The latest colour trend to hit the catwalks is ‘brilliant blue’ and these 2 crystal pieces from our Art Deco range are the perfect hue. Not only does it look fabulous, blue is said to make us feel calm and serene too, so what better excuse do you need to indulge?

Deco Glamour Blue Crystal Drop Earrings

‘I love these earrings. Inspired by a period of elegance and sophistication, they’re really easy to wear and add a hint of classic, Art Deco glamour to any outfit.’

Deco Glamour Blue Crystal Cluster Bracelet

‘Complete the look with this beautiful matching bracelet. Expect lots of admiring glances when the glass crystals catch the light to create stunning, vivid colours.’

The 50’s and 60’s are hugely influential this season and these clocks are an easy way to update your home with the latest trend. A great finishing touch to any room or a thoughtful and practical gift idea.

Retro Alarm Clock

‘Wake up in style to these retro inspired alarm clocks. Available in 3 gorgeous colours, their classic design is easy to read and, more importantly, to switch off!’

Retro Kitchen Wall Clock

‘A beautifully sleek and simple design, this 50’s inspired clock will add a hint of retro glamour to any kitchen wall. Based on a popular Bakelite original, its classic cream colour will fit effortlessly into any home.’

Bring the outdoors in with these fabulous ‘Grow Your Own’ gift sets. No garden required, these sets provide everything you need to produce an attractive display of your own flowers and herbs indoors.

Grow Your Own Flowers Gift Set

‘I love this colourful and wonderfully fragrant arrangement of pansies, chrysanthemums and sweet peas.
Presented in traditional terracotta pots and wooden caddy, flower lovers will be delighted to watch their beautiful display grow into something spectacular.’

Grow Your Own Basil Kit & Mug

‘Add a wonderful flavour and aroma to your cooking with some fresh, home-grown basil. The perfect gift for food lovers, this retro style enamel mug will look great adorning the kitchen windowsill.’

Spring has sprung! It’s time for out with the old and in with the new and what easier way is there of updating your Spring outfits than adding a splash of colour. Soft sunny hues are the flavour of the moment from peppermint green to candy pink, this seasons hot new colours will be a delicious addition to any wardrobe.

Pink & White Bow Scarf

‘I love this soft pink bows scarf from our SS12 collection.  It’s a perfect cover up for cool Spring evenings or as a light finishing touch to any outfit.’

RHS Sweet Pea Cotton Scarf

‘Our best selling RHS range offers the perfect gift for the keen gardener or botanist in your family. This beautiful Sweet Pea scarf incorporates artwork by Graham Stuart Thomas, a 20th Century horticulturalist and artist, who won an RHS Gold Medal for his drawings and paintings.’

We have hidden 10 Easter eggs around the PT website and we want you to find them. Everyone that submits an entry will recieve a discount code and there are three fantastic main prizes to be won!

Look out for this egg:

The prizes

+ every entry will receive a special discount code on the 5th April 2012

Click here for all your Easter essentials

How to enter:

1) Look around the web site www.pasttimes.com and find as many Easter eggs as you can that have been hidden around the site.

2)Email us at newsletter@pasttimes.com with the locations of the eggs. You will be emailed back with your discount code on the 5th April 2012.

3) We will pick a the winners at random on the 5th of April

Full Ts & Cs will are located on the website
Terms & Conditions

Good Luck!

Afternoon tea and taking tea are big trends for this year, forging the way for nationwide street party celebrations over the Jubilee weekend. Tea making will be an integral part of the celebrations, it is ubiquitously British but also serves as the perfect brew for what will undoubtedly be a great event for all the family.

3-Tier Regency Cake Stand

‘I love this vintage mismatched cake stand. Perfect for every home’s tea time guest of honour from your best friend to your Mother-in-Law! Pile it up with afternoon tea goodies or use to create a sumptuous display of fruit for a healthier option.’

Everything Stops For Tea Framed Print

‘Never has a truer sentiment been uttered! Celebrating our Nations love affair with a good old cup of tea.’

