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Nesting bowls are always handy to have around, they have a multitude of uses and you’ll always find one the right size. These Flower Stack Bowls add not only warm vibrant colours, but character as well. Each bowl features a sculpted edge of curling petals, perfect for summer salads and treats. Made from toughened melamine, they are safe to use outside at barbeques or on picnics. And when you are finished they all stack neatly together, out of the way till you need them next. Bright and cheerful, the set of four Flower Stack Bowls are £30.00 from the V&A Museum Shop.
Flower Stack Bowls - £30
Posted by Kate on June 2, 2009 12:06 AM
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With the fabulous weather we’ve been having this week; barbeques have been pulled out across the country. If you’re having a large party though, it can be tricky squeezing everything on a single grill. These clever Fire Wire BBQ Skewers help you make flexible kebabs that wrap neatly around the grill. Made from thin rust-proof cables, the Fire Wires are designed not to conduct heat. This lets you flip and turn your kebabs without toasting you fingers. The Fire Wire Skewers pack on more veg and meat than the traditional wooden sticks, and let your kebabs slide off easily when finished. Available from IWantOneOfThose.com, a set of two Fire Wire BBQ Skewers is £9.99.
Fire Wire BBQ Skewers - £9.99
Posted by Kate on June 3, 2009 12:09 AM
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I recently recovered our kitchen chairs with material you can spot on buses all around Manchester. For commuters these bold patterns become familiar friends. I suddenly appreciate these iconic fabrics and the nostalgic images they can recall. Taking this a step farther, the London Transport Museum has taken vintage patterns from the 30s and 70s and applied them to contemporary kitchen aprons. The original orange and brown block was created in the 70s and should be familiar to anyone who rode London's Underground and bus networks. But if orange just isn’t your colour, London Transport has also reworked these familiar blocks in modern and contemporary blues or browns. The original leafy Colindale design was created by Marion Dorn in the 1930s, yet still retains has a contemporary feel. A fantastic homage to daily commuter life, these London Transport Moquette Aprons are available from the TfL Shop.
Original Orange Moquette Pattern Apron - £9.78
70s Dark Blue Block Apron - £9.78
70s Dark Brown Block Apron - £9.78
Colindale Purple Apron - £9.78
Posted by Kate on June 4, 2009 12:07 AM
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The designers of the Nordic Rock: Stone Ice Cubes have released another modern interpretation of an age old kitchen item. The new Heavy Metal Nutcracker has a tactile energy in its simple form. The nutcracker uses a large steel ball that is caged between two bent wires. You lift the ball to the top of the arch and let go, letting gravity shatter your nuts with a satisfying crack. A geometric juxtaposition of steel and wood, this nutcracker acts as both a practical tool and a modern sculpture. Perfect as a conversation piece on your coffee table, the Heavy Metal Nutcracker is £34.99 from Mocha.
Heavy Metal Nutcracker - £34.99
Posted by Kate on June 5, 2009 12:03 AM
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Whimsical and charming, these little Tea Cup Stools makes you feel like you’ve followed Alice through the Looking Glass! These cute adorable stools make fabulous decorations as well practical seating. Available in warm bright and bold colours, the Tea Cup Stools brighten your room with its fanciful magic. Designed and manufactured in the UK, each stool is made from roto-moulded MDPE plastic. Suitable for outdoor use, you can add enchantment to your next alfresco meal. Available in white, red, yellow and orange, the unique Tea Cup Stools are £139.99 from Mocha.Uk.
Tea Cup Stool - £139.99
Posted by Kate on June 8, 2009 12:01 AM
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Tired of paying for overpriced iced lollies? With the Tovolo Dual Rocket Pop maker, you can recreate the awesome lollies you grew up with. Made in two easy steps, you first fill the Rocket Pop with your favourite juice and insert the silicone mould. Once frozen, the mould is removed and the lolly topped up with another flavour of juice before the handle is inserted. Perfect for those looking to avoid additives and preservatives, you’ll know exactly what they are made from. A brilliant way to bring sophisticated flavours to this children’s classic, (or simply to placate the kids this summer!) a set of three Tovolo Dual Rocket Pops is £12.50 from John Lewis.
Tovolo Dual Rocket Pops - £12.50
Posted by Kate on June 9, 2009 12:01 AM
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Sometimes I feel like our kitchen counter is actually pretending to be a Three Card Monte stall every time I go looking for the tea of coffee. I have three matching containers...and no way to tell them apart, which makes these new canisters from Ella’s Kitchen Company quite appealing. Perfect for storing rice, pasta, tea, coffee or sugar, these metal canisters feature translucent windows so you’ll always know what’s inside. If that’s not enough there is even a place for a paper label, to mark your fruit teas from your Earl Grey. A brilliant way to keep the kitchen organised, the Metal Storage Canisters are £13.50 from Ella’s Kitchen Company.
Cream Metal Storage Canister - £13.50
Clay Metal Storage Canister - £13.50
Posted by Kate on June 10, 2009 12:08 AM
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Feed up of always looking for your measuring jug or scales? Joseph Joseph have developed a clever container that allows you to make quick measurements on the fly. The clear plastic container is marked allowing you to measure grams of flour, sugar and rice and everything else in cups. Each container features a silicone seal which protects your ingredients from air and moisture. You’ll always know what you have in simply by glancing at your cupboards. Practical containers with a sleek modern style, the View Canisters with measurements are £10 each from Joseph Joseph.
View Canisters with Measurements - £10
Posted by Kate on June 11, 2009 12:04 AM
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Dan’s Auntie has several of these lovely glasses which I admired the last time we went around for a barbecue. The thick sturdy glasses feature a heavy sculpted base and a raised ring of pretty bees. The simple shape of the glass insects has an elegant charm perfect for summer evenings. Friendly and welcoming, these French Bee Glasses capture the magic of spring and the warmth of summer. A fabulous collection I’d love to have, the French Bee Glass collection is available from Re-foundObjects.com.
French Bee Embossed Small Tumbler - £5.00
French Bee Embossed Large Tumbler - £5.50
French Bee Embossed Small Stemmed Glass - £5.50
French Bee Embossed Large Stemmed Glass - £6.50
French Bee Embossed Jug - £18
Posted by Kate on June 12, 2009 12:02 AM
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Just because it’s your kitchen, doesn’t mean that you can’t revel in contemporary art and fashion. London illustrator Ros Shiers has just created a collection of textiles featuring her busy modern designs. The black images are printed on a natural 100% cotton tea towels (as well as eco-shoppers and t-shirts). This creates a high contrast design that compliments contemporary kitchens. Available in two designs, the first spells out LOVE surrounded by feathers flowers and hearts, while the second features glamorous faces on traditional Russian dolls. Dynamic and detailed designs these cutting-edge tea towels offer a trendy chic style. Available from Ross Shiers’ online store, each designer tea towel is £10.
Ros Shiers Love Tea Towel - £10
Ros Shiers Home Tea Towel - £10
Continue reading "Ros Shiers Tea Towels" »
Posted by Kate on June 15, 2009 12:06 AM
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If I still had steel pans, I’d be buying a couple of these handy Blunt Spoons. The flat edge of these lets you scrape the bottom of your pans and reach those tricky corners to get every last morsel out. I bet they’ll be useful for jars too! The Straining Blunt Spoon might help you capture that last pickled onion a bit easier. Such a simple solution, you’ll wonder why you didn’t think of it first, the Blunt Spoons let you get right to the bottom of the pan. Made from Stainless Steel, the Blunt Spoons are dishwasher-safe and available from Lakeland for £3.91 each.
