Classic Canes Purple Floral Elite Folding Walking Stick

The Classic Canes Purple Floral Elite Folding Walking Stick (£44) is certainly elite. This isn’t a proper review as it was used as a competition prize and I didn’t have it cut to my size. I don’t normally like floral patterns on anything, but the combination of purple and the vibrant flowers make this an eye catching walking stick. When folded the stick measures 31cm. The length of the stick is adjustable from 82-92cm. The stick is light, weighing 405g. The handle is a Derby design which is really comfortable for smaller hands. It also has the Classic Canes logo embossed on the brass collar. This is a stylish and comfortable to use walking stick.  

Review: Classic Canes Highland Cows Derby Adjustable Walking Stick

I recently purchased the Poppy & Petunia Groove Life ring and decided that the Classic Canes Highland Cows Derby Handle Adjustable Walking Stick would be a great combination! 

The walking stick is covered in tiny adorable highland cows and thistles. The handle is my favourite style - Derby- as it feels comfortable and is one of the few I can really grip. The stick is adjustable from 73-95cm. It is made from aluminium so is pretty light to use. 

As I am so short - 4ft 8” on a good day I purchase my walking  sticks from the stick and cane shop online. They are one of the few stores who will adjust the sticks as requested. Their sticks may seem more expensive but that is because they apply the 20% VAT as required as certain walking sticks are deemed fashion and are not exempt! 

I love my new walking stick. It isn’t flowery but it is unusual and cute. I would recommend Classic Canes as their walking sticks are well designed and last a long time. I would also never purchase my walking sticks anywhere but the stick and cane shop online as their customer service is great. 

I purchased this item myself and the views expressed in this blog are my own. 

Review: Classic Canes Bats At Night Derby Walking Stick

 I haven’t purchased and reviewed a walking stick for some time but I as I was browsing the Stick and Cane website I noticed that Classic Canes have launched quite a few walking sticks in their Contemporary Chic  Derby Adjustable Stick. The patterns include ladybirds, owls, birds and bats. I want them all, but restrained myself and chose the bat themed walking stick. 

The Bats at Night walking Stick (£46) is adjustable, collapses into four pieces and comes in a protective pouch. My stick looks slightly strange in the photo as I had a piece removed (I am only 4ft 7”). There are black bats, tree silhouettes, orange and yellow stars on a greyish background. Depending on the lighting and background the grey takes on a lavender tint.  The stick comes with a black non slip ferrule and a chrome collar. The colours aren’t exactly the same between the handle of the cane and the shaft (not a design flaw but due to the different materials used to make the stick) and I think that adds to the spookiness of the design. The derby shaped handle is comfortable to hold and the height of the stick is easy to adjust, just press the silver buttons at the top of the shaft and slide to the height you want. Without having any adjustments made to the walking stick it is adjustable from 79cm to 89cm.

I enjoy using this stick. The theme and graphics are really cute and eye catching. I shall continue to use it when Halloween is over! 

I purchased the item myself and the views expressed in my blog are my own 

Sticks & Stones: Valentines Edition

I haven’t posted a Sticks and Stones post in months, so here’s a swift recap. I find/post a fashionable walking stick and show how it can be teamed with various pieces of clothing and jewellery to show how I would put together a hopefully fashionable look. So this post with is influenced by Valentines Day. Lots of pink/red/hearts with a romantic vibe thrown in. 

I found two pink/ heart walking sticks. The first is from Gastrock via EBay UK and the RRP is £68.5 and £6.85 postage. I have had a few walking sticks from this brand and they seem to be very well made with slightly unusual patterns/ colours. It is an adjustable Derby cane. It is adjustable from 85cm-95cm.  It is matte pink with a heart print all over it.  The handle is quite comfy to hold. It is made from carbon and so it is quite lightweight (210g) and easy to manage. 

The second pink/heart walking stick that I found is more purse friendly.  This one is made by Classic Canes. The RRP £32.95. The shaft is a dark pink with white hearts embossed on the front of the cane.  It is an adjustable Derby cane. The cane is adjustable from 70cm to 93cm. The stick weighs 260g. I have reviewed. Massive Canes several times. They are comfortable to use and well made.  

I would team these walking sticks with black boots, lots of heart shaped jewellery and black boots or ballerinas. A floaty grey skirt would contrast well with the pink. I would toughen the look up with a leather jacket.

Review: Ability Superstore & Classic Canes Petite White Summer Floral Walking Stick

My mum was lucky enough to win a Classic Canes walking stick in a recent Ability Superstore Facebook competition.  She chose the white summer floral petite folding walking stick (the summer range also included an ergonomic handled stick and standard walking stick in various summer floral designs. 

