20 Seventh Letter is a small British brand based in London, established by April Christopher. Fun, colourful illustrations are printed onto extremely high quality cloth in either London or Glasgow.

I love the characters that April has given to each of the animals - the alpacas look especially cheeky.

I asked April 3 questions to learn more about her:

What is your favourite way to spend your free time?

I enjoy doing a lot of things, but I must say one of my favourite things to do is to eat tasty food! Whenever my boyfriend and I go away on holiday, the first thing we do is arrange where we are going for dinner! There is nothing more satisfying than eating delicious food!

Do you remember your favourite childhood book?

In all honesty, I would only read books when I was told to as I was far more interested in drawing and making random things out of paper as a child - I used to make wallpaper out of old fax paper and paper waistcoats! Having said all of that, one book that I do remember reading on numerous occasions when I was very very young, was an illustrated book called ‘What’s the matter little frog?’ and it was about a group of animals going on an adventure to try and find out why the frog was upset.

Do you have a motto that you like to live by?

I don’t really have a motto as such, but only recently I’ve realised that you can achieve whatever you set your mind to. It’s so easy to compare yourself to others and complain that you don’t have things, but on most occasions you have to seek the opportunities yourself. I had spoken about creating something like 20 Seventh Letter for years before actually doing anything about it and then one day I realised it wasn’t going to happen unless I made it happen! I’m working full time alongside 20 Seventh Letter so I can financially live the life I’ve chosen to in London; my business may take me longer to build up than someone else in a different situation but at least I am moving in the right direction!

Find the beautiful 20 Seventh Letter makeup bags here:

- Textiles

- For Your adventures

91 Magazine was launched in 2011 by founder and editor Caroline Rowland. The idea came about when Caroline felt that none of the mainstream magazines were capturing her interest any more, and she longed for a magazine that covered all aspects of creative living.

She wanted beautiful homes that were attainable and oozed creativity while mixing contemporary, vintage and handmade looks effortlessly. She wanted craft and DIY projects that were modern, not twee, and that represented current trends, while also being accessible to all levels of skill. She wanted shopping tips, not only from the high street but from obscure corners of the world and the internet, so she felt she was always discovering the newest boutiques and designers. She wanted to read about creative lives and businesses that would continue to inspire her on her own journey while getting handy tips and advice. She wanted all of these things to be visually beautiful and well written.

To see Volume 7, based on the theme of ‘play’, click here.

Nottingham-based painter, printmaker, knitter, maker, writer and reader Amy Blackwell captured my attention a long time ago when I spotted her illustrations and fell in love with the characters she creates. We also have a shared love of pancakes.

She is inspired by “the weird and wonderful, clashing colours, the natural world, history, fashion and folklore”. We are so excited to stock a small selection of her greeting cards, which look absolutely lovely in a frame. check out Amy’s you tube channel to glimpse behind the scenes at her creative processes!

Find them in the new arrivals collection, and in paper goods.

My dear friend Victoria lives with her husband Trevor, a furniture restorer and designer, and their two young boys in the rambling countryside of Chabreloche in the Auvergne region of France. Victoria runs her own Etsy shop Ancienesthetique, sourcing the most interesting props and homewares from the best of the French markets.

We visited Vic and her family in the early summer of 2019 and I brought a few things home with me to share through Firain. Click on the ‘for your home’ collection to discover them!

I am not the only friend to have returned home with extra luggage after staying with Vic - one friend in Sweden went home with a trumpet and another in North Wales squeezed a huge travelling chest into the boot of their family car…

I wanted to know more about Vic’s tips for uncovering the best treasures and she kindly answered my questions:

Your passion for vintage homewares has developed into a thriving business. Can you describe why you are drawn to this style?

It’s hard to be succinct with a topic I love! One of the biggest reasons I love to buy vintage and pre-loved items is that this is a sustainable way to shop. I like to give a new life to something that has already had a few lives before I found it. We try very hard as a family to live in a considerate way - we buy secondhand clothes; we recycle and upcycle everything we can. We are careful with water and electricity and grow our own food. For us, buying and using antique and vintage items aligns with our values and we hope that we are teaching our boys to be considerate about what they use and what they buy.

Besides these environmental factors, older things have a beauty because of the stories they tell. I find them charming and curious. Many things were made with more care a long time ago. Rather than being churned out in a factory, many things I love have been made by hand and I love that provenance.

Brocantes and markets are so popular in France; how do you find the best ones?

You can buy an agenda in the newsagents in France that advertises the location and dates of where the vide-greniers (‘empty attic’) sales are being held. You can also search online. It took some time, but I now know where the best ones are; some of the more expensive ones around Paris and the South of France are frequented by antique dealers but I like the more low-key ones that sell a variety of goodies.

The French seem to have a knack for incorporating vintage items into their home decor - whats the secret?

Although I can see it changing in the future, for now it seems the French value ‘old stuff’. It’s not a throwaway society. A typical family will own a maison de vacance or maison de campagne , a house that stays in the family forever; these homes are full of historical pieces and family heirlooms and there is an appreciation for maintaining the decor, not changing things up regularly like we tend to do in the UK.

When a family is ready to part with items, they might sell through a vide-greniers . I will often find the most exquisite, beautifully monogrammed linens from a dowry of long ago, for example. I have found World War One gas masks, in tact, in their canisters! With a restorers eye, Trevor will spot if things have greater antique value. He recently found a beautiful old geometry set in its case; the case was distressed, but he has the skills to restore it. We make a good team!

How do you curtail your magpie tendencies? What do you particularly look for when shopping for vintage items?

I am always drawn to items that tell a story. If I see a set a keys, I imagine the doors they open - perhaps to the wine cellar of a crumbly house? I love vintage ceramics and like to use them in my everyday life. I have mismatched plates and cups and my beautiful ancient espresso cups come out at dinner parties, loaded with chocolate mousse.

I try to buy things with a rarity value although I will only buy things that I simply love.

The term ‘vintage’ can sound so vague; how do you date your items?

I start by looking for an equivalent item on eBay or Etsy or use a dating site (not that kind!). I have learned so much over the years about dating ceramics from their unique marks. There are times that I need to ask my local friends and neighbours for extra help and hope that someone says, ‘my granny had one of those!’. Sometimes the seller themselves will be able to share a family story about an item.

Have you had any surprises along the way?

I once bought a really old chamber pot along with lots of other bits and pieces so I couldn’t see the pot properly. When I unwrapped it at home, there were some very ancient deposits stuck to it….what a lovely treat!

Finally, could you share your 3 top tips for holiday-makers (and Firain customers) who would like to shop for vintage in France?

1. Research your markets before you arrive. When you arrive in your holiday location, bug the locals for their top tips.

2. Research what you would like to buy, and set your prices. Don’t be overly swayed! Some sellers will hear the English accent and raise their prices. Be ready to rummage and negotiate. Try not to be too eclectic - there are limits!

3. Only buy things that call to you, that are totally ‘unputdownable’. Try to imagine them in your home. I like to walk all the way through a market and then take a few moments to think about the things that really caught my imagination. Then I go looking for those items and hope they haven’t been snapped up!

Merci beaucoup Vic for your insights! If you missed the link above, click on the ‘for the home’ collection to see the Ancienesthetique items that I brought back from France.

Discovering artist Anna Mac has been a highlight in this firain adventure. Anna has the most calming, beautiful instagram account @_anna_mac_ and as soon as I realised she sold greeting cards, I contacted her!

About her work, Anna explains:

"The way I paint feels like a game of building and taking away, the smallest edition of a shape or use of colour can transform the painting. The evolution of each painting can come quickly if each move fits with the next, and some can be a complex journey of changes and wrong moves. Either way, a piece builds and builds until everything 'fits'. Peeks of layers underneath show through and I like to complement those delicate details with bold clean shapes".

The greeting cards we sell at firain look really lovely framed and hung as a series, where this use of colour and shapes that Anna describes is clear to see.

I asked Anna 2 questions:

Who are the biggest influences on your work?

I tend to be influenced by shapes, colours and negative spaces in the world around me. I like to look at the forgotten details that perhaps go unnoticed ordinarily. In terms of being influenced by another artist, Henri Matisse is one of my all time favourites; seeing his 'Cut -Outs' exhibition at Tate Modern was pretty life changing for me. 

Where on earth is your happy place? 

Hard to pick one! At my easel painting, sitting on the front doorstep on a warm evening or the countryside where I live on the Suffolk coast. 

Find anna’s cards in the greeting cards section.

"Inspired by nature to be creative and lead a considered way of life."

Another Escape is an outdoor lifestyle, creative culture and sustainable living publication that explores the stories of passionate people, alluring landscapes and intriguing ideas.

Established in 2012 by Jody Daunton and Rachel Maria Taylor, Another Escape aims to inspire and encourage readers to actively explore their own aspirations. Another Escape is comprised of a mix of ideas-based articles, features, people pieces and photo-essays, and storytelling is at the heart of the Journals and strong narratives are key to the publication. Another Escape believe that the interaction and experience that printed material allows is invaluable – they have create a well-designed, tactile object that can slot onto your bookcase, sit on the coffee table or be slung into a rucksack.

Another Escape covers a disparate selection of subject matter all deep-rooted in exploration, creativity, innovation and discovery, and aims to be a source of inspiration for those who seek an active and considered lifestyle by encouraging an optimistic, forward-thinking and responsible mindset.

The publication is a high quality journal: Another Escape is 160 pages on beautiful, quality 120gsm uncoated paper stock (FSC approved & Euro Ecolabel) with 300gsm matte laminate cover, printed in vegetable inks with a local printer.

I wanted to share this magazine as part of our celebration of adventures and a nod towards the great outdoors here in North Wales.

Click here to see the magazines collection and the latest issue of Another Escape.

