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A small Scandi inspired workspace.

Mon, 28 Mar 2016 00:00:00 +0100

Over the past week I've been trying to bring some order to all of the projects we have going on in our house, prioritise and perhaps even complete something. The kitchen is forever ongoing, I'm craving the plans for change I have for the living room, the garden room is crying out to be cleared and painted and a beautiful studio born out of the current chaos. But in the back of my mind is a whisper of hope for something else, a new project, a bigger project, a much needed one, but I mustn't get my hopes up, I really mustn't.......too late, AN EXTENSION! And with this idea comes a new flood of possibilities, a room filled with light, a part of the garden, room to relax, separate from the children, maybe even a space to write on my soon to arrive shiny new laptop, no more squinting at my phone, swearing as I try to let my mind flow and half of what is written disappears from existence. Never mind all the logistics and practicalities of knocking out the side of your home, I'm filling myself with inspiration for a small contemporary retro/ Scandi inspired workspace. A little hub where I can focus and leave things part done to come back to, rather than having to clear the kitchen table each time someone wants to paint or eat... And eventually, as the girls grow older, a place for them to work on homework...So here are some cherry picked ideas, curtosy of Pinterest, for utilising a small space with style and creativity, proving there's no need for an entirely separate office/ study if you don't have the room.

The key is the desk, be it wall mounted or freestanding, it takes up no more space than is needed, stands there proud and beautiful and becomes a positive feature in the room, not an unfortunate afterthought in the corner.I'm thinking of making something similar to our kitchen table, using veneered ply and hairpin legs as a stylish budget option. I guesstimate it would cost approx £65.. you can check it out in more detail here.I have also been looking at what options are available to buy online and there are some real beauties. Here are just a few as an example of what money can buy..1. Industrial style reclaimed wood, beautiful turquoise powder coated frame, £180 from Etsy2. Oak Jakob desk, £199, from M&S3. Edelweiss desk, £299 from Made.com 4. Cato desk, £125 from HabitatDon't forget to save this post to refer back to later, pin this image below or click on it to follow me on Pinterest (I hope, I'm pretty useless at this tech stuff!) 👉Follow Alice in Scandiland here for more inspiration, ideas and pretty things 👉Instagram Facebook

Home is where my heart is. Small house, big changes.

Wed, 13 Apr 2016 00:00:00 +0100

I've been feeling a little lacking of late, lacking enthusiasm and inspiration, lacking motivation and excitement. My mind has been rather preoccupied with thoughts that have been stressful and full of possible but realistically false hope. A little while ago we decided we would look into the costs of extending. I am stuck in a love/ hate relationship with our house, love the changes we have made to it this past year or so, hate the size. Love that it's filled with light all day, hate that I don't have somewhere downstairs I can go and sit, away from the children, the tv, to be an adult for a little while, maybe read a book, but not have to sit at the kitchen table or in my bedroom. Love the proximity to the School I hope the girls will attend and there's no denying we have one of the better houses in this area, but there are many aspects I still struggle with and am perfectly aware that it all makes me sound like a spoilt brat. We are still waiting for quotes for the building work and in that time the idea of moving came up and the took over and off my mind races with all the possibilities. We've trawled the internet, had the house valued, driven around and chosen areas that appeal, visited a house that on paper looked like 'the one' but the reality was quite different. It's amazing what a few light filters on a photo can do, but when you unknowingly step into a cave rather than a light filled period property I would say they have set themselves up for a fall. Disappointed, home we came, stepped into our house and what are you greeted with once you close the front door? Light, light everywhere, pouring in, filling it up and there is no denying this is something to value. So we have shelved plans to move and will focus on making what we do have better, tailored to us. Maybe this will satisfy my need for change, I genuinely hope so as we could lead a completely different life it we had more financial freedom. But if there are still niggles in years to come we will be in a better position to make that forever house move.I hope now we have been through this process the inspiration for this little light and colour filled home will return and I can crack on with all my previously planned ideas. Fingers crossed for a happy quote at the end of the week. We have after all come quite far...

Picture overload! But I like to keep a record of where we've been and where we're going. It's also lovely to show others what you can achieve on a small budget, with time and planning you really can improve your living space and in turn your quality of life. Getting it all down here has really made me see staying put is best for us all right now. There are changes that can be made for a lot less money than moving, involving a lot less work also. I'm excited to get started on the next stages.Thank you for popping by x Don't forget to come follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest if you aren't already for more xx

Garden design, a contemporary Scandi inspired plan.

Tue, 19 Apr 2016 00:00:00 +0100

I am forever looking forwards, towards the next step in our house, one idea leads to another and my mind gets completely carried away. But I think it's this forethought that is helping me visualise everything as a whole, how can you make decisions about an extension and it's layout without considering what your view will be. The idea is to pull the garden into the house, have a room that in part opens up so the flow between inside and out is fluid and so the outer space is as important as what is going on inside.I've been looking at inspiration and I thought I would share it with you. Let me make one thing very clear right now, I am in no way a gardener. I like things that take care of themselves, my favourite plants in the garden are the ones that have taken it upon themselves to grow where they are, ferns. They do their own thing, spread and fill the garden with a beautiful vivid green for a good part of the year and need absolutely zero attention, perfect. But I want to be better at it and the more enthusiastic I m about the design then I think the rest will follow suit.I love the contrast this dark fence creates here, it really brings out the vivid greens and makes the paler shades of the gravel and wood glow.I think grasses are beautiful in their apparent simplicity and the way they move in the breeze. In my mind they won't be too difficult to keep alive and pots will help organise and create a sense of order which is what I crave. A little bit more control would be good as I am certainly not in control of the current garden!Isn't the moss filling the gaps in this paving just lovely, how likely it is that this is something we could fit in I'm not sure, though it could be a great idea for the rather lacking piece of grass out the front of the house. So simple, in theory, but so effective and inviting, I just want to have a little feel with my hand, I'm sure the girls would love it too. It also helps with on of my serious downfalls, weeding. It just isn't on my radar, though perhaps if the garden becomes an extension of the house I will want to give it a once over now and then.We have a lovely woodburner in the living room and as a result there are several wood stores in the garden which I think are beautiful in their own right and form the backdrop to many of my family snap shots over the years. The children are fascinated by the bugs that make their homes there, I find it amazing and love to watch how the wood changes colour through the year as it seasons. I would also love to bring in elements of some of our favourite places out and about such as Caerhays beach and this beautiful railway sleeper sea defence. Wood is such an attractive, tactile and natural material and will feature heavily in the form of fencing, decking (which we will partly recycle as the current deck will be where the new extension is), wood stores and the garden studio/ playhouse my husband built me and the girls..Wood panelling mixed with stone/ brick and other textures looks beautiful and helps add interest and draws you eye off in different directions. We currently have a drystone type wall which I fear is mostly being kept together by the mountains of brambles growing atop it, which do produce a wonderful harvest of blackberries, but the time is coming for them to be tamed and we will need to find another way of creating the privacy they currently give us. The girl's mud kitchen, another of my husband's makes, is one of the most used parts of the garden and will stay and fit quite nicely.A very important detail for me is to create an evening/ night time atmosphere. The extension will have a predominantly glass roof and how wonderful would it be to sit in there at night, the lights down low and to see the garden glowing outside. It also helps with my romantic visions of sipping Prosecco with my friends on warm Summer evenings, but I think I'm too much of a realist really, I live in the UK, how many warm, dry evenings do we actually have?!As ever the budget will be tight, verging on non-existent once all the pennies have gone into the building but I am confident we can make quite a difference to the space with a bit of thought and a lot of repurposing and recycling of materials. I'm very excited about what's to come this year, things are looking very good.If you would like to save this post for another time then pin the image below and click on it to link to my Pinterest and follow me. Come check out my Facebook page too x

Scandi inspired kids room, Eula's small space updated.

Thu, 26 May 2016 00:00:00 +0100

I posted about Eula's room a few months back now but there have been some additions and changes so I want to update here, so I have it all in one place. I just love how her tiny space has come together and how a room I barely considered an actual bedroom due to it's size, has become one of the highlights of the house for me. Small spaces, utilised well, can be just as much a stand out piece of interior design as much as a lovely kitchen or living room.

Here's an idea of before, I do like a good before and after comparison!This is a very difficult room to take photos in, you can't get far enough away from things to fit it all in but I've done my best. As with all of our house this room will continue to change over time, there will always be slightly unfinished aspects, things I'd like to tweak, that's just my nature, but I'm very happy with where we are at now.Eula loves this little sanctuary and really that's the whole point isn't it. If you like this you can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest, if you haven't already, for more ❤

Sundays are for rest, OR pulling things apart.

Sun, 12 Jun 2016 00:00:00 +0100

My day started with little motivation, the rain has dampened my spirits the past few days and with Stu at work and two mardy little ladies Sunday was looking pretty bleak. Hiding in my She Shed with a cup of tea seemed like the best option.But, in reality moments like these are fleeting, I was found, breakfast requests started flying in, tea was spilt, the day had really begun.After refuelling to a satisfactory level, which seems to be more about feeding the floor and surrounding walls than actual consumption of food, off the girls have gone to ride their bikes in the rain, still in their PJs.I've now had the genius idea of pulling the kitchen apart, clearing the work surfaces and finally oiling the splashback, a job I've been meaning to get around to for about 8 months!So, this is what the next few hours are looking like, just as soon as I've settled the bike bell politics, finished this cup of tea, made some more food for the troops oh and procrastinated even more by writing about it here! My hope is this has committed me to getting a result to show you, in reality I'm going to be living with this for weeks now aren't I?!Sundays are for rest, OR pulling things apart if you're me.Don't worry, I know I have issues.

The anticipation of a dream come true.

Wed, 15 Jun 2016 00:00:00 +0100

It's raining, the sun has run away, I fear we may have had our quota for the year but I'm ploughing on with jobs in the house instead, there are so many decisions to make before work commences on the extension in a few short weeks and one thing leads to another, to something else and basically it has all snowballed. What type of flooring, this then means we need a new front door - such a shame, NOT! But what colour, what style, wood? Light fittings need to be bought, how many? where will they go? I've been trying to picture an imaginary room that I still don't believe is going to be real, could I be so lucky as to get one of my biggest wishes? I'm afraid I'll wake up soon and it will all have just been a cruel dream. I have ordered lights though, I can tick that one off the list.Here's an idea of what we're aiming for, the left is borrowed from Pinterest, which is kind of similar inside and out, aside from the right hand solid wall, the right pic is a basic CAD mock up of our plans.Lets be realistic here, we won't be winning any architectural awards or featuring on Grand Designs, we had to factor in the ceiling value of our property as well as what we could afford to give to the project, but I'm confident we will gain a much needed extra room for the ground floor, so our little family can breath out, spread out and get a little distance from each other when needed. The amount of glazing was important as our ground floor is flooded with light morning till night and the last thing we want to do is reduce this, spending a fair bit of money and actually then destroying the best thing about the house. I also want to keep the close connection with the garden, a kind of outside inside room, on lovely days open on 2 sides, free flowing, on wet or cold days a kind of half way between in and out.This all sounds lovely doesn't it? But first we're back to the decisions, my whirling brain is both enjoying and rebelling against the process, I need to write more lists, order the disorder as my attention span is reducing by the day. I have become intrigued by those who use Bullet Journals and when I have 10 minutes spare I'm going to explore this more, I'll add it to my list!One thing I had no trouble deciding on was this absolute beauty..I pinned the image below several years ago but never dreamt I would one day own my a blonde Ercol daybed. I can't stop looking at it! Unlike the below image I definitely prefer them without the extra cushions. It's currently a little bit squished into the living room, but will be the main piece of furniture in the Glass Room...Garden Room? I need to come up with a name for it don't I. I bought it on Ebay and had it couriered from London where it had had to be taken out of a top floor flat through the window on the previous owner's moving day. I was a little nervous for it's well being when I was told this.Stu is usually a little unimpressed with most of my purchases, but he is as thrilled with this as I am, at 6ft1 he can lie stretched out comfortably on it and apparently has plans for some serious nap action once the extension is done, I have other plans for him.....the garden!Yesterday I reworked the kitchen table so that it will suit the room better once the end window is knocked through, becoming a double width opening through to the extension. It was long and narrow, a good use of this end of the room, at the time, but it would be an awkward obstacle to walk around soon, so action was needed. A very simple change of top, Birch Ply bought from Jewsons, I had it cut to size there in their Sawmill, they charge £1 per cut so definitely worth it, home I went, unscrewed the legs, attach the new top (130 x 95cm) and done. Well almost, there's also the sanding of the edges (I've skipped this for the time being and will come back to it once I can borrow my Dad's Black&Decker Mouse) and the 3 layers of Osmo Top Oil to apply, I've done 2 so far, 8 hours to wait in between each coat. Before...After..I love the new shape and the lighter Birch coloured wood. The sun streams in this end of the room in the afternoon/ evening and as you can see it literally radiates off the table top, filling the Kitchen with even more happiness.You can see more of the making process for the previous version of the table on my blog posts Commitment to the cause and Just call me Banksy. I may also be making one or two tables, very similar to this, to sell, so if you are interested then please let me know and we can work something out.As I have been typing this the Postman has just been with several packages containing the lights I ended up chosing...here is one in action on a friend's wall, as I originally found and suggested them to her...Simple, industrial, I think they will be perfect.I hope your week is going well.Don't forget to pin this post to come back to at a later date for inspo and you can follow me on Pinterest by clicking on the image below xxx

She Shed? Garden Room? Heaven.

Wed, 22 Jun 2016 00:00:00 +0100

She Shed? Garden Room? Heaven.

She Shed, Garden Room, Small Wooden Box? Call it what you like, but I will call it Heaven. It's finished, well almost, nothing is ever truly finished in this house but I'm pretty damn close. I was determined to have it done and dusted before the garden becomes a giant muddy hole next week, I knew it would slip further and further down the priority list once the extension is underway if not.

Lets start by going back to the beginning - creation/ construction, the slippery slope into storage facility, a goods out department for the ongoing house declutter phase of my life. To be honest it was an invaluable dumping space at the time, allowing me to rid the house of all the bits and pieces that seemed to just hang around on surfaces, bulge out of over filled cupboards, cascade down the stairs, it was gone and I could then come back to it with a clear mind a few weeks later. Lets not forget the month it was packed to the ceiling with donations for the Syrian Refugees, that was a good month for this little shed.

That said, I was so excited once I got it back to a nice clear space, it was so much easier to envisage what it could be once all distraction were gone. No more clutter, that is a promise.My husband built the structure about 2 years ago, almost exclusively from recycled pallet wood and some other bits and bobs he had lying around. I'm so proud of him, he made it up as he went along but still managed to create exactly what I had imagined in my mind.The girls love the Playhouse/ Climbing frame on the side, Stu even made the slide from old Aluminium printing plates, he's a clever one. Our garden isn't huge, an L-shape around the house, but the same rules apply outside as they do inside the house, use what space you DO have well. This structure provides me with a work/ play room, the girls with a playhouse, 2 climbing walls, slide and swing, under the slide is a wood store. The roof has potted plants that attract lots of wildlife, Stu has tomatoes growing away happily up there, many wild flowers have made themselves at home, I can see foxgloves as I look up through the skylights, which were made from recycled glass...all this in a previously unused area under the Willow tree.

Another detail that I absolutely love and helps further illustrate the idea that small can still be worthwhile are the book alcoves that make up the door frame/ front walls. I've struggled for somewhere to keep my books ever since we got rid of the floor to ceiling shelves in the living room, shelves in the house = mess, a surface to dump things on, my solution to this was rip them down, but my books have sat unloved in boxes ever since. Now they almost form a part of the structure itself, I think Stu would like to say this was an intentional detail but I'm pretty sure it's just a happy turn of events, after all nothing was planned, freeform and perfect. There's a rack on the ceiling to store away wrapping paper and posters, previously these awkward, easy to crease bits and bobs had been cluttering up the top of the cupboard in the kitchen, but now are neatly stashed, using an otherwise unusable space.The floor is painted white, just like the walls, this helps make the floor area seem bigger and I love the contrast with the rug, which my parents gave us a few years ago. It just so happens to be the exact width, isn't it brilliant when things just seem destined to be right.

She Shed? Garden Room? Heaven.

Throughout the room I haven't tried to cover up the fact it is made from rough and ready materials, the pallet wood was a pain in the arse to paint, I won't lie to you, but so worth the effort. I love the random holes here and there from the bazillion nails Stu pulled out by hand, reusing many, making this not only a wonderfully cheap build, but also one with a nod to the environment. Don't forget to pin this blog to come back to later, maybe for inspo for your own project..If you're not already then come follow me on

Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram for more xxx

She Shed? Garden Room? Heaven.

And so it begins...

Mon, 27 Jun 2016 00:00:00 +0100

And so it begins, my first dabble into the world of Builders, the start of 6 weeks (I'm a realist, I know I should add at least 2 weeks to that deadline) of mud and noise and dust and more decisions. I'm excited and nervous in equal measure...what if by the end of all this it isn't what I dreamt of? What if it doesn't answer the issues I have with our home, it's a lot of money to gamble, did we maybe throw ourselves in too quickly?So many questions, but it's a bit late for that now!I need to learn the politics of having Builders in. How often should you offer them a cuppa? Will I ever remember all the varying orders, I swear they change the number of sugars they want as the day goes on. How kind and generous should I be in the beginning? Is it maintainable for the duration, I don't want to appear overly attentive, too generous and create an expectation of waitress service, but equally maybe if I serve them the good biscuits they'll come back tomorrow even if it's a bit windy or the mizzle sets in (for those that aren't from Cornwall mizzle is that light, fine, everywhere rain, a cross between mist and drizzle to be exact).Do I start with branded biscuits and slowly decline into own brand, maybe a box of broken bikkies from the Poundshop...am I being judged on my biscuit quality?! This is a serious business!It would seem good progress is being made and the start of the footings really helps give a sense of scale and perspective. We're definitely sacrificing a fair whack of garden for this, but I think once we start on rearranging/ landscaping we can claw back almost what we have given by making better use of overgrown beds, dead corners and I really don't think we need 3 large wood stores, but I'll save that conversation for when Stu isn't feeling quite so shell shocked.This is all so new and exciting and worrying and surreal, then I turn on the news or log onto Facebook and I'm thrown straight back into the terrible reality of now, a country falling apart, a very uncertain future, little cause for hope and this small muddy hole in the ground seems so silly and unimportant. But I also remember that life goes on, we will all carry on with daily chores and routines and plans, but this doesn't mean we care any less, it's just life. As long as we keep the conversations open, keep on declaring our disappointment, keep informing ourselves of the facts, as hard as they are to distinguish from lies, then it's ok for good things to happen, I don't need to feel guilty.I want us to build this Country back up from the ruins of the past week, regain the trust of those that have been hurt through recent shocking decisions, to find my own trust, but for now I will build a little place in my garden for my family and be thankful for that.Now, where are those good biscuits?....No matter what I still have you, we are safe tonight, we do not fear imminent war, we are not in physical danger unlike so many others. I will fight my best to bring you up in a world I can be proud of, but for now we have each other, we will be each other's world ❤

Changing rooms or Shaming rooms?

Fri, 01 Jul 2016 00:00:00 +0100

Some may call this a rant, I prefer to call it a release...Changings rooms? Shaming rooms more like. I do not appreciate being shoehorned into a space so small when I bend over my rear end pops out of the curtain for all to see. I do not appreciate your silly inadequate hooks, incapable of holding the 3 sizes of everything I was forced to bring with me because this shop's idea of what my size is, translated into material, quite honestly astounds me. It's like pot luck, some cruel game designed to lower your self esteem further, I'm sure someone is watching and laughing as the garment gets closer to your body and visibly, inexplicably, shrinks, until the slouchy gypsy top I first picked up has become no more than a pocket hankie.I do not appreciate your mocking posters, as I undress myself it is bad enough having to look at my odd, ill-fitting undies from 3 whole new angles, but to then be surrounded by bronzed beauties, cavorting on some desert island, cocktail in hand, apparently having the time of their life, taunting me with their lump and bump free bodies, attractively dusted with golden sand, the closest I have come to this in recent years was a few weeks back, on a windy Cornish beach, looking considerably less bronzed, when one of my lovely girls came and dumped their bucket of wet, sloppy sand onto my stomach, just as I had finally relaxed, found a position I was reasonably comfortable in and feeling the least whale like as was possible, given the binge eating crap cycle I seem to be stuck in at the moment. I bet they won't be using that image for their next summer campaign!I do not appreciate the music, whilst I am bending over to do up my sandal, residing myself to the fact this was yet another miserable waste of time, that they only make clothes for that other kind of person, the one you are not, I do not want some American twit telling me to 'work my ass' or asking me to 'slide up and down' their body because I'm 'worth it'. I'm worth a lot more than you will ever know mate and I HAVE been working my ass off, running after 2 small people who have more demands than any superstar rapper could ever dream up, I work it every day, 24/7.To finish it all off, as I emerge from the miniature upright coffin, sweating, laden down with my failed purchases, I am greeted by a girl who looks at me as though I'm on day release from some secure unit, a mixture of sympathy, fear and relief that she is not me, taking the mountain of clothes from me whilst commiserating that 'NONE of them right then sweety?' Head cocking to the side as she looks me up and down.No they fucking aren't and your changing rooms suck and off I go, reassuring myself that it's ok, my children will think it's quite cool when Mummy starts wearing bin liners for clothing.

The long awaited floor...

Sun, 16 Oct 2016 00:00:00 +0100

I've had quite a few people ask me about our new floor, having seen snippets of it in my Instagram and Facebook posts, so I thought I'd share some more details and pics here, in the hope that it could help others on their journey to a beautiful floor.So, it's taken a while, MANY samples, many posts on the old Scandi Homes Facebook group asking others what they have, pros/ cons, a whole lotta late night internet trawling to get to this point, the point of total happiness!

Let's start with before, it's so much fun to look back to what we were living with prior to all the dramatic changes that have happened in the last few months..

Once the extension was built work slowed and we had to wait over a month before the floor could be done, the concrete had to fully dry out first, a month of bare, rough, dirty concrete, carpet thick with plaster dust, sand and cereals (I pretty much gave up cleaning once I realised it was completely pointless)

It wasn’t all bad though, we got to start enjoying the glorious sunshine that streams into the kitchen after the wall came down…

We couldn’t have a solid wood floor as we don’t have enough ceiling height for putting down joists and while it is possible to glue down solid boards, we have so many varying temperatures on the ground floor, with the woodburner in the living room, the extension which is predominantly glass then the kitchen, which is different again, so I didn’t want to take the risk of warping. The next best thing is engineered wood flooring, specifically designed to combat the issues described above. I would have liked to have had reclaimed wood, lots of wear and character already there, but I had to forget that idea. Then I came across exactly what I was after, an unfinished engineered oak floor, 6mm wear layer which is pretty much the thickest you can get, meaning a much longer life, the ability to sand it several times if needed and unvarnished, so I had the control over it’s finished colour. AND it was cheaper than any of the other options I was looking for. The samples arrived, lovely, just what I had been looking for, ordered, so relieved to have finally put that decision behind me. But then it arrived, 54 square metres of it, in torrential rain, delivered to the side of the road…super! In it comes, box by box, I excitedly opened one up to take a sneaky peak and my heart sank.

All I could see was this grey filler, everywhere, on every board, the 4 samples I had didn’t have a single spec of grey on so it came as quite a surprise. I was reassured by several people, including the company I bought from (Nagle Flooring), that this was normal and that it would all darken once oiled, but still, my initial relief and excitement was some what dampened and a little worry set in.

We had to move all of our furniture on the ground floor out and camp out upstairs for a little over 2 weeks in the end, 4 days to lay the floor (we employed the same guy who built our extension to lay it, his main line of work now is conservatories/ glazing, but he’s originally a Carpenter and had the kind of attention to detail I like and need in someone I’m paying good money to!) It took 2 days to oil the floor, I used Osmo Polyx hard-wax oil in matt as it changes the colour of the wood the least out of any product I have tried for wood, something I discovered with our worktops after being disappointed with Danish Oil. We then had some other bits and pieces to sort like the new cooker as our old (ugly one) died, such a shame! and there was the new fridge saga, I won’t bore you with that.

So here is what the floor looked like when untreated. I’ll be honest, I initially wished it was possible to keep this pale washed out colour, I guess I could have white washed/ limed it, but I didn’t want to risk going too seaside beach hut.

Here it is after the first coat of the Osmo, it’s wet here so darker than the end result..

The detail in the wood is so beautiful, it really glows with the light flooding in through the glass but it doesn’t have the shine so many of the prefinished samples I had did, it’s the shine that I had the biggest issue with, it’s all personal preference but I felt it made it look like cheaper laminate. I couldn’t be happier.

The extension has clearly changed our home, the look and how it functions for us as a family, but it’s the floor that has stitched it all together. Previously each room had a very obviously defined footprint, which made the smallness seem even smaller, but now there is a wonderful flow which starts at the front door and draws your eye our through the living room to the garden beyond. No thresholds to trip over and gather dirt, just continuous loveliness.

Previously we had white high gloss kickboard, which matched the cupboard doors, but I wasn't happy with it so asked the Carpenter to knock some up using the left over boards, I love how it ties everything together, plus the wood hides dirt much better than the white, a total bonus for someone who is rather crap at housework!

Can you tell I'm pleased?! We all are really, the girl's new favourite game is ice-skating, seeing how far they can slide. That and running laps around the central wall that separates the living room and kitchen.

They can occasionally be quiet too, though very rarely...

The long awaited floor.. Alice in Scandiland

I'm sure I've missed lots out but my much needed child free afternoon is soon to be ended and I will be thrown straight back into reality.

Eula gave herself a hair cut earlier which was the icing on a very difficult weekend of parenting and I had a bit of a melt down, my husband doesn't quite get it, but as I found more and more of her beautiful little curls dotted around the living room my frustrations and stress from the last 24 hours burst out of me. My baby will be 3 this coming week, perhaps this has been weighing heavier on my mind than I had realised and now she has butchered many of her baby curls, sad times.

The long awaited floor...

Winter is coming.

Thu, 10 Nov 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Today I have been readying the house for the months ahead, I've had a big sort out in our room and discovered that we actually have a floor, who would have known! As progress has been made downstairs, so has some serious slipping of standards upstairs!The trouble with a small house, inhabited by 4 people, is if you don't stay on top of things you're soon swamped. 2 of our tribe may be little, but they come with a lot of baggage. Both the girl's birthdays are later on in the year, Eula's last month, Nancy's in about 2 weeks time, then there's Christmas. There's a sudden influx of things, it feels like 3 entire months of receiving. So lovely, but it can also start to feel suffocating. I try to have a sort through every few months, out with the old (and unloved) so we can properly welcome the new. Today 2 large bin liners of old clothes, toys and odities went off to the charity shop, a much needed cleanse.Once again I have been quite distracted and neglected the blog, some days I have had the urge to write but not the time, other days I've had the time but felt like I have nothing interesting to share!I am focusing on getting us all ready for the colder, darker months, I am feeling quite calm and really enjoying sitting in front of the wood burner of an afternoon, cup of tea in hand, listening to Nancy and Eula busy themselves in their rooms.I have finally found some lovely affordable stearin based candles from good old IKEA so I am starting to light the darker afternoon, evenings with these. There is something so peaceful and beautiful about candle light, it really does something good to your soul. Even more so knowing that what I am burning won't harm us with nasty chemicals. If you haven't looked into it already it really is worth a bit of reading, no one wants to snuggle at home with the equivalent of exhaust fumes wafting around you, there's more useful info here . I am a regular TKMaxx visitor and can often be found sniffing all their scented candles, in search of the right wiff, they have a great selection of veg/ soy based candles and it is becoming a bit of an addiction I think. This was my last haul.As the days grow colder and we have to think more about heating the house it became apparent that Nancy, who is super slim, we call her The Racing Snake, was getting quite chilly in her bed. I decided to rearrange things in her room so her bed could be closer to the heater. I don't want to share too much as it's still a work in progress but here's a little peep...She is much happier as at the head of her bed is a vent in the wall which allows heat from the wood burner below to come in and at the foot of the bed is the heater. I'm really pleased with how things are going, but I'm rather short on funds for any new accessories right now, so important details like the cushions are borrowed from elsewhere in the house for the time being. I look forward to further sharing once things are all done, I hope it will be before Christmas!Eula has all of a sudden come down with those nasty bugs that are doing the rounds, an unexpected nap earlier means she is now fighting bedtime and I am sat here writing in the darkness of her little room. My bum went to sleep a long time ago, if only she would follow suit.Enjoy your evening lovelies, until next time xx

Trees and frolics.

Wed, 07 Dec 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Today we bought our tree, a little earlier than usual, but Stu's shift pattern coming up won't allow much tree perousing so we decided to get it sorted today, whilst enjoying the beautiful sunshine, then take our time to decorate over the coming week.I have such fond memories of my Dad and I setting off to find the ultimate tree, Dad would set a budget, which invariably would be broken minutes into our search. Many long moments staring at one side, then the other, seeking out bald patches, a quest for the perfect symmetry. My husband doesn't share my enthusiasm, but the weather lightened his mood somewhat!I had decided even before we left that this year the tree would be a little smaller...We decided on this 7ft beauty, several feet over what I had intended, but when it came out of the pile and stood there so pert and proud then I just knew it was the one for us. The girls approved and I tried to bypass the 'How much?!' conversation with Mr Scrooge over there by suggesting the next stop should be the beach.Tree loaded into the van (better planning this year compared to last, when I had to somehow fit a 6ft unbagged, chunky tree plus myself and Eula into a teeny tiny Toyota Yaris. It took some doing but there was no way I was leaving that tree behind!What an unbelievably glorious day today was, it would have been rude not to dip our toes in the sea.It was lovely to watch Nancy, so care free and happy after what has been one of the most draining fortnight of my life. This poor little love has been in so much pain, but we're finally getting there, day by day.I could see a small tear roll down Stu's face as he watched the beautifully clean surf, or perhaps it was the breeze. We hadn't had the foresight to bring boards or wetsuits, the girls were rather annoyed that they couldn't go in but while I would usually be totally up for letting them run naked and wild into the waves, today just wasn't the day.Eventually it was time to come home and get the tree into position..I've been yearning for one of the Ferm Living tree blankets since last Christmas, but we've had a lot of outgoings of late and I just couldn't justify it, but fortunately I thought to try this La Redoute rug which is destined for Eula's room. I also planned to use the same copper basket as last year but decided to try out this IKEA Gaddis basket that has been a home for our blankets and throws.The tree is stood in a metal bucket, wedged with house bricks, then sat in the IKEA basket. I have stuffed sticks between the outer basket and bucket as I didn't like that you could see through to it.Considering I hadn't planned any of this before I'm rather pleased with how its turned out. I can't wait to decorate it properly over the coming weeks..What a beautiful day we've had, I have a little warm fuzzy feeling inside, I think it's festive joy...it's beginning to look a bit like Christmas round here!Take care x

Baskets full of money?

Thu, 08 Dec 2016 00:00:00 +0000

I'd like to talk about 2 things in this post, 1 is baskets, the other is money..I've spoken of my basket love before, as a mother I need to hide ugly things in pretty places, baskets are my chosen solution. I wanted to share with you some lovelies that arrived today..I bought them from The African Emporium, a shop in Norwich that unfortunately is closing down. After their existence being brought to my attention via the Scandi + MidC homes Facebook group I contacted them on Facebook and they sent me some photos of what they had left. Here's one of their stock pictures to give you an idea of what they did have..Look at the size of the ones at the back!!These new ones are destined for the girl's bedrooms I think, to conceal the multitude of unplayed with, but apparently totally dear to them soft toys and little things which seem to have absolutely no function what so ever and yet breed at a rate more impressive than a rabbit.I also have another Olli Ella teepee basket on the way, bought in the Black Friday sales, but it was delivered to a friend's and I haven't seen her yet...Olli Ella remain my number one basket crush, the colours and styles are so simple, classic and timeless. Utterly beautiful. I have several of the IKEA Fladis belly baskets, but would love to add to the collection with some of the pompom and leather strap OE ones.The Harlequin Teepee basket, top left, will live in Eula's newly updated, work in progress room. It's such a tiny space in there you have to really love every single thing that goes in. These baskets serve an important function, but look so good whilst doing it too.My recent TKMaxx pink necked basket find keeps migrating around the house, I want to see it wherever I am, it's such a joyful little thing and was such a bargain, which leads me on to my next topic, money.I'm aware that I like to share with you things that I buy, lovelies that I come across and I think in the most part this is enjoyed by you, but I wanted to share with you how I buy these things, not because I feel I need to explain or justify myself, simply because the how is an important part of how I live.In recent years I have massively decluttered our house, greatly reducing our posession and am gradually (not gradual enough for my husband I think!) making our home space work best for our family.Something switched in my head when I was pregnant with my youngest, Eula, and I suddenly became much less attached to many objects around me, they just didn't matter. This has stuck with me over the years and I use it to be quite cut throat about certain decisions. If something isn't fulfilling it's function around the house then it goes. It's fine to just be a pretty thing that I like to look at, but if I don't have an emotional investment in that thing then I know I won't miss it and off it goes for someone else to love. I'm quite good at selling things on, so I'm not afraid to try something, enjoy it for a while then move it on if my initial interest in it wavers.The other day I wanted some new bedding for Nancy's room, I've been in love with the Fine Little Day Gran set for a long time, but it isn't cheap, I couldn't ordinarily afford to spend that much on a duvet cover, but by looking around the house/ garden room and finding a few things I no longer used/ wanted and selling them on, I was able to buy that bedding.My husband say's he's surprised he hasn't come home to find he's been sold too!Over time I am reducing the quantity of our personal belongings, but increasing the quality of them, 3 useless objects that were cluttering up the house paid for 1 thing that brings happiness to me and Nancy on a daily basis.I don't have an endless disposable income, but I recycle my money which gives me opportunities to try different things.So on that note, look at another of my TKMaxx scores from the other day!Happy shopping people x

Creating Christmas traditions.

Sat, 17 Dec 2016 00:00:00 +0000

One of the wonderful things about having children is how Christmas is reborn for you in your parent capacity. The responsibility for creating the festive magic has passed to you and a good dose of that can't help but rub off onto you too.Last weekend we went to Trerice, an Elizabethan house so full of charm and Christmas good feeling...We went with one intention in mind, to meet the Green Father Christmas, to listen to his tales of Christmas traditions, to sit with friends and fill ourselves up with the the happiness her exudes.I try to avoid seeing too many Father Christmases around this time of the year, I think it's confusing for the children, but this Tudor guy is utterly mesmerising with his ease and confidence and he has the adults believing within minutes.There were also craft activities (on some rather old and wonderful and quite likely underappreciated Ercol tables)..These are the places of my childhood, I remember visiting National Trust houses with my lovely Granny, exploring, full of wonder and amazement at how people used to live. Christmas is a real time for looking back at history and I love to share these places with my girls, places that mean so much to me.We're off to The Lost Gardens of Heligan next week to meet THE main man himself, Nancy thinks the Tudor Father Christmas is the Red Father Christmasses cousin!Heligan is another stage of our yearly Christmas traditions, I can't wait!There's more to come, have a great weekend x

Christmas Eve.

Sat, 24 Dec 2016 00:00:00 +0000

So, the big day is nearly upon us, I finally got a chance to make some progress yesterday as the girl's went to Mousehole with their Grandparents to see the christmas lights and to watch a play.I had planned to be much more organised this year and to have everything sorted by the end of November, so December could be spent doing lovely crafts, hand making the girl's gifts, but Nancy's recovery from her op was much more traumatic and tiring than I expected, then as she went back to school for the last week of term her younger sister broke her elbow in a freak Christmas stocking skiing accident. Never a dull day here I can tell you! So all plans went tits up and I decided to just accept that that's the way it goes sometimes, no one else was putting pressure on me, just my task master self.Last night I did nearly all the wrapping, sat by the fire, attempting to find the festive feeling...I've mostly used the lovely free wrapping paper from Baba Souk, mentioned in my previous blog post. My husband is a printer and he did me a few big rolls of these 2. I recycled a piece of wrapping paper that I previously had up in the kitchen as a poster, to make gift tags, as well as some offcuts of Miss Print's mountain wallpaper.A few weeks ago I did manage to make some tree decorations with Nancy, when she was feeling up to it. The cornflour dough mix was a big lash up, but I managed to kind of save it. It was super dry and a bit tricky to work with, but we persevered. The plan was different sized stars, but when the Moomin cookie cutters came out we both knew it had to be done.Oh and a whale or 2 for good measure..The tree is very simply decorated this year, some may say a little sparse, but we love it. The tree itself is a beauty, if you haven't already take a look at the day we chose it here.My favourite decoration this year is this beautifully simple wreath which Nancy made at school. She added my Lucy Levenson fairy and I stop and smile at each each time I pass her.I made 2 wreaths myself, one was a contemporary copper hoop with eucalyptus which was created in a spare 10 minutes before I had to collect the girls from school..And this little 5 minute make, created when some friends came over for a wreath making evening, fuelled by wine, naturally.These lovely little golden stars on wire crop up all over the house and are a total bargain, bought from eBay. I have them strung across the ceilings, here wrapped around a willow wreath, next year I think I will use them on the tree, simple, rather roughly made but I think that's part of their charm and did I mention cheap!We visited the main man himself on Thursday, at The Lost Gardens of Heligan. Nancy got to give him her wish list to him in person, which he opened and read allowed and to see the children's faces, totally captivated by this jolly fellow, it really lifted me out of what had been a pretty stressful, miserable morning.So Father Christmas took the wish lists into consideration and also added in a few bits he felt each of the girls would enjoy, he's kind like that.He's also got great taste in wrapping paper, love these pretties from Asda.So there we are, looking back over this post I've actually achieved more than I have given myself credit for! After an evening of me baking, the girls crafting and arguing and listening to carols, then The Snowman on Classical FM one is asleep, the other putting up a fight but soon to give in I'm sure.I'm excited for the morning, but for now there's a glass of bubbly with my name on it.Happy Christmas Eve everyone xxx

Home extension ideas: How to extend your home with style, for less than you might think.

Sun, 12 Mar 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Written March 2017…

Want to know how we extended our home on a budget? Maybe you're looking for home extension ideas? Perhaps you just love before and after pictures? Read on for step by step ideas for extending your home without planning permission and for a much lower price than you might think!

Our extension plays such an important role in our home life, it has brought us a sense of freedom, space to exist alongside each other, but also room to breathe, to play and create. It means we can stay in the house which we had already made into a home.

You see photos of it almost every day in my Instagram and Facebook posts, I followed the progress of its creation last summer in several blog posts, but as time goes on I receive more and more messages from people who have questions about the specifications.

My opinion on the space, the size, cost, recommendations, warnings… so I thought it was about time I got it all down in one place.

I'm aware that some of the information included will be specific to geographical location and therefore not of use to many of you reading, but you will be able to find local people who offer the same services. I want to be in depth, so it may be a bit of a long one!

How to get more space without moving house

As I have talked about in previous posts such as Home is where my heart is and here in The anticipation of a dream come true there came a point where our house just wasn't working for us anymore, we had outgrown it and I was desperate to move. But after looking at the housing market and how much more we would have to spend to make it a worthwhile upheaval it soon became apparent that moving wasn't really an option.

Yes it could be done, but we would be signing ourselves up to an added financial commitment that we didn't really want. So instead we turned our full attention to the idea of extending.

Pinterest was a big source of home extension ideas (amongst other things!) and we got plenty of inspiration for floor plan ideas, alternatives and designs over there.

The kitchen before we extended

Sliding patio doors looking out to the garden

The exterior of our home before we extended

The back of our house previously…

Home extension ideas for a semi detached house

We don't have a large garden, but being end of terrace means it wraps around the side of the house and it has a feeling of seclusion. Extending would mean sacrificing outside space, but I felt if done right it would only serve to pull the house and garden together, blurring the line between the two, improving both.

I started by getting several builders to come and quote for what I had in my mind, a solid structure with two large Velux windows in the roof to let in light. I was concerned about affecting the feel of the two existing downstairs rooms, which were filled with daylight for most of the day, but saw no alternative.

Quotes came in and I was quite shocked at the costs, I couldn't have what I imagined and yet would still be paying way over what we could afford. My heart started to sink, perhaps this idea wouldn't work out.

Cost-Effective Alternatives to Home Extensions

As I explored cheaper alternatives I found myself thinking about conservatories. I would shudder a little at this word, the image of a small cold white plastic box stuck on the back of the house made me feel sad, surely this wasn't a route we had to go down?

Nonetheless I booked for some well known companies to come and quote, but yet again I was shocked by the cost and this time for something that was SO far removed from my imaginings.

Let me warn you now, avoid Everest and Anglian like the plague, they were very unhelpful, super pushy and had absolutely no vision to go off plan. And the cost!!!!

So then I turned to friends for recommendations of local glazing companies, this is how I came to find Window Solutions (Network Veka registered), the company we went with. The guy came around, I showed him my drawings and then we worked on the design from there, I had full input and felt able to really get my vision across.

Price wise we were looking at almost half what I had been quoted by the bigger companies. Half! AND I didn't have to put up with the awful boring sales pitch and tactics.

Ian knew his stuff, was very matter of fact and I liked that I was actually talking with the person who would be building it, that gives you much greater confidence than a man in a suit, with his brochures, hiding behind his company's tv adverts and promises. Urrrgh, they really pissed me off, can you tell?!

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Specifications for our conservatory home extension:

Absolutely no white plastic

Absolutely no wood grain effect (this is the norm so you must specify otherwise it would seem, WHY would you want plastic fake wood?!)

Dark grey

As high a pitched roof as possible

One solid wall coming out from the kitchen

Same floor levels throughout ground floor

As few sections as possible

Larger than standard doors

Several ventilation options

I would have loved Aluminium, but this would have increased the price by nearly half again and we just couldn't justify it.

I initially wanted bi-folding doors, but it soon became apparent that they wouldn't suit the space as you would be looking at the side profile of the doors from one room or the other, as well as cost and the fact they need more space in which to travel, it was just a big fat no!

Plans, roof design and home extensions without planning permission

The designs came back. I made a few tweaks, the main one being that I pushed to increase the pitch of the roof even more which the company were rather sceptical about, but I was confident in my vision. Finally, we were in agreement and work was booked to start the following month. I couldn't believe it, this was really going to happen!

Practical things you may need to know about extending your home on a budget

We didn't require planning permission as it's technically a conservatory, but we did have to go through Building Control as it's classed as a 'Highly glazed extension' and due to having it all open plan they were concerned about heat loss etc.

This cost a couple of hundred pounds in total, we had to get a Mining survey report, something quite common in Cornwall and also had to agree to have a Radon Sump fitted, again, a Cornish requirement due to the granite in the ground.

Nancy playing on the digger

The foundations are dug

Foundations and a digger

You can see the footprint of the extension here

How long did it take to extend our home?

The summer holidays came and with it a lot of mud and big holes. We were unlucky with the weather which slowed things down a bit but overall I just couldn't believe how quickly everything happened. Garden to slab in about three weeks.

Concrete slab poured

How the space might look with chairs

Once the slab was poured I couldn't help but have a play to get a sense of scale.

The extension frame was quick to go up

The extension almost doubles the ground floor space

What size is our conservatory home extension?

The frame went up in about two days and suddenly my vision was really brought to life. The area measures 2.6m x 5.5m approx and has almost doubled our ground floor space.

I'll never forget the day the wall was finally taken down in the kitchen, the sun came flooding in and our lives were transformed. Finally I had the home I had imagined…

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The solid wall out from the kitchen was crucial in my design. Without it I feel all sense of architectural wow factor would be lost, it ties the extension to the house, creating a flow and continuity. It's really hard to imagine it could have been any other way.

With new flooring, the extension blends seamlessly with the kitchen

Then…

View from the kitchen out to the new extension

2019

The height of the roof is a really wonderful surprise as you walk out into the space and realise it goes up, as well as out, again this is crucial to making what is still a pretty modest sized build have a lot more impact and drama.

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Alice in Scandiland shop items pictured:

Fine Little Day Swim Print

Fine Little Day Swimmers Print

Viki Weiland Stoneware candle holder

Beeswax candles

Wooden bead trivet

Forge Creative wooden trees

Fine Little Day cushion covers

Technical details about the home extension

HEAT LOSS/TEMPERATURE CONTROL: Is it too hot in the summer?

This is the number one most asked question and another reason why I have waited to do this post, it's now March and we have been living and loving this space since August last year, so we have experienced both ends of the temperature scale.

In the summer, yes, it can get a bit toasty, but we designed the space to have lots of air sources. We have extra large sliding doors at the end and along the front, as well as small windows above the daybed AND two openers in the roof, lots of opportunity to create a cross draught.

If it gets too hot, within minutes of opening these it's back to a comfortable level. If it ever gets too much, which I really doubt, but if it did then we will put up sails to create some shade.

I can't stand the standard blinds that are available and so would never go down that route. In addition to this the roof glass has a UV tint on it, it's called Solar Control, to help with heat retention and reflection. I had a complete freak out about this initially, including tears the morning the glass was going in as I had specified that I did not want tinted glass and I thought what they were installing was exactly what I hadn't asked for, it looked SOOO blue!

