The design notebook

How to store your magazine collection

2012-01-31T22:21:00.000Z

Struggling for space for your magazine collection? Try this:

Style your home with...frames

2012-01-31T07:30:00.000Z

There are many things I'm looking forward to when owning our own place and of of them is being able to hang up pictures.

Pictures have so much power to transform a space, to add character and personality.

I especially like using mismatched frames and an eclectic mix of pictures and photos like below.

Image: Enjoy Home

Image: Apartment Therapy

Image: decoratualma

Image: Poppy talk

Image: decorology

Beat the Monday Blues No3

2012-01-30T09:00:00.001Z

How has your weekend been?

We started house hunting this weekend and although I know that you shouldn't expect too much when seeing the first few houses, I was quite disappointed. Small spaces, rough areas... not really what we were hoping for.

But it's only early days and we will hopefully see many more properties over the next few months and I'm sure we'll find the right place in the end.

Until then I will dream of my dream home which looks roughly like this:

Image: sfgirlofbay

Image: The Style Files

Image: Favim

One has to have dreams, right?

Happy decorating
Nadine

I'm feeling polka dot today...

2012-01-27T08:03:00.000Z

Happy Friday everyone! I hope you had a good week and a nice weekend ahead.

Thanks so much to everybody that has voted for me on the Brigitte website. If you haven't done so already please had over here and click on the heart.

This weekend we will be checking out new areas that we could possibly move to and I will look into buying a new sander so I can start working on my Regency chest of drawers.

Image: What Do I Wear

Happy decorating
Nadine

Enough about me...

2012-01-26T09:00:00.001Z

As you might know, I went to Berlin to attend Holly Becker's book launch and blogger party back in November last year.
It was an amazing experience and so exciting to meet all these other bloggers and creative people there but one thing really stood out for me which was the realisation that there really are people reading my blog.

I know, you think, well you should have realised that from the number of followers on the right hand side but I tell you, it's a completely different story when you meet someone you have never seen before and they recognise you! It gave me an amazing boost and I decided to put more effort into my blog and my posts.

I also realised that I'd like to know more about my readers and the stories behind the small profile pictures to my right.
Therefore, I'm asking you for a big favour: Please send me an email answering following questions:

My name is:
My blog is:
If I could I would:
I read the The Design Notebook because:
People should visit my blog (that would be your blog!) because:

This will be a good start for me to get to know you lot better and I will then combine your answers in a post so you can all get to know each other.

Deadline is the 25th February. I'm looking forward to hearing from you.

Creative-Blog-Award 2012

2012-01-25T13:48:00.001Z

I have some exciting news! Germany's biggest lifestyle magazine, Brigitte, are running a competition this year to find the most inspiring DIY enthusiast in the blogosphere and I have decided to take part. Well, I was running out of excuses to not take part so I decided to face my fear and sign up! Arrgghh...

So, starting in February the jury (including Holly Becker from decor8) will nominate three blogs each month, which will then have to submit a new DIY idea to all readers. You can follow this online and although the blogs are in German, the photos will speak for themselves.

I can't wait to see all the DIY ideas, it will be so much fun and best of all, at the end of 2012 the winner gets the chance to style a major DIY story with the editorial staff for the BRIGITTE print edition. How exciting is that?

So in order to make sure I get nominated, please please please vote for me by clicking here and then click on the heart. I will promise you lots of new DIY ideas and pics!!!

To see all participating blogs just click on this link.

Thanks so much and fingers crossed.

Nadine

Inspiration by Joanna Thornhill

2012-01-25T09:00:00.001Z

When reading about the work of most professional designers, they always seem to have hardly any limitations to the space they design. This can sometimes be frustrating when, like me, you're still living in rented accommodation and even putting pictures up on the wall requires the approval of your landlord.

I was therefore impressed and utterly inspired when I came across stylist, Joanna Thornhill, through HeartHome, an online mag you should definitely check out.
Joanna lives in a rented flat but has managed to do it up so beautifully that it's hard to believe that she's only renting the place.

If you are looking for some ideas on how to style your home head over to her website and blog for inspiration.

Images: Joanna Thornhill

Crochet hearts

2012-01-24T09:00:00.004Z

One thing that I find extremely relaxing is knitting and crocheting. I always find that my mind goes completely blank when doing needlecraft.

So I wanted to make something for Valentines Day and came across this useful tutorial on youtube and here is the result. You should try it. It's so much fun!

Beat the Monday Blues No2

2012-01-23T09:00:00.001Z

I had a very nice weekend as it was filled with good food, a day out in London, cinema, wine and some DIY.

On Saturday we went into London and had a look around Liberty. I must admit that I had never been there before and I was pleasantly surprised. What a gorgeous, stylish department store.

Here are some impressions:

We also had a quick look in the Anthropologie sale and I found this lovely yellow belt massively reduced and therefore just about affordable ;-). I don't know what it is with yellow but I'm drawn to anything yellow at the moment. Love this colour as it makes me look forward to spring!

1: Anthropology, 2: 25Media, 3: Caitlin Creer Interior

Enjoy your week.

Happy decorating

Nadine

2012-01-22T18:26:00.000Z

Today I want to share another one of my DIY projects with you.

A few weeks ago I found this large mirror in a second hand shop. I was really lucky as I was in the right place at the right time. Somebody dropped it off while I was looking around in the shop. The shopkeeper herself was quite keen on it and I heard her mention that she would take it home, if it didn't sell in a day.

So I had to act quickly. I rushed home to get Mr D and the car and together we rushed back to the shop to pick up the mirror.

Over the last few weeks I worked on it and here is the result:

I gave it four coats of paint. I used Crown Period Colours Old English White. I'm very please with the outcome but will probably have to part with it soon as it went up on Ebay today to find a new home.

Tell me about what you are working on at the moment. I love to see other people's projects.

Happy decorating,
Nadine

Chest of drawers make-over

2012-01-19T08:15:00.000Z

As I mentioned the other day, I found this chest of drawers in a second hand shop the other day and I've decided to give it a make over. I'm not exactly sure what period it stems from but from the research I've done it could be Regency, so late 19th century.

I've checked for any special marks or stamps but there is nothing. It shows various marks of wear and tear which makes me think that it can't be fake as it doesn't look new enough.

Anyway, my plan is to give it a new coat of paint and line the inside of the drawers with colourful wallpaper.

