Giving a country garden an urban twist

I'm desperate to do something interesting with my garden, and to give my inside spaces a bit of a greener feel. So I was really pleased when I stumbled upon these fibreglass planters with metallic finishes by The Chelsea Gardener. They're lightweight enough for me to use inside, but also frost-proof and can stay outside through winter (unlike my old cream metal planters, the bottoms of which fell out when I picked them up this Spring - the wet winter weather meant rust had completely eaten through them). Sadly at a shade under £250, I might have to save up for a while...

I'm also on the hunt for some geometric vases that I can plant with succulents and fill with spiky flowers to contrast with my very cottage-y style. I very much like these from Houseology (£61), which you can find at www.occa-home.co.uk.

A bit more affordable is this gorgeous yellow number, from House of Fraser for £30:

And colours-wise, I think this Kelly Hoppen number, also £30, might be just about perfect for my house:

Comments

Explosion in a jewellery box

It took me ages to find a pretty way to store the jewellery for my Folksy shop . I didn't want it to get muddled up with my own jewellery, but at the same time I didn't just want to stick it all in a box. I also wanted something that I could take with me to craft shows. At first I used a French shabby-chic style mini jewellery mannequin, but it soon got full! Then I found a gorgeous bird-themed jewellery stand. Unfortunately I've been so busy making lovely new items recently that tha's got a bit stuffed too! Oh dear... (Sorry about the picture quality, I had to take them on my mobile) I think it's probably time to buy another jewellery stand. I want one that will complement my existing ones but not exactly the same. Any suggestions will be happily welcomed. And how do you all store your stock? Is it tucked away under a bed or proudly on display to make the most of any visitors?

Press releases - a basic guide

As a crafter/designer, I know there can be nothing more thrilling (and potentially profitable) than seeing your name in print. As a full-time journalist, I know there is nothing more likely to go straight in the trash folder than a bad press release. So. How do you maximise your chances of your local newspaper, glossy mag or specialist crafting magazine taking notice of you? I can't guarantee that these tips will get you press coverage, but they will certainly help. 1. Get the right person. Buy a copy of the publication or visit their website and find who the best person to contact is. Any email that starts "I'm not sure if you're the right person..." goes straight in my trash folder - it suggests that the sender has no respect for my time, which is over-full as it is, without wasting my time reading things that aren't relevent to me. If in doubt, ring and find out. While you're at it, find out what their deadlines are - and stick to them. 2. Get to the po...

Opinions needed

I have a beautiful, really delicate vintage filigree brooch in the shape of a butterfly. The trouble is, I can't decide whether to make it into a necklace or a bracelet. What do you guys think? (Sorry about the blurry photo - that's what happend when I only have my phone, not the proper camera):

Made With Love by Kat

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