LAURA ASHLEYShop Online

Stitched napkins make great party favours as they’re quick to stitch up and can be customised for any event – whether you’re creating Jubilee souvenirs or birthday party keepsakes. For this design I’ve chosen to stitch a simple crown design, along with ’2012′ to commemorate the summer’s events.

Remember to use an embroidery hoop to keep your napkin taut and secure whilst stitching the needlework design – it’ll ensure a neat finish and will make the motif easier to work. This project is made up from simple squares of cotton, so is a great way to use up any remnants of curtain fabric that you may have left over! Here I have used Laura Ashley’s Gingham Check Cotton Fabric in Scarlet.

Step one: Decide how big you want your napkins to be, and add 4cm to both the width and the length measurements, for seam allowances. Cut a piece of gingham cotton to that size – work along the gingham design to ensure straight edges. Fold a 1cm double hem along each edge, and pin into place. Sew into place with a straight machine stitch to secure each edge, then press to fix the stitches.

Step two: Using a water soluble or vanishing ink pen, draw out the design you’d like to embroider to one corner of the napkin. Make sure to leave enough space around the design that it can be secured into an embroidery hoop.

Step three: Place the napkin into an embroidery hoop, making sure the design is as central as possible. Prepare an embroidery needle with a length of thread – I used all six strands for this design to make sure it’d show up on the gingham background – and work the design using whatever stitches you like. I worked the entirety of my motif in backstitch. Remove from the hoop, and press once more to set the stitches into place. If you like, add jewels or sequins to the top of the crown for extra sparkle…

Sophie at Sew Magazine

x

www.sewmag.co.uk

Hello…I hope you enjoyed my last guest blog post about narcissi and pinks being grown in the Scilly Isles.

If you’re familiar with my blog, Flowerona, you’ll know that I’m passionate about all things floral.

This month, I’m showcasing a selection of wonderful Laura Ashley products which have been inspired by one of my favourite flowers…the rose.  But first, a little bit about this beautiful bloom.

Roses are the most popular cut flowers in the world…and it really is no surprise when you consider how many amazing different varieties there are. With colours ranging from pink, white, red and yellow to lilac, magenta, apricot and orange. They are one of those flowers that you’ll find all year round in your local florist shop, garden centre or supermarket.  And they all have names…

Display from a florist in London which specialises in roses, La Maison des Roses.

For example, some popular white roses are Avalanche, Akito and Bianca.  Aqua, Deep Water and La Belle are widely available pink roses. And red roses include Grand Prix, Black Baccara and Red Naomi.

As for the vintage roses which are very on trend at the moment, there’s Memory Lane, Sterling Silver and Old Dutch.

The UK floristry industry receives roses from Holland, with larger headed blooms coming from Ecuador and Colombia.  And there are also UK growers of scented garden roses, such as The Real Flower Company and Country Roses.

As well as being the national symbol of England, in the language of flowers, the rose represents love.  Hence it being a popular flower to give to your loved one on Valentine’s Day.

Each different colour has a meaning too.  For example:

• Red rose – true love and respect
• White rose – eternal love and purity
• Pink rose – happiness and grace
• Orange rose – desire and appreciation
• Yellow rose – intimate friendship and solidarity

Roses are also a firm favourite amongst the gardening fraternity, be it standard, climbing, rambling, floribunda or shrub…

And did you know that there’s a rose called Laura Ashley?  It’s a pretty groundcover rose with large clusters of magenta-pink to lilac flowers with pale yellow centres.

Rose at Kew Gardens

Laura Ashley have a lovely range of rose-inspired products for this season, enabling you to bring a floral touch into your home…from wallpaper and paint to bed linen and even tea!

Clockwise from top left: Roses Cassis Floral Wallpaper, Rose Garland Lights, Water Based Paint: Rose, Couture Rose Cotton Bedlinen, Water Based Paint: Old Rose, Couture Rose Facecloth & Couture Printed Towels, English Rose Loose Tea Infuser, Rose Print Silk Scarf

And if you’d like to see some amazing displays of roses this summer, why not visit one of these gardens?

