It’s not too late to sow sweet peas - so easy to It’s not too late to sow sweet peas - so easy to grow and blissfully fragrant in the summer months. 
They were my mum’s favourite flower, so growing them now feels like a precious connection. Especially when I pick some and arrange them in her beautiful old blue and gold jug just as she used to do with the sweet peas my dad grew for her every year.
There are some really handy tips for growing success from founder of The Real Flower Company Rosebie Morton over on the blog (link in bio). Rosebie has a whole farm dedicated to sweet peas near Chichester so she knows a thing or two about the subject!
Main thing I’ve picked up from her is to allow lots of depth for root growth at this stage and to make my own supportive wigwams from twiggy branches when the plants are really starting to go for it and need a bit of direction. This photo is making me yearn slightly.
I love this image of my friend Jo - we were trying I love this image of my friend Jo - we were trying out tiny living for a feature I was writing - this was taken on our way to indulge in a spot of forest bathing. To be totally honest, we were both a little sceptical beforehand. But we were only saying the other day how taken aback we both were by the amazing effect it had. I’m working on some new ideas around the subject - will keep you posted. X
I’m currently working on a redesign of the whole I’m currently working on a redesign of the whole site - which has meant lots of photo editing and reorganising so much content. What’s been lovely (despite the claw hand from so much keyboard work!) is revisiting work and becoming engrossed all over again. I thought I’d share a few of the things I’ve been (re) loving - with links in the bio to the old site for now, but not for long…! X
This  image is from a feature about preserving garden roses. I’m going to give this a really good go this year, now I have a better idea what I’m doing. I know there’s nothing quite like a fragrant fresh rose in Summer but there’s a fragile beauty to dried and preserved flowers that I also love, don’t you?
Snowdrops 🌱🤍 . . . . . . #capturequiet #ins Snowdrops 🌱🤍 
.
.
.
.
.
.
#capturequiet #instabritain #natureandnourish #thewildernesstonic #cornersofmyworld
Signed copies of Bex Partridge’s new book Flower Signed copies of Bex Partridge’s new book Flowers Forever to be won! My bio has the link to enter as well as to get a peek inside. Beautifully photographed by Laura Edwards, I really enjoyed escaping into the pages and making plans for my own garden - hope you do too! X
To the Moon and Back Hares KNITTING PATTERN by Cla To the Moon and Back Hares KNITTING PATTERN by Claire Garland aka @dotpebbles_knits has to be the perfect post Christmas craft project 😊 
If you fancy getting your needles out to make this adorable pair, the link to buy Claire’s pattern is in my bio. Happy knitting! X
Thank you so much to Sarah @floribundaroseflorists Thank you so much to Sarah @floribundaroseflorists for a wonderful wreath making workshop yesterday. Such a special and creative space to spend time. I loved making my wreath - I went for a mixture of greenery arranged quite randomly with red waxed fresh apples, dried hydrangea, dried flowers, poppy and nigella seed heads and a winter white velvet bow. 
There were so many wonderful ingredients to choose from we were really spoiled for choice. 
Sarah’s new studio is such a beautiful, creative space. Think fragrant botanical candles flickering everywhere, mulled wine and apple juice simmering on the stove and containers full of fragrant festive greenery, waxed fruit, dried flowers and oranges, pine cones, lichen covered branches and even tiny gold wax-dipped fresh crab apples. 
Thank you for being so patient with my lengthy ribbon choice deliberations Sarah - and for bagging up a second choice option (dusky pink) to take home! X.  #wreathmaking #wreath #wreathsofinstagram #sustainablewreaths #wreathdecor #christmaswreath #velvetribbon #christmasdecor #festiveflowers
I’ve loved Olga Prinku’s work for ages now - s I’ve loved Olga Prinku’s work for ages now - she came up with the genius idea of embroidering on tulle using nature as her thread - and the results are sublime - like this Autumn colours beauty from her latest book.
I’m delighted that Olga is offering a fantastic prize bundle to my readers. For a chance to win one of her beautiful new dried flower embroidery kits (in collaboration with @driedandfloral ) as well as a signed copy of her wonderful new book(published by @quadrillebooks , pop over to my blog (link in my bio). It’s easy to enter so why don’t you give yourself a chance of winning this very lovely prize? Good luck! 
#driedflowers #driedflowerembroidery #olgaprinku #embroideryhoop #flowerembroidery #competitiontime #signedbooks #embroideryart #flowersontulle #autumn #autumncolours #hoopart #allthingsbotanical #instacraft
This beautiful image is by Laura Pashby @circleofp This beautiful image is by Laura Pashby @circleofpines and is from her beautiful new book Little Stories of Your Life. 
It’s packed with inspiration and practical ideas to help you become a visual story teller. Because, as Laura says, it’s the little moments that make up the fabric of all of our lives - and those moments are worth capturing and sharing with others.
We have three signed copies of the book to give away - just click the link in my bio to find out more. There’s a peek inside and a lovely film by @xantheb to enjoy too! X 
#littlemoments #littlestoriesbook #alifeofwords #lostinwords #competition #booksarelife #mindfulphotography #bookstagram #booksmakemehappy #booksconnectus #igreads #whatareyoureading #signedbooks
Thanks to Lisa from @inthemaking_aprons who has sh Thanks to Lisa from @inthemaking_aprons who has shared her wonderfully creative ideas for visibly mending well-loved clothing in need of repair and a little TLC.
She had me at ‘sometimes I like to use giant sequins…’ 
Hope you like Lisa’s ideas as much as I do. The link to head over to my blog and get all her step by steps is in my bio x
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DIY eco cleaning, LIFESTYLE, MAKE · January 12, 2021

