I've Been Shopping #1

Yesterday I took a shopping trip with my Ma and Grandma - I can't say my local town is comparable to Covent Garden, but now and again I find some little gems. Here's what I picked up...

I found this book in TK Maxx. If you've never looked in the book section of TK Maxx your missing out - Often I've found brilliant Art, Design and Fashion books for a margin of their original cost. I picked up "The Vintage Tea Party" to show my mum as she and my dad are taking part in "Come Dine With Me" with their friends. The front cover is what really attracted me, it's beautifully illustrated. The recipes are traditional, but each have quirky little tweaks, coincided with images of interesting ways of presenting the food. I like this book as it's not as twee as the title would make it seem, it's actually pretty cool and even if your no Nigella Lawson (me included), it's one of those books that's nice to flick through and a bargain at £7.99.

Essie Polishes L-R Infatuation, E-Nuff is E-Nuff, Adore-A-Ball and Grow Richer

Another TK Maxx find much to my surprise were these Essie nail polish. The three coloured polishes came in a set for £9.99, which is an absolute steel seeing as I think I paid that price for one in Boots. I'm not sure if they're discontinued colours or last seasons range or something, but they pretty much suit my nail polish needs, especially "E-Nuff is E-Nuff" it's the perfect coral for summer. I also picked up a "Grow Richer" for about £2.99, as a serial nail biter anything that claims to speed up nail growth is my friend.

I found this little white smock dress in a YMCA down the dodgy end of town - I've been looking for something like this for about two months now after seeing a gorgeous one in All Saints. It cost me £4.99, possibly one eighth of the price of the All Saints dress, however my YMCA version is still great quality, weighty and has pretty embroidered detailing all over it. I'm not taken with the buttons, but those can easily be changed. I'm planning on wearing it this weekend (fingers crossed the weather stays nice) so I'll get some pics of it being warn as I don't think my photos show it's full potential.

Last thing I bought was completely a frivolous purchase on my part. This little coin purse cost me £1 from good ol' Primark. I'm a bit obsessed with anything sailor or nautical related (hence the ship on my header) so this just completely sucked me in, it had a red and white bow on, but I quickly got it removed. I don't know what I'll use it for as I rarely have change.. maybe I'll put receipts in it or something. It's fulfilled my maritime needs anyways!

Hope you liked what I bought :)

 Shed.

I wish I could take the credit for my little hideout, but it was completely the brain child of my mother. In no time at all she renovated B&Q's best, into a girly, relaxing retreat, filled with clever uses of vintage finds. It has been perfect for summer nights with a group of my best friends, too rainy days spent editing photos... I hope you enjoy.

These are vintage chairs we've had around the garden for a while, they're pretty rusty, but I love the aesthetic it gives to the shed. The little table was a little cabinet found in a charity shop, with an old trey simply placed on top coated with some basic white paint - This makes a great little storage unit for bits of magazines I cut up and things that I'm working on, also super for resting my candles and joss sticks on. 

We found this mirror in a charity shop in a local town, it cost under £10 which is an absolute steal, as we've seen them being sold in interiors stores for £40 and more. I absolutely love it, so feminine and glamorous, but also adds light to the shed. The fairy lights are solar, so they only come on at night, they make the shed super cosy, I shall try and get a night time snap! .. and as for they lovely Gentleman on the wall, that's my late Grandfather Janik - Isn't he a treat?!

Just some shed essentials - A radio, some cute paper plates (no one likes washing up)...

... a cwtchy blanket and some pretty vintage tins to keep small bits of clutter in.

As well as the two vintage chairs, my mum created these little cushiony lounge spots (with me giving you a demonstration) with poofs. My brother found this Lacoste one for his flat in TK Maxx, it had been lurking round our house for ages, but it fits perfectly in the shed. My mum has also added bulldog clips to the walls, simple and effective. I can change the pictures or bits I want to hang up whenever - currently I have a birthday card I bought for my dad (it's that famous pic of Picasso swearing) and some fresh lavender. The antlers were bought in an amazing junk shop in Paris called Objet qui Parle. 

This white kitchen chair is one of my mums household rejects that's made its way to my shed - I bet your thinking how the hell are fitting all this in a tiny shed, but it is surprisingly roomy and with the furniture and walls painted the same colour, it gives the illusion of a bigger space as everything blends together, which works really well. I found the book "My Cool Shed" when scouring interior blogs the other week, I bought it for my mums birthday of Amazon for about £8, it's a great little read if your looking for some "Shedspiration". 

On that note, I hope you enjoyed an introduction to my little hideout. If you have any questions about anything else I've photographed, feel free to leave me a message, would love to hear from you xxx