Create Your Own Wall Paper and Fabric

If you like the idea of hand block painted wallpaper but not the price then why not create your own.  I saw this idea whilst thumbing through the pages of February's issue of The English Home.

The patterned roller is sold by The Painted House and they even provide you with helpful videos to guide you through the process.  There are also a small but (let's hope!) growing selection of designs to choose from.

As well as a wall paper applicator they also sell fabric patterned rollers so you can create and even sell your own fabric!  Check out The Painted House's  ideas page where you can see many of their own creations such as lampshades, wrapping paper, cushions, bunting  etc etc... sure to inspire!

Create your own Keep Calm and Carry On poster

Just stumbled upon this fun web page where you can create your own 'keep calm' posters.  The colours you can choose from are a little restricted, so I took my poster into photoshop and changed the background colour.

In fact you could just take the 'keep calm' graphic element and add your own 'and...' in photoshop as the poster making site doesn't offer any other choice of typeface either - still fun nevertheless!  Further more there is a gallery to view.  Great site to design and make your own graphic for cards, mug, tee shirt, mouse mat etc etc....

Check it out at Keep Calm and Posters - go have fun!

Christmas Essential Oil

It's beginning to smell a lot like Christmas ...close your eyes and imagine for a minute the unforgettable, heartwarming smells of Christmas; pine Christmas trees, cinnamon and orange potpourri, clove pomanders and bowls of apples and tangerines.

I'm always on the search for delightful oils to fragrance my home.  I diffuse them on light bulbs, radiators and on top of my log burner - any where there is some heat to help diffuse the oil.

This week I found a lovely oil which I bought off ebay and is available in 10ml, 50ml and 100ml quantities.  The scent is subtle but unmistakable  ....mulled wine, cloves, oranges, cinnamon... and is very evocative of Christmas for me.

Click on this link, Christmas Essential Oil Blend, to take you to the right page on ebay to purchase this oil.  Go to the sellers shop if you wish to buy a larger quantity/bottle.

Check out this website if you want to make your own festive potpourri - How to make Christmas potpourri - this site also sells potpourri ingredients if you don't have time to make your own.

Foraging for your own ingredients can unearth some interesting finds; pine cones, berries, rose hips, nut husks, seed heads etc...

My new debit card design for Barclays

I've never been one to promote or even praise a bank but I took advantage of a Barclays rare *free* offer this week to personalise my debit card. 

OK so they don't give you much in the way of tools to manipulate your design but I'm quietly pleased with the end result.

The actual card takes about a week to arrive so it will be interesting to see if the colours are as good as the image test they send you.

If you have a Barclays debit card have a go at designing your own, you can use any image so long as you don't contravene their minimal image/text guidelines and you can preview the design before confirming your order - anything has to be better than a bank designed card! their designs are always so dull and corporate! - I only wish I could get rid of that ugly blue Barclays banner on the card.

French trompe l'oeil wall papers

I on a recent cyber travel I  stumbled upon these fantastic trompe l'oeil wall papers.  I've never been much of a fan of feature wall papers until now that is. 

This French company produces wonderful panelled wall wallpapers and this deep buttoned French linen trompe l'oeil paper (see below).  Colours range from soft natural ivory/linens and whites to full colour - linen to leather.

As far as I was aware Zoffany were the only company producing good quality trompe l'oeil papers but these designs are much more subtle and are a fraction of the cost of Zoffany!

Other papers include shuttered doorways, Paris skylines, brick walls, bamboo papers, theatre curtains/drapes to mention but a few.

You can check out the papers, and printed cushions at koziel.fr for yourself and let your imagination run riot!

I'm not sure I'd want to paper a whole room with the 'padded' wall paper however a feature wall with a bed up against it could look pretty amazing.

Can I use my chandelier with a dimmer switch?

When you furnish a room, lighting is everything, it not only dictates what you can and can’t do but it also has an effect on how you feel in the room ie. the ambiance.

Problems occur when people use rooms for different purposes and different functions often require differing levels of light. 

Placing your chandelier on a dimmer switch will give you a wonderful range of light levels from near dark to bright light.

Old dimmer switches used to work quite simply by offering up variable levels of resistance so when an electrical charge met with some resistance it decreased the amount of energy available to the lamp thereby lowering the light output.