Like me, the makers behind Bare Bones chocolate are passionate about proper chocolate. Not the synthetic, what-the-heck-is-in-it chocco, but the real small batch, bean-to-bar chocolate made from the world's finest cacao. In June 2019, Bare Bones chocolate won bronze and silver awards at the prestigious International Chocolate Awards…making each mouthful even more delicious!

The beans

Bare Bones source their beans from co-operative farms in Madagascar, Honduras. Guatemala and Dominican Republic. The farmers take great pride in what they do at each stage; from the bean varietal they work with, growing, harvesting, fermentation to the drying of the beans. Each process of creating the perfect bar is done by hand – with lots of time, attention to detail and care.

Once the beans arrive, Bare Bones sort the good beans from the bad (only the best beans make the cut!) and roast them. Roasting is a delicate and precise process which brings out the unique flavour profile in each bean – this can be anything from fruity berries, vanilla tones, deep velvety caramel or a sharp citrus tang. Delicious! Once the beans are roasted, they are cracked and winnowed to release the nibs from the husks. Bare Bones then take the nibs and grind them to a paste, before adding them to a stone grinder called a melanger. The chocolate is ground for up to 72 hours where it becomes silky, liquid chocolate. Much like a fine wine or cheese, chocolate is aged to allow the flavours to develop. Patience is a virtue in this business. Next the chocolate is tempered – to stabilise the chocolate and give it that perfect snap – and mould it ready for wrapping and sending out to the world.

The packaging

I also loved Bare Bones because of the special packaging they use. Like me, they care deeply about making ethical choices in their packaging and we try to do our bit as small business owners. Working with some amazing papermakers and printers, Bare Bones have created mindful packaging from recycled sources (that can be recycled too!) In the UK, we use 7 million paper cups per day – yet less than 1 in 400 of those cups are recycled. Commendably, Bare Bones have created their chocolate boxes using recycled cups so that they not only look good but do good too. Inside their boxes, you'll find a beautiful plant-based wrapper from Vegware.  Each bar is a joy to unwrap.

Find the chocolate bars here and let me know which flavour you love.

Beci’s designs are whimsical and fun. She uses colour sparingly to create simple designs with handmade charm. Each item is hand cut, shaped, painted and fired by Beci in her workshop. (I love the way the avocado people soap dishes all have different personalities!).

based in Leigh-on-sea, Beci runs clay clubs for budding artists - follow her on instagram for more details: @becicallowdesigns.

Although I don’t have a garden, I am obsessed with flowers, plants and the natural world. If you are too, you’ll love this magazine.

Bloom is a magazine for gardeners, plant admirers, nature lovers, curious explorers and outdoor adventurers. It is beautiful and useful; it looks lovely and it works hard; it makes you muse on the handsomeness of nature and it inspires you to get out there and be a part of it.

Bloom promises practical gardening projects, an exploration of the natural world and a celebration of the beauty of all green spaces, whether they’re in the countryside or the middle of the city, on your windowsill or in an allotment, highly groomed or utterly wild.

I asked Zena, the creator of Bloom, to share more of her journey:

Where do you live and work?

I live and work in London and the magazine was founded in my terraced house in Walthamstow, which has a tiny garden that doesn't get enough attention. Bloom's team of writers, photographers, illustrators and gardeners live all around the UK and even around the world. It's a great mix, as some of us know about urban greenery, others live in wilderness, and others spend their days cultivating beautiful gardens.

• How long have you been creating?

Bloom launched in September 2018 and it's been a busy and thrilling year of introducing people to the magazine, sharing wonderful stories and inspiring people to get outdoors to plant, tend or simply be in nature.

• What inspires you?

I would say people. Every day I come across incredible stories about amazing people doing interesting things. I think the get-up-and-go passion of people to create things, make space for others and to find ways of being and interacting with nature is inspiring.

• What drives you to keep on making?

The fact that Bloom has a growing number of readers and that those readers seem to really love and respond to the magazine. It makes all of those long hours and late nights seem worth it.

Click here to buy the magazine.

As a Devon-born girl myself, I was really excited to discover Tones-based artisan leatherware makers Anna and Alice, who own and run By Alice Wood.

Established in 2012, the ethos behind the brand is that form follows function; combined with the use of sumptuous leathers, the organic shapes these women create are beautiful and extremely useful. The leathers they use are often off-cuts from brands including Mulberry; the colours they choose are gorgeous (that yellow!!).

I love the story behind this brand: in 2009, Anna and Alice were working together for handmade shoe company but in time moved away from each other. However Anna returned to Devon in 2016 and the women realised it would be a wonderful opportunity to work together again: By Alice Woods was born.

Find their beautiful, luxurious leather goods in the for your adventures section of the shop.

Callie Jones lives and works close to Firain HQ in North Wales and we have a shared love of the coastline and countryside in this magical location. We have also both lived in creative hubs in London and the peaceful West Country. I am so excited that we are able to stock Callie’s beautiful linocuts that she has printed onto cards and tea towels.

