• The leaves are falling

    by  • Friday, October 5, 2012 • 5 Comments

    Cosy knitwear, riding my bike through crunchy leaves, apple crumble and custard and log fires. I love Autumn. I love the colours, the smells and despite the clocks going back we do get to claim that extra hour in bed. Here are a 10 reasons why it’s ok to let go of summer…

     1. Goldie jumper, £80, Hush. 2. Rust lantern, £29, Toast. 3. Vegetable rack, £95, Cox & Cox. 4. Fox cushion, £72.50, Donna Wilson. 5. October print, Danielle Kroll. 6. Sarjaton mug, £13, Iittala at Skandium. 7. Jacobsen Rain Boots, £129, Plumo. 8. Pedlars Guide to the Great Outdoors, £11.89, Pedlars. 9. Thermal socks, £9.50, Marks & Spencer. 10. Bonjour Daybed, £595, Loaf.

    Read more →

    Donna Wilson AW12

    by  • Thursday, September 27, 2012 • 0 Comments

    The lovely Donna Wilson launched her new AW12 collection at Maison et Objet this month and I am very excited and delighted to share with you her first ever bone china tableware, ‘Acorn’…

    I love her new glassware too which is hand decorated in Stoke-On-Trent at one of the last remaining factories. Donna is passionate about doing her bit to support local craftsmanship with all her woolies still hand knitted in Scotland. Her colourful cosies always get me in the mood for winter. Bring on the cold weather…

    And I never knew I needed an odd but cuddly vegetable creature until now. Apparently Mr Turnip (a.k.a Neep) is looking for love and also likes blowing bubbles…

    Read more →

    La Braderie de Lille 2012

    by  • Wednesday, September 19, 2012 • 3 Comments

    Earlier this month Girl About Tech and Home Shopping Spy went on un petit 48-hour adventure. We packed light, brushed up on our Franglais and took the Eurostar to Lille to visit La Braderie of all braderies, Europe’s largest flea market. We each had a list of things to find, a pocket full of Euros and a crucial plan de ville. We sifted le treasure from le tat, turned on le charm and worked some desperate haggling. ‘Non, c’est trop chère‘ became the phrase of le weekend…

    Milk churns, enamelware, old factory clocks, Tolix metal chairs, and vintage button heaven! As we were travelling by train we couldn’t lug too many large items home. It was torture not to be able to buy any furniture and I had to tear myself away from that very lovely deckchair, oh well, it was trop chère anyway. But then we stumbled across this MOUNTAIN of vintage wooden sleighs. Of course, the one I wanted had to be right at the bottom of the pile…

    After circulating the main square twice, constantly scouring the ground for treasure we were starting to feel très fatigue et un peu doolally (comprende?). Feeling happy with our vintage sleigh purchase (we both bought one), a little kitchenalia and some wooden letter blocks I also found, we joined the masses for an early dejeuner of well-earned moules frites…

    alice humphrys, La Braderie, Home Shopping Spy, French flea market

    Feeling suitably recharged we rejoined the throng, haggled our hats off and found some beautiful brocante. Here are my buys that I carefully transported back to London, plus the sleigh that generated A LOT of comments at customs.

    I absolutely love my ceramic bottles with anchor illustrations. €5 for the pair. They’re perfect for my future coastal home but for now they’re happily sat on a shelf in my bathroom. All in all our trip was fantastique, the old town in Lille is tres jolie and if you smile sweetly whilst haggling and wave Euros under a stallholder’s nose, you should come away with some real French gems.

     

    Read more →