colour palette : peachy keen...

Image credits, clockwise from top left : 1. Ink Whimsy, 2. White Wonder, 3. Ameelia Bedelia, 4. kiamichi7, 5. New Ivy Style

I don't know about you guys, but whenever I put together one of these pastel themed colour palettes I can't help but think of ice cream flavours!? These lovely peach and mint finds from Etsy are making me think about just that... delicious peach flavoured ice cream sprinkled with mint infused sugar, yum! Oh, and if said creamy desert was featured on one of those fancy foodie blogs I can totally picture it being topped with some tiny, edible gold leaf leaves... just like this gorgeous musical tree from White Wonder, how yummy would that be... !?

I am also thinking these peachy perfect finds would make the sweetest summer vignette for a bare shelf. You could gather together all the wee items on a snippet of vintage linen fabric, lean the wee notebook against the wall and add a fragrant mint plant to the basket. Then you could pin Ivy's lovely paper garland to the wall and drape it casually by your wee collection. I'd also be tempted to use lovely Ivy's idea of adding the pin to a lovely white frame and draping her garland from that... :) Of course that's just me thinking in black and white as I don't have a peachy collection to decorate my own wee shelf right at this moment... ;)

Wishing you all a fabulous weekend filled with lots of ice cream in your most favourite flavour, mine will be peanut butter please... !
Emma, x

summer...

Today I've spent a blissful few hours sorting through all my summery photos from the weekend, doing my best to edit them down to the very best ones and my most favourite. Such a tough job when you have a snap happy trigger finger and an eye that can see potential in almost every photo! I think I've done okay though...
Of the fifty I took I narrowed it down to around fifteen for my Flickr pages, then four for yesterday's post and another five for today. Honestly, that is really good going for me! It's been such a good exercise in learning to edit more and stop being so obsessive. Although I do like to have lots of images to choose from in the first place, because sometimes you capture wee details that you didn't know were there, so I don't think I will be trying to tame that snap happy trigger finger any time soon!
Anyhoo, these are my favourites of my grass seed macro shots. Almost all of the seed heads had this lovely pinkish purple shade to them which created a really soft haze that floated above the bright green grasses... so pretty!

While I was snapping away on that hot sunny day I discovered a great new instant filter to give some of pictures a fabulous retro vibe, see the with and without snippets above. No need for fancy Holga, Lomo or Polaroid kit and don't even mention Instagram! Nope, my wee technique is so much simpler than that and a bargain because I picked it up a few years ago for a few quid in a sale...

Yes, of course it was my sunglasses... ;) I just held them right in front of the lens 'et voila' groovy, funky retro pictures of a wee pup who looks like has has just stepped out of the seventies! I must confess I did a wee bit of tweaking to lighten this up and add the all important rounded corners too, but I am completely in love with the finished effect ~ that dreamy sense of nostalgia that reminds you of endless childhood summers when every day was hot and filled with fun... :)

Yes, I shall definitely be printing this wee picture for framing and I'll definitely be playing with this lovely idea again... :)
Emma, x

etsy faves : lucius art...

Hi guys... so I didn't get round to organising the promised photos as I wanted to today, I ended up going off on another tangent as I so often do! But in the light of my last wee post I figured I just had to share this print from Lucius Art over on Etsy...

...but of course I am completely biased and would think that about my wee Spanner! As would any dog owner about their own gorgeous wee pup... :) If you're also like me with a man in your household, then this next print might be quite appropriate too...

...yeah, and we're not talking trousers here are we!?!?

See you guys tomorrow... :)
Emma, x

today I'm loving...

A few pictures from our weekend, a walk around our favourite Arthur's Seat while taking in the summer sun and spending time in each other's company... Mostly these few are of Spanner, but who's complaining... ;)

Basking in the summer sun... :)

Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh... and I can never remember the name of this wee loch!

The mighty and majestic(!?) cocker spaniel... ;)

Cooling his wee paws... !