It came safety packaged within a few days and my mum is very pleased with it. The stick is adjustable from 32-35" and it is handbag sized so fits in her Kipling cross body bag. The stick has its own plastic pouch and it is easy to fold up and pop in. My mum has rheumatoid arthritis in her hands but she says the walking stick handle is comfortable to hold as it is small and fits into the palm of her hand (I have put a photo comparing the handle with my black petite Classic Canes walking stick which is wider and larger in size). The stick is very light in comparison to her NHS one.  The stick itself looks very summery. The bright flowers look good against the white background and contrast nicely with the gold hard wear. My mum found it easy to adjust the height  of her stick - she just pressed the little gold button and it slid into the next hole.

Since winning her stick she has bought several items from the Ability Superstore website. She found it easy to navigate and find what she wanted and the items arrived within a few days of her ordering them.

She/I would recommend the Ability Superstore and will use it for future purchases. The turn around on delivery is quick, the site easy to navigate and the name is great! They also run regular competitions via their social media pages so it is worth keeping an eye on them!

The item was won in a competition but the views expressed in this blog post are my own.
Ability Superstore Facebook Page

Ability Superstore

Restyle Your Walking Stick

I have now had to use a walking stick for several years and what strikes me most is the lack of choice. Yes,  there are thousands for sale on Amazon UK but the majority are very similar (floral) in style. I started off with the heavy silver NHS one, then wanted one that was more me. I remember going on the Switch Sticks Facebook page when they were asking for ideas and the answer was generally fun, cute graphics with examples of paperchase prints and cute animals. They came out with a line of sticks with colourful swirls, which were okay but not what their potential customers wanted or were asking for.

There are lots of floral walking sticks about but I don't always want that particular graphic. Classic Canes have got a cute fish walking stick that looks a bit like Nemo, a parrot  and a horse walking stick whilst Charles Buyers has a gorgeous British Birds walking stick, but they are the few that I could find.
I decided to restyle a walking stick so it suited me. I bought these 2 walking sticks. The leaves one is from walkingsticksonline.co.uk, the purple and black ones are from the stick and cane shop.
 I bought several packs of cute stickers from eBay and Amazon UK and some book backing plastic.
I placed  them where I wanted on my sticks.I cut the plastic backing into smaller squares and placed them over the stickers to prevent them peeling off or me picking them off. I think they turned out quite well.  Obviously they don't look as professionally done as if they had been created by Classic Canes etc but they are fun, different and fit my personality!

   Woodland stick:
Floral Garden Party Derby Cane 
Woodland creature stickers 

The Snowman walking Stick
Handbag folding stick - black
The snowman and the Snowdog foiled stickers 

Metallic bird walking stick
Handbag walking stick - black 
Birds and flowers 

Butterfly walking stick
Handbag sized metallic purple walking stick
Butterfly glitter stickers 
Metallic butterfly stickers


Backing film for books

Sticks & Stones: Birds of a Feather

Birds, especially British birds, autumnal forest green, deep plum and other such dark colours all make great autumnal colours and patterns.  I like to switch up my wardrobe around now, moving to warmer jumpers, knee length boots and longer coats.  

The British Bird walking cane that I have previously reviewed has both a robin and a blue tit embossed on it, so I normally use this stick now.  

The Melanie Tomlinson Hokusai or existing bird brooches make eye catching pieces either as brooches or when converted into necklaces.  Hermes do a gorgeous enamelled bird cuff, but if that is ot of your budget, then deCumi Designs on Etsy does a beautiful recycled aluminium bird cuff for £15 to £20.  There is a wide range of bird jewellery to be found, some purse friendly, others not so much! 

Clothes wise I found these items at Marks and Spencer.  The jumpers are £19.50, and although they  are not traditional autumnal colours, they would bring some colour in to your autumn wardrobe,  the leather jacket £240 and boots £49.50.  These items would look great with skinny jeans or a skirt and the jumpers bring some colour into wet autumn days!

All my links are non-affiliated. 

Classic Canes/ National Gallery Whistlejacket Derby Walking Cane

Classic Canes have produced several walking sticks under licence from the National Gallery.  They are Whistlejacket by George Stubbs, Sunflowers by Vincent van Gogh and a Still Life of Flowers in a Wan-Li Vase by Bosschaert. They are available as a folding derby stick, derby cane, petite folding derby stick and petite derby cane.  The folding derby stick has 4 pieces and is adjustable between 82cm to 92 cm, the petite version is adjustable from 77cm to 85cm. The cane is adjustable from 77cm to 100cm and the petite 67cm to 90 cm so suitable for a wide range of heights. The canes are £42 and folding walking sticks £46.

