What? No Gift List.

On Saturday I shall be attending the wedding of a couple who have opted not to have a giftlist. This is highly unusual. A card containing details of a couple's gift list is as common to the invitation envelope as an RSVP postcard nowadays. It's more practical than anything else. Not doing so means you run the risk of some duplication amongst your wedding presents (it's another fondu set darling!) or worse, receiving nothing at all ; ). I'm always slightly put off by couples who ask for money to put towards something like a house deposit or the honeymoon but I do think that emerging modern alternatives can be both innovative and meaningful such as asking people to donate to a charity the couple support or to give wine or champagne to build a stable of bottles with which to launch a hundred celebrations in the future. So what to give? Especially when the couple in question seemingly have 'everything'. I've been window shopping to find some present ideas that will help push your name right to the top of the thank you card list.

1. Bespoke Sienna Bowl from Jojo Glass Design £140.00

Stylish, elegant and timeless. A total no-brainer.

2. "Nice" Biscuit Cheese Platter by Square Pear Furniture at notonthehighstreet.com £34.95

Apart from anything else, the design of this is utterly edible and the humour clear but not tacky.

3. Plans Chest Metal Top Coffee Table from The Old Cinema £595.00

Check out this site for a wealth of original, vintage and upcycled pieces in many different styles.

4. A Gourmet Chocolate Company Pizza from £7.00

Food: the second thing every couple wants when they get back to the Honeymoon Suite ; ).

5. Citrus Orange Tree from Trees Direct £49.00

Orange blossom is associated with love and commitment so you score points for originality and depth of meaning. 

Showcase: Roost Living

I've found a lovely online boutique called Roost Living selling an absolutely mouth-watering range of beautiful gifts and homewares. It's been ages since I've done a showcase and it usually follows that I post one when I can't choose between my finds on a single website. Here are a few of my favourite things from their very stylish site:

1. Upcycled lightshade made from vintage wooden rulers - from £320.00

2. Wobbly Bowls from £12.00

3. "Jelly" Teatowel £6.00

4. Blackwork Cushion, Square £110.00

5. Set of Three Artichoke Handkerchiefs £15.00

6. Flight of Fancy Cakestand £90.00

7. Silverleaf Bowls from £15.00

On the 6th Day of Christmas...

Stunning and the perfect gift for a serious traveller and lover of art. This is a detail of a Typographic Map of Rome £125.00 (unframed) by Swiss artist Ursula Hitz. There are many stupefyingly intricate citiscapes represented on her website but I chose this one because Rome is the most amazing city in the world to me and I think that every element of the print, which includes the seven hills, parks, noted places and The Vatican is simply exquisite. Each print is a limited edition signed and numbered by the artist. Framed or unframed, rest assured that you will be very, very popular.

Showcase: House Knutsford

It's so nice when amazing shops introduce themselves. I checked out new Twitter follower House Knutsford's beautiful website this evening and have decided not to go to bed until I compose a wishlist of stunning gifts from their collection. It's a tough job but I suppose I'll just have to do it! 

1. Jeeves Pendant Light £150 by designer Jake Phipps

I can see these looking fabulous in a pantry or wine cellar but they would look just as effective in a dressing room or walk-in wardrobe. I love their bold shape and the way the gold metallic lining gives off a warm glow. Their long black cord allows for low suspension to give a lamp effect. Position it over a vintage telephone on a console table for a surrealist look.

2. Rose Flower No.12 Soap £12.50 

I like nicely packaged, good quality soaps but I rarely use them to wash my hands. I like to put them in drawers to scent my clothes and keep my boudoir smelling beautiful. This packaging looks almost too nice to hide away so I might need two: one for the drawer and one for the toiletries bowl in my guest room.

3. Caracalla Bagaglio Salvatori/Shelby No. 5 Aston Martin Holdall £295.00

Make a man very, very happy. One for the boys this and for car lovers everywhere. 57cm x 32cm x 28cm and every sumptuous inch made from and embellished with high quality leather.

4. Joseph Joseph Index Plus Chopping Board Set £65.00

I own the earlier version of this without the knife block and I have given it several times as a housewarming gift. I find it is particularly suitable for boys because, even if they completely ignore it, it looks undeniably cool on the work top in a trendy bachelor pad. The four boards are colour coded according to type of food: raw meat, cooked food, fish and vegetables and they all fit neatly into a silver knife block with handy tabs to 'file' them away when not in use. 

5. White Dog Light £65.00

A bone china lamp that glows from within to give off a low, warm light. Great for fending off the monsters under the bed. Also available in rabbit and owl designs. 

6. Queen of Everything Mug £11.00

Finally, and at the risk of completely over-exposing mugs this week, I have to just slip this little bone china one in because it is so pretty and a nice stylish antidote to all the relentless 'Keep Calm & Carry On" kitsch that seems to be absolutely everywhere at the moment. As I mentioned in my earlier post (A Grateful Cuppa), I think delicate, elegant mugs with unusual designs make lovely thank you and housewarming gifts especially if you pair them up for a couple.

Workshop Wonderland

Have you ever wandered around antique fairs, flea markets and car boot sales thinking: That's nice! It would come up beautifully if I gave it a lick of paint? I do. Frequently. Ever since I discovered some very old Annie Sloan books on furniture painting techniques a while back, I've been completely hooked. Now we just need a bigger house to accommodate my creations. Workshops are a fantastic way to treat someone who, like me, has a particular leaning towards a certain type of skill or hobby. Mine will always be crafts although I have been known to try new things. My aunt once gave me a one-day crash course in cookery at the Leiths Cookery School in London which was, to say the least, terrifying but left me with my sanity intact and a few tips and tricks under my belt that I use to this day. 

West Egg Interiors is an online boutique store which specialises in sourcing and restoring vintage furniture and decorative home wares. Each piece a one off, this shop is a treasure chest of deeply desirable stuff to complement your house and they also provide one-day courses where you can go along and learn about decorative techniques yourself. Furniture Painting Workshops £115.00 last for one fabulous fun-filled day and you can learn all sorts of useful painting, distressing and waxing techniques to give you the confidence to go let rip on an upcycled masterpiece of your own. The courses are designed for beginners and based near Colchester in Essex. If this is a bit out of your way, then doubtless there are others that a Google search will turn up for you, but I like this one because I particularly like West Egg's shop and philosophy. A workshop makes an unforgettable gift but, if it's too tempting to give away, do what I've done in the past; take a mate and agree pay for each other to go as a mutual birthday present. These things are always so much more fun in company anyway.