Plain Blunt Edge Spoon - £3.91
Blunt Edge Spoon with Holes - £3.91
Posted by Kate on June 16, 2009 12:02 AM
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Posted by Kate on June 17, 2009 12:04 AM
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If your knife skills don’t get used often, slicing eggs can be a fiddly and frustrating task. So much so that OXO has developed a gadget to do it all for you! As always though the Good Grips Collection offers added functionality in it’s easy to use design. Not only does this Egg Slicer & Chopper make perfect slices for salads and sandwiches, a quick turn of the base lets you dice your eggs in a single motion. With a cleaning grid that removes any residual egg from the slicer, this gadget is quick to use and quick to clean. It can even be used to slice mushrooms and strawberries! A gadget made for boiled egg lovers, the OXO Good Grip Egg Slicer and Chopper is £12.98 at Lakeland.
OXO Good Grip Egg Slicer and Chopper - £12.98
Posted by Kate on June 18, 2009 12:06 AM
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I can’t believe I forgot to write about the Lakeland Canning Set! We bought a set last year when we decided to try our hand at jam making. They aren’t particularly flash or fancy, but they are very handy when handling hot jars and jam. The four piece set includes a jar lifter, a set of tongs, a magnetic lid lifter and a lid tightener. The plastic lifting wand has a magnet at the end to easily lift lids out of the water after you’ve sterilising them. Both the jar lifter and the lid tightener use plastic coated bars to add extra grip as you lift slippery wet jars out of the pan or to tightly seal your lids. Dan finds the tightener works better when he holds the jar (which is hot after being filled with jam) with the tool and then turn the lids by hand. Finally the tongs are handy for moving hot jars around on your counter. An affordable kit that makes jam making easier and safer, the Canning Set is just £6.84 from Lakeland.
Canning Set - £6.84
Continue reading "Canning Set from Lakeland" »
Posted by Kate on June 19, 2009 12:01 AM
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All this bright and sunny weather has me wishing I had some flowers in my garden. But even if you can’t have flowers outside, you can always bring florals into the kitchen. With a sophisticated palette; the M&S Linen Dinner Set creates a contemporary floral pattern perfect for modern and transitional kitchens. The fashionable teal has a strong presence without making the dishes dark and imposing. The dinner plate, side plate and bowl has a unique pattern created from layered silhouettes. A fabulous choice for everyday dining, this quality Linen Tableware is available from Marks & Spencer.
4 Linen Mugs - £12
12 Piece Linen Dinner Set - £39.50
Posted by Kate on June 22, 2009 12:04 AM
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We got an email a couple of weeks ago from Jo at 'The Handpicked Collection' letting us know about their new Birthday Reminder Service and offering us a free voucher to try their service out. As I've been coveting their Natural Slate Cheese Board this was too good an offer to pass up! Their Birthday Reminder Service is a clever program that lets you enter important birthdays and events which will send you reminders by email or mobile texts 5, 7, 14 or 30 days before. The best part though is that they'll also send you a few present suggestions, specially chosen for your recipient! So if you never know what to get for your Great Aunt Gertrude or your new sister-in-law, 'The Handpicked Collection' will help get those ideas rolling.
So with the perfect opportunity to try these items for ourselves, we ordered the Natural Slate Cheese Board and one of the Coloured Knives. The day after I placed the ordered I received a friendly phone call to let me know there would be a slight delay in shipping my items because they were moving warehouses. Even with the delay it only took 5 days though! A brilliant service that offers unique gifts you won't find in every high street shop, The Handpicked Collection brings that personal touch back to gift giving.
Posted by Kate on June 23, 2009 12:01 AM
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Now I've loved the Natural Slate Cheese Board since we covered it last Christmas, so finally to have one in my hands is a pleasure. Hand crafted with a slate knife, this creates a lovely scalloped edge around the board. The Scottish Slate has a wonderful rough texture that is finished in an acrylic resin which seals and hardens the surface. This shiny finish accents the delicious textures of your cheeses making them irresistible. The stone's natural properties help keep your cheese cool, while allowing their flavours to flourish. I especially love 'The Handpicked Collection's idea to use chalk to name each of the cheeses on offer. A fabulous serving board I can't wait to use, the Natural Slate Cheese Board is £14.50.
