Etsy obsession of the week: Triccycat's jewels

This week etsy obsession ties in with another of my obsessions: leather. It's the one thing I couldn't live without. I love the way it feels, the way it smells. And Triccycat's jewels immediately appealed to the leather (and handbag!) lover in me.

Looking at these you know you're looking at real craftsmanship: the bags are built to last for generations. Each bag is all hand-cut, hand-stitched, buckstitched and hand-dyed. They aren't cheap (the bag with the handle is $545) but you know you're making an investment in a piece that will last forever, and the styles and designs are timeless.

It's the bags that excited me the most, but the shop also does some really lovely leather notepads and stationary (and we all know how I feel about notebooks and pens!) And the rugged leather journal (above) is only $40: much more affordable!

I hope you're all having a wonderful bank holiday! As is the tradition in our fair isles, lets all go and have BBQ's in the rain!

Love, Tor xx

Hooray for Mothers!

Do you have the perfect, most thoughtful gift that shows your mom (or someone who's like a mom) how much you love and appreciate her?  Mother's day is quickly approaching (this weekend!) and, if you're like us, you've probably been so busy that you haven't even had a chance to think about it.  Don't get stuck Sunday morning without a gift, or worse, picking up a gift card at the gas station on the way! Here are a few great items to inspire you.  We're sure that your mother would be thrilled to receive items like these (not that she'd dare tell you if she wasn't...) 

For the traditional mother with a little modern flair we love these bird nest necklaces by vixensnaturaljewelry. These adorable necklaces can be customized in gold or silver, and pearls can be added to represent the number of children or grandchildren!

For the mom with the green thumb we recommend these adorable garden markers that are made out of flattened spoons and hand stamped with cute fonts!  These markers, by JLynnCreations, are sure to make her garden grow in style.

 For the sentimental chef, we love this handwritten recipe platter by customsepia.  Take your mom's or grandma's favorite or most cherished recipe and have it externalized on a beautiful platter. Or, check out this adorable plates that can be customized with musings about your very own mother.

Never underestimate the power of song and dance..and drama queens.  Bring mom, grandma, or the special "queen" in your life to see a Broadway show (like "Wicked")!  Instead of spending money on trinkets or material items, spend the money on an experience that you can enjoy together and create memories that you will cherish for a lifetime.

Please your mother (and Mother Earth!) by gifting some of these beautiful, homemade soaps by Mary at Heaven and Earth LLC. If these soaps smell as good as they look then your mom is in for a real treat! Plus, not only do they look adorable in their eco-friendly, recycled packaging, your mother will be so pleased to know that these soaps are vegan and made with all natural ingredients!

For the fitness fanatic, we're big fans of bicycles.  A cute, retro inspired beach cruiser would be the perfect gift to keep Mom feeling young, healthy, and energetic.  We like this baby blue one for it's great style, but there are many more from Target that are offered at a more reasonable price.

And, of course, for the fashionista in your life, we love a great bag that they can use to tote around their essentials this spring and summer. This large tote bag is one that any busy mom would crave! Available at Urban Outfitters, this baby is big enough for some flip flops, a camera, a towel, good book, and even a sweater for those chilly nights. 

Wishing all you moms a beautiful mother's day!



XOXO

Jen & Saira

Primark pick of the week: the changing room edition

I think i've mentioned before that the Primark on Oxford Street opens at 8.30, and that if you get there when they open you will find you have the pleasure of having the shop to yourself: no queues, no pushing, and no mess (because the primark fairies have spend the night hanging everything back up!) It also means that you can walk straight into the changing rooms: this is a rare treat when normally you have to fill your basket and take a chance (unless you have the time and patience to queue for over an hour for the changing room!)

To take advantage of my early morning opportunity, this weeks Primark pick is a changing room edition: here are my five favourite things I tried on when I went to Primark for some very early morning shopping.

White dress, £9. Floral blazer, £13. Lilac polka tunic, £6. I fell in love with this jacket as soon as I saw it (I wasn't going to buy anything but couldn't resist and picked it up) I love the pattern, the fit, and it was an absolute bargain! Technically I know i'm not allowed to buy any more jackets, but this teeny weeny little one won't hurt....

Polka dot dress, £13. Floral bow dress, £11. The polka dot dress fit like a glove and was the perfect balance of smart and casual: this would look great for work on really warm days! The floral dress looked better on than it has photographed, and had lots of really interesting strap details at the back.

As you're reading this, I am in Paris (oh the joy of post scheduling) and hopefully the weather is glorious and i'm having a lovely day. I will be doing that wearing my new jacket....

Love, Tor xx