1,000 Grand Designs Live show tickets to give away

I'm sure you love the fabulous TV series Grand Designs, and you also love dining out. If you're not a facebook fan of the wonderful Tastecard already, you'd better become one straight away. Today at 3pm they start handing out 1,000 entrance tickets to the upcoming Grand Designs Live show to their facebook fans, including 10 pairs of VIP tickets. Here's what you need to know:

Grand Designs Live, returns to ExCeL from 30th April – 8th May 2011 and this year’s show will be packed with bright ideas for your home.

The event is based on the hugely successful TV series, presented by design guru Kevin McCloud.  Shop from over 500 exhibitors and enjoy seven fantastic shows under one roof, including Interiors, Kitchens & Bathrooms, Gardens, Build, Technology and a Village eco-homes. Quiz a host of experts and celebrities including Kevin McCloud, George Clarke and Phil Spencer who will be appearing in the Grand Theatre...
It’s guaranteed to be a GRAND day out!

1,000 FREE show tickets to give away, including 10 pairs of VIP tickets!
Tastecard have 1,000 tickets to give away for the show’s opening weekend
(valid one day from 30 April – 2 May).
To claim, visit the advertised link at 3.00pm today, the link can be found on Tastecard's facebook offers page.
Tickets will be allocated on a first come first serve basis. Plus 10 lucky applicants will also
receive a free upgrade to a pair of VIP tickets! If you have been successful you will receive email confirmation within 24 hours. And if you’re not lucky enough to win then take advantage of a great 2 for 1 ticket offer also detailed on Tastecard's facebook offers page!

The sale is on!

Many stores have their mid-season sale at the moment, and one of them is Laura Ashley. They have beautiful storage boxes and woven baskets, and I particularly love these two designs. Check out the Laura Ashley website for more lovely items.


http://www.lauraashley.com

photos: Laura Ashley

Swimming in stuffed animals?

Most children have too many stuffed animals and can't let go of them because they love every single one to bits. Sooner or later the fluffy friends cover every single inch of space. They line the window sill and sleep on the top bunk bed, they sit on the sofa, or get thrown all over the floor.

Help is at hand: Boon's nifty Animal Bag. The oversized plush bag doesn't only store soft toys or blankets, it also doubles up as a soft seat for the kids. Through the mesh 'windows' you can even see what's stored in the bag. http://www.boonuk.co.uk/Animal-Bag.php

photos: Boon

The One Day M&S Wardrobe Clear-out: Thursday 24th March

Myleen Klass sorts out her wardrobe (photo: Marks& Spencer). 

You've probably known it for some time: your wardrobe needs a good clear-out, it's basically bursting at the seams. You can neither see what's in there - especially not your silk blue blouse from Marks & Spencer that's fallen off the hanger and is crammed somewhere between your boots and the handbags - nor can you find the skirt you'd planned to wear tonight.

Help is at hand, and even money: on Thursday 24th March, Marks & Spencer is having a One Day Wardrobe Clearout. Every old clothing you bring will be donated to Oxfam on your behalf, which includes moth-eaten woolly sweaters and jeans that've really had it. For donating Marks & Spencer clothing you'll even receive a 5-pound shopping voucher for their store. What more do you want???

By the way: if you don't have the time to go to an M&S shop and have an Oxfam shop nearby, you can bring everything to Oxfam directly. They'll even give you a 5-pound voucher for donating your M&S clothing.

photo: Marks & Spencer

If you go for it, you'll be in famous company: Mylene Klass is planning to declutter her wardrobe, and Twiggy (second from left) is also donating one of her belongings: an old cape that she hasn't worn since the sixties.

Beautiful Dandelion

I went to IKEA yesterday and enjoyed a free coffee on a comfy white leather sofa. A cluster of beautiful white dandelions floated above me, or in other words: IKEA's stunning Maskros lamp. It comes in two sizes and its designer Marcus Arvonen must be so proud of himself. I bet this lamp will become an all time classic.

photos: Ikea www.ikea.com and www.custombackgroundsfortwitter.com

Crowns and Coronets

picture: Graham & Brown, www.grahambrown.com/uk

I discovered a beautiful wallpaper in an interior design magazine: 'Crowns and Coronets' by Graham & Brown. What a lovely design, and certainly inspired by the upcoming royal wedding. I would use it in small spaces like dressing areas or the downstairs toilet rather than in larger rooms but that's a matter of taste. The Graham & Brown website shows several possible uses of this particular wallpaper, including dining-rooms and children's rooms, and you should really have a look. The company is an Aladdin's grotto for fabulous wallcoverings, and  it's really hard to decide which one to get.http://www.grahambrown.com/uk/index

Meet the Fairy Sofa Godmother

Photo: Bemz (www.bemz.com)

I just love my old IKEA sofa, it's so comfy and almost feels like a good old friend. Too bad that the cover is past its prime and the sofa model has been discontinued for a while. How often have I wished the sofa had some kind of fairy godmother who waved her magic wand over it and, hey presto, it would be as good as new. Wishful thinking, of course, because there is no such thing as a fairy sofa godmother. Or is there?

Indeed there is, and her name is Bemz (or rather the company's name is Bemz: http://www.bemz.com). They make the most beautiful slip covers for all IKEA sofa models, even those that have been discontinued (they also do chairs) - and they don't just copy IKEA's original covers. You'll find exciting choices like fabrics from Designers Guild and Marimekko.

What a great idea!

Decluttering tweets

This morning on Twitter I stumbled over a group of mothers at the other end of the world who tweeted about their positive experiences with decluttering. It's great to hear their comments, and everything they say is true: a decluttered home is so much calmer, better organised and MUCH easier to clean - a true feelgood home!

http://www.mothering.com/community/forum/thread/1295105/my-favourite-thing-about-being-decluttered-add-yours


If you live in North London or Hertfordshire and need help with decluttering, check out my website www.restyle-your-home.co.uk and get in touch.

Green, a great colour

It's Saint Patrick's Day today and instantly I think of shamrock and happy cows on vast Irish fields. Shamrock is such a lovely little plant, and even supposed to bring luck when you find one with four leaves.My children are really good at this, but I'm sure there must be some kind of trick. There can't possibly be that many four-leaved clovers growing in our garden.

Wouldn't you just love to enjoy your morning shower in a bath like this? Green is such a refreshing and rejuvenating colour, it never fails to make me energised and feeling in tune with nature. Personally I prefer splashes of green in a room rather than going for an all green scheme, because too much green can cast an unfortunate, sickly shade on your guests - and yourself.

Have a great Saint Patrick's Day!

Lovely compliment!

One of my decluttering clients made me a lovely compliment today. Thanks! It made my day and it's so nice to know what a difference my help has made.

I went to a decluttering seminar yesterday. The event was held in an immaculately kept Scottish club in London (no decluttering needed there!) with beautiful tartan carpets and plenty of stuffed stags heads ogling down from the walls.

Tartan fabrics are great for interiors, they're so warm and colourful. The one in the picture, which I found in an old copy of the Daily Mail, is from Osborne & Little. Here's the link to the article: www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1079718/Witty-bit-wild-tartans-checks-weave-way-latest-home-looks.html

I had a truly inspirational day, and it was interesting to mingle with other declutterers and learn about the variety of decluttering and organizing services on offer. The apdo website http://www.apdo-uk.co.uk is the best place to find a decluttering service in your area, or - if you live in the North London or Hertfordshire area - go straight to my own website www.restyle-your-home.co.uk