Sophia & Matt of Greenwich

Sophia & Matt, I salute you.  Your company represents everything that I love about British designer-makers. Sophia and Matt, both with a training in design (she in fashion, he in graphics) make handbags and accessories out of laminated fabric featuring big abstract patterns of spots, stripes and florals.  They started out in 2005, selling at Greenwich Market - doing all the designing, cutting, sewing themselves.  Originally everything was sewn by Sophia, but now to keep up with demand most of their products are sewn in a London factory (they were, to quote, 'hell bent on keeping the majority of production in London'. I love this dedication!). Having traded from Greenwich Market for many years, they now also have a shop at 28 Greenwich Church Street, London SE10 - which I can't wait to visit.

Here's a selection of their products:
Washbag in Rainforest Green (I shall be placing my order for this one shortly)
20.5 x 12 cm, £12

Baby changing bag in Pink Polka Dot

42 x 30 x 18.5cm, £85

Handbag in 70s Floral Black

45 x 26 x 11cm, £47

ps - Sophia and Matt, if you're reading this: the large washbag (not yet available on the website) which I bought at the Spirit of Summer Show is fantastic.

jewellery by Emma Fox

This jewellery by Emma Fox is *so* beautiful: birds in flight or perched on blossom branches, and rabbits chasing stars. Made from silver, and embellished with gold leaf, pearls and semi-precious stones. 

Prices - doves with star: £350; running rabbit and star: £176; fish bracelet: £188.

Please allow up to 3 weeks for orders to be made and sent out to you. More information can be found on Emma's website.

t-shirts for your man

PlaneClothing

Grass t-shirt £20

screen printed by hand in London

Don't Feed The Bears

Tourist t-shirt £18

hand printed in Sheffield

Art Disco

3D Dino t-shirt £20

screen printed by hand in England 

[location not specified by Art Disco]

with ecofriendly inks

The Biscuiteers: Beside the Seaside biscuits

The Biscuiteers have made this lovely box of seaside biscuits - if summer holidays mean sitting in the local sandpit with your kids, rather than sunbathing on the Med, there's nowt wrong with a bit of comfort eating.  Get stuck into these iced chocolate biscuits. Available to order here - £38 for 16  biscuits.

Some favourite book illustrators

John Lawrence 

Eric Ravilious

Edward Bawden

Angie Lewin

Edward Ardizzone

FOXY!

Feeling foxy today at Osborn HQ.

Mibo's Fox Tea Towel (£11.50 plus £2.95 p+p) which can be turned into a soft toy - with the right proportions of needle, thread, stuffing and patience. A good project for a rainy summer afternoon.

Becky Crow works with sheet copper and silver - the flat pieces which are pierced out of the metal and textured and finished with different techniques to give them dimension. 

These fox cufflinks are part of The Forest collection which includes pheasants and oak trees. Contact Becky via her website to buy her jewellery.

One of my favourite foxy necklaces is this one from Clara Francis made from thousands of tiny glass beads woven together (£140).

Lucy Palmer's necklace is of an urban fox taking a walk (£205) - Lucy uses sheet silver, and gold foil to embellish the surface, layering the metal to create a 3D effect.

Unto This Last, Brick Lane

I blogged about the Brick Lane furniture manufacturers Unto This Last here.
On my way to Old Spitalfields Market last month, I went past their shop - I love the detail on their fascia which has been made out of ply, and celebrates their 'Digital Craftsmanship'.

D Chairs (£90) in the shop window

In search of the perfect hoop earrings

This quest has occupied more time than it really should. But it's raining outside and the only option is to listen to folk-punk music, eat marmalade toast and continue the search.

You could do as my stylish friend has done and go to Elizabeth Duke (aka Argos) to score yourself some ghetto fabulous bling, but I prefer these:

Urchin hoops by Alexis Dove, a top choice - they come in either silver or gold vermeil, and two sizes: 42mm or 56mm and cost between £85 and £155 depending on the size and finish.  Alexis is based in Lewes, Sussex, where she has a showroom in The Needlemakers.

Graulated hoops by Hannah Bedford, based at Cockpit Arts Studios in London.  They are available in silver, oxidized silver and gold plated, and they are priced between £100 and £170 depending on the size and finish.  

(NB The design of these hoops has slightly changed so that they are easier to put in, with a butterfly fixing at the back.)

Gypsy Hoop earrings by Caroline Watson, featuring swallows, flowers and hearts (£60) - 18ct earwire, and sterling silver hoop, measuring 2cm by 2cm. Caroline is based in London, and her jewellery can be bought by contacting her through her website, or online retailer Damson Jewellery which stocks a range of her jewellery.

Abigail Percy is originally from Glasgow, and now lives in Belfast. Her work features semi-precious stones and silhouettes of leaves and flowers, such as these Eucalyptus Hoop Earrings (£140) - which are available from her Big Cartel shop.

(there is a 30% discount on her jewellery as she has decided to close down this side of the business, and focus on her company abigail*ryan homewares - to get a discount on her jewellery, type in code FAREWELL at checkout at her Big Cartel shop).

Melanie Tomlinson butterflies

Join in the Big Butterfly Count with these butterflies by Melanie Tomlinson, spotted at one of my favourite jewellery emporiums @work on Brick Lane. They are made of annodised aluminium, in an iridescent rainbow of colours.

For those who want the real thing, find out more about the Big Butterfly Count here: