10 independent businesses I shopped with this Christmas

For some reason, I always feel guilt at this time of year about not blogging here more! I can’t believe April was the last time I wrote something. Shameful. I really do want to be here more next year, but I’m pretty sure I say this every December and then things get busy!

Anyway, I wanted to pop in to share a selection of independent stores I have been spending my pennies with this year. I would say about 85-90% of the presents I buy at Christmas are from small businesses. If they aren’t, it’s generally because it’s not the kind of thing you can source through a small brand or someone has asked for something specific. My daughter asked for a trampoline this year for example!

Bear in mind, that I am mainly shopping for a six year old and for other small people belonging to our family and friends, so there are quite a few shops below that are aimed at children, but there are some lovely lifestyle stores to check out for adult gifts, too.

I’ve shared a few of the things I’ve purchased, but not all just in case any of the recipients are nosying around here! Happy independent shopping!

SQUID INK CO

I bought my daughter one of these gorgeous weaving kits from Squid Ink Co. Although I’ll admit, it may be partly for myself too! I think it’s something we’ll both enjoy. As well as these kits, Squid Ink Co sell some gorgeous concrete plant pots and candle holders and lovely plywood flower presses, too.

www.squidinkco.com

COTTON TWIST

My little lady loves anything crafty and Cotton Twist have some gorgeous plastic free craft kits and art supplies that can even be customised with the child’s name and a message. I think they are really reasonably priced and there are lots of options, from keyring making kits for £2.65 through to large bead kits for making lots of bracelets for their friends for £16.95.

www.cottontwist.co.uk

QUARTERS HOME

For this one I’m sharing a pic not of what I purchased, but what I really want for myself! :) Quarters Home is a newly launched online shop which I’m a little bit in love with. I discovered them when owner Eleanor approached me about stocking 91 Magazine (which you’ll now find on their website). It’s a carefully curated collection of simply lovely things, and given half the chance, I’d buy one of everything.

www.quartershome.co.uk

CHERRYADE

Cherryade in Poundbury is one of those physical stores that I am desperate to visit. Perhaps I’ll suggest a Dorset camping trip next summer just so I can make a detour there! They have just recently launched their online store which has made me SO happy. My only problem with doing my Christmas shopping here, is that (again!) I just wanted everything for myself!

www.cherryade.store

BERYLUNE

I’m pretty sure I buy a few things from Berylune every Christmas (and throughout the year!) as they’ve got such a vast range of beautiful goodies, so you can sort out people of all ages in one go. They offer amazing ‘build your own’ treat boxes - meaning you can set your own budget and also select the items you know the recipient will love. I also usually grab a few little stocking fillers, too.

www.berylune.co.uk

THE DEN KIT CO

What kid doesn’t like making a den and / or making potions?! This website offers really lovely little kits for these and other outdoor activities. Prices ranges from £7.50 for the mini kits and up to £60 for the bigger den kits.

www.thedenkitco.com

BOHEMIA DESIGN

Ok, I’ll admit, the ratio of my purchases from here turned out to be 2:1 - two for me, one for someone else! But hey, you can never have enough storage baskets and I feel like I’m constantly striving for more organisation in our house. My ‘someone else’ purchase was this sweet little picnic basket for my sweet little girl.

www.bohemiadesign.co.uk

MOLLY MEG

Molly Meg is another of my go-to stores for children’s gifts, with such a wide range to choose from, featuring lots of gorgeous brands such as Nobodinoz, Olli Ella, and Rose in April. They have a great selection of the Little People Big Dreams books. I ordered one of those, along with some lovely little stocking fillers.

www.mollymeg.com

ATTIRECARE

So, I’m not sure whether you think it is weird to gift someone cleaning products, but I for one, know a person who spends an incredible amount of time cleaning their shoes, so a kit from Attirecare feels like something they will appreciate it. They also stock a lovely pillow mist spray and garment care products that I also think would make nice gifts. At the moment, they are including a free hand sanitiser with every order - something I think we’ll all still be using for a few more months yet…!

www.attirecare.com

EVA AND ROSE

This was actually a ‘new-to-me’ online shop that I discovered when googling for something specific; the little panda pictured above to be exact. They have one of the biggest collections of Maileg products I’ve seen, which I think are loved by kids and parents alike. They’ve also got a great selection of dressing up items which are always a win.

www.evaandroseboutique.com

There you have it. I shop with many more independent shops and makers throughout the year, but these are just a few I’ve shopped with in the past few weeks for gifts and stocking fillers. I would much rather give a smaller amount of gifts but that are a little bit more special - quality not quantity folks!

