New Banner

I decided to add a new banner to the site today. It's taken from a photo I took a while ago in our back garden, a big tree with millions of berries all over it. It was easier than I thought to 'bannerise' it using Photoshop so now I know I can do it any time I want. Hurray!

All the sites I go to have lovely banners, like Posie gets Cozy, Wiksten Made, Homebug etc. and I always wondered how they did it. This whole template thing can get a bit complicated sometimes, and sometimes I'm afraid to monkey around with the settings too much in case I do something really horrible, and the whole thing goes up in flames. I think I'll just leave well enough alone now, and make tomato soup that will last me the week. Hurray :)

How to Become a Famous Blogger!

I think this cartoon by Dave Walker is hilarious. Thank you to Jessica from How about Orange who featured one of Dave's cartoons on her cool orangey blog last week. Check out Dave's site, weblogcartoons.com for more great cartoons.

Good luck Kat!

I have just received an email from the lovely Kat over at Secrets of a Butterfly , whose blog I regularly read, to say that she has opened her etsy shop, also called Secrets of a Butterfly (of course!).

Kat specialises in making adorable vintage hand made cards, ATCs, beautiful lace bracelets and other treasures. It's really obvious that Kat puts a LOT of time, thought and effort into everything she makes and I'm sure her shop will be a huge success. Check it out.

Halloween at Belle & Boo

I have just received my latest delivery from Mandy at Belle and Boo. I love Halloween and I just couldn't resist this gorgeous print from Mandy's etsy shop. And, as if the print wasn't enough, the package also comes with 3 Boo Halloween tags. I can't wait to get home this evening and add these to my Hallween decorations (yes, I do decorate my house for Halloween, much to my husband's embarassment)

Take me to Marakesh

I just have to give this blog a special mention: it’s called My Marakesh. I stumbled upon it a few months ago, and was completely awed by its contents. Finding it was like discovering a beautiful (Moorish) secret garden.
The blog is about an American lady Maryam and her family’s efforts to build and open a guest house in Marakesh called ‘The Peacock Pavillions’ (they have 9 peacocks!). Maryam’s blog is crammed with the most colourful, vibrant photos you’ve ever seen (like the 2 above). Her work is so evocative of an exotic Morocco, you can almost smell the Jasmine and spices.
She captures not only her own family’s lives, but also the magic of the whole country. Think beautiful tiled fountains, bustling markets, coloured glass tea-sets, and crumbling, elegant French coffee houses
So, if you have a few minutes to spare why not visit her incredible site, I promise you won’t be disappointed.