Christmas Wish List No.24

Eeek, one more sleep to go! Who else is getting excited?
Today's entry is the last in my 'Christmas Wish List' series, I hope you've enjoyed reading it and hopefully I have provided a few gift ideas, whether for yourself or others. I won't be posting tomorrow, so today I want to wish you a happy Christmas and want to thank you all for reading High Street Home - your support really means a lot to me.
I want to leave you with a beautiful festive image from the Yvestown blog. A beautifully decorated tree in a beautifully decorated house. If you don't read it already, check out Yvonne's blog here where you'll see more pretty photos of her home.

Have a very merry Christmas guys! xxx

Christmas Wish List No.23

Extra serving and dining equipment is always welcome at Christmas with all those extra mouths to feed. No you can serve up in style with these colourful painted mango wood bowls from Toast.

Pretty and practical.

{Image: Toast}

Christmas Wish List No.22

So, it's nearly Christmas and I need to start thinking about my Christmas party outfit. Most importantly, the shoes. They just make an outfit don't they? Having seen Miu Miu's A/W 2011 collection, I obviously fell in love with these.

Ah, aren't they the most PERFECT party shoe? However at $650 I don't think they will be coming partying with me this year. So, now realising it was a high-heeled-pink-glittery-shoe that I was looking for (who knew?), I set about to find the perfect pair on the high street. Luckily, it did not let me down and I found two good alternatives.

These are by Carvela and are £120.

And these are from Dune and are only £90!

Whoop, my pink-glitter-shoe dream can now come true!

{Images: Miu Miu; Carvela; Dune}

Christmas Wish List No.21

I appear to have gone a little calender crazy and have fallen for this cute one-page planner to go with my Rifle Paper Co. botanical one. Oh, and my lovely free one from Mollie Makes. I suppose with three calenders around the flat though I shouldn't miss anything!

So at the minute, I suppose we are at HELLO rosy cheeks, mittens, snowflakes. Brrr.

{Image: Poppytalk}

Christmas Wish List No.20

Number 20 on my Christmas Wish List is to see this band live.

I love everything about Florence + the Machine, and would just LOVE to see them in person. If you're new to them, check out this track 'Shake it Out' from their latest album 'Ceremonials'.

{Image: Florence and the Machine}

Christmas Wish List No.19

Okay, I know asking for kitchen equipment for Christmas is a bit dull, but Falcon Enamelware have recently re-introduced their classic bake sets and I can't wait to get my hands on one. Their beautiful white dishes with simple blue rims are a sure-fire way to make a dodgy home-made pie look rustic and hearty. And thus, I need one!

Ah, they even make jam on toast look good! Falcon have two sets for sale: the bake set (shown above) and a pie set. They now make them with a new red rim too if you fancy going for something a bit different. You can buy them from Falcon Enamelware on-line here.

{Images: Falcon Enamelware}

Christmas Wish List No.18

Road trips, ice cream, soda, pretzels & beer, drive-in movies, midnight bonfires, afternoon naps and water balloon fights...

Well, aren't these just fabby? Not only are they pastel-coloured and pretty, they also spell out a few of my favourite things! It must be fate. They are made by stationery shop One Fine Dae and you can get your mitts on them from Etsy. If you are still frantically Christmas shopping, these would make an ACE stocking filler.

{Image: One Fine Dae}

Christmas Wish List No.17

I've blogged before about how much I like Chocolate Creative, and these new door knobs just makes me like them even more!

Apologies for the grainy picture, but you get the idea of how great they look, especially as coat hooks. So original! Below are some close-ups:

Ah, aren't they just perfect? Close-up you can see the embroidery-like detailing on the flowers, which is just so pretty. The hooks measure 7cm (diameter) by 5.3cm (depth) and are £15 each with a choice of 5 designs. There are also some plain hooks available in pink, red and yellow if florals aren't your thing! See their fantastic on-line shop for more details and where to buy.

{Images: Chocolate Creative}

Christmas Wish List No.16

Number sixteen on my Christmas Wish List is this gorgeous floral radio from Cath Kidston.

It's DAB so it'll have, like, a million channels, AND it's covered in Cath Kidston's 'Provence Rose' material. What more could you want in a radio?

{Image: Chellibeans}

Christmas Wish List No.15

So far on my Christmas Wish List I have not featured anything festive. This is not for lack of wanting, oh no, just that there are so many things out there that I want! So today I wanted to share with you these beautiful decorative stars from Cox & Cox. Perfect for the festive period with the red and white colours but also usable throughout the year. Hope you like them!

