Christmas Inspiration: John Lewis and The Queen of Crafts

So this morning I generously received a package of Ideal Home magazines from my partner's Mom and Aunts which I'm yet to properly dive into; but I did pull out the John Lewis Christmas catalogue and a catalogue from a company I'd never heard of called The Queen of Crafts. Suffice to say that I've spent the last hour or so poring over them both and getting massively inspired!

As a rule, I find lots of inspiration from the John Lewis catalogues, even though I largely can't afford the price tags! However, the Christmas decor is much more accessible and if you are lucky enough to snaffle the leftover Christmas stock in the January sales, all the better! This is how we bought our JL Christmas tree earlier this year; although if you really do want something very badly, I've found that it's best to cough up and buy as soon as you see it, as most of the JL Christmas decor sells out pretty fast.

I absolutely love the look of this mantelpiece. I already have mercury glass (well, faux!) candlesticks on either end of my mantel, along with some other mixed metals, so this look is definitely something that inspires me. Once we've re-wallpapered and I've actually been able to hang my Grandma's antique mirror so I can decorate the whole mantel, this will be what I'm going for.

I am so sad that I owned a mercury glass tree just like the ones in this pic, but it did not survive the move from Manchester to Birmingham :( Loving the miniature vintage mirrors, too.

I adore this sunburst- style bauble! I think it will really tap into the art-deco themes in our living room and add a bit of glitz.

Since our Christmas tree is shaped like an actual tree rather than a Nordic Christmas tree, I thought these birds and feather wreaths would add a nice touch of glam.

If I had gone for more of a Mid-Century modern vibe in the living room then I would be drooling over this pic for days at a time! Love, love, love the pops of colour!

 If I had a different type of home, such as a Victorian terrace or a cottage, these two pics would be major inspiration. However, as we live in a 1930s flat, I really feel that our home should reflect elements of that style but re-interpreted in a modern and comfortable way. Maybe one day we'll have a cosy little home where I can feel comfortable going slightly more rustic and traditional; for now I'll enjoy our airy and quirkly art-deco home :)

So, on to The Queen of Crafts. Firstly, I cannot believe I've never heard of this company. Even just looking through the short catalogue, I've seen so many products that I have previously struggled to source without paying the earth and I'm thrilled to have found it. 

The whole catalogue is an inspiration and if you're even the teeniest bit crafty, you'll find something to love. Equally if you're a serious crafter, it won't disappoint, although the range is more limited than say Fred Aldous. 

My personal picks for Christmas crafting from The Queen of Crafts are as follows:

Set of 6 Mini-Glass Blank Baubles

The possibilities are endless with these and you can really tailor them to your decor! Plus, the price is great :)

Blank Paper-Mache Christmas Tree

Again, a product that you can totally customise yourself! I definitely plan to get at least one of these for the mantel.

Set of 6 Blank Glass Ornaments

I love these and have been searching for the longest time for a set that won't cost £30! For £9.99 I'm definitely buying these, but I think I'll use them for a mobile/chandelier I'm going to craft. Watch this space :)

On that note, I'm off to dive into the magazines!

Style Crush : Vintage Mirrors

One thing I've been dying to do for a while is create a wall of vintage mirrors and I'm finally getting to do it! So far I've bought five assorted vintage bevel edge mirrors from eBay to go with the one I was allowed to take from my late Grandmother's house, and I'm hoping to achieve something akin to the following:

Source: theoldpaintedcottage.com via Tina on Pinterest

Source: google.com via Lisa on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via Susan on Pinterest

We've not decided exactly where this wall will be; I guess wherever we need to bounce around some extra light and where the mirrors can be appreciated.

Awesome eBay finds ..... that I can't buy (so you should)

OK, so every week I come across amazeballs pieces on eBay that I just can't buy due to lack of funds or space or both. This is where I'm going to pay tribute to these finds in the hope that someone appreciates them as much as I do and gives them a good home.

#1: 1930's Art Deco Walnut Burr Dressing Table - £85.00 Buy It Now, Birmingham.

Source: ebay.co.uk via Gemma on Pinterest

Absolutely gorgeous! If I had the room it would be coming home with me!

#2: Art Deco Blue Velvet Curved Sofa - £300 Buy It Now, London

Source: ebay.co.uk via Gemma on Pinterest

Oh my Lord, do I love this! It's wonderful but it's 100 miles away and I have bought 2 couches in the last 2 weeks so don't think Matt would approve.... :(

#3: Vintage Evertaut Machinist's Workstool - £51 on bids, Ashby-de-la-Zouch

Source: ebay.co.uk via Gemma on Pinterest

I would love to have this around my dining table! Alas, I can't justify £51+ on a stool right now :( Love touches of industrial chic, though.

#4: Set of 6 Caramel Leather and Chrome Dining Chairs - £25.on bids, Birmingham.

Source: ebay.co.uk via Gemma on Pinterest

I would have said that these chairs are too modern for my taste but there's something about them that keeps drawing me back. Plus £25 for 6 leather chairs! Crazy! If I had the space, no question, they'd be mine.

#5: Set of 2 Matching Chairs - £40, Whitton

Source: ebay.co.uk via Gemma on Pinterest

OK, bear with me on this one: I'm imagining them recovered in coral linen or a bright turqouise velvet. See it? So fun! If only they weren't so far away and I knew a good (but cheap) upholsterer. Le sigh.

Style Crush: blue velvet

At the moment, I am seriously crushing on blue velvet. Wingback chairs, Chesterfield sofas, headboards, dramatic curtains; I want them all! This may be a symptom of being slightly obsessed with the lovely and extremely talented Emily Henderson, but there's nothing wrong with that!

