Alex Monroe - Shrimps for tea at The Goring

Alex Monroe is one of my top British designer-makers - his handmade silver and gold necklaces, bracelets and earrings, inspired by nature have beautiful detail and are very wearable, especially when you want to have a little bit of twinkle or sparkle for your everyday. The Bumblebee is a classic piece, adorning the neck of many fashion gals - but I prefer the quirky charm of this SHRIMP! It's black pearl eyes! and the way it is suspended from the chain by its whiskers (is that what they are called?)!
The necklace is inspired by Alex's childhood teatimes in Suffolk, it is exclusive to The Goring Hotel for the month of May 2012. Now all I need is for someone to offer to take me out to tea at The Goring - dainty sandwiches and pretty jewellery are my dream combo. More info about the Goring Shrimp on the Alex Monroe blog here.

jewellery good enough to eat from Alex Monroe

Who cannot resist these pretty jewels by Alex Monroe that are good enough to eat?

Apple and green tourmaline necklace £108

Juicy Pear necklace £120 - a personal favourite, perhaps because of pear-almond-chocolate cake, which is 'cake of the month' chez Osborn

Peapod earrings £114, which I love because even though my twins are not identical, they are like 'two peas in a pod'

Strawberry and pink tourmaline earrings £99 - June is just around the corner, and so is strawberry cake

Mrs Osborn's favourite shops - Belle & Bunty Boutique

Step inside Belle & Bunty's boutique, away from the hustle and bustle of Brecknock Road N7, and you enter into an oasis of calm, elegance and beautiful silk frocks. Belle & Bunty, founded by Alice Shreeve and Hannah Coniam, design the sort of elegant clothes in flattering shapes and colours that make you think 'hurrah! at last I have found...the perfect outfit for a wedding / party / night out on the town / [insert your own elegant moment here]'.

You can see their Magnificent 7 Bridal collection in all it's glory (and I think these dresses would not look amiss on the red carpet, should you ever be in need of a gown for the Oscars) and the newly arrived Spring Sumner 2011 collection is also in stock.

some of The Bridal collection: The Bunty, The Belle and The Estella (left to right) in very pretty shades of pink and cream

Spring Summer 2011 collection - on-line next week...

my favourite, because I love green: The Willow dress (also part of their Bridal collection) featuring a nice little collection of roses at the neckline

There are sparkly jewels too at the Belle & Bunty boutique such as tiny, handmade gold plated dragonfly earrings and vintage-style dress rings found by Alice and Hannah.

For those not already in the know, Brecknock Road is also home to Bumblebee (health food shops), Classic Shoe Repairs (the place to get your designer shoes repaired), and Salvino's Italian deli.

Belle & Bunty, 45a Brecknock Road, London N7 0BT
020 7267 3322

Love is...(Part 2)

...solid gold (but more likely to be gold-plated)

Hannah Bedford's hoop earrings (a personal fav), also available in silver and oxidised silver

Alex Monroe's feather necklace

Laura Lee's Edwardian Locket

Clara Francis' butterfly key necklace - gold plated key and chain, and hand beaded butterfly