Jubilee Gems!

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Union Jack flag in the H is for Home colours | H is for Home

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 run-down 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 Diamond 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?

M & S Packaging

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selection of Marks and Spencer food items with special Diamond Jubilee and London Olympic 2012 packaging

M & S continues to produce some fantastic packaging. We bought a few items last week – and thought we’d share photos with you in case you haven’t seen any of it.

Marks and Spencer New York pepperoni pizza box illustrated with characters of a cop and Texan tourist wearing a stetson

We’ll start with this pizza box for the pastrami pizza – with its New York cop and stetson-wearing tourist.

detail from a Marks and Spencer New York pepperoni pizza box showing a cartoon illustration of a cop detail from a Marks and Spencer New York pepperoni pizza box showing a cartoon illustration of a Texan tourist wearing a stetson and a camera around his neck

The characters are very reminiscent of Miroslav Sasek book illustrations from the 1950s & 60s.

Marks and Spencer chocolate teacake packaging decorated with illustrations of British bobby, Union Jack flags, school children, birds and bunting

The other products we picked up have much more of a British feel – perfect for this Diamond Jubilee & London Olympic year.

detail from Marks and Spencer chocolate teacake packaging decorated with illustrations of birds and bunting

These chocolate teacakes are covered with Union Jack bunting & flags. What does that pigeon know that we don’t?

detail from Marks and Spencer chocolate teacake packaging decorated with illustrations of a British bobby, Union Jack flag and bunting

Next up we have the old red telephone box.

Marks and Spencer shortbread tin in the shape of and decorated as a red British phone box with figures including a British Bobby, city gent and punk

It’s harking back to the days when telephone box queues were a common sight – pre mobile phone days – the variety of characters each waiting their turn.

detail from a Marks and Spencer shortbread tin in the shape of and decorated as a red British phone box showing the figure of a city gent

We just love the punk rocker blowing his bubblegum.

detail from a Marks and Spencer shortbread tin in the shape of and decorated as a red British phone box showing the figure of a punk

It’s a close run thing, but our favourite item of the batch is probably the biscuit tin below. Again, the artwork is very Sasek inspired – with a bit of Bill Charmatz thrown in.

limited edition Marks and Spencer biscuit tin produced to commemorate the 2012 London Olympic Games decorated with illustrations of London and other British landmarks

The design a real classic with scenes of the British Isles to the sides and traditional London sights to the lid.

detail from a limited edition Marks and Spencer biscuit tin produced to commemorate the 2012 London Olympic Games showing an illustrations of Green Park detail from a limited edition Marks and Spencer biscuit tin produced to commemorate the 2012 London Olympic Games showing an illustrations of the Mall

Also, the tin will last years and can be used over & over again.

lid from a limited edition Marks and Spencer biscuit tin produced to commemorate the 2012 London Olympic Games decorated with illustrations of London landmarks

It’s fantastic when you buy a useful & beautiful storage tin – crammed full of lovely biscuits that you just have to eat first!!