Show Me the Bunny: Rabbit-themed goods for a hoppy Easter

I'll be embracing my inner bunny girl this coming Easter. Forever frustrated by the realisation that real life isn't actually a fancy dress party, I do tend to go all out on a theme (see also cats for Halloween, lipstick kisses for Valentine's Day, lucky charms for '13). Daffodils aren't really going to cut it and eggs have limited appeal so, for Easter, the bunnies have it by a very fluffy tail.

With little over a week to ready myself, in my fantasy dress-up world, I'm definitely carrying this bunny bag by knitting whizz Jessica Dance. In real life, there's not a chance of that as it's a one-off created with Mulberry for Vogue. Boo.

An alternative living in the real world option is this ASOS cross-body bag. Still seasonal and only £22 of my bunny money.

There's always the comedy option. The funny bunny look is easily attainable thanks to Urban Outfitters and these bunny glasses. They're only £8.

I'm getting overexcited thinking of all the amusing jumping references I could make while wearing Topshop's jumping bunny jumper. You can't put a price on that kind of humour. Somehow, unbelievably, Topshop have. It's £40.

More Easter-inspired weak puns, which will be even funnier once I'm giddy from devouring all my eggs in one sitting, could come courtesy of these Dorothy Perkins bunny print socks. I'm planning on putting one of the pair on, and hopping to it ...

A pair is yours for £2.25.

I want to check my hare in this acrylic bunny mirror from Bombdesign at Culture Label. It's £49 but I'm trying to tell myself that a rabbit is for life, not just for Easter.

And, as I slowly and painfully run out of bunny-based jokes, the final thing I'll rabbit on about is this bunny trophy, designed by Bath-based designer, Clive Roddy. Made from wood, it's cruelty-free and a pleasant change from all those stag heads which have been decorating our warrens for so long. It costs £55.03 from his Etsy store.

Hoppy Easter everyone!

Shop in the Spotlight: Bluebelle & Co

I genuinely can't say HOW MUCH I want this flamingo hip flask (£12.99)

 I've been doing a Saturday course in Brighton for the last few weeks. Despite the weather being utterly dreadful, and not having the time to explore the sea front due to evening jaunts back in London, I have loved my early morning trips down south.

This is in great part due to my having to walk down the mindbogglingly brilliant Trafalgar Street to get to my bus: it's filled with gorgeous shops crammed with antiques, clothes and beautiful things; a vinyl shop called The Wax Factor that backs on to another BRILLIANTLY named vinyl shop called The Singles Bar.

I die. Every time I walk down that street.

Last week I finished my work early (swot), so having extra time to fill before my train I spent all of it in Bluebelle & Co. This gorgeous shop has a massive section devoted to baby and child clothes, which I didn't pay much attention to - sorry goddaughter - and a fantastic collection of beautiful bags, purses, cushions, quilts and home accessories by Disaster Designs that made me do little swoops. You know, when you see something super gorgeous and you swoop on it, often with a little cry, like you are an eagle grabbing hold of dinner, except dinner is exquisitely made and has straps.

Seabreeze weekend bag - was £56.99, now £35

Luckily for those of us who either don't live in Brighton, or never go there, they have an even more enormous online shop which is just fantastic.

This beautiful see a penny, pick it up wallet is £22.99. I bought it for my friend Suanne's 30th this weekend - ssh, don't tell her! The penny is stitched on to the leather, as is the ribbon, and it just feels gorgeous and full of promise. The shop assistant changed a 5p for me so I could put an actual penny inside the wallet for Suanne's own good luck.

What I love about all these wallets is that they are well-made and have lots of nice fun things carrying on inside. This Pretty City wallet (also £22.99) manages to pin loads of London icons onto it without being at all tacky - miracles! They do exist!

I'm wedded to my Scrabble thermos, but this lovely insulated flask is really beautiful - and it says you're just my cup of tea on it, which makes me go a bit gooey inside. Just like the cheesecake I made over the weekend, mmm.

These one-sized sequin moccasins fit sizes 3 to 7. No good for me, but I couldn't be without my slipper boots and seeing as these are £13.79 in the sale, down from £22.99, neither should you be!

This Wild Wood make-up bag is £10, down from £16.99 and it makes me grin just to look at it. The zip is an acorn, for crying out loud! It's like bloody Spring in a bag!

