Ellis Cochrane

The delicate ranunculus and low-maintenance snake plant have been awarded the title of Flower and Plant of 2024 by plant delivery service 1-800-Flowers.
If you want to add a new houseplant to your home or are looking forward to planting blooms in your garden, both options should certainly be on your radar as we move into the new year.
This year marks the eighth in which the team at 1-800-Flowers has consulted trends and buyer demand to crown the winners.
"We have seen a growing demand for mor...

It’s not long now until The Great Pottery Throw Down is back on our screens, with the Christmas special airing on Boxing Day (26 December). And if, like us, you are counting down the days until you can watch it, the team have shared a little sneak peek preview of the festive challenges this year’s group of famous faces will be taking on.
Posting to their official Instagram account, the video shows a few great clips from the upcoming episode, with the caption reading “There’s an extra special ...

Patrick Grant was back on our screens last night (Thursday 19 December) as part of The Great British Sewing Bee Christmas special, alongside fellow judge Esme Young and returning host Sara Pascoe. But if you’ve missed seeing Patrick, one crafter has shared an adorable crochet version of the TV judge and author on social media.
You might remember that earlier in the year Esme took to her Instagram to share a sweet crochet creation that a fan had gifted her at an event.
So the crocheter @mycraf...

Christmas is just around the corner, and that means a week of not knowing what day it is, if you’re lucky to have some time off – and we can't wait!

Looking for something crafty to do? Next time you’re meeting up with a friend, instead of going for coffee, why not pop into your local pottery painting café?
A creative catch-up is a fun way to spend time together while having a chance to relax and make a handmade craft you can keep. Plus, it's a chance to try out your skills if you've been inspired by the Great Pottery Throw Down! Pottery painting classes take place at cafés and studios all over the country and are a popular activity for bi...

Looking for last-minute homemade Christmas gift ideas? Dragon’s Den star and crafting queen Sara Davies has just shared a nifty DIY to make your own Christmas gift of chocolate bark.
Chocolate bark is essentially a large slab of chocolate, often with toppings that can be presented as a whole piece or – as with Sara's – in large, angular pieces to make an impressive presentation.
Taking to Instagram, Sara shared with fans her step-by-step process for making the sweet treat – and it's a lot sim...

"When we put her up on the tree, she’ll always remind us of our wedding day"
We always love to get inspiration from Stacey Solomon’s brilliant craft ideas. And last night (Wednesday 18 December) she turned her attention to all things festive on her Christmas craft show, Stacey Solomon's Crafty Christmas.
Returning for another year, the hour-long special which you can catc...

The Great British Sewing Bee is back on our screens tonight (19 December) as four famous faces join judges Esme Young and Patrick Grant, as well as returning host Sara Pascoe, for the Christmas special.
And with it being the season of giving, Esme and Patrick have been sent a few gifts from the Sewing Bee audience.
Shared to The Great British Sewing Bee’s official Instagram account, the two judges take turns unwrapping the presents they’ve been sent. And it’s certainly given us plenty of last...

Over winter portable heaters are a great way to keep warm without facing a hefty heating bill from rising energy bills. Oil-filled radiators are one of the most portable heaters on the market, but are oil-filled radiators any good?
The best oil-filled radiators provide a quick and easy way to add extra warmth to smaller spaces, helping you to feel warm and cosy over the colder months. But are they as good as central heating or the best electric heaters?
Well, we put this to the experts and ov...

Some of our favourite Christmas crafts double up as great decorations or gift ideas. And one of those crafts, which also just so happens to be trending right now, is salt dough decorations.
Chances are, you most likely have everything that you will need to make salt dough Christmas decorations in your kitchen cupboards or pantry already.
A quick, easy and affordable way to make your own ornaments, all you really need is plain flour, salt and water to make the dough. And while it looks suitabl...

If, like us, you’re counting down the days until The Great British Sewing Bee is back on our screens with its festive Christmas special, you’ll be happy to know that judge Esme Young has answered some viewer questions to keep us going until Thursday 19 December, when the special airs on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Not only will Esme be joined by fellow judge Patrick Grant, but Sara Pascoe will return as presenter, after taking over from Kiell Smith Bynoe who presented this year's series.
With fo...

Christmas is almost here – and we've been loving seeing all our favourite celebrity crafters' festive projects. Tom Daley has impressed us with another of his makes – hand-knitted Christmas jumpers for himself and his sons.
Taking to Instagram, via his Made With Love account, the Olympic diver showcased a few of his favourite festive knitted creations, with him asking fans if he should wear a traditional hand-knitted Christmas tree jumper or a Ho Ho Ho sweater vest this Christmas, as well as ...

From sequins to velvet and everything in between, we're sharing our top picks
Christmas season is here meaning only one thing – it's time to find that all important party dress that not only makes us feel and look great, but is also budget and time friendly. After all, we want to love it so m...

There's not long to go now until Christmas, and a trend that has really taken off in the last few years are Christmas Eve boxes.
A great way to get little ones or the entire family ready for the main event, it revolves around giving someone a small but meaningful box of Christmas gifts on December 24th, ahead of the festivities the following day.
The treats included are festive and often related to getting cosy – think pyjamas, hot chocolate, slippers – and are similar in size to what might b...

With just over a week to go until Christmas, there's no better time to get crafting. One of our favourite festive activities, it's the perfect way to while away an afternoon – particularly if it's cold and miserable outside.
Whether you're looking to put a personal spin on your gifting this year by making your own presents, or maybe you want to start a new tradition by DIY-ing everything from your decorations to Christmas cards, Hobbycraft has revealed the top craft trends set to be popular t...