Folksy Finds: A Stylish Home - From Nature with Love

I don't know about you, but personally as soon as Spring time comes around I find myself drawn to the outdoors and all things nature related. I find my interest in tending the garden renewed and I can't wait to get out and plant the first vegetables of the year... and on this note I can't tell you how happy I was to check on the vegetable patch today and see the first tiny green shoots poking through the soil.

Similarly, as well as spending more time outside, I also like to bring the outdoors into my home at the time of year. Yes I like to do this all year round, but with the promise of Summer and long lazy days ahead of us I find the opportunity to have my own little piece of Spring on the mantelpiece or hall table irresistible.

In previous years, this has normally meant vase after vase of cut Spring flowers, but this year I've tried growing potted Spring bulbs and they've been a great success! Not only do they last much longer, but I genuinely enjoy seeing them grow from nothing to beautiful blooms over the course of a few weeks. And of course, best of all you can plant them out in the garden to enjoy year after year when you've finished with them inside!

These long lasting Spring displays of Spring bulbs made me think that maybe I needed a few more nature inspired objects in my home, some beautiful decorative pieces that evoke memories of the great outdoors all year round. So today, I bring you a "Stylish Homes" edition of my Folksy Finds - From Nature with Love.

I hope you enjoy looking at these items from some wonderfully talented Folksy Sellers - don't forget to click on each item to view it in more detail and take a look at the Seller's shop, they all have a wonderful range of items for sale.

Have you enjoyed this Folksy Finds? If so do let me know, I love to read your comments and I'd love to know what you think of my collection of Folksy Finds today. 

Emma X

Colour Palette Inspiration 4 - Kingfisher Blue

I still remember the day I took this photo... while I was on a moving canal boat! I think it was very much about being in the right place at the right time, I've never again been as close to a Kingfisher as I was that day.

It was almost as though it wanted to be photographed. As we sailed down the canal it flew from one branch to another, almost like it was waiting for us to catch it up. Although I've seen Kingfishers in various other places on several other occasions, I've never managed to photograph them.

Have you enjoyed this colour palette? Inspired? If so I'd love to hear from you, so please don't be shy and do leave a comment. I love to read them! And if you do make something based on this colour palette please let me know, I'd love to see it!

Emma X

Folksy Friday: Full of the Joys of... Easter!

Thank goodness it's Friday? Has it felt like a long week to anyone else? Perhaps it's the promise of an exciting weekend filled with visits to friends, time in the garden and a little bit of crafting if I'm lucky!

Today's Folksy Friday is all about Spring.. and Easter! To be these are pretty much inseparable and I can't think of one without thinking of the other. Soft yet fresh colour palettes, the lure of cute baby animals and. erm. lots of chocolate are never a bad thing in my book!

I hope you enjoy my treasury today, don't forget to click on each photo to be taken to each seller's Folksy shop. Each seller has lot's of other beautiful items so why not take the time to have a look around their fabulous shops!

Left: Rabbit Egg Cosy by Merry Berry and the Little Panda

Right: Silver Leaf Earrings - Teardrop Silver Leaf Studs by SomethingXtraSpecial

Left: Easter Bunny Egg Cosy by Lilipopo at Glass Mountain

Right: Christabel - Chicken Doorstop by Junky Chicken

Left: Black Lace Bunny Rabbit Ears Headband by Talulahblue

Right: Lavender Rabbit in Turquoise and Aqua Blue by Pouch

Left: June Song Bright Book Cover Bag by Whimsy Woo Designs

Right: Springtime Fabric Bird with halo garland by Clootielugs

And are you looking for the perfect Easter or Spring Time card? I have a lovely hand finished card in the shop that's suitable for either Easter, but would also make a stunning Birthday card for someone with a Spring Birthday. Or maybe even just to send someone an old fashioned hand written note to say hello!

Above: Easter Card - Spring Branch by Meezer Meezer Design

It's been hand finished with a subtle glitter overlay on the rabbits, which really catches the light to make this card extra special.

I hope you've enjoyed this Folksy Friday and are ready for the joys of Spring and Easter yourself now! If you've been inspired by this I'd love to hear from you,  love reading your comments on my posts.

Emma X

Colour Palette Inspiration 3 - Lupin Love

It's Wednesday again already, and I'm not quite sure how that happened. Days seem to be whizzing by at an alarming speed at the moment, I can't believe we are more than half way through March already!

Anyway, as it's Wednesday that means it's time for a new Colour Palette post.

The warming weather recently has left me itching to get out in the garden. On Sunday the weather was glorious, so me and the husband decided it was the perfect chance to get out in the garden and do so spring jobs. While I was weeding the vegetable raised bed and planting onions sets (the first vegetables in this year, exciting!) he dug up a load of old shrubs down one side of the garden so that we can replace the rotten old fence, before putting in more raised beds for more vegetable and fruit growing. Exciting times - but more on that soon in a separate blog post.

Anyway, enough of my rambling... it's time for the Colour Palette. This weeks' is from a photo I took a few summers ago of one of several beautiful lupins I grew that year. It's a soft palette, with the promise of intense summer colour. A tease if you will of what's hopefully to come this year!

As always, if you enjoy this post I'd love to hear from you. Do leave me a comment to let me know what you think, and if this palette inspires you to create something I'd love to see it!