When Great Britain won the bid to stage the 2012 Olympics it was a much-needed boost to the morale of a country in a recession – and a great excuse to celebrate the very best of Britain.

So when British teddy bear manufacturer Merrythought was asked to make a commemorative bear for the Olympics and Paralympics it was absolutely delighted that a British-made bear would become a symbol for such an important event. The traditional jointed mohair bears with a choice of pink, blue or green detailing will be produced in a limited edition of only 2012 and are expected to be released in May of this year.

History of Merrythought Bears

The very first Merrythought bear – the Magnet bear – was made in 1930. The founders of Merrythought – Mr Holmes and Mr Laxton – initially had a spinning mill in Yorkshire, specialising in mohair, but in 1930 they moved to Coalbrookdale in Yorkshire and with the help of leading personnel from two other British bear manufacturers, J.K. Farnell and Chad Valley, started to make their own traditional bears. The Merrythought name, taken from the 17th century word for wishbone, a symbol of luck, was registered the same year, and the wishbone is a feature on every new bear’s tag.

Today, over 80 years after the first Merrythought teddy bear came out of the Coalbrookdale factory, teddies are still being made there using the same high quality materials and techniques. Each jointed mohair bear is lovingly handmade and individually hand finished, giving every one its very own special character.

Value of Merrythought Bears

It is no surprise that because of the love that goes into making Merrythought bears they are so highly sought-after today. Early examples command a premium amongst collectors, but new Merrythought bears are just as desirable, their appealing faces and excellent quality making them a first choice gift for newborns, as well as a favourite bear for children and adults alike. Any Merrythought bear given as a gift will become a treasured friend that will stay with its owner throughout their life and hopefully be passed down from generation to generation.

Nearly everyone we talk to has a story about a Merrythought bear to tell. Rosie, our web buyer, still has the bear she was given at the age of two when her baby sister was born. It may be a little worn around the edges now, but still sports the hand-knitted scarf she made for it all those years ago!

Here at Past Times, we just adore Merrythought bears, which is why we have asked Merrythought to make us our own commemorative bear to celebrate our 25th birthday this year! It’s early days yet, and the bear is still being developed, but we can’t wait to see it and share it with you, our customers, so please do watch this space for an update.

We know that there are hundreds of teddy bear stories to be told, not just ones about Merrythought, and it would be great if some of you would like to share these stories with us. We would love to hear them!

Father’s Day on 19th June is a chance for children, young and old, to say ‘thank you’ to their Dads, and what better way to express your love than with one of Past Times’ inspiring Father’s Day gift ideas?
The best Father’s Day presents are those that show you know and understand your Dad, such as a visit to his favourite restaurant or a trip to the opera or a special football match, or a gift inspired by some of the things he loves best, whether it’s gardening or cooking, listening to music, or sitting on the sofa with a good book.

Father’s Day Gifts For Book Lovers

The Past Times library is filled with fantastic books to entertain and inspire, including beautifully illustrated keepsake books that are bound to cover one of your Dad’s favourite pastimes. We have books for art lovers and music buffs, football fanatics and cricket aficionados, books on the spitfire and the Second World War, books for gardeners and cooks, books on trains and cars, plus anthologies of jokes, humorous recollections and just plain silliness that will have your Dad laughing out loud.

World War Father’s Day Gifts

For a lot of Dads, the First and Second World Wars are a constant source of fascination, some Dads having experienced war at first hand, others with Dads or uncles who have lived through conflict. At Past Times we have a range of military history books that offer the perfect Father’s Day present, from books on the Blitz to books on the Battle of Britain. Other Father’s Day gift ideas for war enthusiasts include a range of Spitfire emblazoned gifts, from key rings and cufflinks to cushions and ties, plus a host of items printed with the famous Second World War motto, “Keep calm and carry on.” And if it’s the Great British spirit your dad loves, our Union Jack range will make ideal Father’s Day presents.