Callie is a trained artist and has worked with brands including Marks & Spencers (designing wine bottles!) as well as receiving commissions for a wide range of commercial assignments. Her observations of even tiny details - chickens in the yard and ripples in the water - draw the viewer in.

Each artwork has a story - see the individual cards for each one and lose yourself in Callie’s world! these cards also look so lovely in a simple white frame on the wall.

Find callie’s cards in the greeting cards collection and her beautiful tea towels in the textiles collection.

Artist and designer Carissa Tanton lives close to Firain HQ in North Wales. I have followed her art practice for some time and I am excited to be sharing her prints and products with you.

Carissa tends to work in black and white and challenges herself every week, on a Sunday, to make continuous line drawings. She sometimes works with her eyes closed or with her left hand!

It was whilst she lived in Paris that Carissa discovered her artistic streak. She is a modest talent, a supporter of small makers and passionate about using materials that have minimal environmental impact.

Click on the Paper Goods collection to see Carissa’s drawings and washi tape.

Catherine is a surface pattern designer and illustrator who lives close to Sheffield near the Peak District National Park in Derbyshire, England.

I am drawn to Catherine’s sensitive use of colour and love of plants and florals. We sometimes just need a simple, beautiful card to share with friends and I know you will love this collection.

Shop our Greeting Cards from independent illustrators here.

Potter Josie Swift works from her busy studio in Folkestone on the Kent coast. Her use of calming colours, tactile textures and organic shapes are proving to be very popular and the CLÆ collection is growing all the time.

Not only is Josie a friend, but she is a passionate creative whose work fits perfectly into the Firain collection. Like me, she aims to develop a business that supports her balanced, calm life. She is influenced by the environment and the beauty in nature.

Find Josie’s ceramics in the ‘For Your Home’ collection.

Dook is owned by soap-maker extraordinaire Helen Atherton. Based in Edinburgh, Scotland, this small, artisan company make luxury salt soap in small batches using organic ingredients, essential oils and natural colours.  Dook is a Scottish word meaning ‘to dip, bathe or plunge’ and I love the idea of using these soaps to get that fresh feeling of being immersed in rejuvenating baths!

After years of making soap, things changed for Dook in 2018 when Helen started adding Himalayan salt to her traditionally-made cold-pressed bars. The salt not only adds a beautiful colour and texture but most importantly has wonderful skin-loving minerals and adds to a firm and long-lasting bar of soap.

The ingredients in these soaps are organic and from sustainable sources. Plastic is kept to a minimum in the production process.

Thought and care has also gone into the packaging of these soaps; the bars are wrapped by hand using exclusively recycled and recyclable materials.

You must check out the Dook Instagram feed to watch the soap being made in small batches, mixed and poured by hand resulting in distinctive, high-quality hand and body soap.

Find Dook soaps in the Apothecary collection.

The Wild Swimming book is a collaboration between glass painter Flora Jamieson and illustrator Gemma Koomen. The book captures the joy of swimming in beautiful, unspoilt places and I know that as fellow adventurers you will love this book.

Flora Jamieson

Based in Dorset in the UK, Flora undertakes a wide variety of stained glass commissions - from small commemorative panels to  full sets of window or door panels.  As well as her own contemporary designs, she  also reproduces and restores windows from our rich heritage of domestic stained glass, such as those from the Victorian, Edwardian, Arts & Crafts, Art Nouveau and Art Deco eras.  She sells small decorative items in her distinctive bold colours and simple graphic style online and in select shops and galleries. Her contemporary stained glass designs are inspired by graphic design, the natural world, organic forms and geometric patterns.

Follow Flora on instagram for glimpses of her favourite wild swimming spots: @theroundwindow.

Gemma Koomen

I have long been a fan of Gemma’s playful illustrations which reflect the wild Northumberland countryside that she calls home.

Inspired by nature, nostalgia and simplicity, Gemma’s work begins by hand with gouache, ink and the occasional colour pencil, and is driven by the desire to capture little moments of calm and joy, recreating the familiar and domestic into elements of magical possibility.

Her love of painting and drawing began as a child when she would spend her days in an imaginary world created with crayons and pencils on the backs of her artist father’s rejected screenprints, on walls and underneath furniture. Gemma went on to study Fine Art Photography at Glasgow School of art, go on to complete a whirlwind Masters in Illustration and continue to work as a photographer, web designer and occasional illustrator in between raising children. Through the years, the love of drawing and painting remained, and inspired her to start illustrating freelance full-time.

Gemma loves plants, birds, rambling walks and tea in the sunshine, and is inspired by vintage paraphernalia, old black and white photography, time spent in nature and conversations with her two young daughters. Follow her work on Instagram: @gemmakoomen.

I have long been a fan of Gemma’s playful illustrations which reflect the wild Northumberland countryside that she calls home. She has created a range of greeting cards and prints as well as the illustrations for the Wild Swimming book with Flora Jamieson, available in the Paper Goods section.

Inspired by nature, nostalgia and simplicity, Gemma’s work begins by hand with gouache, ink and the occasional colour pencil, and is driven by the desire to capture little moments of calm and joy, recreating the familiar and domestic into elements of magical possibility.

Her love of painting and drawing began as a child when she would spend her days in an imaginary world created with crayons and pencils on the backs of her artist father’s rejected screenprints, on walls and underneath furniture. Gemma went on to study fine art photography at Glasgow School of Art, go on to complete a whirlwind Masters in illustration and continue to work as a photographer, web designer and occasional illustrator in between raising children. through the years, the love of drawing and painting remained, and inspired her to start illustrating freelance full-time.

Gemma loves plants, birds, rambling walks and tea in the sunshine, and is inspired by vintage paraphernalia, old black and white photography, time spent in nature and conversations with her two young daughters. follow her work on instagram: @gemmakoomen.

The story of Halen Môn began with a deep love of and connection to the beautiful island of Anglesey in North Wales, an hour from Firain HQ.

After graduating from Bangor University, couple Alison and David Lea-Wilson went on to establish a successful oyster growing business that was in time complemented by The Sea Zoo, Wales’ largest aquarium.

Looking for ways to make money during the quieter winter months, they left a saucepan of seawater to boil on the Aga in their family kitchen and as the salt crystals started to form, they knew they’d struck culinary gold.

In 1999, they started supplying Halen Môn Sea Salt to Swains, the local butchers in Menai Bridge on the Isle of Anglesey. Now, the salt is supplied around the globe…even Barack Obama is a fan!

Resurrecting an age-old craft has led to a deep passion for creating the best Anglesey sea salt products on the market. Founder Alison was recently named as one of the top 20 ‘food icons’ of British food and drink.

If you are visiting Anglesey, go for a tour of the Saltcote and Visitor Centre which offers behind-the-scenes insights into this phenomenal local business. The outdoor café, Tide/ Llanw, celebrates local, seasonal ingredients and does some seriously good coffee.

Find the Halen Môn products in the Food + Drink collection.

Hattie is a Yorkshire-based illustrator who describes herself as “appreciating the little things in life”. You must follow her Instagram stories for a peek of her two adorable dogs!

I was first drawn to Hattie’s use of colour - the calming pinks and caramels - as well as her lightness of touch…each design is just enough and thoroughly modern (even the Bronte gals!).

Find Hattie’s cards in the greeting card shop and signed prints in the paper goods collection.

I discovered this candle company in the best way possible - I smelt Join candles in my friends home and I decided that they would be one of the launch products when I opened firain.

Join is owned by jen and her sister who hand pour each and every candle. Join products are lovingly packaged in amber apothecary style glass jars which can be re-used for all kinds of things.

The natural candles are made with carbon neutral soy wax (no nasties to inhale!) and the finest essential oils which have a big ‘throw’ - you don’t need to burn these candles for very long to appreciate the scents. Like me, the sisters are inspired but their travels and heritage; they create unique fragrances inspired by the rugged coast of Cornwall where they grew up and the smells of the countryside where they walk their dogs.

Find Join candles in the candles section of the shop.

COMING SOON!

Juliet Foster is the owner and maker behind Jules + Clem. I was drawn to the simple shapes and interesting colours in Juliet's creation, and I knew we had to share them with our customers.

In her own words, Juliet describes her creative journey:

“I've always made jewellery, starting my label - Jules & Clem - back in 2009 when I was working as a production assistant for Walker Books, a children’s publishing house. I loved my job but didn't find it creatively fulfilling and making jewellery gave me the outlet that I needed. In 2012, after the birth of my daughter, I left Walker to focus on making jewellery (and being a mum!) 

I work mainly in perspex and wood, doing whatever I can from my home studio. My early designs were influenced by working with children’s books and I still make the more popular items from that time - bunnies, cats and birds - but as my life has changed so have my influences. Now, as a busy mum, I am drawn to much simpler forms and shapes. I make minimal pieces in subtle hues with and emphasis on quality and wearability. 

I love every part of running Jules & Clem, even the accounts! A lot of thought, care and attention goes into every detail and I hope it shows in my products.”

To see the Jules + Clems earrings, click in the accessories collection.

Jwrnal (‘journal’) is about people, places, products and processes. It's about conversation, community, storytelling and sharing.

I remember the giddy feeling I had inside when I stumbled across the website only a few weeks after moving to Wales. Seeing the vibrant communities here in Wales makes me excited to explore and discover. I feel privileged to be stocking issue #01 of the print magazine. Over 40 makers and creatives in Wales (including one of Firain’s makers, Callie Jones) shared stories, photographs, recipes, doodles and so much more to create Jwrnal #01. in print.

Jwrnal magazine launched at the Good Life Experience Festival in 2017 by curating a collection of contemporary craft products made by Makers from all corners of Wales, representing many mediums of traditional rural crafts including; pottery, weaving, chair making, textile art, wood work and more.

Editor Sarah Hellen is a collector, a curator, a do-er, a maker, evolving most things she does around her love of Wales and the creative people she meets. Follow her on Instagram @jwrnal_wales.

Jwrnal magazine is very special: click here to buy your copy. (It would make a fabulous gift for that Welsh friend in your life who misses home.)

Sending a card to a friend is such a thoughtful act and one I love to encourage, so I am delighted to add these beautiful cards by illustrator Katie Housley to the Firain collection to make to the whole affair even prettier.

Katie runs her stationery company from her studio by the sea in Hove, on the south coast of England. Her illustrations are light and fun, some with delicate foil or hand-finished details; the wording is thoughtful and sentimental.

I was drawn to the colours Katie uses - pinks and oranges and earthy tones.

Click here to see the Greeting Cards collection.

Penny is the creative maker behind Little Nell; she has been making jewellery since 2010 and turned her passion into a thriving business. Based in Shropshire, Penny runs her own boutique WORK | SHOP.

I am drawn to Penny’s love of natural materials and fun combinations. Her pieces are so wearable.

Find Little Nell jewellery in the Accessories collection.

Maxine Pharoah is an experienced maker based in the utterly gorgeous town of St. Ives in Cornwall. Inspired by her coastal surroundings, Maxine creates a wide range of products and I am fortunate enough to be a stockist of her wonderful rope creations.

If you are ever in St. Ives, do visit Maxine in her studio in the Sloop Craft Market which was started in 1969. It is a complex of eleven workshops in a picturesque and quiet courtyard. The workshops include stained glass artist, illustrators, painters, ceramists, jewellers and craft makers. Take me with you!

Go to the textiles collection to see Maxine’s woven bowls, hanging planters and more.

Miss Bees Balms is a unique and gorgeous range of highly effective, 100% natural, simple, pure plant skincare (and candles…more on that later!).  Using only the finest bioactive botanical ingredients, Miss Bees Balms aim to deeply nourish, balance, and improve the skin structure by harnessing whole plant goodness.

It’s taken me a long time to select a skincare range for Firain. There is so much choice out there, but having tested these products myself - along with other humans, not animals - I am ready to promote them to my lovely customers.

Useful information…

Miss Bees Balm use both green and miron glass containers not only for their preserving and aesthetic properties but also for their endless recycling potential.  

As The Miss Bees Balms products are made without water, a small amount of balm/oil goes a long way - use sparingly at first (pea size amount for buttery balms) and apply more as necessary, ideally to clean, warm skin and allow to deeply nourish and moisturise for a few moments following application.

The Miss Bees Balms products are heat sensitive, so store them in a cool dry place away from direct heat and sunlight to help keep your products in optimum condition.  exposure to extremes may separate or alter the texture. for maximum freshness and potency, please follow the best before dates displayed on the label.

The products contain only pure plant goodness and no synthetic preservatives, so it's wise to exercise good hygiene (clean hands/spoon or spatula with the balms) when using these products and to help keep them at their best. Avoid getting water into bottles/jars and ensure the lids are replaced securely after use.

 It is wise to do a patch test when using new products and check the ingredients list to ensure suitability.   Please discontinue use if irritation occurs.   As with all products containing essential oils, please seek professional advice if you are unsure about your sensitivity to certain ingredients.

 All the products are industry certified and fully conform to the European cosmetic products safety regulations.

Click onto the Apothecary range to see more of the Miss Bees Balms products.

I am now stocking the very special candles created by Fiona. There are no nasties in these botanical candles. Click here to read more about them.

Molly has many strings to her bow!

She found a love of sewing and interiors when her mother trained her in soft furnishings in 2011. During her apprenticeship she began experimenting with making cushions and bags and has since gone on to complete a Diploma in Professional Curtain Making and Soft Furnishings.

For Firain, Molly has created a range of her beautiful soft buckets in ‘firain’ colours - blues and yellows of the seaside. She sews and hand paints onto cotton that is ethically sourced from India; each pot is different and I love these dotted around the house storing all kinds of things.

Find Molly’s buckets in new arrivals and for the home.

Glasgow-based Jen stewart established NMARRA in 2017 and has created quite a following for her fun and irreverent brass earrings.

​Jen is inspired by shapes in the natural world, folk art, 20th century design and architecture that she develops into wearable (and affordable) accessories. She kindly answered some questions I had about her creative process:

How do you get yourself in the creative mindset?

At the moment I feel like creativity breeds creativity for me, the more I put out into the world the more ideas pop up. Ideas for new designs come to me at odd times, so I try to get them down on paper so they are out of my head, which means I have many scattered sketches. I then gather them together to properly work up and develop into my designs.

Learning new skills, investigating a technical process or material always makes me look at things from a fresh perspective. Recently I have really enjoyed working with other creatives on photo-shoots, as it's great when everyone's expertise comes together to create something bigger and better.

Is there a book, person or place that you go to, to regain balance when things get crazy?

