A lack of geographical know-how means I arrive late, but it’s impossible not to recognise a London Photo Walk group, distinguished by a variety of pet point and shoots, DSLRs, lenses of all sizes, and a constant chattering of shutters. Scattered around the Westfield Stratford City shopping Centre and across into the area surrounding the Olympic Park are over 200 photographers who have come for a stroll and a gander.

Initially resistant to the shopping complex atmosphere, I soon realise the interest that the multicoloured lights and geometric shapes offer. It’s not often that you can snap at such abandon in a public place, but in a group you feel more comfortable, and at ease enough to ask your neighbour what they think, how you might get a better shot.

After a while some of us realise we’re not quite with the rest of the group, but it’s ok as we’re able to follow the pre-planned route and head over to the Olympic site. We aren’t actually allowed inside but an opening in the ringed barrier still affords us a great view of the Orbit tower and stadium. I discover I’m alongside some long-term photo walkers who are considering doing the Bath Photo Walk the following weekend, and another first-timer – we concur that the site looks a little unfinished, but what do we know, we’re just photographers, and there’s nothing like a sporting deadline…

Around the bend is a railway tunnel where I pause for a few moments to capture its metal underbelly, then along Stratford High Street where we take in some cityscapes, before arriving at the Lock.

Photophiles are everywhere! We take turns photographing the machinery, the ducks, and all manner of flotsam and jetsam. It’s interesting to note how people approach scenes differently, and despite there being so many of us, it’s clear that we all carry a different picture in our minds.

By the end, my fingers are too frozen to keep clicking away, but I’m feeling inspired and wondering about the next walk already.

The London Photo Walk happens every six weeks, when photographers of all levels gather to take pictures around a particular area of London. Read the website or check out the group’s Facebook page for more information.

On the evening of 8th December, close to 50 people of all ages came together for something resembling a drop-in DIY craft party – the Crafternoon Tea Club Christmas Spesh with Etsy!

Taking place at Etsy’s Bevenden Street headquarters (aka The Trampery, or the Christmas Grotto), it was a chance to mingle, drink, dance and be merry, and learn a thing or two about sustainable gift-giving over the holiday period. Everyone attending was asked to bring along gifts they no longer wanted or needed, including homemade items, which could be repackaged and distributed to those who could make use of or enjoy them. A selection of ready-made gifts were to hand for those less organised, and incredibly, everything was free – I’m not sure it would have been possible to make this a more friendly, accessible event.

At the start of the night, Crafternoon Tea Club co-founder Beccy McCray explained a bit about the concept. Using the wonderful materials laid out on a table at the centre of the room, we were to wrap our gifts up using all the creativity we could muster. Once decorated, our presents would require a tag with a ‘gift story’ to explain where they came from. Then, they were to go under the Christmas tree, ready for re-distribution at the evening’s end.

The centre table was a place of crafty glee, and it was hard not to rifle through the glorious French magazines, colourful yarns and sparkly ribbons available. I spied retro jewellery, secondhand books and delicious preserves in the gifting mix, and was so impressed at the artistic techniques on display, including weaving, collage and some intricate hole-punching.

Strangers discussed their approaches to gift-wrapping, the Gaggle DJs played some festive tunes, and the wine and mince pies only added to the happy atmosphere. In a year of so much social and environmental upheaval, this gathering seemed to refute any notion of antisocialism taking its grip, or a consumerist society which ignores its environmental impact. Instead, we discussed just how much landfill space we occupy, why it is that we insist on buying all-new presents each year, and how we might use existing materials to recreate beautiful gifts with a conscience.

Crafternoon Tea Club was informally started by Beccy McCray and Hannah Elbourne as a bit of post-break-up art therapy in 2001, and began more officially in 2007. Since then it’s grown rapidly, first in parks and pubs, and now spreading to larger spaces. The Club is run by a collective of close to a dozen craft-lovers who work across different industries. They’ve previously held similar events at venues such as the Barbican and the National Theatre, and this was their fourth this year.

Beccy told me, ‘We wanted to get away from having workshops and just have a party: a positive, inclusive event.’ They’ve certainly achieved this and more – a spring event is close on the horizon, and there are murmurs of overseas happenings in Brazil and Japan. Watch this crafty space!

