It's icy cold here in London tonight, but I'm just about to rug up and head out to the opening of The One Ton show at Shoreditch Town Hall, followed by mince pies, mulled wine, and some serious Christmas shopping. All 100 artworks at The One Ton show are selling for £100. Here's a sneak peek of my favourite works celebrating London lyrics:
Adrian Johnson, I like London in the rain (Blossom Dearie). Digital edition of 50.
James Brown, So Nice. Two colour linocut.
Gemma Jones, Terry Meets Julie (Waterloo Sunset, the Kinks). Original artwork.
Daisy de Villeneuve, London Girls (Chas and Dave). Original artwork.
Ruth Green, Dedicated Follower of Fashion (The Kinks). Silkscreen edition of 15.
In the first of my series of Christmas gift lists, I've found all manner of goodies from London for under a tenner. And with all of them available to purchase online, those birdies from outside of London can buy up, too. 1. Freedom SteamCream, £9.95, from Liberty London’s number one cult beauty buy this Christmas, SteamCream uses steam-infused technology to create an ultra-light but deeply moisturising cream that can be used on face, hands and body. It’s made in the UK using oatmeal, orange flower water and soothing lavender oil. I dig the gorgeous collectable tin designs. Thanks to Cult Beauty blog and British Beauty Blogger for the tip.
2. Panama silver pencil, £7, from Smythson For those who love their luxury brands, a stunning slim silver pencil from London heritage brand Smythson is an excellent gift for birdies on a budget. There’s also a lovely gilt version for £9, with lead refills from around £2. Thanks to the super-sharp Consume team at Time Out London who put me on to these little beauties.
3. Trafalgar Shaving Cream, £9.50, from Truefitt and Hill For a wallet-friendly gift that comes with a royal warrant (that would be HRH The Duke of Edinburgh), look no further than Truefitt and Hill’s Trafalgar Shaving Cream. Established in London in 1805, Truefitt and Hill has over 200 years of expertise in grooming products and services, and their glycerine-based shaving cream makes a fine gift for the discerning gentleman. 4. Charbonnel et Walker Marc De Champagne Truffles, £10, from Liberty With a sublime Champagne and butter ganache centre, Charbonnel et Walker’s Champagne truffles are the ultimate in Christmas chocolate decadence. I’ve been known to get stuck in first thing on Christmas morning – naughty (but oh so nice)! Established in 1875, Charbonnel et Walker is one of Britain’s oldest chocolate makers, and have also earned the Queen’s stamp of approval with a Royal Warrant.
5. Lavender vanilla lip balm, £4.50, from Content Beauty/Wellbeing A glorious vintage-inspired tin of certified organic lip goodness is a snip at £4.50 from London’s luxury organic beauty boutique. It’s a dream to use with no artificial preservatives, and the pretty tin can be used afterwards to store hair clips and pins. 6. Liberty print handkerchief, £4.95 for one, from Liberty If a Liberty silk scarf is way beyond your budget this Christmas, consider a pretty Liberty print handkerchief in super-soft Tana Lawn cotton instead. There are crochet-edged handkerchiefs for £5.95, and a pack of three for £19.95 (pictured above). I also like slipping them inside birthday cards to girlfriends back in Australia.
7. Rose Water, £7.80, from Neal’s Yard A lovely old-fashioned beauty gift from legendary London apothecary Neal’s Yard Remedies, this handsome bottle of rose water has a faintly-retro sweet rose scent. Working as a toner to refresh the skin, it also removes final traces of make-up after cleansing.
8. Fortmason Tea, £8.25, from Fortnum and Mason As London’s finest connoisseurs of tea, Fortnum and Mason is a good place to start for affordable Christmas presents. With a blend of Indian and China tea, the classic Fortmason Tea is scented with orange blossom for a deliciously fragrant cuppa. The gorgeous tea caddy can also be re-filled after use.
9. London Classic Mug, £7, from Cath Kidston The new London print by Cath Kidston is inspired by vintage souvenir prints, and makes a very sweet mug design. Perfect affordable gift for Cath Kidston and London fans alike.
10. Archive poster, £7.78, from The London Transport Museum With an archive of over 5,000 posters and 700 original poster artworks, prices at the London Transport Museum start at £7.78 for an A4 print. Search by decade, artist or keyword, and find the perfect gift for your favourite Londoner. This poster of the Tower of London (pictured above) is from 1956 by Hans Unger.
Dear Top Bird, As Christmas is coming up and I want to be a wonderful sister, I was wondering if you knew where to get a horse pendant from? I noticed Alexa Chung wearing quite a fetching one some time back - any ideas? Many thanks and best regards Kay County
Hi Kay, Alexa certainly gave her rather lovely horse pendant a very good work-out this year, wearing it long on a satin ribbon and slightly shorter on a chain necklace. This is a girl who’s not afraid to customise: for instance, she swapped the strap on her Mulberry Roxanne with a vintage Tyrolean-style guitar strap. Likewise, her horse pendant is an example of a “found object” she fashioned into jewellery.
