Hygge Nook

Matryoshka prints

Have you noticed how Matryoshka prints are stealthily becoming very popular? I love the folksy prints, the bright and beautiful colours, the hints of old made new again. They seem to work well on everything too - bed linen, cups, you name it, those little Russian dolls look cute, a little kitsch and darned fabulous. I think the key is the vibrant colours and the intricate patterns that the dolls' sport. They may not have the tactile touch but the painted illusion of texture is divine.

 
LSA set of 4 mugs, £22 Dotmaison, espresso cup and saucer, on sale £5 Dotmaison.

Amy Perotti print, $12/ £7.90 at Etsy.

Russian dolls single duvet set, on sale at £40.50, Feather & Black.

 

Babushkups nesting glasses, £11.95 The Powder Rooms.

Crochet basket

 

One of the best things about going on holiday is finding pretty things to bring home. Whilst I didn't go shopping mad, I did pick up this pretty basket en route for home and it's just the thing for storing my granny squares and half-made granny blanket. I whipped up a crocheting storm over the weekend so I've definitely tipped the half way mark (phew!) but as you can see from the basket's contents, my yarn stash is much depleted so it's time to order some more... (and I can hardly wait for the day when I can post a finished pic).

My postcard to you...

 

Back soon with my next travel note...

Thursday Three

+ My latest obsession is Gossip Girl. Once again, I'm late to the party but now I have three series to look forward too.

+ This butler tray stand would look super cute somewhere in my house. My daughter's room perhaps? Or as a new nightstand for me? It's very affordable too at just £30.

+Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen is on my summer reading list. The author was recommended by my friend Claire who writes a great plus-size fashion blog. Would love to know what your top books are for this summer? Glitzy bonkbusters? Racy mysteries? Historical tomes? Do tell.

xoxo

Cosmopolitan Blog Awards

 

Being the eternally optimistic type of gal that I am, I'm keeping a beady eye on the outcome of the Cosmopolitan Blog Awards 2010. Nominations have just ended so here's hoping Hygge Nook has made the shortlist for the lifestyle category.

Asides from that, isn't it great how Big Names in the UK are really getting on board with blogging? Blogging, and its value, is something that I've written about for various publications, given talks on for numerous bodies and generally just enthused about to all and sundry. So it really is fabulous to see said Big Names taking notice of such a vibrant community of UK bloggers and giving nods to their work. 

Do vote on us for the Design Democracy Awards 2010 too!

Do leave me a comment letting me know which blogs are your favourite too, or a link back to your own.

In the pink

For many, many years I railed against pink. It was too girly. It wasn't tough enough. It spoke volumes about the user or wearer. It said things I didn't want to associate with myself. Then I had a revelation. Shut up! Pink is actually kinda cool. It's pretty. It's soft. It's inviting. And these pink rooms? Well, they tickle me pink.

House Beautiful (US edition) 

 

Jane Foster

 

Unknown

Domino

 

Unknown

Unknown (possibly a British home design magazine)

I love the way these rooms are so completely different, yet they are all united by their use of pink. From an incredibly stylish LA house where the palest pink is used as an accent against zebra prints in a stylish lounge, to pale sugary pink anchored with pops of yellow, a gloriously kitsch purply-pink girl's room, striped pink daybed covers freshens up dark furniture, hot pink that jazzes up gloss black and a timeless parquet floor to a pink bedroom with the pink popping out in various patterns against large swathes of white... it all just goes to show that there's nothing to be afraid of with pink.

MyDeco's Design Democracy Awards 2010 - please vote for Hygge Nook!

 

Where there's an award going, well, heck, I want to be on that bandwagon. Especially when it is as exciting as mydeco's first ever Design Democracy Awards 2010 in conjunction with the London Design Festival. Winners get the chance to form a official blogger taskforce with VIP access to all the events. Super exciting!

But what does Design Democracy mean to me? Well, it means getting back to the ancient Greek definition which is 'the people' and 'to rule'. We don't have to be preached to about design aesthethics. We don't have to be told what is awesome and what should float our boats. For me, design democracy is all about being honest with myself about what I love, what I like and what I want to see in my home. It  might be an antique lamp perched on an Ikea unit, it might be a flea market trinket next to a papier mache model made by my child, next to the latest hip poster. Design democracy is about what is right for me, and for you, to design your space however we like it. No pressure. No rules. Just the people.

I've been nominated for Best Independent Blog and I'd love it if you voted for me (linky here!) and please take the time to look through my very fabulous competitors too - you're sure to see some familiar names throughout the three categories including the likes of Abigail Aherne, HomeShoppingSpy, Lobster and Swan, Conversation Pieces, My Friend's House, Patchwork Harmony, Pippa Jameson, Tea for Joy, Wee Birdy and so many more.

Crochet cushion - finished!

At last! It seems like I have been making this cushion forever (though not as long as the never ending granny blanket) though really it was the lack of cushion cover on which to stitch it that delayed me the most. But finally I got my act together and picked up a linen cover from Ikea and spent an afternoon sewing in ends then stitching the panel to one side. Jolly pleased with it too.

It was once like this:

 

Did you spot the error? Fixed it! And now it's this...

You can find links to the each circle/square and the joining method in this post.

I hope beginner crocheters will attempt it. It really is very simple and you only need to know how to join a chain, chain small amounts and do a treble stitch.

The yarn is particularly gorgeous and was a Christmas gift. It's Sirdar Snuggly Baby Bamboo in a purple, navy blue, pale blue and white and while the yarn seems on the thin side, it has a very tactile silky feel to it and the crocheting gives it thickness.

Fresh blackberries

 

There really is nothing nicer than fresh fruit. And I mean really fresh fruit, picked minutes ago from one's own garden. Here's the dish full of blackberries my children and I have just plucked. It will probably be made into an apple and blackberry crumble, served hot with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream. Said crumble would have been made yesterday if my darling three-year-old boy had not been caught moments after he had tipped an equal sized dish straight into the bin. Gah!

Shop alert: Velvet in Brighton

 

I went to Brighton two weekends ago. Despite living in London, and thus well within day trip travelling distance, it was the first time I'd visited. We had quite a charming time despite the traffic and battles for a parking space. The children's favourite bit, was of course, crunching over the pebble beach to splash merrily in the surf. I meanwhile was rather enchanted by the row upon rows of fudge. (Yum!)

 

The shopping looked rather good once you got past the tatty touristy bits. I particularly liked Velvet, which was an absolute treasure trove of pretty knick-knacks that are just perfect to dot around the home or gift. Unfortunately I had left my wallet with with the family lurking across the road, so had just a few pounds in my pocket when I went for a poke about with my daughter. Fortunately that was just enough to spring for a red jewelled heart-shaped trinket box that she's carried around ever since, though I will forever kick myself for not snapping up a gorgeously lacy tunic on sale at the back of the shop.

Small pleasures are sometimes the best anyway.