Something to make you smile on this dull Monday morning. Planet Boo have a crazy range of quirky shirts, cards, badges, keyrings, mirrors, mouse mats and lots of other little gems.

Remember Zammo from Grange Hill? This design is available in to buy as a badge or keyring. Other zany badges include the testcard girl and Wonder Woman. I also picked out this Allsorts mouse mat, for those of you with a sweet tooth. And I couldn’t resist this cute Zsa Zsa keyring which opens up and doubles as a mirror.

Patrick Gray is the creative spark behind Planet Boo. He’s based on the north coast of Scotland and all of his garments, gizmos and gadgets are created in a converted coal shed next to his cottage.

There’s lots and lots of stuff to choose from, so have a good rummage through his cyber shop at www.planetboo.co.uk.

I’m always looking for unusual or innovative things and so I was really pleased to discover Starving Artist. The designer Jennifer Syfu has created a range of biology-themed jewellery, using hand-made glass beads and pendants.

The Amoeba necklace (above left) has been hand crafted with sea foam and orange coloured glass. I also picked out this pretty Eukaryote necklace (above right). It’s made from two colours of glass twisted together and encased in clear glass and then finished with silver beads and a silver chain. The marbling effects are just beautiful.

To view the whole range visit www.starvingartistbazaar.com.

And if you’re wondering what an Eukaryote is take a look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eukaryote.

Mademoiselle is the S/S06 collection by Isabelle Randall. What I like about Isabelle’s designs is that they are not necessarily governed by season or trend. They are timeless. Isabelle is driven by her love of clothes, something which stems from her childhood. In a sometimes fickle world of fashion she seeks to create clothing with substance and provide value for money for her customers.

The Mademoiselle collection is inspired by conceptual artist Yves Kleins’ choice of colours and the love story from ‘Roman Holiday’. Fabrics used include raw and polished silks in shades of indigo, blue, sand, champagne and gold.

For further details on Isabelle Randall, visit www.isabellerandall.com.

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