Fabulous Bus Roll... Congratulations to My Sweet Prints Friend!

A quick mention - well more like a Congratulations to my talented ['online'] friend, Janette who is the whiz owner & graphic designer [as well as Mum of 1] of My Sweet Prints [see also her etsy.com store] for another great blog post on her work  from 'The Daily Buzz' - I love this one the - Bedtime Bus Roll - in the tradition of the original tram & bus rolls and popularity of 'Print Dolls' bus rolls [I love there 'grown up' destination rolls] here's a fabulous children's version that will really get your little ones or ones you might know on that "7 'oclock Bus"!! Take a look at Janette's work - there's something for a little one you know... I have [so far] bought 2 custom pieces from My Sweet Prints for  my daughter Isabelle and just really love them in her room! 

Image via My Sweet Prints - Etsy.com

Happy News...We have a little Girl!

We have Happy News!

'Olivia The Owl' by fab label Bluebird & Honey, a soft rattle friend from our dear friends Caz & John, and Mollie [from Infancy].

I am in disbelief...Thursday morning at exactly 11am I gave birth to our gorgeous sweet little girl, Isabelle Sarah! We loved the name 'Isabelle' for some time now and 'Sarah' is a family name from my Dad's side including my namesake - my Grandma, her Great Aunt & Great Grandmother, and my cousin's middle name - needless to say it's a special family name and we love it. Not long after posting on Palatial Living late on Wednesday evening I went into spontaneous labour...that will teach me to post about not having any more birthdays in the month of April!! Now we have one more very special on 22 April 2010 to our daughter,Isabelle, who decided to meet us some 2 weeks earlier than expected!

We're all doing super well, and I now will have so much fun finalising Isabelle's nursery! Luckily my darling husband (aka amazing birth partner & new Daddy) lent me his 'baby dell' laptop so I could - a) blog for Palatial Living; b) email friends & family; & c) importantly get in contact with those who I have sourced from for the finer decor details! Note -Janette - My Sweet Prints, just to let you know that I will be ordering over the weekend!

I will post images very soon... Blessings, I will be back shortly! S xxx

Image by Verandah Home & Garden Living Solutions

Visit 'Bluebird & Honey' blog here; and check out 'Infancy' online here.

Nursery Styling & Decor Ideas...

Since Baby Verity is due anywhere between the next 2 weeks & 4.5 weeks, I have been asked frequently by all who know me - '...how's the nursery decorating going...'! After being in hospital for false labour on Wednesday evening last week [a great test run for darling husband and family!]. I was at least calm in the knowledge that I have already created a fabulous neutral canvas that will be a solid design foundation on which to build more gender specific decor themes around & upon...

Above - Neutral Canvas, a solid colour & design foundation to build upon.

Above - Colour & Design accent ideas for a little man... White, Sand with Navy, Pale Blue, Cherry Red, teamed with Stripes & Nautical influences.

As we decided not to find out what we're having - a little boy or girl, here's a few mood boards I have popped together for our potential baby boy or baby girl! Hope you like them too! I have painted the room walls in Dulux 'Scallywag' Full tint, the trim & door is 'White Canvas' and the furniture is all 'White' - we repainted a timber bookcase that I have had for a number of years in Dulux 'Vivid White' aqua enamel [I don't know why I didn't do it sooner] it looks fabulous! And the rest of the decor is accented with similar hues, with dotted applique, mirco stripes & plains to create a solid colour & design foundation on which to build upon for our impending delivery - a little man or for a little lady!

Above: Colour & Design accents for a little lady...hues of Raspberry, Floss Pink, Pistachio Green with forest friends of stylised owls & squirrels in blossom branches to ticking stripe & gingham bunting.

So when we have settled back home with our Baby, in several weeks time, and we accent the room to his or her decor style, I will post pics of the room to share with you! Hope you like the ideas so far!

Images by Verandah Home & Garden Living Solutions.

