Come on baby light my fire…

A few months ago I found a cool remote controlled light bulb. It changes colour  & has a gazillion settings to suit my every whim. It has one small problem, it doesn’t really light the whole room. Which, is actually quite a big problem when shedding light is your only job. Enter Dandelion Interiors & my excellent new lamp.*


My interior style is a bit of a pick n’ mix. I love scouring antique shops & house clearances for beautiful old pieces of furniture. I also love a bit of mid century retro & any number of quirky bits found in second hand shops.  My living room is a total mish mash, hence I could not find the right lamp. That was until I came across Dandelion. 

This gorgeous piece combines my old & newish tastes whilst still having a very simple design. I love the huge bulb & bell jar cover. It’s so much cooler than everything else I considered. And, hey, it looks perfect on my slightly battered table with my array of random bits. 

* this item was gifted, but opinions remain my own. 

I should be so lucky…

My annual Xmas illness  has reared it’s head. This time it’s a chest infection, but I caught it early & am hoping to get off lightly.  In my search for a silver lining I have come up with the fact that my affliction allows me to stay home & enjoy the festive no man’s land. 

Cosy jammies, Christmas specials on the tv & non stop snacking instead of real meals works for me. Add to that being able to admire all my lovely presents & you have a happy (if coughy) ly. As is my blogger duty, I will now share these delights with all of you. 

My sister gives good gift. She never fails to charm me on Christmas Day. This year was no different. This handmade necklace & earring set is exactly the kind of thing I love; quirky & cool. She also found these amazing pins that I have been coveting for months. They pretty much sum up my current philosophy. She clever sis knows me so well. 


Jennifer Lemon Designs 


Hand over your fairy cakes. 

Next to hit the Xmas home run is my dear old mum. This year she almost single handedly restocked my winter wardrobe. Displaying her flawless style with these picks. 

I can’t get enough velvet. I am buying up as much as possible whilst it’s on trend, so that I can wear it for evermore. This crushed velvet skater was the perfect Xmas day dress. All it needed was a little sparkle provided by my gold high tops (a gift from the mother last winter). She also came up trumps with a 90’s inspired slip, faux fur cardi coat & floral blazer. 


Pink Clove, Marks & Pencers, Joanna Hope. 

She also utilised her crafty skills to make me these adorable cushions.

My favourite,(ok, only) brother in law came up trumps again this year with this shiniest of shiny Kiko lipgloss & cheery notebook with thick, crisp paper. The toy boy rather originally opted for creepy death chocolate plus a rainbow array of incense. Both of which are entirely vegan & fetching. The lovely Lisa surprised me a goddamned perfect mirror for my handbag & books aplenty found their way to me. 

I have also been lucky enough to have received an obligibly fat envelope, delicious meals, fizzy cocktails, amazing company & a number of other things not easily photographed. I am, as my niece would put it, a lucky duck. 


And, so, I am thankful & hope that you are similarly blessed. QUACK. 

All I want for Christmas is….

I am feeling a teenie bit clever this evening. In the space of a few hours I have completed all of my Christmas shopping without stepping a foot outside my front door. I’ve even managed to find the perfect treats for the trickiest of my beloveds. Worry not, if you’re still searching for out of box gift ideas, I have sourced some of the coolest wee trinkets around. Even better they’re all from Scottish independent traders. 

My incredibly trendy little sister turned me on to Chouchou hoods. The creator of these beautiful hoods, Silvia Pellegrino, actually hails from Italy, but her line was born in Glasgow. With luxurious fabrics & limited runs on designs these hoods are worth paying a little extra for. My current favourite is the Hollywood Superstar. The bright orange faux fur is ideal for those who like to stand out in a crowd. 


Hollywood Superstar, Chouchou Couture £200.

