Planting around..

Ikea catalog 2010 a favourite room setting of mine.

While flicking through my Ikea catalog the other day, it struck me that in just about every room setting those very talented specially bred Ikea stylists use some kind of plant or flower, and on having a quick glance around my living room, decided that's just what it needed, and as plants are known to help clean the air in the home, I thought it was about time I added one or two. So I hot footed it off to one of my Local Garden Centres (Ransoms Garden Centre)yesterday evening and bought myself one trailing ivy. I choose this one because I need something that is hard to kill off, many a plant has ended up shrivelled and withered in our house, because quite frankly I'm not the best person in the world at looking after plants, but this one looked like it could take a bit of miss treatment. So into the basket it went.
And I have to say that this little ivy really does bring a feeling of life and movement to the room, and I swear the air smells better already, its just a case of deciding where to place it now......

on my computer table?

or on the tea chest, which is now the right way up by the way.

maybe on top of the TV

how about the on some books
on the coffee table?

on the edge of the book shelf?

How about you are you a plant of fresh cut flowers person, have you paid them some attention lately??

And speaking of Ikea, Hubby is treating me to a couple of days in France, we will be driving up to Rennes to see the newish (I think it opened last summer) Ikea, and if I'm really lucky and we don't get lost in Rennes I may also find Habitat! Soo excited...

A few snaps from my weekend.

Hello, I can't believe its Monday already! I have had a bit of a busy weekend, making the most of my Children being away, the weather was lovely and Hubby and i made like Holiday makers on Saturday and headed out to St. Aubins for the Farmers and Craft Market, i love visiting these to see what the local crafters are creating to tantalise the senses, the air is usually filled with a mix of lavender, and foodie smells. Its the beginning of the season and the Market was a little on the small side, but music was playing and food was on offer, there was a lady demonstrating traditional wool spinning, she very kindly let me take a snap of her spinning away in the sunshine.

I came across a new stall that I had not seen last summer called Sweet Inspiration, run by Emma carlton, creating yummy deserts, I had my eye on the sticky toffee pudding, but being strapped for cash after handing over money to daughters before heading off on their week away, I settled for a scone, thats it above rather lavishly laden with cream and jam added by me, although I have to say, the best way in my mind to really enjoy a scone is practically straight out of the oven, pull apart gently, spread with butter so that it melts in then pile high with jam and cream, eat it quickly before the jam an cream starts sliding all over the place, aah that takes me back to being a child when my Mum would bake on a Sunday and we would have a scone tea after the Sunday roast in the evening....
Apparently Emma Carlton is the first lady chef in Jersey to have launched her own unique desert range to the international market, I really must get one of those sticky toffee Puds, its had some rave reviews which you can read about here and the Sweet Inspiration website is here.

Down along the main road is a lovely little antique shop charming called Love Joys, (pictures above an below) its filled to the brim with curiosity items, I just love these kind of shops, great for buying a really unique item for the home, don't you just love those cocktail shakers? Martini anyone?

I also started painting my daughters bedroom for her, I thought it needed a lick of paint to freshen it up a little, she is going for a black and white look I think, so I'm in charge of painting the walls, my neck and shoulders are aching from all the painting, and now I think the window frame and skirting will need a new lick of paint too....must go I have a third coat of paint to slap on yet..

Punchy little numbers.

Well good evening to you all, I hope you had a good weekend, I keep thinking today is Monday, and having to remind myself that its Tuesday already, a short week this week, Yeah! I had a productive weekend, left to myself for most of it, hubby had to work, and my two girls went off and did there own thing, (sometimes its nice not to be running around after every one) so I made the most of having the house to myself and made the DIY destination bus roll that I have been meaning to have a go at for a while, which I posted about it here

I also spent some time looking through past magazines and tear outs that where sitting on my desk, and amongst them there was an article from a local magazine about a new local company called Vivid and punch.

Vivid and Punch is made up of two local Jersey Artists Karen Allenet and Jayne Herbert who together are responsible for the amazing re-upholstered antique and original pieces of furniture you see here.

All Pictures from Vivid and Punch

I particularly like the 1960s danish arm chairs, with what looks like an old couple gazing at each other from one chair to the next, kinda whimsical and quirky.

These beautiful pieces of furniture are bespoke, using original items sourced from auctions both local and from France, and vintage panels of fabric, needlepoint's and personal items to create unique pieces of art.

At the end of the month the ladies are planning a month long exhibition, and all being well, I plan to pop along to see more of the ladies work. you can check out these items online too, at www.vividandpunch.co.uk, or they are available to buy here.

Crafters out in force!

Rinky dink Designs

Awaiting link

Home Bird Decor
Website coming soon but can be found on twitter

Theresa Robinson Pottery

Anna Le Sueur, only sells local at the moment.

