Dreaming Of The Beach

photo taken from prettylittlethings.typepad.com

A few hours spent in the beer garden with friends on Sunday and would you believe it a few hours in the back garden on Monday have made me want more sunshine. It really is a rare thing here in Scotland to be able to spend some time in the great outdoors without several layers of clothes on to keep you warm but I have the glowing pink shoulders to prove I actually managed it. I had a great time sewing up some top secret goodies for a top secret party later on in the year and I did it all outside in the garden, long may the good weather continue.

Happy 4th Of July

Image from designsponge.com

image from flickr.com

image from grinandbakeit.com

image from tasteofhome.com

Happy 4th of July to all our American friends, hope you are having a great day. Oh and Happy Anniversary to my friend Louise and her husband Alan.

Made By White And Friends

Collaboration with The Storybook Rabbit

Collaboration with One Little Red Fox

Collaboration with Gemma Correll

 I discovered this lovely website this morning after hearing it mentioned as Gemma Correll has collaborated on a new range of Jewellery with them. The Made By White website is a treasure trove of lovely little pieces you really couldn't find anywhere else. The collaborations on jewellery items are really special and the collection looks fantastic. The actual website design is so quirky and I love all the little characters having fun on the home page. I'm off to read the blog now and see what else I can discover about them.

Just Bought Some Pens

I've just gone and bought a few new fine liners tonight as I have had the urge to draw again recently. Ok maybe not quite as many as in the picture below but enough to doodle away with for a while. I've just got to figure out what to draw now......

The Poppy Tree

I think I actually let out a little squeal when I came across these prints by The Poppy Tree on Etsy. Etsy has quite a new feature which recommends shops you may like when you sign in, and clever Etsy got this one right! The Poppy Tree shop has lots of prints, postcards prints, charms and even handmade wooden ornaments (just look at the bottom picture - wow!). I got most of these images from the first page of Kelly's shop because I really fear I will part with a lot of money if I venture any further in.

How To Draw a Penguin

This little gem is on the Guardian's website today. How to Draw a Penguin by Children's book illustrator Oliver Jeffers. Follow this link to see the whole amusing article with your step by step instructions on how to draw your own penguin - it's great!

Amy Earles

These beautiful paper creations are the work of Amy Earles aka Wool and Water. She has an Etsy shop which you can find here and also an amazing looking website which you can check out here. Amy draws and paints her paper doll creations and then sells the reproductions from her shop. They are all ready for you to cut out, create and play with although I would probably want to frame them and stare at them for a long time.

Divine Twine

Loving this bakers twine, such a simple way to pretty-up any package and works particulary well with brown paper. I have only really come accross the more readily available red/white combination before but this just might kick start my search for some pastel shades and I really like the grey/white combo too. These shades are available here (US).

Living In A Sepia Coloured Dream

http://www.etsy.com/shop/homesteadtreasures

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ParisPhotographer

http://www.etsy.com/shop/bethtastic

All these items have been included in an Etsy Treaury by Into The Light. I have always love sepia tones in artwork and photography, there is something quite magical about the mood they create, a little bit sentimental and romantic. I don't often remember to look up the Treasury section in Etsy and really should do it more often, it's great to see so many different items collected together on the same page under one person's vision. View the treasury here.

Always