my beautiful Tina, in lime: #IJ

"You know sometimes when you buy something different and just the right colour and if it costs just a little bit more than you would normally spend, it makes you feel on top of the world - beautiful, unique, happy. I hope that my bags will evoke that kind of feeling."    - Indre Jakumaite, designer/creator of #IJ

It is so rare that I get this excited about an object, but I've ordered the most valuable bag I've ever owned, the Tina, in lime green, from Indre Jakumaite, of #IJ (I love her url: hashtagIJ.co.uk: everything about the brand is so cool. Simple web design that WORKS. The same logo I'd have created myself. And the bags. THE BAGS!!)

Hand dyed Italian leather and wool felt, bespoke, British Made in her South London studio. I was thinking of combining the lime leather with the navy wool, which isn't on her site, and she would have done it for me - I mean, she is that flexible - but first I wanted to try one of her designs, as she designed it. So I chose the TINA CLUTCH, in lime. That is the perfect colour for me - not just spring and summer, but year round. It will go with everything: brights, white, black, neutrals, grey.. lime is the new black, when it comes to bags, I feel. And I love when someone does what they say they will. Last weekend, while we were in the English countryside, my beautiful Tina, in lime green, was born.

When it arrived in the post yesterday, a brown paper package tied up with string, and my kitten with whiskers started getting into the act (and no, that little bastard isn't getting his claws anywhere near Tina's pretty wool felt) I just felt like, man oh man, this is so definitely one of my favourite things.

This is a brand new, baby brand. She sounds so wonderful that we've already friended each other on facebook, and are planning to meet next week.

If anyone out there is reading this, please let me know if you have any suggestions for Indre, or if you'd like to help spread the word. As all you Creative Beings know, it's really hard to sell ourselves, but we can support each other. And I really want her to succeed.

So far, #IJ is only available online, at www.hashtagij.co.uk. But I have a hunch that's going to change, very soon. And who knows, maybe she'll even create a bag named Jill, in lime and navy, someday!

still life with popcorn

Every time I take my camera out at home, our cat sees it as a photo op.

Not that long ago (11 days, actually), I happened to be on twitter when the lovely Laura, of A Daisy Chain Dream, posted about Snacking Saturday (actually, Friday). I got so smitten with her review of Joe&Seph's popcorn - it really caught my imagination - that I wrote to them and asked for some free samples to review. And they quickly, cheerfully replied.



My package arrived on Saturday, and I laid out the three flavours - salted caramel, irish cheddar, and caramel with coconut and cinnamon - to do a little shoot. The cat was shoving the things around.. I was laughing so much all the shots came out blurry. Just as Laura had her dad do the reviewing, it seems I let the cat do it, and he went for the caramel, coconut and cinnamon. Which I bet I will, too, when I finally open the packages to taste them.

Theoretically, which flavour do you imagine you'd like best? It's like reading about perfume for me: the 'notes' just sounds so inspiring.



I don't know about you - but I am absolutely HOPELESS at opening things. I've been known to save wrapped gifts forever, without opening the package. I don't care what's inside, it's just the thought that someone I liked cared enough to buy and wrap something. Plus I'm a real fool for packaging. And once you open it, well let's face it, you (and more likely, your husband) will eat it and before you know it, it's gone. I'm thinking of bringing it on holiday to the summer house - surprise my mother for her birthday, and doing the review post with the family. Altho, Mom, if you're reading this, I guess the cat's already out of the bag.