How to spend........mens gift guide

Evening all. Sunday the 16th June is Fathers day and I wanted to do something a little bit different for this blog and do a little 'How to spend' post. I don't know about you but personally I find my dad really hard to buy for but now I have to think of something for Jude to buy Jamie. Hope it helps at least one of you get an idea for fathers day. 

Foodie

A fabulous wine and cheese box 

£50 from Rockett St George

http://www.rockettstgeorge.co.uk/godminster-cheese-lovers-gift-box---cheddar-brie--wine-16222-p.asp

This lovely Decanter/Wine Carafe 
£25 from House of Fraser
http://www.houseoffraser.co.uk/Sagaform+Wine+Carafe/123282698,default,pd.html

For a luxury gift why not get one of these fab cooking courses for him- I think I would go for the Butchery class
£200 for one session from Madame Gautier
http://madamegautier.co.uk/cookery-school/course-schedule#boucherie
cooking course

Fashionable

Fabulous Tavern jars, I would love these too!

£55 each or £200 for all four from Abigail Ahern

http://abigailahern.com/collections/accessories/products/taverna-jars

For a man that has everything, you can't go wrong with a boxfresh pair of trainers

£45 from John Lewis

http://www.johnlewis.com/converse-chuck-taylor-all-star-slim-ox-trainers/p188204?colour=White

A floating book shelf for his books (thanks for the idea Helen!)
£10.50 from Red Candy
http://www.redcandy.co.uk/product-umbra-conceal-bookshelf-small.php?gclid=cn734q2us7ccfxmctaod6fqacg

Traditional

A cool old book would look great on a study book shelf or desk, but even better it's a secret storage box

£29 from Rockett St George

http://www.rockettstgeorge.co.uk/paris-tome-1---old-book-storage-box-1885-p.asp

This cool Marine mantle clock is gorgeous

£98 from Plumo-Home

http://www.plumo.com/products/Marine-Clock.html

Great alternative to the normal trophy head and allot cheaper! Lots of other heads available.

£24.95 from Whippet Grey

http://www.whippetgrey.co.uk/show_product.php?prod_id=670

Traveler

Great cork board world map for your dad to pin places where he has and wants to visit.

£25 from Cox and Cox

http://www.coxandcox.co.uk/home-office/corkboard-world-map

How about a weekend here-it's beautiful part of Norfolk and great little villages. We loved it when we stayed here two years ago.

From £680 per long weekend and sleeps up to 8 people

http://www.thechapelthornham.co.uk/

Gardener

What about a fabulous brazier for those late summer evening out in the garden drink

£88 from Cox and Cox

 winehttp://www.coxandcox.co.uk/outdoor-living/iron-brazier

Love this idea of Kew Gardens World Spice Grow Box

£15 from John Lewis

http://www.johnlewis.com/kew-gardens-world-spices-grow-box/p231801553

Music Fan

Why not treat him to a day or a weekend at a family friendly music festival!
£60 for an adult day ticket
http://www.jamieoliver.com/thebigfeastival/

Sentimental

Lovely little heart shaped padlock

£28 from Plumo-home

http://www.plumo.com/products/Padlock.html

I Love My Daddy Book, a firm favourite in our house
£4.49 from Amazon
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1408324385/ref=asc_df_140832438513426020?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&tag=hydra0b-21&linkCode=asn&creative=22206&creativeASIN=1408324385&hvpos=1o1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=661537394894451542&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=

Homely

For the DIY junkie these beautifully made old school tools would make the best present- others available

£36 from Whippet Grey

http://www.whippetgrey.co.uk/show_product.php?prod_id=240

Back to Basic

A moustache mug, always good for a laugh- has a different design on each side of the mug

£12.50 from Whippet Grey

http://www.whippetgrey.co.uk/show_product.php?prod_id=709

Or my favorite idea that a friend suggested (thanks Ali!), A membership to Eddie Stobarts
From £18 per year
http://www.stobartclubandshop.co.uk/members-benefits.php

Happy Wednesday evening - hope this has helped you a little
xxxx

All I want for Christmas

Hope your all feeling festive and you've got most of your Christmas shopping done. I'm almost finished and very excited about the festive season this year. Think it helps having an excited two year old running round singing 'Christmas pudding, Christmas pudding, nice and hot, nice and hot' (never heard this song prior to three weeks ago) and 'Jingle bells' at the top of his voice!!! Arh it is cute honestly.

