Lovely 'Lucky' Bunting by Xtina Lamb

There's something marvellously nostalgic about a bit of bunting. But as nostalgia has become big business, so the revival in bunting has often gone a little twee, girlie girlie and floral. Nothing wrong with any of that - but I've just seen so much of it. 

So I was excited to discover illustrator Xtina Lamb's 'Lucky' bunting - a lovely set of cute illustrations symbolising good luck, from four-leafed clovers to black cats and horseshoes, on unusual shaped pieces of fabric. The flags cover a length of approx 150cm, with extra tape of about 70cm at each end (you can also request longer tape ends) and cost around £24. You can also commission specific designs. 

Great for a stylish well-wishing party - or why not just hang above a kitchen window or bedroom mirror, to help you to feel lucky every day?

Xtina's Etsy shop, Printed Wonders, has some other nicely illustrated goodies too. 

Retro lunchbox

It's a bit silly, but this 'I Love London' lunchbox is very sweet. It might make a nice cake or biscuit tin for the kitchen, or just spruce up your Tuppaware collection with it.

The illustration is very cute and reminds me of hand-me-down picture books I was read as a child, and makes me wish I lived in 1960s London and could commute alongside men in trilby hats and wear smart, swish outfits all the time. Which of course would be most tiresome really... but that's my romantic vision and I'm sticking to it. 

Anyway - this comes from Bouf, which is a spectacular website if you're not familiar (it's essentially a storefront for all sorts of interesting small-scale designers). And it comes from I Love Retro and costs £7.16 (random price, but it's on sale right now, so get in quick).