Autumn springs eternal

For some reason the flowers on my balcony are in full bloom.

While the flowers that were left out on the terrace are not so happy looking (but getting better now they've spent a couple of weeks on the balcony)

Also, WTF?

I transplanted it into my Orlay Kiely planter (thank you for the cutest birthay present Suuuz!) 

Now it's happy as Larry. However happy he is. Will it live through the winter? We're about to find out.

This is halloween

Bring out the corny decor!!

 I don't like halloween really, but I'll take any excuse to break out my candelabra and pretend my bunnies are ghosts.

It's not that I can't spell, just that I didn't have an 'I'. You can still pronounce it "evil" though.

 Bunny ghost is saying OOOOOOh!

On a totally unrelated note, I'd like to say that I hate woodworm. Woodworm are the new giant spiders. Except they eat away at your beloved furniture while you're not looking, while spiders are freaky in an obvious way.

Pin up your dreams

This week I was particularly struck by this little pin: 

Found here

A reminder to keep working for what I really want, as well as a reminder that I've been drifting aimlessly for too long.

Found here 

 

Time for a change of scenery. I don't actually mind where we go. 

Found here

 

 I just need to add a bit of sparkle to my morning coffee.

Found here

I can see it already...

There's a hole in my pocket

At least this birthday money seems to be burning one in it. I'm notoriously carefuly with my money, but when I was browsing one of my morning blogs and came across this lovely banner:

I couldn't resist taking a small look...and within about 20 seconds I had found something I absolutely needed!

Not only was it on sale, but I had 50% off shipping! To France! I didn't even know West Elm shipped to France! And you have to admit, 9 beans is very cheap for a nice little ombre rug to put my cold feet on in the morning when I get out of bed. 

So I crossed my fingers and hoped that shipping wouldn't be triple the price of the rug...

Luckily it was only twice the price of the rug! So I went for it! After all, €30 is less than I would expect topay for that kind of rug over here, regardless of the fact that I wouldn't even know where to find one. 

More photos in 5 to 9 business days!!!!

Yay for my first West Elm purchase!! I feel like a real grown-up capitalist!

Birthday (sur)prises

As usual I was spoiled rotten and I would like to thank my friends, my family, and my Pinterest wishlist for all these lovely gifts! Let's focus on some of the more design-oriented items I am now the proud owner of:

Only now am I realising that most of these things come from Anthropologie. I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with that shop. I want everything they sell yet I'm often disappointed by the mad prices and the poor workmanship of their smaller items. This time around I'm quite happy with everything except maybe the push pins, one of them was broken when it got here and from the online review I've gathered that it wasn't an exception. Oh well, I love them anyway! Can't wait to find/make an inspiration board!!

And in case you were wondering, 28 isn't too old to be fond of bunnies. I checked. 

Treasure hunt part 5: mapped out

Bet you've been wanting to know what this rolled up paper was, eh? Well not a vintage treasure map pinched off a pirate, it's wrapping paper! 2 sheets!

What do I want them for? (in the words of Eddie Izzard)

Easy. 

Total cost approx. £5

Cheap posters that add a little intellectual vibe, a feeling of 'general knowledge' to my toilet/laundry room/broom cupboard. Aaaah, I love the smell of geography mixed with laundry powder!

Except I forgot the back wall is solid concrete and I cant' push pins into it, so the layout is a little strange. I might switch them into the bedroom sometime soon but for now I think they're quite fun where they are. 

What do you think? Would they look better in the bedroom above my Eames chair?

I'm thinking yes. 
By the way, if you still haven't voted, may I ask what you are waiting for? It only takes 2 mins to create an account but the warm fuzzy feeling you will get from making me happy will last a lifetime. Click here!

An English road trip: lavish Lavenham

Lavenham is a nice little town in Suffolk where my auntie Linda took us for a quiet day out. It's full of half-timbered houses and cute little shops and restaurants.

It's also got a guild hall with a tea room that sells home made cakes and a really lovely restaurant with Vitra Eames chairs. There, I've narrowed the points of interest right down for you.

Oh wait! I have to tell you about the church!

Looks like most churches from the outside, but on the inside, it has.....a bookshop!!! A sort of charity bookshop, where you can leave your unwanted books. And to pay for a book you just drop a Pound or two into an urn. Weird, very weird.

You can actually see the bookshop in the far left in this picture. I even foud the last Sue Townsend book I was looking for: Number Ten. Yay! That's something to check off my holiday bucket list. Buy book in church: done. 

Do you like the kneeler cushions? So cute. The bookshop thing really does make sense though.

Ok so this one has a little 3D issue, but it's cute anyway.

Is this a scene from the Bible that I've missed?

On to the village we go!

Some houses were really very crooked looking. I wonder how they get their curtains to hang straight around the window. 

Are you feeling hungry? I know I am. Time for delicious meal at The Swan, which is also a hotel by the way, and a very nice looking one at that.

hello lovely decor...

.... hello yummy food!

Sophisticated mackerel

Sophisticated burger

Sophisticated belly pork

It's all very meaty isn't it... I can't remember what I had, I guess I didn't take a picture of it! Must have been too good to stop munching for.

After a delicious lunch we went for a walk to the Guild Hall, a beautiful old building that houses a museum. (and a tea room, but you knew that already)

Meet the barrel family

Nice vintage chair don't you think?

And a lovely courtyard garden

Complete with foxgloves

and a palace!

Did I mention carrot cake?

So many pretty houses

I never realised that double decker buses were used outside of London. I'd love to take a ride through the countryside at the top of one of those.

 

Next stop: Stilon, Melton Mowbray, and sunny Nuneaton!!! Stay tuned for some cheese...