At Mine

This is likely to the the first of many posts about a new on-line community called "at(mine)" because Im really quite excited about it.

Previously the At Mine website was an invite only place where members post snapshots of their own homes and tag the sources of their style. It gives an insight into people and the brands they use to style their own homes.

The idea is great for people like me who seek inspiration for ideas and also style to inspire other people with how their homes look.
My profile is http://www.atmine.com/janice_issitt if you click on this you may be asked to sign up first. 

my lounge sofa with skulls from Brocant Antique and other globally collected items

Ive photographed a few homes of friends and always felt they should be sharing their style as each is different and unique, with some areas of common interests, but the finished look is vastly different.


I took these photos at my friend Shehla's house, she cleverly mixes antique Indian pieces with French and Swedish styles. Shehla has a lovely collection of different china, like Pip Studio and Burleigh.

Shehla has several old Indian doors which have been fitted into her home in the UK

A lovely French vintage feel to Shehla's utility area. Moroccan earthenware sits completely comfortably
with French enamelware. 

Shehla's coffee table is an old Indian cart. The candle stand is from Holy Cow Home 

The thing thats ties us together, as enthusiasts for how our homes look, is finding unique and unusual pieces, and because we take such pride in putting the look together, this site will be the perfect showcase for our talents.

The site launched to the public a few days ago so please go and check it out, there are also categories for Styling The Seasons and Urban Jungle Bloggers. If you want to snoop into other peoples homes then this is the place for you. 

Also find me and At Mine on Instagram. 

Burleigh at Middleport Pottery

On my return from Heswall this week we managed to get to Stoke-On-Trent half an hour before the shop at Burleigh closed.  Phew, just in time for some photos and purchases.

If you haven't heard of Burleigh, or Burgess and Leigh, then I bet you have seen their famous range of china ware called Asiatic Pheasant.

We were too late to take the factory tour but the shop selling 'seconds' was the destination this time.  Set in its original building in Burslem its like stepping back in time. This area is currently receiving some regeneration and the back to back houses surrounding Burleigh are waiting renovation so there are lots of abandoned buildings and factories around here. 

The buildings here are totally authentic and the same as they were 150 years ago.

In the 'seconds' shop the wares are slightly imperfect and thus reflected in the price. To the untrained eye you wouldn't know there was anything wrong. 

I can't recommend that there is anything much to do around this area so my best advice is to pop there while on route to somewhere else, its very close to the motorway so not too much of a diversion.

I hope to go back for the factory tour next time I go up to Heswall and will take lots of photos then Im sure.

The china comes in a variety of pretty colours and Asiatic Pheasant is not only in pale blue but also pink, purple and green.  It looks really good mixed and matched.

To see their website click here where you can read more about the history of such a great British company. 

Tattoo Skulls and Wrap.me

If you have been nice enough to look at my blog before, you will have seen me talking about Tattoo Style.  It's my own concept for interior design which fits perfectly with the styling that we do for Van Asch who has made her name with skulls and roses on cushions and fabric.

Add to that now another fabulous lady designer and artist, Hannah Getley.  I do believe that lady luck or serendipity plays a part in who you meet in the world and it was a chance meeting at a party that drew my attention to Hannahs work, living locally to me in nearby Berkhamsted. 

These Sea Skulls are slip cast in high grade porcelain before Hannah decorates each one individually. The designs applied are influenced by sailors and their tattoos, anchors, swallows, feathers, stars, moths and tall ships.

 As each piece is individually hand decorated, Hannah can take commissions and believes the skulls are good luck talismans to those who buy them. 

You can find Hannah's website here where you can ready about her early training at art college and how she now works in film, making props.

Expect to see more of Hannahs work appearing here on my blog as well as some new cushion designs from Van Asch.  This month I am also collaborating with an interiors shop and a haberdashery so keep checking in for information and photos of some lovely new products. 

Also this week I tried out the https://wrap.me/ idea of using your own photos to make gift wrapping paper. 

make a collage from your own photos and they send you a sheet of wrapping for 4.99 uk sterling, free postage. Just the thing to wrap up your Hannah Getley Sea Skull. 

Styling The Season for May

So many flowers to choose from in the garden at the moment, and also in the hedgerow.  For styling my home with nature I chose to revamp my previous wreath with lilacs and clematis. Its above the bed so that I catch wafts of lilac scent.

Another addition to my room is a beautiful piece of original art from an artist called Anne Marie Butlin.  Her painting of apple blossom touched my heart and so, I hope to feature her in a future blog.

To find out more about Anne Marie Butlin you can find her facebook page here

I found this artist through facebook originally and took the opportunity to visit her during Crouch End Open Studios week.

As an ex-Crouch Ender I felt a soft spot for this lady and her lovely family.  Her studio at the bottom of the garden is gorgeous and oh how I would love to have a whole wall full of her work.

My painting is oil on linen. Im going to try it in a few different rooms but for now its by my bedside and Im totally in love with it. 

May Day Posies for Styling Spring At Mine

So in continuation of my previous post about attending the workshop at Homemade London, we also had the opportunity to make a May Day Posey and were given the cutest jar to put it in which came from the very generous Rose and Grey.  I didn't want to take too many flowers as I was afraid they wouldn't make the train journey home. Knowing that I had bluebells and forget-me-nots in the garden I have added and changed it to make two posies, one for me and one for my neighbour.

my posey in the cute jar from Rose and Grey

There are many traditions around the May bank holiday, all dating back to pagan and Roman times.  The Little Green Shed company told us about how on May the first you should gather spring flowers and hang them on a neighbours door.  And so I did ...

The festival of Flora, the Roman Goddess of flowers, heralds the beginning of summer. Many customs are still observed, however we decided to swap maypole dancing for tea and macaroons.

And heres my neighbours flowers with some of her collection of perfume bottles. I love to add cow-parsley in with the flowers at this time of year but it can be a bit smelly so I also put a few springs of mint in there.

To see how my other compatriots got on with their posies you can find us all on instagram under the #stylingspringatmine hashtag.

If you fancy having a go at Styling The Seasons the topic set by Lobster & Swan for next month is Treasure. 

I shall have to put my thinking cap on for that one.