Jikana Damaru

Easter tree

I finished making fifteen of the Easter felt birds today. Having already gathered twigs in a nearby wood, I arranged them into a cluster and then wrapped silver wire around them to hold them together. To hide the wire, I covered it with a pretty striped ribbon. The 'tree' sits in a white enamel bucket, filled with pebbles to counterbalance the top-heavy tree. Green straw and chocolate foil-covered eggs hide the pebbles to complete the look!

Easter table runner

I had been looking for a pretty white table runner for a while now, but all the ones I found were out of my budget. Instead, I bought a plain linen one and hand stitched broderie anglaise down each side using embroidery threads. To finish off, I threaded some of my leftover ribbon from the felt birds through the broderie anglaise trim on each side. Now I have a table runner that matches the rest of my Easter decorations!

Easter door

With Easter just a week away, I hung my Easter egg wreath from John Lewis on our front door today.

Welcome!

I started posting pics on Flickr just over five weeks ago and since then I've had a few questions asking where I get some of my things from. As a response, I've started this blog to let you guys have a few more details, such as where I've bought the items or how I've made them.

In the near future, I hope to add more of my own projects and purchases, but I also want to highlight some of the amazing design and craft ideas I admire from others.

I hope you like the blog and please let me know what you think. Enjoy...

Toriejayne

Vintage lunchboxes

My cardboard mini suitcases are based on vintage lunch boxes, like the one above, which got me thinking that it would be great to find some old lunch boxes to keep bits and bobs in.

The one above is a beautiful Corsage Metal Lunchbox dated 1973, made by King-Seeley Thermos Company and sold at Ruby Lane.com.

Star cases

Shooting star kids suitcases from Cath Kidston in the craft room

These Shooting Star Kids Suitcases are from Cath Kidston. The good news is that they are currently on sale. They are so handy for keeping bits and bobs in. Mine are filled with bags of sequins and beads.

I think they would look great stacked with this Mini Suitcase Set from Great Little Trading Company.

Cute kitchen cupboard

I wanted to be able to open my kitchen cupboard in the morning to make a cup of tea and be made to smile... So, I put all my pretty tableware in the same cupboard as the tea items.

On the top shelf: cereal and pasta bowls from the Denby Flavours range in Coconut, Raspberry and Blueberry colours. Unfortunately, they are now discontinued but I believe some in the same range are still available from Matching China. The gingham sugar pourer is from Liberty.

Denby Flavours dinner and side plates and cupcake cups

On the middle shelf: dinner and side plates, also from the Denby Flavours range. The small cupcake cups came as a set of four from the Playing House range by Rosanna. These are available in the UK from Love the Rain.

On the bottom shelf: cut-glass lid jars are vintage, filled with strawberry milkshake granules, sugar and tea bags. The Sprig tanker and tea set is from Cath Kidston. The "I am a Princess", "I heart Shopping", "I heart Music", and "I heart Snogging" are all from Toby Pimlico. The tube of pale blue sugar hearts and the tea spoons are from Japan.