So, thinking along the same lines, I found a similar silver galloping horse on a belt at Urban Outfitters (£26). It’s a good size to wear as a pendant (big and chunky) and you could give it to your sister along with a couple of coloured satin ribbons. I had a close look at the horse and it can easily be removed from the belt. Just tie the ends of the ribbon to the little hooks at the back of the horse.
Alternatively, Asos has an excellent horse pendant of a more stationary kind – a rather sweet rocking horse (and a bargain at £10, see left).
And if you really like Alexa’s style, you might want to check out the skull pendant she designed for the fair-trade jewellery line, Made (£35).
I’ve also found some horse necklaces on Etsy, but they’re of the smaller, finer variety. As they are more delicate, these necklaces look better worn around the neck:
The Christmas countdown has begun, and this year retailers are pulling out all stops to entice you to spend, spend, spend. But if you, like me, are looking for something a little special and unique, give the high street a miss and head to one of London's independent Christmas shopping nights. Here's my round-up of the very best...
1. The best for … checking off your present list Christmas on Cheshire Street
Winning my vote for this year’s best Christmas shopping poster, featuring a rather charming Pearly King by East London
illustrator Paul Bommer (above), Cheshire Street is off to a great start. But it’s the line-up of shops that are the
main prize here, with some of London’s very best independent shopping
on offer. Christmas present ideas range from luxe handmade leather bags
(Mimi) to contemporary homewares (Ella Doran) with Wee Birdy favourites
including Labour and Wait, Shelf, Dragana Perisic, and Mar Mar Co. There will be mulled wine, mince pies and special offers
including 15 per cent discount off all purchases at Mimi.
Christmas on Cheshire Street
Thursday 4 and Friday 5 December 2008
6pm - 9pm Cheshire Street, E2
Nearest tube: Liverpool Street
2. The best for … festive neighbourhood atmosphere Columbia Road Christmas Wednesdays
By far my favourite Christmas shopping event last year, I revelled in the warm glow of Columbia Road’s shops which illuminated a particularly dark and foggy East London night. And with a glass of mulled wine in one hand and a sprig of fresh mistletoe in the other, I was merrily on my way. The live music and neighbourly atmosphere generated by this small community of independent retailers is a welcome point of difference from the anonymity of the high street, with mince pies and glasses of festive cheer on offer in all the shops. And Christmas present shopping is a cinch with 40 independent shops, including Ryantown, Supernice and Sharon Elphick offering everything from jewellery, hats, vintage clothes, antiques, toys, cakes, fragrance, sweets, chocolates, art and furniture.
3. The best for … cool design gifts East London Design Show With an extensive line-up of products by British and international designers, you’re guaranteed to find some seriously good gift options at The East London Design Show. This annual event on the Shoreditch Town Hall calendar promises brand new talent from Mexico, Moscow, Holland and Italy. Christmas present ideas include jewellery, ceramics, furniture, children’s clothes and toys.
East London Design Show Thursday 4 December to Sunday 7 December 2008 Shoreditch Town Hall 380 Old Street London EC1V9LT Admission: £4 Concessions: £2, children under 15 free. Nearest tube: Liverpool Street
4. The best for … the coolest craft Bust Christmas Craftacular Hooray for BUST magazine’s decision to hold its very first London Christmas Craftacular (just ignore me while I crash to the floor in a dead faint). Craftacular is set to be huge with BUST cherry-picking over 25 British crafters for the event. Expect to find only the coolest local crafty talent around with rich pickings for one-of-a-kind Christmas presents. There will also be fun line-up of classes, live demonstrations, DJs, drinks and dancing.
BUST Christmas Craftacular Saturday 6 December 2008
12 noon – midnight St. Aloysius Social Club Phoenix Road, London NW1 Admission: £2 Nearest tube: Euston
5. The best for… wrapping it all up The Design Museum Sparkle the Dark Up
With an excellent line-up of design-led products and books catering for all budgets, the Design Museum shop is a Wee Birdy favourite for unique gifts like gorgeous Suki stationery and Ed Carpenter’s pigeon light. Join in a workshop on the night and learn how to make "designer-style" gift wrapping, tags and cards. The museum will provide all the materials you need - fun! There will also be music and free wine for extra Christmas cheer.
Design Museum Design Overtime Friday 5 December 2008 Until 10pm (last admission 9.15pm) Shad Thames, London SE1 Nearest tube: London Bridge
6. The best for … late night shopping in central London: Marylebone Lane As many of you will know, Wee Birdy has a particular soft spot for Marylebone Lane and its line-up of fashion, shoes, interiors, beauty and accessories. Escape the crazy crowds on Oxford Street and take advantage of great discounts (including a 15 per cent discount at Content Beauty/Wellbeing and 30 per cent off all purchases at KJ's Laundry), festive food, drink and a brass brand. I’ll be checking out VV Rouleaux for some pretty ribbons to decorate my brown-paper Christmas parcels.
