Shop at the Museum

While I've always loved going to 'the shop' anytime I go to a museum, attraction or gallery, they wouldn't be the first place I would visit when searching for nice things for my home... But this month Homes & Antiques magazine drew my attention to this lovely collection of items designed by Madeleine Floyd from the National Trust shop.... how cute are these mugs and teatowel?!



So I thought I'd check out a few other museum shops to see what hidden gems they might have...
At the V&A this interesting teacup & saucer caught my eye... it was designed exclusively for the V&A by Julie Verhoeven....

and for relaxing in this glorious weather we are having a brightly coloured deckchair! Also exclusive to the V&A.


And I am also loving the nostalgic posters you can pick up from the London Transport Musuem... these are just a few examples!



So if you know of any other good museum shops do let me know!! xxx

Caravan Club!

We've just arrived home from a lovely weekend of caravanning! Holidaying in Britain is definitely back, and the caravan should definitely have a part in that! Especially if you can make them look like this....

Daily Mail

or this....

flickr

oh and you can check out my previous post on Caravan Love....

Off to the Seaside!

house to home

I'm off to the seaside this weekend to enjoy this amazing weather! So have a great weekend, and don't forget to enter my giveaway! Closing on Tuesday 30th June.... Enter here.

xxx

My 1st interview! and some lovely new products!

This week I was honoured to answer some questions for Enterprise Nation - an online resource for small home based businesses.
If you would like to read about how I set up my online boutique and find how I went from writing my blog to running a business - have a read! 'Q&A with Patchwork Harmony'

Also I have just added some lovely new vintage items to the boutique... here are just a few, but be sure to check out the vintage section for more!

xxx

Retro Radio Love

This weekend I went down to Brighton to Snoopers Paradise and was very happy to come away with something I've being looking for for a while - A Bush Radio! Just like this one.....


I am actually starting to feel a bit of a retro/vintage radio obsession coming on... I spotted a few other great radios in Snoopers Paradise, but had to leave them behind... :(
Now I am no expert so I won't get technical on you about makes & models and the like, instead I will just post some pretty pics of radios! Don't you think they are just so photogenic?!

pics via House to Home & Flickr

And I am also loving this which I found on Etsy from seller bluewindow...

a photograph printed onto a wood panel - $55.

PS.... don't forget to enter my giveaway!!

My 100th post Giveaway!!

Yes, I have made it! This is my 100th blog post and it does feel like a bit of poignant moment!

I feel I should reflect a little on what has happened in the short time since I begun blogging... I literally had no idea what it even was this time last year, and now I can honestly say it has changed my life.... Blogging spurred me on to open my own small business which I am loving and am inspired by every day, I have had an article (which I wrote myself!) published in the FT and I have met some lovely people with similar interests, even a few in person!

So thanks to everyone for visiting, and now here's your chance to win some lovely goodies!!

First prize will be 2 lovely things!
Firstly the gorgeous book Easy Elegance from Ryland Peters & Small which I featured recently - check out some pics here.

And secondly I have teamed up with the lovely Camouflage Company to also offer one of their trendy toolbelts, which will be a godsend when your in the garden!


I will also have 2 runner up prizes of the toolbelts!!
All you have to do is leave a comment on this post and you will be entered, and I will draw the winners on the 30th June, so Good Luck everyone!!

Lots of Love,
Caroline xxx

Kindred - gorgeous free download wallpapers!

I just had to let you know about this lovely site which has just went live.... I just read a post on The Shop Bug blog about it.... and had to share!


Holly from Decor8 and Ez from Creature Comforts have just set up Kindred Summer Edition, where you can download free wallpapers for your computer. There are 10 to choose from, all designed by artists and they are all beautiful!

I in fact have chosen Holly's design for my own laptop!

If you spend as much time on your computer as me you will want one of these asap to brighten your day! Go check it out! Images from Kindred.

xxx

Gorgeous Greens & Greys....

While staying in the Cotswolds last weekend, we paid a visit to the Daylesford Organic farmshop... which had got to be one of the loveliest shops in the UK....


You are greeted by chickens pecking around in front of their little hen house, and inside you are met with delicious foods in beautiful packaging, fresh vegetables and wines, alongside some simply designed homewares, garden tools, and inspring cookery books.
While there I also fell in love with the muted green paint which seemed to be covering all the doors & window frames, and not only that, but around other properties in the local area....



So now I have decided I'd love to try and work in a shade similar to this into my home, either this or a nice shade of grey.... I reckon these are quite versatile colours as you could either punctuate them with some vibrant accessories, or keep it muted and relaxing....

images via Daylesford Organic, Maison Claire & House to Home

Beautiful mini trays!

My little blog has been neglected recently as I am have been really busy spending time with family and friends! I've been off celebrating my mum's birthday at the weekend in the Cotswolds which was lovely, and also cheering on a friend who was nominated for an award for her children's book - Under the Silvery Moon, which she both wrote & illustrated....

Also, I've been busy with my little boutique, and have a lovely new product to show you - some beautiful mini trays! I think they are sooo pretty, I love the colours and the shape, and their versatility!


You can use them for anything really - serving nibbles, cake or biscuits, or perhaps for your little trinkets or bits & bobs!

Come & check them out on my website - Patchwork Harmony!

Question Time!

This week Conversation Pieces blog tagged me, and I am only getting round to answering the questions! So here goes....!

What is your current obsession? Neals Yards Remedies, Pugs, buying home interior magazines & books and fruit loaf.

What is your weirdest obsession? Probably the fruit loaf?

Coffee or tea? Tea definitely… Coffee makes me feel a little weird.
What’s for dinner? Bit random, but chicken with some left over gnocchi… and some fruit loaf for pudding!!
What would you eat for your last meal? That’s a toughy, as it would depend what mood I was in…. probably not a very good one I’d imagine, I’d eat something incredibly fattening as it wouldn’t matter anymore! Chips with mayonnaise, Cheese, and chocolate…. But separately!

What was the last thing you bought? Today I bought the amazing Tim Walker poster that is in my last post.
What are you listening to right now? I mainly listen to the radio…

What is your favorite ice cream flavor? No Question – Chocolate.
What do you think of the person(s) who tagged you? She has amazing taste, and her blog makes me want to spend too much money!!

If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go? Back to Croatia, we went there for 2 weeks last year, and it is my favourite place ever so far!

Which language do you want to learn? Croatian – so we could go and live there!

What is your favorite colour? I am definitely having a yellow moment.
What is your favorite piece of clothing in your own wardrobe? At the moment a vintage sundress I got last summer, I love the pattern, and it is floaty and light so great for a really hot day… (well the one we get in the UK a year!)

What is your dream job? Babysitting loads of pug puppies! Tee hee!

What is your worst habit? Twisting my hair, It annoys me that I do it but I can’t stop!!

If you had £100 now, what would you spend it on? Mmm… lots of things, although I did see a nice little dress today which was £80 that I can’t afford so I’d splash it on that.

Do you admire any one’s style? I like the effortless chic look, so maybe someone like Alexa Chung perhaps…. Not a big fan of the really polished Victoria Beckham look. Although I don’t think I’ve quite achieved the effortless chic thing myself yet!

Describe your personal style? Mostly just jeans & cardis with the odd vintage top or dress thrown in, oh how I wish I had more money for clothes!!

What are you going to do after this? Watch ‘Mary Queen of Charity Shops’ on BBC iplayer – I'm lovin it!

What are your favourite movies? Little Miss Sunshine, and recently watched The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas which was sad but an amazing film, and I loved the styling.

What is your favorite fruit? Grapefruit

What inspires you? People who are really passionate about what they want from life, and who actually go for it and do what they want to do.

Your favorite book? This always changes, but my most recent fave was Home Girl by Judith Matloff.

Do you collect something? I am gathering up quite a collection of interiors books!

What is your favorite smell? I love essential oils, especially Lavender, jasmine & frankinsence

What are you most proud of? At the moment I am feeling pretty proud of my little shop – patchworkharmony.co.uk. Without blowing my own trumpet too much, I really am chuffed at how well it is going after only 8 weeks!

How many times do you press the snooze button before you get up? Luckily I don’t set an alarm as my other half gets up first so wakes me up!

Cats or dogs? You may know have noticed my obsession with pugs, so definitely dogs! Although we are probably gonna get a cat first, as I wouldn’t want to leave Mr Pugglesworth at home alone every day!

What’s your biggest fashion mistake? I remember I had a top in the 90’s when I about 15 that looked like coconut, I thought it was gorgeous until everyone starting calling me a coconut finger1 (as in the bakery item!)

Complete the following: Love is… still kissing when one of you has flu and looks like death warmed up… you’d rather get sick than not have a snog!

pics via flickr Living Etc

Now I am going to TAG 8 other bloggers, and the rules are:
1. respond and rework; answer the questions on your blog, replace one question that you dislike with a question of your invention, add more one question of your own.
2. tag eight other people

Eden Rose
Her Little Place
Lillys Life
Trixies Table
Allsorts
Country Cottage Chic
Bloom Love Grow
Cowboys & Custard

xxx

Beautiful Tim Walker photographs

After perusing the Domestic Sluttery blog yesterday, I had to dash down to the Design Musuem today at lunchtime and nab myself one of the amazing Tim Walker posters which they had highlighted ... this is the one I went for...


I think the colours are just stunning in this shot and can't wait to find a lovely frame for it!
There are 2 other images available too, although they are currently low in stock so get down there asap if you can!!



They have some other fab posters too so be sure to check out the online store....
Design Museum.

Heads Up!

The lovely Sian over at Domestic Sluttery has written a post about Patchwork Harmony, go check it out and you will also find a discount code for the boutique there too! Snap it up as its only available until Mon 15th June!


Domestic Sluttery is a fab blog who write about lovely things such as baking ideas, crafty things and great shops... if you don't know it make sure to have a look!

xxx

My new fave book - Thrifty Chic

I got this beautiful book last week, and I get so excited every time I flick through its pages, as there are so many inspiring ideas!

Chapter 1, Elements of Design, focuses on the important details of the home - lighting, mirrors, paint, fabric etc....


while Chapters 2 - 6 look at different areas of the home - Halls, Kitchens, Bathrooms and so on....




and the final chapter will have you coming back to this book over & over as it has a selection of projects to keep you busy, from how to make a patchwork cushion cover to how to give your staircase a stripey effect!


I found the book has a really up to date outlook on styling your home, mixing gorgeous vintage pieces picked up at flea markets and boot sales with the odd high street buy and one or two design classics thrown in. While my first love is vintage, sometimes it is easy to go overboard, and this book balances the mix just right, creating a lived in but truly stylish interior.
The stunning photography was shot by Simon Brown, check out his website for more great imagery.

Images © Cico Books

The book is £20, and can be purchased from Cico Books.

Also, if you live in the Kent area check Cico Books website or here for details of a fair happening next weekend in High Halden, near Tenterden - 12th & 13th June. it sounds fab - "Browse inside canvas marquees filled with contemporary and vintage finds for home and garden, plus a fine selection of locally produced food, gifts and fashion. Visit stands selling a wide range of country crafts from poultry keeping equipment to knitting yarns. "
The authors of Thrifty Chic will also be there and will be talking about interior design on a budget. I'm away that weekend, but if your nearby, check it out!

xxx