Oh Seamstar, you are spoiling us

Ooh, lots of lovely new things for the Summer from spectacular online fabric store, Seamstar...

(from top down)

1. I love this sexy, retro-tinged African Queen print by California-based designer, Alexander Henry (£3.25 per ¼ metre, from a 110cm wide roll). I'm not sure I'd use it for cushions, but think it would be fantastic for a bit of light upholstery, chair seats perhaps, or as a bed runner or a roman blind in the loo.


2.  Or if you can't decide which of the Alexander Henry fabrics to choose, buy a bundle: £26 the lot, and each piece measures ¼ metre square. It looks good as it is – stick it on a prominent shelf and leave the sewing machine under cover.

3.  Circa 60 Beach Mod, £3.90 per ¼ metre for a 116cm wide roll, would make great curtains and quilts for a campervan – or pillow cases for an outdoorsy small person. The designer is another Californian, Jennifer Moore who runs Monaluna.

4. This bundle of vintage-inspired designs is by Heather Moore, from her Cut Out and Keep range. It costs £25.20 (per ¼ metre, from a 110cm wide roll) and would make a gorgeous gift – but hurry, there are just six left in stock.

5. Can't resist one more Alexander Henry. This is Mum in Pink, from the Griffith Park range. Again, it's £3.25 for ¼ metre, on a 110cm roll.

Post Title

→

Oh Seamstar, you are spoiling us

Post URL

→

http://asfers.blogspot.com/2011/05/oh-seamstar-you-are-spoiling-us.html

Visit Creative Blogspot for Daily Updated Creative Blogspot Collection

Colourful new arrivals at Pedlars

Love these new items on the ever stylish Pedlars menu.


Totally can't afford this gorgeous, colourful Folkware crockery (because it's only for sale as a complete set, of 18 pieces, for £245. Sigh.) 


By way of compensation if you, too, can't currently justify a brand new dinner set – equally colourful, and available individually, are these lush POP mugs. They are a whopping half pint size (I have some other Pedlars mugs the same shape and always have the best morning cuppa from them) and have cute slogans on the bases – such as 'Lightbulb', 'Kiss Me' and 'Ice Cream'... yum. Each mug costs £13.95. Build your collection slowly. 


There are lots of other goodies in the new summer range on the Pedlars website, including some lovely retro-style city prints in frames... 

Post Title

→

Colourful new arrivals at Pedlars

Post URL

→

http://asfers.blogspot.com/2011/05/colourful-new-arrivals-at-pedlars.html

Visit Creative Blogspot for Daily Updated Creative Blogspot Collection

Pretty Japanese postcards – and money to a good cause

Aren't these Japanese-style illustrated postcards beautiful? 
They're from Our Shop, the retail side of Our Workshop, a graphic design collaboration which aims to showcase fresh new creative talent. They sell well-chosen vintage things, handcrafted homewares – and stunning artwork in the form of cards, like these.
The artist behind this limited edition set of five A6 mini-prints is the illustrator, Julie LaBulle. Each postcard features a unique japanese icon, from a kokeshi doll, kite, lucky cat, daruma and a koi fish. On the back of each postcard, there is a little history about each object. The set costs £10. 
All profits from the sale of these postcards will go to The British Red Cross/Japan Tsunami Appeal.

Post Title

→

Pretty Japanese postcards – and money to a good cause

Post URL

→

http://asfers.blogspot.com/2011/04/pretty-japanese-postcards-and-money-to.html

Visit Creative Blogspot for Daily Updated Creative Blogspot Collection

Five favourite Easter thingies

I'm not a big Easter celebration sort... but I could be tempted by some of the sweet bunny-egg-chick themed things in the shops right now. Hard to resist...

1. Our Workshop is a lovely place to browse online for handmade and vintage goodies. And these egg-shaped salt and pepper shakers, just £3.50 would not only give a sweet Easter twist to your Sunday lunch – but you could use them all year round.

2. These Russian chicks, £10 (set of four), from John Lewis are totally pointless but make for a dinky festive mantlepiece adornment. And kids will love playing with them too.