Here are some ideas:

And here are some ideas for wallpaper:

This one is my favourite. It's called Elveden Cranberry from Laura Ashley.

This one is called Oriental Garden Floral Wallpaper and is also from Laura Ashley. It comes in six different colours!

The last one is Lauri Floral Wallpaper and also from Laura Ashley. It comes in two different colours.

(Images: Laura Ashley)

I can't wait to get started!

Happy decorating,
Nadine

5 steps to success

2012-01-18T14:01:00.000Z

First of all, I'd like to say thank you to Amy from iAMalive for leaving such a lovely comment on my last post. That's very sweet.

I just quickly wanted to share this great article from Design Sponge with you. You've probably come across it yourself already but if you haven't and you are thinking about turning your hobby into a business as well, you should check this out. Just click here!

P.S. It's freezing here in London!

(Image: Piccsy)

Happy decorating,
Nadine

Do more of what makes you happy

2012-01-17T13:25:00.000Z

Can I still say Happy New Year in mid January? Well, who is to say I can't so happy new year to everybody and I hope that you had a nice Christmas break.

We've spent Christmas in Berlin as every year and as always it has been very nice to be with the family. We had lots of food, wine and I finally learnt how to knit socks. I therefore got quite addicted to knitting socks and could hardly be found doing anything else between Christmas and new years eve.

I'm not a big fan of New Year's Eve and fireworks but I do like the beginning of a new year. A fresh start, the opportunity to do something new, to do things differently. I love starting a new calendar and filling it with things to look forward to.

This year, I have one big new year's resolution, which is to set up my own little business. I've been daydreaming to do this for a long time but have now started to actually do something about it. It might not work out but I won't know until I haven't tried. The funny thing is that by proactively doing something about it and getting closer to it day by day, I already feel much better! So whether it works out or not, it will be fun anyway.

I've set myself several projects that need to be accomplished in order to get to the main goal. This includes setting up a website, incorporating my blog and Etsy shop with the website etc. Unfortunately, that means that The Design Notebook will move at some point this year but it will be an even nicer place and only a click away ;-)

The other big project that Mr D and I have this year is buying a house here in the UK. How exciting, I know. I can't wait to have my own place that I can do up the way I want to! Nevertheless, we have been caught up so much working on my website that we haven't got round house hunting yet but will do so soon, and of course I will document it all here for you, for me and for everyone who is bored enough to read this.

Well, of course I also have a handful of DIY projects lined up. It's getting so busy now I have to keep a list of all my DIY ideas... First on the list is an old ornamented mirror that needs painting, then we have the 19th century Regency chest of drawers I found in a second hand shop the other day. That will need some love and attention as well. I'm also working on some Valentine's articles for my Etsy shop and am planning to give some of our furniture a new coat of paint.

So much to do, so little time.

Until next time and don't forget:

(image: BetweenEverything)

Decorate with flowers

2011-12-09T07:47:00.000Z

Happy Friday everyone!

Courtney Raphael

Beat the Monday Blues No1

2011-12-05T08:01:00.000Z

Happy Monday!

Hello everyone. I hope you had a nice and relaxing weekend. Mine was quite busy but in a good way.

One of my friends came over on Saturday and we had a chilled crafting afternoon inspired by this nice little Christmas DIY project by Sania Pell.

I had bought some airdrying clay (DAS), cookie cutters and nice red Christmas ribbon, which is all you need to make these beautiful Christmas decorations.

In the evening I was off to the Breakfast Club in London for a birthday dinner of another friend. It's mostly famous for it's brunch but they have a nice selection of food for the evening as well.

But the best experience was Sunday. We headed off to Crouch End in North London for another birthday celebration. This time we met in The Haberdashery, a hip and stylish cafe that serves the most delicious vegetarian breakfast and... you won't believe it, is James McAvoy's local cafe.

We went in, it's a tiny place, sat down and when I turned around to put my coat over my chair, he was sitting right behind me. OMG!!! He had his little kid with him and he seemed so down to earth and friendly that I had to force myself not to walk right up to him and say hello.

Oh dear! I will definitely go there again!

The Haberdashery

New blog feature: Beat the Monday Blues

2011-12-01T16:26:00.000Z

The weekend is approaching and once again I can't wait! Weekends mean being able to spend quality time with my husband, being creative, catching up with friends, strolling over flea markets, cooking yummy food (or even better having yummy food cooked for me), blogging, getting lost in a book... and surprise, surprise, they are usually much too short to cram all these activities in.

So I've decided it's time to prolong our weekend and to beat the Monday blues by starting a little Monday special, where we can share our little weekend gems to help us into the new week. This could be a pic of your cosy reading corner where you love to chill out on weekends, your favourite spot in your home, something you've made, baked, designed on the weekend, a lovely pic of your cute pet or whatever makes you think of the weekend gone by.

Send it to me with a little description (best if I could have them by Sunday evening) and I'll be more than happy to post one on my blog.

Can't wait.

Nadine x

I know the weekend hasn't started yet but I was lucky enough to have today off so feels like Sunday to me ;-)

Etsy find

2011-12-01T09:28:00.000Z

I recently stumbled upon this incredibly talented photographer on Etsy. Bob is an award-winning and exhibited photographer from Montreal, Canada and I love his style. I could get lost in this photos for hours. The colours, the atmosphere, it's all spot on for me.

There is also a 50% sale on at the moment so if you like my little preview below, you should definitely check out Bob's shop 'bomobob'.

All images (c) bomobob

Happy...

2011-11-20T23:02:00.000Z

It's the end of the weekend and I think I'm very satisfied with what I have achieved.

Most of all I'm chuffed with the orders that have come in last week and this weekend. I sold 4 items in the last 7 days. That means I need to be creative again and make some more lovely things!

Yay, I love having an excuse for buying materials and crafting away!

I find it very relaxing.

Is there anything you like to do to take your mind of things?

Items sold through Etsy and Folksy by designnotebook

At the sea side...

2011-11-20T00:21:00.000Z

Today we went to Poole by the sea to catch-up with some friends. The weather was great and we went for a walk on the promenade. There is something so relaxing about walking along the coast and listening to the waves don't you think?

I love these colourful beach huts. They look so nostalgic.

