Ikea Stockholm

I wanted to share a favourite collection of mine, I like to pick and choose a selection of different pieces when furnishing my home and as most of you know I love to add vintage pieces, however the new IKEA STOCKHOLM collection that was launched in 2013 for me is simply spot on. A well designed high end range of pieces that can be mixed and matched and all work great together. I love to add colour in subtle ways using lamps, cushions and throws and I like the way the bright green and yellow sneak in.

Love Lemon x

Carley's Yard

Firstly I would like to welcome a sponsor on Love Lemon - Carley's Yard. It's great to start working with people and businesses that share my passions and I was very excited about this shop opening in Framlingham, Suffolk. Lots of people had told me about it and I was desperate to stop by. Well, I certainly was not disappointed. The building is beautiful and, inside, the exposed brick and wooden beams are the absolute perfect backdrop for some fabulous artwork by local artists, dramatic upcycled lamps and fantastic vintage and antique furniture. Not to mention the many handmade cards, jewellery, books and gifts.

Retro cool below; I could have bought the whole arrangement – perfect styling.

Some amazing reupholstered chairs

I fell in love with this beautiful leather bag with vintage fabric lining made locally by Nienke Jongsma at Vandertas:

Carley's Yard is also a stockist of Chalk Paint (TM) decorative paint by Annie Sloan for all your furniture painting projects. All colours are stocked and testers available. I can't wait to use this myself and it's great to have a stockist nearby.

Love Lemon x

Polaroid

I think I must of been around 9 or 10 years old when I got my first Polaroid camera. I loved it. Instant fun photos. I'm not sure what happened to that camera. Later I bought a Joycam which again was a lot of fun at university. Recently I found a Polaroid Land Camera in a local vintage shop. There were other Polaroid cameras too and I kept walking past the shop and admiring them all. The land camera 500 reminded me of my first Polaroid camera. I decided to buy it and hoped it would still work. It came in it's original box with an unopened box of very old film and a flash. I checked the film but as I had guessed it didn't work. In 2008 a team of people started The Impossible Project, a project creating new instant film for old cameras. I bought some online and as it was a beautiful sunny day here yesterday it seemed the perfect opportunity to try it out. 

Photo development takes some time and the photos need to be kept in darkness for best results. I am so pleased with how they turned out.

Not perfect but a reminder of how photos once looked. They feel special. 

I can't wait to take more.

Love Lemon x

A New Year

I hope everyone had a great Christmas. We have had lots of colds, coughs and sore throats here which hasn't been much fun but it was nice to spend Christmas at home with some amazing food thanks to my husband.

I have been reflecting on the past year and looking forward to the next. This year has been mostly about settling as a family of 4, moving to our new home by the sea and working the work/life balance. We have made a lot of changes, all of which have felt extremely beneficial. Our move to a new home by the sea was by far the biggest and has changed our lives. Having the sea at the end of the road has been pretty amazing not to mention the brilliant summer we have had. Our first family holiday and experience driving to France was a great success and we are now planning our next trip. Exercise has also been on our list this summer and I took up running while the Mr continued his passion and rides his bike several times a week. I always like to think about the year coming up and write out some goals and aims.

So 2014, goals and aims:

1. Crochet projects: Bed throw and 3 baby blankets on the list so far.
2. Improve on sewing skills - made easier with a dressmaking course I start in February - a Christmas present from my husband. I can't wait. I haven't made clothes since I was at school.
3. Painting projects - I have many but would love to at least get started. Bedside tables and TV cabinet up first.
4. Keep on running!
5. Write more blog posts and work with others - stylists, magazines and local companies.
6. I have also signed up to do The Big Blogging Bootcamp e-course in January.
7. Driving - I am not a confident driver so I would like to keep practising and doing some longer journeys.
8. Planning lots of family days out
9. Photography - improve skills, research, practise and use different formats including 35mm and polaroid.

What are your aims and goals?

Happy New Year to you all. I hope 2014 is a great year for you.

Love Lemon x

Have yourself a very Vintage Christmas

I don't know about you but I can't think about a home bar without thinking retro and chintz. I have come across some fantastic vintage drinks cabinets over the years. I love just checking out the way it works – some have lights, mirrors and all kinds of quirky goodness. It got me thinking about the Christmas season and hosting a party of your very own. Now I'm not saying you need to go and buy something like this but there are lots of ways to feel like a member of the Mad Men cast drinking sophisticated cocktails with your friends.