• The Rose Garden at The Savill Garden, Surrey
• Bowes Lyon Garden at RHS Garden Wisley, Surrey
• Kew Gardens, Surrey
• The Rose Garden at Helmingham Hall
• The Rose Labyrinth at Coughton Court, Warwickshire
• National Trust Properties such as Sissinghurst Castle, Kent and Mottisfont, Hampshire

All this writing about roses has reminded me of when as a child I used to attempt to make rose water with my mum’s garden roses. On the bathroom window sill, I used to place the petals in water, hoping for miracles. Needless to say, mum ended up getting rid of them when they’d turned a very delicate shade of brown…

If you’d like to learn how to make rose water properly, here’s a link to a video with a step-by-step demonstration by  gardener Laetitia Maklouf.

In the meantime, do let me know if you have a favourite rose story…or if you’ve tried to make rose water, by commenting below…

Rona www.flowerona.com

(Images : Rona Wheeldon for Flowerona)

Not long now until we’ll be flying our union jack flags for the Queen’s Jubilee! Did you know that Queen Elizabeth was just twenty five years old when she stepped up to the throne? At such a young age we can’t even begin to imagine what a responsibility she must have felt so hats off to our leading lady on what a tremendous job she has done. The ladies at Laura Ashley will be celebrating in all manner of fun ways from street parties with the neighbours, indoor carpet picnics (never bank on the weather!) to the BBC Jubilee Concert at Buckingham Palace.

If like us you are thinking about hosting your own ‘royal knees up’ we have a whole host of wonderfully British ‘Celebrate Britain’ party and home accessories, from placemats, coasters and trays to cupcake papers and bunting! Make it a day to remember with our fun and playful royal paraphernalia.

We’re also offering you the chance to win a full Jubilee Party Package. You could win all the items in the picture above by simply ‘Liking’ us on Facebook and entering your contact details. Click here to visit our Facebook page.  Best of luck!

To shop our ‘Celebrate Britain’ accessories click here 

As Fashion Director of Stylist magazine, Alexandra Fullerton works in central London. Despite this capital location (alongside frequent travel to Milan, Paris and New York) Alex’s heart belongs to her home in the North Essex countryside. “The weekend is sacred and I can’t wait to get out of the city on Friday night. Our friends always want to come over and entertaining is one of my favourite activities, along with gardening, baking and rooting around car boot sales to buy other people’s junk (a hobby my husband despairs of!)” It’s clear that vintage British style, and Laura Ashley in particular, is close to Alex’s heart. “I have several pieces of my mother’s vintage Seventies and Eighties Laura Ashley but I love the modern prints and textures too. They’re perfect for the eclectic style I’ve decorated my home in.”

Alex has kindly shared some of her weekend snaps at home in her beautiful country escape. Spot her Laura Ashley home pieces…

Laura Ashley Imogen cotton bedlinen

“Saturday starts with clean sheets and a well deserved lie-in”

Laura Ashley Emmeline pair of cream wall hooks

“These clever hooks help keep my dressing room tidy. My husband mounted them onto a beautiful piece of oak to add authenticity. The back of this Stalk Print Cotton Cropped Top has a lovely ribbon tie at the back of the neck”.

Truscott Cotton Reverse Quilt in Duck Egg

“Making the guest bedroom perfect is a joy! We have a subtle butterfly theme and have ensured there is a super-comfy quilt on the bed, alongside a stack of books and magazines, water and chocolate.”

“The guest bedroom Astor curtain tie-backs and my collection of vintage perfume bottles.”

T-shirt: Laura Ashley Limited collection for Uniqlo

“No Spring weekend is complete without time in the garden. Whether it’s tending my herb tubs, weeding or simply sipping iced water under my vintage bunting I can’t wait to get outside!”

Floral Printed Glass Jug

“This jug goes perfectly with my car-boot found bird glasses!”

Curtains in Vittorio Gold Damask with vintage brass tie-backs. Cream footed marble bowl

“Cosy up… My reading nooks where I can settle down with a book if the rains sets in. The cream footed marble bowl I tend to keep well stocked with sweets and within easy reach!”

“The drawing room houses a mix of vintage buys and fresh new finds including the Baylis Pleated Cushion and Archer Gold Leaf Lamp.”