But, once in you could hardly tell, in fact all it does is makes the blue of the sky look slightly more saturated, like a brighter summer's day.

It's orientated to the west but gets full sun from midday onwards in the summer.

HEAT LOSS/TEMPERATURE CONTROL: Is it too cold in the winter?

Cold - short answer…no! The reason this extension works so well for us is because the open plan style means hot and cold air circulate.

We had electric underfloor heating installed (bought from Living Heat) which keeps the floor a nice temperature for bare feet in the winter and with the wood burner so close by in the living room we can heat the whole downstairs within half an hour.

We don't have central heating (night storage heaters instead) and as yet we have not felt the need to put any other heat source in the extension.

Is it aluminium?

The grey plastic frame looks so good people do mistake it for aluminium. I'm so happy that we went with this choice and trust me, I never thought I would say that!!

How much did our home extension cost? (edited)

While I feel a bit uncomfortable talking about large sums of money I guess it's really what everyone wants to know. It was CONSIDERABLY less than moving to a slightly bigger house at approx £18.5k (not including furnishings/ floor).

Time frame: How long did our home extension take?

Making contact with glazing company to confirmation of plans - 2 weeks

Wait until work began - 3 weeks

From start of groundworks to pouring slab - 3-4 weeks

Erection of frame - 2-3 days

Fitting glass - 2 days

Plastering - 2 days

What makes this conservatory stand out from other home extension ideas?

The solid wall at one end and pitch of the roof mean that it looks much more high end that the standard spec styles. The changes I made to the initial design I feel have really made this something special.

More IKEA Ivar inspiration

The beautiful continuous engineered Oak floor, which you can read more about here, flowing from the front door, all the way to the back creates the sense of even greater space and quality of finish.

The open plan layout means the spaces flow, there's no real boundary so furniture can be moved back and forth to make one space bigger, another more snug, every inch of space is utilised and enjoyed.

The daybed!! I'm not going to lie, the idea of my beautiful Ercol daybed came first in my mind and then I built up the design of the room around it!

What was it like living with the building work?

I have been asked by a few people about what it was like living with the building work so I thought I would add to this piece as it's very relevant and I can't believe I didn't talk more about it to be honest!

Anyway, generally it was much better than I expected.

For the most part the work was all outside, we could close the door/ window… and even sometimes the curtains in the living room when I wanted to lounge unashamedly in my PJs at 11:30 in the morning and block it out.

From outside, they cut about 95% of the way through the wall, beneath the kitchen window, right at the start. This was because it creates a lot of dust/ mess so they didn't want that going into the actual structure once built.

Everything else was done externally, then once it was sealed and watertight they then took the patio doors and kitchen window out and knocked the remaining wall down with a sledgehammer.

Yes, it did get the kitchen really dusty. No, I didn't pack everything away, I just carried on and pretended it wasn't happening!

Living with the bare, dusty concrete floor for several weeks, whilst it dried out enough to lay the wooden floor, was a bit of a drag, but I knew what was coming so really it wasn't a big deal.

Overall it was a pain free, exciting and quick process.

The kids playing in the new extension

Soon after the floor was put down, this seems like a lifetime ago now.

A well deserved glass of wine in the new extension! After years of browsing home extension ideas, I was finally living in my own.

The view back in to the kitchen from the new extension

From the garden with the patio doors open wide

The extension with furniture

Shop my home - I stock most of the items pictured in the Alice in Scandiland shop!

So there, my longest blog to date I think, but so hard to skimp on the details, well done if you made it this far!

If you have been considering your house options, asking should you move? Should you extend? Then I hope this has been helpful. Perhaps some questions have been answered and you've got more home extension ideas now. I'm sure there is so much more I could say but I don't want to frighten you off!

I can say in all honesty I wouldn't change a thing about it. Everything is as I wanted and I think that's because I felt I was in control of the whole process. I guess it does help that I'm not afraid to make my feelings known!

I'd love to hear what you think of the transformation. Don't forget to Pin it for future reference and if you have any further questions send me a message or comment below.

Quick, easy and beautiful twin slot shelving.

Fri, 24 Mar 2017 00:00:00 +0000

This is one of those blogs I've been meaning to write for weeks and weeks, but when I've thought about taking photos it hasn't been the right time of the day, or the girls bedrooms have been a total no go pig sty (yes, believe it or not we are also human in this house, all those lovely tidy snapshots aren't representative of every day life)...So anyway, I've decided to make do with the pictures I have as I'd like to share with you what we've been up to.I remember white twin slot shelving from school, both my parents were teachers at my Primary, I spent many hours at the start and end of the day examining the contents of their classrooms, searching for exciting coloured pens, confiscated items that I would temporarily adopt! I remember the shelves well for some strange reason.You see it every day and may not even notice, it's the go to simple solution for shop fitting, they use a giant version of it in diy stores...but in it's raw form it can be a little uninspiring.I wouldn't have thought about using it in our home, until I stumbled upon an image on Pinterest, which very annoyingly I can't find now!But then I started to research the idea more fully, check out this beautiful nod to Mid Century shelving by DabitoThanks to a few people on the fab Housfolk Facebook page and their inspiring shelving hacks I thought I'd go for it. It was the perfect budget option for both the girls bedrooms, a way to future proof the styling, practical, adaptable and multifunctionable.I ordered the components from Ironmongery Direct, they went above and beyond to help me when I accidentally ordered mismatched bits, don't order after midnight, post Prosecco consumption and double check you order the same brand wall bracket and shelf brackets The fact both girls have the shelves in their rooms was more to do with using up the 2 sets of everything I ended up with, that a plan I had in mind, but it worked out well in the end!You can buy from places like B&Q, but it's all much more expensive, so it's worth having a look around online.I sprayed the brackets using Montana Gold Gold Metallic Spray paint You may have noticed I have used this brand for many previous makes, it's great quality and I would definitely recommend. They have a brilliant colour selection. Be careful when using the metallic spray paints, even if you're used to using standard colours, it handles differently and is very prone to running. On the first coat I had several gloopy areas, but by the time they were finished they looked great. I bunched the components as closely together as I could, which meant the 'wasted paint' that becomes airborne then lands on other pieces close by.I did all on this on a very chilly Sunday morning, slipping around in the mud bath that is our 'garden' at the moment.We had some large pieces of 24mm thick birch-faced (or as autocorrect would like to call it, bitch-faced) ply left over from various other creations, so continuing my ply love affair I knew I wanted this as the shelves, quick, simple and as ever I just love how it looks.For Eula's room, which is tiny, I needed the shelves to function for book and toy storage, I want to keep as much off the floor as possible, to avoid it feeling cluttered and stressful.She has a beautiful ply bed that my clever husband made (stay tuned for more on this soon) and a beautiful vintage gentleman's wardrobe and these shelves. That's about it really, a small amount of floor space to play and despite being the smallest room in the house it's one of my favourites.Nancy's room feels more grownup (again more on this soon). I wanted her to have a space that would last through the coming years. At the moment she's 5 and has little need for a desk, aside from it being a place for her to pile her 5 changes of clothes a day, yep, we're in that phase! But as she gets older I hope she won't outgrow the space, with room for a more grownup book collection on the shelves above, a place to enthusiastically get on with homework (wishful thinking!)I'm totally in love with this moody 'Diana' print, by Ashley Goldburg. Bought from Catching Doodles, she reminds me a lot of Nancy!I imagine in the future I may turn the bottom shelf in Eula's room into a little desk, that's the beauty of this system, it's easy to adapt and add to and if I completely change my mind (it has been know to happen!!) then they are very easily removed.So there, a little overdue Friday share. What do you think, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Maybe you have something similar in your home?You can join in the chat here, if you'd like to comment below, or over on Instagram and Facebook.Don't forget to pin this post to come back to again.Have a wonderful weekend xx

Sunday garden thoughts...

Sun, 02 Apr 2017 00:00:00 +0100

As the weather improves, slowly, day by day, my thoughts again turn more and more towards the garden. Stu and I have had many 'conversations' (read arguments!) in the last 5 months or so about what we want for the garden, we haven't seen eye to eye on many points, but I feel we have almost reached a unanimous agreement, meaning hopefully ideas and imaginings can become reality.Here's some current reality for you -Our hope is to create something that requires minimal upkeep, I want to come out and potter little and often, but I know I am no Monty Don, so most of the planting will be along the lines of grasses, bamboo, some hardy succulents and a small amount of lawn. I do however want to include some flowering plants that the bees would like, I'm thinking along the lines of Lavender, Rosemary, Agapanthus, Alliums...We want to better define areas, creating a sense of continuity, to encourage you to wander over to one area or another, but all the while remembering that we have 2 children who we want to enjoy the space as well. The sad little shed will go, opening up a previously unusable corner of the garden which is really exciting. Don't tell my husband but I hope to extend the garden room in the future.I'm desperate to get started out there, but we need to properly plan positions and sizes of key details first, so for now I will just share some more of my ideas and inspiration with you.Here is my current Pinterest inspiration, links to photo sources can be found on my Garden album here.Currently the boundaries of the garden are blurred, discoloured wood here, wall there, I would like to frame the garden by using a dark colour, dark grey or even possibly black, improving the fencing, making a feature of the beautiful boundary wall but also adding in some more height.Shades of green look absolutely beautiful against a dark background and it will weather better, something I am keen to consider, practicality, as I don't want to be repainting each year.We've gone back and forth between decking, paving slabs or maybe chippings for the dining area, in the corner of the garden out from the extension, but have settled on a plan to pour concrete slabs, with small gaps between which will be filled with pebbles and succulents/moss..Other inspiration, added extras I would like to include...So there we are, some ponderings and lovely visuals to get the green fingers tingling.With the Easter holidays upon us I am hoping we may get out there and at least mark out the ground in readiness, but my main focus is lots of fun with the girls.Our garden budget is approx £0 so everything and anything that we can do ourselves, source second hand, knock up and call in favours then we will...I'm confident that we can do this on minimal funds, it will just take more thought and care.Do you have garden plans of your own? Perhaps you recently over hauled your space and would like to share? I'd love to hear/ see what you've been up to.You can follow me and join in the conversation on Facebook and Instagram.

Alice's Beetroot Brownie recipe.

Tue, 25 Apr 2017 00:00:00 +0100

Today was a home day and I felt some baking was in order, I put a shout out and lots of my lovely readers replied with their favourite recipes, but Eula requested 'Beetroot Hash Browns' as she calls them, and what the little person wants, well....I thought I'd share the recipe (I posted a very similar one around Christmas, but that was in a big fancy cake form and you may not have seen it)...so here you are...Ingredients –

250g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
250g unsalted butter, cut into cubes
250g caster sugar
3 eggs
150g self-raising flour
250g beetroot. I use the precooked vacuum packed stuff from the supermarket, make sure it isn’t the one in vinegar! Grate with a cheese grater, use the juice too.

Method –

Preheat oven to 170 degrees (Fan assisted oven)
Line your chosen tin with greaseprrof paper, I use a big shallow ish tray or today it was the grill pan as I can't find my usual one.
Break chocolate into pieces, or attack the packet with a rolling pin like Eula did! Cut butter into cubes, throw both into a large mixing bowl and place in oven as it heats up, stir occasionally until completely melted.
Whisk eggs and sugar together.
Add melted chocolate + butter, beat together until smooth
Gently fold in the flour, then the beetroot, don’t over work it
Spoon the mixture into your tin.
Bake in centre of oven for 20 minutes, checking through out that it isn’t catching.
Leave to cool completely once out of the oven.

When cool, cut to your desired size and enjoy.

Dust sheet curtains, serious budget styling.

Fri, 05 May 2017 00:00:00 +0100

So what do you do when you need curtains but you can't afford curtains? You make them from a £10 dust sheet of course!I can't take full credit for the idea, a good friend of mine did it before me and basically I have copied her, but as they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I'm in bed feeling all fluey and sorry for myself, so this won't be a long post, but I haven't written here for a while and I wanted to share as I'm so pleased with the results.So, I took these rather mundane looking things and after about 40 minutes work I ended up with this...I was originally wanting linen curtains, but the ones I was looking at would have cost about £80 to cover this large 2m75 wide opening. What with many projects on the go this was an expense I couldn't justify. I didn't want to completely block out the light, just the glare as the sun comes round in the afternoon and I absolutely love how the light comes through the material, it's warm and inviting and does the job perfectly.I won't pretend this project wasn't without it's issues, the fabric was an absolute bitch to sew, I had to play around with the stitch tension until it stopped puckering, this was after a false start and having to unpick about a metre. I was very fortunate that I only had to sew one seam, along the top, to accommodate the pole. The B&Q dust sheet is already hemmed the whole way round and this 2.7 x 3.6m one was the perfect size for the opening. I decided not to use curtain tape and hoops as I wanted to keep things as simple as possible, that and I had a school run to do!The muted colour tones well with our simple decor, for me curtains should become part of the wall and I prefer them to not stand out too much. I decided to keep it as one big panel, as opposed to splitting into 2. The curtain can be drawn to either side, the pole, made from an old hand rail that my husband just happened to have hanging around in the garage, which he sanded down, is strong enough to not need a support in the middle. It's yet to be put up properly and once secured will be closer to the ceiling.Another important factor for me to consider was the that the curtains would be visible from either side and their simplicity and single layer mean they loom great from any angle. I sat and admired them the other evening, whilst supping on some yummy wine, feeling a bit pleased with myself I must say. I love a good bargain make!What do you think?Here was my inspiration, at my friend Rachel's lovely house..

2021 Update -I took the photo below earlier today and realised I haven't talked about these curtains in quite some time.I still absolutely love them, they look as good now, almost 4 years on, as the day they went up.One of my best diy's, even if I do say so myself.This was one of those little, rough blog posts, one I wasn't sure anyone would be that interested in. But over the years I've had so many positive messages about these simple curtains. The way the sunlight filters through softly, perfect.

Nancy's bedroom transformation.

Sun, 11 Jun 2017 00:00:00 +0100

I've finally got around to finishing off the bits and bobs in Nancy's room that I've strung out for far too long and took the tidiness of Thursday's photoshoot as a good opportunity to take some decent pictures. As with most of the house, Nancy's bedroom has been through several variations, but none of them truly worked for one reason or another. The longest lasting version was this -Nothing wrong, but it always felt too cluttered, she quickly outgrew the size/ comfort level of the IKEA Minnen bed and I wasn't truly happy with the overall feel.It now looks like this -I love the muted tones, the half painted walls, Hinkypunk by Valspar (got to be the best paint colour name ever!) help to set off the furniture and create a more styled backdrop. The modern Scandi elements such as her Fine Little Day Gran bedding mix well with the natural elements like the Next jute rug, vintage Gentleman's wardrobe, used for toy storage, and the ply of her twin slot shelving and desk...You can read lots more about these shelves here, including info/photos through out the stages of ordering/ making.Nancy is absolutely in love with her 'new' space (this post has been a while in the making so technically it isn't that new to her now!) If she knows someone is coming over, be it an adult or one of her friends, she will frantically tidy it, unprompted, so that she can show it off! When I say tidy I mean throw what was on the floor into one of the cupboards!As ever my love of baskets shows in this room, here an Olli Ella tepee basket houses clothes to be grown into and the smaller one from The African Emporium (found on Facebook) houses all Nancy's special treasures such as postcards, a few bits and bobs from when she was a baby.The string of lights, from Flying Tiger, match the Olli Ella basket perfectly, pure chance!The vintage gentleman's wardrobe, bought for £30 on a local Facebook selling page, makes the perfect easy access toy storage. The face the door can be closed and it's all hidden is a total winner for me.Clothes, dressing up and a lot more are stored in the large fitted wardrobe, seen in the photo further up, next to the desk. I carried the Hinkypunk colour across the doors as this makes the room feel bigger, less fragmented. Lego is stored on the back of the door in this brilliant Play&Go bag/ play mat.There are pops of colour in the artwork, here in these lovely Anna Kövecses prints on the left, bought from Catching Doodles.The larger mountain 'print' is in fact a piece of MissPrint wallpaper.I particularly love this little pink haired moody girl by Ashley Goldburg, again from Catching Doodles.There are quite a few plants dotted around the room, this is one of my most used tricks. Plants really lift a room's design, the pops of green lift the colours around it and I think it's important to surround yourself/ children with things that are living. They also improve the air quality and can even help with sleep. Obviously when using in a child's room you need to use your own judgement. I'm quite fortuanate that Nancy and Eula don't investigate things too much if I ask them to leave them alone, so I have no worries about soil being spilt/ eaten etc.The same can be said of Nancy's bedside light..The wire is attached to the walls and the girls don't jump on this bed as Nancy has a Tempur mattress, a gift from a relative and whilst it's unbelievably comfortable to sleep on, it is utterly useless for bed jumping as the memory foam absorbs all of your efforts. You can read more about the light, which I made, here.One of Nancy's favourite pieces in the room is her Moon Man print, by Für Neil, bought from This Modern Life. I still love it as much as the day it arrived and he's just perfect there above her bed, watching over her sleeping. Speaking of her bed, I should tell you about that too. I bought 2 vintage headboards from someone locally for about £25. Stu then made the bed (with the help of Nancy) using part of another less attractive pine single bed we happened to have in the garage, so he reused the slats and the bits they rest on, all of which you don't see and the bits you do are the beautiful teak? headboard, used at either end.Her book shelves next to the bed are picture ledges bought from B&Q. You can get similar from IKEA too, but the B&Q ones are better quality.So there you are, another post that's been hanging over me done and out there.I hope you like the transformation, I'd love to hear what you think.

Move the money on.

Wed, 21 Jun 2017 00:00:00 +0100

Today I sold my beautiful Ercol coffee table and despite having my initial reservations, and good friends proclaiming NOOOO! You're crazy! on my sale posts on Facebook, I am now utterly delighted, let me tell you why.I have a thing for beautiful furniture, have you noticed? But at the same time I do not have a bottomless bank account, this is something I have spoken about in a previous blog post, last year, Baskets full of money. I also do not have endless space to furnish with my finds.Changing my frame of mind over the years has helped me to be more pragnatic when it comes to my belongings. I am by no means sensible when it comes to buying things, I love the thrill of the hunt, the anticipation waiting for it to arrive, styling it in my home once it does, sharing with you lovely lot. But equally I see nothing wrong with having some fun with an item, a new style, a different room set up, but eventually deciding it isn't a lifer.My beautiful Ercol Windsor 454 coffee/supper table was hunted down on eBay, it's arrival via a courier was eagerly and a little anxiously awaited and it's safe journey to our home was celebrated by 2 little budding artists.I bought it with the intention of it becoming an art table for the girls, having wanted one for a fair while, but the trouble with children is they just won't stop growing! I knew it wouldn't last them long, so it became an unplanned coffee table in the entension.I loved it here because I loved the table, but the space it used up has bothered me slightly since the day it arrived.The thing with 'space' is that we feel we should fill it, it can be this nagging feeling in a room, making you question whether something is missing. But I've come to the realisation that we didn't have the extension built simply to fill it with nice furniture, I wanted space.So it's sold and I'm so excited because I've made someone else very happy, as they now get to give this lovely piece of design a new home and with the money I have from the sale I can pay for the concrete to be delivered for our new patio. I'm moving the money forward, into something that will give me far greater pleasure than just a nice looking place to put a cup of tea and a magazine, I'm going to get to step out into the garden bare foot, potter and create healthier more uplifting habits and hobbies for myself and really all this has been made possible from one piece of furniture. When you look at it like that it's really no loss at all is it?Happy hump day lovelies xYou can read lots more about the extension in this comprehensive post I wrote a few months back..How to extend your home with style for less than you might think.

Garden Makeover | Phase One.

Wed, 09 Aug 2017 00:00:00 +0100

How to landscape a garden on a budget including plants, sleepers and pebbles

Scabiosa, bee-approved beauty of a flowering plant.

Want to know how I landscaped our Cornish garden on a budget? Read on for my garden design ideas and inspiration, including the plants, garden furniture, oak sleepers and stones we used in our garden makeover project.

I've shared various snippets of our garden transformations over the last several months, but until now haven't managed to get it all down in one place. I've been waiting to take 'the right shot', for the weather to be just right, but in doing so time has gone by and some of the beautiful plants have finished flowering. So I decided to just get my shit together and write this post! It's going to be a long one and very photo heavy, but I hope you enjoy following the journey we have been on to get to where we are now.

The garden project was divided into two phases, the first is the space immediately outside the extension, the area that was most affecting us day to day. The second phase, the She Shed, Man Shed (better known as the rotten, evil looking thing in the corner!), Playhouse etc will happen later this year, or more likely next year now.

How to get started with a garden makeover

I did some clearing last year, talked about more in my previous blog post, The art of Compromise. I removed some trees and a very overgrown waste of space 'flower bed' that took up over a metre and a half of the garden, the full length of the wall.

The garden before the makeover

Back when Stu's woodstore addiction got a little out of hand! This was several years ago.

Garden makeover, Phase 1. Alice in Scandiland

A budget home extension using a modern conservatory

You can just make out the view of one of the old woodstores, the garden felt cluttered and messy.

Work on the extension finished last September and so we got on with living our new and improved life and with winter approaching gave the garden little thought. I was contented, for the time being, with our new internal space. You can read much more about that in the massively detailed post I wrote about the build process - How to extend your home with style, for less than you might think.

Garden makeover, Phase 1. Alice in Scandiland

But of course, I wasn't going to be happy looking out at the sad, ugly garden for long, so earlier this year I started formulating a plan, gathering inspiration (you can follow my Pinterest board here) and sweet talking my husband!

Garden landscaping inspiration

This was what we started with back in June -

Garden makeover, Phase 1. Alice in Scandiland

And my plan -

Garden makeover, Phase 1. Alice in Scandiland

Garden inspiration images from Pinterest

Photos -

Stu was onboard with pouring our own giant concrete pads, to form a simple, low maintenance patio outside the extension and this is what we started work intending to do.

I wanted a large raised bed as really there aren't many other areas I could plant in the garden. I think it's important in a smallish space to make some big statements. We're fortunate to have a large grass square at the front of the house, where the girls can ride bikes, kick a ball around, so there was no need for keeping open spaces in the back garden.

Dry stone wall in the garden

The girls were very keen to help out.

Removing a tree stump took ages!

This bastard of a tree stump took two of us many hours to remove.

Dry stone wall and removed stump

We're so fortunate to have this beautiful drystone wall at the back of the garden. It's spent many years almost completely hidden, overgrown, but after a lot of effort it's now shown off to its full glory.

Beginning to paint the fence

Scandinavian style garden design

I had been admiring black fences on Pinterest and knew this was exactly what our ugly, scruffy fence needed. It's very well built, by my husband, but was looking very sorry for itself. Stu took a bit of convincing, but I marched off to Homebase and bought a big tub of Cuprinol Ducksback in black and just got on with it. Stu was in love within half an hour of me starting to paint.

Painting the garden fence using Cuprinol Ducksback in Black

The black makes a real statement and turns this old fence into something new and exciting. It's rather magic how colours just pop against the dark, matt background.

The sleeper bed was also painted using Cuprinol Ducksback

The ground level was dug down several inches to allow for the thickness of the slabs we intended to pour. We used this soil to fill the large raised bed.

It was part way through groundworks that Stu had a massive change of heart and declared that he no longer wanted to use concrete. His concerns were both financial and the level of work involved. To say I was a bit pissed off would be the understatement of the century, I was fuming! I was working to a plan and could see exactly what it was going to become.

Garden makeover, Phase 1. Alice in Scandiland

But, as ever, I had to remind myself that there are two of us living here and it's as much his garden as mine (grrrrrr!!!) so it was back to making a new plan, a compromise.

Landscaping a garden with sleepers and pebbles

I begrudgingly went along with Stu's opinion, which was to have gravel, but I convinced him that pebbles would be better, both practically (there are a few cats in the area and we all know what they like to do in other people's gardens!) but also for comfort under foot and overall look. I also stipulated that this new plan would have to include the beautiful, rather ££ Oak railway sleepers we had admired at the timber merchant (The Timber Store). Somehow Stu agreed, so my initial annoyance over the changes started to diminish a little.

After much market research we decided on Scottish Pebbles and bought two large dumpy bags approx 800kg each), 1 of 20-40mm and the other 30-50mm. We bought online from Proturf, as they were the best price inc delivery, but I experienced a few problems inc totally rubbish customer service and so would not recommend them.

Scottish pebbles dry and wet

Dry/Wet - when they arrived I was less than happy about the brownness of the

Scottish pebbles

when wet, but they have grown on me since.

Oak sleepers ready for use as stepping stones

I love the variation in the colour of these Oak sleepers, as well as the knots and gnarly bits. We used cheaper green wood

sleepers

to make the raised beds, which I then painted with the

Cuprinol Ducksback in black

So the new plan was drawn up and we ploughed on.

Garden makeover, Phase 1. Alice in Scandiland

Laying out the sleepers for our garden makeover

The

sleepers

were cut into random lengths then we set them out so that they form a walkway across what would be a sea of pebbles. We both took it in turns to pace across, making sure the pieces of wood allowed for a comfortable, natural stride.

The wonderful fortnight (or possibly longer than that) of early glorious summer weather we had been experiencing passed, replaced by torrential rain, but we were like things possessed, every spare moment was spent in the garden working towards our end goal and when we weren't out there we were caught up in discussion about one element or another, enjoying the Chelsea Flower show coverage on TV, gathering more inspiration.

Choosing plants and succulents for our garden makeover project

I knew I wanted natural looking, sporadic planting, so after a trip to one of my favourite local garden centres, Pengelly Plant Centre, armed with some Alpines, Succulents, herbs and grasses, I set about placing them, planting out (cutting the weed suppressant matting underneath to allow them to root properly) and then filling around with the pebbles.

Garden makeover, Phase 1. Alice in Scandiland

It took almost a day to move all the pebbles from out the front of the house, to the back, with one wheelbarrow, that's a lot of back breaking shovelling and I was soaked through to the skin, but it felt really good being out and feeling the ache of physical exertion when you finally got to collapse into bed at night.

Finally we had banished the mud and pulled the house and garden together, one making the other all the more special.

Garden makeover, Phase 1. Alice in Scandiland

The table we made is one of my favourite details, you can read and see lots more about its construction here.

Enjoying the garden table in our small garden in Cornwall

I'm completely in love with this vintage cane chair, picked up locally for £7, make sure you check Facebook Marketplace regularly, there are some real treasures to be found.

The process of transforming our outside space has been quite therapeutic for me. We are by no means finished, but that's the magic of a project like this, it can only get better with time and attention. I think it has brought Stu and I closer, though perhaps also slightly broken Stu's back!! but we get pleasure from all our hard work every single day, whether we're out there eating dinner at the table we made together, or admiring the view from inside.

Garden makeover, Phase 1. Alice in Scandiland

Choosing garden plants for our Scandinavian-style garden

The planting isn't finished yet, but I doubt it ever will be. A garden is an ever changing place, somewhere to experiment and learn.

I've stuck with mostly greens and purples, I wanted the space to feel calm and have things of interest all year round, so I plan to add in some more plants in the autumn, when I can visit the garden centre and see what's looking particularly lovely then.

A bug hotel in our Cornish garden

Bargain Bug hotel from

eBay

For now I have used Cosmos (Lidl bargains, they just keep flowering and flowering!) Scabiosa (my total fave and a massive hit with our ever increasing bee population) Verbena, Lavender, Thyme, Agapanthus (synonymous with Cornish gardens) Hostas, Bamboo (safely contained in a large sunken barrel), Banana, Sea Thrift, Sedum, Saxifrage.

We also have Blueberry and Black/Red Currant Bushes, which until now have lived a sad life in ugly plastic pots, it feels good to give them their own permanent home.

I've planted herbs in places that will get brushed against or stood on occasionally, so you get a lovely aromatic waft as you pass, Jasmine is climbing the fence and I hope next year it will be big enough to fill the garden with it's sweet scent.

Garden makeover, Phase 1. Alice in Scandiland

Sitting outside around the fire pit

That day I pretended Ercol made garden furniture!

Link for a similar firebowl as I've already been asked a bajillion times on Instagram!

Wow, if you made it this far well done and thank you! I'm sure I've missed lots out, so please ask if you have any questions.

I hope you enjoyed this insight into our most recent big project, I'm so happy to be at the point of properly sharing with you, as well as enjoying our new space, it's a very healing thing, creating a garden, I feel I have poured some of my soul into it and every new flower or little bee I see is like a positive affirmation, that it was the right thing to do, that it is appreciated and enjoyed by many.

Don't forget to Pin this post to come back to, are you planning a garden transformation soon? Perhaps you've already done one. I'd love to hear about it.

Head over to my shop for a selection of my favourite Scandi-inspired outdoor products like those seen in these photos.

Garden makeover, Phase 1. Alice in Scandiland

If you’ve enjoyed this stage of the garden makeover, follow the link below for what came next…

Garden makeover sources and shopping*

Cuprinol Ducksback in Black

Wheelbarrow

Oak sleepers

Plants from Pengelly Garden Centre

Alice in Scandiland shop

Alice in Scandiland baskets

Follow my garden boards on Pinterest

*contains affiliate links

Nominated for the Amara Interior Blog Awards.

Sun, 20 Aug 2017 00:00:00 +0100

Hey there lovelies, so, you may have already seen the news over on my Facebook page, but there's no harm is spreading it a little further....Alice in Scandiland has been nominated for the Best Design Inspiration Blog in the Amara Interior Blog Awards and I need your help...Please could you take a second to vote for me, it's so lovely to be nominated, but winning wouldn't be too bad either!Thank you for your continued support, without you this blog would just be me rambling away to myself!VOTE HERE.Voting closes on September 15th, the Shortlists will be announced on the 18th and the winners will be declared in October...

Scandinavian inspired Kitchen update.

Thu, 31 Aug 2017 00:00:00 +0100

This post has been a long time coming, but as ever life just runs away with me and I never seem to find the right time to take 'finished' photos. So I'm going to use a mixture of snaps from here and there, to take you through the story of our kitchen.Grab a cuppa, this could take a while, but I hope you enjoy the flashbacks through time.Let's start approx 3 years ago, with the kitchen we had had for quite some time. Up until this point we didn't have the money or inclination to do much with it, it was only really around that time, when pregnant with my second daughter Eula, that I suddenly had this need to change everything in the house. Previously I had been plodding along, disliking pretty intensely my surroundings, but equally not having the funds, energy or inspiration to do much with it. Holidays prechildren took precedence and I guess I just wasn't as into interior design then as I am now, I think I just assumed my bog standard 80s end of terrace was ugly and that was that. Some of you may have already seen the before pictures on a post I wrote last year, Home is where my heart is, but if not, this may come as a shock to you, prepare yourself...Stuff. Everywhere. Oppressive, ugly, urrrgh! I look at this photo now and it makes me feel really stressed, I can remember exactly how it felt to live in that space, drowning in cupboards, shelves and things that appeared to be useful, but in actual fact were just cluttering up our lives.Then there was the time I went a bit mad and got my Dad to wallpaper the end wall, with olive green Orla Kiely?!?! I honestly can't tell you what I was thinking, I knew before he even started putting it up that it was wrong, just another bad move, trying to polish a problem. Poor Dad!Then, one day I woke up and decided to get rid of about 60% of our belongings (Pregnancy nesting kind of sky rocketed for me). Donate, sell, recycle, bin, burn, out it all went. That was an unbelievably wonderful feeling. I started redecorating the bedrooms, then the living room, then, when Eula was about a year old, I ripped down all the kitchen wall cupboards whilst Stu was at work and declared, upon his return, that the kitchen renovations had begun!Except we still didn't have any money. So I did what I do best and sold more 'things' to fund essential purchases. I sold almost my entire stash of slings, parenting essentials at the time, used for carrying my babies from the moment they were born, loved and collected, but they didn't feel like an essential by this point and they amounted to several hundred pounds that I realised I could use for a far greater purpose.We saved money by keeping the main carcases of the base cupboards/drawers, but replaced the doors and handles (B&Q and eBay). I sourced the solid Beech worktop on eBay, it was considerably cheaper than buying from a kitchen store, but obviously more of a risk as I had only seen stock photos, impossible to truly tell the tone of the wood. The gamble paid off.The disgusting fake terracotta tile lino was replaced with a cheap, plain grey (which was such bad quality and didn't last 1 day before it was damaged, but still, it was a huge improvement to the Space and all I could afford at the time). Less cupboards on the walls meant the space felt lighter, bigger, less oppressive and stressful.I opted for an under mounted sink, sourced from eBay, saving us £120. The tap was about £50 instead of in store for £150, so it really is worth looking around for what you like, then doing some hunting to find it cheaper, people so often change their minds part way through a job and sell those pieces on for a fraction of the price. A word of warning though, I wouldn't choose an undermounted sink with wood again (I was told this by several people, I already kind of knew it before, but I ploughed on with my vision none the less!) We will be replacing with a top mounted one of some description within the next few years I should think.It looks lovely, but the edge of the worktop is blackening over time and splitting, despite being treated. Fortunately my brother is a Plumber, so it shouldn't be too tricky to change. His Carpenter friend fitted the worktop for free (in exchange for some plunbing work he needed doing) so that was a huge saving. I had a length of worktop spliced at a local Joiners, to make the splashback. At the time I didn't want tiles, but it never fitted as I would have liked, looking great from a distance, but the reality was somewhat different.It was all such a huge improvement, but I still wasn't happy. I knew I'd got carried away with certain things, ignoring my instincts and letting the collecting start again, like storage pots (that I didn't actually store much in!), the clutter felt like it was filtering back in and that was the opposite of what I wanted to achieve. It can be tricky to truly work out how you feel about certain things when you share so much on Social Media. When you get a really positive response to something, like with these shelves for example, you think yeah, they really are great, I'm definitely really happy. Except I wasn't really. It wasn't really me, I was pretending to be someone else, all colourful and vibrant, but in my heart I craved simplicity and natural tones. The sunshine windows were fun at the time and definitely brightened the space further (read more about them here, including the custom paint code you can have mixed)...But, the room still felt like a dead end, everyone would congregate in there, but it felt claustrophobic and badly designed.It was around then that I realised the actual problem was the one I had known all along, the BIG PROBLEM, that our house just wasn't big enough for us. No amount of redecorating could change that fact. One thing led to another and within a very short time I was day dreaming of moving, I even convinced Stu to go and look at a house, but in the end we decided extending made much more sense. It was only then that our house really became the home I love so much now.Read lots more about our extension here -How to extend your home with style, for less than you might think.The day the wall at the end of the kitchen was knocked down was one of the happiest of my life! We all breathed a collective sigh of relief, light flooded in, the spaces all flowed and worked so much better together.And so, over the last year the Kitchen has FINALLY become what I dreamed it would be. A simple, Scandinavian inspired, clutter free (most of the time) space which I am so proud of.The addition of the matt white grid tiles a few months back has elevated the styling, pulling the room together and giving it the standard of finish I craved. Previously the wall had been in an awful condition, only further highlighted as we started to improve things around it. It was a bitch of a job though, I got the best Tiler in the area in and it almost broke her, no exaggeration. There isn't one wall in this house that is as you would expect. We used a mid grey grout and no edging/trim around the window recess or where the tiles end on the wall, to keep everything as simple and un fussy as possible. Stu was very sceptical about the 100x100mm tiles (bought here), he feared it would, and I quote, 'look like a Public toilet'. Thankfully I ignored his concerns and continued anyway, the room was transformed (in a good, non toilet kinda way!) and he will admit I was right, he loves it now.I wanted to improve the lighting in the main kitchen area and decided to mirror the swagged cable idea from above the dining table. The position of your electrics really doesn't have to dictate your room layout, simple extend the cable, pop a hook up and create the look you want.I bought all the components needed (multi outlet ceiling rose, flex cable, wooden bulb holders etc) from Creative Cables, it's super convenient to get everything you need from one place and they can help you with any queries you may have.A massive thank you to my good friend Rachel for being the kind of crazy person who buys 2 sets of vintage lockers and has them couriered to Cornwall, I got straight in there when she said she may sell one lot on, they created practical storage for crockery and filled a space that felt awkward and unused. The custom made Birch Ply cupboard is one of my favourite details, I'm a bit ply mad and this is such a tactile, gorgeous piece. You can read lots more about it in the blog I wrote here.There are still pops of colour here and there, like the mint hairpin legs on the dining table that I made and I love the pink details in the gallery wall.Plants feature more than I intended, it's that whole collecting thing again, it soon gets a bit out of control. I love the plants, but need to edit further and give some new homes.The engineered oak flooring ties the whole ground floor together, creating a flow from space to space, adding warmth and it feels lovely underfoot. I'm of the opinion that you can never have too much wood (no pun intended) and love the mixture we have going on. The kitchen is the heart of our home now, beautiful and completely practical to fit with our daily life.So, I think that's about it, a huge sigh of relief! I hope you haven't fallen asleep, so much has happened over the years and I found it hard to edit this post to make it shorter.I'd love to hear what you think about how the kitchen has changed, what's your favourite part?Don't forget you can pin this post to come back to at a later date, perhaps you're planning your own kitchen makeover?You can follow me on Facebook and Instagram for lots more.Happy Thursday lovelies x

Why all white? My reasons for almost all white walls.

Wed, 06 Sep 2017 00:00:00 +0100

One of my lovely followers messaged me last week to ask about my house and my decision to have an all white background. She was interested in my reasons for our doing this, the things I have learned as a result of living with a white interior for a few years now. I thought these questions and their answer would make a pretty useful blog post, so here we are. I haven't always been an advocate of all white walls, a few of my close friends will be chuckling when they see this post, they'll remember the old me. There was a time when I just didn't get it, white is such an impractical colour, isn't it? It's too harsh, unwelcoming, cold, a total no with kids in the house surely?! But when we really started to get our house in hand, a few years back, and began to make it the home we love today, the white started to filter in and I became a convert. You could say I saw the light, quite literally!A fresh start.Even if you don't want a house of all white walls, choosing a colour suitable for your space can be tricky and time consuming. Get the shade just a little too dark or too light and your vision won't be realised and if you're anything like me you'll get caught up in days of tester pot confusion and anger. I'm a great believer in living and learning from your home, so get to know the light and how that changes throughout the day. A fresh all white base can provide you with a blank canvas, a place in which, over time, your personality can grow as you introduce furniture and soft furnishings. You can *almost* cancel out the decorating history of a room with this one simple step.Light and space.For us it was important to increase the feeling of space in our house, at a time when we couldn't afford to physically create it. Before we had the extension it felt like a battle to create the illusion of space in a home that was too small for our needs. White walls definitely helped with this, opening up spaces, connecting them and even now, with the extension, the flow of the white throughout helps link the different areas together, making each room feel bigger as there's no boundaries, no doors downstairs, no stop and start.Our ceiling heights in the kitchen and living room aren't *that* high, I guess average, but I crave seriously high ceilings, but that isn't going to happen. White walls blending into the white ceiling gives the illusion of more height.A match made in heaven.My favourite elements in our home are the different types of wood we have dotted around. Beech, Birch Ply, Oak floor... I love the warm tones and the beautiful contrast they give against the brilliant white background.Change your mind then change it again.I'm not immune to the lure of colour and over the years I have experimented with a 'feature wall' or two, but the initial love rarely lasts and soon I'm back to craving a blank canvas. Paint can be a relatively cheap way of creating a change, so I never feel guilty when I feel that niggle in my mind, the one I can't ignore. My husband thinks I'm mad and that's fine, he's probably right. I just go with it.There was the blush pink wall week, or maybe it lasted a whole 2 weeks!And Eula had some really simple mountains in her room for a fair while...But none of these sat comfortably with me and I knew as soon as they were done that they would not be long term keepers, I love the fresh, open possibilities of white walls and details.The only coloured walls that seem to be standing the test of time and my ever changing mind is in Nancy's room. This space felt lacking before the half painted walls and I'm still as happy with it now as I was the day I did it. You can read more about this room here.Practical points.White is impractical, right? Well, I used to think so. I have two young children, children are disgusting, feral creatures who seem to manage to get anything dirty, even straight after a bath! Why the hell would you cover your house in such an impractical colour?! I'll tell you why, white paint is pretty much the only colour I know of that allows you to touch up here and there and it's invisible once dry. Any other colour and you get a flash, an area that shines more from certain angles, telling the tale of the grubby hand prints or stick man drawings that just magically appeared on the stairs one quiet afternoon.I use Dulux Trade Brilliant White in matt, you can scrub it if you like, or if that's too much like effort, every so often you can just wander around the house with the tub and touch up any offending areas. Bish, bash, bosh, back to clean and cheery and you look like a domestic legend. The trade paint is much thicker than standard, a bit more £ but absolutely worth the extra expense. Once you've tried it all other paint is like water to work with. 2 coats of Trade will cover almost anything, even bright mustard wallpaper!Now, don't get me wrong, I don't dislike colour, lately I often admire people with their amazingly beautiful dark blue walls and feel a pang of envy, if I had a bigger house, a spare bedroom, I would definitely have tried my hand at a darker interior, but alas I do not and for me I just feel happier with a blank backdrop which I can then dress with pops of colour here and there. It suits my need for constant change.When thinking about the decor of a home I like to picture myself in the future. How will I feel about a detail in a few months, a few years time? A painted wall can be changed pretty easily, but more permanent features such as tiles are a big financial commitment. I feel white is a pretty future safe colour, easily accessorised with artwork, plants and furniture, but neutral enough to not become a regret. This was a contributing factor in our tile decisions for the kitchen.Whilst the grid layout makes a bold statement, going with matt white means I am fairly confident that I won't have any regrets. If you are sure enough in your mind to choose a bold colour and that's what you like then that's brilliant. But I know myself pretty well by now and colour in a very permanent feature such as this is just asking for trouble!I love the subtlety but also the impact as you walk into this room.Image source Image sourceMy dream home is a period house of some description, maybe Georgian, high ceilings, lots of original features like ornate cornicing and a fireplace in every room. But many of these details would be white like the walls. Image sourceSo open and light, grand but a little rough around the edges, that's the perfect me!!!How do you feel about so much white, maybe you've had your reservations but I may have convinced you otherwise?I'd love to hear from you,Happy Mid Week x

The Amara Interior Blog Awards 2017

Sun, 29 Oct 2017 00:00:00 +0100

Over the past couple of days I've been sharing the fun I had in London, but obviously there's a pretty big reason why I was there in the first place, the Amara Interior Blog Awards 2017.When I was nominated for the awards I was thrilled and flattered, but never in a million years did I think I'd make it to the shortlist! Over 800 blogs were nominated, 45,000 votes cast and I made it to the last 6 in my category, Best Design Inspiration, that was good enough for me.When my invite to the awards ceremony arrived it became a little more real and as the stars aligned, and it turned out I could actually wangle the time away to attend, my excitement grew, but with that my apprehension too. It was a bit of a daunting business, getting all poshed up and meeting people you've only ever seen in the imaginary world that is Social Media. Oh and my date was my Mum, which was either a super cool move or super super uncool, but hey, she deserves some fun, after all, I did gatecrash their City break and blag beautiful free accommodation!The evening came, we left the house with more than enough time, or so we thought, and set off for The Design Museum in Kensington. But the tube took FOREVER and by the time we got to Kensington High Street station we were rather late. With no taxis to be seen anywhere we ran, fast, me taking my heels off and running barefoot along a dirty, grim city pavement, much to the amusement of those we rushed past, urrrgh. Arriving panting and sweating was not how I imagined the night to begin.A few cocktails later I was just regaining control of myself when we were told it was time for the ceremony.We all gathered excitedly in the auditorium, I had a sneaky glance around to see who I could spot. My mum was sat next to Deborah Barker, Editor-in-Chief of Homes & Gardens, 25 Beautiful Homes and one of the judges for the awards, she was absolutely lovely.Sophie Robinson and Daniel Hopwood were hosting and their familiarity and funny chemistry really added to the evening, making it feel like we were all amongst friends.So, I feel I should say at this point, all the while I was getting ready to go to London and then when I was actually at the awards, I not once even considered for a moment that I might win. I don't mean this in a self-deprecating way, I was amazed that I was in the shortlist and that was more than enough for me...I was up against some seriously professional, established Blogs, so it was just a given that one of them would get it. You can see the shortlist here.So, I'm sat there, looking around, feeling quite pleased with simply seeing my name up on the big screen when they read out the blogs in my category, then the reasons for the winning Blog were read out -

The Photography really shon out for the judges....knowledgeable and relevant advice...demonstrates itself as an authority on the topics it discusses...

