New magazine launch – The Simple Things

Aug 6, 2012

Finally, I get to tell you about the secret project I’ve been working on. It’s hard keeping exciting secrets isn’t it!

The Simple Things is a sister title to our lovely Mollie Makes and is on sale in the UK on September 6 2012. Look inside now!

The Simple Things is a new monthly print magazine celebrating the things that matter most. It’s about knowing the greatest rewards come from the simplest things, that there’s no satisfaction like that at the end of a long muddy walk, no pink so pretty as freshly-cut rhubarb, no perfume to compare with your own home-grown flowers. It’s about making warm inviting homes – big or small – sharing food with friends, growing your own vegetables. It’s about shopping for a coffee table only to find you’re happy with a tea chest. It’s keeping your dad’s old typewriter just because it’s beautiful. It’s an empty beach on a Sunday morning. It’s backpedaling.

You can make sure you don’t miss the first issue of The Simple Things by taking advantage of the special pre-launch subscription offer 3 issues for £5. Good deal huh!

So, what do you think? Does living the simple life float your boat? I would love to hear. And of  course to stay up to date with all The Simple Things news just like on Facebook & Twitter.

Exciting! Whoop!

xo

Hanging out with Holly

Jul 23, 2012

We moved house recently. I guess it’s part of the reason I’ve not posted in a while.

Holly & I love our new pad. And best of all there are no cats in the hood to bully the furchild. Huzzah!

I thought I would share these pics of Holly Fishcake Snowshoes having a nice time in the sunny garden.

Are you enjoying the sun?

What I am grateful for

Jun 4, 2012

Today has been a bit of a down day so in the true boosting spirit I wanted  to praise what I am grateful for.

1. I live in a beautiful city, Bath.

2. I have some great friends. Especially my friend Laura who made me feel better in bad times today.

3. I am doing a brilliant course Blogging Your Way 2.0 which makes me feel whole. Thanks  Holly Becker xo

4. This gorgeous fawn I bought yesterday as Frome’s Artisan’s Market

All this, life’s not that bad :)

Happy birthday Mollie Makes

May 11, 2012

We had such a lush day today celebrating Mollie Makes first birthday!
It has been such an exciting year and I can’t wait for the next. We have all sorts up our sleeves :)

A visit to Kinsale: Part three

May 5, 2012

Jeez Louise…it’s taken me quite a while to get back to talking about the special trip i’ve just taken to Kinsale so here we are.

As mentioned in A visit to Kinsale: Part one I found myself taking a trip to Ireland for the wedding of two gorgeous friends, Antonia & Ben.

The trip started as it should…

 

and was just the most glorious celebration of all things love which I adored.

The church – St Multose

Canapés at the wedding breakfast with the lovely Tracey.

Gorgeous button holes

Nom nom…beef

The beautiful bride and groom

A glass of fizz, don’t mind if I do

Aaaaaaah the best cure for a hangover #BloodyMarywithHorseradish :)

…and fresh Dublin shellfish

Phew what a weekend. So special and such a wonderful trip.

xoxo

Mollie Makes is celebrating with a DIY Wedding

May 4, 2012

Oooh this is exciting news! As mentioned in my last post this month Mollie Makes is celebrating it’s first birthday. What’s even more awesome is that to celebrate the mag has teamed up with Etsy, to celebrate their new wedding registry, creating a Spring Lookbook called Let’s get hitched all about creating the perfect handmade DIY Wedding!

Issue 14 of Mollie Makes is not on sale for another week but I am pleased to be able to give you a sneak peak of the cover of the stunning matt finish supplement.

Doesn’t it look gorgeous! Not only is it full of beautiful images and ideas for creating everything from invitations down to bouquets but there are plenty of ideas for the boys too!

The mag shows off three lovely couples tying the knot including the super cool stylista Elsie Larson and her gorgeous husband Jeremy.

If you are  in the UK you can get your paws on Mollie Makes Issue 14 from May 11 or digitally to if you have an iPad or iPhone.

Here it is! Keep an eye out…

Have you met Mollie Makes? I’d love to hear what you think :)

xoxo

Free issue of Mollie Makes – the one with the apple cosies

May 2, 2012

Do you know Mollie Makes? I do! In fact I know very well as I have been working on the magazine for over a year now, yup that’s even before the big launch day back in May 2011!

Mollie Makes is an awesome craft magazine packed each month with loads of neat crafty projects, home tours of all your favourite designers and tonnes of inspiration for all sorts of handmade loveliness.

Issue One of Mollie Makes is FREE to download 

At Mollie Makes HQ we can TOTALLY NOT BELIEVE that our lovely mag has been on sale for one whole year! It only seems five mins since we launched so it’s super exciting.

Our anniversary means SO much to us so we are arranging lots of lovliness inside the birthday issue on sale May 11 2012.