This sugar coated owl small porcelain plate is just £4.99. I don't even have the words for HOW MUCH I adore this plate. It's flipping amazing. Tweet tweet tweet! Argh. Breakdown imminent. Argh.

Sluttery Travels: Top Ten Romantic Trips for Two

Where do you go when you want a little break with your favourite person? Sure, hotels can be great (room service is a fabulous, fabulous thing), but there are loads of little sanctuaries for two across the country so you can be all on your own, even if it's just for a night or two.

We've covered a few places for two before - The Boathouse at Knotts End is perfection by a lake, Peters Tower is in a gorgeous location, but given the bunk beds it's perhaps a great place for you and your favourite platonic friend. London's very own houseboat hotel would be perfect for two. Fancy a trip to Wales? Then you'll find it hard to choose between the super romantic Hafod Glan Gwy, or the retro Cabin Casita hidden in the woods.

Beach huts might be perfectly formed but they're notoriously difficult to rent - usually they're booked up year upon year, or they're privately owned. Shaldon Beach Huts in Devon cost from £240 for two nights, and at the time of writing they had availability through most of the summer. I am available for trips.

Nicolle Tower is so cute. It's in St Clements in Jersey and it's a perfect location for exploring the island. The interior leaves a little to be desired but four nights will cost from around £300 via Landmark Trust so it's a bargain.

We're not done with the Landmark Trust yet. then try St Winifred's Well in Shropshire. It's a tiny little medieval  well chapel where three nights next month will cost you £358.

Wow, Cornwall has the best views. The Beachspoke hideaway is £530 for a week via Chic Retreats. Might want to stay forever.

Popty Pennant is a very special cottage. It's actually a converted bakehouse on the estate of Chirk Castle. It's blimmin' gorgeous and it's £439 in high season from the very brilliant Under The Thatch - they've got loads of gorgeous properties for rent across wales.

I really, really want to stay on a showman's wagon. Mendip Molly is actually based in Bath and I really want to visit there. I don't think pets are allowed, which means I'm going to have to save the lion taming for another time. Damn. You can book this refurbished 1949 wagon from Canopy & Stars for £160 for two nights.

Back to Cornwall again, this time to Tintagel to see the Coachman's Cottage nestled in 20 acres of woodland. It's like something out of an Austen book. If you fancy playing here, prices start at £323 for three nights.

If sleeping on a wagon doesn't do it for you, then the eco-friendly Croft 103 in Scotland is pretty impressive. These self-catering 'cottages' are based in north west Sunderland and they're low impact as well as being luxurious. They're powered by wind turbines and made from dry stone sourced on site. As fabulous as Croft 103 is, luxury and green tourism doesn't come cheap - a week here will cost you £1400.

That's a pretty kitchen, isn't it? I think I like the look of this place. I have, of course, saved the best for last.

It's a bus! The Majestic Bus is just outside Hay-on-Wye (books! loads and loads of brilliant books!) in a garden filled with flowers. It's utterly perfect (and a rather reasonable £310 for three nights). There's a wood burner if it's chilly and a bath house outside. A bus has never been so romantic.

Want more travel ideas? Check out our ever-growing boutique hotel map!

A Dark and Chocolatey Wine Match for Dark Chocolate

I've told you before about how difficult it is to match wine and chocolate (I even went to Prime Minister of Chocolate Paul A Young to find some weird and wonderful recommendations) but I'm always up for new suggestions. Especially with Easter a mere 11 days away - I need me some chocolate booze!

One of the hardest chocolates to find a partner for is the seriously dark stuff - I'm talking the bittersweet 70% cocoa content badboys - because unlike other chocolate it doesn't react well to too much sweetness in a wine.

Some lovely people from Linton Park think they have the answer, and they sent me a bottle of Cafe Cabernet and some chocolate to prove it. Who was I to refuse?

It's a South African red wine: a dry, devillishly dark, sensual Cabernet Sauvignon, which means technically it should do to chocolate what bankers do to the economy. But oh no.

It has been carefully aged in French and American oak barrels for 6 months, which adds extra roasted flavours of mocha and chocolate to the delicious dark berry and black cherry fruits you get from the cabernet sauvignon grape.

So when you take a sip when nibbling some dark chocolate, these flavours merge in perfect harmony. The bitterness of the chocolate is mellowed, and also makes the cherry flavours in the wine really pop.

