you are the best + shop update

Hi, just to let you know we have now poster Non Je Ne Regrette Rien available in smaller sizes as well. Also we added couple new card designs  into the shop.

all photos taken & styled by me

a new bedroom for A.

Couple of weeks ago I finally finished decorating Anya's new bedroom. Painted walls, floor, cupboards in white, made curtains, bought a new rug and moved stuff from her old much smaller room and some toys and books from downstairs. She was so happy when she got back from school on that day. She was literally jumping up and down. 

Time for play

Hi, it is Petra here today.

Kids are amazingly resourceful and creative, great artists, great builders, they are eager to know and learn everything. I love to watch my son in his 'work' (as he says), it's really inspiring, I learned a lot from him.

We spent a few days with friends in London at the beginning of this summer. For Hugo it was a week full of powerful experiences. First flight, he saw London buses and taxi, dinosaurs in the museum and in particular he found a new friend who, like him, enjoys running, climbs everywhere and they both have love for drawing and books! And he also discovered Gruffalo :-)

He loves everything 'English' now. After returning back home ABC song sounds again and again and  he builds London all the time... . One morning I found him in the kitchen copying letters from a book, he also "baked" Gruffalo crumble recently and today I found the "Garage" made of paper wrapping. And he wrote everything  by himself! He will go to school in two years, just celebrated fifth birthday. But more on that next time.

And a bit of inspiration from the faerie world of children. 

See you next week.

photos & styling by H.+P.+V. Weiss

life won't wait forever - happy weekend

photos: lips, feathers, life, copper lights, art, chairs

this home is  stunning

listen to this

 do something fun this weekend....have a good one!

calm & collected

 

Two very pretty homes. one  + second one. 

3 years on

As I mentioned in my last post it has been 3 years since I opened a little shop on Etsy. Something that was only meant to be a hobby when on maternity leave with my daughter Anya grew slowly into a business. 

When A. was one  I made a picture for my friends wedding and a couple of others just to be creative and do something else, have a hobby. I had a few positive comments on flickr and this blog so decided to open a shop on Etsy. It was easy to set up, be part of the Etsy community and always have quick feedback. 

I was so happy when people started writing about my work on blogs and other websites. I was working myself, just a few hours a day when Anya was sleeping. 

A Few months later I joined Not On The High Street. They have been very supportive and encouraging, it was good for me. I didn't have a much of an idea what I was doing. Later that year I was very lucky and  my work was featured in Real Simple magazine in their summer gift guide. My picture was featured on a full page of the magazine. I was warned to be busy after that, but didn't realise how much work was going to be involved. I worked with the help of my family about 18 hours a day and had to close the shop a few times as I couldn't cope with my orders. I was completely unprepared, with the work load not having had this experience.

I worked as an interior designer and visual merchandiser before, but I had never sold anything, I didn't have a clue how to price items, how to deal with wholesale. I just knew how to make things pretty:)

That year I employed two part time girls to help me out with my orders. Both mums with small babies as well. 

My business has grown slowly and steadily since then. I have been learning everything myself, from photography, styling, dealing with suppliers, absolute lack of sleep and little time for my daughter. She was often playing in the background while I was packaging pictures and replying to emails. 

But she has been my inspiration, energy boost and a little friend:)

I missed on lots of opportunities due to my complete absence of business mind at the beginning but I don't mind that. I wanted to grow my shop comfortably, in speed which I could keep and stay sane. 

In last 3 years I had workspace in our kitchen, upstairs in a little studio and now outside of our home in an office. I employ 5 part time girls. I'm still learning so much, making small steps one by one. I have more responsibility not just to me but other people as well. 

I feel very happy I can be doing something what I love, work hard but also take time off when I need to. But I believe none of this would be possible without people around me, our customers and also this blog and community, you. 

I had so much unexpected support from you guys and I'm immensely grateful for that. THANK YOU!