Natural Slate Cheese Board - £14.50
We also ordered one of the Kuhn Rikon coloured knives. These bright and cheerful knives use a revolutionary process to bond the colour to the metal blade without losing its edge. But my favourite feature is the handy plastic sheath. We often take food with us when we travel, and you can't always be sure you'll find a knife where you are going. This sturdy knife sheath means you can safely take a knife along with you. Great for picnics or just when you want a fruity snack on the run, these Coloured Knives let you safely prepare meals where ever you are. Available in Blue, Green, Red, Pink and Yellow the Coloured Knives are £5.95 from 'The Handpicked Collection'.
Coloured Knife - £5.95
Posted by Kate on June 24, 2009 12:01 AM
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There really is a gadget for everything. Lakeland have even found a machine to make the perfect omelette. With a unique hinged design, you’ll no longer worry about broken omelettes or flipping failures. First sauté your mushrooms, onions, bacon or other fillings on the smooth non-stick plate. Then add your eggs and cook for about three minutes, before flipping the machine over to finish the other side. Able to makes 2-egg omelettes for one or two people, this gadget will let you make hearty breakfasts even on busy mornings. Creating professional fluffy omelettes every time, the Omelette Maker is £39.99 from Lakeland.
Lakeland Omelette Maker - £39.99
Posted by Kate on June 25, 2009 12:08 AM
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If you’ve got small children around the house, an Induction Hob is a great choice because there are no hot rings to burn little hands. The only catch is that some pans don’t work. Valira have created some pans specifically designed for induction hob (but suitable for all). Their special TAI technology inserts a steel plate inside the base rather than bonded to it, which offers an even heat distribution without hotspots. The Frying pans have nearly four times the magnetic steel found in other pans ensuring they heat up within minutes! The robust cast aluminium pans have a triple layer of non-stick and the casserole pans feature tempered glass lids which are safe in the oven. Versatile pans that are designed to work efficiently with Induction Hobs, the Valira Induction Collection is available from Lakeland.
Valira Induction Shallow Casserole - £44.03
Valira Induction Deep Casserole - £48.93
Valira Induction 24cm Frypan - £41.10
Valira Induction 28cm Frypan - £48.93
Posted by Kate on June 26, 2009 12:08 AM
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Jamie Oliver has created a new collection of products that mix modern simplicity with kitchen classics. I love the natural finish on these geometric stoneware bowls. Available in two styles, there is the plain round bowl and a cone shaped bowl with a spout for easy pouring. Strong and durable, you can enthusiastically beat, stir, mix and even bake with them. Resistant to high temperatures, these handy bowls can go straight from freezer to oven. A brilliant addition to your kitchen arsenal, the Jme Mixing bowls are available from JamieOliver.com.
Medium Round Blue Mixing Bowl - £8
Medium Round Green Mixing Bowl - £8
Medium Round Purple Mixing Bowl - £8
Large Blue Mixing Bowl with Spout - £15
Large Green Mixing Bowl with Spout - £15
Posted by Kate on June 29, 2009 12:07 AM
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Designer tea towels are becoming an affordable form of art and now there is a whole website devoted to these artistic textiles. ToDryFor.com is run by a husband and wife team in Oxford who search out and commission up-and-coming artists to create incredibly fashionable kitchen towels. The towel pictured above was created by Stuart Kolakovic, painting a whimsical picture of village life in a retro graphic style. Just one of a huge collection of contemporary designs (click 'read more' for a few highlights) ToDryFor captures many of today's popular trends. A great way to bring your own unique style to the normally practical kitchen, ToDryFor is bound to have just what you are looking for.
Stuart Kolakovic 'Right On' Tea Towel - £9.95
'Tea Revives You' Tea Towel - £8.50
'Afternoon Tea' Tea Towel - £10
'Worst in Show' Tea Towel - £10
'Ladybirds' Tea Towel - £11.50
Continue reading "ToDryFor.com Tea Towels" »
Posted by Kate on June 30, 2009 12:00 AM
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