Book Review - Craft by Kirstie Allsopp

Morning! Friday has arrived again and I know I haven't got everything done that I had hoped to do and I am sure I'm not the only one! Nevermind there's always next week.  I know today should be a Fabric Friday post but my postman has been busy the past week delivering things for review and I thought you wouldn't mind if just for today I snuck in a book review, especially as it's crafting champion Kirstie Allsopp's new book 'Craft'.  I actually feel very honoured to being able to have this book for review because Kirstie is a bit of heroine for me.  Jack, my 12 year old, actually thinks secretly Kirstie is my sister as he says we both love coats and big rings! Just imagine how much fun Kirstie would be as a sister. 

Anyway back to business.  Kirstie Allsopp has been appearing on our screens again, as British craft ambassador, just in time for chilly autumnal evenings in front of the fire. I know from reading peoples tweets there is a mixed opinion about the new show, but I do know that I love sitting down on a Sunday afternoon with my daughters and having a Kirstie craft fix.  One of the best parts of her new show is that there has been a book published to accompany it, sharing lots of projects and much more besides.  The book is split in to seven chapters, Needlecrafts, Textile Crafts, Paper Crafts, Food Crafts, Garden Crafts, Flower Crafts and Gift Crafts.  Each section has at least four projects and all are doable from home and by even the most novice crafter. 'Craft' starts with a lovely introduction from Kirstie where she shares little stories of the past year as she travelled around the UK entering various categories at many county fairs. 

The beginning of each chapter has a little history about the different crafts within the main heading aswell as Kirsties thoughts and memories of these.  Each chapter is then filled with wonderful handmade crafts to try, with good clear instructions and some photos or illustrations to help us check we are doing it right.  There are also other fabulous photos from Kirsties adventure interspersed amongst the projects.  Lucy, my ten year old, spotted the Poppy Treffry designs immediately and I spotted the fabulous work of Kirstie Elson and Phiona Richards.  There is a good selection of projects throughout the book, including a couple of foodie things from the Christmas show Kirstie hosted with Phil last year.  Personally I want to try making paper again, having not done it since at Uni and I also love the selection of papercraft projects and will defiantely be trying to make a paper bird scuplture, as seen on episode two of the show.  I also really want to try and make my own perfume, hoping for a better fragrance than that of my childhood attempts as we squished rose petals in water!

I am sure many of you have 'Craft' on your Christmas lists and I know you will not be disppointed.  There is plenty to keep you busy, allowing you to try new crafts, aswell as being a really good read and with an extensive stockist list for all the projects there really is no excuse not to try everything.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and stay warm and safe if you are heading off to a fireworks display this weekend.  Don't forget to join us here on Saturday for Christmas Kitchen and on Sunday for our new Book Club post, sharing some of ours and our childrens favourite books.

Take care,
Zoe
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Autumn Winds and Dry Skin

Autumn has finally decided to make an appearance here in Suffolk and I am sure it's golden hues and chilly winds are sweeping the rest of the UK.  Tonight we will be donning hats, scarves and gloves to head to the school fireworks display.  Sadly for many of us the winter winds can irritate dry skin and I know I suffer terribly with sore hands for several months at this time of year.  Nevermind the problems with frizzy hair from damp days and central heating, but that's a whole other post!!

from Boo Boo

There are lots of fabulous lotions and potions on the market promising to soothe dry skin, soak away our stress or shrink fine lines under our eyes.  I am yet to find a lotion or potion for my poor hands but this week I have been sent something rather delicious to help sooth and pamper.  Boo Boo have a fantastic range of products made especially for Mums and babies and everybody else too.  The company is the brainchild of two ex-magazine editors who had that spark of an idea for starting a business whilst on maternity leave.  Boo Boo products offer 'purely natural pampering' and are all beautifully packaged. 

from Boo Boo

I am slightly sceptical with beauty products as so many have failed to live up to what the packaging suggests.  However I was pleasantly surprised when I ran a bath using Boo Boo Mummy Splendidly Soothing Bath Soak as an aroma of turkish delight filled the bathroom, I think this is due to the rose geranium oil.  There were a good amount of bubbles, very important test of a good product, although I believe cheaper products with synthetic ingredients tend to be capabale of copious amounts of bubbles.  Thankfully the bubble providing ingredients in this Boo Boo product did not suggest cheap bubble bath!  The turksih delight aroma was not sickly sweet but incredibly relaxing and left my skin feeling lovely and soft.

from Boo Boo

So the verdict is that sometimes products can surprise us and do exactly what the statements on the label tell us they will.  I only wish Boo Boo had been making products when I had been a new mummy as I would have wanted this bath soak everyday as well as I am sure their range for babies.  Be sure to check out Boo Boo's full product range on their website for yourself or your little ones or as a gift for a new mum.  As for me I may just have to try their Velvet Hands Repair Cream this winter, as I might now believe in miracles!

Take care
Zoe
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NB This post is a product review.  Please see my Review page for details about me reviewing your products.

