A/W 11 Essentials...

I am learning to buy less cheaper items and investing in a couple of decent seasonal pieces! It's still tempting to buy cheaply with basics, but I definitly want to follow on with this from now on. Less shopping, on better items!!! Wish it was easier :)

I bought this stripey top from Primark for about 6 Pounds. Still in two minds whether it's worth investing in decent basics or not..thoughts?

I bought two pairs of Diesel jeans from TK Max...such a good bargain, and I do like decent jeans.. I found a straight leg pair and a skinny leg pair. I got both! Good quality last way longer. Each pair was 29 Pounds. Down from 138pounds. These are the straight leg pair. Im wearing the skinny legs.

This is just a double breasted woolen coat. Needed one so badly!

And my winter boots. I'm so stoked I found these. They were also TK Max, and are Aerosoles which aren't actually normally sold in the UK. They are the comfiest pair of shoes I have ever worn!! They were a score at 80pounds.

I also got a really nice black belt, but for some reason it won't load. So now I just need a pair of brown boots with all the accessories to match ...... :)

Just London...

I havn't got much of a project now that I'm living in our room and it's feeling cosy. Ikea still has to wait, and I'm working full time now, as of today. I was thinking in the weekend, though, that it's amazing to live here and yet once you are working, life can become routine...Here are some pics that I found on my computer...to remind myself that I'm in LONDON!!!!


My auntie's garden, where we were living before:

Hope you are having a good week!!! Watch this space for pics of some new purchases...Winter Essentials!

It's getting there...

So although this is still a work in progress, we have changed the furniture around a bit, and tried to make this room our own usable and attractive space. We have moved the bed down one end of the room so to create a lounge space at the foot of the bed with the tv, couch and chair. The way the room was before meant you had to sit on the end of the bed to watch tv!

This was just a small piece of scrap fabric when I saw it in a shop, the one where I got the blue cushion. The shopkeeper was great, and sewed it into a cushion for me :) The other 2 cushions are on loan, along with 2 lamps from the family I temped for.

The sheet is on loan from my auntie. She said it is a vintage French army sheet. Nice and rustic texture!

The map was Gareth's project. I helped trim it and unfortunatly disposed of Hawaii. Whoops!

Can you see the line of yellow putty down one of the cracks? There is loads of it under that rug!

The mirror was already in the room, as was this painting. Originally I wasn't that impressed with the picture, because the blue frame and green panels on the walls made it look too washed out but with the blue on the cushions it has brought out the detail of the woman. Quite pretty really.

I got Gareth this cushion to "man" the room up a bit!!! It has become his special chair of course.

Ended up just a cream duvet as the room can look a little busy, and once I get a throw or two, it will look a bit cosier!

Love all the victorian details, like around the light fitting and fireplace. Don't think the fireplace actually works, but it's very warm in this room!! The central heating is cranking.

Let me know what you think!!! And please add any ideas...there is still a huge blank wall above the bed.

Here goes...

So Moving Day has been and gone. I think I had romanticised our room, and forgot it had wooden floors! When we arrived with our suitcases, all we could keep saying was "at least it's not a shoebox". Even without my Ikea shop, it looks better today than yesterday, thanks to a crisp white French antique linen sheet from my auntie, and my cushion...ummm...still needs a lot! Never mind, here are some before pics...

It's a lovely street! And apparently only 2 blocks away from Bill Bailey. I feel a celebrity stalk coming on!

 Couch without the nice sheet!

My linen cushion...

So watch this space as I try to cosy the room up. I havn't taken any photos of the floor, but there are big cracks that have been filled in with yellowish putty...mmm. Need a rug!

I have a very long Ikea list, as I am trying to make our room cosy, on a very tight budget! Here are some things I may probably get...


But as of yet I am still completely unsure what type of duvet cover to get. Is plain white too boring?

Beautiful Ladies

Well, my mind is all consumed with how to decorate the room that my husband and I are moving into in 2 weeks time...I don't know whether to stick to a theme of colour, or accents of it, or to stay neutral with shiny things, or to just not worry about a theme! Gareth agrees it needs to be our sanctuary in this busy city though, and as it is a large room with both a bed and a couch, it gives me room to think about "soft furnishings" i.e. cushions!!! Well, I found a shop the other day that reminded me of my favourite shop at home (Cosi Fan Tutti) and I walked out having bought one cushion in a blue linen, and another pre ordered...Whoops. The following images have bits of the blue in them...




I love the elegance of the 1920's. So romantic.



I was born in the wrong era!



So there we go. Not sure how I would incorporate these. Maybe compile images on an inspiration board? Thoughts?

Out and About...

In our weekends, as leisurly as they have been, we have been trying to make sure we do a bit of sightseeing. Sometimes we walk to a park, or we might do something more "touristy" like the Sherlock Holmes museum!!! Baker Street is a 25 minute walk from my auntie's if you cut across Primrose Hill (with great views of London) and then through Regent's Park. We also finally went and saw the Tower Bridge, although will return when we do the Tower tour, which is recomended by everyone.

                                    
                                     Primrose Hill (blue dress from Dorothy Perkins, bag from Warehouse)

 
                                       Regent's Park (dress 7pounds from Zara, Cardigan from Zara)

This is Gareth's 20pound jacket from the shop he sometimes works in Notting Hill. Also, from Zara(man)! It's real thick wool...practical, and a bargain!

                                               
                                                   Baker Street: Full of Sherlock Holmes things...

                                                    Tower Bridge