I purchased the Whistlejacket derby cane via the National Gallery.  It came carefully package in a tube - i imagine that it is quite difficult to pack up a walking cane to send through the post!  The cane looks like a piece of art.  The horses are strategically placed around the cane and almost look real. The stick is light and comfortable to use, although I would like it if it came with a wrist strap.

Available from:
Whistlejacket Derby Walking Stick
Whistlejacket Petite Folding Walking Stick

Classic Canes: Angel Fish Fashion Derby Cane

I purchased the fashion derby extendable walking stick in Angel Fish from the Stick & Cane shop for £35.95.  Made by Classic Canes the detail on this stick is amazing and would be a great stick for a child/teenager or Disney addict as the clown fish could double as Nemo! I have put pictures of of the fish on my IG account. It is a bright, summery stick, which is easy to cut down (it is adjustable from 76 cm to 100) but I have to get them cut down as I am only 4 ft 8".  It has a derby handle, so can get a bit slippy to hold in hot weather, but it is definitely a fun, statement walking stick 

I purchased this item myself and the views expressed in my blog are my own.

Avalible from here

Tartan Walking Sticks

Inspired by a possible second Scottish Referendum, I decided to look for tartan/celtic walking sticks. The top 3 are from Classic Canes, the bottom from Charles Buyers. The tartan permit blue badge  is from the Blue Badge Company (I have reviewed their permit holders in two previous posts).

I thought tartan walking sticks would be aimed at the older user, but when looking at the colour combinations they are quite eye-catching without being obviously tartan of the old car rugs variety. Rather than mirror the tartan theme clothing wise I would take one of the colours in the tartan and make that my main colour for my clothes so the blend rather than match. 

Available from:

Classic Canes

Walking Stick Scottish Highlands with Elegant Derby Handle Made from Sturdy Crystal Resin, Fitted to a Stick Made from Light Metal with a Typical Scottish Tartan Pattern, Height Adjustable, Includes Slim Rubber Buffer Fashion Derby

Classic Canes Fashion Folding Cane Adjustable Blue Tartan

Fashion Derby Adjustable Walking Stick - Blue Tartan

Fashionable, Multi Coloured Tartan, Height Adjustable, Derby cane + 2 Ferrules and Beige Wrist Loop (Top Quality Bundle

Charles Buyers:
Celtic walking stick

Tartan Patterned Folding Stick

Tartan Adjustable Walking Stick

Blue Badge Company: Tartan Permit Holder

Light Up Walking Sticks

1. This walking stick has a FM radio, emergency alarm, flash light and is rechargeable via usb. The stick is adjustable and can be collapsed so it fits in hand luggage.  It is a busy walking stick with lots of functions. The buttons appear to be placed in an odd position as that is where most people would grip the walking stick handle.

2. This is an extendable stick, is lightweight and has an led light.  Looking at the comments, even in the shortest position this stick would only be suitable for people who are 5ft3" and over.  As it is adjustable I imagine that it would be difficult to alter.  Other than that it looks great, with a strong led light and comfortable handle. 

3. This stick is not collapsible. It is 36" standard length. It is designed so that the user can see anything blocking or impeding their progress such as a kerb.  As the light is so big it would also make the user visible to others if they are outside at night.  The downside is that it is not adjustable.

A light up walking stick is great idea as is the emergency light.  If you are not average size, however, they are not much use as they are not easily adaptable.  It would be great if one of the walking stick/cane companies would bring out a small led torch that could be attached to a walking stick, then it would not matter f the stick was adaptable or not.

Available from Amazon:

LED Flash light Folding Walking Stick / Alarm / FM Radio-re-chargeable, Foldable Crutch (£28.99).

Click to open expanded view Ultimate Magic Cane - Practical and Clever Walking Stick, Folds, Space-Saver, Height Adjustable with LED Light (£17.01).

CostMad TM Illuminated Night Light up Path Finder Lighter Walking Stick Cane Strong Light Weight 36" with LED Light (£15.99).

It's Raining Cats & Dogs (Walking Sticks Rendition!)

Welcoming in 2017 with a blog post about cat and dog walking sticks. I saw a post on Twitter stating that 95% of pet owners buy their pet a present - I know I do and he sends them to the other cats in our close! So how about a few walking sticks that are stylish and pet themed. I found all these sticks on Amazon and the stick and cane web shop. The majority are made by Classic Canes and have Derby handles which are easy to grip. The carved head sticks are more ornamental, I know I would have difficulty gripping it due to neuropathic pain in my hands, but they are pretty to look at! The prices range from £22-£54 which seems to be the average price for these type of walking sticks. I have put the links  to all the walking sticks below.

Cats

http://www.stickandcaneshop.co.uk/Mobile/handbag-sized-folding-walking-stick-cats-c2x17437852

http://www.stickandcaneshop.co.uk/Mobile/chestnut-hiking-stave-cat-c2x21281948

http://www.stickandcaneshop.co.uk/Mobile/beech-derby-walking-cane-with-engraved-cat-motif-c2x21132781

http://m.ebay.com/itm/370485764652?_mwBanner=1

https://www.brollied.com/blooming-brollies-silhouette-black-handle-stick-umbrella-cat.html?utm_source=google_shopping&gclid=COq1nrSyldECFe0y0wodF1AGYg

Dogs

http://www.stickandcaneshop.co.uk/Mobile/handbag-sized-folding-walking-stick-dogs-c2x17438015

http://www.stickandcaneshop.co.uk/Mobile/west-highland-terrier-collectors-cane-c2x10467666

http://www.stickandcaneshop.co.uk/Mobile/border-collie-dog-collectors-cane-c2x10467757

http://www.stickandcaneshop.co.uk/Mobile/pointer-dog-headed-walking-stick-c2x15560476


http://www.stickandcaneshop.co.uk/Mobile/red-setter-collectors-cane-c2x10467565

Sent from my iPod

The Bicycle Bell Derby Cane

The bicycle bell Derby cane made me laugh after a particularly trying day of having people expect me to speed up, get out of their way, be in my way or play dodge on the pavement. The bicycle bell cane has a little bell that you ring to alert other people to your presence! The blurb states "The Bicycle Bell Derby Walking Cane allows the user to make their presence known when walking in crowded areas. Many walking stick users worry about being accidentally bumped into or knocked over in busy situations. By sounding the bicycle bell, users can make other people aware of their presence quickly"

The cane itself is made from beech wood so could be cut to size - it is 92 cm in length and non adjustable. It has a black ferrule and the bell is chrome plated. I just wish they would make a bell (or horn) that could be attached to all sticks!

The bicycle bell cane can be found here and is £20.99: http://www.healthandcare.co.uk/derby-canes/bicycle-bell-derby-walking-cane.html

The Bicycle Bell Derby Cane

The bicycle bell Derby cane made me laugh after a particularly trying day of having people expect me to speed up, get out of their way, be in my way or play dodge on the pavement. The bicycle bell cane has a little bell that you ring to alert other people to your presence! The blurb states "The Bicycle Bell Derby Walking Cane allows the user to make their presence known when walking in crowded areas. Many walking stick users worry about being accidentally bumped into or knocked over in busy situations. By sounding the bicycle bell, users can make other people aware of their presence quickly"

The cane itself is made from beech wood so could be cut to size - it is 92 cm in length and non adjustable. It has a black ferrule and the bell is chrome plated. I just wish they would make a bell (or horn) that could be attached to all sticks!

The bicycle bell cane can be found here and is £20.99: http://www.healthandcare.co.uk/derby-canes/bicycle-bell-derby-walking-cane.html

Sticks and Stones:Evening Glam

In all the introductions to the online evening walking cane/ stick shops there is a general consensus that the cane should be the focal point of the outfit.  This is true for the ones I selected as I thought thought they were the nicest with the most detail. As the McQueen one cost £295 it would certainly be the focal point of my outfit!! If my stick has silver accents I would stay with silver themed accessories if it had gold I would have a matching bag, earrings etc. All the ones apart from the McQueen one are from walking stick specialists so I would not have any safety concerns about it taking my weight. I did find a dupe for the McQueen one for £44 if skulls are your thing from a walking stick specialist. 

I especially like the Swarovski topped walking cane but I feel canes are not as useful for people like me who use my stick for support and need to grip the handle. Canes have less to hold on to and although they look dramatic give less support to the user even if they are pretty to look at. I also like the combination of a silver handle and matte stick as this looks elegant and could be used as a evening/ occasional stick and pared with work wear. 

In terms of accessorises/ jewellery I feel they should be muted and match the stick.

                                                           
I found the largest and most stylish selection of evening sticks at http://www.healthandcare.co.uk/dress-canes-formal-walking-sticks/evening-cane-with-swarovski-crystals.html?gclid=CKb_zJH5r88CFVEz0wodHEEOSA - healthandcare.co.uk and they were all reasonably priced .

