Nifty Thrifty + Competition!

And the winner is.....

Number 3- Here Pretty Kitty!

Well done! I have lots more competitions lined up for the next few weeks, so check back soon :)


A few days ago I got a little package through the post from the lovely Tracey, who owns online shop Nifty Thrifty.

Wrapped in some tissue paper....



... was this beautiful, corsage made from scraps of fabric left over from her other creations.



Isn't it pretty? And what's more, Tracey has kindly donated it for one of you lucky people to win!




So what does Nifty Thrifty do then?

As well as creating brooches, Tracey also makes doorstops, cushions, jewellery and much more while aiming (and succeeding) to show that recycled products can be cool, contemporary and innovative.

Tracey states 'I make use of everyday clothing and re-purpose them in surprising ways. I take surfy t-Shirts and turn them into travel backgammon sets and men's cotton work shirts are transformed into cushion covers adorned with flower corsages.'



These two cheery little birds are doorstops, made from shirt sleeves with contrasting wings and vintage button eyes. They are stuffed with polyester and have rice in their bottoms to weight them down.




Much prettier than a wooden wedge-and less likely to hurt if you stub your toe on them!

There is also a very sweet star gazing bunny available and all three are priced at £15 each.












Not letting the sleeve cuff go to waste, she has created these yummy cupcake pin cushions, which are £8.
















The main part of the shirt is turned into a cushion or a backgammon set-who know you could get so much of out one old shirt!



Thess pretty and very girly cushions (check out the little flower details!) are between £20 and £30 and Tracey will even do a custom cushion using one of your old shirts.











She has also just started making jewellery and has some very tasty gummy bear necklaces listed in her Folksy shop.




To find out more about Nifty Thrifty recycling ideas visit Tracey's blog and to join the mailing list go to the Nifty Thrifty website.











Now to the bit you've all been waiting for...how to win that lovely brooch. I've decided to keep it very simple this time (after over complicating mine!). All you have to do is go to the Nifty Thrifty website, pick your favourite item and then leave a comment telling me what it is!

I will give 1 extra entry each if you blog and/or Tweet about this competition! Just leave a comment with your links so I know about it.

The winner will be picked next Friday, 5th June using a random number generator. Don't forget to leave an email if you don't have a blog/website so I can contact you!

Good luck!

Hmm...More Cake!

As it's half term, and there seems to be hundreds of children around at the moment enjoying the sunshine, I thought I would feature a kiddie related shop today.

More Cake Designs is a collection of quirky and original limited edition clothing, jewellery, toys and homewares all lovingly designed and handmade by mum of 2, Hannah.

While the shop is child orientated, there are lots of pieces for adults would love as well.

I'm really taken with these adorable star gazing mice for £11 (each) and stray cats, made from vintage fabric, £12.

Perfect for both big and little people :)


















Hannah also makes gorgeous children's clothing, which makes me wish I was 5 again and off to a friend's birthday party!
This cute one-off sundress is made from vintage floral fabric. There is even matching hair slides.






Her applique t-shirts, such as this little mouse one, are gorgeous with really unique and eye-catching designs. They are all 100% cotton and available in lots of different designs, ranging from boats and robots to mushrooms and cupcakes. £12 each.

Hannah has lots more goodies in her shop, including jewellery, wish purses and vase covers.

Her items are available from her shops on Folksy and Misi and she is happy to do commissions/custom pieces.

Thrifty Trendsetter

Today's featured shop is The Thrifty Trendsetter, run by Kara and based in Oklahoma.
She has only been open since last month and already has a healthy feedback of 9-pretty good considering how competitive Etsy is.

Thrifty Trendsetter sells altered clipboards, mini notecards, magnetic memo boards, clothes pegs, coasters, picture frames '...basically anything that will make your home look fabulous!'

Her work has a very vintage feel to it, demonstrated beautifully in this wooden Songbird picture frame which has been created using a decoupage of floral scrapbook paper in shades of brown, green, yellow, and blue.

Perched on the bottom right of the frame, adding some colour, is a wooden bird covered with polka dot paper.




The bird theme continues in this altered notebook, entitled 'Eccentric'. I think it's a really lovely piece that would be a great present, particularly for that awkward person who has everything. Even better, it's only $6!




As quoted above, she does have things to make your home look fabulous.
These pretty double sided 'Blueberries and chocolate' clothes clips (for indoor use only!) are great for keeping boring paper work neat and tidy.

Kara is also able to add a magnet, free of charge, to one side so that you can use them on your fridge or magnet noticeboard.



Even though she is just starting out, here's lots more beautifully things in her shop, so head over to Etsy to check them all out!

Bailey Bowls

As the majority of shops I have featured so far sell accessories and jewellery, I thought I would cover something different today, so have decided on the amazing Bailey Bowls.

Bailey's Bowls sells gorgeous and whimsical pottery handmade made by designer Lisa, 'helped' out by her dog Bailey, after whom the shop is named.


