I'm the Winner?!

Not sure if I have posted these patterns on here before...don't think I have...anyway, they were designed a while back just as a fun project after a doodling session but I spotted a competition over at Paperbicycle which was to submit up to 3 pics of Food based patterns, so I thought why not just enter them and see...and I won!!! The overall winner was the Orange coloured print at the top, which also happens to be my favourite too! It was posted back on Friday but I totally forgot to check until now! It has perked up a miserable grey day no end! So thank you to all at Paperbicycle x

littletree loves...'playnation' from John Lewis

 All Images from John Lewis

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Hello all, hope you are having a good week so far? I saw an ad for the new range 'playnation' at John Lewis in my new Living Etc mag so hopped on over to the website immediately and of course it was love at first sight! How could it not be with all these lovely fresh and bright candy colours for spring? So everyone can enjoy I have put together a little pinboard of top picks from the collection, plus a little colour palette of key hues. My favourites are definitely the colourful kitchenware and the handy 'hexagonal beehive tray', with all the separate compartments it's ideal for keeping your desk nice and neat! What's your favourite?x

littletree discovers and loves...They Draw & Cook

Welcome to another week...Hope you all had lovely weekends and if you didn't (aww) then hopefully this post will cheer you right up and if you did then this will still make you smile! Two of my favourite things to do in the whole world are 1) doodling and 2) cooking! So this web find was like reaching the holy grail of wonderfulness...

The Book

They Draw & Cook is an amazing site filled with great illustrated recipes from designers, artists and avid doodlers all over the world! Started by Nate and Salli after they decided to make a book of illustrated recipes for friends and family, this then turned into a blog and then huge global website! Now anyone can submit a recipe/design for the website and maybe end up in one of their next books! Here are a few favourites which I had great fun choosing! I have put a link to each recipes' page on TDAC and then the artists own site if they have one...maybe you will find a new design crush while your at it?! Really hope you enjoy this one!x

Candy Sushi by Kaitlyn McCane / kaitlynmccane.com

Espresso Granitas by Nate Padavick / StudioSSS

Pancakes by Gloria Melo / Glorias Portfolio

Classic Cupcakes by Adam James Turnbull / Adam James Turnbull Studio

Brownies by Celeste Gagnon / Blog

How cute is the cat in this Brownie recipe by Celeste?! Sweet x

pinterest pick of the week...

Happy Friday everyone!! In case you can't tell, this weeks pinterest picks are all about the ampersand love! In my humble opinion I think the ampersand is the most beautiful shape used in type and look how many lovely designs there are! So if your a typography nerd, like myself, then you are in for a treat...this weeks board is of course called typography:ampersand by Chris Sims...enjoy!x

I think this last one is my favourite, simple, clean, elegant and I love the teardrop shapes...beautiful...ok ampersand geek out is over now! Normal service will resume next week I promise, as usual click on the links above for sources...hope you all have lovely weekends and that the sun shines!x

bits & bobs...

Here is a little round up of bits and bobs and goings on around the littletree household recently...I finally finished my little bird cage (here's the before & middle pics if you havn't seen them), I found these feathery friends amongst all the xmas decorations at a local garden centre and I of course had to make them some cute bunting to decorate with!

The suitcase and song books were charity shop finds. I just loved the subtle grey stripe on the suitcase and it's perfect for storage, it's currently housing the overflow of craft and fabric supplies at the moment but in the future I would like to get another one and stack them in a pile to store bed linens etc...

 ...the songs books I bought just for the cute illustrations and vintage covers! I am in love with Amos the Dachshund just sitting on his little chair...and the fat Hippo with the giant mouth!

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Also an extra BIG thank you to Rhianna over at Rhi-Creations for posting a pic of my valentines cards selling on Etsy along with other lovely valentines goodies! Rhianna also has a great Etsy shop called Ello Lovely selling fab prints and cards so pop on over!x

my first Etsy sale!!!

