Using up old maps...

It's a miserable Monday afternoon with another deadline looming, so in the ultimate state of procrastination I've been giving my University bedroom a bit of a spruce up. I've learnt first hand how student houses can be pretty crap. They smell like moth balls, are always cold and it would take a Kim and Aggie duo living in one to keep it looking tidy.

If you've been reading my blog for the short time I've been writing it, you'll know I love maps. I love using them in my work and to wrap presents (see here for a post on this). I always have them around in draws that I've picked up from charity shops for pennies. I thought I'd show you how you can use up old maps you may have lying around the house...

I started off with an old box that a candle came in - I was using it to store the millions of bobby pins I own. I've been wanting to cover it in something for a while, the yellow colour doesn't really compliment my bedroom.

Flip the map over to it's blank side and draw around the box, so you have a template to cut out. Then just glue away. One tip is to make sure you fold down each of the edges - it just makes it look a little neater when it's finished.

It completely transforms something that was pretty dull, into a storage box with character. Of course you don't have to use maps, you could use old prints or comic book pages.

Here's my little nook that I keep my new box, I thought I'd share with you some other pieces I used my maps on. Take a look..

I bought this spicy Christmas candle from home store Dunelm the other week. The packaging was a bit festive for this year, I think I can just get away with the scent! I trimmed the edge of the map to match the wrapping of the candle tin and just glued it on. Now it looks a lot cooler and fits in perfectly with the rest of my bedroom.

My mum picked me up this notice board from the TK Maxx sale, it's a little chipped, but nothing that a black sharpie can't fix. These cork boards are brilliant for making collages to brighten up a bedroom. I filled mine with the last bits of my map, then filled in the gaps with some photos, tickets and postcards - I put it together pretty quickly with things lying around in my purse, I'm actually really pleased with it!

These little touches have made such big changes to a room that lacked in personality, yet so simple and easy to re-create. I'd love to know if you give this a go, if you do tweet me a picture here.

Or do you have any quick tips to spruce up a bedroom? 

Harri xxx

Westonbirt Arboretum

Feels like I'm completely out of blogging sync this week, it's been a particularly busy one with a looming Uni deadline tomorrow and a tiring but fun trip to London (which I'll post about this week) Here's just a sneak peek into this past weekend. Me and my parents took a trip to Westonbirt Arboretum - we've been wanting to go in the Autumn time for a while now as it's always been so highly recommended. It certainly didn't disappoint and made for a perfect October day out... Take a look.

There were one million and one photo opportunities around the arboretum, the colours, textures and fallen leaves were so inviting. The atmosphere of site was also really lively, I can imagine it being lovely all year round, each season offering something completely different every time.

Have you ever been to an Arboretum? Or have you been anywhere interesting recently? I'd love to know...

Harri xxx

All science is either Physics or stamp collecting.

Possibly some of the nerdiest hours of my life have just passed. Firstly It consisted of my spraying a fizzed up bottle of lucozade all over me in a proper Screech from Saved by the Bell fashion. Then in a sticky, orange mess, I decided to lay out all of my stamps and photograph them...

Stamp collecting? What a geek you're probably thinking. I have always had a small obsession with old letters and postcards, I love old handwriting, all the stories behind that little piece of history. But sometimes the best part for me is the stamp. I find it amazing to think that the tiny piece of sticky paper may have come from the other side of the world.

I have about 200 stamps.. I think. It could be more. My mum picked them all up for 75p in a charity shop - now seeing as one stamp in the U.K costs about 60p, she got a definite bargain. I could sit and look at them for hours, some are so intricate and detailed, whereas some, I love the delivery stamp that's stamped onto the stamp more - Like this Nigeria one.

Do you guys collect anything interesting? I'd love to know, you can also tweet me a picture here would be brill to see your collections...

Harri 

xxx

October.

This month has been full of America envy - I absolutely love all the "Fall" & Halloween activities, celebrations and decorations that I've been checking out on some of my favourite U.S blogs. It's such a shame we don't make much of a fuss about it here in the U.K... all I want to do is go to a Pumpkin Patch - Next year I'm contemplating a life swap, for the pumpkins.

To compensate for the lack of Pumpkin Patches and autumnal decorations in my life, I'm taking every opportunity to soak up the offerings that Autumn in England gives me.. Take a look.

What special things do you guys do in Autumn? I'd love to know...

Harri 

xxx

Ginger Pickle.

I came across Jade's lovely blog Ginger Pickle a couple of weeks ago - after ogling at all her gorgeous handmade jewellery she had posted about, I headed straight over to her online shop to check it out. Also named Ginger Pickle, her shop is filled to the brim of handmade goodies made exclusively by British designers. There's a variety of unique jewellery and accessories, homeware that makes you want to re-decorate and a wide selection of playful cards and stationary.

