Etsy House - London Pop-Up Event

Still working on your Christmas shopping? There's no need to panic just yet! We here at The Amazing Blog have discovered the perfect event to find items from all over the world and finally get that Christmas shopping taken care of.

After a successful pop-up shop in Soho, New York last year, Etsy.com, the world’s most vibrant handmade and vintage online marketplace, has announced its first UK pop-up shop in Covent Garden this weekend.

Etsy House will be open for three days, selling a selection of the best handmade and vintage gifts from over 100 independent creative businesses across the UK. With handmade presents, home decorations, jewellery, stationery and more for sale, Etsy House will provide customers with a convenient online shopping experience mixed with the fun and surprise of discovering something new in person.

Visitors will be able to watch live crafting by Etsy artisans, take part in workshops led by Etsy designers and have gifts customised by makers in store. It's the perfect place to shop for those 'hard to buy for' friends and relatives, who seem to already have everything.

Etsy House will open in London from 5th -7th December at 5 Great Newport Street, London, WC2H 7HY (nearest tube Leicester Square) from 10am - 8pm on Friday and Saturday and from 12pm - 6pm on Sunday. So if you're looking for a little inspiration this Christmas, pop down to the pop-up event. You're bound to find a unique gift for your loved ones.

Black & Taylor - Archie Black's Dog Soap

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!  

Inspired: London, A Guide to Handmade in London

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.

Bagllerina

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

Bianca Marton's Fine Handmade Chocolates

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.