Emma X

Folksy Friday: Featured Seller - Victoria Brewer Pure Designs

Can you believe it's Friday again already? And you know what that means here, it's time for another Folksy Friday! Last week I got loads of lovely comments on my feature, and I'm really glad you all liked it. It's lovely to see the comments and know that you enjoyed the post!

This week it's the same theme, but a slightly different twist. Instead of several sellers, I'm concentrating on just one - Victoria Brewer Pure Designs. 

I have personally ordered from Victoria, and I wasn't disappointed. When I first saw the beautiful delicate earrings she sells I just had to have a pair. As a self confessed paper-a-holic and a lover of beautiful earrings (I wear them most days for work) I couldn't resist her stunning designs. 

Aren't they just beautiful?  So delicate, you really have to see them to believe the intricacy of her work. I particularly liked the metallic silver edge, as it really gave them an added something and it catches the light in a lovely subtle way. 

And the best thing? They are environmentally friendly, which is a huge plus point from my point of view. What more could you ask for? Pretty earrings at a reasonable price that leave your conscience clear! 

Ordering from Victoria was a pleasure too, with clear communication from the start, speedy delivery and beautifully packaged (in packaging that could be recycled of course!). I'm sure I'll be back for more soon!

 

Aren't her products just beautiful? Click the photos above to take a closer look at the beautiful items she offers.

I asked Victoria about the inspiration behind her work and why eco-friendly crafting was so important to her. This is what she had to say;

"If every man would sweep in front of his own steps, the whole world would be clean"

I think this quote from Goethe sums up my attraction to eco-crafting rather beautifully. For me, it's all about personal responsibility and the impact taking responsibility can have on the world. The effect that one person can have is far greater than most people realise. It's surprising what can be accomplished my making even small changes, such as buying fairtrade and organic products. This alone can make a huge difference to so many people around the world. 

The World Health Organisation estimates that 20,000 to 40,000 people die from accidental pesticide poisoning each year, most of them in developing countries. It is safe to assume that many of them are cotton farms (PAN-UK-Pesticide Action Network). 

We truly are voting for the kind of world we want by how we spend our money. This is why I use fairtrade, organic cotton for my bracelets and as many eco-friendly products as possible in everything I make. 

Want to find out more about what Victoria does and the products she offers? You can find her items for sale on the following websites:

 Victoria Brewer Pure Designs on Folksy

Victoria Brewer Pure Designs on Etsy

Victoria Brewer Pure Designs on EthicalCommunity.com

Want to keep up with the latest happens are Victoria Brewer Pure Designs? You can find her on both Twitter and Facebook. Why not go and say hello, I'm sure she'd love to hear from you!

Victoria Brewer Pure Designs on Twitter

Victoria Brewer Pure Designs on Facebook

Emma X

Colour Palette Inspiration 2 - Teasel Tones

It's Wednesday, so that means it's time for another Colour Palette featuring one of my original photographs. This photograph is a personal favourite of mine - I love the fact that you can see all the pollen on the bee!

I hope you enjoy this colour palette and find it as inspiring as I do - if you feature this, or use it to inspire any of your work please do let me know as I'd love to have a look at what you create.

Emma X

Folksy Friday: With Love on Mother's Day

Welcome to the first in another regular feature on the blog - Folksy Friday! Every Friday I'll be posting either a selection of my favourite Folksy items on a set theme, or I'll be show casing a range of images from an individual seller that I really like. It's just for fun, and a lovely way to share the love in my opinion! Let me know if you also take part in Folksy Friday on your blog, I'd love to take a look at the lovely finds you've made.


Today the theme is "With Love on Mother's Day", and all the items featured would make beautiful gifts this Mother's Day. With a little over a week to go there's still plenty of time to order a special gift on Folksy!

Left: African Blackwood Wine Bottle Stopper Hand Turned 10ct Gold by Diggi Woodturning

Right: Royal Purple Gold Plated Handturned Acyrlic Pen by Diggi Woodturning

Diggi Woodturning stocks a beautiful range of hand turned gifts, including Bottle Stoppers, Letter Openers and Key rings amongst others. As well as the more traditional wood turned items, they also use a variety of Polyster and Acrylic mediums, that when turned in the same way as wood produce beautiful coloured and uniquely patterned items.

Left: Kindle 4 Case in Dress Forms fabric by Whimsy Woo Designs

Right: iPad Case in English Rose Shabby Chic fabric by Whimsy Woo Design

Whimsy Woo Design stocks Covers and Sleeves in a large variety of fabrics for iPad, Kindles and other eReaders. The also sell Book Covers and Book Bags for those who prefer to read books of the paper variety!

Left: Copper and Sterling Silver Earrings by Lillibets

Right: Swarovski Pearl Bracelet by Lillibets

Lillibets makes beautiful delicate jewellery and loves to incorporate natural materials such as gemstones and pearls when designing pieces. With a background in biology and conservation she often uses nature as a basis for the inspiration behind her work. 

Inspired? I hope so! 

And don't forget, if you've still not purchased your cards I have a great range of different Mother's Day cards in stock in my shop available here for the full range. 

Left: Typography Inspired Mother's Day Card - Quirky Word Search by Meezer Meezer Design

Right: Typography Inspired Mother's Day Card - My Mum Is by Meezer Meezer Design

Emma X