When is a photo frame not a photo frame…..

August 6, 2015August 5, 2015 hansjonesLeave a comment

A brief blog for a Thursday but I was keen to share an exciting re-purposing in the hope that it may inspire you too.

I have been hunting for a long time for a shallow decorative tray that I could stand a candle and flowers on in our kitchen. With fresh flowers picked from the garden and the scent of my favourite candle burning away, I was keen to make this more of a feature on our worktops.

I had searched Pinterest for inspiration and found plenty of similarities online but most options where around £20 which I felt was just a little excessive.

You will know by now that when in doubt, head to TK Maxx. I was hopeful that I would find buried away at the back of a shelf my ideal decorative piece – preferably glass and wrought iron perhaps or dark timber. I was shocked and saddened when TK Maxx didn’t come to my rescue……or so I thought…..

An idea popped into my head. How about a deep set or 3D photo frame? Sat on the floor with frames around me, I lay the frames down to see how flat they sat and then grabbed a candle and vase of similar measurements to home and displayed on a unit….TK Maxx must love me, they must think I’m planning to move in. Great tip – don’t be afraid to use your surroundings to check you are buying what will work best. Department stores always have furniture on display so help to style them up whilst you shop!

Anyway, I found a perfect option! A deep set surround, plain in colour but large enough to hold a vase and candle without being too tight. I haven’t yet removed the back stand because it actually sits quite flush to the worktops but that is an option if you find it is off balance. And, of course it was a bargain – £6!

I then had to consider what to place inside the frame. I did originally plan on a plain sheet of white paper but then it struck me….we still had some photos of our wedding with one photo in particular I was keen to find a home for…..my treasured wedding flowers.

So ta dah! Here it is!

Hope that has given you some inspiration on re-purposing a photo frame. This idea would also work well with the more ornate frames – perhaps a single 8×5 size with a pretty candle? I would love to see your photos if you choose to take on this little project. Click the Instagram or Twitter button and share away!

x PB x

How to add Country Cottage style on a budget

July 23, 2015July 23, 2015 hansjonesLeave a comment

Since moving to the country, my love for home accessories has evolved. I would even go as far to state that I have found interior peace with the purchases I have made and the way I style them up. I know what looks good in our home, what accessories would enhance a space and the colour palette that compliments our surroundings.

However, as with most of my style posts, you don’t need to spend £100’s to achieve that Country Cottage charm.

Here are my top 5 ideas that you can re-create in your own home:

1. Re-use a jam jar as a vase and fill with sweet peas, roses or hydrangeas – preferably ones cut from your own garden! I picked these morning – how delightful.

2. Convert an old photo frame into a chalk board by painting some card in chalk paint. This would look cute hanging in a kitchen or utility room

3. Fill small terracotta planters with artificial moss and individual flowers (can be found in Hobbycraft) – arrange them in groups of 3 on a shelf to add that rustic charm

4. Buy blank cards in the £1 section and hang them from a piece of twine with basic wooden pegs. Creates a cute backdrop behind a bed. Add some fairy lights for extra sparkle.

5. Place teacups and saucers (great ones can be found in a charity shop) and issues of your favourite magazines or coffee table books on a wooden tray . Add a vase of flowers for height and colour and place on a footstool. Always add Jo Malone for some added style!

x PB x

Adding light to your life….

July 21, 2015July 20, 2015 hansjonesLeave a comment

In an earlier post, I shared that Mr PB had made a plea…..no more cushions. I believe a similar plea may come soon……no more candles!

I seem to have acquired, over the past few years, an eclectic array of candles, tealight holders, lanterns and more.

in all the rooms in our home, there will be a candle of some sort – whether that be decorative, scented or both. I just seem to get a lot of satisfaction purchasing candles. If it is a dull day outside (and there are plenty in the UK), I get so much pleasure lighting all our candles and snuggling down with a good book.

I also love styling a space with a unique collection of lanterns and tealight holders. This has grown since we visited South Africa.

During our stay at Lairds Lodge, Plettenburg Bay, the top of a chest of drawers was filled with a variety of candles – hurricane lamps, lanterns, tealights, candelabras and more. I was keen to try and reflect this look in our home and I am getting there….slowly.

Whilst on safari at Gorah Elephant Camp, Addo, candles were a necessity in the evening due to the permanent lack of electricity. Arriving back from a night time drive around the park, hundreds of hurricane lamps and lanterns would be lit and would emphasise the colonial warmth that the country exudes.

So, here is the collection….(so far!)

