Tea For Joy

I wish wish wish...

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 09:00:00 +0000

I wondered if any readers would be interested in how I've been working on my accounts for weeks now, every weekend, and I'm still not finished, and not even started my tax return, and blogging is really on hold until I'm free of it.... I thought not, since I think people read blogs to escape - so I thought I'd post this dress instead. Plain and simple, this is the dress for me, and it's by one of my favourite Etsy sellers, Nadinoo. {Spotted on Carrie at Wish Wish Wish.}

{I did have one night out last night, when I went to see Swallows and Amazons - I adored it, like I knew I would. Has anyone seen it? There were lots of 10 year old boys, and the middle aged man sitting next to me who beamed the whole way through really made it for me. It finishes in London next week and then is going on tour.}

Tea of the week: Taking Tea at the V&A

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 20:40:00 +0000

A few photos from a Friday night at the V&A, within earshot of a classical music recital {students from the Royal College of Music perform every Friday in the Norfolk House Music Room}, and a marriage proposal! Nearby, some happy {and cultured} parents hovered outside with their brand new baby. A very chilled way to spend a Friday evening.

Tea of the week: making plans

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Happy New Year! I'm making lots of plans for the coming year, which include many predictable resolutions which I won't keep, but also new strategies for growing my little business. Let me know if you have any brilliant ideas! Although it's manageable, I'm tired of working full-time and also running my business. It's hard to do much apart from keep on top of things.

I love my new diary from Shepherds Bookbinders, and William Morris mug from the V&A shop. What are your plans?

{PS The Papermash sale starts today - lots of items are 50% off.}

Happy Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 08:14:00 +0000

Have a lovely Christmas everyone! I had lots to share, thoughts about having a small business, Christmas decorations {or lack thereof}, but I got distracted by wrapping up orders and working full-time! I'm exhausted! How about you?

Over Christmas I'll be:

*Hosting blog school with my cousin, Hey Homewrecker {if you're based in Northern Ireland, please let us know, I'm hoping to find her a blog community there!}
*Making a washi tape town with my neice and nephew
*Planning a day trip to Dublin {let me know if you have any suggestions of quirky things to see}

A few random links, some of which I've been saving for a while:

*Christmas music {I'm obsessed with A Charlie Brown Christmas}
*Love this table
*A happy New York wedding
*Rainbow wreath!
*Guilty

{I've just had the snow globe print reprinted on white paper, and it looks great. Orders placed today, 21st December, can be sent special delivery tomorrow, at no additional postage charge.}

Let it snow...

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 17:00:00 +0000

Not yet, until I've posted all my orders and caught my flight home next week, but the weather's really not making it feel that Christmassy... Love this Let it Snow bag {£12.}

Gift guide: for nesters

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 10:12:00 +0000

1. Church's Candles {£15.50}, 2. Woollen blanket {£95}, 3. Spool candle {from £45 - and from lovely new shop, Sparrow & Co.}, 4. Lavender bag {£7.50}, 5. Bird cage plate, 6. Ceramic envelope {£15}, 7. Happy chopper {£19.95.}

Christmas washi tape + more...

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0000

I'm still sending out orders within 24 hours, and so far there's no sign of snow, or a postal strike, so there's plenty of time to order pretty Christmas washi tape/Japanese masking tape to embellish your presents. From top left; gold snowflake washi tape {£3.50}, Christmas cross stitch washi tape {£4}, Santa washi tape {£10 for 4} and Red spot washi tape {£3.50.}

Some other Christmas goodies I haven't shared yet;

Mistletoe stamps and pine cone stamps {£9.99 each}, Rifle Paper Co. Christmas tags {£5 for 10}, Boxed large Christmas tags {£8.50}.

Festive labels {£5}, Pop-up card - this has such a sweet translucent spotted envelope {£5}, Rifle Paper Co. Christmas postcards {£10} and for easy labels, just cut tiny pieces of this gingham fabric tape {£8.50} into a Christmas design. It's expensive but you can get so much out of it if you use a craft knife to make the most of any scraps.

