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

paper & scissors....x

beautiful book sculptures

.....

paper magic by su blackwell

it's taking a little while to get back into the swing of {normal} life now i'm back so forgive if the posting is a little sporadic for a few days.....good intentions disappear as i drift off to sleep on the sofa

normal service to be resumed as soon as humanly possible

till then, enjoy the sunshine
xx

curiouser & curiouser.....x

a wonderful photoshoot for royal copenhagen china taking the theme of the mad hatters tea party

{via hus & hem}

just love the miniature table & chairs in the middle picture

xx

curious blooms....x

more from musubi

....
very curious & strangely beautiful

{images from musubi}

xx

still blooming....x

more floral inspiration

{images from musubi}

how wonderful {but admittedly slightly ridiculous} to walk around adorned in flowers

the middle picture might prove a solution for my badly neglected garden though...if you look carefully all the flowers are photographs....

xx

floral fusion.....x

floral inspired fashion
to brighten up your monday

{images by liz ham}

xx

dad....x

we're more alike than either of us like to admit

he gave me my creative imagination
but also his temper & stubbornness

he also gives unconditional love
even when my stubbornness is causing a rift in our family

{image from beauty in everything via weheartit}

i hope he'll also give me his forgiveness

distance stops me giving my dad a big hug today but i think he knows that my love is unconditional & unwavering too

{forgive the sentimental posting today but missing loved ones birthdays & special days doesn't get any easier}

a gorgeous weekend to you all
xx

garden shed....x

if the magic fairies, that are going to grant my wish & tranform my garden whilst i'm away, happen to be reading this, i'd also like one of these.....

{via tales of a junkaholic}
the cutest garden workshed.....ever

.....pretty please

xx

thunderstorms....x

last week in china we had the most amazing thunderstorm one night.....it rained harder than i've ever known, the thunder was the loudest i've heard....i don't think i've ever been so close to a storm before & known as much lightning as there was that night....

brought to mind that wonderful scene at the beginning and the end of *sweet home alabama* on the beach during that thunderstorm...a corny film i know, but....

hope your week is bringing you more sunshine than showers

xx

vintage laura....x

have been talking at work about brands which have managed to re-launch & revive themselves, which led to a discussion about laura ashley....googling vintage laura ashley threw up some fascinating results, and some surprisingly on trend looks....so true that what goes around comes around...and around...and around....

top left {via glamour&glitter} top right {1970's laura ashley dress via steptoes dog}
middle left {vintage pink dress via flickr} middle right {via nibs}
bottom {sailor dress via mariesvintage}

would love to have the chance to look at the archives at laura ashley, imagine what you could unearth & how lovely their collection could be?

xx