochet blankets and bright fabric cushions that invite you onto the sofa.


Here are a few other inspiring interiors that I found online, firstly showing particular love for Danish design again:

Lots of colour, texture and prints on the wall, yet this room still looks fresh and everything perfectly placed. See more of this home from What We Do.

I also love the feeling of luxury and glamour in this vintage styled interior:

Photo

I saw these on Indecora online magazine, great quirky style and vintage pieces.

I also have a Vintage Interiors board on Pinterest where I collect inspiring photos.

Love Lemon x

Vintage Market Aug 12

I visited a vintage market on Sunday at Snape Maltings. So many very lovely pretty things. I could of spent a small fortune. It was another Deben Event and there were lots of stalls including handmade, upcycled and vintage. A great mixture of interesting things, I could wonder around looking at all the bits and pieces for hours.

I was on the look out for some crochet blankets, I am enjoying making my own but feel it may be some time after baby is born before I completed a full size blanket. So here are a couple I picked up:

I love the bright colours against the black.

This is a large blanket which will go in the boys room.

I also picked up this gorgeous Danish pot for just £6, and love and pattern and colours:

Lastly I bought this original tile made in Suffolk in 1967 for just £1:

Have you visited any vintage markets recently? I would love to hear about your finds.

Love Lemon x

Norfolk Holiday Thrifting

Hello!

I hope everyone had a good week. We had a little holiday in Norfolk with family which was lovely. Mostly involving ice creams, BBQ's on the beach, huddling in the beach hut with cups of tea when it rained, visiting seaside towns in Norfolk and riding on the steam train. It was a nice relaxed week and I even spent some time checking out some great shops and doing a bit of thrifting. I'm always on the look out for a vintage treasure or 2!

So here are a few holiday snaps and my holiday thrifty finds:

The lovely Norfolk beach where we spent lots of time

The very pretty station at Sherringham and on the steam train.

We got the train to a lovely place called Holt, where we came across some great antique shops:

I bought a wicker basket, I have been after one for a while and wanted something big enough to store some of the babies sheets and blankets.

I also found this lovely vintage bag (£4) and dress (£7):

A vintage Laura Ashley skirt (£4)

I picked up these for £2 each at a carboot sale 

Love Lemon x

Baby Blanket

My very own baby blanket! I am feeling a bit chuffed about completing this over the weekend. I am fairly new to crochet and have only ever completed smaller projects, I decided to expand my granny square into an entire blanket after some encouragement and great tips from the lovely people on Instagram! 

Back in January I started the granny a day challenge but I lost track and couldn't seem to catch up. I felt like the granny square baby blanket was a much better project for me. I would work on it every day and  loved seeing it grow in size. It was made even more special knowing I was making the blanket for my baby due in September. 

I chose red, white, blue and navy Rico creative cotton yarn. 

Love Lemon x

Liebster Award

I have been nominated for a Liebster Award! An award for bloggers with less than 200 followers. Well what a nice idea and how very lovely of A Girl I Know to nominate me! I feel very honoured indeed.

So here are the rules:
1. Each person must post 10 things about themselves
2. Answer the questions the tagger has set for you plus create 11 questions for the people you've tagged
3. Choose 10 people and link them in your post
4. Go to their page and tell them
5. Remember no tag backs!

Ok so from the start, 10 things about me:
1. I was once on Big Breakfast with other people with the surname Lemon or Orange. I met Zig and Zag.
2. I love nothing more than going out dancing. I hardly ever do it these days but I love it.
3. On my wedding day my husband and I managed to lose our wedding certificate
4. I am NOT a morning person
5. I have 2 brothers
6. I am slightly addicted to Instagram
7. I love marmite
8. I am never happy with my hair colour/style
9. I wish I could live in a hot country so we could all eat outside every day
10. I can't drive and I'm 31! oops.

