Explore52 22/13

If you get a sunny day in England there is nothing nicer than messing about by the water, whether it be play at the seaside or picnics on the river, it doesn't really matter, we island dwellers get drawn there. My explore52 this week is the Kennet and Avon canal where I found myself kicking back the other day. Bees buzzing, ducks gilding by, barge people mooring up and the clink of glasses in the distant pub garden... a little bit of heaven!

Today...

Just saying it like it is!

Photo credit Studio Sjoesjoe

Holidays & Award Winning Ice Cream

Well hasn't it been a nice holiday weekend, two sunny bank holidays in one month, practically unheard of!!! I hope you have had fun time too, I include my friends over the pond in this as I believe you also have had an extended weekend? Anyway, here's what I got up to along with some grainy iPhone snaps - standard!

My weekend began with a super fun night on Friday with my pal Hayley, we danced the night away, after cocktail hour, celebrating the opening of the Bath International Music Festival. We started by having some Mexican food and one or two long island ice teas and then went around the city looking for the array of free music events that were taking place. First of all we stumbled across a street display by Jamma de Samba, a Brazilian drumming group that dragged us in to dance to their beats. We were a little nervous at first as so many people were watching but we soon got taken away by the moment. Next we moved on to St. Michaels church and watched the Rock Choir perform, the church was so full   and understandably so as they were brilliant. We then headed to Milsom Place to have a beer and dance to the sounds of The Blues Others, a fun and funky Blues Brothers tribute. The evening was rounded off by the beautiful fireworks that went up around the city.

On Saturday it was celebration time again as we headed out for my friends hen night, it was a lovely evening with an Italian dinner and Champagne. The hen is a huge James Bond fan so we were all given a Bond girl persona for the evening and we shared stories and played games. My best girl stayed at mine and on Sunday we went to collect her babies from their grandparents, took them to a kids party and then spent a sunny afternoon at Saltford Marina, we had a Sunday roast in the sun, played with the kids in the park and watched the activity along the canal.

Finally today I went with mother A. to Lacock village for ice cream and a stroll. We made a stop at a garden centre first for tea (one of our favourite things to do!) and bought some pretty plants and a station clock for my studio. At Lacock we queued for ages to get our Marshfield ice cream cone, but oh my was it worth the wait! Mum had Honeycomb and I had blackcurrent in clotted cream, super delicious, best thing to end a fabulous holiday weekend.

What did you get up to? Did you have any delicious treats?    

*Ice cream photograph taken from the Marshfield Dairy website.

Explore52 21/13

My explore52 this week is not a place but an event that takes place in Bath each year. Today is the start of the annual two week International Bath Music Festival and it all kicks off with a free party in the city tonight. There will all genres of music being performed throughout the city and as per usual people will be dancing in the streets not worrying about the horrendous weather! Some friends and I will be heading to Milsom Place where there should be drinks flowing and a real party atmosphere. Have a fun weekend peeps and as Brucie would say "keep dancing". 

A Little Trip - Salisbury Cathedral

Today I took a trip to beautiful Salisbury with my best girl. It was a work trip to restock a gallery I supply there, the Gallery at Fisherton Mill, but that doesn't mean I couldn't do lunch and a little sightseeing! After visiting the lovely peeps at Fisherton, Miss Amanda and I had a look around the famous Salisbury Cathedral. I love the architecture of religious buildings and took a couple of iPhone snaps to show you the serene cloisters and dramatic gothic arches of this medieval masterpiece... oh and one of me looking like a tourist.

What kind of buildings float your boat?

typically.pretty.wish list 9/13

Good afternoon lovelies, what a great weekend I have had, how about you? My youngest cousin was Christened yesterday and we had a lovely day with the clan. 

Anyhoo, here is my latest wish list of finds on etsy.com, I think you'll like them too.

I want to be writing in this

Astronomy notebook by celestefrittata

I want to decorate my walls with these
Birch tree wall decal by StudioWallDecals

I want to perch my G&T on these
Ebony washed tree stump table by realwoodworks1

I would love to pamper with this
Bourbon and vanilla shea butter soap by sweetpetula

And I'd like to hang this

Little hello wall sign by sayhelloshop

The items listed here are not sponsored, they are just admired.

Explore52 20/13

Yesterday was a meet day for me, I had a great day chatting to some lovely people who own independent businesses in Bath. I am so excited that people are liking my designs, it is really encouraging and I feel positive about getting my jewellery seen by more people this summer. Whilst in town I paid a visit to one of my pals who works in Cafe Luca, a bright airy cafe inside The Loft home-ware and fashion store. Situated at the top of town surrounded by all the Georgian architecture you can't help but feel good whilst sipping a well made coffee (I'm not a big coffee drinker, but occasionally it is called for). The tables are even adorned with fresh flowers which are sold in the store, so pretty. 

Oh, and if you haven't noticed I am also now obsessed with the new app by A Beautiful Mess, it's one I was actually happy to pay for! 

Have a great weekend friends xx

Eats - quick lunch with mushrooms

I had a load of mushrooms that were just about to turn in the cupboard so in order that they didn't go to waste I made this super quick, super simple and super tasty light lunch. I will certainly be making it again as it was not only delicious but proper healthy and low fat, bargain!

Ingredients

100g sliced mushrooms (I had a mix of chestnut and shitake)

1.5 tsp vegetable stock powder

2 tbs natural yogurt

splash of water 

tsp chopped chives

In a hot non-stick pan dry fry the sliced mushrooms for around 4 mins, or until they start to brown. Sprinkle the stock powder over the mushrooms and stir so that they are evenly covered. Add the water to the pan (this will steam the mushrooms and help them soak up the stock powder), when the water has almost evaporated away remove from the heat. Stir in the yogurt and chives and serve immediately. I served mine on toast but this would equally as well as a side to a chicken or steak dish.

