One of my favorite things to do in autumn is to take early morning walks when the mist still lingers. I hike the trails of my local regional park with the leaves crunching under my feet and I soak in that smell of fall in the air, a scent that’s only present this time of year. Being outdoors is an endless source of inspiration for me and one thing I know to be true: when it comes to scale and color, nature always gets it right. Have you ever studied a blooming branch or trailing vine? Without fail, each leaf is always in perfect proportion, the larger ones forming the base of the design and the smaller leaves trickling down or projecting out, displaying the plant’s more delicate side. Designers can translate nature’s designs to fabrics literally and figuratively, and I find more than any other, botanical prints are the ones that catch my eye. I love a classic interpretation but also an abstract one, where brushstrokes give the impression of petals, stems, and leaves. I spied these beautiful botanical fabrics in fall hues, perfect for your autumn tables, pillows, or window treatments.
flax, stacy garcia (three colorways)
botany, full bloom (three colorways)
And of course one of my favorite botanical fabrics is my own design!
reverie (three colorways)
More Fabric Sources: . from https://centsationalstyle.com/2018/09/botanical-fabrics-for-fall/
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Julie and Chris eloped to Glasgow together with their little daughter Grace around Christmas time. After lots of careful secretive planning, their day went to perfection, just the three of them. They were married in the Registry Office in Glasgow then had a walk around Merchant City and the funfair in George Square followed by a lovely meal at The Bothy – the photographers were also their witnesses! The photos look simply magical and you almost feel as though you were there with them! After the elopement, Julie and Chris quickly settled into happily married life and when friends and family heard the news they instantly asked when and where the wedding reception would be! So on with some more planning – little Grace is a keen bowler and so it was settled, the wedding reception would be held in the hall of the Bowling Club she belongs to. And that is where I came in – Julie described her vision to me and shared some ideas but wondered would this even be possible in the plain hall? – I assured Julie I would transform the venue for her and she was totally thrilled with the results on the night. I used lots of fairy lights and created a fairy light drape on the ceiling together with some paper lanterns and bunting from Party Pieces and the result was stunning – on the tables, fresh flowers in hessian and lace jars made by Julie were placed on log slices over lace tablecloths. Tealights in little jars and some with greenery and flowers were placed around the room and hung along the balustrade. I used these cute hanging jars also from Party Pieces which are perfect for either little flower posies or tealights. Their rustic wedding cake was placed on an upturned crate with mini bunting and by placing sweet treats made by family and friends on vintage cake plates I created a lovely dessert table. All the guests loved the decor and it shows that by using just some simple key pieces and a bit of creativity it really is so easy to transform any venue into something chic, elegant and magical.
The post Real Party: Elopement & Rustic Wedding Reception appeared first on Party Pieces Blog & Inspiration. from https://blog.partypieces.co.uk/real-parties/real-party-elopement-rustic-wedding-reception/ I spent the weekend mapping out my pantry design and beginning the building process. It’s a 4×6’ walk-in closet so not big enough to treat as a butler’s pantry but large enough to store kitchen staples. I’ve been living with basic wire shelving units for years and finally I’m getting around to upgrading to real shelves. Before I began the project I thought about how I use the space and what I store in my pantry. I don’t store cleaning products or vacuums or brooms in there, I prefer not to mix them with food. I did write down all the basic categories of products: paper goods, canned goods, breakfast foods, etc. then came up with a design for how I’d store it all. Before buying building materials, I did a lot of research online. I was trying to narrow down what look I was going for, and while navigating the internet found several inspiring ideas for pantry design. Below are some details that stood out to me, and some of my favorite looks. I decided I’d be satisfied with basic shelves and I kept coming back to this design, so I gave my shelving a wraparound design similar to this clean and bright pantry.
I’m creating separate cubbies for better organization and giving the edges a look of greater thickness by adding 2” lattice trim. I’ve used that trick before on shelving, and I’ll share more about it next week when I feature the new built-in shelves. These designs also appealed to me, clean and white with separate spaces created by adding vertical dividers for cookbooks, appliances, and food items.
