{Pay and Display} Our House

All I can say is that the Boy has done well. He takes his time, but then it all comes out beautifully - even with the wackiest of my ideas! So here are some of the things you will now find on our walls.

This map is the vintage map I believed I talked about in September - we bought in a flea market in France, so beautiful with striking colours. Yes that big yellow blob is Paris. No I could not bear cutting into it, but I think it is beautiful in new frame (all painted by M - in the freezing garage, bless). We negotiated a bit on what should be included, I am a south bank girl, M wanted to see Montreuil (where his Grandparents lived at some point), I wanted to see St-Germain-des-Pres because we went to a wedding there. However we agreed we wanted the legende on the side, which is the most vintage part. Voila, a much less bland guest room!

This is a controversial one to include. I added this Ferm Living wall sticker whilst M was away, and he took an instant dislike to it. Except that everyone who came to visit likes it. It remained.. I think it has grown on him. Isn't it beautiful?

Finally the racket has been bought at a bargain price on Ebay and has made its way to our house, and soon on the wall with all my dangling earrings. I may need another one, this was a bit of a squeeze. From inspiration to implementation...

What do you think?

Are you excited about tomorrow, yes the giveaway is still happening tomorrow. Not sure today's post gives you any clues about what it will be but it does, to a certain reflect my style, it is for your house, but you don't need your partner's help to make it happen... All to be revealed tomorrow!!

{Pay and Display} Vintage Tennis Rackets

In my French life - a long, long time ago (ok, not that long ago, but it sometimes feels that way) - I played tennis a lot. I played for my local team, and I would watch a lot of tennis on TV. I was keen and in love with Andre Agassi and Stefan Edberg. I am now a Roger Federer and Wilfried Tsonga supporter, and play much less tennis and moved on to squash (it is all about being indoors). Since then I always liked things related to vintage tennis. And vintage tennis rackets is what my house needs (no that doesn't mean more clutter!). Here are 5 reasons why!

Vintage Display

I love this display from the Whitcomb company, it takes a bit of space but adds interesting colours and forms to any bland wall.

The Vintage Organiser

You know it guys I am on the look out for something to organise my earrings. This is a quick and querky way to make it happen (found on the SoLovely blog). Not sure about the 'tache on the picture next to it...

The Vintage Valentine

Do you know that Valentine's is coming up? Or have you been on the moon for the last month|? What about making your own decoration to celebrate? This is actually a very clever DIY project from Bloesem Kids.

The Vintage table

It looks good and the key is probably in the tension. Would be great for a kid's room (euh, so not for us then).

The Vintage Mirror

I reckon this should be coupled with the earrings display - except that it would require a bit more work and thinking, but it totally works.

So no wonder I have 3 vintage rackets currently in my Ebay Watchlist! It is all to finish pretty soon, will let you know how successful I am. We are making progress with decorating the house, properly (the map of Paris is on display now, yeah! - how much nagging did that take!.. will post about it soon).

Pay and Display - Earrings

2012 is the year I will be totally organised. I am serious, I cannot go on like this anymore. I went through my numerous jewellery boxes (there was no need to have that many) and realised that I usually keep wearing the same earrings or pendants because I 'forgot' I had all the others. It is time to display all my earrings. But how? Some pinterest-ing and googl-ing later here are some ideas I quite like.

The lamp version - clearly it is a win-win: a lamp AND a storage solution, probably quite easy to do as well with a lamp from IKEA. Interesting, but probably not for me - and worried that the earrings will be super hot..

As seen on sharesomecandy.com

The Needle case idea - would be great for studs. This is not necessarily my choice of colours guys, but a grey/neutral version of this could work. Slightly worried I may forgot where I stored it though... or worse take the earrings case rather than my needle case or vice-versa.

via pinterest

The frame and fabric solution - chic and easy. The frame featured is WAY too small for the number of earrings I have, but seriously how long would it take to make - half an hour tops (without painting the frame). A definite contender..

As seen on apartmenttherapy.com


The Metallic version. I love this project, well I love the pattern of the pattern of the metallic sheet - so Morrocan. The only thing is that now I really want that pattern, and no other - and how likely is this???

As seen on iheartorganising.blogspot.com

Well we know now what M will be doing this weekend (bless him)! Just need to convince him he really wants to come frame shopping again with me!

{Pay and Display} Artistiquement Design

I came across Debby Smyth displays on different occasions - without really knowing how they were made. She is an Irish textile artist based in the UK who made her name through thread drawings. And I am officially obssessed with her work!

Her work beautifully blurs the boundaries between fine art drawings and textile art, flat and 3D work, illustration and embroidery, literally lifting the drawn line off the page in a series of “pin and thread” drawings.

Debbie has worked with companies both nationally and internationally and I particularly love the cover she did for the New York Times for their Fall 2010 issue.

And for Manufactura for their July 2011 issue

And as we know I am quite a sucker for magazines covers I can display (so I may have to get my hands on one of them0 ... So what do you think guys, amazing or what?

Pay and Display - Transport tickets

Hiya! Happy Wednesday! I had to renew my season ticket today - although financially it was not the best day, creatively it happened to be quite good. I was left with my old train ticket and wondered what I was going to do with it...

I had already seen this amazing project featured on Design*Sponge and pinned ages ago. The display has used old bus passes from San Francisco - very clever of SF to make those amazing tickets and for using such great color combos! The display uses a clean grid layout and also an adhesive foam tape that allows switching the tickets around.

Unfortunately my own train tickets are much less colourful. And I am sure many of you will recognise our British train tickets in this beautiful project by Nick Sayers - the geodesic sphere. This particular spehere is made of 120 British rail tickets. All of his spheres are made without glue or adhesive relying solely on strategically placed cuts in the materials to hold everything together. SO clever!

This is a bit advanced for me... But I reckon I could get a display together, provided I find some vintage tickets at flea markets or on Ebay (I already checked, you can buy them). It may even look as colourful as the one below.

So what do you do with your travel tickets? Did you use to bin them - are you inspired to recylce them now?

Pay and Display - Magazines

Hiya! Hope everyone is doing OK. I am starting to be quite excited about this bank holiday weekend (Monday is off in the UK, yeah!)

I need to tell you something - I am a MAGAZINE addict - with a strong bias towards monthly glossy fashion and interiors one. Every so often I will also indulge in weekly celebrity gossip ones, as well. AND I cannot bring myself to get rid of the glossier ones, or cut them (yes, I will photocopy the pages I like and would rather than zillions of post-it notes onto the pages - sad, I know). This is getting a bit out of hand. So here are my TWO solutions to my addiction.

I could build walls out them a la Elding Oscarson (see the Oktavilla project)

I have many, but not that many (only because I did get rid of some when I moved twice last year). So here is a smaller project (via pinterest), that I could definitely see myself doing (we are missing a couple of seats in the main room).


So guys, what do you do with your old magazines? Any project that has caught your attention? Would be great to see your ideas as well!