Crafternoon tea club. All photography by Caitlin Sinclair.

Vintage Tea Party by the fabulously named Angel Adoree could not come at a better time, offering ‘a complete guide to hosting your perfect tea party‘. It’s a beautifully designed and illustrated (by Adele Mildred) volume from the queen bee of The Vintage Patisserie, which offers to turn tea party dreams into reality. It all has a very personal touch, with an opening intro that explains how Angel (original name Angela) got in touch with her inner tea making glamour puss, and plenty of handwritten typefaces.

The book takes the reader through every aspect of creating an event that recalls the bygone leisure of former eras, when the art of tea was an important part of the social fabric. What makes Vintage Tea Party different from other cook books is the abundance of ideas that sit alongside recipes for delicious cakes, scones, sandwiches and extravagant teas. In Vintage Tea Party you will also find lots of crafty suggestions, style tips and retro hairdo ideas to accompany a brunch, afternoon or evening event. All of these are modelled by Angel Adoree and her glamourous friends. The personal touch means that the book feels more like a diary, and the emphasis on real life characters makes this kind of fabulous lifestyle seem attainable. Count me in!

Vintage Tea Party is published by Mitchell Beazley, part of Octopus Books. If you like the look of this make sure you check out my review of Emma Block’s Tea and Cake.

I’ve been working with Emma Block since 2010, when her beautiful work first started to appear in Amelia’s Magazine. Since graduating this summer she’s been a busy busy bee, which is not that surprising really because she’s one talented lady, as any of you who are familiar with her work will know. Find out what she’s been up to lately in my catch up interview and don’t forget to take a peek at my review of her new book Tea & Cake.

Lu Flux for ACOFI by Emma Block.

What prompted you to start producing work for Amelia’s Magazine in the first place, and then submit to ACOFI and how has it helped you to develop your illustration?
I started working for Amelia’s Magazine in the summer between my second and third year, when I decided to focus on my illustration instead of getting a summer job. I had only submitted illustrations to a couple of articles when it was suggested I enter the open brief for the book. I never imagined that I would be picked. Working for Amelia’s Magazine gave me lots of practice at working to a tight deadline (an essential skill for an illustrator), as well as providing lots of pieces for my portfolio and exposure for my work.

Image for Lionheart Magazine by Emma Block.

You met lots of other featured artists at the ACOFI launch party back at the start of this year? Who have you collaborated since then and what you have you collaborated on?
I have been interviewed by and created a piece for (former music editor) Helen Martin’s exciting new venture, Lionheart Magazine, I am a part of the Edit Collective (initiated by ACOFI illustrator Faye West) and I have attended events held by Illustration Rally (a project by ACOFI illustrator Natsuki Otani) such as Paint it Make it Party for Japan. In the new year I will be participating in an illustration event at Emily Burt’s Shipshape Studio and my cards and prints will soon be stocked there too.

Elisa Palamino S/S 2012 by Emma Block.

Illustration from LFW S/S 2012 by Emma Block.

You’ve been to two LFW this year with Amelia’s Magazine – what has been the highlight of these trips and what secret insights to the fashion world have surprised you, now that you’ve seen behind the scenes?
Aside from the shows themselves I love the whole atmosphere at London Fashion Week, the exhibitions are fantastic, especially Estethica and it’s always fun to do some celebrity spotting. I love the opportunity to have some fun with my wardrobe and wear a lot of statement hats (the secret to getting snapped by a street style photographer is wear a long swishy skirt and a big hat). I also love the goodie bags and the Mac makeovers. It surprises me was how many people bring dogs and small children to the shows!

You are multi-talented, not only do you illustrate but you are also comfortable behind a camera and your writing has been featured in the Guardian as well as on Amelia’s Magazine. How easy do you find it to do everything at once, and has it always come naturally or do you think that because you’ve kept a blog for so many years it has become easier with time?
I have always enjoyed writing and taking photos, but having a blog really helps develop both skills. Being able to write in an engaging way and take a decent photo really helps make a blog successful. While I really enjoy writing I am a terrible typist and I would be lost without my best friend Katie Byrne of The Young Creatives to proofread everything.