Alex wears Stalk Print Cotton Cropped Top and Willow Under Bed Storage 

“One of my favourite weekend activities is tidying my wardrobe (really!). Archiving old pieces into storage is really satisfying.”

Which pieces do you like in Alex’s home? Love to hear your thoughts below or tweet us @LauraAshley__

Expert doodler Kate Wilson has been charming us with her whimsical illustrations ever since we stumbled across her blog ‘Little Doodles’. Kate illustrates everything from the contents of her handbag or dream outfits to random entertaining thoughts.  Being the lovely lady that she is, Kate kindly offered to doodle something Laura Ashley- having doodled jam on toast for breakfast she was feeling ready for a spot of tea…

How did you get into illustration?

I initially started Little Doodles during my degree, I have a great love of research (I often enjoy this part of a project more than the final outcome) and wanted a platform to share everything I had come across preparing for projects and the resulting images that it inspired. Unfortunately I have a condition called M.E. which is a bit like chronic fatigue so through my blog I was able to connect with both people who liked my work as well as other illustrators when I wasn’t able to get out and about in person.  Using it a bit like a digital sketchbook spurs me on to keep creating work even when I’m feeling a bit under the weather and it’s incredibly rewarding when people leave lovely comments about it.

I studied illustration at the London College of Fashion but I’ve always had an obsession with doodling.  So much so that when I was little it was custom to buy a pencil and notepad at every museum I visited (the lure of the gift shop has still stuck with me!).

Kate’s illustration of birds sitting within Laura Ashley tea cups. Uncanny eye for capturing the real thing…

The Elveden Bone China Cup and Saucer

What inspired you to draw these Laura Ashley items?

I often get drawn back to tea related themes, little birds and biscuits seem to be the perfect pairing.  The thought of birds having a secret life that we aren’t aware of has always entertained me, and who could resist a cuppa and a cheeky custard cream?!

To visit Little Doodles and see more of Kate’s illustrations click here

As soon as we laid eyes on the inspirational pages of Sarah Moore’s book Homemade Gifts Vintage Style we knew she was a prime new candidate for completing our Wallpaper Challenge – inspiring our readers to think outside the box about what you can create with wallpaper (other than the obvious!). Sarah describes herself as a ‘self-confessed vintage-addict and mother of three’. She is also co-author of the delectable Biscuiteers Book of Iced Biscuits…

Her beautiful book covers everything from making homemade jams + jellies, guest soaps and plate hangers to fabric diaries and layered cake stands…

When she isn’t dedicating herself to her publications she is crafting away, making and selling vintage inspired pieces at local fetes, fairs and Christmas markets. Oh and did we mention we want to be her?

Over to Sarah…

I am not sure that wallpaper should be called wallpaper any more. People are lacquering it to their floors, folding it into envelopes, wrapping up soaps with it and simply loving the instant style success that comes with it. And even some of those using it to cover walls are mixing, matching and patch‑working it across their spaces without a plumb line in site.

My real passion is for all things vintage and there are some fabulous old-fashioned papers that turn up from time to time. Over four million rolls of paper were sold in it’s heyday during the twenties as mass produced wallpaper and advances in printing methods put prices within reach of homeowners everywhere.

This years lovely new offerings from Laura Ashley fit easily with the old fashioned papers in my collection. And the day samples arrived from Laura Ashley HQ for the projects, an old friend turned up at my door with a box of early Laura Ashley samples found in their loft. Times and designs have changed, but they still sit beautifully together.

A pair of old cutlery trays from a thrift shop, bought for fifty pence each, looked in need of a make-over and are just the right size to achieve pleasing results in no time. New wooden trays like these are available from all sorts of places, but if you are using second hand ones, give them a good wash in warm soapy water and let them dry before you begin.

Paint them carefully in a couple of coats of acrylic paint and allow to dry. These ones use the great Old Rose paint, which looks just the colour of calamine lotion…

Then measure the areas that you want to cover with wallpaper and cut out the panels from your favourite part of the paper. Use a thin layer of PVA glue to stick down the pieces and press them into place, smoothing out any creases.  When they have dried, paint over the whole of the paper area in more PVA glue to add a little layer of protection to the paper. It will turn clear when it dries.