3. Simple but stylish, no? Wooden bunny ears egg-cup , £10.95 from Not on the High Street (check out their sweet Easter egg cosies too)

4. I had a bit of a bonanza window shop at NOTH (or should that be eggs-travaganza, ba-boom). These dinky crocheted chick egg holders, £1.50 each, are adorable though, how could I resist? Perfect for a children's egg hunt, or simply on the table for breakfast or a small, chocolate-y pudding...

5. Do you need bunny-shaped Easter bunting? YES YOU DO! Get yours from Etsy, around £3.30 per garland, plus £1.57 for postage.

PS – if you're looking for cute Easter cards to send, try Claire Giles. Lovely graphics.

Post Title

→

Five favourite Easter thingies

Post URL

→

http://asfers.blogspot.com/2011/04/five-favourite-easter-thingies.html

Visit Creative Blogspot for Daily Updated Creative Blogspot Collection

The lovely Cox & Cox Spring catalogue

What a treat – the Cox and Cox spring catalogue has just appeared on my doormat. And it's full of affordable treats to spruce up the home for spring. A few highlights to inspire...

How cute are these apple bookends? Perfect for the stylish small person in your life (if only children actively chose attractive vintage books, too... perhaps they could go on a nice high shelf – or is that a bit wrong?!).  Mmm. Maybe. Still, they're only £12.50 a set – why not get two pairs?







What a pretty way to display hyacinths. You really feel like spring has sprung with the heady smell of these babies filling the house... They cost £18.50 for the trio 






As regular readers know, I can't resist a nice bit of a canine accessory. This 'bullseye' lamp, made from poly-propylene plastic, would make a great nightlight, or just soft living room floor glow. He's available from the end of the month, and doesn't come cheap – he's £90. But a dog is for life... 







I'm a bit over wall stickers... but these pretty bird window stickers give the whole idea a fresh twist. And they're so friendly-looking  – they're meant to be for children's rooms, but I'd be very happy to wake up and find these little tweets hanging out. They're available from the end of the month too and cost £12.50 for a pack of ten.












Who says fairy lights are just for Christmas? These ones are most definitely summer-friendly; the tiny Moroccan-style lattice-cut lanterns give off such a pretty glow. And just to prove it, the Maroq Light Garland Maroq Light Garland(£36) isn't available until late June... but we think it's worth the wait.

Post Title

→

The lovely Cox & Cox Spring catalogue

Post URL

→

http://asfers.blogspot.com/2011/04/lovely-cox-cox-spring-catalogue.html

Visit Creative Blogspot for Daily Updated Creative Blogspot Collection

Shop at Shelf

I've just been doing a lot of window-shopping at Shelf. If you don't already know it, do have a browse – there are lots of differently priced things, from Matt Pugh's Wooden Owls, £32.50 (middle image) to Emily Warren's weirdly wonderful papier mache wall hangings (top three images), which weigh in at £205 a piece. 

It was those that led me to Shelf, in fact, as I have just been sent a copy of the very cool new book, Casual Living, by Judith Wilson (Ryland Peters & Small) – in which one home featured has a whole family of Warren's paper creations looking down, a little scarily, from a wall. Looks brilliant.

The birds at the bottom are Frerk Muller mugs, £12 each, fine porcelain – and the ravens were originally created by the German illustrator in 1978. Love the OFFCUT Design door wedges, too. They're £12.50 each and are made from discarded laminate and oak. The design is based on a 180° protractor (seen in full, above) with each wedge depicting a different section showing their 12° angle.

Post Title

→

Shop at Shelf

Post URL

→

http://asfers.blogspot.com/2011/03/shop-at-shelf.html

Visit Creative Blogspot for Daily Updated Creative Blogspot Collection

Five favourite clocks

On our search for this week's Five Favourite Friday items, we found too many lovely clocks. So this may have to be the first of several posts rounding up the best...


1. Green retro alarm clock, £19.99
You wouldn't mind waking up to this dinky green 50s-style alarm clock, would you? It's from Brighton shop, Pussy Home Boutique – and the bargain of the bunch.