They are £12 for  pack of three and you can buy them here.

{Image: Cox & Cox}

Christmas Wish List No.14

Vintage china seems to be having a bit of a renaissance at the minute. Weddings, summer fêtes and kitsch cafés are all re-introducing the noble tea-cup and saucer, all to a great effect. I, personally, can think of nothing better than drinking tea from a tiny bone china tea-cup and eating cake off a matching side plate. The only down-side to it is that they seem to be a lot harder to come across than they used to. I remember charity shops, car boots and junk shops being full of them, though now they are more scarce as the desirability has rocketed. But for those that still want their fix, Tesco Direct have now started selling bone china trios and plates. I know, I couldn't believe it either! The range is not huge but they have some pretty pieces...

 

I must say I was surprised to see Tesco were selling these, but they have a nice little collection going on so I'm pleased! You can buy these, and their other designs, here.

{Images: Tesco Direct}

Christmas Wish List No.13

I have been waiting for this bedding set to hit the UK Anthropologie for SO LONG and I am so excited that it has now landed on UK shores. It's called Sethunya and reminds me of Spring. Isn't it so pretty?

I also love this pink floral bedding set too.

Ah don't you just love Anthropologie?

{Images: Anthropologie}

Christmas Wish List No.12

Recently I've been learning how to sew, a skill that I've wanted to learn for a VERY long time! In fact, so long that I can't believe it has taken me this long to start. Anyways, I'm up and running now and loving every second. I came across this café named Sew Over It a little while back and have been waiting until I had some sewing skills before going inside. In case you haven't heard of it Sew Over It is a café mixed with a sewing workshop where you can borrow the machines to do your own thing, take a class or have one-to-one sewing tuition, all whilst drinking pots of tea! Great idea! So this Christmas I'm asking for a place in Sew Over It's workshop to help hone my sewing skills. Well, that and to admire the pretty décor.

Just look how nice it looks! I would love to spend an afternoon or two in here eating cake and drinking tea...

And if I was lucky enough to have my own craft room, THIS is what it would look like.

Sew Over It is ran by Lisa Comfort and is based in Clapham, London (SW9 9PH). For all the details on classes and opening times, view Lisa's website.

{All images: Sew Over It}

Christmas Wish List No.11

Help the British Red Cross this Christmas while also ticking someone off your list by purchasing one of these mugs from Elle Decoration. 50% of the sale price goes straight to the charity so indulge in some guilt-free shopping!

Designed by Johnathon Adler, Charlene Mullen and Fiona Douglas of Bluebellgray, they will also add a bit of designer-chic into your kitchen! Thy are £8 each and you can buy them from John Lewis.

{Image: Elle Decoration}

Christmas Wish List No.10

As a proud owner of one of Natural History's soft leather notebooks already, I can vouch that these are truly beautiful pieces of stationery. They are hand made from the softest leather, filled with textured Italian paper and are printed with original illustrations from the 19th century. They are a joy to use and I can't get enough of them, so they are going on my Christmas Wish List.

This particular one is from the Entomology category but there are lots of other designs to choose from, from hummingbirds to botanical prints. View the collection here.

{Image: Natural History}

Christmas Wish List No.9

Dearest Santa...

Black midi dress; knitted cardigan; Peter Pan collar coat; Aztec socks; Clutch bag; Sequin dress; Leather jacket; Maroon tights, all Topshop

{Images: Topshop}

Christmas Wish List No.8

For a fresh take on the 'welcome' mat, Urban Outfitters have designed this cute heart 'please don't leave' rug. Très cute, non?

Too pretty for folks to wipe their feet on don't you think? This should take pride of place in front of the fire!

It's made from 100% cotton and is only £12.00, bargain!

{Images: Urban Outfitters}

Christmas Wish List No.7

Yep, I've definitely caught the baking bug! I saw this pretty daisy apron while looking at the latest Lisa Stickley collection and dreamt up a baking-inspired wish list, and here it is.

From top right: Daisy apron, Lisa Stickley; Heart cookie-cutters, Sainsburys; Cake tins, Sainsbury's; Glass storage jars, Kilner; Mason Cash mixing bowl, John Lewis.

Ah, just think of all the yummy things I could make with these, coupled with the French baking book from Anthropologie! 

{Images: Lisa Stickley London, Sainsbury's, John Lewis}

Christmas Wish List No.6

It's always nice to have something bright and cheery on your wall throughout the year so that's why I'm lusting after this pretty botanical calendar from Rifle Paper Co.