Old style dimmers are/were inefficient as they do not save on energy and are potentially dangerous as they tended to heat up posing a fire hazard.

Modern dimmers on the other hand take a far more efficient energy saving approach to light dimming.  Put very simply modern dimmers chop up the AC current to reduce the total energy powering the light bulb.

When choosing dimmer switches always check if they will cause your chandelier to hum! or buz! as this can be extremely annoying and will ruin any romantic, relaxing ambient lighting you set for your room.

Chopped up electrical currents can cause the filaments in light bulbs to vibrate creating a soft buzzing sound.  Better quality dimmer switches have extra components built in to help dampen the buzzing effect.

It is also important to note that not all light bulbs can be used with dimmer switches, typically some of the halogen bulbs are not suitable.  If you are in any doubt check with your lighting supplier or ask your electrician or contact me direct.

MAKE YOUR OWN OIL CLOTH VINYL COVERED FABRIC

I received an email today from Folksy entitled 'gift ideas'.

One of the sellers they were showcasing caught my eye as she was making superb quality items from oil cloth and then I remembered that you can buy a product to make your own oil cloth vinyl covered fabric called  Heat'n Bond Iron-on Vinyl by Thermaweb and it comes in gloss or matte.

Click here to take a look at Jane Piper's pretty oil cloth creations.

So you can even turn your vintage scraps of fabric into useful wipe clean vintage oil cloth!

Unfortunately Heat'n Bond doesn't come larger than 17 inches wide but I believe you can purchase several meters of it on a roll.  So whilst you wont be able to make table cloths out of it (table runners perhaps!) you'll still be able to make lovely items like book covers, small bags, Jane even makes ipad covers out of oil cloth.

Gorgeous Shabby Roses By Christie Repasy

I recently found my 'The Painted Room' cartouche pinned to a lovely board on pinterest by artist Christie Repasy the board is titled 'art worth studying' click on the link to view.

So intrigued by her board I decided to dig a little deeper and found out who she was.  It turns out that Christie is an exceptional artist in her own right and paints the most wonderful shabby chic ethereal roses.  Christie also has her own blog and website but check out her pinterest boards - they are delightful!


Pintrest - Chateau de Fleurs - Christie's Pinterest page
Chateau de Fleurs - Christie's Blog
Christie Repasy Designs - Website

Here's just a little sample of her creations!

GET THE 'MISS HAVISHAM' LOOK MINUS THE COBWEBS!

What is it with Miss Havisham and her enduring appeal? ~ for me it's the faded elegance; tea coloured lace and silks, soft muted pallets and old paste jewellery... but best of all are her candelabras and wall candle scones dripping with candle wax.


Create your own Miss Havisham candles by placing your candles for a brief period in a drafty corner.  Let the drips of wax build and run down them - if you turn the candle stick or candelabra a couple of times you wont have drips just running down one side.

And there you have it, Miss Havisham's candles but without the cobwebs!

Click on image to enlarge

Never leave your candles unattended!

BORED WITH EBAY?

I'm often on the look out for an alternative selling platform to ebay and only the other day I stumbled upon Folksy.

Folksy claims to be the largest marketplace for handmade work focusing exclusively on UK designers and makers.  The service launched in summer 2008 and has risen to become the pre-eminent retail outlet for handmade gifts as well as handmade craft supplies.

So if you hand make or design your own products this could be an excellent outlet.  The site looks clean, fresh, inviting and easy to navigate from a buyers point of view.

I personally love any site that champions our cottage industries.  So if you make and sell your own creations hot foot it over to Folksy today and see for yourself how they could help you grow your business.

Vintage Fabrics and Trims

If you love vintage fabrics then look no further than this great website called Rag Rescue.

Sandie sells wonderful scraps of vintage french fabrics to pieces of vintage eiderdown all at really affordable prices.  A lovely website that changes daily. 

Sandie used to sell at a large antiques fair I frequent (sadly no more) and I used to love browsing through her fabrics when I should have been working hard at sourcing new stock!  I wonderful distraction and indulgence which we can now all enjoy online!

Vintage fabrics and vintage trims at Rag Rescue

EBAY AND PAYPAL SCAM - buyers and sellers beware!

I recently wrote and published a guide on ebay on how I became a victim of a scam on ebay and how I genuinely thought I was going to lose the product I had sold and my payment for that product.