eco friendly cleaning products & DIY tips

eco friendly cleaning products

Since writing my Plastic free zero waste beauty & bathroom ideas blog post last year I have been looking into ways of rolling this out across everyday life. A lot has happened since my last post – not least the fact that it’s been made official that we’re facing a full-scale Climate Emergency. And yet progress feels much, much too slow don’t you think? As if that wasn’t enough, we’re also facing a worldwide battle against the Covid pandemic. 

It’s easy to feel somewhat defeated and hopeless in the face of such an enormous problem isn’t it?  

For me, the key to dealing with climate emergency overwhelm is to set achievable goals. To break it down into daily steps forward. And to have faith that, if enough of us feel the same way and join together to share our ideas and support, we really can make a world of difference.

So that’s what I’m going to do – focus on separate, digestible, areas and share ideas and expert tips in each. I’m starting with eco friendly cleaning products as it’s a quick and easy way to make worthwhile changes. Changes that will benefit our environment as well as our health.

Given that many of us are spending a lot more time at home, it feels good to nurture that space. Find the simple pleasures where we can. I don’t know about you, but doing a proper Spring clean is really good for my head. So, that’s what I’ve been doing. But I didn’t want to do it at the expense of our planet, or my family’s health.

Many of the vast array of cleaning products that fill our supermarket shelves are not great for our health or the environment. From plastic sponges that end up in landfill to synthetic fragrances that contribute to indoor air pollution, there are so many products we could easily do without. So many better choices to be made – but I quickly found that it’s a bit of a minefield.

I wanted to find someone who has really done their research who I could ask for expert tips and advice. Someone really passionate about the subject. When I came across Jen Chillingsworth, I knew I’d found exactly the right person. 

clean green jen chillingsworthjen chillingsworth little birdie slow living

Jen is the author of 2 fantastic books: Clean Green and Live Green and has a beautiful slow lifestyle blog Little Birdie . So I was delighted when she agreed to share a few of her favourite natural and eco friendly cleaning products, as well as her tried-and-tested tips and DIY ideas.

Jen is a freelance writer and photographer based in Leeds with a deep passion for protecting the environment. It was being hospitalised after inhaling toxic fumes from a bleach based cleaner several years ago that changed everything. 

‘I’d been scouring the tile grout in the bathroom with it and although I’d ventilated the room, it clearly wasn’t enough and I suffered the consequences,’ says Jen. ‘My face, arms and hands were swollen to almost twice their normal size and I felt awful. Thankfully I was well looked after by our brilliant NHS staff and I learned not to do it again. But it did make me think more about what products I use in my home. I’d been suffering from headaches and allergic reactions to common chemicals for years.

‘I chose to switch to more environmentally friendly versions of multi-surface cleaners, washing powders and bleach that were readily available at the supermarket and I felt that I was doing what I could to make my home more green and free from toxins. 

‘Yet if you dig a little deeper into these eco brands sadly you’ll discover they are not all that they claim to be as several are owned by large chemical companies with dubious ethical practices (read the article from the Ethical Consumer here). I don’t really want to hand over any more cash to these kind of businesses so instead I’ve chosen to find alternatives as well as making my own cleaning products.’

