Design Inspiration. Planet Stencil Library.

Another shop, another cherry blossom

Well, since my last post, which showed the DR2 Cherry Blossom stencil in my shop, I visited a lovely store near Newcastle-upon-Tyne called Me Me Me and they have the same cherry blossom stencil on their wall.  It looks quite different to mine so I took a photo to show you. Me Me Me specialises in unusual bags and accessories. They have a mail order web site.  I fell in love with a fab but tiny dress from God Save The Queen and am now on a strict diet in the remote hope that it will be in their sale at a time when I am slim enough to fit it! H.

A grand day out

Every couple of years, Belsay Hall in Northumberland puts together an art exhibition to take my breath away.  I coveted this beautiful life size horse made of Swarovski crystal designed by Stella McCartney.  It was housed in the deserted ruin of Belsay's castle.  Sadly, the horse has moved to new pastures, but not before rekindling my affection for sparkly things.  As a result, one of the guest rooms in my home has 600 crystals set onto a Chinoiserie pattern of birds and peonies.  You will see more of the room when it appears on our regular Tour Of The Stencilled House posts. In the meantime, here is a detail from the walls.

This year the Belsay exhibition is called "The Picture House".  Artists, film directors, actors and musicians have been invited to fill Belsay Hall's empty rooms with installations to delight and amuse the visitor.  It was fabulous!  I recommend that you take a full day to explore all the installations and Belsay's famous gardens. There was much to see, some of it was baffling and some was wonderful.  I think my favourite rooms were by Geraldine Pilgrim's, but judging by other's comments, they were not everyone's cup of tea.

Another of her rooms featured trees growing in a bedroom, forming a canopy over the ceiling.

I would like a room like this.  Tree by the side of the bed please, not through it!  The branches would be perfect to hang chandelier droplets.  Another highlight was a fabulous room of moving, pulsing wallpaper created by