Looking for some hot stuff?!

I usually start blog entries with a photo, but today’s entry needs a bit of an introduction first.

Now, I’m a fairly liberal (I’ve worked for women’s magazines where it’s practically part of the job description). And regular readers of this blog will know I love everything from Lakeland – I could spend hundreds on their ruthlessly effective cleaning products and gadgets that solve problems you never knew existed.

But even I did a double-take when I saw their new Chilli Mill, below. Apparently it cuts chillis into tiny pieces like a pepper grinder (and I notice they have steered away from calling it a grinder), but hey,  never mind all that – JUST LOOK AT IT!

Lakeland, who obviously have a brilliantly wicked sense of humour, say it has an “eye-catching shape” and that’s certainly true. Imagine waving it around when the in-laws come round for dinner! Crikey. And you’d have to make sure it didn’t end up in the bedroom by mistake. With all those chillis, it might, erm, spice things up in a very painful way!

Buzzing with excitement to get one of your own? It’s £24.99 instore or from www.Lakeland.co.uk.

Tags: chilli grinder, chilli pepper mill, Lakeland Chilli Mill

Measure for measure

When they were handing out good looks in the animal kingdom, snails weren’t at the front of the queue (they can’t move that fast, obviously…). However, they do make for really cute desk accessories – just check out these little fellas! You simply pull on their antennae (is that the right word?) and out pops a tape measure. Genius. They’re £7.99 from www.mocha.uk.com.

I also can’t resist these sweet little animal tape measures from Japan (just £2.99 from various sellers on EBay – search under ‘panda tape measure’ and they’ll all pop up). Choose from a frog, panda, piggy, bear or friendly-faced tiger. Perfect for popping in your pocket when you go to Ikea.

Finally, when is a tape measure not a tape measure? When it’s a Sellotape dispenser! Cunning designers Suck UK, who make some brilliant products, have created this tape dispenser disguised as an old school traditional measure (£5.99 from www.amazon.co.uk or £7.99  from www.mocha.uk.com). I reckon every well-dressed desk should have one.

Tags: cute tape measure, Koziol, snail tape measure, Suck UK tape dispenser, tape measure

Colour me happy

I’m a fan of big chunky jewellery, so I loved these bright, beautiful rings the minute I saw them – even before I found out about their secret double life.

You see, they’re crayons! Yep, each ring (you get a set of six Kikkerland Round Colour Rings for £7 at www.junkskull.com) is made of wax crayon, so you can draw with your knuckles whenever the urge takes you. You could even string the set on a piece of ribbon for an unusual yet functional necklace – just whip it off to scribble down your number when a hot boy asks for a date (um, or in my case, write down something to put on the shopping list!)

They’re great fun for big and little kids alike (they’re non-toxic, fact fans), and a cool present for anyone with an arty streak.

Tags: crayon rings, finger crayons, Junk Skull, Kikkerland round colour rings

By hook or by nook

Keys, mobiles, iPods, glasses/glasses cases, pens, lipbalm… you can never find things like these when you need them. Which is usually just as you’re trying to leave the house and are in a bit of a flap anyhow.

That’s why I’m thinking of investing in a HookNook – a genius new cubbyhole and coat/bag/scarf hook combined. It’s big enough to hold all those vital bits and bobs, yet discreet at the same time

Why not get one for each member of your household and put them in a line

The Hook Nook by Flip & Tumble is £11 (for the white version) at www.junkskull.com or £13.35 (for a green or brown version) at www.amazon.co.uk

PS: Like this blog? Nominate it for an award!
If you love my blog, I’d be honoured if you’d nominate it for the ‘Lifestyle Blog of the Year’ in the Cosmo Blog Awards 2012. To do so only takes a few seconds – just enter www.thetreasurehunteruk.com in the ‘Lifestyle Blog’ category on the following link:
http://www.cosmopolitan.co.uk/blogs/cosmo-blog-awards-2012/cosmo-blog-awards-2012_nominate
Nominations close at the end of June. Thank you!

Tags: coat hooks, cubby holes, hook nook, hooks, iphone holder

Welcome gnome

The other day, I went to Bromley (I know, I lead an exciting life!), and when I arrived at the station, I was nearly mown down by three and a half thousand schoolchildren waving Union Jacks. The reason? It turns out the Queen had been to visit.

Secretly, I was a wee bit gutted I’d missed her, as I’ve had a soft spot for Her Majesty ever since I wrote to her for a school project and she ‘replied’ on fancy embossed paper.

Anyhow, given all this, you’d think I’d  have snapped up all the Royal Diamond Jubilee memorabilia that’s around at the moment. But actually, I’ve been quite restrained. A lot of it is OTT on the Union Jack front and it all looks a bit same-y.

You see, I like my souvenirs to be classy, elegant, understated and unusual – like these Royal gnomes, above (well, one out of four isn’t bad…!). Yep, following the success of last year’s Royal Wedding gnomes, B&Q have created these jolly little people to rule over your flowerbeds. They’re £12.98 each or £20 a pair and unbelievably, they’re so popular they’re likely to be a sell-out. Bonkers.

On a slightly more serious note, I do love the stylish square Jubilee biscuit tins from M&S, below – they’re a great size and the biccies inside are top notch. Tins always age well, and they’ll look pretty on a shelf for years to come.

PS:
If you’ve got children, take them to one of B&Q’s special Jubilee craft workshops while you’re picking up your gnomes. Over 50 stores are running free kids’ classes  for 7-11 year olds on 2nd and 3rd May, where they’ll learn to make little wooden boats in honour of the Thames River pageant. Cute! Visit www.DIY.com/kidsclasses for details.

Tags: fun garden gnomes, king and queen gnomes, M&S Diamond Jubilee biscuits, Royal gnomes, souvenir biscuits

Fork this way

As I’ve mentioned before, afternoon tea is fast replacing dinner parties as the way to entertain friends at home.

But while you don’t have to faff about making three-course meals and dusting off your dinner service, you do still need to put in a little bit of effort. If you’re going to let them eat cake, they need to do it with a cake fork.

What’s wrong with normal cutlery, my other half asks. Well, it’s the same reason I always ask for a teaspoon to eat my pudding with in restaurants – dainty cake forks (or pastry forks, as they’re often called) make your dainty cake last longer. Which is kind of the whole point of afternoon tea.

Surprisingly though, it’s very hard to get anything other than boring stainless steel cake cutlery. Pretty forks are few and far between. Still, they do exist.

Your best bet? Head to www.portmeirion.co.uk where a box of six forks with gorgeous Crazy Daisy design handles is on sale for £13.20 at the moment; or a set of six Dawn Chorus forks, with candy pastel birds on the handles (top of page), is £17.

Alternatively, a set of six Italian cake forks with different coloured slender handles is £21 at www.thediningcompany.com; or if you’re eating outside, Rice’s cute bright melamine cake forks, available in two different colour combinations, are just £5.75 at www.pardonmyfrench.co.uk.

PS: I thought up so many puns I could have used as a title for this entry, such as ‘It’s so funny, how we don’t fork any more’ and the simple ‘fork it’. I particularly liked “Happy, hap-py hap-py happy fork”, but thought some people might not get it…

Tags: afternoon tea, cake forks, pastry forks, pretty cake forks

Milky Milky

There’s something really pleasing about old skool glass milk bottles. Part of the appeal, for those of us who grew up with a milk round, is pure nostalgia; and part of it is that they just look so chic. A row of bottles with a single bloom in each is a look that’s almost impossible to get wrong (and it’s cheap, too).