I thought to myself, ok, well that definitely isn't me then, I just take snaps on my phone! And then I look around to see if I can spot anyone else from my category, to watch as their name is called. Except Daniel Hopwood didn't call their name, did he, HE CALLED MINE!!!!!!You can watch the whole awards ceremony here, or skip to 28 minutes in for my category.I just couldn't believe it, and my face for the rest of the evening clearly showed my complete amazement that they had said my name!I definitely felt a bit more relaxed and like I maybe belonged after that bombshell, so I got stuck in with the cocktails, as did my Mum, meeting some lovely people. I think my Mum did more networking than me though to be honest!Post winning is a bit of a blur of faces and laughing and talking to sponsors and fellow Bloggers, I met some seriously lovely people, some I already follow and we ended up going out for dinner after. This proved more difficult than I expected in a big city, apparently eating after 11pm isn't the done thing on Kensington High Street, but we found a place and filled up on burgers and more drinks.Begrugingly it was time to leave and get the tube back to Liverpool Street, where we would catch a train to Stoke Newington. Except we'd missed the last tube that could get us to LS, so it turned into a bit of a drama trying to get home, all the while absolutely bursting for a wee, damn those cocktails, and hauling our mega heavy gift bags with us.It's quite an eerie thing, the contrast between a packed ride on the underground in the day and being the only ones in a carriage at night. We got as far as Kings Cross, where the train terminated and were a bit stuck. Rushing through the station, the only people there, trying to find an exit that wasn't closed up, we finally escaped and found a bus stop. The number 73 saved us and we were en route to our beds. There was plenty of time during the bus journey for my Mum to inspect the entire contents of her gift bag!So there we have it, I still don't quite believe it, it still surprises me that anyone even reads my silly ramblings, but here you are and I thank you so much for your support and for getting me to this point, I couldn't have done it without you guys.A huge thank you to Amara and all the sponsors for organising and hosting and making everyone feel super special.🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟You can watch the Awards highlights here.

Autumnal wreath - easing into the festive season.

Tue, 14 Nov 2017 00:00:00 +0000

For me I still feel it's a tad early to be talking properly about Christmas, and yet I'm aware that 6 weeks isn't actually that long when it comes to planning, ordering and making, but in my mind I need to get Nancy's 6th birthday done and dusted, next week, before I fully commit myself.Soon I will write myself a festive list, all the things I hope to achieve in the next month or so, all the activities we enjoy, which are becoming our family traditions, such as going to see the beautiful Christmas garland at Cotehele, the Tudor Father Christmas at Trerice, baking days and making our own wrapping paper.Thia all said, yesterday I used a spare 15 minutes or so to enjoy some late afternoon fresh air in the garden and to whip up a really simple but lovely Autumnal Hydrangea wreath.Hydrangeas are all but past it now, but there's something that's really lovely about their faded, mottled tones, some may say they're dying, but I think they're just showing another version of themselves.I used a willow wreath I made last year, I removed the gold stars, they felt too much like Christmas for just now, but left the old dried ivy as it would be covered.This really is such a simple crafty make, simply pinch some Hydrangeas from someone's garden (if you're not lucky enough to have them in your own). I do recommend getting permission to help yourself by the way, I'm very fortunate that my In-laws have 3 absolutely massive bushes in their garden, so I have free access to as many as I like.Then I simply trimmed off the leaves, leaving the stems approx 4 or 5 inches long, popped them between the tangle of willow and wove the stems into the wreath. You can add as many or as few as you like, but I went for a full, stuffed hoop in the end.It's only when you get up close that you can fully appreciated the complexity of the colours and patterns, it's so lovely to celebrate the changing seasons, sat in the garden, as the sun went down and the air cooled quickly, it definitely feels like Winter is setting in.What season inspired crafts have you been making? Every family has their own traditions, are you busy making in preparation for Christmas?☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆Next on my craft to-do list is to make the girl's advent calendars....more on this soon x

O Christmas Tree...

Sun, 10 Dec 2017 00:00:00 +0000

I'd planned on waiting until this weekend to get our tree, it felt like it was too soon, but with the weather being so questionable at the moment we (well more like I) decided to take advantage of the patches of sunshine on last Saturday. Typically the moment we committed (told the girls what was happening) it started to rain!Fortunately it cleared once we reached our destination, Logs n Coal at Trevithick Farm, Newquay. It's the second year we've bought from here and it feels like a little tradition is being born. Part of that tradition is my husband complaining the whole way there about how much it will cost, stating that there is a 'perfectly nice one' in the attic. He refers to a scraggly plastic thing that I banned the moment we spent our first Christmas together. I come from a real Christmas tree upbringing, we all have our own Christmas expectations and the tree is prime position at the top of my priority list, no compromise!The girls were super helpful, getting in the way of the other tree inspecting couples, shouting Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer at the top of their lungs and attempting to find a tree for themselves round the corner. Eula asked if she could have a wee behind the barn, at least she was polite enough to ask I guess. Nancy did prove to be a good tree support though, so I could stand back and take them in from all angles, no-one wants a bare back or a scraggly bottom do they!However, I wasn't happy, compared to the year before they all seemed rather battered, like they'd been treated poorly. People came, picked one and left, perhaps 10 people (some didn't even look at more than one?!?!?!) by the time I decided none fitted the vision in my head. I informed Stu we would have to go elsewhere, you can imagine how happy he was about that. Just as we were leaving though the owner spotted me and gave me a look which said he'd seen my kind before. I was honest and said I couldn't find a single one without some defect that bothered me, he laughed, rolled his eyes and told me to follow him...Up we went to a field with a closed gate, he told me to take a look in there instead and left us to it. To my delight this was clearly where all the big, fat, juicy beauties were being kept, I'm not sure where they were destined for, but I knew one of these would be coming home with us, as well as a fair amount of mud too.Big, chubby beauty chosen, paid for and stashed in the van, it was time to get to the beach and let the girls burn off all the excesss excitement and energy that had been brewing.

Last year we headed to the same beach (Fistral) for an unplanned frolic and I wished I had had the forethought to bring a hot drink, this year I was on top form with hot chocolate and squirty cream.I love the beach in Winter, you have less expectations, the colours are more bleached out, the seascape more lively and moody, a peep of blue sky is an added bonus. The wind was blowing into our faces, but still Nancy and Eula freed themselves of their wellies and ran head-on into the waves, Eula would have been naked in an instant had I not done some negotiating with her to keep her coat on, it was only 8°c!The trick is to exit the beach whilst they're still having fun, before the hypothermia sets in, I missed that window this time, too engrossed in my hot chocolate, and so as they realised they could no longer feel their feet and the warm, chocolatey treats were gone, cue the tears and tantrums. It wouldn't be a family day out without it though, would it? Home we went.And what a beauty we ended up with, my most favourite tree to date, look at that shape. This, people, is what being fussy gets you! The photo I posted on Instagram has had such an unbelievable response, I was so tempted to leave it bare, perhaps just some lights, but there was no convincing the girls of this idea.Did you see my post last week about my Christmas Tree decoration top pick? If not come take a look.I'll talk more about decorating in a few days, but for now I'll leave you with this evening's snug, festive scene.Happy Sunday lovelies x

Christmas Stockings and things.

Sun, 24 Dec 2017 00:00:00 +0000

It's Christmas Eve and all the planning and buying and build up is coming to frution. It's the creating that I love most about Christmas, the chance to justify sitting down and spending half an hour weaving foliage into a ring, just as important, in fact much more so than the 3 loads of dirty washing sat neglected, ignored. Or the fact it's dinner time, but you've chosen to bake a cake as opposed to a meal for the family!This year, however, I decided to rein in my creative visions and put a little less pressure on myself. Pinterest has a lot to answer for, taunting me with all it's festive inspiration. But the one thing I was determined to do was make the girls stockings.It was my intention to make them from scratch, my sewing skills at least stretch far enough for this task, but, whilst in Hobbycraft last month I found these blanks for £1 each, so I decided to make my life even easier and go with those.I increased the easy factor by ordering some stamps from Noolibird, I have postponed my plans to make some of my own until the new year. My Dad runs Lino Printing Workshops, so I will hopefully employ his skills and tools to create a lovely little collection for myself. But for now Noolibird's lovely selection came up trumps with the perfect tree shape.My design plans were heavily influenced by Junkaholique's beautiful stockings from a few years back. I'd had an image of them pinned for quite some time and just totally adored their homemade beauty. Artemis' creations are far superior to my own though, which is to be expected as she is a wonderful artist and maker. I think I see the stockings I have made as a practice run, something I may redo, make from scratch, one day in the future.I have this lovely little stamp set, bought to make name cards for our very homemade wedding several years ago...I did some experimenting and realised the white fabric paint didn't print as well as I would have liked on the fabric, so I decided to just go for black lettering and black trees.The letter stamps were smaller than my ideal, larger would have suited the size of the stockings better, so I decided to use the girl's middle names too, initially just for aesthetics, but I really love that detail now, it's rare that middle names are really mentioned these days I find and the girls are so proud of them.I spent an hour or so sewing on little stars, half looking at what I was doing, half watching Outlander (my slightly unhealthy obsession!)The girls are completely thrilled with them, I wrapped them up and popped them under the tree. They opened them after a much needed bath this evening and couldn't wait to place them in their rooms.Nancy made Father Christmas a little gift at Heligan last week, she's a real sweetie.Right, I'm off to make a Chocolate Spread Christmas tree and pancake mix for our Christmas morning breakfast, have a happy rest of today and a wonderfully magic day tomorrow. ♡♡♡My two have been informed that Christmas doesn't exist before 7am, but I can't wait for when we can all open our stockings together in my bed, my mum *cough*, I mean Father Christmas, still brings me one too ♡♡♡

Three Scrummy Sausage Roll recipes.

Sat, 06 Jan 2018 00:00:00 +0000

A week or so ago I shared a snap of the kitchen and declared my love for my first attempt at making Sausage Rolls. I was inundated with requests for the recipe, so I thought I'd do a super quick blog about them.The title is a little deceptive, it's basically one recipe, with a few things added to 2 versions.I've made plain ones for the girls, then one version with my Mum's Christmas Chutney and the ultimate creation, the Mature Cheddar and Caramalised Onion lovelies.As with any of my recipe shares, this is all subject to tweaks, change things up to how you like it.Ingredients -

800g Sausage meat
8 Cream Crackers
Fresh Parsley - a small bunch
1 pack Just Roll Puff Pastry
Mature Cheddar
Caramalised Onion Marmalade
Salt/Pepper
1 Egg

Preheat the oven to 175°CStart by bashing the crackers into crumbs. I popped them in a sandwich bag and whacked them with a rolling pin, but you could also use a teatowel.Chop the Parsley finely and add into a mixing bowl with the sausage meat, crushed crackers and salt and pepper (quantity is to your own taste).Mix together, this is easier with a large fork than a spoon.I'm all for making life easier for yourself, so I love me some Jus-Rol! I was going to go one step further and buy the ready rolled sheets, but you get so much less for your money, so I thought I could just about manage to work a rolling pin!Flour your surface and roll out the pastry. I had some left over so used that first, before using half of the new packet.Once rolled out cut into two lengthways and spoon out the sausage meat mix. I place it a little higher that half way.Add any additional fillings, at the top there I've used the cheddar and onion marmalade. Below that I've left the mix plain, for a traditional style. I also made another batch using my Mum's Christmas Chutney, which has a really spiced, festive taste to it. Not as sweet as the Caramalised Onion Marmalade.Roll the top edge down and over the filling, then roll again until the join is on the underside.Cut to approx 2 inch rolls and score the top. I use different numbers of slits to identify different fillings. Pop on lined baking sheets.Whisk up the egg and give the sausage rolls a brush over with the mix.Pop them in the heated oven and check on them after 10 minutes. Turn the trays if needed. Bake for approx 25 minutes.Allow to cool a little, if you have more patience than me! ...then get stuck in.Enjoy and please let me know your own ideas for variations ♡

*2021 edit - Still making these sausage rolls and they continue to be a big crowd pleaser. I've started to use Mango Chutney, as an alternative to Onion Marmalade and it is delicious.

Amara IBA Winner Interview.

Sun, 14 Jan 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Amara are featuring the winners of the Interior Blog Awards over on their blog and this week it's the turn of the Best Design Inspiration Blog, oh, that's me! ♡To hear about my inspiration for starting Alice in Scandiland, my advice to someone starting out and more head over there now.Click here to read more.I hope you've all had a great weekend?Mine's had some ups and some downs and as such I haven't done much writing. I hope to have something new for you soon ♡

Our house, for us.

Sun, 18 Feb 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Today I want to talk about something that has changed our lives, it's not a new concept, but it's given us more freedom, more choice and more comfort. The decision to commit to our home, to where we are, to make it the best house it can be for us, without being dictated by the house value or how a future owner may view the details within.I've touched on this in the past, in other posts, but I haven't talked about it directly. It's definitely not a straightforward subject, we are all in very different positions when it comes to our homes. I hope by talking about our experiences and choices, you may be able to relate in some way, perhaps not now, maybe a little way off into the future, but I think it's something worth writing about.I don't think I've ever shared a full photo of the front of our house, so here you go, is it what you were expecting? I'm guessing not! Our place is on the left, with the blue/grey door. It's safe to say it's not my dream building, but it's home.As I've said in the past, there came a time where it felt as though our family had outgrown this house. I was desperate to move, I started to look around at our options, but it soon became obvious that we would have to spend at least another £70k to make a move worthwhile, probably more like £100k+ and that was something we just weren't willing or able to do. We'd had our house valued at this time, so I was well aware of what our home was 'worth' on the market, but then I started thinking, what is it worth to us?My for and against lists looked something like this -Want to move for -

More space.
A house with period details (50s or older)
Detached house.
BIGGER BATHROOM!
Bigger rooms - not necessarily more rooms.
High ceilings.
Bigger garden.
Nicer looking frontage.

Stay put -

Financial freedom, sooner.
More freedom to explore my own career options, without pressure to be bringing in a certain amount of £.
Light - we have so much light here, a very important thing to me.
Play - the grass square at the front has formed an integral part of our children's childhood so far, they spend hours out there, bike riding, hanging with friends, it's a very important parenting tool for us.
Location - whilst the house itself isn't my ideal, I wouldn't want to move from this area at the moment, partly due to...
Proximity to school.
Proximity to town/country
Outlook - it feels as though we're in the country when you look out from the back of the house.

Most of the issues in my reasons to move list weren't remotely important to my husband, he has no interest in living in a period house, he has no problem with our ceiling heights, to be honest he was more than happy existing as we were, despite the struggles, the cramp, chaotic feeling. So there was another big reason for staying put, only one of us wanted to move!!It took some convincing to get Stu to agree to the extension, he doesn't really like change, at least initially, he clearly married the wrong gal as my need to change things is something I can't control! But once he realised the benefits to our lives, vs the cost of moving, he was fully onboard. We were both in agreement that the fact an extension would take us above the property's ceiling value just wasn't an issue for us. We were investing in our quality of life as a family, for now, not the value if sold. And anyway, who knows what will happen in the next 5-10 years?!Now that it's done, the difference it has made to our lives is invaluable, the connection it has given us with the garden, I love the way it has lifted the rooms around it and taken our kind of ugly, late 60s end of terrace and given it the modern twist it so desperately needed. We haven't had the house valued since the extension, I want to, purely for curiosities sake, but my guess is we're at least £15k over the top end. Am I worried? No, could we have moved house and gained what we have, for the same cost? Absolutely not. Everything is relative.I won't lie and say I am completely at peace with our situation, there is still that voice inside me that knows my need to change things all the time is actually the fact this house fundamentally isn't the home picture I have in my mind. My entire style aesthetic craves a bigger scale, simple period details, less 'stuff' but within more space...But I am also learning to be more grateful for what we have, which is a lot more then many. I think it's just the nature of an interior design enthusiast to keep thinking bigger and better.Things I still want to do that will take us further over the 'value' of our house, but which will add value to our home...Jazz up the front of the house, externally insulate and clad the porch and cover the weird roof tile feature thing under Eula's bedroom window - Ugly House to Lovely House style.As I've mentioned before, our bathroom is on the to-do list, but as it functions and we have zero funds, there's little hope of it going through a transformation this year. However, this doesnt stop me planning and scheming, it's good to be prepared!This leads me to what really inspired this post...One of my ideas, as it's so small in there, is to get rid of the bath and just have a walk in shower. I never bath (due to the fact I can only fit half my body under water at any one given time, small bath/big person issues) and the girls only have one bath a week. When discussing this idea on Housfolk, a few people expressed their concern that removing the bath would affect the resale value and for a split second I thought, that's a point. But it's actually not the point, is it? The point is we live here, we're living here every day, should a decision like that be made based on a hypothetical 'one day'? Personally I think not, this is how my mindset has changed, this is our position. This said I am also very Japanese plunge bath curious, have you seen them before? A.mazing!So I feel I should round things up as you may well be asleep by now, well done if you got this far! I hope this post helps to give a little more context to our world and to the decisions I share with you. This is my take on our home ownership and how we are choosing to live our life, I hope you find aspects that you can relate to and find helpful. Or perhaps you're a serial house flipper, renter, saving to buy your first home, there's no right or wrong, good decision, bad decision. I'd love to hear what drives you, how you make things work for you and your world.

At home with Nordic Re-make.

Sun, 18 Mar 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Every so often I like to share with you a friend who inspires me, their beautiful home, their work and anything else I think you will like. Ida Hansson, otherwise known as Nordic Re-make, is an incredibly talented woman, with a seriously strong sense of style and identity within her interiors. I've been an avid follower of hers on Instagram for quite some time now and through that funny online connection with the world we have become friends. Despite much of her writing being in Swedish and sadly I don't speak a word, the inspiration she creates transcends language barriers (and of course there's always Google Translate!), her images are addictive, the details and subtle colours, her originality and just the overall feeling you get from her work.I hope you enjoy this little insight into her home and design projects...Where is home and have you always lived there?I live in Umeå, in the north of Sweden. I moved up here 14 years ago when I started my Police Education. After two years in University I started to work in the Police here in town.I´m married to the love of my life - Martin (also Police) and we have 3 children.What is and how would you describe your job? Has this always been your profession?About a year ago I decided to start my own company Nordic Re-make Interior full time, so I quit my Police job after 11 years. Since then I have worked as an Interior Stylist, Creative doer and Influencer, and have done a lot of different funny things the last year, everything as my own business.Recently I gained a new employment and soon will move forward to a job at IKEA, where I will work as an Interior Designer for their customers. I look forward to meeting my new colleagues and see myself develop in this new career!Huge congratulations Ida, what an amazing achievement to gain such a sought after job ♡How long have you lived in your house and what kind of condition was it in when you bought it?We have lived here for 3 1/2 years now, I love our little old house.It had so much to do! Our house is over 100 years old and was not renovated, but that was the best part of it. Room after room have been transformed all by ourselves, with a lot of care and love, to save the old soul, like the wooden floors that we found under the plastic carpets.You've done a completely wonderful job, what is your most favourite thing about your home?I love the harmony in our house. It's so peaceful in here and I love to stay at home at the weekends, just eating a big breakfast and relaxing …or starting some new projects of course!You use a very beautiful, identifiable signature colour palette, how did you arrive at these colours/tones?I think our old house gave me the inspiration to use this colour palette and to create my interior style. Soft, dusty colours are my favorites, especially pink, that is my favorite since I was a little girl. I love Nordic Interior Design and solid materials, which go perfectly with these colours.Which would you say is your favourite room in the house and why?Our kitchen is my all day favorite room, often I walk down here in the morning and stay all the day. I just love everything about it!Your kitchen is one of the things that first caught my eye when I found you on Instagram. It looks like a lovely place to hang out with friends and family.Where do you think your love for Interior Design came from?I think I have always been creative but for the last ten years I have been even more interested in Interior Design. I love to put different things, colours and materials together, to make a completeness and harmony in every room.What inspires you?I get a lot of inspiration from Instagram, especially from minimalistic interiors with focus on colours. I even find inspiration just in my life, visiting old houses or a walk in the forest.This amazing mini work bench is in one of Ida's children's rooms. Isn't it just lovely.Can you share some of your favourite brands? Fine Little Day, Littlephant, Muuto and Ferm Living are my favorite brands. And Ikea of course!What's on your wishlist for your house right now?I wish for a big, fresh, practical hallway…our is so small.A massive thank you to Ida for sharing her home with us, as well as ber beautiful images. I hope you've enjoyed this insight into the world of such an inspiring and talented lady.What are your favourite details? I'm completely in love with Nordic Re-make's signature colour palette, as well as the overall sense of calm Ida's home exudes.You can see much more from Ida over on her Instagram and also her blog.

Easter Party.

Thu, 29 Mar 2018 00:00:00 +0100

We're off up to Wales tomorrow morning, to visit family and join in with my cousin's birthday celebrations. This means we're away on Easter Sunday and Nancy was a little concerned that the Easter Bunny wouldn't know our temporary address, she's even written to him, explaining the situation! I've reasured her that that's one clever bunny and not to worry (I've been well informed that he's been to Lidl and stocked up) ...but I decided to throw the girls a little Easter Party before we go, just because I could. I know all children are big fans of Birthdays, Christmas and any other celebration excuse, but Nancy takes that obsession to the next level!I had a lot of help with making things look special from the beautiful party specialists MeriMeri. I've had a love affair with this wonderfully whimsical brand for years, having children has only fuelled that love.When I received these goodies in the post I actually let out a bit of a squeal and did a little dance, how utterly divine are these Easter bits and bobs?!I've also used several pieces from the Sainsburys Helsinki home range, I think the colours and patterns all compliment each other beautifully. Seriously Spring-like and happy.No party is complete without a cake as the centre piece, so I used my trusty Lemon Drizzle recipe and adapted it, adding Raspberry Jam this time.I've much improved when it comes to cake making, having children and at least 2 birthdays a year that demand the necessity of decorated cakes, I've had no choice but to refine my skills. But I have rules. I don't do shaped cakes, royal icing and only take requests if they are vague and open to interpretation. My style of cake is more of a traditional recipe with fancy things stuck on it, these objects usually make it appear as though I have a far greater cake decoration skill than I actually do, which is fine by me!How cute are these cake toppers? I especially love the 3D paper honeycomb flowers, they are perfection.Nancy and Eula couldn't believe it when they saw the kitchen after school, they were expecting it to be just another mundane post school afternoon.Ok, so I went a little overboard on the sugar, I got carried away with things that looked pretty, though it you look closely there are some token sandwiches and veggies, including cucumber water in this beautiful carafe, from the Sainsburys Helsinki range. Nancy and Eula really like it and it's great squash alternative. The cute little egg cups and chopping board are from the same Sainsburys collection.I'm a little bit in love with these felt bunny headbands, I may steal one of the girl's for myself! They're so well made, I think they'll remain firm favourites for quite some time. Eula's worn hers to Preschool today. She wasn't keen on having her photo taken yesterday though, preferring to try and get as much cake and chocolate in her mouth before Mummy came to her senses and insisted on some vegetables! Nancy on the other hand, was in full pose mode as per usual ♡There's lots of leftover cake, which is great as it can be shared with my family who we are going to be staying with. I've tucked it safely away in a Sainsburys Helsinki cake tin, to avoid damage whilst travelling, but to also avoid me 'neatening' the edges, a bad habit of mine that leads to things being eaten in their entirety!I'm excited to be going away for a few days, the four of us haven't all left Cornwall together for quite some time. But I also have that sense of overwhelm, when you know you're not going to be in your own home for a while, with all your familiar things and ways of doing things. It's going to be lovely to have a family catch up though.What are your Easter plans?☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆A big thank you to MeriMeri for the beautiful party gifts.And also my thanks to Sainsburys, from whom I received a voucher to shop their new homewares range.

Living Room Update - From almost finished to totally undone.

Wed, 04 Apr 2018 00:00:00 +0100

I had hoped to be sharing the finished living room with you by now, that was the plan anyway. Before Christmas I painted the walls with two coats of Valspar Mountain Midnight, a dark green (that frustratingly photographs blue) It was a big step out of my white comfort zone, as well as a huge step away from my original Living Room Revamp plans......but I'd come to the conclusion the room needed something to inject some soul into it and the colour really worked. Usually I love an all white backdrop, talked about in the blog I wrote Why all white, my reasons for almost all white walls. But in this room's case, when it's all white, it just feels like a room full of objects, it feels cluttered, disorderly and strangely disjointed.The tones of the wood details within the room really suited the darker colour, it felt snug and instantly had more personality. But two coats weren't enough, the paint had a tendency to mark quite easily too, probably due to how matt the finish was, I knew, post Christmas/ New Year, a third would be needed, but I didn't mind really, I was happy with the depth of colour and the ultra matt finish suited our less than perfect walls.Fast forward to March (January and February just blurred into unproductive hibernation), I popped to B&Q, bought another tin of the Valspar paint and set the next day aside as the get the room done day.I would like to add at this point that I hate painting. Hate it.So, Paint Day came and I decided to also do the ceiling. Now I get that that was a risk, a very dark colour, in a small room, that doesn't have a particularly high ceiling. But it was just something I wanted to try. Partly because of the glorious Artex that I felt became more of a focus when the walls and ceiling were a different colour.Because of said Artex, painting the ceiling is super hard work, you think it's covered, then you move slightly to the side and realise the other side of the bumps have all evaded the paint. Exhausting, but I pushed through and did two coats on the ceiling and the third on the walls.It was part way through painting that I realised something was up, the areas that were dry were just as shiny as the wet areas. I double checked the pot, I'd definitely asked for matt and the label stated it was just that. I finished the painting and decided to wait 12 hours, to let it completely dry.It didn't get better. The walls and ceiling were so shiny the light reflected off it and looked awful, every blemish on the walls stood out, the invisible blocked up doorway, where the Ercol sideboard is, was completely visible.Just for the record, it's incredibly difficult to capture the full extent of the hideousness, but Stu summed it up well. The living room now looked like 'a seedy sex den'.I did feel like having a cry, by this point I was supposed to be at the fun, staging/ accessorising part of a room revamp, instead I was in a much worse off place than before I'd started painting. All thanks to a £23 tin of Valspar.I went back to B&Q, where they tested the paint against other matt paint brands and confirmed that it was much shinier than it should have been, they even suggested using the Valspar Eggshell as this was drying more matt. I explained the extent of the damage that one tin of paint had caused and the issue was escalated to the Valspar area rep. Long story short, I was informed Valspar would pay for a Decorator to sort the room, B&Q would cover the cost of the paint. I refused to use Valspar paint again, my confidence in the brand lost and B&Q agreed to Farrow&Ball. I was also asked to escalate the issue to B&Q Customer Services, so they could follow the correct procedure with Valspar. 2 weeks pass, I had had two decorators come and quote to sort the room, both of which couldn't believe it wasn't some kind of gloss paint that I had used. In this time I also decided to have the ceiling skimmed, as the whole episode was making me so miserable, so it was a treat to myself. Again, another professional who thought the ceiling had been painted with gloss.Having the ceiling plastered fell on one of the coldest weekends of the year, we were advised not to light the fire for a day or two, to avoid the ceiling drying too quickly and cracking. You could actually see your own breath whilst sitting in there. Freezing.I got back in contact with B&Q, to check on the progress of my case, desperate to move on and have a finished room. Only to be told that actually no, Valspar wouldn't be taking any kind of responsibility what so ever, so it was kind of tough luck from their (Valspar's) perspective, no concern what so ever that their product isn't fit for purpose. I had heard of others having issues in the past, there was the whole cat wee smell debacle, but until now hadn't had much concern, I'd used their paint a few times, happily answered questions from readers asking about what I used for Nancy's room. I won't be so positive again, it's really not a risk worth taking if this is an acceptable outcome from using their paint.B&Q, however, have been very helpful throughout, especially my local store team. They may stock Valspar, but it isn't their product, despite this they've provided me with a Project Package, to help get the room back on track, which is much appreciated, considering the entire room needs priming before anything can begin to happen. It still means a lot of painting by me to undo the damage.Cue much paint colour confusion, I find it really hard to choose and commit to a colour at the best of times, but when you have already found 'the one', which was perfect for the space, but now can't have it, that's beyond frustrating.I'll talk more about my paint selection process when I can share more positively about this room, for now I wanted to update all those that have followed my paint woes on my Instagram Stories and those messaging asking what the hold up is. I had wanted to hold off talking about it publicly, to allow time for those involved to do the right thing. That didn't really happen.I had to miss a deadline for photographing the room for a collaboration and now I just want this whole negative experience behind me. Our house isn't huge, I've been living in the stress and disappointment for weeks now and it's draining.So, up yours crappy paint and here's to a new plan, one I am even more excited about and hope to share more about with you soon.

Botelet Breakfast Club (and unofficial Appreciation Society).

Tue, 10 Apr 2018 00:00:00 +0100

Yesterday morning Nancy and myself started the new week in just about the best way possible, the way all weeks should start...Botelet Breakfast Club.Take two of my favourite Bs, Breakfast and Botelet, combine them with sunshine and good company and that's a pretty special Monday morning.

A once weekly pop-up breakfast cafe... take your place at the farmhouse table beside the crackling log fire...

I think breakfast is a massively overlooked meal, one that as a parent can be very rushed, rather stressful and definitely not special. But when you have the time to slow down and appreciate things more, it really puts you in a good mood for the rest of the day.Botelet's whole breakfast ethos is centred around the communal table. Friends, family and strangers sharing an experience together, enjoying fresh, beautiful, thoughtfully prepared homemade food and discovering that we all have something in common.So often we sit down in a cafe and, despite being surrounded by people, we have an invisible wall around us. Beyond a polite, quick acknowledgment of those sitting closest we somehow feel we are not supposed to be a part of their experience and they are not included in our own. Botelet's Breakfast Club throws these divisions straight out the wonderful Sash windows, everyone is there to enjoy themselves, to chat and share something.Nancy was thrilled to be visiting Botelet again, I'll let you in on a secret, it's a pretty special place to us for lots of reasons. It's owned by my family, my Great Uncle and Aunt live there, along with my cousins, Richard and Julie. With them is also Richard's wife, Tia and their three children and they all work very hard to make this such a magical place for people to come and stay, and now come to visit and eat.My wonderful Granny Eula, my youngest's namesake, (Eula is also Nancy's middle name) was born at Botelet, as was her brother David and their Father Cyrus. Botelet is recorded in the Doomsday Book.And it's where I had my wedding reception!Uncle David, Aunty Barbara and my cousin Julie.But I'm getting carried away, back to the grub!Choose from a selection of breakfast bowls, homemade Muesli, Granola, the most amazing Cinnamon, Cardamom and Turmeric Overnight Oats. Fresh fruit, yoghurt, fresh coffee, tea and juices...I opted for the homemade Granola, with oven toasted oats, cashew nuts, walnuts, yoghurt, fruit and much more. Nancy had yoghurt and Maple Syrup.I lived a good percentage of my childhood, up to the age of 11, in the countryside and never knew Primroses were edible. I will now be topping absolutely every meal with them and Nancy's already eyeing up the clumps that have newly flowered in our garden, licking her lips!Next up, Botelet Free Range eggs, on the most delicious Sourdough bread. Nancy and I tucked in enthusiastically, whilst chatting to our breakfast companions. I turned up expecting a table full of strangers and before I know it I realise I have some kind of connection to almost every person there. Opposite me was a lady I used to serve regularly when I worked in the Deli in Lostwithiel, next to me a lady my Mum went to Primary School with, her daughter was also there, who it turned out follows my blog (Hello Holly, if you're reading this!) Opposite her the mum of one of my friend's at Primary School. Such a small world.All the while the children, Nancy and two others, are happily eating, then returning to sit by the fire and do some colouring in, back up for a quick nibble or slurp then back to the important business of what colour a Tractor should be. Such a relaxed and welcoming feel for all ages, no pressure.After everyone had left Nancy and I lingered a while, not quite ready to leave our Botelet breakfast bubble. Homemade Blackcurrant Jam, the label written by Richard and Tia's eldest, who's the same age as Nancy. A large smothering of butter and handmade sourdough, food heaven.Part of Botelet's beauty is the understated charm. The older Farmhouse is now rented as a holiday cottage, the main house was built in 1884 and it's where my Great Aunt and Uncle live, in one side, Richard, Tia and the children the other. Julie lives in a cottage down the road, all of them passionate about this special place and it's evident in every detail. Old and new blended seamlessly, vintage agricultural bits and bobs reused as quirky lamps and interesting features. An outside toilet and shower which play music when you enter. These are the things that create such an immersive experience, everything you touch has a story.Nancy was keen to have an explore, so when Tia told her about some orphaned lambs she was up and out in a second.If I gave you a thousand guesses you would never be able to tell me what these three little beauties are called. There's Butterfly Flower, Katy May (who's a boy) and Magazine Racing Car. Truly unique names I think you'll agree, chosen by Nancy's cousins, Cyra, Nell and Otto ♡Exeter Shed, in the background here, is where we had the sit down meal at our wedding. We decorated it ourselves, I made over 200 metres of bunting and we draped the walls with white weed suppressing membrane!I'm aware this is a very photo heavy blog post, but I'm completely unapologetic about this fact, I edited, but with this much beauty I wanted to share in real detail with you.Unfortunately, due to it's popularity, I only got to taste a little teaser of the Overnight Oats, but Tia has very kindly shared the recipe, so that I could in turn share with you. Trust me, it's absolutely wonderful.Overnight Oats Recipe* 2 cups oats* 2 tbsp chia seeds* 1 tbsp flaxseed* 1 tsp ground tumeric* 1/4 tsp cinnamon* 1/4 tsp ground ginger* 1/4 tsp ground cardamom* dash freshly ground black pepper* 500ml milk - either cows milk or a nut or coconut milk* 2 tbsp maple syrup* 1/2 tsp vanilla essenceMix & leave over night - voila! Enjoy xThank you so much to Julie, Tia and Richard for such a wonderful morning and I urge anyone who can to book in for your own experience of Botelet's Breakfast Club. I will be returning very soon I'm sure.

Instagram Creative Lunch Workshops.

Mon, 21 May 2018 00:00:00 +0100

Instagram Creative Lunch Workshops - Inspire • Learn • Eat • Connect • EnjoyWorkshops held at my house, in St Austell, Cornwall.Would you like to -• Connect with other small businesses in the area and learn how to make Instagram really work for you?• Find out the tricks to creating interesting, engaging content, including Instagram Stories.• Tips on how to improve your images.• How to use hashtags properly.• Enjoy a delicious lunch and homemade cake.If you think learning in a relaxed, informal, group environment, sat around my dining table, is something you'd like to be involved with then please send an email to alicecollyer@hotmail.co.uk and state INSTAGRAM LUNCH in the subject.You can also message me on my Facebook and Instagram pages.☆ What's more, every participant will leave with a gorgeous gift bag, full of treats, more details about these soon...June dates -Tuesday 5th 12-2:15ish - FULLTuesday 12th 12 - 2:15ish - FULLSunday 24th 1- 3:15ish - FULLJuly dates -Thursday 5th 12 - 2:15ish - Instagram starter session - FULLThursday 12th 12 - 2:15ish - FULLFriday 20th 12 - 2:15ish - FULLAugust dates -Wednesday 1st 12 - 2:15ishSeptember dates -Sunday 9th 1 - 3:15ishTuesday 25th 12 - 2:15ish£45 per person 》to be paid within 24hrs of confirming you have a place with me in order to secure your place at the table.Price includes a welcome drink, lunch, group session, homemade cake and gift bag.》Please state when booking if you have any specific dietary needs.Numbers are limited to 5 per session, if booking with friends/ business partners, please be ready to pay together, I will not be able to hold places whilst waiting for individuals to pay, past the 24hr limit.Cancellations made less than a week in advance are non refundable, before this may be subject to a 50% charge, depending on whether your place can be filled.Click on the image below to read a really lovely account of my first workshop, thank you to Lisa Claire Stewart Designs ♡Thank you to everyone who has supported and encouraged me to go ahead with this idea. It's great fun connecting with likeminded local people and to share some of our mutual wisdom about all things Instagram, Social Media and Cornwall.

The first Creative Lunch.

Sun, 10 Jun 2018 00:00:00 +0100

Last week's first Instagram Creative Workshop was so much fun and I can't wait for the my next group on Tuesday.I thought I'd share some quick snaps I took, to give you a small insight into the session. I've also included a ground floor video House Tour, as the house was so tidy the opportunity couldn't be missed!House Tour Video -https://youtu.be/D720KcV6cpY

A big thank you to everyone who has sponsored the Goodie Bags so far. I also give all the small businesses attending Workshops the opportunity to pop a business card in there, some have given discount codes also. It's a great way to spread the word.Rex London • 3acre Blooms • Molts Lighting • Lucky Go Happy • We wear Juno • Hanmade in Cornwall • Penperth Farm • Fala Studio • The Fabulous Pasty CoIf you would like to be a future Goodie Bag sponsor then please get in touch.

Living Room Reveal (version 307)

Sun, 24 Jun 2018 00:00:00 +0100

FINALLY I can share with you in full the newest and I pray, long lasting version of the living room. Crikey it's taken longer than anticipated!Some of you may have read the last blog I wrote about this room, at that time I was in a pretty awful state of interior affairs...You can read lots more about that nightmare here. Let me sum it up in a few pictures for you...Initially I went dark and was really pleased with it...But then it all went wrong when I bought the same paint to do a third coat and that paint, despite being matt emulsion, was actually shiny like gloss. I didn't realise this until after I had painted almost the entire room. Long story short, utterly ruined. Read Living Room Update - From almost finished to totally undone for the nitty gritty details.Look how shiny that ceiling is!!To make myself feel better, whilst waiting for some kind of compensation/ resolution, I decided to have the ceiling skimmed, to banish the glorious Artex.This all coincided with the coldest weather I've ever experienced in Cornwall and, as we couldn't light the fire for a while (our main source of heat) because of the ceiling being done, with it getting down to -1 inside at one point, it was a pretty depressing time if I'm honest.The snow was pretty though...https://youtu.be/vLb3FeXh1aMBut, onwards and upwards. I initially tried to find a similar colour, as I had liked the dark contrast, but this proved very difficult. It had to be Farrow&Ball, the paint was being supplied by B&Q as compensation for the awful Valspar paint, but all their 'similar' colours just came up wrong in the room.My lovely friend Rachel came over to help me figure things out, as I was starting to lose the plot, we decided to paint an area white, to stop the original colour having such an effect on the testers. This small area of white turned into painting the entire room and before I knew it (painting with a friend to talk to is SO so much better than a solo slog) the whole room was a blank, if somewhat patchy canvas.This white canvas confirmed two things for me -1. Despite my love affair with white walls, this room just doesn't suit an all white background. It makes it feel like a space full of objects, everything an individual, nothing pulling together to create an overall harmonious style.2. I did want to go lighter again and I was being drawn to greens.After many Khaki/ Sludge disappointments, the light in this room seemed to turn all F&B greens bad, I had one last attempt at getting it right - my next move being to just sell the house and run away into the wilderness forever more. Funnily enough, it was a colour Stu had said he liked weeks before, but I had immediately discounted it at the time, because of it's name - Oval Room Blue.I didn't want a blue room.But actually it was perfect, not really blue at all in this room, just the perfect pale green I had wanted.A new plan was born and I could feel hope coming back again...I'm completely in love with this angle, the colours all tie together really well and I'm so pleased I went with the white wall, as the contrast with the prints is just what I wanted. I was mindful that I didn't want a feature wall feel with the Oval Room Blue, but equally I didn't want the prints on a coloured wall either. I feel this split colour helps the space blend seamlessly into the extension. Before, with the dark paint, it felt like a completely separate box, away from the rest of the downstairs.This wall needed something, but initially I wasn't sure what. Previously we'd had the 2 seater version of the IKEA Stocksund Sofa, which always felt like a bit of a silly size, it backed onto this wall and the room felt disjointed. With my impulse eBay purchase of the 3 seater version (a bargainous £200) and a new position, this left a void to fill.I have a love/hate relationship with shelves, more often than not they attract useless clutter and certain people within the family don't understand that they are not the place for discarded apple cores and piles of loose change. However, I stumbled upon these vintage ones on eBay, they're a take on String Shelving, but not official. They needed a respray when they arrived, but I think they fit the space perfectly. Thus far they haven't been taken over by anyone else either. In spaces that aren't huge, having furniture that is on the wall, as opposed to stood in the floor can make such a difference. It can work with leggy furniture too, if you see the continuation of the floor underneath it gives the illusion of more space. This is a trick I use in every room in the house.The curtain, which I made from a dust sheet, offers some privacy, as well as blocking out the glare of the sun, when you just want to get away from it. You can read lots more about how I made it here.I challenged Stu to find me a way of spanning the entire opening, without needed middle support for the pole, or by using curtain track. His solution? An old handrail he just happened to have stashed away in the garage. It sanded up beautifully and due to it's thickness, happily spans the 3 metre opening. This means the curtain can freely move from left to right, be gathered either side and be used as a panel to block the sun in a specific place.The Ercol sideboard fits beautifully here, housing all the ugly TV bits and bobs. When we're not watching the television I pop a few prints in front of it, as it's such a ugly focal point otherwise. Nope, I STILL haven't haven't colour matched the new knobs. I'll be honest, it may never happen!!We hang washing to dry above the wood burner, so the rack Stu made is in constant use.I knew I wanted some form of candle sconce and I really love this Ferm Living one, with it's mottled mirror. Stu, however, is not a fan. Add in the fact that from where he sits on the sofa it reflects the Sofia Bonati Sasha print which he also doesn't like, making it look like some kind of shrine to her when the candle is lit, it's safe to say it isn't his cup of tea. But hey, good job I get the last say really isn't it.This Plan Toys Slide n Go Doll's house was a gift and it's one of my favourite things on the shelves. The girls take it down to play with, but it gets tidied away to here. I love it's simplicity and the pale tone of the wood.This mirror was a lucky £8 vintage find, it's completely lovely and previously lived in our bedroom, but I felt it should be seen more often, so it joined the gallery wall.The ceiling light is the Habitat Astrid, as featured in my Low Ceiling Lighting Ideas blog post.One of my favourite details in this room is the vintage bird embroidery, found in a Charity Shop for £1. I just adore it, the effort someone went to creating it, it's lovely simple wooden frame and the fact it has nonreflective glass. Perfect.It's a really comfortable and relaxing room now, all the trauma it has caused is almost forgotten and sat here, admiring the sun streaming in, the birds chattering in the garden, I am almost thankful Paintgate did happen, otherwise I'm not sure if I ever would have ended up where we are now.

The majority of the picture frames we have in the house are the Habitat Ontario in oak, they're totally beautiful and great value.☆In the interest of honesty I think I should mention the fact that 1 print on the wall in the living room is actually still in the celophane, it was temporarily stuck up quite some time ago, until I bought a new frame and there it has stayed. I am yet to order the frame, despite it taking all of 5 minutes to do!

A leap of faith.

Sun, 01 Jul 2018 00:00:00 +0100

Every so often in life an opportunity pops up and it's down to you to make the decision as to whether you'll jump right into it, both feet first, or hold back tentatively, citing timing issues, finances, commitments elsewhere, all very valid reasons.Recently I've been racing along, continually working on projects in the house, increasing my writing work and collaborations with brands, as well as starting my Alice in Scandiland Instagram Shop. Not to mention June being the month I launched my Instagram Creative Lunches. The shop and workshops have proven very popular, but, as many people have said, working from home can be both a blessing and a curse. I've found that I crave the ability to go somewhere else to 'be at work', to have a clearer division between home life and work life.I have, for a long time, had the pipe dream of one day owning some form of all in one business, vintage homewares, mixed with some carefully chosen, complimentary contemporary items. A space suitable to host more workshops, a Craft Club, a Creative Social Club, my Instagram Creative Lunches. A place I can work from in the day, writing, making, but also somewhere the public could visit, to see what I had on offer. In my mind this place would perhaps be on an Industrial Estate, or maybe a farm building that had been converted for rent. I could never, ever afford the rent of a shop on a highstreet, or at least I didn't think I could.But life this week has taken a funny and unexpected turn, a frank conversation with my Dad, about where he wanted to be going with his Workshops/ Art Gallery, lead to an unexpected twist. To cut a long story short it would seem I will be opening the Alice in Scandiland Creative Space in the not so distant future.In some ways my Dad and I will be joining forces, our businesses will run along side each other, separately, but at times merging into one, stay tuned for more on this.I hope to find the right way to blend my love for vintage treasure hunting and Scandinavian design and interiors into an exciting and new creative dream. Homewares, Workshops and who knows, maybe even some styled up accomodation.Lostwithiel is an utterly beautiful town, just off the A390. You may be forgiven for driving through without realising it's full potential, but turn down into the main highstreet, where I will be based and you'll find a wonderful array of independent businesses, shops, restaurants, Pubs and more. Lostwithiel has such a wonderful community spirit, it's where I grew up from the age of 11 and despite not living there for about 13 years, I still very much feel a part of it's life, as do the girls.I won't talk too much more about this all now, there are still many, many details to be ironed out and of course, I'm not naive, I know this won't be all playing shops and touting my pretty wares, but sometimes, when you get that flutter in your chest and feel your brain burst into overdrive with ideas, sometimes you just have to grab it and go for it.That's what I've decided to do, I can't wait to take you on the journey with me.

If you would like to be involved with the Alice in Scandiland Shop, then please get in touch. As well as my own vintage treasures and original makes, I will be on the lookout for products to stock. If you think you make something that suits my style and aesthetic, I'd love to hear from you.Please message me on Instagram, Facebook or send me an email to alicecollyer @hotmail.co.uk

Big Shop News.