All images (c) The Design Notebook

Love,
Nadine

Temptations

2011-11-17T22:19:00.000Z

I love working in Covent Garden but there is one major disadvantage to it. The lovely shops! I love clothes and I love shopping. Yes, I do and I admit it here and in front of everybody. Therefore, leaving the office to get some lunch in Covent Garden can be dangerous. I might go out with the intention to buy a sandwich but then come back with a new outfit.

Today, I fell in love with these new autumn outfits in Hobbs. I managed to pull myself together and not buy anything but will I be able to do the same tomorrow?
Maybe I should go on a diet and skip my lunch. That might be healthier for my wallet as well.

How about you? Have you fallen in love with something recently?

All images (c) Hobbs

Heart Home

2011-11-10T22:39:00.001Z

Hello all,

I can't tell you how relieved I am that it's almost Friday. What I week!

And now it's time to look forward to the weekend! And what an exciting weekend I have ahead of me! Tomorrow I'm off to Berlin to attend Holly Becker's blogger event and book launch of her fantastic book DECORATE. If you don't have it yet, make sure you get a copy as it's the most inspiring book on interior design I've ever read. Ah I can't wait to meet all the other bloggers and to talk about blogging, interior design etc etc... It will be great!

But before I'm off, I will leave you with a reading tip. I have recently discovered a new online mag which I immediately added to my reading list. Heart Home is a quarterly British interior design magazine that only launched in September this year and focuses on independent British Designers. In this issue you can find an article about fabulous Selina Lake (I adore her designs) and an interview super-talented Holly Becker. For the full interview click here.

Here is a little taster.

All images (c) Heart Home Magazine

Mr & Mrs

2011-11-06T21:04:00.000Z

Today I finally want to share my favourite photos from our wedding with you. It's been 83 days since our big day and what a great day it was! My family and friends came all the way from Germany to celebrate this special day with us and it was everything I could have wished for.

One of my bridesmaids had baked macaroons for us. Isn't that sweet? Unfortunately, I didn't even get to try one as they were gone too quickly. They were very popular!

The endless possibilities of styling our wedding made my little designer heart skip a beat. What an opportunity!!! For about six months I worked on one little design project after the other, from invites to table design, name tags, seating plan, memo board, centre pieces, flowers, wedding sign, homemade jam and hairstyle.
I found myself in design heaven and I think I delivered! The result: a pastel pink vintage wedding, 100% DIY, 100% us.

The cake came from lovely Krishanthi. It was simply heaven and doesn't it look gorgeous? She is the sweetest young women to work with and I can't recommend her highly enough. Check out her website here.

All images (c) Blink Photography

But the one person that made our day truly unforgettable is Emma, from Blink Photography. Thank you so much for the wonderful pictures that will stay with us forever!

For all of you who love photography, have a look at Emma's beautiful blog here.

I'd also like to thank Louise from Bijoux Bride for featuring our wedding in such detail on her inspiring blog. This is a must read for all brides-to-be, planning a small and intimate wedding and looking for tips on fashion, design and beautiful styling.
For more details and more pics, head over to her blog.

Lots of love and a good start into the week,
Nadine

So far so good

2011-11-05T17:00:00.013Z

I hope you are all having a nice weekend. Here are some impressions of our Saturday autumn walk in Richmond Park. I was looking for some pine cones but unfortunately didn't find any :-(.

At least we came home with some pice pics.

Love

Nadine

Giveaway on SingePling

2011-11-04T07:46:00.002Z

Happy Friday everyone!

I can't think of a better way to start this day than by letting you know about this beautiful giveaway on SingPling. Head straight over and don't miss out!

Good luck,

Nadine

Berlin Blogger's Meetup + Book Party by decor8

2011-11-01T19:50:00.004Z

I'm so excited to attend Holly Beckers blogger and book event in Berlin on the 12th November!

Holly Becker from decor8 will be presenting her book Decorate (German title Lust auf Wohnen) and share her story from the very beginning, how blogging changed her life, all about the book Decorate and the inspiration behind it and of course there will be lots of hints and tips for those of us who are aspiring to do something similar with their talents!

When I first read about I could hardly believe how an event could be so perfect! It's an amalgamation of all the things I love: my home town Berlin, interior design, Holly's book (it's amazing, you should definitely get it!), my favourite German magazine Brigitte (I always get people to bring me a copy when they come over from Germany), Etsy (don't have to mention that I love crafting, do I?), and it will be full of like-minded bloggers!!! Soooo excited!

Find out more here: http://decor8blog.com/2011/10/29/berlin-party

Is anybody else going?

Love,

Nadine

Surprise, surprise

2011-10-31T21:35:00.002Z

When I arrived at work today one of my friends had a little present for me! Tea and Cupcakes: Recipes for the Perfect Afternoon Tea. What a sweet surprise! I can't wait to read it. It made my day!

Autumn colours

2011-10-30T21:33:00.005Z

I simply love autumn. There is something so special about the warm autumn light, the beautiful colours and the fresh, crisp air! Here are some impressions from the weekend...

DIY weekend

2011-09-03T16:39:00.004+01:00

Hello everybody,

I got married! I'm still so excited about it and can't wait to show you the pictures. I hope that it will only be another few days until they are ready! I can't explain in words what a wonderful day we had. It was simply magic.

For our honeymoon we went to lovely Tuscany in Italy. It felt simply like diving into a picture book; beautiful countryside with long winding roads lined by pine trees and vineyards to either side, romantic restaurants with candle light, delicious food and wine and sun, sun, sun...

What a great country and yes, I will share some pics with you.

But that will have to wait until next week. Today I want to share this DIY project with you.

My friend is having a baby shower tomorrow and she's recently asked me if I could make a note board in maritime style for her. She lives in Brighton so her house has a coastal feel to it.

I've just finished her notice board and here is how I did it!

1. Find an old picture frame. I got this one from a frame shop for a few Pounds.

2. Wipe the frame clean.

3. Sand it down slightly so the paint has some grip.

4. Apply one coat of dark paint. Best is t use black. I used Dulux Midnight Dream, which is a very dark grey.

5. Paint the back board whatever colour you fancy. I chose a very pale blue to go with the maritime theme.

6. Let everything dry.

7. Apply a coat of off-white paint to the frame. One coat should be enough as we will be sanding the frame down as soon as the paint has dried to give it more of a rustic look.