If you haven’t got any old bottles in your shed, try boot sales, junk shops and antique stores. Then again, you could just cheat…

One of my favourite online shops, www.dotcomgiftshop.com sell cute traditional mini milk bottles (below), for £2.95 each, or a crate of six for £8.94. For something that really does look like a genuine antique, go for a vintage milk bottle from Pedlars (www.pedlars.com), £7.95. Or, you can opt for a Pintie jug (bottom), made from real bottles sourced from across the UK – they cost £16.99-19.99 from www.giftedpenguin.co.uk.

Finally, I’m just a little bit in love with this quirky double-headed Milkii jug, £30, from www.myhaus.com (top of the page). It would look fantastic on any breakfast table.

Tags: glass milk bottle, Milk jug, pint bottle, Pintie jug, school milk bottle, vintage milk bottles

Cute as a button

Since writing my recent post about chocolate button moulds, I’ve stumbled across bajillions of (well, ok, a few) other fab button-shaped items to share with you.

First up are these classy ceramic buttons, above, by the very lovely interiors stylist, Marie Nichols, who’s just opened a new online store, www.theshopatnumber57.com, selling these and other gorgeous bits and bobs. They come in four different designs and cost a reasonable £13.50-15.50 each. They work well as ornaments on their own; or a trio would look amazing mounted on a strong coloured wall. Oh, and if you like Marie’s style, check out her brilliant blog at wholelottalovely@wordpress.com.

I’m also loving these fun little button-shaped pastel soaps from www.junkskull.com, £5.50 for a bumper pack of 23; and button-shaped Belle de Sucre sugar cubes from John Lewis, £7 per box (both below). They’re almost too cute to use.

Finally, for a few pence, you could try your hand at making some button-shaped biscuits (bottom). They’re easy to make but look super cool. You can find the recipe and instructions at http://www.bakerella.com/coraline-cookies/

It uses American measures for the cookie mix, but your own shortbread or biscuit recipe would work just as well. Box some up as a gift, thread them with ribbon to use as Christmas/Easter decorations, or just arrange on a plate and watch your friends look seriously impressed (before wolfing the lot).

Tags: Belle de Sucre, button shaped biscuits, button shaped soap, ceramic buttons, Junk Skull, shaped sugar cubes

Suit your shelf

Do you remember those wooden display shelves that grans used to have? They might have looked old-fashioned, but they were perfect for showing off nic nacs.

Now www.boonuk.co.uk have brought the idea into the 21st century with these cool Flaunt Shelves. Unlike similar models, which cost bajillions of pounds, they cost just £19.99 for a three-shelf unit, or £29.99 for six-shelf unit. They look equally great on either a white or a coloured feature wall and work in practically any room in the house.

The only problem you’ll have is deciding what to put on them!

Tags: display shelves, Flaunt shelves, modern display cabinet

Pot luck

At my local market, there’s a stall selling flavoured bread in real terracotta flowerpots. They look like little shrubs – too cute to eat!

Cakes are easier to make than bread, so when I saw these brilliant mini flowerpot-shaped silicone muffin cases from Lakeland (www.Lakeland.co.uk), I put them straight on my wishlist.

At £5.99 for six, they’re not bad for something you can reuse time and time again, and with some icing flowers/sweets on top, they’ll turn your cakes into bloomin’ tasty showstoppers.

Tags: Lakeland, plant pot baking cases, silicone baking cases

Congratulations!

Well done to the winners of my two recent competitions:

Betty Amazing wins the lovely teal ‘Secret Garden’ cafetiere from La Cafetiere.

Chrissy Shorrocks wins the set of four designer Method handwashes.

Watch out for more competitions and giveaways soon!

The cat (and dog, duck, cow, rabbit and elephant) who got the cream

Check out these mega cute little creamers! They’re just £3.25 each, measure 8cm x 10cm and there’s a friendly-looking dog, cat, duck, cow, elephant or rabbit to choose from, at www.rigbyandmac.com

But how could you choose?! They’re all so lovely I’m tempted to buy one of each – that way, they could sit pleasingly together on a shelf; and when people come round for dinner, they could get one each to serve cream with their puddings or milk with their tea/coffee.

And talking of tea, there’s an adorable white porcelain elephant teapot, too (below). He’s the kind of thing you’d seen in a stylish homes mag, yet he costs a very reasonable £10.95.

He’d make a perfect present – how about pairing him with the baby elephant creamer, or a box of pretty Pukka teabags (£2.25, from supermarkets and www.pukkaherbs.com)?

Tags: animal jugs, cow jug, creamer jugs, elephant teapot, mini jugs

That’s a wrap

What if there was a way to get an absolutely stunningly-wrapped parcel, that made the recipient gasp,  that didn’t involve either Sellotape or scissors – and that took just seconds?

Well, thanks to the Japanese, there is. Furoshiki are traditional Japanese wrapping cloths, made of fabric, used for centuries to wrap gifts. Now they’ve been given a revamp – available in lovely modern prints, they’re good-sized squares of material that you wrap around a present and tie with a knot. They not only look cool, but can be used as anything from a scarf to a sarong afterwards, so they’re a gift in themselves.

You can buy them for £2.50-£4 each from www.ethicalcommunity.com; £3.99 from www.hunkydoryhome.com; £3.75 from www.clothkits.co.uk or for the best selection, visit www.evergreenwrap.com. There they’re  £3.99 and come printed with hummingbirds, safari animals, soldiers, dresses, or London buses. There are also written, picture and video instructions on how to wrap almost anything.

Tags: Furoshiki, Japanese wrapping cloth, myfuroshiki, reusable wrapping paper, sarong, wrapping fabric

Don’t cry for me, onion peeler

Someone recently asked me which of my wedding presents I’ve used the most in the two years since I got married. Was it the classy cutlery, the Le Creuset-style casserole dish, or the glass tulip vase? Nope. While all these things have proved useful on a regular basis, none of them have been called into service as much as my Onion Goggles.

Yep, you read that right. Onion Goggles do exactly what they say on the tin – put them on and the foam seal keeps your peepers tear- free while chopping onions.

My mum thought I was mad putting them on the wedding list, but my friend Diane saw their potential immediately and snapped them up for me.

Ok, so they make you look like a slightly deranged superhero, but they’re so effective that even my cynical husband finally caved in and wore them the other day when he thought I wasn’t looking.

So, if you’re hunting for an a-peeling wedding present; need a gift for the cook who has everything; or are simply fed up of weeping over your chopping board, look no further.

You can get your oniony-smelling hands on a pair for £12.50 at www.amazon.co.uk; £12.95 at www.cookability.biz or £15.99 at www.headcook.co.uk; plus you can read more about them at www.oniongoggles.org. You could say it’s a site for sore eyes…!

Tags: onion goggles, prevent crying when peeling onions

And after all, you’re my wonder wallpaper

The trend for big, bold, colourful wallpapers shows no sign of stopping, but now, rather than just making a statement in the bedroom or living room,  wallpaper has become a great way to add some colour and personality to your bathroom and kitchen too. Only trouble is, there’s a lot of condensation/wear-and-tear in these rooms, and some papers don’t take kindly to it.

