New listing: Lime zest vintage fabric mojo tote

I love bags made with bright, zesty fabrics.
They are the perfect way to lift any outfit and give it a Summery vibe.
They don't get much more bright than the vintage fabric used to make this mojo tote!
It features a bold pattern of summer flowers in shades of lime, olive and apple green.



A Pouch mojo tote makes a great beach bag, knitting bag, book bag or gym bag.
It's also perfect for taking to the shops or farmers market to stock up on provisions. You can cram virtually anything into this handy tote.

The 'Lime zest vintage fabric mojo tote' is available in Pouch's Etsy store

Self Sufficient (ish)

I am ridiculously proud of the fact that I have managed to grow rhubarb for the first time this year! I bought a young rhubarb crown from the local pet shop (they sell veg plants too) last year. It was very weak and weedy at first. I dug up a small part of our lawn and planted the young plant. Over the winter it vanished and I thought I'd killed it. Then in the Spring, young rhubarb leaves started to poke through the soil. As you can tell, I'm not a gardening expert, I didn't realise they lie dormant over the Winter. Well, the young plant has gone from strength to strength and I'm picking a fresh crop of rhubarb nearly every week.

The following images show my favourite way to cook and eat rhubarb.

First chop the rhubarb into small chunks


Place in an oven proof dish


Cover with brown sugar


Add chopped fresh ginger


Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes and then eat warm or cold with a little more sugar and some creme fraiche or ice cream



I love to grow vegetables and herbs at home as they taste better and have travelled a very small distance, which means less road and air freight.
I don't have an allotment, or even a raised bed, I grow everything (except the rhubarb) in containers and pots. I don't have a huge amount of gardening knowledge, but each year I try to grow a different plant as an experiment. This year it was rhubarb and potatoes and I'm very pleased with both!
If you fancy trying to grow your own veg and herbs, check out the excellent self-sufficientish website for loads of helpful information
selfsufficientish.com

Eco Design Show

Above:
Pouch's display of vintage and recycled fabric totes, peg bags, lavender owls and clutch purses

I blogged a few days ago about appearing at the Eco Design Show
I have revisited the venue and taken some pictures of a selection of the items on display at the Eco Design Show for you to take a look at!
There are lots of innovative ideas and designs on display, so if you live nearby, it's worth checking it out. You can also grab some lunch and visit the eco-home at the Create centre at the same time.

Junk Male made by Trash to Treasure


Mosaic of images featuring work by Trash to Treasure and Re-collect


Some more shots of the Pouch display and the lovely warehouse venue in which the show is being held

Win a vintage fabric peg bag

**This competition is now closed, thank you!**



June is here, the sun is out in the UK (some of the time!), so to celebrate the arrival of Summer, I am running a blog giveaway this month

Up for grabs is this gorgeous peg bag (clothespin bag), made with vintage Liberty of London fabric. It features a pattern of scarlet poppies on a rich brown background.



There’s no better way to dry your washing, than to peg it out and let it dry in the breeze

Did you know?
The tumble drier is one of the most energy-hungry appliances in the house
By reducing the number of times you use a tumble drier by just one load per week, you will reduce your carbon emissions by approximately 60kg a year.
And reduce your electricity bill!




how to enter:
Head over to Pouch's store and name your favorite item by commenting on this post.
(No anonymous comments please! I need to be able to contact you if you win)

And as a thank you, people who follow this blog (see left column), gain 1 extra entry, if you're already following this blog, you have 1 entry automatically. New followers are always welcome too!

This giveaway runs from the 15th June until midnight (UK time) on the 30th June.

vintage find: metal curtain hooks

I often recycle vintage curtains, on many occasions they still have the rufflette tape and hooks attached. But I have never seen curtain hooks like this before.



I know it's quite a prosaic find, but I love to see the way items were made in the past. These hooks are delicate, pretty objects within themselves and far more interesting than the modern plastic versions.



These hooks were produced in a time when household items were built to last, before the days when manufacturers and the general public fell in love with cheap plastics. These hooks must be 40-50 years old and they still work perfectly well, I wonder if many of the plastic hooks we buy today will last that long?



I also really like them as they look like tiny opera glasses for mice, which is proof (if proof were needed), that I need to get out more...

Pouch appears at the Bristol Design Festival

Pouch is delighted to be taking part in the Eco Design Show as part of the larger Bristol Design Festival. The Bristol Design Festival is an annual celebration of creativity design and innovation talent from Bristol and the South West. The festival has a much wider appeal than most, as it is not restricted to just one type of design but aims to celebrate all aspects of the creative spectrum including:
Industrial & Product Design, Graphic Design, The Crafts, Digital Design, Animation, Architecture, Sculpture, Fashion, Furniture, Illustration, Graffiti and more...

The Eco Design Show will be held at the Create Centre in Bristol and will showcase a selection of the best sustainable and eco-friendly designs from companies and individuals in the South West.

The Bristol Design Show runs from the 5th to the 11th June
The Eco Design Show runs from the 8th to the 28th June and can be found in the Gallery on the Ground Floor of the Create Centre



photos of our exhibit to follow...

Free Worldwide Shipping in June!

The weather has been fantastic in the UK recently and Summer seems to have officially started (at last!)

So to celebrate, Pouch is offering free worldwide shipping on all items in our Etsy store throughout the month of June.