With the current 60s trend for prints and stripes, Zaum Lab makes a welcome change. Everything about it - the products, the brand, even the name is clean and fresh to the point of being almost clinical. I’m not a fan of fussy bags and accessories and so the Zaum range appeals with its bold colours and stylish shapes.

I’d love one of the Bruna bags (shown top) in white and kelly green vinyl. The understated, elegant exterior disguises a funky interior fabric. But my absolute favourite is the Tetra Piccola from the Minis collection. It’s made from chocolate brown vinyl with a sunset stripes cotton interior, which is also displayed on the bottom. The minis can be used as make-up bags, pencil cases or as nifty pouches for loose bits and bobs.

The prices are very reasonable at $100 for the Bruna bags (around £53) and only $20 (around £11) for the Tetra Piccola. And if you’re feeling a bit strapped for cash check out their Scratches and Bruised section.

I came across these quirky resin pendants by Canadian company, 2mile Jewelry. Each pendant is one-of-a-kind and made from a variety of materials including miniature glass tiles, Japanese papers, text fragments and original illustrations. Owner/maker Viki Ackland describes them as a ‘fusion of pop art and the subliminal’.

There are a number of styles to choose from including Girls Galore which features everything from iconic actresses to saucy girly pics, Funky Flowers featuring bold, vibrant florals and Accessories, created from funky fashionista prints.

Each pendant comes with a choice of a wire or leather strap and for only $20 (CAD) which is around £9.50, they’re a real bargain. Take a look at the full range at www.2-mile.com.

During last week’s search for warm clothing to wear at the Manchester Fashion Market, I discovered another gem. Marmalade Ho’s faux cat scarves are a light hearted version of fox stoles. You know the ones - often seen draped around the necks of aging Hollywood stars or those posh ladies from St Trinians.

Marmalade Ho’s designer, Miki, has a wicked sense of humour. One of the first designs which she sold on Camden Market was an appliqu?d t-shirt spelling out the word ‘Fluffer’. And when she electrocuted ‘Hello Kitty’ there were ructions! You can read the full story and all about the beginnings of Marmalade Ho on the Who? page of the website. And Miki will be back on Indie Quarter later this year as she has very kindly offered to write up her experiences at the Clotheshow Live.

Oh, and in case you’re wondering, Marmalade Ho is Miki’s fictional porn star name (your first pet and your mother’s maiden name).

Two weeks ago I was at the Manchester Fashion Market. I have a stall there on alternate Saturdays. It was a particularly cold day and in true Manchester fashion it rained and rained and the wind blew and blew. I spent most of the day trying to pin everything down to stop it from blowing away. By the time I got home I was freezing. Richard (my husband) says I’m ‘nesh’ which is apparently a Nottingham term for someone who feels the cold.

Since then I’ve been looking around to try and find something warm as well as practical for working on the stall. And guess what - I’ve found just the thing. The mittens above have been created by Crowded Teeth. They can be worn as mittens to keep your fingers toasty warm and when you need to count out money or write, the mittens part can be buttoned back quite niftily to reveal a pair of fingerless gloves.

The Fingerless Gloves/Mittens are available in three cute styles - ‘Go Outside Planes and Trees’, ‘Go Outside Sharks and Mountains, (both of which are shown above) and ‘Squirrel’.

The website is www.crowdedteeth.com and while you’re there check out their range of t-shirts, sweatshirts and accessories.

If you were reading earlier in the week you may have noticed the posts on contemporary craft markets starting up around the UK. Well, it looks like the craft revolution is upon us as I have another one to share with you.

Prettycraftythings is a brand spanking new craft bazaar showcasing the work of a new generation of indie designers and renegade crafters. The first one will be taking place on 3rd November at Leeds Met Students Union, from 12 - 4pm.

The organiser is currently looking for stall holders. Further details and application forms are available at www.prettycraftythings.co.uk.

We haven’t had many posts on jewellery for men and so I thought I’d better do something about that. Peggy Li Creations has a section devoted to men’s jewellery.

The Alphabet Name Necklace (above left) can be customised with a name of your choosing. Words like ‘joy’, ‘peace and ‘vixen are amongst the most popular choices. Apparently, during the Jennifer Aniston years Brad Pitt wore a similar necklace to the Emmys, with ‘Jen’ spelled out in colourful letters.

The ‘Thai Silver Shell’ necklace can be worn by men and women alike. It’s made out of Thai silver and hangs from a sterling silver chain. I was thinking that this would make a great gift to mark the anniversary of a special holiday or honeymoon.

Now I know we’re talking about men’s jewellery but when you see a category called ‘Urges and Splurges’ you have to take a look. I couldn’t resist sharing this beautiful ‘Chrysocolla Crystal Necklace’. A large chunk of chrysocolla hangs from a double strand of hammered, gold filled links. At $420.00 it really is a splurge but definitely worth it!

Peggy Li Creations has a good range of handmade contemporary jewellery for men and women. Her designs have graced the sets of ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ and ‘What About Brian?’. Take a look at www.peggyli.com.

A couple of weeks ago I found out that my sister, Cassie is moving to Scotland. I’m over the moon for her but also a little sad that she’s not going to be just around the corner anymore. So for the past week I’ve been hunting around for quirky postcards, notelets and stationery that I can send to her when she moves.

During my search I stumbled across Bird in a Skirt and their beautiful range of custom stationery. My favourites are the Austen note cards which come in steely blue and salmon pink and can be customised with your own initials. The note cards are inspired by Vickey Jang’s favourite novelist, Jane Austen, who also happens to be one of my favourites. (Jane Austen also had a sister called Cassandra. Must be fate!)

There are a number of classic and contemporary styles to choose from in the Bird in Skirt online shop. All of the designs are printed on good cardstock, reminiscent of handmade paper. Take a look at www.birdinaskirt.com.

Following on from yesterday’s forum post about the LoveCraft market, I noticed that Stellamystar has added a thread about another market taking place, this time in Glasgow.

For further details and to view forthcoming events go to www.misofunky.com.

Looks like we’re catching up with our US cousins!