If you have little ones to buy gifts for this Christmas, take a look at recently launched children’s knitwear label Picaloulou. Designed in Cornwall, each limited edition garment is made at home by a talented team of ladies who lavish hours of love, care and attention on every piece.
The Winter 2011 collection is made from the softest blend of Merino and Alpaca wool which has been farmed in Britain, then spun and dyed at one of the last remaining mills in Cornwall. This doesn’t however mean that they need to be tucked away for special occasions, as each piece is machine washable and has been designed to be worn, enjoyed and passed on to friends or future generations. Browse the collection and meet the team of knitters at www.picaloulou.com.
Exclusive Reader Offer: To celebrate their launch, Picaloulou are offering our readers 20% off the entire collection, plus free standard UK P&P when you enter code FBWL20 at the checkout until 24th December.
We do love a bit of video content here on the blog, so when I spotted this beautiful film by Little Blue Zebra, I just had to share it with you…
Launched just last month, Little Blue Zebra is a family-run business featuring the work of award-winning children’s book illustrator John Butler. Co-founded by his daughters Lucy and Joanna, they explain how their father’s work has inspired this new venture… “Since we were very young, we’ve enjoyed watching our father’s illustrations come to life. Now mothers ourselves, we set up Little Blue Zebra so that these adorable illustrations can be enjoyed as gifts for your children, friends and family.”
The time-lapse video below shows how the detailed illustrations are brought to life, from sketch to finished artwork. With prints starting at just £30, we think they make the most beautiful gifts for a new baby, Christening or birthday. Or why not buy a few and spell out a little person’s name? You can browse the collection and buy online at www.littlebluezebra.com.
If like us you’re a fan of Cornish designer Poppy Treffry’s embroidered homewares, you’ll be delighted to know that she’s holding a sample sale in London next month. Poppy’s designs are inspired by her coastal surroundings and her products, which feature motifs such as fishing boats, campervans and cupcakes, are all sewn on a fleet of vintage Singer sewing machines.
You can find out more about what inspires Poppy in our Meet The Maker interview from last year, or see her at work in her studio in the short video below which will undoubtedly make you want to move to Cornwall and find your inner creative soul! If that’s not on the cards, you can always console yourself with a visit to the Poppy Treffry Summer Sample Sale in Islington on 1st and 2nd July and snap up a few Cornish-made bargains. Browse the collection at www.poppytreffry.co.uk.
With Spring in the air, I just couldn’t resist posting these beautiful pictures of scented narcissi grown on the Isles of Scilly. Located 28 miles off the western tip of Cornwall, the islands enjoy a particularly mild climate, which means that a variety of fragrant blooms can be grown all year round.
On the remote island of St Martin’s, Ben and Zoe Julian’s family business Scilly Flowers has been growing and sending flowers by post for over 18 years. The flowers are picked early in the morning while they are still in bud, before being carefully wrapped and packed into gift boxes. Next they are taken by mail boat to the larger island of St Mary’s from where they take a short helicopter trip to Penzance. Then it’s over to Royal Mail whose job it is to ensure the flowers arrive at their destination the very next day.
Not only are they super fresh, but compared to imported flowers they’re great value too. Prices start at just £9.50 for a posy of 16 blooms, while a stunning gift box of 100 stems costs just £26.50, including first class postage. To order online, visit www.ScillyFlowers.co.uk.
With our own pitter patter of tiny footsteps due shortly, I suppose I can be forgiven for having a vested interest in festive treats for little feet, and the latest collection from children’s shoemakers Starchild certainly delivers. Made in their own factory in Leicester, their funky range of handcrafted leather baby shoes includes cosy sheepskin boots as well as festive designs featuring reindeer, fairies, penguins and snowflakes… perfect for keeping tiny tootsies toasty on Christmas morning!
And as with so many of the businesses we feature, it was all down the the entrepreneurial spirit of one mum who couldn’t find what she wanted on the high street and decided to set about making her own products. Take a look at the video below in which founder and shoe designer Janet Middleton explains why she set up the business… Find out more and buy online at www.star-child.co.uk.
We do love a good video here on the blog, so in a fitting follow-up to British Wool Week last week, I thought I’d share this lovely video about Brora Scottish Cashmere. Find out what inspires their designs, how the knitwear is made using a combination of traditional and modern techniques, and why they are dedicated to manufacturing in Britain.
And here to whet your appetite are a few pieces in beautiful heathery shades from their latest collection… resistance is futile! Find out more and buy online at www.brora.co.uk.
As a self-confessed Cornwallophile (is there such a word? if there isn’t there should be!) and a mum-to-be, it’s probably no surprise that I’m a huge fan of innovative photographic gift company The Day That.
Every morning since midsummer’s day 2005, founder Gavan Goulder and his team of photographers have woken before daybreak to photograph the dawn of a new day over the dramatic Cornish coastline. The images are then printed, mounted and framed along with a personalised handwritten message, to celebrate a special day or memorable occasion, such as a wedding, anniversary or the birth of a child.
Sounds like hard work? Don’t take my word for it, watch their video and see how it’s done… every day, come rain, snow, or sunshine! To browse the photographs taken on your special day, take a look at www.thedaythat.co.uk.
Hoorah! We now have video on our blog, so here for your viewing pleasure is some inspirational footage from London-based bespoke handsewn shoemakers CarreDucker. You can read more about their work and what inspires them in our Meet the Maker interview with co-founder Deborah Carre, or find out about their handsewn shoemaking courses in London and New York at www.carreducker.com.
Hello! I'm Nicky Sherwood, Editor of FromBritainWithLove.com, and I'll be sharing all of my latest discoveries, news and offers as I trawl the nation in search of the very best British made products for you, your home, your family and friends.