8. Alternatively you could wipe the paint slightly down while it's still wet, to get a similar effect.

8. Arrange your string on the back board.

9. Secure it with pins so the string stays in place.

10. Then use a staple gun to secure the string at the back of the board. It needs to be tight so it can hold the weight of cards and pictures later on.

11. Sand down the white coat slightly to give the frame a rustic, shabby chic look.

12. Clip pegs on the strings. They will hold pictures, cards etc. I found these cute maritime pegs on a small island in the Baltic sea. They complete the whole coastal theme.

13. Voila, here is your note board in maritime style.

Let me know how you get on.

Speak soon,

Nadine

Wedding venue sneak peek

2011-06-20T16:48:00.004+01:00

I have been blogging quite irregularly recently and the main reason for this is that we are in the run up to our wedding on 15th August.

Mr. H and I got engaged in June last year and time has gone so quickly since then and now it's only eight weeks to go!!!

As you can imagine there is still lots to prepare for our special day, and although I'm bursting to tell you all about it and share all my designs for the day with you, I also don't want to give away too many details in advance. I can assure you though that I will be sharing pics with you after the wedding :-)

It's all very exciting and I can't wait to finally walk down the aisle to marry the man of my dreams! To share my excitement with you, I will give you a little sneak peek of the wedding venue today. I immediately fell in love with it first time I walked in. The house was built in the 18th century as a family home and is surrounded by a beautiful park, with amazing photo opportunities (weather allowing!). This is England so you never know!

What I love about it is that it's grand but still has a very homely atmosphere, which will be perfect for our small and intimate wedding. Ceremony, wedding breakfast and evening entertainment will all be held at the venue so we don't need to travel back and forth at all.

Have you got married recently or are planning to get married? Would love to hear about your special day!!!

Nadine xx

DANISH DESIGN

2011-06-17T14:28:00.004+01:00

I'm a great fan of Danish design and it's on my to do list to visit Copenhagen for a long weekend to explore its furniture shops and soak in the Scandinavian lifestyle.

What makes Danish design so attractive for me is the simplicity and the seeming effortlessness that comes with it. Developed in mid 20th century, Danish design is mostly functional like the iconic Arne Jacobsen chair that you probably all know. But it's not just about functionality. Danish design is also fun! I love the colours and bold patterns that you often find on Scandinavian homeware.

I find that you can add these timeless items to any design to make it look temporary and stylish. Therefore, I'm always on the lookout for where to buy Danish items and today I'd like to share my newest find with you:

Cloudberry is an online shop, specialising in Scandinavian gifts and home accessories. They stock all major Scandinavian brands and here is a little preview of my favourite items. Hope you like them!

Loving the Arne Jacobsen chairs!

Isn't this plate adorabale???

Great idea for a headboard!

These would look good as floor cushions!

So cute!!!

(photos: Cloudberry)

GIVEAWAY AT URBAN ROAD

2011-06-15T13:17:00.003+01:00

Make sure you don't miss out on this great giveaway over at Urban Road.

The author, Suzie, started her blog just over a month ago and it's definitely worth checking out as she creates amazing canvas art prints that are also for sale on her Etsy shop.

So don't waste any time and rush over to Urban Road!!!

Nadine x

FEELING YELLOW TODAY...

2011-06-15T07:57:00.002+01:00

(Pinterest)

EVERYBODY NEEDS SOME INSPIRATION...

2011-06-02T22:06:00.002+01:00

(Etsy)

WEEKEND DIY

2011-06-01T21:56:00.003+01:00

I made this lovely memo board on the weekend.

Loving the letters...
It's now available on my Folksy and Etsy store.

BULRLAP: MEMO BOARD

2011-05-29T22:42:00.003+01:00

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!

ART WALL

2011-05-27T08:09:00.002+01:00

(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?

A NEW TOY

2011-05-24T07:28:00.003+01:00

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.

CAKE AND BISCUITS

2011-05-22T22:34:00.000+01:00

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

WEDDING CAKE

2011-05-22T21:48:00.002+01:00

(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

2011-05-22T16:29:00.004+01:00

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... :-)

WEEKEND DIY

2011-05-21T15:48:00.007+01:00

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

CREATIVE MOOD

2011-05-20T07:40:00.003+01:00

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)

Giveway for Arcadian Lighting

2011-05-17T21:58:00.003+01:00

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!

MY ETSY SHOP - finally!

2011-05-13T20:05:00.006+01:00

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

GIVEAWAY on SingePling

2011-05-07T18:20:00.006+01:00

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

2011-05-07T13:14:00.002+01:00

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)

My Romantic Home

2011-05-05T21:36:00.004+01:00

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!

(images: My Romantic Home)

Marie Nichols

2011-05-03T22:28:00.006+01:00

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

2011-05-03T21:31:00.003+01:00

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.

(images: Vintage by Johanna)

Scandinavian bedroom

2011-01-09T18:15:00.000Z

Beautiful inspiration from OKA

2011-01-07T12:15:00.004Z

CRAFTY DESK

2010-11-03T21:42:00.000Z

Mad but unique...

(Country Living)

Notes on designing a study

2010-11-01T20:20:00.002Z

I'm currently working on a mood board for a study and before starting to put it together I wanted to make clear for myself what is important when designing a study.

This are my main points:

light neutral decor to maximise natural light and create the perfect atmosphere for work
good sized desk with ample drawer space and plenty of space to work on
plenty of storage option on desk to hold stationary and essentials to keep the desk clutter free
good task lighting
memo board /blackboard over the desk for keeping reminders
filing cabinet and storage boxes to store documents and paperwork and keep the room look tidy
open Shelves over desk for additional storage of books
mix and match furniture to create a modern look
and finally: add personality through a mixture of family photographs, books and other personal items

Anything else you'd like to add?

(images: Ideal Home)

MODERN STUDY

2010-10-17T20:13:00.002+01:00

By Tony Hall...

HELLOOOOO

2010-09-24T21:20:00.004+01:00

Hello everyone

I'm back. I know it's been a very long time and I don't even know where to start. So many things have happened since we've moved back in May. Oh my God, that's such a long time ago!

