Gift Guide - She ❤'s Fashion...

Holiday help is here once again! Today is a collection of gift ideas for the gal who loves fashion.

Bang on trend this Fall...

1. I am loving the rosy sepia tones of the on-trend python curse scarf in 100% wool, featuring two frayed trims and a hand painted print snake-like pattern. 2. For subtle, preppy glamour, wear this metal bow fabric hair clip over your ponytail. 3. On my wish list is this vintage looking corsage and stone beaded bando to add some daytime glamour to my hair!

4. 'P-Helio' taupe ballet flats. Flats? Tick! Patent? Tick! Cosmetic colour? Tick! These shoes tick all the boxes and would look great with skinny grey jeans. 5. For chilly days, the skin-tone flattering cream scarf adds bags of snuggle factor to a wintry day. Wear to add warmth and a textural edge to a sleek winter look. 6. Work some cute chic into your off-duty look with the addition of a chunky knitted beanie hat. With a cable design and broad, ribbed turn-up, topped with a fluffy pom pom it comes in a flattering shade of cream with pinkish undertones to highlight a rosy winter glow.

7. Essie nail polishes in glamour purse, lady like, and power clutch are all from the Fall 2011 collection and update the nude tones of last year. 8. The diamante feather clip in tonal colours with delicate feathers and eye catching faceted beads will add some vintage glamour! 9. Top of my wish list is the 'And Mary' cutout swallow leather purse, made from super soft, Italian leather with a cut out swallow design in gold. Beautiful almond colour and birds: a match made in heaven!! 10. A practical, chic and glamourous metallic shopper is perfect for shopping trips.

11. So you don't miss important dates with the girls for cocktails and cupcakes, get the Swatch soft carnation watch . 12. This tough but pretty real leather honeycomb metal cuff is overlaid with a chunky gold honeycomb bracelet. Wear with girly dresses to toughen up your outfit! 13. The plated chain Maya necklace with glass drop details from All Saints would look great with a white tee and jeans for some girly rock chic! 14. Keep your travelcard in style with these metallic oyster card holder. You could use them for credit cards or business cards, too...

Happy shopping!



Image sources: Style.com, Lado Alexi, The Berry, Sarah Silver

An Iconic gift - Dualit toaster

If you're looking for an iconic gift for one who is near and dear, then this Dualit toaster could fit the bill. It comes in a range of colours and finishes to suit any kitchen decor and is perfectly practical and kind on the environment; all parts are repairable or replaceable - you don't throw a Vario toaster away! The 2 slice Vario toaster gives you full control, allowing you to make perfect toast.

Vario toasters feature Dualit's award-winning, patented ProHeat technology to increase the life and toasting efficiency of the elements. The Ice Blue one above is £104.90 from Go Electrical

Utility room with pastel accessories

Retro kitchen

Modern country kitchen

Happy shopping!

Gift guide - Bathing Beauty...

Today's gift guide is for the bathing beauty.

Bathing beauty...

1. I just adore the delicate print of vintage flowers, birds and bird cages on the pretty packaging of the Lolita luxurious botanical hand cream in the scent of flowering Willow and Lotus with traces of Orchid, Rice flower and warm Coconut milk mixed with notes of Mandarin and Jasmine petals. 2. Inject a splash of colour in to your bathroom with the hard wearing resin rainbow free-standing mirror in bright pink, ideal for applying make up! 3. Oh, how I love the pink Portobello glass cabinet with distressed finish from Nordal; so pretty and useful.

4. I love the birds of paradise cotton robe from Pip Studio; such a cute print! 5. The bottles of Paul & Jo nail enamel in poodle pink come in lovely vintage styled bottles and would look great on a dressing table and on your nails. 6. My absolute favourite candle in the world is the Tocca Cleopatra candle and I have several dotted about my home, as the scent is divine and I adore the pretty duck egg blue labels.

7. A great stocking filler is the designer Paul Smith pale pink toothbrush, which is stylish, pretty and practical! 8. My favourite go-to place for loungewear is Hush, so these Winter bloom pyjamas are on my wish list. They come packed in pretty boxes and the pyjama set, which is made up of an oversized shirt with scoop hem and a wide leg low rise trouser, comes in a matching drawstring bag. Perfect for lounging about in on chilly nights.

9. The Savon Pur wild soap is made from pure vegetable content and this classic wild rose soap is traditionally created using natural ingredients with no use of colouring agents. The bright pink wrapping paper of this soap can even be folded into sea-orientated origami, making it a perfect gift! 10. Keep your soaps tidy in this sweet blue, round soap dish.

11. I have the birds of paradise towels in my cloakroom and always get lots of compliments, so for that reason they have made it to my gift guide. 12. Another great bathroom brightener is the beautifully packaged organic shea butter Lucia soap in sea watercress and chai tea from Canada. 13. Finally, make your bathroom feel super luxurious with this powder room print shower curtain.

Happy shopping!

Gift Guide 2011 - She bakes...