I’d love to hear which indie shops you’ve been supporting this year so do leave a comment below so I can check them out!

Merry Indie Christmas one and all! xxx

Meri Meri at The Hambledon collaboration

It's no secret that I love shopping. My heart skips a beat when I discover and step inside a beautiful new store to explore, and that's exactly what happened when I laid eyes on The Hambledon a few years back. I loved it so much I even featured it on the cover of my book! If I live closer I'm sure I would be in there on a weekly basis. In lieu of this, I enjoy keeping up to date on the goings on at the shop via their website and newsletters, and was recently wow-ed by their current collaboration with super fun party & homeware brand Meri Meri.

I'm such a big fan of creative collaborations, they just seem to make so much sense, bringing together brands that can support each other, and share their customer base. I wanted to find out a little more about this partnership, so had a chat with Victoria, owner of The Hambledon, Maria, one of Meri Meri's visual merchandisers and Stef, Meri Meri's Creative Director's Executive Assistant....

PH: Victoria, Can you tell me a little about the Hambledon project space as a concept? 

Victoria (TH): We have a mezzanine level at the back of the shop which, in the very early days, was our menswear department. When menswear moved to its own floor in the basement we decided to turn the area into a collaborative space. We wanted to work with selected suppliers on a pop up/exhibition basis. It's a kind of fun outreach programme!

PH: I know this isn't the first time you've worked with Meri Meri - but how did you collaborative relationship come about? And how does this project differ from the first one in 2015? 

Victoria (TH): When we first worked with Meri Meri we had already organised a number of Projects with other suppliers (but on fashion and homeware) and Meri Meri gave us the opportunity to showcase a more kid centric area. The first Project focussed more on their party ware. This time around they have just launched a new range of children's bed linen and soft furnishings which is the main emphasis for us but we're still selling a lot of the smaller pieces (we can never have enough tattoos and patches and pins!).

PH: Stef and Maria - What is it you love about the Hambledon shop and the space? 

Maria (MM): Walking down the cobbled side passage to find this little treasure trove is a lovely, unexpected surprise. It's such a beautifully curated space, which is so thoughtfully edited, making for a very enjoyable, shopping experience. It feels a little bit more like you're walking into someone's home rather than a retail shop. 

Stef (MM): The people! The Hambledon staff are so lovely and make us feel right at home. They have a great space but what makes it is their products; there is careful thought that goes into the selection and merchandising. They have a formula that works and it keeps the customers continuously coming back for more. The Hambledon give us free reign with the space which we have found quite rare when collaborating or doing pop ups with other brands. They choose the brands they like to collaborate with and then trust them to deliver. I think this makes it even more interesting for the customers as they never know what it’s going to look like next! 

PH: What do you believe are the benefits of collaborating with like minded brands? 

Stef (MM): Like minded brands have like minded customers and by collaborating with them we extend our customer base and reach out to other customers that are much more likely to buy into Meri Meri.  They may not have even heard of us before but by collaborating with other brands they may follow / like it gets us in front of them as well and gets our name out there.

Maria (MM): Creative collaboration with other brands is always exciting for us as it gives us an opportunity to develop ideas and ranges that might not fit into the exact handwriting of the Meri Meri brand, but do work as a collaboration and bring another dimension to it.  

Victoria (TH): It's a way for us to reinvent the space every few months. It gives us something fresh to communicate with our customers. It's usually fun to organise and I hope it shows that we can look beyond our four walls and shake up The Hambledon aesthetic. I don't want the shop to feel too precious.

PH: Finally, Meri Meri also did a wonderful collaboration with Liberty. Do you have any tips or advise for small independent designers and brands on how to go about collaborating with influential brands? 

Stef (MM): Keep at it.  It is hard work to get your foot in the door but once you do it is worth all the work.  Collaborating with influential brands is a great way to get exposure and catch the eye of potential customers.  It also keeps your designs fresh and on trend.