I love how Sandra added wine storage in her DIY walk in pantry. Even without a wine fridge this is a great idea for the shelving above where she added more utility for storing wine or other glass bottled beverages.
I never really thought about using labels since I habitually store things in certain zones, but I suppose if you have more than one person storing items in a pantry the labels can be useful. Do you use labels in your pantry? I like the tonal paint in this space and how the shelves and cabinets are all the same soft gray blue. I considered painting my shelves all the same color too but in the end opted for a pale greenish gray backdrop and white shelves.
This pantry is a beautiful extension of the kitchen in its design, with its tiled backsplash and black brackets supporting the shelves. I didn’t create anything this fancy though. :)
via the kitchn
My pantry is light and bright but I had to share this idea I found because it’s the opposite of mine but I still love the look of this pantry with its moody dark paint, tongue and groove paneling, and natural wood countertop. Inspiring combination right?
I’ll share the final look and the step-by-step process of building the shelves next week. :) . from https://centsationalstyle.com/2018/09/inspiration-for-my-walk-in-pantry/ Add a fun and unique touch to your Halloween party with our collection of Halloween animal cupcake toppers! We’ve made a spooky owl, creepy cat and a little bat for you to print out and top your cupcakes with. All you need to do is download the PDF below, print and cut them out then tape them onto food picks to pop into your party food. Enjoy! Simply download the PDF here:
Halloween Animal Cake Toppers 1.73 MB
*this post was originally posted on 3rd October 2016 but has now been updated. The post Free Printable Halloween Cupcake Toppers appeared first on Party Pieces Blog & Inspiration. from https://blog.partypieces.co.uk/printables/halloween-printables/free-printable-halloween-cupcake-toppers/ This weekend I have another DIY project I’m working on, I’m finally building shelves in my walk-in pantry. I’m ashamed to admit it but I’ve been storing my pantry goods on cheap metal shelving units for ten years, so I’m finally getting around to fixing that situation that’s been begging for my attention. Oh the shame. Of course I’ll share the final result when complete! Autumn is officially here and isn’t this fleeting season so lovely with all the colorful fall leaves on display? I’m not into decorating around the house for Halloween, I prefer to simply add touches of autumn, but I do like this idea for a mantel, gather a bunch of objects (think thrift store candles and vases and faux craft pumpkins) and spray paint them matte black. Cheap, easy, and chic! More favorite links from the week below:
Ballard Designs listed their decorating mistakes made over 35 years. :) This scene is a stimulating medley of faux and real foliage. Scandinavian blue paint color suggestions. The healthiest frozen foods at Trader Joe’s. Tomatoes never looked so pretty. Why birthday wishes should include congratulations, not just happiness. Little ways to give your bad mood a makeover. .
From “little one’s” parties to “older one’s” parties Party Pieces covers them all so to celebrate my turning 40 I enlisted the help of my favourites, Party Pieces, who cover absolutely everything you might need for a party no matter the age. I had “ummed and ahhed” about having a party but it’s not every day you turn 40 and so to mark the occasion we had a little get together at home and thankfully being August we were lucky and had some gorgeous weather forecast for my birthday week so what better place to hold a party than in our garden, the plan being a bbq with friends and family. I chose items to decorate an area of my garden, thinking we might go from day to night so some candle and tea light holders and twinkly lights but also some décor to make it pretty during the day in the form of pretty pom pom’s, decorative vines and confetti garlands. Pretty paper plates and cups, a rose gold table cloth and scene setting backdrops all made for such a pretty picture turning a boring area of our garden into a picture perfect area. “Sparkly numbers” as Tiggy called them made for the prettiest of sing alongs to “Happy Birthday” although I can’t believe those numbers were a 4 and an 0! Mine and my children’s favourite items from Party Pieces were the confetti canons, they were brilliant! Such great fun the anticipation of them “exploding” and much hilarity when they did and all caught on camera and who could resist making a pretty picture with the confetti too although I’m still finding confetti around our home some two weeks later but definitely worth it for the fun we had! A HUGE thank you to Party Pieces for making my 40th a picture perfect one!