It’s been a very busy year for you, graduating and taking on an agent. How did you find an agent so soon after graduation, or how did they find you? Any tips to aspiring illustrators who really want an agent, and how has it altered the process in which you work?
My agents, The Bright Agency, actually found me about six months before I graduated. They saw my work in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration and online and invited me in for a meeting. Graduating uni and working freelance can be very scary, so knowing you’ve got a whole team of people trying find work for you and there to chat really helps. I would say if you’re looking for an agent find one that suits you. Think about the kind of work you want to be producing (children’s book, editorial, fashion etc.) and find an agent that does that kind of work. I think I work in the same way; I just need to keep other people in loop and be 100% open to suggestions and criticism.

You have your very own book out in time for Christmas – Tea & Cake – how did this happen, how long did it take to put together and who wrote it? (there’s no author apart from you!)
The publishers, Hardie Grant, contacted me after seeing my work online. It took a good few months to illustrate the book, and it was bit of a juggling act to complete my final major project at uni at the same time. The book is a written by a team of recipe writers, an editor, but it doesn’t have one author who wrote it start to finish. It was certainly a surprise that my name was the only one on the front cover!

Chocolate mint whoopie pies by Emma Block.

Did you have to test any of the recipes? Which one would you particularly recommend as a favourite?
I’ve made the Viennese biscuits, which were great fun to pipe into pretty shapes, and I had a go making some of the whoopie pies just before starting to illustrate it to get me inspired. I also hear from a friend that the millionaire’s shortbread recipe is amazing…

Carlotta Gherzi S/S 2012 by Emma Block.

You have also had numerous commercial jobs, what has been the most exciting or interesting to work on to date?
Illustrating an entire book has definitely been my most exciting project so far. Tea and Cake was an absolute joy to work on: it was a lot of work (58 illustrations) but they trusted me artistically, which was a wonderful thing. It’s also be great to be able to talk about my work whilst promoting the book, and seeing it in a shop for the first time was amazing.

Aside from this what has been the highlight of 2011?
Going to Paris with my boyfriend. Graduating from my BA hons Illustration course with a first was a good moment too.

Anything new and exciting in time for Christmas and what can we expect from you in the New Year?
I have just opened my Etsy shop and I have several Christmas cards in the shops this year. Hopefully next year will be full of more exciting projects and more wonderful people.

Buy Tea & Cake from Amazon here, but make sure you check in with my full review of Tea & Cake first! Emma Block is featured in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration. Buy both my books together with four rare back issues of Amelia’s Magazine (including the one with the bag illustrated above) for just £50. I can’t wait to see what Emma Block does next.

Just in time for a last minute eco Christmas round up before the Royal Mail goes totally pear shaped….

Firstly, I am a bit in love with Kirsty Allsopp, either that or I am just really bloody jealous – how did she get to the position where she has managed to forge an entire career out of learning to craft? That’s like my ideal job. And her own entire range at Marks & Spencer? If you fancy yourself a bit of Kirsty why not take a peek at some of the gift packages she’s put together. They’re a bit girly for me, so I’m gunning for this Marks & Spencer baking set, currently on special offer for £15. With all the things you need to make festive treats over Christmas in a pretty red and white heart tin. Get in.

On a purely decorative from how about these? I love these candy wrapper stars from Re-Found – they’re the kind of thing that I would make out of my rubbish in that alternate Kirsty Allsopp world where I have lots of spare time… handily these ones come ready made.

One of the best place to hunt for interesting eco goodies is Nigel’s Eco Store, which is a veritable treasure trove of environmentally aware goodies, including this pretty silvered tea light holder, made from recycled glass.

Tara Starlet, an ethical fashion designer who is featured in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, has put together this adorable Patchwork Pooch kit from leftover fabrics, vintage buttons and recycled ribbons: so adorable, and the perfect project to keep crafty types happy over Christmas.

Lastly, I couldn’t go without mentioning Culture Beyond Oil, a publication put together by my friends at Platform and perfect for the environmentalist and art enthusiast in your life: as recommended by me in a recent interview about arts and activism with Sierra Club online. Not If But When: Culture Beyond Oil is a long hard look at the way that oil funding has infiltrated our art institutions, with contributions from a range of top artists including Banksy and Matthew Herbert. This line of investigation could not come at a better time, as proved by an article in the Guardian only today which confirms that four of the UK’s biggest cultural organisations – the British Museum, the National Portrait Gallery, the Royal Opera House and Tate – have announced they are to renew sponsorship deals with BP worth £10m despite protests from environmental campaigners. Here’s to more positive news on that front in 2012.