Holiday help is here again! Today I am showing you my perfect stylish yet practical gifts for bakers, all in candy colours!

She bakes...

1. I love the quirky tea cup cake moulds, perfect for cute cupcakes. 2. The magnetic retro timer means you will always know when it's time to check on those cakes a-baking in the oven! 3. The whimsical Russian doll measuring cups are so cool you will want to leave them on display in your kitchen. 4. What a pretty pink can opener, a great way to add a splash of colour to your utensils jar!

5. I have this oak spice rack for 6 jars hung on my kitchen wall with the tiny flip storage jars full of pretty cupcake sprinkles; I love how it looks. 6. Kitchen Aid Pro set of 3 mixing bowls in pink 7. I just bought these floral scales because they look good enough to hang on your wall, and you'll be pleased to know they can be, as each one is also designed with a digital 'time of day' clock function.

8. The prettiest sieve on the high street and a snip at 90p! 9. I love these melamine serving spoons ,perfect to serve your pretty coloured macarons on! 10. A traditional icing pen with nozzle - fill it up with lots of icing and keep your hands steady! 11. Just because ice cream sprinkles will be so much more fun with these melamine short spoons.

12. This bright, happy melamine bowl set - Naughty Green from Rice DK is so practical with their plastic lids and they stack inside each other for storage. 13. Loving the reusable silicone muffin cases in the prettiest ice cream shades, and a snip at £2 for 12! 14. This funky sky blue silicone wooden spatula, because bakers can never have too many spatulas! 15. For grating oranges and lemons, this pale blue stainless steel grater is perfect for cake bakers who use citrus.

Baking supplies storage

Happy shopping!

Gift Guide 2011 - She sews...

Holiday help is here! Over the next few days I will be sharing with you my favourite gift ideas of the season. The best part is that you don't have to leave the comfort of your home as they are all available online. From stocking fillers to finding that elusive gift you know you have seen on a blog but can't remember where!

She sews...

1. The Crochet kit in a book tin is a wonderful printed tin gift set that is a perfect introduction to the traditional art of crocheting, full of all the supplies you need to make a colourful patch cushion. 2. We have all seen the beautiful ribbons wrapped around bobbins this year in blogland, and this white ribbon holder from Tilda is a pretty yet practical way to store them. 3. Every seamstress needs a tape measure and this tea roses tape measure from Cath Kidston is pretty neat.

4. I love my polka dot, duck egg embroidery scissors for crafts on the move; they came in pretty handy as I was stitching my felt birds on my train journey to work! 5. The mini book pink pin tin is so super cute you would want to keep it on display in your craft corner. 6. This ever so pretty Summer blues tin set is on my Christmas wish list as I think they would be perfect to store my craft bits and bobs in and will add print and colour to my open shelves.

7. Wooden bobbins are the perfect way to store ribbons, so why not buy some gorgeous ribbon and wrap them around the bobbins to give as gifts! 8. & 10. The sewing needles and embroidery needles that come in candy coloured pebble holders mean you always have the right needle for the right job. 9. The pink Flamingo pin cushion is a fun, quirky addition to any sewing basket.

11. For those who love an enamel tin there's the House Doctor sewing kit tin at only £6! 12. Who doesn't love some kitsch pom pom trim in their lives and this blue pom pom ribbon from Sass & Belle comes wound on cute card. 13. The pretty Rose tape from Japan is perfect for the washi tape lover!

Happy shopping!

Call me Cupcake

This week on Flickr Faves Sunday, I bring you the gorgeous white dessert table from the very talented Linda of Call me cupcake.

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

• The gorgeous labelled jars in Candy
• The beautifully piped Red velvet cupcakes
• The exquisite glass cake stand piled high with Vanilla macarons
• The delicate Lace peony cake

Have a sweet day!

Pink glittery deer ornament

Over the past couple of weeks I have been working on some handmade Christmas decorations to fit in with my Winter Wonderland colour palette and theme. Next up is the pink glittery deer ornament to hang on my Christmas tree. I want to use lots of my Christmas tree decorations from last year but I also want to inject some pink colour into my decorations, so I painted and glittered some inexpensive craft deer ornaments pink.

Christmas decoration : Pink glittery deer ornament
Tools and Materials

• Wooden deer
• Pink Clematis tester pot of paint
• PVA glue
• Pink glitter
• Pink bakers twine
• Scissors
• Small paint brush

Pink glittery deer ornament, How-to step by step

Start by carefully painting the deer in pink paint using a small paint brush, ensuring to get into all the fret work, and leave to dry. Brush PVA glue onto painted deer and immediately sprinkle with pink glitter before the glue starts to dry. Tap string holding deer lightly to remove excess glitter and hang up to dry. Once dry, remove silver string and replace with pink and white bakers twine, securing the ends with a knot.

Tip
I hold my deer over a clean small plastic pot when sprinkling with glitter to catch any excess glitter so it can be reused.

Here are my hand painted glittered and marbled snowflakes from last year:

Glittered snowflakes

Glass marbled snowflakes

Have a sweet day!