Made With Love by Kat

It feels like Autumn already here in the North of England, what with the rain, and the ever-present clouds, so it’s only natural that our minds start turning towards what to wear in the colder weather. However, I can’t say I was overwhelmed by the Guardian’s list of 10 style inspirations for fall. Sade? Princess Diana? And, worst of all, sulky Kristen Stewart who it appears no-one has noticed actually looks like a boy wearing a binbag no matter which couturier she wears. That said, I wouldn’t complain to much if the boyfriend started dressing like Ben Whishaw, although possibly not in his role as Richard II , as excellent a piece of acting as it was. Rather, the Guardian hails his turn as Q in the new Bond flick – a role it seems Whishaw was born to play. For his hair alone, much more tousled than the current neat side partings on Burberry’s catwalk, Whishaw is the male fashion pin-up du jour. They also do well to mention the forthcoming film version of Anna Karenina (screenp...

Probably like most of you, I have become a little bit obsessed with Pinterest. Not only is it the fastest-growing social media tool – always interesting from a marketing point of view – but there are just so many gorgeous things on there. Forget 50 Shades of Grey, Pinterest is where the real middle class girlporn is. I make boards for everything – my perfect craft space, the commission I’m working on for a friend’s wedding, inspiration for each of my collections, things I want to make… the list goes on and on. You can follow me here but I wanted to share a few of my favourite finds with you here on my blog. Source: 3.bp.blogspot.com via Kat on Pinterest Love the idea of these bookmarks – perhaps a good idea for what to make for my literary friends this Christmas. Source: saraspartyperfect.com via Kat on Pinterest This is such an easy way to pretty up some plain bottles. Source: undeniablestyle.com via Kat on Pinterest I wish my craft room looked like this so, so much. So...

I know I spend a lot of time trying to make you all buy things from my Folksy shop but I’m aware that perhaps some of you are thinking “I could do that”. Well yes you can! And to help you out, here’s a quick tutorial for an easy way to rework an old bead necklace into something fabulous. You will need: A pearl necklace about 25 inches long Four lengths of chain, ranging from 14 to 16 inches long A pair of clip on earrings Jump rings Two lengths of grosgrain ribbon, about 28 inches each Scissors Bent nosed pliers TIP – This is a good way to use old, broken necklace chains. Mix with new chain bought from a craft shop if you don’t have enough. Fold the pearl necklace in half. If there is a clasp, use this as one end. Open a jump ring and place around the string at one of the folded ends. Thread the ends of all four pieces of chain through the jump ring... ...and close. Repeat on the other side. You should now have the main body of your necklace. Using jump...

For months I have been thinking about revamping the pictures in my Folksy shop – I like them but I have been using the same background for so long and I wanted a fresh start. However, while the weather has been grey and rainy it has been pretty difficult to get inspiration. Happily last week the sun was shining as golden as the British Olympic team’s medals and a glance out of the window showed me that I had everything I needed for a photoshoot right in my own back yard. The salix that stands in the corner of my garden made the perfect prop – not only could I hang earrings from its branches, I could also nestle rings in amongst the trees. A stand for plant pots that has become slightly rusty over the winter provided texture and interest for several photos, as did a worn ivory metal planter and an aluminium bucket. The stone edging to the bed provided another background for smaller items, but I was having difficulty finding somewhere to hand heavier necklaces – until my eye lit on...