There is a staggering amount of information out there when you start to look into natural cleaning alternatives. Online there are recipes galore for glass cleaners, stain removers, washing powders and kitchen surfaces and  many of them talk about using distilled water, reverse osmosis water, sodium borate, glycerine and distilled vinegar.

‘My head was spinning trying to work it all out,’ Jen remembers. ‘And when I started to make a list of everything I needed to buy I almost quit before I began.  I persevered though and opted to start simple, breaking down what I really wanted or needed to make and eventually I discovered what worked for my home.’ 

I’m so grateful to Jen for sharing the benefit of her experience – and hard work – with us here.

eco friendly cleaning products

Eco friendly cleaning products

Jen’s Clean Green book is an invaluable source of information for anyone looking to make their cleaning cupboard more sustainable and their home environment more naturally healthy.

‘The Eco Household chapter in Live Green was one of my favourites to write,’ says Jen. ‘So many people contacted me to say it was the one they felt had the most impact in their daily lives. If you’ve already made those changes, then Clean Green will be the next step for you in making your home completely toxin free and more sustainable. If you are just dipping your toe into green cleaning, then the book can help you with that too as I suggest lots of ways to help make the transition.’

Jen breaks down every ingredient she uses and explains its purpose as a cleaner as well as how sustainable it really is. From laundry liquid and stain removers to mould prevention and toilet cleaners, Jen has covered it all. There are lots of tips too on how to re-use and re-purpose what you already have, rather than wasting it and just buying new. 

Make your own eco friendly cleaning products

The first of these DIY eco friendly cleaning recipes from Jen is the lavender cream cleaner. 

‘It’s one of my favourite cleaning recipes that I use in my home,’ she says. ‘It’s similar to the cream cleaner you would buy in a bottle from the supermarket but without any hidden nasties. It is ideal for scrubbing bathroom sinks and bathtubs as well as in the kitchen – where it is good to use on sinks and draining boards. This cream cleaner is brilliant at removing soap scum and it’s suitable to use on ceramic, plastic and stainless steel sinks. It’s made from three ingredients; bicarbonate of soda, used for de-odorizing and gentle scouring, liquid castile soap to lift dirt and act as a degreaser along with a few dried lavender flowers to add a gorgeous natural fragrance. Alternatively, you can miss out the lavender flowers and add a few drops of lavender essential oil instead.

eco friendly cleaning products DIY lavender cream cleaner recipe #ecofriendly #cleaning #DIY #recipe #frombritainwithlove #greenclean

Lavender cream cleaner

You will need:

  • Bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
  • Liquid Castile soap
  • A few dried lavender stems (optional)
  • Lavender Essential Oil
  • A mixing bowl
  • Spoon
  • Storage jar
eco friendly cleaning diy homemade recipes lavender cream cleaner
lavender diy natural cream cleaner recipe
 
How to make it:
  • Add 100 g bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) to a mixing bowl 
  • Pour the liquid castile soap into the bowl until the bicarbonate of soda is covered over. 
  • There are no precise measurements for the liquid soap but you are aiming for a paste like consistency
  • Stir the mixture until combined. If the mixture is very runny, add a little more bicarbonate. If it’s too clumpy, add a little more castile soap.
  • Add a few drops of lavender essential oil if using or alternatively, add the dried lavender flowers. 
  • Stir to combine.
  • Pour into a clean glass storage jar.
  • Note – the mixture will split if left too long. Don’t worry, just stir to combine again. This is a fresh cleaning product so it is best to use it up straight away.

eco friendly cleaning products DIY lavender cream cleaner recipe #ecofriendly #cleaning #DIY #recipe #frombritainwithlove #greenclean

How to use

Apply a little of the cream cleaner to a reusable sponge, cotton cloth or rag

Using a circular motion, rub the cleaner into the sink or bathtub until the area is completely covered

Rinse away with warm water.

homemade natural vinegar and lavender glass cleaner DIY recipe

Vinegar spray glass cleaner

You will need:

  • 1 litre glass or plastic bottle and trigger spray (mine came from Baldwins here) 
  • 300 ml distilled white malt vinegar 
  • 300ml tap water
  • 20 – 40 drops essential oils – I use a combination of tea tree, lavender and lemon.  The number of drops of oil will depend upon how much you can’t stand the smell of the vinegar! For me it’s the higher end of this number. 