All my previous dealings with Paypal had resulted in Paypal siding with the buyer - even in cases where, in my opinion, the buyer was in the wrong!

But for once I managed to win a case with Paypal, perhaps it was because I had to involve the police, either way the outcome has restored my faith in Paypal... well just a little tiny bit!

You can read about my experience by clicking on the link below... it's a very clever scam!

Ebay and Paypal Scam

The Truth About Old Vintage Eiderdowns.... trust me you don't want to know!

It's cold wet and dismal here today at Lower Moorcroft Farm.  So this morning I lit a fire and settled down to a little web rummaging! and soon stumbled upon this delightful website selling new feather vintage inspired eiderdowns by Belinda Davies.

Her creations took me back a couple of years when frustrated with my local upholsterer (he couldn't even be bothered to send me a quote to upholster a small French chair) I decided to go on an upholstery course. 

Whilst on the course a woman popped in to ask the tutor if she would like an old vintage eiderdown that she no longer wanted as she thought the tutor could recycle the feather filling for other projects.  My tutor politely declined and later disclosed that old eiderdowns were full of old dead skin cells! from previous owners!  I can't tell you how that made me feel!

From that day forth I stopped buying vintage eiderdowns to sell on and have only ever purchased them to salvage the fabric.  If you have ever stripped an old eiderdown for the fabric then you will know just how disgusting they can be on the inside!

So if you want to be warm and cosy this winter might I suggest you buy a new eiderdown.  Belinda's eiderdowns are very pretty with many designs to choose from and they don't cost the earth!

Belinda Davies Eiderdowns

Until next time, Niki x

Christmas Trees and Heston's Mince Pies!

I recently stumbled upon this divine little Christmas tree at an antiques fair.  The tree itself isn't antique, new in fact, but it does look and feel quite vintage which appealed to me. 

I also bought a load of smaller Christmas tree broaches to sell but my mum bought them all off me for her Christmas fair!

The tree has been made in a similar style to old paste jewellery and I hate to think how long it actually took to make.  I now regret selling all my broaches to my mum but I do know the dealer is doing a couple of more antique fairs before Christmas so I think I will buy some more from her.  It's just that they are something a little different for the festive season!

Talking of which has anyone tried Heston's (Waitrose) Christmas mince pies!  I think he's missed a trick here.  The pies are different in that they are made with puff pastry but the icing on the cake ...so to speak! is the alpine forest sugar dusting ...and yes the sugar does smell like an alpine forest.

What disappointed me was that the dusting sugar was white, OK images of snow and all that but I think the whole ensemble would have been far more magical with green glitter dusting.  So I've just bought some emerald green cake glitter to decorate my mince pies with this year! ....will I ever grow up!

Until next time, Niki x

If you're not a dog lover you soon will be!

This gorgeous little dog is a felt sculpture by the scottish artist Domenica More Gordon.  Felt sculpture? matted lambs wool to you and me, but what a creation!

Take a look at her website to see more of her fabulous dogs and if you're not a dog lover you soon will be!

All her dogs are so expressive and it's rumored that even Brad Pitt wants to own one of her dogs.  Sadly she doesn't have any for sale at present, all sold out, what a surprise!  One recently sold for charity on an internet auction website for over $16,000USD   You can however buy cards on her website.

When you get the chance pop over to her website and enjoy her dog show domenica more Gordon

HOW TO CLEAN YOUR CHANDELIER

I'm often asked "what is the best way to clean a chandelier?" to which I always reply... warm soapy water.  I know a well respected antique chandelier restorer who puts his crystals in his dishwasher!

Whilst I do have to admit that I have put crystals in my dishwasher (a long time ago now) I really don't like the idea of all those years of grime, dust and worst of all nicotine swilling around in my dishwasher!

Old lead crystals should never be put in a dishwasher or very hot water for that matter as they will lose their clarity as the glass can go 'cloudy'.

If you decide to purchase a chandelier from an auction or antiques fair then they can be very dirty.  I strip all my chandeliers of wiring and crystals before cleaning and if they are particularly grimy I give them a squirt of Mr Muscle which really helps to dislodge all those years of grime and nicotine!  Once you have a clean rewired chandelier you only need to periodically dust your chandelier and clean your crystals in warm soapy water.

So if you want to buy a vintage chandelier I suggest that you buy one that has been fully refurbished; cleaned and rewired unless of course you intend to refurbish it yourself.  Most vintage lighting dealers on ebay don't bother to clean their chandeliers and I find it quite amusing when they describe their lighting as having "... a lovely patina"... yes dust, grime and nicotine make for a lovely patina!

HOW TO LIGHT YOUR CHANDELIER

Many years ago my mum told me that you should only use clear light bulbs to light your chandeliers.

This is particularly true when you light a bag style chandelier as the clear light bulb (as opposed to pearl or opaque) really does help the crystals to shimmer and sparkle!

This also works well with branch style chandeliers and another trick is not only to use clear bulbs but low wattage bulbs.

You'll not only save on electricity consumption but your chandelier wont light up your room so brightly as to dazzle you! unless of course that is what you want.

Low wattage bulbs will help you to create a lovely warm ambient light and will give your chandelier a more magical appeal, more akin to candle light.  After all, all early chandeliers were only lit by candle light.

I have been able to track down very low wattage candle bulbs on the Internet, as low as 15w and if you are wondering if that will give you enough light to illuminate your room simply add up the wattage for each arm/branch.  So for example if you have a 5 arm/branch chandelier this will still give you approx 75w if you want to use 15w bulbs.

So if you haven't already hung your chandelier and you have a pendant light fitting in the room pop in a 60w bulb and see if it will be enough light for your needs.  If your chandelier is already hung simply remove all the other bulbs and leave just one 60w bulb in place.

You can also apply this wattage guide to chandelier table lamps and wall lights.

Women's Health

A friend of mine has just started a new blog all about women's health issues which I helped her design and set up.

Grab a moment and pop over to The Female Health Detective, it's only a couple of days old and already has some very interesting content and I know she has masses more lined up.

There are some great *free* downloads on making healthy bread, tips on how to shed those unwanted pounds and how to get the best nights sleep!

You can follow her by email which means you get an email notification whenever new content is added to her blog, nothing could be easier!

Further more if you have any issues you would like her to 'investigate' email her and offer up your suggestions as I know she would love to hear from you.

Battery Operated Fairy Lights

I'm currently decorating our kitchen and wanted to dress the top of our housekeepers cupboard with a string of fairy lights... and so I came across this great website... lights4fun


I purchased a string of 'warm' white fairy lights that were battery operated, so there was no ugly great big transformer to plug in, further more you can decorate anywhere with these lights where there isn't a power supply!

Use re-chargeable batteries and they are very ecomonical to use.  I've also discovered this pretty fairy light heart which would make a great gift or simply a great treat for yourself!  I'm sorely tempted at £13.99.  They also sell battery operated lights to 'invigorate' your flower arrangements, such a simple but fun idea.

My string of battery fairy lights were only £6.99 and postage was free!  They sell a huge variety of indoor and outdoor lighting so steal a moment and have a look for yourself.  


If like me you find fairy lights simply enchanting... you'll love this site!  

Miss Rose Sister Violet

For a number of years now I have been visiting the Interiors trade fair at the Birmingham NEC.  Each year it's quite simply the same old boring dross! nothing very original or that exciting for that matter until about 2 years ago I came accross a beautiful stand that really stood out for me.

The company was called Miss Rose & Sister Violet and they sold the most exquiste vintage inspired gifts and decorations from 'old' looking lace and paste diamonte stones, faux flowers, pretty floral fabrics made into many items such as aprons, bags and hearts etc.

But they have been woefully slow to get their act together in the UK (I believe they are an Australian based company).  If you are a retailer then you can contact them for a trade account but for those of us who would just like to buy the odd item then there are only a handful sellers selling their lovely wares.

Take a look at their items on the UK trade contact website at halcyoncollection.com the haberdashery section is wonderful and all their colourways have a lovely soft aged faded vintage look and appeal, Miss Haversham wouldn't look out of place sitting amongst their items!

They still haven't launched their website Miss Rose Sister Violet although they claim it is 'coming soon'.  Alternatively you can visit their blog Miss Rose Sister Violet Blog

Vintage Eiderdown Fabric Covered Handbag

Last blog I said I would tell you about another fab website that sells some vintage style fabrics.  Well before I do I thought I'd show you the handbag that I made a little while ago.


