Welcome to the Indie Quarter!

My sister is coming to stay today. Yay. She lives in Scotland and so I don’t get to see her very often. We’re all in a state of excitement, including the cats. There’s always lots of travelling over Christmas - staying with family, weekend city breaks (oh please Santa, Europe), New Year’s Eve bashes etc. An overnight bag is therefore de rigueur.

Check these out. They’re made from organic hemp canvas and Fair Trade burlap coffee sacks. The burlap and hemp canvas has been fused with a natural cotton fabric for extra strength. The inside is lined with a olive medium weight cotton. There are two large open pockets which are perfect to help organise your bag contents. There is also a 25cm waterproof zip pocket because we all know how frustrating it is when your shampoo leaks in your bag.

You can buy them from The Wren.

Quite liking the Vesper too!

All set for Christmas? Made your lists yet? Last year Locher launched a competition called Bad Santa. It was so successful that they’re running it for a second year. Here’s how it works. Instead of writing about how good you were this year, Evil Santa (aka Locher) wants to know how bad you’ve been. That’s right. He wants to know about all your naughty deeds and dirty dealings.

Email your letters to badsanta@lochers.com to be in with a chance of winning. The best letters will be posted anonymously on the Locher Facebook fan page and the letters to get the most “Facebook likes” will be the winners. Ten lucky people will have the opportunity to receive anything they want from the Locher store (with the exception of the new limited edition iPhone cases).

Letters can be emailed up to 20th December. Winners will be announced on 22nd December.

Here’s a little taster of what’s up for grabs.

We bought our Christmas tree over the weekend and it’s a beauty. It’s a bit of tradition in the Hudson household to buy a new tree ornament each year. We have ornaments from the year we moved in together, a beautiful glass star from the Ice Hotel where we were married and very special ornaments that have been passed down through our families.

I came across these lovely handmade baubles from Chester-based lighting and homeware designer Jenny Bland. Created by spinning thread and resin, they’re as light and airy as snowflakes and look so pretty with the fairy lights shining through them. The little felt tops are inspired by elves’ hats.

Check them out at www.etsy.com/shop/JennyBland. They cost under £6 each, including UK delivery.

I’ve mentioned before how much I admire Sara Norris’ work. These photographs are beautiful. The colours are truer than real life and evoke a sense of nostalgia. They would make lovely gifts.

Sara is having a sale this week. Get 30% off all mini print sets and big print sets or buy any two 8 x 8 or 8 x 12 fine art prints and get one free. The offer only lasts until Sunday and so don’t leave it too late. Find more information at www.saranorris.etsy.com.

This made me smile today. A calendar is always a good bet for Christmas and I’m sure you’ll find something here to suit most women. It’s based on the Keep Calm and Carry On poster and is the work of Nichole and Evan Robertson of Little Brown Pen. This UK version has been made exclusively for Plaisir in Scotland.

I love the slogans, bright colours and clean design. The pages are attached with a clip instead of a ribbon, which means they can be detached easily, cut out and framed when each month has passed.

You can order from www.plaisirshop.co.uk. Just send them an email or give them a call and they will process the order for you. The calendar is £15 plus postage - £1.65 for recorded first class delivery in the UK. Ooh and they also offer a free gift wrapping service. So you don’t have to lift a finger. Just pop it under the tree.

There’s so much happening over the festive season - markets, craft fairs, exhibitions - that I decided to add them into one big post. Here goes:

Figuratively Speaking

What: An exhibition to explore the figure through stitch and contemporary embroidery.
When: 7th November to 24th December 2009
Where: The Edge Gallery, Lancaster
More Info: http://theedgegallery.wordpress.com

We Make Christmas

What: This December the team behind the hugely successful ‘We Make’ designer craft shows will offer Christmas shoppers the chance to wrap up all their Christmas shopping in the serene surroundings of charming Chelsea Town Hall
When: Saturday 5th December 2009 / 11am to 5pm
Where: Chelsea Town Hall, Kings Road, London (nearest tube Sloane Square)
More Info: www.wemakelondon.blogspot.com

Tea Cosy Too

What: Tea Cosy Too, an alternative art, craft and design fair, is the perfect opportunity to purchase a variety of original Christmas presents with stalls exhibiting jewellery, textiles, ceramics, illustration, printmaking and many more.
When: Saturday 5 December 10am - 6pm and Sunday 6 December 10am - 5pm
Where: The Academy (In the old Pier unit), Belmont Street, Aberdeen