It's bright and fun and the colours are just so pretty. There is also a fruit one too, though a floral print does it for me every time.

Rifle Paper Co. are a Florida-based company but the good news is that they ship internationally so those of us this side of the pond don't miss out!

{Images: Rifle Paper Co.}

Christmas Wish List No.5

It's just not Christmas unless you get a new pair of slippers and the ones I've asked for this year are these knitted fair isle booties.

Don't they look nice and toasty! They are made from 100% lambswool so no need to worry about your toes getting cold this Christmas! You can find them in-store and on-line at Toast and there are three colours to choose from.

{Images: Toast}

Christmas Wish List No.4

Those of you who are regular readers will know I love a good cushion, so my Christmas Wish List would not be complete without one! This year it's this adorable bunny that has caught my eye.

Such a sweet and simple design. It would look as good sitting by itself on a favourite chair or as part of a selection on a sofa. It's from quirky on-line retailer Belle & Boo which you MUST check out- there are so many cute pieces available. It's £43 and is filled with luxurious duck feather. Mmm, cosy!

{Image: Belle & Boo}

Christmas Wish List No.3

Yes, yes, I know I've talked about these pretty bikes before on my blog but I just can't help myself! I love this bike so much that I will just keep talking about it until I actually own it! It is the ladies Bella bicycle in Persephone Pink from BEG if a certain someone is reading.

Isn't it pretty! Though I think I would be just as happy to own that lovely Designers Guild wallpaper in the background too. (It's called Portier Clover and available here)

{Image: BEG Bicycles}

Christmas Wish List No.2

Following on from my success in the kitchen a couple of weeks ago when I made a French Rose Apple Tart, I have found a new interest in baking. French baking in particular. I don't know if that's even a thing, but I'm going to go with it as everything I seem to crave at the minute seems like it's French: macaroons, eclairs, tarte tatin and so many more! So when I was browsing Anthropologie and saw this, it went swiftly onto my list!

Mmm, think of all the yummy recipes inside!

{Images: Anthropologie}

Christmas Wish List No.1

So it's come to that time of year when every every blog and e-zine are compiling gift lists for ideas on what to buy the ones you love this Christmas. These are great if you're getting a bit stuck on what to buy the boyfriend-who-has-everything or the fussy sister. However, what about us, right? So, this year I will be posting beautiful gifts daily that you might want for yourself. Think 'one for you, one for me'! There will be something posted every day so why not stop by and see what you can treat yourself to too?

So, number one on my Christmas Wish List is this beautiful fox charm necklace from my favourite jewellers, RUST.

Okay, okay, it may be a little pricey at £250, but a girl can dream.

{Image: RUST}

Chilly Evenings call for Indulgent Desserts...

So today was a very lovely day indeed. I spent the early morning at a local car boot, then came home and spent a good few hours in the kitchen. I made a hearty beef stew from my mums recipe (perfect food for such a cold and foggy day!) and then made this sweet apple tart for dessert. I came across the recipe on the blog decor8 where the foodie e-mag What Liberty Ate was featured, and it sounded so lovely that I copied the recipe down straight away! The original recipe can be found on page 29 of the magazine, it's worth a look for the styling and photography alone! But in the meantime, here's my version:

French Rose Apple Tart:

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups plain flour
12 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 apples- peeled and cored
1/4 cup sugar

Method:

• Combine the flour and 8 tablespoons of butter in a large bowl. Mix with fingertips until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs
• Add 3 tablespoons of ice-cold water and combine the mixture using hands. A dough should be formed
• Flatten out the dough into a thick disc shape. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 1 hour
• Roll out dough onto a floured work surface. Roll into circular shape
• Carefully place the dough into a circular baking tray (preferably one with a loose bottom). Let the dough rest in tray for 1 hour
• Heat oven to 190˚
• Slice apples. Slice in half and then length ways to create fan-shapes
• Place sliced apples onto pastry base working from the outside in, creating a 'rose' shape effect as you go
• Sprinkle with the sugar
• Dot on the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter
• Bake for around 45 minutes (or until the apples start to turn golden)
• Serve with whipped cream

Yum! Let me know what you think if you give this one a go.


{Image: Laura Blanksby for High Street Home, using Instagram}

Thrifting!

Those of you that follow my twitter ramblings will know that I often do a bit of thrifting, and last weeks session happened to be a very fruitful one. Having put on my flats I headed for my local town (towns are always so much better than city centres for this kind of thing don't you think?) and set out to buy, well, whatever really! For those that are interested, here is my loot from that trip.