It's made from a pattern that I purchased very inexpensively, actually the pattern came complete with fabric, a lovely red and white dotty and matching red and white stripe.  The idea being that the bag was stripy and the bow on the bag was dotty.... but I had other ideas so used some old vintage eiderdown fabric I had lurking in the back of my armoire!


I was really thrilled with the outcome and I particularly liked the fact that the bag had a retro look to it.


The pattern was purchased from the website that I am about to tell you about, and there are many many more for you to choose from; bags, aprons, hats, slippers, skirts etc etc... So if like me you have a drawer, armoire or box stuffed full of vintage fabric treasures and want some interesting ideas on what to make, check out Shabby Fabrics  


They are based in the US but their postage costs to the UK are very reasonable and quick!


Until next time
Niki x

Vintage Style Fabrics and more!

If you love vintage fabrics you'll love the urbangardens website which is a riot of vintage style fabrics many of which are copies of late 19th century fabrics.  Most of the fabrics are lightweight cotton or quilting fabrics but Susan also sells upholstery weight fabrics such as the fabric pictured here on the left.

Not only can you buy her fabrics by the meter but her shipping costs to the UK are also very reasonable and she ships very quickly.  In addition to selling fabrics you can also buy items made from these lovely shabby chic style fabrics.

I particularly like the pyjamas or lounge wear she is now selling, the cotton is wonderfully soft and light and would be ideal for lounging around in the hot summer months, that's if we even get a summer this year!  Matching tops are also available on the site.

If you love the urbangardens range of fabrics I'll show you another fab site selling this style of fabric next week, they also sell patterns so you can make up items yourself, ideal if you make and sell!

Until next week, Niki x

Barney the Whopper!!

If you can read the scales, no your eyes are not deceiving you, Barney is weighing in at whopping 16lbs or 7.2kg yet my vet tells me he's not overweight, just a big boy!

I decided to weigh him as I hadn't picked him up for a while until last week when I was trying to get him out of a kitchen cupboard, the contents of which he was busily emptying onto the kitchen floor.  How the light bulbs didn't smash is a mystery to me! and what a shock I had when I realised I could hardly carry him.

Still he's a very active cat and out all weathers so perhaps he needs a little padding!  He's also very muscular and when you hug him it's just like hugging a giant teddy bear that purrs!

Shabby Chic at its best!

For all you lovers of Shabby Chic (and I'm still one of them!) who haven't come across this blog before you're in for a real treat! The blog is hosted by Sandy Foster who created a shabby chic retreat from an old 9ft x 14ft hunting cabin.

You can also read about Sandy in the Homes and Garden article written about her in the New York Times (see link below).

New York Times ~ Home & Garden

I've also pinned (see previous blog) some of her images to The Painted Room on Pinterest.   Alternatively visit her blog at
myshabbystreamsidestudio.blogspot.com

Sadly my shed's too small!

Until next time, Niki x

Pinterest ....pinteresting!

For those of you who blog you will know that you can view stats ie. see who is visiting your blog and from which traffic sources.  I noticed that the other day that I was getting a lot of referrals from a site called Pinterest

This is how Pinterest describes itself... Pinterest is a social catalogue service, think of it as a virtual pinboard a place where you can post collections of things you love, and 'follow' collections created by people with great taste...


You can create pin boards of images, either your own or from other sources and it is actually great fun to do and if the images are your own you can link them back to your website blog etc. 


So if someone else on Pinterest likes your images they can re-pin them to their own boards but they will always have to show the link for your image, it's a great viral marketing tool.


I put these boards together today in no time at all and have linked my images back to my blog See my pins on pinterest 


Also check out this pinboard which used one of my images, it'll give you a good idea how the site works french flair


So get pinning!


Until next time Niki x

A New Career for 2011 !!

Whilst thumbing through the latest edition (Jan 2011) of Homes & Antiques magazine a small article caught my interest... Do it yourself and go back to school and this time you'll love it!


Personally I love going on short courses as I love learning how to make and design things.  Not only are they fun but you get to meet some pretty interesting people too.

But it was the wall paper design course that struck a cord with me, what with all those designers using wall paper to accent walls and designers like Kate Forman charging £38 per METER! yes per meter not per roll! for her creations.


