Birdy pick of the week
1 CommentHoliday birds gift tags, US$18 for a tin of 36, from Fred Flare.
Holiday birds gift tags, US$18 for a tin of 36, from Fred Flare.
Dear Top Bird,
As Christmas is coming up and I want to be a wonderful sister, I was wondering if you knew where to get a horse pendant from? I noticed Alexa Chung wearing quite a fetching one some time back - any ideas?
Many thanks and best regards
Kay County
Hi Kay,
Alexa certainly gave her rather lovely horse pendant a very good work-out this year, wearing it long on a satin ribbon and slightly shorter on a chain necklace. This is a girl who’s not afraid to customise: for instance, she swapped the strap on her Mulberry Roxanne with a vintage Tyrolean-style guitar strap. Likewise, her horse pendant is an example of a “found object” she fashioned into jewellery.
So, thinking along the same lines, I found a similar silver galloping horse on a belt at Urban Outfitters (£26). It’s a good size to wear as a pendant (big and chunky) and you could give it to your sister along with a couple of coloured satin ribbons. I had a close look at the horse and it can easily be removed from the belt. Just tie the ends of the ribbon to the little hooks at the back of the horse.
Alternatively, Asos has an excellent horse pendant of a more stationary kind – a rather sweet rocking horse (and a bargain at £10, see left).
And if you really like Alexa’s style, you might want to check out the skull pendant she designed for the fair-trade jewellery line, Made (£35).
I’ve also found some horse necklaces on Etsy, but they’re of the smaller, finer variety. As they are more delicate, these necklaces look better worn around the neck:
Silver stallion necklace, US$19, from Leviticus' Etsy shop.
The Christmas countdown has begun, and this year retailers are pulling out all stops to entice you to spend, spend, spend. But if you, like me, are looking for something a little special and unique, give the high street a miss and head to one of London's independent Christmas shopping nights. Here's my round-up of the very best...
1. The best for … checking off your present list
Christmas on Cheshire Street
Winning my vote for this year’s best Christmas shopping poster, featuring a rather charming Pearly King by East London
illustrator Paul Bommer (above), Cheshire Street is off to a great start. But it’s the line-up of shops that are the
main prize here, with some of London’s very best independent shopping
on offer. Christmas present ideas range from luxe handmade leather bags
(Mimi) to contemporary homewares (Ella Doran) with Wee Birdy favourites
including Labour and Wait, Shelf, Dragana Perisic, and Mar Mar Co. There will be mulled wine, mince pies and special offers
including 15 per cent discount off all purchases at Mimi.
Christmas on Cheshire Street
Thursday 4 and Friday 5 December 2008
6pm - 9pm
Cheshire Street, E2
Nearest tube: Liverpool Street
2. The best for … festive neighbourhood atmosphere
Columbia Road Christmas Wednesdays
By far my favourite Christmas shopping event last year, I revelled in the warm glow of Columbia Road’s shops which illuminated a particularly dark and foggy East London night. And with a glass of mulled wine in one hand and a sprig of fresh mistletoe in the other, I was merrily on my way. The live music and neighbourly atmosphere generated by this small community of independent retailers is a welcome point of difference from the anonymity of the high street, with mince pies and glasses of festive cheer on offer in all the shops. And Christmas present shopping is a cinch with 40 independent shops, including Ryantown, Supernice and Sharon Elphick offering everything from jewellery, hats, vintage clothes, antiques, toys, cakes, fragrance, sweets, chocolates, art and furniture.
Columbia Road Christmas Wednesdays
Columbia Road, E2
Wednesdays 3, 10, and 17 December 2008
5pm - 9pm
Nearest Tube: Liverpool Street
3. The best for … cool design gifts
East London Design Show
With an extensive line-up of products by British and international designers, you’re guaranteed to find some seriously good gift options at The East London Design Show. This annual event on the Shoreditch Town Hall calendar promises brand new talent from Mexico, Moscow, Holland and Italy. Christmas present ideas include jewellery, ceramics, furniture, children’s clothes and toys.
East London Design Show
Thursday 4 December to Sunday 7 December 2008
Shoreditch Town Hall
380 Old Street
London EC1V9LT
Admission: £4 Concessions: £2, children under 15 free.
Nearest tube: Liverpool Street
4. The best for … the coolest craft
Bust Christmas Craftacular
Hooray for BUST magazine’s decision to hold its very first London Christmas Craftacular (just ignore me while I crash to the floor in a dead faint). Craftacular is set to be huge with BUST cherry-picking over 25 British crafters for the event. Expect to find only the coolest local crafty talent around with rich pickings for one-of-a-kind Christmas presents. There will also be fun line-up of classes, live demonstrations, DJs, drinks and dancing.
BUST Christmas Craftacular
Saturday 6 December 2008
12 noon – midnight
St. Aloysius Social Club
Phoenix Road, London NW1
Admission: £2
Nearest tube: Euston
Thanks to Basil Exposition for the tip!
