A big,beautiful barn.

Last week I was kindly shown around the very beautiful and newly restored venue Hendall Barn by the lovely owners Peter and Nicola.

The couple have made the most splendid job of restoring the barn and the warm colours of the sandstone and the beams make the space feel very warm and cosy.All the little details are just right.

Hendall was originally a dairy farm and Peter and Nicola have put a huge amount of love, time and effort into totally transforming the place.In addition to hiring out the barns as a wedding and party venue they also intend to put on lots of lovely events such as Shakespearian plays, charitable outdoor musical evenings with picnics on the lawn and art exhibitions.So if you live in and around the Sussex area then keep an eye out for what`s on .

As soon as I stepped inside the barn I was immediately thinking how great it would be to style it for a vintage themed wedding or event! Watch out for a vintage inspired photo shoot in the Spring....

The garden is also fabulous, courtyard in style with a fantastic arty wall made from pale grey slates.

In the summer it will be wonderful to wander in and out of the big doors with a  glass of Pimms in hand,a jazz band playing, ideally with afternoon tea on the lawn!

I have a feeling this place is going to be the place to be once the word gets out......

These are a few of my favourite things

 I just wanted to share with you a few of my favourite things .

Yes, I know, I should be doing a thousand other things today but  I so enjoyed making this little collage for lovers of all things pretty and vintage (me included of course!)
 

I just love the colour combination of the purples and pinks of the flowers against the faded wood.

Be bold with your bunting and use it inventively. 

How about a piece strung up on the backs of each chair at a  party table?

A beautiful old birdcage all the way from France and given a coat of Farrow and Ball to restore it to it`s former glory .

These look great filled with flowers or cakes on vintage glass cake stands.

 

A pretty detail from a tiny sugar bowl and a great retro palette of colours.

Irish linen and a very cute teacup .

There`s just so much detail in this dinky  little sugar bowl, it`s adorable .

A close up of a gorgeous linen tablecloth .Just imagine how long it took to complete.I wonder who made it and what life it belonged to before it came to me?

Apple crates and a vintage floral milk pitcher.

At first glance it appears simple and rustic but then look closer at the fancy gilding .

 A great combination for a rustic wedding with added glamour .

I can see straw bales with vintage cushions,a pink cheeked lovely bride in a vintage lace dress,Victoria sponge cakes oozing cream and strawberry jam and a beautiful old oak barn bedecked with bunting  and hundreds of sparkling tea lights in jam jars tied with gingham ribbon

xxxxx

I did it my way ................

Take some beyond lovely vintage teapots, a favourite book , a much loved floral sewing tin and an oak plinth 

et voila! 

A series of gorgeous ideas for a centre piece for a table setting.

It`s nice to have meaning to what you chose ,that way you`ll love it .I love this book published by Persephone. The grey cover belies a beautiful printed interior and matching bookmark -small things please me! 

But I mainly love it because I do have children and they do live in a barn. 

So who cares what the others think ? If you are having a party or an event then do it your way and do it from the heart.

 

Chances are if you do that they will love it anyway and also find you highly original and inspiring!

A double chocolate cupcake .....mmm! 

Served  in a dinky vintage teacup and why not I ask.

I asked my husband to cut me these oak centre piece mats .
He thought I was mad .
I beg to differ . 

Afterwards I discovered a picture of just the same thing in the weighty tome that is the Martha Stuart Book of Entertaining. 

Who else makes oak mats out of old logs then photographs them apart from me and Martha I wonder ? 

In this crazy old world there must be somebody I`m sure !
xxxx

Pretty Vintage

Hello! 

Today when the temperature was below -5 I made this little collage to remind myself that spring is slowly getting closer. 

This adorable teapot was a real find, just so pretty with the added glamour of a little bit of gold! I can`t tell you how excited I was when I found it in the antique store.The gorgeous Irish linen tablecloth is all hand embroidered and really quite beautiful.The shade of blue is just lovely.

Anyway I hope it makes you feel a bit spring like too, it certainly worked for me!

xxxx