Birds and more birds

Bird Love by Torie Jayne on Polyvore.com

Recently, I've been seeing birds everywhere. Whether they're used in graphics on websites like Laura Ashley and Graham & Green, or on the High Street with bird cage necklaces aplenty, it seems to me that our feathered friends have hit the mainstream as a trend.

It's not the bright, colourful flamingos or peacocks of last year, either. Instead they're the small, softly-coloured birds that you're more likely to find in your back garden.

Why is this? Personally, I think it represents a return to a more natural, organic, comforting symbolism. The bird imagery I'm seeing is delicate, pretty and vintage, evoking a mood more in tune with comfort, homeliness, and eco-friendliness. Take, for example, the Hampton Court flower show that I recently visited where "eco" was the word of the day. A lot of the stalls displayed many bird-inspired garden products, from plant supports to outdoor napkin holders... (check back later for my full report on this wonderful event!).

In tune with this, I'd like to share some of this great bird imagery I've discovered recently. Please visit my Polyvore set above to see some of what I think are the best examples of wallpaper, cushions and jewellery in this trend.

I'd love to hear your thoughts about this recent trend!

Hush sale - 14th July 2009

The Hush sale starts on the 14th of July. Hush are my favourite Luxe loungewear boutique for pyjamas, robes, and sundresses.

From Hush-uk.com: "... our pyjamas are all low-waisted - to make your legs look as long and your bum as small as possible; and why our vest tops have a hidden support so that you can keep your cleavage even when you lose your bra."

They have the most beautiful loungewear in their catalogues, and having ordered some, I can say the pyjamas really lived up to expectation! The pyjama sets come in a small matching bag in the same fabric, wrapped up in sumptuous mocha-coloured tissue paper.

They're great for gifts for you or for others. I always recommend Hush to male friends having difficulty choosing a gift for their partners for birthday or Christmas.

A few of the items above are going into the sale (clockwise from top left):

• Hooded robe
• Polka dot nightie
• Summer cardigown
• Silk sunset dress

Duck egg blue

For my next Flickr Faves Sunday, I bring you a colour theme of cream and duck egg blue. Check back next week for some more of the most inspirational photographers on Flickr.

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

• The dreamlike nature in rest from Gabrielle Kai Photography
  
• The distressed birds and vase in patience from Almost Bunnies
  
• The hand stitched pearly apple in Pearly Gould from Jennybubbletime
  
• The adorable fish jumping out of the tea cup in The fugitive fish from The Curious Nomad
  

Greengate

Greengate is a Copenhagen-based interior company, centered around a cottage theme. They sell stoneware, kitchen linens, fabrics, bedspreads and lampshades, amongst other things.

They have two collections a year: this summer they have been inspired by Bellevue beach in Copenhagen. Breezy pastels and cool carefree colours are the order of the day - all carefully designed to blend in seamlessly with existing Greengate items.



I first discovered Greengate a year ago on holiday in a small interior shop in Spain. I bought a green dotty melamine salad bowl with pink on the inside, like the one above. When I got home, it looked so good with my Cath Kidston melamine print plates, that I use for outside dining, that I wanted to find stockists in the UK. Fortunately, the Greengate website has a full list of them. I also found their online catalogue, from which I bought another salad bowl with matching salad servers, dinner plates and side plates.

Occa Home has a great selection of GreenGate Home Accessories and they ship worldwide!

Have a asweet day!

White chocolate raspberry cupcakes

White chocolate raspberry cupcakes (makes 12 muffin size cakes)

Ingredients
125g (4.5 ounces) butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon (1/6 ounces) vanilla extract
150g (5.2 ounces) caster sugar
2 eggs
150g (5.2 ounces) gluten free self-raising flour
170g (6 ounces) crushed fresh raspberries
60ml (2 fluid ounces) semi-skimmed milk
100g (3.5 ounces) Belgium white choc chunks

Cooking instructions

1. Preheat oven to 160-180 deg C (325-350 deg F).
2. Line muffin tray with paper cases.
3. Beat flour, butter, eggs, milk, sugar and vanilla extract in a bowl with an electric mixer until the mixture turns a pale colour.
4. Stir in the white chocolate and raspberries and mixed thoroughly.
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
6. Place cakes on a wire rack to cool.

Raspberry butter frosting (for 12 muffin sized cupcakes)

Ingredients
12 crushed fresh raspberries
vanilla butter frosting
36 mini white marshmallows

Instructions

1. Blend 12 raspberries with a food processor so they are completely crushed.
2. Add the blended raspberries into a small bowl with the vanilla butter frosting and stir well until it is an even pink colour.
3. Fill piping bag with the frosting and pipe in swirls on top of the cakes.
4. Place 3 mini marshmallows on top and dust with pink metallic icing.

Ananya

Diamonte water dress



Love lies sleeveless


I have just discovered Ananya in Notting Hill, London. They sell the most exquisite hand made bejeweled dresses and kaftans, worn by Kate Moss, Beyonce, Claudia Schiffer and Madonna to name a few.

Bead flower

My porcelain flower palette is filled with beads sourced in India.

The antique butterfly trim is from The London Vintage Fashion Textiles and Accessories Fair.

The sewing thread needles come in this cute pebble from John James.