I love this last picture of my wee man so much... He could smell the water from the top of the hill and kept running on ahead of us trying to find it through the long grass. We just assumed he was desperate for a drink but as soon as he found it he plonked himself right in the middle, up to his wee belly and just stood there, cooling his hot paws... :)

I have a whole bunch of other pictures I want to share too, because you guys know I can't go anywhere without getting a few pretty macro shots... Plus I found myself a great new filter... ! I'll be back later with those once I've had the chance to upload them... :)
Emma, x

colour your monday happy...

Image credits: 1. {brooke} april two eighty, 2. RubyRed06, 3. wood & wool stool, 4. lulaland, 5. LULUBLOOM :: lucia

Happy, happy Monday everyone... Oh, and what a gorgeous day it look likely to be... ! Actually it has been perfectly summery all weekend here in Edinburgh too and it was so great to spend some quality time with my two men, going off for lovely picnics and soaking up all that sunshiny goodness... blissful!

Amongst all the r'n'r I've been squeezing in lots of work around my wee shop too. I picked up some great tips from this Etsy shop critique video from their Livestream channel. I'm way to disorganised to actually take part in one of these live chats so it's great to see them all archived. I really did get some great ideas, that I am still working on putting into practice, so I'll definitely be having a wee peek at a few others. Have you guys watched or taken part in any of these films? If you've got any recommendations do pop a wee link in the comments for us... :)

Oh, and today's wee collection from 'all colours in..' are amongst some of my favourites this morning. I must confess that I almost went for a more autumn inspired collection, but really it's far too summery for that today! So these lovely soft greys and sprinklings of bright colours won out in the end... :)

Wishing you all a fabulous day,
Emma, x

colour palette : shades of gold...

Image credits: 1. dottie angel, 2. Emma Block Illustration, 3. Whistles at John Lewis, 4. Kiki & Polly

Oh my, it's Friday already... !

And by heck, it's a wee bit chilly today isn't it!? At least it is in Edinburgh... no rain to speak of as yet so we can be thankful for that... !
Anyhoo, I am warming myself up with these lovely shades of golden yellows in today's colour palette. They are always a firm favourite of mine and so versatile too. A great seasonal colour for late summer and autumn but also has such a great retro vibe when mixed with rich brown, teal and coral pink. Today I'm particularly loving it with cool beige and grey next to pops of red and deep orange, see the two columns on the left... a really pretty combination with a hint of retro about it too.

So while we're talking colour palettes, did you see decor8 this week!? Holly, the fabulous lady that she is, put together a wee post featuring her favourites of my pink inspired palettes... eeek! So many things to be excited about there...
1) Holly has been lurking around my wee blog... !
2) that she found my wee colour palettes inspiring,
3) so much so that she chose to feature them on decor8... !
4) all the lovely comments she wrote to go with the palettes she picked out and...
5) the amazing feedback her post had, including all the kind comments left by her readers and some very dear friends of mine... !
Thank you so much Holly and to everyone else, the support and encouragement you give means so much to me... I am so proud to have all you guys as my very dear cyber buddies... :)

Now I am off to channel this happy high and colourful inspiration into a few crafty pieces... I still have a few ladies waiting to go into the shop so stay tuned for those on my Facebook page...

Wishing you all a fabulous weekend... !
Emma, x

etsy faves : Red or Gray Art...

Hello my lovelies... !

I'm really excited about sharing this Etsy fave with you today. Since the very moment I discovered the blog Red or Gray, many moons ago I might add, I have been completely smitten with Elaine Kean's beautiful minimalist work. Everything from her simple bird mobiles and garlands, to her collaged cards and twine wrapped stones. I am constantly mesmerised by her elegant use of simple textures and patterns, paper and fabric, meaningful words and phrases alongside beautiful natural elements such as stones and twigs.

