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What a wonderful discovery we made at The Amazing Blog with the handmade soap company Black & Taylor. Our dear and recently departed four-legged friend Mojai was just the perfect guinea pig for their Archie Black’s Dog Soap . In fact, you couldn’t ask for a better subject to test out a specific ‘doggy bar’ of handmade soap. Mojai was ‘super’ hairy with a rather unique double-coat, he had the most amazing undercoat which comprised of oodles and oodles of the very softest fluff.  He was also rather partial (thank goodness) to bath-time.  This dog soap contains Sunflower Oil which is rich in vitamins A, D, and E and is easily absorbed by the skin. And is scented with Lavender and Citronella Essential Oils which act as a natural bug repellent. All of which is extremely useful for those of you who have pets – with Summer approaching and with all the nasty beasties that are lurking in the long grass. It is easy to use and lathers up nicely. I was apprehensive as I wondered if it would leave a ‘knotty’ matted coat that I would spend hours combing out. But I’m happy to report that both pet and owner were extremely happy with the result – and with the price at £3.95.

Black & Taylor don’t just produce a Dog Soap they have a wonderful selection of products for humans. We were particularly taken with the Gift Sets like Gardeners and the Patchouli & Rosewood. I also love the idea of  Black & Taylor Wedding Favours.  Where you can choose up to any two soaps from their entire range of special wedding gifts for guests. i.e. Rose Geranium and Sunflower Blush for the ladies and Patchouli & Rosewood for the gents. All of which can be made into heart shapes or blocks and wrapped in a variety of coloured Organza bags to match the wedding day colours. Black & Taylor soaps are vegetable oil based, meaning they do not use animal fats and are scented using high quality essential and fragrance oils. Each of their soaps are genuinely handmade using a centuries old process that ensures each bar is of the highest quality. They will not dry your skin as they have absolutely no detergents or harsh ingredients. We are sold on this great little British soap company and their prices – starting from £3.95 on their website. We particularly love the way that these handmade soap last so much longer than commercial soaps. So throw away that supermarket brand and back British!  

Camden Lock is easily one of my favourite places to be. Their eclectic street markets, shops, restaurants and bars make this one of the most interesting areas to spend the afternoon. So, naturally, I am extremely excited to tell you about the We Make London’s market event located in Camden Lock’s Middle Yard. When we at The Amazing Blog learned of this event, I couldn’t wait to find out more. They run all summer long to showcasing talented designers and creators.  Occuring every first and third Friday these markets are the perfect way to spend a weekend, at least as long as the sun continues to shine!

We Make London is a creative organisation dedicated to supporting British designers, artists, and makers. Their event at the Camden Lock is a promotional market to help creators get their name and work known. Booths and market stands fills the charming Middle Yard of Camden Lock allowing shoppers to discover high-quality handmade delights. At each given event there are up to 30 hand-picked exhibitors showcasing and selling their goods. Most products are eco-friendly and all are hand-crafted. They sell things such as jewellery, clothing, fine and graphic art, beauty products and toys. This fair allows you to meet the people who actually create and design these products and allows you to interact with them. So take a refreshing break from high street monotony and step into the exceptional world of handmade craftsmanship.

The We Make London Markets have been open since April 5th and will continue through September, so you have plenty of time to check this event out. They are open from 10am-6pm and it’s free entry. There really is no excuse not to go and check it out. We Make London also offers a book titled, “Inspired:London” that also showcases each creators work in a beautifully gallery. For more information on this exceptional markets or any other upcoming events head on over to their website. We hope to see you there next Friday the 3rd of May!

After the increasing popularity of handmade products and DIYs, it seems that customers are now, more than ever, interested in designers and online shopping. With every purchase, they look for a “shopping experience”. Inspired: London, a Guide to Handmade in London allows customers to meet designers, closing the gap between the producer and the buyer.

The guide was created by Mary McDermott, owner of We Make London, a series of regular craft events across the city, after she spotted a rise in the interest in handmade products in the UK. From clothing to art, and detailed information about their creators, this guide helps you getting in touch with people that hand make products in London. The book aims to support local businesses and includes a useful directory of almost 100 organisations, suppliers, independent shops and designer-maker markets. We have absolutely loved the book – we’ve found super inspiring and we literally couldn’t put it down. And the fact that it features products to suit every budget is a definite plus.

Inspired: London, a Guide to Handmade in London is available to buy online for £12.00 via the We Make London Website and in selected bookshops.

At The Amazing Blog we don’t tend to feature many fashion items, as our dear readers will already know, we tend to be more into our beauty, food and pet products. However, this one fashion item really stood out and we think it is a fab discovery.Bagllerina are an essential to every woman’s wardrobe i.e. a good pair of ballerinas that come with a matching carry pouch. And to be more specific, at The Amazing Blog we’re in love with these as they’re luxurious, elegant and very comfortable Bagllerina  are most definitely a timeless, practical and on-trend accessory.

“Bagllerina” is an amalgam of two words: ballerina and bag – they’re beautifully finished and handmade in 100% soft nappa leather. Bagllerina are just the perfect accessory to throw into your bag for an evening out – if like me, you’re anticipating tired feet from hobbling around all day/night long in your 8″ heels. Not only do these pumps fold-up flat but they all come in a coordinating stylish leather pouch can be used as a purse/evening bag – very practical for carrying around your keys, phone and other make-up bits as well.

Bagllerina offers three outdoor styles in many different colours: “Gorgeous” a low-cut model, “Daily” with laces and “Liberty” without laces. They even offer “Cocoon” to be worn indoors and designed with a foam cushioned sole for optimal comfort. Bagllerina is practical, compact, feminine and high end. If you wish to  splurge on quality footwear (we say ‘cost per wear’ is always a good barometer!) And if like us you totter around in heels all day then these are a must. We at  The Amazing Blog we can’t recommend Bagllerina enough. Our Executive Ed is now the proud owner of a black nappa pair and is now swanking around the office in them (not that we’re jealous or anything grrrr….!)

You can purchase Bagllerina direct from their French website – the outdoor range retail at 129€ and the indoor at 69€. OR you can find a selection on Style-Passport for £110

As you all know, at The Amazing Blog we like to treat ourselves to delicious delicacies – we all love our afternoon tea and coffee, especially if we’ve got yummy bits to go with them. And so we were rather excited to receive a beautifully wrapped box of Bianca Marton’s Handmade Luxury Truffles particularly after hearing so many good things about them.

Bianca Marton offers great handmade dairy free chocolate truffles made with high quality chocolates and 100% natural ingredients, organically grown when possible, and suitable for vegans. She makes 16 different types of delicious truffles: Strawberry, Summer Berry, Dark Orange, Cinnamon, Poppy Seed, Hazelnut, Whiskey, Champagne, Unicum, Plum Schnapps, Sea-Salted Caramel, Organic Dark Chocolate, Fresh Mint, Mango and Chili, Coconut and Dark Raspberry – all of which are as scrumptious as they sound! Our personal favourites were the Sea-Salted Caramel and the Dark Orange, both of which had a rich flavour and just the right amount of chocolate.

You can purchase these exquisite truffles from Bianca Marton’s website – choosing between Fruity Dairy Free, Dairy Free or After Dinner Special (these contain alcohol) selection boxes of 12, 18 or 24 truffles; or you can also choose individual truffles.

At The Amazing Blog we think Bianca Marton’s Handmade Truffles are perfect for dessert, to go with your tea or simply as a self-indulgent treat if you’re feeling particularly decadent!

The box of 24 retails for £25, the 18 one for £19 and the 12 one for £13. If you wish to purchase them individually, each truffle is £1.50.