With the mild Autumn being over, the weatherman now talks of snow. Panic! Wondering what wardrobe essentials can help fight the impending chill? We talk to new label, Monkstone Knitwear, about the wool process, sheering the flock and permaculture from her partners beautiful Pembrokeshire farm.

Monkstone knitwear sheep by Alex Clunie.

Can I just say Anna, what a glorious farm this is. You must find it so difficult to work when you have this for a view!
It’s a perk of the job that’s for sure. Trevayne Farm is a beautiful setting for the brand, I’m very lucky to be based here.

Monkstone Workman Jumper.

You’re in your first year of business and it’s all got off to a flying start! How did the idea for your company, Monkstone Knitwear, come to you? Did you just decide one day or more a life-long dream?
Well knitwear has always been a passion of mine. However the platform of the farm really gave me a kick start. It allowed me to be creative again. I feel inspired in a very beautiful space. 


What about the name, why Monkstone?
The name comes from Monkstone Point, the beautiful beach you can only access from the farm yard. You have to walk through a wood and down many many steps. It’s a real hidden beauty of the Pembrokeshire coastline. Also when you register a flock, you have to name them. It seemed natural to be proud of the farm, the area and our surroundings. 
 


Monkstone Knitwear by Vicky Smith.

How long have you officially been trading? Nice logo by the way. Especially your Christmas variation!
I am in my fifth month now. I can’t believe how quickly it’s gone. I worked with Luke James closely on the branding as he totally got what I wanted to achieve. Stylish and classic for products that last. We are all about designing locally and made to order.

Monkstone studio by Janneke de Jong.

Your studio looks ever so snug with the fire and kettle on the stove. Oh, and the four cats. I believe this was built for you?
It was the old reception for the farm and holiday park here at Trevayne. However it was empty for some time and so making it useful again was great. It does get cold and windy in Wales, we worked very hard on making it a lovely studio, wool showroom and warm for the wool to be safe in.  

Monkstone Legwarmers.

You live and work in the same place: is this a pleasure or a challenge? Like many freelancers discover, working where you live and vice versa can be more than tough. How do you stay focused and are you able to switch off?
Guilty! I do probably work longer hours than if I was to commute to somewhere. It’s an interesting process when you work where you live. It is hard to shut off as you can always be working for longer. However, the beauty of the place means fresh air is always available. The farm team are an amazing support and having Rich Reed, the farmer and co-founder, as a sounding board really helps. I also run Dewberry PR from my studio. This is my agency where I look after other Welsh companies true to my heart like Huit Denim, fforest and the Do Lectures. My week is very much based on the different clients needs and then Monkstone is my time for fun!
 

Quite the working week! I bet you put many of us to shame. Monkstone can boast that it is made to order, from right here in the UK, I hear.
Yes. We are bespoke and the whole process is logged. We are not a high street brand and never will be, however we are now stocked by two shops – Damson and Slate in Wales and Luna & Curious in Shoreditch, London. The stockist section is growing. Our process is important as people want to buy products that last. We use the method of permaculture on the farm and the knitwear really fits with this.

Perma what? You best give us some insight into permaculture.
The wool is a by product of our sheep, much like the lamb, beef and crops produced at Trevayne. These elements have a symbiotic link with one another within the farm system. From livestock, grassland and habitat, and most importantly, the soil. As the system evolves, (which takes time) the dependency for inputs such as machinery, chemicals, fuels etc. is greatly reduced, moving ever nearer towards a better farming system. Nature holds the answer.

Monkstone Wool by Elsabe Milandri.

Staying local must be very important to you. Is being sustainable just as important?
Yes absolutely. Wool is a great renewable fibre source and so good for the environment. I think there is a whole re-education needed about manufacturing in the UK and being sustainable. I try my hardest to achieve this. I am learning all the time how to make things better.

Monkstone work jumper.

Your process intrigues me. Once it’s left the sheeps’ back to being on ours, what’s the middle section?