Maria (MM): Be prepared and well planned. Think of it as a partnership. If you're drawn to a particular brand, think about what it is specifically about that brand that your drawn to and what it is about your brand that you feel compliments theirs and work from that. 

Thanks for that insight ladies! Isn't it just a gorgeous space filled with gorgeousness!? I definitely think a day trip to Winchester is on the cards! If you can't make it there though, you can check out the Meri Meri range over on The Hambledon's website. 

My Evolving Style and Harley & Lola

We are slowly beavering away at our new house, despite a bit of a setback when a drunk driver knocked my hubby of his bike a few weeks back. Luckily he is fine, but the injuries he did receive means he's not been able to do much manual work of late! But my dad has stepped in to help with a lot of decorating and sorting out the garden, so we're getting there slowly but surely. 

I'll admit that my focus has been on the sourcing side of things, which of course I love! A few years back my sourcing techniques would have mainly consisted of early mornings at flea markets and car boots and browsing eBay for bargains. While I still have a love of vintage and a good bargain, I feel a little like my style have evolved greatly of late, and I have found myself quite taken by the Scandi trend and mid-century look, particularly when it comes to furniture. Some of this evolution may be down to laziness and finding that getting things delivered to my door is much easier that rising at dawn to hit the markets! But whatever the reason, I'm spending lots of time online researching furniture, discovering new brands and building wishlists! 

Wycombe bed - £970

One brand I've discovered is Harley & Lola, whose furniture and homeware is sourced ethically and they are committed to using recycled packaging wherever possible. I find that when I am not buying vintage - which feels like a form of recycling - that it is a bonus if a company selling 'new' products is willing to put the extra work into how and where they source their ranges from. 

Wycombe mirror - £367

Marlow Console table - £377

Marlow Dining table - £646

They have a nice mix of styles, from the Wycombe range which is quite Scandinavian, to the Marlow range, which has a bit more of country farmhouse feel to contemporary style pieces in their Kielder collection. 

Kielder coffee table - £613

Kielder bench - £322

It's funny, I almost feel guilty for the evolution of my style, and what I am drawn to. I feel like I am 'cheating' on my vintage roots (!) or that I am being too easily influenced by current trends (which I previously always thought I avoided) But I've decided it's best to just go with it, and buy what I like, after all, tastes tend to change as you get older, and I think we are influenced by trends whether we like it or not! I know I certainly wouldn't dress in the same clothes I wore in my late teens, so my interiors preferences are bound to be different too! 

Anyway, I'm excited to see how our new house progresses and how different/similar it might end up to our last place. I hope you will follow along too! 

Do check out Harley & Lola for more of the above too. 

*This post was written in collaboration with Harley & Lola, but all views, thoughts and choices are my own.*

Sofa Inspiration - The Lounge Co

With our house move (finally!) imminent, searching for and buying furniture is now at the forefront of my mind, despite knowing that there are lots of 'boring' jobs to be done before purchasing the fun bits! But hey, my interior obsessed brain can not stop itself! 

So here I am surrounded by fabric swatches and poring over brochures which I just received from The Lounge Co! 

The Lounge Co are a newly launched British brand with a lovely, fresh website which I've just spent some time on using their Configurator to try out styles, colours and fabrics. While they are essentially an online brand, they do have a number of 'galleries' situated in retail stores around the UK, including a flagship store in Chiswick, London, where you can go and try out the sofas in person. 

They've got some great shapes like the Florence -  this retro design above, and its really making me think about the option of going for a bright colour. In fact, I've found myself coveting various pink sofas on Pinterest of late... (view my boards) I'm not sure I could do it though, as it means keeping everything else pared back, which I'm not sure I'm capable of! They do look great against a white or grey wall and wooden floor though don't they? 

I think subconsciously though, I'm usually swayed to more neutral colours - and I realised that the majority of The Lounge Co images I selected here feature grey sofas... It's just so much easier to accessorise with bright cushions! Or perhaps a colourful armchair is the way to go.... ?

It's such a big decision, with so many aspects to consider - the space it will go in, the style, the colour, how comfy it is, whether it's child friendly, and of course how much you love it. I feel like I really want to get it right, so it's been useful to browse The Lounge Co site and play around with the different options, as well as know that I could pop to their Chiswick store for a test drive! 