I regularly stop by Elaine's Etsy shop, Red or Gray Art, to see what is newly available looking for the perfect piece that would have meaning for me... and not too long ago I found it, yay! On a day when I needed desperately needed something to cheer me up I stopped by her shop with a wee bit of hope and lo and behold there it was! This wee woodblock with her signature bird in the prettiest pink floral vintage fabric and the words 'face life with a song'... I was completely stopped in my tracks, absolutely everything about this wee piece of art was perfect for me. After I had a wee 'moment' I gathered myself together and invited this wee bird to come and live in my studio... :)

Elaine was so kind as to fill my parcel with a few other wee treats including the piece of fabric the woodblock bird was cut from and one of her gorgeous red 'faithful' birds... I have a wee project planned for this snippet of fabric but I am going to save that for the next time I feel I need a wee bit of cheer in my day... :)

Please do take a moment to visit Elaine's Etsy shop and lovely blog, where you can find out about her simple bird project... my wee woodblock is no.24 in the series and on Monday I featured no.27 in my cobalt blue collection... :)

Wishing you all a cheerful day,
Emma, x

a wee snippet...

Good morning... !
I am having a very quiet couple of hours all to myself as the wee man is off getting a spiffy, short new hairdo for the summer! Not that we're having much sun at the moment, but despite all the rain it is still mighty warm and quite unpleasant when you're wearing a fur coat... Spanner has been so grumpy this last week! I am so hoping his new 'do' will cheer him up again and we can have our playful wee cuddle buddy back... :)

Anyhoo, before he comes home I wanted to drop in and show you a wee snippet of what I have been working on lately...

This wee collection was for a wholesale order I packed up and shipped out yesterday... They are off to a brand new wee studio, workshop and marketplace in the heart of Brisbane called 'Piece Together'. It looks like a fab wee venue and I so wish I could visit myself! Have any of you guys been by or taken a workshop class there... !?

I've also been pottering on a whole other bunch of new wee flower charms, garlands and pin cushions that will be popping up in the shop over the coming days. As always, stay tuned to my Facebook page for the updates... :)

Emma, x

colour your monday happy...

Image credits: 1. E L K, 2. Liucija Diskoteka, 3. One Flew Over..., 4. endlesshue, 5. jillyspoon

Happy Monday my dears, I hope you all had a great weekend... !?
I had quite a quiet one pottering about my wee studio, doing a spot of tidying and rearranging while finishing up a large order. It felt good to get some quality time to myself in my own wee world and I'll update you later in the week with some pictures of what I have been up to... :)

Back to this Monday morning and I am loving all these bold cobalt blue shades from our fabulous Flickr pool 'all colours in'... and really, I couldn't think of a more perfect combination of crafty images and beautiful sea views. So lovely... :)

Emma, x

colour palette : summer candy...

Image credits, clockwise: 1. Cath Kidston, 2. Penny Royalty, 3. Lepidoptery, 4. Kate Spade

Yep, still smitten... !
Although these neon brights are always a summer fashion staple I'm not sure I will ever see myself wearing Cath Kidston's kaftan, even as pretty as it is and even as much as I love these colours just now... (pink isn't really a wardrobe colour for me) ...although if it was a lovely hot scarlet red then maybe it would be a different story!? Because that would amazing next to Kate Spade's gorgeous bangles and one of Lepidoptery's fab geometric paper necklaces...

**adding lots of lovely new things to the never ending wish list... and reminding myself that one of these days I really should learn how to sew my own clothes... surely a summer kaftan wouldn't be that difficult... !?**

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend,
Emma, x

etsy faves : eclectic crayon colours...

Links: 1. Bird Nests & Paper, 2. Old Fish New Fish, 3. Ninainvorm, 4. Teva Gallery, 5. Ponder and Stitch, 6. Curious Doodles, 7. Vintage Eye, 8. Lilymeru, 9. Lillian Olive, 10. matou en peluche, 11. black rabbit, 12. Bird Nests & Paper, 13. Bird Nests & Paper, 14. SheShell, 15. happy thought, 16. Kitsch Café

Today I just felt like making a treasury... :)

I'm still completely smitten with these crayon box colours, especially that delicious bright red... I just want to fill my home with all these bright red details, vintage canisters and trays for the kitchen... Beautiful art prints and vintage dala horses for my studio... and maybe one or two pretty necklaces just for me... *sigh* ...I just wish my budget could keep up with my insatiable appetite for discovering such fabulous finds... !