If you haven't seen it yet, Jeska styled a stunning feature on gift wrapping ideas in the latest edition of Heart Home Magazine.

Gift guide: for kids

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 15:12:00 +0000

The first of my remaining gift guides, for tiny kids who don't realise what presents are yet, and whose aunt just buys them things she'd like herself; 1. Ladybug print {£20}, 2. Tiny Toms {£24}, 3. Silver lame leggings {£15}, 4. Animal hooks {£22.95}, 5. The book I buy every child, or their nostalgic parents, Dogger {£4.19}, 6. B is for Bear {£12}, 7. Sweet Dreams Banner {£10.}

Handmade Christmas pop-up shop

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 07:02:00 +0000

Another weekend, another craft fair... I wanted to let you know about this Handmade Christmas pop-up shop, which is being held at the home of Marga from Chocolate Creative, in Peckham, on both Saturday and Sunday.

Do you know Chocolate Creative? Margarita is such a positive and encouraging person, her energy is amazing! I especially love her wall hooks and hope they are an internet sensation... Anyway, Marga and some of her designer friends are setting up shop this weekend. You can find out more, including the address, here. I'm sure it will be a very welcoming environment!

Other events:

*We Make Christmas Fair, Battersea Arts Centre, Saturday 10th December

*Selvedge Christmas Fair, St Augustine's Church Hall, N6

*On Monday Lauren and Helena are hosting a London Blogger's Party.

Have a lovely weekend. I'll be finishing off the rest of my gift guides, ready to share on Monday. There's still loads of time for Christmas shopping...

Gift guide: for me...

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 09:00:00 +0000

I'm putting together a few gift guides, and thought I'd start with an easy one, of things I would like... 1. Copper shoes {£70}, 2. Pole Brun {$30}, 3. A morse code necklace, in silver please {$56}, 4. A Liberty print watch {$90}, 5. A Richard Weston iphone case {£33}, 6. Ferry from Ardrossan harbour {$50}, 7. A calligraphy necklace {$195}, 8. Handpainted beach pottery shards {£28.}

Also on my list: a haircut with the German guy at Sassoon in Covent Garden who my friend says is amazing, a knife skills cookery course, a polarizing filter, tickets for Swallows and Amazons or The Animals and Children took to the Streets at the National Theatre... What's on yours?

{NB, I told you about the Animals and Children took to the Streets last year when it was at the Battersea Arts Centre. If you can go, you really must - it's utterly wonderful. It was sold out for a few weeks but they've just released more tickets.}

A Christmas blog excursion

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 08:13:00 +0000

Last week I was invited by jewellery designer Emma Cassi to watch her and her friend Kate {they met through their blogs} paint the Christmas windows of one of my favourite tea shops, Orange Pekoe in Barnes. What a treat! I've always loved Emma's intricate work and blog so I was very excited to meet her. You can read Holly Becker gushing about a visit to her home this year here, but her descriptions are very apt.

{Some of Emma's lovely wish bracelets.}

{You can just see the Pandora Bell nougat, beautifully packaged.}

{Stocking up for Christmas.}

12 years ago, when I first lived in London, there was a shop in Wimbledon called Estillo, which I loved. They sold paintings made with gold leaf, which I adored, but could not afford, so I bought a large canvas and gold leaf and tried to recreate something similar myself. It was not totally successful, but as I'd spent so much money on the gold leaf, it hung in my living room for several years. Recently, through reading her blog and looking at her paintings online, I suspected that Kate was actually the artist of the original painting, and she confirmed it was true! Kate used to be a buyer for Estillo - what a small world.

{Tea caddies in the background.}

Kate has some more photos of the windows here. Thanks for inviting me along, Emma and Kate, it was lovely to meet you both. If you're in the Barnes area, you can see the windows for yourself - and stop for tea and cake at Orange Pekoe. I'm still drooling over an orange whisky cake I had there last year which was delicious.