Included in collage - Fabric from No Chintz, Boori Furniture, Nature's Purest UK - bedlinen & decor, Eames RAR Rocker, Ikea - Lamp & Basket, My Sweet Prints via Etsy.com - 'World Map',' Room t Grow' & 'Nautical' Bedroom Collage from Shop4Kids magazine, WallArt - decals, Bosco Bear - Decals.

Wall Art For Kids...

Being in the pregnant way lately I have started to buy magazines that are both fashion & decor friendly for both myself & our baby. I bought my 1st [own] copy of 'Shop 4 Kids' - having worked in kids wear for several years I was fortunate enough that this was often bought for my work but I suppose not being pregnant or with any children of my own I would scrutinise over the competitors labels, and new product opportunities. All of which is vastly different now that Baby Verity will be due in about 6-7 weeks time I am pouring over the mag [this & Cosmo Pregnancy] for more ideas and supplier leads on nursery decor and nouveau designer products! I think that's why I love my 'Babylogy' newsletter too!

And here in 'Shop 4 Kids' Issue 8 Autumn /Winter 2010 they have explored '162 bedroom busters' with all types of decor hints... perfect for those in the know & those not! And here I came across a great article on kids 'Wall Art' - and none the pleaser was I to see that my talented 'Palatial' follower & friend Janette Baker of 'My Sweet Prints' artwork took centre pride of place... as shown here in the mag image! Well done Janette - so exciting to see your work in print - excuse the pun! You can order this print and many other designs through Janette's Esty store name & link 'My Sweet Prints'. I still have to wait till we deliver 'Baby Verity' to find out if we're having a little boy or girl to decide on what I can order with Jeanette - ohhh the suspense!

Images from Shop 4 Kids Magazine - Issue 8 Autumn /Winter 2010, out now.

Traces of the City - City Scapes & Map Trends...

[Image 1] New York Subway Token Cuff Links, by QaCreate

[image 2] Eco Friendly jewellery - Map Collage Bangles, by Squishy Sushi.

[image 3] USA Map - covered note book, pencil & bookmark, by Nico PaperGoods

[image 4] Your Bus Map - Customised bus roll - bus stops, by Hirondelle Rustique [reminds me of my fave bus rolls by Print Dolls, and the 'baby' version by Janette over at My Sweet Prints.

[image 5] Tokyo city map - Clock, by Gifted Papers

[image 5] Tokyo city map - Clock, full size image, by Gifted Papers

[Image 6] New York Subway Route Map - Clock, by Gifted Papers

[Image 7] London City Scape - Tea towel prints, London Love II by Caroline Dulko.

I'm loving one of the latest Etsy newsletters I have just recently received - that they have aptly titled - 'City Mouse & Country Mouse'... Here, I have found my favourite pieces from the 'City Mouse' side, I think just love all these maps-lines and the designs they create, it really reminds me of all my school geography lessons & how much I love typographical maps too! Be sure to jump onto Etsy.com and look up these 'craft-i-sans' work! Enjoy x

Images from Etsy.com

Great Print Ideas for The Little Ones...

Bedtime Bus Roll

Made With Love

Family of Birds

Customised Birth Print

Quiet the Baby's Sleeping

Alphabet Eye Chart

Thanks to another Babyology newsletter, the gorgeous blog 'The House that AM Built' about her quest to find a decal for her son's room, and traipsing through Etsy.com I came across these fabulous Children's art prints by 'My Sweet Prints'. 'My Sweet Prints' is by talented Graphic Designer, Illustrator and stay at home mother - Janette Baker. She began her Etsy store - MY SWEET PRINTS - as a way of maintaining her creativity, whilst at home with her son. According to Janette's profile blurb - MY SWEET PRINTS was created from a passion for design and illustration, interior design and kids prints and patterns. And specialises in original and customised art for the home, nursery and the heart. Designed to capture the imagination and become a treasured keepsake for your family or someone special.

Here I have found a number of prints that I would love to have in the nursery... I am particularly in love with 3 of the pieces, 'Customised Birth Print' , 'Made with Love', 'Bedtime Bus Roll' [clearly inspired from my love of 'Print Doll's' work. So hard to choose... which one would you go for?

Images from My Sweet Prints