The sheep shearing is a yearly process, or twice, if the lambs wool is long enough. We then take the wool to be spun and washed. This bit takes time. We wait up to 3 months! The wool comes back in two formats. For machine, it is oiled on cone or for the hand knitters, washed on cone. We then divided the wool into styles and send it to either the Welsh factory, just 42 miles away, or to my hand makers. 

Mountain Sheep by Elsabe Milandri.
 
Sounds like you’ve had plenty to learn about sheep and wool alone. Is your aim to sheer the flock yourself?
I am learning to shear, but it is very hard and the sheep are tough! I need more muscles, but I’m helping shear our flock with the locals. I have learnt the whole sheep cycle from herding, to washing, to care, to lambing. They are amazing animals (and mothers) with lots of character and they love getting stuck in things!
 


Monkstone cable knit tea cosy.

Getting stuck, I can imagine! So what sheep do you have on the farm?
Our flock consists of two breeds. The pedigree Black Welsh Mountains (ideal to the farms developing system) are a hardy breed with durable warm wool. They have good resistance to the elements and diseases. They share pasture easily with our cattle and demand less with regards to additional winter feed, housing and unnecessary management. Our other breed is the Dorsets. Smaller in numbers on the farm but larger in size and personality. These sheep are a very adaptable breed. Their big fleeces produce excellent wool, and have the ability to produce three lambs within a two year period. We have a number of coloured ewes. For wool production, these colours are highly desirable and the process of colouring the wool is not required.

Sounds like you need to pick carefully. Do you have plans to get other breeds and grow the flock?

The Dorsets have a friendly and inquisitive nature, which has a positive effect on the Black Welsh Mountains. The flock as a whole is very approachable and manageable out in the field. I plan to get at least another 80 sheep. A mixture of breeds for wool variation. It excites me that I design to what materials I have. Many do this the other way around. However, growing the flock brings more responsibility. They will need more looking after, extra shelters built and grooming needs to be factored in. If you pay attention to the animals’ welfare, this shows in the standard of the wool. So I make sure my flock live a pretty splendid life on the farm.

As do you no doubt. I can feel myself relaxing just talking to you with this view. At what stage do you design your collection? Can you design far in advance?
Once we have sheared in Spring, I can design accordingly, based around the amount of fleece we get per breed. We divide the wool into kilos. We tend to get 5-8 kilos per sheep. Our black ram Rambo (I think he’s proud of this name!) had a fleece of 7 kilos. As wool is a natural product, it acclimatises well to different temperatures. When worn, the fibre adapts to suit your body shape. Plus, you shouldn’t have to wash it as much due to it being natural. We’re proud to be completely natural. 

Your first collection is A/W 2011. When it’s gone it’s gone, is that right? Do we have to wait until Autumn for your second collection?
There will be a waiting list on styles we design ready for next season and then the updates from this years yarn. But yes, when it’s gone it’s gone! We will have one men’s style and two for women for S/S 2012 then a full collection again for A/W 2012.  
 


Monkstone striped jumper.

I hear you have quite the collective here in Pembrokeshire. What friends have been key to Monkstone?
I have a great network for farm help and advice. The local farmers are always dropping off the wool they don’t need. I am working on creating the Monkstone Project where I offer those farmers a shearing service and in return, they get a good percentage based on the amount spun and washed that can be used. I hope it will encourage them to consider the sheeps’ welfare as this will result in better quality wool. 

The Monkstone Project sounds like a great idea! Did you set yourself goals to achieve before the new year?
I knew starting a business was going to be tough, so breaking even takes time. I just wanted to sell something to a stranger! Which I have done. I have been very fortunate with my online shop. I have a great web designer, Jon Heslop, to thank and I didn’t realise the audience I could have with being online. I’ve really enjoyed setting up my Twitter account and Facebook page. Both of which are essential. Now I’m sending out newsletters for my customers to get to know us at Monkstone. It’s been wonderful for me to see my idea become a company.

Online can really make a company expand at quite a rate. I really love how romantic your photoshoot feels. And you’ll make time to relax next year?
I’ll try! I have two collections to get underway though! There are many animals on the farm, so I take time out visiting them. Oh, and I do a spot of horse riding to blow away the cob webs. Peggy is our latest addition. You always need to keep a clear head to make important decisions.

