new lovelies...

Hello there my sweets! Exciting times here at rubyandjoy HQ, with new products being created for our first market stall! Come along and say hello at the Byres Rd Makers Markets in Glasgow! We'll be there on the 29th June (that's 18 days from now, but who's counting), and we'll be stocked to the brim with gorgeous products! Check out the market here and make sure you pop it in your diary! I shall accept snacks and hot drinks on the day.

And don't forget to have a look at our etsy store, he's been a wee bit neglected as all our products are being packed up in preparation for the market, but there's a few new lovelies in there! Our sweet eyemasks now come packaged in a lovely wee fabric bag - perfect for a gift! And our delicious lavender and flaxseed eye pillows come packaged up in a gorgeous brown box with tag. 

Keep your eyes peeled for pictures, and I hope you have a splendid day wherever you are!

how wonderful...

Happy weekend lovelies! 

wildflowers...

Hello there! What's that you ask? Is it that time of year again? When the woods turn blue and the flowers come out to play? Oh YES, helpful reader, it most certainly is! 

And so, because it is obviously necessary...three cheers for the bluebell woods!! Am I excited? Yes indeedy. Unfortunately, through an error of epic proportions (EPIC), we turned up at the woods without my camera. A particularly horrified gasp is suitable right now. Luckily for me, I had two of my dear friends staying with us, visiting from Australia! And as as any good tourist should be, they were with camera! Not to be confused with 'with child'. 

When any of our dear friends visit, my first thought when planning dates is always, 'will the bluebells be out?' And I tell you with much excitement, this time, they were! Gorgeous bluebells as far as the eye can see...up hills, down hills, to the left and to the right...the beautiful sweet scent wafting through the air. The photos will never do it justice, but here's a few to cheer your heart. And I'd also like to give a shout out to the sun who decided to make our days together warm and extra delightful! If you'd like to stick around, I'd be most grateful... x

big blue skies...

Hello there my lovely readers! 

How have you been? Australia was MAGNIFICENT - of course! And I can't believe how quickly a month can fly by when you're having fun. And much fun we did have! There was a mini break in the Hunter Valley (excellent food), swims in the ocean a-plenty (definitely looked like a British tourist there), coffee/lunch/dinner/brunch/food with friends (the LOVELIEST of friends), and time spent with family that was pure gold.

The sky - OH the sky - was big and blue, bright and blue and big. There was fabric sourcing with my Mum which was akin to Christmas (oh. my. word.), gardening with the family at my parents new house (watch out for the funnel webs...ehhh pardon?!), cuddles with friends new babies, live jazz at the local pizza spot, and thousands of hugs from my nieces. There was SO much more as well, but I shall stop there, so as not to become a waffler. Is that even a word? Yes. We're going with yes.

And now we're back here! I do believe there has been two notable sunny days, which were concluded as being 'Summer'. To which I have thrown my fists up at the sky and shouted 'WHY?!'. Internally of course. And who knows, lets think positively! Tomorrow might just be a cracker (of the good weather type, not the water type)! Rubyandjoy is back in the swing of things with much sewing and taking over of the entire house with 'projects', which husbando is loving. There are exciting things afoot and I'm all about sharing! Market days, new products, Christmas scheming already (OH YES), merchandising and new stockists, there is much to be thankful for. And our wee balcony is bulging with new plants, which although is very exciting for me and my love of all things flora (not the margarine), means we sadly can not both be outside at the same time due to space restrictions. It's a pot plant tetris world we live in, and I love it!

And so I wanted to say a big hello, I've missed you, and HAPPY SPRING! Unless you're in the Southern Hemisphere. Or if you're up the road from me and it's still snowing. STILL SNOWING.

xx

3 sleeps...

in three sleeps, this will be happening. in australia. 

i. can't. wait. 

pic via here

say hello to some new friends...

I was very excited to have to opportunity to help out my cousin, the very talented Ebba of Ebba Goring Jewellery, at the British Craft Trade Fair in Harrogate over the past week. We met some of the loveliest people, and some exceptionally clever ones too. These are just some of my favourites..

image one - charlotte morrison ceramics

image two - hop and peck

image three - ebba goring jewellery (of course!)

image four - miri studio

image five - laura slater textiles

I'm off to Australia in four sleeps (FOUR. SLEEPS.), but I have been very inspired and while away was itching to get out my sewing machine and keep making lovely things for our etsy store. I'm going to do my best over the next few days (besides packing like a mad women), so keep your ears to the ground for some new lovely bits and bobs.

Meanwhile, I highly recommend getting yourself some flowers today (preferably daffodils). It may be grey and cold again (Spring has gone MIA), but my happy little chappies keep smiling at me with their yellow faces, and it is mucho appreciated!

xx

harrogate, dahling...

I am of on an adventure, my friends, and I'm going to Harrogate! My lovely cousin and I are heading to the British Craft Trade Fair (as she is exhibiting), and so we have packed our bags and are heading off for a few nights in Yorkshire. And my wordy, it seems we'll be having the most sophisticated of times!

This is what my (very basic) research tells me;
     * The gardens are lovely
     * Betty's Tea Rooms are world wide famous, and one MUST pop in if one is to experience Harrogate's finest
     * There is an exceptional florist that has a lovely window/street display (thank you google maps)
     * And if one should ever feel the need to grow a giant cabbage and/or onion, Harrogate is the place to display it

I feel as though cricket, Pimms, and the words 'jolly good chap' may have been in high rotation at some point in this beautiful town, and I'm excited to see what we discover! Apart from when we're busy working, of course!

Have you got a long weekend booked away anywhere soon? Have you ever been to a British spa town? Have you ever wondered why there are so many vegetables in Pimms? 

xx

Check out Ebba Goring's exceptionally beautiful work here.

beautiful blooms...