My very first Etsy sale was waiting for me on my computer this morning, yes there was a little jumping for joy...think I worried the cat with my antics...so my 'Geek Love' card has been posted and is now winging it's way down-under to the land of Aus as we speak! This one is definitley going to be made available as a print in the future!x

littletree loves...Camila Prada

Here's a little fun and colour to brighten this dull, dreary week (will it just stop raining?!)... not only does she have a cool name but Camila Prada makes and sells the cutest, funniest little ceramic critters I have even seen! All of her creations have a purpose such as egg cups, salt & pepper 'booty' shakers or storage jars but look good enough just to sit on your shelves as great objects. Everything is made here in the UK by Camila and there are more designs to come in February! Here are a few faves from the current shop, but hop over to the website to see more and sign up for notice of when the new designs are available...enjoy x

All Images from Camila Prada

Designs Coming Soon on Camila Prada

colour inspiration...'primary colours'

Chairs all lined up neatly in rows always reminds me of school assembly, although our school chairs were never this colourful! Brown or grey were the choices back then I think! Surely schools would be more creative places with colourful chairs to stimulate the mind?

PS-I totally forgot to save the link for this pic! I think I found it through Pinterest so if anyone has it, or sees it please let me know!

a mystery package arrives...

I love getting things through in the post like most people, but when it is a complete surprise its even better! Better than that is when the package is full of treasure! Well it's treasure to me...buttons and beads galore and in such pretty colours! Back at Christmas I was given a load of buttons to start my very own button collection (I'm always raiding my mums tin at the moment!) which I had started to pop in this lovely jar below. Now another member of my family had heard about this and sent me some of her spare bits and bobs from when she was spring cleaning, it was a total surprise! These red and aqua beads are so gorgeous I am definitely going to make some jewellery from them, and I know someone who would love those black buttons with the horses on them! Ooh the endless possibilities!x

littletree loves...'Ava' at paperchase

All Images from HERE

Hey all, good weekends? Did you try the brownie recipe? Well it's Monday again so let's welcome in the new week with something bright and colourful to cheer us all up after a grey weekend. Say hello to one of the new ranges in at Paperchase, Ava...This is the perfect range for me, a colour combo of grey and coral plus cute birdie designs!? Swoon.....Have a good week! x

valentine's cards in my Etsy shop now!

My Valentine's designs are now in stock over at my Etsy shop! Pop over and have a look! x

my first year blog-iversary!

Yes that's right it has been one whole year today that I started my little blog! And what a year it has been...it was hard in the beginning to get motivated but gradually I gained confidence and then people started commenting and following and it kept me going! Well...apart from May...you might notice a slight gap in the pics below for that month! I can't really remember why now! Probably work and a there's a few birthdays to celebrate that month...Anyway after that short absence I was back and have been posting strong ever since! I have to say a big big thank you to all of you that have read, contacted me, commented and followed over the year, it has meant the world to me and it's so nice to feel that I have this little network of virtual friends out there! 

So to celebrate I have picked a few of my favourite and most popular posts to make a kind of visual diary of the year...I must admit I was really amazed at how many posts I have published in such a short space of time, the amount of work I have achieved, wonderful websites, shops and designers I have discovered...the talent that is out there always amazes me!

January - My first Design work post and Etsy shop discovery!

February - DIY cushions and Birthday Card designs.

March - My first try at Inspirational poster designs and a cute Charity shop find!

April  - A crafty attempt at some Easter table nameplaces and  the wonderful Design Seeds Blog post.

May...........................................?

June - Discovering the amazing Mollie Makes magazine! And lot's of new and old finds.

July - A very productive month! More Birthday card designs and the very popular Tigerprint Male pattern post! For some reason this has had hundreds of views over the year!

August - The first of many beautiful books posts, Pattern by Orla Kiely. Winning a fab Log Pile cushion from Roddy&Ginger! And visiting the Made It Market...busy month!

September - Ice Cream Treats prints and my first request for publicity from the lovely Mel of Mel Made This.

October - My favourite Pinterest Picks post, all about Tea! And another popular post about the beautiful illustrations by Brian Wildsmith in 'A Childs Garden of Verse'.

November - The fab Angie Lewin and Rob Ryan Exhibition I visited in Cambridge. And my very own Magnetic Advent Calendar design!

December - Throwing a party for my friends and selling my xmas cards! Winning the Leibster Blog award! And the lovely DIY wreath I made for my door...

Phew! It really has been a busy year! Hope you have enjoyed celebrating with me today and I look forward to another year of blogging so I hope you will join me! Rebecca xxx

littletree bakes...gooey brownies with a PB swirl

It's almost the weekend! Have you got any plans? If you have a bit of time on your hands then have a go at making these super scrummy brownies with an extra special peanut butter swirl through them! This idea came from an old Barefoot Contessa ep I saw on the Food Network, of course hers had a tonne of butter and chocolate in so these are a little healthier as they are made with cocoa powder, but they are still just as good! And as you can see from the pic they are gooey chewy heaven with that surprise pocket of peanut butter in each bite...and how cute do they look on my 50p Royal Doulton plate? Enough rambling here's the recipe, hope you try them, let me know if you do!