Wed, 08 Aug 2018 00:00:00 +0100

Things have been a little quiet round here I know, almost 4 weeks since I last posted, but life has entered a whole new level of busy and there hasn't been enough room in my head for intelligible blog banter.In case you haven't heard, I'm opening a shop in Lostwithiel. This life changing decision was made only a few weeks ago, but in my typical style, once an idea takes hold, I am powerless to divert myself away. All the planning and plotting and logistics takes up every last second of the day, I've been lying in bed, going over shelving designs and stock quantities, making lists at 4am. To say it's been a little inconvenient all this coinciding with the summer holidays is a serious understatement, but with Stu's unending support and the beach as free all day child entertainment, I have absented myself from family life from dusk til dawn. It won't always be like this, once opened and I have a few weeks under my belt then we will settle into a more "normal" routine, but for now it has to be all or nothing.My parents are incredibly supportive and as excited as I am for this new chapter, which is good, because the shop is at the front of their house! My Dad has moved his Bright Side of the Road gallery next door, into the smaller shop, so we are going to be business neighbors. He will continue to use the space in my front shop to host his Lino Printing Workshops and we are also going to be collaborating on future workshop ideas, he's a bit of a clever man and I fully intend to take advantage of all his hidden skills. Watch this space.Speaking of being a man with many skills, I am also very fortunate that my Dad is making all the shop fittings for me, to my design specifications, not only that, but in a completely ridiculous time frame as well (but I'll come to that soon)...I am being incredibly supportive though, suffering numerous trips to soul sapping Trago in a supportive capacity, as well as being there when plans need to change on the spot, which has happened on numerous occasions. This whole process has been like revisiting parts of my childhood, I was always the eager one volunteering to accompany my Dad on his diy supply runs, the smell of the timber merchant is an incredibly evocative one, perhaps why I have a bit of an obsession with using wood in it's many forms within my interiors. I can't tell you how happy it's making me having the opportunity to explore more ideas in a new, beautiful space, I really can't wait to share it with you.So, the golden question, one I've been asked a lot this week and finally I'm ready to announce that I've set the day...I realise, with less than a week left, this is a completely ludicrous deadline to set for us, but my reasoning behind this is as follows -

I am impatient to get going.
I am impatient to get going.
I want to get going!

Compromises are being made though, I hope the inside of the shop will be close to my vision, but the outside will not be painted yet, a job that will be done by the end of the month. I may not have my sign by then, but that locally made beauty will be well worth the wait.So, with that news I really must get going, because right now, if you were to peak through the window, you'd be rather surprised to hear I plan on being open to the public in less than a week, it's a jolly good job I come from a family of superb multitaskers!Will I be seeing you in the shop soon? I really hope so, your support means so much to me, without you lot this would never had felt like a good idea.For those who live further away, once I am finished running around like a mad woman, I will be setting my mind to sorting the online shop, so I hope you will feel as involved in this project as those who are local and able to pop by.

Eula's Room Revamp.

Sun, 23 Sep 2018 00:00:00 +0100

Today I'm breaking my blogger's block and putting something new here. It has been the longest I've ever gone without writing in this space and as the days have ticked by the weight of my absence has got heavier, completely crushing my ability to string the right words together.The longer you go without doing something, the harder it is to get back in the saddle. But I'm just going to jump on in as I'm excited to share Eula's room with you.Eula is the youngest, she'll be 5 next month. I can't believe my youngest child is almost 5, surely she's still a baby?!In our house we have 3 bedrooms, 2 are an ok size, Eula's however is the size of a large cupboard. It's sod's law for her, being the unfortunate second born, that she get's the "box room", but we're making the best of it as it's what we have and we won't be moving anytime soon.When she first moved into her own room Eula had the Ikea Minnen bed, which initially was great, however the more time I spent folding myself into strange and unnatural positions to lie with her as she fell asleep, the more I realised this wasn't going to be a long term setup. We pondered the idea of a some form of platform bed creation, but I feared it would feel very claustrophobic, so in the end a custom made ply bed, to fit the width of the room was decided upon.This is the oldest photo on my phone gallery, January 2017. It's been waiting all that time for me to write about her room!As ever Stu stepped up to the challenge and with the help of some expert drawings by myself, on the back of an envelope, the perfect bed for the space was created. We already had a foam mattress (bought from Amazon) which was spare, so we cut the end off, making it 90cm x 160, popped a mattress protector on and that was that. It's approx 30cm shorter than a standard single, but even a tall, 5ft 10'er like me can comfortable sleep in it, granted a bit of scrunching up us required, but she's got a long way to go before that even enters the equation.There were elements of the room that I liked, the bed, the Urban Outfitters duvet, some of her cushions and books, but overall it lacked a soul. The bare white walls felt cold and ill thought out.The twin slot shelving was a great addition, you can read lots more about that here, however, even that felt lacking to me. The blank wall behind made the objects on the shelf feel like clutter.I'm definitely one to over think things, my husband says I see problems where none exist, but I think it's just that my mind is a constant whir of ideas and inspiration and so I can't help but see what something could become.I knew what I wanted to do, but the time had to be right. Opening the Alice in Scandiland Shop meant I wasn't at home for much of the summer, Stu held the fort brilliantly, but the house did lose itself a bit, with artwork borrowed to illustrate "coming soon" stock at the shop, duvet sets being separated in the wash, so everyone ended up with random bits and pieces - shock, horror!When it was time to prepare for the house being photographed for a feature next year in House Beautiful magazine, I knew the time was right to implement my plans for this tiny little room.I became a House of Rym stockist when I opened the shop, I absolutely love their playful, beautiful Swedish designs and I knew I wanted to have a play with some of their pieces in Eula's room.The Palm me down wallpaper felt right instantly, I didn't consider a single other style. Quick decisions were essential as we had very little time to transform much of the upstairs of our house.At this time Piglet in Bed got in contact to see if I would like to tryout their Little Piglets Bedding Bundle. I was over the moon as I had been looking at option for Eula's bed, her cotton duvet set hadn't really stood the test of time and I was also intrigued about using Linen for her, as she's such a hot little bundle in the night. I opted for the sage, as I felt this would tone nicely with the nature inspired scheme. It arrived in a beautiful linen drawstring bag (which was soon transformed into a way of taking a large quantity of toys from one room to the next by the girls). I was thrilled with the quality and Eula is utterly in love with her super soft bed.Super soft Piglet in Bed 100% Linen.The sage posed a problem with the colour of her little wardrobe though, clashing with the mint, so when my good friend Rachel offered to come over to help with the revamp, bringing a tin of Little Greene pink paint with her, it was a huge relief. She kindly did the first 2 coats. The 3rd I did at half 9 at night, with Eula sleep in the same room. Thank goodness it's an Eco paint!I had planned on undertaking the wallpapering myself, however, very fortunately one of my lovely Instagram followers kindly offered her husband's services, when I posted a plea for help on my stories.Thank goodness, like I didn't have enough to do with a total revamp in the master bedroom, a full clean and tidy, elements of Nancy's room to straighten out, cake to bake, a shop to run, stock to order... I really could go on!I knew it was the right choice from the moment I saw the first piece go on the wall. Finally the room felt like it had a proper character.The majority of Eula's toys, that live in her room, are in an IKEA under bed storage basket thing, bought for £4 from a charity shop.The wall between Eula's room and ours was clad by my Dad. I had always envisaged this wall being wood, I love the patterns and texture of the grain and it really adds a new dimension to the space. We used low grade, thin Spruce Plywood, screwed to batons that had been attached to the wall. Birch Ply is my usual Ply go-to, but I wanted more knots and grain, the Spruce was also cheaper, so it's a win win.The room is so small it's really very difficult giving a proper, overall sense of the design, as you just can't get far enough back, but I've done my best. This has held me back from sharing much about her room in the past, because I can't get "the perfect picture", but I'm ignoring that now.Eula is absolutely thrilled with the space, as am I. It feels rather wonderful that it is "done" and I can properly tick it off the to-do list, finally. The same can be said for this blog post, my first in a long time. Hopefully now I've broken my writer's block I can get back to sharing with you.Thank you if you've stuck around and are still here.1. Fine Little Day Eye Eye Poster - I have this in stock at the Alice in Scandiland Shop.2. Piglet in Bed Linen bedding in Sage - shop here.3. House of Rym Resting Nesting Cushion Cover.4. House of Rym Palm me down - brown5. House of Rym decorative cushions.6. Rachel Powell Yoko print.

Master Bedroom Makeover.

Sun, 28 Oct 2018 00:00:00 +0100

Our house was shot for a feature in House Beautiful Magazine last month and this was the catalyst needed to push on and get multiple projects finally done, in time for the photographer's arrival.Our bedroom had a mini makeover 2 years ago, on a budget of about £5 and that was fine, for then. But over time the room was picked apart, pictures and accessories stolen for elsewhere in the house, cheap bedding started to look very worn and drab and before I knew it the room was back to being deeply unsatisfying and uninspiring.This beautiful, vintage brass mirror was stolen for the living room revamp -Nothing was working for this room once taken apart, dreary, awful and very grey.Our HUGE bed, which is made up of a double and single (our way of dealing with babies and breastfeeding and frequent nightime visitors when the girls were younger) takes up almost the entire width of the room. One part of me would love a "normal" bed, a beautiful wooden frame, bedside tables and space to move about the room a little more freely. But the other part of me, the most dominant, LOVES how much sleeping space we have and considering this is a room where I come to lie down, I think having that space to sprawl out and for my children to come in and have cuddles, without falling out the side, is more important at this point in our life.When Stu and I stay somewhere else we find it incredibly weird to be in a standard size bed, so close, noticing the other person's every nightime squirm and turn.The inspiration for my plans for the room came when Deco Collective got in contact and asked if I would like to try out some of their 100% linen bedding. Linen was top of my wish list for changes in here, my initial love of the cheap cotton jersey we had soon wore out, with the way it stretched and sagged and tangled up your feet at night, as well as how hot and sweaty I found it. Deco Collective offer mix and match colours and patterns, so you can be very creative, as opposed to restricted by bedding sets.I fell in love with this muted and beautiful colour pallete, coral, blush and olive, mixed with ply cladding and pulled together with the wonderful House of Rym blanket, which I stock at the Alice in Scandiland Shop.As ever, my lovely Dad came to the rescue and helped immensely with the work needed to be magazine ready. With me working all hours at the shop and Stu either working or looking after the kids, we really couldn't have done it without him.When you're undertaking work in your house, but have to stay put and have limited space, things can get pretty disorderly and stressful rather quickly. We spent a night sleeping in that hovel, my feet practically out in the hall, but it was all leading towards some serious progress.I've had a love affair with Ply for quite some time, for me it's the natural colour and tone, the grain patterns, bringing the outside in, as well as how quickly it can transform a space. I went back and forth over several options for our room, but it was only after I'd discussed it with the lovely Caroline, from Mint House Interiors, with her wonderful breadth of knowledge and ideas, that I finally committed to a design. The ledge meant the bed would need to move further out into the room, which in an already small room was a little bit of a worry, but it's turned out really well.We used a cheaper, lower grade Spruce Plywood as I loved the detailing...as well as the price! Birch Ply, my usual go-to, is beautiful, but costs soon add up, plus it generally has less grain visible and that wasn't what I was after this time.We also clad one of Eula's room's walls at the same time, which has completely transformed the space. You can read lots more about her room revamp here.Anyone else see boobs? Hahaha! I kind of love this accidental feature.I also wanted to clad the wardrobe, to pull the two halves of the room together. Unfortunately for Dad this turned into a hideously problematic "20 minute job", ending up taking the better part of a day, down to an issue with the hinges and how close one of the doors is to the wall, blah blah.But it was absolutely worth it.This lovely little hanging pot was a gift from Rhiannon, My Designer Friend and I love the subtle injection of greenery, simple to look after, lovely to look at. I split a String of Hearts plant, putting the other half in a little pot for Nancy's room.Spark and Bell were very kind and sent me their beautiful Brass Flexi Neck Swing Lamp which is just perfect for the space and our needs. It came with all the fixtures and fittings you need to put it up, including the rawl plugs, now that's attention to detail.Isn't that a thing of beauty?! Set against the lovely Fine Little Day Fjäll Poster, a best seller in my shop, with it's dreamlike aura, I'm very pleased with how these details have come together, the lamp is simply perfect.My aim is to try to reduce some of my screen time over the coming months and get back to my love of reading. Lounging here will be the perfect setting and the warm glow of this light will make a welcoming scene as the Winter sets in.Messy bed, don't care. Let's be honest, this here is probably the truest representation of what our room will look like day to day. But with the amazing pop of coral, from the sheets underneath, even in "messy mode" it still looks pretty damn lovely, don't you think? Linen bedding definitely isn't for super neat, fans of ironing, it crumples and creases really quickly, but that is one of the reasons I love it, the pressue is off. I am most definitely NOT a fan of ironing, our iron rarely sees the light of day so I love this lived in look and it really feels like me, finally.The peg rails were bought on eBay and the lovely maker/ seller rushed through my custom length order, as I'd left it rather close to my deadline before thinking about ordering. I'm absolutely thrilled with them, such lovely quality and the tones of the wood fit perfectly with the rest of the room.I love that they are multifunctional, I can chop and edit details according to my mood and the changing seasons. This is also a great idea if you're anything like me and crave change a little too often.This little frame, containing pressed Clover (Shamrocks) was a random charity shop find, 50p very well spent in my opinion. I love that someone took the time and effort to pick, press and frame those little plants. Such a simple thing, but so lovely. The Fine Little Day Swim Poster just makes me smile, it's a simple as that. I sell it in my shop by the way.The Ikea Ikornnes Mirror was a happy accident, I had bought it for use in the shop, but somehow it made it's way home and I popped it up there as a temporary measure, but it fits exactly across 3 pegs and I couldn't imagine anything else feeling right now.So, there you have it, finally a room to be proud of and not escape as quickly as possible, to avoid the depressing grey mood it previously gave off.I walk in here now and feel calm and inspired, I am sleeping better since changing to Linen bedding, as is Eula who also now has 100% Linen and I look forward to climbing into bed at night.Clockwise - House of Rym Kind of Kurbits blanket, £96, one left in my shop. Spark and Bell Flexi Neck Light, Malabon Pendant Light, Pagazzi, Fine Little Day Fjäll Poster, sold out in my shop right now, more coming in November, Ikea Ikornnes Mirror, Deco Collective Linen Bedding.

A huge thank you to Deco Collective and Spark and Bell for the gift of their wonderful products, they've really helped this room become what it is, a haven, rather than a horror.

Advent begins.

Fri, 30 Nov 2018 00:00:00 +0000

There's nothing like a little crafty project to break the blog block, hi, remember me? Possibly not, it's been a rather long time, again!Needless to say life is CRAZY busy right now, but I am really excited to share the Advent Calendar I've put together for the girls this year. It's been a relatively quick and simple make but it's my favourite calendar so far.To start let's have a reminder of Advents gone by...Last year's was rather lovely -You can read lots more about it here, I think this is still in the attic (we haven't ventured up to retrieve any of the Christmas decorations yet), I'm thinking I may do a little giveaway so it can find a new home...More from previous years -This year I had a set location in the house in mind, the wall up the side of the stairs.Up until a few months ago we had a banister from the entrance hall, up the stairs which I would decorate at Christmas with a garland and fresh greenery, but this was taken away to open the space up in September, which I am so thrilled about, but I felt it needed something to festive it up.I'd bought these little bags for the Alice in Scandiland Shop, so these were an easy option. I like the fact they're reusable, I didn't want to commit to them always being an Advent thing, so I decided to stamp onto brown paper and safety clip those on, a method I've used to make some Christmas gift bags for shop stock -I've filled the bags with a mix of different things, ranging from a simple few sweets, to handmade tree decorations from my shop, multi coloured pencils and some beautiful Braided Stars, which were a gift to me from a new friend, from her trip to visit family in Denmark.I sell some similar in the shop, made by a lovely local Danish lady.I'm consciously trying to cut down on our plastic use in the house and to help the children become more conscious of what we all need to do to help the environment, so I opted for Pick&Mix sweets, which come in a paper cup. I wrapped some of the more sugary, sticky treats in reused tissue paper.Some of the dates have little handmade cards in, informing the girls of an exciting Christmas event that's taking place that day.I love how the garland has become the first step in our house towards decorating and I can feel the bug catching. Next on my list is to set a date for choosing our tree.I hope you liked this little quick make, I'm so happy with how it turned out.

Kitchen Shelves, Finishing Touches.

Sun, 23 Dec 2018 00:00:00 +0000

I was finally at home during daylight today so I managed to grab a few snaps of our new kitchen shelves. It's so strange to think I've spent so little time at our house these past 5 months or so, every waking moment has been spent at the shop, thinking about the shop or grabbing snippets of time with the girls in the brief moments I'm not at the shop or planning for it.Interiors wise it's been a very quiet few months for the house (much to Stu's appreciation I'm sure).But a few weeks ago the nagging feeling inside, the "something isn't quite right" feeling I often get, cropped up again for the kitchen. It didn't come as a surprise, I've had shelves on the brain on and off since we redid this room a few years ago now. I fought and fought the feeling, but in the end I knew it was an itch I needed to scratch, even if just to prove to myself that it wasn't the right choice for the space.It's not as though there was much wrong with this side of the kitchen, it was all nice enough, but I never felt fully settled with it. The large Fine Little Day print, one of me favourites, filled a void for a little while, but the pountlesnes of all the objects there frustrated me. It was a waste of space.I try not to have collections and "things" that are pointless, but I have found that over the past year or so there are objects in the kitchen which have lacked a proper home. Pieces which move in and out of use constantly, candle holders, a favourite jug, handmade mugs... these things drifted around the room, homeless and looking like clutter.So shelves it was.I spent some time thinking about what style of shelving I wanted, the options are so vast and in the end I decided to go with a cheap and easy option for the time being, to get it done (so much of my brain space is taken up with the Alice in Scandiland Shop, I find I have little tolerance for multiple options right now).I had seen the B&Q Form Pine Shelf Brackets in store and liked their simplicity (similar to the IKEA Ekby Valter birch brackets, but without the piece at the top which stops the shelf sitting up flush to the wall). The B&Q Kosto Pine Shelf Board was exactly the depth and width I was after, so about £40 and 20 minutes to put up, the job was done.Our kitchen is already a mashup of different tones of wood, I love the variations (for many it would probably give them shivers!) A good friend expressed her concern that shelves above would detract from the vintage school lockers below, a very valid worry, but thankfully I think they actually enhance them. This side of the room feels more ordered, a lot more useful and I love seeing some of my favourite things right there, close to hand.A spare IKEA Ranarp clamp on light, which has at one point or another lived in both Nancy and Eula's bedrooms, provides some mood, previously this side of the kitchen was a little forgotten about come nightime.So there, another job ticked off the to-do list, a success and even Stu agrees they were a good idea! It just goes to show you don't always have to spend a lot of money to make changes in your home.I'd like to take this opportunity to wish all you lovely people who take the time to check in here and read about what I've been up to a very Happy Christmas.Today I spent a festive day with the girls at Trerice National Trust House, visiting the Tufor Father Christmas, absorbing some history and enjoying some rare time together. One more shop day tomorrow and then I get a whole week off, I can't wait!

Friend Feature - A Very Grownup Dining Room.

Sun, 30 Dec 2018 00:00:00 +0000

My very wonderful friend Rachel has created an absolutely beautiful dining room and I couldn't help but photograph it when I visited, just before Christmas.I wanted to share with you, to celebrate and shout about her (and her partner Justin's) achievements, because I feel I have very much been a part of the detailed journey to get to this point, I've mentioned before that Rachel is my go to, daily Interior sounding board, a role that comes right back at me for all of her own ideas, inspiration and planning.Let's start with a bit of before, for effect...The dining room was the darkest place in the house, so often the way with these Victorian Terrace houses. Rachel is like me, her go to is white walls, though she prefers more of a maximalist clash and riot of colour, usually achieved with characterful, eclectic accessories. But this central room was dull and depressing, the soul felt like it had been sucked out, white just wasn't going to cut it.Rachel decided to embrace the current downside to this room and go all dark, a trick that often can really lift a space devoid of natural light.Right around the time I decided to go dark for our living room, Rachel ordered the Lakeland Farrow&Ball Railings colour matched Eco paint, thinking about it, it was actually Rachel who wanted to go dark first, but I jumped on her bandwagon and did it all in one child free afternoon, gazumping her...sorry Rachel!After the catastrophe that was the paint for our living room and the extra mistake of painting the ceiling, Rachel decided to air on the side of caution and not paint her ceiling dark, which had been the initial plan. It was absolutely the right decision.Ercol Grand Windsor Table + Stickback 391 ChairsIt's now a true heart of the home, a multifunctional space, no longer a room you simply pass through to get to somewhere else.Rachel has achieved most of this while pregnant with her third child, driven by her plans to Freebirth in this special room. Now if that isn't reason enough to push on and get her ideas out into the real world, then I'm not sure what else. Hell hath no fury like a woman making a birth nest! I did much the same when pregnant with Eula, getting rid of about 60% of our belongings, ripping out the terrible blue carpet in the living room and getting it just so.I'll leave you with this perfect Christmas image, because the holidays aren't over yet and this kind of makes me want to go back and do it all over again!

New Year Imposter Syndrome.

Fri, 11 Jan 2019 00:00:00 +0000

I've got New Year stage fright when it comes to my blog, again. Every so often my ability to write here flies away and suddenly I'm faced with the feeling that surely what I have to say can't be that interesting and is it all a bit silly, this blog lark? Those of us that choose to share our lives with you in this way do so for many reasons, for me it was that I was asked to, having never really been an avid blog follower, I soon felt like it was a creative outlet I had been in great need of. But once in a while it feels as though the bottom just drops out of your confidence and you're left with this funny cyber place, where you talk about plywood, arguing children and nice cushions!

So, I thought I would break my radio silence and push through the anxiety to wish you all a Happy New Year and to tell you I hope to get back to more frequent writing soon (I've said that before, haven't I!), I miss it, but it's also not something you can push, I've made that mistake in the past and am never pleased with the end result.

Eula, last weekend, still in Summer mode.

2019 has begun with a focus on more time spent with my little people, something that has been much needed, my constant busyness has been keenly felt by Nancy and Eula, they both know it's all for a good reason, but even so, it's hard going when you're 7 and 5. Up until August'18 they had me at home almost constantly from birth, then I went straight into working more hours than I care to mention, but this is what it takes to start new projects - risks and sacrifice. The end result, I hope, will be the ability to have more control over my own time and hopefully employ someone to take the pressure off, shop wise at least.

This month I am easing into the year with a 4 day working week, to allow me the time to hang out at home and do a bit of winter nesting, something that is so important for our mental health in these dark, cold days. The Christmas decorations are gone, but I still feel that need to create, so I'm busying myself with some updates to the storage in both the girl's rooms, though things may have got a little out of hand and I may be undertaking a mini revamp of Nancy's room!

Bedroom goodies for Nancy from H&M.

I'm heading to Paris for 24 hours next Friday, to visit the Maison et Objet Trade Show, it's going to be exhausting but good fun as I'm heading over with a lovely bunch of ladies, I'll be sure to take lots of photos and share with you upon my return. I'm hoping to fit in a meal with my big brother in Bristol also, I can't venture up that way without seeing him, it would seem like a wasted opportunity.

So there we are, a little about how I'm feeling right now and a little more than I expected on top of that.

Happy January x

IKEA IVAR - storage solutions for a box room.

Sun, 03 Mar 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Eula's room has had many setups over the last few years, I'm forever in search of "the one", which will make the small space work best for us. In the past I have favoured vintage cupboards, for their character and the ease at which you can change them up with a lick of paint.But practicality wise none of them met our needs. They would be jumbled and messy just moments after I had sort it out. There would also be a lot of wasted space, as you can see in the image above, in and around the boxes containing all her folded clothes, space - unused space in a tiny room is a complete no no! So you can properly picture the space, it measures approx 5ft x 9ft.I wanted something that would be easier for Eula to learn to maintain, but I also wanted longevity, something that would remain useful and the right size as she gets older and as her clothes get bigger.I really love the focus on natural materials and tones in this room and it was something I was keen to continue with the new storage setup. The IKEA IVAR range was forefront in my mind, as I have a little bit of a style crush with it. It's the simplicity and celebration of the wood which does it for me, as well as it's no fuss design and practicality. For some the range looks unfinished (or so I've been told), for me it's unashamedly basic and timeless.Pyjamas - essential flat pack attire.During the period between Christmas and New Year our house got pretty chaotic, we were here, there and everywhere and so things got pretty ugly around here!The perfect setting to put together a ton of flat pack furniture!When I visited IKEA (solo,with both children, on possibly the busiest day of the year) I was utterly thrilled to find the half of what I had made the journey for had actually gone out of stock during the hour and a half journey there. So I came home slightly (VERY) miffed. I made a start with what I had, which wasn't much!It was then another few weeks before Eula's room progressed on from this stage.But finally I had decided upon the configuration I wanted, ordered the cupboard and found the time to carry on.We went for the set of 3 drawers, with the larger sized cupboard to be stacked on top.We mounted the chest of drawers on the wall, using a wooden batten to sit it on on the wall. Securing it top and bottom, screwed into the wall.We used 2 of the little metal shelf posts to create a link between the chest of drawers and the cupboard above. They both have holes in the same place, so they sit on each other perfectly. I'm pretty sure there is an official piece in the bag of bit that you get, but most of that was lost by this point!We floated the chest of drawers and cupboard at just the right height so that a few KNAGGLIG crates, with coasters attached, could fit underneath.I've done the same for book storage in both the girl's rooms.Ikea sell the wheels, in store there right where the crates are.Next comes organising the organisation. Initially I bought the set of 6 SKUBB boxes, to do a spot of compartmentalisation, but the IVAR drawers are quite shallow, so they were too tall.These HÖFTA drawer dividers worked better, though they aren't fantastic to be honest - VERY flimsy and only work their best when the drawers are full.Stu added a rail (or in this case a left over piece of batten), which does the job just as well.Eula loves that she now knows where everything is and it's all much easier to view/ choose from. Currently she needs a step to access the top, which works fine and means as she gets older she isn't going to outgrow this set up for a good while. The step is the VILTO step stool from IKEA, which we have a few of dotted around the house.

Nancy's Bedroom Do-Over - The Inspiration.

Sun, 07 Apr 2019 00:00:00 +0100

I've suddenly realised that I have started Nancy's room revamp, but, beyond the stories I have shared over on Instagram, I haven't shown you a proper breakdown of my plan. Perhaps this is because I rarely have a full plan in place, but I'll share my inspiration with you, to give an idea of where I am hopefully heading.
Nancy's bedroom was "done" a few years back and it was nice, she liked it, it mostly worked, but thanks to an escalation in a damp, condensation problem within our home and her room being on the end of the house, with a large, outside wall, all of a sudden we seemed to have several very noticeable issues in there. The wall behind her artwork got damp, causing black mould and the pictures became wrinkled and damaged.

But thanks to a collaboration with Envirovent, which I will be talking about here very soon, I believe our damp and mould problems are a thing of the past. So, I've thrown myself into banishing the stained walls and updating this bedroom.

Ok and I wanted to try out some of the beautiful, warm tones I was so inspired by when I visited Maison et Object in Paris in January and this is the perfect chance.

Zone Denmark had one of the most beautiful displays of practical and gloriously coloured product. The tones and warmth make my heart sing.Monk & Anna, love everything about this.HK Living was another favourite and the subtle colour palette stuck in my mind long after. I really hope to bring this beautiful brand to the shop in the not so distant future.For me, inspiration comes from a whole host of places and I store little ideas and concepts away somewhere in my brain, until a time when it may be suitable. It's then so fun joining the dots together, planning the details and seeing what actually works.

You can follow my planning and collecting of prettiness over on Pinterest - follow me there to stay up to date.

image - Delightfull.eu
The colour and tones of this room are just perfection.via @tessahop
Forever a huge source of glorious interiors inspiration.

Ida, otherwise known as Nordic Re-make is always a massively enjoyable and valuable source of inspiration. Her way with subtle colour, texture and quirky details is the stuff of my dreams. I can't help but pull elements from Ida's room designs and attempt my own take, because she is pretty much my most favourite Instagram account to follow. I featured Ida on the blog last year, you can read more about her here. I hope one day we'll get to meet in the real world.

So, this brings me to my plan of action and The Moodboard.
I have been collecting bits and bobs over the last few months, which does mean some things are unavailable now. Such as the H&M Fringed Mirror and Birch Pegrails - I had to look as far as Spain and have some extras sent by a lovely friend last week, as I was 4 short.Once the room in complete (a few weeks from now) I will share more about the specific details.

I would like to create a new desk area, to replace the Twin Slot Shelving setup she has had previously. I have it in my mind to maybe use some PrettyPegs table legs, something along the lines of...
I'm very excited to work with some wonderful brands on this room revamp, Mosnox and Swedish Linens will be a match made in heaven and I can't wait to share so many more of the details as they come to life.
Head to Instagram and check out my "Nancy's Room" highlights to follow my progress from start to finish.

This post contains links to Brands I have/ will be receiving gifted items from for the purpose of making this room extra wonderful and sharing the details with you.
As ever, all opinions expressed are my own.

The shop that Alice built.

Sat, 01 Jun 2019 00:00:00 +0100

Technically that title is misleading, it should read "The shop that Alice's Dad tirelessly gave all his time and energy to Alice to build for her, rarely arguing and eye rolling her many overly detailed, overly ambitious plans and time frames". But I thought that was a little less catchy, so I'll stick with the shortened version.

Flash back to March 2018 and I started selling vintage bits and bobs out of my She Shed. This proved far more popular than I had ever imagined, fast forward about 3 months, add in a few glasses of wine and during a conversation with my Dad about where he saw his gallery/ creative space going, the idea of a bricks and mortar Alice in Scandiland Shop was born.

I'd been trying to work out how I would share the past year or so with you, the idea felt quite overwhelming, a lot has happened, add in the fact I have barely written a blog post in months and I couldn't see how it would be done. But then, scrolling through old images on my phone, I realised the photos show the process and journey just as well as words could. So I here it is, a photographic record from the birth of an idea to current day...

There's a little reward for once you've made it to the end, can you guess what it is?...

Dad's Gallery/ Creative Space where he hosted Lino Printing Workshops.

July 1st 2018 - The day (and image I used) to announce that the Alice in Scandiland Shop would become a high street store.

August 7th - The changes start, a lighter coloured floor to lift the space...

Blank canvas.

I designed all the shop fittings and my wonderful Dad brought it all to life.

August 8th - I announced the shop opening day - which would be August 15th. This was the point when I realised shit was getting real and that I was actually going to be doing this. This was also the start of the most tiring, headache inducing week of my life - basically a full shop fit with a week until I would open the doors, who would even do that?!

One of the best finds for the shop were these vintage teak, bifold doors. I had a problem where there were 2 large openings in the back shop, which would have needed bespoke doors made for them, something we just didn't have time for. But moments after standing, staring at the spaces, clueless as to what to do, not wanting to add to my Dad's workload, I popped onto Facebook Marketplace and these doors came up as a suggested item for me! £50, just 10 minutes from where I live and would you believe they were the exact right height to the millimeter! I really feel like someone was smiling down at me at that moment and decided to help us out.

It had looked as thought the front of the shop/ my parent's house wouldn't get painted in time, but I managed to talk my husband, Stu, into at least painting around the shop, to give an impression of what I hoped it would look like. I chose Farrow&Ball Oval Room Blue (the same as our Living Room), but had it colour matched by Johnstones.

At 3am, the morning of my opening day, this is what the back shop looked like. I was at breaking point and gave up, heading upstairs to sleep for 2 hours before coming back down and giving it another go. This is what it looked like by 10am when I opened -

I didn't have a huge amount of stock when I opened, the entire shop setup - stock, materials for fittings etc was done on about £3.5k, something I am incredibly proud of. I made the best of what I had, making the gaps between things a little bigger and to be honest I loved the sense of space and order.

I have no training in what I do, I did terribly in my Alevels (too many academic subjects, too much reading, I exam terribly) - at the time I felt like a failure, because if I don't have good qualifications then what could I possibly achieve? I took this photo below last year, around the time people would be getting their exam results, to share my story, one of initial "failure", but overall of perseverance, belief and an idea made real.

Nancy and Eula are absolutely thrilled to have a real shop to play in and one day help to run. It becomes extra special around occasions such as Christmas when the community of Lostwithiel comes together to create wonderful things such as Dickensian Evening and the Advent Trail.

The fun of owning a shop is that it is ever changing. I am still not quite where I want to be in terms of look, in fact next week I start work in the back shop to bring to life my vision which has had to be delayed a while, whilst I catch myself up and get things running smoothly.

I haven't even been open a year yet, stay tuned for Birthday celebrations in August when that happens. but May saw me voted the Muddy Stilettos "In love with local" Best Interiors Store in Cornwall, which was absolutely wonderful. Thank you so much to all those who voted for me.

So this brings me to now, present time, if you've stuck with me through all of that then thank you, it was a fair old chunk of my phone camera gallery I had been saving. It feels really good to have it out there, down as a record of my life this past year or so. I've been a bit busy, as have all those around me who have helped and supported me in so many ways. I am beyond thankful to them all.

AND FINALLY.... here's the big news of the day - I am thrilled/ scared to announce that the shop is now online. A huge thank you to Michelle (Good Tuesday) for her support and guidance, helping me to commit my real world shop and aesthetic into a virtual version. It is very much an ongoing project, there is a whole lot more stock to be added, but I'm throwing it out there now, sharing with you all because there is no such thing as "the right time".

I hope you enjoy x

20:45 - Shopify has gone down across the board and so you may not be able to access the shop right now, I'm so sorry, I hope they fix it soon. Please pop back. Talk about terrible timing/ luck x

An Instagram Guide to Copenhagen.

Sun, 11 Aug 2019 00:00:00 +0100

It's suddenly dawned on me that I am off to Copenhagen next weekend and I have definitely not given it the attention this little trip deserves. The Summer brings with it the children being off school and the Alice in Scandiland Shop getting even busier, so my thoughts and energy have been spent juggling those factors, not dreaming of a wonderful Danish City break.

This said, a few months ago, I did have the sensible idea to ask my Instagram followers for their must see/do recommendations. I recorded the many replies I received, but even then barely had a spare moment to actually absorb and digest all the wonderful suggestions. But enough is enough, I deserve a little excitement and, as so many asked me to feed back on all the recommendations, here is An Instagram Guide to Copenhagen, a record of everyone's favourites, in one place.

Food -

Granola - comes highly recommended, arrive 30 mins early as you will have to wait to be seated.

Image - https://www.granola.dk/

Torvehallerne - "a new food market near Nørreport Metro Station, with beautiful stalls and a chance to sample the best Copenhagen has to offer".

The Meatpacking District, Vesterbro - "A creative cluster with a trendy nightlife and...quality restaurants"

visitcopengahen.com

Aamands - for traditional Danish Smørrebrød - traditional meets hipster, apparently.

Bento - Authentic Japanese (I like to seek out delicious Asian food when ever I'm visiting a city), the best for Sushi apparently, located in Helgolandsgade, Vesterbro.

The Royal Cafe - mini Smørrebrød/ traditional open sandwiches - served on Royal Copenhagen plates. Amazing Hot Chocolate apparently.

Leckerbær - "Reinventing the Danish Butter Cookie" - I'm there!

Skt. Peders Bageri - apparently the only bakery in the city to bake on site?

Patisserie La Glace - the oldest confectionary in Denmark.

Paradis Is - Købmagergade - a must for icecream, apparently, with shops all over the city.

Bertels Salon -

Møller Kaffe & Køkken - Nørrebrogade. Apparently this is THE place for breakfast.

Drinks -

Illum Rooftop - for coffee.

Værnedamsvej - a street in Vesterbro, referred to as "mini Paris", great restaurants, wine bars and independent shops.

The a La Menthe - Fælledvej. Bright Moroccan Tea Room.

Image - Vegetarisk.dk

Vinhanen - Nørrebro/ Vesterbro, for wine.

R Vinbar - Gammel Mønt, for wine, again!

Coffee Collective - Torvehallerne. For really good coffee. Apparently the bakery next door does amazing treats too.

Copenhagen Coffee Lab - central Copenhagen.

Shopping -

Shop Dora - this shop looks right up my street, with a mix of vintage and contemporary - just like my own store.

Aesop - simply because they fit out their stores in just the most beautiful way. I visited the shop in Covent Garden earlier this year and it is just heaven.

Hay House - Pilestræde, next to Strøget. Absolutely needs to be done, especially as I will be looking at hopefully stocking them later in the year.

Illums Bolighus - a home design store which is apparently like a design museum. In the city centre.

Retro Villa - a fun interiors store with vintage wallpaper and toys.

Stilleben - recommended by a lot of you, apparently THE best handmade/ craft store in Copenhagen.

Designer Zoo - Vesterbrogade, Interiors loveliness.

Jægersborggade - a street in the north of the city, lined with quirky and interesting shops, studios, thrift stores and restaurants.

Copenhagen has a lot of vintage/ craft fairs and Loppemarked (flea markets) in the summer. Apparently this site, with the aid of Google Translate, can help give you a local's guide to what's on.

Relæ and Manfreds, both on this street, come very highly recommended.

Strøget - an area good for a mix of high street/ exclusive/ design brands. Apparently exploring the side streets here is a must also.

Frama -

To Do -

The Danish Design Centre - a smaller, more manageable sized gallery with interesting exhibitions and some collections of classic Danish design.

Image - Alamy

The National Museum - amazing Viking artifacts and also vintage toys, amongst other things.

The Botanical Gardens - In the centre of the city, most famous for it's historical glasshouses. Entry to the gardens is free and about £5 to visit the Palm House.

The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art - so, apparently, if you're just going to do one museum in Copenhagen this is the one to do. A train ride of of the city and real feast for all the senses.

Tivoli - an old, beautiful garden + amusement park from 1843. There is sometimes live music on the lawn, depending on when you visit.

The Little Mermaid - Langelinie Promenade. A bronze statue, by Edvard Eriksen.

Kongens Have -

Also - Søerne, Fælledparken, Assistens Kirkegård.

Christiania -

Copenhagen’s alternative neighbourhood. Christiania is a mix of homemade houses, workshops, art galleries, music venues, cheap and organic eateries, and beautiful nature. It is still a society within a society.

VisitCopenhagen

Nyhavn - historic waterfront area of Copenhagen, with the iconic brightly coloured houses.

Image - Zleep Hotels, Alamy

The Round Tower -

Sofiebadet - Authentic Copenhagen Bathhouse.

Getting around -

Bike is king - There is a bike scheme called CityBike - electric, motor assisted bikes with GPS that has all the landmarks pre-programmed. Do a bit of reading up on bike road rules before hand though, apparently this blog is helpful.

Public Transport - from the airport you can buy a 72 hour City Pass, which includes airport travel, for 200 kr.

Upgrading to the Copenhagen Card is apparently a good idea if you plan on visiting Tivoli, the Aquarium and 2-3 or more museums. It is about 300 kr more than the City Pass, but incs entry to Tivoli, Aquarium and most of the museums + other attractions, so can work out well.

》a great tip I've been told is that the Water Busses are included in the City Passes and are like a mini boat tour of the city, but at a cheaper than a purpose booked tour.

Nightlife -

Torvehallerne, as mentioned before, it's the old Meat Packing District, with lots of nice bars and restaurants, with the odd seedy place intermingled (apparently it's a it of a Red Light District).

Dupong - Griffenfeldsgade and Rantzausgade district - Table Tennis Bar. My Mum will be all over this, she's an absolute Table Tennis demon!

Image - VisitCopenhagen

Fiskebaron - Flæsketorvet.

Mother - For great Pizza...

La Banchina - "We focus on vegetables and everything the sea can provide, thirst quenching natural wines and a chance to exhale by the water."

Extras -

'Snegls' are a must try (a type of Danish Pastry) and Laura's Bakery in Torvehallerne are the best - or so I'm told.

Mikkeller & Friends Beer - the best, apparently. The Danes love beer, but it can seem ££ to us when bought in a pub.

Aebleflæsk - one of the most traditional Danish dishes, cured or salted pork belly, fried with apple, sugar, and thyme. Often served on Rye bread and you should accompany it with snaps or beer.

Toms Skildpadde - one of Denmark's most popular chocolates, a turtle shape, filled with rum, cream and caramel.

Goboats - for a different way to explore and see the city.

Copenhagen is only about 35 minutes, by train, from the Swedish city of Malmö, there are approximately 71 trains a day, so in theory, if you had a spare day you could pop over and do 2 Scandinavian Countries easily. I'm torn as to whether we will do this, time is limited, but it's very tempting!

It is worth noting that almost all Museums/ Galleries are closed on Mondays.

Well, I am definitely in the mood for a mini Danish adventure now, an absolutely huge thank you to all my lovely Instagram followers, for your ideas, tips and recommendations. I'm sure this selection doesn't even begin to scratch the surface and the reality is we only have 2.5 days and I don't want to exhaust myself, so we will wander around, with a few of these places in the back of our minds and see what happens. I think mostly it will be cafes and pastries, which I am more than happy with.

I hope you find this guide helpful, I'd love to hear what you think.

The big question is, how on earth am I going to cope with just hand luggage allowance?!?!

A special thank you to Catherine Caton and Emma Thomas, for your wonderfully jam packed emails.

A weekend in Copenhagen - Hay House.

Sat, 14 Sep 2019 00:00:00 +0100

I can't believe it was 4 weekends ago that I was in Copenhagen and I haven't written a word about it here! Though, to be fair to myself, the 1 year anniversary of the Alice in Scandiland Shop, then flying to Denmark the next day, walking about 100 miles that weekend, straight home and into prep at the shop for a magazine shoot at the shop that week really took it's toll on me. But I wanted to get something down here now, whilst I've got a spare second.

We're heading off on holiday tomorrow, to Mallorca, I can't bloody wait! As well as a bit of a break, I also hope to catch up on some writing, there are a few blog posts that have been waiting in the wings, but first I want to escape back to one particular Copenhagen highlight, Hay House.

Located on the second and third floor of the completely beautiful 1890s Højbrohusin building, on Østergade, otherwise know as the Strøget shopping street. Hay House is an absolutely breathtaking immersion in design.

I could happily move straight into this kitchen.

I think the thing I love so much about Hay's designs are that they are simple, but not in a boring way, rather in a way that is timeless. It isn't about following a trend, something that eventually always ends, it's about function, but always with an eye on the aesthetics.

It was so lovely to have so much space whilst browsing, everyone was just drifting around, in a trance, absorbing the truly inspiring surroundings. I really wish I had a bedroom big enough to have the bed smack bang in the middle!

Imagine this being your actual home, coming down these stairs in the morning, pure heaven.

Visiting Hay House was for 2 reasons, 1 because I had heard how inspiring and beautiful it was and it was a Copenhagen must see. But secondly because I hope to stock Hay at the Alice in Scandiland Shop one day in the future, so it was really great to visit their whole collection and really get a sense of the quality and overall aesthetic.

Looking down the street towards Illum Bolighus, another absolutely overwhelming, almost headache inducing show of design (I'll be sharing more about there soon).

The most perfect Bay window.

I've been coveting the Palissade Garden furniture for quite some time, I think this green is just absolute perfection.

I was very well behaved, mostly because I had already got rather spendy in Illum Bolighus, but I had wanted the Sowden water bottle for a forever, so it would have been rude not to!

This is Six.

Sun, 20 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0100

Oh hi there, remember me? I used to write a blog here, but these days I seem to either be too busy with the Alice in Scandiland Shop or suffering from Writer's shyness. A lot of the time an idea pops into my head, something I would like to talk about here, but by the time I've over analysed it and ripped the idea apart, I'm left wondering how anyone could be that interested anyway.

And so the weeks and months have passed.

But, today is Eula's 6th birthday and I always share some snaps of birthdays here, so I don't want to break with tradition.

Eula was thrilled with her gifts, especially this beautiful Ruby doll from MeriMeri.

Stu took the girls off to indoor climbing and I set about procrastinating, before eventually jumping into action to create the birthday table - something I do every year.
Eula was born at home, right here in front of the sofa, at a little past 10:30am. It was so wonderful to have a really calm and beautiful homebirth and I love that daily I find myself in the exact spot where I brought her into the world with my own hands.

Over the years I have gathered together party decorations which get reused for both the girls. There are a mixture of things that I have bought myself and others from collaborations with brands such as MeriMeri Party. I really would urge you to invest in some really great quality party pieces, as it is so handy to have them at your disposal. Many of these pieces are on their 3rd or 4th year's use and still look brand new - there are many more birthdays and occasions still in them I'm sure.

MeriMeri Eco Party plates in beautiful, muted pastel tones. Biodegradable and coloured with Soy dyes. In theory these are disposable, single use plates, however I gave them a wipe off after use and they look as good as new, ready for the next party.

Eula was very easy going when I asked what she would like for her birthday, but she was absolutely sure of one thing, she wanted a Moomin cake.

Life has been rather busy of late and I was worried about when I would have time to make the birthday cake, something I've done almost every year since the girls were born. But then the stars aligned and I did a trade with the incredibly talented and lovely Ali of @workbyali One of her lovely cakes in exchange for store credit at my shop. Such a weight off my mind.

Ali dropped the cake off at the shop yesterday, White Chocolate and homemade Blackberry Jam - what a delicious combination. I set about bringing Eula's Moomin dreams to life, cutting out some simple Moomin print outs and making my own cake toppers.