5. The best for… wrapping it all up
The Design Museum Sparkle the Dark Up
With an excellent line-up of design-led products and books catering for all budgets, the Design Museum shop is a Wee Birdy favourite for unique gifts like gorgeous Suki stationery and Ed Carpenter’s pigeon light. Join in a workshop on the night and learn how to make "designer-style" gift wrapping, tags and cards. The museum will provide all the materials you need - fun! There will also be music and free wine for extra Christmas cheer.
Design Museum Design Overtime
Friday 5 December 2008
Until 10pm (last admission 9.15pm)
Shad Thames, London SE1
Nearest tube: London Bridge
6. The best for … late night shopping in central London:
Marylebone Lane
As many of you will know, Wee Birdy has a particular soft spot for Marylebone Lane and its line-up of fashion, shoes, interiors, beauty and accessories. Escape the crazy crowds on Oxford Street and take advantage of great discounts (including a 15 per cent discount at Content Beauty/Wellbeing and 30 per cent off all purchases at KJ's Laundry), festive food, drink and a brass brand. I’ll be checking out VV Rouleaux for some pretty ribbons to decorate my brown-paper Christmas parcels.
Marylebone Lane Christmas shoppping night
Thursday December 4 2008
4pm - 8pm
Marylebone Lane, W1
Nearest tube: Bond Street
7. The best for … last minute shopping
The Super Christmas Market at Somerset House
If you’ve left your Christmas shopping 'til the last minute, resist the urge to high-tail it to the high street and head to Somerset House on the Strand instead. Here you’ll find 20 of Britain’s hottest young designers, including Martino Gamper, Tatty Devine, Lady Luck Rules OK and Gitta Gschwendter offering a host of ultra-affordable gifts, starting at just £5. Learn to make some stocking fillers with Kandy Diamond, or try your luck in the snowball-throwing competition and win some limited edition Lady Lucky Rules OK jewellery (see above).
The Super Christmas Market
Friday 19 December 2008, 6 – 9 pm
Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 December 2008, 10am – 6pm
Somerset House, Strand
London, WC2R 1LA.
Admission £2, which includes entrance to the ‘Wouldn’t it be nice…’ exhibition.
Nearest tube: Holborn, Embankment, Temple
8. The best for … local and handmade
We Make Christmas
With all things crafty and handmade big news for Christmas, head to this Christmas market for unique and one-off items by local London designer-makers. Bringing the world of Etsy to life, you’ll find a range of gift including jewellery, fashion, art, toys and children’s clothing. There will also be food stalls, carol singing, craft competitions and demonstations. Look out for Miss Bunny's hand-painted shoes (see left), Bombus homewares and Littlechook’s vintage fabric cushions.
We Make Christmas
Saturday 6 December 2008
11am – 5pm
The American Church
79a Tottenham Court Road
London W1
Nearest tube: Goodge Street
London birdies alert – get your Christmas shopping sorted tonight at Carnaby with a 20 per cent discount at over 100 shops, including Wee Birdy favourites Beyond The Valley, Playlounge and Lifestylebazaar and big brands such as Fred Perry, MAC, American Apparel, Office and Ben Sherman. Register at Carnaby for your free ticket.
Custom letterpress birth announcement by Papered Together.
Hi Top Bird,
I'm about to be a mom and I’m looking for nice baby announcement cards. Since I really like your taste, do you have any suggestions for cards?
Florianne (Amsterdam)
Hi Florianne,
Congratulations on the impending birth of your own wee birdy!
What is it about babies (and come to think of it, weddings), that sends all sense of style zooming out the window when it comes to graphic design? I’ve searched high and low for decent cards for friends’ babies, only to be confronted by row upon row of boring, bad design in varying shades of puke and a catastrophic combination of pastels. I’m always left wondering: where’s the cool stuff?
Invariably, the answer can be found online, at the websites of independent stationers and letterpress companies. Here you’ll find beautifully crafted cards with unique designs and gorgeous illustrations.
Here’s my round-up of the best birth announcements…
Letterpress birth announcement by Hello!Lucky.
‘Animal Crackers’ baby announcement by Tiny Prints.
‘Vintage rattle’ birth announcement, by Chick Print’s Etsy shop.
‘Chick and dude’ birth announcement, by Chick Print’s Etsy shop.
‘Airplane’ custom birth announcement, by Chick Print’s Etsy shop.
Custom letterpress birth announcement by Papered Together.
You might also like to check out the birth announcements at:
Wooden bird brooch by Daren Wall, £18, from Of Cabbages & Kings.
Of Cabbages & Kings
34b Kersley Road
Stoke Newington
London N16 ONH
Tel. 0207 2540 060
Nearest rail: Stoke Newington
Click here for a Wee Birdy map.
