Tearoom Gazing

Wandering around little vintage tearooms and antique shops is one of my favourite ways to spend an afternoon...and of course if there is a big slab of cake and a frothy mocha thrown in then I'm definitely not complaining!

Cath Kidston is the Queen of shabby chic and suffice it to say that I would happily buy everything she's ever made. Shame my bank balance probably wouldn't be best pleased at that thought, so window shopping with the odd treat will need to do for now.

Tea party, anyone?

There is a wonderful antiques centre just around the corner from where I live which has a brilliant collection of jugs, vases and beautiful furniture at really quite affordable prices. It's also where I bought my rocking chair which I reupholstered. You can read about that here!

Check out your own town or city to see if they have any kind of antiques or vintage shops, you'll be surprised at how much cheaper the little rustic flower vases (which seem to be all the rage right now) can be! 

I'm so desperate to buy this stool but I need a little person who can make use of it first!

Fairy Project #4 Teacup Candles

Ever since I saw my first teacup candle in a shop I knew I loved them, but also knew that surely they couldn't be so difficult to make. At around £12 each in the shop, I decided to do my research and make my own! 
I'd recommend these teacup candles to anyone as it was SUPER easy! You can pick up teacups in charity shops and they are normally very well priced; the one I used here cost £2 and it is real bone china.

For the candles you will need:
Wax - I used soy wax after reading loads of reviews about the pros and cons of soy and parrafin wax. In the end I went for the soy as it meant to be more natural, but both types have their benefits!
Wicks
Colour dye (optional) - I used a tiny amount of fushcia dye which turned a lovely lilacy pink colour
Scent (optional) - I used lavender oil and it smells so good!

Fill your teacup with the wax flakes about two times over and then transfer to an old pan sitting inside a bigger pan which has simmering water until the wax will begin to melt and go clear. 

In your teacup, place one of the wicks in the centre and hold straight by placing the wick between two pens taped together at the top - this will keep the wick centred when the hot wax is poured in.

In the pan, add in a couple of small pieces of your colour dye to the melting wax (the wax will look really bright but as it sets the colour will lighten) and a few drops of your scent and pour carefully in to the teacup. 

Leave to set for 12 hours and then enjoy how pretty it looks!

Coffee Table Browsin'

No coffee table is complete without some good "flicky" books. By this I mean books which you and any guests can pick up and have a quick scan through - think big, interesting and of course, pretty, pictures, and plenty of them!
I do a rotation every now and then of what books are on the table but my firm faves are definitely my Audrey Hepburn one (which I picked up in a charity shop for £7!) and the "Vintage Home" by Sarah Moore which are both just brimming with gorgeous bold photos. The "Everything is Going to be OK" book is also great for a browse when you're feeling in need of some inspiration since it's full of drawings and postcards with uplifting and cute sayings and phrases.

 Of course a coffee table's best friend is also some pretty flowers! My boyfriend came home on Friday night with 3 bunches of pastel loveliness and I had my first go at doing some flower arranging...what do you think?!

Return of the Denim Jacket

A weekend with sun?! Oh Scotland I do love it when you're nice to us pasty skinned hermits! The park beside my house is in full bloom with gorgeous flowers and I couldn't resist sticking a big bow in my hair and taking some snaps! Yesterday also marked the first outing of the year for my denim jacket, I picked this vintage Marc Jacobs one up in a charity shop for £10 4 years ago and I can tell you it's probably the best thing (and bargain!) I've ever bought. When the weather is good enough for it to come out, I am a happy girl.

I styled my big bow (tutorial here) with a New Look dress, Topshop soft brogues and an Urban Outfitters bag which I picked up on eBay. Finished with Estee Lauder bright red lippy.

Roller blading back to the 90s

The view from my window at dusk

Last night after the park we went to our favourite little pub and I was lucky enough to stumble upon a singer called Siobhan Wilson who was just starting her live set as we walked in. Close your eyes, have a listen and if you're anything like me you'll feel like you're in some kind of 1940's dream...

My Flowery Week on Instagram

Friday has once again come around and everyone seems to be in a much brighter mood...including me! I'm looking forward to a weekend of cosying up in my flat enjoying some much needed sleep, and hopefully a trip to a vintage fair, if I'm lucky.

This week finally felt like spring and it's amazing what a gleam of sun and a sprinkle of daffodils can do for your happiness levels. I think it's fair to say the weather this week has got me going a little flower crazy, but hey, better than being wrapped up in big bulky coats and scarves, right?

Follow me on Instagram @jelizmac

The Good Things Jar

At the start of the year in my house we started the Good Things Jar. Every time something good happens, we write it on a sheet of my lovely Cath Kidston paper from a notebook I received from my litter sister for Christmas, fold it and pop it in. The idea is that we will sit down on New Year's Eve this year and tip open the jar to read about all of the good things which happened this year.

The jar sits on my fireplace and brings me a little smile each time I look at it, remembering the notes from January when we saw my boyfriend's little half sister smile for the first time or from February when we ate those amazing burgers! I think it's far too easy to get bogged down in worries about work, uni and everyday stresses and having this little jar is a constant reminder that there are many, many things to be thankful and smile about!

Tonight I think I will be putting a note in about how nice it was to feel the spring sunshine on my face on my lunchtime walk around the loch....

PS. It's only March so if you haven't got a Good Things Jar yet, it's not too late to start!

Dreamy 1950s Fridays

Happy Friday! Today's post comes to you via one of my Pinterest boards to allow your eyes to feast on some of my favourite people, ideas and things of the vintage eras....enjoy!

Jackie Wilson

Kenickie from Grease

Jackie Wilson and his playboy bunny

A beautiful young Elvis

Diana Dors

Silvercross pram

Doesn't it all make you wish you lived in the 50s?!