It'll be a little while yet before we finally make that new sofa purchase I suspect, but I'll be sure to keep you posted! What would you do? Stay safe with grey or go bold and pick pink?! 

This post is in collaboration with The Lounge Co. but all words and views are my own. You can compile your own free swatch pack here or browse their sofas and chairs at The Lounge Co. 

A favourite Vintage event - Decorative Living Fair

Well, it's been a super busy few weeks as I've been immersed in getting the first ever print edition of 91 Magazine in to print. It's been stressful yet joyful as well as knackering yet hugely rewarding! if you would like to see the results of months of work bringing the publication together, you can pop over and order a copy via the 91 Magazine website. I really hope you might enjoy it the same as so many others have already. You can see lots of readers pics over on Instagram via the #my91magazine hashtag. 

To give myself a little break and get away from it all last weekend, we took ourselves down to Kent to visit the Decorative Living Fair. This is only the 2nd time I've been to the event at Eridge Park, although I've been to the London one a few times, but this Kent based fair is definitely one of my favourite ones to make the effort to travel to.

Set in the grounds of a beautiful private house, overlooking a stunning view of the Kent countryside, the fair has a real feel of a French brocante or flea market yet is beautifully curated; firstly by Caroline Zoob and Hetty Purbrick who carefully select the vendors, and then each stall is impeccably styled by each individual. 

Chatting with some of the regular sellers, I find out that they only bring their very best stock to the Decorative Living Fair. The quality of stalls means that everyone makes sure they up their game and they all spend lots of time planning and preparing how their stand will look. 

Not only is the quality of stands and products top notch, Caroline & Hetty pay extra attention to every detail. Their food tent is full of seriously delicious lunch options, you can even have a glass of wine or fizz if you so wish! And this may sound silly - but, posh portaloos! I'm sorry, but it does make a difference! (to me anyway!) :) 

While all the stands are great, I do have a few favourites that I look forward to rummaging at! The first is Goose Home and Garden (pics above). Sarah and Paul are talented vintage buyers, and always have the perfect mix of interesting finds - from painted furniture (which they've often restored themselves) to architectural salvage items down to delicate china, cutlery and glassware.  I had to stop myself from bagging this enamel bucket (loved the colour!) as I've put a bit of a shopping ban on myself until we move house! 

The other fave is The Old Haberdashery (pics above). If you've got my book, you may have spotted Sonia's gorgeous shop and home in there, and her stand at the fair is like a mini version of her store - so many beautiful and unique finds and LOTS of haberdashery items you never knew you needed to rummage through. I did cave at this point, and purchased two pairs of scissors! You can never have enough scissors in these days of Instagram photo styling right?! 

Here's a few more shots of lovely stalls and some things I could have easily bought but held back due to the house move!

It was just what I needed after a hectic few weeks (months in fact!) - happily strolling around taking in all the vintage beauty, plus I get a weird thrill from photographing vintage things even though I can't buy anything! :) 

Put the date in your diaries for next year peeps! It's well worth it! More info here: Decorative Living Fair. 

Shopping in Rye, East Sussex

Last weekend we took ourselves off to the South Coast to visit some friends who recently moved to beautiful Rye. I must say, I am a little bit jealous, as it is a lovely little place to live, packed with gorgeous shops to browse on a laid back Saturday afternoon... 

We only had a few hours to shop before they all closed for the day, but I thought I'd share a few of my favourites; the ones I think you should definitely make a beeline for when you visit the town. 

Lion Street Store

A compact little shop that is full of beautiful things. A mix of homewares, books, clothing, stationery and vintage finds, I was really chuffed to hear that they had stocked my book and it had sold out in a week! They had a lovely selection of indie magazines too, which I'd very much like to see 91 Magazine alongside some day soon! 

www.lionstreetstore.com

Four Doors

This quirky little shop originally started off as a pop up shop selling Ladybird books, but is now a permanent fixture selling of homewares, stationery and party supplies and other lifestyle products. I really loved some of their creative display ideas, such as these old drawers holding books...

www.fourdoors.uk

The Shop Next Door

This is actually the shop joined to Rye's well loved hotel The George. They stock all the things that you find in the hotel. So if you really loved those towels you can actually take some home without feeling guilty about discreetly slip them in your luggage!! Even if you haven't stayed in the hotel (which I haven't) you will still feel inspired by their lovely collection of homewares and beauty products. I really loved this little display they had in the window... 

www.thegeorgeinrye.com

Crock and Cosy

For those of us with a deep love for kitchenalia, Crock and Cosy is literally like walking into heaven! It is filled floor to ceiling with vintage crockery, glassware, tupperware, enamelware, cutlery, pyrex, textiles, jelly moulds, utensils, you name it! I could spend hours in here!

