Aerin Southampton, my dream shop

I like Aerin Lauder. 

I don't know Aerin Lauder, so best to say that I like the image she projects.

Graceful, effortless chic. 

And now she has a concept store, to put all that elegance into one place. And have us drooling over the beautiful colours, the turquoise and coral, beige and cold . Tres Chic!

This is my favorite picture of the store. When I open my own concept shop, this is how it will look like!

(Wait, it does look like the store we had! Oh OK, it'll be even better next time!)

All images via the web at  Habitually Chic, Pilar Rossi, Vogue and Aerin.

Swaddle your baby (To all moms out there)

I believe in the wisdom of tradition. 

Tried and tested and approved by time and countless mothers before us.

When I came across this beautiful post by the talented and inspiratonal Joanna Goddard,

 I had to share it with you.

As an older lady once advised me, as a young mother, 

"They don't grow in a hospice, so you might as well cradle them". 

And swaddle them, like everyone was doing up until my mom's generation 

(yes, I have been swaddled, and I swaddled my babies. I used this traditional method

As Joanna writes,

 "...babies love to be swaddled. Wrapping them up tightly makes them feel safe and helps them sleep longer. We swaddled Toby as a newborn, and now we swaddle Anton. And it works like a charm. He sleeps much, much better when swaddled, since his wriggly arms don't startle him as a newborn".

Why swaddle?

The practice of swaddling a baby has been used for centuries by many different cultures due to its various benefits.

• Swaddling mimics the structure of the womb and helps ease a baby’s transition into the world.
• Newborns need extensive nurturing during the first 3 months of life, which swaddling can provide; this time is commonly referred to as the fourth trimester.
• Swaddling helps babies spend more time in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which is thought to be necessary for the extraordinary development happening in their brain. Since REM sleep is lighter than non-REM sleep, and more easily disrupted, swaddling helps prevent baby from waking during this valuable sleep time.
• Research demonstrates that when swaddled correctly, babies are safer since they are more likely to stay asleep on their backs and less likely to get caught in loose blankets.
• Swaddling produces a calming effect that soothes a baby.
• Swaddling helps regulate baby's body temperature.
• Swaddling helps prevent scratching.

- Sourced from the 2002 Medical Journal of Pediatrics

From the Ergobaby website

God Bless. 

P.S. There is a giveaway going on, here, if you are a young mom or grandma to be!

Monday Happy Deco

I love the work of Anna Spiro.

 It's so fresh and inspiring, full of life and optimism and yet discreet and elegant.

No one mixes prints and colours like her!

This photo sums up her style beautifully. 

Have a lovely week!

For Sale: The home of former King Constantine of Greece

Former King Constantine of Greece is selling his country home in Surrey, UK. 

The former King is building a vacation home in Porto Heli, Greece, which explains his decision to sell.

The house is being sold "as is", fully equiped.

Stanyards is an impressive, Victorian country house dating back to 1883 with later additions. It commands the highest point in the area, has magnificent views from its roof terrace and is set in private, secluded grounds of about 8 acres. This beautiful home retains character features and has royal connections with 

the family of the King of Greece who resided there. 

 The wonderfully proportioned formal reception rooms feature elegant fireplaces and impressive ceiling heights with attractive cornicing. The ground floor accommodation comprises a drawing room with original marble fireplace and archway leading to a further sitting room, dining room with wood panelling and an ornate ceiling, a kitchen/breakfast/family room, Butler's pantry, 2nd kitchen, utility room and access to a staff annexe. There is a 35' billiard room with wood panelling, fixed seating and a fully fitted bar.

Upstairs, on the 1st floor, the master bedroom suite has an en suite bathroom and dressing room; there are 3 further bedrooms, two bathrooms and a separate WC. On the 2nd floor, there is access to the roof terrace which has a railed surround and a flagpole; there are four bedrooms and two bathrooms on this floor.

The property is approached through an electric gated entrance with an illuminated turning circle and driveway parking. The south facing grounds consist of a large terrace, ideal for summer entertaining, with steps down to a wide expanse of lawn with a fish pond containing koi carp, which has a filtration system. The secluded and private grounds feature a superb array of rhododendrons, and a variety of mature trees including silver birch and fir trees. A running track skirts the perimeter of the grounds; there is a fruit orchard, a paddock, a floodlit tennis court, and an outdoor heated pool. There is an outbuilding adjacent to the paddock which could be converted into stabling. The property backs onto Chobham Common and has its own private access. There is a triple garage with extra wide doors, a car port and dog's house. The grounds are monitored by CCTV, there is a sophisticated security system, a 64 metre well and an irrigation system.