I'm behind so much! I need to tell you about the move, our amazing holiday in Southern France, our engagement (yes, you heard correctly) and my promotion (no, the last one is probably rather boring for you). Nevertheless, these are the reasons why I have been so short on time and unable to dedicate myself to blogging but Massi's lovely email asking whether I'd come back was so cute that I couldn't resist dropping you a quick line.

Following up on my idea to use old wodden crates as bookshelves... here is what I've done!

WEDDING FEVER...

2010-06-14T13:03:00.004+01:00

I went to a wedding of some friends of ours on the weekend and it was absolutely amazing. Set in the middle of the English countryside in one of the prettiest barn wedding venues in the South of England, we became witnesses to the most romantic countryside wedding anybody could ever dream of.

The location was amazing, the bride beautiful and the speeches were very moving... and the photographer was brilliant. Look at the beautiful pics she took. On her website you can find even more.

(images: Sarah Critchlow)

VINTAGE CRATES

2010-06-07T21:16:00.008+01:00

Hello from our new flat!!!!!!!!!!! I'm finally online, all boxes (well, except two) are unpacked, the place looks nice and I have a new old vintage bike that I now ride to the train station every day.

Too quick? Not enough details? But where do I start? Ok, first of all I have a confession to make.

I have been very unprofessional and have not taken any before pics... :-( I know, I know... I can hear you all sigh and say OH NO!!! I'm truly sorry but let me tell you that you wouldn't have been able to see anything anyway.

When we moved in the furniture and the boxes took up the whole place so that we could hardly walk. I was slightly worried that the place was too small for us but bit by bit, box by box... I discovered the potential of this place and realized what I wanted to do with it...

The place looks very nice already but it's still a work in progress.

My current project is getting some old vintage crates to use as bookshelves on the wall... for some reason I have far too many books... ;-)

This is what I have in mind...

I'LL BE BACK SOON

2010-05-21T16:28:00.002+01:00

Hi guys

Unfortunately we are not connected to the Internet yet, so you will have to wait a little bit longer for a proper update on our new flat.

But I can tell you that it's slowly coming along!

Thanks a lot for all your support!

Fingers crossed I should be back online in about 5-10 days according to the nice O2 man.

Nadine

TIME TO SAY GOOD BYE

2010-05-15T21:09:00.002+01:00

Good bye good old flat... I will miss you!!!

THE DAY BEFORE MOVING...

2010-05-15T08:40:00.004+01:00

Today is the last day before we move and I'm soooo excited. I was already up at seven because I couldn't sleep anymore.

This morning we will have to pack the last of our stuff and at 3pm we'll head to the new place for check-in. We'll get the keys and depending on how well cleaned the place is, will either start moving some boxes in already or will give the flat a good spring clean!

As the other tenants only move out today, I assume that we will actually have to do the cleaning...

Anyway...

The moving van comes tomorrow morning at 8am.

It's been really cold the last few weeks here in the UK and today is actually the first sunny and warm day. Well, I guess that's better than moving in the rain...

PACKING BOOKS IN BOXES...

2010-05-10T21:47:00.005+01:00

If you have been wondering where I was hiding for the last week, I can tell you exactly! I've been packing and packing and packing and... well I guess you get my point.

We will be moving this Sunday and I promise you lots of before and after pics and I will probably ask for your advise as well.

Until then let's rejoice in some eye candy...

(image: Livingetc)

THREE RED APPLES

2010-05-03T17:28:00.003+01:00

Today I cam across the amazing work of Annabelle, a French expat living in the UK. She creates the most amazing pillows, blankets, bags etc. Check out her blog Three Red Apples, where she talks about her projects and her Etsy shop, where she sells all these beautiful handmade items.

(images: The Red Apples)

PUPPY LOVE

2010-05-03T10:22:00.001+01:00

Oh mY God!!! Isn't he cute??? I want one... sigh...

(image: this pretty space)

THINK POSITIVE...

2010-05-02T22:48:00.002+01:00

I came across this photo on a German lifestyle website and immediately thought that I needed to share it with you.

It says: "If life deals you lemons, make lemondade!"

Next time you are feeling down, think of it and I'm sure it will make you smile!

(image: Wunderweib)

THIS PRETTY SPACE

2010-05-02T11:48:00.005+01:00

After some stressful weeks we are finally enjoying a long bank holiday weekend. Unfortunately the weather is not on our side but at least that gives me a chance to catch up on blogging.

I though the best way of making up for not having been blogging as much would be with some amazing inspiration from the wonderful archive of {this pretty place}.

I've just discovered the website and am absolutely stunned! If you don't know it, you should definitely check it out!

(images: {this pretty place})

A DREAM IN WHITE

2010-04-28T21:41:00.002+01:00

Come in and be amazed! I love this house!

(image: Dave Coote)

GET DRESSED!

2010-04-27T20:18:00.002+01:00

I'd love to have a dressing room like this one. Wouldn't that be great? Oh well... maybe someday...sigh!

(image: House Beautiful)

SMALL PATIO DESIGN IDEAS

2010-04-26T13:46:00.003+01:00

The weather has been lovely in the UK recently and I'm slowly but surely looking forward to moving into our new place.
It will have a little patio area and I hope that it gets the sun in the mornings, so we can have breakfast outside.
As far as I remember one of the walls is painted in a nice deep blue colour and I would love to get some lovely plants in pots to add some greenery to the scenery... :-)

(image: Apartment Therapy)

WALLPAPER ON DISPLAY

2010-04-25T23:05:00.002+01:00

Hello my dear friends!

I have been the worst blogger recently, I know! I have so much to catch up on and I feel humbled that I have even gained some new followers. Welcome guys and thanks so much for signing up to this blog. I will try to post more regularly again and with Bologna and London bookfair out of the way, I will hopefully have a bit more time on my hands again.

As most of you probably know we'll be moving houses soon and as I started packing today I decided to get rid of some of our furniture that won't fit into the new flat. So we put our dining table on the net. It found a buyer within an hour. I also out a display cabinet on sale but then I came across this pic and I thought maybe I should keep that one and put some new life into it.
I really like the idea of putting wallpaper in the back. I will definitely keep this in mind!

What do you think?

(image: Sally Conran)

FLOWER POWER

2010-04-14T21:38:00.003+01:00

I wouldn't generally go for a flowery sofa but combined with the simple coffee table and lamp as well as the white floor boards, I actually love it!