There is no website, but here is the address: Strand Quay, Rye, East Sussex TN31 7DB

Wishbarn Antiques

For those vintage fans that love a good old rummage, Wishbarn will be right up your street. From furniture and mirrors to zinc buckets and door knockers, you could even take home an enormous fairground sign if the mood took you! My friend also spotted an original sign from The Laines in Brighton - it's 'original' status giving it a hefty price tag, but still, interesting to see. 

www.antiques-atlas.com/wishbarnantiques

And there you have it, my afternoon of whizzing round the streets of Rye! I can't wait to go back down in the summer months, when we can incorporate ice cream and a beach visit into our trip! 

All photos: Caroline Rowland

New online shop: The Quiet Store

Fellow blogger, freelance journalist and mama, Huma Qureshi has just recently opened a lovely new online shop. called The Quiet Store. Huma starting working on plans to open the store earlier this year, just before her second baby was born (Like me, she doesn't let something like a newborn get in the way of her creative endeavours!) 

I love the name Huma has chosen for the shop and I think it reflects the range of merchandise she has personally handpicked - there is a quiet simplicity to the homewares, textiles, stationery, accessories, jewellery and beauty products you will find.

Huma describes the ethos of the shop... "it is to share an edited collection of simple, unfussy yet aesthetic and functional products that are made by hand, made to last. It's about subtle, low-key but timeless design. All the products have been handmade by specialist artisans and crafters - mostly across the UK - nothing has been mass produced."

Pop over to The Quiet Store to see what else Huma has to offer - I for one know there are a few pieces I'll be adding to my Christmas wish list! xxx 

Images by Veerle Evens

Munich trip: Day 2

So as I mentioned in the last post about Munich, our second day was spent partly at the beautiful homewares shop Room to Dream. Sabine, the owner was holding a bloggers styling event in association with Danish design company, By Lassen, and as we were in town, invited us along! It was especially exciting for me as Room to Dream is one of the shops I've featured in my book, The Shopkeepers Home, as well as Sabine's beautiful home. I didn't get to attend the shoot of this shop, so it was really great for me to see it in person, and meet Sabine, who is SUPER lovely! 

Below is the item we were given to style. It is the By Lassen Stropp - a twist on the traditional peg or hook, and great for hanging tea towels or holding magazines etc. It was really fun to see how different bloggers used it in their shots. You can see more on Instagram under the hashtag #bylassenstropp

Here is everyone enjoying the day, and lovely Tiffany of Curate and Display shooting her food inspired vignette. 

For mine, I decided to incorporate it into a kids inspired display. I love this Ferm Living mobile. and owl....

It was such a fun day, and if you are ever in Munich (which you should totally visit as its a great city!) then do pop by Room to Dream. And of course, look out for it in the book, Sabine's home is to die for too! x

Get the Patchwork Harmony look at Joss and Main

I'm really excited to share that I have just collaborated with Joss and Main as one of their guest curators. If you are not aware of Joss and Main they are a members only site, who hold limited time sales (usually around 3 days) on homewares, furniture and lifestyle products. 

Below is a little peek of what you will find in the sale. You can view the whole edit by registering as a member, which is free, and see if anything takes your fancy! Everything is inspired by my own personal interior style - the sale is called 'The New Vintage' and features industrial, rustic and mid century pieces, mixed with contemporary items and pops of colour for an eclectic, up to date vintage look. 

What's really nice is that Joss and Main's buyers hand pick the products from not only household name brands but also up-and-coming designers and small business artisans, so there is a real mixed bag when it comes to what you will find and everything is of course discounted so you are sure to bag yourself a total bargain! (my fave thing ever!) 

There really is lots to explore, so register now to have a peep at my curated sale (don't worry, you can edit your email preferences in Your Account so you can choose how often you get communications) I'd love to hear what you think and if you buy anything! My favourite is definitely that bright yellow industrial stool! 