Upturned Rosemary makes lovely and very easy trees, the whole decorating took me about 2 minutes.

Today is the first time I've used my new Fine Little Day linen table cloth. I recently added it to the range of FLD products I sell at the Alice in Scandiland Shop and I completely love it. I only have 1 left in stock, you can take a look at it here.

In situ at the shop.

Eula actually took herself off to bed almost as soon as her guests arrived, I think it was a mixture of overwhelm and feeling under the weather. Half term has come just at the right time for her and a few more long and lazy pyjama mornings are needed to top up her energy tank.

We carried on without her and sadly she missed all the party food! But the fact I couldn't tempt her down with a Hotdog, and that at one point she asked if I could make everyone go home, told me that she definitely hasn't been feeling like her usual self.

Nancy ate Eula's share of the party food, so there was no waste!
Sometimes simple really is best, the cake went down very well.

Thankfully the little Birthday Diva perked up just in time for cake.

Despite some ups and downs I think Eula has enjoyed the majority of the day. I am now collapsed in bed, exhausted as I've been fighting some form of viral plague for a few weeks now. Tomorrow Eula and I are going to stay in bed for as long as possible, we both really need it.

An absolutely huge thank you to Ali Green for using her wonderful, creative skills to reduce my to-do list. The cake was absolute heaven and you really must go show Ali some love, she is an incredible food/ lifestyle photographer with the knack for capturing a moment in time and the mood perfectly.

Easy Reads For Under 10s.

Sun, 24 Nov 2019 00:00:00 +0000

If you follow me on Instagram then you'll already know that we are quite partial to a lovely book in our house and recently I have been adding to our collection.

Sadly I haven't read a book for myself in quite some time, I'm just completely unable to concentrate, as my mind soon diverts to the 101 other things I have going on. I used to read at least 1 sizeable novel a week, sometimes 2, but I haven't read a single one in full in over 5 years. This is one of the sacrifices of my multifaceted, all consuming life of work.

But, I do get to indulge my imagination every night, when putting my girls to bed, by sharing some of my favourite childhood story books with them, as well as discovering new authors and amazing illustrators.

In this round up of our favourites I am focusing on easy reads, Nancy, 8, reads a proper "big girl's book" at bedtime, but the point of this blog is to show you the more picture based ones we all enjoy, with a few, mainly Moomin based, longer reads thrown in for good measure.

I'm not including links to show you where to buy, because I would absolutely love to encourage you to get out and support your local independent book shops, or order from them online. You could also buy second hand, or, if you aren't planning on making some of these Christmas presents, then there's always your local Library. Don't forget to show your libraries the love people, use it or really run the risk of losing it and wouldn't that just be an awful thing for society. Anyway, before I give way to a full on political rant I'll get back to the good stuff.

Books!

Janet + Allan Ahlberg can do no wrong in my mind, so many of my most loved childhood books are by this duo, Each Peach Pear Plum is just brilliant and still one I love to read/ recite from memory.

The Jolly Postman should absolutely be on your gift buying list for any children in your life this year.

The Whales' Song is about a celebration of the beauty of nature, of stories told by older generations, of dreams and hope and believing things are possible. This is my copy, from when I was young and now it is read at least once a month with or by Nancy and Eula.

Brambly Hedge is so much a part of my childhood memories, whether it was my Mum reading the stories to me as I gazed at the incredibly detail illustrations, listening to the story tapes on long car journeys to visit family in Wales, or later, re-reading the books for myself. I have the big, complete Brambly Hedge compilation, bought for me as a gift from Stu on our honeymoon and now I get to share the magic with my 2 wide eyed and eager listeners. I still have the audiobooks too!

When we were planning our garden revamp a few years ago, Nancy actually forbid me from removing the brambles which line the back drystone wall, as she is absolutely convinced we have out very own Brambly Hedge community in there.

The Dancing Bear is a bit of an extra special book to me, as I actually modeled for the illustrator, Christian Birmingham, when I was a little girl. In the first half of the book you meet Roxanne, the central character and all the illustrations for these parts are based on the photos and sketches Christian took of me. I have one of the original drawings and I was told Joanna Lumley bought the others at a charity auction. So, that's my little claim to fame!

Is there anyone who doesn't love Shirley Hughes, another author who's creations featured heavily in my childhood book collection. Dogger has to be top of my favourites.

Eula and I read at least 1 Miffy book a night, they're my go to alternatives when Biff, Chip and Kipper have driven me insane. We all adore the simplistic colours and illustrations, so much so that I actually sell these books at the shop - check them out here.

It is definitely safe to say we are a little Moomin obsessed here, hence why there's a bit of a Moomin overload coming up! These are mostly longer story books and, whilst looking for some images to share with you, I've realised there is one in this particular set that we are missing, Moomin Valley in November. So I must get straight on that, it can be a late birthday gift from Nancy.

There are so many reasons to love the Moomins, or anything written by Tove Jansson (Grownups, have you read The Summer Book? If not, please do, it's just lovely).

I know when Nancy is engrossed in one of Tove Jansson's stories that she is in safe hands, that she is off on a wonderful adventure and her imagination will be filled right up to over flowing. I have often come in to ask her to turn her light off, way past her allotted evening reading time, to find Nancy drawing beautiful Moomin Valley scenes. I have those saved, somewhere, as they are really rather wonderful.

This comic strip book, a gift from my equally Moomin mad Mum, to the girls, is a great alternative, when they aren't in the mood for a full story.

The Girls, written by Lauren Ace and absolutely beautifully illustrated by the Norwegian Artist Jenny Lovlie (best surname ever?!) was first brought to my attention via Instagram... I was watching someone's stories, I'm afraid I can't remember who's now and knew immediately this was a book for my own girls.

The story explores the coming together of a group of girls, their growing friendships, the ups and downs, their achievements, supporting one another through ever changing every day life. It shows the real world version of friendship and I think this is incredibly important to show our children.

On Thursday Nancy turned 8 and, along with a much wished for Ukulele, I also gave her this brilliant book..

Take a proper look at it here, on the illustrator Merrilee's magical Instagram.

It's very cleverly written by Michelle Markel and Nancy really loves it. They are focusing heavily on Times Tables at the moment, with a large focus on a computer app called Times Tables Rockstars. I like that this is still on subject, but a screen free, more imaginative way for her to add to her learning.

image - Scribble Publisher

Davina Bell is a new discovery for me, but boy am I glad my girls now have her wonderful words and life lessons in their lives. Illustrator Allison Colpoys has perfectly captured the feelings that flow throughout the pages.

Whatever you fear, come close my dear

You're tucked in safe for always here

And I will never not be near

Because of our love umbrella

I have wrapped up Under the Love Umbrella for the girls to open on Christmas morning... I can't wait to read it to them.

image - Parakeet Books

Eula had All the Ways to be Smart for her 6th birthday, last month. It has quickly become a life long treasure. Buy it, read it and you will see why.

I can't wait to share with you

how smart you are the whole day through.

...Smart is not just ticks and crosses,

smart is building boats from boxes.

...Smart is kindness when there's crying.

I feel very strongly that this book and it's lessons should become a part of the school curriculum, immediately. I really struggle with the pressure that I know my girls are under, at such a young age, in such a big world of education. I try to always show them all the other ways they can be great in life, no matter how small their achievements are. This book only adds to this. Buy it!

Gemma Koomen is the creator of beautiful, childlike, folky artwork which does something to my heart. Her illustrations are how I want my children to see the world, so when I found out she had written and illustrated a book naturally we had to have it. This is another one that I am saving for Christmas, it was the first wrapped present of the year in fact.

I sell cards by Gemma at the Alice in Scandiland Shop, they make beautiful and inexpensive pieces of art, housed simply in a little clip frame. I also have a few of her prints, which are yet to find their way onto the online shop, but if you are interested, get in touch and I can send you some photos. I'll get them listed once I'm back at the shop.

As the mother of 2 girls, I obviously had to buy this, didn't I! It would make a brilliant stocking filler. You'll notice illustrations are clearly really important in my/ our choices and Carolyn Susuki gets it very right in this book. Nancy really loves it.

This is a great book for strong willed children, with a different take on love and family and pirates!

I think it was Hannah Bullivant who first introduced this magical book to me, via her Instagram Stories. She is the Queen of seasonal living and this book made a very special New Year gift for Nancy and Eula, last year. It was my intention to put it away around the 5th of January, to save for this year's New Year, but somehow (Nancy) it found it's way back out again and has been read throughout the year.

I've hidden it now, to save up some of it's magic to breakout on the 31st December.

Finally, a friend recommended this lovely Swedish story. It's about a child, in Sweden, who spends their time lazing around naked in the summer sun, with his cat and eating jam sandwiches. She said that after reading it, as a child, she decided that Sweden may just be the best place in the world and, having read it myself, I absolutely agree.

The illustrations are really retro and I love everything about it.

Well, there you go, possible children's book overload, but I hope it will prove helpful to some.

It's now time for me to heard the girls up the stairs and into bed, I wonder which story I will use to tempt them into submission and send them off to sleep with heads full of wonderful inspiration. Many of these gatherings of paper and pictures have helped to shape my own childhood memories and now they do the same for my girls, that is true magic.

How to rid your home of condensation.

Sun, 19 Jan 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Condensation and mould are a dirty, secret subject, something many of us suffer with in our homes, but we suffer in silence. In a world of Insta ready, pristine interiors, it can seem like you may be the only one with this frustrating problem and so, when I mentioned my troubles on Instagram early last year, I was surprised to see so many of your were experiencing the exact same issues. Admittedly it's not the most exciting topic to talk about, but the quality of the air in our homes and the longevity of our decorating efforts depends on problems such as this being resolved.

[AD - This blog contains gifted product, given in exchange for an honest blog post]

Image - Envirovent

When I realised condensation was something many of you wanted help with, as well as myself, I decided to do some research and approached Envirovent (who had been recommended on my Instagram post) to see if they were up to the challenge of curing my house of it's dark, secret woes. To my delight they said no problem, they could definitely help.

The outside wall in our downstairs toilet is a particularly troublesome area.

Condensation occurs when warm air comes into contact with a cold surface, or if there is a lot of humidity. We have a woodburner, we dry clothes above it, our bathroom is tiled, cold and badly ventilated, we cook, breathe! All these things contribute to the level of moisture in the our homes.

You can read and learn much more about condensation and how it affects our homes on the Envirovent website.

Condensation and mould have plagued this house for year and years, we have tried always keeping a window open, having a dehumidifier or two running over night, painting areas with special mould blocking, chemical laiden paint, but nothing has ever truly helped. Dehumidifiers remove the moisture from the air, yes, in their immediate vicinity at least, but they also steal the moisture from you. We would wake up in the morning with sore throats and dry eyes and noses, a direct result of having a dehumidifier running.

A lovely discovering behind a cupboard.

We came to accept that there were certain expectations to our home. The walls would turn black behind artwork on the walls, the prints themselves buckling from the damp, we would have to wipe black mould from the window frames and corners of rooms frequently and furniture would aggravate the problem even more. Ours wasn't the absolute worst, I've seen cases far more serious, but when you've taken the time to decorate, when you favour light colours, which hide nothing, it can be really demoralising watching your efforts begin to come undone before your eyes. Not to mention the health implications.

The final straw for me was when my daughter Nancy's room fell victim, with the artwork you see here becoming damp and upon removing I saw that the wall was black. It was also the case for where her bed sat alongside the wall. I threw a huge tantrum (one that was completely out of proportion for this one particular discovery, but was the cumulative result of years of similar damage being done) and declared war on this unwelcome house guest.

See the depressingly disgusting areas above the paint samples and down below? This was after scrubbing with bleach.

Envirovent are award winning Ventilation specialists, with over 30 years of experience and their customer service was fantastic. Within a few weeks of me getting in contact and discussing the issues we faced, an engineer was in our house, confidently fitting a PIV (Positive Input Ventilation) unit.

You can watch my Instagram Stories from around that time here -

The vent for the unit needs to be central in the property, so for us, in our relatively small house, the top of the stairs was the perfect position. Ezra, the engineer, was so quick and efficient. I actually had a friend and her 3 children over for the day, so the house was very full indeed, but it was no trouble at all. At one point we all had to go outside until we were told we could come back in, this was when the hole was cut in the ceiling, for the outlet. Due to the age of our house (late 60s) it is highly likely that the awful artex ceilings (another torment of my life, but one I have mostly come to just accept, as it's unlikely we'll ever change it in this area and at least it isn't glorious swirls or fans!) may contain Asbestos. As we don't have any doors in the majority of the house, we had to leave until this part of the work was done, because closing off just the hallway wasn't an option. The cardboard box you see above was to contain any dust, leaving the house was just an extra precaution.

The ATMOS PIV system was chosen as the best fit for our home and needs.

Simply explained PIV (positive input ventilation) provides constant fresh filtered air into the house, this then works on a dilution and displacement process. No air goes up into the unit, it’s a constant input process. The effect of the unit is to control the moisture levels and this in turn keeps the relative humidity at a level that condensation doesn’t form, mould often follows so this is prevented also. Any property with mould will see it turn grey in colour and powder like in consistency; this signifies the mould is essentially dead.

John Moss, Envirovent Sales Director - Home Division

The unit is run via an App, which gives you access to the settings, which generally are set and left to do their thing, but can also be adapted if conditions in the house change. For example, if you were spending the entire day batch cooking, with pots boiling, the oven kicking out steam, or you have more people than normal staying, showering etc, you can boost the settings, telling the unit to work a little harder.

Using the App.

18hrs after installation and the condensation in the furthest corners of the house had reduced, but not disappeared, I was told it would take several days to really see a difference, but I was amazed to find Nancy's windows completely clear. She would usually have a river running down the glass in the morning. Her room is the closest to the outlet.

42hrs after installation and I awoke to completely clear bedroom windows and the benefits of the system have just gone on and gone since then. We are absolutely over the moon.

I waited a few weeks, to be on the safe side, but then went full steam ahead redecorating Nancy's room. Well, full steam until every other part of my life took over and her room, many, many months later still isn't complete. But it will be, very soon.

In the interest of honesty, with pros and cons in mind, the system is not without it's slight issues. Not in terms of performance, it really, really does what it claims to do and I wholeheartedly endorse and encourage you to invest, if you can.

But it wouldn't be right not to talk about these 2 issues -

Look - There is no getting away from the fact the vent is not the most beautiful addition to our interior, it's right there to be seen. If the ceiling were higher here I don't think it would be such an eyesore, but it isn't.

Sound - Every so often the sound it makes annoys me too. You're not aware of it 95% of the time, but occasionally my ears tune into the low hum and it irks me. Momentarily.

However...

Do you know what? Who actually bloody cares?! I don't tend to hang out in this area very much, so looks and sound pale into general insignificance, when set against the benefits it has brought and the confidence we can have that, going forwards, condensation and the mould that soon follows, is a thing of the past.

A huge thank you to Envirovent for this partnership, for bringing an end to an issue that has plagued our home for so many years.

The unit I was gifted is the ATMOS PIV System, with App connectivity. The rrp of this is £1100 and it is manufactured in North Yorkshire. It is free to have a home survey carried out, where a trained expert will advise you about the best ventilation system to suit your house.

I had hoped to bring you a discount code with this blog post, but time has gone on, one hasn't appeared and I really wanted to get this post published. I will work on trying to get a code asap xx

How To Create A Scandinavian Inspired Girl's Bedroom.

Sun, 15 Mar 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Nancy's room was "done" a few years ago, it's been done and redone several times to be honest, but the last time was supposed to be the "done for a good while" time.

If you want to pop back in time and take a look at the last transformation, you can here.

But things began to become undone due to a curse in our house, one that a lot of people suffer from, condensation. The pictures on the wall you can see below were hiding a dark and horrible secret, one that eventually became very apparent - black mould. The prints became damaged, as had the walls and I was so frustrated that yet again my decorating efforts had been ruined by something that was out of my control. We did what we could to improve the condensation issues, but it was always like fighting on the losing side.

But then I partnered by with Envirovent and our condensation woes were at an end. I wrote about the whole process recently and I urge you to take a read, it's been such a positive change to our home and meant I could get on and redecorate with confidence that this time my efforts would last.

So, with those issues wonderfully resolved, in March last year I began the task of updating Nancy's room, freshening what had become a tired and dirty feeling space. I can't believe almost a whole year has gone by, this has been the longest, most dragged out revamp to date. At the time I completely underestimated how much I had on my plate, when I began I was beginning the process of launching the Alice in Scandiland Shop online, a herculean task that would take things to another level, far more quickly than I could have anticipated!

My inspiration began with a colour, Dulux Soft Stone, it got into my head, it kept popping up and influencing me on Instagram, it was bright, fresh, neutral, exactly the freshen up I wanted. My only hesitancy being that I wasn't really the pink girl's bedroom kind of Mum.

Next came some purchases from H&M, the Beech Pegrail became the main feature to the room in my designs...

Then came a spot of questioning myself about the colour and going through the motions of testing different shades, all the while knowing where I would end up. If you look closely you can see the damage the condensation and black mould had done to the walls, even after I had scrubbed them.

Funds for this revamp were minimal and at this point the biggest issue was the floor. The carpet was awful, dirty, badly fitted and absolutely the wrong colour for where the room was heading. Looking ahead I want to replace the entire floor upstairs, so it's one thing, maybe the same engineered oak as we have downstairs, but maybe some description of Ply wood. And so I decided to go with the cheapest option, pull up the carpet and paint the subfloor. This decision was actually made quite spur of the moment, I was in my pyjamas, heading upstairs to get dressed and go out, but somehow found myself in Nancy's room, moving furniture, wounding myself on carpet grippers, revealing...a not so wonderful, glue edged horror show.

In the recess, where Nancy's bed was someone had decided to be very very generous with the carpet glue. An absolute nightmare.

At this point I was thinking how maybe the carpet hadn't been that bad after all!

Anyway, on I went, next up was paint. I had really liked the half painted walls Nancy had previously and so I decided to repeat this detail, but as I made my way around decided to take the line higher up the wall. To meet where the pegrails would be.

This project was done almost entirely in pyjamas.

Creating the straight line around the room isn't as difficult/ time consuming as you might think. Using a spirit level as a ruler helps, here I've used yellow Frog Tape, which is for delicate surfaces - I had freshened up the white paint above previously, so needed a lower tack tape. It was also reassuring that this line would in fact, for at least half the room, be covered by the pegrail.

The next step was to seal what remaining glue there was on the floor. I had tried to remove as much as possible, but it was back breaking work. I decided to bodge it slightly (as the long term plan was to have new flooring throughout the upstairs). So I broke out the trusty, if somewhat lethal Zinsser.

I used the Zinsser on the glue, before painting with the floor paint.

I spoke to someone at the local Brewers Decorating Centre, explained my needs (awful chipboard surface, uneven, glue, generally very bad painting conditions) and they recommended this floor paint. I had to wait a few days for it to come in but it has really done the job well. But, be warned, it STINKS. Nancy didn't sleep in her room for a few weeks whilst we decorated and we kept the room well ventilated.

What a transformation!

At this point I really got excited, the way the light reflected off the floor, the space felt twice as big and so fresh.

At some point along the way I realised that I hadn't ordered enough of the H&M Pegrails and just my luck, after mentioning them on Instagram and quite a lot of you also buying them!! ...they were sold out! In the end a kind friend in Barcelona ordered from the Spanish H&M site and sent them over to me. This may seem a little excessive, but when you find something that is just perfect and a key part of your design, you've just gotta do what you gotta do!

As you can see below I've painted the skirting the same colour as the walls. This is a trick I've also done in the living room, it helps to make the walls seem longer/ ceilings appear higher. It also helps to make small spaces seem less cluttered, too many colours/ details stop a space from feeling cohesive. It's also a lot easier quicker than painting separately!

I always struggle at this stage of a room's transformation, the amount of light and space there is when the room is empty - it's glorious! Why can't it just stay that way?!

THIS is why it can't stay empty! In a small house, with no spare room, things really start to unravel when you need to store excess things.

Prettypegs sent me some of their lovely legs, to help create a desk area for Nancy. It had to be a bespoke piece and the space is so limited, made even harder by a giant night storage heater, which has been moved to several different locations, but is forever in the way.

Originally the desk would be here and I'd have an IKEA IVAR unit for extra storage, but as this snap illustrates, plans don't always translate well into reality. I always imagine a space to be bigger than it is in this house.

I wanted to come up with a layout that would see Nancy, 8, through to her teen years. The setup in Eula's room is very much limited to a younger child, I'm aware big changes will need to happen in there, again, within a few years. I wanted to avoid that in here.

Storage is key to future proofing a space. Our house, whilst not that big, has got a few surprisingly generous built in cupboards. A real lifesaver as having to fit freestanding furniture into small rooms really affects the overall look. But, it's safe to say our storage hasn't always been utilised in the most space effective way.

A toy cull was needed, something we do try to do every few months.

So, eventually we reached a point where the room functioned, Nancy was back in there and things got incredibly busy with the shop. Time ticked away, month by month and the room fell into that limbo land, not finished, descending into the chaos that comes from half finished jobs. It has been quite a weight on my mind to be honest, items kindly given to me, as part of collaborations with different businesses. Time frames didn't work out and I felt I had been massively letting these people down.

I used the space to photograph some products for the shop, but the reality was either side of me, moving nice things from one photo to the next, to give the illusion of a complete space.

The beautiful Mosnox Ruka Bed, in situ, but lacking in the beautiful bedding and styling it deserves - the reality for far too long. More about this wonderful bed a little further down..

But, I am so thrilled to say, finally, nearly a year after I started this room it is finally completely finished!

I'm not sure if you can imagine what a weight off my mind being able to finally share in it's full glory, nothing hidden, no camera tricks.

It's ready...

There are so many elements that I love in this room, I'm going to try and go into detail as much as I can.

This amazing Beni Ourain rug, bought from So.Marrakech, with a press discount code, adds a cosy element under foot, an important detail as Nancy is a very snuggly, tactile girl.

The bedside drawers were a £3 charity shop find, an older style of the IKEA MOPPE drawers, which had already had some customisation done. The numbers weren't really my thing, so they were removed and Prettypegs knobs were added. I left out the top 2 drawers, to leave room for book storage, then the whole thing was mounted on the wall. Such a simple and cheap thing, but just absolutely perfect for this space (or lack of I should say).

This IKEA Tarva chest of drawers fits perfectly here, holding the majority of Nancy's clothes, as well as a drawer at the bottom for books. I love the plain wood, which links beautifully with her desk, bed and bedside unit. This helps to create a uniformity to the look, rather than being a room full of individual, unrelated pieces. Unfortunately I don't think these drawers are available in this size anymore.

I couldn't be happier with how it's turned out, the pale, neutral colours help the light to bounce all around, giving the illusion of a bigger space. Using leggy freestanding furniture means you see more of the floor, again helping to create the illusion of a larger floor plan, something I utilise throughout the house.

Curtains from Fine Little Day.

Bunny mirror - Ferm Living - found on Facebook Marketplace.

I used the Prettypegs Bill knobs to adapt an IKEA Moppe set of drawers, an idea I've borrowed from the lovely Ida @nordic_remake Simply turn the drawers around and screw on the handles, a simple, easy way to add an extra level of detail.

Nancy likes to fill these drawers up with all those annoying, random little things that children seem to be attracted to. Mini Clutter, but out of sight, out of mind, as long as I don't have to see it I'll learn to live with it.

These brilliant recyclable plastic crates, from This Modern Life, are great extra storage. You'll find these dotted all over the house in various sizes. I absolutely love the beautiful colours.

This little house is a thimble shelf, bought for a few pounds on Ebay.

I found this vintage 1970's Terence Conran "Maclamp" on Facebook Marketplace. It was collection only, a little too far for me to justify driving, so I asked if they'd be happy to post. It's always worth asking, I've got some really lovely bits from listings that have said collection only. Try and pay with PayPal, add on the fees to insure you are covered. This lamp ended up costing me around £36 posted and is worth a fair bit more. I absolutely adore it.

"Rabbit with small hat" is one of my most favourite prints from my shop.

Finally having this cupboard better organised (having had a big clear out) is pretty life changing I can tell you. No longer are there any nasty surprises hidden at the back. And having organised a cupboard better downstairs the excess kitchen things that lived in here (those bits and bobs you use 4 times a year) no longer take up much needed space.

I continued the Dulux Soft Stone paint onto the insides of the cupboard doors, this helps to give a sense of continuation to the design detail, when open, which with children happens more than not.

I've used a mix of IKEA KNAGGLIG crates, with castors added and Squares storage baskets from my shop. The hanging book basket is useful for random bits and bobs. The fabric organiser on the right hand door was from H&M.

The majority of Nancy's clothes are folded into the TARVA chest of drawers.

As you can see I've even taken the Soft Stone across the door, I love how this acts as camouflage, keeping the line running the whole way around the room, making the door less of a stand out feature.

Be Kind Banner - Happy Sunday Studio

I added these picture ledges to Nancy's room years ago and they have proven to be one of the best, most used details. They were from B&Q, similar to the IKEA ones lots of people use, but I find these are more solid. I've simply painted them with the emulsion I used on the walls, doors and skirting.

The beautiful rainbow sheet was gifted from Swedish Linens. I think bed sheets are a greatly overlooked design detail in a bedroom, especially children's rooms. Let's be honest, how often are our children's beds actually made? Rarely. But when the sheet is something a little bit extra, it doesn't matter as much, you get a flash of something lovely and it becomes an intentional design element.

A vintage sewing box to house these wonderful Jane Foster embroidery popouts.

This beautiful quilted blanket is made from Merchant & Mills Dauphine Jacquared Cotton and an adapted Little Beacon 100% Linen Throw, bought with a press discount.

I had intended to make it myself, but in the end I had a friend's mum do it, she's a very skilled seamstress and has made bits for the shop in the past. I'm so glad I outsourced this particular project, otherwise it probably still wouldn't have happened.

I gifted it to Nancy when she was off school poorly and it was very well received, she sleeps with it spread on top of her duvet every night and it has really helped her stop getting cold in the early hours, something that was a bit of an issue before.

Solar System Mobile - Alice in Scandiland Shop

Obviously the most important element in a bedroom is the bed. This beautiful, custom made European Ply single Ruka bed was kindly gifted by Mosnox and is absolutely perfect for the space. They even customised their design when I asked, as I felt the space would feel more open and accessible if the bed did not have the full footboard. It means this corner flows better, one space rolling into the other. It's so incredibly well made and I love that Mosnox are a small, independent business, based in Sheffield.

My love for Plywood is no secret, I love the simplicity of the bed's design, it would suit so many different types of spaces. Make sure you check out the Bali Bunk also, if I had children sharing a room they would be perfect.

So there you have it, a bit of a long one, but I really didn't want to skimp on the details. I hope you've found it an interesting read and love the end result. I really, really, really love it and most importantly Nancy adores it all.

I'd love to hear your thoughts and well done for making it this far!

Grow Slowly Banner - Alice in Scandiland, Knobs/ table legs - PrettyPegs (gifted), Paint - Dulux Soft Stone.

Fly to Tokyo Print, Book Basket, Solar System Mobile - Alice in Scandiland Shop, Ruka Bed - Mosnox (gifted)

Bruno Bear Pillowcase, Bowery Book Basket, Squares Basket - Alice in Scandiland Shop, Rainbow Sheet - Swedish Linens (gifted)

Beech Wood Hoop, Rabbit with Small Hat Print - Alice in Scandiland Shop, Rabbit Mirror - Ferm Living, MOPPE drawers - IKEA

A huge thank you to Mosnox, Prettypegs, So.Marrakech and Swedish Linens for the beautiful gifted items and discounts.

Alice's Lemon Drizzle Cake

Fri, 03 Apr 2020 00:00:00 +0100

Here's a quick recipe share, it's simple to make and very good for the soul. We need all the help we can get at the moment and taking time to create something delicious, by yourself or perhaps with your children, is time very well spent.

Ingredients (I usually double up and make 2 cakes and pop 1 in the freezer, the following quantities are for 1 cake)

225g unsalted butter, softened

225g Caster Sugar

4 eggs

Finely grated zest 1 lemon

Juice of half a lemon

225g Self-raising Flour

Drizzle –

Juice 1 1/5 Lemons

110g approx Icing Sugar

Preheat oven to 160 (fan), beat the butter and sugar together thoroughly (I use my Kenwood food processor which makes it all even quicker and easier) Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing in. Sift in the flour (though quite often I can’t find the sift so don’t bother with that part!) Add the lemon zest and juice, mix.
Line a loaf tin (I use loaf tin liners, super simple) Pour in your mix and jiggle to level.
Bake in the middle of the oven for approx 45 minutes (until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean). I rotate the cake every 12 minutes or so and cover with tin foil after about 20 minutes (you don’t want it too brown)
Make your drizzle whilst the cake is in the oven.
Once out, prick the cake with a cocktail stick, go all the way through and all over. Pour over your drizzle. Leave in the tin to cool.

I've simply decorated the cake with fresh Rosemary, Scabious and Anemones from the garden, so easy but really beautiful and effective, don't you think?

I've used these beautiful, natural beeswax celebration candles, from my shop. Candles make everything that little bit extra special, a feeling that shouldn't just be saved for birthdays and anniversaries.

Added extra -
If you'd like to take things one step further, once cooled, remove the cake from the tin, take out of the liner and place on your choice of serving platter. Cut the cake in half, lengthways. Add a layer of Lemon Curd and whipped cream.

Enjoy x

Easter Garden Party.

Sun, 12 Apr 2020 00:00:00 +0100

I quite often throw the girls a little Easter party, I love using the opportunity to decorate a table, maybe make a cake and create something a little special.

When we were told to stay home for the foreseeable, I knew a party would be something the girls could look forward to, something in the not so distant future to think about, when boredom sets in.

So, today arrived, another day at home, staying as safe as can be, feeling thankful for the continued good weather which has meant we can work away in the garden.

With the wind still and the day warming up, a garden party was just what was needed...

The fact we didn't really have any party food in the house didn't stop me, fortunately we had meringues, fresh whipped cream and raspberries.

I mostly used things from around for house to decorate the table, flowers from the gardwn, party accessories from MeriMeri, some old, some new.

The linen tablecloth is one of my absolute favourites, it's made by Fine Little Day and I sell it at my shop.

Looks pretty lovely right? Nancy and Eula were absolutely thrilled, but want to see how a picture can tell a thousand lies? Let's take a look at what is either side of this little Easter scene and how things started out this morning..

My box of party tricks...

We're actually in the middle of Phase 2 of work on the garden (read about Phase 1 here), so this whole end of the garden is pretty chaotic - and muddy.

Gifts for the girls - I ordered this beautiful Helen Dardik book for Nancy weeks ago. It arrived the other day but I saved it as a special Easter treat. Eula got a rose Piki basket from the Alice in Scandiland Shop.

Not too many words from me today, I'm feeling exhausted after an incredibly late night, so I'll just let the pretty pictures do the talking today.

I hope you enjoyed this little share, take care x

A big thank you to MeriMeri, as ever it's a pleasure to work with such wonderfully imaginative products. We have so many pieces that we reuse time and again, I just love setting a party scene.

Garden Table Update.

Sun, 19 Apr 2020 00:00:00 +0100

Three years ago I teamed up with The Hairpin Leg Company for the first time, to encorporate their brilliant copper hairpin legs into the creation of our garden table. An incredibly simple build, but exactly what we wanted, chunky and basic!

I love how the wood has settled into it's environment, as you scroll down you can see the colour change with time...

The table was, at the time, the last piece of the Garden Phase 1 puzzle, a place to enjoy outdoor meals as a family, a quiet morning cuppa, absorbing and immersing ourselves in all the seasons.

Despite the legs technically not being intended for outdoor use, I was confident they would do the job well...and they did, for 3 years they have stood through rain, wind, snow and sunshine - we leave the table out all year, so that, no matter the month, we can always head out into the garden and sit comfortably when the fancy takes us. I think it's such a shame when the aspects of a garden that make it functional and inviting are packed away, as though your outside space, come Autumn/ Winter, suddenly becomes less important. I appreciate this is quite often due to wanting to prolong the life of furniture etc, but I think it's something to keep in mind when designing a garden, make sure there are places to sit throughout the year.

But after an incident where two excited little girls decided to have a dance party atop the table, things were never quite the same again. The slight wobble that it always had, that was never much of an issue, turned into more of a sway than could be ignored!

So, I spoke to The Hairpin Leg Company again and we decided that their Square Industrial Legs would be a perfect upgrade.

I'd used a different set of the industrial legs, the trapezium version, in another collaborative creation. So I knew that this style offered stability and strength - just what I was after.

At the start of lockdown I decided to make the best of a bad situation (the Alice in Scandiland Shop has had to close, the online store is only open sporadically, due to complicated reasons)...so the garden would be my focus.

The legs arrived and we spent an afternoon swapping things around.

The table top, made from scaffold boards, is actually only fixed down around the edges. The centre 3 boards are loose, allowing the wood to move, shrink and swell, as is the way with something so exposed to the elements. It was initially all fixed solid, but we found the boards were twisting and warping in extremes of weather.

At this point I was a little concerned the legs weren't wide enough, there's always got to be a moment of doubt for me, it adds to the drama!

I think my fears were unfounded, in the image above the table top is simple resting on the legs, but already I was excited about how much more grounded the design felt.

Here you can see how simply the hairpin legs fix onto the wood, as well as how good these legs were still looking, despite 3 years of exposure. Off they came, all the original legs were given to a friend, who will be polishing them back up to their shiny copper state and using again in their garden.

The legs come with all the screws you need, as well as these felt pads to add some additional protection to the underside.

On they screw and the work is done.

In the same week as we upgraded the table legs, I also gave the black fences and woodwork in the garden a freshen up. I love how the black is carried through the garden as a detail that links different areas together, the depth of colour offers a brilliant contrast against the green of the plants, the more neutral, natural tones of the pebbles and oak sleepers and any soft furnishings that I bring out to dress the space.

How incredible is the Forsythia in the background?! It's even more vibrant in real life.

Hazel likes to use the corner of the table as a scratching post, but I think that's the beauty of something so simple and relatively inexpensive, it really doesn't matter.

I can't wait for the garden to properly bloom and for all the time we will be spending out there.

Next up is demolishing the little old shed, in the far right corner, freeing up a whole new area to create more usable space, I can't wait!

A huge thank you to The Hairpin Leg Company for the kindly gifted table + bench legs.

Please note, the legs I have used are technically not intended for use outside. Whilst I am confident they will do the job nicely, the Hairpin Leg Co cannot offer any form of guarantee when used as such.

Front Garden - adding curb appeal on a tight budget.

Thu, 16 Jul 2020 00:00:00 +0100

Hi, remember me? I used to write a blog, reasonably regularly called Alice in Scandiland? Doesn't ring any bells? I wouldn't have thought so, you can practically see the tumble weed rolling around these virtual pages. Safe to say Lockdown has really taken it's toll on my ability to be creative and the words just don't come as easily as they once did. But more on that another time.

A little over 2 years ago I decided to tackle the front of our house. We had basically no money for the project, at the same time as this I was also in the throws of opening the Alice in Scandiland Shop. Looking back I'm not entirely sure why I decided to dig up the front garden at the same time as growing my business, fitting out a shop and all the admin that comes with that. Somehow I always end up stacking up the big things, it's a bit of a bad habit of mine.

2 years later I thought it was about time I wrote about it here, especially as next week Phase 2 of the garden starts, with a beautiful hardwood deck being built. Thankfully I've called in professional help this time, I can't wait to share the progress as a bystander for once.

If you haven't already, you can read about Phase 1 of the back garden here.

We're 1 of 9 houses, set around a grass square, which is THE best parenting win of all time. This is where the girls learnt to ride bikes, where they can play football, cartwheel to their hearts content...

I've never made any secret of the fact our home isn't exactly a looker, from the outside at least. It's an end of terrace, late 60s house and very far from my dream frontage. But it's ours, we own it, we made the decision to stay put, rather than mortgage ourselves up to the eyeballs to go bigger and more beautiful and we're kind of OK with that decision. I have plans for more cosmetic tweaks I want to make to the outside (clad the porch + also cover those weird ass tiles below Eula's window with wood, running vertically, starting from the ground below the kitchen window + replacing the windows with a darkish grey, thinner frame) BUT, we're very much not in a financial position to do any of those things anytime soon, so we're getting on with living our lives and focusing elsewhere.

Read Our Home, for us for more about our decision to stay put and not size up.

The front door was replaced around the time we had the whole downstairs floor done with engineered oak. That was a complete saga and please don't ask me where it was from, I will not be recommending!

The sorry excuse for a lawn was crying out to be ripped up and once I decided I was going for the revamp, I wasted no time in lifting the top couple of inches.

I remember it being incredibly hot the week I decided to get stuck in, I was sweaty, filthy but I really enjoyed the process. The physicality of it, but also how quickly things started to look better, visually. I was so happy to finally be rid of that super sad grass.

There are several tricky elements to the area at the front of our house. These drain covers here are right in the middle and there's nothing that can be done about it. There is also a damp issue with the porch (which houses the tiny downstairs loo), it's just single skin brick and the soil was originally right up to it, holding in the moisture and sending it straight through the wall. Before the new floor was put down Stu dug a trench around the front of the house and filled with gravel, to allow better air flow.

As I mentioned before, we had pretty much no money for this project and the kind of planting I wanted isn't always a budget option. Tree ferns, large Agave, I was asking a bit much, but I struck it lucky with a few Facebook Marketplace finds which got things started.

The above Agave was about £25 and the slightly battered one below was maybe £10. This is quite a huge saving, considering their size.

Weed suppressant membrane, an absolute must.

Once the soil was levelled as well as could be, I popped down a layer of weed suppressant membrane, then cut through in the places I wanted to plant.

I'd gone back and forth with what ground cover I wanted to use, but with budget in mind and ease, I decided to go with gravel. But which gravel?!

I popped to Contec, a local exterior Paving + flooring specialist and after much gravel based deliberation decided on the Flamingo. Of course, this turned out to be the most expensive but I loved the subtle pink tones, so I found a way to make it work. Note to all, you always need way more than you think!

Flamingo Gravel

Thankfully the ugly waterbutt has since been moved.

Look at the state of my feet! I do a lot of my gardening either barefoot or in flip-flops and actually, I bloody love getting my feet filthy, really feeling connected to the ground you are working. Here I'd been wearing flip-flops, thankfully that wasn't tan lines, just grime lines!

With the gravel in place it was much improved, but I won't lie, it was what it was, but I wasn't in love. There was no money to tile the concrete path in front of the door, an idea I'd still like to see through one day. I'm also not wonderful at waiting for plants to become more mature, I'm all about the instant impact me, so the effect of smaller, budget friendly plants left me feeling a little blah.

The bamboo in a pot wasn't staying, but more a temporary way of hiding the ugly plastic downpipe behind.

I called in Stu for this job!

A quick number upgrade, these were from eBay, I think I searched for something like Futura Modern House Numbers.

But still, not bad for about £250, a week's work on my own, all whilst launching my shop!

Things have matured well since and it works better as time goes on. The addition of a Tree fern has made all the difference, it has such lovely impact.

Other plants that can be seen out the front are Aeoniums, Blue Echeveria, which shoot up the most vivid, beautiful flowers around this time of the year. Sisal Agave, Fan Palm and some ferns.

I'm still dreaming about some sexy Bert&May tiles and one day I'll make that ugly path a beautiful thing.

Image - Designsoda.co.uk

So there we are, a cheap fix that's standing the test of time. It's very low maintenance and definitely an improvement on the sad, ugly grass, don't you think?

Our home is far from the dream Instagram house, but with it comes security, safety and a springboard to take risks elsewhere in life. By staying put, I was able to open my shop and grow my ideas and creativity with that. We are so fortunate.

Thanks for reading x

The Alice in Scandiland Shop - a change is coming.

Wed, 22 Jul 2020 00:00:00 +0100

If the past few months have taught me anything, it's that a lot can change, quickly and often it is beyond our control. Forced change can help to bring new perspective and it's good to take a step back and access how things are going and this is what I have done in more recent weeks.

It will be 2 years next month, since I opened the doors to the Alice in Scandiland highstreet shop and wow! what a 2 years it has been. Initially I didn't have an official shop website, it's a lot of work to build and get right and I wanted to concentrate on establishing one thing, before committing to the next. Getting the look and feel right was so important to me, I wanted everything to be instantly recognisable as me, my style, my look, my voice. On June 1st 2019 I launched the website and things have gone from strength to strength. It's wonderful to know people from all over the world can and do share the love for my business and during an international pandemic, with the physical shop forced to close, having an online outlet has been a total blessing.

This said, so often with a positive comes a knock on effect negative and for me this has been the pressure and anxiety of running things on my own, during these extra difficult times. As someone who has suffered with depression and has battled with anxiety almost daily since Covid-19 took over our lives, it has been difficult to keep a balance between business, home and mental health. I'm sure many of you reading this have felt like they are not achieving what they think they should, what they had hoped they would at the moment, but how could we? Our world has been turned upside down, inside out and the ongoing uncertainty of so many aspects of life keeps us on an unhealthy edge, trying to carry on, forced to, but always subconsciously aware we are teetering, wobbling.

I have reached a point now where I am looking ahead, to how I can improve things for both my customers but also, very importantly, for myself. I find I am on my own in my work world and it can feel quite isolating, the often unspoken side to self employment and entrepreneurial pursuits. Trying to facilitate the growth of the shop, juggle being a parent to 2 little people, who have not been to school for 4 months, my husband is the most supportive, self sacrificing man and together we have shared the burden of both continuing to work throughout, looking at the rest of the year and how things will not be "normal" in the world of retail for quite some time, something needs to change.

So, change is coming and it's going to be good for all of us...

A few weeks ago I decided to take a leap of faith and adapt the structure of my business. I have employed a South West based Fulfillment company, who will be helping me with online sales, taking in stock, picking, packing and posting. Despite my current workload quadrupling, temporarily, to get this all organised and setup, already I feel a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Just in the last week I have seen a little surge in my ability to be creative, to create new content, to find the energy to continue working towards reopening the physical shop and here I am even writing a blog post about it all!

It's quite something, taking a part of what you have built yourself and handing it over to someone else, I've felt incredibly vulnerable and inadequate at times this past fortnight, lifting the lid off the top of things and allowing other people to look deep inside, essentially into my brain, which doesn't always make a lot of sense to the outside world. The focus has been so much about the data/ back end of the business and I am very ready to admit this is not my strongest area. I'm the creative one, I want to be creative again!

I have battled with many feelings over the last months, fear for the future, joy that I have such wonderful customers, who have been so supportive and encouraging, stress, because at my busiest, in full lockdown, when I could only open the online shop for 12/24hrs a week and would receive an amazing amount of orders in that time, despite the positives of this, how fortunate I was to be in that situation, when others were not able to adapt their businesses sufficiently/ quickly enough to the need for an online outlet, during this I felt very alone. Overwhelmed by it all, constantly trying to catch up and feeling like, in order to keep one plate up, I had to let all the others come crashing down. I still haven't picked up all of those pieces.

I don't want to feel like that again, ever.

So I am outsourcing, I am accepting my limitations and embracing all the good things it will mean for me, my little shop, my wonderful customers and the future of Alice in Scandiland. It is still me, it's still my ideas, imagery, words, thoughts and feelings, but logistically, behind the scenes, things will be smoother, postage options will be better, I'm going to be able to offer a faster delivery option, a cheaper option for smaller items, I'm going to be able to take a day off and recharge, I could even go on holiday and things can still function.

I hope you will see the change, see me getting back to what I do best, what I hope it is that you stick around here for - inspiration, accessible/ achievable ideas, my shop, my own support for small businesses and the Mentor/ Instagram Creative Workshops I so enjoyed. I'd also love to expand my design work, I quietly work away with a few clients from time to time, helping them to work through their ideas for their home, bringing my insight to the mix and I really enjoy this.

In the short interim, whilst I transition over to the new system and setup, orders placed from this evening (22/07/20) will not be sent out until Tuesday/ Wednesday next week (28th/29th).

I can't wait to move into the next chapter for the shop and see where things take me, for someone who a little over 2 years ago had no intentions of being a shop owner, life has certainly taken the on a ride and I am so incredibly thankful I decided to jump on.

Moodboarding my Scandinavian Inspired Living Room Refresh.

Mon, 12 Oct 2020 00:00:00 +0100

I can't help but change things about in our home, fiddle, seek out the better layout, if you've been around these parts a while you may have already worked that out. This said, it isn't all just change for the sake of change (something I've definitely heard my husband mutter under his breath, the cheek!) It's just that I'm not afraid to try something out, give it a go, like it for a while, but know it's not a forever thing. What's a bit of paint after all (those that have read about the living room before will know the undertone of sarcasm in that statement!)

The last time the living room was "done" was 2 years ago, a reaction to the previous "done", which went a bit (a lot) wrong. You can catch up on all that here.

The dark phase.

The plan.

The results.

But the time has come again for a slight revamp, brought about by several things, some pieces of furniture I want to incorporate, others I want to take away and an overall need to reduce and simplify our home. The "stuff" has begun to accumulate, multiply and quite honestly, it's stressing me out.