{PS, Emma will have a stall at the Selvedge Christmas Fair this Saturday. If you meet her, you will understand why I left wondering if it's too late in life to become more French and elegant...}

The advent calendar that never was

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 13:55:00 +0000

This year I had grand plans of making an advent calendar.

I used red and white striped paper bags {so cheap!} and cut out a number on a cutting mat using a craft knife and green masking tape.

I was going to hang it on a line, using bulldog clips or wooden pegs, and red and white baker's twine, but I ran out of momentum after number 1. Next year!

I hadn't seen Martha's idea for basically the same advent calendar, but when I was thinking of what to put inside the striped bags, I did use this idea which I saw in the latest Anthologie magazine.

Chocolate eclairs with a festive touch, using a small strip of spotted tapes. I think they look pretty on display in a glass dish.

In other news, my relationship with Blogger is not going so well. I have all kinds of problems with the resolution of photos I upload, but I'm trying a few techniques I read in this useful article.

Got Craft

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 09:00:00 +0000

I also had a great time on Sunday at Got Craft in Tooting, run by Lotus Events. I heard the goody bags were amazing!

A few parcels wrapped by visitors to my stall; the love tag used alphabet index tags, gingham tape, red and white baker's twine, Santa tape, and the heart hole punch. The bottom two used tartan masking tape, striped masking tape, spotted tape, Christmas knit tape, holly tape, mistletoe stamps and pine cone stamps! I had a lot of kids participate in my workshop, too, as the washi tape is easy for little fingers to tear without scissors.

My friend took a little video while I wasn't really looking, but I've put it up anyway so you can get an idea of the fair. It's in a great venue, which is a converted tram shed. I must do something with my hair, but never mind. You also get a glimpse of the Crafty Pint bow-tie making workshop, which was very popular. They run monthly craft workshops - their December one looks fun!

I'm sure you can tell I spent hours working on my signs.

A thank you to me from one of the younger crafters {very sweet}, and a few lovely items from the other stallholders I liked; Anna Wiscombe and Robin and Mould {my favourite item of the show was this cushion.}

Thanks to Andrea and Rob for organising, and good luck with your Vancouver fair this weekend!

Merry Magpie Boutique

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Some bad photos but good ideas {if I say so myself} from my stall at the Merry Magpie Boutique on Saturday. A luggage label made with my heart hole punch and pink washi tape; red and white striped bags and alphabet index tags, alphabet bunting, mini bunting made with striped string and green tape, and a tartan bow... For the bow, I found it much easier to assemble on a cutting mat first, using a craft knife, and then transfer it to the brown paper afterwards.

From around the fair; I need this bag from Gypsy Gold; Marga from Chocolate Creative; bird tray, and these shoes belong to fair visitor Kerry from the Seventy Tree. Her shoes were just what I'd expect her to wear. {Kerry is incredibly talented, have a look at her blog and shop if you haven't seen them before.} It was lovely to meet her whole family too!

I loved this toy typewriter from Little Toucan; upcycled ceramics from Melody Rose, bird bottle stopper, and a stallholder swap between Melody Rose and Chocolate Creative.

Thanks to Caroline and YES London for organising!

Tea of the week: 100 teacups

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 09:00:00 +0000

Artist Joel Penkman is working on a project to paint 100 teacups! Aren't these lovely - and if you have a teacup you would like to see painted, you can email a photo to be considered.

Sunday: Got Craft

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 07:33:00 +0000

On Sunday, I'm running another gift wrapping stall where you can wrap your own purchases, this time at Got Craft, at the Tooting Tram and Social, which is a fabulous venue in an old tramshed. There will be a charge of £1 for materials. Got Craft is being organised by Lotus events, who made the fabulous Blognic cookies! You can see the list of stallholders here. Hopefully see you there!