The post 40th Birthday Celebrations appeared first on Party Pieces Blog & Inspiration. from https://blog.partypieces.co.uk/real-parties/40th-birthday-celebrations/ MESSAGE IN A BOTTLEPrint and fill in our free Mermaid party invitation. Roll this up and tie with string and slip inside a vintage glass bottle. Decorate the neck of the bottle with twine and seashells. SEA STREAMERSWelcome guests with the Be More Mermaid garland and fill the room with paper streamers made from crepe paper in different pastel colours. UNDER THE SEATo create an ethereal look at the buffet and/or cake table decorate with the Mermaid Glitter globe and twinkling fairy lights. BUBBLE BALLOONSFill the room with lots and lots of “bubbles”, by blowing up many balloons in all different sizes in pastel colours – even just all in one colour would be amazing! This is a great idea, as young kids LOVE balloons! Alternatively, hang paper lanterns from the ceiling with streamers hanging down to mimic giant jellyfish! SEA SHELLS ON THE SEA SHOREDecorate the centre of the table with glass vases and bottles in a variety of sizes filled either with:
THE MERMAID TABLESet up a place setting for each of the little ones: with Be More Mermaid themed paper plates, cups and napkins. Add paper straws and wooden cutlery for environmentally friendly disposable parytware. SEA FOODFill little bucket pails of food:
AQUAHOLICFill a dispenser with water and or juice, use food colouring to make it even bluer. For individual water bottles gift each guest a water bottle with our free printable water bottle labels. BUBBLY & BITES BARIf adults are invited too create a special area for them by serving some champagne and seafood canapés or sushi. DIY CUPCAKESFor cupcakes, decorate the top of vanilla cakes and blue icing with crushed Marie/Tennis biscuits – and add Belgian shell-shaped chocolates on top or the We Heart Mermaids Cake Toppers. GUMMY SKEWERSThese sweets are easy to make as one simply threads gummy sweets onto wooden skewers. These are great for the buffet or slip over a cellophane bag and tie with twine and you have very cute and sweet favours. SHELL SLIPPERSCustomise slippers to look more sea themed, by simply trimming the rim with shells. One can also add glitter or sequins for extra bling. This also works great as a party activity for older kids and a take home pressie in one. QUEEN OF THE SEAMake a crown from paper and decorate with shells and other sea themed bits and pieces. For older kids you could make it a mini competition and have each mermaid model their crown and award small prizes for the best; most colourful, most creative etc. SAND PIT SEARCHFill a giant plastic clam (available from most toy stores) with play sand (also available from toy stores or hardwares). Inside hide chocolate gold coins and/or mini sea plastic toys for an under water treasure hunt. MERMAID MAGICDress up your little one, in a white sleeveless t-shirt (decorate with pretty fabric bows and sequins on the neckline) and then have her wear an oversized tulle skirt in soft pastel colours) or go all out and spoil the birthday girl with a mermaid costume! A BUCKET PAIL OF GOODIESDecorate with sea themed stickers and glitter the Be More Mermaid party bags and fill with:
Add our free printable favour tags to customise your little gift bags. Click here to download all the free printables. The post Real Party: Be More Mermaid appeared first on Party Pieces Blog & Inspiration. from https://blog.partypieces.co.uk/kids-birthday/girls/mermaid-parties/real-party-be-more-mermaid/ I finally clicked “order” on a pair of peacock blue club chairs I’ve had my eye on, they arrived this week and I really love them. They’re the perfect size and dose of color I needed to create a cozy conversation area. I also changed up the mirror on the mantel, I used to have one that was more ornate but I swapped it for a minimalist gold round one. I love mantels styled with artwork but above my mantel I default to a mirror. I’ve been simplifying my life as much as possible and it’s directing my decorating style so this minimalist mirror appealed to me the most.