Sign up to view the Patchwork Harmony sale. 

Top website for cushions

As we all know, swapping out your cushion collection is an easy way to update your interior. You can change them with the seasons, or just when you get bored. I thought I'd share a fave website of mine for purchasing cushions covers, which is not only super affordable, jam packed with 1000's of designs, it is also quite an interesting concept. Society 6 produce the cushion covers (amongst many other products including shower curtains, iPhone cases, rugs, t-shirts and prints for your wall) on behalf of the artists/designers. So rather than the designer having to front the money for printing costs, dealing with packing and shipping etc, they literally upload their designs, and Society 6 do the rest.

This was one of my recent purchases from the site, and despite being US based, orders seem to arrive quite promptly to the UK. This design is from Sweet Reverie.

There really is an insane amount of designs on there, you could get lost for hours, so I've picked out my top 20 designs to tempt you! Most of my faves are quite graphical or illustrative, but you will find so much more on there if this isn't your thing... All cushions are priced the same no matter what the design, and vary from $20 for a 16"x16 cover only up to $35 for a 20"x20" with cushion pad included. Oh, and you can choose between indoor and outdoor cushions! The only problem is, there are so many designs on there, you might not be able to find the one you liked again! Make sure to pin them, I lost of a few from my selection I'm afraid so apologies for some missing links...!

Top L: Georgiana Paraschiv / Top R: Amy Hamilton / Bottom L: Allyson Johnson

Top R: Wesley Bird / Top L: Alice Rebecca Potter / Bottom L: Her Art / Bottom R: One Happy Mess

Top L: Sweet Reverie / Bottom L: Very Sarie / Bottom R: RK//Design

Top L: Ninola / Top R: Isaiah K. Stephens
Bottom R: Rebecca Allen

Top R: Beth Thompson Top L: LinnMaria_ink/ Bottom R: Kelli Murray / Bottom L: Tangerine-Tan

Visit Society 6 to find your own favourite designs.

Fab followings: Goose Home & Garden

One of my 'go to' shops while I've been sourcing furniture for our kitchen and the nursery has been Goose Home & Garden. I can't remember where I first came across them, but their stall at the Decorative Living Fair last year really caught my eye, and I've since followed them and have got to know the lovely couple, Sarah and Paul, who run it. You couldn't meet a lovelier couple and they are both clearly passionate about their business, and will go out of their way to make your shopping experience with them top rate.

I've bought smaller things from them in the past, but my first furniture purchase was this cupboard which is now in the nursery, but is actually to hold all of my craft supplies. I've really had to downsize on my collection as it used to fill this whole room when it was my office, but I've managed to pack most of it into the cupboard - it's really quite roomy, especially with the little drawers.
 

Sarah and Paul paint pieces like this to a really high standard, so I feel it's worth the extra money to get such a great finish. I know if I was to do it myself, I'd probably use a lesser quality paint, and the finished look just wouldn't look this professional.

So after buying this, I'd been keeping my eye on their site on a regular basis, as I was also on the look out for a big cupboard for the kitchen, so when I spotted this one above I emailed Sarah straight away to reserve it. I've procrastinated before over things on their site, only to miss out, so this time I was straight in there! It was lucky too, as Sarah said another buyer called not long after I'd emailed her! I'm absolutely in love with the cupboard, there's so much space for our larder essentials and other bits of china, glassware and books.

Do pop over to their site to see some of the other lovely pieces of furniture they stock, and if you're not in the market for furniture right now, there are lots of great decorative vintage items which are pretty hard to resist too! Here's a bit of a preview...

Visit Goose Home and Garden and follow them on Twitter and Facebook.
 

Fab followings - Southwood Stores

I haven't done a fab following for a little while, but today I thought I'd give a little shout out to a relatively new online shop called Southwood Stores. The website is run by Hayley Southwood and has a real Scandinavian influence, a style which I seem to be becoming more and more drawn to these days.

There is a real mix of products from home accessories to stationery to clothes and jewellery, all sourced from lovely independent designers such as Mabel and Bird, Paper Moon and Jane Foster.

Here are some of my fave picks from their current collection....

Sokeri pink tea towel, £15

Fine Little Day tray, £35

Raindrop wall sticker, £12

Notebook in soft grey, £5

Mountain print, £45

Visit Southwood Stores for their full range.