2. Elephant Clock £43.17 (excluding shipping)

This elephant clock by Etsy store, DecoLab, is cut from eco-friendly bamboo and would look lovely in a child's room. Check out their other animal-shaped clocks too.


3. Newgate clock, £80
This Newgate clock from Pedlars is timelessly simple and just very cool indeed. And it’ll last forever.


4. Half-time cuckoo clock, £165
This this slick lacquered wood cuckoo – available in black, green or red too – from Found Interiors gives the genre a whole new twist. Not cheap, but very lovely. 


5. 1980s Czechoslovakian wall clock, £165
Find this gorgeously unusual wooden clock (which measures 39cm x 39cm x 4cm deep) at Clock Props. And be warned, the place is a tempting treasure trove – but not cheap. Not feeling flush? Try this recently-discovered little secret – the British Heart Foundation's eBay shop! Here are its vintage clocks (starting price, £2.99). Love the Westclox 'Big Ben'.


Edited by Hayley Simpson

Post Title

→

Five favourite clocks

Post URL

→

http://asfers.blogspot.com/2011/03/five-favourite-clocks.html

Visit Creative Blogspot for Daily Updated Creative Blogspot Collection

Robin and Lucienne Day exhibition

My in-the-know friend Abi just tipped me off about Robin and Lucienne Day: The Modern Interior – an upcoming exhibition at the gorgeous Pallant House Gallery, in Chichester, West Sussex.


The show, in partnership with Elle Decoration (among others) starts on March 26 and runs until June 26. I didn't know that the Days' home town was Chichester – but it makes it all the more fitting. You're almost certainly familiar with the cool British couple's post-war work – Robin designed the chair above, and many we've all sat on in public institutions. And Lucienne's graphic print fabrics have had a huge resurgence in the last few years. Together, their commitment was to design low cost, mass-produced, good quality furniture and fabric. Pieces that are now classics. 


If you can't make it, at least enjoy a snapshot, with this clip, below, from a film about the Days that is being screened as part of the exhibition. There is also a tie-in book, also below, £25. 



Contemporary Days: The Designs of Lucienne & Robin Day from Design Onscreen on Vimeo.



And if you haven't been to that part of the world – go! I went for the first time a couple of years ago and the gallery is a highlight – so refreshingly unlike London galleries, and stuffed with incredible art and furniture and crazy room recreations. When we were there, there was brilliant, if freaky, installation of mussel shells, covering an entire staircase. And the South Downs countryside... it's just one of my favourite places ever. If you make it, I'd recommend lunch (and maybe a room) at the Crab & Lobster, on the banks of Pagham Harbour Nature Reserve.

Post Title

→

Robin and Lucienne Day exhibition

Post URL

→

http://asfers.blogspot.com/2011/03/robin-and-lucienne-day-exhibition.html

Visit Creative Blogspot for Daily Updated Creative Blogspot Collection

Best of British

Ziggi Ziggi is a new discovery. Lots of cheap and very cheerful homewares – including this range of British-themed chinaware (there's lots more, including different plates, King's Road mugs and a Royal teapot, but these are my favourites). 


The online store also has a brilliant "shop by colour" facility. Genius. 


But back to British: Fish & chips mug, £4.95; Brittania dinner plate, £5.95; Brittania eggcup, £4.95 

Post Title

→

Best of British

Post URL

→

http://asfers.blogspot.com/2011/03/best-of-british.html

Visit Creative Blogspot for Daily Updated Creative Blogspot Collection

Etsy's 'Little Zoo' prints

Elizabeth Soule, from Portland, USA, took her 'Little Zoo' range of funny/quirky/cool photos on her Polaroid SX-70 camera, then scanned them and matched them to the original Polaroid. Which gives them this strange big/small feel, almost like one of those tilt-shift photos. 

I think they're fantastic. Really love the lion and tiger face-off, below. You can buy one of these cute and unsual prints (6"x6" centered on 8"x10" piece of photo paper – perfect fit for a standard 8"x10" frame) for around £15.50 ($25), plus around £4 postage, at Elizabeth's Etsy shop, or see more of her creative photography at her website.

Go straight to the Deer and Vines print above, which – like the others – comes on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag paper (190 gsm) with Epson archival inks.