Beautifully styled shelves spend 99% of their life deconstructed, items borrowed to photograph elsewhere, a thick layer of dust, discarded toys...need I go on. As lovely as they look when some effort has gone in, my overriding opinion now is that I am over them! This said, I have a beautiful shelving unit from Woodchuck.nl which I am thinking of using, but it is smaller than the String and as it is so beautiful, I would be happy with it being on the wall and entirely empty!! We'll see...

Another glaring design issue for the space is the emptiness in the middle, the nothingness in the centre of the room. Obviously there's a coffee table there, but I mean the air space above and around, to me it doesn't feel cohesive and pulled together, the light fitting doesn't work, as well as the majority of features being pushed to the edges of the room. I realise you may be thinking "But there's nothing wrong with that room!" and really you'd be right, it's nice enough, but it's missing the spark for me. It's a space you move through to get to somewhere else, the lines all pull you through.

I want a room that makes you want to hang around a while, to cuddle up and see out the darker months in a nest of calm tranquility.

The woodburner side fits with the vision I have, so not much will be changing here, thankfully!!

What I've got in mind is more a reduction and reorder of things I already have, I do love a bit of shopping my own home, building the bones of an idea then adding in a few special buys for good measure.

I'll be working with Cover my Furniture, with brand new cushions and covers for our second hand IKEA sofa. This longed for change of colour to such a big detail of the room was a massive catalyst for this revamp. Lighter and even brighter can't be a bad direction. Stay tuned for a discount code for you to take advantage of too.

Here's an outline of my plan.

Lightshade - Hay Design, Wall Colour - Farrow & Ball Oval Room Blue, shelf - Woodchuck.nl, Mirror - Ferm Living, Bench - H&M, replacement sofa cover fabric sample Luxury Cotton Weave in Sesame - Cover My Furniture,
Blanket, cushions, print, lamp - Alice in Scandiland

When I create a moodboard for a project, done very simply with the app PicCollage, a savour for my very limited IT skills, it's such an invaluable way of seeing my intentions in one place. It helps you visualise which of the ideas racing about in your mind actually sit well together and which should perhaps be stored away for another time.

I want calm, simplified, less cluttery and generally just a bit more me, that's not too much to ask, right?

It's only natural that several products from the Alice in Scandiland Shop feature, after all, my business model is to only sell items I would want in my own home. All the soft furnishings are from the store, as is the White Flowers print, which I adore.

There's a mix of old and new in my ideas, of course, a few of the vintage pieces I am yet to source, so I'm typically up late, scouring Ebay, Etsy and Facebook Marketplace.

I can't wait to share more with you, including all the product details, once I've set everything in stone. As this isn't a DIY heavy project, I'm hoping I'll be done in a few short weeks.

Thanks for stopping by, I really am a very infrequent blogger these days, aren't I! In truth, I tend to over think things these days, I doubt if what I have to say is good enough for here and get too caught up in perfection. It's silly really, but here you are.

Take care x

Boat House Escape with Pengelly Retreat, Cornwall.

Sun, 25 Oct 2020 00:00:00 +0100

I've just arrived home after a little weekend escape and would love to share this beautiful place with you...

Earlier in the year Pengelly Retreat got in contact and asked if Stu and I would like to run away down west and enjoy a few nights in their Boat House. Naturally our answer was hell yes! I love little local holidays, a pause on real life, without a mammoth journey to face either end.

But, things were rather busy for us, then there was Covid and so, we decided to make it something to look forward to, later in the year.

Finally October was approaching and with things still so serious with Pandemic life, the girls needed to tag along too. Pengelly Retreat said this was fine, but, as they're more geared up for couples, they asked that we brought our own blowup beds. I just want to add at this point that Pengelly Retreat's target audience are couples and individuals and the original intention of our stay was for Stu and I to have some time to ourselves. Nancy and Eula were so excited to be having a mini holiday though, so we thought we'd just see how things went. Whilst Pengelly's website says no children, it's not that they aren't welcome, but more that safety may be an issue for certain ages, as well as the facilities and space in the accommodation being less suited. But, it isn't an out and out no, so if you're interested, get in touch with Ruth, she's lovely and more than happy to discuss options.

The forecast looked more than a little ominous, I'd tried not to look in the days leading up to our stay, what will be will be, but as we arrived the sun broke through and we were gifted with the most magical of evenings...

First impressions count for a lot and we were not disappointed. The Boat House is situated amidst Pengelly's beautiful gardens, right on the lake. The accommodation has the most wonderful outlook, across the water, with greenery all around.

You get pretty much everything you could need inside, the kitchen/bathroom is basic, but there are other thoughtful touches to excite, such as your very own outdoor bath!

Bubbles on chill.

It wasn't long before the girls declared it time to learn how to row a boat, Stu was more than happy to oblige. It looked so peaceful and beautiful out there on the water, I couldn't resist getting in for a swim. There are steps off the deck, just outside the Boat House, so the lake is like your very own natural swimming pool. In I went, heart racing with the chill, but I acclimatised quickly and was rewarded with one of the most magnificent swims of my life.

There's something absolutely exhilarating and magic about swimming in fresh water. Your heart is pumping, your body tingling and your mind is so alive. You see things from a whole different perspective.

It definitely helps knowing there's a toasty hot bath being run and a glass of bubbles waiting just for you!

Well, almost just for you! Naturally this pair invaded my blissful moment, but their giggles of absolute delight at this surreal setup only added to the experience.

There's a woodburner inside the Boat House, as well as fire pit out near the bath, but I thought this would be the perfect time to give our new Anevay Frontier Stove it's first use. The Frontier Plus was kindly gifted to me, I've followed Anevay, a Cornish business, on Instagram for quite some time and we got chatting about how great this portable stove would be for our new garden deck.

It was so easy to assemble and absolutely perfect for this setting, but...we'd lost track of time and hadn't given Tea any thought, so off we went to the shop, to buy a Picky Dinner (anyone else know what a picky dinner is? They're quite possibly one of my favourite meals, just a little bit of anything and everything you fancy!)

Lighting the stove would have to wait..

Naturally Nancy and Eula brought their brilliant and much loved lights with them. The large Miffy light we bought Eula for her birthday last week, from This Modern Life. Suzanne, TML's creator, surprised the girls with these 2 little mini lights on Friday and we're all a bit obsessed with them! You can check them all out here.

I'm not 100% sure what Stu is doing in this snap, perhaps heading in to reprimand 2 giggling, tired drunk little girls for the 85th time!

The latter part of the evening was mostly spent trying to avoid the girls, who's blowup beds were in the kitchen/ dining part of the house. Let's just say it was quite a late one, they were both still awake at 12 and it was then I started to formulate a plan for them to go spend the 2nd night at my parent's!

On Saturday the rain came. All of the rain, with a nice lot of wind with it. Stu and Nancy went surfing whilst Eula and I explored the gardens, until we were soaked through, then climbed into bed and watched a film, with the woodburner warming us nicely.

I wasn't quite as prepared as I would have liked for this little trip away, work in the last week has been very full on. I should have planned a little better, downloading some films and things, prior to arrival. There is no phone signal in the Boat House, very little outside too and little to no WiFi inside either. Absolutely not an issue, in fact, a great way to switch off and go offline. But, with the weather as it was, a bit of forward thinking wouldn't have hurt.

We did manage to download some bits and bobs, in between showers, hovering out the front of the house, I may or may not have watched all of Emily in Paris, the reviews are right, a terrible cliche fest, but also very easy to watch, requires zero brain power (aside from the WiFi issues!) and well, I make no excuses, a part of me enjoyed it! I used the few hours Stu was gone, dropping the girls at my parent's and buying dinner, to lie flat out in bed, not thinking about work once. Wonderful!

I did however drag myself out of said bed, just before Stu got back, to light the Anevay stove, make a coffee and appreciate the break in the absolutely appalling weather.

We're going to have a lot of fun with this woodburner in our own garden, I can tell, I'm in love with it already.

Stu and I stayed up late, chatting about the kinds of things 2 people who have been together for a forever talk about. It was so lovely not to have the constant interruptions that come part and parcel with children.

We also watched a lot of The Walking Dead.

This morning we awoke to beautiful sunshine. Many cups of tea were consumed, whilst thinking about how we could make a Boat House happen in our real lives!

We had another wander around the gardens, before packing up and facing up to the fact we had to return to reality.

I really loved these wood grain concrete pavers, found at the entrance to The Secret Garden - a slightly odd, random, charming and slippery garden/ wood, which is part of the land that makes up Pengelly Retreat.

The lovely little recycling/ rubbish point, at the beginning of the gardens.

The rain arrived again, just as we were leaving and so, back to life and the girls we went.

We'd like to thank Pengelly Retreat for inviting us along to enjoy they're beautiful sanctuary. What a gift, to dial down the distractions for a little while and get to experience Boat House life.

You can see more from Pengelly Retreat via their Instagram and you'll find lots of useful information about them on their website here.

Creating a Simple Floral Hanging Wreath + Styling a Lockdown Birthday.

Sun, 22 Nov 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Nancy, my eldest, turned 9 yesterday and faced with Lockdown restricted celebrations for the girl who talks about her birthday from the very day after her last one, I wasn't sure how she would feel about it all. This said, she is also the most understanding little creature and would honestly be happy with anything, but not being able to see all our family would be difficult for her.

I was at the Supermarket the day before, buying cake ingredients and nibbly foods and saw a big bucket of Gypsophila. Instantly I knew I had to incorporate it into the decorations and from the point of the idea, it was really quite simple.

Decorating the table area in the kitchen is my most favourite way of making a meal, a day, a celebration, something extra special. It has a big impact but is actually so simple and cheap to do.

I've used a hoop above the table so many times over years, these Beech hoops, which I sell at the Alice in Scandiland Shop, are a beautiful design detail on their own. Nancy has one on the wall in her room, but what's even better is that they can be borrowed and styled up, to create a wonderful centre piece.

Take a look around Nancy's room here.

All you need is -

A hoop - I've used a 60cm hoop here, but you can play around with the size, find what suits your space. You can buy this Beech hoop here (if they're all sold out then more will be on the way), you can also make your own with woven Willow, small thin branches etc.
Some wire. I use this Oasis Bindwire quite a bit for various crafts and jobs at the shop.
Scissors
Your choice of foliage. At Christmas I usually use Eucalyptus, but really the theory is the same for almost all natural materials you use. Try Bracken, dried grasses, thin, bendable branches with beautiful Autumnal coloured leaves...
3 lengths of cord to hang the hoop.

It's up to you whether you want to add the cord to hang the hoop before or after adding the greenery. I've used this hoop multiple times for several years, so the leather cord you see here was already attached. It's easy enough to work around it.

In this instance divide your chosen flower/ foliage into individual stems, I find it helpful to arrange in piles of similar lengthed stems and pre-cut some pieces of wire. It's better to go a little longer than you think with the wire, so things aren't too fidly. It also depends on the thickness of your hoop.

With the Gypsophila each stem already provides a little posy of flowers. I start with the longer lengthed stems, securing onto the hoop where the thinner stems with flowers become thicker. I then lay another stem of Gypsophila, on top of that, but a little further around the hoop, securing that one in the same way, but making sure the wire wraps around the previous stem also. Does that make sense?!

If using flowers which are a single stem/ single flower, then it's better to create a little posy of multiples and secure these to the hoop, otherwise it could end up looking too sparse.

Once you've created your base covering of the hoop, I prefer to hang it up in place and then add in, once I can see how it's going to look.

We already have a hook above our dining table, because we've swagged the light over to be in the position we want. If you don't have this, I would really encourage you to add a hook anyway, because I hang things here all the time, throughout the year, for different occasions.

I use an elastic band, bound around the 3 cords, to bring them together for hanging, as opposed to a knot. This means, once up, you can gently pull out a bit of cord from one side or another, to level out the hoop if it doesn't hang level. If tying a knot instead, you need to have it perfect before the knot is tied.

Once hung, it's then so easy to add in stems here and there, to fill gappy bits, to bulk out, add height above or bring the arrangement down from the hoop, depending on how you look. The Gypsophila is such a great flower to use if you're not confident with creating something like this, as the sprayed little blooms do so much of the work for you. Plus, it's such a cheap option. I used about 6 bunches, which in total cost approximately £9.

The scene was set for the next morning, when Nancy would come down and discover this table of loveliness.

I'd even printed out some Mer Mag / Merrilee Liddiard Paper Dolls, to keep the girls entertained when they inevitably got up super early. I had informed Nancy that birthdays don't exist before 8:30am!

Check out all of Merrilee Liddiard's beautiful printable treats here.

The big day...

I was so happy when I came down to daylight flooding in and this area looking beautiful. I'd gotten a bit carried away the night before and completely removed the gallery wall, but this was a change I knew was coming anyway. I'm really feeling the need to simplify the decor in our home at the moment and bring back some empty wall space.

Nancy was absolutely over the moon and was squealing with excitement all morning.

Apart from the Gypsophila, everything else you see here are things we already had and which get used time and time again. The Happy Birthday banner (I forget where I bought it) is about 6 years old and comes out every year. The Meri Meri Eco Party plates (from my shop), despite technically being throwaway items, get a wipe down and they're good to go again. These white ones are on their third party, since the Easter Party they originated from.

Meri Meri Eco Plates, Fine Little Day Napkins, Rustic Cake dish (used for the centre piece) Viki Weiland Danish Stoneware vases, Pencil and Beeswax Candles, the Gårdsutsikten print on the wall, all can be found at the Alice in Scandiland Shop.

Nancy's little additions to the decorations.

After breakfast (Nancy had requested Greek Yoghurt with Raspberries + Pomegranate, with a side of Watermelon) we headed to Golitha Falls, to meet my mum for a walk. Another one of Nancy's birthday requests.

I took my basket, to gather some moss for more creating at home. The girls took their Little Naturalist Club Explorer Boards.

My mum brought hot drinks and her delicious Lemon Muffins, still warm from the oven. It was so lovely to see her, even if we couldn't hug or sit too close, I knew it would mean a lot to Nancy for her to be with us.

We sat by the raging river, a torrent of energy after so much rain recently. Quite the contrast to the last time we had been here, in Lockdown 1, when the girls and I had stripped down to our underwear and bathed in a calm, cooling pool.

It felt so good to switch off from all the troubles of life/ work and to slow things right down. Nancy and Eula were in their element. We were soaked by the rain, but it really didn't matter.

On our way home in the car, with thoughts of toasting Marshmallows on the woodburner and stuffing our faces with S'mores, Nancy declared this her best birthday ever, saying it was all just so lovely and relaxing and we discussed how not having a full on party maybe suited us all better. Not having to worry about anyone else's needs and likes was very freeing. It's lovely to have friends over, but parties are so often a careful balancing act between enjoyment and fraught, uncomfortable energy. Well, maybe that's just me and my feelings, but through no pressure it would seem Nancy has come to the same conclusion!

We'll see what her feelings are about it next year, but this 2020 Lockdown 9 year old's birthday was one of the loveliest days we've had possibly ever.

Tomorrow on the blog I'm going to be sharing my super simple secret behind how I decorate cakes. So pop back then for more about this little beauty and past cakes.

Whilst I have your attention, I wonder if you could do something for me please?...

I'm so excited as the Alice in Shop has been nominated in the Independent Awards for High Street Shop of the Year. It's absolutely unbelievable and such an honour.

But I need your help, will you please vote for me?

First prize is an amazing cash injection, to help boost my business, to grow it, improve it and hopefully future proof it. This year has been one of, if not THE toughest for so many of us and as a small businesses owner, who's high street shop has been closed for the best part of November, things are far from ok. Your vote would mean the world. Thank you.

How to Decorate Cakes the Easy Way.

Mon, 23 Nov 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Cake. The highlight of a celebration, the centre piece, the main event but also quite often the biggest cause of stress and frustration.

I have a long standing habit of placing pressure on myself about things that noone else particularly cares about. It's a personality trait I have come to live with and thankfully, over time, moulded and make more manageable, in the most part.

I've pretty much always made Nancy and Eula's birthday cakes, but haven't always found it came easily to me. I'd have an idea in my mind, a concept, but the execution usually fell a bit short. The girls didn't care and were always over the moon with what ever I produced, but still, for someone who is very visual, it frustrated me.

Let's go back in time and have a look at some of my earlier cake creations shall we! It's ok, you're allowed to chuckle.

Let's start really low shall we? Here we have Eula's 1st birthday cake. The anemic pink icing is covering a very very burnt cake. I knew it was pretty bad, but it was only after serving it to a room full of friends that I realised quite how bad, basically inedible. See the beautiful glitter number 1? Yeah, that's not edible glitter people. I had to scrape it off before serving, what was I thinking?!

Eula was Dinosaur mad this year + loved this cake. It makes me cringe, but in reality it ticked all her boxes. Mum points for a Velociraptor Tutu!

If in doubt or lacking skill, drizzle a load of chocolate all over it.

This cake makes me laugh, it was absolutely delicious, brownie sponge, Biscoff spread + fresh cream filling, Nutella icing. Divine. But I'm just not sure which part of the decoration says man's 40th birthday?! I obviously had an idea and wanted to try it out and wasn't really bothered about it's context! This is a good comparison for later though. I drew these animals + cut them out and my lack of drawing ability shines through. I learn how to get around this a little later on..

It was around this point, I think possibly Nancy's 5th birthday, that I realised something. By now I'm quite good at making the cake, but making the decorations wasn't my strong point. But fresh flowers always look good. Once again this cake is my Beetroot Brownie recipe and is so delicious.

I seem to be finding my stride here, my formula is simple, take pretty things that are already made, like this London Sparkle cake topper and once again add in fresh beautiful flowers.

I was so proud of this cake for Eula's 5th Birthday. But honestly, the decoration of it was so easy. The mini Meringues were from the CoOp, the laser cut fairies I had in our craft drawer (try Hobbycraft for similar), fresh flowers from the garden and the edible gold leaf was me just trying to be extra fancy (bought on Ebay), definitely an upgrade from the glitter on her 1st cake!!

This photo cracks me up, Nancy just lives for the excitement, she adores birthdays, whether they be her own or someone else's. But maybe not that year!

So this leads me to present day. I've taken what I've learnt and run with it. I use other people's skill to bring my own ideas to life, not necessarily by paying someone to make/ decorate the cake, but by finding beautiful things to add on.

I have a few cake rules too, I don't take very specific requests and I don't do shaped cakes. I do wonder if my children will one day be sad that they never got a Chocolate Finger Fort cake, or a Colin the Caterpillar, but I don't think they're doing too badly!

For Nancy's birthday this year I knew exactly what I wanted to do, I had seen these beautiful Merrilee Liddiard Animal + Scenery printables and just knew they would make the most wonderful cake toppers.

You can turn any printed image into a cake topper, so the possibilities are quite endless.

If your images are quite tall, be sure to give them a long stick, to keep them securely in the cake. You don't want a toppling scene when you're half way across the room, singing out of tune with an audience!

The watercolour grey and white is so striking in it's simplicity...

I'd just like to add at this point that my Chocolate Ganache didn't set enough and I'd run out of time to heat it back up + add more Chocolate (that's how simple the fix would have been) so I just went with it.

On the one hand, it's a shame, because I was so pleased with how this cake turned out except for this one, quite obvious detail. But on the other hand, what does it really matter? It still tasted great and Nancy was so thrilled with it.

I wasn't expecting the magic of the pink light reflections, once the candles were lit. I'd like to say that was a planned extra detail, but really it was pure luck. Who knew brown chocolate could throw back such a pretty colour!

I didn't have a cake stand the right size this time, my Rustic Cake Dish, my usual go to, seen here as part of the table centre piece, was too big.

So instead I used an upturned bowl, a few strips of double sided tape (to stop any unfortunate wobbles) and an upturned plate to make my own. Had the pink reflections on the cake toppers been intentional, then I could have talked about how I wanted to reflect that at the base, but that would just be a lie! A happy and beautiful coincidence.

Beetroot Brownie Sponge, fresh cream and Raspberry Jam.

Here are a few past simple cakes decorations.

Absolutely loved this one, as did Eula. For the first time ever I got someone to make the cake, as I was so busy with work and needed to relinquish some stress. Thank you to the lovely Work by Ali for this number.

The decoration was laughably simple, 3 Moomin cutouts and some upturned Rosemary to make trees, but the result was so good, even if I do say so myself!

I simply warmed the base of the candles with the lit match and stuck to the board. Candles don't always have to go in/on the cake itself.

I love how Snorkmaiden looks as though she's gathering from a little Rosemary garden.

Fresh Cosmos and Anenomes helped this cake turn into a celebration of our garden. Delicate flowers like the Cosmos will start to wilt after a short while, but you'll have long enough to decorate, photograph and pop in the middle of the table to been seen and admired.

Scabious on the other hand, one of my most favourite flowers to grow in the garden, will stay pert and happy a good while longer.

Once again I've used Rosemary too, along with some Anenomes.

Check out my Lemon Drizzle recipe here

Candles can help add the extra drama needed for going for making things special and I'm a firm believer that candle adorned cakes should not just be saved for big occasions. Sometimes it's just the pickme up needed after school, or on a dark, dingey cold Sunday.

These handmade Beeswax Celebration Candles from my shop are so simple and lovely.

Shop for candles here

So there you have it, cake decorating the simple but very effective way. I hope perhaps this has given you a little confidence boost and some inspiration for the future. As I said before, with printouts, the possibilities are endless and flowers are always beautiful.

Note - Please be aware that many flowers are not edible. Some I have used purely for decoration and these are not to be consumed.

Please also be respectful of the ownership of images you find online. There are lots of free images available to download, but it's also great to support small independent artists and businesses by paying a few £ and downloading their wonderful work. Etsy is a great place to look.

Whilst you're here, did you see yesterday's post? -

IKEA IVAR Interior Inspiration.

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Hello! I won't dwell on the fact that, once again, it's been a very long time since I wrote in this space, that just seems to be the way of things for now. Moving swiftly on (very pleased to see you here)...

At the weekend, over on my Instagram Stories, I was discussing the storage issues in our home, in particular our kitchen.

As someone who styles imagery as part of their living, who's very house is the subject of their work, the accumulation of items, used for inhancing little moments here and there, for promoting products I sell at the Alice in Scandiland Shop and hopefully creating inspiration for others, is unavoidable.

I had been trying to "declutter" and reduce, something I've been pretty good at for several years now, however it just hasn't been happening this time around and I have been getting so frustrated.

Shop my home - Alice in Scandiland online shop

Stoneware Vases - Alice in Scandiland Shop

Then I had an epiphany - I am a stylist, it is a huge part of what I do. The "things" I was struggling to get rid of or home in the house are things that I DO need, not daily, not even weekly, but definitely monthly.

I like to have them to hand, to create a beautifully styled table or shelf, for a stock photo for the shop, or for Instagram. The fact my house is so often the subject of my work makes things a little different to the times, in years gone by, when I've purged our belongings, reduced and rehomed. I've created my own job, but the house hasn't completely kept up.

The vintage lockers here are a great idea in theory, but the shelves above don't work for me any more. Perhaps if the lockers were six high this could be good, but I want something less fussy, fewer small doors and more options.

The reality of open shelving, everything is far too visible for my liking, cluttred and chaotic.

The trouble with open shelving

Currently it is all far too on show for my liking, I want to create some harder working storage. But on a budget, in a room that I hope, one day, will change again when we eventually update the falling apart kitchen cupboards, stained worktop and rotten sink (painting a pretty picture, aren't I!), how can this be done in an effective, affordable, future adaptable way?

A pretty picture paints a thousand lies. From this angle all looks well doesn't it! Stoneware candle holders from the Alice in Scandiland Shop

IKEA Ivar, that's how.

I don't know about you, but the Ivar range, the cupboards in particular, really capture my imagination. I think it's how incredibly functional they are but also stylish and timeless too. The Ivar range has been around a good while now, so this post is nothing new as such, but I feel these cupboards continue to be one of the best, affordable options out there.

Sadly, for so many wanting to tackle their storage issues, to tweak areas of their homes and to do so with relative ease and minimal skill, IKEA have been out of stock for quite some time now. It would seem C-19 wants to spoil even our small scale home improvements this part year. There's no escaping it!

And so, for now, whilst I patiently wait, along with thousands around the country, I've been collecting together some of my favourite interiors images which use the Ivar cupboards. Whether left natural, painted, clad, fancy legs added, what ever hacks have been created, what I love is this is achievable on a small budget, in the most part with minimal diy ability.

Image - Remodelista

IKEA Ivar inspiration

This - Ivar cupboards in their simplest form, wall mounted, is exactly what I want to do in our kitchen. I would use a Lye treatment to keep the Pine light.

Image - IKEA

Image - mrshabitat Instagram

This little unit in a child's room is lovely, with the added Pretty Pegs legs.

Image - IKEA

Rattan door IKEA Ivar hacks

Above you can see an example of the Rattan Ivar doors which IKEA brought out after the initial release of the Ivar range. I think they're nice, but I wish they didn't have the cross piece, separating the door into 2 squares.

Overall, across many doors, I feel it becomes overly fussy. This said, I wouldn't totally rule them out as a quick and easy change to the look of the cupboards (covering myself here, just in case I end up going down this route!)

Image - 3skerta Instagram

Here you can see a door hack which I really love. The rattan sheet has been fixed over the top of the original doors, with a trim added to finish. I do like the lightness that being able to see through the weave of rattan gives, but this is also effective and means you don't need to do any modifying of the doors beforehand.

I could really see this working in our kitchen, with the cupboards wall mounted. I'm not convinced I actually want to half see the contents, so the solid door makes sense to me.

Image - 3skerta Instagram

Image - Apartment Apothecary

Katy over at Apartment Apothecary has created an amazing door hack, you can read her full blog post here. I'll definitely be coming back to this post if I can ever get my hands on some cupboards!

Image - Nordic Remake

Of course my lovely Swedish Instagram friend Ida, Nordic Remake would appear here, she is the queen of beautiful transformations after all and she has worked some serious magic with IKEA Ivar cupboards here...

I really love this line of units in this child's room, ending with the handmade house shelf. The little dansette legs help to ground the design and add a little extra playfulness.

Another wonderful transformation by Ida is in her son's bedroom, with this fish scale paint job and Pretty Pegs Hillevi 170 legs.

Image - vinklehusets Instagram

Image - trashuresnl Instagram

Image - rebeccashem Instagram

Image - Bloggaibagis

A beautiful, simple take from one of my absolute favourites, Janniche at Bloggaibagis.

Image - octobre_et_mai Instagram https://instagram.com/octobre_et_mai?igshid=l765pxmat9yd

Image - octobre_et_mai Instagram

These wall hung cupboards (below), painted the same colour as the wall, make for wonderful storage but also a beautiful backdrop to the lovely kitchen belonging to Petites Lunes, a wonderful account I follow on Instagram.

Monica Karlstein IKEA hacks

I think the crowning glory for IKEA Ivar hacks has to go to Monica Karlstein, author of the Swedish blog Hemmafix - this woven door hack is the stuff of my dreams!

Image - Monica Karlstein

Monica has written a book, 99 Hacks, full up with amazing ideas on how to change up mass produced items, to give them a more personalised look. Unfortunately, as far as I can see, this book has not been printed in English. I think we should start a campaign to rectify this, as I suspect we all need this little book of inspiration in our lives.

Take a closer look at the creation of this IVAR hack here.

Follow Monica on Instagram for more inspiration

I guess I shouldn't forget to add in my very own IKEA Ivar hacks..

IKEA Ivar shop fittings

At the Alice in Scandiland shop we wall mounted two-and-a-half of the shallow IVAR cupboards (my dad cut a cupboard in half as I didn't want it any wider than this).

The units were wall mounted on a thick wooden baton, at the back, allowing them to sit forward of the wall a few inches, creating the room for a deeper worktop (pine board) and a sink. This does mean there is some wasted space behind the cupboards, but that wasn't an issue here.

See more from my shop here on Instagram. And if you like anything you see in these pictures, you can buy online at the Alice in Scandiland shop.

A bespoke wardrobe using IKEA Ivar

In my youngest daughter Eula's bedroom, we created a bespoke wardrobe for her, using the IVAR Drawers and deeper cupboard. Eula's room is rather tiny and for the time being this has been a very good addition to the space.

You can read all about it here.

So there we are, whilst we all wait, impatiently, for the IKEA Ivar cupboards to finally be restocked, we can all ponder how best to utilise them in our homes.

Which of these versions was your favourite?

Have a wonderful week, Alice x

Making a Mud Kitchen for free.

Sun, 02 May 2021 00:00:00 +0100

We've had a mud kitchen in the garden since the girls were really young, they used to have a bath in it when we came home from a day at the beach. Stu knocked it together from a sink I picked up, for free, on Facebook Marketplace and some scraps of wood we had lying around. It was basic, but entertained Nancy and Eula with water play, potion making, mud pies and more.

Fast forward a few years, the garden has been through quite a transformation and the old Mud Kitchen had been taken apart to store whilst we worked out how we wanted to use the different spaces.

Back in March, on a quiet day at home, the girls asked my husband if they could have their Kitchen back, one thing led to another and it was decided it was time for an upgrade. The first version was made when Nancy was about 3, so now, at 9, it was much too short for her.

Nancy and Eula sketched out what they would like for version 2 and Stu cracked on. I wasn't a part of these plans at all and I tried my best to calmly put my trust in their vision. The garden is my most favourite space at home + I did have my concerns that some ugly monstrosity would appear, especially as it was being made for absolutely free.

I need not have worried though, it was very quickly apparent we were all on the same page, design wise.

We always have spare wood hanging around, off cuts from this and that project, our big shed (the black wood wall behind the bones of the mud kitchen above) was made entirely from free pallets.

The main structure for the kitchen needed to be solid, as we were using an old Belfast sink that has been at the back of the garage for years. A neighbouring house was being gutted, due to a huge leak and they had piles of timber outside which we could help ourselves to.

Pallet wood was used to clad the strong frame, creating 3 cupboards, which double up as ovens. I love how higgledy-piggledy it is and the lovely tones of the wood.

This is the end of the garden which is home to our garden table and this space in front of the fence was previously used for just a wood store. I didn't really want the mud kitchen at the deck end, so we made room and it works perfectly here. I love how the stacked wood surrounds it, blending it into the garden.

Before, with just a wood store.

A lot of "cooking" goes on in this kitchen and the girls require fresh ingredients for their discerning cafe customers!

They know the plants they can and can't cut from around the garden (currently Rosemary, Scabiosa, Forsythia, Currant Bushes, Perriwinkle, Japanese Rose) and as the seasons progress they'll have more choice. I also get talked into buying them sacrificial plants from time to Thyme!

The top little oven has been a big hit with Eula, for her mud pies. This blue Le Creuset casserole pan used to be my Granny Eula's. It has a cracked lid and was relegated to the garden several years ago. They've always used it for making concoctions, but now it has a suitable home and I love that it can still be used, I can still remember the meals my Gran served to me in it.

All of the pots and pans and bits here are items that passed their best and moved outside, ex-camping kit, a beautiful Hilda Carr mug, which I sold at the Alice in Scandiland Shop, who's handle got broken off.

The Belfast sink isn't plumbed in at the moment, we've been playing with ideas of adding a tap and some kind of pressure fed piping/ water storage, but most likely we won't bother, simple is so often better. We keep an old pan underneath the plug hole, which catches excess water and then Nancy and Eula water the plants with it.

We came up with a few hob set ups for the top, but all of them felt like a compromise on the space available for the varied uses the girls find for this area. In the end we've left it completely changeable, this aluminium plate makes a great place to build a kettle or pan of soup, but can easily be stashed away in the cupboard if the worktop becomes the counter in their cafe.

This little camping kettle was rescued from the dump many years ago.

Off cuts from peg rails I used at the shop make great hanging storage. I sell these, they have so many wonderful uses. You can take a look at the range here.

They have a real knife, which is one of their favourite parts of the kitchen, I grew up in the countryside and always had Penknives, free use of saws and all kinds of "hazardous" equipment. It's good for children to get used to these things from an early age, in exactly the same way as they have been laying and lighting our wood burner since they were old enough to understand our instructions.

Honestly, this kitchen is better appointed than my own in the house! I asked Stu to make this chopping board, which works as an extension to the worktop, sitting over the sink. It's a piece of Beech, which for a time, was our splashback in the kitchen.

I'm yet to write the blog about our new deck, I just haven't found the time to commit to it yet (I shade started, but the first draft got deleted!) But one of the questions I get asked a fair bit is "What about the children, where do they play?". This always slightly confuses me, I think it is in reference to us getting rid of the small area of "grass", which was 90% muddy mess.

The girls haven't lost out at all, I guess in part because of the communal grass square at the front, but also because they will make fun whatever the setting, but the addition of this mud kitchen has definitely added even further to their enjoyment of the garden.

For those wondering where all the mess is, fear not, it does get absolutely lagged with mud and soggy pans full of grass cuttings and "perfume", but cleaning it all up is part of the fun, fortunately both Nancy and Eula enjoy tidying and scrubbing as much as the cooking and serving their homemade treats. We use natural washing up liquid for cleaning and fun with bubbles, Fairy Liquid is incredibly bad for the environment and we don't want to harm the plants and animals that we love to encourage to cohabit in this outdoor space.

Eula and I had a lovely afternoon in the garden today taking some pictures to share with you, whilst Stu and Nancy were off surfing.

It's been such a long time since I've written and shared here on the blog, over 4 months and the longer you go, the harder it feels to jump back in. I hope you've found this interesting and perhaps you feel inspired make something for your own children. Not a penny was spent to make this mud kitchen, it just goes to show what can be done with some scraps of wood and a little imagination. If you don't happen to have an antique Belfast sink hanging around in your garage (I mean, who actually does?! Our garage makes me laugh, the random treasures that are hiding in there) then you can usually pick one up on Facebook Marketplace for about £30ish. You could also use an old washing up bowl, a bucket or old kitchen sink with drainer attached.

Don't forget to pin this blog post, to come back to in the future and I hope you're having a lovely Bank Holiday Weekend.

Thanks for stopping by, Alice x

Garden Makeover Phase 2 - Making a Plan

Sun, 23 May 2021 00:00:00 +0100

4 years ago we began overhauling our garden, the building work for the extension had left it rather battered, though it had never been much to brag about before that point if I'm honest.

Our home is developing over time, we've never had a big lump sum of money to just tackle everything all at once, that would be lovely, but I do question whether long term I'd be happy with decisions made all at once. There is something to be said for living and learning about the space you inhabit, planning and dreaming how certain changes could benefit you and your family, adapting as you go along.

I had thought I was going to dive straight into the build of our deck (the main point of this blog, a long overdue subject seeing as it was built last summer), but now I'm here I feel that it might be best to divide this piece in to 2 parts, part 1 giving context, the before, the ideas and part 2, to follow soon after, getting right into the creation of one of the best decisions we have made for our home.

During and after the building work-

Here are 2 past blog posts which are worth a read if you're new around here, they'll help you to properly understand the full journey our little house has been on so far -

During Phase 1 of the garden work, the shed side wasn't touched, or rather it became the dumping ground to allow the groundwork to progress here. The thing with any kind of landscaping/ gardening is that it absorbs money like you wouldn't believe. You always need twice as much material as you thought, 1 of each plant is never enough, you need multiples for impact and growing from seed just takes so long!

It's a money drain, but the very best kind, I never regret a penny spent out there, as it gives me so much joy.

I knew the shed side of the garden would need a much bigger budget and I still hadn't decided/ convinced Stu on what I wanted to do, so we just got on with living and enjoying what we had achieved so far.

Garden Phase 2 - The Problems.

● Storage. Our house is modest in size, we make it work for us, but part of that making it work is that we utilise storage out in the shed(s).

The old, ugly, evil looking shed in the far corner (which I had been campaigning to be rid of for years) was very convenient storage for fire wood/ the lawn mower etc. The other shed holds normal shed stuff, as well as surfboards, a few of the larger toys, the majority of our larder type food, creating more space in the kitchen.

I wanted to lose the small shed in the corner, to reveal the beautiful old Oak tree behind.

● The "lawn" or rather the lack of. Grass is definitely a more affordable solution to cover a larger area in a garden, but grass doesn't like to grow underneath trees, it doesn't like objects being left on it, it doesn't like to grow under furniture. Once the Weeping Birch was in leaf a large percentage of this side of the garden would become mud, that mud would become a trail of mess leading right into the house and a constant source of stress in our home.

The back door of the extension is immediately in the garden, wonderful, yes, but it means there isn't any division between dirty and clean.

Something needed to change.

Before.

There have been a few versions of before on this side, all of which have been a compromise, all of which always had one thing in common. Mud.

The She Shed/ Playhouse stage was one of the better ones, you can read more about that creation here.

I began to make tweaks to how this end of the garden linked with the house in early Spring last year. I extended the small bed that followed the corner of the extension, forever in search of more space to grow beautiful things.

Having previously resigned myself to the fact we wouldn't be doing anything major here that year, my mind began to wonder and before I knew it I had decided that I would find a way to make it happen sooner. I couldn't wait any longer, my garden is my escape, especially during such a difficult time during Covid and it deserved to be the best it could be!

Exploring ideas.

At this point we didn't have a budget in mind, I had some money saved for "something" but I always start with affordable ideas and then those ideas tend to get blown out of proportion and before I know it I'm trying to create a Grand Designs idea on a fiver!

I went through the motions, creating a Pinterest board, exploring different ground covering options, for a time I decided we'd just cover the area with some form of gravel, to finally be rid of the mud and progress from there further down the line.

Image - Cate St Hill

Image - Mallee Design

Image source here

I moved on from the idea of stones though, when I realised there was no way of linking this idea to the pebbles, which were already in place at the other end of the garden and making it feel cohesive. I didn't want to use pebbles anywhere else.

So I imagined we had some more money to put towards the project and began to explore the idea of decking.

I found this image incredibly inspiring, it's the garden of Stylizimo and I think this was the point at which I knew for sure the direction I wanted to head in.

A deck done well is a beautiful thing, demonstrated above, a deck done badly though is not only an eyesore, but also something that will plague you with problems for many years to come. I knew that what ever we did needed to be a step up from a standard creation, but there were many factors to consider.

What kind of deck?

Where to even begin with deciding what material to go for? I was firmly in the real wood camp, to start, I adore wood, it features heavily in our home in many different forms and I was keen to mirror this outside. But then I began to ponder the idea of composite, spurred on by some comments from various people, intrigued by the features it is lauded for - the promise of less maintenance, greater durability, anti slip, scratch resistance, product guarantees...

I was definitely feeling myself begin to lean towards this idea, so I went to look at samples, as well as ordering some in the post too.

My initial reaction was emotionless, these things felt dead and soulless, you might laugh at this, but so often a material, colour or design detail I use gives me a rush of emotion and that's how I know it's the one for me.

The Millboard Weathered Oak was the only one that did anything to excite me. As a small sample slither it looked very fake and rather evil looking, as though it had come from a haunted house. But seen over a larger surface area, I admit it did have something about it.

But here are the things that ultimately put me off and brought me back around to using the real thing.

● Cost - It's incredibly expensive, not just at face value, you have to factor in that the extra benefits that apparently come with composite (longevity, guarantees etc) are all based on decks laid by professionals who specialise in composite materials, with some companies, if you don't use an accredited fitter, then they don't promise the guarantee.

● Substructure. Millboard for example recommend that you use their purpose designed subframe, to ensure longevity of the product. That subframe, which will most likely need to be built by someone with extensive experience with those products, will cost you more than the decking boards themselves, doubling the cost of the deck overall.

● Environmental concerns - the chemicals used to make many of these products are incredibly poisonous, to both humans and the environment. Yes, there are options which are more "eco friendly", but they're more expensive and I didn't find enough information to make me feel 100% ok about the choice.

Other put offs, from a mixed bag of sources - many had found their composite wasn't actually non slip (especially the textured ones which facilitated the growth of Algae just as well as grooved wood decking). It did scratch, it was unbearably hot under foot (in particular the darker colours), difficult + costly to correct any issues...

And finally, the overriding decision maker for me was that I felt sad that we wouldn't be using real wood, that if I headed out to the garden with bare feet, as I so often do, that I wouldn't have a natural material under my feet.

There are many who are thrilled with their choice of composite decking, but for me there were too many unknowns and I was totally put off. Decision made.

Moving ahead with the "plan".

I use the word "plan" loosely here, in fact the above sketch is the only thing I can find, relating to this project, which I had put down on paper!

After talking with several local landscaping firms I went with C&G Garden Builds, a local company recommended by several people and who turned out to be 2 guys I went to school with, Chris and George. I loved that they instantly got my vision, which was mostly still just in my head at that point, they had great advice to give and really made me feel like this project was in very capable, safe hands. The job was booked in for late July (a few months wait) and I could then get on with making my decisions about the wood.

We tackled the storage issue first, the ugly little corner shed needed to go, so we set about extending the larger one.

The whole original structure had been made from reclaimed wood, pallets and bits and bobs and the beauty of this is adapting and adding to the design is relatively easy. Easy in the sense that I didn't do any of it and it happened within a week and thus, that must have been easy for Stu, right?!

Here's a wonderful example of smoke and mirrors. Above is the reality of a sweet little Easter Party I threw the girls last year, during Lockdown 1.0. The girls enjoyed it thoroughly, children don't really see the "problem" areas do they.

Here's what you saw at the time!

This area at the side of the house is function over prettiness for the time being. We all need a place to store the boring parts of life, like bins, garden waste, a place to be messy, cut wood and not worry.

Free paving slabs, the door used to be in the living room, many years ago, zero money spent here (it shows, I know!)

Finally the old shed in the corner could be removed (we used a side from it to make a beautiful temporary fence).

I can't tell you how happy this day made me, even in it's raw, messy state I could already see how amazing this newly gained space would be to the garden, with the beautiful old Oak tree emerging from the stone wall. We're incredibly lucky to have these established, original parts to the space, already giving the garden a sense of having been here a long time.

Having cleared the space as best we could, we were now at the point where there wasn't much else for us to do ourselves and it was a case of waiting patiently (not one of my strong suits) for our C&G slot to come along.

All the while Covid is raging through the world and our lives had been thrown upside down like everyone else's. How things would go with the Alice in Scandiland Shop were a worry, schools were closed and I admit that spending money on the garden didn't feel like the best choice, given these factors. This said, the end decision was that we would just go for it and hope everything would turn out ok with our jobs. I'm so glad we took that leap of faith.

I'm going to pause here...

I expect you're feeling a tad overwhelmed. That's exactly how I've felt at the thought of trying to get all this down, now that I've truly started I'm not surprised I haven't found the time thus far!

I didn't feel I could write the blog about the deck, without first setting the scene and talking about the process the garden and my head has been through..

Read Part 2 - Garden Makeover - Creating a Hardwood Deck here, watch our deck built from the mud up, find out what wood we decided on in the end, along with lots more information (including cost) and the exciting *almost* finished photos.

Thank you for reading, I hope you've enjoyed and found it useful so far? See you back here tomorrow?

Why not pin this blog post, to come back to in the future.

Garden Makeover Phase 2 - Creating a Hardwood Deck

Mon, 24 May 2021 00:00:00 +0100

Our Yellow Balau deck is one of the most popular aspects of our home and so many readers want to know how it was made, whether wood decking is slippery and how it has weathered. Here's what you need to know about creating a hardwood deck.

Yesterday on the blog I shared with you the before the deck stuff, how our garden has evolved, what process I went through to get to the point of choosing to have a real wood deck built for us, who we had chosen to employ to build it for us and lots more besides.

If you haven't read that post, here's a link, it might be a good idea to start there (but not essential) -

I had meant to write one all-encompassing post about this deck project, but as I began it was just impossible to leave out enough to make it a manageable solo piece, so you're getting ALL the info, in two big slices of garden overload cake. Enjoy!

Did you follow along with the creation of the deck on Instagram? It was so much fun sharing the journey there, I've saved it to my Instagram highlights, head to the top of my page to take a look.

Once we had arrived at our decision to go with real wood, I then began my research on which wood best suited our needs. This can be a very overwhelming subject, with so many subjective opinions out there, so I was mostly guided by the experiences of a few friends/ people in the know.

What is Yellow Balau wood and is it suitable for decking?

One of those friends brought Yellow Balau to my attention, she had used it in her beautiful garden here in Cornwall, specifically around their pool and I loved the end result.

Yellow Balau is a sustainably sourced Malaysian hardwood, a very dense and durable wood which is perfectly suited to decking. The colour is comparable with Cedar, but is far more hard wearing.

It's easy to google and find images of newly fitted decks, but it's very reassuring to see examples of what it will look like after a few years.

I did my research online (I would advise anyone to do this and to not just take my word as law) and concluded that it was the perfect material for us, finally we knew what direction we were heading in.

Image - Silva Timber

With Covid already causing chaos across the world, I found many online timber merchants were very short on stock and unsure on the prices of any wood they would have arriving. Fortunately a local timber merchant, Duchy Timber, could get hold of it for me, so I placed my order for approx 45m². This was at a cost of just over £1.6k.

I opted for boards with a smooth face and a ridged back and here we will enter the portion of the class I like to call -

Why decking was never meant to be laid reeded (grooved) side up...

This is the number one question/comment I get on Instagram when I share images of the deck, I have repeated myself a lot during the build process, we have been so conditioned to think grooved decking is designed like that to stop it from being slippery.