All photos and description, Savills Real Estate. The Estate Agent's brochure here.

How to talk to your daughter about her body

The girls, Summer 2013

As you may well know, I am a mother of three. Of whom, two daughters, one will be entering college this autumn, the other, hopefully, the next. As they grow into their bodies, transforming into the women they were born to be, I am often concerned about the model I am to them, what I say, what I do, how I treat food, others and life. 

The post below, sums all that I think I must be doing right, and some I hadn't thought of, in an eloquant way.

Enjoy.

How to talk to your daughter about her body, step one: don’t talk to your daughter about her body, except to teach her how it works.

Don’t say anything if she’s lost weight. Don’t say anything if she’s gained weight.

If you think your daughter’s body looks amazing, don’t say that. Here are some things you can say instead:

“You look so healthy!” is a great one.

Or how about, “you’re looking so strong.”

“I can see how happy you are – you’re glowing.”

Better yet, compliment her on something that has nothing to do with her body.

Don’t comment on other women’s bodies either. Nope. Not a single comment, not a nice one or a mean one.

Teach her about kindness towards others, but also kindness towards yourself.

Don’t you dare talk about how much you hate your body in front of your daughter, or talk about your new diet. In fact, don’t go on a diet in front of your daughter. Buy healthy food. Cook healthy meals. But don’t say “I’m not eating carbs right now.” Your daughter should never think that carbs are evil, because shame over what you eat only leads to shame about yourself.

Encourage your daughter to run because it makes her feel less stressed. Encourage your daughter to climb mountains because there is nowhere better to explore your spirituality than the peak of the universe. Encourage your daughter to surf, or rock climb, or mountain bike because it scares her and that’s a good thing sometimes.

Help your daughter love soccer or rowing or hockey because sports make her a better leader and a more confident woman. Explain that no matter how old you get, you’ll never stop needing good teamwork. Never make her play a sport she isn’t absolutely in love with.

Prove to your daughter that women don’t need men to move their furniture.

Teach your daughter how to cook kale.

Teach your daughter how to bake chocolate cake made with six sticks of butter.

Pass on your own mom’s recipe for Christmas morning coffee cake. Pass on your love of being outside.

Maybe you and your daughter both have thick thighs or wide ribcages. It’s easy to hate these non-size zero body parts. Don’t. Tell your daughter that with her legs she can run a marathon if she wants to, and her ribcage is nothing but a carrying case for strong lungs. She can scream and she can sing and she can lift up the world, if she wants.

Remind your daughter that the best thing she can do with her body is to use it to mobilize her beautiful soul.

This lovely post was originally posted here and I found it through here.

Betty Boyns Country & Vintage Designs

 

 

Betty Boyns have added to their gorgeous ‘Country Girl’ collection with a new design ‘Goosie Goosie’ and complimentary spotted fabric in Stone and Duck Egg Blue.
‘I’ve always adored Geese, they’re so bossy, bold and noisy. My aunt had a trio called Huey, Dewey and Louie, she would have to protect herself with a flat sheet of metal that she would shield them off whenever she put out the washing, ' says Betty Boyns designer Paula Nicholls.

The soft muted greys and blues work beautifully with the décor of country kitchens or French interiors. Printed in the UK on 100% cotton ‘Goosie Goosie’ is available in fabric, oilcloth, aprons, tea towels, tea cosies and oven gloves.‘The ‘Country Girl’ collection has been created to slip seamlessly into your home but bringing with it a twinkle of Cornish humour and charm with colours drawn from winter mornings to summer evenings.’Betty Boyns launched their design company in January of 2011 specialising in UK made and designed fabrics, kitchen Linens and soft furnishings. You can see the full range at www.bettyboyns.co.uk

The 2013 collection ‘Country Girl’ is inspired by designer, Paula Nicholls, experience of her family’s beautifully tended gardens and small holdings in the far west of Cornwall. Using a palette of 4 colours and 3 designs she has created a unique desirable range. The collection was launched this February and we now stock some of the most prestigious outlets in the west country and wider UK. A new design ‘Goosie Goosie’ and complimentary spots is launched at the end of April 2013.

