The brief for this month’s Urban Jungle Bloggers was two-fold - Judith and Igor asked for us to style our little green friends along the themes of 'Spring' or 'Easter'. I know already in Blogland Easter is upon us, and Easter crafts, DIYs and stylings are popping up left, right and centre. However on planet Lauren Lou Bate it’s a whole month away and I’ve not even started to think about the the chocolatiest of all holidays.

Spring, however, has arrived ridiculously early, there’s been absolutely no denying it! And, so far, the arrival of this joyous season has meant undertaking a huge Spring-clean of the apartment, purging crap unnecessary items accumulated in the FOUR years (yes, this month also celebrates my four year occupation of the “Beehive”) spent living in the same space, deep cleaning the kitchen and bathroom*, and rearranging the furniture and deco to better suit my our aesthetics.
 
One of the first areas I tackled was my desk and “office” area. Sitting down at my computer to work has to be a calm and inspiring experience, otherwise I avoid it like the plague. Which then equals no work produced, and a very cranky me. So, for my second installment of the Urban Jungle Bloggers series, I got to work with a bottle of my favourite pink grapefruit cleaning product, and using its scent as the inspiration, as well as a change-of-season cold I was suffering the day I shot these pics, put my desk-scape together in fresh, Vitamin-C-filled, citrusy harmony with the help of Marcus the ficus and Makmood*,  whose pot I decorated with some skinny washi tape.

Having these two plants around makes my desk feel more alive and energising. I now feel like celebrating each corner of the apartment I get through in my spring-cleaning mission with some urban greenery.
Pretty decent motivation if you ask me!

'To-do' list notepad from the new Garance Doré x Rifle Paper Co. stationary line, available at Colette. 

*Special thanks goes out to the man of the appart', Mr M, who helped me with this shoot by holding up my reflective foam core boards on a very dimly-lit afternoon, who cleans the bathroom - my most despised chore - without complain, and likes to give our houseplants really obscure names.

xx

Urban Jungle Bloggers is a monthly series initiated by 2 bloggers: Igor (Happy Interior Blog) and Judith (JOELIX.com). Every month we share ideas to create an urban jungle through styling ideas, DIYs and green tips & tricks. You can find additional inspiration on our Urban Jungle Bloggers Pinterest board and keep up-to-date via our Facebook page. Want to join? Use #urbanjunglebloggers on twitter and instagram. Or let let Judith and Igor know you're keen and I'm sure they'll share all the details. Let's bring some green into our homes and blogs!

One plant :: three ways

Urban Jungle Bloggers is a little, but growing, movement started by Judith and Igor to inspire people to bring more greenery and nature into their homes. I’ve followed Judith’s infectious love for greenery intently on Instagram but it was only last week, two days before this month’s episode, that I realised that I could perhaps play along, too. And was greatly welcomed to! Thanks guys!! This month’s episode of UJB involved styling one plant three different ways, something I’d be meaning to have fun with for a long time since I bought several little cacti and succulents, embarrassingly, ages ago. I chose this more cactusy-looking little guy, I don’t even know his kind, my green thumb is still very fresh. He’s looking a little pruney at the moment, but I don’t water him, just a couple drops every now and then, so I’m hoping he’s just in need of some decent vitamin D, like all of us are here in Europe!

So, just in time for the close of February, here they are…

Number one - Moroccan-inspired reading spot

Or, "all-the-stuff-Mr-M-bought-back-from-his-trip-to-Morocco-thrown-up-against-the-wall" reading spot.
I really wanted to see if I could freestyle macramé a hanging planter. Originally I thought of doing one in neon cord and it being really modern and fresh but then I found this beautiful linen string in amongst my supplies and further digging brought up the wooden beads and I realised that they would tie all Mr M’s Moroccan souvenirs nicely together. I liked the idea of sitting there lost in a book and having a little green friend, hanging by your head, for company. The banner was originally going to read READ but as I was cutting out the letters I realised that I could rearrange them and add an M to make DREAM to hang in my bedroom afterwards and then I liked that better. A DIY tutorial for the planter will come shortly, I promise!

Number two - souvenir shelf

This was the idea that sparked buying some little plants in the first place and putting together this little post. I’d souvenired this little can after our trip to Cap Ferret, where you can go in the afternoons and eat freshly shucked oysters directly from the oyster farmers, but because they are not allowed to have kitchens to cook other food to offer they serve little jars of pâté to eat alongside your chilled white wine and oysters. It’s the weirdest thing, but somehow works and is utterly divine. It’s been my favourite holiday so far so I thought of housing the little guy in the can I lugged home alongside some other highly memorable things and souvenirs. The can obviously offers no drainage so I had to get heavy with a nail and hammer to make some holes at the bottom so soil stays properly dry.

Number three - geometric dresser

Oh, to have a minimalist, clean dresser. This is another project that I had going on in my head for a while and think will be how I pot my little succulents. Posca paints are just the best! I liked the idea of a little fresh green life to great you in the morning as you are getting ready for the day. The cute triangles just make me happy. I also threw in a cheeky second plant, my air plant, who I love so so much! I’m going to call her Ellen. I propped her in a napkin holder and just strung her up with some white nylon. After the jump I’ve included some pics on how I DIYed the painted pot.

Thank you to Igor and Judith for allowing me be included in this month’s Urban Jungle Bloggers party. It was fun!

xx

Urban Jungle Bloggers is a monthly series initiated by 2 bloggers: Igor (Happy Interior Blog) and Judith (JOELIX.com). Every month we share ideas to create an urban jungle through styling ideas, DIYs and green tips & tricks. You can find additional inspiration on our Urban Jungle Bloggers Pinterest board and keep up-to-date via our Facebook page. Want to join? Use #urbanjunglebloggers on twitter and instagram. Or let let Judith and Igor know you're keen and I'm sure they'll share all the details. Let's bring some green into our homes and blogs!

Hoya Kerrii

New plant obsession...

 
These guys grow leaves the shape of perfect hearts. Like a green love explosion blooming from the earth, which then blossoms in the form of clustered red and white stars, hiding little balls of nectar in their petals - these balls can burst and release a sticky orange mess every where!
Originally from South-East Asia, each year single leaves from these guys can be found in little pots to buy at local supermarkets all over Europe in the days before February 14; I bought my little white-potted fellow at Ikea at the weekend. But, unbeknownst to me at the time of purchase, if these guys aren't propagated without a little of the vine still attached to the leaf they will never grow into the very cool plants you see below. They are confined to their one-leaf status for good. It’s a little sad. I’ve got my green-thumbs crossed that my little guy grows into the climbing vine he was destined to be, little, messy, star-shaped flowers and all!

Pic creds; 1 :: 2 :: 3 :: 4 :: 5 :: 6 :: 7 :: 8

xx