I just have to start this post by featuring this lovely Bailey-ware platter.
Lisa recently drew a set of cartoons featuring Bailey for a local newspaper and has taken some of the pictures and used them as decorations on her pottery. This platter features Bailey and his friend Ben and is $24.00




Owls are one of those magical creatures that you can't help but like, and this applies to this little chap, who is $20.00

He is made of stoneware clay which gives him a rustic look and has carved eyes and feathers. Hanging from the branch he is sat on are some corn and carrot danglies.
It says on the item description that owls hung on porches are meant to bring good luck-even if he doesn't, he will definitely look cute!




As I have a pussy cat (who is very poorly) I have to also show you this meow mug featuring 3 kitties trying to get to the sea creatures who live in the bottom of the cup.




The perfect mug to brighten up any coffee break :) $35.00



All of Lisa's pieces are made one at a time in her studio with a lot of care and attention. Each piece is unique and Bailey-bowls are food, dishwasher and microwave safe.
Lisa also has a second shop called Muddy Paws Pottery which sells more 'serious,' but just as pretty pieces. She can also create custom orders

Check out Cute Crafts for customer testimonials and an adorable picture of Bailey!

Cool cosies by Jacksknits

I started this post on 7th May, a week ago, so I think it's probably about time I got round to finishing it...


I have a bad habit that really annoys my boyfriend of making pots/cups of tea and then forgetting about them so they sit and go cold. I then heat them up in the microwave despite the fact I think this makes the tea taste horrible and then leave them to go cold again.

So I've been thinking for a while that maybe I should invest in a nice tea cosy to keep my teapot warm, thus solving one part of my problem!

Jacks Knits sells the most amazing and unique tea cosies I have ever seen. How cool is this stripey back and yellow creation with little knitted bumble bees!



If something sweet is a little more to your taste, how about the 2 cosies below-one with yummy donuts and the other in the style of a shocking pink cupcake.
The perfect tasty accompaniment to your tea break if you're resisting the real thing.






The great thing about these designs over traditional tea cosies is that they are like a little jacket so you don't have to take it off to pour your tea.

All of Jacky's teacosies are £7.00 each and she is more than happy to take on custom orders if you have an idea in mind for your own teacosy.


I highly recommend that you check out her Flickr album as she has some amazing items on there.
How sweet are these little hatching chicks...



...and this sandwich and salad platter looks really realistic. How cute are the little cherry tomatoes!

Scribble Art

I am featuring another lovely Folksy seller today, and something a little different.

Scribble Art specialises in creating original art for children’s rooms, but I'm a bit of a big kid myself so would definitely have some of these creations hanging on my wall.

Each of the canvases are hand-finished and produced as signed limited editions of 250.
You can also have a child's name added to make them completely unique.

'Dizzy the Dinosaur'




Each of the pieces are embellished with glitter, jewels and metallic paint so they take on a magical appearance. The canvas on the right remind of the scene in the Disney version of 'The Sword in the Stone' when Merlin and Arthur turn into fish!

They measure 30 x 30cms (approx 12 x 12") and are hand-stretched over a 3.7 cm deep frame-all ready to hang!

'Undersea'




Scribble Art also creates lovely framed prints onto which can be added 4 items (baby's name/date of birth/weight/place of birth etc).

These can be made in a choice of 5 colours and the image is printed onto high quality textured watercolour paper.
They are supplied in a hand made, glazed wooden frame and a gift label attached to the back allows you to write your own personal message.

'Woolly Sheep'


The canvases are priced at £35.00 each and the framed prints are £20.00. The perfect gift that will be treasured!

Meow Box

Today I have decided to feature a wonderful little online shop I came across a few months ago.
Meow Box Jewellery sells the most delicious looking hand crafted food jewellery alongside cute items from Japanese brands such as Decole, Cram Cream and Swimmer.

How amazing is this chocolate brownie necklace?!. It looks so realistic it's making me hungry!


In fact, everything on the site looks good enough to eat.

Mini donut earrings £7.00 (choice of 6 designs)


Waffle and ice-cream ring £10


And surely the best birthday gift ever, this amazing heart cake and faux pearl necklace


Designer Keynes states
'Making jewellery has been a hobby of mine for around 5 years. It all started with a few beads and charms and selling at Camden Market in London. Through time I have changed my designs and my latest products are miniature food charms including cakes and biscuits for Meow Box Jewellery.'

Alongside her line of miniature food jewellery, Meow Box also sells items from Japanese brands Swimmers, Cram Cream and Decole.

Swimmer bunny card holder


Cram Cream squirrel hand towel




Postage is £3.00 within the UK, £6.00 for International customers or free for orders over £20!

Meow Box jewellery can be bought online at Meow Box.co.uk in the US from Wizard Sleeve Toys or visit Keynes at London Bricklane’s Backyard market on Sundays from 10 am – 5 pm. Her stall is the third on the right hand side.

I'm off to make some brownies...