Bestest best wishes to all my dear readers for a glorious Christmas and a very happy New Year. Thank you so much for clicking away on Wee Birdy in 2009, may your days be chirpy in 2010.
love Top Bird xxxx
p.s. This limited edition screen-printed card by James Brown comes from one of my favourite Wee Birdy shops for 2009, the very dreamy Frank in Whitstable. Oooh - look how sunny it was back then!
When I first moved to London three years ago there wasn’t a lot happening on Redchurch Street … but my, how things have changed. With the opening of Terence Conran’s traditional British caff Albion at Boundary Project, as well as a slew of pop-up shops, boutiques and galleries, not to mention its proximity to Shoreditch House and Tea, Redchurch Street has evolved into East London’s latest destination for hipsters and cool kids.
But don’t let that put you off. Especially when there are so many delights to be discovered at Caravan, which moved from its Spitalfields Market location 18 months ago. The brainchild of interiors stylist Emily Chalmers, this cosy and welcoming boutique is filled with the kind of lovely stuff you never knew you really wanted (or so desperately needed), like angel wings for candles, toadstool lamps and white ceramic owl money boxes.
It’s superbly edited and excellent for last-minute gifts, especially for those who love their stuff feminine and quirky with a vintage edge. And you can pick up some exceptionally well-priced things and get change from a tenner, like ceramic animal jugs (£8.50 each), small furry deers (£9.95) and hare snowdomes (£8.50).
Caravan is also the main retail outlet for Deborah Bowness’ distinctive hand-printed wallpaper, as well as the main UK stockist for iconic Jielde lamps. There’s also a variety of glass display domes from £29 – perfect for showcasing your favourite pieces Victorian-style (see what I mean about things you never knew you wanted?).
The online shop is equally lovely, with a good selection of some of the shop’s best-sellers, as well as a new
sy and inspirational blog.
Keep an eye out for super-friendly shop-cat Bagpuss, who may just come and rub his head on your shins as you consider your purchases.
CaravanJust look at this heart-achingly tender animated Christmas greeting I got in my inbox from Rob Ryan last week. Click to play! So very Rob. Hands-down the most beautiful Christmas card of the year.
In all my (two) years of posting about Christmas wreaths, I don't think I've ever stumbled across anything as unashamedly romantic and pretty as this antique garden rose and rose hip wreath (from £90) by The Real Flower Company.
I also love the festive simplicity of this rose hip and ivy wreath. The last delivery before Christmas is Wednesday 23rd December - perfect for a lovely (and unexpected) last-minute gift as well as a welcoming door decoration. They also offer same-day delivery to any London postcode from their Selfridges concession.
A big warm festive welcome to One Boutique, Bbel, Makers Online and Scribble House who are joining the Wee Birdy nest this month.
Makers Online
Bringing
together a raft of small designer-makers in the UK, Makers Online is a
new online boutique for hand-crafted products. Unique contemporary
jewellery is its forte, with a wide range of bracelets, brooches,
earrings and necklaces. Keep an eye out for the very affordable
delicate silver jewellery, like these sweet silver daisy earrings for £8.99 and oxidised sterling flower studs for £39.
Yesterday involved a lot of trudging through snow, sleet and rain, so it was utterly lovely to come home to a warm house, twinkling Christmas tree and a very nice email from Times Online telling me I've made the cut for their 50 best design blogs in the world. I'm super-chuffed to make number 25 and included amongst the likes of Apartment Therapy, Modish, Bloesem and Grain Edit.
They had this to say about Wee Birdy: "Incredibly cohesive: London shopping and birds-inspired design, authored by an Australian magazine writer living in London".
Nice early Christmas present, huh? Thanks to all for your ongoing support, chirpy comments and patience with my nerdy birdy ways. I've been visiting some particularly nice shops in London recently, and I can't wait to post about them very soon. xx
2. Colour-changing umbrella
I’m fascinated by this umbrella, which features a white London skyline on a black background. When it rains, the water turns the skyline a rainbow of colours. Genius. £30 from Squid London at Beyond the Valley.
3. Shepherd’s diary
Hand-bound in Shepherd’s London bindery in a range of decorative Japanese papers. The slim-line pocket diary is £19.50 and available from the Rochester Row & Southampton Row stores, as well as Liberty.
4. Ormonde Jayne’s Tiare fragrance
5. Pigeon hankies
Brilliance in a hankie, by London-based designers Thornback and Peel. £18 from Liberty.
6. Alex Monroe bird ring
Wonderfully detailed and delicate work. Alex is a South-Londoner, too. £132 from Alex Monroe.
7. Grayson Perry Tate Modern scarf
Turner Prize winner Grayson Perry has turned his attention to the Tate Modern in this beautifully illustrated silk scarf. (Thanks to Kate Wilson of Little Doodles for the tip!). £63.61, from the Tate Modern shop.
8. Mimi leather purse
9. Rococo Chocolates
10. Mittens necklace
My stand-out Christmas gift for kids this year: the brilliant PlayShapes by Brighton-based Miller Goodman. These modular wooden blocks can be made into a variety of shapes, characters and animals. £69.95 for a set of 74 blocks. They're also available from Aram Store in London.
Aram Store
110 Drury Lane
(Nr. Aldwych)
London WC2B 5SG
Tel. 020 7557 7557
Click here for a Wee Birdy map.
Opening hours:
Monday to Wednesday, Friday, Saturday: 10am-6pm
Thursday 10am-7pm
It was handmade heaven on Saturday when the Bust crew and over 60 UK craftsters descended on Bethnal Green's York Hall. I got there early to snap up some 'arse' biscuits from Belgium Waffle's Cruel Tea store (they had sold out by 3pm) and to do a quick lap around the stalls before it got really busy. Loved Tatty Devine's festive Christmas tree tombola, which took pride of place in the centre of the hall (above). Here are more of my highlights ...
Glasgow's Made in the Shade stall, featuring lavender bird softies by Claire Nicholson and wee Glasgow tenement kits.
Cruel Tea's rude biscuits (I bought the Tourette's box, and have so far enjoyed 'tits' and 'wank'), tea cosies and aprons...
Andrea Garland's beauty kits in vintage tins...
Jessie Chorley and Buddug Humpheys' jewellery and ballerina rings...
Jazmine Miles-Long's slightly creepy ethical taxidermy, which featured a snow-white baby lamb curled up in an old box...
Kate Wilson's wonderful bird prints, calendars, totes and postcards...
and Caroline Dulko's illustrated softies and vibrant cushions....
If you missed Bust, ther
e are a couple of other craft/design markets popping up in London before Christmas, including Designer Makers (19 December) in Euston and Somerset House's Super Christmas market (18-22 December). Perfect for last-minute Christmas shopping.
