Sunday, 29 May 2011

BULRLAP: MEMO BOARD

When thrifting through car boot sales and flea markets, I sometimes pick up things that I like the look of but don't really know what to do with it yet.

This was the case with an old burlap sugar sack that I had bought over a year ago. I did get lots of ideas from readers on what to do with it, but simply never got around doing it…

Yesterday, I finally got around using my burlap sack to create a French Style Memo Board.

I stretched the material over a simple white canvas, stapled it and then added the ribbon. Where the ribbon crossed, I sewed old mismatched black buttons on.

The memo board is now hanging in our entrance and holds all my favourite postcards that friends and family have sent and that are too pretty to just disappear in a random draw.

Loving the new look of our entrance!

Friday, 27 May 2011

ART WALL

(photo: via pinterest)

One of the reasons I can't wait to finally buy a property, is that you can put up as many pictures as you want. The first thing I'd do is create an art wall like this! Doesn't it look great?

Tuesday, 24 May 2011

A NEW TOY

I got very excited yesterday as my staple gun finally arrived. It's my brand new toy and I had to try it out immediately. Result: my first handmade French style mood board. I used 100% cotton fabric,inspired by the 1930s and 40s from the Darla Range by Tanya Whelan and rustic charm red and white ribbon to create a vintage feel.

It's now available on my Etsy shop.

Sunday, 22 May 2011

CAKE AND BISCUITS

I love the idea of having quite a busy wedding cake table. There is so much to see and to try...

WEDDING CAKE

(image: design sponge)

What a lovely selection of wedding cakes. As I'm getting married in 3 months, I'm still looking for the perfect cake stand. I love the purple ones! Sigh...

WEEKEND FINDS

When thrifting through my local vintage store yesterday, I found these two adorable frames. The prints I put in for now aren't the right size but I'm so keen to get them up my wall, that I can't wait for the right ones...
Patience is not my strength... :-)



Saturday, 21 May 2011

WEEKEND DIY

It's only Saturday afternoon and I've already finished my first project for the weekend: our neglected IKEA chest of drawers. I can't count how many times we've considered chucking it away as it doesn't look very interesting and has only cost £20. But it's my fiance's first ever bought piece of furniture (he bought it when he was 15 years old... how cute is that!) and it's quite useful for storing socks.

So, here is the 'before' photo: ...boring, I know...


I used Farrow & Ball paint. I adore their colour range. The colours I chose were Pale Powder (top), Green Blue (middle) and Oval Room Blue (bottom).


I also found this lovely frame in a small local shop, run by a lovely Dutch lady, who imports all her items from France and Holland. Unfortunately, I have promised the frame and butterfly print to a friend of mine already, who has asked me to source this for her. I'm sure she'll love it and I will miss it :-(
The jewellery boy was a present from my mum. The colours really come out now.

My new favourite corner in the bedroom!
I hope you like it!

Nadine

Friday, 20 May 2011

CREATIVE MOOD

I don't know if you sometimes feel the same but I have phases where I feel the urge to create something or at least do some DIY, paint some furniture and then rearrange a room to make it look fresh.

Once I've started a project, I get into the zone and am not able to stop until I have finished it. (How inconvenient that I have to go to work inbetween!) I can completely forget everything else around me and just focus on this one thing. It's the most relaxing experience!

As I'm in the middle of one of these 'creative outbursts', I have made quite a few things: a Thank You Board for my wedding, some crochet flower brooch for my shop, a tote bag with a butterfly design, a collage for my friends kid's room, I rearranged my craft room and am now impatiently waiting for the staple gun, the distressed ink and the rustic ribbon I ordered, to start all the other projects I have in mind.

I'm also planning to paint some of my furniture, one of which is an old IKEA dresser that's desperately in need of some jazzing-up. I love the look of the dresser below and will use this for inspiration.
On the weekend I will share some pics of my recent projects with you. Till then, enjoy your Friday!

