I met Melissa from Lulu Lights through My Space. She has created a really unusual range of night lights, which act as both an aesthetic piece of art and a practical light source.

Each night light is made from stainless steel, which is hand formed and painted and completed with a choice of image. The images are photo transparencies with a heat resistant backing. There are lots of images to choose from, including scenes inspired by nature, quirky cats, fantasy pictures and nursery rhymes. They are very reasonably priced at just $29.00.

I checked with Melissa and the lights can be used in the UK with an adaptor, which you can also purchase through Lulu Lights for a few extra dollars.

For further details, visit www.lululights.com.

I’ve been looking at our web stats and I’m absolutely delighted that we’re receiving thousands of visitors each month. This is a huge boost for Indie Quarter but more importantly for the designers showcased on the site.

Given the number of people reading the blog, I also wanted to remind you about the forum. It’s quick, easy and free to register and it offers an opportunity to shamelessly promote your business or to advertise any promotions/special offers etc. Or, you can let us know about any cool indie sites or shops that you have discovered. Alternatively, you can just chat and make new friends.

There are currently 3 categories where you can add posts - ‘General’, ‘Indie Designers’ and ‘Have you Seen This?’ Let me know if you would like me to add any further categories.

Looking forward to meeting you on the Forum.

All best wishes from a cold and rainy Manchester

Jenny

So, you’ve rented a film for later, the wine is chilling in the fridge, the bath is running and you’re dying to get back to your paperback.

All you need now are some yummy Feto Soap products to make the evening complete. Why not try some delicious Chocolate Bon Bon Soap? Made with cocoa powder and creamy goat’s milk, they look and smell exactly like the real thing. Or, the sweet scented Lemon Soap Bars? There’s lots to choose from including Brown Sugar Scrub and Chocolate Pudding Soap.

They also do a range of candles in mouthwatering fragrances such as ‘Baked Bread’ and ‘Cake’.

Further details are available at www.fetosoap.com.

The current trend for everything vintage is proving to be much more than a passing fad. As a self-confessed vintage fan, I was thinking about the continuing appeal of vintage bags, shoes, clothes and jewellery. For me, it’s much more than possessing something unusual or even unique. It’s about that item having a past.

I was therefore intrigued to discover the Ink Slinger necklace (above) by Mermade Baubles. Made from Swarovski crystals, lolite stones, sterling silver and a Ming Dynasty pottery shard, it certainly has a sense of history. The pottery shards which feature in a number of the pieces were discovered at various sites throughout China and and are up to 100 years old. So, you’re not only buying a piece of jewellery, you’re also buying a piece of culture and history.

Mermade Baubles have a large range of jewellery made from sterling silver or gold filled wire, with gems, wood, buttons, crystals and beads. The descriptions of each item are beautifully detailed, offering an insight into the inspiration behind the pieces.

For further information visit www.mermadebaubles.com.

Can you believe that we’re already almost half way through the year? It’s months since January and those New Year’s resolutions. And the passing of the months has gone hand in hand with the passing of all good intentions to eat less, drink less and exercise more. Or is that just me?

If you’ve been less than scrupulous with what goes into your body, you can at least think about what goes onto your body. This is much more fun, especially with products such as Monoi de Tahiti - Whipped Body Parfait and Air Baked Bath Cookies by LaVida Given by Nature.

LaVida use almost all natural ingredients in their products and everything is made by hand. Why not start with one of their ‘Nature’s Little Gift Totes’ (above)? You can sample a range of products and choose between fragrances and the products are beautifully presented in a LaVida customised bag. To place your orders visit www.lavidagivenbynature.com.

Are you looking for a gift? If you are and if you’re looking for something a little bit different, something innovative, something that you won’t find on the high street, you might want to check out Indie Holidays.

Based in the US, Indie Holidays is a shopping site which features the work of independent designers. It is updated quarterly to feature products for each season’s holiday. At the moment there are lots of gifts that are perfect for Mother’s Day (May 14 in the US) and Father’s Day and there is also a section devoted to the wedding season.

Each item has a photograph and detailed description. If you click on ‘Purchase this item’ you will be taken directly to the site of that particular designer, where you can complete the checkout process.

For further details visit www.indieholidays.com.

And now for a bit of ‘ultra girly-retro chic’ to spice up your Friday afternoon.

Nitro *A* gogo is Leeza Diehl’s uber sexy brand of bags, wallets and accessories. Leeza’s designs are inspired by ‘real vintage drag racing, surf lifestyles and Hollywood-Starlet glamour of the ’50s and ’60s’. Take this ‘Ultra Girl from Ipanema’ handbag and wallet, for example. Made from vintage 1960 Buick sea foam upholstery and faux cheetah fur, it would add a dash of racing style to any outfit.

And in contrast I picked out this simple and stylish Bombay handbag made from vinyl, with kane handle and faux fur lining (available in a choice of colours).

The full range can be found at www.nitroagogo.com

I love receiving things in the post. Not bills of course but letters, parcels, magazines, packages from eBay . . . . And if I’ve bought online there’s also that surprise element.

If you’re with me on this, you’ll be delighted to learn about Miss Misa. Established in 2005 from a small dorm room in Los Angeles, the Miss Misa label brings a collection of jewellery and accessories made from vintage chains, charms, semi precious stones and flea market finds. And what’s more, Miss Misa has set up a number of exciting subscription packages.

Here’s how it works. If you buy the ‘Three Month Hair Goodies Subscription’, you will receive a bestselling Miss Misa bobby pin set once a month for three moths. And they’re so pretty, with vintage floral cabochons, smiling cherries and even cute baby elephants. There are also subscription packages for earrings and necklaces.

For full details or to browse their range, visit www.missmisa.com.