I saw this little fellow on a recent trip to Paperchase, initially I couldn’t quite work out what it was but then on further investigation I realised it was maybe one of the Best Fancy Dress Costumes Ever.

How neat is that! Designed by a French company called Omy they also have Lions, and Tigers and Bears (well, Lions and Superheros and Princesses) as well as a range of other cool and chic kids pictures, wallpapers and T shirts.

They may be quite a new company as lots of exciting looking things on the website are ‘coming soon’, but if you are good at French (I’m not) you can buy lots of cool stuff and probably get it delivered to your house (I’ve just spent quite a long time trying to find out if they deliver to the UK and using my basic grasp of French learned from The Eurovision Contest I can confirm they do indeed deliver to Royaume-Uni)
Click the picture below to visit their site

Got an Ipad? Need a new case for it? Well, if you buy a copy of Making magazine this month you will get this nifty little project taken from Felt Sew Good. See it as a kind of ‘try before you buy’ opportunity, though really  you should just BUY!

Anyway, continue.

Hurrah Hurrah! Two of my most wonderful friends got married a few weeks ago. It was a beautiful relaxed wedding down in sunny Helford with invites sent by text message (bit like organising a rave), a brass band trumpeted Lizzi down the ailse with a rendition of The Floral Song (them being Cornish and all), the marriage certificate got turned into a paper aeroplane and flown across the reception at some point in the night and there was no gift list.

I know our presence rather than our presents were what really mattered on the day but it didn’t feel right that they didn’t have anything to open … Everyone loves a gift.

On the long train journey home from Cornwall I got all inspired to make them this wall hanging commemorating the day and their gorgeous family. I used lots of leftover scraps of fabric and had fun practicing my freehand machine embroidery skills on the applique motif of The Shipwrights Arms where the reception was held.

Here’s how I did it.

Looking at it in these pictures I’ve realised that I really should embroider the date somewhere on the hanging, so I’m off to do that now.

click to enlarge

Here is a book. A book called Felt Sew Good. A book I spent many hours last summer creating; dreaming up, making, writing and illustrating the 30 or so projects and it’s finally here and though I do say it myself it’s really rather nice. It looks, feels and smells good too. Above is a little taster of what’s inside and if you head over to Amazon now you can use their nifty ‘look inside’ feature to find out more!

Oh and you know that thing about buses and how you can wait for ages and two come at once? Well, apparently it’s the same for books as here is Felt Sew Goods sister title Little Sew and Sew. Also by me, also rather nice and also available to buy now!

click to enlarge

Over the following weeks there’ll be some free project downloads, some interviews and other exciting things. Cool.

from Mulberry.com

Just as the Spring finally starts to make an apperance I’m back at Marie Claire Runway, immersing myself in the colours, styles and trends that we’re all going to be wearing this autumn and into 2014 (fyi: punk, pink and mannish suits). So even though we have barely started to wear our flip flops I am already planning my next winter coat and hat (a nice 1940′s style Prada piece, thank you please).

I have decided that if I have room for another career in my lifetime I might like to be a set designer. I’ve spent a lot of time watching catwalk videos of the shows, (check out Louis Vuitton or Prada to see what I mean) but it’s this little ‘making of’ video from Mulberry that really made me think … “yeah, that’d be fun to do”.

Working with 3D designers extrordinaire Millington Associates Mulberry turned the entrance of Claridges into a magnificent hedgerow, full of butterflies, harvest mice, flowers and mulberries (obvs) then carried the theme through on to the catwalk.

click to watch

Want to make a giant mouse. now.

The wonder that is Liberty has a new department. A garden department.  It’s up on the fourth floor taking full advantage of the beautiful vaulted glass roof that makes you feel you are wandering round an orangery of some grand stately home.

In true Liberty style not only are there beautiful things to buy but their merchandise displays are cool, humorous and inspiring. Their use of unorthadox planting vessels really got me thinking.

They are selling everything from seeds and tiny plant pots, perfect for the city gardener with only window boxes to tend to, to outdoor dining goodies for those with a bit more space.

If you can’t get to the store then they have a selection of wares on their website.  Here are three of my favourite things…

1. Fallen Fruits Red Insect Hotel £24.95
2. Fallen Fruits Four terracotta pots in a box £19.95
3. Fallen Fruits zinc rectangular outdoor serving tray £19.95

You may recognise some of these letters from previous Letter Of The Day posts. I have finally found them an appropriate space in My New House hanging between my New Wardrobes in my Newly Decorated Bedroom.

I hung them with hammer and nail … now I can do a lot of crafty things and will have a go at most DIY challenges but I still can’t manage to hammer a nail in straight … It’s always been an issue and one I haven’t mastered yet, so behind those letters are a lot of holes, bent nails and frustration. Oh and don’t even get me started on the spacing between the letters (known as kerning in ‘the biz’. You can play a ‘fun’ game and practice your kerning here), that was hard, and I apologise for the spacing between the R and the B; way     to    much.

Anyway, what does it all mean you may wonder. Well my friend Master J thinks it could stand for…

Always Eat Hot Kedgeree Carefully. Remember: Burning Kedgeree Proves Rather Vexatious

but what do you think?

The other half of the dynamic crafting duo that is Hannah and Christine (ie: not me) has been so very hard at work writing her first solo book Girls Night In, Crafts, Cakes and Cocktails for the Ultimate Party. It’s full of inspiration for different sorts of parties with delicious recipes, gorgeous crafts, hair and make up tutorials and cute games perfect for any soiree from a quite night in with the girls to a full on blow out.

And the brilliance of Hannah means not only has she created the book but also made a website to support it, here you will find more info on the book, playlists and video tutorials AND as today is launch day there’s even a competition to win a luxury hamper worth over £200. Click the picture below to find out more …

Tonight is Launch Party Night. I should probably start getting ready now!

from brit+co

Lovely website Brit + Co have found 40 creative ways to decorate Easter eggs and if thats not enough then I’ve made a board over on Pinterest with some of my favourites, go take a look…

click image for more

This morning I sat down at my computer with the sole aim to write at least 5 blog posts as I know I have been woefully lacking recently (I have written three books in my absence so I haven’t been totally lazy). Instead I have managed just one, but I hope you think it’s a good one?!

click image to download

Introducing Cirque Des Oeufs, my specially designed Easter egg printable for one and all to download, printout and decorate your eggs. Click the picture above to download the PDF or click here.

P.S. Don’t forget last year I gave you instructions to make this little cutie, Click here to get the instructions and template