New prints from the Keep Calm Gallery

Check out these new retro slogan prints from our old favourite the Keep Calm Gallery. Being a Grease fanatic, I’ve got my eye on the ‘AWOPBOPALOOBOP AWOPBAMBOOM!’ one…

What an appropriately jolly word for a sunny day like today! – Ellie

Let’s go camping…

Today is the last official day of National Camping Week and it’s gloriously sunny outside, so let’s mark the occasion with this dreamy image from Laura Ashley.

Yes, the Teepee-without-a-roof looks a bit impractical, the white armchair isn’t ideal for a muddy field, and there’s no electricity supply for the lamp – but that’s the joy of styling! I love the pretty bunting – it’s £14.69 and perfect for a garden party. – Ellie

Exclusive: NEW Hope and Greenwood recipe book

Are you a domestic goddess with a sweet tooth? Shopping Spy’s secret sources have revealed that the owners of retro sweet shop Hope and Greenwood are working on a recipe book, which will be released this autumn, possibly in October.

Miss Hope and Mr Greenwood are writing a book

The ‘purveyors of splendid confectionary’ will be packing the book full of treats such as sticky toffee apples – yum! If this book is as gorgeous as the lovely Hope and Greenwood shop and website, we think it will be one to watch out for! – Ellie

Designer-style bargain wallpapers

I’m a huge fan of these stunning new wallpaper designs from Focus – and an even bigger fan of their Credit-Crunch-tastic tiny price tags!

Sara Green, £9.99 per roll, Focus

Mode Elinor Gold, £16.99 per roll, Focus

Cherish Fresh Green, £14.99 per roll, Focus

These papers have added more confusion to my never-ending search for the perfect bedroom feature wall pattern – the elegant Sara Green design is in my new top five…but the hunt continues! – Ellie

Do the dishes – NOW!

This is a subtle message to my boyfriend and also a gorgeous new tea towel from Emma Henderson via Hannah Zakari. Check out the detail on this pretty accessory – if you look closely at the photo, you can see some of the items from Emma’s kitchen are included in her design. I love a gorgeous tea towel. It’ll liven up a boring chore and look cute hanging up in your kitchen. I think this one is nice enough to frame as bargain art work!

Check out the weird and wonderful jewellery and accessories on the Hannah Zakari site, too. – Ellie

Emily Peacock cushions

Check out these lovely designs from cross-stitch craft queen Emily Peacock – follow the instructions in her cute kits to create these fantastic tapestries, then sew them into cushions.

I spoke to Emily this morning, and she revealed she’s working on some new designs – so watch this space! Have a look at her retro rock chic patterns, too:

The great thing about cross-stitch is that once you get the hang of it, you can just do it while you watch TV…my kinda hobby! – Ellie

Cath Kidston’s new book – sneak preview!

After last year’s successful ‘MAKE!‘ book, we can reveal that Cath Kidston is publishing another craft book later this year. ‘SEW!’ is due to hit shops in early October, but we can’t wait until then, so here’s a sneaky peek at what to expect…

The book will come with a length of Cath Kidston fabric, a label and buttons so you’ll have everything you need to sew the pretty bag shown on the front cover. When you consider that Cath Kidston‘s bags start at £16 in her shops for a basic cloth bag, and this book is retailing at £14.99 – plus, you get loads of other sewing patterns and projects too – I think this is an absolute bargain!

Pia Tryde‘s colourful photography is cheerful and bright in truth Cath spirit and the styling is as gorgeous as ever – how cute is the little red vintage sewing machine on the back cover?! Love it! There are some lovely projects in this book, guaranteed to keep us all stitching and sewing for quite some time – expect hot water bottle covers, kitchen aprons and clothes hangers.

Even if you’re not a sewing expert, you’ll be OK – there’s a handy step-by-step section at the beginning of the book where all the basic stitches and techniques are explained nice and clearly.

Craft and sewing has taken the country by storm this year. TV show Kirstie’s Homemade Home has proved so popular that Channel 4 is filming another series, where Kirstie Allsopp will transform real people’s homes (apply online here!), and it has been announced today that a new sewing magazine will launch on 29 May in the UK, called ‘Sew‘ (not to be confused with CK’s book, ‘SEW!’)

With the strapline: ‘Join the sewing revolution’ splashed across the cover, it’s aimed at a new generation of younger sewing fans. If you’re embracing the craft movement, check out the easy-sew cushion projects in the June issue of Ideal Home, out now. – Ellie

New English Eccentrics candle

When ultra-cool fashion label English Eccentrics launched a range of scented candles with St Eval Candle Company last year, candle-addicts, such as myself, rejoiced. Now a new scent has been added to the collection – Tiger Lily.

These candles tick all the boxes; they have beautiful packaging – the pretty designs are reminiscent of Rob Ryan‘s quirky and delightful paper cuts – and they have wonderful scents with names such as ‘Eccentricity’, ‘Tea with the Queen’ and ‘Wintergarden’. At £25 each, they’re special treats but cheaper than the likes of Jo Malone and Diptyque, and the colourful boxes are much more fun! I love the fact that the scents are described very specifically on the boxes to conjure up a real mood – for example, ‘Eccentricity’ apparently smells like: ‘Riding in London’s Hyde Park on a spring morning, a fresh breeze of bergamot, petitgrain and herbs mixes with saddlery leather to create an eccentric, English cologne.‘ The ‘Tea with the Queen’ fragrance has a similarly epic description: ‘The table is set with fine linen and bone china. Scent from a vase of Devon violets mingles with freshly brewed Darjeeling tea. A delicate and perfectly regal aroma.‘ Love it!

The new Tiger Lily candle is described as: ‘a passionate bouquet of ylang ylang, known in the South Pacific as an aphrodisiac, and jungle hot tiger lily blended with tropical spices.’ I’ve had a quick sniff of a preview sample and it smells lovely! More to the point, it’s pink, which makes it a winner in my book. If you’re feeling crafty and fancy having a go at making your own candles, follow the simple instructions on the Ideal Home website. – Ellie

Oh, I do like to be beside the seaside…

A new nautical interiors company launches today, and we love it! Runaway Coast is full of homeware and textiles inspired by the sea. Feast your eyes on these lovely images – they’ve put me in a really summery mood, despite the grey London scene outside our office window!

Check out the cute nautical fabrics at Runaway Coast, too. I like the patterned pebbles design best – it would be lovely as a tablecloth.

If you’re a fan of nautical style, check out Ian Mankin for striped fabrics, Deckchair Stripes for deckchairs and hammocks, Garden Trading for accessories, and The Beach Hut Company for everything from bunting to fishing nets. – Ellie

Feeling fruity?

Apples and pears (not in a Cockney rhyming slang way…) are  popping up all over the autumn/winter 09 high street collections, so here’s a sneaky peek of things to come! We blogged about the tasty Tesco tableware with fruit patterns last week, and now we’ve seen these cute apple and pear accessories at the Next press show – they’re due to hit shops in September. I love it when a trend comes together!

I can’t help thinking that these apple-tastic high-street pieces might be inspired by Orla Kiely‘s iconic apple and pear designs, which are, of course, delicious:

Fruity finds elsewhere…check out the Keep Calm Gallery‘s print: AN APPLE A DAY, Cath Kidston‘s new £4 apple mug, and cute reversible fruity cushions from Couverture.

Those apple cushions are particularly tempting… – Ellie