When you see the new Brit Royale collection of cushions from The Colour Union you will nod your heads in agreement.

Zara Siddiqui-Lester, Textile designer and retired University Lecturer is founder of The Colour Union. Zara has created as one of three new collections a quirky interpretation of the current powerful trend of interior accessories with the famous and sometimes infamous Union Jack: It is called Brit Royale.

“I wanted to mix the old fashioned tradition of products lovingly hand-made with state of the art digital printing to achieve an almost imperfect ‘perfect’ finish in clarity of design and production. My work is all about contradiction!”

Luxury is expressed in the richness of colour, historic imagery and iconic pattern with a hint of humour and drama.

The ‘new’ old collection of soft furnishings, poufs and footstools are created using 100% cotton velvet, organic fabrics are used where possible.

Provenance: ‘All designed, printed and made in England’ (where else!)

Creative Ethos: ‘More is more and colour truly rocks!’
Welcome to a new colourful couture culture of excess for style aficionados and colourholics alike. Poor beige may you ‘rest in peace’

Amen to that.

Pink Jack & Green Jack Puppies are the two new additions to the ‘Wish Original’  litter and will be ready to go to good homes very soon.

Talking of cute animals there is a new design in the Hungry Jungle range on its way……..

Meerkat Lunch Bags & matching Drinks Bottles, a perfect Meerkat Gift  (for lovers of the cute furry creatures not to give to one – come on now how would they manage the zip?)

We are also waiting for another new design – Sweet Sundae - a gorgeous girls lunchbox with matching drinks bottles.

Keep checking they will be here soon & we will be busy unpacking!

Squeak soon

Claudia & Amanda x

We are so excited this weekend for two reasons…

1. As you can see on our web site, we have finally added the fantastic new range of Postage Stamp Cushions that have been licensed by The Royal Mail. (So we needn’t worry about being carted off to the tower!)

Designed, printed and made in England the cushions are 100% cotton velvet or cotton sateen, digitally printed with current stamp denominations. Guaranteed to add a regal touch to any interior. Let us know if you think they deserve a Royal Stamp of approval!

2. Before reading a very heavy Sunday newspaper today, I shook out a small recycling bins worth of flyers that I normally take little heed of; but today I found the Golden Ticket!  Well it’s slightly gold and not really a ticket, but it’s the promotional leaflet for Spirit of Summer at Olympia in May.  The reason for the excitement is that we were lucky enough to have a photo of our Wicker Picnic Basket included with our name beside it!  Ok maybe now I’ve told you it doesn’t sound like a life changing moment, but Amanda shared my enthusiasm, when I screeched the news to her on the phone.  I suppose that’s why we get on so well – we both screech at the same things!

I am so tired today; surely it can’t all be due to one missing hour?  How many of you forgot to synchronize timepieces and had your whole day run away from you? 

We have just taken delivery of a pallet load of puppies – The ‘Cake’ door stop variety, not real ones, so all of you who have been waiting patiently, wait no more! 

All the picnic goodies have also arrived and Amanda will no doubt be showing her basket off at this Saturdays Point to Point at Kimble. If any of you venture out that way, be on the look out for her and if you don’t recognize her by the gorgeous picnic hamper, keep your eyes open for 3 mad dogs!  Banksy (new rescue lurcher) will be on a lead, as he cannot be trusted yet to return; Barnaby and Nimbus will be running the course & jumping the fences before the off! 

As you may have seen on our home page, we have a link to the Spirit of Summer Fair web site. It is supported by House & Garden & is being held at Olympia 13-16 May.  We will be there with all our gorgeous gifts and will be easy to find as we are on stand A18 (no need to look for mad dogs there…well actually!) 

We are very excited as we are going to be selling some fabulous ‘postage stamp’ cushions in the next week or so – just waiting for decent images, as we want to do Her Majesty justice. 

Squeak soon 

Amanda & Claudia

Are the daffodils out near you yet? Amanda judges the progress of spring on the amount of daffs flowering on her birthday. (12th March) She was sadly disappointed – and not because you forgot to send her a card!

All the Onya products are now on the site and we are trying to add an image to this blog – don’t hold yer breath! To any new followers (and you both know who you are) Amanda & I have only recently started out on this magical mystery tour of blogging. We know that it does work, as a very kind lady found our blog and made some helpful comments, one of which was that we should add some images…… (Thank you Julie)

What we should do is take some photos of Banksy (rescue lurcher now residing with Amanda) and let you see his expanding waistline. He is a very good-natured critter, considering the life he must have led, but let’s not dwell on that.

Back to Onya goodies – We have backpacks & shoulder bags made from parachute material (obviously lightweight as a heavy parachute would not be sensible!) They stow away in their own pouch, which you keep ‘On ya’. Plus brand new H2Onya reusable drinks bottles which are tough and toxin free – stainless steel doesn’t leach chemicals into your drinks.

Finally, why not take a celebrity to work with you. Have a look at our range of fun & funky Oyster/Travelcard holders, guaranteed to liven up the dullest journey!

Squeak soon
Amanda & Claudia

P.S We have suprised ourselves and not only managed to upload a photo, but have created links straight to the new products.

What a busy weekend, so many new products to put on the site, feel as if we’ve stayed up all night watching the Oscars (have you ever and was it worth it?)

All the gorgeous picnicwear is due in this week, so fingers crossed for sunny weather. Apparently, the Met Office is no longer going to give long range forecasts as they got it so wrong last year. Ah well, even if it rains all summer Amanda & I will sit indoors to enjoy our picnics and admire our lovely baskets. (Have you ever had to?)

Just got a new range of the eco friendly ‘Onya’ products in – will be on the site in no time. Reusable bags made from strong parachute material and stainless steel bottles in great colours. Love the way they name them: Onya Back (back pack) Onya Side (shoulder bag) and H2Onya for the bottle – well it made us smile, perhaps we are easily pleased! (Go on then, what makes you smile?)

This will make you go ahhhhhhh Amanda has a new addition to the family – a rescue lurcher who has been named Banksy – he is very thin, but with a bit of T L C should plump out nicely – we shall keep you informed of his expanding waistline.

Talking of dogs, Union Jack Puppies back in stock now – what a perfect pressie for Mothers Day – or what about a sparkly glass nail file or some bright funky jewellery.

Squeak soon
Amanda & Claudia