(via pinterest)

Tuesday, 17 May 2011

Giveway for Arcadian Lighting

Hello dear friends,

I'm very excited to have a special guest blog for you today. Arcadian Lighting, which are based
in California, so slightly too far for me, have offered to produce a guest post for my blog and reward one lucky reader with a voucher for $35 for their store. To qualify please subscribe to my blog (if you haven't already done so) and leave a comment. The winner will be announced on 24th May.


Nature can give us beautiful inspiration when we're decorating our homes. We were inspired by a collection of sea glass to find pale blue and green ideas for the bedroom. The combination of pale blues, soft greens with accent colors in black, white, bright green or deeper blue can feel both coastal and romantic, classic and modern. Here are several ideas (from light fixtures to canopies) to use with pale blues and greens in the bedroom. We hope you'll find something that will inspire you.

Quo Vadis (via)

Amazing beach glass or sea glass can be found while walking along the beach next to the ocean or perhaps at a nearby lake.

Décor Pad (via)

We simply love the soft green walls and black iron canopy bed with light blue draping mixed with warm tan accents and bamboo shades. This room feels comfortable and relaxed—like a lakeside vacation.

The Decorologist (via)

A soft turquoise room with lime green accents feels fresh. We love the blue velvet chair with its green cushion, as well as the cobalt blue shaded table lamp that is next to the bed! The citrus green bedspread picks up the green accents in the curtains. This is such a well put together room!

Decoding Decor (via)

The palest of greens mixed with seaside accessories as well as patterns gives this room a casual, relaxed feeling of a beach cottage. We like the pale green painted bed -- such a soothing shade.

Décor Pad (via)

Here is a soft pastel room palette inspired by the blue and green floral wallpaper. The soft, feminine, blush colored upholstered bed nicely complements the overall blue and green palette. The wall sconces next to the headboard completes the overall theme of femininity in this lovely bedroom.

Peppermint Bliss (via)

Here is another room inspired by a feminine wall paper. The antique wallpaper on one wall frames the rococo style white bed made with soft blue linens.

Phoebe Howard (via)

We like the pale green walls and a brighter green bedside table in this room. The blue and green carpet brings balance and harmony to the space.

Domino Magazine (via)

The paint color on the wall, a beautiful blue-green, creates a soothing environment that is perfect for a bedroom. White linens and a classic blue and white accent pillow make the bed feel crisp.

Content provided by Arcadian Lighting, a site that specializes in top quality lighting fixtures at extremely affordable prices. Come visit us today!

Friday, 13 May 2011

MY ETSY SHOP - finally!


I got some very exciting news for you today. I finally launched my shop at Etsy called designnotebook. There are only a few items on there at the moment but watch this space!

In the meantime, please check it out, spread the word and help promote my little creative outlet! I would be ever so thankful.

Yours,
Nadine




Saturday, 7 May 2011

GIVEAWAY on SingePling

Don't miss this amazing Giveaway on SingePling. If you haven't seen this gorgeous blog yet you should check it out now! Simply click here and don't miss your chance to win this super cute giveaway. I've been looking for letter stamps for a while and am keeping my fingers crossed that I'll get lucky this time!
Wishing you good luck as well!



Vintage Dream in Pale Pink

I love this extraordinary 1950's prom dress in mounds of pink tulle from Vintageous.
Luckily it's sold already so I can't get tempted!!

(image: vintageous)

Thursday, 5 May 2011

My Romantic Home

Today I found this lovely blog from Cindy called My Romantic Home.
Every Friday Cindy features what she calls Show and Tell Friday, which you can join to show something from your home or garden. Guidelines on how to participate can be found on her blog, along with lots of inspiration and beautiful pics, so check it out!





Tuesday, 3 May 2011

Marie Nichols

Marie Nichols is a stylist who has been working for Ideal Home Magazine in London and is now working as a freelance stylist in Sydney. I find her work remarkably inspiring. Here is a little taster. If you’d like to see more, please check out her online portfolio, www.marienichols.co.uk.






(images: Marie Nichols)

VINTAGE

Hello everyone

Apologies for the long absence. Wedding preparation seems to have taken over my life.
Nevertheless, I'm trying to make it up to you by sharing this amazing blog by Johanna with you.