Polish up your cutlery so everything looks neat and tidy. Use your tray to store your cutlery or save it for summer to take just the right number of knives and forks into the garden for barbecues and outdoor eating…

Sarah’s new cutlery tray featuring our Serpentine and Elveden Cranberry wallpaper

Then, after you have leaned back in your deck chair and admired your handiwork you can ponder on what to do with the rest of the rolls.

To view Sarah’s wonderfully inspiring blog view here

Chalky pastel shades of blue and green have been long-time loves of Laura Ashley and just happen to be perfect for the popular ‘time-worn’ look Elle Deco are championing this season.  The Chalky palette is versatile enough to be painted on to walls or used in sumptuous bedding and is a truly fail safe way of creating a nostalgic haven. Polish the look with finishing touches that are cute and functional – vintage style boxes are a great way to store bits and bobs and have the added bonus of looking pretty too!

1. Set of Two Coco Flocked Storage Boxes

1. Set of Two Coco Flocked Storage Boxes

2. Duck Egg Water Based Paint + Eau De Nil Water Based Paint

3. Coco Viscose/Silk Fabric Duck Egg, Coco Jacquard Bedlinen

4. Ashling Round Cushion

5. Baroque Traditional Duck Egg Cotton Wool Rug

Hello there everyone! Will from Bright.Bazaar here. If you read my blog you will be familiar with my penchant for all things colourful; from primrose yellow to azure blue and emerald green to dusty pink, there is rarely a hue that doesn’t catch my colour‑loving eye. And because of this, I find myself drawn to experiences that will inspire my creative mind. One thing that always does this is travel…

The sights and sounds of visiting a new country are a treat for the senses, but colour inspiration can also be found closer to home. Take a look at what your wearing today, perhaps you have a colourful ring or jazzy tie? What about the floor you are standing upon or the colour of the car you drive? Often we feel at a loss as to what colours we like when it comes to home decorating. My advice is to take a more relaxed approach to begin with and let your existing experiences inspire what colour means to you. Looking at everyday items and choices you make, such as the clothes you buy or the restaurants you dine at, will help you see what sort of colours you gravitate towards. Once you’ve learnt more about the colours you like, then start to consider the more practical points of which hues and shades would work best in which spaces. More on that soon…! In the meantime, here are some photographs that inspired me from my travels. From the candy coloured facades in Munich to the golden yolk hues of weathered buildings in Italy, I just can’t help but capture the beauty of colourful buildings and they often inspire my colour choices when decorating.

Browsing through the Laura Ashley fabric collection, I was drawn to the Giselle Geranium, Wallace and Serpentine designs. I think the soft colour palette of Giselle is my favourite, especially as it feels perfect for the current season. Which takes your vote? Where do you find colour inspiration?

Will http://brightbazaar.blogspot.com

The clocks have sprung forward, Easter is upon us, so come out of hibernation and get those green fingers going!  Now is the time to get your secateurs sharpened, your gloves on, and start work on your patch, whether you have a country estate, a small urban courtyard or a sunny balcony.  Don’t panic, you’re not on your own; p.s.gardens, based in London, with 30 years combined experience, will offer timely tips and seasonal advice in this, the first of our guest blogs.

Paul Southern, owner and founder of p.s.gardens, James Stimpson and Deborah Rookes can help with your design, landscaping and planting needs.

In this year of pageantry, commemoration and sporting excellence, even if you have just a few pots on the patio, let’s ‘Dig for Victory’ and get growing our very own fruit and veg.  Why not replace some of your seasonal bedding with juicy red tomatoes, frilly green lettuce or rainbow-stemmed chard.  Consider a new planting area by adding a raised bed; constructing this is a reasonably straightforward task – a beautiful and bountiful potager can be created in just a small space with just a few hours of your time.

