Inspire Me Pretty Things 7 Days Instachallenge

Inspire Me Pretty Things 7 Days Instachallenge

• 24.5.17

Inspire Me 7 Day Instachallenge comes in the form of seven Days of Pretty Things. Today we kick off on Instagram and I will also be sharing any which are #7daysofprettythings.

These could be found on your commute into work, as you take a lunch break, around your home, something you have made or handcrafted? Anywhere you take a moment to look, slow and see something pretty. The little details and fabric of life, which make the journey enriched. 

The warm up image to look at the pretty little things which are always around us. This is a flat lay I put together of items around my home and from the garden. One of my favourite mini pink roses that smell gorgeous outside the back door. The next seven days is about calming and slowing down to see the little things and love them. Let's get inspired together. 

Day 1. Home Grown Poppy taken in the garden as we planted it and have watched in grow to great delight. I have always wanted one of these and previously brought or planted others but nothing as big and beautiful has come to flower as this one. 

Home Grown Poppy

Day 2 Hand crafted textile bags on the studio desk. 

Sad times in Manchester and to keep cheer for the next 7 days I am going to share random pretty things, whether they are stones, shells, flowers, these miniature bags on my desk or anything that might bring a little bit of joy. Feeling everyone needs a hug and love this week💕 Pretty things for you all and if you have something pretty please join in and use the #7daysofprettythings 

Handmade Textile Miniature Bag Art

Day 3. Friendship and Dreams
A cloud of flowers for Friendship and Dreams to show how a friend can turn a little grey cloud into something beautiful and bright. Together a story shared or a dream discussed can become a wonderful moment. After Manchester this week I have found it is even more important to show the ones we love that we are thinking of them so today was for friends everywhere.

Friendship and Dreams Flower Cloud

Day 4. Joy in Pretty Things
I love putting colourful or just interesting items together, these were found around my home but it gives me pleasure to create a picture to simply share joy.

Joy in Pretty Things

Day 5. Pretty Stones On Beach Wood 

Wood found on a beach with pretty stones, I love making patterns and seeing the designs in nature. 

Stones On Beach Wood

Day 6. Beautiful handles
I found in Capri Italy while on a wonder around the old town Anacapri these were spotted amongst the stylish shops and gorgeous Italian restaurants. As the sun was hot and shinny I turned and saw these great delights of pattern colour and textures. Inspiration really is everywhere even you least expect it. 

Pink Handles seen in Capri Italy

Day 7. Pretty in Pink Peony 
Gorgeous fluffy petals and feather centre of peonies is scrumptious. My absolute favourite flower, they just make my heart sing. I also planted a peony and one of its flowers are just about to open, excited! See more posts on Instagram

Pretty Pink Peony - My Favourite Flower

For other Inspire Me posts see Sixteen Uplifting Images and 

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Inspired Living - Sixteen Uplifting Things

Inspired Living - Sixteen Uplifting Things

• 18.5.17

I am completely snappy happy when I am out and about, I delight in the tiny details of flowers and pretty petals, the rust of an old door or peeling paint on a beach hut. For me there is beauty all around us and life sometimes needs to be slowed down just so we can feel grateful and enjoy what we can see right now.

Image 1, Hayling Island Beach while playing with my son making sand castles I turned around to spot these clouds looming. Making us feel very small and exposed on the beach from the rain which we thought was going to fall but instead much to our delight simply passed over head.

Image 2, Paint quite simply falling onto the plate as I began to make background textures for my mixed media artwork.

Image 3, The Pavilion Tearoom at Stansted Park offers wonderful food and I delight every time I see their beautiful spring flowers, in the bright yellow Colman's Mustard retro tin. I also think I must get some tins like these myself, as they look gorgeous and create great centre pieces.

Image 4, Making sand castles and playing on the beach with my two boys is a great life leveller seeing their precious child like play and wonder is a joy.

Image 5, Fresh farm shop strawberry complete with flower, inspired by how pretty and fresh these looked. These tasted like I had just picked it myself from the farm. These encouraged me to grow my own strawberries in the garden so I will let you know how these go.

Image 6, Daisy and shovel seed packet designs without the added text as these are a work in progress, straight from the studio desk. You know this as I love the green desk top which appears in lots of my Instagram pictures as I am working, worn but loved.

Image 7, Quite simply it was the beautiful bright blue sky with the magnolia tree that I couldn't help but capture the Magnolia flowers, as they appear so quickly and disappear the same way.

Image 8, Daisies brought to me by my two sons who enjoy picking them up at our local park. The next day the grass was cut very short so it was lovely that we capture them in that moment.

Image 9, Printed textile pile of fabrics, ready to create some handmade minature bags for a framed artwork order.

Image 10, A pink rose from the garden mixed with sage herb gave a lovely look to my desk, the combination also created a great smell too!

Image 11, There was a brilliant hot day in April where we got the paddling pool out and filled it with hot water from the house. Our own home made mini jacuzzi. Watching the water fill up was really relaxing and I love the bright happy colour combination. (One to note up for a future design).

Image 12, Handmade illustration for Sow A Little Happiness is part of a journal I am working on, which will include some free downloads. I will post them on my blog and send an email out once these inspiring worksheets to follow your dreams are completed. Make sure you are signed up to the newsletter to hear about them first.

Image 13, This is a throwback image as I took it a long time ago but something that makes me love it. My favourite daises with a plastic truck, something that shouldn't work but just does. Playful yet pretty and also makes me smile.

Image 14, Vintage seed packet designs are sometimes included within my mixed media artwork or I design packets for my own button flowers. I love the vintage and French designed packets, they seem to have a romantic quality.

Image 15, Hayling Island beach hut, which caught my eye although there were many bright coloured ones and prettier huts, I liked this one with its worn out wood. The peeling paint and the old rusty lock just made me photograph it much to my husband Joseph's confusion, luckily he knows me well.

Image 16, Beautiful flowers in tins again, as I plan summer parties I think of these and how they maybe used to create a dreamy and visually inspiring space to relax and have a moment with friends.

Thank you for reading and if you like these images, follow me on Instagram or comeback regularly to the blog where there are weekly Instagram round ups!

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Handmade Kitchen Pasta Surface Pattern Design

Handmade Kitchen Pasta Surface Pattern Design

• 10.5.17

Hand-crafted miniature kitchen creations which is part of my Lilla Rogers course work for the MATS A surface pattern design course. Inspired by pasta and kitchen items for the home decoration print. See more designs in progress and everyday inspiring pretty things on Instagram.

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