Bags of Love

   Hello my lovelies! I have something to share with you, and it's just in time for summer - and even more in time for Christmas!

   I'm sure you've seen many different photo canvas companies around - some are quite cheap, while others are ridiculously expensive. But most of them always sell the same things: canvases, tote bags, and perhaps cushions - though most usually specialise in the former.

   BagsofLove.co.uk is actually genuinely different. I'm not overly fond of photo personalisation companies since they offer such small range, and because the few times I've used such places in the past the results haven't been particularly satisfactory.

   But, I went over to the website to have a proper look before writing them off.

   I'm glad I did.

   I've never seen - or ever really even thought of - some of the products this wide-ranging website offers. There are the usual canvases, in a brilliant array of sizes, and even include triptychs, but the bags are a little more useful. They offer handbags as well as tote bags, and their cushions are wonderful too. But, they also offer the following things that actually got me pretty excited: deckchairs (with or without the wooden frame), split panels - the kind of thing you can imagine Miss Hepburn changing behind, - dog and cat beds, wallpaper, and even beanbag chairs! I love bean bag chairs! I can't sit in them for too long though or I can't get out without rolling onto the floor.

   They were kind enough to provide me with a couple of pillow cases to try out. I admittedly don't have many pictures I like enough to have printed onto such a thing, and the ones I do I know probably aren't big enough, so I borrowed some amazing Skyrim screenshots from Dead End Thrills. I think it was the right decision. You, too, can design your own pillow cases with photo collections, individual photos, or even more artistic pictures and typography! It's never limited to just photographs.

   To me, the two most important things when it comes to such a company are colour transferring and the feel of the finished piece. I chose two very different images to test out how well light and dark colours come out, as well as detail. And I have to say, I'm impressed.

The black silhouette of the Blackreach pillow case has the colour bang on - that shade of turquoise is my favourite in the world, and I'm very picky about it, and they got it perfectly right, and the black is also perfectly dark enough. Detail was not lost, colours did not bleed - if they would have, it would have been in the lighter details of the rocks, but it's all still perfectly clear.

   In the twin dragons pillow case, which was quite bright due to the exposure levels of the original image, is also exactly the same as the original. The colours and detail are perfect, and the right things are crisp. I don't personally feel much detail was lost.

   Then there's the feel of the finished piece. I had partly expected the covers to be a little rough with the images kind of printed onto it, but instead it is extremely smooth. Smoother than any other pillow case I currently own. The colours are printed more into it than onto it, and are machine washable and tumbledryable. This leads me to assume of course that the finish of every other fabric piece you're likely to come into frequent contact with - deckchairs, blankets, beanbags, duvet covers, and so on - are all going to be perfectly comfortable.

   For anyone interested in such things, they even do fabric printing - perfect for projects!

   I know a few people who are very hard to shop for, especially when it comes to christmas presents, and while I wouldn't usually go to such places for gifts, I think BagsofLove.co.uk could be really helpful this year! There is such a massive range of products that I really do think I could find something for everyone!

   They ship internationally, so no one misses out, but it's wonderful for us Brits, since few good companies ever seem to be based here, minus a few wonderful Etsians.