Category Archives: Vintage

Besotted with: A lovely Swedish flat

Posted on May 10, 2012 | 3 Comments

The little flat we rented in Stockholm was a-maz-ing. We found it on City Living Apt. If you’re going on holiday somewhere soon check it out, there are loads of gorgeous places on there.

Having a little rest.

Roller skates, a lovely jug and books. It was filled with lovely vintage finds and gorgeous parquet floors.

As I mentioned in this post – I LOVED these lamps.

A peacock rug and parquet floors.

Mirrors in the kitchen.

A globe lamp! Can I go back now instead of going to work tomorrow? Please?

Have you ever fallen in love with someone else home?

→ 3 Comments

Posted in Besotted with, Travel, Vintage

Tagged , ,

Bits & pieces: Meet to my mauve friend

Posted on March 23, 2012 | Leave a comment

Say hello my new ladies bicycle hanging out with the mister’s organ in our living room. She’s preeettty. A recent acquisition from eBay I am planning on taking her for a whirl this weekend with the mister. All she needs now is a basket to hold my teacups, bunches of roses and vegetables.

She’s a Raleigh Caprice to replace my old Raleigh Cameo, which I sold a while back.

Lady mauve says she’s looking forward to hanging out with Mr Ukulele’s bike, the Ambler, this summer.

Photo 1. by me, 2. by Sophie Allen, 3. by Luke.

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Lifestyle, London, Vintage

Tagged , ,

Bits and pieces: Chanel, beetroot and a vintage slip..

Posted on March 21, 2012 | 1 Comment

Gee whiz it’s been busy lately. Some days it seems I barely have time to breathe let alone write a coherent sentence (and I write for a living).

I’ve decided that a few treats are the only way to get by. I’m making this month brighter with:

1. New make up, and Chanel’s new spring nail colour called ‘April’.

2. Actually finding the time and will to paint my nails.

3. Beetroot for dinner. The bright pink vegetable that truly is the sweetest of them all. Roasted, boiled, raw, grated or baked in a chocolate cake: I adore it all. Especially when the mister cooks it for me and when it’s in all shades of gold and pink.

4. A green vintage slip I bought on a day trip to Brighton recently. It’s currently soaking in a bucket in my bathtub. A few minor amends and it will be as good as new in no time.

5. Breakfast. I’ve been making an effort to actually eat breakfast at home before work these days. This is apple, pecans, soy yoghurt and oats. Deliciousness in a bowl.

How do you cope when you are too busy to think? What little things do you do to cheer yourself up?

All photos by me.

→ 1 Comment

Posted in Bits & pieces, Food, Lovely things, Places to visit, Thrifting, Vintage

Tagged , , ,

Bits and pieces: All things red

Posted on February 14, 2012 | Leave a comment

A token Valentines Day post.

I don’t really dig Valentines Day, I’m far too cynical. For too many years in my teens I watched my big brother struggle in the door laden with roses and cuddly toys from his admirers (bleugh), and my mother working long hours at a florist. Flowers and chocolates are for every day, not just for Valentines Day people! But this year I’ve decided that instead of going around in a strop, I’m going to treat today as a good excuse to:

1. Wear my favourite red lipstick, Chanel Lune Rousse

2. Drink more than one glass of red from here with the Mr, ( we’d probably be doing that anyway)

3. Wear my favourite red velvet dress.

Not too much for the office right?

4. Wear heart print tights and glittery hearts from Giant Dwarf in my hair

5. Make the Mr chocolate brownies, complete with a sprinkling of red edible glitter

6. Listen to Leonard Cohen’s new album Old Ideas. And to this brilliant cover of ‘So Long Marianne’ by Bill Callahan

7. Avoid the television, especially Don’t tell the Bride and Take Me Out. My two guilty pleasures

8. Buy myself some new perfume so I can indeed smell like red roses, even if I’m not carrying a great big bunch home

9. Eat big red juicy tomatoes from Broadway Market

10. Give the Mr a little card, because they do say that all us cynics, are secretly romantics at heart.

More denials of romance on Pinterest here.

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Beauty, Bits & pieces, Fabulous frocks, Food, Vintage

Tagged , , ,

Dreaming of Paris in the Springtime.

Posted on February 12, 2012 | 8 Comments

It’s almost three years since I visited the city of love and lights. Oh sweet Paris, this time next month I’ll be seeing you again.

My big sister and I spent a few glorious days, back in 2009, staying in a very cool apartment in Montmartre. It was my second time in Paris, and my sister’s hundredth (slight exaggeration). This is me looking sulky and tired (suffering after getting up stupid o’clock early to catch the Eurostar).

I think I spent almost as much time gazing out those windows as we did beating the streets.

I can’t wait to go back again. It’s silly that I’ve only been twice, and yet it’s so easy to get to with the Eurostar.