How amazing is this TV-turned-cocktail cabinet? I'm not sure you could get any more retro and it's a great way to upcycle.

So what are we missing?
Cocktail anyone? I had my first ever vodka martini in New York on my 21st birthday. Amazing – I will never forget it, although mostly for the experience as the drink itself was too strong for me!

Dry Martini
1 part french vermouth
5 parts gin
Mix in a tall glass with ice and strain into a cocktail glass with an olive for garnish

Manhattan:
2oz Whiskey
1oz Sweet vermouth
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
Pour all ingredients over ice in a mixing glass. Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry.

Something more Christmassy?
Brandy Alexander
1 1/2 oz Brandy
1 oz Dark creme de cacao
1 oz Half-and-Half
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Shake brandy, creme de cacao, and half-and-half with ice. Strain into a cocktail glass and sprinkle with nutmeg.

Snowball
Ice cubes
1 part Advocaat
3 parts lemonade
Lime juice
Fill a highball glass with ice, add Advocaat, lemonade and lime juice to taste.

Check out this site for a bit of history on the cocktail and some more recipes.

Of course, a cocktail tastes better in the right glass. My favourite are the vintage Babysham glasses, available from an Etsy seller but often found at vintage markets.

Canapes started out in the 1950s and 60's, so for our vintage party they are the perfect accompaniment to those glamorous cocktails. However, if we are to follow the theme the glamour may stop there – prawns with a cocktail dip, small cooked sausages, meat paste & pates on crackers, deviled eggs, ham rolls and cream cheese, and not forgetting a bit of cheese and pineapple. 

How stunning is this bar? The added vintage items complete the look. I have lusted after a pineapple ice bucket for some time now. How fabulous would this brass beauty look?

This was found on Ebay

There are some great plastic fruit ice buckets and vintage soda syphon bottles are easy to get hold of – I found one of mine at a vintage market and the other in a charity shop. Have a look on Ebay too; these honeycomb cocktail sticks would look great:

Find these on the Pipii website

Why not serve on a vintage party platter or serving dish like this very cool Orange one from Etsy:

Other ways to add a vintage feel to your party; tell your guests to dress up, add vintage fabric to tables, play records (not MP3s!), and use a drinks trolley or specified table with decanted alcoholic drinks or even a punch bowl.

Enjoy!

Love Lemon x

Pop of Colour

On these gloomy cold days I am often inspired by bright colours. I was recently inspired by this image from Rigby and Mac of their giant yellow angelpoise light.

I started to think of other ways to add that statement of colour. I found this amazing freestanding fireplace that was sold by an Etsy seller:

Stand out in the street with a colourfully painted front door like this one.

A bright sunny yellow fireplace

I am desperate to paint the chairs in my kitchen to add some colour, these look great:

How about adding a neon border to add some colour.

Source

A colourful armchair can warm up a neutral lounge:

Something as simple as colouful cushions or a statement lamp or rug can give you that pop of colour.

Love Lemon x

Little Yellow Birds

I enjoy shopping but with two boys it's not something I get to do a lot these days. Thank goodness for internet shopping and some great online stores – especially when it comes to products with a little something individual and one-off. I found Little Yellow Birds where I find most of these stores – through social media. Little Yellow Birds has so many wonderful products to choose from and something I always like to see – a lot of colour!

So when I was asked to do a review for them I jumped at the chance and chose some gorgeous Cable and Cotton lights in a Morocco colour combination.

Well, not only was the product itself just what I imagined – a quality product with a reasonable price tag – but the delivery was speedy and the packaging was a delight. I was expecting wrapping like most shops offer, online stores included, but I must say I do love packaging and I adored the bright yellow fabric bag that came with my goodies. It felt just like getting a present.

I chose lights to add some colour to the rather dark and gloomy fireplace in our living room that is blocked and therefore not used. It needed something and I wanted it to be fun; candles would look lovely but with young children aren't an option. I bought a wicker planter a while ago and had the idea to cover it in some form of lighting and place in the fireplace. The Cable and Cotton lights are just perfect and add so much to the once bare space. I have lots of yellow, orange, turquoise and green in my living room, so these colours really complement it.

Tip: I used very thin plastic coated wire that I picked up at my local DIY store to hold the lights in place.

Love Lemon x

Disclosure: I was asked to review a product from Little Yellow Birds, please note that all opinions are my own and the product was selected to suit my blog and readers.