touch of spring

Hi it is Petra here today.

At a time when our friends from London traveled with family to sunny Australia, we at the same time left for vacation to London and lived in their lovely house. I love London. Every visit I discover a lot of interesting places. As I mentioned in a previous post, I planned to visit Poilâne bakery and I can recommend it, we had a pleasant experience.

Every time I return home full of inspiration and enthusiasm to implement both new and long overdue ideas. For some time I wanted to use a bit of old rose color in our bedroom, where I usually prefer beige and gray and white, accented with gold and black.

And after the return from London, was the right time to bring old rose into our house like a nice memory of the first spring flowers in parks and gardens.

I can't wait until spring arrives to Prague!

See you later!
photos & styling by P.+V. Weiss

kiss poster pink here

forest friends

Hi it is Petra here today.

We have planned with Hugo for long now that we create a home for paper animals from MiboStudio.
They lived temporarily in the "gamekeeper's house" paper house with a chimney, but came to us better to have a home in the woods.
Yesterday we embarked on a fold-out "forest book" from a cardboard box. After a few hours cutting and gluing arose folding forest set (the book is somewhat overblown expression :)) that can be used when playing by child's fantasy. Eventually we want to expand the book, maybe a page of forest animals tracks, learning about trees by leaves, or we add trees for owl and other birds.
More paper print and cut-out animals not only from the forest can be found here.

See you later!

photos & styling by P.+V. Weiss

Happy New Year 2013

Wish you a lot of magical moments in 2013!

Petra, Vlad & Hugo

Christmas baking

Hi it is Petra here today.

I want to share a few pictures from yesterday's gingerbread baking and making of the cardboard stove for our friends children today. When I made ​​the first stove of Ikea paper box two years ago for Hugo to play in order to "cook" on the floor while I'm cooking dinner I did not expect that it will become his favorite toy and will the last to this day!
If you like the idea for your kids or as a gift for the children of friends, you can find inspiration here. It's really easy. For sticking the box I used black adhesive foil and for the description white gel pen. You can cut through the front of the box and have tilting door for inserting baking sheet. I did not cut the box, because it serves as a box for storing H. kitchen utensils and wicker basket for shopping. I might gave the paper stove supplemented with small spoons, apron, or baking set to all the children of our friends and always brought great joy. Wish you wonderful Christmas time.

+ one inspiration for you here

 

See you next week!

photos & styling by P.+V. Weiss

Christmas paper decorations

Hi, it is Petra here today.

A small Christmas tree drawing on a wrapping paper by my son has inspired me for creating more decorations and greeting cards over the weekend.

It is really easy. All you need is to cut out the shape of the trees and fish from the paper of your choice and you can create according to your own imagination. If you cut out different sized tree templates and bend them in the middle you can create forest. If you don't bend it you can have greeting cards and from the small ones name tags for gifts or on the Christmas table. When you decorate fish from both sides you can use them as pending decoration. Our “magical“ fish have scales from one side only. On the other one we will write wishes for our loved ones and friends. Wish you much joy in creating.

More inspiration here

See you next week!

photos & styling by P.+V. Weiss

a straw hat in the kitchen

Hi, it is Petra here today.

Stockholm based studio Oscar Properties managed to turn the old straw hat factory into a very pleasant place for living. I like style of kitchens, used materials and connection with outdoors. Straw hat decoration on the walls is a tasteful reminder of the site history.

More about studio projects here. 

See you next week!

 

creating with H.

Hi, it is Petra here today.

I like to work with paper and cards, creating with H. is relaxing for me, and enjoyment for him. Usually we fine with bits of paper or treasurers from our walks. It so sweet to see him how proud he is showing his creations to his friends and how much he loves playing with them. 
If you would like to try to make these paper trees as a Christmas decoration, it's really easy, follow here. 

See you next week! 

photos & styling by P.+V. Weiss   

our products take pride....

Petra used to be our customer, then became my friend and now is also a contributor to this blog. She  took photos of products she purchased in her home. Don't they just look great? thank you!

Non Je Ne Regrette Rien Poster

Large White Hearts

Poilâne bakery

Hi, it is Petra here today.

Nearby Saatchi gallery in London is Cuisine de bar Poilâne. This place seems to be ideal lunch spot on my next trip to London. It connects all I like: my favorite district, pleasant interior furnished with the best of Danish design and French bread. So if you will happen to be around Sloane square you can stop by and find out whether theirs kitchen is as good as interior.

See you next week! 

more about Danish design here, here and here

we love birds

Hi, it is Petra here today.

Last weekend I moved a picture which I like a lot from the hallway and put it above my desk. It is a pleasant memory of last winter when Hugo was often standing by the window and watching birds in the surrounding gardens. He wanted to know their names and where are they hiding when we don't see them. We have a children's folk song "will be cold, will be frost, where you birdie, where you hide?“ So we got an idea of creating our two birds pictures glued onto the remnants of wallpaper and fabrics. Imaginary place where the birds are at home. 

 

more photos here
 

See you next week! 

photos & styling by P.+V. Weiss  

first snow

Hi, it is Petra here today.

First snow in came bit early this year. Just looking from the window makes me feel cold. It is time for hot chocolate, warm plaids and knitted socks.

See you next week!

more photos here

autumn birthday

Hi, it is Petra here today.

Autumn is my favourite season. I like autumn colours, conker picking, flying a kite, apple cider, meals from pumpkins. Last five years it is even more beautiful, Hugo celebrates his birthday in October.

See you next week!

photos & styling by P.+V. Weiss

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

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

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

dining with kids

Hi , it's Petra here today....

When I was a child I often used to hear 'don't speak when eating'. Even at nursery school we said before lunch "good tasting without talking". Now at home we do talk at the table, and a lot about all sorts of things and it is a good time. But I found myself that I have one 'rule': no toys, books etc, on the table during dining. But I think the rules are to be changed, or do the exception..... For instance last weekend, I made a surprise for the afternoon tea: I drew a road on the "tablecloth" from wrapping paper and Hugo while eating was dealing with traffic jam, delivering the raspberries, moving traffic signs. ... it was different and fun dining. Try it:-) 

More inspiration for dining with kids here.

See you next week!

photos & styling by P.+V. Weiss