Dried Oranges Pot Pourri with Autumn Spice

Thank you so much to ReaLLy HomeMade for sending me a bag full of their dried oranges with home spice. It smells absolutely divine!

We are a mother & daughter, home based business making high quality handmade/homemade gifts, scented with our 'home spice' uniquely blended fragrance. 

We really hope you enjoy browsing our products. 

Elli and Christine 
ReaLLy HomeMade

The first thing that struck me about this pot pourri is how strong the scent is. It is strong enough to fill my room without becoming overpowering. I kept it in a bowl in my wardrobe overnight, and when I woke up the next morning all my clothes smelt of oranges and autumn spice.


The fragrance is heavenly, and slowly gives off a warm, homely feel. The aroma is still going strong, and I have been told that the dried oranges "naturally preserve themselves and will last for years". Even if it does begin to fade, ReaLLy HomeMade also sent a bottle of autumn spice fragrance so I can easily top it up.


The oranges are dried, scented, and pierced with cloves by hand, so a lot of hard work must have gone into making them smell so lovely. Also, orange is my favourite colour, which is an added bonus!

Every year, both of us cannot wait until Autumn time, so we can (legitimately) start planning our Christmas season. But we don't start saving the pennies to go Christmas shopping like most do, we plan all the different ways we're going to decorate our homes!

We have always loved drying our own apples and oranges, but most importantly, we love to scent our homes with the best autumn and winter fragrances around. 

Two years ago, after being encouraged by friends and family, we decided to start making handmade/homemade scented gifts for people to buy. People seem to love not only our products, but our amazing hand mixed 'home spice' scent which we fragrance almost all our products with. We have now evolved to selling these fragrances ourselves (10ml bottles coming soon!) 

We have a small craft room at home (which constantly smells of our 'home spice' uniquely blended fragrance) where we handmake all of our products. Hopefully, we wont outgrow this room TOO soon, although we are already getting a little bit cramped (take a look at the pics on our main website!). 

Another thing that our customers now want to be able to buy is all of our handmade supplies, such as cloved oranges, wicker balls, charms etc, for them to make there own handmade projects at home - therefore we are now extending into this market and selling our own supplies for everyone to create their very own products themselves!

We attend craft shows all across Essex and Suffolk in the United Kingdom, and have been greeted with a lot of great feedback.

Next year however, we will start running solely HANDMADE/HOMEMADE events in our area, as we really feel there is a gap in the market for high quality, hand crafted products, so I hope some of our fellow sellers on Etsy will join us to exhibit at our shows next year! 

Please follow our story.... we promise to report back!


The pot pourri is environmentally friendly, and I'm pretty sure there were no animals harmed in the making of it!

The customer service was great, and they were really friendly.

'...Handmade quality gifts, made with love...'

Visit the ReaLLy HomeMade website at http://www.reallyhomemade.co.uk/
Visit the ReaLLy HomeMade etsy at http://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ReaLLyHomeMade

Again, thank you ReaLLy HomeMade for sending me the gorgeous pot pourri!

'Blue Scarf Girl' Papercut by Booba & Smooch

Thank you to Nina from Booba & Smooch for sending me a gorgeous 'Blue Scarf Girl' frame, I love it!

My name is Nina and I'm a full time Project Manager for a legal consultancy firm based in London. In my spare time I love to cut paper. It's a great way for me to unwind after a *ahem* fun-packed day dealing with lawyers :)

My shop is named after my children. No, I wasn't cruel enough to actually name my son Booba and my daughter Smooch but they are their nicknames and they do answer to them :)
All my designs are original and hand cut with a surgical blades.

I can design to specification, so if the customer has something in mind we can work together to create a piece of artwork that is special and personal and made just for them.


The first thing that struck me about this frame is the fact that the cut out is so neat and intricate. It must have been very time consuming and tricky to get it looking so perfect.

I love the way that the backing is made from Mulberry paper, which means that is is scattered with tiny leaves and flowers. It looks so delicate and pretty, which contrasts amongst the thick frame, yet still looks amazing.

The design is gorgeous, and looks incredibly professional, as if it was done by an expensive machine rather than cut by hand.


I cant't fault it, and even the plaque is gorgeous. It looks so much more expensive than it actually would have sold for, and I'm so glad Nina was generous to send it to me. I even love the Booba and Smooch business card, and the very expensive-looking packaging!

The whole thing is beautiful, and I feel privileged to be able to place it upon my fireplace.

Visit the Booba & Smooch Facebook at www.facebook.com/booba.smooch
Visit the Booba & Smooch Etsy at www.etsy.com/uk/shop/BoobaAndSmooch

Again, thank you so much Nina for sending me such a gorgeous frame, I really do love it!



Jannie's Junk and Jems - Pot Pourri and Bowl

A massive thank you to Jannie of Jannie's Junk and Jems for sending me a gorgeous glass bowl filled with pot pourri - it makes my room smell great!

I started by one thing leading to another. I moved over here in Nov 2003, about a year after my mum passed on, with all the stuff I'd inherited - believe me it took 3 Luton vans full to over-flowing, plus a caravan full of stuff and a car loaded to the gunnels. I was stuck with a lot of stuff that I didn't have room for. A friend suggested I worked on the Vide Greniers (French version of our Car Boot Sales). I gave that a try for several years and became quite well known so people started asking if I would like to try and sell some of their items on my stall. That led to the House and Barn clearances. Because of the recession the trade on the Vide Greniers started to fall off so I looked around for another way of disposing of my treasures (more Junk than Jems). I discovered Etsy through another friend and have never looked back. I started with Jannies Junk And Jems then was asked by several friends if I could try to sell their items so opened Creuse Curios especially for friends who have limited computer access - we are in a very rural area with little access to Broad Band. I'm one of the lucky ones - Broad Band 24/7. The success of both these shops led to the opening of Glass Eyed Goblin, devoted to all things glass, shortly followed by Tin Tack for metal items.


The bowl is made from genuine French glass, which means it is less likely to shatter or break if dropped due to its thickness, which is great for a clumsy person such as myself. The lid is made from pewter, as well as the plaque, which complements the overall design of the bowl.


The bowl has a vintage look about it, and makes a nice showpiece within any room. The fragrance is gorgeous, and makes my room smell luscious. The aroma lasts for a few weeks without fading.

The pot pourri is environmentally friendly, and the colour goes perfectly with the rest of my room.


Just a Krazey Lady buying and selling Treasures and Trash.
Many of my items have actually been inherited from my parents or husbands (don't laugh - I've been widowed twice) but I do still search out that odd little jem from the back-waters of this very rural region of France.

The pewter lid is intricate and detailed with daffodils, which enhances the overall design of the bowl.


Check out Jannie's Etsys at:

- www.etsy.com/shop/TinTack?ref=si_shop

Thank you Jannie so much for the gorgeous bowl and pot pourri!!

"What do you want to be when you grow up?"

At age 10 I wanted to be an author.

At age 11 I wanted to be a fashion designer.

At age 12 I wanted to be a journalist.

At age 13 I wanted to be a fashion columist.

And now I think I've finally decided on what I want to be when I grow up. I know it would be hard work. I know there's a lot of competition. I know it would be tiring. I know my job would have to go before everything else. Yet it's what I want to be.

I want to be the next Anna Wintour.

I want to be the editor of US Vogue.

I want to go to Conde Nast, then the New York Journalism Institute, then work my way up to the greatest icon in fashion.

It's a massive dream, but if you don't dream big then there's no point in dreaming at all really, is there?

Pudge Controls The Weather (keyring)

Thank you so much to Sarah of Burning Love Ltd for sending me a lovely 'Pudge Controls 
The Weather' keyring - it looks great! Thank you!

I've always been into arts and craft, making items for family and friends etc always looking for something unique for gifts led me to the pyrography child drawing key rings (my best seller). I've only been running my facebook page since March/ April, turning it into a limited company in May. I am a married mother to four girls and find the work I do a way of relaxing in the evenings - "my escape".

The first thing that struck me about this keyring is that it looks EXACTLY like the image I sent to Sarah. She drew it by hand without a template or any tracing, and it looks perfect. She uses a simple pyrography pen, yet it looks like it was printed by an expensive machine. It really surprised me how much it looks like the image, and it looks fantastic!


The clasp is strong, durable, and simple to use, so you can easily clip/ unclip it from bag to bag, without the worry of it snapping.

It is obvious that a lot of hard work went into this keyring, and it must take a long time to get it looking perfect. It is an even oval shape, and is smooth with no risk of getting splinters. The image is burnt into birch wood, which gives the background a lovely texture.


All of Burning Love Ltd's keyrings are eco-friendly, and varnished to perfection. 

The quote 'pudge controls the weather' comes from the film 'Lilo and Stitch', and if you've ever watched the movie you'll understand why it is such a great quote to carry around.

Check out Burning Love Ltd's Facebook page: burninglove13
Go to Burning Love Ltd's Twitter: @burninglove13
And for more information, contact Sarah at burningloveltd13@yahoo.co.uk

Thank you so much Sarah for such a gorgeous keyring!

