NUTRITIONAL THERAPY

HAVE YOUR CAKE, BUT DON'T EAT IT!
There are so many food inspired images, home furnishings and accessories that will satisfy your love of favourite sweet things, and won't leave you feeling guilty (except the price tag perhaps!).
Jellio specialises in creating unique home furnishings from our childhood favourites such as Gummi Bears, Cupcakes and more. They don't come cheap, but you will be full of childhood memories when you browse through their collection here.

Gummi Bear Lights

Cupcake Seat

MrPS creates Tea Towels, Totes and Prints from the British love of Tea, the Full Breakfast, and Cake.

Another talented artist is Fruit Fly Pie, who creates ceramic cookie jars and trinket boxes, with the most delightful cupcake and ice cream themes, all with a nostalgic vintage feel.


All good enough to EAT! Yum.

HOME REMEDIES

CUSHIONS..
It just takes a splash of colour, the contrast of a beautiful vintage fabric, a plump feather filling and you can transform any space in your own personal style, with cushions.
I am the first to admit that my love of these squishy squares might be bordering on the obsessive, but whenever I think "I'm done!", I see another cushion that I just can't live without. And don't even get me started on Monogramming!
Vermont based designer Susan Sargent specialises in her signature applique pillows that will brighten up any room. The delicate detail and vibrant colours are too good to resist.

Another Vermont native, folk artist Laura Megroz, designs wool hooked pillows with images ranging from the ubiquitous Labrador, to the classic seaside images, folk art inspired images of animals such as moose and deer, and seasonal creations for Halloween, Christmas and 4th of July. Preppy, New England-centric, and heart warming country images abound. For a huge selection of her work try Cabin and Lodge

On the other side of the Pond, Karen Hilton designs felt and canvas pillows that celebrate Brittania in a fresh and modern way with neon versions of the classic Union Jack, 1st Class postage stamp and the Queen.

She has recently started to take the same approach to the Stars and Stripes.

Another British artist, Jan Constantine, also using felt, creates detailed British themed cushions that have a delicacy and beauty that is truly unique. Her cushions are blanket stitched to create a more rustic feel and feature simple messages of Love and Peace, and more Brittania themes in her Pop Art collection.

And not to forget Ebay, Devine Designer Cushions specialise in using luxurious fabrics from designers such as Designers Guild to create vibrant silk and velvet jewels for your home.

TYPOGRAPHY LOVE

I am in love with typography, particularly when it comes to letterpress prints of inspirational sayings.There are so many artists creating beautiful prints, I want to share with you some of my most favourite ones, and just a couple of examples of their wonderful work.

Made By Girl by Jennifer Ramos

Roll and Tumble Press


Farouche

Erin Jane Illustrations


Dazey Chic @ Studio Mela


Katie Daisy from The Wheat Field


Hijirik Studio
Aaahhh, now don't you just feel so much better about life?

Check out this website called Share Some Candy that spotlights some of the most unique typography, and also many more art and design projects that will find you whiling away many hours in discovery of your own favourite things. Enjoy!

The Doctor

The apothecary idea comes from the old style apothecary, general store, country store, pharmacy....that used to sell everything, not just the necessary medicines, but the tinctures and remedies (often herbal) that served to better the lives of the community that they served. Growing up in Vermont, we were surrounded by stores like these that served as the heart of the community (a place for folks to gather and swap stories, connect and re-connect with their neighbours). For me, I can connect with this concept as the center of the community, people converging to look for remedies to many things, often to gain social interaction that can ease their burden and lighten their day. For the Fox Family the J.J. Hapgood Store was one such place. Hanging out by the pickle barrel, warming our hands by the stove, stepping over the town's dog Blueberry to get to the candy counter.

Image courtesy of redjar.org

On a more serious note, these institutions would be dying off but for the efforts of those involved in organisations such as the Vermont Alliance of Independent Country Stores.
When I was a child we used to go to the Mother of all country stores, still a vibrant and booming business for the Orton Family, The Vermont Country Store, stuffed full of hard to find products for the home, kitchen, beautification and clothing (flannel of course). My father, the country Doctor, was even quoted in the little hand written tags that were used to describe products, as recommending the goat's milk soap for anyone with sensitive skin. "Dr. Fox highly recommends...". Used to give us kids a kick..!
My brother was recently asked to write about my Dad (Pops) for another blogger at AllPlaidOut
on the subject of fathers for Father's Day. The archetypal Country Doctor, you will get every sense of the man if you read this article.

The Doctor Fox

In The Pink

My wallpaper at home from Habitat .. just one wall though, they call it a feature wall.

Even I know any more would be too much!

Pink.....I Love it. I guess it has become the most defining thing about me in the last few years. I am never afraid to wear it, to decorate with it, to eat it (the most glorious cupcakes decorated in pink sprinkles) and to write with it (I am never without a pink pen). Funny thing is, I am not a girly girl really, I never wear skirts or dresses, don't care much how my hair looks or for accessories..except the statement bag, or shoes..;) So, here are some of my favourites.

Chairs from Ikea, dollhouse found dumped on the street.

Purse from Red Ruby Rose

Love print by Kiss Her...

Keep Calm and Carry On

...my motto for life these days. I work in a high volume fast paced Restaurant environment. This means that when I am done for the day (16 hour days at that) I want to come home to a haven of calm and tranquillity, or a bottle of red wine at least. My real true inspiration for my blog and the life I see after Restaurants (more of those plans to come...) was the inspiring Second World War poster made famous by many people, but done in my opinion in the most perfect way by the peeps behind the Keep Calm Gallery. "Keep Calm and Carry On", what a powerful message, and one that I am reminded of everyday, hanging over my bed, giving me the willpower to do just that. Hayley and Lucas at the Keep Calm Gallery also have a bounty of inspiring prints by them and many others that will surely make your day too.

...well said Hayley and Lucas. I must have one of these...

Prescription for a Lovely Life..

I have spent many months thinking about how to start this off, after consuming some of the most inspiring blogs out there (decor8 , 10engines, design is mine, design*sponge, pretty little things... for example)and then rethinking my desire to share my inspirations with the world...there are so many that are so much better at this than me!
And then, I thought, well I better just jump in and find my feet without any thought to the consequences, so here we go......
Like so many others out there at this time, I yearn for a simpler, but still beautiful life. A life full of deliciously designed things to enhance my environment, made by inspired folk who really put their life and soul into their creations. I am ashamed to say that I am not actively creative.."actively" is my get out, as I spent my youth cooking, drawing, knitting, sewing, make-believing and now have lost my way with all of these things. So, I make up for it by "actively" following some of the most talented artists I can find, most often from etsy , but also from inspired bloggers I admire the most. I like to think of it as obsessively coveting as a "passive" artisan.