So if you're looking for something different to do in 2011 either a career change or just simply to try your hand at something new why not have a go at designing your own unique wall paper at Dunford Wood in Lyme Regis, Dorset wwww.handmadewallpaper.co.uk and you too could be the next Vanessa Arbuthnott!!

French Aubusson Tapestry Paintings

I'm passionate about French aubusson tapestry/needlework paintings and would dearly love to be able to paint this well! 

The aubusson tapestry took its name from the tiny town of Aubusson situated in the centre of France and was the heart of the French tapestry industry since the 15^th century.

Interestingly aubusson manufacturers first bought paintings from notable painters such as Boucher, Wouwerman, Van Falens and others, from which ‘cartons de tapisserie’ were designed and painted.

Cartons were painted full size as they were quite literally the patterns from which the weavers copied the designs.  They were either painted in gouache (an opaque watercolor) on paper, or oil on canvas.


Surviving cartons are important today as archival material as many tapestries woven from the mid 18th century with wools coloured by chemical dyes have now faded with time.   

By the end of the 19th century the Aubusson tapestry industry collapsed and the cartons remained forgotten in the archives of the workshops.  In 1951 the river Creuse burst its banks flooding the storehouses, destroying many of the 18th & 19th century designs which had been stored on the lower racks.

I've had this carton copied onto silk and made into an exquisite lavender sachet/bag so if you're looking for an interesting gift to give this Christmas you can purchase one from my website stores if you follow this link.

Niki x

Click here to purchase a Silk Aubusson Lavender Sachet

Snow Effect Widget for your Blog

I've just found this simple widget that you can easily add to your blog.

It's called snow effect! I think it's quite subtle and not too over baring. To get the widget simply click on the link below:  I'm sure there are others out there on the net, has anyone come across some twinkling stars!

Snow Effect Widget for Blogger

Fairy lights are not just for Christmas

If you love romantic ambient lighting then candles aside what better way to give a room a wonderful enchanting aura than fairy lights.  Now is the time to buy them with the shops full of all the different styles, colours, lengths etc.

I don't just use my fairy lights at Christmas, in fact all year round.  You can drape them over mirrors, trail them along mantle pieces, I've even placed them in empty non-working fire grates and the effect is quite magical.

Shop early though to ensure the best choice, you'll be amazed how quickly they sell out before Christmas!

Cup and Saucer Candles ...ideal christmas gifts!

If you love candles then why not try making your own.  There's a wealth of info out there on the Internet and plenty of candle suppliers to choose from.

If you're new to candle making the best way to start is to buy a candle making kit.  I made these pretty cup and saucer candles from soy wax. Soy wax is favoured by environmentally conscious candle burners because it is not made from petroleum, like paraffin candles and it is claimed that the soy has a longer burn time and less soot to boot!

If you have any old or odd cups, jugs, bowls etc... languishing in the back of your cupboards then you could fill them with a candle and you then have a lovely decorative item for your home or a lovely gift for a friend or relative.

If you don't have the time or the inclination to make your own then you can purchase the ones I've made.  Click on the link below and it will take you to the right page on my website where you can purchase your very own cup, saucer and plate trio candle.

Click here to purchase Cup & Saucer trio candle

Sell your pet at Christmas!

This is my 3 year old bengal Barney! and last Christmas we printed this image of him onto silk and made him into lavender bags!  They were then sold through a lovely shop (The Dining Room Shop) in London at their Christmas fair.

They've asked again if they can have more Barney bags for this year's Christmas fair....  so better get sewing!

There are some great fabrics out there on the web which you can print on with your inkjet or laser printer and make up some fab gifts for Christmas!  I hope Barney has inspired you!

Here's a nice idea for the forthcoming festive season!  a stainless steel fruit candle cutter from Bloom available online (see interesting links).

The cutter carves a hole in your fruit for you to drop in a tea light.  Why stop at fruit, I wonder if it would cut through the skin of a small pumpkin or squash. 

Anyway if you have a moment take a look at the Bloom website there are some lovely silk flower arrangements with which to decorate your home not to mention gifts and other accessories.

Image theft on eBay!

I was particularly upset the other day to receive an email from an old customer of mine on ebay to ask if I was anything to do with another ebay seller as the text, format, description of item and photographs were in her opinion very similar to mine.

Imagine my horror when I looked at this individual’s listings, he had turned himself into a mini me!