Enjoy xx

typically.pretty.pinned 7/13

Good morning sweet things, good weekend? It has been and continues to be wet and cold here so today I am dreaming of summer treats, feathers and lace and all things pretty. Must be all the Gatsby chat that I am hearing, have you seen it yet? Is it worth a trip?

ART

Originally pinned from // artfinder.com - tina on pink by Fletcher Prentice - papillion by Anne Marie Lepretre

DESIGN

Originally pinned from // oncewed.com // society6.com - cards by Abby Diamond - phone case by Amy Hamilton

EATS

Originally pinned from // thecollectioneventstudio.com // theeffortlesschic.com

Treats!

Oooo I've had a lovely week of treats, some I bought for myself and some were from others. What a lucky girl I am, wanna see what I got? OK, here you go.

At the beginning of the week mother A rocked up with this lovely scarf that she bought for me whilst she was away on her jolly girls get away, it's blue and has birds on it, what's not to love?

The enamel mugs are a treat to myself ready for a camping trip at the end of this month, can't wait for that and I'm sure I will post about it on my return. The love mug was from Urban Outfitters and the folklore mug was from Bloomsbury Bath.

I will also be taking this lovely 'perfect shirt' in 'moonlit pool' that came in the post yesterday from Conversation Pieces, an indie boutique in Los Angeles. It came beautifully packaged in pretty lace ribbon with a lollipop, how cute is that?! I won the shirt in a give away by the lovely girls over at the Lynn & Lou blog, check them and their style and craft posts out, super cute.

Finally there is the pretty silver chain I bought to hold a new pendant I made myself, the pendant needed to sit lower so I indulged in a 20" Prince of Wales chain for it (someone told me this was the name for this style yesterday). I will probably have the pendants on sale in the shop soon.

What little things have made your week?

New Collection Part 3

It is no secret that I have a few mild obsessions in life, like tea, pirates and a love of history and art. The latter is what lead to my interest in old folklore and folk art and the Arts & Crafts Movement it inspired. When studying both as a jewellery designer and an art history course we touched on this era in design. The ethos of beauty in functionality and the celebration of the handmade really stuck with me and although my work doesn't directly reflect those artists, I do find inspiration in the crafts that folk art produced.

Here are some photographs of the latest pendants and earrings coming to my shop inspired by heritage samplers, patchwork quilts, vintage lace and buttons.

Patchwork square in silver with a hand painted cold enamel fabric effect, the edge is textured with tiny kisses like cross stitching.

Silver button earrings textured with vintage lace embossed in to the silver.

Silver button earrings decorated with hand painted cold enamel.

Silver stacking rings - stitched with a kiss band, little heart ring and thin band.

Hope you like these new pieces, I will have them with me at the Bath Artisan Market this coming Sunday if you want come along and say hi.

What are your loves that inspire you?

Explore52 19/13

Hi friends, sorry I am a day out with my first post of the week but yesterday was a non computer day for me. I spent a wonderful day celebrating the May Day Bank Holiday at a traditional village fete in Newton St Loe which is just on the edge of Bath and 10 mins from where I live. The sun shone, the beer, tea and cake were plentiful and there were Morris dancers and a folk band to entertain everyone, plus clay pigeon shooting, a coconut shy, a dog show and market stalls lining the streets (of which I was one). A totally British day steeped in pagan tradition of celebrating love and fertility and the bringing of summer. Here are a few instasnaps that are my #explore52 for the week.

Explore52 18/13

Is it Friday already? Really? And the May Bank Holiday weekend? Whoopie!!

Well here is my explore52 for you this week, it's my Instagram of a hidden little gem of a place. I don't get the the cinema as much as I'd like anymore but when I do go I like to try and see movies in this old picture house, tucked away in a backstreet of Bath city centre. Back in the day The Little was known as the flea pit but now it is has had a new lease of life. With only 2 small screens it is somewhat intimate but there is a nostalgia about the building that just works. They have a licensed bar and hot drinks available and of course snacks, but not the kind that need a seat all of their own as well as making you feel like you've been mugged like in the multiplex!
They show a good mix of films too, current box office hits, art house, world and old movies alike, this is probably why it's popular with the grey brigade which I kind of love.

Do you have a favourite haunt for movie night?

Oh yeah, I may be a little scatty and late on Monday as I will be peddling my wares at the Newton St Loe country market for the May Day holiday, fingers crossed for sunshine, cider and Morris Dancers!  

Make - up-cycled vintage furniture

Hello Wednesday, it's nice to see you looking so well! Today I am sharing a little project I undertook yesterday, I had a couple of hours spare and this has been waiting to be done for an age. When I was the in-store VM at Cath Kidston I had so many amazing vintage props to work with, many of which were also for sale and over the 3 years I was there I became very fond of this tatty old milking stool. I could see that with a little love and attention this insignificant piece of 'furniture' could have a whole new lease of life. The stool was handed over in to my care and now sits as a side table and occasional prop at craft markets, it has also finally had the make-over it deserves. Here's what I did...

I have seen lots of two tone furniture on Pinterest of late and thought this would work well on the stool so I grabbed 2 tester pots of paint from the local DIY store and a couple of cheap brushes. The paint I used was Cuprinol garden shades as it is meant for wood. I chose to use Daisy White for the bottom half and Coastal Mist for the top (I am always drawn to blue shades), and to highlight the small band around the leg I used a light gold acrylic art paint. If you decide to have a go at this on something yourself you may find a primer is needed, I didn't use one but I did sand the wood thoroughly before I started. It did take several coats to get the look I wanted but I am so pleased with the result. What do you think?

Have you rescued anything unloved before?