Fifi is a Very Stylish Bunny

Fifi Lapin via

Fifi Lapin is the most stylish bunny; she's even got her own line of Le Sportsac bags! I'm a huge fan of Le Sportsac, their bags are practical, versatile, and very lightweight, an added bonus if you're are worried about excess baggage weight!

Le Sportsac, Window Shopper Tote, $98

DIY Scarf Pillows

I first spotted Madeline Weinrib in Vogue. Shown here are vintage designer scarf pillows. I love this idea of using fashion to decorate the home, a beautiful dress hung on the wall, a sculptural shoe in the mantle. This is my kind of decorating! Want to make your own? Check out these links to instructions:

Vintage Scarf Cushions on iVillage
Silk Scarf Pillows on Martha Stewart

Madeline Weinrib Vintage Scarf Pillows

Madeline Weinrib, Pucci Vintage Silk Scarf Pillow

Madeline Weinrib is the great granddaughter of ABC Carpet and Home founder. She creates fashion driven home furnishings. She offers beespoke pieces such as these vintage silk pillows. What a lovely way to decorate your home in fashion accessories! I love seeing fashion items used as decor for the home. See my making things blog for a post on making your own version!




Madeline Weinrib, Schiaparelli Vintage Silk Scarf Pillow

Best Ballet Flats

Clarks, Boat Race Patent Leather Pumps £39.99, via

I got these ballet flats (surprisingly) from Clarks last month, and I love them. Not all ballet flats are equal in style, comfort and value. This pair meets all these requirements for me. There are so many shops selling flats, but sometimes the shoes only look good in the shop, but are not particularly comfortable, nor was the quality of the material its made from. These are patent leather, with leather interior, a bit of padding on the soles in the right places, and cut just the right way. I wear them to work, going shopping, on dates. The super shiny leather seems to add the right touch whether its casual or dressed up. The other great thing about patent leather? They;re easy to clean, a wipe with damp cloth will do. They also come in gray or white. Too bad they don't come in other colors such as red, fuchsia, or navy blue!

Skin Food: The Soution For Rough Patches

Weleda Skin Food, 75 ml, £6.95

Now that we're heading into summer, I want my feet to be sandal ready. The solution? Weleda's Skin Food is both nourishing and protective; this is an extra-rich cream that will soothe those dry spots overnight. You can use it on your face, hands, feet, elbows, knees, just about anywhere that needs some extra TLC. I've recommended it to professionals that need to wash their hands often when they're on the job. Its key ingredients are lanolin, sweet almond oil, and sunflower oil. Lanolin is the closest chemical equivalent to sebum, the natural oil that the skin produces. Sweet almond and sunflower oils help to soften hard skin and helps other soothing ingredients such as chamomile and calendula, to penetrate the skin. Perfect for skin that needs extra protection from dry, windy weather conditions, or softening rough spots that your regular body lotion can't take care of.

Have you tried Skin Food before? What did you think? Skin Food has been shortlisted for the Classic Beauty Product of the Year for the 2009 UK Beauty Awards.

News from Knit-1

Knit-1's Design Workshop starts up again in June.They have made a flexible learning schedule, so more students can join. If you're interested, there's still time to enroll! Be sure to tell them I sent you! Or, let me know, by emailing me directly, makingthingsblog@gmail.com, and I'll put them in touch with you.

Have a look at Knit-1's blog for all their current activities from their students. They have also added an online shop, where you can buy patterns and instructions on machine knitting. A perfect start for anyone looking for resources on machine knitting, as they are so hard to come by!

What is Knit-1? Read about it here.

What is Jurlique?

Quash those germs!

Quash, available in 15ml and 50ml spray.

With all the talk about swine flu and the attention to hand washing, I thought I'd mention this product I saw at the Natural & Organic Products show. Quash is a 100% natural hand sanitizer, that kills 99.9% of germs (including MSRA, E Coli, Salmonella), moisturizes, and protects hands from premature aging. I got to try it out at the show, and its lovely, no harsh chemicals that you expect in the conventional hand sanitizers, and smells fresh. Quash contains Aloe Vera, Lemon and Lime, Liquid Vitamin C, and Zinc. Finally, something for natural cleanliness!

Balm Balm, Beauty Made Simple

Balm Balm, Tea Tree Lip Balm, £2.95.

Balm Balm is a range of beauty care products from Surrey, UK. I received a sample of it at the Natural & Organic Products Show. I have to say, that I've never seen a beauty product so versatile. It's a range of thick lotions and balms that moisturize and condition the skin with shea butter and jojoba. They are meant to be used anywhere on the body. The lotion is a thick consistency, so you don't need a lot of it, but it also makes for a good hand cream. They come in unscented, Rose Geranium, and their new addition, Tea Tree.

I tried the tea tree lip balm. At first, I was a bit put off by the idea of tea tree in a lip balm, but it was surprisingly delightful. Usually tea tree scented products tend to smell quite strong and overpowering, but this one was quite light. It smoothes on nicely on the lips and anywhere else you decide to use it. It is handy to keep in your purse or medicine cabinet, as it can be used to relieve bumps, sores, cuts, and spots. I've used it on spots and it soothed the redness and seemed to help with its healing quickly. Not to mention all its ingredients are certified organic! I also got to try the rose geranium one at the show, and it smelled glorious!

Rosa Fina Lifting and Firming Body Lotion

Barefoot Botanicals Rosa Fina Lifting and Firming Lotion, £27.95.

This Lifting and Firming Body Lotion from Barefoot Botanical s is my favorite at the moment. It has a lovely light floral rose scent and it absorbs into the skin almost immediately. It leaves skin feeling silky soft, yet toned. The lotion combines essential oils, herbal extracts, anti-oxidants, vitamins, along with a high content of rosa mosqueta oil, the magic ingredient that does wonders in helping to diminnish scars, wrinkles, and stretch marks. Truly one of the best lotions I've ever tried. Because its so light and natural, I also use it as a face moisturizer.