Deer and Flowers print
Lion and tiger print
Zebra print


All prints are around £15.50. There are also lovely gnomes, raccoons, birds, hares, whales, pigs and much more...

Post Title

→

Etsy's 'Little Zoo' prints

Post URL

→

http://asfers.blogspot.com/2011/02/etsy-zoo-prints.html

Visit Creative Blogspot for Daily Updated Creative Blogspot Collection

Stylish interiors for children

How adorable is this panda? He's part of a range of posters for children from the online shop, A Little Bit of Art, which specialises in affordable art.

This chap – who officially goes by the name of Pandamonium – costs £40 (40cm x 50cm) and is one of a limited edition of 50 signed screenprints. I like Pandapop too (below). Same price, same size etc.


For more inspiring ideas on staying stylish when you have little people sharing your home, check out my Insider column on the topic in today's Independent on Sunday.

Post Title

→

Stylish interiors for children

Post URL

→

http://asfers.blogspot.com/2011/02/stylish-interiors-for-children.html

Visit Creative Blogspot for Daily Updated Creative Blogspot Collection

Christmas after-glow

Me and my lovely ma in my professionally festive-upped
sitting room (which all makes sense here)


It's been a bit of an extended festive break (mainly due to it not being a break but full of work, but hey-ho, spring holidays beckon...). But we're back - with a round-up of some of my Christmas homes-y highlights for starters, and lots more exciting stuff in the pipeline.

I'd love to hear (and see) everyone else's festive highlights too - whether a great recipe, beautifully set table, moment of tree brilliance, inspired gifts, pretty wrapping... Why not get in touch via Facebook?



In the meantime, here are some of mine:

Yummy five-spice beetroot/vodka soup I adapted a couple of recipes to come up with my best ever beetroot based soup. In a nutshell - garlic, lots of ginger, some red chilli - dried or fresh, and Chinese five-spice, fried gently with an onion; raw, chopped and peeled beetroot and potatoes and a carrot or two if you have some (about a 3/2 ratio for the first two respectively) chucked in the pan for a few minutes; add some vegetable stock, boil then simmer until the veg is cooked. Season and blitz. Squeeze in some lemon juice before serving in bowls over a small shot of vodka. I swirled yoghurt on top, sprinkled with fresh coriander, and made garlic pitta bread strips for dipping. So, so good.







Bargain candles The tacky, panic-bought cinnamon-scented candles from the pound shop actually smelled rather delicious. Just goes to show it's sometimes worth a punt. But a safer bet is this Celery & Herb tin, £8.65, which created a surprisingly sophisticated, unsweet scent (the antidote to the cinnamon ones). The St Eval candle also comes in other lovely non-sickly flavours - such as Bay & Rosemary, Thyme & Mint and Bergamot & Nettle.




My new sofa The pre-Christmas sale at DFS was GREAT (and that's a place I never imagined I'd shop having only ever seen scary looking leather contraptions that move or seem to be designed with aesthetics as the last consideration in their adverts). Having only ever had second-hand and not very comfortable lounging options, this has been a revelation - and was perfect for the festive flu and Poirot marathon I had just after Christmas. Yes, I was shamelessly seduced by the idea of paying a around a tenner a month for pretty much the rest of my life to get my hands on the beautiful, rather Fifties-ish corner sofa you can see my father modelling (left) on Christmas day as he opened his presents from Action Posters. The Candice corner sofa is still available, though (sorry!) the price has gone up again, quite a lot (it's now £1558). But their interest-free credit is quite something - and the next sale is surely just around the corner.














New bowls LOVE these small wooden bowls (left) I found in a charity shop last Autumn for about £2 each. They remind me of the comforting wooden plates my parents had when I was little and I finally got them out at Christmas (to serve the beetroot soup in). I have hunted around and can't find anything quite the same (unless it's really expensive) but I did find these gorgeous mango wood bowls (above) with colourful exteriors (£13 each) from OurWorkshop (a brilliant, brilliant online store where the stylish wares are lovingly handmade).

Post Title

→

Christmas after-glow

Post URL

→

http://asfers.blogspot.com/2011/01/christmas-after-glow.html

Visit Creative Blogspot for Daily Updated Creative Blogspot Collection

Lovely Christmas stylings

How beautifully wrapped are these presents? They're from my dear friend Holly – whose family my family and I spent Christmas day with. And how clever of her to know that the blue of the envelope my card was in would so perfectly match my leg and footwear combo of the day. She wrapped my beautiful gifts (more of which imminently) in the stock and shares pages of the Financial Times. Simple but Lovely.





Great Brazilian lace table cloth - ready for the ginormous roast Christmas goose Holly cooked (my own freaky but reassuringly non-nut loaf style vegetarian creation for me - involving stuffing mix, whole cranberries, liquidised Quorn pieces (not mince) – for bounce, oyster mushrooms, and broken up chestnuts). When pudding came around, we all had chic mismatched plates collected over years, like..



this one, around £12, from Elfi KDO



and this one, £19.99, from the London Transport Museum (it's Park Royal Station, which is rather spectacular)



and this one, £20.50, from Donna Wilson






The chef – with my favourite saucepan ever (and a cunningly matching outfit). Try eBay for similar





What a brilliant Christmas tree. "A dog's dinner" said Holly's mother. How mean! I think it's most stylish. Oh, and on the left you can just see the Christmas moustaches  – so much more fun than festive paper hats





The end of New Year's Eve. A slice of home-made bread and a cup of tea (or coffee) from a cute pot. Circus in Brixton Village is always full of such items, and Oxfam online is also a treasure trove of the things if you are a patient rummager






Deal with Christmas cheese in a compact space by putting it on a cake stand. All this lot was from the John Lewis festive Nordic range (love the robin).




A random selection of baubles – sticking to the same colour or style helps mixing them up. And three is the magic stylist's trick for a good display.

Post Title

→

Lovely Christmas stylings

Post URL

→

http://asfers.blogspot.com/2010/12/lovely-christmas-stylings.html

Visit Creative Blogspot for Daily Updated Creative Blogspot Collection

Festive John Lewis doormat

This weekend I had my house made over for a Christmas shoot for the Independent on Sunday. This lovely reindeer doormat from John Lewis, £13, didn't make it into the feature, but I loved it so much I had to snap it. Along with my new Icelandic sock slipper things, perfect housewear for this snowy weather.

Post Title

→

Festive John Lewis doormat

Post URL

→

http://asfers.blogspot.com/2010/12/festive-john-lewis-doormat.html

Visit Creative Blogspot for Daily Updated Creative Blogspot Collection

PYMCA prints, Faris Badwan, Lawrence Watson - and loads more affordable art at the Book Club

Live in London? Like art? Like art you can afford? Looking for a rather special Christmas present or two...? Then check out the art, prints, posters and arty/printy books sale happening at The Book Club in Shoreditch on Wednesday 15 December.


The quirky bar, which launched last year, has been hosting all sorts of cultural events over the last 12 months – and the images available in this Christmas sale are their favourites from the art and photography exhibitions they've hosted. There will be DJs to perk up your ears while you browse and, of course, it's a bar – so a festive tipple to encourage you to be reckless with the credit card. 


These images (by Faris Badwan, left, PYMCA, the youth culture photo agency, below, and music photographer Lawrence Watson, top, who should all be hanging around on the night) are just a tiny taster of what will be on offer - and it is for one night only so put it in your diary.  



The damage? So un-damage-y: prices from £30 for a Faris Badwan screen print (limited editions from £70); PYMCA posters are £5-10, prints between £50-150. Sonic Edition prints are £69 but they have  £5 posters, and there are books – usually £20 – doing some crazy buy-one-get-one-free and print + free book offers.


The Book Club

100 Leonard Street
London EC2A 4RH
6pm – 12am
FREE ENTRY

Post Title

→

PYMCA prints, Faris Badwan, Lawrence Watson - and loads more affordable art at the Book Club

Post URL

→

http://asfers.blogspot.com/2010/12/pymca-prints-faris-badwan-lawrence.html

Visit Creative Blogspot for Daily Updated Creative Blogspot Collection

Budget-friendly Christmas gift guide

Some generally quite affordable nice interiors-ish things that I think would make great gifts... would love to hear what you think, if you got any of them, who you bought them for. Will no doubt be adding more shortly.






