Jenny Loves Retro

I fell in love with this sweet little table while I was out with Noah a couple of weeks ago. It was the perfect thing for me to experiment on, with all the geometric pattern ideas i’d been wanting to paint lately. Munchkin was a good sport, as he was made to walk with me, as we strapped the table in to the pushchair and made our way home (another reason I need to pass my test soon).

I started with a coat of primer on the top.Then I drew out my pattern and began to mask some of the lines, ready to get the fun started.Slowly it started coming together and after a week or so of doing a bit every evening, my geometric beauty was finished!I kind of love it. I also, as with everything else, want to keep it. But alas, it is going to it’s new home tonight.

Can’t. Stop. Painting…

I’m a bit make-over-obsessed at the moment and have been painting everything in sight. Remember when I found these beauties? Wanting to brighten up Noah’s room a wee bit, I finally got around to painting and re-covering the ottoman, which is currently being used as his toy/junk box.

I’d like to say that Munchkin loved it, but his response was simply “No red, mummy, Noah like blooooooo”. Oh well. My next victim was a bargain book shelf I found at the local charity shop. As our walls aren’t strong enough to hold up any shelves, I really wanted something freestanding where I could display my favourite vases, pics and books.

Ercol ideas

I mentioned my cherished Ercol Windsor Chairs in a post last year. Lately, the urge to get them re-covered has been growing and I keep sneaking peaks at (beyond my budget) gorgeous fabrics that I could use. One of the chairs lives in Noah’s room along with the footstool and therefore need to be drool/sludge/tractor-proof. The other, in the living room, needs some serious brightening up.

Here are a few lovely fabrics I found online… (click on image for source)

It doesn’t help that i’m unsure how much fabric I would need. I am in the process experimenting with plain cotton, but it may well be a job for the professionals… My upholstery course is going well, but I don’t think it will quite stretch to this!

Check out these upholstered windsor chairs. LOVE THEM. Any ideas are welcome! x

Sunday morning treasure

Recently, i’ve been trying to just sell, sell, sell, to make space in our overcrowded cupboards. However, during an impromptu visit to the Omni carboot sale yesterday, I couldn’t resist these goodies. Noah had fun putting everything on and participating in some photo bombing.

Check out my treasure…

Rather good for SEVEN whole pounds for everything. Zing! x

 

 

 

 

Patterned projects

My lovely, sad-sack of a dressing table was slowly becoming a permenant fixture, bashed by Noah’s toy hammer, crammed full of phone chargers, make-up and other junk drawer goodies. So, I decided to take the plunge and paint it a couple of weeks ago. I had some left over paints from previous projects and chose a gemetric design for the front of the drawers.

Although I was sad to see it go, it’s now enjoying a new home in a very nice couple’s seaside pad, in the lovely Portobello. It being the first thing I have ever sold, I was more than a little bit excited and went out and found my next project, a mid- century sideboard/dresser, in need of some love and colour. I’m itching to get started.

I’ve got a thing at the moment for gemoetric designs and feel like embracing all kinds of colourful loveliness. Check out these beauties…

(Click on image for source)

 

My late new year

Ok, so it is just about mid-January and I am only now getting around to do my New Year post. Oh dear. I blame it on the post-festive, lethargic bubble I have only recently climbed out of.

I wanted to share some of my favourite things from the past year…

1.Taking a few trips. Some alone, some with friends and some full of tantrums. We exploresd The Isle of Mull, Tighnabruaich, Durham and Amsterdam.

2. Having that colourful, fun day in late September where we said “I do!” and ate quite a lot of cake.

3. Noah finally mastering the art of jumping!

4. Realising he was a bit of a weirdo…

5. A second birthday, pumpkins and new recipes.

6. Dragging Munchkin out to explore his city!

7. Being lucky enough to have a design used for this exciting project.

8. Being lucky enough to have this lovely man with me.

9. Spending time with the fam.

10. Seeing friends who are nearby and others who are too far away and appreciating how lovely they all are.

This year, i’m looking forward to some new adventures, more giggly chats with Munchkin, more high fives with friends, learning upholstery, turning 30 and hopefully not taking Noah on too many white-knuckle car rides when I get round to taking my driving test.