How to make it:

  • Add the vinegar to the bottle then top up with the water.
  • Shake to combine.
  • Add the essential oils if you are using.

Spray directly onto windows or mirrors and then wipe down with a damp cloth or a squeegee. No need to rinse, instead go over where you’ve cleaned with a dry cloth. I use this on my french windows and they are gleaming. I used to wash them with warm soapy water and then rinse them but always found them streaky. This leaves mine completely streak-free and it’s far quicker than getting out a bucket and sponge. 

I also use undiluted vinegar in a clean spray bottle as a natural weed killer. Spray to saturate weeds on a dry day and repeat several times to kill the weed. Best used on patios or paths as vinegar can damage your lawn. Pet friendly and organic.

all purpose cleaner diy natural recipe

All purpose cleaner

You will need:

  • 500 ml size bottle and spray nozzle (ideally reuse one you already have). 
  • Tap water 
  • 25 ml Castile Soap (I like Dr Bronner’s Citrus for this but you can use any or unscented). 

How to make it:

  • Fill up the bottle with tap water
  • Add the 25 ml castile soap (after the water otherwise the mixture will go all foamy)

How to use:

Spray surface, wipe clean. Job done. 

Jen’s Eco friendly cleaning cupboard essentials

eco friendly cleaning cupboard essentials and homemade natural DIY recipe sustainable swap ideas

I asked Jen to share her favourite natural cleaning essentials – the products she uses in her own home. So here they are:

Washing up liquid

My favourite washing up liquid is from Bio-D. I buy the 5 ltr bottle size in Pink Grapefruit from Big Green Smile. It washes the dishes really well and smells amazing. I keep the large bottle in a storage cupboard and fill a glass bottle with pump dispenser which is next to the sink. I’ve found this 5 ltr bottle lasts us around 6 months and we are washing the dishes 3 to 4 times a day. We don’t have a dishwasher.

Washing up brushes

I use Redecker brushes for all my washing up. The handles are made of FSC beechwood, the bristles from natural plant fibres. I use the small pot brush for tough stains on pans or dishes and I use the longer handled dish brush for everything else. The dish washing brush has handy replaceable heads and once it’s come to the end of it’s lifespan it can be added to the compost heap. I also have a long handled flask brush for our reusable water bottles. 

Stain removal

For a natural way to remove stains I use castile soap. For small stains on shirts or t-shirts I use the plain bar from All Natural Soaps (they also have written a really great piece on testing out the bar soap on fabric). For tougher stains, I find the Dr Bronner’s Castile Liquid Soap works best. I use it undiluted on oil or grease and it works amazingly well at getting mildew out of my shower curtain. Simply pour a little undiluted soap on the stain, rub and leave for about 20 minutes, before washing as normal.

Multi surface cleaner

I make my own from castile soap and water. I use Dr Bronner’s Liquid Citrus Soap for this – see my recipe above 

Oven cleaner

For this awful task I’ve found nothing works better than some bicarbonate of soda (baking soda). I simply sprinkle a small amount of the Bicarb onto the floor of the oven and then spray a few drops of tap water on the top. Leave for 5 to 10 minutes (depending on how dirty the oven is!) and then wipe off with a damp cloth. I use DriPak bicarbonate of soda that I buy in a local hardware store but you can also find it at Big Green Smile.

Bathroom cleaner

For my sink, toilet seat/lid, bath and shower, I use a homemade vinegar spray – see my recipe above. I’m currently using up the one I made over Christmas which was flavoured with oranges, lemons and pine needles. The trick with the vinegar mix is to leave it to infuse for weeks rather than making it up fresh and using it immediately. This helps to lessen the smell of the vinegar, making it much more pleasant to work with.

Bicarbonate of Soda (baking soda)

Liquid Castile soap Dr Bronner liquid castille soap in Unscented, Citrus or Lavender

Organic essential oils – Jen’s favourites are from:

Neals Yard Remedies

Baldwins

Naissance

I hope you have found some ideas and tips that you feel inspired to try in your home. Happy (eco-friendly) cleaning! 

INFORMATION


This article contains affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if a reader clicks through and makes a purchase. All our blog posts are independent and in no way influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative. By clicking on an affiliate link, you accept that third-party cookies will be set.

