You will notice in recent weeks I have decided to keep my distance from This & Tat and I can't tell you how happy I am, you think you get bored reading the words - wonderful, beautiful & terrific. Imagine how bored I get writing them. So this weeks curator is my great friend George, who runs the unquestionable chic Curios. As the format goes, she has chosen ten exciting makers and brands - Over to you, George!
Ned the Needlefish, Tina Turbot and Henri-Claude the Hermit Crab are only a few of Emily’s playful creations. They are continuous graphite line drawings filled in with watercolour, which are not only incredibly well-drawn but Bernard the Red Gurnard is bound to put a smile on your face. Emily takes commissions, so they are the perfect Christmas present if you want to fishify your Dad as a Daggertooth-Pike-Conger. A snip at £75 for an original A3 and £25 for a print. Order through instagram @em_habin_art
I have long been obsessed by the charm of the traditional Orkney Chair crafted by local Orcadians with straw and driftwood scoured from the shores, each were unique and purposefully made with a low seat for warmth and a hood to keep out draughts. While they occasionally come up in auction they are unsurprisingly nabbed at high prices. Cue Kevin Gould aka The Orkney Furniture Maker who is a 4th generation furniture maker and has created his own collection by reinterpreting traditional designs in his own style. I’d very much like to be sitting under its hood by a crackling fire. @the_orkney_furniture_maker
Laura is based in East London and I found her through Instagram on the quest for new plates, bowls, mugs (etc) during lockdown. I couldn’t be happier with my set made with buff stoneware clay, each piece is unique with small variations in size and colour. I love the fact they’ve been made down the road in Laura’s Hackney garden. Mega bonus that everything is dishwasher and microwave safe too, there’s been one casualty and I have only myself to blame. @birdinthehand.me
Sophie regularly visits rural Bangladesh where she trains eight groups of 20 women to produce the most beautifully embroidered items suitable for the European market. Sophie brings back a selection of completed work for sale and money raised goes directly back to the women to help pay for their children’s education. All the embroidery is on the most exquisite silk, The Edward Lear inspired cushions are perfect for a child’s room or the personalised lavender bags make an ideal gift or stocking filler. Sophie Pattinson
Artist Kristina Beddall collects miniature objects and knick-knacks from flea markets and antique shops. During lockdown she decided to use her collection of objects to create miniature worlds in the form of papier-mâché curio boxes. Each box is made from recyclable materials, old cartons, newspapers, or pretty much anything she can get her hands on. They can be hung on the wall, placed on a shelf or smaller ones could be for your christmas tree. Kristina takes commissions for personalised curio boxes (her most recent was gold themed) and then sells them through her Instagram @the.swedish.meatball
Will is a spoon carver and green-woodworker based in South-West England who I found through Instagram whilst searching for Christmas presents. His hand-carved spoons with colourful handles are made with such precision and care using minimal tools, particularly this set of soup spoons. Spoon whittling just sounds so goddam charming too! @wpwoodcraft
I found Michaela years ago on The Shop Floor Project and have always totally lusted after her paintings and ceramics. Her collection of painted plates and jugs have a quirky and naive charm to them ...the ‘Dalai Lama on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury’ is a particular favourite as is this simple ‘Tabac’. I’d love to see it hanging in my kitchen @gallmichaela
I was searching Esty for plaster busts (as you do) and I stumbled upon this total gem. Sean Rodrigo is a 3D printer, he is also a massive fan (as a lot of us are) of the textile designer and novelist William Morris. During lockdown he put his two passions together and started producing paintable plaster versions of the bronze bust currently in the William Morris Gallery in Walthamstow. So here’s a chance to get acquainted with the face behind the fabrics, Sean is selling these bearded busts on Etsy for £30 and they will look fantastic on any mantle and make for the perfect arts and crafts afternoon. What’s more, for every sculpture sold Sean will be matching it with a one to one donation to a London School or foodbank. He has also kindly given a discount code when you order through Etsy MORRIS4ME (n.b. you have to buy your own acrylic paint) @minimorrisproject
John Cowan's baskets are all handmade in his small workshop in Lanark using UK grown willows and hazel. The willow is unstripped so there are natural and irregular colours as well as a wonderful woody waft. There are shopping baskets, dog beds, umbrella stands, berry pickers and bike baskets - you name it, John can weave it. @johncowanbaskets
Milagros on the Columbia Road is my go-to for tiles. Tiles can be expensive, and these aren't, and they’re great. I can highly recommend the Saltillo if you’re looking for a terracotta which I recently used in my kitchen. Milagros work directly with individual makers and workshops to create quality handmade products, combining traditional techniques with contemporary design. It’s also great for Christmas decorations, small Mexican inspired painting and some fairly funky folk art. www.milagros.co.uk
Big thank you to George, to follow her latest finds @curios.shop
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