Talking of fabulous finds, it was only once I had curated this lovely collection that I realised there were three lovely items from Bird Nests and Paper. A great wee vintage shop that is well worth a peek and one that has a very apt strap line for the way I'm feeling today... 'So much Vintage . . . and so little time!!'

Happy Wednesday!!!
Emma, x

colour your monday happy...

Image credits: 1. imagingermonkey, 2. Corset Laced Mannequins, 3. ted and agnes, 4. hownowdesign, 5. | viviana |

Wowee, this Monday is going by so fast! I've seem to have spent my whole morning just catching up with e-mails and messages, over 130 to wade through! It is always so lovely to go offline for a few days, it's so refreshing and always gives me a wee boost of enthusiasm... {We had a fabulous weekend catching up with family wee haven't seen in a such a long time and have enjoyed some gorgeous summery weather!} But sometimes it can be tough to hold onto that when you're faced with the chore of an overflowing inbox... !
Nothing for it but to take a wee break and catch up with our fabulous Flickr pool 'all colours in...' where I found these gorgeous images. I am completely in love with their crayon box colours, would you look at those yummy buttons!? I'm so jealous of this wee collection and am sorely tempted to rush off to do some vintage button shopping right now... :)

Wishing you all a fabulous day,
Emma, x

eeek... !

I have some super exciting news to share with you guys today... one of my lovely ladies is in the newest edition of Vogue!!! I know, I know... so exciting!!! I got a wee e-mail a few weeks ago asking if I would like to have my work featured on one of their glossy pages... hmmm, let me think... Yeah!!!

Ahem... Don't get me wrong, this was no invitation to use my cushions as props in a photo shoot with Kate Moss draping her perfect body all across them... No. This was a lovely invitation to be included in their advertorial section, on a page titled 'Vogue's Vintage Collection...'

It features a handpicked collection of boutiques and designer makers whose pieces are inspired by all things retro, vintage and shabby chic. Absolutely perfect for me and my lovely ladies then... ! No.6 up there is my lovely Miss Esme... eeek! ...and this is my name in Vogue... double eeek!!!

I can't tell you how excited I was when the magazine dropped through my letterbox yesterday morning... a wee bit anxious too, I must admit! I have never done an ad on this scale before, because my budget is so limited, so I have no idea what will come of it... But being in business is all about taking risks and trying things that might not work, right!? Surely being featured in the limited interiors section of one of the largest fashion magazines in the country is worth such a risk!? Surely out of their 1.1million readership someone is in desperate need of some granny chic goodness or a lovely flowery garland to adorn their abode!? I am keeping my fingers tightly crossed that it is and that there is hopefully more than one such person... !

Well my lovelies my weekend starts here as my man has a few days off work and we have a big family 'do' to attend today... So I shall wish you guys the most wonderful one too and I'll catch up with you all next week... :)
Emma, x

etsy faves : birds and pillows...

Links: 1. TSKTSK, 2. Classic by Nature, 3. The Little Red Button Company, 4. Abigail Brown, 5. Stepanka ceramics

Hello my lovelies... :)
I'm having a bit of a fling with moody neutrals today ~ charcoal, taupe, bronze and vintage whites... I'm particularly loving them in these Etsy finds with a gentle sprinkling of coral pink and red, so pretty!
They are very much like the colours of a wee blossom garland I popped into the shop earlier this week. I think Miss Pearl is one of my most favourites to date and would look perfectly at home in this wee collection... I can picture her draped from a pretty twig where Abigail Brown's House Sparrow would be perched and they would hang on the wall next to Tiel's Black Bird and Stepanka's Bird Bronze. Underneath would be a beautiful, beat up old wooden rocking chair with with a vintage crochet throw and these two lovely pillows... perfect!

Wishing you all a lovely day,
Emma, x

today i'm loving...

