I'm so in love with.... Le Souk Wallpaper!

Ok, this store (Le Souk) is just amazing.  I'm pretty sure I could fill up a container of goodies if I really let loose and spent up big.  But my absolute favourite thing of all is their wallpaper.

You know I have a bit of a thing for vintage plates, and for vintage plates on walls.  Well, I have no words - this is just................

AMAZING!!!!!

I am so in love - of course I would probably add real plates over the top of this for complete vintage plate overload, but I'm kinda silly like that.

and these wallpaper designs are pretty darn cute too!

                                     

Something to think about.....

“Draw something, sew something, cook something, sing something, build something, make something .... 

buy nothing.”

Original quote from Gala Darling - found on Pinterest and I even found the stencil if you feel like spreading the word! ....

                                                                                             

Flea Market Style

So, I thought I would do another book review.  (and by review I really mean just lots of photos!) I didn't think that I would be doing these on this blog but I just had to share.  The lovely book is Flea Market Style by Emily Chalmers, with words by Ali Hanan and photography by Debi Treloar.

This is one of my favourite interior books ever! - I pour over the scrummy pages all the time.  It is one of those books that you keep finding things you missed and you see and get inspired by something different every time.

While flicking through Book Depository craft books the other day (as you do - and I do far, far to much!) I came across it and it's 61% off!!!! Crazy.  Now I sort of wish I had waited to buy it, but not really as I have had good few years of ogling out of it.  Here are some of my favourite pages and quotes.....

"Some found objects have quirks; some need mending - but give any item a little tender loving care or a fresh twist and watch it blossom into new life."

"Flea-market style is by its nature relaxing and comforting to live with because junk pieces with past lives are never precious, uptight or pretentious; they have been there, done that - and lived to tell the tale." 

"If there are certain items that you are passionate about, you may find yourself buying one more... and another.  Gradually the hunt reaches fever-pitch and, before you know it, you have acquired a collection."

I just love this book so much - the interiors are just so inspiring and timeless.  This 'Flea Market' style is definitely an aesthetic that I really connect with - I would say my own house is pretty much true to this look and my work certainly takes its cues from these ideas.  I am so jealous too of some of the fantastic vintage finds in these homes - it is so hard in New Zealand to just stumble upon gems like this in a flea market.  We don't even have that many flea markets (please let me know if I'm wrong and I've somehow managed to miss a really good one!)  This book has me pining for the fantastic markets in London and Paris - if you ever go to Paris forget about the tourist stuff, go to the Marche aux Puces.  I could literally spend days there!

So have I tempted you? 

Here is the link to the book - you wont regret buying this one - promise!      

                                                         

                                                       

My Vintage Week (end)

Technically this is a "My Vintage Weekend" post as I managed to score all of these little lovelies this weekend - yay lucky me!

This is one of the cutest little things I have bought in ages - and I have actually managed to buy a useful item for once - yay me!  His new job (apart from looking adorable) is to hold my postcards in my studio.  My bookshelf was doing an ok job but bambi will do it with more style don't you think!

I love everything about this - it's a bit wonky, it folds flat! and I even love the little 'Foreign' stamp on the back.  From a time when it didn't matter which country it was made in - just the fact that it was from somewhere else was all that mattered.

- A very cheerful looking budgie made from hand painted pressed metal has made his perch on my light switch.

- A lovely group of doilies - who have already told me what they want to be (yes my vintage finds talk to me, that's normal right?)  The pink one wants to be a light shade but the others will be quite happy being cushions.

- How cute is this pincushion!  I bought this at the latest market I was selling at - Devonport Craft Market from a lovely lady who's name completely escapes me at the moment sorry!  Because the best kind of vintage item is a re-loved vintage item.  What a clever idea.

This is one ring I don't think I will be able to part with.  I just made this today from an amazing vintage Lucite earring - I can't stop looking at it, I just love how the flower is embedded in the plastic and the facets change how it looks from different angles.  Definitely a keeper - sorry everyone!

Of course as usual there were stacks and stacks of plates purchased this week, but I wont bore you with photos.  I will however show some off once they are painted up.

                                                          

Shadow Puppets - a new plate range!

I loved playing shadow puppets as a kid and now my 2 year old is discovering how fun they can be.  What a perfect edition to my hand painted vintage plates - and a bonus, they combine three of my favorite things to paint....

hands

silhouettes

& cute critters!

here are my first two of the range, there will be more to follow.  I am thinking a dog, a deer and possibly an elephant.  What was your favourite to make as a kid?  I am pretty sure I could only manage the bird and a sort of dog looking creature!

  

Oooh and I will be listing these ones on my Felt shop now - if any one is interested in buying the first ones!

 

My Vintage Week

Some lovely little finds last week.....

Oh so cute! miniature porcelain horses.  This was one of those try not to squeal out loud moments.  I have been looking for something similar for so long and now I have a pair!

and I have some exciting makeover plans for these two... stay tuned.

It's been so cold recently I think I am subconsciously compelled to buy everything warm and fluffy.

This little knee rug was so kooky looking with its strange grannyesque colour combinations (it looks a bit muted in the pic but there are actually fluro yarns in there) and at just $2 it really wanted to come home with me, so it did!

Turns out I needed a little knee rug in my studio - but man do I feel I have aged a tad sitting here typing with it on my knees.  Just as well you cant see me huh!

I actually have no excuse for buying these apart from the fact that I had never seen round cards before and they look kinda cool.

I'm sure I will find something to do with them one day - except for playing with them as it totally didn't occur to me at the time to count them first!

You see it really doesn't take much thinking on my part before some weird little object comes home with me - I have a very serious vintage addiction and no plans at all for rehab.

I try not to go out vintage shopping with an expectation of what I need or might find because it inevitably leads to disappointment and I find it means I'm too focused and I miss stuff.

But I really really needed to find some plates suitable for painting Mr Stag.  He is proving really popular and believe it or not in my STACKS of vintage plates (remind me to show you, because the collection is looking quite impressive - bordering on compulsive!) there are none suitable.

To my surprise I found five - just sitting there in one shop.  It was just like someone had hand picked them and had them waiting for me.  Yay!  And look at those two at the top - gorgeous.  No idea what they will turn out to be just yet.