LITTLE THINGS: HOME

Sometimes, coming home to a flat filled with little things that make me smile is just what I need after a crappy day:

I spotted this wee cat table on Ruth's Instagram ages ago, before I had even moved in to my flat, and raced over to The Magpie's Eye in Govan to pick it up. I totally love it, even though it's a bit rickety and mental. Ruth is the QUEEN of bargainous charity shop finds, go follow her immediately.

My N64 controller sits out, reminding me to get my dad round to help hook it up to my telly! It's all plugged in and ready to go, but I can't seem to get it to work... Literally DESPERATE to play Mario Kart again! Or Banjo and Kazooie, anyone?

This big map artwork is part of a collection of pieces surrounding the idea of Maps and Journeys which is, coincidentally, by my boyfriend, Roddy MacNeill. I'm massively biased, OBVIOUSLY, but he's pretty great at this art shenanigans, and it was the Maps project he was working on when we first met in 2012. This is a really old, vintage map of Scotland, painstakingly cut out and laid over a more contemporary map of downtown LA, which we discovered together on a trip to the Oxfam bookshop on Byres Road last year. 

I've loved this piece ever since, and I knew I wanted it to take pride of place in my living room. It's very big and heavy though, so it's still waiting to be hung...although part of me likes it propped up against the wall like this. 

You can find out about Roddy and his work HERE, and more info and details about buying prints HERE.

You can't really tell from the (admittedly awful) photo, but my bathroom door is comically narrow. Like, squeeze-in-sideways narrow! The idiosyncrasies in this flat are hilarious! Some doors are news, others, like this one, are so old they're practically hanging off - and NONE close all the way properly. But I love this tiny, higglety-pigglety door, complete with "Bathroom" sign left by the last owners, which I think is super-cute.

Just a wee print of Audrey from Urban Outfitters, in an Ikea frame, but this is in the alcove in the hall and greets me when I first walk through the door. I love her expression here and I find it quite calming, for some reason. 

Meerkat cushion from TK Maxx. Talk about a random purchase! Everyone hates this, and the colours are all wrong for the living room, but, MEERKATS. Come on.

When I first started unpacking all my books I was convinced I wouldn't have enough to fill the built-in bookcase, but man was I wrong. Turns out I have a good few too many, and they're currently stuffed under my bed and in random nooks and crannies all over the place. I tried to organise them into shelves like coffee table/fashion/art (not shown), pleasure, uni, misc/unread, but by now they're in a bit of a mess as I take them out, flip thorough them and shove them back in a new place. Again though, I love it. 

I've seen so many other flats where the bookcases are filled with photo frames and candles and nick-nacks, which I totally love too, but if I didn't display my books like this I don't honestly know where else I'd store them.

THE JOHN LEWIS MIRROR. It's huge, it's gorgeous, it was expensive, but every time I gaze up at it I smile because I know it's my favourite piece in the whole room, and maybe the whole flat. With the exception of the art, obviously! I had it hung before I had anything else in the living room and, without wanting to sound wanky, it sets the tone for the space, I think.

Another selection of awesome art by Roddy. I really honestly think I have the best pieces out of everything he's done. But then I am 1000% biased!

Old photies of my and my absent bestie never fail to make me smile.

Hummingbird welcome mat, again by TK Maxx, brightening up the drab close, and pink Ikea hall mat to wipe your dirty feet on. 

Sylvia Plath print by LucyLovesThis on Etsy. It's a beautiful print on really thick, great quality paper which looks fab in this dark grey frame from Ikea. This one's in my bedroom and I catch glimpses of it in the mirror every morning before I leave. Love Plath, love this.

"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye."

This clock was a housewarming gift from my friend Marie, who knows I love Le Petit Prince (if you haven't googled the name of this blog, do!) and it was so touching and thoughtful of her. I love this quote so much, and have a very similar one, also from the book, tattooed on my upper back, just at my neck. It's really special and it's up in my hall, usually telling me to get a wiggle on when I leave for work in the AM.



Large heart mason jar by TK Maxx. I use this to keep little happy memories in. Like train ticket stubs to place I've been, or little cards and nick-nacks, just small reminders of good things. I scoffed at the idea of this at first, but now I wouldn't be without it. I got it just before Christmas, and over next New Year I think I'll empty it out and have a wee happy greet to myself.

A little seahorse ornament which was a gift from a nice day spent at the Sea Life centre in Loch Lomond, my best guy Harry the Hippo from the long-gone Glasgow Zoo, and a hilarious Instgram snap of my friend Laura and I in Glencoe this time last year. Again with the cute wee mementos, this time on my bedside table. What's HAPPENED to me?!

"I just wanted to tell you I missed you, but not tell you, so I went into a wee shop and saw this and thought of you, because I think you rock like a rocky thing."

From the bestie back when she was living in Edinburgh a few years ago. Edinburgh doesn't feel so bad when shes literally on the other side of the world.

Just a wee snapshot of the things around my flat that make me happy. 

It's the little things.