I don’t like Valentine’s Day. There, I’ve said it. It’s not the romance that I have a problem with. It’s the whole contrived nature of the day. I don’t like to be told that I have to be romantic on this day or that day. For me love and romance should be much more spontaneous.

But anyway, no doubt when the day comes I’ll get on board. And gifts are always good. Here are a few romantic presents that caught my eye.

All You Need is Love Hand Printed Card - £2.99 from Bonbi Forest

Antique Patterned Cold Enamel Bangle - $59 (approx £37) from Style River

Forget Me Not Dish - $17 (approx £11) from Prince Design UK

Limited Edition Blue Heart Print - $25 (approx £16) from Beeb Design

Set of Three Song Bird Ornaments - $20 (approx £13) from Anna Joyce Design

And you can wrap them all up in Love Little’s gorgeous screen printed button print wrap. It’s just £2.50 per sheet and comes complete with a matching tag.

All of the above are available to buy from Makers Online, a new portal championing designer / makers. There are no joining or listing fees; a small commission is taken on each purchase. Therefore, you don’t start paying until you make a sale.

Products are displayed prominently rather then being buried under several layers of navigation and there is a link to each maker on the home page of the site. Shoppers can find what they’re looking for quickly and with minimum fuss and there’s free shipping throughout the UK.

For further information go to www.makers-online.co.uk.

Pics (clockwise from top left):

Blue Vintage Ceramic Brooch by ItsAlchemy

Little Turtle Cushion by Simon Seabright

Betty Purse by Nicola De Cruz

Mine Stacking Rings by Kalicat

I love the texture of these ceramics. They are made by Cynthia Vardhan using a fine translucent porcelain which she formulates herself. Hold them up to a lamp and you can see the light shining through them. The colourful slip is applied through a needle-like tool in a precise and clean pattern. The effect is a raised, tactile decoration that you can see and feel.

Cynthia’s work is inspired by her travels, from old English lace to Indian henna patterns.

Shop online at www.cynthiavardhan.etsy.com. To read more about Cynthia visit www.cynthiavardhan.com.

Over the weekend I walked through the house from room to room and wondered when everything had become so tired looking. Not dated exactly, but it certainly needs some attention. Before I got married I was addicted to bridal magazines. Now it’s interiors mags and blogs. And writing about design everyday has certainly given me lots of ideas and inspiration.

For instance, Penny Spooner Ceramics has a beautiful range of home and tableware. How pretty are those porcelain teaspoons? I think what I like best about Penny’s work is the shapes she uses. The clay seems to defy its properties with irregular shaped bowls and long thin vases with visible folds. Pale pastels and stamped words and patterns add texture. These pieces would instantly transform a dinner table, window or shelf.

You can buy Penny Spooner Ceramics direct from www.handmadeinhampshire.co.uk or from her Folksy store at www.folksy.com/shops/pennyspoonerceramics.

And with regard to my own renovations, no excuses. I’ll post the updates here.

It was the butterflies that drew me to Julia Davey’s work. It’s such an unusual and contemporary way of looking at a Victorian concept. The semi porcelain butterfly wings are decorated with hand drawn transfers of cyclamen, seeds and tulips. They have the fragile, almost papery quality of their living counterparts.

Julia works from a small studio and produces small runs of fine art frames and bespoke tableware. She is fascinated by everyday life and documents her experiences through sketches and drawings which are then incorporated into her ceramics. Lustre in silver or gold is added for a decadent touch which complements the shiny clear glaze.

For further information visit www.juliadavey.com and shop direct at www.folksy.com/shops/juliadavey.

Isn’t it difficult to find handmade gifts for men? Do you think so too? Women, kids and babies - no problem at all. But when it comes to men, not so easy.

These cuff links from Much in a Little make great gifts. They’re ’small in scale, large in sentiment’. Handcrafted from porcelain, each pair includes a humorous or poignant message or quirky icon. And they’re presented in a smart black gift box, making them easy peasy to wrap.

Buy from Folksy at www.folksy.com/shops/muchinalittle.

Remember Pepe and Friends? The rather dapper range of tableware from Vinila? Well they’re back and this time in the form of jaunty mugs. Cheer up the office brew with Gogo the reformed fighter or heart breaker Otto. Each perfectly formed porcelain cup is a collaboration of Vinila design and the prestigious German ceramic manufacturer Rosenthal.

At just £12 a pop you’ll have plenty of pennies left to mix and match. Check out Bonnie and Clyde. These cute oil and vinegar decanters will keep your condiments fresh. And Sugar Daddy will impress your guests with his sugar dispensing horn and adorable pot belly.

Shop direct at www.pepeandfriends.com.

Sounds Bugle. Soldiers mounted on horseback get ready to attack the egg castle! This quirky egg cup set is the work of London-based designer Takae Mizutani. It’s made in the UK from Cornish Earthenware and is available to buy from Of Cabbages and Kings for just £16. An Easter gift perhaps?