Blodwen sale

Blodwen of Cardigan Bay is having a sale.

Welsh Tapestry Scarf, was £80, now £59

Fingerless gloves - were £60, now £30

Vintage tapestry in coral pink, yellow and black was £280 now £145

Blodwen's Christmas Emporium

Blodwen is based in Cardigan Bay, selling Welsh-made products.  They are 'committed to the preservation and revival of traditional rural skills and the promotion of artisans' - and this is why I love them.
Their General Stores have been transformed into a Christmas Emporium. As the name suggests, it is a great place for Christmas shopping - there is something for everyone.

My top picks:

I want a pair of these - Dragon red 'Cwtch' (cosy) cashmere bedsocks - I would wear them 365 days a year! £35

Sheepskin slipper in dragon red £80

Traditional carthen tapestry blanket / bedcover £260

Welsh love spoon £25

Made in Wales: Damson & Slate

Damson & Slate sell Welsh-made products. Here are my top picks

Shea butter and goat milk soap 3 x 150g for £10

Pembrokeshire slate soap dish £22

Isa printed linen cushion £68

Traditional Welsh woven wool blanket £195

Selvedge Spring Fair - some highlights (part 1)

I went to the Selvedge Spring Fair today at St Augustine's church hall on Archway Road - it was fantastic! a great selection of UK designer-makers: some that I already knew such as Noolibird, and some new ones like Bojo Childrenwear and Folk at Home.

First, some pics of St Augustine's church hall: all decked out in purple alliums for the Fair

Here are some high lights of the designer-makers (part 1)...

Blodwen - this company sells products made in Wales by a variety of designer-makers.  They are 'committed to the preservation and revival of traditional rural skills and the promotion of artisans...Blodwen aims to bring about real regeneration, contributing to rural communities as they maintain their way of life and livelihood'.

Blodwen zip purse and clasp purse

 quilts and blankets (Carthenni)

Magmu's Wild Rose organic lotions and creams

And Papa Stour - a company that sells Scottish made items: 'Papa Stour embraces Scottish art, craftsmanship and design in its purest form'.

hotwater bottle cover  by Kate
and some yellow dolly birds by Clare

merino wool blanket and cushion cover knitted by Kate
(with Fairisle knitted lavender heart perched on top)

Love is...(Part 1)

...a cliche of red and pink.  Get ready for Valentine's Day

Go out on the town wearing this little number: Belle & Bunty Eliza silk georgette maxi dress at ASOS

red Cambridge Satchel available here 

snuggle up under a Melin Tregwynt blanket (range of sizes available): Knot Garden, in ember, available here

say it with...lobsters from Tatty Devine

for the key to your heart: Susannah Hunter key ring from here

snow's on the way - more blankets needed

Well, if not snow, then colder weather... time to get cosy with some lovely blankets.  Jen Jones, a leading expert in Welsh blankets, has an on-line shop stocked with iresitable blankets, quilts, and tapestry bedcovers.  Blankets cost between £60 and over £100.

Cumbrian Wool makes blankets from undyed natural wool ranging from white-grey to dark brown / black from sheep in the Duddon Valley.  The blankets are made in two sizes (the smaller 'lamb' and the larger 'ewe') and two different weights, and a changing selection of designs, of the stripes and checks sort. They make excellent presents (eg. wedding presents), and support small scale 'cottage industry' to boot.

last days of summer

As a 'famille nombreuse' one picnic blanket is never enough. Before school started we sneaked in a final week's holiday in Wiltshire and I found a Welsh blanket made from recycled wool at the National Trust shop in Avebury. Charmingly named random woollen rug, it's excellent value at £10 and comes in a random assortment of colours (surprise surprise). My photo doesn't do the colours justice - it's got lots of dusky blues in it, and the wool is soft enough to use as throw or blanket at home.