We have a winner for the His and Hers Cornishware mugs … congratulations Signature Scent, who was the 36th commenter.
Thanks to everyone who took the time to enter the comp, I’ll be running another giveaway very soon. xx
The most old-school of satchels are having a bit of a moment right now (hurrah!), with a plethora of options (and budgets) on offer. So I'm not surprised that A.P.C, purveyor of all things classic, simple and super-cool, have released these new French schoolgirl-style satchels for spring (310 Euros).
I especially the love this bag (above), which has a most pleasing hue of caramel tan. And it looks a bit soft and squishy – unlike the harder and more traditional school style. Le sigh…
A relative newcomer to London's handmade scene, Make, Do, Mend runs craft workshops in London and the South East. The brainchild of Claire and Bee, who are both knitted textile designers and qualified craft teachers, the workshops cater for beginners, individuals and groups. And by the looks of things, they like to combine crafting with copious amounts of tea and cake (not a bad thing at all), setting up workshops in some of London's loveliest tea spots.
Here are their upcoming London workshops for February. You can book in by emailing Claire and Bee at makedomend@live.co.uk.
Saturday 6th February 2010
Beginner Knitting at High Tea of Highgate
10am-12pm
£25 including all materials, tea and cake.
We will be making a simple cowl which you will be well equipped for finishing at home. This short course will teach the very basics of knitting; casting on and off and knit and purl. Some beginners may go on beyond even this, especially if they have knitted before but are very rusty!
Thursday 18th February 2010
Crocheted Granny Squares at Tea Rooms Stoke Newington
7-9pm
£25 including all materials, hook, yummy cake and unlimited tea.
Grannies aren't so square. They can be hexagonal, circular and 3-dimensional flowers. During the class you'll be able to choose from 2-3 patterns and be taught how to join your motifs to make an attractive 30cm square cushion with button closure. All materials will be provided. You will need some previous experience and know the basic crochet stitches, including chains, double and treble crochet.
Thursday 25th February
Crochet for Beginners at The Gallery Cafe Bethnal Green
6-8pm
£15 including all materials and hook which you can take away.
We will be making a simple cowl or scarf which you will be well equipped for finishing at home. This short course will teach the very basics of crochet; chain, double and treble crochet. Some beginners may go on beyond even this, especially if they have crocheted before but are very rusty!
And check out the Make, Do, Mend blog here.
It’s no secret that my beloved COS, the elder (and more sophisticated) sister of H&M, is my favourite high street shop in London. The fabrics, prints and cuts are superior to anything you’d find in Hennes, but the prices are still extremely reasonable (around £30 for a top or cardie).
The line-up for SS10 is particularly fresh and feminine with a palette of neutral beiges, dove greys, palest blues and pinky-nudes, which softens the more utilitarian and sharply tailored pieces.
It’s the unexpected details (likes assymetrical tucks, twists and ruffles) that make COS at once unique, non-high street and totally wearable, and I especially love the ‘craftiness’ of the apron detailing and oversized pockets in this season’s collection, alongside the sportier acid bright neoprene pieces.
The children’s collections are always particularly well done, with A.P.C.-esque smocks, neutral basics and the most wonderful abstract prints, like this skirt below.
COS
222 Regent Street
London, W1
Tel. 0207 4780 400
Nearest tube: Oxford Circus
Click here for a Wee Birdy map.
Opening hours:
Monday to Wednesday 10am-8pm
Thursday 10am-9pm
Friday to Saturday 10am-8pm
Sunday Noon-6pm
All images courtesy of COS.
The classic blue and white banded pottery of T.G.Green & Co’s Cornishware has been gracing British kitchen tables for over eight decades, and I'm delighted to offer Wee Birdy readers the chance to win a set of 8 'His and Hers' mugs (see above and below).
Each set of four mugs comes in a beautiful Cornishware box and can be ordered from the company’s new online gift service at www.tggreen.co.uk. Prices are £40 per set, with a total prize value of £80. The website features some great Cornishware present ideas, with the entire range of the distinctive blue and white kitchenware, from teapots to egg cups and cake stands to pudding bowls.