Yes indeedy! Well, I’ll let you go off and feed your flock, but have a very happy Christmas and new year Anna. I think you should have an extra glass of champers at the stroke of midnight. Hope to visit you again to talk about your second collection. Can I ride your horse Peggy now?

And for all knitwear lovers we have just heard news of a mega yard sale on the Monkstone Knitwear website: this Sunday 18th December only.

Well, now I’ve worked with the stuff and I’m a convert. It’s a very different material to manipulate than sterling silver, which requires large amounts of heating and hammering. Working with silver metal clay is more like working with ceramic clay, in that you have to work fast or it dries out. It is also a lot like working with a polymer clay such as Fimo – you push it around with your fingers to achieve the effects you want.

At my London Jewellery School class we were taught by silver clay enthusiast and expert Sima Vaziry, whose upbringing has clearly influenced her love of all things Persian and Afghan. A trained graphic designer, she’s been silver smithing for years, etching her own calligraphy onto jewellery and increasingly struggling to achieve her desired finish. That is until she discovered silver metal clay – and this beguiling material is now used to create her bestselling collection, which is available to buy at the British Museum. Describing why she decided to make the move from graphic design to jewellery design she made the very good point that in the former you rarely get pure praise: no one ever says ‘wow, that’s beautiful’ which they do when they fall in love with a stunning piece of jewellery. The perfect advocate for the London Jewellery School, Sima turned her love of jewellery into a serious career by taking a number of short courses over two years. And there’s me dreaming of another career…

Our class was small, which was perfect since it turned out to be quite intensive – there’s a lot to fit in if you want to create a fully formed piece of jewellery in just two and a half hours. But it turns out that it is possible! And whilst I had some moments of frustration (damn, that stuff dries fast, you need to have your design ready planned and all the materials close at hand) by the end I was happy as a pig in muck. There’s nothing like holding that weighty bit of silver in your hand, and thinking – blimey, just a few moments ago that was no more than a slab of white clay. Whilst I might not have achieved a final design that was fully to my liking, for a quick process with eminently satisfying results you really can’t beat this medium – and I’d love to give it another go, only next time with better design preparation and planning.

Sima Vaziry’s Bloom necklace made out of silver metal clay. She was wearing one at the class and I can testify that it was beautiful. I’d like to have these kind of skills, but I guess they take time (you can see my first efforts at the top of the blog)!

The London Jewellery School offers all sorts of interesting courses so their website is well worth checking out: how about a taster class for just £35 as a unique and thoughtful present? If you fancy learning more about how to work with silver metal clay then you can still join the second pre-christmas offering next week, listed here. You can find jewellery by Sima Vaziry at the Grenville Shop in the British Museum or online. She will be giving a talk about her designs to friends of the British Museum on March 19th, at 18.30 & 20.00 in the Lecture Theatre, titled ‘A journey into jewellery – Hajj range designer Sima Vaziry talks about her life and her story-telling pieces‘.

It’s getting scarily close, this Christmas malarkey. And I bet that if you are anything like me you’ve done very little about actually getting or making any presents for your loved ones. Well, help is on hand – over the next few weeks I’ll be rounding up some of my favourite things. First up some bits of gorgeous jewellery and headwear.

Rosie Wonders is an old friend of mine who started out creating gorgeous handmade cards. Since then her range has expanded hugely and I was delighted to find these gorgeous new enamelled Dala Horse necklaces when I visited her recently at her Sunday Upmarket stall on Brick Lane. Think gloriously big, bright and chunky: a real statement piece. Rosie Wonders is offering 15% off orders over £50 online this weekend and free delivery on orders over £25.

Eclectic Eccentricity’s Lucy Crick makes gorgeous upcycled jewels from bits which she scours from antique markets. I particularly like the Cottontail Hare Necklace, with a glass pearl for the tail on a bouncing hare. All her jewellery comes beautifully boxed and ready to give as Christmas pressies.

Emma Ware is a fabulous eco designer who is featured in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration. Since I discovered her she has gone from strength to strength and when I caught up with her at the East London Design Show I was pleased to discover that she now stocks her unique jewellery in stores worldwide. Created out of old bicycle tyre rubber, her clever pieces are quite unlike anything else.