Discover more slow and sustainable living inspiration on Jen’s blog Little Birdie

Jen’s book Clean Green is available to buy here >>

green clean jen chillingsworth

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eco friendly cleaning products DIY lavender cream cleaner and all purpose cleaner recipes #ecofriendly #cleaning #DIY #recipe #frombritainwithlove #greenclean

In: DIY eco cleaning, LIFESTYLE, MAKE

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Comments

  1. SMART Organic Living.com says

    January 3, 2021 at 10:01 am

    Amazing Post !! Well written and all key information shared regarding eco-friendly products.The EPA explains that cleaning products ending up in groundwater can have a negative impact on aquatic life. What’re more, wildlife populations can be impacted too when they drink water that’s polluted by the chemicals in cleaning products.To learn more about eco-friendly products visit :-https://smartorganicliving.com/best-eco-friendly-cleaning-products/

    Reply
    • Laura Dunkley says

      January 3, 2021 at 10:28 am

      Thanks for your kind comments and also the link to your post on the subject from a US perspective – really useful for our readers across the pond 😊

      Reply
  2. Elijah Ackhurst says

    April 5, 2022 at 2:42 am

    Thank you for providing such detailed information and guidelines. Mix 1/4 cup baking soda and 1 cup vinegar, pour into basin and let it set for a few minutes. Scrub with brush and rinse. A mixture of borax (2 parts) and lemon juice (one part) will also work. For rust stains, spray with vinegar and leave overnight before brushing with baking soda.All Bright cleaning

    Reply

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I'm so glad you're here. I'm Laura - national women's magazine editor and journalist now sharing my passion for sustainable and creative living here. Hope you find something to enjoy and inspire! X