The thin frame round mirror is a classic look and doesn’t beg for attention. I love hanging them in bathrooms too to soften all the angles. I found a few more minimalist mirrors with different color frames including wood and brass, bronze, and silver tones. The mirror I bought is the same as this gold round mirror pictured below and it cost less than $200. :)
posen wood – 30”
bronze metal – 30” (also brass, rose gold, and nickel)
thomas round – 36” bronze
abham rose gold – 31”
antique silver sierra – 34”
layne silver – 36” (also in gold and bronze)
pale wood – 32”
mayfair gold – 34”
avery gold – 34” from https://centsationalstyle.com/2018/09/minimalist-mirrors/ We were lucky enough to be treated to a summer that exceeded all expectations (like, EVER!) and as the sun beat down, it was time to party – festival style! With a playful twist on a festival favourite and the host’s surname, say hello to your ticket to Gippstonbury! Oh, and it’s VIPs only… Colourful floral creations took to the stage for this celebration! Bright pops of colour with real flowers, Flower Pom Poms and Pom Pom Flower Garland created a vibrant, bohemian vibe across food tables alongside vintage tins and empty milk bottles to add some country-style quirks to each display. Is it even a festival if there isn’t a straw bale to perch on? Placing bales with hand-painted pallets, wooden crates and colourful fabric is an easy and effective way to create a stylised seating area or a ‘chill out’ zone for guests that need to rest those party feet (or take off those festival wellies). The festival theme continues with these Boho Mix Floral Napkins and Plates, because even the food deserves a spot of the limelight. Teamed with bold plastic cutlery, the Boho Mix range from Party Pieces is star of the show once the burgers are ready…! Filling empty bottles with a few floral stems is a great way to style any bar area. These Giant Flower Decorations were larger than life and perfect for dressing the garden.
The post Festival Feels appeared first on Party Pieces Blog & Inspiration. from https://blog.partypieces.co.uk/real-parties/festival-feels/ The city of Prague has intrigued me since my brother told me tales of his adventures from when he visited in the late 1990s. One of my most fun friends is also from the Czech Republic so when she asked me to come visit her, I was more than happy to make the trip. I started by spending three days in Brno then we drove together to Prague to explore it for another three days.
Prague is a beautiful city, but if you really want to appreciate the architectural beauty of the old town, you need to do it in the early morning, because once the cafes begin to fill at 9 a.m. and for the rest of the day (at least when I was there in June) the main squares of Prague are so completely overrun with tourists that I just wanted to escape it, which brings me to some reflections on overtourism, but I’ll share more on that at the end of this post. One morning I got up early and walked around the main city and squares between 7 and 9 a.m., there were very few people out and about so I felt as if had the streets to myself.
Prague is filled with stunning architecture, but the one design element I kept noticing was the constantly changing patterns in the pedestrian sidewalks around the city, all of them made with the same gray and white cobblestones but in varying patterns.
Despite my aversion for the overcrowded streets of old town by day, I confess Prague at night is really magical. Walking around the city feels like a fairy tale with the old world lanterns lighting up the misty sky and the curving cobblestone paths. The pictures don’t quite capture the inky blue sky that lingered long after the sun set. The color was surreal, it was if you were in a giant movie studio and that deep blue was being projected on a screen above you.
Prague is known for its nightlife and I could see why! For hours into the evening, the streets were filled with people into the early morning hours since the cafes and clubs are open late into the night. My traveling companion Ingrid and I found the best underground bar I’ve been to called Black Angels in the Old Town Square. I have no pictures because inside it’s forbidden to be on your phone so instead you order a drink and spend your time talking to the people all around you (imagine that) while you soak in the dimly lit interior filled with traditional Czech crystal chandeliers and gilded framed works of art hung on thick white stone walls. As you soak up the ambiance, you’re entertained by the elegantly dressed and multi-talented bartenders mixing libations while you listen to the live piano player, it’s an enchanting place in the style of the 1930s, like one you’d find during the Prohibition, and a highlight of my visit. When in Prague I loved looking at all the Czech crystal, you see in everywhere in storefronts and shops. After three days of looking I found one store off the beaten path and inside bought a set of highball glasses.