Questions from the tagger A Girl I know:
1. Ever been to a fancy dress party and if so what did you go as?
I haven't but if I did I think I would go as a lemon
2. Do you have any OCD tendencies?
Yes, definitely. I do like a tidy house and things in their place but I guess all that will have to change with 2 boys!
3. What is the worst outfit you have ever worn?
I used to have these tight white trousers that I wore with a sparkly cropped top, I hate looking at the photos now! I had quite a few bad outfits back at uni.
4. If you had to do karaoke what would be your ultimate karaoke song?
Cyndi Lauper - Time After Time _ I sang it on Singstar once and wasn't actually too bad.
5. If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life what would it be?
Italian style - parma ham, mozzarella, olives and crusty bread - love it.
6. What is your greatest fear?
Illness in my family.
7. As a kid what did you want to be when you grew up?
Thanks to Kylie I always wanted to be a famous pop star.
8. Name 3 favourite films?
Tricky. I think it would have to be Leon, Secrets & Lies and Little Miss Sunshine
9. If you could go back in time, where would you go and why?
It would have to be the 60's America, with those amazing dresses and big hair.
10. Name 3 things you like about yourself.
I like my eyes especially now my little boy has the same eyes! I would also say I like my feet, I have a tattoo on one foot of 2 stars that I had done after I got married. I like that I can always make my husband laugh.

My questions for the people I tag (below) are:
1. Where in the world would you most like to visit?
2. What song always makes you want to get up and dance?
3. What was your favourite cartoon as a kid?
4. What is your favourite room in your home and why?
5. What is your most treasured piece of jewellery and why?
6. What was your best holiday and why?
7. What is your favourite quote/lyric?
8. What is your favourite book?
9. Which item can you not be without on a daily basis?
10. Are you a tea or coffee person?
11. What was the last film you watched?

The people/blogs I love to read and think deserve a Liebster award are:
1. Feisty Tapas
2. Lemons for Lemonade
3. Poppy Lauren Vintage
4. Meanjar
5. Tales from Mount Pleasant
6. With You in Mind
7. Lavender Attic
8. Cherry Coloured Twist
9. The Savvy Crafter
10. The Custards

I hope you can take part.
Love Lemon x

Cool Stuff for Boys

I am searching again for cool, vibrant things for my little boys room. We are expecting another boy in September so the room will eventually be for them both to share. I wrote a post back in October with some boys room ideas. I wanted to re visit these ideas and look for more now that my little boy has moved to a bigger room and will have a brother to share it with.

I have lots of things to share with you and anyone like me struggling when it comes to boys and looking for more than just pale blue! 

I really liked the bright colours in this boys room, it was very inspiring and a great starting point for my search:

I particularly like the mix of so many different bright colours and the large print above the bed. I also love the blackboard table and stools. I couldn't find the table and stools online to buy but it would be so simple to buy some chalkboard paint and make one of you own. I wrote some information on chalkboard paint to use in this post back in October.

I like the name by the bed and think this is a great idea if you have 2 sharing, a name above each bed:

These name wall stickers are just £5 each letter.

There are so many wall stickers to choose from that really add some fun to kids bedrooms. I particularly like these ones:

Space Invaders!

Robots!

Or a retro style framed picture, like this very sweet Lion print:

If you have the space inside or out these teepee's for kids are great, I know my little boy would love a den of his own like this:

I came across some great accessories for boys rooms, I love the Cath Kidston cowboys print which you can buy bedding, cushions, wallpaper and towels or buy the fabric yourself and make your own bits. 

I also found this vibrant cloud curtain:

There is also bedding and wallpaper in this cloud pattern.

The orange used in this bedroom looks great:

I found this on an American site but found similar robot bedding (see below) which you could add an orange quilt to like the room above:

Of course I like to look for some vintage bits to add, I often see vintage desks and chairs when out thrifting. Here is a great vintage desk:

I also came across a great website Molly Meg that sell some truly individual vintage and modern furniture for kids and retro toys too. I love this red 70's chair:

If you have any great websites or your very own inspring boys rooms please share!

Love Lemon x