Etsy shop now open for biz

Apologies for lack of posts over the last year...I've been beavering away designing some pretty new prints (among other things) which can now be purchased through my Etsy shop.  You see these and more in the shop which I've just updated, ideal for home and nursery wall art.  Hope you like them!!

Flashback: Helen Musselwhite

I first found Helen Musselwhite's work back in 2010, and wrote about her intricate paper cut creations on this blog.  I have recently seen her creations cropping up on Pinterest a lot lately and wanted to show her current work to you all again, in case you missed it first time round.

Helen lives just south of Manchester and takes a lot of her inspiration from the countryside round there which is obvious from her work which feature lots of British flora and fauna.  Helen has been busy since I last featured her and her work has been used on many magazine covers and advertising campaigns, including Audi, Cadbury and Nokia and also window designs for Stella McCartney and Smythson.  

I love to read about people making a living from something they LOVE doing, which is sadly a bit of a rarity in this day and age.  You can see how much care and attention goes into her work and its lovely to read on her website that ..'I think it’s simply that I love doing this so much I can get totally lost in what I’m doing and the time passes by without me noticing. I’m at my happiest when I’ve nearly finished a piece that I’ve been really caught up in – sometimes I feel quite bereft when I’ve finished them!..'

The Decorator's Notebook

I'm ashamed to say I only recently came across The Decorator's Notebook blog, another great find for inspiration. So many blogs, so little time! Not only is The Decorator's Notebook a great way to while away a quiet half hour, it now boasts a lovely online shop  of hand picked treasures. A brother and sister team, they are passionate about quality handmade goods and it shows in the lovely wares they've put together.  Here are just a few to feast your eyes on.

The Ship Inn at Rye

Spent a lovely but rather bracing weekend (It was very very chilly) in Rye to celebrate my boyfriend's 30th. We stayed at The Ship Inn, a wonderfully decorated inn serving fantastic food. I haven't uploaded my pics of the place yet, but will do soon and pop them on here. Rye is an old smuggling port and the The Ship Inn was built back in 1592.It was built in 1592, originally as a warehouse to store contraband seized from smugglers. It is now a characterful countryside pub, with old beams and wooden floors and various areas to sit in and relax - the sunny end in the mornings to eat breakfast and read the papers, big tables for group Sunday lunches that last all afternoon or cups of tea by the fireplace after a long walk on the beach.

The decor and mix of old and new and retro styles works sooo well and I loved the fact there was constantly a roaring fire to keep you toasty after long walks in the cold. Rye is home to some very old pubs, the mermaid being the oldest, I think, with norman cellars dating from 1156 and the rest of the pub built in 1420!! Rye also boasts over 30 antique shops which is great for a nosey in too.