THREE THINGS I LOVE - CLAY EDITION.

I think it's pretty obvious by now how much I love making things out of air-dry clay so it seemed like a no-brainer to end the week with even more if it.

Here's the three things I love right now, clay edition.

1. This pretty fantastic gold leaf  Diy Faux Arrowhead Necklace.

2. Teeny tiny Handmade Clay Pots. I especially love the house with the chimney on it.

3. And I don't know about you but I think these Clay Leaf Bowls are one of the cleverest things I've seen. What a great idea.

Happy, happy friday everyone.

5 AMAZING PODCASTS I LOVE.

I'm a big fan of podcasts. I listen to them when I get up in the morning, when I go for a walk, whenever I'm making something, baking, decorating and even when I'm doing the dishes. Which means I listen to them a lot. A lot. So I thought today I'd share my current top 5 favourites with you and if you have any favourites of your own please share them in the comments below. I'd love to know what you recommend.

1. After the Jump by Grace Bonney of Design Sponge.

This was the first podcast I ever listened to. Grace talks about design and business with makers, shop owners, designers and bloggers. It's a great mix of practical advice, how people do what they do and what you can do to stay productive and inspired.

Favourite episodes: The Real Cost of Business, Productivity Tips, Apps, Raising the Bar and Taking Risks.

2. Joy the Baker Podcast. Joy and Tracy from Shutterbean are friends and bloggers who talk about 'totally important unimportant things'.  They have fun, random conversations that they make you feel a part of. What's not to love?

Favourite episodes: Devil With a Blue Dress On (ghosts and blogging burnout), I am the R.A.  and Blasting My Abs.

3. Elise Gets Crafty. I love this podcast. It's all about blogging, business, creativity and motivation for small businesses. If like me, you find the behind scenes, nuts and bolts stuff fascinating you'll want to listen to all of these.

Favourite episodes: I want to say all of them but there's a few standouts I've listened to more than once.

Developing an Editorial Calendar for Your Blog, Working With Brands as a Blogger, Small Business and Social Media and Growing Your Creativity.

4. The Nerdist Podcast. Stand-up comedian Chris Hardwick and his friends talking to 'usually someone more famous than all of us' about comedy, tv, film, life and anything else nerdy they can think of. Always entertaining.

Favourite episodes: This is another one with far too many to choose from but I'll try to narrow it down for you. 

Mitch Hurwitz talking comedy writing and Arrested Development , Eddie Izzard, Jon Favreau on making his latest film Chef as well as Iron Man, William Shatner being William Shatner, Dr. Drew talking addiction and rehab and Bob Saget on dealing with death through humour.

5. Girl on Guy with Aisha Tyler. This one is still quite new to me. I only started listening to it for the first time last week but I've already been digging through past episodes. So many good ones.

Favourite episodes: Josh Radnor on choosing happiness, Scandal's Scott Foley, Talking life about life and comedy Ryan Stiles, Sara Gilbert and Chris Rock.

A few I've heard good things about, added to my playlist but haven't actually got around to listening to yet are Stuff You Should Know, Kickin' it Mary Lynn Style, Harmontown, Stuff Mom Never Told You and Here's The Thing.

And if you're looking for a good app to listen to your podcasts on I can recommend Stitcher. I've been using it since april and so far I love it.

LOVELY LINKS 04.

It's friday, the sun has been shining and the stamped clay bowls I've been making have turned out even better than I hoped. I love it when that happens.

Here are the lovely links that have caught my eye this week.

Surprisingly easy Diy Hanging Shelves. I can think of quite a few places I could hang these.

A fantastic tutorial on how to make your own Woven Wall Hanging.

I love everything about this beautiful Stockholm apartment but especially the artwork and that amazing rug.

Nothing says summer like some Party Popsicles.

A Pretty sunshine yellow desktop wallpaper to Dress Your Tech with.

Grace Bonney talking about The Importance of Taking Risks on After the Jump.

Clever Wall-Mounted Jewelry Boxes.

And thanks to Little Red Window, Craft Gossip and Good Housekeeping (I'm number 4) for sharing my projects. I really do appreciate it.

Have a great weekend everyone.

RASPBERRY AND VANILLA CUPCAKES.

I can't think of a better way to spend a rainy afternoon than making and baking. Making tiny bowls from air drying clay (a first attempt, I'll let you know how I get on) and baking these sweet raspberry and vanilla cupcakes from House of the Rising Bun.

Has anyone else tried these House of the Rising Bun cakes mixes? I got this one for raspberry and vanilla cupcakes for a birthday present and have been dying to try it out. They contain all natural ingredients, no additives or preservatives and all you have to add is some butter and eggs. Easy, right?

I creamed the butter, added the cake mix and the eggs, spooned the mixture into the cupcake cases and popped them in the oven for 25 minutes. I was a little worried I'd overbaked them but the cupcakes were light and fluffy and even contained little bits of dried raspberries in the sponge. Delicious.

You can find the rest of the range here. Normally I'd always choose chocolate over anything else but I've got my eye on the lemon and poppy seed cake mix next. They just look so good.