Who for Busy parents who'd appreciate an excuse not to display Auntie Dot's cat calendar this year; architecture students; style conscious entrepreneurs; organised eco bods
Where from The Peanut Vendor 
How much £12
What This no-nonsense wall planner measures 70cm x 100cm and is by Crispin Finn design studio – who apparently only design in red, white and blue. It's 100% recycled and comes beautifully packaged. A great stocking filler or chic Secret Santa.





Who for The chap – or chapess – who appreciates the finer things in life; the friend who throws slightly intimidating dinner parties in her/his uncluttered home; the cognac connoisseur; the friend who has everything
Where from  Boudie and Fou
How much £35
What These deliciously touchable brandy glasses by Normann Copenhagen are specifically designed to "enhance bouquet, temperature and volume" of the cognac, apparently.  If you're buying for someone with lady-sized hands – they also do a smaller version.






*ONE-OFF*
Who for Craft nuts; vintage sewing fans
Where from The OK Corral 
How much £5
What Totally loving this online shop right now. And this book would be a lovely, unique gift for crafty friends or relatives. Not only does it have a marvellously retro cover (it was first printed in 1978) but it is also wildly practical – with tips for knitting, sewing, crocheting and more (it even includes patterns). It's a one-off so no guarantee it'll still be there – but do browse the site's other vintage books,  or try eBay or if you have the patience to rummage, Oxfam Books online has some gems too.






Who for  Children saving for a rainy day; grown-ups who'd like to look at a nice owl sitting on their mantlepiece
Where from  Habitat
How much £10
What It's from the kids' department – he's a moneybox – but this super cute retro styled owl would make just as lovely a present for a full sized people, in the ornament department. Thanks to cunning shopping friend, Holly, for this genius idea.






* ONE-OFF *
Who for Anyone who's just moved house; a chap who doesn't mind getting his hands dirty; the guy with a new home and no clue what to do with it; a single gal (or co-habitee of the former) needing some DIY tips; a young man about to be unleashed into responsible life
Where from The OK Corral 
How much £5
What A thoughtful secondhand book – particularly of the non-fiction variety – can solve the trickiest gift conundrums. This 1913-20 bible of manly skills covers everything from polishing shoes to mixing your own paints. And it's a piece of history! A total bargain to boot. See above for links to some other places to shop around for more of the same.






Who for A man with a home office; a stylish bachelor; aspiring gentlemen; fans of spy novels; probably not someone working in a call centre or the armed forces, the police or at sea
Where from  The V & A shop
How much £15 unframed (try Eframe for affordable non-standard sized frames to order)
What This cool, manly poster features the nautical flag and Nato alphabets. It'd be perfect hung near a popular telephoning spot – for translating call centre interpretations of the spelling of one's name without hesitation. It measures 297cm x 420cm.






Who for Clean, serene design freaks; loveable hypochondriacs; a couple with a newborn and an sleekly designed nursery; chic eco warriors; the stylish in-laws; nature nuts; subscribers to Inhabitat 
Where from  Super-Collider store 
How much £129
What This is Andrea. She looks nice, doesn't she? As well as that, she also purifies your air – in the most natural way known to nature, by filtering toxins through her planty fronds and roots. Only she's a super pimped plant, with NASA research behind her creation – and French designer, Mattieu Lehanneur behind her sleek style. Super-Collider is a sexy science-y organisation that has lots more than gifts going on. Check it out.






Who for The sort of friend who might own a cake stand and drink tea out of proper cups; a no-nonsense kitchen whizz; parents who sit down to breakfast with their toast in a rack; owners of a country-style kitchen
Where from Labour & Wait (click on "all products")
How much £14
What This glass butter dish, made from an original 1950s mould, is a classic bit of design. It's lovely and almost transcends taste; a bit of a no-risk gift for any of the above and many more.