One solution is to keep the paper to one feature wall, on the opposite side of the room to the shower or sink/oven area. This also stops the pattern being overwhelming if you’ve got a fairly small space.

The other option is to use one of the new wallpapers specially designed for the job. I love Graham & Brown’s new Antibacterial Collection, which is hardwearing and bacteria/mould resistant.

There are dozens of designs to choose from, including ‘Beside the Seaside’, a nautical but nice beach huts print in red/blue/beige or pastels; ‘Dotty’, a Cath Kidston-esque spot design in various colours; ‘Flamingo’ with hot pink birds on a dramatic dark background or pale pink birds on white/grey; and the brilliantly named ‘Making a Crockery’ – a Mid-Century modern print featuring retro kitchen utensils. They all cost £18 per roll (a bargain these days for designer wallpaper) from www.grahambrown. com.

Tags: Antibacterial wallpaper, bathroom wallpaper, feature wall, flamingo wallpaper, kitchen wallpaper, mid-century modern wallpaper, splashproof wallpaper

You’re booked!

There’s something incredibly pleasing about these bookplates by Mac and Ninny from www.thewisehouse.co.uk.

Each pack contains 12 “From the library of” stickers in a slightly Scandi/slightly retro design (I like the bees, cupcakes, and owl best) as well as a little library card to record who you’ve lent your books to. They cost £4.95 per pack and would make a lovely, easy-to-post pressie for any bookworms in your life.

And if you’re giving someone a book? The site also sells a sweet kit, £4, containing a bookplate for you to write a message on and stick inside the book, plus wrapping paper, a gift tag and sealing stickers, all in a fun ladybird design. Great for making your literary gift look extra special.

Tags: book gift wrap, book stickers, bookplates, Mac and Ninny, presents for bookworms, this book belongs to

Darn it!

A moth/nail/small child/friend’s ciggie has made a hole in your favourite top – what do you do? You need a tin of Clothes Plasters!
Designed by artist Jennie Maizels (www.jenniemaizels.com), they’re beautifully embroidered patches, which you can iron on over a hole to hide it; or just use to decorate your clothes with.

They come in either individual packs, or four cute themed tins – choose from ‘Rock’ (red lips, skull, guitar, flaming dice etc); ‘Blue’ (robot, dinosaur, pirate, etc); ‘Pink’ (babushka, cat, star, cupcake, etc); or my favourite, ‘Birds’ (hummingbird, bluetit, parrot, black swan, etc)

They’re £3.50 for a pair or £9.99 for a tin of ten, with different designs available from www.clothkits.co.uk or www.hunkydoryhome.co.uk orwww.funkymoose.co.uk or www.letterbox.co.uk.

Tags: bird patches, Clothes plasters, iron on patches, Jennie Meisel

WIN! Last chance to enter…

Tomorrow is the closing date for my competition to win a designer cafetiere. Fancy trying your luck? View the post from 10th April for how to enter.

You’ve also got until tomorrow to enter the draw to win a set of four fancy handwashes – simply email me at thetreasurehunteruk@gmail.com with your name, address and why you think you should win.

Good luck!

China in your hands

Forget dinner parties (far too much effort) – the best thing to do when friends come round is serve them a nice cup of tea and a huge wodge of cake.

Until now though, most afternoon tea sets were of the Cath Kidston/ditzy pastel floral variety.

And there’s nothing wrong with that. But, if you want something special with a different vintage vibe, the new Fifi range from Portmeirion is the way to go.

It’s a fab purple, lime and white Mid-Century Modern design made of quality bone china that looks like something your very stylish gran used to use in the Fifties (trust me, that’s a good thing!).

The range includes tea or espresso cups with saucers, mugs, tea plates, a cake stand, dip bowls, a jug, a teapot, trays, serving bowls, teaspoons and cake forks, coasters and placemats. Prices start at £7, from www.Portmeirion.co.uk or www.millyskitchenstore.co.uk where there’s currently 20% off the whole range.

Now all you need is a tasty cake to serve… make mine a suitably retro Victoria sponge, with lashings of jam and cream please!

Tags: 1950s china, Fifi Sanderson for Portmeiron, mid-century modern china, retro afternoon tea, vintage cake stand, vintage tea set

Capital gains

Now, I love living in London, and I’m really excited about the Olympics, but most of the souvenirs/memorabilia that have been created to celebrate the event are a bit too in-your-face and Union Jack-tastic for my liking. They’re also likely to date so quickly once the Games are over.

Well, that’s what I thought until I saw this new range of cushions from Japanese designer Yukari Sweeney at Debenhams Edition (www.debenhams.com). Priced £16-£35, they’re printed with quirky maps of the Capital and fun stamp illustrations of all things London, from the London Eye and red letterboxes to dog racing and black cabs. I’m properly tempted to buy a couple for my sofa (and I’ve had the same lovely stripy cushions on there for years!).

If, like me, you love Yukari’s designs, the Debenhams range also includes matching porcelain mugs (£15 for two), tea towels(£7.50), a London map canvas the same as the cushion (£22) and bedlinen (£25-35).

And if you visit her website,www.yukarisweeney-design.com, there are lampshades, doggy-shaped draught  excluders and even Japanese wrapping cloths in other great prints too. Cute!

Tags: Debenhams Edition, London cushions, London map canvas, Yukari Sweeney

Stamp for joy

Staplers and hole punches – two of the most useful yet boring items on your desk…

Until now, that is.

Every time you use this Stampler by Suck UK (above, £7.99 from www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk or £8.10 from www.amazon.co.uk), you’ll smile – and so will your documents. A stapler and ink stamp rolled into one, it not only fixes papers together, but prints a happy face in red ink on them (with the staple as the mouth). Totally pointless, but a lot of fun.

As for the hole punch below (£8.56, also by Suck UK from Amazon), it punches heart-shaped holes instead of round ones. A nice touch that only the ultra-observant colleagues will notice, but that’ll brighten your day all the same.

Tags: fun stapler, heart shaped hole punch, Stampler, Suck UK

Stick your necklace out

When  it comes to jewellery, I love chunky, quirky, statement pieces. The only downside is they’re either really expensive, or from TopShop, in which case everyone else has them too. So, I was really excited to discover the brilliant designs at www.culturelabel.com.

This huge online store brings together products from 400  individual designers, museum shops and galleries, with a proportion of proceeds going to help fund the arts.

Now, I could big up some of the fab homewares and prints on offer, but what stands out most for me is the jewellery. Yes, you can spend a fortune on some pieces, but there’s also lots of choice under £30.

My favourites? The gold Carre chains £30, by Ridley & Dowse (above); the silhouette crocodile ring, £5.99, by The Saatchi Gallery (available in other colours and animals such as a rabbit, fox, cat, etc); Hand knitted Eagle necklace, £25, by A.Alicia (also in peach, sky blue and grey); Black Cube earrings, £10 by Welcome Home x Ocular; the Silver Plated Pewter Key necklaces, £13.50 by nonesuchthings; and the cute snail brooch, £10, by PebetaTeta (also available in a mirror finish). Perfect for pressies or as a treat for yourself.