Question, when was the last time you walked on a grooved deck in winter and it WASN'T slippery?!!

Random photo of a piece of decking to illustrate my point, this is not Yellow Balau.

The reeded side of decking was designed to allow air to circulate beneath the boards, encouraging moisture to drip off and help prevent rot. It was never intended to be groove side up, it's just that it became the norm in the UK, after people insisted on it being laid that way, because they liked the look. It caught on and somehow became law.

Smooth faced decking provides more friction when walked on, due to a greater surface area being in contact with your foot and so is LESS slippery.

Grooved side up decking holds onto moisture for twice as long as smooth, staying wet longer means there is a better environment for algae to grow. Those nice, wet channels provide perfectly for their needs and so, the deck is likely to become slippery, as well as rotting more quickly.

Finally, smooth decking is just so lovely to walk on bare foot and that's how I spend the majority of my time in the garden. It's such a joy to be able to wander around in comfort with no grooves to create painful pressure points and no slimy ickiness.

Finally getting started... The process of laying our Yellow Balau decking

We cleared the area the best we could, leading up to C&G Garden Builds starting in late July. I couldn't wait to be rid of this grass.

Having done a huge amount of the physical work involved in redesigning both the front garden and the pebble and oak sleeper side at the back myself, along with a lot of the lugging stuff around here to clear, painting fences/ sheds, it was such a treat to think someone else would be taking over on this phase of the work.

Unfortunately when the Yellow Balau was delivered to the house and completely unloaded by the driver, all 45m² of it, I came home to find that the wrong boards had been delivered. I had received grooved on both sides, even after many conversations with the supplier about my specific requirements.

Duchy Timber did source me the correct decking after this, with the smooth side, but there was a further wait and I wasn't impressed with their customer service at all. I would definitely hesitate before ordering from them again, this seems to be a common observation unfortunately.

I love to champion and promote local businesses and had, in the beginning, been pleased to have sourced the wood from a very local company. That warm, fuzzy feeling soon left me after the less than ideal customer care.

The design of the deck

It was exciting to see the turf finally gone, the guys also leveled out this "lower" area, as it has long been a very uneven surface, with some places almost a foot higher than others.

I've been asked how I came to decide on the design of the deck, how the directions of the boards and levels were thought of and I wish I could show you some impressive drawing with it all planned out, but that just isn't how my brain works.

It was all up in my head, then I made ridiculous hand gestures and danced around the space saying "this this way, that that way" and thankfully George and Chris could see my vision.

I played around with some old decking we had (the bad, uncomfortable under foot, slippery grooved kind!), making sure the boards ran in the most aesthetically pleasing directions. I realise at this point^ that if you're not inside my mind it just looks like a hot mess!

I'll talk more about the directions that the wood runs in and why a little later.

Creating a multi-layered deck

It was important to me to create more than one level to the deck and I felt the newly reclaimed space under the oak tree should become the highest point, a little place nestled into the corner with a private feeling.

Because of the additional height the floor would be at, the branches of the Weeping Birch come down and obscure your view slightly, furthering that sense of enclosure and secrecy. I absolutely adore it.

The levels were achieved by a mixture of reducing the overall ground level down on the main deck, outside the extension, a lot of that earth could be lost under the higher level, also in front of the wall, to form a new flower bed. The timber posts sunk and concreted in help form the main structure on all levels, creating an incredibly strong, stable base.

I was so excited to come home from work each day and see how much had been achieved, the weather was absolutely incredible during the build and I could already envisage how our lives would be improved and enhanced by this new addition to our home. The wood was so beautiful.

It's all in the detail

One of the most of important details for the design was that I wanted levels that appeared to float, with a shadow gap between each step to achieve this look. It's one of the details I am most proud of and C&G executed it even more perfectly than I had imagined. They lined the base of the step with a thick black plastic, hiding the wooden substructure and ensuring a clean, dark shadow the whole way along, ingenious.

Rather than having two or three little boring, awkward steps up to the top deck, we stretched out each level, creating a much more visually pleasing flow. This also means you have additional areas to sit, for the children play, to have potted plants, overall it's a much better use of the space.

The lines and angles of our Yellow Balau deck

I briefly talked about the lines of the deck earlier, but seeing the boards beginning to be laid here makes it easier to explain.

I wanted to run the wood in the direction you'd want the eye to travel, here, running up towards the top deck, inviting the eye to follow along to that point, eventually to a beautiful fence as a backdrop. When you're stood on the top deck it works by leading the eye down the length of the garden, down to the main garden table and Mud Kitchen, giving a sense of continuation to the whole design.

The optical illusion created, when you look down from above and two boards from the lower level appear to run into one from above (despite them being the same width) is mind boggling and George took great care to get this absolutely perfect.

I'm pretty sure my phone camera exaggerated the level of red in this shot, but when wet the wood was an incredibly intense colour.

Designing the deck to run in two different directions creates a sense of greater space and it also meant we avoided having too many short, stunted lengths.

It did also mean it cost more, more wood needed for the substructure, more time needed to make that framework run in two different directions and more decking. I knew it would be worth it though and I didn't want to compromise.

I worked with the same theory as laying a wooden floor in a house, the lines/ direction should run with the longest wall/run in the installation. In our house the engineered oak floor runs from the front door, through to the back of the extension, in one place it almost appears to run the entire length of the building, creating a sense of more space, pulling you through from the front to the garden.

It was important to me that the deck ran in the same direction to the floor inside, at the side of the extension, which created the illusion of the floor continuing in and out. I'll show you this a little later.

During the build this raised bed got rather neglected and would need a good tidy up after.

Here you can see how we chose to stagger this end of the deck, so it would connect with pebbled/ Oak sleeper area, as opposed to being a straight line with wood one side and stones the other. That bare earth would eventually have more stones added, ensuring that, even though the two areas were designed separately, at different times, they married together in an intentional way, as though it was how it was always going to be.

That cutout around the Weeping Birch, encasing it within the deck, is another detail I absolutely love and another example of the care and attention C&G Garden Builds took with this project.

There is enough room for several year's worth of growth and the boards can always be taken up and recut in the future, if needs be.

Even with a makeshift fence and the shed needing a repaint, my excitement levels about this transformation were through the roof. I would come out here every evening after work and just marvel and how beautifully it was all coming together.

The way the trees and sun creates such magical shadows on the deck was something I hadn't thought of and is one of my most favourite, unexpected things about the space.

A much needed tidy and refresh in this bed.

It's great how the lines of the deck mirror the lines of the raised bed and I am so happy that we put that extra thought into how these areas slotted together.

A new fence made from upcycled pallets

The old fence between us and our neighbours had very much seen better days. New posts were put in at the start of the build, then the side of the old shed used for temporary privacy, but Stu built a more solid fence using some free pallets. We couldn't decide how this area should be finished, I felt I needed to live with the new space a while, to work out how it would be used by us, so the finishing layer could wait.

Stu also rebuilt the stone wall around the Oak, as this had fallen away over the years. What a wonderful added bonus, to have this original feature run the whole length of the garden.

A fresh lick of black paint for the shed, we use Cuprinol Duck's Back in Black for all the black wood in the garden, but if I'm honest with myself, I wish we'd gone down the Shou Sugi Ban route, the Japanese burnt wood technique. The black wood stain needs redoing a bit more often than I expected and I'd prefer the beautiful surface texture of the burnt wood.

Don't tell Stu, but it might be something I want to explore in a few years time. Ssssh!

My lockdown gift to myself, the Hay Palissade furniture is so perfect for the space.

The excess earth from leveling the ground has helped to form this banked bed at the edge of the deck, which has increased my planting area substantially. I will talk about the plants I've used in a future post.

Finishing touches including a cedar shingle clad shed wall

I'm not going to focus too intensely on the added extra finishing touches around the deck area just now.

I will write another post about those once we have completed the fence and other surrounding details, but I couldn't not share the beautiful cedar shingle clad shed wall Stu created. He did such an amazing job and I'm thrilled with the direction this is heading in.

The shingles were leftovers from The Lost Gardens of Heligan, their main buildings as you enter are all clad with shingles and it looks wonderful. I love that there is this added extra story behind them.

We had *just enough* to complete the side of the shed, but are now thinking we will continue around and do the back fence too, so will source more for that soon.

The guttering on the side of the shed needs replacing with aluminium or similar, we'll get to these jobs eventually.

I used a wide angle to get this shot, which makes the space look bigger than it is.

Tree ferns

These wonderful ferns came from the Rare Plant Fair, at Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens. I've had so many questions about these since sharing on Instagram.

We went for a children going back to school, post Summer Holidays celebratory brunch last September, before a swim at the Jubilee Pool in Penzance. We didn't know the Fair was on, so what a brilliant surprise.

My mum and I came away with one of these beauties each. The black stemmed one (right) is mine (a Cyathea Medullaris) and the other one, Cyathea Cooperi, is my mum's. The seller came all the way from Ireland with a van full of the most amazing ferns I've ever seen.

If you haven't been to the Jubilee Pool then you must visit, it's the UK's largest Art Deco Sea Pool and is incredibly beautiful. They now have a Geothermal pool too. Random fact, it's where my Mum used to gave her swimming lessons at school.

Is smooth decking slippery?

The photo above is a great illustration to bring the conversation back to the question Is smooth decking slippery?

That image was taken at 9:15am, mid September, after a heavy night of rain. At that time of the day the sun is just beginning to come around the side of the house and already you can see that the swing area is completely dry, the rest of the deck will be completely dry within an hour.

This happens even in the middle of winter, as soon as the rain stops, areas begin to dry out completely, where as with grooved decking, the moisture would stay there for many hours longer, if not all day in winter.

When wet the surface isn't slippery day to day. We did need to give it a good scrub and jet wash after in the spring, as areas do become covered in fallen tree matter and algae appears, but this can be said of any surface after many months of harsh weather.

Our swing setup is another question I get often and once I've had a proper sort out of the side of the house I'll write a bit more about it.

Our Anevay Frontier Stove (part of a previous collaboration with Anevay) is the perfect addition to the space and all the more wonderful in the depths of Winter, with a pan of Hot Chocolate bubbling away on top.

We've used this new space throughout autumn and winter. Banishing the muddy "lawn" has meant we've doubled our time being out in the garden, which in itself makes this one of the most transformational changes to our home and lives.

It used to be a place to be avoided during wet/ cold weather, but it's amazing how many more lovely moments we've noticed and enjoyed, despite winter feeling so incredibly long this year.

Once, I'd have written off a whole day as awful if the weather was bad. Now, I pop out with my cup of tea if the rain eases off and sit, wrapped up warm. I love that I can still enjoy our garden thanks to the deck.

How do you maintain a wooden deck?

Maintenance wise, you can't avoid the fact we have built a wooden deck below two deciduous trees! Some said we were mad, but after extensive research, as well as reassurance from C&G, we decided to go for it.

Wood is a very hard wearing, resistant material and provided it is cared for, cleaned, cleared of debris from time to time, we are confident all will be fine.

We sweep up the leaf and tree matter from time to time, after the main fall of autumn there is a lot less to come down on it. It isn't really a chore, sometimes the girls even do it without us asking, but maintaining something that has added so much to our quality of life is no hardship.

We know the deck will weather differently to say the same one created in a town garden, mostly surrounded by buildings, but we are ok with that. The beauty of wood is it can be refinished many times, so we may decide to sand it back in a few years time and it's reassuring to know that is always an option.

You can read about the garden table we made here and you can shop my style at the Alice in Scandiland shop.

The way the decking frames this flower bed makes my heart sing, the extension flows into the space, the decking mirrors the internal floor and it all just makes me so incredibly happy.

Matching decking with internal wooden floors

Here you can further see how it was important to have the deck at the side of the building run in the same direction as the internal floor. You can also see how the engineered oak hasn't done so well with the dirt traipsed inside over the years.

Now that the deck is done we will need to think about sanding and refinishing the oak floor throughout the downstairs, urrrgh, sounds like a lot of effort to me.

Afterthoughts, words of wisdom + things I've learned...

It's always a bit scary sharing big projects here, everything is subjective, these are my findings, feelings and experiences and I always urge anyone thinking of replicating something to go through all the investigative processes themselves first.

The deck has been down for 10 months and we are still completely over the moon with it and are so happy we took the leap of faith and employed C&G Garden Builds to do the work for us. I've been asked if I feel this would have been achievable had we undertaken the work ourselves and it's a very easy absolutely not.

The way in which my design has been executed goes far beyond our skill level, the Yellow Balau wood is incredibly dense and hard to cut, the guys, who have all the kit, still had to borrow a friend's super duper saw, in order to get clean, splinter/ split free cuts and angles.

How much does a Yellow Balau decking cost?

The costs came to £3300 for C & G's work/ subframe materials and the Yellow Balau decking came to £1633.

I had actually concluded in my mind that it was more than this and was still very happy to have paid it, so now I feel as though I've made a saving!! We feel as though we have gained a whole new room to our house.

Treatment of wooden decking

There are two schools of thought when it comes to treating the wood. Some say do it, use an oil and repeat every few years, others say let the wood do it's own thing. We decided to leave the wood and let it do it's own thing.

10 months down the line, I'm not sure I like the tone of the wood quite as much now, compared to when it was first down. Stu prefers the silvering, I think I miss the warmer tones but don't get me wrong, it is still very beautiful.

Having said this, oiling it wouldn't necessarily have kept that colour either, so I'm still not sure what the right or wrong answer in. Perhaps if we end up sanding it back at some point down the line we may try oiling then. I just cant be sure.

Things to be wary of when installing a wooden deck

Metal and grease will become your enemies, avoid leaving anything with a metal bottom directly on the wood, otherwise it will result in a black mark. Accidents happen and we have some marks where the girls were making mud pies and Eula left an old Le Creuset pan on the wood.

There was also an incident where an April Fools day trick (involving a plate of mashed up banana and salad cream) got thrown all over the top deck, then walked all down across the lower levels. I cleaned it, but it left grease stains everywhere.

Yes, I cried and shouted. Stu spent two hours with a whole bottle of washing up liquid, working into the stains by hand and then jet washed off. Thankfully it came out.

Well done for making it this far, a bit of a long one I know, but I just needed to get it all down and it's such a relief to have finally have it here to share.

In a year that has caused so much stress, upheaval and worry I feel incredibly grateful to have this place to enjoy and escape to, as well as being very proud of ourselves, for all the hard work we have put in to make it a possibility.

In Lockdown 1.0, when I was in my stock room, packing orders for my Alice in Scandiland Shop from 10pm until 2/3am, because that was the only time I could manage it with the girls being off school, the thought of this deck and my garden got me through and lifted my mood when I was struggling.

A huge thank you to George, Chris and Jacob at C & G Garden Builds also, for doing such wonderful job and being lovely to have around.

Don't forget to Pin this post to come back to, maybe you're about to create your own deck? I'd love to hear if this blog post has been helpful.

Yurt Mini Break, Botelet.

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 00:00:00 +0100

I took the girls on a very mini mini break yesterday, to visit our family at beautiful Botelet, to ride ponies with their cousins, sleep in a yurt, enjoy some peace and quiet and just generally escape.

I took some photos and wanted to share with you, as it's been so long since I felt like writing here.

I'll let the images do most of the talking, imagine a soundtrack of the breeze in the trees, birds calling, the wood burner crackling, hens clucking, Botelet is one of my most favourite places in the world.

This photo of me was taken possibly 20 years ago, in almost the exact same spot.

A favourite little charity shop find, a little vintage leather playing cards holder + a set of tree identification playing cards, these comes everywhere with me in my bag.

Fetching water for tea making.

I kept the possibility of a Pony ride a secret from the girls, as their level of excitement would have driven me insane in the lead up! They're rather Pony mad, I was the same at their age and was very lucky to have two during my childhood, Seth and Bracken.

Nancy and Eula are a bit miffed that they can't follow in my footsteps, so any horsey action they can get thanks to their cousins is a great huge bonus.

Whilst the girls lived out their wildest dreams post ride, brushing Bertie and Finn down, learning a spot of briading and generally fussing over the ponies I managed some moments of complete peace, even reading a few pages of Lunch Lady, a very lovely magazine I've been sent to sample for the shop.

The magic of Botelet is it's rustic charm, the beauty found in it's history, in the bones of the farm, the textures and colours and small little details.

Stu and I had our wedding reception here, 11 years ago next week. We decorated Exeter Shed, turning into a place fit for over 100 to dine.

I have a real thing for interesting surface textures, I love to see the way things have aged, the story they tell. I like to think this is a little gift I have, to see beauty in places others may disregard as broken or ugly.

Botelet is medicine for the soul, I find it's calm, quiet presence very good for my mind, it's a very inspiring place.

We went with the girl's choice of "Picky Dinner" for the evening, simple, delicious, one of our favourites.

I'm conscious that my photos can't truly do this place justice, for example, as you go into the loo the light and radio automatically come on. A simple but very pleasing detail. What at first glance may look a bit run down is in fact a conscious embrace of the aging of the surroundings, the walls left wearing their worn out paint with pride, the reclaimed stone sink fitting perfectly, the wooden loo seat warm on your bum (a very important detail to note when camping!)

Toasting marshmallows for breakfast this morning, not your usual start to a Monday!

It rained during the night and the morning looked so fresh and lush.

Visiting their cousin's little shop in the old Telephone Box. We bought some Rowan Jelly to being home with us.

The main house, it's split into 2 these days and is where my Great Aunt and cousins live.

One last swing, before it's time to head off to school (a little late mind!)

I wish it could have lasted longer and perhaps have consisted of a whole afternoon to myself, reading that magazine on the bed in the yurt in peace, but we enjoyed this magical little escape so much.

I hope you enjoyed coming along on this little mini break too?

You can check out lots more about Botelet here, perhaps you'll fancy a stay for yourself.

*this post is not an advert, whilst we didn't pay for our stay, there was no obligation to post about it, I just couldn't help sharing with you.

Pantry & Kitchen Organisation Ideas

Sun, 19 Sep 2021 00:00:00 +0100

In the absence of an actual pantry to fill with wonderful, homemade goodies; wholesome granola, treats from the Farmer's Market, I get my kicks from small wins, like these beautiful new Acacia wood and Borosilicate Glass storage jars.

Walnut wood spoon

I had a lot of fun styling a little kitchen corner last month at the shop, these jars not only look good, their BPA free Silicone lid inserts create an airtight seal, keeping the contents fresher for longer.

Shop these eco friendly, reuseable jars here.

Nature Pinch Pot/ Egg Cup

I'm currently making plans for a revamp of our kitchen and dream of the day I open cupboard doors and see a wall of organised storage bliss in front of me.

I'm not sure my reality quite stretches to the gloriousness that is a deVOL kitchen, but I like to think thsse Pantry Jars would look very at home in one of their creations, wouldn't you agree?

Image - deVOL Kitchens

Some of the most used items in our home are these brilliant Thermos bottles, they go to school with the girls, to the beach full of ice, on winter walks with hot water to make tea or filled to the brim with delicious hot chocolate.

Shop Thermos Bottles here.

The Acacia wood lids of the storage jars vary in tone and grain pattern, which gives a wonderfully natural look.

Stackable, suitable for hot and cold food, use for storing leftovers in the freezer (yes, the lids can go in the freezer!), take with you to work with your lunch in, use the smallest rectangular jar as a butter dish..

Available in several different sizes, you can mix and match to suit your needs, adding along the way to grow a beautiful collection.

Another great little addition to the shop are these Tessa Storage Jars. They remind me of Bonne Maman Conserve jars, I love the faceted shape of the glass.

Use for dried foods, preserves, overnight oats to take with you as you rush out the door in the morning, use in the bathroom for cotton buds, bath salts, face pads...

Shop Tessa Storage Jars here

Some other items you may like -

Iris Hantverk Table Brush Set

Plastic free, sand derived Silicone lid set

Pion Jar

Ravello Pot with handles

Why not save this post to refer back to...

Reuseable DIY Advent Calendar

Sun, 07 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Today I'm really excited to share this DIY Advent Calendar with you, available to buy from the Alice in Scandiland Shop.

There are two sizes, the large, with 24 pockets, or the smaller Hanging Organiser, both of which are perfect for creating your own Advent celebrations, but can also be used year round to help you organise your home.

Shop these Hanging Organiser/ Advent Calendars here.

You can enjoy decorating these blank canvases in what ever style you fancy each year, keep it simple and neutral, or get creative with stamps, applique and much more.

I've decided to keep this one very simple and easy this year, focusing on wrapping the contents beautifully, including some extra surprises, as opposed to decorating the organiser itself. This way, next year, when I get excited about some different ideas, I have a great neutral starting point.

This year I decided to include all of us in one way or another within the advent calendar. Whether that be a larger bar/ box of delicious chocolate we can all share, a festive make I will spend the day doing with the girls, or a simple craft activity the children can do solo, giving the adults some peace and quiet.

Work life is rather full on at this time of the year, Christmas retail is an all consuming activity, so I've consciously planned out the calendar to include days where I will be focusing in on home life, giving Nancy and Eula my full attention, so they don't feel left out of all the goings on.

There will also be prompts dropped into the relevant days, as further December plans are made. If we are visiting someone, or when I decide it's tree buying time, I will pop a little note into the Calendar a few days before, so they can anticipate and feel the excitement.

Our usual Advent treats are just a few sweets or chocolates, but this time I thought I'd include some of the special things we look forward to getting out in December, like the magical festive Änglaspel Rotary Candle Holders.

Our collection is rather growing, as I add new designs to the shop each year.

These Plywood Decorations make for lovely added extras. Available here.

Dotted throughout the calendar are simple crafty activities we might have been doing anyway, but by including them this way I think it makes it a little extra special.

Naturally the girls love to decorate their rooms, so I thought an easy but high impact make, such as Doily bunting was perfect.

Skiers card available here.

We'll do this at the weekend, I'll either buy some Bias Binding, or use ribbon or string. I thought it would be a good opportunity to get the sewing machine out and let Nancy and Eula have a go using that.

Image source -

Rock My Wedding

These little wooden people will entertain for a good while, I'll suggest the girls create Father Christmas and his Elves.

I have a few stamp sets, which have been been useful over the years, definitely worth investing a few pennnies I my opinion. I used the smaller sizes stamp set (blue box) to do all the name place cards for our wedding, 11 years ago!

These little knitted hats were knitted by someone for charity, they're actually supposed to be for Terry's Chocolate Oranges but they're just the right size for the girls teddies.

Card making bits + bobs from Hobbycraft.

Christmas card making would definitely be on the list of things to do, so by wrapping up the materials and adding them into the calendar it's become more of an event and something that can be done whilst I concentrate on other things at home.

A little creative thinking/ writing prompt with a festive twist. Sit down and listen to some Christmas music, what ever you like; Carols, Classical, Nostalgic Slade or a bit of Bublé... then write down what it made you think of specifically, how it made you feel, who came to mind.

Tags and paper from my shop

Last week I melted lots of Besswax candle ends, odds and sods and got a huge jug of wax as a result. I'm going to make candles with the girls on a weekend day, a slow process which will include a cosy fire, a Christmas soundtrack and hot chocolate.

I'll share more about this on the blog closer to the time.

I sell these sweet little DIY Beeswax Candle kits in the Alice in Scandiland Shop, a lovely addition to your own Advent Calendar or perhaps as a stocking gift.

Shop Candle Making Kit here.

A set each of these larger "People", for a weekend crafting session.

These sweet little Land Chocolate bars make for wonderful Advent treats, or stockings fillers...

Shop delicious treats here.

Even more crafting!

Candles feature numerous times throughout the Advent calendar, but that only seems right, seeing as they a a huge part of our daily life.

I've added a lovely, Wintery natural wax scented candle for the days leading up to the big day, along with my best selling Beeswax Tree Candles, because you can never have enough of those.

Shop Candles Here.

I found this little retro, handmade mini stocking at a charity shop for just 50p, so I'm including it for the 24th, for the girls to hang up for our cat Hazel. It's very likely to be Hazel's last Christmas with us, so while I don't usually have her on my gift list, I thought it would make for a sweet little memory for them.

A saved chocolate box works great as a way to wrap up these balls of gold. Nancy + Eula consider Ferrero Rocher to be the height of luxury, so they'll be rather thrilled with these.

I had a lot of fun putting this together and am rather pleased with the end result...

Mistletoe Garland available here

24 days of excitement and treats, activities to keep little people entertained, things to look forward to and the knowledge that you can try out even more ideas the next year.

It's completely up to you how simple or complex you want to make it, let's be honest here, my children would be thrilled with a £1 LOL Calendar from Asda, I know, they've said so! But Christmas is a time when I allow myself to get a bit creative, I say it's "for work", but it feeds a part of my I so often don't prioritise these days.

Pop in a few treats and you're good to go, if you want to go wild, go for it, there is no right or wrong way to do things.

Here's the smaller, 7 pocket version...

With this size you can fill it with 24 bars of chocolate, sweets, little envelopes with prompts for fun activities. You could top it up each week, if you wanted to put bigger wrapped things in there.

Get your reuseable Advent Calendar here.

Pretty much all of the lovely wrapping papers, string etc used for these creations are from the Alice in Scandiland Shop.

These types of projects are also the perfect time go reuse bits and bobs that you already have, perhaps from gifts you've received in the year, brown paper from online orders, scrap fabric etc.

Shop cards & wrapping here.

In case you haven't quite had enough Advent action, I've got another DIY idea for you, available to preorder from the shop...

Take a look at this Advent Garland Number Kit, but be warned, there aren't that many available...

Homemade Reused Beeswax Candles.

Sat, 15 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +0000

During the inbetween time of Christmas and New Year, after the sheer madness of seasonal retail at my shop, I really needed some quiet, slow home days.

My mind and body were craving the kind of pyjama clad, woodburner warmed, cup of tea and cake fueled crafty activity that fills your heart up and making our own candles sounded pretty damn lovely.

I took some snapshots along the way, in the hopes I'd find the time to share with you here, I guess it's a "How To", but I don't want to be very prescriptive, I cannot claim to be an expert in the Beeswax candle making field, this was in fact my first (but definitely not the last) time.

I'd been saving the odds and sods from all the beeswax candles we've burnt throughout the year, along with damaged candles from the Alice in Scandiland Shop. We popped them in a little crate in the cupboard as and when and were really amazed by how much all those little bits add up to.

I was completely making this process up, but figured I didn't want all the dirty burnt ends mixed with my wax, so I snipped as much off as I could.

Initially I tried removing the wax from the unburnt wicks, cutting the candles length ways but soon tired of this and ended up just throwing it all in the jug with no real idea how I'd get it back out again. Fortunately luck was on my side, as you'll see shortly.

To melt the wax, stand the jug in a saucepan of boiling water. This quantity of wax takes quite some time to melt, this is definitely a slow, mindful process and I'd recommend giving over a whole indulgent day to it.

As I mentioned earlier, I got bored of the idea of trying to remove the unburnt wick from the candles and just threw it all in. To my surprise and relief it all clumped together at the bottom of the jug and came out in one piece!

You can make amazing firelighters with these straggly bits.

I'd actually already bought the wick about 3 years ago, that's how long I've been wanting to make our own candles! I'm amazed I could even find it after all this time, you can I tied bolts to the ends of the wick, to weigh it down in the wax initially, until the candles started to take shape and hang well on their own. I used some pieces of kindling as a makeshift holder, so we could do 2 pairs at a time. I've seen multi hanging rings/ rack things which allow you to make even more at one time, but I was going for super homemade/ budget diy here and it worked well.

At this point you wonder how they will ever become candles thicker than skinny worms, it's very exciting to see the layers building up, a process that can't be rushed.

The many different stages, from one dip to….I'm not sure how many for the thicker ones to be honest, we didn't count, just went along and trusted our method.

Once your candles have a bit of thickness going on, you can snip off the bolts and get them ready for your next lot of candles.

- We found it was much easier to remove the excess wax from the bolts after they'd just had their last dip and been snipped off. If you let the wax cool and harden it's very tricky to get off and add back into the melting pot.

Nancy and Eula enjoyed the dipping process so much.

From here on out it's a case of dip to your heart's content. You don't need to keep the water in the pan boiling all the time, we'd turn the hob off, but back on again once the wax in the pot started to cool and form a crust.

You will find, as the wax level goes down your candles will get shorter and it's just not possible to dip after a certain point.

Next time (as we have wax left and will have more to add), we'll maybe make some tealights and repurpose some carboot found vintage pots/ cups to make bigger poured candles.

Our Birch Wood Clothes Airer, available from my shop, made for the perfect cooling rack and helped keep everything in an orderly fashion.

Swedish Birch Clothes Airer, seen here in my parent's utility, which I styled up for a shop photoshoot. It's one of my most used things at home.

The girls wanted to add some colour to a few of our candles, I'd bought some Aubergine and Black wax dye a while back, so we played around with this. Using a smaller jar, we poured in some of the melted wax, added the dye and tried to get a colour we liked. The black refused to go past a not so great grey, after some winging it mixing we ended up with a dark purple and bright pink.

Nancy and Eula enjoyed adding this extra artistic edge, but if I'm honest, I'm not sure we'll bother with this stage next time.

I sell a wonderful selection of handmade Beeswax candles at the Alice in Scandiland Shop and it's so lovely to reuse the leftovers from these to create our own candles at home.

If you don't have the time just now to make your own, why not treat yourself to some ready-made ones, then start your own collection of wax odds and ends.

Shop Scandiland Candles here

Stay | The Cornish Place

Wed, 11 May 2022 00:00:00 +0100

I'm just coming back down to earth after we were invited to stay at The Cornish Place for the weekend and I'm excited to share with you some snippets of our time away. Stay tuned for an exclusive discount code too...

This is the face of someone very much in need of some time out and seriously excited to finally be running away for a change of scenery. 2022 hasn't exactly gone as I had hoped so far, with 2 doses of Covid 8 weeks apart, long lasting health problems as a result and a lot of work/ home related stress.

I was very ready to leave that all behind and dive headfirst into a long weekend and extra excited that a day and a half of that would be child free, before Stu and the girls joined me for the weekend.

Luxury holiday cottages, situated on the family's beautiful Victorian (former) Dairy farm, right in the middle of the peaceful Cornish countryside, from the moment you arrive the level of detail and thought given to this family business is very apparent.

One of the first things that greets you, along with Andi herself, is the communal courtyard. A tranquil space, alive with the most wonderful planting, a haven for wildlife and a place to rest and relax on the luxurious Porthallow daybeds

Apple Blossom, Libertia, Phlomis, sweet smelling herbs, Corten steel details such as edging for the flower beds, fire bowls and little water pools, so much inspiration to take away for our own garden.

Source for the wonderful oak table and benches here.

We were staying in The Dairy, a spacious conversion which can sleep 6. Full accessibility with everything on one level and just the most perfect decor for an escape into the heart of the Cornish countryside.

I think it's extra fun when your accommodation can inspire you and get your creative juices going. The green kitchen (Ikea Bodarp doors, made from recycled PET bottles) combined with the ply clad wall was rather lovely, as was getting to try out a boiling water tap, a detail I'd very much like to include in our kitchen.

An indulgent welcome hamper (a standard offering for all guests) greeted me, locally baked bread (coincidentally from the bakery I had just been to for coffee with a friend in Falmouth), Cornish butter, chocolate, coffee pods, locally made ketchup, a branded The Cornish Place reusable bottle and several other holiday essentials too.

A really wonderful extra touch.

Image source

Stones Bakery, approx 17 minutes from The Cornish Place.

Andi and Adam are actually good customers at the Alice in Scandiland Shop and it was fun to play spot the product around the Dairy. Here they've used a vintage stoneware Marmalade jar to hold utensils.

Lamp - Made.com

The bunk room, with its custom built bed, was the most perfect use of the space and one of my favourite rooms.

The calming colours, the simplicity, the cladding detail on the walls, a total triumph.

Colours used - Walls; Little Greene Slaked Lime Mid (a colour used throughout the cottage) Green; Little Greene Pearl Colour Dark.

This mix of subtle, muted, matt tones and natural wood has hugely inspired me for our hallway transformation, which is hopefully happening in the coming weeks.

Superking four poster bed.

Bathrooms very much excite me, probably because ours at home is an eyesore, but a tricky and expensive space to work out, so it remains low down on the renovation to-do list.

The luxury of a beautiful bath/ shower room is never wasted on me and so I was thrilled to see that The Dairy had two wonderful shower rooms (and two baths, one outside on a private deck, the second in one of the main bedrooms).

Twin beds which zip together to make a superking, depending on your needs.

I loved spotting the Water lilies wool blanket from my shop, which is actually currently in my Spring Sale.

Adirondack chairs around the firepit are made locally here.

It couldn't have been a more perfect day to arrive on Thursday, the weather was showing off its best side and this view had me completely overjoyed. The level of peace and quiet here is astonishing, it's like you've left the real world behind and entered a dream land.

A dream land with its very own private wood fired hot tub of course!

Andi and Adam will light the fire for you before you arrive, so the water is starting to come up to temperature. It takes a few hours to get up to a rather pleasant 38 - 40⁰C, but maintains at around 30⁰C over night, so you can then rev it back up fairly easily with another fire.

Hot Tub Source

On my first evening I popped to Gylly beach, in Falmouth, for a swim. The water was crystal clear and the colours! Cornwall really could be the tropics when it's like this.

Feeling pretty lucky at this point, what a way to end a Thursday!

Making the most of the last peaceful moments before the girls arrive for the weekend and the end to that level of relaxation!

I treated myself to an hour and a half of blissful self indulgence in The Piggery, with a full body massage, head massage, hot stone treatment and facial. You can book through Andi who will give you all the info you need. So wonderful that you don't need to go off somewhere, so you can just drift back to your accommodation and continue to float on cloud nine... Which I did, until the girls turned up at least!

Tremenheere Sculpture Garden, Penzance

Set into a beautiful valley, overlooking the Penzance bay, here you can enjoy modern art installations amongst exotic gardens with panoramic views. It's rather special and was my first time around the gardens. The girls have been before, with my mum, so they were more than happy to show us around.

Monolith - Dareen Hawkes from "Chelsea Garden"

Living roof of dreams, how utterly exquisite is this?!

Holiday Home - Richard Woods. "A play on the idea of sought-after locations and booming marketing for second homes."

Chelsea Garden - Darren Hawkes

Black Mound, David Nash

I've been to Tremenheere Kitchen to eat before, the food is wonderful, we had a roast this time and it was delicious.

Even as the mist took over from the blazing sunshine of the day before, this view first thing in the morning can't help but start the day well.

A quick game of Table Tennis before unfortunately it was time to leave The Cornish Place.

Our stay did exactly what it was meant to, we relaxed, escaped the monotony of our home and the ongoing work/ mess there. I had time to focus in more on the girls, eat delicious food, sit in a wood fired hot tub for way longer than is probably recommended and just generally take time out from life.

A huge thank you to Andi and Adam for inviting us along and sharing their wonderful home and business with us, what a way to start the month, it's left me feeling invigorated and inspired, more capable of cracking on with the challenges at home/ work.

If you fancied a Cornish getaway then good news, I have an exclusive discount code for my readers-

Visit The Cornish Place here.

St Michael's Mount, Marazion

Sunday was actually my husband's birthday, so rather than heading straight home we took advantage of being down west and decided to carry on playing Emmets (tourists) and take the girls to St Michael's Mount.

A stark contrast in weather to the day before, however Cornwall has a special kind of beauty no matter the conditions and the grey, misty scene suited this ancient, historic place.

Other things to do and see whilst in the area...

Visit Lostwithiel & the Alice in Scandiland Shop (PL220BL) on your way down. Situated on one of the two main roads into Cornwall, the A390 & only 10 mins from the Bodmin turning on the A30. Also on the main train line through Cornwall, so why not leave the car and head up / down that way?

• Glendurgan Gardens
• Trebah Gardens
• Porthleven - walk to Loe bar - curcular walk around Loe Pool
• Porthcurno beach
• No.56 Shop - Penzance (lots of interesting shops / charity shops in Pz)
• Jubilee Pool - Art Deco outdoor Lido + geothermal pool (book)
• Rosudgeon Carboot, (Weds morning 9am during the season)
• Get the train from St Erth into St Ives (beautiful train line right by the sea)
• Tate Gallery
• Godrevy
• The coast out from St Just is quintessentially Cornish, amazing mining history
• Zennor village - Moomaid cafe there is great apparently
• Falmouth Maritime Museum
• Sennen
• Minnack (book a show)
• Cycle from Marazion around to Newlyn / Mousehole
• Retro Chic Charity Shop Penryn....

This post has been written as part of a partnership with The Cornish Place.
I was invited for a complimentary stay, in exchange for honest coverage via my social media channels. All opinions are my own.

Buying a Vintage Campervan.

Thu, 04 Aug 2022 00:00:00 +0100

My first post on my new look journal and it couldn’t be any better than sharing about a dream come true. I’d like to officially introduce you all to Hetty, our new (but rather old) 1990 Hymermobil motorhome.

For quite some time now I’ve harbored a dream of setting off on adventures with my little family, all packed up in our own vintage van. Perhaps it’s the nostalgic, rose tinted memories of the VW T2 we had when I was a child and the wonderful holidays in France…

I have such amazing childhood memories of whole summers spent naked and a bit feral in France. My parents were both teachers, we would get the night ferry, the evening of the last day of Summer term, then live as cheaply as possible for weeks, on the beach, in the woods, having the most wonderful time.

We have a VW T4, which is the best vehicle we’ve ever owned and my daily driver. It’s been camped in a lot, but I’m definitely wanting more space, storage and the ability to stay in it all year round.

Having spent months and months scrolling through Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Gumtree, AutoTrader, looking for “the one”, bedtime stories with my girls would often turn into group sessions perusing layouts, features, accessories and following leads on new hopeful contenders, my dream became their dream too. My eldest, Nancy, made a camper van from Duplo last year (using all the best parts) and refused to take it apart until we had found the van that would be ours! Stu was less convinced, being the practical minded one in our relationship.

I could probably describe every 1987 - 93 Hymer for sale in the UK right now (my target era for the older body shape I wanted, along with some other details), the pros, cons…I definitely made myself a little mad, looking for something that ticked all the boxes, doing my research via the amazing Hymer owners groups on Facebook, such as Classic Hymers - I was trying to learn as much as I could, so I didn’t make a mistake once I was ready to buy.

I was not the first in line to buy our Hymer, but I basically gave the seller no choice other than to sell to me!

Imported from Europe back in 2001, the van’s first UK home was Cornwall, it then went to live up country, but was brought back to Cornwall by the previous owners. After several years they moved to Essex, taking the van with them, it seemed only right that it should become ours and come home to its adoptive home county.

So, a few weekends ago Stu and I set off on a very long, hot and tiring journey to make my dream a reality.

Cornwall to London to Colchester to Kelvedon via train, where we were met by the van’s current owner. I had previously spoken with the seller via facetime, where he had kindly taken the time to give me an in-depth tour, run down of many of the details, he even crawled underneath to show me what lies beneath as I wasn’t able to easily pop over to take a look.

After the long journey to collect, having never driven a left hand drive (not inc hire cars abroad), column shift, rather large vehicle such as this, naturally it made sense to travel even further, to visit some of Stu’s family, on the Suffolk/ Norfolk boarder.

Somewhere in Suffolk, amongst fields of gold.

I’m not a great passenger on any form of transport so I always opt to do all the driving. It was definitely a baptism of fire, quite literally, as the temperature climbed up and up the futher North East we went, but I soon found my groove and began to learn the old girl’s temperament. It’s a fantastic viewpoint, no matter where you are in the van, perfect for appreciating the endless fields of gold as we traveled along.

We went to see Stu’s Aunts at their allotment, which was a real treat as I absolutely bloody love allotments. I think they’re some of the most fascinating places in the world, full of ingenious ideas, personality and seasonal excitement. I love to see all the different ways people interpret a similar plot, the quirks, the make-do and mend mentality.

We came away with armfuls of French Beans I picked myself, Broad Beans, the most delicious new potatoes…

The day got later and later, with nowhere to stay the night planned out, no equipment in the van and no desire to eat raw potatoes, we were fortunate enough to come across a sweet little pub, moments before they stopped serving food.

A lasagna and chips later and a cold pint of cider, after asking in the bar for ideas as to where we could get away with parking up to sleep, we struck lucky with one of the locals owning the next door marina/ small campsite, a stones throw from the pub back door. It was already dark at this point, so we parked up between an old tractor and a boat, I stripped off and went for a late night swim, to wash away a very long, sticky day of traveling. I was very much looking forward to a shocking change in temperature, but alas, the water was practically bath-like. Still lovely, but I do like a bit of cold water therapy to clear the mind.

We slept really well, the first night of hopefully many to come in this vintage camper and awoke to the most beautiful view. We had to leave early, but we’ll definitely come back and stay a while longer with the girls, when we do a UK tour.

For those interested, this is where we stayed. Ordinarily you need to be members of the Caravan & Motorhome Club (we may well join), but they kindly took pity on us and let us stay - for free too!

It was time to head back to Cornwall, a journey that took almost 9 hours, but it was so fun getting to finally introduce the girls to Hetty the Hymer.

Over 800 miles in 36 hours, quite the mission, but hopefully it will prove to be well worth it.

When Hetty met the girls, outside Scandiland.

Would you like to take a look inside?

The first thing I did when we got back - apart from shower and sleep for as long as possible, was to remove the carpet rug that ran throughout most of the van. I'm not a big fan of carpet at the best of times, but this brown one needed to go pronto. I found what could possible be the original lino underneath, nowhere near perfect but totally passable for the time being. I’ll keep the carpet in the garage for now, it may be useful for making a template for what ever flooring we decide on.

The bathroom and it’s purpley details is probably my least favourite. We’re unlikely to use the internal shower, there’s a clever flip down access to outside, where you can pass the tap/shower head through, to form a heated outdoor shower! So the shower curtain can go, the tiles are stuck on so once I’ve formulated a proper plan I may well start in there.

The cushion covers are original and lets be honest, they could be a lot worse. I took the removable ones off and washed them, they’re in a worse state underneath and will be replaced, along with the foam, eventually.

There are a lot of brown tones going on inside, I love me some warm, woody vibes, but there definitely needs to be a re-balance in there, to make the best features pop and calm some of the less so wonderful things. Painting the walls a fresher white tone, rather than the dirty, beige it currently is, will freshen it up. I also think a lighter, non wood looking floor could lift it all, we’ll see.

The biggest issue to be sorted is that the van doesn’t currently have 2x 3-point harness seatbelts in the back for Nancy and Eula, or even a seat back/ headrests to offer sufficient protection. We will be having the back, forward facing bench seat converted, sympathetically to the look of the van, to accommodate them safely. This is a bit of an undertaking, once done I’ll talk about it in more depth, for anyone interested.

I’ve decided not to go too far into my design ideas in this post, instead I’ll save that for a journal post of it’s own, in the not so distant future. What I will say is that I’m really excited to use Hetty as a way to highlight and show off some of my most favourite pieces from the Alice in Scandiland Shop.

Practical, beautiful, functional pieces, such as the wonderful solid Birch peg rails, cushions which can be for lounging about in the day when parked up, for extra comfort at night when sleeping and so many more things.

And there we have it, a dream come true, but some work to be done for sure.

I’ve skimmed over a huge number of valid facts in this post, such as the responsibility of owning a vehicle the age Hetty is, there just isn’t enough space for every detail but we’re not naive to the realities, but very willing and eager to give it all a go. Please do undertake a lot of research if this is something you think you might be interested in doing.

I can’t wait to head off on adventures with my little family, near and far, year round, it’s a very exciting prospect and I hope you will enjoy following along as we do.

UPDATE - We really enjoyed the process and excitement of buying the Hymer and had a few nice little trips in it, but unfortunately soon found it just wasn't going to be a good fit for our family.

We sold the camper a few months after buying and she went off to a very loving family. We now own a 2018 Mercedes Sprinter, which we are slowly converting. This is much more suited to our daily needs.

Alice in Scandiland Shop | 4 Years.

Sun, 21 Aug 2022 00:00:00 +0100

This week marks 4 years since I opened the Alice in Scandiland high street store and in typical self employed, got a bit too much on my plate right now fashion I almost forgot the date.

It’s been a remarkable journey so far, huge highs contrasted with some very grounding lows. Who could have predicted, when that naïve version of myself thought “yeah, I could give a high street shop a go”, sat in my shed, back in the good old days of 2018, that after only a year or so of business a global pandemic would come along and throw us all into the unknown. Oh and a wonderful topping of Brexit awfulness for good measure, what a ride!

Before.

From a garden shed, Instagram based virtual shop, to the high street I grew up on, 4 years has seen a lot of change and I’m incredibly proud of what I have achieved.

The garden shed, before it became a photography studio/ storage for selling vintage finds on Instagram.

Humble beginnings, some of my very first Alice in Scandiland Shop Instagram posts.

The very early days look quite different to now, there were more plants and colour for sure!

My whole ethos for the business, born from the very pages of this journal, was to share the things I love, the items I own and use daily, allowing my customers to add a little slice of that inspiration directly into their own homes. I only sell products I would genuinely use and own myself and have managed to stay true to this, even as the overall style of Scandiland has matured and developed over time.