Who for A person in whose kitchen yellow won't clash; a mid-century modern loving friend/sister-in-law/mother; someone who happens to live in a town full of Northern European style townhouses like the ones on the tea towel, or is moving from the country to the town – that would be sweet
Where from Lisa Jones Studio
How much £10
What Love this "Town" tea towel and the way it looks like a chocolate box Swiss village, just waiting for snow to fall. It's 100% fairtrade organic cotton, too.






Who for Storage nerds; those with allotments; that person you know who has a whole cupboard full of bags for life they keep forgetting to take out
Where from Habitat 
How much £15
What Technically it's a bag. But I love the idea of it as the place you dump all that unsightly guff you walk through the door with (keys, bicycle lights, dog lead etc.) – and make it look beautiful. It'd work well by the front door or on a suitable kitchen or hall shelf, or on the stairs if they're wide enough. It'd also work as a magazine rack. And, of course a shopping bag...




Who for That person you know who's just done a first aid course; a parent with small children and a suitable bathroom; the gentleman cyclist who often needs his wheel wounds dressing
Where from Amazon
How much £21.98
What This tin first aid box (21cm x 15.5cm x 16cm) makes a sweet and unusual gift... however, if the colour-scheme of your intended recipient is all about beiges and creams, this might not be ideal – it'd work well in a house which embraces splashes of bold colour.




Who for Someone with a nice desk; anyone who likes Orla Kiely-ish/Scando/mid-century modern stylings; retro kitchen owners
Where from North Rock Gallery
How much £13.20
What Designed by Lotta Odelius for Sagaform, this Swedish tinged ceramic container is probably intended for the kitchen but would look great on a design-y desk – perfect for paperclips, odd coins, Post-it notes of import etc. A row of three would look great.






Who for The Proud-to-be-British; ex-pats missing home; a chap who needs some wall filling but needs to keep it masculine; font nerds
Where from Bold & Noble
How much £38 unframed (it's a standard size, so no need for framers' shops: try Eframes or Ikea's Ribba range for affordability and niceness)
What They do maps in the same range of Australia, New Zealand, the USA and London too, so good gifts for anyone moving or travelling to any of those places soon or, indeed, living there. They measure 50cm x 70cm and also come in a duck-egg blue.




Who for Doggie types
Where from Quietly Eccentric 
How much £30
What These cute cushions come in lots of different breeds – including non-breeds. The designs are printed onto new wool, fully machine washable covers and feature illustrations by the artist Lindsey Gardiner. They're kinda cute.






Who for Wildlife-loving children with bare bedroom floors; stylish vegetarians; pampered pussy cats (or their owners); the nephew you've also sponsored a tiger for

Where from The V& A Shop
How much £20
What This cute-faced fairtrade Tibetan rug is made from felt wool and measures 38cm x 94cm. He's very handsome.



  















Who for The Hipster tween/teen in your life; fashion-forward photography fan
Where from The V & A Shop
How much £12.99
What The Street Style Memory Game features 25 pictures taken by the Flemish photographer, Barbara Iweins of hip young things on the streets of Amsterdam. The game requires players to match their faces with their outfits – or it can be played as a traditional memory game.





Who for Design-conscious in-laws; arty Grandpa or Grandma; husband; wife; colour-loving lover; glasses-wearing pals

Where from Supernice
How much £30
What A rather special glasses case designed by Jonathan Adler, who also makes rather glorious ceramics in the shape of birds and lions and angular faces  (and rugs and exciting books and all sorts) that are currently flying out of the gifts section of Heal's...




Who for Him indoors; the family; anyone with a silly sense of humour who likes a nice big mug of tea; fancy dress fans; the guy who loved Movember more than anyone expected
Where from Pedlars
How much £16.95 each
What Handsome half-pint sized mugs , designed by Peter Ibruegger, with your choice of moustache on the front. They're kind of silly but beautifully made (and so a pleasure to drink from) and would cheer up any kitchen. One or two would make nice stocking fillers, or splash out on a whole set for someone really silly who you really love.

Post Title

→

Budget-friendly Christmas gift guide

Post URL

→

http://asfers.blogspot.com/2010/11/budget-friendly-christmas-gift-guide.html

Visit Creative Blogspot for Daily Updated Creative Blogspot Collection