 

Tags: crocodile ring, culturelabel.com, key necklace, perspex jewellery, snail brooch

I wanna hold your handwash

Last weekend, while staying at my parents’ house, I noticed a fancy handwash by their sink. It was a pretty turquioise colour, had a fab teardrop-shaped bottle, and smelt lovely. I expected it to be some expensive beauty brand, so I was pleasantly surprised to find it cost just £2.49.

Turns out it’s one of a range of gel handwashes from eco-friendly company Method. There are five fresh scents/colours available, including pink grapefruit, cucumber and lavender; and they all contain skin-kind natural cleansers. It makes a nice change from all the antibacterial skin-stripping handwashes that are around at the moment. Oh, and the bottles (which were created by top product designer Karim Rashid) are recyclable too. You can (ahem) get your hands on one  in Sainsburys, Tesco, Superdrug, John Lewis, Homebase, Waitrose or at www.methodproducts.co.uk. And if you like them on Facebook (www.facebook.com/methoduk) apparently they’ve got some treats coming up in the near future.

WIN! Talking of treats, I have a set of all four Method fragrances to give away. Just email me at thetreasurehunteruk@gmail.com with your name and a line about why you deserve to win. Oh, and include the address I should send them to if you get lucky!

PS: And while we’re on the subject of handwashes, I’m also planning to buy a bottle of Helping Hand Wash by Trilogy, £13.50 for 300ml. It’s not a bargain, but that’s the point – 100% of the profits go to the Child’s i Foundation (www.childsifoundation.org), which is helping to stop child abandonment in Uganda.

Packaged in a pretty brown and teal glass pump-action bottle, it smells amazing, as it’s made with frankincense, rose geranium and lavender oils.

It’s available from www.boots.com, www.trilogyproducts.co.uk or larger John Lewis, Boots or House of Fraser stores. As it’s sold out once already, and this is a new batch, if you want one you’d better get your grubby mitts on it quick!

Tags: Method hand wash, natural hand gel, pretty liquid soap dispenser, Trilogy Helping Hand Wash

Bucket list

At this time of year, garden experts say that a hanging basket is the quickest  way to inject some Spring colour into your garden or terrace.

In theory, they’re right, but unless you buy one ready-made, hanging baskets are actually a bit of a faff. You have to fanny around lining them; then there’s the dilemma of choosing which plants to put in them that’ll grow downwards and cover the ugly basket. Also (and maybe it’s just me), while they’re fine outside pubs and restaurants, DIY home efforts often just look a bit naff.

Now there’s another option. New at B&Q (www.diy.com) this month are these fab bright Blooma hanging buckets. Simply pop a single potted plant in them (African Violets, Primroses or Geraniums look fab, as do Gerberas and Ranunculus) and they’re ready to go. No lining, compost or flower arranging skills required. Available in lime, pink, blue or turquoise, they cost just  £4.98.

What a bloomin’ bargain!

Tags: B&Q Blooma buckets, Easy hanging baskets, hanging buckets

A lot on your plate

Whether you buy just one for a very lucky child, or several for a grown up’s picnic, these brilliant, bright, kitsch 1950s/60s-inspired melamine plates by Swedish designer Ingela P Arrenius will go down a treat. There are nine designs and they’re £6.50 each at www.peanutandpip.co.uk or £7.95 each at www.hunkydoryhome.co.uk.

Love her designs? You can also buy posters that complement the plates for £18.95 and an amazing set of six wooden matryoshka-style wooden nesting animals for £19.95, both at www.husandhem.co.uk; plus gorgeous ready-to-hang canvases (below) £46 each at www.happyspaces.co.uk.

Tags: animal matryoska dolls, Ingela Arrenuis, Ingela P Arrenuis, melamine plates, nursery canvas

WIN! A designer cafetiere

The bank holiday is over, so here’s something to cheer you up! Back on 21st March, I featured some gorgeous new designer La Cafetière coffee presses – well, now, thanks to the lovely people at La Cafetière, I have one of the classy Secret Garden models, worth £31.95 to give away!

With a teal metallic sleeve, decorated with laser cut birds and branches, it can make up to eight cups of coffee at a time, and comes in a matching gift box. It’d make a great wedding or birthday present for a coffee fan – if you can bear to part with it, that is!

HOW TO ENTER:
The lucky winner will be chosen at random from all subscribers on Friday 27th April. So, to be in with a chance of winning this lovely prize, simply subscribe to this blog by clicking on the “Subscribe” box to the right, and then clicking again on the link in the confirmation email you’re sent.
If you’re already a subscriber (thank you!) you don’t have to do anything at all – you’ll automatically be entered in the draw.

PS: Can’t wait for the closing date? You can buy La Cafetiere presses, from £14, at www.lacafetiere.com or www.amazon.co.uk.

Tags: coffee press, competition, la cafetiere, Win!

Show me the moneybox

It shouldn’t be surprising that in these financially trying times, it seems oversized moneyboxes are now in fashion big time.

Dwell’s new collection (www.dwell.co.uk and instore) includes this fantastically bling silver metallic balloon dog moneybox, above. At 26cm long, 10cm wide and 16cm high, it’ll make a great statement on a shelf (not to mention a handy bookend) and should fit tens of pound inside. Mind you, that’s what you have to shell out for it too, as it’s £29.95. I’m still tempted though!

It’s a similar story with the gorgeous giant Seventies-style  friendly elephants from www.husandhem.co.uk. Now, I know that no-one needs a money box that’s an enormous 20cm high x 28cm long x 23cm wide, and that the £36 price tag is more than I’d ever save in loose change inside it, but seriously, how CUTE are they?!

I dream of getting a green one for my baby son’s bedroom and pretending I bought it just for him (not that anyone who knows me would believe me!).

Still, I ought to be practical – the shop also sells much smaller 10cm versions, in white, pink, turquoise or orange for £8.95. Much more sensible.

Stock is apparently running low of both sizes, so you can only gaze longingly at them on the website, but if you call (01531 631 044)  or email the shop itself in Ledbury (info@husandhem.co.uk) they’ve told me they’ll try to order one for you. You’d be Dumbo not to! (sorry)

Tags: balloon dog money box, christening gift money box, giant moneybox

Bunny business

If you’ve ever been to Germany at Easter time, you’ll know it’s BIG news over there. Pretty pastel eggs, bunnies and chicks are everywhere. But for some reason, while the UK loves chocolate eggs, we don’t really go in for Easter decorations. Which is a shame, as they’re so cute.

So, I was pleased to see Sainsburys have decided to rectify this with a bargainous, pretty (and surprisingly tasteful) range of bits and bobs for your Easter table.

My favourites are the gorgeous plywood egg tree, £5 (which would double as a great jewellery stand the rest of the year); the pretty bunting, £2; the Easter crackers, £3 (why hasn’t anyone thought of this before?!); and the easy peasy egg and rabbit chocolate lolly mould, £2.

Pop some in your Easter shopping basket now!

Tags: chocolate egg mould, chocolate lolly mould, Easter bunting, Easter crackers, Easter decorations, Jewellery tree, pastel bunting

Button it!

As Easter approaches, here’s a genius idea. Melt some chocolate in a bowl over some boiling water; pour into this cunning reusable silicone mould; pop it into the freezer for a few mins; then pop out button-shaped chocolate buttons!