Anyway back to some girly wish list which may or may not come true, well a girl can dream can't she.....

White converse Chuk Taylor boots, they look great with skinny jeans or leggins

Abigail Ahern Wistera steam, yes a little pricey but defo worth it and in one of her white jug vases too

Abigail Ahern retail day course, I so want to set up my own business one day with a very good friend of mine but we need more information, knowledge and inspiration. I think this would help....

Biker boots from Dune (sorry mum I know you have these boots and sorry for copying you, but think of it as falttery) and they will go very well with my Mulberry handbag that was a 30th birthday pressie and still love love love!

And finally the most important thing I would like in my life is to find the perfect home of our own- this will hopefully come true in 2013....although people who know us will know that I'm not going to hold my breath!

Night all and have a fabulous xmas if I don't post again before the big man visits us in 9 sleeps time

xxx

Strike a Poise

I have formed an obsession with the old anglepoise lamp, from floor to ceiling, desk to bedside. My love was boosted by a trip to The Potted Pig restaurant in Cardiff a few months ago (well worth a visit by the way as the food is lovely-I can fully recommend the Duck Hash yummie) where they have them dotted on the walls creating a calm and sophisticated mood (see below):

I have been trying to figure out why I like them so much and I have come to the conclusions is because they are so versatile. They can be used absolutely everywhere and in nearly every style of room you can think of.

Wall fixed lights can be used as bedside, desk lights or as displayed in The Potted Pig dotted around rooms to make an elegant industrial feel. In the above monochrome image there are Bestlites which are excellently designed and of the highest quality.

Vintage lamps are fab, they add character and an eclectic feel to a room.

This is a very cool Anglepoise chandelier- spider alien!

Celing pendent light and can be used over tables or as bedside lamps which is what I would love to do in our bedroom or guest bedroom...one day... 

Floor lamps used in more a formal way, but fit perfectly with a Scandinavian or classical style.

 

Adding fun splashes of colour to a room makes an eye catching statement with these beauties. Abigail Ahern also has one of the oversize floor light but in a flock blue!

This fabric I just had to add in, it's from PatTheCat Etsy

At the moment Achica are doing a sale on Anglepoise lighting-just wish I could buy one.....if I have the spare cash and room I would most certainly be purchasing the over sized floor lamp in grey or orange

http://www.achica.com/Productlist.aspx?promotionuid=17a74963-e747-48e3-93b0-af923582e03c

x

p.s Carole hope you like, this one was for you after our conversation on Saturday!

Abigail & the bulldog

Ok so my second blog.....as yet no one is following this but it has been a while since my first post. Therefore I am using it like a diary of things I like!

For the past year I have been captivated by Abigail Ahern, her style, her amazing eye for detail & colour and lovely manor (I read her blog every day http://abigailahern.wordpress.com/ only wish I could be as dedicated bolging as she is and also have as many fans -perhaps in another life).

I love her oversize and tongue in cheek objects, the glamorous and sumptuous dark shades of paint which work so brilliantly with the splashes of neon colour.



So on my Birthday list (which I have just told my partner about, to which he rolled his eyes big time), top of the list is the bulldog table lamp. Don’t ask me where I am going to put it but I will find a cute little spot where it will be very happy and well out of reach of my little boy who will no doubt feel he’ll need to pat it and kiss it and possibly even ride on it every time he pass by!



I also want this fire place but we need to buy a new house first....

There would be so many other things from Atelier Ahern’s on the list but perhaps that is being a bit greedy.......however I were to be very self indulgent, I would have endless faux hydrangea blooms & if our flat was big enough one of the painting bookcases- love love love them! I am considering booking in for one of her design master classes as some point towards the end of the summer/autumn which she is now doing in London, NYC & Australia and I am sure they are incredible.





I would also love a home Study area like this. By painting old pieces of furniture in bright colours is such a cool idea to give a new lease of life to old things. We have done similar things in our pad but I long to buy a huge old dining table and do something like this!

I promise to pin again soon.....if anyone is reading this, but in the meantime I promise myself.

x