Spirithoods Husky hood by Janneke de Jong.

Spirithoods are a bigger brand than most featured here, but oh boy do I love their furry hoods – I tried one of these on for size at a recent press day and was instantly smitten. They are quite pricey, but absolutely the bees knees when it comes to hats with ears. Snuggly perfection.

Howkapow have teamed up with illustrator Will Scobie to produce these glorious cat necklaces, which come in black and white on a chunky gold chain.

Clara Necklace by Ridley and Dowse, illustration by Richard Parson.

Ridley and Dowse are a Brighton based duo. Their innovative jewellery features large bold geometric designs that work especially well in semi precious metals such as brass and steel. I love this Quadra necklace (I do like necklaces, so it would seem).

The Aviary are another eco design team who work with illustrators (including some of ours, Harriet Gray and Gemma Milly!) and I absolutely adore this beautiful moth locket. Very unusual.

Rosie Sugden makes gorgeous cashmere knitwear – created using tubular techniques on Shima knitting machines. I particularly love her pink fluoro bobble hat, created from Mongolian cashmere goat yarn and then made up in Innerleithen, in the Scottish Borders.

More ideas coming up soon!

Lush prides itself on in-house inventions such as the solid shampoo bar and the shower jelly – and Lush inventors like to have particular fun at Christmas. Here’s a round up of the most exciting new products coming out of Lush land in time for a bit of festive bath time fun:

LUSH Chilli Tingle lip tint by Barb Royal. Inspired by a trip to Mexico, this lip balm is guaranteed to give you hot lips in cold weather.

Lip Scrub by Estelle Morris. Perfect for potential under-the-mistletoe snogging action.

The Golden Wonder bath ballistic bears no relation to the well known crisp brand but instead looks like a miniature golden gift, and it’s even better in the water – as the bomb dissolves it sends out a shower of golden stars and the water turns blue. All this is accompanied by the sweet scents of sweet orange, cognac and lime. Bring on the party season!

LUSH Christmas by Janneke de Jong.

The Northern Lights soap is reminiscent of the phenomenon in the sky, infused with the scents of a Nordic forest and shimmering in transparent stripes.

Magic Wand by Estelle Morris. Lay back, relax, and dabble your wand in the bath to produce the perfect amount of bubbles.

The Buche de Noel is a ‘cleansing roll’ that looks suspiciously like a giant slab of sushi, fitting then that it includes a nourishing sheet of Nori seaweed as it’s wrap.

LUSH Cinders Bath Bomb by Barb Royal. This Christmassy mix features popping candy for extra crackle when it hits the water.

The Jilted Elf shower jelly was inspired by a cocktail recipe from New York. It’s a zesty blend of grapefruit, vodka and ginger that should provide an uplifting start to the day.

I’ve always been partial to a bit of traditional Glogg, the traditional mulled drink of Scandinavian countries. Put the familiar ingredients of orange, lemon, red wine, brandy, cinnamon and clove together and you’ve got another very special shower gel.

Lil Lush Pud by Estelle Morris. Another festive bath bomb with a big personality – scented with marzipan, lemon peel powder, clove powder, aloe vera extract and rose.

Click here to view the embedded video.

LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics by Barb Royal.

Lush Candy Cane soap.

Lush Gingerbread House. It looks good enough to eat but this one is for the water only. With essence of ginger, blackcurrant and lemon.

What does Nakedbutsafe mean and how did you decide upon the name for your new magazine?
Nakedbutsafe means that our magazine tries to be ‘naked’ from any form of ties and connections to standard industry pressure points like PRs etc… which makes it highly independent. I think readers don’t trust magazines and the media in general any more because there is no more news, only commerce. Magazines today (including many so called independent ones) are just sales platforms for major brands. As a freelance photographer I witnessed last minute calls from major brands in Paris to an otherwise quite credible publication, asking for clothing items to be used on the cover shoot even when they had nothing to do with the theme of the shooting. Additionally ‘naked’ means naked from any form of post production that cannot be done in the dark room. This could have made the magazine feel a bit nostalgic, but this is not the case. We celebrate photography and our research into young artistic and photographic talent shows that there is a strong trend towards not using post production. We want our fashion photographers to enjoy the process of taking photos in the moment, and not to rely on the lab. Naked is also naked from any fear of press censure. We encourage freedom and the breaking of boundaries every day, not just in the magazine. The choice of name was a natural decision from the state of mind we found ourselves in at the start of 2011.