So irked was I that I decided to seek legal advice and a curt email will be winging its way to him shortly! What gives people the right to blatantly copy and feed off the hard work of others?  

Some of my friends think he should be commended on how skilfully he has managed to copy my image and style but I regret I see nothing skilful or cleaver about theft.

It’s interesting to note that whilst some other seller on ebay may not copy your text word for word or steal your photos to use there is recourse in ‘passing off’ where someone attempts to copy your image and style and in the process damage your hard earned image and reputation. 

Perhaps this individual should consider changing his ebay name to *delightfully*shameful*

Shabby Chic English Style

If you like the Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic books then I'm sure you'll love this new book by Selina Lake 'Romantic Style'.

It struck me as I leafed through the pages that this book has echoes of Shabby Chic only with an English/continental twist which I must say I personally prefer.

"...at its heart lies a desire to create harmonious, elegant and peaceful interiors that function well but also uplift and comfort us". 

A great coffee table book which is sure to inspire!

Are you ready for Christmas?

Normally I wouldn't dream about Christmas this early in the season but you may just need a little time for this idea!

Why not treat yourself to some to champagne coupes or saucers this Christmas.  Not only are they very stylish, elegant but fun to drink from and you don't even have to buy champagne! 

I saw a great idea on TV some months back where Heston Blumenthal bought a cheap bottle of plonk and a Sodastream and fizzed up the plonk!  Most people who tried the drink thought they were drinking real champagne.  It doesn't have to be white wine either try fizzing a rose.

As for the coupes, well you can buy new but I've amassed a collection of vintage glasses either purchased on ebay or from antique and car boot fairs only paying a couple of pounds for each one.  What's more they don't all match as I like having an eclectic mix of things but my favourite has to be a 1920's hollow stem!

One final fun addition has to be the edible stars lightly sprinkled onto the surface of your drink. Again you can find these on ebay in a multitude of colours but gold or silver are must for Christmas.

Until next time, Niki x

Reproduction antique and vintage fabrics

If you love vintage fabric you maybe interested in this website American Folk Fabric who specialise in reproduction antique and vintage fabrics.

The best thing about them is that you can order large sample sizes, admittedly you have to pay for them but they are very reasonably priced and a small price to pay if you end up not liking the fabric!

The site is open to both retail and wholesale and is very user friendly.  I've only ordered fabric from them once, which is now discontinued, but it was beautiful!

Until next time, Niki x

Floral fragrances for you and your home

I love floral fragrances for my home and my favourites for spring and summer are Lavender, Rose and Lily of The Valley and orange and cinnamon for the autumnal months.   


So imagine my surprise when I went on the Woods of Windsor website  to order up some more Lily of The Valley eau de toilette ~ they had increased the size of the atomiser but to my knowledge not the price!


I normally buy all my home fragrances and Marseilles french soaps from a wonderful website French Soaps but it occurred to me that as the Woods of Windsor is now so inexpensive why not use it on my self and my home! and they really do make good room fragrances!


French Soaps also sell pillow sprays ( I also spray the rest of my bed linen with it) ~ I use the lavender every night for a refreshing good nights sleep.


Until next time, Niki x

Launch of a new website The French Curtain Pole

Oh! I forgot to mention that I have launched my new website The French Curtain Pole ~ please visit and let me know your thoughts ~ I've already had complaints that the text is too faint and is difficult to read!
www.thefrenchcurtainpole.co.uk

New eiderdown fabric in the vintage style

I'm often asked if I have a shop, sadly not anymore as I was unable to manage both an on-line business and a shop so something had to give and that was my shop.  I do miss it though and envy those who can juggle both!

The upside is that I get to work from home that's when I'm not out scouring the countryside for treasures.  I particularly love auctions and large antique markets as you never know what you might find.

I'm off again tomorrow to a giant fair in the north of England, so probably wont sleep well tonight through excitement and anticipation!

For those of you who love vintage textiles ~ I came across this website recently, vintage style paisley eiderdown fabric printed on linen ~ really lovely fabrics and the colours are really as good as the pictures!

 www.sarahhardaker.co.uk












Have listed some lovely candle wall sconces on ebay this week, one pair have already sold and they were only listed last night! They're great for creating a wonderful soft ambient light and best of all you don't need an electrician to fit them.

Candle Sconces ~ ebay

Until next time! Niki x