}antlers{

hello deeries/dearies,
Yes, I intentionally did the brackets backwards. I think it sort of has the look of antlers--another obsession of late. anyone who follows  me on pinterest will know that I'm slightly obsessed with antlers (click on this link for my antler board). While real deer heads on walls might be not totally pc, there is something gorgeous about the daintiness of deer. There are a variety of styles now--from rustic and classic to funky and bright, most of which are faux-taxidermy. I'll let the images speak for themselves:
{Classic Antlers}

{group them in a silver urn for an antiquey look via birch+bird}

{via hither and thither}

{from birch+bird}

{via pepper&design}

{from Beez that way}

{Colourful Antlers}

{from your modern couple}

I saw these cool colourful ones for sale at the V&A bookshop & took a photo:

{silhouettes}

{from knockoffdecor}

{via pinkshirts and carwrecks}

{how gorgeous is this addition of roses? from decor8 via pinterest}

{I'm in love with this chalk silhouette. from 2gypsy girls}

{you can buy this print on Etsy}

{gorgeous patterned silhouette by artist Robert Hague}

{by monorail purchasable on etsy}

{also available on Etsy sold by tasty suite}

{by texas girl designs, you can buy this on etsy}

Here are some pretty sculptural deer by Cathe Holden:

{images from just something i made}

{DIY} 

I got inspired in my house to do something deer/antler-ish. I drew sihouettes of deer on some gorgeous toile paper I bought at the V&A, cut them out & pasted them up on my wall above the TV & near the fireplace: 

xo,
L

{easter}

{via delish}

Easter was always a big holiday in our family. This year I'm heading to Toronto for Easter, to spend it with my sister and her family. The majority of Easters in recent years have been spent  at my 'home away from home' in the UK at my second cousins, Charley & Liz.

{lovely Easter signage on 'my room'}

They have a great many traditions. My favourite things about Easter in the UK are the lovely country spring walks and the amazing locations you can visit on a long weekend (& Charley, "Choo" as I call him, is a master in devising great long weekend plans).
To begin Easter, Charley always puts together a lovely Easter scene. We begin by collecting moss in some abandoned woodland.

{me in an English spring woodland}

{choo collecting moss}

{Choo & his Easter scene}

Some of the highlights of past Easter travels include visits to Ely and Arundel Castle. Ely is a lovely town, where you can see the spires of the cathedral miles away. The cathedral is a beautiful building to wander through and the acoustics are extraordinary for an Easter service, while Ely's town offers a great tea room for cream tea.

{Ely Cathedral, exterior and interior(below)}

{a trip to Arundel Castle}

The other thing I love about Easters at Charley & Liz's are the fancy dress balls/dinner parties. I made masks one year for us all to wear and I even put our ancestor's fox stole around my neck.

{me & choo getting goofy with cigars & masks (check out the fox around my neck!)}

My cousin Liz has a lovely tradition of gathering twigs together, assembling them as a centrepiece and decorating them with Easter decorations.
This is the only picture I could find of Liz's Easter twigs:

Here's one very similar from delish: 

I like this idea from not on the high street:

These Easter-inspired birdie motifs are darling from birdie 1 on Etsy:

Although I love the pastels of Easter, these white decorated eggs from pickles are gorgeous:

As kids we'd always make Ukrainian Easter eggs--we aren't Ukrainian but my Granny introduced us to the craft (I think one year when she was trying to alleviate my mother of 5 girls on spring break!). they are an absolutely gorgeous craft:

{image from Rainbow Fabrics}

If you're in London, don't miss the Liberty Easter Egg Hunt. You can win some yummy Prestat choccies, which by the way come in lovely wrappings:

Have a happy happy Easter!!

{Valentine's}

I'm not a big Valentine's fan...but I thought I'd still blog on Valentine's because of these ever-so-cute vintage Valentine cards...& all the other fun stuff that goes along with San Valentino. I do still feel nostalgic for all those Valentine card exchanges I used to do in my early years of school. Plus Feb 14 is important to me for two reasons. One, it marks the birthday of my dear niece, Anahita & also the birthday of one of my Mum's bestfriends, Sharlane. Also, because it is the patron saint day of another niece, Valentina.

Check out these cute Valentine's printables:



{downloadable from babalisme}



{there are loads of cute vintage Valentine cards available from vintage holiday crafts}



{too funny. which profession/man do you want? Heaven forbid you get the poor man or the thief!!!}



{from vintage holiday crafts}

If you're going to send an electronic e-card, why not try these lovely apps, featured on design*sponge?:

{I hate electronic stuff. but love love this by cartolina}

Red seems to be the colour of Valentine's, (& I have to say, red isn't really my colour), but who can resist these red dresses? :

{lovely Art Deco dresses from 1920s fashion}

{this would be appropriate for the weather around here}

and who could leave out Audrey?

{from funny face}

and who doesn't love red polka dots?

{from Heyday Vintage Style}



{polka dot hanky anyone?}



{polka dot cat bowl from price inspector for 3 quid}

{polka dot brolly?}

{how cute is this pram from prams n things?}

{polka dot petticoat? ooh la la, so cute! from dressderby}

{cute cases from knot just jigs}

{Valentine polka dot decorations by Deborah Sparks}

{vintage valentine's party staged for KUTV's Channel 2 Fresh Living Show. info here}

 and the other thing I like about Valentine's day are doilies. I don't know why, but I just love them.
check out these heart doilies:

{photo by ana}

{look at the beautiful doilies in the background of this print, available on Etsy}

and to be fully Valentines-y, Valentine's doilies:

{also available on Etsy}

I came across these amazing ideas by Emma Hadzi-Anitch featured on design*sponge. As a lover of tea (specifically loose-leaf tea), I can't resist these DIY teabags: the quality of loose-leaf tea with the sweetest personal touch:


{full details & instructions can be found on design*sponge and on flytape}



Happy Valentine's day! & a special Happy Valentine's to the ones I love the most: my dearest sisters, their kids, my parents & my best friends...Life would be so gray without you all.