(image: Apartmenttherapy)

FLEA-MARKET STYLE

2010-04-13T08:00:00.002+01:00

I love flea-market style designs. They have so much character and look so effortless...

(image: Livingetc)

DECORATING WITH NEUTRALS

2010-04-13T07:53:00.002+01:00

I just can't help it. I simply love neutrals. Decorating with neutrals creates such a calm and versatile background that can be spiced up with colourful accessories...

(images: Sarah Bold)

BOOK GIVEAWAY: WINNER ANNOUNCED

2010-04-09T16:36:00.002+01:00

Friday is drawing to a close and it's time to announce the winner of the book giveway.

Thanks so much everyone for joining in and please don't be disappointed if it's not you...

The winner of this giveaway is Mara from Home Shabby Home!

Congrats Mara!!!

Please let me know your postal address and the book will be on its way to you in no time!

Have a nice weekend,
Nadine x

WHO DOESN'T LOVE GREY?

2010-04-08T21:37:00.004+01:00

I have some great news! Our offer for the lovely flat has been accepted today! Yay!!! At first it looked like it would fall through as there were some issues with the place being furnished or unfurnished. Well, it's all more or less resolved now and we will move in mid May...

...so I'm looking for some inspiration already and this is what I love today...

Thanks so much everybody for your kind words and keeping your fingers crossed! It definitely worked!

Nadine x

DREAM HOME

2010-04-06T20:49:00.006+01:00

Let's take a break from all the house hunting talk and look at other people's home again!
Sophie Dahl, the former model and daughter of author Roald Dahl, is hosting her own cooking show on British TV at the moment.

But that kitchen I've been admiring all along is actually not her own kitchen, as I foolishly believed, but a rented property that's now for sale!

Looking familiar you think? Well, you might be right. The property belongs to photographer Paul Massey. I'm sure you've come across his work before and if you haven't, here is a taster!

And this is the lovely three-storey, 5-bedroom house now up for sale for mere £1.45. Oh well, it's a dream though, isn't it?

(images: 1,2, 16-20 Daily Mail, 3-15 Paul Massey)

FINGERS CROSSED...

2010-04-06T07:46:00.005+01:00

Today we will be putting an offer in for both flats and I'm so excited. My heart is set on the second fat which is about 5 min from Richmond.

I was itching to go back and see it again yesterday but it being bank holiday there was obviously no chance to do that.

We then decided to explore the area around it instead and I must say that I was impressed. The flat is set in a nice lovely area, only 8 min from Richmond Park. For all of you who don't know this part of the woods, Richmond Park is the largest Royal Park in London with almost 2500 acres and around 650 free roaming deer.

It's such a nice area that I will be be very surprised if they accept our cheeky offer. Oh well, let's keep our fingers crossed...

To distract myself a bit I've uploaded some more pics from Bologna for you that I took in one of the many cute shops in the city.

I love this lamp!!!

HOUSE HUNT CONT.

2010-04-04T21:21:00.003+01:00

Yesterday we went flat-hunting once again and the two favourites are these:

The first flat is just down the road from where we live at the moment. It's a 2 bedroom flat, split over two levels and set over a nail studio. Here are some pics!

Living room: very spacious with built in shelves and wardrobe.

2nd bedroom: very spacious as well and the master bedroom is even slightly bigger than this one. Both have a sink in them which is a bit odd... I guess the built-in wardrobes make up for it though!

Kitchen: Narrow L-shaped kitchen that is in serious need of some decoration. The bathroom looked quite grim with only a tiny window in the corner. It's long and narrow and offers hardly any storage space. I think this room would be the biggest challenge.

The advantages to this place are that it's in the area we love and that the rent is potentially cheaper than what we pay at the moment.

The disadvantages are that the bathroom is not on the same level as the two bedrooms but two flights of stairs down and that the flat is above a nail studio. When we entered it I thought I could smell the nail varnish but I can't remember whether it bothered me when we where in the flat, so not sure how bad it was.

The flat is generally in need of some redecoration but it's spacious and I think we could make it nice. It's a bit closer to the main road than we are at the moment so leaving the living room window open could be very noisy...

Staying in Richmond would be great though so I'm tempted with this place.

The second flat was about 15 minutes away from Richmond but just ticked all the other boxes. It's a 2 bedroom ground-floor flat situated in a nice and quite area. It has a little patio where we have BBQs and even store the bikes that we weren't able to get until now as we didn't know where to store them.

The living room is very big offering enough space for all our furniture including the dining table. I also love the wooden floors and the fact that the flat is really light and airy.

This is one of the two bedrooms. They are both roughly the same size and seemed quite spacious as well.

The disadvantage is that this place is not in Richmond and that it's a bit of a walk to the train station but there are good bus links to Richmond and we could get some bikes so we have the option to bike to Richmond.

This place is also a bit more expensive than the first one and we would have to put in a lower offer and hope that the landlord accepts it.

I must admit that I loved the place from the minute I walked in. I have seen the other place twice now and always have to stretch my imagination to tell myself that we can make it feel like home.

We have two more viewings on Tuesday evening and have also found some more flats on the Internet that we will need to inquire about on Tuesday so the search goes on...

Nethertheless, we'll put an offer down for both places on Tuesday morning and see what the landlords say.

Wouldn't it be great if I could have the second flat but located in Richmond? Oh well... I must sleep on it a few more nights...

What do you think?

BOOK GIVEAWAY

2010-04-02T21:34:00.004+01:00

As I have reached 50 followers I think it's time for another giveaway!

This time it's a book but not just any book but the most comprehensive book you can find on Sewing...

If you are quite left-handed when it comes to sewing (like I am) The Sewing Book by Alison Smith will be just the right thing for you!

The book gives you not only guidelines and step-by-step instructions on various sewing techniques, it also offers an overview on sewing equipment, fabrics, patterns and ideas for project such as sewing a drawstring bag, making a book cover, cushions, aprons, hessian bags, roman blinds, you name it. It even includes a directory of fashion and soft furnishings...

Alison Smith is a trained Arts and Fashion Textile Teacher and owns her own shop called Fabulous Fabric. She has also set up her own sewing school, the Alison Victoria School of Sewing in Leicestershire, which is in fact the largest independent sewing school in England.

Interested yet? Then enter the price draw!
The requirements are as follows:

1. You are a follower of this blog.
2. Leave a comment on this post.

The winner will be announced on Friday, 9th April 2010.