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It’s not too late to sow sweet peas - so easy to It’s not too late to sow sweet peas - so easy to grow and blissfully fragrant in the summer months. 
They were my mum’s favourite flower, so growing them now feels like a precious connection. Especially when I pick some and arrange them in her beautiful old blue and gold jug just as she used to do with the sweet peas my dad grew for her every year.
There are some really handy tips for growing success from founder of The Real Flower Company Rosebie Morton over on the blog (link in bio). Rosebie has a whole farm dedicated to sweet peas near Chichester so she knows a thing or two about the subject!
Main thing I’ve picked up from her is to allow lots of depth for root growth at this stage and to make my own supportive wigwams from twiggy branches when the plants are really starting to go for it and need a bit of direction. This photo is making me yearn slightly.
I love this image of my friend Jo - we were trying I love this image of my friend Jo - we were trying out tiny living for a feature I was writing - this was taken on our way to indulge in a spot of forest bathing. To be totally honest, we were both a little sceptical beforehand. But we were only saying the other day how taken aback we both were by the amazing effect it had. I’m working on some new ideas around the subject - will keep you posted. X
I’m currently working on a redesign of the whole I’m currently working on a redesign of the whole site - which has meant lots of photo editing and reorganising so much content. What’s been lovely (despite the claw hand from so much keyboard work!) is revisiting work and becoming engrossed all over again. I thought I’d share a few of the things I’ve been (re) loving - with links in the bio to the old site for now, but not for long…! X
This  image is from a feature about preserving garden roses. I’m going to give this a really good go this year, now I have a better idea what I’m doing. I know there’s nothing quite like a fragrant fresh rose in Summer but there’s a fragile beauty to dried and preserved flowers that I also love, don’t you?
Snowdrops 🌱🤍 . . . . . . #capturequiet #ins Snowdrops 🌱🤍 
.
.
.
.
.
.
#capturequiet #instabritain #natureandnourish #thewildernesstonic #cornersofmyworld
Signed copies of Bex Partridge’s new book Flower Signed copies of Bex Partridge’s new book Flowers Forever to be won! My bio has the link to enter as well as to get a peek inside. Beautifully photographed by Laura Edwards, I really enjoyed escaping into the pages and making plans for my own garden - hope you do too! X
To the Moon and Back Hares KNITTING PATTERN by Cla To the Moon and Back Hares KNITTING PATTERN by Claire Garland aka @dotpebbles_knits has to be the perfect post Christmas craft project 😊 
If you fancy getting your needles out to make this adorable pair, the link to buy Claire’s pattern is in my bio. Happy knitting! X
Thank you so much to Sarah @floribundaroseflorists Thank you so much to Sarah @floribundaroseflorists for a wonderful wreath making workshop yesterday. Such a special and creative space to spend time. I loved making my wreath - I went for a mixture of greenery arranged quite randomly with red waxed fresh apples, dried hydrangea, dried flowers, poppy and nigella seed heads and a winter white velvet bow. 
There were so many wonderful ingredients to choose from we were really spoiled for choice. 
Sarah’s new studio is such a beautiful, creative space. Think fragrant botanical candles flickering everywhere, mulled wine and apple juice simmering on the stove and containers full of fragrant festive greenery, waxed fruit, dried flowers and oranges, pine cones, lichen covered branches and even tiny gold wax-dipped fresh crab apples. 
Thank you for being so patient with my lengthy ribbon choice deliberations Sarah - and for bagging up a second choice option (dusky pink) to take home! X.  #wreathmaking #wreath #wreathsofinstagram #sustainablewreaths #wreathdecor #christmaswreath #velvetribbon #christmasdecor #festiveflowers
I’ve loved Olga Prinku’s work for ages now - s I’ve loved Olga Prinku’s work for ages now - she came up with the genius idea of embroidering on tulle using nature as her thread - and the results are sublime - like this Autumn colours beauty from her latest book.
I’m delighted that Olga is offering a fantastic prize bundle to my readers. For a chance to win one of her beautiful new dried flower embroidery kits (in collaboration with @driedandfloral ) as well as a signed copy of her wonderful new book(published by @quadrillebooks , pop over to my blog (link in my bio). It’s easy to enter so why don’t you give yourself a chance of winning this very lovely prize? Good luck! 
#driedflowers #driedflowerembroidery #olgaprinku #embroideryhoop #flowerembroidery #competitiontime #signedbooks #embroideryart #flowersontulle #autumn #autumncolours #hoopart #allthingsbotanical #instacraft
This beautiful image is by Laura Pashby @circleofp This beautiful image is by Laura Pashby @circleofpines and is from her beautiful new book Little Stories of Your Life. 
It’s packed with inspiration and practical ideas to help you become a visual story teller. Because, as Laura says, it’s the little moments that make up the fabric of all of our lives - and those moments are worth capturing and sharing with others.
We have three signed copies of the book to give away - just click the link in my bio to find out more. There’s a peek inside and a lovely film by @xantheb to enjoy too! X 
#littlemoments #littlestoriesbook #alifeofwords #lostinwords #competition #booksarelife #mindfulphotography #bookstagram #booksmakemehappy #booksconnectus #igreads #whatareyoureading #signedbooks
Thanks to Lisa from @inthemaking_aprons who has sh Thanks to Lisa from @inthemaking_aprons who has shared her wonderfully creative ideas for visibly mending well-loved clothing in need of repair and a little TLC.
She had me at ‘sometimes I like to use giant sequins…’ 
Hope you like Lisa’s ideas as much as I do. The link to head over to my blog and get all her step by steps is in my bio x
Thank you @therealflowerco for these heavenly swee Thank you @therealflowerco for these heavenly sweet peas - the perfect way to celebrate #britishflowersweek 
I just wish I could share the blissful fragrance with you too 💕🌸
#locallygrownflowers #flowersofinstagram #supportlocal #britishflowersweek2021 #britishseasonalflowers #flowersfromthefarm #sweetpeas
This heavenly knitted lamb is by Claire Garland ak This heavenly knitted lamb is by Claire Garland aka @dotpebbles_knits and just one of the creative spring projects you might enjoy immersing yourself in right now. To discover other inspirational ideas and to get all the info you need - including this free pattern by Claire - click the link in my bio. Hope you find something that brings you a little seasonal joy x
Thanks to Erin at @floretflower for sending me a s Thanks to Erin at @floretflower for sending me a surprise signed copy of her dreamy new book Discovering Dahlias - and another signed copy to share with one of you. 
To enjoy a peek inside - and for a chance to win - click the link in my bio. 
The truly beautiful photographs (including this one) are all by Erin’s husband Chris Benzakein #discoveringdahlias #floretflowerfarm #dahliasofinstagram #flowersgivemepower #giveawayuk
Thanks to @sarahravenperchhill for sharing a beaut Thanks to @sarahravenperchhill for sharing a beautifully simple way to arrange snowdrops and other early spring flowers over on the blog (link is in my bio). I’ve already made my own simple flower grid using foraged twigs and it works brilliantly! 
As well as sharing her simple step by steps, there’s also a video tutorial where Sarah shares more inspiring ideas for creating with early spring flowers. The beautiful photographs are by @jonathanbuckleyphotography - hope you enjoy! X
Last call to enter our Pippa Greenwood Grow Your O Last call to enter our Pippa Greenwood Grow Your Own gift bundle competition!
My favourite #gardenersquestiontime panellist @pippa.greenwood offers a range of totally brilliant Grow Your Own gift bundles - which include garden-ready veg plants sent out at the right time for planting, email growing advice, tips and recipes from Pippa herself as well as signed copies of The Gardener’s Year. It’s the perfect gift for anyone interested in growing their own fresh produce - and comes with the best expert advice!
We have two Pippa Greenwood GYO gift bundles to be won - the link to enter the competition, and to find out more is in my bio - Good luck!
Last call for anyone who’d like to enter our Cla Last call for anyone who’d like to enter our Claire Garland Christmas Mouse knitting pattern competition. The link to enter is the top one in my bio. Good luck!
If you’re finding the world a somewhat shouty an If you’re finding the world a somewhat shouty and overwhelming place right now, you might like to get behind Sarah Corbett @craftivists new project - she’s crowdfunding to create the final part of her Craftivism trilogy: the Craftivist Collective Handbook. It will be a beautiful hardback with 20 gentle protest Craftivist projects and tools to help readers become positive and effective change makers. Because slow and gentle can be more effective in the long run than fast and loud. I am 100% behind Sarah’s project and have no doubt that those of us in the crafty, creative community have plenty to contribute when it comes to making a better, fairer world. 
Stitching a powerful message can be  more effective than shouting it at someone who’s not listening to you. If you’d like to get involved or find out more, follow the top link in my bio.
Thanks to @botanical_tales for sharing beautiful d Thanks to @botanical_tales for sharing beautiful dried flower wreath ideas over on the blog - link in bio. I love this dried mini wreath as natural gift wrapping decoration (you can buy ready-made too) - all the links are in the post.
Thanks too to Kirsten @henthorn_farm_flowers for sharing her step by steps for creating a stunning giant foraged dried flower wreath as well as her beautiful simple wreath in silvery winter whites. 
I’m increasingly obsessed with the idea of growing my own flowers for drying and creating lovely things with them. Watch this space for more dried flower inspiration coming soon... X
One of the joyful things about this time of year f One of the joyful things about this time of year for me is making plans for next spring and summer in my flower cutting garden. After two years of growing cut flowers, I’m ready for some fresh ideas and to raise my game a little more. I would like to fill some gaps in shape and colour and to extend the flowering season in particular. I’d also like to start drying and preserving my flowers... so I am thrilled that Kirsten of @henthorn_farm_flowers has shared a beautiful glimpse into her seasonal and sustainable flowery world as well as lots of fantastic expert tips and ideas over on the blog - the link is in my bio. I hope you find some inspiration too. Kirsten lives in a very beautiful part of the world - the Ribble Valley in Lancashire. It’s an area very close to my heart as I grew up not far away. Loved spending a little virtual time there again, thanks to Kirsten - and I am yearning to go back in person one day soon and breathe it all in again.
To be honest, I’m still clinging on to the last To be honest, I’m still clinging on to the last moments of Summer. I do always eventually embrace Autumn but, this year in particular, I’m wanting to hold on for as long as possible to the quiet bliss of the last few months. 
I do really worry about what lies ahead for us all, but spending time outdoors, connecting, really up close, to what’s going on in the garden definitely helps. I still have roses, sweet peas, snapdragons, zinnias, asters and LOTS of dahlias blooming so there are always jars and jugs of flowers on every available surface. Rose geranium leaves have been a revelation for adding a fragrant green frilliness - and now I’m full of love for abelia. 
This beautiful photo is by @gandgorgeousflowers and captures the between-seasons beauty in the flower garden right now. I am inspired to create something similar as I have many of the same colours. 
I do realise that it’s silly (and utterly pointless 😂) to resist Autumn as it’s actually one of the most beautiful times of year. As soon as the leaves really turn, and everywhere starts to smell like Autumn, I’m sure I’ll be fully on board. 
With that in mind, I’ve shared lots of inspiring Autumn Flowers ideas over on the blog (link in my bio) from some of my favourite flower creatives including @gandgorgeousflowers @simplybyarrangement @therealflowerco @wildbunchflowers @floribundaroseflorists @thesussexflowerschool @electricdaisyflowerfarm 

Hope you enjoy - and find a little bit of creative inspiration too. X

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