The Alexander McQueen one can be found here: http://www.alexandermcqueen.com/gb/alexandermcqueen/formal-accessory_cod46350284jp.html

Sticks & Stones: #owl be yours!

Sticks can sometimes look very similar despite being made by different manufacturers. The floral stick, for example , can be seen in all mobility catelogues. There are some fun looking sticks around but you must always consider the safety and comfort aspect when selecting a stick like those I've put below. Some of the owl heads are more fun than comfort- I certainly wouldn't want to grip an owl's head for more than a few hours and I am not sure if the etsy and the umbrella sticks would be any good safety wise for me as I put my full weight on my sticks, as I use it both for support and balance. They are fun though and would be great for anyone who likes owls!

Jewellery wise there is lots of choice. The owl jewellery I chose off Pinterest ranged from £15 to £2000 for the diamond and carved owl ring. None of these look particularly twee or childish but would complement any outfit perfectly. 

All views expressed in the blog post are my own. 

The owl sticks can be found at:

https://www.completecareshop.co.uk/walking-sticks/dress-walking-sticks/corinium-walking-stick-owl-view-large?gclid=CIKD9PmZ6M4CFRATGwodPjYHeg

http://www.healthandcare.co.uk/novelty-canes/imitation-ivory-barn-owl-hardwood-cane.html?gclid=CNTJxJya6M4CFawp0wodJcYKJw

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/220244312/hand-carved-walking-stick?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_uk_en_gb_a-home_and_living-other&utm_custom1=04b48d49-bdac-488d-9da9-e8cc3fb19ef3&gclid=CNemt7Ka6M4CFcgp0wod0KcBZw

http://www.wilsonwalkingsticks.com/na-wildlife.htm

https://www.soake.co.uk/collections/coynes-collection/coynes-owl-stick-umbrella.html

The jewellery can be found at: 

http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/?gclid=CKKcr5yc6M4CFcsp0wody0YFMQ&dclid=COnn1Zyc6M4CFfAD0wod4QkHQQ
http://www.alexmonroe.com/?gclid=COu8j_mb6M4CFYgYGwodydMEEA
http://www.neimanmarcus.com/en-gb/AMEDEO-Diamond-Trim-Hand-Carved-Owl-Cameo-Ring/prod164050164/p.prod?ecid=NMAF__Hy3bqNL2jtQ&CS_003=5630585
http://www.bluefly.com/

[Pastel] Sticks And Stones!

As the proud user/ owner of a walking stick I am always on the lookout for ones that are not floral but fashionable, hopefully sparkly and will coordinate with what I am wearing without it standing out saying "yes I am a stick" (I do know sticks can't talk).  So for the first in the series of fashionable walking sticks I am going to combine them with stones - sticks and stones! 

As one of the main trends for summer is pastel hues and a theme for makeup is mermaid, again - muted pastel but sparkly tones. I went looking for some candy/ pastel coloured walking sticks. Derby Canes have a massive selection of canes from flowered to very neutral black and brown and yes they have produced Candy Canes:

These are available in four colours: lilac; blue; pink and green and the canes are either extendable or foldable. Derby canes are comfortable to hold and quite light. Even though these do not come in petite (the extendable version is 29" to 39" and foldable version is 32" to 36") I did get my local Timpsons to saw some off the bottom without making the stick unsafe to use. 

Jewellery wise Lola Rose has some fabulous tumbled stone pastel hued semi precious bracelets and necklaces and if you want to be an all out pastel mermaid there is a kaftan which would match all 4 colour ways of the cane. Even though the canes and jewellery are very muted and summery the colours would pop against traditional Autumnal and Winter colours of black, brown and green providing a great contrast in colour and more importantly baking sure you haven't spent your hard earned money on something that can only be worn/ used in the warmer seasons.

If you want to go all out pastel mermaid, coordinating your makeup with jewellery and cane Jouer have brought out a limited edition mermaid themed summer makeup collection which would bring some pastel sparkle to your overall look without looking over the top as though you have just thrown some sparkly glitter on your face look!

                                       
             

All items have either been bought by me or the images taken from Google. If you object to these images being used please contact me and I will remove. 

Walking sticks: http://www.healthandcare.co.uk/derby-canes/derby-extending-candy-cane-with-acrylic-handle.html

Lola Rose:  http://www.lolarose.co.uk/

Jouer Costmetics: https://www.jouercosmetics.com/