Mr and I are in desperate need of a holiday, having not left the UK since our epic trip last year. Our Eurostar tickets are paid for, an apartment is booked, and now I’m dreaming up new places in Paris to visit. So far on my list are:

  • the gardens at the Musee Rodin
  • Comptoir de l’Image, the bookshop as seen on The Satorialist
  • Catherine B’s vintage emporium, Les Trois Marches after reading about it on A Girl, A Style
  • Le Arts Decoratifs to see the Louis Vuitton Marc Jacobs exhibition, which opens the weekend we are there.

And then there are oh-so-many places to revisit:

  • Musee de l’Orangerie
  • the markets
  • the streets of Monmarte
  • the cute little kitchen shops where I nearly bought an absinthe spoon, but didn’t
  • the magnificant Musee d’Orsay
  • and the list goes on…

What are your favourite places to visit in Paris? Where are the best secret spots? I’d love to hear your suggestions.

Image 1. by me, 2. & 3. by Sarah.

p.s. You can see my Paris Pinterest board here.

→ 8 Comments

Posted in Bits & pieces, Places to visit, Travel, Vintage

Tagged ,

A very glitzy collar.

Posted on November 5, 2010 | 4 Comments

I want. Only £18 from Topshop.  I know, it’s not really bank account busting but I’m trying my hardest to save for our coming trip to San Francisco.

But it could be worn in a number of ways with many outfits I already own.  And I do love a collar.

→ 4 Comments

Posted in Besotted with, Bits & pieces, Lovely things, Vintage

Tagged , , ,

Caped crusader or ladylike leopard?

Posted on November 3, 2010 | 2 Comments

I really want a new winter coat. Or a cape. But I can’t decide which. Please help.

I’m in love with this boiled wool leopard number from Zara, which I could make or buy a Peter Pan collar for.  It looks very sleek and flattering unlike the big fluffy teddy bear-esque fake fur coats that are so popular at this time of year.

I’m equally enamoured with the idea of wearing a lovely black cape.  I just haven’t found the right style yet. This asos one comes pretty close. I tried my hardest to get a vintage black cape on eBay last Winter but never managed to find the right one that was in my price range. When I did buy a plaid one from eBay two winters ago it was ‘lost’ in the post so I gave up on that idea all together.

Is it too military? Should I be trying to find one more Victorian or nurse style? Will it make me look the size of house? Does it only work with jeans or is it okay with a frock underneath? What will I do with my handbag and endless other bags that I seem to be lugging around constantly?

Please let me know what you think so I can decide! Cape or coat?

→ 2 Comments

Posted in Besotted with, Lovely things, Vintage

Tagged , , ,

Witchy woman.

Posted on October 31, 2010 | Leave a comment

 

The Little Witch from Elves & Fairies by Ida Rentoul Outhwaite, 1916.

For the first time in many years I am not dressing up for Halloween. I don’t have a party to go to and I haven’t spent many months deciding on a costume. And I really don’t mind.

Now let me say I love dressing up. LOVE it. But this year I am quite happy to stay at home and watch trashy horrors.  Maybe it’s a sign of getting old. Or maybe it’s just because at heart I am a bit of a witchy woman anyway. Not the evil, warts and eye of newt sort. I’d like to think the more glamorous sort. I have numerous black lace and silk dresses. And I don’t leave the house without black liquid eyeliner.

Last I celebrated Halloween in New York and had a fabulous red velvet dress for my Queen of Hearts costume. (Halloween in New York is truly fabulous and should really be experienced once in a lifetime.)

But a witchy woman costume will always be my outfit of choice… with or without a broomstick.

Hot witchy-poo lady. Image via We Heart it.

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Fabulous frocks, Vintage

Tagged , ,

Always room for one more cake stand.

Posted on September 24, 2010 | 2 Comments

My big sister arrives for a visit next week.  All the way from New Zealand. This a very small selection of her very large collection of vintage depression glass cake stands. Obviously collecting stuff runs in the family.

I know we’ll be doing lots of shopping, eating and drinking cocktails.  There’ll be many visits to the V&A (where she worked for a little while) and Liberty for afternoon tea.  And I may have found a junk shop with a bit of a collection of cake stands just like these… how many do you think she might fit in her hand luggage back home?

See you soon Sarah. x

→ 2 Comments

Posted in Bits & pieces, Rambles, Vintage

Tagged , , , , , ,

Bread & Butter Bruges

Posted on September 23, 2010 | 4 Comments

Sorry. I’ve been away from the blogosphere for a little while. Life just got in the way for bit. Here are some photos of a recent weekend trip to Bruges. We stayed at a gorgeous B&B, Bread & Butter. With just one bedroom in the loft of a big old house, incredible breakfasts from the lovely host Frederika, vintage wallpaper, velvet curtains and your own private 60s orange bathtub, it really doesn’t get much better.

I miss that bath.

There's even a mezzanine floor in the loft...

so you can climb up and hang out watching Flemish telly.

Comfy bed for a cosy sleep-in

Photos by Lukulele.

This is a just a taster. I have a load more pics to post, including the vintage 60′s wallpaper from the bedroom and some of the exciting things I blew my cash on during our stay.

x

→ 4 Comments

Posted in Places to visit, Teapot love, Travel, Vintage

Tagged , , , , , ,