Archive for the ‘celebrations’ Category

Easter Treats

Thursday, March 21st, 2013

"Easter Treats" blog post banner

collection of Easter themed homewares and foodstuffs

Easter is all about spring birth, rebirth and renewal. That’s why it’s celebrated with animal motifs such as eggs, chicks, rabbits, lambs and spring flowers. Here’s our pick of Easter-themed delights!

  1. Duck Timer, kitchen timer -£34, Alessi
  2. Cottage Delight Simnel Cake – £4.50, John Lewis
  3. Hop to It! Paper Cups – £4, Fortnum & Mason
  4. Personalised Solid Silver Egg Cup – £65 (spoon extra), Not on the High Street
  5. Sunshine in a Bag – £11.99, Nigel’s Eco Store
  6. Free Range Tea Cosy – £12, Ulster Weavers
  7. Clockwork tin collectables – £6.99, Culture Vulture

You’re All Heart!

Friday, February 1st, 2013

"You're All Heart!" blog post banner

selection of alternative Valentine's Day gifts

I’ve never really been into Valentine’s Day – unimaginative boxes of chocolates, flowers and lacy undies… and all those tables-of-two in jam packed restaurants.

Here’s my top ten selection of things that could get me into the Valentine’s swing of things!

  1. Sweetheart Shape Sugar – £6.95, Fortnum & Mason
  2. Personalized Carved Heart Engraved Wood Cutting Board – $45 USD, Etsy
  3. Heart Mirror – £12, Urban Outfitters
  4. Mulberry Valentines heart key ring £70, Selfridge’s
  5. “home is where the heart is” Mug – £9.50, Oliver Bonas
  6. Double Heart Silicone Mould – £3.99, Lakeland
  7. Diana F+ Love Letters with Flash – €99, Lomography
  8. Heart Snow Globe – £10, Paperchase
  9. Vitra Heart Cone Chair by Verner Panton – £1900.60, Heal’s
  10. 12 Mini Heart Silicone Cases – £5, Marks & Spencer

Jubilee Gems!

Friday, June 1st, 2012

"Jubilee Gems" blog post banner

Union Jack flag in the H iss for Home colours

For the past month or so everywhere you look there’s been bucket-loads of special commemorative things being produced for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. There’s a lot of tat out there, but there are some future classics too!

Here’s a rundown of our top ten…

Alison Gardiner Golden Jubilee commemorative china tableware available at John LewisEmma Bridgewater Union Jack pottery comport
Alison Gardiner tableware: £12.95-£69.95 | Emma Bridgewater comport: £75

Think jubilee… think garden and street parties – this fabulous crockery will do any gingham cloth-covered trestle table proud!

Red Jubilee English Breakfast tea tin from Liberty of LondonPrestat Jubilee box of truffles
Liberty of London English breakfast tea tin: £7.50 | Prestat truffles: £29.99

If you’re going to be watching the festivities on television from the comfort of your sofa, the combination of this English breakfast tea & truffle chocs will help keep your energy levels up!

FieldCandy Rule Britannia tentFulton Union Jack Funbrella unbrella
FieldCandy tent: £395 | Fulton funbrella umbrella: £12

You may be planning on spending the Jubilee weekend in the great outdoors. How better to nail your colours to the mast than with this fabulous two-person tent? Just don’t forget your brolly – you can never rely on the Great British weather!

Barbour Beacon backpackRadley Large Tote Bag
Barbour Beacon backpack: £205 | Radley tote bag: £99

And to carry your stuff on your travels during this extended bank holiday, a couple of patriotic bags -  for him & her.

Tala Union Jack cook's dry measureGreat British Street Party Cook Book by Nancy Lambert available from Amazon
Tala cook’s measure £8 | Great British Street Party Cookbook: from £3.62

And if you’ll be having a Great British Bake Off of your own this cook’s measure will make calculating your ingredients that more enjoyable! And how about impressing the neighbours with your culinary prowess with the help of this cookbook?

H is for Home at 4

Friday, March 16th, 2012

H is for Home banner

vintage church hymn numbers with wooden box

Well it’s mid March again – and H is for Home is another year older.

We wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you – our customers & supporters. Thanks to you all!

With warmest wishes,

Adelle & Justin's signatures

L is for… London

Wednesday, April 27th, 2011

"L is for... London" blog banner

top of vintage biscuit tin with illustration of Marble Arch, London

There’ll be many eyes focusing on London this week with the Royal Wedding happening on Friday…

front cover of vintage Miroslav Sasek book, This is London depicting a marching guard in a bearskin
page from vintage Miroslav Sasek book, This is London depicting the Houses of Parliament
page from vintage Miroslav Sasek book, This is London depicting a ship going under Tower Bridge
page from vintage Miroslav Sasek book, This is London depicting a W H Smith booksellers shop
page from vintage Miroslav Sasek book, This is London depicting a packed tube train carriage on the Underground
page from vintage Miroslav Sasek book, This is London depicting a barrow boy pulling a cart in the Covent Garden fruit and veg market
page from vintage Miroslav Sasek book, This is London depicting an elephant at London Zoo carrying children on its back

…so “L”  has to be for London!
detail of the top of vintage biscuit tin with London illustrations of such as a Pearly king and queen, beefeaters, street hawker etc
We’ve gathered images of H is for Home shop stock items – past & present, that celebrate the capital…
detail of the sides of vintage biscuit tin with cartoon-like illustrations of tourists at London sites such as Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square
…famous landmarks, archetypal characters and classic scenes.
vintage tea towel featuring a London scene with a crowd of double decker buses at night around Christmastime, probably Oxford Street
They’ve appeared on all kinds of products…
vintage Chance Glass pin dish featuring a London double-decker bus designed by Kenneth Townsend
…lots of tins, pottery and book illustrations…
vintage Kenneth Townsend tile featuring a London beefeater
…and tea towels, posters and postcards.
vintage Kenneth Townsend tile featuring a pair of Chelsea Pensioners

We’d be tempted to have quite a collection if we were London dwellers!

vintage Kenneth Townsend tile featuring a London gentleman with bowler hat, briefcase and umbrella

We can’t resist a few pieces, even though we live out int’ sticks up t’North.

vintage 1959 London Transport postcard. "Roundabout" designed by Victor Galbraith

We often see London-tastic  products in the glossy interior magazines and websites – and we usually forget to bookmark them!

vintage 1960s Trans World Service menu cover depicting two horse guards in helmet and bearskin

However, you’ll always find some good stuff at places like the London Transport Museum or V & A Museum web shops…
vintage Carltonware moneybox in the shape of a London bobby
…and take a look at the “We ♥ London” Etsy Treasury that we’ve put together.

 pen and ink sketch of a London bobby writing out a ticket
pen and ink sketch of an old gent sitting on a park bench reading the news having a sneaky glance at a bikini-clad young woman walking past
pen and ink sketch of a shady character in sunglasses sitting on a bar stool holding an espresso cup
pen and ink sketch of an ancient bus conductress wearing a scarf lighting a fag
pen and ink sketch of an old man carrying a box on his head at Covent Garden fruit market
pen and ink sketch of a greengrocer hawking his wares
pen and ink sketch of a row of old women under hairdryers at the hairdresser's
pen and ink sketch of a newspaper seller at his stand on a rainy day
pen and ink sketch of a young boy with arms outstretched with pigeons  all around and on him
pen and ink sketch of a black railwayman calling out on a train platform
pen and ink sketch of two men in front of a row of whiskey barrels enjoying a wee dram

P.S. – Another special London event started last week – commemorating the original 1951 Festival of Britain.
triptych of images of an original 1951 Festival of Britain exhibition brochure
We loaned a few items to Kiera Buckley-Jones from BBC Homes & Antiques Magazine. She has recreated rooms from the period. Read her blog series charting its development here. We’re hoping to take a little trip down south to see it before it finishes in September.

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