Good luck!

(images: Dorling Kindersley)

HAPPY EASTER!

2010-04-01T22:53:00.002+01:00

Happy Easter everyone! I wish you all a relaxing few days and lots of sunshine!
I will be house-hunting again and will let you know on Sunday how we got on.

Until then enjoy your Easter holidays and don't eat too many Easter eggs...;-)

(images: 1-3 Good Housekeeping, 4-6 Country Living)

BOLOGNA...

2010-03-30T20:05:00.008+01:00

I'm back from Bologna and it's time for a catch-up. I'm sorry I haven't been in touch for so long but I was literally cut off in Bologna as I didn't have any Internet access.

I just got back last night so I have lots of stuff to do but I couldn't wait another day to say hello to my lovely readers! First of all, thanks so much for all your lovely comments and support. That made me feel much better about moving and I'm now quite excited to find a new place!

But let's start at the beginning: Bologna was great. I spend the first few days at the Children's book fair and then did some sightseeing on the weekend with Dave who came over from London on Friday afternoon.

The weather was a bit grim to start with but then became better and better and we were lucky enough to enjoy some lovely sunshine. And don't get me started on the food... it was absolutely amazing... My favourite place was Taverna del Postiglione.If you ever go to Bologna make sure to stop by there and have some food! It's delicious!!!

But now we're back in London and reality kicked in again...

The flat we looked at in Chiswick was quite nice but they needed people to move in straight away and we aren't able to move before May as we are tied into our contract until then...

The other places we've seen were either to far away from trains or tubes or were too small...

Oh well, the search goes on and we'll see some more places this Friday and Saturday... well, that's my Easter weekend sorted... ;-)

I'll keep you updated. Until then I leave you some eye candy from Bologna... I took these pictures in a shop called Maison du Monde on Via Francesca Rizolli...

There are some more pics to come tomorrow but now it's bedtime for me I'm afraid... Good night!

TIME TO MOVE?!?

2010-03-19T21:08:00.005Z

Dave and I received notice two days ago that we will have to move out of our beloved flat within the next two months.
I was devastated because I truly love this place and having moved in here less than a year ago, we weren't looking at moving out any time soon!

I've spent the last two days calling up Estate agents and trying to book some viewings for tomorrow as I will be off to Bologna next week and not be able to search for new flats.

The bad news is that there is nothing for the price we pay at the moment that comes close to what we have. We are looking at either moving further away from Richmond, getting a smaller place or paying much more...

The good news is that I have been looking at some surrounding areas which are still in walking distance to Richmond...
I've now booked 9 viewings for tomorrow, starting at 9.49am and ending at 4.30pm... long day...sigh
I will definitely let you know how it's going and as you can imagine there will be lots of before & after posts coming... watch this space ;-)

On Sunday I will have to pack as I will be off to the Children's bookfair in Bologna for a week.

Below is one of the places we will have a look at. What do you think?

THE FUTURE OF PUBLISHING...

2010-03-17T20:25:00.002Z

It doesn't happen very often that I post anything here about my job in publishing but what our marketing department have put together here is well worth posting...

BLOG LOVE: DECORA TU ALMA

2010-03-17T10:56:00.003Z

Today I received an email from Elisa from the lovely blog Decora Tu Alma so I headed straight over there to check it out and I must say I feel in love with her blog.

It's full of great pics and inspiration.

Here are some of my favourite pics and if you like these, make sure you check out Elisa's lovely blog here.

(images found via Decora Tu Alma)

INSPIRATION: GRAPEFRUIT

2010-03-17T07:47:00.002Z

I'm loving this colour scheme found on Nesting Newbies. It combines Farrows Cream No 67 with Dauphin No 54, Vert de Terre No 234 and White Tie No 2002 (all colours from Farrow&Ball)... For more info click here!

(images via flickr from xJavierx)

SUNSHINE AWARD

2010-03-16T13:03:00.004Z

I received this sunny award by lovely fellow blogger Diana from OneCraftyFox. Thanks Diana!!! This really brightened up my day! I feel very honoured!

If you haven't been to Diana's blog yet make sure you check it out or you'll be missing out on some great pics and tips!

I now have to pick another 12 fellow bloggers to pass this award to... this is the hardest bit isn't it and I must admit I don't like it! I must say I like all your blogs and wish I could just break all the rules and pass it on to everybody but I'm quite bad at breaking rules ... :-(

1. Iva from Iva Y

2. Deb from Cappuccino Cottage

3. Nellie from McCarthy Designs

4. Mona from The Spirit of Abundance

5. Helen from In Elegance

6. Samantha from The Nest

7. Gaia from Alices Adventures in Wonderland

8. Tina from Rubies Place

9. Anna from Lona de Anna

10. Patricia from Dekorating

11. Marianne from Marie-Anne

12. Courtney from Green and Pretty

And this are the rules for accepting this award:

1. Put the logo on your blog or within your post.

2. Pass the award on to 12 bloggers.

3. Link to the nominees within your post.

4. Let them know they received this award by commenting on their blog.

5. Share the love and link to the person from whom you received this award.

Congrats guys!!! x

BEDROOM IN A SHED

2010-03-15T21:11:00.002Z

I hope you all had a nice weekend... I must admit I hardly got anything done! The weekend was gone before I even knew it had started... :-(

I'm very sorry for not having been posting as much as I used to but struggling to juggle, work, studies, assignments and blogging at the moment and with two book fairs coming up soon, the only thing I fancy doing when coming back from work is sleeping...sigh...

Dave Coote

PIC OF THE DAY

2010-03-13T08:47:00.003Z

Isn't that a cute space. So full of random finds and personality...

verhext

WITHOUT WORDS

2010-03-10T22:04:00.003Z

David Coote

FAVOURITE OUTFIT

2010-03-10T21:50:00.001Z

Loving this outfit...

(top, jeans, sandals from TOAST; earrings and bag from ACCESSORIZE)

GAIA'S GIVEAWAY...

2010-03-10T06:25:00.004Z

I'm up quite early today so I thought I quickly share this beautiful giveaway on Gaia's lovely blog Alice's Adventures in Wonderland with you.

Head over there right now and check it out!!! You don't want to miss that one!

Giveaway ends Sunday the 14th March! Good luck!!!

I HEART BOOKS...

