places in portland {flutter} x

a busy week since getting back from portland, but so glad we made the {long} trip & met so many lovely people....one of my favourite shops was *flutter*, a gothic treasure trove of new & vintage finds, one of those lovely shops that feels like you're searching through someone's attic, with books, jewellery, vintage gowns, feather birds {2 lovely birds made it into the shopping basket}, wonderful party masks and so much more....

{all images from flutter}

take a peek at the wonderful shop if you get chance

looking forward to the weekend and catching up on some much needed sleep.....do i always sound slightly sleep deprived on this blog?

for now

xx

vintage portland x

arrived in portland last night, and despite it being very dark, very late & very rainy. was very excited to be here. very lucky & staying at the *ace hotel*, which is, well, just ace!

first day of shopping today (we only have two & a little bit, so think we're going to be very busy!), but really hoping to pick up some gorgeous vintage finds.....a little bit like these below from *littlebyrdvintage* an etsy seller from portland....

{all from littlebyrdvintage}

have a wonderful friday

xx

autumn x

i don't think i'm alone in posting about the lovely new autumn fashions, but i think one of my favourite looks are from *freepeople*.......

{free people}

busy day spent baking, now just taking a quiet moment before thinking about everything that needs to be done this week

i think it's going to be a busy week but i have a trip to look forward to at the end of the week....i'm lucky enough to be going on a trip to portland with my job. any suggestions of places to visit, to shop, to eat would be very much appreciated

xx

carey mulligan x

beautiful shoot

carey mulligan for vogue

{via fashionising}

hurrah

it's friday

busy {but fun} weekend ahead

xx

x

{both images from weheartit}

xx

my vintage party x

i have found the most wonderful company, not too far from me, that hire out vintage crockery & accessories for teaparties & weddings. am slightly envious & can't believe that i've not thought of that as a business before.....what a wonderful job to have a genuine reason {not that not having a genuine reason has stopped me} for searching out & buying lots of vintage tea sets....

*my vintage party* also has the sweetest vintage caravan available for hire.....her name is lola & she's lucky enough to be furnished in cath kidston.....enjoy..x

{all images from my vintage party}

had a lovely day at home today

bathroom all installed & now just waiting for paint & all the fripperies

photos soon

x

a spot of tea x

really cute teabag wedding favours.....

{via project wedding}

love the red & white spots

&

really enjoying lots of cups of tea now i'm back in england.....one of the very best things about being home

xx

end of summer x

lovely soft images from franciose rachez....they remind me of the colours of the end of summer, the promise of still warm days, soft colours blurring into autumn days....and jam making with summer fruit......

*j'adore les samedis*

*romantique lumiere*

*vintage confiture*

back home tomorrow

&

get to see my {nearly} finished bathroom

xx

autumn roses x

autumn loveliness from cabbages&roses

i love the way their look books conjure up an image of living in a country house {bigger than a cottage, not quite a country manor} reading jane austen & the bronte sisters by open fires, & taking long walks through country lanes......

.....i guess summer is nearly over

xx

kiki & coco x

i think this is just adorable....

kiki & coco in paris

by stephanie nierausser

xx

a new addiction x

hello again, after what seems like a long time away from the blogging community....

....i have a small confession to a new addiction, a new site full of wonderful inspiration & gorgeously pretty pictures, all collected & collated onto virtual pin boards - it's heaven on a plate, well actually on the web, so a big *thank you* to emma for introducing it to me....

....seriously, i can't seem to go a day without popping on to see what's been pinned that day....take a gander over here at pinterest....

a board of inspiration from *gorgeousness x* *just because x* & *paper things x*

have a truly wonderful weekend

back tomorrow with lots of loveliness found over the past weeks

xx

decorating.....x

feeling a little unsettled at the moment.....think it's the anticipation of so many nice things about to happen.....and particularly my new bathroom. after living with a very very bare shell of a bathroom for what seems like forever, it will be absolute heaven to have a gorgeously new & shiny bathroom to luxuriate in.....whilst most of the basics like the bathroom suite, flooring & tiles {and yes, treating myself to these beautiful, beautiful tiles as splashback to the sink} i can now start thinking of all those finishing touches....

{mikael dubois via johner}

....i don't quite have the room for the rolltop bath, but i love the colours and the light & airy feel this has, with gorgeous vintage touches.....lovely inspiration

bye bye for now
xx

bunting....x

spotted at *lovely clusters*......bunting for cake x

{cake buting *felicity* by kikilaru via etsy}

almost too cute

have not stopped all day, clearing out garage in anticipation of delivery of new bathroom suite
coming very very soon
very very excited

looking forward to the week ahead but please can we have a little more sunshine this week?

xx

a very chic shack....x

a holiday might not be on the cards this year, with car, bathroom & garden purchases, but if it was, and the weather in the uk turned just a little bit warmer, this *shack* would be high on the list....

{via vintage vacations}

don't you just love the mirrors, and the armchairs, and the bedspread, oh and the union flag curtains......

xx

it's friday.....x

it's friday & i have a lovely day off work.....my car, after many, many, many miles is starting to fall apart, so after months of hesitating & procastination i'm spending the afternoon looking at cars. i have a tendancy to be quite silly around new cars, and despite all good intentions of taking my time, considering all the options, get easily seduced by the smell of new cars and end up signing on the dotted line.....we will see....

would love a really pretty vintage car, but the many miles i drive each week dictate something a little more sensible....but how cute is this, a pink car named bettie page.....x

{bettie page via audrey hepburn complex via weheartit}

have a lovely day
xx

ladylike....x

the british weather has turned cold & rainy, which in a way is a blessing as i'm immersing myself in the fall collections for work & drooling over gorgeous cable knit tights & chunky legwarmers, shearlings & cosy fur coats, which is so much easier to do when it's not 30 outside.....what i love most about the new collections is the new silhouette which is so ladylike & reminiscent of old time hollywood glamour....

....especially lovely is the louis vuitton collection by marc jacobs.....

{via everything fabulous}

....the shoes ~ divine heels....
....the dresses ~ so 1950's socialite....
....the bags ~ how could you choose just one....

xx

picnic.....x

childhood summers were full of picnics....salmon sandwiches, salads of lettuce, cucumber & tomato, a camping kettle to brew tea, slices of homemade fruit cake & an apple, all packed into our picnic basket, which was more like a picnic suitcase....every sunny day would be a picnic day....

{1960's picnic via lotus feet via we heart it}

today was a perfect day for a picnic...

a trip to the farm shop to buy freshly baked bread, cheeses & hams, cherries & strawberries, a bottle of wine in the cooler bag, followed by an afternoon spent in the sun in the hills.....

with the promise of more sunny days i'm off to look for that perfect vintage picnic basket
{this one is winning at the moment.....vintage, cute, & with wine holders!}

xx

how does your garden grow.....x

i feel posh today as i now officially have a gardener! it was so nice to come home today & be able to see the garden once more, not just weeds & very very long grass......there is still a way to go before it's the cottage garden of my dreams, but it's moving in the right direction...

{love of gardening via flickr}

xx

blooming frocks.....x

*a hymn to all things floral*

{style.com}
....

{all images from style.com}

froth & frou frou
rouching & ruffling
pansies, tulips, orchids & daffodils

xx

escape....x

how perfect.....

a desert island....{but with a really comfy sofa}

{photos byt ditte isager}

desert island dream
peace & quiet
a glass of chilled white wine
a good book
&
a really good cupcake

xx