Father’s Day Gifts for Music Lovers

For music lovers, Past Times has an eclectic mix of CDs to suit every taste, many offering a very welcome trip down memory lane, from sounds from the ‘50s and the big bands, to nostalgic love songs and rousing film theme tunes. We also have biopics of some of the greatest music legends, from Pink Floyd to The Beatles, plus books about the very best guitar heroes, as well as T-shirts and mugs printed with Beatles memorabilia. Other unique Father’s Day gifts for the musical-minded include our retro-style radios, and CD and MP3 players in the shape of the iconic mini and jukebox, plus traditional-style music players that look like antiques but feature all the latest technology.

These are just some of the Father’s Day gift ideas you can choose for your Dad at Past Times, there are lots more, including nautical-inspired gifts for the sailor, mugs, books and flasks printed with nostalgic images from Charles Buchan’s Football Monthly, Mr. Men mugs and comic book-inspired items featuring the likes of Superman and Dennis the Menace.

Royal Wedding Activities: Create a Great Street Party

On 29th April the whole nation will take part in the biggest royal celebration of the century, with a bank holiday in place, glorious weather promised and royal wedding street parties set to be thrown throughout the country. London is planning four days of non-stop partying, including a special royal wedding themed camping weekend on Clapham Common and live screenings of the wedding in Leicester Square and Hyde Park. Hundreds more nationwide events can be found online. But for those of you who prefer to share the royal wedding celebrations with your friends and family at home, the local street party is the perfect idea.

Street Party Ideas

So, with the sun shining and everyone in the party mood, it’s time to put the finishing touches to your street’s party. With the venue secure, your neighbours all on board, planning for clearing cars and traffic complete, there’s plenty of time now to think about the fun things like food and entertainment. With the wedding ceremony taking place at 11am, you need to decide whether you want to integrate a live screening into your party or simply throw a post-wedding bash.

With guests of all ages it’s important to make sure provisions are made for everyone, with comfortable seating for the elderly and rugs for the very young. Make sure music isn’t too intrusive, maybe setting aside a special time for louder music. Organised party games are always fun, and are probably a must if children are around. Why not draw on the vast catalogue of British summer fête favourites like tug of war, sponge throwing, the coconut shy and with all those chairs around – musical chairs! If someone is feeling clever, they could plan a royal quiz – or why not buy Past Times’ Bumper Great British Table Distractions Quiz Box or Mad Dogs & Englishmen Quiz Box, both filled with British-themed trivia questions everyone will love to answer.

And of course, there’s the subject of the Great British weather – something none of us can plan! At the moment April looks set to be mainly fine and bright, but it is wise to have a contingency plan for wet weather – even if it is just making sure there are lots of covers to hand if the heavens choose to open.

Street Party Supplies

Patriotism is the key to any royal wedding street party and Past Times has a fantastic selection of party ware to turn your street into a great British shrine. Pile the tables high with classic party food – dainty sandwiches with their crusts cut off, sausages on sticks and sausage rolls, cheese and pineapple, fairy cakes and Victoria sponges – all displayed on our boldly-coloured Street Party paper plates and platters created especially for the royal wedding. No street party is complete without buntings lining the road, and Past Times’ Great British Street Party Bunting is just perfect for the occasion, featuring large pennants printed with British and royal memorabilia. For other finishing touches to give that extra royal twist Past Times has paper cake cases with royal themed toppers to put on top of the cakes and patriotic flags and windmills to stick in sandwiches or wave around. Just as everyone is getting weary stick the kettle on (make sure you hire a catering size one for the occasion!) and enjoy one of Past Times’ reviving bags of Ceylon tea, fittingly presented in a commemorative Royal Wedding English breakfast tea tin – it would taste out of this world served up in one of our Union Jack mugs!

And when the party is over and all the guests have gone home, preserve the memory of a great day with one of Past Times’ royal wedding commemorative gifts as you lay back on the sofa decorated with a selection of Union Jack cushions.

As always, we would love to hear about your royal wedding street party ideas and experiences and we can’t wait to see photos of the day – especially if you have used our party supplies!