They’re perfect for decorating homemade cakes, big or small; or for turning shop-bought cakes into something special. You can use milk, dark or white chocolate, and the mould makes 19 different-sized buttons each go.

You can buy it from various gift websites (such as www.sewwhite.com) for about £6, but if you get it straight from www.siliconemoulds.com it’s just £2.75 plus £2 postage. Pair it with a huge bar of Dairy Milk and it’d make a great gift for any baking or chocolate fiend.

Top tip: grease the mould with a tiny bit of butter first to make the buttons pop out even more easily.

Tags: chocolate mould, handmade chocolate buttons, silicone chocolate button mould, silicone chocolate mould

Oranges are not the only fruit (cherries and pears are cool too!)

I have a new crush – the website for Hus and Hem (House and Home), a shop selling unusual, gorgeous Scandinavian home goodies. Amongst my favourite items is their range of retro-style fruit-print kitchen accessories designed by Swedish graphic artist Lotta Kuhlhorn.

I particularly like the ‘Vegas’ coasters, £13.95 (inspired by slot machine fruits, I think!); the pear, orange and apple tea towels, £13.50; and the pear and apple birch veneer trays, £18.95.

And to complete the look? A fab original 1970s Danish  design apple tree money box, £8.95, which you can stand on a shelf or mount on the wall like art. Scrumptious!

Tags: fruit kitchenware, fruit machine coasters, fruit print tea towel, fruit print tray, Hus and Hem, Lotta Kulhorn, retro kitchen accessories, retro tea towel, Seventies money box

Eggs-tremely tasty

Easter eggs. Yum. When I was a kid, it was all about the quantity – how many Cadbury’s eggs could I wolf down before I felt sick. But now I’m (supposedly) a grown up, and only usually get one egg at Easter, I want it to be a corker.

So, this year, I’ll be asking for the Rolls Royce of Easter eggs – from Prestat, chocolatiers to the Royal Family. They’ve bought out a range of milk and dark chocolate eggs, filled with delicious treats such as Marc de Champagne truffles, ganache truffles, sea salt caramels or rose and violet cremes. They look just as good as they taste, as they’re packaged in amazingly beautiful boxes designed by illustrator Kitty Arden. They cost around £14.99 for a 170g egg from www.Johnlewis.com, www.selfridges.com, or www.prestat.co.uk

Want to treat yourself (or a special someone else) to something other than an egg? Prestat also do stunning boxes of chocolates, again in almost-too-pretty-to-open packaging. Their blue and pink  ’Jewel’ boxes cost from £6.50, a box of zingy chocolate mints costs £10.50 and a box of the fanciest hot drinking chocolate in the world is £8.50.

Okay, so buying chocolate this posh a bit eggs-travagant, but it’s only Easter once a year!

Tags: Easter gifts, jewel chocolates, Prestat chocolate, Prestat Easter Eggs

Switch craft

One of the quickest ways to get a professional finish after you’ve decorated a room is to change the lightswitches. Replacing discoloured switch plates with  new chrome or fresh white plastic ones (B&Q have a wide selection) costs just a few pounds and instantly makes a room look classy, sparkly and fresh.

But if you’re looking for something a bit different, check out the quirky Mr Switch Plates from www.johncaswelldesign.co.uk. They turn your lightswitches into fun little faces and look way more expensive than their £10-a-pair pricetag.

No good at DIY? The people and animal face light switch stickers, £7.50 per pack, from www.coxandcox.co.uk (below) give much the same effect – just stick the little eyebrows, moustaches, lips, beards, whiskers etc onto your existing lightswitches to make friendly faces. Similar are the ’Light Up Your Mood’ stickers, £6 per pack, from www.howkapow.com.

Tags: John Caswell Design, light switch plate, Lightswitch covers, lightswitch stickers, Mr Switch

It’s about time

So, if you live in the UK, the clocks go forward this weekend. The bad news is that you get one hour less in bed on Sunday morning; the good news is that it’s the perfect excuse to treat yourself to a new watch!

But step away from the sensible silver, gold and black and treat yourself to something colourful instead. If you’re wearing this season’s bright shades it’ll complete your look; if you’re wearing something darker it’ll make a statement and nod to the trend without going over the top.

Now, I hear what you’re saying: it’s not worth spending loads on a brightly-coloured watch you might only wear for one season…

Which is why these bargainous little beauties from Breo (www.breo.com) are such a brilliant idea. My favourite, the Spectrum (above) costs just £12.95 and comes in a range of 14 zingy colours; while the Loop, £14.99 comes in eight colours, the Minas, £8.99 comes in nine, and the Pulse, £12 (all below) comes in four. And there are 16 other models to choose from too.

At pinch-yourself-prices like these, and free P&P (I know, crazy  isn’t it?!) you could afford to get one to match every outfit! 

Tags: blue watch, Breo watch, neon watch, pink watch, purple watch, yellow watch

Wanna come back for coffee?

Cafetières are like computers (bear with me here). They traditionally only come in boring black or silver. But just as Apple broke the mould with their brightly-coloured iMac (I had a green one – I LOVED it), tea and coffee company La Cafetière have designed some gorgeous bright new coffee presses. Okay, I know that’s a bit of a tenuous link, but still, I don’t understand why such an essential bit of kitchen kit has escaped designers until now.

Anyhow, my favourite model is the new Secret Garden cafetière, designed by artist Alison Appleton, which has a teal stainless steel sleeve with laser cut birds and branches on it. It holds up to eight cups of coffee, comes in a classy matching box and would make a great present (particularly for a wedding) – if you can bear to part with it, that is.

It’s part of a bigger collection of similarly gorgeous metallic designs, below.

Fancy something a bit brighter (and a wee bit cheaper)? La Cafetière’s Rainbow range, from £14, includes  jolly tomato red and zingy apple green models; plus two new limited edition colours – tangerine orange (2012′s “it” shade according to the experts at Pantone) and for all you fans of purple kitchen accessories, a lovely candy lilac. Tasty!

They’re all available at Amazon (www.amazon.co.uk) and www.lacafetiere.com or call 01352 717 555 for other stockists.

Tags: blossom and birds, coloured cafetiere, la cafetiere, orange kitchen accessories, purple kitchen accessories, purple kitchenware, red kitchen accessories, wedding gifts

Oh beehive yourself!

I don’t regularly review a lot of beauty products on this blog, as there are so many specialist beauty bloggers out there who do a fab job already. However, my latest beauty discovery is so brilliant, I had to tell you about it.

Bee Lovely To Your Hands is a gorgeous honey-scented intense handcream from natural skincare experts, Neals Yard. Having a new baby, I wash my hands a bajillion times a day, and they were drier than desiccated sandpaper. Ordinary handcream had no effect, but this bee-auty has sorted them right out

It’s non-greasy, smells fantastic, and you only need to use a tiny amount. Which is just as well, seeing it costs £9.50 for a 50ml tube (although £1 of that goes towards saving the bees!).

The only catch? As a limited edition, launched last September, it’s sold out in most places, but you can still get it online at www.thetreehouse.co.uk and www.eoco.org.uk.

Better bee quick though!

Tags: Bee Lovely to your hands Hand Cream, honey handcream, Neals Yard Remedies Bee Lovely handcream, Save The Bees

One hot desk

I had an email from a reader recently, asking whether I thought she should get a desk from Ikea.