The first bit of news I can tell you is we have a birthday gift for our loyal readers.

Did you get the first issue of the mag? You know the one’s with the famous apple cosies? You didn’t? Well fear not loyal crafter and lover all of things pretty, we’re giving away the digital issue absolutely FREE!  Good huh?

Yep, no matter where you are in the whole wide world you can download the whole issue to your Apple device, be that your iPhone, iTouch or even iPad, you can do it.

To find out how just pop over to the Mollie Makes blog.

Happy downloading

xoxo

Lipstick & cake…oh and a puddle

May 2, 2012

I just had to show you two of my new best things today.

I’ve always wanted to be a lipstick wearer, and guess what? Now I am.

This gorgeous colour is Flirt Alert by Benefit. Isn’t it sumptuous. I’ve tried on a few red but this so far is the best. Do you like lipstick?

I think it really MAKES an outfit.

Before I went away I made @pedromadd a delicious cake. He loves a good Lemon Drizzle and as he was kindly taking care of my beloved fur child @HollySpeaks I thought I would. He said he thought it was most delish (I think he was telling the truth) but with all such things, I thought, I can do better!

So this morning I decided to do just that and aided but the fluffy companion we made some top notch Lemon Driz buns. I hope he likes them…if not I can always make more!

I was recommended the recipe from BBC GoodFood by @Sam_Book she loves a good bake off! Thanks Sambo.

Did you know when I was away PJ started his own blog? I’m so proud :)

It’s called Pedromadd’s Blog and it’s all about his adventures after a hard day working for Her Maj.

Oooh the other thing I forgot was this cute puddle I saw at Bristol Airport. It really made me chuckle!!

What are your favourite things? I’d love to see your blog. Or leave me a comment.

xoxo

A visit to Kinsale: Part Two

Apr 30, 2012

A girl loves a good pamper! We have spent the pre-wedding day making ourselves look pretty.

Babs nails look stunning in Jessica: Day Tripper electric orange

Naomi looks lush is Accessorize: Metal blue Aqua Marine

I wasn’t that pleased with my nails (Nails Inc Victoria) so I haven’t shown it in the pic. Sorry about that.

A visit to Kinsale: Part One

Apr 27, 2012

We have come to Ireland. Kinsale, Co Cork to be exact. Oysterhaven to be even more exact.

Ten years ago Antonia Keith-Welsh and Benjamin David Coggins fell in love over a portion of cheesy chips at Yeovil College and now they are getting married. Lush isn’t it. They are two of the loveliest people I’ve ever met and I love them dearly, so here we are to celebrate their nuptials.

First morning outside my window…WOW

We arrived late last night after a delayed flight and a little bit of a drive. It was pitch black when we moved into our cottage so it was a lovely surprise to open the curtains this morning.

Oysterhaven is stunning. Have you been? You really must.

First thing this morning we popped to see A & B down in Kinsale. They have a day of preparation and picking up suits and stuff but it was nice to have a cup of tea with them.

Then we went to The Milk Market for a spot of brekkie.

Eggs Benedictine with sausage anyone?

Today we girls are spending the day doing some pampering so it was back to our cottage for some buffing, tanning and polishing.

First a spot or cake – coconut milk chocolate cake. Welllll, I am on holibobs :)

Stayed tuned for more Kinsale news…

There is a real vintage/kooky feel in town and I’ve already spotted a cool chazzer shop.

xoxo

Forget shabby chic, homespun style is here!

Apr 19, 2012

Did you watch BBC’s The Apprentice last week? I know a lot of you do as I saw the painful cries on Twitter.

The task set by Lord Sugar was to create a vintage pop-up shop from which to sell furniture and paraphernalia scavenged from junk shops. Wow, what an episode. As a lover of upcycling myself I watched with horror and downright disbelief as the two teams bought what they considered to be vintage with the idea to make it worthy to be sold again – 1980’s wrought iron chairs? Really?

Lord Sugar – “you’re fired”

The thing that got me, and gets me all the time is the mindless craze for Shabby Chic and what we consider it to be. Don’t get me wrong, I too have slapped a pot of Farrow & Ball on an old dressing table or two, but not once did I think I was particularly talented. I am no die hard follower of fashion either but I do like to be surrounded by stuff that I like. The craze for Shabby Chic has not helped the likes of me who loves a good scavenge in a charity shop or car boot sale with huge price tags being put on anything that looks pre 1990 and has some wear and tear.

What’s so good about pasty, cream and off white painted objects anyway? I was so bored of seeing them wherever I went so I was DELIGHTED to discover super stylist Selina Lake had written another great book, this time all about the bright and the beautiful!

Move over shabby chic – hello Homespun Style!

