Streamer crazy

I’ve been trying to think of ways to liven up the hall where we’ll be saying “I do”. It’s a lovely big village hall, but boy is it bland… I’ve been sewing like a mad lady and have been so lucky to have other friends digging out their sewing machines to help. I think the bunting will look super, but I have been keeping my eyes peeled for some colourful inspiration.

Then I stumbled upon this tutorial to make fringed streamers and I have become obsessed! I’m going for blues, greens, turquoise, white etc. My sister pointed out that it’ll look like the Enchantment Under the Sea Dance in Back to the Future. Exactly the look I was going for. Ha.

Here are some other streamer ideas that have me green eyed…

Colourful days

I have finally got my hands on a working sewing machine and after a quick tutorial from Scott’s granny I am up and running with our wedding bunting. It means I can at last put to use the hundreds of fabric triangles I sat there cutting on those nights when BS has worked late. I love the fact that her old machine has made clothes for her 5 children and also many wedding outfits for herself. I like that it will have a part in our wedding too.

So, the place is scattered with fabric, but it means there has been a lot of colour around lately – my favourite! Here are a few more things that have been brightening up my days…

This last one is what happens when I tell Noah to smile. Bit scary, but he’s getting the hang of it.

Cupboard lust

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My gawgeous friend Lucie recently told me about a furniture shop in Toronto that she walks past most days. She is madly in love with their yellow chest (top right), in her words “I want this tres expensive chest SO BADLY!” The shop is called Burnett and is owned by a husband and wife team who specialise in restoring and decorating vintage furniture.

The pieces are bright and beautiful and it has made me want to get out my stripper and paint brushes and get to work on some more furniture. I’ll be keeping my eyes peeled for a potential project.

Lucie, you could always sell a kidney. x

Check out these other restoration projects below…

Busy hands

In a week full of strops and screams, I’ve discovered that the busier this wee man is, the happier and therefore more chilled out he becomes. The only challenge is to think of enough activites to keep him amused. One recent thing that’s proving quite tricky is Noah’s fear of flies. This includes real and imagnary flies and any black mark or speck on a surface he can see. The poor guy loses it and clings onto you for dear life. It’s going to be a looooong summer with my windows open. We know it’ll pass, but until then distraction is key.

A nice distraction recently has been Noah’s aromatherapy playdough. We’ve made duckies and hearts and he enjoys tearing it up Munchkin style.

Run for Gladys!

A few years ago when I started jogging for the first time I found it hard to push myself to go faster and run for longer. If right now you’re envisioning me breezing swiftly along on a lycra-clad, 5k morning run, please stop. In reality, I was (and still am) a soft-around-the-edges, asthmatic who has never jogged for more than 20 mins straight in my life. I used to daydream quite a lot while I ran and I once let it slip to a friend that to push myself harder I imagined  that I was in a race and that my child was there watching, encouraging me to go on. Hil-bloody-arious. Never lived it down. A few weeks later my friend dreamt I had a little girl who I named Gladys (!) and ever since then i’ve been “RUNNING FOR GLADYS!”

I thought of this today when Munchkin and I went along to Holyrood Palace and stumbled upon the Edinburgh Half Marathon. Yes, i’m so on the pulse of what’s going on in this city. I had planned a quiet picnic and instead was met with lots of sweat, panting and Lucozade. I’d never been to a race before and I had quite a strange and embarrassing reaction. I started crying… I think what did it was the crowd clapping and cheering support to the runners passing by, it just got me. Luckily, it’s quite easy to hide a soggy face when you’re clutching a toddler, so we wandered through the crowds and then had a good walk around Arthur’s Seat.

Check out the view as I “walked for Noah!”…

(top pic by this clever fellow)

Spring happenings

I’ve been a bit blog lazy recently but have now given my self a big kick up the derriere and will start it off with a few Spring happenings.

BS and I had a weekend away to Durham. As usual, we ate, drank, slept and fannied about taking pictures… We discovered that Durham is pretty in parts, scummy in parts, full of sporty students and scantily clad orange ladies and has very yummy Thai food.

We visited my sister in Glasgow. Noah resided in a pretty cool pop up baby tent in the spare room. We had a lovely long walk through Queens Park and got to have a wobbly ride on my sister’s bike. I don’t think i’ve even sat on a bike for about 6 years. Ouch.

The Munchkin and I have been having some fruity Teddy bear picnics in the afternoons. Noah has discovered oranges. This means lots of sticky fingers and forcing fruit into Teddy’s mouth.

I have slowly been filling the house with bits and bobs for the wedding. Due to lack of space, this means our kitchen looks like a bric a brac sale. I think ill have to pack things away soon to keep breakables away from grubby hands. It’ll be fun unpacking again in September. I’ve decided to make cake stands as due to this 21st Century love for all things vintage, they cost an awful lot! This would be ok if we weren’t greedy guts and planning to have about 7 cakes… I’ll be sure to post my attempts.

In the meantime, I am enjoying the hints of sunshine and daily walkabouts with Munchkin. Long may it last!

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Tile me pretty

Whilst looking for tiles for her new bathroom, my friend recently discovered a lovely company called Welbeck Tiles. They make beautiful patchwork tiles that allow you to build up your own floral designs as well as quirky vintage images and classic engravings. Here are some of our favourites.

We have classic white tiles in our kitchen, but i’d love to experiment with more colour and pattern and I especially like the idea of clashing, intricate patterns. Check out these fun arrangements…

And last but not least, how twee are these vintage farm animal tiles? The race is on to buy them here! Happy tiling everyone x