Now, I LOVE Ikea stuff , and would normally have said yes, but one of my favourite pieces of furniture in my house is my Loft desk, £199, from John Lewis.

For just a few pounds more than an Ikea version, you get something made of solid oak and oak veneer, that looks like it was designed by Conran. With an extendable pull-out desk top, it’s perfect for a home office, and easily smart enough for the corner of a living room/bedroom where space is tight. It has five useful cubbyholes, plus a drawer, and discreet holes for computer cables.

It’s available in plain oak or White; or for £225, you can now get the “Reborn” version, which has gorgeous coloured lacquer inside the cubbyholes. Cute!

Tags: bureau desk, desk, John Lewis loft desk, mid century modern

Say it with flowers

Busy, bright blooms are huge news fashion-wise at the moment, but if full-on florals are a bit too bold for you, you can dip your toe in the trend (literally) with this gorgeous new range of sneakers from Clarks (instore and at www.clarks.co.uk).

A collaboration with Liberty, the new ‘Jilli’ shoes are made with a beautiful retro floral print from the iconic London department store’s fabric archives.

Available in a navy or a cream colourway, there’s a pair of low-rise pumps, £39.99, and a cool pair of high top ‘sports shoes’, £44.99. They’d both look great with everything from jeans and leggings to minis, maxi skirts and dresses. And as they’re made by Clarks, you know they’ll be built to last.

With all sizes from 3-8 currently in stock, I’d, ahem, hot foot it to a shop now, as they’re bound to sell out!

Tags: Clarks Jilli, floral trainers, Liberty archive, Liberty fabric, Liberty print, sneakers

Party on dudes!

 

It’s my birthday this week, so to celebrate, I thought I’d share with you some party goodies from a brilliant website, www.talkingtables.co.uk, which sells everything from candles, crackers and cake toppers to streamers, bunting and napkins – all in exclusive, classy and colourful  designs.

Whether you’re holding afternoon tea for friends, a garden party or even a wedding, there’ll be something here to give it a professional touch for just a few pounds.

My faves? The cake wraps/toppers £5 for 12 of each, the striking matches, £3.25, gilded cake stand, £20, and the Charming Cleo crackers, £8.25 for 8, all from the ‘Social Soiree’ range (below); the butterfly garlands, £11 for 3 x 3m from the ‘Heat Wave’ range; and the bunting, £4.50, Happy Birthday candles, £5, and Whimsical Wonderball (a huge pass-the-parcel style ball filled with 14 little pressies and 90m of streamers, above), £6, from the ‘Riotous Rainbow’ range. Cheers!

 

 

 

Tags: birthday, bunting, cake candles, cake stand, cupcake toppers, cupcake wrappers, happy birthday bunting, party favours, pinata, streamers

Bedside Babushka

The perfect bedside water glass is tricky to find. Do you go for something squat and chunky so that you don’t knock it over when you’re flailing around in the dark? Or do you go for the largest glass you can find for those nights when you fall into bed plastered and wake up with a mouth drier than stale Weetabix?

Actually, my granny had it just right – she had a bedside carafe with an upside-down glass as the lid. It meant she could keep a decent amount of water on hand and just pour what she needed.

That’s why this Drinkup Carafe, £16.99 from www.firebox.com, in the shape of a friendly Russian Babushka doll, is so brilliant. Made of glass, it looks great, is stable enough to withstand the odd knock, and the doll’s body holds enough liquid that you’ll never go dry-mouthed in the small hours ever again.

But if the Babushka is too girly for you, check out the French carafe and glasses, £19.99 (bottom), and the Dopper  bottle, £11.99 (below), both from  www.mocha.uk.com.

The carafe is modelled on an old French design (the glasses cunningly stack in the neck of the bottle); while if you unscrew the top bit of the Dopper, you can drink straight from the bottle; or if you unscrew it further down, the top turns into a drinking glass. It’s made of Eco-friendly plastic and you can even put it in the dishwasher.

Tags: Babushka doll, bedside carafe, Firebox Drink Up carafe, glass drinking carafe, water carafe

Fruit of the loo

My mum has a saying about stuff that’s silly/frivolous: “That’s on the list of 101 things you could do without”. And that’s certainly true of this Cherry loo brush, £30.99 from www.cubicuk.com. But even so, how COOL is it?

Besides, toilet brushes are usually designed to blend into the background, which is fair enough when you consider their purpose, but if yours is going to be on show, why not make a feature of it?

Surprisingly, there are very few other fun toilet brushes out there, but if you don’t like cherries, Alessi’s Merdolino loo brush (£33 from John Lewis and other department stores) is named after the French word for poo and is shaped like a plant in a pot. It looks too pretty to put down the pan!

Tags: Alessi Merdolino toilet brush, Cherry toilet brush, fun loo brush

I want you backpack for good

Many moons ago, when I was at university, one of my most prized possessions was my khakhi coloured Eastpak backpack. It cost £40 – a lot to a student back then – but it was brilliantly-made and built to last.
Over ten years on, it’s still going strong. I use it for big shopping trips where I need my hands free, and holidays, where it makes excellent hand luggage as it’s so tardis-like, and also doubles as a great day/beach bag.
So I was happy to see Eastpak bags are making a comeback. Not only can you get block colours like powder blue, chilli red, slate gray and sunshine yellow; but there’s a host of new patterns, such as Hawaiian flowers, tartan and even a cool key print. What’s more, Eastpaks still cost £39.99 – making them a bargain in my book. Check out www.surfdome.com for a great selection.

Tags: Eastpak backpack, Eastpak rucksack, floral rucksack, Manhattan Portage, surfdome.com, travel bag

Welcome to the house of fun

I love Cox and Cox (www.coxandcox.co.uk). They sell a really good mix of beautiful vintage-style pieces, unusual homewares, decorations and quirky gifts.

They’ve just stocked up with loads of new products – some of which I’ll write about in the next few weeks – but for now, I had to show you this brilliant storage house, £35.

Made of heavy duty cardboard, it’s got 24 little drawers, which you can paint, stencil, stick stuff onto (as in the pic above), or cover with patterned paper (I’d decorate mine with different coloured origami papers) At 40cm high, 38 cm wide and 6cm deep, it’s handy for storing stationery, jewellery, sewing or craft stuff, household bits and bobs or even as an advent calendar later in the year.

Prefer to keep your nic nacs on display? I’m also coveting the new Dolls House Shelf, £49, (I know it’s not cheap, but check it out below – it’s gorgeous!). It has 23 little shelves, each backed with 70s-style paper and is 53cm high, 45cm wide and 5cm deep. The perfect size for both big and little girls!

Tags: advent calendar boxes, display shelves, dolls house shelf, nic nacs storage

What goes around, comes around

Well, it had to happen. I haven’t mentioned cushions for, oooh, at least a couple of days, so I reckon it’s okay for me to show you my current favourites.

These lovely round cushions are from the new Mahi range at Next (www.next.co.uk) and are called Medallion Cushions.  They come in either plum or teal, and while they look uber expensive, they’re just £16 each.

Also available in the same design are stylish bedlinen sets in both plum and teal, from £40 for a double bed set; plus a stunning showstopper plum rug, below (comes in two sizes, from £145 – not bad for a 100% wool rug).