Pouch from MelissaSmith Textiles

A massive THANK YOU to the lovely Melissa of MelissaSmith Textiles for the gorgeous pouch she sent me - it makes a great make-up bag!

My dad is self employed and after seeing him grow his business over 25 years I knew I would always work for myself - though I worked for him for a little bit first to get some invaluable lessons from him!

My business has evolved over the 2 years I have been trading, starting off as Your Handmade Home I made home accessories such as doorstops, draught excluders, aprons etc using very popular Clarke & Clarke fabrics.  After about 12 months the market was flooded with companies doing the same.  So I changed it up.  I spent some time working as a freelance seamstress for a homewares company and sketching my own fabric designs in my spare time, the money from the seamstress contract allowed me to buy my screen printing equipment and my sketches became my first range of hand screen printed designs and Melissa Smith Textiles was born.


All my items are made by hand.  I get my silk screens professionally exposed with my designs on and I have a studio in the basement of my dads shop, which is perfect as its not to hot so the ink doesn’t dry out!  After I have printed my designs onto the base cloth fabric they get sent to be heat set which locks in the ink to the fabric.  Then they’re ready to be turned into anything you want!  I use my spare room in my house to sew up cushions, tote bags and pouches and make lampshades too.  I also sell kits and the fabric so people can use it themselves for projects.  I love to see what they come up with!!

The first thing that struck me about this pouch was the bright pink design - its really eyecatching and looks lush! It brightens up my make-up shelf and is no trouble to find amongst the rest of my accessories.

The pouch has a simple yet effective geometric design, and is unusual compared to other designs I've seen amongst simular businesses. I like the fact that it can be used as not only a make-up bag but a jewelry bag, skincare bag, accessory bag, hairbands and hairclips bag, or even a nailcare bag.

It is beautifully handmade, yet looks professional. It is eco-friendly and made with water based ink, so you don't need to worry about damaging the environment.

My husband and friends are a great help when I’m designing a new fabric as they give a fresh perspective to them and are honest in their opinions.  They are also great at testing out products for me too!

I use google to find fabric suppliers and have lots and lots of samples sent to me before I decide on a cloth that suits my needs.  I am moving over to GOTS certified organic cotton in the next print run and look forward to this as I’m a big believer in organic and eco-friendly products.  My inks are water based and eco-friendly too!


I also run a craft fair called ‘The Handmade Bazaar’ which is run in my local town centre.  Myself and my crafty friend Maria from www.ilovethecakeshop.co.uk met when we took part in The Mall ‘Retail Factor’ competition in 2012.  I won the competition and Maria came a very close second and we decided we could join forces to open a shop - we ran a pop up shop with 15 concessions in The Mall Sutton Coldfield for 8 days and it was a HUGE success.  We now run 'Al Fresco' events in The Mall Sutton Coldfield and these are taking place on 20th July & 17th August.  I love seeing the different mix of crafts and the quality of crafts at the moment is amazing - there are some very talented people around and we hope to change the way people see handmade.  

It is screenprinted onto 100% cotton, and is durable yet light. It is strong enough to hold even the heaviest of make-up products, and wide enough to fit all my eyeshadow palettes. It's not hard to tell that a lot of work has gone into Melissa's products, as you can see for yourself by her 100% positive feedback.

It is washable (a must have for a make-up bag!), and lined with a soft emerald fabric.

Melissa's products are made to order with international shipping, with free UK postage. So what's stopping you from ordering right now?

Go to Melissa's website at www.melissasmithtextiles.co.uk
Go to Melissa's Etsy at http://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/MelissaSmithTextiles
Follow Melissa's twitter at @MelissaSmithTex
Follow Melissa's facebook page at @MelissaSmithTextile

I Had Friends On That Death Star..

Thank you so much to Leah at Funhouse TShirts for sending me such a lush tee! THANK YOU!!

It's our philosophy here at Funhousetshirts to keep things light. Not everything should matter so much, life is short. Laugh, laugh, laugh.

I LOVE this shirt, not only because of the design, but because of how comfy it is! Once I put it on, I just sat there for a while admiring how comfortable it was.

It is 100% cotton, and printed with environmentally friendly ink, so there's no need to worry about damaging the environment.

Well, we always find the "funny" things in life make your day a little lighter and brighter, so we started this shirt business to give people a chance to have a few laughs wherever they go. All our shirts are 100% cotton, heavyweight and super comfy. Most of our designs are garment printed using the latest technology with environmentally friendly inks. You can barely feel them on the shirt. 



I have to be honest, and say that the medium was a bit bigger than I expected, so when you order be sure you check out Funhouse Shirt's sizing; although it looked good baggy!