I love going to craft fair events and this month there are markets taking place all over the Island. Local jersey crafters' are pulling out all the stops this year, and there is a growing entrepreneurial trend sweeping over the island, the talent is amazing, every time I visit a craft fair there is somebody new creating more lovely items for the home. I caught up with one of these events on Thursday which was actually being held in someones home! the whole house had been turned into mini crafters market, and the smell of lavender, cinnamon sticks and mulled wine was filling the air with an intoxicating aroma, lovely. In each room there where lovely hand made items to delight and tempt you from beach inspired home accessories, to lovely rustic pottery, and lavender filled hearts and pillows. There where the old favourites who I have bought from in the past and some new faces, who I will be watching and probably buying from in the future! If you are lucky enough to live local I can highly recommend visiting these events to hunt out these lovely hand made items for your home.

Winning dish of The Great British Menu.

There's a bit of a culinary stir going on around this little Island of Jersey of late, and its all to do with Shaun Rankins winning Treacle Tart. Jersey Chef, Shaun Rankin who is head chef at jerseys Bohemia Bar and Restaurant, recently appeared on the BBC2s programme, The Great British Menu and went on to win with his Treacle tart for the south west. Its now being produced by local patisserie Gaudins and is available island wide, and Mr Rankin has been out and about promoting it. (I had intended to get a shot of him doing a food demo at one of the supper markets but missed it..... caught up at the next one, and then chickened out)

Anyways, I thought I better give it a little taste to see what all the fuss was about, so at the rick of my waist line I bought a packet of the said little tart and went about my research.....that sounds so funny, I just got an image in my head of myself in a white jacket specs and a clip board...(giggle giggle giggle) OK back to the tart, first impressions, as you slide it out of the box....well its not the best looking cake I have ever seen if I am really honest, but the Prof is in the pudding as they say, so first bite, and well its...umm...you must remember I'm no food critic just you average housewife....so, first bite.... hang on need another bite to decide here.....pastry is quite crunchy....the filling it soft and sweet, but not sickly..... I could eat another slice... and the verdict? on the whole a nice Treacle Tart really... I wonder what it would be like warm....oops will have to get another one for that part of my research.....

You can have a go at making it your self if you are unable to get your hands on one, just follow the recipe here and do let me know what you think.

Mr Rankin on Facebook

Weekend round up.

Well I hope you have all had a great weekend, getting out and about where you live making the most of the remaining days of Summer. I visited an antiques fair this weekend, and a food festival, and meeting with friends on bank holiday Monday (so back on tuesday) What have you been up to, anything nice?

In the last few days its got decidedly chilly in the mornings and evenings, marking the onset of dare I say Autumn, and my toes are feeling the chill, I cant believe I actually contemplated buying winter boots the other day! I'll hang on for another week or two and take the Que from when my toes start turning blue....

On another note, I would like to say a BIG "hello" to all the new people who have have stopped by recently, and if you leave a comment it will show up in the new comment box to the left of the main post area, great for others to click through to your blogs, currently down comforter is my biggest fan!

I have had some really nice comments and emails lately which always puts a smile on my face, so a big thank you to those of you who have emailed me, and I have discovered a couple of local bloggers which is great to find, Lou Lou & Oscar, and area thrifty one who I met at the craft and farmers market here.

Well with September on its way, that can only mean one thing, new trends for autumn and winter 2009/2010, and over the next couple of weeks I will be having a look at whats in store for us this winter, I'm also thinking of decorating my bedroom, taking inspiration for the throw that I bought in France a few weeks back so I might share some themes with you all, have to wait and see....then of course there is the progress on the attic chair which I am getting ready for its big make over, sanding has already started on the frame, and the old seating has been removed, I'll be on the look out for some suitable paint for it, and some new fabric, some thing bright and colourful I think... well that's if for now folks enjoy the rest of the weekend.

Oh and hello to www.runawaycoast.com

Craft and Market day

Well I hope you are all having a lovely weekend, the sun was shinning yesterday and I popped down to the local Farmers and Craft market in St. Aubins, just to have a wonder around you understand, but the stall holders where out in force, music was playing, lovely food smells where wafting in the air, and some of my favourite stalls where there displaying all the type of things I love, hand crafted, hand painted, homemade, and needless to say my money did not stay in my purse very long! I spotted the stall of Anna Le Sueur, you may recall she featured earlier on in the year here ,and I just had to have one of the gorgeous little sewing tidy cats (below). Isn't it lovely?

I also spotted the stall of Nanette Regan of Area Thrifty One, who designs and makes lovely soft toys and dolls, and I have added one of these dolls to my wish list, you can just about make it out in the picture below with the pink arrow pointing at it; a sassy little rag doll with lost of character and charm, a doll for big girls like me I think! You can see more of these lovely creations here, here, and on flickr here.