2010-03-09T21:55:00.004Z

The great thing about working in publishing is that you get a lot of free books and for a book worm like me this is like heaven...

(image: Susannah Conway)

Today I picked up The Help by Kathryn Stockett and it only took half a page to get me hooked...

So please excuse my absence tonight but I have some reading to do ... ;-)

(image: Penguin)

SPRING FEELINGS...

2010-03-09T13:23:00.005Z

I still think that I might be able to coax the spring into coming out by posting beautiful pictures that make me look forward to this beautiful time of year.

Well, it looks like the sun is struggling to come through but it's still freezing here... ;-(

(images: Cabbage & Roses)

INSPIRATION BOARD...

2010-03-09T07:30:00.003Z

I've started working on the frame for my inspiration board. The back needed some work done to it so I've sanded it down and sealed it. Looks like new!

I've also bought some hardboard, measured the size of the frame and cut out what will be the back of the frame.

I've cut out my favourite pics and arranged them in the frame. There are still some gaps so I'm not ready to show you yet and the light is never good enough when I'm at home so this might have to wait to the weekend!

So far it looks brilliant though. I love the frame...

BURLAP

2010-03-08T19:30:00.003Z

Thanks so much everyone for the lovely feedback on the burlap sack. You gave me so many brilliant ideas...now I just have to make up my mind...
I love all your suggestions so it will be a tough one...

Styleathome

Apartment Therapy

Funkyjunkinteriors

Blue Mountain Coffees

WEEKEND TREASURES...

2010-03-07T21:10:00.008Z

I hope you guys had a great weekend. Mine was very nice. We met some friends on Saturday night and together we went for dinner in a lovely country pub just outside London. It was a great evening!

Today we went to a car boot sale where I picked up these little treasures: a straw hat bought from a nice French lady (it reminded me of France), a 1903 edition of Shakespeare, a vintage sugar sack (no idea yet what I will do with that but I liked the look of it) and an old wooden frame which I want to use to create an inspiration board...

Any idea what I can do with the vintage sacks?

Over on Tina's blog, Rubies Place, I saw that she bought similar sacks and is planning to make cushions from them.

While I think this is a brilliant idea, I'm not quite sure I'm talented enough for that...

Well, Tina, I will wait for some inspiration from you ;-)

So what have you been up to on the weekend?

A FRIDAY TREAT...

2010-03-05T12:22:00.004Z

Yes, it's already time to add another amazing book to my wish list and this one is an absolute must have. I'm actually tempted to pre-order it on Amazon so I get it as soon as it comes out in April.

It's by Australian Interior Stylist Sibella Court. You probably all know her but I only came across her today! What a treat on a sunny Friday afternoon!

Here are some pics of here amazing loft in New York... I love her eclectic style!!!

And here is a little preview of her book Etcetera found via HomeshoppingSpy...

(images: Amazon, Livingetc, Homeshoppingspy)

Don't forget to check out her interiors store named The Society that she opened in Sydney.

I feel inspired already!

POLKER DOT AGA

2010-03-05T09:40:00.003Z

Have you seen the polka dot AGA by pottery designer, Emma Bridgewater yet?

This multi-coloured polka dot AGA would surely make a statement in any kitchen and if you had £9,999 spare would you go for it?

I must admit, I'm not sure...maybe if I had the matching cottage in the English countryside!

(image: Retrotogo)

WALLPAPER COLLAGE

2010-03-05T07:52:00.004Z

Can't decide what wallpaper design to go for?

Here is the solution...

(via Jennifer Adams Design Blog)

Tagged: 7 Things You Don't Know About Me

2010-03-04T14:09:00.007Z

Anna from Lona de Anna and Samantha from The Nest have tagged all their readers to share 7 things about themselves and as I'm following both blogs I felt that I couldn't ignore being tagged twice... ;-)

So here we go...

1. I grew up in East Germany and was 10 years old when the wall finally came down. Until then I hadn't seen any other country as we were literally locked in. I'm very thankful for the fall of the wall in 1989 as otherwise I wouldn't be where I am today!

2. I met the love of my life 5 years ago when studying in the UK for a year. We've been inseparable since then and I've relocated to the UK over two years ago.

3. I'm a bit of a loner... I cherish the moments I can spend on my own lost in books or blogs or redecorating something. I'm not a big party animal although I love meeting up with friends and chatting over some lovely food and wine.

4. I was dancing in a dance company from the age of 9 until 27. I loved it and we were taking part in nationwide competitions. Our biggest success was winning the Berlin Championships in Jazz and Modern-Dance 5 years in a row!

Can you spot me?

5. When I finished school in Berlin I wanted to go abroad to see the world but unlike my friends I didn't fancy spending a year in the States as an Au-pair and I didn't know about Work-and-Travel in Australia back then (otherwise that would have been an option as well).
I decided to go to Israel and work in a Kibbutz for 8 month. I was based in the South, close to a small town called Ashkelon and about 20 min from Gaza. On my days off I travelled the whole country. It's a fascinating place and I learned a lot... too much to put in a post... but I will never forget that time.

6. I'm crazy about animals...dogs, cats, horses, alpacas, sheep... you name it. Anything that doesn't have more than 4 legs is quite cute and adorable in my eyes and seeing an animal hurt is breaking my heart. When I was a little girl my mum always had to switch over the channel as soon as an animal got killed in some kind of nature programme because I just wouldn't stop crying...

7. I regard life as a journey and I try to enjoy every single moment of it. I don't want to rush through it. Instead I'm looking forward to all the stops that are still lying before me such as getting married, having kids, buying a house and building a home... I believe that anything is possible in life. It's all up to you!

So now you know!!!

I'll pass this tag on to everyone who reads this post and hasn't been tagged yet.

Looking forward to reading 7 random facts about you!!

Bedrooms in neutral colours

2010-03-04T07:50:00.003Z

First of all BIG thank you to Anna from Lona De Anna for giving this beautiful award to all her followers.

Thanks so much. I love your blog and am very happy I found it!!

If you haven't checked out Anna's blog yet, make sure to head over there soon!

But let's come to today's post. I came across these beautiful bedrooms while browsing through Marie Claire Maison. I love the natural colour palette used here. It's so relaxing, isn't it?

I'm absolutely smitten with the next room...sigh...

(images: Marie Claire Maison)