Of course, I was sucked in by the stationary. I'm a sucker for handmade, cute cards, so I thought I'd pick one out for my boyfriend.. I was going to save it for his Birthday later on this month, but I couldn't resist giving it to him before.

My order arrived delicately wrapped in dusky blue and pink tissue, sealed with a Ginger Pickle sticker. It's added extras like this that make me love online shopping, especially from small boutiques like Ginger Pickle.

The card itself is brilliant quality, far superior than anything I've found on the high street. It comes with a matching envelope, is individually wrapped in cellophane and has a has the maker's stamp (Sarah Evans) on the back of the card. For the quality and it's cuteness the card is so worth it's £3 price tag, I'm already eyeing up my next purchase from the shop.

Find Jade's blog here and her lovely shop here, let me know which are your favourite pieces. Or do you you have an online shop? Leave me or Tweet me a link, I'd love to check them out...

xxx

I've been shopping #5

After a nail biting wait, my student loan final made an appearance in my bank account. Of course this goes towards rent, healthy food and University supplies.. and a little goes towards some treats for me!

I've been after a new pair of winter shoes for a while now, to be honest, I'm not really fussed on footwear. I live in my Massimo Dutti Chelsea Boots and my classic white converse.. Nothing else really comes in between them. So sticking with the old, I went for a pair of maroon converse. I picked them up from Office as you get 10% student discount. They go with everything I wear and are super comfy - A girl can't really go wrong with them!

My weaknesses when shopping, seem to always involve nail polish and lipsticks - I can't avoid them. I've never used or even looked at CK one make-up before, but after getting leaped on by a lovely sales assistant, I couldn't resist giving one of their new products a go. I picked up their pure colour lipstick in "fancy", it's a really creamy, slightly pearly nude. I love the consistency, it's very natural and not at all drying on the lips, the packaging is sleek and compact too.
I also picked up an Essie nail polish (I have become the ultimate Essie addict) in "aperitif"- I was after a true red. I often get sick of brights, pastels and glitters on my nails, and find myself going back to more classic colours. This makes for the perfect timeless red, definitely worth the money!

Have you guys tried any of these products? or picked up anything cool recently? I'd love to know...

Harri

xxx

Back to University: Decorative Bookcase

Like many other over eighteens across the UK, I went back to University this week, me being in my second year, I moved out of halls and into a house with 4 other people. I had only seen my future home once, way back in March, but had never actually had a mooch around my new bedroom - it was just like playing furniture roulette. Was I going to have a desk? will I have enough space for all my clothes? Luckily enough, my room was kitted out... not with the most attractive four piece IKEA bedroom set, dark 80's wood, a little bit of wear and tear, but it was what I expected.
Much to my joy, I had a bookcase in my room (sad excited bookcase girl). I study Fashion, so when I make my annual trip back to my University home, along follows the 100+ books and magazines. I really do treasure my books, a lot of them were gifts from Christmas's and Birthday's past and magazine that I'd bought way back in 2008, so I've always liked to have them where I can see them.

I think books and magazines make for great decoration in a room, especially when you're at University. It's hard working with what you've been given in your accommodation to make it feel homely and comfortable, especially when it seams nothing matches or theres not enough space for things.

I've used my bookcase as a place to store things, looking at it more decoratively to brighten up my room and make use of the space. I've stacked books and leant magazines against old tins, creating boxed off sections. Don't see you're storage as a place to only store books, place a fancy pair of shoes onto of your favourite magazine, really utilise it creatively.

I hope this is helpful to any newbies that are starting University, or for anyone else that wants to make their bookcase look a little more exciting. If you give this a go tweet me a picture to @HarrietRDavison, I'd love to see how you've adapted it.

Have you guys got any decorative storage methods? I'd love to know...

Harri xxx

Brockhampton Estate

On the way back home from a little shopping trip this weekend, me and Matt decided to have quick mooch around Brockhampton Estate. It was such a lovely, surprisingly warm day, so I took full advantage of the weather and took some photos in the amazing gardens of the estate.

The house was built on the estate in 1380, it's absolutely gorgeous from the outside, definitely looks like something out of a Disney film, however inside it's pretty freakin' scary. The gardens are so well kept, as it's now owned by the National Trust, it's definitely worth a visit...

I still can't believe how beautiful the roses that grew up the side of the house were, I could have stood photographing them for hours, they were all so perfect. Have you guys ever been to Brockhampton Estate? or know of any old stately homes that are worth a visit? I'd love to know. 

I've also written a guest post for Australian lifestyle blogger Monika over at Today I so if you have a spare 5 minutes definitely go check it out and let us know what you think...

Hope you all had a super weekend :) xxx