Peace4you

I came across these lovely bags on Etsy and had to share them with you.  They are made by Peace4you who are based in Germany.  They make their bags from old german navy kitbags and vintage navy leather jackets for some of the straps.  Upcycling at its finest.

Moomah

Moomah in New York is not just a cafe and artspace but a place where they run craft and art workshops for children and adults, a place where children can spend quality time with their parents.  I have dreamt of owning somewhere like this for ages and finding out about this amazing place has set my mind racing again, thinking of how I would decorate my own cafe and what workshops I would run...Maybe one day!  For now I shall just swoon at Moomah's lovely site.  (Thanks to Fabio whose site i found this on!)

Bettyjoy's First Giveaway

I'm in a giving mood this weekend, so this is what I hope will be the first of many giveaways here on the Bettyjoy blog.  To win these little ladies, hand-drawn by me (I will also throw in a set of my hand-made buttons), simply leave a comment on this post letting me know what you would use the giveaway goodies for.  Giveaway closes February 14th and winner will be drawn at random.

Blog of the week

Seesaw Designs is a lovely blog by Seesaw letterpress design studio featuring daily inspiration like that above.  it has a lovely mix of interiors, fashion, art and graphic design.

Love this...

...Tweed Racer Dress and Jacket by Genevieve Dietz on Etsy

If I had a dog...

... and he was invited to a fancy dress party, I would send him in one of these.

Have your cupcake and eat it...

...although these are so cute its almost a shame to eat these lovely cupcakes from Coco Cupcakes.

Peeko

Check out Peeko Apparel's lovely etsy shop

Blog of the Week

This week's botw is the fantastic Wee Birdy.  I think I must be a bit behind the times blog-wise as I somehow missed Wee Birdy's blog until a couple of weeks ago.  And you don't need to take my word for how good it is as Wee Birdy has won a place in the 50 top blogs in the WORLD by the Times Online and it is in the Sunday Times 100 top blogs in the world too.  Anyway, now I have found this fantastic blog I feel I should share it with you, just in case you've been living in the dark ages like me and somehow missed it before!  Wee Birdy is written by the shopping and style deputy editor for Time Out London, an Australian who currently lives in the UK.  The blog features british designers, places to go, places to eat and more.

Stylin' your studio

Ellmania
ffffound

Bloesem




Etsy 

I'm moving house in a couple of months and am determined for my studio to be rather more inspiring than the spare room office I have now.  Here are a few images I have collected so far to give me some motivation to make my new studio a space I want to spend lots of time in.

C'est Belle

..and Boo.  Mandy Sutcliffe's beautiful illustrations take the form of many creations and go under the name Belle and Boo.  I really love the new cushions which I found via Sweet Memories the other day.

What time is it Mr Wolf....

... time to get your mitts on one of these adorable clocks by the talented Decoylab (via ffffound and Oh Joy).

Hello foxy

ffffound
fox and forest

Retro animal pillows

snuggly foks scarf
Cecelia the fox
Red Foxen by Abigail Brown
ffffound
Helen Dardik

This cute fox with his poorly leg inspired today's foxy post.  Some people like to hunt foxes, which seems so sad as they are such cute chaps, I prefer to hunt down cute pics of them on the internet to post here.

I'm on the hunt....

(pic from Domestic Diva)

... for free sewing machines (I know it's a really big ask!!).  I'm wanting to do more textile workshops this year and having sewing machines makes it possible to do so many more workshops.  If anyone has any suggestions of where I may be able to procure myself a few machines please let me know. 

Blog of the Week - I do it yourself

This week's blog of the week, is a great site for DIY brides, it is the money-saving I do it Yourself. I only recently found this site but its a great site full of inspiration and tutorials for DIY brides.  I know, I know, I have become slightly obsessed about weddings, but I promise not to turn this blog into a wedding blog, but I do it Yourself is worth a visit, even if you aren't planning a wedding, as many if the tutorials can be used for parties or decorating your home instead.

Bake it Pretty

Bake It Pretty,  has the best things EVER for baking, parties and weddings - go check it now

Scrapbooking Downloadables

Thompson Family blog is run by the very talented Danielle Thompson.  It always full of great images, free downloadables and Danielle's fab designs for her lovely scrapbooking company Kitschy Digitals. Today I stumbled across this great project by Kirsty Neale, who purchased the downloadable Kitschy Digitals kit and used it to print onto fabric (what a great idea) to create this lovely needle case and some gorgeous bunting.

If you go down to the woods today

Im a real country girl at heart and love images of log cabins in the woodlands.  One day I would love to live in the countryside in the woods in a cozy log cabin. (image links here)

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Some nice nests . . . 

The Free Wedding

OK, so I'm getting just slightly obsessed with gorgeous weddings and this one is just amazing. Joy Thigpen and a group of talented friends got together and decided they wanted to do a photo-shoot to show off their various talents.  After a bit of brainstorming they came up with the idea for a fake wedding photo-shoot, but then they realised that a real wedding would be even better and so the free Wedding was born, a contest was held and the lucky winners got themselves a wedding designed, photographed etc by this talented bunch.  Via Once Wed

Blog of the Week - Once Wed

I got engaged 2 and half years ago and this year we are hoping to start planning our wedding.  If you are planning a wedding or has a friend who is, and if they haven't found Once Wed's great site yet, go straight there right now!  It features lots of beautiful weddings, DIY ideas for your wedding, second hand gorgeous wedding dresses, great links and heaps of inspiration to get your wedding planning underway.  So now I have no excuse to put off the planning.   