Homespun Style by Selina Lake is the most exciting book launch of 2012 #justsaying

Packed full of colour, quirky items and beauty, this book is just what I had been waiting for. The whole feeling of the book is light and so far removed from what has gone before it makes me say **YES** this is what we’ve been waiting for.

Last Friday my crafty pals and I were lucky enough to go up to the Homespun Style book launch in Shoreditch and it what a total pleasure that was.

Not only did we get to meet the gorgeous gal herself but the place was crammed with some of the loveliest craft stalls around. Did I say there were cakes? Yes, lots of lovely cakes too.

Super cute cup cake

Oh, and what’s this! I spotted my fav birdies from Abigail Brown.

Ooh and the first people there could get one of our Mollie Makes goodie bags!

(Pic as seen on Selina’s blog)

So what do you think of Homespun Style? Does it float your boat?

I was very pleased to see it had found it’s way into the hands of one of my favourite bloggers Pip from Meet Me at Mikes. This book is totally up her style street!

Leave me a comment! I’d love to hear from you xoxo

If you go down to the woods today…

Apr 7, 2012

Look what we found in the woods today. I know!

If you are looking to buy a vintage typewriter you might want to look closer to home.

It all happened when @pedromadd and I were coming to the end of a very long walk when he had a call of nature and suddenly needed to “disappear into a bush”. He’d only been gone a second when he called out to me about what he had found.

I LOVE typewriters so for me this was my true scavenger magpie delight!

Did we take it? Did we pick up litter that may have injured a woodland creature. YEAH WE DID!! Bloody heavy though.

Have you ever found anything good?

I loved When God was a Rabbit

Feb 1, 2012

I loved this book.

I don’t know how cool it is to admit it but what the hell, i’ll say it anyway “I am a big fan of the Richard & Judy Book Club“. Over the years I have read quite a few of the suggested books and I think i’ve pretty much enjoyed them all.

When God Was a Rabbit is my first book of 2012 as read as part of my pledge to read a book a month throughout the year.

The novel opens with a few ‘Oh gosh’ moments, setting the scene for the book which tells the story of a brother and sister and the relationships throughout their lives. I loved the Cornish imagery but must confess I did feel a bit disappointed when the September 11th tragedy cropped up, ergh but I thought it was interesting to read why author Sarah Winman decided to include it, so fair enough. (I must admit I do love those bits those Q&A bits from the author in the back).

All in all a great comical read with lots of things to think about, which is what I like in a book. 4/5

It was one of the books on my shelf so quite pleased about that. Fancy a read?

What’s next. Wait and see :)

My very favourite waste of time

Nov 12, 2011

I don’t play computer games and I can’t be arsed with the likes of wii fit. But if one thing’s sure to get me glued to my lap top for hours on end, it has to be Pinterest. Are you on it?

This pic from one of my fav blogs Happiness is… has been repinned more than any other pin I have. It’s pretty lush.

I kind of bring it up as I have spent the last few weeks compiling a dream home collection of all my fav dream home pics.

Well, a girl’s gotta dream hasn’t she?

xoxo

Weeeeeeeeee!

Sep 26, 2011

Oh yeah, if you suffer at all from even the slightest pangs of jelbo-nicicty look away now. Because yes, oh yes look what I have and have already devoured (not fully opening/bending pages I may add) the new Dottie Angel book. Huzzah.

It’s everything I could have imagined + more and I love it.

I ♥ Dottie Angel. Her style, her ethos and her ability to make me feel I am not alone in my world of quirkyness. Phew.

Granny squarearama

Sep 22, 2011

I thought I would give you a sneak peek of what I’m working on right now…I really like the colours I have used.

I can’t wait to finish it so I can snuggle up on the sofa with it!

A sneak peak of the shoot

Sep 21, 2011

Here are some pics from the shoot we went on yesterday. We took over this lovely house in Somerset and set up a studio similar to the Mollie Makes vid we made earlier in the year.

I hate my sewing face.

That’s better

Ta da!! The finished bunting handmade by Snowy and myself.

Keep posted for more news…! Follow us @themakingspot

CAcTivity

Sep 21, 2011

The furchild has been v cute of late. She has found a new snuggly spot on the cushions in the dining room. Awww bless.

She even licked my face, which is practically unheard of. I think it was a mistake.

Motion shot with tongue out

A day in deepest darkest Somerset

Sep 21, 2011

Secret project update: Snowy aka @thetinycrafter and I found ourselves in a secret location for some filming yesterday with the super ace Future film team. We got some great footage…watch this space peeps! Oh yes, and we made some lush bunting while we were there.

Note to self: Must make bunting.

Sssshhh!

Sep 17, 2011

I thought I better give you a little titbit of news about a secret project I am working on.

Obvs I can’t say too much at this stage but let’s just say it’s pretty exciting, and if it’s pretty exciting, there must be some element of crafting in there – and let’s just say there defo is!!!

I will update you v soon.

xoxo