3 years + 3 days

We are celebrating 3 years anniversary!  I started my little business back in October 2009 and the time has just flown so fast. I would like to tell you much more about it in  next post but for now.....

 ENJOY the 10% discount on anything in our shop.

The promotion is valid for 3 days - 8th-11th October. Head over here and apply this code: 3YEARS. We added few new items, cards, posters and pictures. enjoy!

what are you wearing this autumn?

For me is khaki jacket, skinny jeans, chunky scarf, trainers or my favourite husdon boots. And anything by this people. Also this shop and this one  have lovely stuff I spotted recently.
I'm going tonight to Best of Britania where I was invited by this people. 
Have a lovely Friday!
all photos from here

if I was getting married ....13.

all photos from here

Candy shop

And one more inspirational woman from Sweden.

There is a candy shop called Pärlans Konfektyr in Swedish Stockholm which you can find at Nytorgsgatan 38. Small and discreet store is run by Leyli who made this place exceptional based on a recipe from the 30s and 40s. Everything is manufactured by hand, cut by hand and packed by hand. In a pleasant atmosphere of the pre-war style interior you can buy paper packed candy bars or a gift box with decorative ribbon. Everything is focused on quality rather than quantity. When I will be heading to Stockholm it will be on my must see list.

See you next week!...Petra

video by Marcus Werner

Cia Wedin

Hi, it is Petra here today.

I like the work of the Swedish design journalist and stylist Cia Wedin. Her styling is fresh and interiors captured by great photographers have pleasant home atmosphere. Her portfolio can be found here

Petra

the best branding around

I have been very much into simplifying lately. My home, closet, tasks, photography and styling for my shop and packaging of our pictures. I will show you more about that soon. I have been collecting images of products and branding I like in one of my pinterest boards and today I came across this blog and post. So very nice...head over here for 58 Beautiful Branding Layouts

painting with A.

Not sure if you remember couple of months ago Anya and I painted  a large canvas, which is above our bed at the moment I love it a lot. This one was piece of my art for about 4 months, I repainted it about 5 times and in the end it just ended up all black. Oh artist frustration:)

I gave it to A. ( 4 years) and she made into alphabet. A- apple, B- butterfly, C- cat.....F- Frank (her granddad), M- Mark ( her dad), I - igloo.....unfortunately there wasn't enough space for me - V:)

I just love how kids creativity is so pure and without hesitation and doubts. Her hand is firm and decisive when she paints, not bothered about composition and colours just doing something she loves. 

We have a lot of DIY project to finish this weekend and cooking a large dinner for friends. 

Enjoy your one!

wonderful vintage

LOVE this home of J. Crew's menswear director. Head over here for more. 

if I was getting married ...12.

This time in early autumn. With  a bit of sunshine, crisp air, early nights and lots of candles. All images from  here. 

spring nest

Hi, it is Petra here today.

I love magazines like Livingetc full of gorgeous spacey interiors but the reality is often different. Have you got a small room and tight budget? Never mind. Such limits can lead into nontraditional solution. As is this bedroom.

At the beginning of the year a young family asked me to participate on the interior of their new village house. They just moved in with few pieces of furniture from their previous flat and a vision of orange walls ... . There was new but  poor quality spruce floor in the bedroom and no ceiling light. So I suggested to paint the floor white glaze. I chose the wall color and toned bed linen. As for light, textile lamp shades hang on a cable from the ceiling hook. This solution enables easy light intensity adjustment just by moving lights up and down. Space for clothing and books is hidden behind the patterned curtain. It is made of two different old wardrobes and shelves. We just unmounted the doors. For easy cleaning washable rug is ideal. DIY from electrical insulating tape. Just won't warm your feet :-)

When I was finishing the bedroom, trees were blooming like the textile lamp shades above bed and Veronika just released black version of "Kiss slowly" poster. It fitted there perfectly. 

And clients impressions? They are happy not having orange walls...

See you next week!

photos & styling by P.+V. Weiss