Who is behind Nakedbutsafe? Can you tell us a short history about its creation?
Myself (Stratis Kastrisianakis) and my partner Manos Samartzis are the creators and driving force behind the magazine. We do everything in house from design to proofing, and from art curating to monitoring distribution and sales. Happily we are blessed with many talented friends and old collaborators that jumped on the idea of giving a hand to a project that started out shy but now is a full time commitment. One day in december 2010 myself and Manos were so frustrated by a commission that we decided NOT to work for these kind of publications any more. So nakedbutsafe was born out of frustration. Then we started a task of entering into a world that already seems so natural, even though it was all news to us back then. We chose to work with consultants and not actual collaborators so we could keep the schedule under control (it is hard to ask people to work for free under pressure) and so that we would not offend anyone’s artistic expression by rejecting them. Nakedbutsafe is 100% an in house process with 95% of its material shot especially for us. Today things have changed dramatically. Every day we get requests from artists and collaborators of every kind that want to be part of nakedbutsafe. This is all very exciting. Our new roster is a very selected list of young and emerging talent in their fields.

Your press release speaks about living life with intellectually fulfilled integrity, how is this best manifested in the magazine’s content?
Our take on lifestyle aims to show people that we are humans with brains and not just simple forms of life who react to outside influences. We do not need toys and wealth to live a rich life. Wealth comes from bettering our lives. There are alternatives out there that will create conditions for a new experience. We don’t just need things to show off to other members of our circle. Our planet is a wonderful thing and it is ours. Freedom from needing stuff but encouraging new experiences is our biggest tool towards independency from the media promoted garbage that fills our lives. This is clearly stated in many parts of our magazine – we want it to be a magazine that is read and not just a coffee table item. Magazines are not decorative items.

How difficult has it been to launch a magazine in Greece in this time of financial crisis?
Amazingly difficult and challenging. But also this is one of the reasons why we manage to keep editorial integrity. Once you hit the bottom you can only go up. Also the anger that exists inside everyone in Greece right now has transformed itself into a creative force.

I love the statement that you ‘appreciate illustrators, but not the ones who call themselves photographers’. Why is it so important to you to use images that are not airbrushed?
See my previous answer for part of this explanation. All readers, even non industry ones, are so familiar with post production that they have lost their trust in the colours of a sunset, of a fruit and eventually the beauty of human form. It’s a crime. We are living in the era of temporary plastic surgery through imagery.

Nakedbutsafe is published in English. What was the decision about this, and where can you buy the magazine?
English is the most commonly spoken language and the one that suits most of our international team. It was a decision based on practicality. In the future we want to have multilingual articles in the magazine (in their original form) as well as in English, but this will not be the case anytime soon. Pineapple Media and Comag International are the people behind our global reach. We have somehow limited printing numbers (under 15,000 copies) so our reach is global but targeted. In January 2012 we will have full details of where to buy nakedbutsafe but for the moment please check out Where to Buy on our website.

Have there been any difficulties in ensuring global distribution, if so what have you learnt?
Yes. As always a new craft brings excitement and also problems which need to be dealt with. Not knowing the actual distribution locations until the magazine is already in the stores was news to us. Now we know and it’s ok. We are not an urgent magazine to buy in terms of news.

Why is it important to you to create a magazine from 100% sustainable sources?
I will reverse the question; why is not so important for everyone else? There is too much intellectual garbage out there, never mind actual garbage. Let’s all be sustainable – it will make everyone happier.

How did you discover Principal Colour and why did you decide to use them to print Nakedbutsafe?
Their take on natural and ecological printing was a big attraction, but I also like that Principal Colour is run with an informal mood that is in line with the playful (but still extremely serious) character of nakedbutsafe. They are amazing and I have no hesitation in recommending them to others. I received their press proofs by mistake for issue 1 and there was no difference in quality between mine and theirs.

To read the rest of this article hop on over to the Principal Colour tumblr blog.