Open publication

Have you seen the gorgeous new magazine from lovely stylist and blogger Heather Spriggs Thompson... !?
It is called 'Gatherings' and is packed full to the brim with romantic vintage styling and lashings of granny chic charm. There are interviews, styling tips, diy projects and some very yummy looking recipes. I absolutely love the wee interview with Mary Ann Saunders and am completely smitten with all her vintage collections! The diy for 'doily cones' is so sweet and I am sorely tempted to run out just now to pick up the ingredients for the 'Lemon Curd Roulade'... such a lovely summery (and easy!) recipe... :)
I am sure you guys are going to love this wee magazine just as much as I do... and if you do you should definitely check out Heather's inspiring blog and lovely Etsy shop, also full to bursting with gorgeous vintage finds!

Happy Tuesday to you all,
Emma, x

colour your monday happy...

Image credits: 1. bountifully, 2. itchinstitchin, 3. One Flew Over..., 4. Memi Rose, 5. cocopie

Happy, happy Monday my lovelies... :)
I must admit I am not quite ready to start this working week, especially so while the sun is still blazing in that beautiful blue sky up there! We have had the most wonderful summery weekend here in Edinburgh and I feel so much happier for it... :) I would so love to drop everything today and play in the sunshine just a wee bit longer, but there is too much to be done... So I am shaking my leg, shifting my butt into gear, putting my nose to the grindstone and getting on with the job!

Oh, and remember to call into 'all colours in' to see this wee selection of lovely images and lots more colourful, crafty, summery loveliness... :)

Wishing you all a fabulous day and a great 4th July to all my American friends... :)
Emma, x

colour palette : beach debris...

Ah it's almost the weekend, not long to go now... But first let's round off what has been a very 'beachy' themed week with a suitably 'beachy' themed colour palette, shall we... !?

Anyone who loves to walk along the beach is almost definitely an avid collector of all the tiny treasures that can be found amongst the sand and stones. Of course I am no exception and regularly come home with pockets full of sea glass, pretty shells and beach pottery. There is just something so luring about the possibility of finding a piece of a pretty patterned tile or plate and wondering about it's 'story'... such as where it could have come from, how old it could be and how it could have got there in the first place!?
These wee treasures also have the most tactile quality, I love to run my fingertips across a shell to feel it's soft ridged texture. But I do think the glass and pottery is the best, especially if it has been sitting under the warm sun just before you pick it up... I love that warmth combined with their smoothness and can't help but roll them over and over in my hands... :)
Of course there are all the beautiful and sometimes unexpected colours to drool over too. Amongst all the washed out and sun bleached shades you occasionally find bright olive greens, aqua, yellow and the most beautiful shades of peach and pink... so pretty!
I found this wee collection on our walk last Sunday. A pretty nifty haul of mostly glass tile and glazed pottery with a typical clam shell and a beautiful grey stone filled with white quartz chips. As I was gathering them up I knew they were a very pretty colour palette just waiting to happen... :)

Oh, and if you too love all things inspired by beach treasures you should check out the work a very lovely lady and my virtual friend, Kirsty Elson. She makes the most beautiful driftwood sculptures that she sells in her lovely Folksy shop. If you picked up the latest issue of Making magazine you will be able to read a wee article with this lovely lady and find out how much she loves the beach too... :)

Now I am off to start my weekend, keeping my fingers firmly crossed in the hope that it will stay summery round these parts... :)
I do hope you all have a wonderful one,
Emma, x

meet the girls...

Hello my lovelies... :)
I just wanted to drop in with a quickie wee post before I put together today's colour palette. I've added a few lovely new ladies to my wee shop shelves this week and they're looking quite summery and lovely all gathered together. And after a morning of sitting in our sunny garden, with some crochet work to hand, I wanted to mark the occasion... yes, I think the summer might have just arrived in this fair city... :)

-{ Daisy... tiny wee crochet granny cushion }-

-{ Peggy... forever flower garland }-

-{ Molly... blossom garland }-

Although you can't please everyone as this wee chap seemed to think it might be too warm... !!!

Emma, x