I like to think this means I’ve built a relationship of trust with those who shop with me time and again, a level of shopping experience you won’t necessarily get from the big chain stores.

The self employed, content creating, stock sourcing, social media-ing, paperwork-ing, mum to 2 young children juggle is insanely overwhelming at (all) times. Somehow, with the help of family, my small number of staff and the encouragement of you lovely lot, I’m able to keep pushing through.

Celebrating 4 years definitely feels like an even bigger achievement, considering the high street shop was closed for so long during lockdowns and the hugely negative affect of Brexit on my business.

Snäcka Linen Tablecloth

I love that I get to share wonderful brands from all over the world with you, with a special focus on Scandinavia. Fine Little Day, a hugely important part of my brand’s identity is Swedish. That partnership has become a lot more challenging, time consuming (and expensive) since Jan 2020 and there isn’t a day that goes by (usually triggered by dealings with UPS “Utterly Properly Shit”) where it doesn’t upset me. But still it is worth it, for the playful, uplifting, wonderful homewares which help to make both my home and the shop that much better.

See more from Fine Little Day here

Small scale, independent makers are at the core of the Alice in Scandiland Shop and each delivery that arrives still feels like a huge privilege and treat to open.

more handmade pieces here

It’s very heartening when you take a moment to think about the ripple effect of starting a small business, how it not only benefits you but then in turn so many around you.

The creative people you support and encourage when stocking their work, customers who come specifically to visit the shop, but then pop into other businesses around you also. The way the money quickly enters back into the very local economy because, even after 4 years, I still can’t organise myself enough to remember to take a packed lunch with me to work!

So, what’s next for me?

I won’t lie, 2022 has thus far been the toughest. This may come as a surprise to some, surely peak Covid era was rock bottom? But no, ask almost any small retail business and the story will be the same, it’s a rather bleak landscape, but I’m determined to do everything I can to weather the storm which is closing in.

I outsourced the picking + packing side of the online business after the first lock down, as I was struggling to keep up on my own (packing orders between 10pm + 3am, trying to keep up with 2 children + their school work in the day wasn’t the most fun time in my life).

But now that the online sales boom of that time has passed, it’s important I make some changes to protect my brand going forwards. By bringing everything back to inhouse I’ll be regaining all the control and will be able to get back to having more of the one-off vintage pieces available on the website. This will be exciting as that mix of contemporary and old is something I’m passionate about and love to see beautiful, vintage pieces go off to loving homes all over the world.

Here’s to keeping the dream going for many more years to come, thank you for your support along the way.

Please continue, wherever possible, to do what you can to show the love for all the small businesses in your life. They all need your support very much x

Visit alice in scandiland online

A Recipe for Autumn

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Autumn, My Happy Place

Wild winds rustle fading colours

Foraged berries for crumbles

Candles softly light nights by the fire

Solitary sea swims with beaches no longer oversubscribed

Bursts of sunshine all the more enjoyed

Blankets and jumpers, life layers up as we lean into the dark

Alice Collyer, Oct’22

image - Tia Tamblyn

image - @boaz_studio & @eviejohnstone.stylist, using Alice in Scandiland products

I don’t know about you but I absolutely adore seeing the seasonal changes reflected in my food. The desire for comfort is hard to ignore; Stews, spices, puddings and hot drinks. The need to fuel and prepare for the colder, darker months to come.

There’s something quite primal about the wish to create a safe, warm space, readying the home for Autumn and Winter.

Despite how detached we can become from nature, protected from many aspects of the seasonal shift in our modern homes, living our modern lives, many of us no longer reliant on preserving and storing our own food, approaching Winter, for me at least, triggers an innate need to nest.

I need my safe spaces just right, to aid my mood and envelop me in a comforting calm. (As much as that is possible with young children anyhow!)

Tia Tamblyn - self confessed seasonal food obsessive, Breakfast & Beyond Podcast creator and host, Massage Therapist and, lucky for me, member of my extended family, has given me a wonderfully versatile apt recipe to share, to be eaten and enjoyed any time of day - breakfast, snack or pudding.

A great way of using up autumnal fruits, the version Tia has given us uses pumpkin flesh, left over from Halloween, along with windfall apples - did you know that around 180,000 tonnes of pumpkin are thrown away each year (Guardian)? A mind boggling fact Tia shared with me.

“The compote can be eaten on its own, perhaps accompanied with yoghurt; added to cereals, muesli or granola at breakfast time; and it also makes the perfect fruit base for a crumble.

In the recipe below I’ve included details of how to make the crumble topping if you wish to use some or all of the compote in this way. It also stores in the fridge for a good few days so you can come back to it and use it in different ways. This recipe is refined-sugar free, and can be made vegan by replacing the honey with maple syrup, and gluten free by using GF oats.”

- Tia Tamblyn

“Eating with the seasons inspires my cooking” - Tia

Recipe: Pumpkin & Apple Compote

Serves 8 (8 generous compote portions, or with crumble topping added, 8 portions of crumble)

Ingredients:

400g pumpkin, peeled, seeds removed, cut into bite-size pieces
500g apples, cored & cut into bite-size pieces
2 tsp ground cinnamon
Few shavings fresh ginger (or 1 tsp ground ginger)
80g raisins (or other soft fruit eg dates or apricots, chopped into small pieces)
100g honey (or maple syrup for vegan version)
400ml water
1 lemon
2 tsp chia seeds

If you wish to make a Pumpkin & Apple Crumble, for the topping you will need:

300g oats
100g mixed nuts, roughly chopped
1 tsp cinnamon
100g honey (or maple syrup)
80ml sunflower oil

To make the compote:

Place pumpkin and apple pieces in a large saucepan, add the water, cinnamon, ginger, raisins, honey and juice of the lemon. Stir well, bring to the boil then turn down heat and simmer for approx 20 minutes until pumpkin and apple have softened, but still keep their shape.
Remove from the heat, add the lemon’s zest along with the chia seeds, allow to sit for 10 minutes.
The compote will be ready in 10 minutes once the chia seeds have absorbed some of the liquid. You can eat it straight away, cool it and refrigerate, or place it in the base of a baking dish and add the crumble topping. You may wish to eat it on its own, add to cereals or muesli, or serve with yoghurt or ice cream - great as a breakfast or a pudding!
If making a crumble: preheat oven to 180C. Warm honey and sunflower oil together in a saucepan. In a large bowl mix the oats, nuts and cinnamon, then pour over the honey and sunflower oil when melted, stir well. Spread the compote mixture in the bottom of a baking dish, add the crumble on top, bake in the oven for approx 30 minutes until the top turns golden.

Thank you so much to Tia for this beautifully seasonal recipe, I can’t wait to enjoy for brunch, on a slow, weekend morning.

You can see and hear much more from Tia via her website and Instagram. Tia interviewed me for her Podcast last year, you can listen to that episode here.

Alice in Scandiland Shop

Shop the collection here

Shop Renovations

Sun, 16 Jul 2023 00:00:00 +0100

The last few months and in particular 3 weeks have been pure madness around here.

2 big projects suddenly aligned themselves to create the perfect storm. If an exciting collaboration at home, seeing us move out, whilst our damaged engineered oak flooring was refurbished (much more about this soon) wasn’t enough to be getting on with, the slow burning renovations at the shop got served a deadline I couldn’t afford to miss.

91 Magazine are writing an absolutely wonderful and important book, 91 Places to Shop. A celebration of small business in the uk, divided up by region, allowing easy reference when you find yourself in a new area. It’s an opportunity for more people to discovering the best independent shops in the land and a total honour to be asked to feature. You can preorder a copy here.

Sometimes an insane timescale is just what I need to throw me full tilt into action, all of a sudden scattered threads of ideas and inspiration came together to form a plan. I stopped sleeping for several weeks, went a little insane, leaned in hard on those around me and we pulled off a rather wonderful transformation, even if I do say so myself.

Here are a few before/ during shots of the areas we’ve been working on -

I’m so in love with the afters, what do you think? -

The desk area is especially exciting to us, not just looks wise, though I’m so happy with where this space is heading, but even more importantly how it will better facilitate the way in which we need to work.

We’ve been desperate for an increase in space for a long time, to enable more order packing to happen downstairs, on the shop floor, to allow more surface to pack your wonderful choices when you visit us and to just be able to breathe out a little!

Initially the new desk was designed with a local Joiner, but when that fell through I got creative with Ikea Ivar components and my husband brought the vision to life.

I wanted a timeless feel for the back shop, subtle detail and texture, warming, welcoming tones as a backdrop for the furniture, which comes and goes, in the space.

It can be an odd task, designing and styling a space whose contents changes so much, you get it looking just so and then someone goes and buys the best piece and all of a sudden the whole dynamic of the space can change!

The long term plan is to have a kitchen setup in the back shop, where the Ercol daybed currently is. A place to properly show off all our kitchenware, to style, photograph and film beautiful things. The light is so wonderful in there.

This is a work in progress idea though, it was already happening, but that unfortunately fell through. Watch this space, I’m excited to see things develop even more as the year goes on.

It’s been an exhausting time, pushing hard to get all the work done ourselves, but I’m really proud of what we’ve achieved so far.

There’s more to be done, some things are photo finished, but in reality a little rough around the edges and missing the final touches, but I’ve decided it’s more than good enough for the time being. We’re going to take a summer break from diy and pick back up in September, fresh and rested.

I’m off to France for half of August, just me, my husband, our girls and our van. I can’t wait to switch off, read a book, eat cheese and watch my children enjoy themselves. Not to mention hunting for French treasure to bring back for the shop…

If you find yourself in the area it would be wonderful if you could visit and take a look for yourself. If Lostwithiel, Cornwall is a little too far afield, don’t forget you can visit us online too.

2023 is proving to be (another) difficult year for us independents, daily I see my fellow small business owners having to make the awful decision to shut up shop, which I know must be utterly devasting.

My aim for this year, aside from hopefully just make it through, is to really cement our standing as one of the best independent homewares stores in the South West, if not the country. For me, this means our customers should be inspired by us, every step of the way. I believe the recent renovation work has hugely elevated the store, offering even more design inspiration to those that visit, as well as those further away, who simply see the imagery we create within it.

I’m really proud of this little world I have helped to create and hope I get to continue playing shops and sharing the spaces I create with those that choose to visit and follow along.

Design Details -

Visit the Alice in Scandiland Shop for all accessories.

Panelling - The English Panelling Company - Georgian wide width
Wooden Flooring - Jewsons - Redwood tongue & groove
Floor treatment - Bona - White Primer (3 coats), Mega Finish/ Lacquer (2 coats)
Back shop panelling colour - Farrow & Ball - Jitney
Desk panelling colour - Farrow & Ball - Mouse’s Back

Images - Goodrest Studio Thank you Rhona.

Small Seasonal Joys.

Mon, 16 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0100

The days are getting shorter and, although we had an unseasonably beautiful start to October here in Cornwall, soon our evenings will be less about adventurous escapes and more about finding joy in the small, cosy moments at home.

At the core of Alice in Scandiland is the celebration of everyday home essentials.

Your morning coffee mug, handmade, with a story to tell. Washing gathered autumn berries in a beautiful enamel colander. Mixing up a crumble in a Leachware bowl, regarded globally as a design classic.

Everyday activities, made a little extra special.

As the light dims, add a twinkle to the room with our collection of classic Änglaspel. Whether you opt for the traditional Northern Star design, the best selling Oak or the nostalgia of one of our longest stocked items, the Moomins, these rotary candle holders really do bring the magic.

One of our favourite things about the colder seasons are the scents that come with it. From the warming aroma of Tinder Box, with notes of tobacco and old spice, to our new Stig L Berså Leaf Candle, which will take you on a wonderland stroll through the Swedish forest. As always, all our candles are made from natural wax. Once finished, repurpose the glass jars throughout the home, storage in the bathroom, pantry…

Swap out those iced evening treats for a luxurious hot chocolate. Embrace the process and take joy mixing the hot milk with a scoop of Harth chocolate in one of our enamel saucepans. Savour every sip, as you wrap your fingers around a Clæ Beldi Beaker, keeping them toasty and warm.

Whatever your taste, we have four delicious flavours of this gorgeous hot chocolate for you to choose from, Original, Winter Solstice, Cinnamon and Smokey chilli.

Have you lit the fire yet? It's time to bring the logs in and settle in for the night with a good book.

There’s nothing cosier than a stack of wood by the fireplace, keep it tidy and looking beautiful with one of our Wood Baskets or in our best selling Conical Baskets (available to pre order now).

We hope you can find the good things in the darkening days, the small seasonal joys, created in ordinary moments.

VISIT THE SHOP HERE

Written by Jen Masters, Alice in Scandiland team member. Edited & images by Alice.

Midsommar Celebrations

Fri, 21 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0100

Somehow we’ve reached this special turning point of the year and I felt inspired to share some midsummer inspiration with you here, on my rather neglected journal. Yes, this is my first post since Dec’23!

I love nothing more than creating beautiful moments, indoors and out, absorbing all the wonderful details that nature provides for us. It doesn’t have to be overly complicated, lay a table, in the kitchen, garden, a field or even a public park. You could simply pop a cushion on the front doorstep and throw a little party that way.

The Swedish brand Ernst is one of our favourites at the shop and their summer collection works so well for a timeless, alfresco celebration, don’t you think?

shop the full Ernst Collection

Cow Parsley makes a wonderful, free floral decoration, but please forage responsibly and only take a little.

Fresh, zingy cocktail ideas…

Can you get a more uplifting, celebratory tipple than something lemony? That envigorating citrus burst in your mouth, like consuming a small part of the Summer and embodying it’s energy and joy.

Lemon Drop Cocktail - simple to make but always a crowd pleaser.
Old Fashioned Lemonade - just like your gran used to make.
Bee’s Knees Cocktail - a bright, juicy one for the gin lovers.

Shop our glassware collection here

Create an inviting space to sit a while…

Layer textiles and ceramics, enjoy the calm of the outdoors, it’s just the antidote to all the worries so many of us are experiencing at the moment.

Give yourself permission to take a moment out from the monotony of every day. Make a lunch or evening meal that bit more special, use the good napkins, play around, decorate with homewares you may already own, introduce branches, flowers and interesting things you’ve found, to spark conversations and make lovely memories.

Creating beautiful moments is a form of therapy for me, I think it’s a way of allowing myself to play, to free my imagination, allowing it to run wild. It’s incredibly important to give ourselves time and space to do this. Is it something you enjoy doing too?

visit our shop for more inspiration

Can engineered hardwood flooring be refinished? How we renovated our wooden floors with Bona Pro

Thu, 17 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0100

Back in 2015/16 we extended our modest end of terrace family home. We decided to commit to where we live for the long-term, making it work better for us, rather that overstretch ourselves with a bigger mortgage and the upheaval of a move.

I wrote all about that process, in what was to become my most read blog post of all time -

read ‘How to extend your home…‘ here

One of the most transformative details of the extension was the engineered oak flooring. This was laid throughout the ground floor and it really helped to pull together all the separate rooms, creating a flowing, boundaryless space. The new floor gave a greater sense of cohesion and design to our home.

We didn’t for a moment think that, only 2 years on, we would already be seeing damage and feeling beyond disappointed with the Osmo products we had used to finish the wood.

What is the best engineered wood flooring to use?

We opted for the best quality flooring we could afford at the time, choosing an untreated engineered oak, with a 6mm wear layer. Keeping longevity in mind when making decisions, the thicker the wear layer, the more times the wood can be sanded over its lifetime. I was imagining it needing refinishing 10/15 years down the line. You can read the blog I wrote about the floor transformation at the time here. This was written before the surface properly started to fail and we realised we’d make a mistake with what we’d chosen to seal it with.

- fyi, the layout of that old blog post isn’t as it was written, some content got muddled up when I moved from Wordpress to Squarespace. I’ve never gotten around to editing/ moving images back into place & probably never will!

Osmo Woodcare, at the time, came highly recommended by those I asked. We opted for untreated wood, as all the finished samples I’d looked at had a fake look to them, the lacquer made them appear like laminate, the soul of the oak was lost along the way.

Fast forward several years, a lot of continuous projects around the house - the garden, the creation of the deck, the ceiling in the hallway falling down, the cowboy decorator who didn’t use anything to protect surfaces when sanding back damaged plaster, our cat, who had liver disease and would be sick at least once a day…it became very apparent that -

In an ideal world, laying the new floor should have come after many of these jobs, but that wasn’t really an option, as we’re slow renovators, undertaking jobs as and when we can afford it or have the time & we needed a floor in the meantime.
The Osmo we had used REALLY wasn’t up to the task of a busy, light and bright family home, with it’s failings starting to show, even before the floor got a bit of a hammering from ongoing improvements.

We had used Osmo Polyx hard-wax oil in matt. For the first year or so after application the floor was incredibly slippery. My youngest actually broke her elbow, in a freak Christmas stocking ice skating accident! Other issues were -

How much the oil changed the colour of the wood.

The surface wasn’t as water repellant as you would expect, despite several layers.

There seemed to be absolutely zero UV protection, so the wood started to turn orange very quickly.

It became one of those things where it needed professional attention, but we were stuck in fast forward, too busy with work and other things to give it what it needed. I had even resorted to photoshopping it a bit in my images, as the damage was so distracting, then Reels came along and I couldn’t disguise it any longer.

Around this time Bona, a Swedish founded hardwood floor treatment specialist company, saw some of my Instagram posts, lamenting the rapidly declining state of our floor. They were confident they had the products and knowledge to bring our engineered oak back to life and proposed using our home as a case study. After doing some research on the brand, adding up all the positive things I’d heard about them and speaking with the lovely Leanne, who’d reached out to me, I was reassured and excited to have an answer to our floor woes.

Summer 2023 was a rather full on time for us, with so many projects underway, including the renovation of several areas of the shop, it was incredibly reassuring to know we had professional help at home…

Who to use to refinish engineered wood flooring for you?

Bona contracted Strippers Flooring for the case study, wood floor restoration specialists & Bona Certified Craftsmen. Andrew & his team undertake work in Cornwall, Sussex and sometimes London, with over 25 years experience, we were in very good hands with this collaboration.

I felt listened to from the off, with Andrew visiting the house to take a look at the project a few weeks before the start date. We talked through our options and discussed how the process of bringing our floor back to life would play out. One of the things I particularly liked was that I didn’t have to commit to the finish of the wood at that point, instead, we could wait until the floor had been sanded and I’d get to view the Bona products applied directly onto our wood. As someone who is very detail orientated, this was a huge bonus point to the whole service, sample boards never give a true sense of the end result, with wood type, grain and environmental influences having a huge impact.

Can you stay in your home whilst wood floors are refinished?

At the start of July we moved the entire contents of the ground floor of our house out, squeezing furniture upstairs (where we were already in complete reno hell!) and stashing things whereever we could - garage, van.... The fridge had to live in the garden for a week and with that, the restoration work could commence.

I’m sure it would be possible to stay in your home, whilst the work is done, you just need to factor in where you’ll move all your stuff. We opted to move out, as we have family close by who we could stay with.

Without the distraction of our belongings it was quite shocking to see how bad the floor looked.

It was very exciting how quickly we could see what we were working towards. I was back and forth for filming, looking like an exhausted, paint covered mess, as ironically, my husband and I were laying a wooden floor at my shop, at the same time, as well as cladding, painting and so much more. We were racing to get that ready for an important magazine photoshoot the same week, with me pulling some 20hr days, it was seriously bad timing on my part!

I never want to repeat how much we had going on all at once last summer, it was ridiculous and if I’m honest, it had a huge impact on my well being, but at least the floor was being well taken care of at home.

read about the shop reno here

Is refinishing engineered wood flooring really messy?

In my mind I assumed it wasn’t really possible to overhaul an entire floor without making a fair bit of mess, it would just be a part of the process, surely?! I needn’t have worried though, I was very impressed to see Andrew and Jamie of Strippers Flooring at work, with the Bona machinery. 99% dust free sanding technology meant we wouldn’t have to undertake a huge clean-up process afterwards, especially reassuring considering how open plan the house is.

Can you change the colour of engineered wood flooring?

It’s always nerve wracking committing to big decisions, I’m the kind of person who agonises over these things for weeks or months on end but after a thorough consultation with Andrew and Jamie, where I got to view the options applied to our floor & discuss how these would look over a greater surface area/ after a period of time, I didn’t need to worry, excitement was really kicking in. I decided on Bona Craft Oil in the Misty shade, overcoated with two layers of Bona Traffic HD Extra Matt, which achieved a perfect balance of style and functionality. The subtle pigmentation of the Misty Craft Oil 2K produced a lighter, fresh appearance whilst showing off the Oak grain beautifully.

Once the products were decided upon, the magic could really begin. Gone were the water marks, black spots and overpowering orange tones, instead we finally had a floor that matched my vision for our home and not only that, I knew I could be confident that it would be up to the task of family life in the years to come.

The colour is completely different to how it looked when we first treated it ourselves. The wood tones feel raw, true to the natural Oak. It’s absolutely wonderful.

It’s now been over a year since the floor was renovated and it looks as good as the day we moved back in.

The difference of before and after is still astonishing to me and it’s really wonderful when we welcome visitors into our home and they remark on how beautiful the expanse of wood is. The first thing you notice as you walk in is how the floor leads your eye through through the house, to the garden at the back. The floor is the link between all the spaces, a warming, welcoming, taking you on a journey around our home.

Our home isn’t as big as sometimes images may lead you to believe, even with the extension (it appears bigger in photos than real life), so the impact and importance of the look of the floor cannot be over stated.

In high traffic areas there’s no sign of dirt being ingrained like before, spilt water pools and can be wiped up before any damage is done.

Bona’s low to no VOC content in their products means we can rest assured that we are not living with damaging chemicals, something I’m more and more aware of these days.

How much does it cost to refurbish damaged engineered wood flooring?

It will cost approx. £80 per square meter for your floor to be professionally sanded back, colour treatment applied and recoated.

Naturally I wish we had treated our new floor with Bona products to start with, as I’m confident we wouldn’t have found ourselves in the situation we did, so soon. This said, if you were buying a home and it had pre-existing wooden floors that were damaged, or the colour wasn’t as you’d like, how brilliant to know you could have such an impact on the look, without ripping up and replacing being the only option.

It was a real pleasure welcoming Bona and Strippers Flooring into our home and experiencing such a high level of service. I would wholeheartedly recommend the products and professional services used and would love to encourage others to think about renovating an existing floor, instead of rushing into replacing with new. If you are laying a new floor though, Bona are definitely top of my product recommendation list We’ve also used Bona products at the shop, as well as our wood lined window reveals in the bedrooms.

Our stairs are on the renovation wait list and I won’t hesitate in knowing what we’ll be using to bring that area up to standard, when we finally find the time to do it.

Learn more about Bona Pro here

Learn more about strippers Flooring services here

Ad - This was a collaboration with Bona Pro, an exchange of their expertise and services for the use of our home in their case study, as well as a feature on my social media platforms. This blog post is an added extra, so I could share the outcome with you. I am always honest and transparent in my recommendations and would never promote a service or company I didn’t wholeheartedly endorse.

House and Garden’s 50 Best UK Independent Design Shops

Sun, 10 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

I’m rather thrilled to have made the Top 50 Best Indie Design Stores in the UK, according to House and Garden Magazine. I’m featured along side a whole bunch of wonderful businesses, which is a complete honour and I’m in the running to win one of 7 top spots/awards…

read the full article here

Early in December, H&Gs will be announcing the winners of seven awards, chosen from the featured list. They'll name an Independent Shop of the Year, plus awards for social impact, lifetime achievement and more, it’s exciting stuff.

Thank you to everyone who nominated me, to get Alice in Scandiland to this stage, it’s so wonderful to have my hard work acknowledged in this way, along with my brilliant team, Jen and Eliza.

It’s still possible to have your say one more time and give me even more support as the ‘Readers’ Choice’ award is based on votes cast from now, until the end of November…

please vote for scandiland here

Fingers and toes crossed. Wishing you all a lovely week ahead,

Alice

visit the online shop

House & Garden Readers’ Choice Award 2025

Fri, 06 Dec 2024 11:09:00 +0000

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

I’m incredibly honoured to have won the Readers’ Choice Award in House & Garden’s 50 Best UK Independent Design Shops 2025.

To even be included among 50 of the best independent design shops in the UK was a dream to start with, but making it to the overall winners’ list is a huge highlight in what has been a real rollercoaster of a year.

This means I owe it all completely to every single one of you who voted — whether you visit the shop in Lostwithiel, follow along online, or have supported Alice in Scandiland from the early blogging days. I’m so grateful and so thrilled.

Thank you to everyone who continues to support small, independent businesses and helps to keep us going. After all, we do it for all of you ♡

You can read the full feature here.

The Art of Hibernation

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 18:01:00 +0000

The clocks have slipped back, the light fades a little earlier, and the season invites us to slow down. It’s the perfect time to settle into the softer pace of life with cosy home essentials - a pot of tea brewing, your favourite mug waiting, a good book close to hand, the gentle flicker of beeswax candles bringing warmth to the darker evenings.

Around the house, pools of glowing lamp light help to brighten dark corners, cosy socks and blankets add their quiet comfort, and the familiar ritual of lighting a candle marks the shift from day to night. These small, everyday moments of care bring atmosphere and are what make autumn’s darkness feel indulgent rather than dreary — an excuse to hibernate beautifully.

Hibernation doesn’t have to mean hiding away; it’s about finding beauty in the rhythm of home life. Whilst the rush of the outside world doesn't just go away and in many ways it only increases at this time of year, it's important to create small moments to connect with yourself. A slow breakfast, reading by the window, or laying the table with pieces you love — these are the details that turn ordinary days into beautiful everyday living. Investing in well-made, sustainable items not only supports independent makers but also creates a home that feels unique to you, lived-in, with a story to tell.

Pop Lambswool Blanket 2. Harth Hot Chocolate 3. Nordic Winter Cookbook 4. Classic Cashmere Socks 5. Nordic Vanilla Teapot 6. Sheepskin Teddy Hot Water Bottle 7. Beeswax Candles 8. Wall Candle Holder 9. The Art of Knitwear Repair 10. Water Lilies Blanket

Tools for Hibernation

When it comes to hibernating well, a few thoughtful essentials make all the difference. Start with cosy socks — wool is always the goal, and while 100% wool is the ultimate luxury, a good blend often offers more wear and fewer evenings spent darning. Our Classic Socks, made from 24% cashmere and 27% superfine wool, strike that perfect balance of softness and longevity.

Speaking of wool, we take the subject of cosy seriously around here, and a good, thick, high-quality wool blanket is top of our hibernation kit list. The Brita Sweden collection, woven from soft, breathable New Zealand wool, has been a customer favourite — the quality is exceptional and the patterns timeless. We also have beautiful pieces from Fine Little Day and Klippan — because if anyone knows how to make the most of the darker months, it’s the Swedes.

Then there are beeswax candles, handmade in Cumbria by a small family business using pure UK wax. Each delivery arrives with a handwritten note from Ted, sharing snippets from their workshop — a touch of weather chat, news of the bees, or even a reflection on the week’s political climate. It’s the kind of human connection that makes every candle feel special.

A ceramic teapot is another must — whether for one or to share, it’s a gentle reminder to slow down and turn a simple moment into a small ritual. Pair that with a good book for the perfect escape. Nordic Winter, one of our bestsellers, gathers together beautiful winter recipes and photography that feels like therapy in book form. Or, for something more practical and grounding, The Art of Knitwear Repair offers a mindful evening of mending — hot chocolate in one hand, a needle in the other.

It doesn’t take much, just warmth, softness and a few small comforts, to make the darker months feel more welcoming. Here’s to embracing hibernation, being kind to ourselves and seeking out those ways to make the ordinary a little more extraordinary.

BROWSE THE SHOP NOW FOR MORE INSPIRATION

Simple Ways to Decorate: Garlands

Sat, 08 Nov 2025 08:48:00 +0000

Garlands are one of my favourite ways to decorate — simple, adaptable, a guaranteed way to make a space feel that bit more inviting. Though we often think of them as Christmas decorations, they bring a lovely sense of celebration to so many moments throughout the year.

In our house, garlands have become an integral part of our birthday traditions. The night before, myself and one of my daughters (whoever’s birthday it isn’t the next day) hang a selection above the kitchen table, ready for the special breakfast that always marks the morning. It’s such an easy way to make the day feel a little more special — a quiet nod to celebration that fits within the reality of busy work, school and life.

In years gone by we've used our own handmade garlands in the mix, like this doilly number my daughters made, many years ago —

At Christmas, I like to play around with different combinations each year. Garlands can be draped around doorways, wound through the tree, swagged across a shelf, or laid throughout a beautifully dressed table. Small changes — pairing them with foliage, fairy lights, or a few handmade decorations — can completely change the look.

Many of our garland collection are handmade and Fairtrade, crafted from paper/ natural materials, so they can be used again and again. They move easily from one celebration to the next — Christmas, birthdays, New Year’s Eve, even a simple Sunday brunch. The stars, especially, catch the light beautifully and feel perfect for marking the turn of the year.

Over time, these small details become part of your home’s rhythm — familiar pieces that reappear whenever there’s something to celebrate, quietly carrying memories with them. We’ve gathered quite the collection in our own home over the years, though a mouse recently found the birthday box stashed in the shed, and we lost a few old favourites that had been in rotation since my girls were little. Learn from my mistake and store yours in a lidded box somewhere safe! I’m taking it as an excuse to add a few new pieces from our latest arrivals.

SHOP OUR FULL COLLECTION OF DECORATIONS →

10 Minute Lidl Cake Hack

Sun, 16 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

It’s no secret, I love cake, but life of late hasn’t been very conducive with allowing time to bake.

This 10 minute cake hack, using a £4.99 Lidl Pandoro, is a firm family favourite here. Perfect for special occasions, like Christmas breakfast, New Year’s Eve celebrations with friends or just a simple, quick to rustle up afternoon treat.

Deliciously light, with a Brioche vibe about it, this cake is so good, I’m wishing I had a slice to enjoy as I sit here writing.

This Italian style sweet cake bread is only available (from Lidl) at this time of the year, so get yours asap and don’t forget to save this post, to refresh your memory for next year. Perhaps this will be a new, quick and easy addition to your family’s Christmas traditions.

I won’t try to make this sound more complicated than it is, here’s the very simple directions -

Pandoro - Lidl’s is the best I’ve found, obviously you could use one from anywhere else too
Apricot Jam
(Whipped) Double Cream - I’ve always whipped it myself, but bought extra thick double cream last week by mistake and it still worked well. I prefer the look and volume of the whipped though.

Cut your Pandoro into slices. It’s up to you how thick or thin you want to make them, the more slices, the more layers of filling - never a bad thing!

Starting with the largest (base) slice, layer up on your serving dish - Pandoro, apricot jam, whipped cream and repeat!

That’s it!

You can decorate how you wish, I like to add my favourite beeswax Celebration candles. Dust with icing sugar, maybe add some little Rosemary sprig trees…

I tend to leave off the last Pandoro slice, I prefer the look of the top being fresh cream, but you can play around and make up your own mind.

I hope you enjoy this little cake cheat, I’d love to see the results if you decide to have a go yourself. Don’t forget to save this post to come back to another time.

Kitchen Towels, Ceramic Cake Dish, Beeswax candles, Leachware Teapot, Serving Board

Simple Ways to Decorate: Candles

Sat, 22 Nov 2025 16:38:00 +0000

Simple Ways to Decorate: Candles

There’s something about candlelight that settles a room, creating a level of calm that almost instantly washes over you, like a big sigh of relief. Or is it just me?! A small flame, a soft glow on a wall, that gentle moment of pause as you strike a match… it’s the simplest form of decoration, yet it transforms a space more than almost anything else.

And for me, natural wax candles, my absolute favourite being beeswax, are the heart of it.

Beeswax is one of those materials that feels inherently honest. Nothing synthetic, nothing overly processed — just a natural, renewable material made by bees, with that beautiful soft honeyed scent. Unlike paraffin, beeswax doesn’t pollute the air; it actually improves your indoor air quality as it burns, releasing negative ions that help clear impurities. So the ritual isn’t only cosy, it’s good for you and your home too.

But what I love most is how adaptable candles are. They’re not just for Christmas, or for autumn, or for dinner parties. They work in every season, every corner. You don’t need to overhaul your home to mark a shift, just add a little flame.

Here are some of the ways I style candles throughout the year, keeping everything simple, slow and very easy to recreate.

1. Use what you have

A jam jar, a wonky ceramic dish, a vintage mould picked up from a fleamarket — you don’t need special accessories. Wax is forgiving (in the most part), it can be cleaned off most hard surfaces once finished and candles can be a great way to create beauty in unexpected ways. Here I've used some lovely old metal pudding and madeleine cake moulds as candleholders/ accessories; the patina and imperfections make the light even softer and rather magical. I have a real thing for chrome details at the moment.

Taper candles work perfectly here, thin, elegant and subtle. Further below I've used our bestselling tealights.

2. Create a moment on a branch

This is one of my favourite little ideas: a single found branch, weighted or simply laid across a table, with clip-on candle holders and slim beeswax chime candles. It immediately feels sculptural and seasonal without shouting seasonal.

How perfect is this one I found in a neighbour's garden? It's little supporting foot is the exact height it needed to be, without even knowing what it was destined to be used for!

Our Antiqued Tree Clip Candle Holders are made exactly for this type of styling, with their adjustable candle bowl, you can pivet and straighten out your candle, even if the suurface you're clipping onto is uneven. I've paired them with the Beeswax Tree Chime Candles here.

Using a branch works for long supper tables, mantel styling, or even down the centre of a coffee table. I've now got this one on the back table in the shop, so if you're visiting soon, come admire that perfect, natural shape.

3. Let candles guide the light, not dominate the room

You don’t need lots. A cluster of three in different heights on a shelf is enough to shift the whole mood of a room. A tiny tealight on a bedside table. A single taper next to the bath. Keep the rest simple.

Beeswax in particular has a warm, rich glow that feels grounded — not overdone.

The quiet simplicity of this Wall Candle Holder means it fits in all interior styles and looks at home in so many rooms of the house. No wonder it's one of our most popular products.

4. Embrace the handmade

All the beeswax candles we stock are handmade in the UK using 100% British beeswax. The slight variations in colour, the natural bloom that appears over time, the way each one burns a little differently — that’s part of the charm.

They’re completely clean-burning, long-lasting, and they leave that soft golden scent in the air. Once you’ve used beeswax, you genuinely feel the difference.

These beautiful Cornish Beeswax Tree Candles are hand poured especially for us, just a few miles from the shop here in Cornwall.

Shop our full beeswax collection here.

5. Let candles become part of your daily rhythm

Light one while you make your morning coffee. Light one as you tidy the house at the end of the day. Light one before guests arrive, or just for yourself on a quiet evening.

Candles shouldn’t be saved for “special.” They make the everyday feel special.

A quiet kind of decoration

This whole blog series, Simple Ways to Decorate, is about keeping things simple — small changes, slow moments, pieces that adapt with the seasons rather than fight against them.

Candles are one of the easiest ways to bring warmth and life into a home without cluttering it. They work with any style, any palette, any time of year. Just a flame, a little pool of wax, and a calmer room.

If you’d like to explore the beeswax range — tapers, tealights, tree-shaped, hand-dipped dinner candles and more — you’ll find them all here:

→ Alice in Scandiland Candle Collection

Stocking Fillers You’ll Want to Keep for Yourself

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 18:51:00 +0000

There’s something irresistible about a stocking filler, no matter what age you are. Tiny treasure to greet you in the morning, an obligatory pre-breakfast delicious treat...whether Father Christmas still visits your house, or the job has been passed on to you, we've got things covered.

In my opinion the best stocking fillers are the everyday helpers, the hand-poured treats, the tactile little joys that make the rhythm of daily life that little bit more beautiful.

This year’s collection is full of exactly that — honest materials, warm winter scents, practical pieces made to last, and simple pleasures for home, bath and kitchen.
Here are just a few you might struggle to give away…

For cosy winter days...

I am a huge advocate for socks being an excellent gift, good socks that is and I will definitely be keeping a few of these beauties for myself this year.

SHOP THE FULL SOCK COLLECTION HERE.

For the Natural Beauty & Self-Care Lover

A sheep shaped soap was made for stocking gifting, for young and old. Organic cotton flannels, wood and natural bristle nail brushes, wooden comb and toothbrush — all daily essentials that could often do with upgrading at this time of year.

SHOP THE FULL SELF CARE RANGE HERE.

For quiet rituals and wintery mornings...

Cosy mugs to cuddle up with, small, special objects to bring an extra element to everyday moments. Indulgences, an invitation to slow down and observe a little more.

Rustic Mug — Clover Saucer — Baking Brush — Pion Espresso Cup

Everyday Scissors — Huskee Travel Cup

Cornish Beeswax Tree Candle — Candle Collection — Vintage Observer Pocket Book

Delicious treats to indulge in...

Artisan Hot Chocolate, traditional Gingerbread, small batch chocolate made in Cardiff, the perfect treat for a Christmas morning.

SHOP GOOD THINGS TO EAT HERE

Little gifts, big joy. Whether they end up in someone’s stocking or tucked safely in your own drawer, I hope they bring a moment of calm and comfort this Christmas.

Simple Ways to Decorate: The Table

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 14:45:00 +0000

Laying a table for a party or a simple gathering of family and friends doesn't have to be an overwhelmingly grand, elaborate thing, it's the small details that can make it personal to you. A flicker of candlelight. A sprig of green cut from the garden. The gentle clink of glass as everyone shuffles in around the plates.

This instalment of Simple Ways to Decorate leans into exactly that: the quiet foundations of a welcoming table, built from pieces you probably already have at home, elevated with a few thoughtful touches.

Over the years I’ve realised that the table doesn’t need to be “finished” or perfect. It just needs to feel lived-in, warm, and ready for people. I won't lie, I'm rather frazzled by the time Christmas finally arrives and sticking to a formula that I know works for me hugely reduces the pressure I feel. So here’s how I approach it.

Start with the basics you use every day

Your everyday plates and glasses do more work than you think. On quieter evenings they’re practical; on a special occassion table they become the backdrop to everything else. I like to keep mine simple — soft whites, gentle shapes, beautifully tactile. This lets the seasonal bits settle in naturally without competing for attention.

SHOP TABLEWARE HERE

Cloth napkins, folded or gathered loosely rather than overly fussed over, add texture straight away. Poised to be swept onto laps as guests sit down. I fully embrace a crumple in life and linen is perfect for this. I love how relaxed and effortless it looks on a table, whether it's a tablecloth, napkin or the tea towel cast aside as you serve up delicious creations.

Layer in nature

A sprig of pine, stolen from the Christmas tree. A gathering of Eucalyptus or a branch cut from the tree outside and placed in an old glass bottle or vase. Edible plate decorations, such as figs, oranges or little pre-dinner sweet treat. These small, customisable touches layer in different textures, play with height and challenge the expected.

You don’t need a formal arrangement. Just gather a handful of things you enjoy looking at and spread them across the table in a way that feels easy.

We have Eucalyptus available in store until just before Christmas day.

Candlelight is everything

Tall Beeswax Dinner Candles, a few tealights, shapes that don’t match — they all work. The glow they create bringsmore atmosphere and magic than any decoration.

I like placing candles at slightly different heights: a couple on a cake stand, one tucked onto a little plate, a short stubby one burning quietly in the corner. Let the wax drip. Let it look used. It’s all part of the charm. Including a scented candle is a great way to set the mood.

You could also add a foraged branch, with candles clipped on, a detail sure to delight your guests.

SHOP TREE CLIP CANDLE HOLDERS

Introduce something that inspires & excites you

It doesn’t have to be loud, showy or expensive. This year for me it’s our Antique Stars Garland running across the table. It catches the candlelight beautifully and brings a festive feeling without a huge amount of effort. Go for the large for impact, or the mini version is perfect for weaving throughout.

This idea works with almost anything that can be draped, so don't feel restricted, play around and see what feels right for your gathering.

Maybe for you it’s a ribbon, a handwritten place card, or a special glass that only comes out in December. One tiny gesture goes further than an overload of decoration, plus, you still need to leave room for all the wondeful food!

Let the ritual be part of the styling

Pouring the fizz. Lighting the candles. Setting the tone with music. These moments bring life to the table just as much as the objects do.

I always find that once the glasses are filled and the plates are slightly askew, everything loosens up — the table becomes less “set” and more ready. That’s when it really starts to feel right.

SHOP THE GLASS COLLECTION HERE

Keep it simple

A table doesn't have to be a showpiece; it’s a place to gather. The beauty comes from the small details collected over time — the ceramics you’ve found and fallen in love with, mixed and matched, greenery from the garden, candles in holders already laiden with dripped wax from past evenings. The beautiful chaos from a few too many people and plates, a cosy scrum of story telling, shared moments, and the anticipation of pudding.

Choose the things that feel good, that make you happy and allow the magic to unfold naturally.

More inspiration

Our Paper Cut Christmas Tree decorations are back in stock, after selling out really quickly last time. These are such an easy, effective addition to your festive table.

SHOP HERE

The Times’ 50 Most Stylish Indie Shops | Alice in Scandiland

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 16:23:00 +0000

We were thrilled to be featured in The Times last week, both in print and online. Alice in Scandiland was named among the UK’s 50 Most Stylish Independent Shops — a welcome recognition of independent retail, and a real honour to be included alongside so many inspiring brands.

Alice in Scandiland featured in The Times -

Shop our collections →

Reintroducing Alice in Scandiland

Sun, 22 Mar 2026 11:21:00 +0000

Alice in Scandiland began as a blog over a decade ago, sharing snippets of home, life and creativity here in Cornwall.

Over time, it’s grown into a shop, both online and on the high street - always evolving, but always rooted in the same idea: thoughtful, beautiful things for everyday living.

You can explore the shop online here, or visit us in Lostwithiel.

Blog Rss

A small Scandi inspired workspace.

Home is where my heart is. Small house, big changes.

Garden design, a contemporary Scandi inspired plan.

Scandi inspired kids room, Eula's small space updated.

Sundays are for rest, OR pulling things apart.

The anticipation of a dream come true.

She Shed? Garden Room? Heaven.

And so it begins...

Changing rooms or Shaming rooms?

The long awaited floor...

Winter is coming.

Trees and frolics.

Baskets full of money?

Creating Christmas traditions.

Christmas Eve.

Home extension ideas: How to extend your home with style, for less than you might think.

Want to know how we extended our home on a budget? Maybe you're looking for home extension ideas? Perhaps you just love before and after pictures? Read on for step by step ideas for extending your home without planning permission and for a much lower price than you might think!

How to get more space without moving house

Home extension ideas for a semi detached house

Cost-Effective Alternatives to Home Extensions

Specifications for our conservatory home extension:

Absolutely no white plastic

Absolutely no wood grain effect (this is the norm so you must specify otherwise it would seem, WHY would you want plastic fake wood?!)

Dark grey

As high a pitched roof as possible

One solid wall coming out from the kitchen

Same floor levels throughout ground floor

As few sections as possible

Larger than standard doors

Several ventilation options

Plans, roof design and home extensions without planning permission

Practical things you may need to know about extending your home on a budget

How long did it take to extend our home?

What size is our conservatory home extension?

Alice in Scandiland shop items pictured:

Technical details about the home extension

HEAT LOSS/TEMPERATURE CONTROL: Is it too hot in the summer?

HEAT LOSS/TEMPERATURE CONTROL: Is it too cold in the winter?

Is it aluminium?

How much did our home extension cost? (edited)

Time frame: How long did our home extension take?

Making contact with glazing company to confirmation of plans - 2 weeks

Wait until work began - 3 weeks

From start of groundworks to pouring slab - 3-4 weeks

Erection of frame - 2-3 days

Fitting glass - 2 days

Plastering - 2 days

What makes this conservatory stand out from other home extension ideas?

What was it like living with the building work?

Shop my home - I stock most of the items pictured in the Alice in Scandiland shop!

Quick, easy and beautiful twin slot shelving.

Sunday garden thoughts...

Alice's Beetroot Brownie recipe.

Dust sheet curtains, serious budget styling.

Nancy's bedroom transformation.

Move the money on.

Garden Makeover | Phase One.

Want to know how I landscaped our Cornish garden on a budget? Read on for my garden design ideas and inspiration, including the plants, garden furniture, oak sleepers and stones we used in our garden makeover project.

How to get started with a garden makeover

Garden landscaping inspiration

Scandinavian style garden design

Landscaping a garden with sleepers and pebbles

Choosing garden plants for our Scandinavian-style garden

Head over to my shop for a selection of my favourite Scandi-inspired outdoor products like those seen in these photos.

If you’ve enjoyed this stage of the garden makeover, follow the link below for what came next…

Garden makeover sources and shopping*

*contains affiliate links

Nominated for the Amara Interior Blog Awards.

Scandinavian inspired Kitchen update.

Why all white? My reasons for *almost* all white walls.

The Amara Interior Blog Awards 2017

Autumnal wreath - easing into the festive season.

O Christmas Tree...

Christmas Stockings and things.

Three Scrummy Sausage Roll recipes.

Amara IBA Winner Interview.

Our house, for us.

At home with Nordic Re-make.

Easter Party.

Why all white? My reasons for almost all white walls.