Ingredients

• 200g of Butter
• 1/2 cup of Cocoa Powder
• 2 cups of Brown Sugar
• 1 cup of Plain Flour
• 1 Egg
• 3 tbsp of Peanut Butter (I used crunchy)
• Extra chopped nuts (optional)

Method

• Place the Butter and Cocoa Powder in a large saucepan and melt gently over a low heat.
• When the butter has almost melted add the Brown Sugar and stir until the sugar starts to dissolve.
• Take off the heat and continue stirring.
• Once the mixture had cooled slightly then add the Egg and Plain Flour, stir until well combined.
• Add extra nuts in here if you choose to.
• Pour mix into a greased and lined baking tin (I used a 9inch square tin) and level out slightly.
• If your Peanut Butter is a little thick then pop it into the microwave for a few seconds to warm before spooning small dollops randomly on top of the brownie mix.
• Using a skewer slowly swirl the peanut butter through the brownie mix.
• Pop in to an oven (200c) for about 30-35 minutes until a skewer comes out relatively clean, don't forget you want the brownies a little gooey.
• Once ready take out and leave to cool in the tin. Remove and cut into squares ready for tea!
• Enjoy! x

valentines cards...

Hi all, with Valentines Day only a month away I have been creating some cards to go in my Etsy shop, these are the final four...I need to get some more envelopes so should have these up for sale by the end of the week at the very latest! I'm thinking about maybe doing them as prints as well? With maybe a few colour variations for after Valentines? You may be able to tell my work has gone in a different direction at the moment, focusing on using hand drawn lettering, everything before was very clean and graphic so this is a bit more creative for me! Hope you like them, I would love to know what you think!x

littletree discovers...ghost signs

Image from JanesLondon

Whilst perusing my latest issue of Living Etc magazine I came across this teeny tiny article in the back all about 'Ghost Signs' which is apparently a big subject of many a blog. The main one highlighted in the article was janes london and she does indeed have some fab pictures on her blog and flikr stream. Now you may know I love old metal signs, well any kind of retro signage, so this is pure heaven! Although if I was Jane I would have been very tempted to sneak that lovely old Martini sign home! Have a little look around her sites, there are some great pics and not just of signs but architectural details, pretty tiling, typography, metalwork etc and the next time your in a big old city...look up! You never know what you might see...x

colour inspiration...

So a new regular post to start the new week, did you all have good weekends? This little idea came about because of these lovely pics of the new Ferm Living S/S12 range that I saw over on decor8 last week. I loved the colour palette on this tray so much I had to save it somewhere for future reference! I love the subtle greys and blues that make the brighter mint and dusky pink really pop...the fact that their stuff is also super pretty helps too!x

pinterest pick of the week...

Now you may have already guessed from the pic above what this weeks pinterest picks might be about...MUGS! This time of year it's so cold and grey the only comfort is a cup of tea and who wants a boring old mug? The prettier the better! Infact I sometimes find it hard which mug to choose because, for some reason, it does make a difference to the tea experience! This weeks board is 'mugs-an addiction' (so true!) by Emily Walker and this lady is addicted indeed! There were sooo many pics to choose from but here are the final selection...grab a cuppa, put your feet up and get some mug love!x

This mug is so cute I would drink out of it everyday! As usual click on the links above for sources! 

Hope you all have good weekends...x

a little Etsy extra...

Seeing as I have already done one 'Etsy' post today I thought I would share this find with you that I have just discovered through the blog of wonderful designer Jane Foster...It is an online Etsy Spring/Summer 2012 Look Book! Put together by Etsy it highlights some of the lovely items available from it's many shops and designers so pop by and have a browse!x

feathers feathers everywhere!

Hello all, now, on Tuesday I noticed this lovely feather print by River Luna on the front page of Etsy and it got me thinking...dangerous I know...that a lot of the Etsy shops I had come across recently also had feathers in many of their designs and collections. Is this a new trend do we think? So I have kindly investigated on your behalf and put together a round up of feathery beauties from a selection of shops on my Etsy favourites list...hope you like!x

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