Design Democracy Awards

I am so excited to tell you that Torie Jayne has been nominated for the Design Democracy Awards.

mydeco have teamed up with London Design Festival to run the first ever 'Design Democracy blog awards', championing the best design blogs in the UK. The blogs with the most votes in each category - plus one overall winner selected by mydeco and LDF - will form the official blogging task force at London Design Festival 2010, with VIP backstage access to all 200+ events. The winning bloggers will be assigned different itineraries and their posts will create four unique perspectives on the festival.

I was asked to write ‘what design democracy means to me’...

Design democracy is about giving everyone and anyone the chance to express their take on design. With the introduction of blogs this has become more prevalent than ever before and gives us all a voice; we are no longer restricted to sourcing ideas from traditional media such as glossy magazines and television. Blogs can be a celebration of design and a platform to share a love of interiors, for example, to make a house a home regardless of budget or design credentials and then to share that vision with the world. I know I have found so many inspirational ideas here in blogland and it has given me a chance to share with you, my sweet readers, all that lovely inspiration.

If you would like to see me win please vote for me on the mydeco website. Thank you darlings!



Have a sweet day!

Kitchen bird hooks

1. Gauntlet, pink flamenco oven glove
2. Duck egg blue & pink medium chopping boards
3. Enchanted bird coat hanger hook
4. GreenGate Home AccessoriesNaomi beige teatowel
5. Duck egg blue trivet
6. Pink & Duck egg blue medium chopping boards

This week in my series of posts, "Fridays Finds", I bring you a selection of items hanging on bird hooks in my almost finished new kitchen. I painted my bird hooks in duck egg blue kitchen paint to match the opposite wall which we have painted duck egg blue. My oven glove is from Cath Kidston from a collection she did a couple of years ago.

Don't forget you can click on any blue lettering in any of my posts to link through to the relevant store website or blog post for more info!

Have a sweet day!

Rosanna

Several years ago I bought the cutest pale blue muffin tray and china cupcake cups in an array of pastel colours from the "Let's Play House" collection by Rosanna and I have been a fan ever since!

Rosanna is named after American creator Rosanna Bowles, who has a passion for tableware. Oh, and boy does it show! She designs the most exquisite dishes which turn any and every day meal times into a special occasion. My favourite ranges from her are "Gelato" and "Decor Bon Bon", with a fresh modern take on some 1950's vintage classics all in a range of faded sorbet colours.

Have a sweet day!

Pretty bakeware giveaway

Image by Polly Wreford

I am so excited to bring you my first giveaway this year from CSN stores. CSN stores has amazing online stores where you can find everything from cookware to ceiling lights to furniture. I love their Cookware by CSN store which is full of pretty bakeware, including cookie cutters and silicone utensils in an array of colours.

The winner of the giveaway will receive a one-time-use £60 gift voucher to be used on any of the CSN stores UK websites. To enter, please leave a comment on this post during the next 7 days. The giveaway ends on Sunday, August 1st 2010 at 10pm (GMT) and I will randomly select and announce a winner on Monday, August 2nd.

To increase your chances of winning this fabulous prize, you can gain one additional entry for doing each of the following:

• tweeting about this giveaway
• blogging about it
• following/subscribing to the Torie Jayne blog

(for the first two, please leave a comment here with the link)

As for ideas of how to spend the voucher, should you win, take a look below on how to make baking in your kitchen a pretty pastel delight!

1. Miniamo Cupcakes/Pastels Four Piece Metal Cookie Cutter Set
2. Miniamo Pastels Mixing Bowl in Mauve
3. Miniamo Pastels Measuring Cups in Pink
4. Miniamo Pastels Silicone Covered Rolling Pin, Miniamo Pastels Silicone Whisk in Multi Coloured  
5.  Pastels Assorted Coloured Heart Shaped Cake Moulds 
6. Miniamo Pastels Non-Slip Preparation Board
7. Miniamo Pastels Assorted Coloured Silicone Jelly Moulds 
8. Miniamo Pastels Silicone Spoon and Spatula with Wooden Handles and Ring in Mauve
9. Miniamo Pastels Coloured Silicone Cup Cake Cases (Set of 12)

The total for all of these items is £59.70!

Remember, the giveaway ends this Sunday and to enter all you need to do is leave me a comment.

Sorry for the earlier confusion, this Giveaway is open to readers from the UK, US, Canada & Germany.


Good luck!

Have a sweet day!

Sweet Matilou

This week on Flickr Faves Sunday, I bring you the wonderful work of Matilou. I adore her illustrations and am so pleased to have her as a sponsor here. She has recently started the most adorable collection of jewelery featuring her cute illustrations. Please check out her Etsy shop for even more delights.
Check back soon for some more of the most inspirational photographers on Flickr.

Some beautiful shots from my Flickr favourites (clockwise from top left):

• The adorable girl in Oups
  
• The delightful brooch in P1090419
• The cute girl with bunnies in sweet
• The wonderful necklace in P1090361

Have a sweet day!

Deer Heads

1. Rice Paper Mache Deer Head
2. Dear Dear Coathook
3. Decorative Deer Head - small
4. Deer trophy Heads
5. Pink Reindeer head
6. Deer Head

This week in my series of posts, "Fridays Finds", I bring you a selection of deer heads because I'm wishing that my lonesome deer had a friend or two!

Don't forget you can click on any blue lettering in any of my posts to link through to the relevant store website or blog post for more info!

Have a sweet day!

Pip Studio Autumn/Winter 2010

Yipee! It is that time of year again when all the new Autumn/Winter catalogs launch online: so much inspiration at once! Here I share with you one of my favorites, Pip Studio, a Dutch design company based in Amsterdam selling bed and bath collections, stationery, cushions, tablecloths and of course lots of porcelain.

On my wish list is the gorgeous cross stitch tablecloth above in stone and white with a blue and white gingham border edged with a cotton crochet lace. Oh, and I would love some of their pretty bird print porcelain to serve cupcakes on.

Have a sweet day!

Cosmopolitan Blog Awards

Cosmopolitan UK is launching the first ever Cosmopolitan Blog Awards and at the beginning of August they will be drawing up their shortlist to find out which five blogs in each category make it into the final round of voting.

I think it is great that the mainstream media here in the UK is promoting blogging by recognizing the wealth of talent here in the blogosphere, from beauty, to fashion and style, to news and current affairs blogs.

One of the blogs I've loved and nominated for an award is Holly Springett for 'new fashion blogger' as her blog is full of wonderful fashion illustrations and the cutest of finds like the custom made hair pieces in her post Beautiful Bohemia from Little Doe......

If you like what I'm up to here at Torie Jayne and would like to see me make the shortlist of five finalists in the Lifestyle category, then please vote for me here! All you have to do is:

1) Click on the button:



2) Select Lifestyle in the category list

3) Paste in my URL:

http://toriejayne.blogspot.com/

4) Then write a couple of words on why you like my blog :)

Thank you so much! Have a sweet day!

Sweet Paul

Back in January I did a post about the wonderful prop stylist, Paul Lowe. I love Paul's styling as I find it very sweet, delicate and charming as well as being very clean and simple in approach. Well, imagine my joy when I discovered he had launched an online magazine called Sweet Paul. It is full of his gorgeous styling along with craft ideas like the gorgeous Frozen Flowers which would look amazing at a garden party, or the drinks umbrellas which you could make in a print to match your tableware. The magazine is also packed full of gorgeous recipes and tips on styling.



Have a sweet day!

Aqua Birds

This week on Flickr Faves Sunday, I bring you Aqua Birds with these gorgeous pics. Check back soon for some more of the most inspirational photographers on Flickr.

Some beautiful shots from my Flickr favourites (clockwise from top left):

• The pretty digital collage in Bird No.5, 2008 by kareem rizk
  
• The cute Owlie Cameo Pin by veganmichele
• The wonderful plates in two by Creature Comforts
• The sweet personalized card in birdie for betsy by Sarah Parrott

Have a sweet day!

Bird Love

1. Pip studio mug
2. Grey Song Bird Bookends
3. Handpainted Metal Etagere
4. Conure Rug, Round
5. Hanging Bird
6. Hand Painted Peacock Candlebra

This week in my series of posts, "Fridays Finds", I bring you all things birdie as by now you should know how much I love birds around my home!

Don't forget you can click on any blue lettering in any of my posts to link through to the relevant store website or blog post for more info!

Have a sweet day!

My little aqua book: Pretty Baking

• Cottage Cooks
• Squires
• Lakeland
• Cakes cookies and crafts shop
• The Cooks Kitchen
• Rainbow Sugarcraft
• Funky Muffin
• Cake Decorating Company

For my third post in the series "my little aqua book" I share with you pages of shops that sell the prettiest baking goodies!

Have a sweet day!

Advertising on Torie Jayne

Over time, I've watched Torie Jayne grow in terms of followers, readers, comments and daily views. I feel honoured in getting to know many of the wonderful readers who stop by to grab a quick dose of pretty inspiration in their journey of daily reads! I've also been inspired and excited by all of the artists, crafters, bakers and designers who I've met along the way!

As you may have noticed, I've started taking sponsors and currently have a few who fit in perfectly here at Torie Jayne! So, at the moment I am offering 2 months for the price of 1 on the first two sponsors who sign up for August 2010. I am currently offering affordable advertising space on my blog with rates starting at just $20.

I am also going to begin giveaways, starting with a fabulous one next week, so please feel free to contact me if you'd like to sponsor a giveaway with a product from your store.

If you have any questions you can reach me at toriejayne@gmail.com, and I will respond to all inquiries.

Have a sweet day!

Garden Party

Page 1

• Ideal Home

Page 2

• Michelle Simone
• Martha Stewart
• Country Living
• Strawberry Fool

Page 3

• Cox and Cox
• Country Living
• Country Living
• Image by Jenny Heel

Having spent some of my weekend working on our garden by painting trellis, putting up lanterns and re-painting my garden shed, I am dreaming of finishing it and having my friends round for a party.

For more of my pretty Garden Party pics finds, check out my Pinterest!

Have a sweet day!

Aqua Glass

This week on Flickr Faves Sunday, I bring you the wonderful colour Aqua with these gorgeous pics. Check back soon for some more of the most inspirational photographers on Flickr.

Some beautiful shots from my Flickr favourites (clockwise from top left):

• The pretty tumblers in Gray by Kristybee
  
• The cute teacup in Cup-o-Light by jljjld
• The sweet bottles in rainy day by lynda*naranjo
• The wonderful colour in Green bottles on white by //Between the Lines//

Have a sweet day!

Pretty gardening

1. Metal watering can
2. Candy Flowers gardening gloves
3. Sweet William seed packet
4. White seed box
5. Worm food compost bucket
6. Burgon and Ball pink garden collection

This week in my series of posts, "Fridays Finds", I bring you a collection of pretty garden tools inspired by my visit to the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show.

Don't forget you can click on any blue lettering in any of my posts to link through to the relevant store website or blog post for more info!

For more of my 'Pretty Gardening' finds, check out my Pinterest!

Have a sweet day!

Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2010

Today I visited the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. It is the largest flower show in England, held annually in the beautiful grounds of the Long Water in Hampton Court Park, Surrey by the Royal Horticultural Society. It differs from the most prestigious flower show, the Chelsea Flower Show, by focusing more on environmental issues, grow-your-own and cookery, but of course it also includes lots of inspirational show gardens.

It was full of wonderful ideas for creating outdoor living spaces, which I was particularly interested in looking at to get ideas for my outdoor living room. Above are some of my highlights, with more to come soon...

In the market place I treated myself to two lovely vintage weathered bird cages to put in my outdoor living room.

Have a sweet Day!

Midsummer's Dream

Page 1

• Ericka McConnell photography

Page 2

• Country Living
• Sussie Bell
• Bloomingville
• Toast

Page 3

• Erika McConnell photography
• Amy Butler
• Amy Butler
• Paul Lowe photography

I am just dreaming of spending as much time outside as I can in this wonderful weather we are having.

Have a sweet day!

I ♥ everything Aqua!

This week on Flickr Faves Sunday, I bring you the wonderful colour Aqua with these gorgeous pics. Check back soon for some more of the most inspirational photographers on Flickr.

Some beautiful shots from my Flickr favourites (clockwise from top left):

• The delightful flower in THE SPOT pt.13 by Thinkoutsidethebox*
  
• The pretty colour of the weathered Abandoned Doorway by Donna Corless
  
• The fascinating Azure tower by selva
  
• The wonderful Large, sea glass from Norway by ihearthome

Have a sweet day!

Clarke & Clarke

Bird Trail

Beach huts

In my recent post pretty fabrics and finds for outdoor living I featured the lovely Bird Trail fabric from Clarke & Clarke. I adore the pretty birds and butterflies adorning the delicate floral print and I am also loving their cute coastal style print, Beach Huts. So, I thought I would share some more lovely images from them and a little bit about them.



Clarke & Clarke is a British family-run business based in Lancashire and is internationally recognized as one of the leaders in the world of home fashion. Their style ranges from classic to contemporary and they do a range of high quality fabrics and wall coverings.



Have a sweet day!