The 'I HAD FRIENDS ON THAT DEATH STAR' quote is a reference to the Star Wars films, and reminds us that we should always be respectful when dealing with Stormtroopers, because they probably had friends on that death star too.



Our customers are our VIPs, so we do everything we can to ensure a great product is delivered fast right to their door. We are always available via email at FunhouseTshirts@yahoo.com and usually respond to messages super quickly. 

This tee will go with anything, be it neon, knit, aztec, or even khaki. It is ink-odour free, and as my mother says; 'easy to wash'.

Check out the Funhouse TShirts' Etsy at http://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/FunhouseTshirts
Check out the 'I HAD FRIENDS ON THAT DEATH STAR' tee at http://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/95951797/star-wars-shirt-funny-death-star-tee


I'm so glad Leah sent me this tee, as I'm planning on wearing it to a party next Monday, jazzed up with shorts, bright platforms, collar necklace and wooden bracelets. Thank you so much Leah!

Recipe For LUSH Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Just a pre-warning that these peanut butter cupcakes are DELICIOUS(:


Ingredients

100g/4oz caster sugar
100g/4oz softened butter
2 free range eggs, pre-beaten
100g/4oz self-raising flour
Half a teaspoon of vanilla essence
Half a teaspoon of peanut butter PER CUPCAKE

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees celsius/ 375 degrees fahrenheit/ Gas Mark 5. 

Put the sugar, butter and egg in a mixing bowl and beat until creamy and smooth. Sift the flour into a bowl and mix again. Add in the vanilla essence and stir. Then, evenly place half a tablespoon of half of your cake mixture into each cupcake case, and then add in half a teaspoon of peanut butter on top of that mixture. Then smooth the rest of your cake mixture over the peanut butter, and put the cupcake cases into a tin, and then place into the oven for twenty minutes. 

Wash up, take the cakes out, eat, and SIGH from the cupcake's heavenlyness(:


This Is How I Roll (The Shirt Dudes)

A massive THANK YOU to the people at The Shirt Dudes for sending me a lush 'THIS IS HOW I ROLL' shirt! THANK YOU, I love it!

MISSION: Striving to provide quality unique shirts made for unique individuals that fits their personality, while a portion of the proceeds are donated to our "Charity of the Month"...impacting the world, one shirt at a time! 


The first thing I want to mention about this shirt is that it's so comfy! It's made from soft ringspun cotton so it isn't like a regular rough-feel tee - it's really snug and comfortable!

"Growing up in SoCal, we were always ambitious about making an impact in this world. Since the years of high school, we could only sell chocolate bars as a door-to-door fundraiser. We took this fundraiser concept with our passion of drawing & combine it with shirt printing experience, in order to create shirts that would help raise funds for many charities so they can carry out the rest of their works. A different charity each month!

What's so different about our shirts? Let's start with the fact that it's made from high-quality soft & comfortable ringspun cotton. Then knowing that your shirt is different from someone else since you have options to choose the garment color, size, and gender style. Factor in how we don't make it until you order it with your specific options, not mass-produced. Plus, certain designs are made just to match that person. Thus, a UNIQUE shirt created especially for that UNIQUE individual specifically. Everything we do, we hope to make a difference in a person's life. Be it our shirts made someone smile or it made their day brighter, we're glad to be a part of it!

Catch up with the wave on Facebook or Twitter or surf around the site and have a good time checking some of our awesome tees. Got questions? Ask. Have a happy story to share? Email us, we love to hear it! Complaints? Speak loudly and let us know what to correct. We're always striving to improve and is looking forward to have better services to you as our customer and joining the family!"

This shirt is handmade by the people at The Shirt Dudes, and the tee holds a clever pun against the die design.


Unlike other shirts, this one didn't come with that horrible ink smell which meant that I could wear it as soon as I received it, which probably has something to do with the fact that The Shirt Dudes use eco-friendly printing methods to make their tees.

♦ FLASH SALE: Get 15% off your order w/coupon code: FLASHSALE (hurry, expires soon) ♦

♦ LIMITED TIME T-SHIRT SPECIAL ♦
Buy 3 T-Shirts and get the 4th FREE ...
Add 4 T-Shirts to your shopping cart. 
At checkout, apply coupon code: 4FREE

♦ Get FREE shipping on USA orders over $35! coupon code: FREESHIP 

I also LOVE the fact that this tee goes with my khaki jacket, because I'm sad to say not many tees do!

Also, with every purchase at The Shirt Dudes you get a free gift! And not only that, but The Shirt Dudes donate a percentage from every acquistion to their Monthly Cause.

This month's Monthly Cause is the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, which is fighting against blood cancer. Find out more or make a donation at www.llys.org


Visit The Shirt Dudes' website at theshirtdudes.com
Like them on Facebook over at www.facebook.com/theshirtdudes
Email them at theshirtdudes@gmail.com
Follow them on Twitter at @TheShirtDudes
Browse their Etsy at www.etsy.com/uk/shop/TheShirtDudes

Again, thank you to The Shirt Dudes for the amazing tee!



Yellow Submarine

The amazing James of all4handprint sent me one of his stunning tops. Thank you!

We are nice! and easy to deal with. We would like just not make a sell and end... We just want to bring something really good and standout for all you guys so all your words and comments is worth for us and hope you enjoy looking for something you like!


Camera broke, so these are taken with my tablet, sorry for the bad quality


(I was singing whilst this photo was taken, but I thought I'd post a face photo(: )


First up, this shirt is unbelievebly soft! It's so comfy!

One thing I love about this top is that it doesn't stretch as you wear it, unlike a lot of under £20 shirts you can buy. The image on the front is striking and stands out amongst an outfit - I wore it to my Brit School interview and the Principle complimented me on it!

This top will go with any outfit, yet will brighten up whatever you wear. I just love the fact that it's of The Beatles!


 How fast you ship your item after got payment?

We daily ship Monday to Friday.
 How long does it takes to deliver to buyer home?
We state the estimate time in every listings, please read before buying.
 Do i have the tracking number?
For all USA addresses, we do have it and will upload it into the Etsy shipping system shortly.
 Will you made a custom apparel for some special occasion?
We can design and make it. Price is relating to a) Quantity b) How hard is it
 If i got it and i do not like, can i return?
Yes, you can return within 14 days after you got it then i will full refund. you can check my return policy inside listhing too.

Check out all4handprint over at http://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/all4handprint

Again, thank you James so much!

Acceptance Into The Brit School Celebration Shop&Haul

Do you question your fashion sense daily? Do you wish you knew where to buy the amazing clothes that I wear? Well now you can know!

I'm redecorating my room, so ignore the mess. Also, I have a harsh sunburn on my face, so no face pictures (:

Top&shirt, £10, Primark

Top, £3.50, Primark

Pyjama top, £5, Primark
Pyjama bottoms, £7, Primark

Top, £2, Primark
Jeans, £7, Primark

Parka, £9, Primark

Jumper, £3.99, Place Du Jour

Top, £3.99, Place Du Jour

Camo jacket, £5.99, Place Du Jour

Top, £7.99, New Look

Top, £7.99, New Look
Khaki combats, £30, River Island (they're seriously so lush <3<3<3)
(And the bear on my floor was a leaving present off my friend Chloe, ((thanks Chlo(:(:(:)) jus' sayin' )

Pinafore dress, £20, River Island

Jumper, £50, Fat Face
Collar necklace, £6.50, New Look

Hat, £10, River Island
Necklace, £6.50, New Look













Competition winner!

And the winner is....

EMILY from EMILY ETC!!!!!!!!!

Emily wins a gorgeous 'Ohana' ring, kindly sent by Linda Munequita of Meaningful Jewelry!!


Well done!!!!!!

Emily - please email me with the address you want the ring to be delivered to.

And thank you to everyone else who entered - the winner was chosen at random (each entry given a number, and my cousin unknowingly picked a number).

Again, thank you Linda! And Emily, I will need an address by Monday.

(:

Shontaij Jewels

A massive THANK YOU to Amanda of Shontaij Jewels for sending me one of her stunning bracelets! I love it!

Shontaij Jewels is a fast growing, dynamic and innovative brand specialising in customised  crystal costume jewellery, accessories, handbags, women’s fashion jewellery and much more! We are dedicated to getting you the hottest looks from the catwalk at a small fraction of the price. Shontaij Jewels brings you celebrity style at high street prices with exceptional value, quality and a fantastic customer service.


I L-O-V-E this bracelet - especially the fact that it says my name on it! 

The colour theme is lush, and really stands out amongst an outfit. It can be used as a bold statement or for brightening up what you're wearing.

It came with a small crown charm, and a heart charm, which just adds to the appeal.

I bought a blue satchel from Shontaij Jewels only a few months back, and found that the satchel was gorgeous too. Both products are strong and safe to use, and of course are great accessories!


I like the fact that the bracelet looks more expensive than it actually is. As Amanda says, "the hottest looks from the catwalk at a small fraction of the price."

Visit the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/shontaijjewels
Visit the official website at www.shontaijjewels.co.uk

Again, thank you so much Amanda for the stunning bracelet - I LOVE it!!