It's Beginning to Feel Alot Like Christmas

Well Halloween is finally over, for me it has seemed like it was going on forever as I wrote some articles back in September! The clocks have gone back, November has arrived and now I know it's getting closer to christmas.  I've been waiting for today as the first of November really is for me the start of the build up for the festive season.  At last I can bake the Christmas cake, relax with several homes magazines planning our decorations, bake mince pies and plan presents. 

image source

I really want to spend some time making gifts for my daughters this year, I know how much Kitty would love the reindeer in Sew Pretty Christmas Homestyle.  There is a very cute fabric mouse to make in a Christmas magazine that all of my daughters would want. Sadly I don't think there is much I could make for the boys, although funky phone cases maybe appreciated!  I am planning on sitting down and having a good look through some of my craft books for ideas to make this year.  Are you planning on making presents this year? Aswell as saving money I think handmade gifts can be treasured for years to come.  I still remember the little grey felt mouse my grandmother made for me that lived in a matchbox.  This idea is now readily available from Cottontails Baby and Sisters Guild.

image source

Baking and cooking are a huge part of our life so there will lots of delicious smells from our kitchen over the coming weeks.  Drew and I will be sharing ideas for Christmas baking, parties and meals every Saturday in our new Christmas Kitchen posts here on the blog!  We've already had a request for vegetarian ideas and I am sure you will all share your ideas and requests here and on twitter.

For now I'm off to test a mince pie that I just had to make, well it is November and check how mcuh paint we have left. Yes we still have miles of glossing to do!

Take care
Zoe
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Sunday Bookclub - Spooky Tales for Little Ones

Morning! Half term is almost over and the laziness of Sunday is here again, although we didn't get that extra hour in bed as the clocks went back. Did you? I'm sure we'll gain the extra hour this evening instead! 

Tomorrow is Halloween and I know it's not something we celebrate here in the UK but I thought for my first Sunday Bookclub post I would share some of my childrens favourite spooky tales that even little ones will love.

The Funnybones series of books, by Janet & Allan Ahlberg, are a huge favourite in our house.  Whilst they have that air of spookiness as the skeletons creep around at night in their 'dark, dark house' and around the 'dark, dark town' the pictures and text make for some funny adventures and laugh out loud fun!

Winne The Witch by Valerie Thomas & Korky Paul are great stories for slightly older children, probably the 5-8 age range, although Kitty loved these from the age of about 3 and a half.  The wild and wacky ideas and adventures of Winnie and her long suffering cat, Wilbur, make for great reading.

I remember Meg & Mog from my own childhood so they must be of some antique value by now! But the stories are still fantastic now and the colours and simple pictures are perfect for little ones.  Perhaps this is where the inspiration for Winne The Witch came from as we are left feeling a little sorry for Mog and Wilbur as their eccentric owners continue to pursue weird and wacky ideas.

I know there are many other stories that are a little spooky but not too spooky for little ones but these are our favorite three.  I would love to know what your top three are, maybe leave a comment here or over on our Facebook page.

I hope you all have a restful Sunday,

Take care

Zoe

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Fabric Friday - Ness

Plaid, tweed, tartan seem to be everywhere this Autumn and I have to admit I do love these in bright, bold colours.  Earlier this year I discovered a Scottish company who are not afraid of colour in their tartan and plaid designs.  Ness have been creating stylish clothes and accessories since 1996 and are determined to keep their Scottish heritage by using tartan in their designs yet with a modern twist.

Rae Coat

Whilst tartan is often associated with heather, tins of shortbread and walking in the Highlands of Scotland Ness are reinterpreting the traditional checks to make them a stylish and contemporary fashion statement.  Colour has been seen on the catwalks this year and Ness certainly do not shy away from mixing bold colours in their checks.  In their contemporary style they offer fab clothes, especially coats, and we all know how much I luuuurrrrrve coats! But something else that has caught my eye in a recent email from Ness is the Henriette shoes, beautiful high heeled mary janes in their bright bold tweeds.  I tend to opt for flats but would love to see a pair of these land in my christmas stocking (please Santa I've been very good!). 

Henriette Shoes

The Ness flagship store is rightly situated on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh.  They have a further five stores, only one of which is south of the border, in York and also have over 500 stockists throughout the UK and internationaly.  Sadly there are none in Suffolk but looking at their stockist map I can get a fix in Cambridge or Norfolk!! Although I am pleased to say they have a gorgeous mail order catologue which I am always excited to see land on the doormat. 

Ditzy Purse

So are you a fan of tweed, plaid or tartan?  How about these designs in bold colours, love or loathe? Now I only hope they start doing sofas or chairs, imagine one in your studio or office to sit and relax in when you're mulling over your next designs or projects with a nice cup of tea.

Have a fabulous weekend

Zoe

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Astley Clarke

Last week I was due to attend a special gemology evening at Astley Clarke in London, but unfortunately had to cancel at the last minute.  I was very disappointed as I was looking forward to seeing their beautiful jewellery and learning a little about the gemstones used in their collections.  However I was also very disappointed to be missing out on meeting some amazing bloggers that had also been invited to this special event.  Tucked away in Suffolk I sometimes feels I miss out on alot of networking and would have loved the opportunity to put faces to names whose words I so often read. 

I have meetings planned in London in November so am hoping to make time to visit the Astley Clarke showroom to indulge in some window shopping and planning my christmas list!  In the meantime I wanted to share with you their gorgeous new Stacking Rings which I personally love.

Aren't they gorgeous?! I actually want all of them but think I'll settle for two or three for now. But which ones do I choose?   Which ones would you choose?

Enjoy
Zoe
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Remembrance Sunday - Handmade Poppies

Good Morning!  I hope you are all well on this frosty Thursday.  Today I wanted to share with you a wonderful idea from my dear friend Viv, the designer behind Poppy Sparkles & editor of the fab Poppy Sparkles blog.  Viv is making gorgeous ribbon poppy corsages for Remembrance Sunday and for every poppy sold she will donate £1 to the Royal British Legion. So if you would prefer to have something a little more stylish than the paper poppies and still make a contribution to this worthy cause please pop by the Poppy Sparkles website to buy one.

Red Poppy Corsage in aid of The Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal

from Poppy Sparkles

Thank you everyone,
Zoe
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