Marylebone Lane Christmas shoppping night Thursday December 4 2008 4pm - 8pm Marylebone Lane, W1 Nearest tube: Bond Street
7. The best for … last minute shopping The Super Christmas Market at Somerset House If you’ve left your Christmas shopping 'til the last minute, resist the urge to high-tail it to the high street and head to Somerset House on the Strand instead. Here you’ll find 20 of Britain’s hottest young designers, including Martino Gamper, Tatty Devine, Lady Luck Rules OK and Gitta Gschwendter offering a host of ultra-affordable gifts, starting at just £5. Learn to make some stocking fillers with Kandy Diamond, or try your luck in the snowball-throwing competition and win some limited edition Lady Lucky Rules OK jewellery (see above).
The Super Christmas Market Friday 19 December 2008, 6 – 9 pm
Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 December 2008, 10am – 6pm Somerset House, Strand London, WC2R 1LA. Admission £2, which includes entrance to the ‘Wouldn’t it be nice…’ exhibition. Nearest tube: Holborn, Embankment, Temple
8. The best for … local and handmade We Make Christmas With all things crafty and handmade big news for Christmas, head to this Christmas market for unique and one-off items by local London designer-makers. Bringing the world of Etsy to life, you’ll find a range of gift including jewellery, fashion, art, toys and children’s clothing. There will also be food stalls, carol singing, craft competitions and demonstations. Look out for Miss Bunny's hand-painted shoes (see left), Bombus homewares and Littlechook’s vintage fabric cushions.
We Make Christmas Saturday 6 December 2008 11am – 5pm The American Church 79a Tottenham Court Road London W1 Nearest tube: Goodge Street
London birdies alert – get your Christmas shopping sorted tonight at Carnaby with a 20 per cent discount at over 100 shops, including Wee Birdy favourites Beyond The Valley, Playlounge and Lifestylebazaar and big brands such as Fred Perry, MAC, American Apparel, Office and Ben Sherman. Register at Carnaby for your free ticket.
Hi Top Bird, I'm about to be a mom and I’m looking for nice baby announcement cards. Since I really like your taste, do you have any suggestions for cards? Florianne (Amsterdam)
Hi Florianne,
Congratulations on the impending birth of your own wee birdy!
What is it about babies (and come to think of it, weddings), that sends all sense of style zooming out the window when it comes to graphic design? I’ve searched high and low for decent cards for friends’ babies, only to be confronted by row upon row of boring, bad design in varying shades of puke and a catastrophic combination of pastels. I’m always left wondering: where’s the cool stuff?
Invariably, the answer can be found online, at the websites of independent stationers and letterpress companies. Here you’ll find beautifully crafted cards with unique designs and gorgeous illustrations.
Here’s my round-up of the best birth announcements…
I don't normally do celeb style posts, but I couldn't help posting Emma Watson at the opening of Somerset House's ice rink on Tuesday night. Love her black eye make-up, festive red knotted scarf, and polka dot dress. Somerset House is my favourite ice rink in London - and it's always that wee bit more fun after a glass of spicy mulled wine!
I went for a stroll around central London and Marylebone last night, and found that it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. My vote for the most charming Christmas window? The vintage decoration display in the window at Content Beauty/Wellbeing (above). I don't know how store owner, Imelda Burke, managed to colour-co-ordinate so many beautiful vintage glass decorations, but she did a mighy fine job. So pretty.
I also really liked the sculptural magazine "tree" in the window at KJ's Laundry...
In terms of sheer scale and magnificence, Selfridges have surpassed themselves with a rather anti-credit crunch theme of "the more the merrier", featuring Santa in 19 different window installations.
Santa at the cinema...
Santa gets a beard trim...
Santa takes the Tube...
Santa does his laundry...
Santa goes to the disco...
Santa has a bubblebath...
Santa takes tea...
Santa goes shopping...
Santa eats sushi...
while Oxford Street goes twinkle, twinkle...
and St Christopher's Place goes sparkle, sparkle...
I was at the British Museum on Saturday and stumbled upon a display case full of the most amazing English and European bird-themed jewellery from the mid-19th century. Those Romantics couldn’t get enough of nature!
It reminded me of the latest collection by London jewellery designer Alex Monroe, whose work recalls the endeavours of the Romantic artists to reflect the fragility of nature through the use of delicate materials and precious gems.
Alex's birdy necklaces with pearl “eggs” are irresistibly pretty and somehow manage to look simultaneously modern and vintage. And I love how Mr Bird is sheltering Mrs Bird as they perch on a wire - how romantic!
If you’re in London, you might want to keep the 29th and 30th of November open as Alex will be hosting a special in-store event at Liberty to celebrate their Jewellery Month. There will be some exclusive, hand-made, one-off pieces for the show, and Alex and his team will be on hand for a chat and advise on styles. Bird loop necklace with stone set flower, £135, by Alex Monroe.
I may also be revisiting A Week of Tea in future Wee Birdy posts - there are so many excellent tea destinations in London that it's been difficult to fit them into just one week of blogging. So please bear with me...
