Geekery: Russian Doll Robots

We've featured Russian dolls before. Whether they're on frocks, purses, pin cushions or photo frames, we just can't get enough of lovely colourful ladies that can be stacked inside each other. But we've never before featured robot Russian dolls.

A geeky twist on the traditional 19th century Matryoshkas, these silver stacking sci-fi creations come in a set of six, each printed with a different design. They're £9.99 from Totally Funky, and if robots don't set your heart racing, there's also a set of six nesting ninjas to be collected.

All together now: "Babushka, babushka, babushka-ya-ya..."

Design Porn: Darling, You're Boring Me Brooch

Hoolala makes gorgeous, quirky jewellery largely inspired by Victorian England and heavy on gothic charms. Sadly my budget won't always stretch to their necklaces and bracelets, but this little brooch is only £2.50. I like the idea of casually gesturing to it when a dull chap approaches me at a bar with a tired chat-up line. Up your game, sir - this lady needs entertaining.

Explore Hoolala on Etsy too. Yet more fripperies to bookmark until payday.

Etsy Pick: Rocket Racer Print

Only one month in to married life and already I have been a pretty rubbish wife. What with all the organisational flurry and excitement of recent wedding parties, not to mention a household full of poorly people, which has unfortunately included myself, it would seem that my husband's birthday has passed by this week with little fanfare or celebration. And the worst bit, the bit I am almost too ashamed to admit, is that I kinda didn't even get the chance to buy him a birthday present. Yeah, I know, but in my defense I have been banished to my sick bed.

As you can imagine I have a whole heap of making up to do so I was pretty chuffed to stumbled across this rather super rocket racer print from Glyn West Design. Absolutely perfect and at $85 it is probably a small price to pay to restore marital bliss!

Design Porn: Eco Ipad Sleeve

Sigh. I don’t have an iPad. But if I did (and I plan to somewhere in the distant diiiiiiiistant future), I’d buy this cork ipad sleeve from Nigel’s Eco Store.

It’s handmade in London from FSC-certified fabric backed cork (Yay! Sustainable!) so it’s going to keep that lovely screen free from scratches, and it will assuage some of that guilt that you know you feel for being just a tad materialistic.

I love the look of the cork against the very sleek lines of the iPad. I think from a design perspective they’ve married the natural and the technological perfectly. It’s like the ipad cover equivalent of a barn conversion. It’s totally hot, and it’s £17.99.

Sluttishly Vegetarian: Quorn Chilli

A huge pot of chilli simmering away on the hob all afternoon is one of the best ways to cheer up a cold and rainy day. The sound of it bubbling away, the smell of spices floating through the house, the way it gets more delicious the longer you can bear to leave it....mmmm. But I'd been disappointed by veggie chilli, which always tasted a bit weak and feeble compared to its meaty cousin. I'd given up on ever making a decent version until a friend gave me this recipe, which I've slightly adapted (read: added more spices). It packs in flavour and oomph and makes for an enormously satisfying dinner.

You'll need:

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 1 red pepper, cut into chunks
• 300g Quorn mince
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 glass of red wine
• 200ml vegetable stock
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp vegetarian Worcester sauce
• 2 red chillis, finely chopped
• 1 tin of kidney beans
• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
• 1 tsp of tomato pureé

Make it!

1. Heat the oil in your biggest saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and red pepper and cook gently until softened.
2. Add the Quorn and garlic. When it's browned, add half the vegetable stock. Sprinkle on the chilli powder, cumin, coriander and cinnamon and give it a good stir.
3. Pour in the red wine and remaining stock. Boil until the liquid is almost gone. It takes a while but this dish deserves patience.
4. Add the Worcester sauce, chopped chillis and kidney beans and gently bring to the boil.
5. Add the chopped tomatoes and pureé.

And that's it! I know the order you throw everything into the pot looks a bit odd, but trust me, it works. Enjoy it with rice, sour cream and the rest of that wine. The bottle's open, it'd be a shame to waste it.

Image from pudstah's Flickr photostream.

Design Porn: Giant Teacup Stool

You know how we at Domestic Sluttery love a good cup of tea? Whether your preference is for Lady Grey or English Breakfast, sometimes there's nothing better than a cup of tea. And like a lot of things in life, when it comes to tea, bigger is better. So a giant teacup big enough to sit on sounds like heaven to me. Okay, so you can't actually slurp enormous quantities of magically restorative tea from it, but there's still something strangely alluring about this teacup stool.

Available in white, yellow, red or orange, the bold colours make it modern and fun, and since it's made from plastic, it'll be suitable for outdoor use too. Imagine several of these arranged in your garden, and suddenly it all seems pleasingly Alice in Wonderland. It's by Holly Palmer and is available for £139.99 from Mocha.

Luscious Lips: Love & Toast

What's not to love about this gorgeous lip balm from Love & Toast? First, lets start with the yummy natural ingredients - this luscious lip soother is petrolatum free and packed with extra virgin olive oil, organic jojoba oil and shea butter.

Now, peruse the packaging. It's a cute retro doodle of a cassette - the sort of thing I would have drawn on my exercise books at primary school in the eighties, if only I'd been a bit more artistically inclined.

And finally, I bring you to the flavour - it's lime & gin, yes that's right girls, a gin flavoured lip balm. It probably won't get you tipsy, but it might tide you over til pub time.

The balm costs £12.00 from ASOS, and there are lots of other pretty products in the range too.