Tags: medallion cushion, Next Mahi range, round cushion, round rug

Owl in a day’s work

Posh white ceramic animals are always popping up on mantlepieces in style mags, but while they look cool, they usually come with a ridiculous pricetag. So, it’s good to see Tesco (www.tesco.com) undercutting the designer shops with these cute but classy ceramic owl tealight holders, just £6 each.

And talking of owls, they seem to be having a bit of a moment interiors-wise.

Notonthehighstreet.com is a good place to start. My favourites are this handy tote bag, £8.95 from Snowdon Design and Craft; and these brilliant ‘A Little Bird Told Me’ personalised mugs from Disco Butterfly, both below. At £17.50 each, no-one is going to pretend the mugs are a bargain, but you can fit several words and the recipient’s name on them, and if you know someone who loves owls, they’ll think they’re a hoot (sorry).

I also love the Owl necklace and ring set from www.punkypins.co.uk, currently £9.60 (was £12), below, which makes a great gift.

Finally worth a mention is stylish website www.driftliving.co.uk which has several owl-y offerings, including this lovely black owl branch candle  holder, £29; and the cheaper Rotary Candle Holder, £9, both below.

Tags: bird ornament, owl candlestick holder, Owl ornament, owl shopper bag, owl tealight holder, personalised mugs

I scream for ice cream colours

Ice cream colours or ‘sorbet shades’ are big news again this year, and while I’m not normally a pastel kind of person, these storage jars from Marks and Spencer’s new Spectrum range  are just so tasty I had to give them a mention.

They’ve got pleasingly heavy-duty kilner jar-style clasps, and come in lemon yellow, lilac, pale green, sky blue and pale orange. They cost £7.50 for the small size; £12 for the medium; and £15 for the large.

And if you like the colours, check out the other items in the range, below, including rugs, cushions, side tables and the Spectrum Squares Bedset – cool geometric duvets and pillowcases, from £22 for a double bed set.

Tags: green storage jars, kilner jars, kitchen storage jars, pastel kitchen accessories, purple storage jars, yellow storage jars

Tea for two too

One of the most popular entries on this blog has been about Next’s  ’Tea For Two’ canvas – a lovely 1940s-style print for just £15.
Sadly, it’s been discontinued now, but the number of people still searching for it shows that there’s a lot of demand for bargainous tea-themed wall art.
So, I’m pleased to report that the new collection at www.hunkydoryhome.co.uk has got not one, but three alternatives. There’s a lovely old school ‘Tea Revives You’ print, £18.50; or your choice between the retro-style ‘Brew Up’ or ‘Where there’s tea there’s hope’ tea towels, £10, which you could get framed quite cheaply or pop into an Ikea Ribba frame for just a few exta pounds. They’d look both quirky and classy on a kitchen wall.
Right, I’m off to put the kettle on!
PS: Like the Tea Revives You print but want it as a tea towel? Visit www.howkapow.com - it’s £9.

Tags: Next tea for two canvas, retro tea print, tea for two print, tea towel

Cush it real good

The new season’s range of cushions are in at Dunelm Mill, and once again, they’ve managed to come up with some cracking designs that look like they ought to cost far more than they do.

My picks? The Beach Huts cushion, £19.99 and the Colour Bands cushion, £14.99 – both of which are perfect for a sun-filled room; the snugly-yet-chic slate grey lattice cushion, £14.99,which even blokes will approve of; the retro-feel Loretta cushion, £8.99; and for a bit of romance, the bargainous Button Heart cushion, £9.99 (covered in little red buttons) and Vintage Aperture cushion, £14.99.

They’re so cheap, it’d be rude not to splash out on a couple!

Tags: beach huts cushions, cushions, heart shaped cushions, retro cushions, stripy cushions, vintage cushions

A bit on the sideboard

Take a look at this gorgeous old skool style sideboard. It’s either a vintage find or cost squillions of pounds from a fancy shop like Heals, right?

Nope, it’s from Tesco! Called the Retro Oak Veneered Sideboard, and costing a very reasonable £229 (visit www.tesco.com/direct), it’s part of their new Spring collection, on sale now. Brilliant.

And talking of bargainous sideboards, you don’t have to use them in your living or dining room.

A few months ago, I got a Japanese-style Melke sideboard, from www.very.co.uk to use as a dressing table, below. It looks designer, but cost just £169 (I got the compact version, but there is a larger size available too). It stores all my makeup/jewellery/beauty products perfectly. The only downside is that assembling the flatpack nearly caused my husband and I to divorce. But hey ho, no pain, no gain!

Lights fantastic

How cool is this lightshade?! It looks like something from an upmarket, swanky shop, but is in fact from BHS (www.bhs.co.uk) and costs just £20. New this month, it’s called the Nico pendant, it slots over a normal light fitting, and comes in yellow and white, too. I reckon would look particularly striking in a hallway – you could even have different colours upstairs and downstairs!

Along the same ‘I can’t believe it’s not designer’ lines is this Nara paper lampshade, below, just £12 from Next (www.next.co.uk). As it covers the bulb with an origami-style flower, the soft light it produces makes it perfect for a bedroom. I’m putting in my order now!

Tags: designer-look light fittings, Japanese lampshade, Nara lampshade, Nico pendant shade, paper lampshade

Down to a tea

My mum believes in that old English notion that a cup of tea helps in any situation.

She’s right, of course. If you’re loved up this Valentine’s Day, bringing your other half a nice warm cuppa in bed will up your brownie points total immeasurably.

And if you’re single, there’s nothing more satisfying than sipping a hot mug of tea and happily munching a chocolate digestive without someone moaning about crumbs on the duvet. I speak from experience in both situations!

Which is why these new mugs from Tesco are a sound investment. There’s three yummy fine china biscuit prints (jammy dodger, custard cream or rich tea) to choose from, £2.50 each; or you can opt for either a supersized tea or coffee mug, £4. Time to put the kettle on!

Fancy a flutter?

There are ways to brighten up your walls with swanky pictures without spending a fortune. I’m a big fan of easyart.com and allposters.co.uk – cheap prints bought online can be transformed with a mount and an Ikea frame.

Recently, these beautiful butterfly prints from Rockett St George (www.rockettstgeorge.co.uk) have caught my eye. They cost £29 for six, and look incredibly stylish in thin black Ikea Ribba frames, £5.99 each (so that’s £65 in total if you frame them all).

They’ll add a touch of class to any white wall – hang them in a line or two rows of three over a sofa or dining table, or stagger them up the stairs.

Turning Japanese

Anyone who’s ever met me knows I LOVE Japanese patterns. So imagine how excited I was to wander into Marks & Spencer the other day and see they’ve brought out a whole range of the stuff!

Called (aptly) Geisha, it includes everything from kitchenware and bedlinen to throws, vases, shower curtains and bath towels.

To view the whole range, visit www.marksandspencer.com and search under ‘Geisha’. My top picks? The tea towels and storage tins, both £9.50 for three. Gorgeous!

Tags: cherry blossom pattern, Geisha patterns, Japanese bedlinen, Japanese cake tins, Japanese mugs, Japanese prints

You can stand under my umb-er-ella…

Unless you’ve been living in a hole the last few weeks, you’ll have noticed it’s Valentine’s Day next week.