What do you think? I'm super-pleased with my purchases, especially as the whole lot came to less than seven pounds, hurrah! The crochet cushion cover has to be a favourite as it's a nice big size. I'm going to mix it with other textured cushions and put the on my bed to create a nice cosy space for the approaching winter. Also the little pink box with the dried flower lid is just a beautiful trinket, I can't believe I was so lucky to pick it up for just one pound. The lovely old lady in the shop said it was a very old piece too as she received something similar for her 21st birthday all those years ago! I'm going to use it as a mini jewellery box. The rest of my lot includes a very prettily illustrated Gulliver's Travels book, a Penguin Fruit Growing book, a vintage floral cushion cushion cover and a very dirty piglet which I just couldn't leave behind! He needs a good wash, a new nose and re-stuffing! But when he is finished I hope to give him away to my new nephew.

See you soon and happy thrifting! x

{Image: Laura Blanksby}

Welcome to the World of Abigail Brown

Hello and happy Tuesday! How was your weekend? What did you get up to? I'm pleased to say that mine was spent catching up on a very large pile of magazines that have been calling my name for a very long time! Anyway, whilst browsing my magazines I came across the artist Abigail Brown and her wonderful hand-crafted birds and just could not wait to share them with you.

Abigail is an illustrator, designer and textile artist living in London and creates the most wonderfully sweet textile birds. She hand crafts all her birds and gets to work on a lot of fun commissions (see her website for the latest additions). She has a great collection ranging from her small colourful birds (my personal fave) to blue tits, kingfishers and wrens. Her website is a must-see so head over and have a peek- I bet you fall in love with at least one of her creations!

So pretty aren't they? It's these little fellows below that are the cutest of the lot though...

The cheeky-chappies have so much personality! I eventually want one in every colour, but until then I'm going to get the little pink one and he can take residence on my bookshelf.

The birds are made from a selection of vintage and modern cloth and have little wire legs. There is also a robin in her collection which would make a fab Christmas decoration or gift.
Hope you all have a lovely week!

{All images: Abigail Brown}

Lubna Chowdhary: Design Inspiration

Hello, hope you are all well and enjoying this lovely blustery, autumnal weather? I, for one, wouldn't change it for the world! Today I'm having a lazy day browsing the web, drinking tea and being wrapped up in my John Lewis cranberry lambswool blanket. So it's a good day for me! Anyway, whist browsing all the lovely e-magazines and blogs out there, I came across the work of ceramicist Lubna Chowdhary and wanted to share her work with you. Although Lubna predominantly creates hand-crafted tiles, I've fallen in love with her handmade storage jars below...

These jars have hand-glazed lids in her popular 'Trust' design. Another favourite are her Origami series. I absolutely LOVE the colour combinations of these, muted but fresh at the same time. I think they would create a striking kitchen splash-back.

Lubna has a great selection of tiles and also works to commissions. Her blog catalogues her bespoke work so why not have a look for some Thursday afternoon inspiration?

{All images: Lubna Chowdhary}

Let's Celebrate Wool Week!

To celebrate National Wool Week 2011 (5th-11th September), I thought I'd showcase some gorgeous pieces of hand knitted jewellery by Anna Alicia who I discovered this week via Tea For Joy. Anna uses Fair Trade organic cotton for all her jewellery, with vintage elements wherever possible, to make her jewellery as ethical and environmental as possible, both of which I think add to the charm. My absolute favourite piece is this pale peach 'Double Eagle' knitted necklace, the colour is just so pretty.

All of Anna's designs come beautifully gift wrapped in a cute box so would make a perfect present for someone. The 'Double Eagle' design comes in six colours; pale peach, pale grey, dusk blue, black, off-white and navy, as seen below.

Like what you see? There are more designs in her collection. What about this cute 'Owl' number?

Or the chunky 'Braid' design?

And finally this 'Moth' design is also a stunner. Isn't the texture of the knitted wool so lovely? Perfect for the Autumn season. With so many to choose from, which one will you go for?

 The Campaign for Wool was initiated by the Prince of Wales in an attempt to overcome the challenges facing the wool industry in Britain today. There are various events happening across the UK during this year's Wool Week, to find out more visit The Campaign for Wool website.

In the words of Vivienne Westwood wool is ''one of the world's great natural fibres, famous for it's versatility and comfort'' and if it's good enough for her then it's good enough for us too.

{All images: A Alicia}