a littletree weekend...sunshine!

all photos from my instagram feed

A few snapshots of Mersea Island marina from my visit to my grandparents yesterday, they are lucky enough to live on the island. And we were lucky enough to have such glorious weather, look at that sky! Everyone was out enjoying it, dog walkers, kids catching crabs, couples and families eating out on benches or like us people just out for a stroll...I hope you enjoyed your weekend if you had nice weather or not!x

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littletree loves...books and tea by Alaina Ho

all images by Alaina Ho via Skillshare

I love a bit of hand lettering or a good famous quote and these designs by Alaina Ho is the perfect combination of both. C.S.Lewis got it so right when he said this, why does the tea always run out and the story have to end? Maybe that's why I have been reading so many trilogies recently...as for the neverending cup of tea I guess I will just have to read in the kitchen! 

Have a lovely weekend friends, unfortunately I hear it is meant to be raining here yet again so it is of course the perfect excuse for staying in with a good book and a cuppa! If you are suffering the effects of flooding then I hope you stay safe and as warm and dry as you can. x

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a new member of the family...

In November we lost our family dog Jess. She had been ill (although it was never discovered what was wrong exactly) and after a few weeks we decided it was best for her to be put to sleep. The picture above is of her curled up in a basket that is really far too small for her...

Nala our cat wouldn't admit it but she missed Jess and the opportunity to torment her on a regular basis...cats will be cats! So we decided after Christmas that we would find her a little playmate...in comes little Eva. 

Evas' mother was found pregnant in an empty shop, luckily by an avid cat lover, and so she was rescued and taken home to have her kittens safely. Four months on and little Eva has a new family here with us and although it's only been two weeks it is safe to say she has made herself at home...and more importantly Nala has a new friend. x

All photos taken from my Instagram

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littletree loves...BRÅKIG Collection at Ikea

All pictures in this post were taken from the Ikea Image Library

I know a million and one bloggers have posted about the new Ikea limited edition BRÅKIG collection being released this week (1st Feb!) but I had to share a few of my favourites and the excitement that in only 10 days I will be off to my local branch to drool over said products in person! And then stand there for a few hours deciding just how much I can afford to bring home...

...it's going to be hard to resist these cups and saucers but pretty storage is always handy and great for hiding paperwork...well that's what I'll be telling myself anyway! Have a good week friends x

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Vintage Actually collaboration update...

photo by Rachel Jones / Vintage Actually via Twitter

photo by Rachel Jones / Vintage Actually via Twitter

Thank you for all your lovely comments on my post earlier in the week readers! Here is a quick update and photos of the two tables that will be listed for sale soon at Vintage Actually.  Hope you like them and have a great weekend! x

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littletree listens to...Dan Croll

I heard this song (Home by Dan Croll) a little while ago and loved it so much I immediately listened to everything else he had out on You Tube! I then followed Dan on Facebook as I knew I would want to buy the album when it came out...and last week he announced it was due to release on the 10th March! If you haven't heard this yet then do give it a listen, I just love the quirky lyrics...I hope the rest of the album is as good! Enjoy x

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is it really 2014!?

So as you may have noticed I haven't been around in a while! I'm sure many of you fellow bloggers will understand that 24/7 blogging can get tiring and I think I just lost my enthusiasm for it. Plus I didn't want to blog about any old stuff just to fill the days. So from now on you may see less of me but I will still pop in with news and inspiration from time to time!

First of all I hope you all had lovely Christmases (is that a word!?) and New Years and the weather where you are hasn't been too bad...I'm not sure I could cope with the freezing temperatures some places in America had!

Second I have some exciting news...for the past few months I have been collaborating on a project with Rachel Jones who runs online store Vintage Actually. She contacted me a while ago about using some of my designs to print onto up-cycled tabletops which was exciting as it combined two of my big passions...design and retro furniture! 

It has taken some time and testing (and stretching my Photoshop skills to the limit!) but the first table is finished and I must say it looks great! I can't show you the picture yet but here is a photo of a tester table Rachel shared on Twitter...

photo by Rachel Jones/Vintage Actually

...it got a great response so I'm hoping they will be a success! In the mean time why don't you pop by Rachels shop Vintage Actually to drool over the other retro gems she has in store...you won't be disappointed!

Rebecca x

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Etsy...New Shop Discoveries!

I found these three great Etsy shops in only the past few days, strange how it works like that isn't it? I love each of these products so much I just had to share them with you. Any friends/family reading this...major present hints!

1// Being permanently cold during the winter months fingerless gloves are a neccessity for me, especially working at the computer all day! These funky multi coloured ones by Rainbow Mittens are right up my street and I love the tiny band of blue around the thumb...

2// Ok so these Safari Tape Holders are the cutest things EVER! Such a fun way to display all those pretty washi tapes...I love the lion, ooh and the rhino...and the deer...well all of them really!

3// These male/female signs made from acrylic, topped with japanese papers and resin to look like ceramic tiles from Mooza are so clever and of course pretty! I would be happy to stick them up on my bathroom door...or any door! They also do letters too...

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design-a-week challenge...week 1

copyright littletree designs

copyright littletree designs

So...first week of the challenge and I have just realised I haven't put a time limit on this challenge! 12 weeks seems like a good idea and it will bring us up to (eeep!) christmas... This first design (plus additional placement design) is a combination of an old design that I never got around to completing and the little illustration that I made for my website, as shown below...

I'm really pleased with the newer versions and I loved playing around with the oppacity and adding texture...I hope you like what you see! x

copyright littletree designs

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sunday busy sunday...

Jay Roeder

So far today I have...

Fed all the animals...whilst tripping over the cat and trying to stop a chicken on her mission to sneak past me and out of the gate to freedom...

Fed myself...

Filled up bird feeder...forgot that I haven't been feeding the birds since mum went on holiday...

Put washing on...

Walked the dog, tried not to get blown away in the process...

Hung washing up inside as it was so windy...after cursing at my mother for not putting the airer back where it has lived for the past 6 months, which resulted in half an hour of stomping around the house looking for it...under the bed anyone?!

Picking up dog poo...cleaning cat litter tray...delightful jobs as always!

Sorting the recycling and food waste...

Wrestled with the tarpaulin covering our garden bench and chairs as it was threatening to blow away...the solution? Lot's of bricks...

Decided that I wouldn't be eating a whole bowl of tomatoes before my mum returns from holiday so not wanting to waste them decided to make a roasted tomato and pepper soup...

Lot's of washing up...

Finally sat down and had lunch slumped in front of the TV watching food network...

The animals then decided it was time for their lunch too...and so the whole process begins again!

Happy Sunday everyone! x

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