Infusion Fibers

OK, so I don't have a child who could wear these adorable booties, but one of you may and they are are just too cute!!  Lovely goodies from Infusion Fibers on Etsy.  I just took a look at her blog and she has recently left a job to start her own business.  I always admire people who take the plunge.

OK so you are probably sick of hearing about the snow but...

..... aren't these pics amazing!  This is Ashgill Force waterfall in a frozen wonderland near where I grew up and near where my mum and dad still live in Alston. Someone from my primary school posted these on his Facebook and I just wanted to show you how pretty it is in Cumbria right now!

Brigid Berlin's home

I originally came across Brigid Berlin's incredible home, via Gemma Correll.  Brigid Berlin is the daughter of Dick Berlin ,head of the Hearst empire for 52 years,  and she is an artist who was Andy Warhol's best friend for 35 years but, more importantly, she has an amazing home filled with beautiful things.  I just love the color and the classic but coziness to it - no minimalistic pad for Brigid.

Woodland Homes

Please can I live here!  I love these woodland homes, most of which were built in Wales.  The top house was built by Simon Dale and his father in law over the period of about 4 months, with the help of friends and family and for the cost of just £3000.  I wish I had £3000 and the determination and guts to do something like this.  Check out more images from more similar projects here.

Sara Carr

I can't believe I forgot to blog about UK based Sara Carr when I first found her on Etsy.  Anyway, I stumbled back across her amazingly adorable creations and thought I would share them with you this time round.   I always envy people who can make such lovely woolly creations.  My attempts at using a knitting machine at university where much less successful. 

Wai Lin Tse

I found  Wai Lin Tse's lovely portfolio of work via ffffound and this shoot really caught my eye.  Ever since I spent a week in a log cabin in Norway a couple of years back, I've really taken a fancy to them.

Blog of The week

As there are so many wonderful inspiring blogs out there, I thought it about time I shared some of them with you.  So first up  is See Saw Designs.  See Saw Designs is a letter press studio with a wonderful blog full of inspiration from fashion and graphic design to interior design, all sure to keep you on your toes.

Homako

I recently came across Homako's shop on Etsy and she has some wonderful jewellery.  I just love the colors and textures.

Emmas

Emmas blog never fails to inspire me and I have found myself looking through her lovely collection of images a lot recently.  Here are just a few, why don't you check out her site for yourself.  Grab a cuppa first as you will likely be rooted to the computer once you start looking.  Emmas was voted one of the best 50 design blogs by the Times, and I can't agree more.  Its a great blog, choc-full of inspiration.

Its -5 degrees outside...

...and Jack Frost is nipping at my whole body!! ... its making me think I need a new coat.  These ones from Yellowcake on Etsy are just gorgeous.

does it suit me?

...My weekends away would not be complete without a beautiful case like this one from the lovely Free People blog

Something to look forward to...

Now the holidays are over, we need something to look forward to, as Chris' 30th is approaching we started to look for somewhere nice to go for a weekend this Spring and it got me thinking I wish I had a camper van or caravan and then every weekend could be an affordable mini break.  I found a few images to inspire me. Via snailtrail

Happy New Year

Just Juice

One Man Mows

Derek Cumbria 

Sorry, I have been awol for the last couple of weeks (one of my new year resolutions is to post on my blog lots and lots this year).   

I had a wonderful christmas break and managed to brave the snow to get up to Mum and Dad's in Cumbria for Christmas.  It was a super festive break, with loads and loads of snow - I haven't uploaded my pics yet so for now I have used some pics of home from Flickr.  We stayed in one of my mum and dad's holiday barns - its so lovely, like being in a hotel.

So, now its back to reality and time to attack the new year with gusto....well, after my last day's holiday today.

Christmas Mini Craft Fair

After the disappointment of last week's fair being cancelled (due to a power failure at Bungalows and Bears, some pesky workmen had been digging up the road - and the cables!) we are rescheduling the fair to take place this weekend instead.  So pop down to Bungalows and Bears and grab yourself some last minute Christmas bargains this Saturday. Click here for more details.

Fantastic Plastic

I am obsessed with shrink plastic at the moment and hve been experimenting with buttons and charms etc - I need to perfect it and try clear plastic and other colors too, but I'm really enjoying making these, especially the girl charms at the top. 

These are now on sale at my etsy shop

Pattern paper mache

I've gone a bit (experi) mental this week and started papier macheing old pattern paper to make it stiffer and made these oddball things! 

Mermag - my new favorite blog

I cant believe I only just found Mermag blog - its so inspiring, Merrilee is a real talented lady, a designer, illustrator and painter, who makes so many wonderful things and paints lovely pictures too! and she has made the most fantastic octopus costume for her son - you have to see it! Go check her blog and be inspired.

Competition time .....

This isn't one I'm running as I haven't got myself organised enough yet to start running competitions but if you fancy a bash at designing a Christmas card, wedding invitation, business cards or an invitation card you could be in with a chance of winning an i-pod touch and other goodies!! Woo Hoo!!  The competition is run by Optimalprint.  You have til 24 Nov to submit your entries - time to get your thinking caps on and get designing!! For submission and contest details visit: http://www.optimalprint.co.uk/en-GB/design-contest 

Halloween Spooktacular ....

Have lots of fun this Halloween. I made these last year, they are pretty rubbish but I like the shape of the ghosts - got to work on much better version for next year.