For your chance to win both sets of mugs, leave a comment below, telling me what your favourite piece of Cornishware is. The winner will be chosen using a random number generator. Entries close 6pm Thursday 4 February (GMT) and the winner will be announced on Friday 5 February. Please be sure to leave your email address below so I can contact you. Good luck!
UPDATE: This competition is now closed, thanks to all for entering!
The ever-vigilant Likkle Girl Who Wurves Pwetty Things just alerted me to Design Boom's coverage of the recent Maison et Object 2010 in Paris, where Lladró Atelier unveiled their new collection called 'The Parrots Party'. Amazing attention to detail, and each piece is handcrafted in the company's Valencia workshop. Read more about it on Design Boom here.
Bunnies at Spitalfields.
Take a look at Rob Ryan's brand new Valentine for this year. Could the man get any more old-school romantic? I think not. This lovely laser cut is hand-screenprinted and available in a limited edition of 250. You can purchase them directly from Ryantown on Columbia Road.
Thank you all for entering in the Kitty & Polly competition. Using a random number generator, the winner is Gemma Milly.
Congratulations, Gemma, your silver birdy leather purse will be winging its way to you soon.
Loving Emma Cook's spring/summer 2010 collection, which signals a return to her favourite woodland creature motifs across a muted palette of caramels, dusky pinks and chocolate. When I talked to the Dalston designer last year for Time Out, she mentioned that she was inspired by the wildlife in her local park (I spy a birdy and a foxy!).
There are some very pretty and ultra-feminine throw-on-and-go summer frocks in the collection, but my favourite pieces include the fitted short-sleeved shift dress, as well as the '40s-style frock with the tied waist. And I do love the ruffled black coat below for a hint of drama… it's light-weight but has enough coverage for the perfect summer coat (a necessary accessory for British summers). Stockists include Liberty and Matches.
Just wanted to give you a heads-up about Liberty's open call for new British designers and creative talent. They're holding an open call on Saturday 6 February, where designer-makers can present their ideas to a panel of experts including the Liberty buying team (and they promise it won't be anything like Dragon's Den!). The best ideas and designs will have their wares snapped up and sold at Liberty. For more info, including registration details, click here. Good luck, everyone!
In other Liberty news, the store is returning to its Arts & Crafts heritage with a new dedicated department on the fourth floor. Curated by Arts & Crafts expert Patch Rogers, the department will feature original furniture, metalwork and textiles. Look out for a full Wee Birdy report…
One of the wee finds I stumbled across in the Glasgow School of Art shop is this collection of stationery and homewares by London designer Ella Doran, whose shop I reviewed a few years ago.
Capturing some of the more unknown details of Mackintosh's building in her inimitable photographic style, Ella's produced a range of notebooks, mugs and coaster for the shop. Apparently she used the student tour guides' list of favourite 'hidden' spots for inspiration.
Glasgow School of Art
167 Renfrew Street
Glasgow G3 6RQ
Tel. 0141 353 4526
Nearest underground: Cowcaddens
Wee Birdy sponsor Kitty and Polly has just relaunched their website, and are now offering shipment to most of the EU countries. Sign up to their newsletter and receive a 10 per cent voucher every month. Keep an eye out for the brilliant new products arriving in store from early February, including a gorgeous retro-style camper van tea towel and vintage tea towel journal.
To celebrate their brand new website, Kitty and Polly are offering one Wee Birdy reader the chance to win this luxury silver leather purse (above) with handprinted lovebirds motif, valued at £45.
To be in the running for the prize, leave a comment below telling me what your favourite Kitty and Polly product is. The winner will be chosen using a random number generator. Entries close 6pm Thursday 28 January (GMT) and the winner will be announced on Friday 25 January. Please be sure to leave your email address below so I can contact you if you win. Good luck!
***NB: This competition is now closed, thank you all for entering.***