I love the sea, and water in general, it always makes me feel restored and re-energised. NMARRA actually takes its name abstractly from Scottish gaelic words for of or by the sea - na mara. If I can't get away to the coast or my other more reliably sunny adopted home city of Barcelona, then being in my flat, having a bath, and hanging out with my beloved kitten usually does the trick. I do love to get lost in a good (or somewhat trashy book) I am currently devouring Elmore Leonard and Raymond Chandler crime/ detective novels and find them very relaxing!

Do you have a motto you like to live by?

When it comes to work, a quote nabbed by author Alasdair Gray from Canadian Dennis Lee provides a bit of a inspiration: “Work as if you live in the early days of a better nation”. For me this is a good reminder that work should be part of creating the future world that we want to live in. I’d love to design and run my business full time and be able to create opportunities for others. This coupled with the old marketing motto, ‘if you fail to plan you plan to fail’, covers my general approach to NMARRA. In life, I generally just try to follow my gut and have a good time!

we love the bold designs in the Nmarra range - the OPLA’s pictured here are a best-seller.

click here to see the Nmarra earrings in the accessories collection.

Old Faithful unisex products are natural and consist of organic, cold pressed oils, herbal extracts and high quality essential oils. Old Faithful source the finest ingredients and create small batches of natural unrefined goodness. Creator Gareth is based in South Wales.

It’s taken me a long time to select a skincare range for firain. there is so much choice out there, but having tested these products myself - along with other humans, not animals - i am ready to promote them to my lovely customers.

Old Faithful products contain some fabulous ingredients, including…

Argan oil has been used by Moroccans for centuries. Pure Organic Argan Oil has moisturising and conditioning properties. The oil contains eight essential fatty acids and boasts high levels of vitamin E. It is easily absorbed and non-greasy. Along with carotenoids, saponins and polyphones, Argan Oil contains rare plant sterols (schottenol and spinasterol). This oil is used in the Original Beard Oil, the mañana shave oil and the hammam moisturising serum.

Avocado oil is used in the mañana shave oil as it’s rich in fatty acids and is excellent for moisturising the skin. avocado oil contains potassium, lecithin, and many other nutrients that can nourish and moisturise the skin.

Broccoli seed oil is used in the Original Beard Oil. Extracted from the oil-rich seeds of broccoli, this odourless and tasteless oil is loved for its light, but moisturising and rejuvenating feel on the skin.

Calendula species have been used traditionally as culinary and medicinal herbs as they can help to alleviate skin issues. The petals are edible and can be used fresh in salads or dried as a replacement for saffron. A yellow dye has been extracted from the flowers. Romans and Greeks used the golden calendula in many rituals and ceremonies, sometimes wearing crowns or garlands made from the flowers. Calendula flowers are sacred flowers in India and have been used to decorate the statues of Hindu deities since early times. It is used in the Makers’ Balm.

Cedar oil, used in the hammam moisturising serum, is an essential oil derived from various types of conifers, most in the pine or cypress botanical families. It is produced from the foliage, and sometimes the wood, roots, and stumps which have been left after cutting of trees for timber extraction. It has many uses in medicine, art, industry and perfumery, and while the characteristics of oils derived from various species may themselves vary, all have some degree of bactericidal and pesticidal effects.

Elemi oil is found in the Makers’ Balm. Some use this oil to prevent swelling, treat skin ulcers, and to ease the symptoms of rheumatism. In aromatherapy, elemi is used for its grounding and balancing properties, and is said to relieve stress. Similar to frankincense, elemi can best be typified in perfume lingo as "terpenic", an aroma typified by fresh pine needles, clean, woodsy, citrusy and coriander undertones.

Jojoba oil is actually a liquid plant wax and is commonly used to treat acne, psoriasis, sunburn and chapped skin. Jojoba oil is the liquid produced in the seed of the Simmondsia chinensis (Jojoba) plant, a shrub, which is native to southern Arizona, southern California, and northwestern Mexico. It is used in the hammam moisturising serum and the Original Beard Oil.

Macadamia oil (or macadamia nut oil) is the non-volatile oil expressed from the nut meat of the macadamia (Macadamia integrifolia) tree, a native Australian nut. This oil is found in the Makers’ Balm and the hammam moisturising serum.

Neroli oil is produced from the blossom of the bitter orange tree. it is sweet and honeyed and extremely popular in perfumery. it is known to be good for lifting the spirits and calming people down. This oil is found in the original beard oil - who knows how relaxed you might feel after using it!

Patchouli is related to the mint family. The plant grows as a bushy herb, with erect stems reaching around 75 centimetres (2.5 ft) in height and bearing small, pale pink-white flowers. It is native to tropical regions of Asia, and is now extensively cultivated in Asia, India, South America and the Caribbean. This oil is found in the Makers Balm as it has wound-healing and scar-reducing properties.

Rosehip oil is rich in essential fatty acids and antioxidants, which are integral for tissue and cell regeneration in the skin. It's long been used as a folk remedy for wound healing, as well as the reduction of scars and fine lines. Rosehip oil is used in the hammam moisturising serum.

