The Before Photos....

This afternoon we went to visit our almost-flat. We measured up and noted plugs and tapped walls, our estate agent, Mr Raimbault was his usual helpful self and brought along a fantastic little gadget which measures distances with a laser. Rambo is great, unlike P from the bank, who is not.

This was the old lady's bedroom and will be our lounge.

She has left behind a hulking great wardrobe, which takes up a lot of space and would need a coat of paint, but would provide great storage. Undecided as to what to do, but as its on a wall that we are taking down it will need to go anyway...
Same wardrobe. It really is massive as the ceilings are 3metres high, or they will be once we remove the original and stylish polystyrene ceiling tiles that are currently taking 5cm of precious space. Why would you?

It's on the ground floor, but higher at the back. An optimistic and probably now rather disappointed neighbour had hung a French flag in preparation for Euro 08.

Now we're in the kitchen. The wall to the left will be taken down with Simon's special wall-removing machine which I'm quite looking forward to having a go with. There are also units to the right, for the time being we'll paint over the veneer until we redo the kitchen, in a Farrow & Ball-ish Matchstick, or Ball Green-ish type colour.

These cupboards are the best bit. Also to be painted for the time being.


We cross the hall, into the bathroom. Lino to be replaced with parquet.

The bathroom will do for the time being, but, this being a very important place for me I will be needing a bigger bath...

Little tiny bathroom window and another big cupboard, which can stay for now.

From the bathroom into the kitchen, D and Rambo measuring... something.


Finaly, our bedroom, formerly the lady's lounge. The windows has silly non-opening bits on the side, which only leaves a gap of 80cm... the lovely squashy sofa is 77cm tall and too big for the front door... Hmm.

So voilà. We'll be spending July steaming off wallpaper, pulling up carpet, removing ceiling tiles, tearing up lino, knocking down a wall, filling, sanding, painting, putting up more wallpaper, hopefully getting an electrician to do something to the plugs to make them modern and laying flooring. Then packing and moving in. Wish us luck.

Brocante and chiant

Hideous couple of weeks during which incompetent bank manager nearly messed up our entire mortgage and we nearly, almost, both died from heart attacks in his office from the stress of it all. He looks like a slug and is about as effective. Let's not dwell on that anyhow, it's all ok now.

In the middle of all this and to counter the harmful effects of spending too much time in a stuffy office with a horrible man, I went off to potter round brocantes (bricabrac) in South Pigalle. I made a beautiful purchase, and then Vélibed home, playing hide and seek with the Sacré Coeur, which appears at the end of most streets in that area.

Salt and pepper sun and cloud, it was a lovely afternoon and I found this beautiful comb at the stall of a lady who specialised in mid-century accessories:


I believe it is a second from a batch of YSL hair combs, designed by Roger Scémama in 1968, all in plam tree shapes. Fabulous sticking out of a messy updo.

Kokeshi dollies

It could be all the Murakami she's been reading, but pink milk Sarah has been getting into Japan in a big way recently, traditional Kokeshi dolls, to be more precise, which has resulted in some delightful little felt brooches. During the process, disaster struck the pink milk Athens atelier, in a button explosion all over the floor. I think it would make a nice print...

She has designed three Kokeshi brooches so far, all available on pink milk:

Kokeshi the Mirror Girl

Kokeshi Little Birds

Kokeshi Pearl Girl

I love Little Bird's little bow.

blushing in the sunshine pink bustier top

In a fit of creativity this morning, I customised this top that I would otherwise have got rid of and am very pleased with my handiwork. Trying to clear unecessary clutter, a lot of which is clothing that hasn't been worn for ages, so there may be more where this came from, if I get time.

It looks great with the Pearly Queen necklace, if I do say so myself...

Withnail and I

For all fans of the British comic masterpiece Withnail and I to enjoy over fine wine and cake: the latest edition of BBC Radio Four's The Reunion, which reunited cast members and crew for an illuminating chat about the making of the film, available from this page.

A few Withnail and I-based Etsy picks, to mark the occasion.

The Camden Town necklace, location of the most decrepit flat in British film, by michvanetta.


In hommage the Camberwell Carrot, Camberwell art from sophiaalmaria:


The King Curtis version of A Whiter Shade of Pale (by Southend band Procul Harem, fact finders, the original and the best) was used on the soundtrack, ladies and gentlemen I present you cookoorikoo's Whiter Shade of Pale ring:


Finally, most of the film was shot on location in the Lake District, inspiration for swirlyart's Lake District map badges: