GIVEAWAY: Castle and Things

I am so excited for today!! We have teamed up with Rachel of Castle and Things for a special GIVEAWAY! Designer, Rachel Castle spent years working at Country Road in the homewares marketing division, from there she headed to London to work at The Conran Shop in the buying department, and ended up heading the branding division responsible for all the printed material for the shops and restaurants worldwide.   After leaving The Conran Shop, she established her own successful branding agency The Nest in the UK.  THESE DAYS Rachel is busily being a Mum, styling & writing for Australian magazines and designing gorgeous things for her homewares brand CASTLE.

Castle and Things represents a love of beautiful, often handcrafted or handprinted, pieces for the home.

If you haven't heard of Rachel or her Australian home line then you must head over and check out the website. From bedlinen's to artwork, her dots & pom pom's are a must household purchase.  

One lucky winner will be receiving a super cool prize!  

The Prize:

One VELVET LIGHT GREY 4 POM POM CUSHION COVER + One VELVET YELLOW 4 POM POM CUSHION COVER

How to Enter:

It's Easy!! Leave a comment here with your email then Tweet about this giveaway + link to this giveaway on Twitter. Make sure to Hashtag #CastleandThings & #TheStyledBlog. 

If you don't have Twitter:

That's okay, you can still enter. Leave a comment here with your email then POST about this giveaway on Facebook + link to this giveaway on Facebook. Make sure to Tag @CastleandThings  & @Styled.

Giveaway ends:

Tuesday, July 10th. I will post the WINNER's name on my blog, so come back to see if it's your name I post. 

Best of Luck!!!

nordic design

My design esthetic has always been vintage eclectic glam with a touch of modern. However, just as your taste buds change over the years, the older I get my design esthetic is changing. Don't get me wrong, I still love glitz & glam, vintage baubles but I have been drawn to simple, modern, graphic pops, statement pieces and honestly becoming more of a minimalist. 

It might be because I have a 3 year old who makes more of mess now then she ever has and I can't handle the mess anymore. 

It also might be because I'm drawn to how others live in other parts of the world. Europe, UK, & Australian lifestyle is different. In America it is all about having the dream house, cars, money. The land of the free! In other parts of the world it's about spending time with your family, enjoying life, where you live, traveling the world. They live simple, their homes are a tad smaller than what we are a custom to living. They do have three or four people living in a one bedroom flat. Yet, they make the most of the square footage, resulting in it looking & feeling bigger than it is. I love how you will see the black and white color blocking throughout a home, graphic pops in the kitchen, living room, & bedroom. Kids design made for adults.

Which brings me to what my post is really about today. Haha! 

Nordic Happy Design

Have you heard of a shop called Little Studio? Well you should check out their website. They have fun playful designs for your home. 

Designers, Marit Lissdaniel and Angelica Utterberg wanted their designs to fit children & adults. The two loved how children have the ability to see things for more than they really are. For example, a triangle could be a triangle- but it could also be a mountain. They try to avoid the traditional gender roles so their designs apply to everyone. 

The best part about their shop for us in the US, they ship WORLD WIDE!!! 

*Hey you, don't forget to follow Style{d} on Pinterest! 

Current Obsession: WASHI TAPE

I can't get my mind off WASHI TAPE! 

Does anyone else feel the same way? 

Every website, blog, magazine I look at, has it showcased. 

Solids, Prints, Patterns, Shapes, OH  MY!!!

Needless to say, I am obsessed and need to get myself some. However, I am nervous to use it. Even though it is adorable up, I live in a rental so eventually I am sure I will be moving. That being said, I don't want to ruin my pictures, posters, and art taking them off the wall. I know it is suppose to be removable but still.... HELP! What would you do? 

DO IT? DON'T IT?

via Moastidrom

via Moastidrom

In the meantime, while I make a decision, I have been researching where to purchase. I really want neon stripes, hot pink, flat black, and grey. I came across quite a few blog post on it and every one of them pointed me to MT Masking Tape out of Japan. I loved all the pictures on their site but when it came to the inventory I did not find what I was looking for. Sad face.

My search continued, until, I was scanning Etsy the other day and came across seller Crafty Japan. Cha Ching! They have every solid, print, pattern, shape, & size I am looking for! You must check out their unique selection...washi tape for days.

Now it's on to the wall layout....

Ooh Jeez, that is a whole other blog post people. :)

via Kenzipoo

via Mechant Design

via Kenzipoo

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Mamas & Papas -How to-

Good Morning Readers! This is a sponsored post written by someone else. 

Thank you for being supportive of the sponsors that help me run The Style{d} Blog. This post is sponsored by VERY UK. Join them on Facebook!

How to Buy Your First Pushchair

 The period before your firstborn’s arrival is one of excitement, pressure and apprehension, and a lot of your time will be taken up preparing everything you need. One essential most mothers agree is incredibly important is a high quality pushchair. However, finding the right pushchair for you and your child can be incredibly difficult. To help you through the challenges ahead, we’ve compiled this concise guide to what to look for in a new pushchair.

 Which type?

There are numerous models available on the market, so picking out the design that best suits your needs can take a lot of research. However, there are a few basic things to look out for. Firstly, how many children will it need to carry? You can now purchase pushchairs that have space allowances for three children, so it’s well worth thinking ahead. Secondly, would you prefer a forward or rear-facing pushchair? This will mainly come down to personal preference and how you would like your child to travel. Finally, many pushchairs now have the ability to change from upright buggies to flat-lying prams, so consider whether this would be useful or not.

 Brand

Though brand isn’t the be all and end all when it comes to buying a pushchair, it can

make a difference. It’s often a better idea to go for an established brand that has a reputation for high quality design, production and safety standards. With this in mind, the Very.co.uk Mamas & Papas pushchair range will ensure you receive the quality you’ve paid for.

Lifestyle

One of the most important considerations to take into account when buying a pushchair is the kind of lifestyle you lead. This will have a large impact on the way in which you use your pushchair, and the obstacles it will have to overcome.

If you live in the city and find yourself using a lot of public transport, it’s going to be a much better idea to buy a lightweight pushchair that’s easy to lift. On the other hand, if you live in a more rural setting, you may want to consider a buggy that is more durable and built for countryside conditions.