A global field guide to design, (life)style and secret finds
est. 2007

Author Archives: topbird

  1. Happy Christmas from Rob Ryan

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    Just 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.

  3. Wee find: Christmas wreaths

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    ANTIQUEROSEHIPWREATH

    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.

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    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.

  4. Welcome new Wee Birdy sponsors

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    A big warm festive welcome to One Boutique, Bbel, Makers Online and Scribble House who are joining the Wee Birdy nest this month.

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    One Boutique
    A relatively new addition to the online shopping landscape, One Boutique allows you to shop for clothes and accessories from some of the UK’s best independent boutiques, like Mya Rosa in Somerset, Prettyful Things in Norton and Chameleon in Carlisle. Keep an eye out for quirky finds by small designers, as well as pieces by the likes of Alex Monroe, Vivienne Westwood for Melissa and By Marlene Birger.

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    Bbel
    Every single element of UK-based independent jewellery label Bbel is made by hand, right down to the hand-formed clasps. Inspired by the natural world, there’s an abundance of flora and fauna and in the current collection, including a charming ‘fox stole’ necklace and delicate lily necklace. The prices are also very good, with a silver personalised heart necklace with 14kt gold for £39.

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    Scribble House
    Boasting
    a wide collection of luxe leather gifts and stationery, UK-based
    Scribble House is a family-run business – and a great place to shop for
    gifts. Look out for their luxury leather-bound notebooks that come in a myriad shades (and start at a very reasonable £24), as well as the London A-Z books, which features an underground map insert. Perfect gift for London newcomers and visitors.

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    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.

  5. The Times Online: 50 world’s best design blogs

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    Tol_forblogs_design_200_green 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

  6. Top 10 London Christmas gifts

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    1. Fortnum and Mason biscuits

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    A tin of biscuits may be a bit of a Christmas cliché, but Fortnum’s Piccadilly Biscuit Selection, £13.95, is a particularly elegant option, with a pretty tin of butter biscuits in six different flavours (golden crunch, date & walnut, lemon curd, ginger, macadamia nut and chocolate pearl).

    2. Colour-changing umbrella

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    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

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    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

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    Bypass the department store perfume box sets and head to Ormonde Jayne for the exquisite new Tiare fragrance, which features mandarin, orange flower and Sicilian lime in the top notes, with a ‘heart’ of Tiare, freesia, water lilies, jasmine, orris and ylang. £68 for 50ml Eau de Parfum.

    5. Pigeon hankies

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    Brilliance in a hankie, by London-based designers Thornback and Peel. £18 from Liberty.

    6. Alex Monroe bird ring

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    Wonderfully detailed and delicate work. Alex is a South-Londoner, too. £132 from Alex Monroe.

    7. Grayson Perry Tate Modern scarf

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    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

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    This 'Merlin' leather purse is by East London designer Mimi, and features gold foil stamping by Lucky Bird. £37, from Mimi.

    9. Rococo Chocolates

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    I love Rococo as much for their distinctive blue and white packaging as for their delicious chocolates – and this box of rose, violet, lavender and geranium creams (so very English) is a winner for under a tenner. "Fiori e Cioccolata" 8 flower fondant creams, £9.95.

    10. Mittens necklace

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    Toasty mittens to hang around your neck, £63, by Tatty Devine.

  7. Birdy pick of the week

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    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

  8. Bust London Christmas Craftacular round-up

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    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.

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    Cruel Tea    's rude biscuits (I bought the Tourette's box, and have so far enjoyed 'tits' and 'wank'), tea cosies and aprons…

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    Andrea Garland's beauty kits in vintage tins…

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    Jessie Chorley and Buddug Humpheys' jewellery and ballerina rings…

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    Jazmine Miles-Long's slightly creepy ethical taxidermy, which featured a snow-white baby lamb curled up in an old box…

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    Kate Wilson's wonderful bird prints, calendars, totes and postcards…

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    and Caroline Dulko's illustrated softies and vibrant cushions….

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    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.

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