Free Printable Thank You Cards

Delilah at do-it-yourself-invitations.com have some lovely free printable Thank You cards that you can download and make yourself. There are six designs with something to suit everyones taste. They have even kindly posted some step-by-step guides on how to put them together. I particularly love the coordinating envelopes.

Chinese Lantern Thank You Card

The Perfect Thank You Card

Peachy Card and Envelope Template

Rose Thank You and Envelope

All Images and PDFs from do-it-yourself-invitations.com

Graham & Green Dream Ottoman

I've always wanted an upholstered ottoman or blanket box in the bedroom and when I noticed this very aptly named 'Dream' Ottoman on the Graham and Green website in Raspberry Velvet, I fell in love. It's available in a choice of 12 fabrics or can even be upholstered in your own fabric. Unfortunately our budget won't stretch to this version.

I have 2 metres of bright pink velvet that I bought about 2 years ago and haven't found a use for it yet, so I was thinking this could be used to cover one if I found it cheap on ebay or if I got someone to make it for me. The research begins!

Finally!

After spending 4 weeks searching and driving around Cambridge and London we have found our bed and sofas for the new house. On Saturday we went all the way down to north west London for the Sofa.com clearance sale. We came close to buying something because it was a bargain but we had to sit and think for ten minutes is it really worth buying something just because it's a deal, as you have to live with it for a long time if it's not right. So after some musings we decided to go back to John Lewis and get the sofa we really loved, a medium and snuggler Bailey in Duck Egg. I love the tapered legs!

(Images from John Lewis)

As we couldn't quite stretch to the snuggler in the fabric below, which we both loved. We have bought a piece of the Lorton Ebony fabric by Villa Nova on ebay to make numerous cushions. 

(Image from John Lewis)

Now we thought buying the bed would be simpler but again in sofa.com clearance we found a fantastic bedstead with the most beautifully upholstered headboard in a Mustard yellow Velvet. It was gorgeous and an absolute bargain but would we still love mustard yellow in a year let alone ten, probably not! so we decided against it. We went back to the Feather and Black sale and bought this Manhattan style in Pebble grey which is definitely a colour that will stand the test of time and the headboard still makes quite a statement.

(Images from Feather and Black)

So now all we have to do is decorate before they arrive in August!

Beautiful John Lewis Fabrics

As it's the John Lewis Clearance at the moment and we are about to move into our new house I have been hunting for fabrics left, right and centre. Here are a few beautiful patterns I found which we are thinking of using.

1. Wallflower - A gorgeously delicate cherry blossom pattern in two colourways Honey and Pale Catkin. I really fancy this in out bedroom.

2. The Connections fabric is wonderfully mid-century with a typical fifties Astro shaped patterned available in Blue, Chilli and Sulphur. They are all in the sale at £9 a metre so are buying some of the blue for a blind in the dining room.

3. This PCV Fish fabric would be perfect for a kitchen table. The muted mid-century inspired colours are great too!

4. If you're after a more architectural pattern the Brompton Road Linen has an urban feel with a soft twist.

5. The Amara fabric is a twist on a traditional paisley but in a modern mix of colourways Bluebird and Mushroom.

6. The Bertie fabric is a lovely abstract leaf print in a natural colourway.

7. I have posted about the Seed Head fabric previously but this Steel colourway is particularly nice.

(All images from John Lewis)

Exchanged Finally!

I am getting very excited as of yesterday we have exchanged on our first house purchase and will hopefully (Crossing all fingers and toes!) be completing in mid July. I can't wait to start decorating, although I think there is probably more to do than I first realised.

I can actually start to select furniture, paints and fabrics for a house I own. Fantastic!!!!! ours is the one with the heart on the door.

DIY Patterned Fabric

Jason Loper posted on apartment therapy a how to guide on creating your own patterned fabric. He was finding it difficult to find a fabric that matched his newly painted walls so ping! an idea appeared. Using scrap fabric, a stencil, a roller and left over paint he created a fantastic curtain.

Images from Jason Loper on apartment therapy

Best Birds

As well as having a thing for all things butterfly related I am also loving bird related interior themes. So I thought I would post about my choice of the best in interior birds.

1. Owls of the British Isles Wallpaper, £68 per roll, Abigail Edwards.

Images from Abigail Edwards

2. Penguin Wallpaper from Bodie and Fou.

Images from Bodie and Fou

3.  I love this Birdcage Wall Sticker from Mode Twenty One.

Image from Mode Twenty One

4. The Clacket Lane Grey Wallpaper from Mibo is also wonderful.

5. These glass owls from Iittala are fantastic and definitely future design pieces.

Images from iittala

6. Last but certainly not least, continuing with the Owl theme this White ceramic Candle holder from Rose and Grey is really sweet.

Image from Rose and Grey

The Little Green Paint Company

I was reading a copy of Ideal Home magazine recently and came across this beautiful image of a cottage door painted in Celestial Blue oil eggshell by the The Little Green Paint Company, and in case your interested the bench is painted using French Grey. The colour is part of their period collaboration with English Heritage, where over 50 colours have been recreated from historic properties from the Georgian period all the way through to the 1950's.

Maybe I just love the image because of the styling, with the wonderful Hydrangeas and rusty old bike, but It's pretty much how I would want the front of my house to look. Well at least I could get half way there with the door colour.

Door painted in Celestial Blue, Bench in French Grey

This living room is decorated in various shades of French Grey which creates a warm homely hue.

The wall, panelling and fireplace are all painted in shades of French Grey

This kitchen painted using Polar Blue a classic fifties colour, looks great alongside shades of white and Lime Yellow.

Kitchen units painted in Polar Blue

(All images from The Little Green Paint Company)

Paper Plate Decoration

If you're anything like me you'll love ingenious craft projects using everyday household items.

This Paper plate decoration has to be one of the best!  All you need is 20 paper plates and a stapler.

(Image from How about Orange)

Below are the instructions on how to make these wonderful party decorations, you could either use coloured paper plates or spray paint them the colour of your choice, the instructions came from Family fun:

Step 1: Fold the plates in triangles as shown.

Step 2: Staple two plates together with 3 staples.

Step 3: Attach three more plates to make a pentagon, then repeat to make a second pentagon. Set both aside.

Step 4: Staple the 10 remaining plates together into a long chain.

Step 5: Staple the ends of the chain together to form a ring, then staple the two pentagons to the top and bottom of the ring

And your done! Happy crafting!

Parasols

As we have bought our garden furniture (it will need work before we actually use it) but at least we are half way there. Now my attentions have turned to a parasol. If you read this blog often you will probably realise my husband and I have a thing for Moroccan gardens, so I have been looking for a parasol that fits into this theme. I found a great selection on not on the high street by The Indian Garden Co a company based in Henley-on-Thames who work with skilled artisans, whose families have been traditionally making these products for centuries.

Bridal White

Bali Spa

Monsoon

Raj White

Raj Pink

Their Cream Pearl Parasol has also been used in the Alice in Wonderland film.

All Images from The Indian Garden Company