Ho-ho-ho

This time last year, we took our one year old munchkin up on the white knuckle ride that is the big Christmas wheel. We thought we’d scare the hell out of him again this year, so we wrapped up and had a cold, windy jolly looking over our beautiful city. Noah is starting to get the hang of this whole christmas thing and shouts “ho-ho-ho” whenever he catches even a glimpse of tinsel.

Here are some smoochy now and then pics. He appears to be equally unimpressed with my kisses in both. More importantly, how long is his magic 6-9 month jacket going to last?

We stuffed our faces with hot doughnuts and petted our little friend Peter, the plastic polar bear.

Our lovely trying-to-get-in-a-christmassy-mood afternoon was topped off with sneaking into Jenners for a look at their huge, pretty tree.

Hot pink & patterned dreams

It’s a cold, crisp day today in Edinburgh. I could be taking in the fresh air and crunching on all the fallen leaves, but no, today we are having a mopping-up-pee day. Trying to get back on track with the potty training after we abandoned it due to wedding busyness. To get me through all the carpet scrubbing and high-fiving, i’m going to enjoy this quiet nap time hour and share with you a few things i’ve had my eye on this week.

Munchkin is a hippy at heart, so as soon as he’s indoors, off come the socks. This little dude loves to be barefoot and free, but has frozen tootsies in cold November. Thinking of making these slippers for him…

We had a fun night at seeing one of BS’ favourite bands, Efterklang at the Usher Hall. I am by no means “on it” with current music (my playlists are cringeworthy), but even I enjoyed a wee foot tap to these guys. They were so smiley on stage. Maybe not so much here.Maybe it’s the cold weather, but i’m craving some hot pinks and jazzy patterns. ‘Tis the season for jazziness, after all. I’ll get my fix by drooling over the following…

I’m not usually one for pink accessories, but these boots are pulling at my heart strings.

And finally, how sweet are these upcycled fairisle cushions from theRemakerie on Etsy?

Stay warm! xx

 

 

Wedding wall

I’m hoping to get some wedding pics printed soon. It’s been lovely re-living the day looking through them all, seeing what BS was up to while I was getting ready (answer – downing a pint!). When I was at my parent’s cottage earlier in the year I loved their “wedding wall”. They have wedding photos of my great-grandparents, both grandparents and their own hipster wedding.

Look at these lovelies…

Look at those big, beautiful bouquets and bow ties! It’s interesting to see how wedding photography has changed through the decades and as I have a rather large soft spot for old photos, I love having all the history on one wall. Here are a couple of my faves fro our wedding I hope make it onto the wall…

Look at these genius ideas for displaying your wedding piccies.

Our photos were by Kitchener Photography. These guys are very sweet and very talented. Exactly the kind of people you want to record your wedding day.

Related articles

• No poses please, this is for real (thehindu.com)

Limoceramics

I was recently very privileged (and squealing just a little bit…) to have some of my art work used in a new line of Spanish ceramics. Limoceramics is a line of simple, beautifully designed ceramic ware, made in Spain by local artisans. They decided to do a limited number of custom pieces showing designs by a number of artists and illustrators and I was lucky enough to have a design used.

Check out some of their pieces…

My original design was one of three that is on the wall in our living room, seen here in a post from last year. I especially love the use of leather and other materials on some of their pieces. I’ll have to get my hands on a few things to pretty up my kitchen. If you would like to pretty up your house with any of the lovely limoceramics goodies (go on!), you will soon be able to buy them online from their website.

I have been spurred on a wee bit and what with the days getting shorter and the months of long evenings ahead, i’d like to dig out my creative hat and see if it still fits. Apart from all the wedding decorations, it feels like ages since I have made anything new and i’d like to get back into the swing of things. I’ll be thinking up some new projects and will hopefully share them on here.

Talking of new creativity, Munchkin and I broke out the paints the other day and had a go. All went well until he tried drinking the paint water. He’ll get the hang of it.