Sandalwood is widely used in cosmetics and soap making. It has a distinctive soft, warm, smooth, somewhat oriental fragrance. Used in the hammam moisturising serum, its derived from sandalwood trees which not only retain their fragrance for decades but are extremely expensive woods.

Vetiver essential oil, also called khus oil, is extracted from the vetiver plant, a clumpy, green grass native to India. Vetiver is in the same family as other grasses used for their essential oils, including lemongrass and citronella. This oil is found in the Makers Balm.

I love that the word ‘reverie’ is from an old french word meaning ‘be delirious’. shouldn’t we all feel like that from time to time?

Reverie Studio was born out of a dream to create modern products that are mindfully made and I know you will love sending these gorgeous letterpress cards to your favourite people.

Reverie Studio pay attention to the materials they use - the materials they use can either be recycled or are already recycled. The cards are made on a vintage adana letterpress, which means their designs are limited edition and even more precious.

If you would like to see the reverie studio range, please go to the Greeting Cards collection.

Soap is very important to firain - we are making an effort to swap our hand-pump soaps for bars and we have been on the lookout for a long time for scents we love and packaging that is eco-friendly and beautiful.

Soap Daze is a Devon-based company run by Sharon, who makes the soaps in her back garden. She uses the finest organic ingredients to make creamy, rich soaps in a fantastic range of scents. Each soap is palm-oil free and suitable for vegans and many use herbs and spices. I love that Sharon offers ‘unwrapped’ versions of the soaps, to reduce packaging and the cost of producing the bars.

Find the Soap Daze collection of vegan soap in the For the Home and For Your Adventures collections.

Raised between bustling Paris and her family home in Thiès in Senegal, Tabara co-founded her homeware brand La Basketry with her sister Mamy in 2017. The sisters work with a community of female artisans in Thiès who produce beautiful homewares and accessories made with traditional weaving methods. Even as a child, Tabara was fascinated by the vibrant colours, patterns and variety in Senegalese basket-making.

It is important to Tabara and Mamy that La Basketry works directly with their makers, providing them a fair wage and contributing a percentage of their profits to support local initiatives in the community. Basket-making brings women together and this collaboration is helping to keep the craft alive.

Tabara and I were both interviewed for the 91 Magazine blog about setting up and online shop and I was drawn to her passion for craft and determination to do things differently. Do have a read if you can.

To share her love of basketry, Tabara has written the most beautiful book which is now stocked at Firain: Baskets - Projects, techniques and inspirational designs for you and your home. With photography by Penny Wincer and illustrations by Aurelia Lange, the book is so much more than a how-to guide. Divided into four chapters, ‘Grass’, ‘Cane’, ‘Rope’ and ‘Twine’, the book guides even a complete beginner through projects including mini baskets which would make lovely plant pots, picnic baskets, and my favourite - a gorgeous circular Rope shopping basket.

Let’s celebrate craft and making for fun!

Lauren and Robin own the wonderful online shop The Hendersons. I first discovered them through their instagram, where their fantastic photographs of the great outdoors, their own travels and their gorgeous curated products drew me in.

Since 2014 they have been sourcing the most fun and interesting vintage finds and the brand has grown to include their own product, including the pins which are now stocked at Firain!

In December 2018, the couple hit the road with their converted van to start a trip of a lifetime around the most stunning locations in Europe. Follow them here: The Hendersons Journal.

Lilly Mandarano is the maker behind The Super Sparrow. She is based in Deptford, South London (a place close to my heart as its the area of London I moved to when I was 20, fresh-faced from the countryside!). Deptford has a really thriving art scene and Lilly is very much part of it.

All her work is hand built and glazed, making each piece unique.

I love how Lilly describes her work: “Making ceramics takes time; each stage is important and as clay has a memory, each piece tells its own story. Having been hand-built gives them individuality and personality.”

I was drawn to The Super Sparrow creations because of the natural, simple, honest (almost minimalist) designs. Sometimes we can be afraid to use ceramics for everyday use but Lilly’s work is robust and dishwasher-proof.

Lilly uses different clays for her designs:

Top: Buff Stoneware

Bottom Left: Flecked Stoneware

Bottom Right: Lavafleck Stoneware

Flecked Stoneware has a lighter flecking and more neutral colour tone than Lavafleck.

Please go to the For the Home collection to see the full range.

In 2001 when we all grabbed plastic bags willy nilly from the supermarket checkout, former ecologist Beth Williams established Turtle Bags to raise awareness of the hazards that plastic bags were causing in the oceans. After discovering that sea turtles were confusing plastic bags for delicious jelly fish, the brand created practical string bags to help us all reduce our reliance on plastic. It was voted as one of the top ten ‘best bags for life’ by the Independent newspaper, ​

Turtle Bags work with FairTrade partners who share their environmental values (and ours!) to supply ethically produced bags for life. Turtle Bags is a company with integrity at it’s heart and Fair Trade principles at it’s core.

find the super stylish tote bags and string bags in the accessories collection.