Betty Boyns fabrics are printed in Manchester and are available as fabric and oilcloth by the metre, and also as charming readymade cushion covers, tea cosies, aprons, tablecloths, napkins and tea towels.

 

Based in the fishing village of Newlyn, in the far west of Cornwall, Betty Boyns produces beautiful, Country and vintage inspired fabrics, cushions, aprons, table linens, wrapping paper and greetings cards.

 

Everything they produce is sourced, printed and manufactured in the UK and Cornwall.

 

                               Betty Boyns designer, Paula Nicholls, studied art at Falmouth School of Art, then moved to Bristol to work first as a journalist, then an events organiser. Eventually, however, she could no longer resist returning to Cornwall and, ‘determined to do something arty’, she started a card company, Art Cards Cornwall, featuring paintings by local artists. It was an immediate success, and Paula branched first into prints and then, spotting a gap in the market for vintage-style wrapping paper and fabric, set up Betty Boyns – named after her mother.

 

In doing so she is following a family tradition in the fabric industry – her father, uncle and grandfather all worked for the renowned Crysede Textiles (later Cresta Silks) who supplied Libertys, in St Ives in the Thirties, Forties and Fifties. Betty Boyns launched in 2009 and the first shop, in St Ives opened in 2010.

Firmoo glasses giveaway for two!

I love sunglasses...they are protective in more ways than one...

I also like my prescription glasses, again in more ways than one!

When I was a teenager I had the classic 80s glasses, large and rather square that are becoming all the rage again.

 

There are so many styles to choose from, as fashions change with the seasons. It is therefore important to have a well informed and yet affordable source to fit the family's needs. And our own.


 

 I was recently contacted by Firmoo, the World's Most Popular Online Eyeglasses Store, committed to offering customers the best quality products at the most affordable prices, starting at 8 dollars.

Firmoo are kindly offering Happy Turtle readers

Two pairs of eyeglasses/sunglasses of their choice from Firmoo's Classic Series collection. .

(Two winners in total-shipping not included).

 

 

 

 

So, fo ahead, take your pick from their Classic Series collection and enjoy! 

 

 

 

Want to know my favorite?

Must be this one.

 

 

 

How to enter:

 

-Leave the item No./URL of the glasses you prefer in the comments. The glasses should be selected from here.(mandatory entry)

-Share the Firmoo first pair free information on your Facebook for an extra entry.

-Like Firmoo on Facebook. (extra entry).

Don't forget to include an e-mail where I shall contact you, should you be one of the Firmoo/Happy Turtle winners.

 

Remember, if you don't win this time, Firmoo has launched the First Pair Free Program for new customers to test their products and service for free by paying shipping only.

 

To increase your chances to win, spread the word! Ask your friends to stop by, too! If there are more than 50 valid entrants in the giveaway, an extra pair of free glasses/sunglasses plus free shipping will be offered to one of yur luckiest winners!

 

Winners will be drawn on September 3rd.

 

 

IKEA 2014- my picks

 

The 2014 IKEA catalogue will be distributed in Greece starting August 28. However, the Swedish and English versions are on-line.

 

 

This is so fun!

Simple and fun.

 

 

This is my favorite room of the catalogue. I love the roomy sofa,its velvety green, the books, ah, of course, and that armchair could certainly find its place in my house! Don't you just love greens in front of the window?

 

 

I like the fireplace nook defined by rugs and the two cushy chairs.

I have this pendant light in our House in the North and I'm considering bringing them over here.

 

 

This room is styled so chic! Worthy of a Carrie walk in closet!

 

 

Dilemas ... I love both these styles. Which one to pick?

 

 

I like this modern flowery rug.

 

 

The yellow rug is so stylish, too.

 

 

All three styles are my cup of tea.

 

Have you received your catalogue, yet?

And the winner is...

Because some things are nicer the old-fashioned way... 

We wrote the names, as many times as you entered them,

We put them in a clear box...

And we had an innocent part draw a name...

 Congratulations, Beth !

 Many-many thanks to all who entered your names! Keep coming for many happy posts. 

 And many thanks to Shabby Apple for the wonderful vintage style dress of Beth's choice!

See you all soon!