Gift ideas from local makers

Why not support local creativity by buying your presents from local makers this year? You’ll also have the pleasure of knowing that your gift is likely to be unique and won’t be found anywhere else on the high street! Here are a few ideas..

Jewellery and accessories

Zahara Crystal Earrings
These gorgeous earrings comprise two druzy crystals, electroplated in 24k gold and measure approximately 7cm in length. A druzy is made up of tiny crystals of minerals that form on the surface of a stone.

Available in blue, black and green, please note shape and size of crystals may vary.
Price £35

Available from Vintage Rose Jewellery

Zahara Long Necklace
This gorgeous long necklace comprises a druzy crystal with a ball chain.This necklace measures approximately 44cm in length. Available in pink, purple, green, blue and black. Please note shape and size of crystals may vary. Price £29
Available from Vintage Rose Jewellery

Emerald green necklace
Gorgeous emerald green hand knitted necklace in green enamelled copper and emerald embroidery thread. This statement piece adds colour to any outfit, looking great with muted shades and brights alike. It really is a one of a kind necklace
Price: £55

Available from www.elenahall.co.uk

Printed geometric leather cuff
Hand printed leather bangle – inspired by geometric fabric patterns. The bangle is light to wear and being leather is strong too. Will fit most common wrist sizes – between 6.5 to 7 inches. Toggle clasp.
Price: £30

Available from www.foxtrotdesigns.co.uk

Umbags
Umbags are created out of the fabric from discarded umbrellas. Stylish, strong, lightweight and water-resistant, they are designed to be kept with you at all times to avoid the need for a plastic bag.
Price: £10

(Up)cycle seat covers
Re-cycle seat covers are also made from discarded umbrella fabric. They are elasticated with waterproof-taped seams and will fit most bike saddles.
Price: £10

Both products can be bought from www.bluepatch.org or a wider selection is available at Diverse Gifts, 390 Coldharbour Lane, Brixton SW9 8LF.

Flextiles’ scarves are hand dyed with indigo using the Japanese shibori technique ( a kind of sophisticated tie dye). Because the scarves are upcycled, each one is unique and you also have the satisfaction of knowing that you are doing your bit for the environment!
Price: From £25

Available from Etsy

Home and children
Jewels / Keys Decorative Holder
Wood covered in a colourful cotton fabric, with a contrasting ric rac braid at the front. Four cup hooks screwed at the bottom of the canvas offer enough space for your keys or necklaces.
Price: £22

Available from www.disbadeth.com

Bedding set for doll’s bed
This pretty soft bedding with an all-over colourful design is made of cotton, and the pillow is stuffed with foam. The perfect gift for your little sweetheart and her dolly.
Price: £22

Available from www.disbadeth.com

The Sea A2 screen print
This is a screen print of an original illustration inspired by Byron. Of course dahhhlllinng – Byron!
Price: £40 plus postage

Available from www.kaylenealder.com

Cat Bowl Canoe – A4 screen print
This is a screen print of an original illustration from the ‘Ships in Small Water’ series.
Price: £25 plus postage

Available from www.kaylenealder.com

Art print ‘considering mermaid’
Intellectual mermaid stops to have a think about what presents to buy her beloved. The Scoop frame is made from solid wood measuring 1.06″ wide x 1.06″ deep. Premium shatterproof acrylic protects the art print, while an acid free dust cover on the back provides a custom finish. Includes wall hanging hardware. Paper size 10″ x 8″. Printed area 7″ x 6″.
Price: £22

Available from society6.com

Art print ‘moondance’
It’s a wonderful night for a moondance 😉 Original art hand cut paper collage on black heavyweight cartridge 14.8 cm x 21cm. Unframed. Packaged inside cellophane envelope with mount board & packaged well enough to reach you in impeccable condition.
Price: £95

Available from www.sarahosarah.com

London neighbourhood tea towels
These colourful and fun illustrated tea towels celebrate London locations from the Barbican and Brixton to Tooting and Walthamstow and make the perfect affordable gift for your London based friends and family.