Didsbury Charity Craft Market

What: A wide selection of arts and crafts including jewellery, pottery, glassware, cards, accessories and Christmas decorations. Not to mention homemade cakes, mince pies and festive refreshments. All profits go to Dignity, facilitating development projects and alleviating poverty in rural Zambia.
When: Saturday 5 December 2009
Where: Ivy Manchester, 97 Barlow Moor Rd, Didsbury M20 2GP
More Info: www.dignityonline.org.uk

Magpie Christmas Market

What: Magpie Market is the first event for Magpie, a fledgling creative enterprise based in Edinburgh. Providing an alternative to dreary Christmas shopping, Magpie Market will give you the chance to pick up some imaginative and unique handmade and vintage products straight from one of the 20+ exhibitors. With everything from cards to ceramics and plush squids to knitted jewellery there is bound to be something for everyone!
Where: Magpie Market, The LOT, 4-6 Grassmarket, Edinburgh, EH1 2JU
When: Sunday 6th December / 12pm – 6pm
More Info: www.magpiemarket.blogspot.com

Northumbria Festive Gift Fair

What: This is the ideal place to find that special something that you won’t find on the high street where the items on offer are lovingly handmade by local designer-makers and artists as well as vintage traders. The fair will be home to 30+ sellers offering a fantastic selection of items such as jewellery, fashion, art, books, photography and homewares. Entry is free and all are welcome.
When: Friday 11th December / 11am – 6pm
Where: Domain Hall, 2nd floor Northumbria Students Union, 2 Sandyford Road, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 8SB
More Info: starandshadowmarket [at] googlemail [dot] com

Bust Magazine Christmas Craftacular

What: On December 12 you can shop, craft and make merry in Bethnal Green’s historic York Hall, when New York-based women’s pop-culture magazine BUST hosts its popular shopping bonanza in London for the third time. Featuring the nation’s hottest craft talent, such as Tatty Devine and Lady Luck Rules OK, alongside sellers from Spain and beyond, it promises to be the best Craftacular yet!
When: Saturday December 12th from 12 – 7pm
Where: York Hall, 5-15 Old Ford Road, London E2 (Near Bethnal Green Tube)
More Info: www.bust.com/craftacular/About-London.html

Manchester Craft Mafia Market

What: Taking place in the grand surroundings of the Whitworth Art Gallery, stall holders will dazzle with a range of wall art, beauty products, jewellery, soft toys, knitting, crochet, ceramics, cards, decorations, fashion and accessories.
When: Sat 12 Dec (10 ’til 5) and Sunday 13 Dec (12 ’til 4)
Where: Whitworth Art Gallery, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M15 6ER UK
More Info: www.manchestercraftmafia.com

Museum and gallery shops are a bit of a guilty pleasure for me. I don’t mind the museum chocolate and kitsch pencils and toys. I’m happy to skip over those to get to the good stuff, to the trade mags and independent zines, the books and even the stationery when it’s not emblazoned with the name of the gallery or museum.

Of course some do it better than others and Urbis is definitely one of better ones. As well as the books and merchandise tailored towards current exhibitions and their staple local history, Factory Records and the Hacienda wares, they also support local creatives.

Look out for Deborah Zeldin-O’Neill’s wearable and funky contemporary jewellery, made from rubber, silver, pearls and chandelier jewels. Or Linzi Ramsden’s sculptural vessels, tiles and wall pieces. Linzi grows, dries and presses flowers and other vegetation into the clay to create botanical reliefs. She also uses embroidery techniques to create textures in her work. And Francesca Salvini, one of my favourite bag designers, who combines locally sourced Lancashire tweeds with fashion fabrics from Liberty to create functional bags, wallets and purses.

For more information and opening times go to www.urbis.org.uk.

Last night saw the launch of Cube Store and was the start of an interesting collaboration between Nissan and Colette, Paris. You wouldn’t automatically associate the two, a Japanese car manufacturer and renowned Parisian boutique but the Cube is fast becoming a style icon. It was built to invite debate and non-conformity and the organisers of the event are hoping for the same.

The Cube Store is an exhibition, a shop and a conceptual space in which a number of designers and creatives will gather over the next few weeks to speak on a variety of subjects. Keep up with the latest news by following Cube Store on Twitter.

Colette, Paris has become synonymous with bringing unique items from key designers together in one space. Just in time for Christmas shopping, Colette has handpicked 60 unique interior decorating pieces and kitsch Japanese inspired gadgets to feature in her first ever London based store. Prices will range from £5 to £4000.

What: Cube Store
Where: Boilerhouse, The Old Truman Brewery, London, E1 6QL
When: Official launch Thursday 26th November, closed Mondays Tuesdays and public holidays (Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Years Day)
Opening hours: 12pm-7pm
Website: www.cubelist.co.uk
Follow: www.twitter.com/NissanCubeUk