The 2 tall lanterns along with the rectangular lantern sit on a wide windowsill in our garden room. These were purchased from Debenhams and Matalan a few years ago. I am not sure these exact lanterns exist currently but I know that similar types will be available in most home accessory stores.

I love up-cycling, converting a item from its standard use. When preparing for a baby shower, I purchased these Mason Ball jars from the U.S to use as vases around the room. I now use them as tealight holders. Sitting alongside our lanterns and with the garden room having a blue and cream theme, they really add a pop of colour.

You will recognise the rose gold tealights from a previous post and to compliment these on the fireplace surround, I added the peach candle holders from Dunelm Mill and these delightful copper tealight holders from Culinary Concepts – a superb online shop offering both unique kitchen and home accessories. These were in a recent sale at £4.95 each. Although no longer available, Culinary Concepts do still have similar items on their website.

Finally, I own a fair amount of scented candles. You will have seen Jo Malone featuring as a regular guest in my photos. The Wild Fig & Cassis is such an intense smell and fills a room within a matter of minutes. That also means that it lasts for ages and given its price compared to other candles, that is a good thing!

I tend to purchase other scented candles from…..TK Maxx (surprise, surprise!). My local store has a great range and my recent favourite is the Thompson Ferrier candle in the scent Crushed Lavender – perfect for this time of year.

I have put links below of the items (or similar). Happy Shopping!

Do you have a favourite candle accessory or store that you purchase from? As always, I would love to hear your ideas. Please share below.

x PB x

Lanterns – http://www.debenhams.com/home/home-accessories/candles-holders/lanterns

Mason Ball jars – http://www.amazon.com/Ball-Heritage-Collection-Pint-Bands/dp/B00B80TJX0

Peach candle holders – http://www.dunelm.com/product/blush-pressed-glass-taper-candlestick-1000050003?cmCategoryId=34214

Copper tealight holder (not exact) http://www.culinaryconcepts.co.uk/medium-glasshouse-lantern-copper

Jo Malone candle – http://www.jomalone.co.uk/product/3560/9741/For-the-Home/Home-Candles/Wild-Fig-Cassis-Home-Candle#

Thompson Ferrier candle – http://thompsonferrier.com/default/catalogsearch/result/?q=crushed+lavender

Getting lost in Venice

July 7, 2015July 7, 2015 hansjonesLeave a comment

I recently returned from a trip to Italy where one of our stops was Venice for a couple of days.

With our friend, Google Maps, Mr PB and I spent most of those 2 days wandering the narrow streets and absorbing ourselves in this amazing city (it also felt, at times, that we were just trying to escape the hoards of tourists around St Marks Square!)

Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Prada and Gucci lined the narrow streets. Have designer brands become so needed that they have to try and draw you in in one of the worlds smallest cities that is just rammed with tourists?! A coffee can sometimes reach €15 so my eyes water at the thought of how much the designers inflate their prices.

Imaging Shakespeare walk the cobbled paths, it was hard to understand how the City has just become a tourism haven and very little else. I appreciate that all cities have to have their tourism income, but the city felt like it emptied each night and the hoards returned around 11am the following morning…….I guess it made dinner enjoyable without having to queue for a table!

However, on a positive note, it was whilst getting lost, in between the many delicious (expensive) ice creams we consumed, that I stumbled across a shop and my faith was restored! No shop name, no bright lights or promotions plastered over the windows. A shop with the most stunning selection of pens and wax seals presented in the most unobtrusive, blink and you miss it style. It would have been rude not to investigate further….research purposes of course!

“Bonjouro. Lei parla inglese?”

“Si”

And with that, we perused the shelves with plenty of oohs and aahs and eventually The Pineapple & Button Co. gift set was purchased!

The set compromises of a glass fountain pen made from the Venetian Murano glass. There is no nib to the pen. The ink draws up into the end of the pen and writes beautifully. You would think that without a nib, the quality would be poor but it certainly isn’t. I obviously chose a teal ink.

The set also comes with blotter, wax and stamp. The stamp is also Murano glass and matches the pen almost perfectly. I haven’t yet used the seal but will share results when I do.

If you are visiting Venice, the shop is called Frizzi e Lazzi, San Marco 818, Venezia. I highly recommend a visit.

so, for all of its quirks and, at times, frustrations, Venice is an incredible place with an atmosphere that cannot be matched anywhere that I have visited. Whilst you feel that you are constantly on a film set or even visiting The Venetian in Las Vegas, I would recommend anyone to visit – one day, this place could be a lost City…..just make sure you take dosh and plenty of it!

In my next blogs, I will be reviewing the 2 hotels we stayed in during our stay – Lake Como and Venice, so watch this space!

x PB x

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