As with all successful projects, good planning and preparation are essential.  First, select an area of ground or position on the patio where there is plenty of sun and some shelter.  Here, we have created an attractive feature in our client’s back garden – a series of raised beds for vegetable growing and sectioned off decking (creating an added table and seating area)…

Laura Ashley products: Cardboard Bunting, Water Hyacinth Basket, Wooden Needlework Storage Box, Britannia Union Jack Cushion, Dylan Duck Egg Check Cotton Throw. Laura Ashley wellingtons, gardening tool bag and gloves available from Tenax

The beds here have been created with new railway sleepers, but you could also use decking offcuts, edging tiles and many garden centres are now stocking attractive self-assembly kits.

Set of 3 Metal Herb Pots On Tray

Once assembled, the beds can be filled with a mix of multi-compost or well rotted manure and top soil, to produce a balanced planting medium.  The addition of fish, blood and bone, gently forked in, will give suitable nutrients for strong, healthy plants.

Wooden Needlework Storage Box  full of seed packets

Remember to sow or plant a few of each of your table favourites at a time, to avoid a glut.  Follow the instructions on the seed packets regarding spacing and depth, with taller plants at the centre or the back so they don’t cast shade on the lower plants.  Label your rows, otherwise confusion could arise! Ensure any germinating seedlings are kept moist, and remove any weeds and pests (click here to go to the p.s.gardens website for further tips).

Chitted seedling potatoes, ready for planting.

A wigwam of canes at the centre of your bed for growing runner beans (together with fragrant sweet peas to attract pollinating insects), or the architectural form of a globe artichoke, gives great visual impact.  Rocket, radish and salad leaves can be sown now – they are quick and easy to grow.  When the soil has warmed up and the frosts are finished, plant out courgettes, runner beans, French beans.

Here, we have broad beans.  This variety, Aquadulce Claudia, has been overwintered, and can be harvested early in May or June.  Some are dwarfing varieties, and require little or no support.

Companion plants enhance the attractiveness of your veg plot; flowers such as Poached Egg plant attract aphid eating hoverflies, and the onion smell of chives deters carrot root fly. Nasturtiums are attractive and edible, brightening up a salad.

Lastly, the fun bit- decorating your garden with playful outdoor accessories, table wear and a slice of Easter inspired cake!

Floral Printed Glass Jug, Floral Printed Glass Tumbler (Set of 4)

We love these Laura Ashley Canvas Country Wellingtons available from Tenax 

In our next blog: Top tips for your Jubilee and Olympic celebrations in the garden!

Visit p.s.gardens here for more garden ideas and inspiration.

Don’t let your garden be an after thought!

Our Home Accessories Buyer Sarah recently noticed that all the pretty cards she was sending to friends and family had something aesthetically in common – they were all letterpress designs. Stumbling across a course at Turnbull Grey Studio (Craft central) posted up on her Facebook feed, she signed up to producing her very own letterpress creations.

Sarah has a friend’s wedding coming up in the Summer…

“I like to do personalised wedding gifts (usually pieces of art) so wanted to create something for her – I may tweak the colours and amend the bird as that was all that was available on the day but it is a great starting point to scan into my mac and work on.”

Concerned she may get in the class and be struck with a case of ‘creative block’, she decided to create this adorable collage of ideas before to help inspire her.

“It was lots of fun creating interesting wall art, postcards and greetings cards.  I had never done it before but coming from a printing background (my degree was textile and fashion design) I kind of knew what to expect. It was great being covered in ink again!

I spent the afternoon mixing colours, learning the different techniques and processes, choosing interesting type faces from the rows and rows of letter blocks which all resulted in creating original and interesting designs.”

Sarah’s teacher bought his first letterpress (one of the small ones) many years ago and built them up from there. He bought the drawers of typefaces on eBay in one big purchase!

“I thoroughly enjoyed being hands on again and I would recommend it to anyone who has a love for typography and of course the fantastic art of Letterpress!”

TurnbullGrey Letterpress offer 3 hour workshops, 3 people per session, £60 per person.

Do you love typography as much as us? Why not explore with letters and type in your own interiors. Here is our pick of the best…

1. Porcelain Teacup Home Vase

2. Home Sweet Home Sign

3. Mirrored Sleep Sign

4. Blue Cream Home Blocks

5. Home Hut Decorative Blocks