katy – Page 95 – Apartment Apothecary

katy 27th April 2014

Top 10 rugs

Those of you who follow me on Instagram or Facebook, will be getting truly sick and tired of my ‘new’ floor pics. In an effort to rejuvenate our flat and make it more practical for our dog (cream carpet plus long-haired dog that loves rolling in mud does not a good match make) we have removed our carpet. Instead of spending an absolute fortune on a wooden floor we decided to do a mammoth DIY spree over the Easter weekend and paint the MDF boards that are laid under the carpet. Lots more about that to come soon, but in the mean time I need to choose some rugs to add a bit of colour to the room and give some softness under foot.

Until now, I did not realise how difficult it is to find a decent rug that doesn’t cost the price of a small house and isn’t as boring and dull as can be. So, I have spent HOURS trawling the internet and finally decided on this one for the main living area that I bought this from Etsy by searching for ‘vintage kilim rugs’.

These are some of my other favourite rugs that I came across as I was searching…

Blue floral dhurrie from Mahout Lifestyle.

Huaca hand woven vintage Peruvian rug from A Rum Fellow.

Stockholm rug from Ikea

Suzani silk rug from Liberty.

Souk wool rug from West Elm.

Elephant Breath Dot carpet from Skandium.

Jaeda Pink Flamingo rug from Lulu and Georgia

I haven’t quite made it to 10 – I am seriously rug picky! If you have any favourite rugs, do let me know, especially hallway runners as I desperately need one.

Katy x

katy 22nd April 2014

How to make a bolster cushion

Everyone said such nice things about the bolster cushion cover I made recently (I didn’t win the competition though – boo!) so I decided to make another one for my spare room – just in time to store my winter duvet as we’ve just switched to our summer one – and share more detailed instructions for how to make it.

You will need:

How to make a bolster cushion to store your winter duvet www.apartmentapothecary.com

110 x 100cm of medium weight cotton for main body of the cushion – I used a navy ticking stripe fabric from John Lewis.

Two 12 x 102cm panels of light weight cotton for the ends of the cushion – I used Liberty’s Wiltshire Tana Lawn

120cm length of velvet ribbon

Tutorial:

1. Press a 0.5cm hem on the short side of each end panel. Press a 2.5cm channel down the length of each end panel.

2. Sew the 2.5cm channel on each panel.

3. Place the end panel onto the main body of the cushion, right sides together, and pin in place. Sew the end to the main fabric and press the seam open. Repeat with the other end panel. Fold the cover in half, right sides together, and sew the cover together.

4. Feed the ribbon into each channel.

5. Fold your duvet in half, half again and half again and stuff into your cushion cover.

6. Draw your cushion cover closed.

Sewing tutorial to make a bolster cushion to store your winter duvet | Quick and simple sewing project | Liberty print fabric | Apartment Apothecary

If you, like me, have stuff crammed under your bed (for lack of storage) this idea is great as duvets take up so much space. I think I’m going to have to make anouther one for our bed!

Katy x

katy 17th April 2014

Pastel interiors

Some pretty, pretty pastels for you today seeing as Easter is upon us (did you see my pastel Easter table decoration tutorial this week?). Here are some ideas of to incorporate pastels into your home without your interior feeling sickly or twee…

Image from Raney Town.

Image from Ontwerpduo.

Image from 79 Ideas.

Image from Ferm Living.

Image from Ralfefarfars Paradis.

Image from Yvestown’s Flickr.

Image from Uusi Muste.

Image from I Can Live With That Tumblr.

Enjoy the long weekend – fingers crossed the sun stays out!

Katy x

katy 14th April 2014

Easter table decoration

The long Easter weekend is on its way – hurrah! – so if you’re looking for a lovely decoration for your Easter table then you might want to give today’s craft project a go. However, do not do this project if you’re in rush like I was when I attempted it; you will end up with sticky fingers, paint on your clothes and a healthy dose of rage (the whole thing nearly ended up in the bin).

When we were younger we would always spend Easter at my grandparents’ home in Devon. I always preferred it to Christmas because Easter morning became such a ceremony – my sisters and I would have to stay upstairs whilst the Easter table was set. All of our eggs would be piled up around our table mat with lots of pretty decorations that my grandmother would make, as well as the ones we made for her every year at school, which she always kept and brought out again the following year. We’d rush in to the breakfast room and frantically count how many eggs we each had, always hoping we’d have the most and then gorge on chocolate for the rest of the day! Such happy memories.

If my grandmother could see what I’ve made today, I know it would have made her smile.

You will need:

Egg carton (if I’d had more time I would have used a 12 egg carton)

Eggs – cut the top of each one and empty and wash them

Pretty paper – I used Liberty wrapping paper that you buy in store

Scissors

PVA glue,water and paint brush

Paint and brush – I used Fired Earth Ultramarine Ashes

Little flowers from the garden

Tutorial:

Easter table decoration www.apartmentapothecary.com

1. Decoupage the egg carton using equal parts of PVA and water. Cut your paper into small pieces to help you mould it to the carton. I didn’t have enough time in the end to do the whole carton so I just did the inside.

2. Whilst your carton is drying, paint your eggs. I used Fired Earth Ultramarine Ashes.

3. Fill each egg with water and add little sprigs of flowers from the garden.

I ended up painting the underside of the carton as I didn’t have time to finish the decoupage.

I hope you like it – I’m quite glad now that I didn’t throw it in the bin!

Katy x

katy 9th April 2014

London Transport Museum Shop

What’s the best bit of any museum? Always the shop! I discovered the London Transport Museum shop ages ago and kind of forgot to tell anyone about it. This was obviously a mistake as quite a few people have got in touch asking me about the prints I bought there so I thought it would be worthwhile shouting about it today. It is an online shop (if you don’t want to go to the actual museum) and they sell all sorts of London Underground memorabilia, from tube seats to cool old train hat racks. However, my favourite section is the posters collection. You can find every tube poster that has been designed in the last century – way too many to choose from.

Now don’t all rush at once but my first find from the LTM shop is the bargain of the decade. This set of four beautifully designed A4 prints cost – wait for it – £4.99. Seriously.

London Transport Museum prints www.apartmentapothecary.com

Kew Gardens prints 1916 – 1924. Photograph by Katharine Peachey.

I also love the colours and bold design of these prints that cost £9.95 each (unframed). ‘Crocus Time’ by Herry Perry was printed in 1931 and ‘Bluebell Time’ by Anna Katrina Zinkeisen was printed in 1934.

Crocus Time and Bluebell Time are the perfect addition to my craft room.

If you’ve got a few hours of your life to lose, hop on over to the site and discover the joys of the London Transport Museum shop for your self!

Katy x