If you're not convinced by the chocolate match (my other half wasn't) then it's perfectly lovely to sip on its own. The mocha-esque aromas are so delicious it's a boozy alternative to your after-dinner coffee, but I'd also love to try it with something equally rich like venison.

You can pick up a bottle for what I feel is a very reasonable £8.98 from The Drink Shop.

Baking for Beginners: Crisps & Chocolate Cookies

I like crisps.

I like chocolate. 

I like cookies.

I am freaking OUT about putting crisps and chocolate into a cookie. UH-HUH. You read that correctly: I have put crisps (four packets of ready salted, to be precise) in biscuits. And they taste A to the W to the E to the S to the O... yeah, you get it. They taste really good. It's like taking three amazing foods, and combining them to make one all-conquering, epochal wonderfood. I am not even exaggerating this time. 

Crisps & Chocolate Cookies (makes 20-22)
You will need:

• 220g unsalted butter, room temperature
• 100g caster sugar
• 1½ tsps vanilla extract
• 100g ready salted crisps (crinkle cut for preference), roughly bashed into small pieces
• 90g milk chocolate, cut into small chunks
• 250g plain flour
• A pinch of sea salt to sprinkle

Make it!

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Line two baking trays with parchment.
2. Mix the butter, sugar and vanilla extract until smooth. Add the crisps, chocolate and flour and gently mix with a spatula or wooden spoon until the ingredients start to combine. Do not overmix!
3. Scoop a dessertspoonful of dough into your palm. Roll into a ball, then flatten slightly on to the baking tray. Repeat until you have about 20 little cookies. Sprinkle with sea salt, possibly with a flamboyant flourish and a shrug of the shoulders. 
4. Bake for 20-22 minutes.
5. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack until cool.
6. Marvel. Simply marvel. Perhaps swoon awhile. 

Melanie Tomlinson's Birds and Butterflies

As I was writing this I was sulking about spring not really having sprung yet. Then the sun came streaming through the window. Spring might finally be on its way. But just to help it along a little bit, I'm going to wear loads of Melanie Tomlinson's birds and butterflies.

The jewellery range is available exclusively at Culture Label. They might look delicate, but Melanie's vibrant illustrations are hand stamped onto steel.

I think this blue bird is my favourite. He's so damn colourful. The brooches are around 8cm and their longest points (it depends on their pointy wings and tail feathers), so they're certainly a statement piece.

More than anything, I'm so impressed with the prices of these pieces. They're £30 each. I'm probably going to spend that on M&S ready meals later.

You can see more of Melanie's work on her website, which includes some really ornate animal sculptures, but I think I'm going to spend my pennies on a brooch that's the epitome of spring.

Design Porn: John Derian Picture Plates

John Derian set up shop way back in 1989, but I've only just stumbled on his delicious array of eccentric, haunting motifs at Ben Pentreath. His range takes inspiration from centuries-old letters and advertisements, as well as all aspects of nature: from fruit, to eyeballs, to seaweed and beyond.

He then turns them into decoupage plates, paperweights, postcards and trays - and they're stunning. The plates in particular are fascinating: his motif of choice is reprinted and pieced together in layers under glass to give a deliciously textured, multi-dimensional effect.

The 'faience terrestre' plate (literally 'earthenware of the earth', I believe) pictured above was the first that turned my head. I can't stop staring at every last detail. It's £38.

Paris on a hot air balloon - how heavenly. This is £38 too, as is:

My eyes hurt from trying to understand how this is a flat plate. Red carnations have never looked so pretty.

I really should move away from the £38 plates now but I can't resist showing you this bold and eye-catching Mills' University Hotel one. There, it was worth it.

This half an orange has pips and all, and looks juicy enough to eat. It's £45, and he also does one in lemon.

The eye chart plate is as freaky as it is informative. They're £55 each.

Lastly, this isn't a plate but a tray - a tray decorated with an inventory of an attic from 1852, by the looks of it. They have a chinese fan and silver jewellery and lots of other things I can't read. It's £40.

There's so, so much more from John Derian that I wish I had room to show you (much of it is cheaper as well - his postcards are only £10.50 for 4) so I urge you to take a closer peek at what's on offer. When I'm rich, I shall buy them all.