Saturday: The Merry Magpie Christmas Boutique

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 09:00:00 +0000

This Saturday, I'm running a gift-wrapping stall/workshop at the Merry Magpie Boutique, which is being held at The Book Club near Old Street. The fair has been organised by Patchwork Harmony and Y.E.S London, a charity which helps women looking for work. I will have wrapped some parcels to give you some ideas, but for a small donation to the charity, you can have a go at your own creative wrapping, using materials which I'll bring along {think brown paper, striped paper bags, masking tape + Christmas stamps.} Please note my stall will only be at the fair from 2pm - 4pm. Other stallholders include Chocolate Creative {Marga is just the friendliest blogger}, and Little Toucan {I love this toy typewriter!}

I'm doing another similar stall on Sunday - details to follow tomorrow.

A masking tape project

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 12:00:00 +0000

So project might be a slight exaggeration as it was a two minute job, but on Saturday I awoke with the urge to make something beautiful, which not surprisingly for me coincided with having a long to-do list of mundane tasks. Oh, how I procrastinate.

As a quick fix, I treated myself to a small bunch of ranunculus and decorated this white beaker {this one is from Muji} with gold and silver masking tape. It works perfectly on any smooth surface. I've been eating expensive yogurt from my local lunch deli, just so I can collect a supply of small ceramic and glass small yogurt pots. My colleagues can't understand why I would buy yogurt just for the pot. I'm hoping you do...

News stash

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 13:00:00 +0000

The perfect place to stash your morning paper! I'm always re-telling fascinating stories that I think make me sound interesting and intellectual.... then I remember I saw it in the Metro, and everyone else has read it too. Does that happen to anyone else? Newspaper clasp from Luv Handles.

Striped stories

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 09:56:00 +0000

I love the look of these striped stories from Hand and Eye Editions, a collaboration between letterpress printers Hand and Eye Letterpress and designers Webb & Webb.

Pic 'n' mix

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 09:00:00 +0000

Small treats, all £10 and under: 1. Knitting bag {£5.50}, 2. Moustache rubber {£2.50}, 3. Jonah tea towel {£9.95}, 4. Craft, Inc. {£9.33}, 5. Lemon and ginger curd {£5.99}, 6. Apple tidy {£10}, 7. Gold skinny belt {£10}, 8. Tokyo Milk bee soap {£10}.

Happy weekend + links

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 17:00:00 +0000

*A pink phone box

*Cross-stitch i-phone covers

*Love this terrarium

*Yum, pizza {also, a friend made me these Waitrose pork ribs, and I've been drooling ever since.}

*This exhibition sounds right up my street.

*Oh, how I loved this: you must listen if you can.

Have a lovely weekend, everyone!

{Photo: Tip Toes, scanned from The Book of Hardy Flowers, 1915.}

Neon washi tape

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 07:33:00 +0000

My new favourite thing is neon masking tape, especially when used subtly, in contrast with an industrial background, such as concrete, stainless steel or grey walls.

Doesn't this look amazing? I love the light, too.

{Photos: Meg Moa}

{Vtwonen}

This is giving me an idea for Christmas. This tape really is very low-tack, and I've never had it take paint off the walls. Papermash stocks neon masking tape in yellow, coral and pink {both the same as those above.}

{Photo: I think this is from Anna G, please let know if you think otherwise.}

Tea of the week: tree tea towels

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 08:44:00 +0000

Love these tree tea towels from Our Workshop, one for each season: cherry blossom, orange tree, oak {my favourite} and fir, all £12.50 each.

Happy weekend + links

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Some Friday links:

*Playing with scale

*I'd love to go to a party with a living herb bar

*Monochrome inspiration

*Love this scissor lamp

*More deer...

Have a lovely weekend! Photo from The French House on Lamb's Conduit Street, which has a fantastic mural on one wall {and sells traditional French crockery, lighting and bedding.}