But if your amour is on a diet (so no chocolates); is allergic to flowers (so no red roses); and hates cheese/tackiness (that’ll be a ‘no’ to teddies, satin hearts, etc etc), what on earth can you buy them?

My solution? A great big  heart-shaped umbrella, £9.99, in red, fuchsia or pale pink, from www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk (or £19.99 from Implivia at www.amazon.co.uk in red, pink, white, black, navy or silver). It’s unusual, slightly kooky, and if it’s chucking it down with rain, as it usually does mid-February, you can shelter underneath it together, all romantic-like.

Tags: heart umbrella, heart-shaped umbrella, unusual valentine's day gift

Wild bling, I think I love you!

One of my most recent discoveries is www.lushandgreen.com. It’s only a small site, but it’s a beauty.
My favourite item are their quirky animal necklaces, £15, – you can choose from a rabbit, donkey, fox, guinea pig, panda, mouse, deer, swan, pug dog, piglet or this funky little budgie (above), which comes in blue or green.
If you’re giving him as a present, he goes perfectly with one of the site’s beautiful bird cards, £3.99 (also above), which have a removable tin bird brooch attached – brilliant.
And while you’re there, stock up on a  couple of the amazing animal cards (below), which are a present in their own right – they each have a picture of a panda, pig, monkey or penguin on the front, and a matching Japanese paper balloon inside – perfect for both big and little kids alike!

Tags: animal necklace, birthday card, budgie necklace, japanese paper balloons

Don’t stop Moomin

 

My post about Moomin-themed scissors (A Cut Above The Rest, 18 Jan) proved so popular that I’ve had some requests to hunt down some more products featuring the friendly family of Scandinavian trolls…

And after doing some digging, it seems there are some serious Moomin fans around willing to pay top dollar for limited edition china mugs and bowls. But for cheaper Moomin fare, a good starting point is www.flamingogifts.co.uk, where you can pick up keyrings (£4.79), flasks (11.99), makeup bags (£10.80), crocheted toys (from £12.79) and cute compact mirrors (£6.39), which make great gifts.

Elsewhere, Brighton’s Pussy Home Boutique (www.pussyhomeboutique.co.uk) sells a lovely Moominflowers tray for £18; tea towels (£6.99) and ceramic Moomins (£19.50).

Finally, there’s a huge selection at www.designshopuk.com, including cute cookie cutters (£1.99), Tea tins (from £8.50), napkins (£4.99), hand towels (£6.50) plus notebooks, moneyboxes, a cook book, bags… and even the original Moomin books themselves.

A big unit

Searching for some extra storage for my bathroom, I came across this little beauty. It doesn’t take up loads of room, fits lots of stuff inside (albeit that big shampoo bottles will have to lay on their sides) and is the perfect height for putting books/mags on when you’re in the bath.

Of course, it’s not just for bathrooms – I’ve seen it in bedrooms and living rooms in Living Etc magazine. And you don’t get much chic-er than that!

The proper name for it is the Kartell Componibili 3-tier storage unit (it’s a design classic apparently) and it comes in red or white for £86 from John Lewis (www.johnlewis.com). However, www.Next.co.uk also sell exactly the same unit (it’s just called a ‘storage unit’) in white, black, hot pink or purple for £70. And if you’re happy to go off the high street, www.componibili.com sell three tier units in white, black or silver for just £44.99, as well as two-tier units and large single units at hugely reduced prices. Bargain!

Tags: bathroom unit, freestanding bathroom storage, Kartell Componibili, pink bathroom unit, purple bathroom unit, storage unit

All present and correct

My new obsession is an awesome online shopping site called www.presentandcorrect.com. It’s not just that they sell gorgeous stationery, cards, notelets, prints, stickers, stamps and other bits and bobs, but that they photograph and present them all so beautifully.

My top picks? The bright wooden ‘click’ pencils, £5.50 (above); the tag notebooks, £7.50 for three; the cunning tape measure calendar, £16 (each day is 1cm on the tape measure – genius!); the label notecards, £3.25; the old Czech matchbox labels, £6 for 25 and the pick’n'mix stamps, £3.95.

Tags: Czech designs, ink stamps, notelets, retro notecards, retro stationery, tape measure calendar

Turning the tables

Looking for a way to protect my cheap but new Ikea table recently, I splashed out on a metre of oilcloth fabric in Sanderson’s 1950s-style Dandelion Clocks design, £21 per metre. Not only does it look brilliant, but it’s already saved my table from countless knocks, scratches, spillages and small children ove r Christmas.

If you’ve not embraced oilcloth before, I thoroughly recommend it. There are loads of gorgeous modern designs and patterns out there, and a metre – which is usually more than enough to cover most normal kitchen/dining tables – is surprisingly cheap.

John Lewis is a great place to start, with a good range of designs (the Boqueria Gloss, £25pm and Pomme apple, £15pm, are below). Tip: search for ‘PVC tablecloth’ rather than ‘oilcloth’.

Also worth a look is www.tableclothshop.co.uk – it’s particularly good for spots – around £13.99 per metre.

I like the modern and retro designs at justwipe.co.uk, around £12.99 per metre; Cath Kidston’s iconic patterns, from £20 per metre at www.cathkidston.co.uk (green Provence Rose, £22pm is below); and www.oilcloth.co.uk for bright kitsch Mexican designs, £12 per metre (Blue Hibiscus, £12pm is below).

Tags: Cath Kidston oilcloth, PVC tablecloth, retro oilcloth, Sanderson Dandelion Clocks oilcloth, spotty oilcloth

Play your cards right

I know, I know, Valentine’s Day is miles away, but if you want something that’ll knock your other half’s socks off, you have to plan ahead. And that goes for these amazing cards…

The brainchild of the very talented Helen Foers, she’ll cut by hand whatever message you want to send your Valentine, telling them: ‘I love you more than… pizza/Strictly/curly fries/shopping’ or even ‘I love you more than Keanu’ (my commission for her last year!). Each card is a personalised work of art – you can frame it afterwards – and cost just £8 or £8.50, depending on your message.

She also has some ready-made machine-cut Valentines cards for £2.95-£3.95, which say ‘I love you more than…tea/cake/cheese/diet coke/X Box/shoes/my iPhone/Twitter’.

And if you’re not feeling the love this year, you can commission her to make a bespoke birthday, anniversary, new home or new baby card for someone special, again for around £8. You can pick almost any names/words/dates/background colour you like.

To find out more, visit her online shop at www.etsy.com (just search under ‘Storeyshop’) or visit http://www.etsy.com/shop/Storeyshop?ref=seller_info.

Tags: personalised birthday card, personalised new baby card, personalised valentines cards

Sign language

Framed bus blinds cost a fortune – the cheapest I’ve found online are from Pedlars.co.uk (below) who currently sell London and British destinations for £125 framed (down from £215) or £30 unframed (a good local picture framing shop should be able to make a frame for around £30). While they’re super stylish, they’re not exactly a bargain.

That’s why, if you’re on a budget, these new framed London place name prints, (above) are a much better bet. They’re £29.99 from www.tch.net, or if you’re quick, were recently on sale at Rockett St George (www.rockettstgeorge.co.uk) for just £20, down from £37.50.  I love the punchy colours, and they’d look great over a door, in a hall, or casually propped up on a mantlepiece.

Tags: bus blinds, bus destination prints, London bus blinds, Pedlars bus blinds