Vintage brooch bouquets

Photos by Alice Hu Photography; courtesy of Amanda Heer

If only I had known about these gorgeous bouquets when I got married. They are created by Amanda Heer of Fantasy Floral Designs and are made using 50 to 60 brooches, earrings and pendants - in fact any family heirloom that 'sings to you'. She turns them into a work of art for you that can be treasured forever - I want one! You can find her blog here.

Just what the doctor ordered

Photo: George Eastman Collection

I've been poorly for the last few days - some sort of sickness bug - so thought it was a perfect opportunity to post this film clip. Makes me feel much better - I've not seen the film but I just love this scene. Found it here. Pop on over for more lovely film treats. 

Shake it up baby

During one of my journeys through Blogland I came across a fab new app for my iPhone. (I'm so sorry - I've tried to retrace my steps but you know what it's like when you go from one blog to another and I now have no idea where I saw it. If it was your site - I know I left a comment - then please let us all know and I'm very sorry) Anyway, I have been lusting over a polaroid camera for some time but the price of the film has been putting me off - plus they are so big to carry around. Well, ShakeIt is an 'instant film emulator' - it's brilliant. You take a photo on your iPhone, open it in ShakeIt and you can see it slowly developing in front of your eyes - you can shake it to speed it up. Look at the results - just like the real thing (well kind of).

It's about time

This weekend I have finally completed my first necklace. Last year I went in search of charms and trinkets from car boot sales and squirrelled them away in a box until I was inspired to do something with them. I had in mind that I would like to start making jewellery but, as I've never done anything like it before, it's taken me a while to get my ahead around it. Slowly I have bought chains, ribbons and clasps but it wasn't until this weekend that I felt that I had everything to make my first necklace and the next one may be close behind - I still have a few missing bits and bobs to pull it all together. 

I'm pleased with my first attempt although it's not hanging quite right - may need to do a bit of drilling to get it perfect but that may be beyond me - what sort of drill do I need? The clock doesn't work but I think it goes beautifully with the little bow charm that I found and the lace ribbon. 

Happy Valentine's Day

. . . or Sunday, or Monday perhaps. Yes, it's Valentine's day on Sunday and it would be very hard for it to pass without us noticing. I know there are some lovely Valentine's projects on blogland that cost nothing and come from the heart but being a hopeless romantic (and I mean just that - hopeless!) when I saw this website I found it quite touching. It confirms everything I believe - if you really love someone you just need to say it!

Elastic fantastic

We have some lovely new party bag gifts to add to the website. Just look at these pretty French skipping ropes. We never had such cute things when I was little - just a length of greying knicker elastic!

Remember the rhyme?

'England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales

Inside, outside, inside, on'

A small basket of spring

There was definitely a feeling of spring in the air last week - it was no longer pitch black at 5pm and a few snowdrops had pushed through the frost. I got a little overexcited and planted some primroses in a basket to put on the kitchen table. Then today it snowed again - perhaps it was just wishful thinking but at least I now have a small basket of spring in my kitchen.

Viva La Marelle

Photos: La Marelle

I survived the Spring Fair at the NEC on Sunday - a retail experience from hell! So many trade companies  but with few selling anything new and exciting. I went along to see if I there was anything I had missed that would fit beautifully into a party bag and I stumbled across La Marelle which definitely got me excited. This is a French company which has developed a whole range of products using different illustrators - Mlle Heloise and Nathalie Lete notably among them. I have spent ages trying to chose which products to post here and they have so many different designs that it took forever to make up my mind - go to the website and have a look for yourself. Here are just some of my favourites.

 

Submarine in the sink

Our dishwasher has broken and so now we are washing up every night. Whenever I wash up it reminds me of something my gran used to say when I was little - my gran who will be 99 this year. She used to say that submarines should be made in the shape of a teaspoon because you can never find them in a bowl full of suds but when you let out the plug there's always one left at the bottom of the sink.

Patriotic pin cushion

I'm sort of over Cath Kidston but recently this little pin cushion caught my eye and I had to buy it - just £5.00.

Move over Barbie!

Illustrated by Hilda Miloche; 

Published by Whitman Publishing Company; Courtesy: Teri Pettit

I love paper dolls - so much so that we even have a party bag at The Little Things made from paper doll fabric. I suppose it's that twinge of nostalgia again. These dolls are gorgeous - you can download them here.