Source: cocokelley.blogspot.com via Chelsea on Pinterest

This is from Emily's house - a previous incarnation of her office, I believe. LOVE the velvet and the tufted button wingback chair.

Source: rachelswandesign.tumblr.com via Emily on Pinterest

Great headboard! Love how it adds bold colour and prevents the room from becoming so girly that the earthy religious icons would look out of place.

Source: roomfortuesday.tumblr.com via Ty Jones & Co. on Pinterest

Another take on blue velvet by Emily Henderson; I would not have thought to have the curtains hang from curtain rings, but it really seems to add something here (in addition to length!). I have actually just bought a pair of vintage blue velvet curtains from eBay and am hoping to hang them in the Master Bedroom for warmth and the much-needed blackout element, as my partner often works nights. If they're even a vague likeness of this I'll be happy! Another of my style crushes is also evident here: the Eames chairs. Ever since I saw them in the flesh at the BBC's new Media City, I've wanted one of my very own. We shall see.

I also love green velvet and as Pantone have named emerald as the colour of 2013 I would be remiss not to mention it. Sadly there just don't seem to be as many examples of it done right. Maybe I was just ruined by watching Scarlett turn those gorgeous drapes into this fabulous dress (which incidentally I got to see in person this year at the V&A in London - AMAZING!).....

Source: google.com via Lisa on Pinterest

Sources: eBay

I am a HUGE fan of eBay and I use it constantly. We have have found and purchased some serious bargains  for the flat recently and I am so pleased with what we've bought. I really don't think you can beat eBay for finding unusual vintage pieces at low prices; although if you really want to find the good pieces, you have to be committed. Here are a few of my eBay-sourced pieces::

This Chesterfield armchair is a find from two years ago and I still LOVE it. Seriously love it. Like, I would have its leathery blue babies, love it. AND it was £41. FORTY-ONE POUNDS! Amazing.

Source: ebay.co.uk via Gemma on Pinterest

This is our new couch. I have loved tan leather for a while but had always balked at the prices for a couch with the lines I was looking for, until I found this baby. I think it'll work really well in the living room with the Chesterfield. Another incredible bargain: £63

Source: ebay.co.uk via Gemma on Pinterest

This gorgeous piece is another new addition and was one of Matt's picks for the flat. We paid £39 for this and I think that's still a pretty good deal. It's in great condition and Matt's Grandad's initials are A.L. so that makes the piece special to us. I'm trying to figure out how to add a hidden frame to the bottom of it to enable us to add brass castors, so that it's the right height for a coffee table. I have a pretty good idea how but we'll see how it pans out!

Source: ebay.co.uk via Gemma on Pinterest

Last but not least, we have a vintage deco china cabinet which is about to start a new incarnation as a Lego cabinet. That's right: Matt loves Lego and I love Matt, so I had to find a way for him to show his favourite Lego pieces without making my eyes bleed. Enter Mr Handsome Deco China Cabinet (gotta get that guy a nickname): he's made of gorgeous walnut and has great lines but as he's mostly glass and mirror, it means that Matt still gets to show his Legos. Hurrah indeed!

Source: ebay.co.uk via Gemma on Pinterest

What isn't so cheering is the snow which is piled up outside and preventing us from picking up Mr Handsome Cabinet, even though he's only a couple of miles away. Boooo! I guess I'll just have to sit here and wait for my other Mr Handsome to battle through the snow after his night shift :)

Inspiration: Living Room

We recently bought a tan leather couch at a disgustingly cheap price from eBay and I have been combing the internets and Pinterest for inspiration images, such as the following:

Source: inthewhiteroom.com via Gemma on Pinterest

Our couch is nothing like that shape, but I love the vibe of the room and the use of different textures and natural materials to warm up the white walls. Ikea sheepskins may well be in my future....

Source: Uploaded by user via Gemma on Pinterest

The lines of this couch are closer to ours and I love the modern feel of the room; although our room will be incorporating more deco styles than mid-century onwards. Again, it's light and bright and incorporates great design elements into a small area and I'd like to take this into our living area. Also: typography prints - yay!

Source: google.com via Gemma on Pinterest

This picture is probably the closest in terms of how I'd like the room to feel - eclectic but with some very strong and comforting vintage elements. I actually have a trunk which is almost identical to this one and we will be using it as a coffee table, once it's been modified slightly by adding brass castors for height and ease of movement. We have a dark blue Chesterfield armchair which will be the other comfy seating element in the room and good Lord, do I love me a vintage map or two!

Moorland Court

Our new flat is in a 1930s Mansion Block in a really gorgeous little area of Birmingham, but extremely handy for getting in and out of the city centre and to my work. The flat itself is on the 3rd floor and is flooded with light - alas, we only have these few, rather poor estate agent listing photos to illustrate and they fall short of how spacious and light it really is. Still, they're enough to set my heart fluttering!

Ever feel you're in the exact right place at the exact right time?

I find it funny (and sometimes terrifying!) how the internet remembers, even when you forget.... I came onto Blogger this evening to set up a new blog, having forgotten that 4 years ago I set up this blog; and proceeded to post twice: once in 2009 and once in 2010! 

My life has changed immeasurably since then; I now live in a new (but familiar) city with a new (but familiar) partner and I have a new (but familiar) job. I'm just about to move into a gorgeous flat with my amazing boyfriend and I simply cannot wait. Everything feels like it's finally falling into place. 

I've always had a passion for interior design and it feels like now is the right time to blog. To chronicle my obsessive stalking of interior design blogs, Pinterest and online design mags into something more cohesive than the odd Tumblr or Facebook post and my ridiculous collection of pins! So here I go......