Opening hours:
Tuesday to Friday 11am - 6pm
Saturday 10am - 6pm
Tel: 0207 2540 060
I don't normally do celeb style posts, but I couldn't help posting Emma Watson at the opening of Somerset House's ice rink on Tuesday night. Love her black eye make-up, festive red knotted scarf, and polka dot dress. Somerset House is my favourite ice rink in London - and it's always that wee bit more fun after a glass of spicy mulled wine!
I went for a stroll around central London and Marylebone last night, and found that it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. My vote for the most charming Christmas window? The vintage decoration display in the window at Content Beauty/Wellbeing (above). I don't know how store owner, Imelda Burke, managed to colour-co-ordinate so many beautiful vintage glass decorations, but she did a mighy fine job. So pretty.
I also really liked the sculptural magazine "tree" in the window at KJ's Laundry...
In terms of sheer scale and magnificence, Selfridges have surpassed themselves with a rather anti-credit crunch theme of "the more the merrier", featuring Santa in 19 different window installations.
while Oxford Street goes twinkle, twinkle...
and St Christopher's Place goes sparkle, sparkle...
I LOVE this time of the year.
Birds & nest ring, £120, by Alex Monroe.
I was at the British Museum on Saturday and stumbled upon a display case full of the most amazing English and European bird-themed jewellery from the mid-19th century. Those Romantics couldn’t get enough of nature!
Two birds on a branch necklace, £120, by Alex Monroe.
It reminded me of the latest collection by London jewellery designer Alex Monroe, whose work recalls the endeavours of the Romantic artists to reflect the fragility of nature through the use of delicate materials and precious gems.
Alex's birdy necklaces with pearl “eggs” are irresistibly pretty and somehow manage to look simultaneously modern and vintage. And I love how Mr Bird is sheltering Mrs Bird as they perch on a wire - how romantic!
Mr & Mrs Bird necklace, £105, by Alex Monroe.
If you’re in London, you might want to keep the 29th and 30th of November open as Alex will be hosting a special in-store event at Liberty to celebrate their Jewellery Month. There will be some exclusive, hand-made, one-off pieces for the show, and Alex and his team will be on hand for a chat and advise on styles.
Bird loop necklace with stone set flower, £135, by Alex Monroe.
How could I resist bidding farewell to A Week of Tea without revisiting the wonderful tea-themed brooches by Gloustershire-based Etsy seller, Lupin. These 'I Love Tea' pink pins are US$12.50 from Lupin’s Etsy shop.
I may also be revisiting A Week of Tea in future Wee Birdy posts - there are so many excellent tea destinations in London that it's been difficult to fit them into just one week of blogging. So please bear with me...
I first came across the wonderfully quirky work by London-based jewellery designer Buddug Humphreys at the market stall she shares with Jessie Chorley at Broadway Market. It’s difficult to resist the charms of her teapot and teacup enamel jewellery range, which were inspired by her grandmother’s tea set. They’re also available to purchase online from her website or from Lapin and Me.
With a reputation for displaying cakes “like jewels” (The Goddess Guide by Gisele Scanlon), it didn’t take long for me to sniff out The Parlour at Sketch when I first arrived in London.
Located across the road from Vivienne Westwood on Conduit Street, it offers an avant-garde setting for taking tea. Think traditional private men’s club complete with dark-wood panelling meets edgy gallery with odd-matching furniture and a chandelier fashioned out of Angelpoise lamps. It’s the sort of place where a live bird in a Victorian wire cage is replaced by a mini LCD screen playing looping clips of the real thing. And the toilets? Let’s just say that Kubrick wouldn’t be disappointed.
I was delighted to discover that said cakes were, in fact, exquisitely displayed in a carefully lighted glass showcase, and considering the location and setting, a reasonably-priced menu. Here, a delicious cream tea (fruit scones served with jam and clotted cream with a choice of tea) is £7.75 per person, compared to £10.75 at Liberty. Afternoon tea is also competitively-priced at £18.50 for the traditional line-up of assorted finger sandwiches, fruit scones served with jam and clotted cream, a selection of pastries and choice of teas.
The tea menu offers an excellent range catering for all tastes, with traditional blends and herbal infusions starting at £3. My pick is the deliciously-fragrant Jasmine Silver Fur for £4. There’s also a rather handy free Wi-Fi service, which I noticed quite a few people taking advantage of on both occasions I visited.
Just keep in mind that despite the fabulous cakes and edgy gallery setting, the service is notoriously snail-paced. But what does that matter if you’ve got all the time in the world (or a few emails to write). And did I mention the toilets?
Sketch
9 Conduit Street
London W1S 2XG
Tel. 020 765 94500
Nearest tube: Oxford Circus
Click here for a Wee Birdy map.
Drip Teas teacup and saucer, £21.50, Hidden Art Shop.
Lip Tease teacup and saucer, £21.50, Hidden Art Shop.
In her stunning Drip Teas and Lip Tease ceramics collection, British designer Reiko Kaneko playfully renders the stains and marks we leave behind in 24 carat gold. They’re individually packaged in a black box, making them gorgeous Christmas gifts. Available from Hidden Art Shop.