Price: £8
Available from etsy.com

Little Angel 1 and Little Angel 2

Acrylic on canvas painting size:25x30cm.

Price: £85

Contact Aneta via email on anetart@ymail.com or send a message through www.anetart.com for more information or to buy a painting.

Diverse Christmas 2014 promotion

We’re thrilled to be partnering again with Anita Thorpe of Diverse in Brixton on a Christmas promotion for Lambeth makers!

This is a great opportunity to get experience of selling through an independent retailer – Anita is very supportive and full of useful advice on what a retailer expects from suppliers.

The promotion will run for two months, from 8 November to 11 January, and is open to Makerhood members only. Commission is 35% of the selling price, on a sale or return basis.

Makers who have not taken part in previous promotions will need to attend an interview with Anita in October. Makers who have participated previously do not need an interview but must offer some new designs (selection will be based on submitted images).

Priority will be given to makers who can also offer demonstrations or workshops throughout the promotion.

We will be organising a private view and discount shopping evening to launch the promotion, probably on Thursday 6 November.

If you are interested in taking part, please email images of your work – or a link to your website/business social media pages – together with details of the selling price and a few details about you, to info@diversegifts.co.uk.

Closing date for submissions is midnight Monday 22 September. All applicants will be informed of the outcome by 30 September.

Christmas traditions come home

Every year, on Christmas Eve, my family has pork pie for dinner. The tradition has been passed down from my mum’s family where they had pork pie for dinner on Christmas Eve because my gran would be too busy plucking and preparing the turkey to cook. (Yeah, yeah, grandpa could have been doing the cooking – let’s just say times were different!) I’ve never met anyone else who eats pork pie on Christmas Eve though mum was recently told it’s a Midlands tradition which makes sense as her family is from around Birmingham. Anyway, this tradition means I’ve eaten many pork pies in my lifetime. Mostly these have come from supermarkets. Marks and Spencers and Waitrose both sell reasonable pork pies, however, in 2010, I bought the Christmas pork pie right here in Brixton.

In early December I found out that Ian, at Cornercopia in Brixton Village, was making pork pies to order in a variety of sizes. These pies were handmade from start to finish, pastry, meat filling and apple jelly. I went for the 10-person pie, judging the size from baking tins Ian showed me. It was the largest pork pie I’ve ever seen (yet not the largest I could have had..). I put in my order and on 23 December I went to pick up my pie. It looked magnificent. A pie worthy of Christmas Eve dinner (and Christmas Day supper and Boxing Day lunch as it turned out!). I carried the pie to my parent’s house near Cardiff. My mum cut the pie. The meat filling looked like, well, meat. “That looks different” everyone said, then “That’s good!” when they tasted it. The pork pie of 2010 has set a standard all other Christmas pork pies will have to live up to. I’m just hoping that Ian will be making them again next year..

But the fact that the pie tasted good is only one reason (albeit a pretty good one!) why the pie was so special. I loved contributing the pie to my family’s Christmas and more than that, I loved that it came from the place I live, and that I knew the person who made it. Telling my family the story behind the pie was as much a contribution to Christmas Eve dinner as the pie itself. And with this I understood even more clearly how Makerhood can work. Buying a pork pie from Waitrose fulfills the need to have a pie for Christmas Eve dinner. But I never felt like I was involved with the pie. Buying my pork pie from Cornercopia felt very different. I was contributing to the success of an independent business in my local area and contributing to my family dinner at the same time. I met the people who work at Cornercopia, they make great pies and I want them to be successful – not least so I can get my pork pie there again next year. In return, they provided me with the best pork pie I’ve ever eaten and a personal, friendly shopping experience that gave me insight into someone else’s life in Brixton. If Makerhood can make experiences like this happen I’ll be more than happy!

Xmas Card Making Event: 5 Dec 2010