Hoarder

I'm a bit of a hoarder. I have a lot of stuff. It runs in my family (well my Dad's side anyway) but I'm starting to appreciate my Mother's view on stuff (the less the better kind of view) so when I came across these tips on buying new items, they really struck some chords in me.


When you think about your things or want to purchase something new, consider these parameters:

• It brings beauty into your life and stirs your soul.

• It supports a passion or hobby.

• It helps bring family and friends together in a creative and meaningful way.

• It educates and enlightens.

• It makes life profoundly simpler so that you can pursue more meaningful things.

• It helps someone who is sick or incapacitated.

• It is useful and necessary for day-to-day life.

• It’s part of a meaningful tradition or a reminder of a special event.

You know you are buying mindlessly if you:

• Buy on a whim.

• Buy to impress others.

• Buy because you feel you deserve it.

• Buy when you can’t afford it.

• Buy just to update something that still works or looks fine.

• Buy because someone else has it and you want it too.

• Buy because the advertisement seduced you.

• Buy because you are bored.

• It’s purchased because buying soothes you.

I found it via The Marion House blog

Originally from Zen Habits

I think this should also apply to what you keep.
And for the things you have, keep in mind these questions
Do you use it or appreciate it often?
Do you have a place to keep it?
If not then you should consider giving it away!

xx

Which Goose

I thought I'd share some of the beautiful things from Etsy shop WhichGoose with you. Spoil yourself and buy something or use them as inspiration to make your own!

xx

Artist -Edmund Dulac

They Might Have Been Lovers

Edmund Dulac was born in Toulouse and studied in France before moving to England. His timing was very lucky as he was there for the beginning of the reign of the illustrated gift book. He was commissioned to provide the art work for a number of books such as Stories from Hans Anderson, The Tempest, The Bells and other poems by Edgar Allan Poe among a great many others. He was at his artistic height during the Golden Age of Illustration.
I love the subject matter he has covered, Fairy tales, Arabian nights, poetry...

She had read all the Papers

The Bells

You can buy prints from ArtsyCraftsy and books of his art from Dover.

xx

Song of the moment - Florence and the machine "What the water gave me"

This song didn't hit me the first time I heard it. I'm a big Florence fan and I have to say I remember being a little disappointed when I heard this on the radio for the first time. I don't know why now though as I love it and have driven my fella a little crazy with it on repeat. There's a clip of her saying she loves big sounds and this song has just that; big sounds, powerful vocals.

It really swells and flows and What the Water Gave Me is definitely my song of the moment.
xo

Gemstones

I came across these gem prints from Elizabeth Corkery and LOVE them. 

I love the colours and the shapes and the fact that they look like huge specimens. I mean who wouldn't want some big rocks like these on their wall!
You can buy them from here.


xx

It's a Girl.

My sister has just has a beautiful little girl named Grace and to celebrate I thought I would try my hand at embroidering her some personalised little singlets. I quite enjoy embroidery but as you can probably tell from the photo's I'm still quite a novice. I took out some library books on embroidering and the lovely lady at my local library told me about a friend who had just finished an epic piece that had taken about seven years to complete!! These little things took me about 15 mins total, at a guess. The videos by Mary Corbet at Needle n Thread are really useful when you're learning new stitches (like me). I used french knots for the flowers and stem stitch for the G and the stems (how appropriate).

xx

Song of the moment -Gotye "Somebody that I used to know"

Gotye (pronounced the dutch way -something like Goit -ee-ay or like the french Gaultier). Normal name Wally de Backer is just about to release his third album. He was born in Belgium but grew up and lives in Australia and I can't wait til his next album comes out on the 19th August.
The song of the moment that I can't get enough of is his latest single- Somebody that I used to know.

Kimbra features in it and in an interview on the radio he said he wanted a strong female voice to come into the song's story and surprise the listener. I had heard the song before the interview and it totally did this for me. Hope you enjoy it as much as me.
xo