I’m always on a quest for the best local dish, so like the three days I spent in Brno, I had my share of goulash and beer! And you’ll find so many vendors for the traditional dessert trdelnik , a sugar coated dough that’s filled with any topping you choose.
One impressive place we visited was the Vyšehrad Fortress, just outside the old town, it was a great place to escape the massive amounts of tourists crowding the main city streets by day.
Vyšehrad is situated above the river with beautiful panoramic views of the city, we were lucky to have perfect visibility and blue skies.
Vyšehrad wins for having the most beautiful church doors.
A great place to spend an afternoon was down at Naplavka by the river where a series of boats are anchored along the Vltava river serving beer and wine. Notice the special guests that kept us company.
On my last afternoon we took a walk up to the famous Prague Castle complex – make the hike up the hill and you’ll enjoy the panoramic views of the old city below.
I have to give a shout out to the doors of Prague, there were so many that made me stop just to admire the details and snap a photo.
I’m always a sucker for a centuries old door!
I did love my visit to Prague but truth be told, I was overwhelmed by the amount of travelers in the city. I was there in June and during my stay I noticed an onslaught of tour groups that took over, with tour guides holding sticks up in the air guiding massive crowds of people from place to place. I was only able to enjoy the main parts of the old city in the early morning hours and in the late evening hours because there were just so many tourists during the day. As a result, the old town part of the city was unpleasant by day and if I hadn’t made the effort to see Prague in the early morning hours I would have left with a distaste for this historic place. The central streets of Prague were so unbearable on our first day that we ducked into a small proprietor’s shop to get away from the crowds. Inside, my traveling companion Ingrid (who is a citizen of the Czech Republic) started a long conversation about what has happened to the city in the last decade. Tourism has robbed the once authentic streets of their cultural charm. Now they are filled with global brand stores and souvenir shops, many selling Czech Republic memorabilia manufactured in China. What is overtourism? It’s when a place becomes so popular to tourists that its businesses and infrastructure can no longer handle the influx of travelers that takeover the streets, hotels, and cafes, making the destination unpleasant due to the excessive amounts of people visiting. It’s happening in Santorini, it’s happening in Machu Picchu, it’s happening in Barcelona, in countless other places, and it was present in Prague. What is the reason for overtourism? Mostly it’s because travel has become cheaper. I admit I’m the first to take advantage of a great flight deal. I’m an advocate for budget travel, and most often I rent from Airbnb for reasons I’ve written about. I’m thinking about overtourism more carefully as I plan future trips. I always want to avoid the sea of sameness that I found traveling in Europe and renting apartments in both Bergen, Norway and in Prague. I much prefer the rent a room method I tried in Seattle or the personal spaces I’ve rented in Austin and Brussels and Oslo where it’s clear from the host’s profile and the way the property is decorated that the space is curated with personal items, rented to supplement income, and is not a place owned by a corporation or property hoarder constantly turning over their dozens of lofts decorated cheaply in all IKEA products for easy profits. Countries are fighting back against overtourism and local governments are taking action and getting creative in their efforts to control tourism. This article by Nomadic Matt proposing solutions to overtourism directly addresses the issue in an insightful way. Travel in the off season, support businesses run by locals outside the touristy areas, and show respect to the local culture. Don’t make your trip about the Instagram moments, but rather about the experience of exploring a new place and immersing yourself into a culture for the education it brings. Have you witnessed overtourism in any of your recent travels? . from https://centsationalstyle.com/2018/09/scenes-from-prague-the-emergence-of-overtourism/ |
About MeHi I am Albin Adamski from Brynrefail, I am 32 years old. I always surf web for buying antiques for home decoration. Archives
April 2019
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