Everyone let out a big sad sigh with me...*SIGH*. Thank you kindly. Sometimes I MISS flowers! Well, I miss them more than sometimes. But never fear my lovelies, because Pinterest keeps me sane. Three cheers for Pinterest! Hip hooray! In a season that feels like Spring will never arrive (it is still snowing here!), my eyes are happy chappies when I go for a (metaphoric) wander through my flower pins.

I hope you get to feast your eyes on something especially lovely today. Two weeks today I'll be of to feast my eyes on my homeland...three cheers for Australia!! Hip hooray!

xx

top left - greenweddingshoes.com, top right - floralverde.com, bottom left - Sarah Winward flowers, bottom right - ruffledblog.com...all via Pinterest

easter...

 

Yesterday He died, tomorrow He will defeat death. Today, we wait...

counting the days...

Oh YES there are!

 

Tomorrow - Hair coloured. I'm almost at the stage of it looking like my roots are on purpose (eg balayage, dip dye etc), however, they're not. It just looks bad.

 

Next Friday - Harrowgate with my cousin. We're of on a road trip and I'm tagging along to support THE Ebba Goring as she exhibits at the British Craft Trade Fair. No need to explain the many levels of excitement that shall entail!

 

Two weeks and four days - AUSTRALIA! FOR A MONTH! Am I excited? Yes. Have I started packing? Yes. Am I going to be pasty on arrival? Very.

 

I hope you've got lots of lovely things coming up too! And if not..I give you full permission to start planning some now. STAT!

 

image via cherrybam.tumblr.com

 

 



 

the school...

I have had the curious delight of seeing many an instagram picture and reference to 'the School' of late, and apart from wishing my socks of I was there, taking part in the fun, I was also intrigued as to what it actually was. Well! HOW did I miss it?! To be fair, I've not been in the country. 

But STILL! 

So please excuse my very late uptake. And, as they have just turned one, let's blow up a balloon and throw some confetti in the air (go on, it'll be fun!) to celebrate their craftiness!

Get your cute self over there and you will have awesome amounts of fun. Megan Morton, super stylist, has started up top notch workshops for all. Sharing is caring, and if you're interested in screen printing, shibori, flower fun and all manner of other brilliant crafty bits and bobs, you should check it out. That's an order! Not really, that be a bit bossy. But I promise, you will love it. 

I'll just be here. Wishing I was there. 

image via - the School

chin up...

Even if you had a cereal down your chin, fall into the wall, kick your toe on the bed kind of morning.

Yep. Even then.

x

print via  - the love shop

hello darling...

Recently I saw a few of my friends had like posts by Darling Magazine on facebook, and I, not being one to be purposefully left out, jumped onto their website. 

And I found THIS! Their mission. And I fell in love. 

I'm still discovering, but check it out here. They're based in America (sad face), but there is a LOT available online (v. happy face). Go forth and unearth the loveliness that awaits! And then, if you're in the UK, have a pear. They're AWESOME right now.

artwork credit - Angela Duncan via Darling Magazine

happy weekend!

Happy weekend! How will you be celebrating? With day time fireworks? Me too. But if that doesn't pan out for you (or I), let's make a list of all the lovely things we would like to do, yes?

Spring cleaning! This is probably only lovely in thought, not so much in action. But HOW GOOD it will feel when I'm done far outweighs the sneeze-a-thon that will precede cleanliness. It shall include carpet washing, window wiping, wardrobe cull, and lots of windows being open. For this to happen, of course, it must reach over 2 degrees and quit snowing.

Walking. I do love a good walk, and it seems we're in a good spot for it. Always accompanied by a good sandwich and a flask of tea - which one has to eat in the car, because it's too cold to be sedentary in the wilderness. 

Reading. The house is filled with afternoon sunlight (yes, that's a miracle in itself), and from where I sit on our comfy wee couch, it's pretty cosy. Curled up with a cup (or 3) of tea, a good book and perhaps a few blankets - sounds like bliss!

Eating. Obviously.

Gardening! Or balcony-ing? De-winter-ing our balcony. All legitimate words. At the moment it's a cluster of sticks in pots which is looking very sad and neglected. Except for, excitement upon excitement, my 3 pots of tulip bulbs, selected carefully and brought home all the way from Amsterdam. Lovely parrot-y ones in pinks, oranges and reds. Knowing my luck they'll be in full bloom while I'm away for a month, so I am fully prepared to pay someone to come and take good photos for me. Payment shall be in the form of the joy you will feel on beholding the magnificent sight of aforementioned tulips. Pretty generous, eh? 

Crafty-ing. Husbando will say, 'Nicola, stop working so hard!', and I'll say, 'Fetch me a biscuit!'. Not really. I'll say, 'I'm not working hard!'. And then we'll fetch a biscuit together.

Let's be honest, probably about 7.2% of that stuff is going to happen, and it won't be as pretty as pinterest makes it look. However! I like to dream and I like to plan, and so - voila! 

I'm off to sort my socks. My weekend of awesomeness starts NOW! x

what's your favourite?

As a florist I get to work with the loveliest and most beautiful of flowers! *high five* When I was working full time in floristry, I used to get asked a LOT which one was my favourite, which was always impossible to answer. I love the colour in parrot tulips and their thick curly petals, I love big lemon lilies which smell so sweet, and November lilies too. I love deep purple violets and creamy white gardenias. I love big bowers of blossom and bushy hydrangeas. I love the colour and delicacy of poppies and big full garden roses. But one of my top favourites (because I can't measure them any closer than that!) is these purple anemones. LOVE EM!

Apparently other folk are quite keen on them too, so much that they've written poems about them! DH Lawrence did, but it's a bit terrifying, so we'll brush right over that.

What's your favourite? x

image credit - to moi!