If you were hoping to go down the handmade route with breaking the bank,Twa Burds is the way to go. This Glasgow based vegan friendly artisan soap company’s products smell devine. I am a tiny bit obsessed with their Turkish delight bath salts & cannot wait to get my hands on their parma violet creation. Cruelty free & oh so pretty; any indie connessiouer will love unwrapping these smellies.


Parma Voilets glycerine soap, Twa Burds £3.50

Joe McNichol paints vibrant images of Glasgow & Scotland that totally capture the spirit of his chosen landscape. Being a Glasgow girl I particularly love his scenes of my city. This print depicting The House for an Art Lover & it’s surrounding greenery ticks all my boxes.

House for an Art Lover Print, Joe McNichol Art £20

His Etsy shop has an array of beautiful prints of his original paintings with something to suit all tastes. With prices from twenty quid you can’t go wrong. 
Bonnie Bling has been one of my favourites forever. Their Scottish flavoured jewellery & accessories are both pretty and amusing. As regular readers will be aware I have a big squidgy spot for highland cattle, which puts their big cow necklace at the very top of my wish list. With interpretations of everything from scot’s slang to scot’s confections, Bonnie Bling is a must for the Caledonian cool kid in your life. 

Bonnie Bling, Big Cow Necklace £35

Christmas isn’t complete without chocolate & Glasgow brand Vegan Burd ensures your animal loving friends aren’t left out. Their range of vegan versions of popular choc bars are available in selected Glasgow shops & can also be bought on Etsy. The clever names & total yum factor will a bring a smile to the faces of your compassionate compadres. 


Yer Bound Tae, Vegan Burd £2.

Last, but not least is a new discovery; Flying Cheese Toastie. This quirky named outfit make stunning glass scultpures & accessories. The intricate detail on their pieces has captured my heart. This clever abbey rd sculpture is a fresh take on Beatles art.


Glass Sculpture,Flying Cheese Toastie £50

Each of their designs are swoon worthy and they also take custom orders for something more personal. 

Even the fussiest of folk will be enchanted with these original Christmas gift ideas. Even better, you get to support local businesses. Two festive birds with one handcrafted stone. 

Song of home…

I am a bit of a homebody & a big believer in making ones home an extension of oneself. With that in mind I am finally getting around to some decorating. Chronic illness can slow the pace on big projects like this, but I am making headway. 

My interior style is (as might be expected) is a hodge podge with books, photographs of loved ones, candles & 2nd hand finds taking centre stage. I have some gorgeous pieces of antique furniture which I have just added a perfect little drop leaf table to.  

I am focusing my decorating zeal on my most used rooms. First up being my living room. I am keeping most of my walls neutral & paying homage to my one true love with this awesome library wallpaper.

  
I am running with the literary theme with these booky cushions.  

And giving a nod to some other passions with these playful additions. 

  
The rainbow feminist cushion is going to pair perfectly with the blanket my darling mother hand crocheted just for me

  

I’m keeping curtains simple & illuminate the room with this quirky lamp.

  

My main light shade will remain unchanged. To be honest I inherited this & was not originally a fan. However adding a halogen light bulb basically turned this fixture into mood lighting. Observe & admire.

  
In my bedroom I really want to shift gear. It’s currently sporting a vivid red wall, which whilst kind of sexy; needs tamed. I’m hoping to create a sanctuary. With that in mind I’m opting for great tones on the walls. I think grey is a much maligned shade, in it’s softer shades, I find it very soothing. I plan to lift the greys with copper light fighting & frames. Finally I will indulge my deep & abiding affecfion for flamingos. I feel a certain kinship with these birds as love or loathe them, you will notice them. I too am a creature who tends to stand out. 

  
  
  
  
Again I’ll keeping window dressing minimal, my beloved black out blind will be flying solo. I’ll be dipping my toe in the artistic pool & attempting to create some art ;taking inspiration from some favourite lyrics, in this case the Beatles’ across the universe. 

Last, but not least what bedroom would be complete without a nod to its intimate nature.

  
I’ll be sure to update you with pictures when the work is done.