Merry Christmas - We're back in the New Year!

A big thank you to all our customers, bloggers and journalists for making 2010 a great year for the shop!

We are about to embark on a few days of replenishment but we'll be back unveiling some brilliant new collections in the new year. But for now we hope you have a lovely festive break and enjoy the snow - or if you hate the cold take warmth in the fact that it's the winter solstice today and the days get longer from now.

If you place an order after the 22nd December it will be processed when we return on the 3rd of January.

All the very best, Denise and Samantha

Put Your Feet Up - The Easy Christmas Shopping Weekend + FREE P+P

If you can't face the shops, the crowds, the traffic jams this weekend then we suggest staying home, putting on some lovely music (Gregorian chants perhaps?), pouring yourself a little tipple (sole gin liqueur works for us) and exploring the following delights from our shop which will still get to you in plenty of time for Christmas.

Why not have a browse through the dark, illuminated rooms in The Menagerie exhibition which is full of special objects such as:

Clara Francis' beautiful beaded jewellery (as seen in the Victoria and Albert Museum). Clara hand makes each piece to order and she has guaranteed any order placed before the 15th December will arrive in time for Christmas. Our favourite is the Red Merian Butterfly necklace

Sophie Woodrow's majestic porcelain sculptures. Each piece is a one off and there are three left, including are favourite The Lion:

Other present worthy items that can be sent out straight away include the following:

If you know someone that loves fashion and old films then Alice Pattullo's Polka Dot print would be a perfect gift:

For the ultra stylish how about one of Ella Louis Doran's silk scarves that look like epic watercolours:

These stunning clutch bags made with African textiles and finished with gold detailing are a real winner:

For the T-Shirt lovers why not look to Lee May Fosters ethically produced, hand printed beauties:

For collectors of special decorations what could be more unusual than, Royal College of Art graduate, Daniel Heath's beach wood circus baubles:

Or how about some fun tights from Scottish designer Hilary Laing - they arrive in a beautiful little package:

For a festive addition to the kitchen why not hang one of these hand printed linen tea-towels on the aga:

The ever popular Bumble Bee Necklace would be welcomed by many:

For the chap who like his cider why not remind of wassailing tradition brought to life in Alice Pattullo's limited edition print:

There are many, many more items in the shop that would make ideal gifts this Christmas. If you want to call or email with any questions about delivery or gift wrapping we'd love to hear from you: 01229 581159 or info@theshopfloorproject.com

Plus don't forget about the Free P+P on all orders - just type in the word BERRY in the discount box at the checkout.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS SHOPPING XX

Christmas Delivery Times

Just to let you know that the last delivery date to get your items in time for Christmas is December 20th 2010 (for UK orders).

Visit our Sister Site for A Box of Seasonal Delights

If you can't spare the time, money or energy to get yourself to a Parisian arcade for some seriously special Christmas shopping then you might find the answer is closer to home. We suggest you put your feet up in a warm room with a tipple of your choice, settle down and treat yourself to a perusal of the box of delights that is The Secret Arcade. Peer through the windows of 29 hand picked shops to find a host of wonderful handmade gifts for all your family and friends. Then with a clickety click you will be transported to a range of great websites not only will you be rewarded with a glittering array of gorgeous goodies but you will find great offers in many of the shops that are participating in The Secret Arcade's Xmas Treasure Hunt.

See below for an index that accompanies the 'box of delights' or if you would like a quick peek see the product catalogue which has a selection of their fabulous wares!

1. Apolline (Children's Passage)

2. Sarah Jayne Guest (Homewares Passage)

3. Akong London (Jewellery Passage)

4. Olive loves Alfie (Children's Passage)

5. Leju (Jewellery Passage)

6. Louise Body (Home Decoration Passage)

7. Willow&Stone (Home Decoration Passage)

8. Belle& Boo (Children's Passage)

9. The Littlecote Soap Co. (Beauty&Perfume Passage)

10. Tulip & Nettle (Children's Passage)

11. Essentially-Me (Beauty&Perfume Passage)

12. Sarah Hardaker (Homewares Passage)

13. Turner Pocock (Home Decoration Passage)

14.Radiance Lighting (Home Decoration Passage)

15. Beautiful Soul (Fashion & Accessories Passage)

16. Ciara Healy (Books, Prints & Art Passage)

17. Ghost Furniture (Homewares Passage)

18. A Little Bit of Art (Books, Prints & Art Passage)

19. Ray Stitch Habedashery (Fashion & Accessories Passage)

20. Helen Musselwhite (Books, Prints & Art Passage)

21. Clara Francis (Jewellery Passage)

22. Blue Bell Gray (Homewares Passage)

23. Sarah Home (Jewellery Passage)

24. Molly - Meg (Children's Passage)

25. Tamara Fogle (Fashion & Accessories Passage)

26. Alexia Fashion (Fashion & Accessories Passage)

27. Simply Roses (Beauty&Perfume Passage)

28. Dark Horse (Jewellery Passage)

29. Mandarina Shoes (Fashion & Accessories Passage)

The Leather Sweet Shop Collection by Natalie Thakur - Perfect presents under £30

Here we have what we call perfect Christmas present material; small, limited edition, unusual and beautifully packaged objects which are under £30.

Working with Natalie Thakur is always a pleasure for us. Her products are incredibly fun but most importantly beautifully made. We have recently collaborated with Natalie to create the new Sweet Shop Collection which was born after long, nostalgic discussions were we shared memories of our favourite corner shop sweets. Natalie soon disappeared into her studio to translate our favourites into a collection of amazing, leather versions of the sugary treats.

Foil Wrapped Toffees

They arrive all lined in suede and protected in fabric stripy bags which are made to look like paper penny sweet bags - so your sweet purse arrives just like the way you'd buy sweets in a shop!

Our favourites from the collection are the Sugar mice and the Foil Wrapped Toffees - See below for the full collection:

The Sugar Mouse

The Mint Humbug

The Licorice Allsort

Click here to see the full collection...

FREE P+P and new Recycled Gift Boxes

To offer a little helping hand this Christmas we are offering our customers free P+P from now until the 18th December on all orders. Simply type the word BERRY in the discount box at the checkout for free P+P.

Also, our search for ethical and high quality gift boxes is over! All our jewellery will now be arriving in black presentation boxes (free of charge) which are supplied by The Tiny Box Company which was set up by Rachel Watkyn who believes that "boxes and bags made of 100% recycled paper pulp is the way forward. No plastic nasty smelling, cough incurring toxins here". For larger items we use unbleached tissue paper together by our bespoke paper ribbon - very stylish even if we do say ourselves!

Happy Christmas Shopping!

Imaginative Hand Made Gifts for Men

Is it a myth that its hard to buy presents for men? Well obviously it depends on the man, but even the most present-worthy chap can pose a problem. I think the difficulty arises due to the lack of high quality, good value items out there specifically for men. How many men actually want golf tees or a pack of three handkerchiefs? I don't know any!

So with this in mind we have put together an imaginative little gift guide for our menfolk who, lets face it, deserve better than a novelty torch on a keyring!

Gifts for Men

A really special T-Shirt. Ethically made in the softest cotton and hand printed by designer Bonbi Forest in her Cornwall studio. A bare winter tree provides shelter for a white rabbit. £25

A magnificent one-off sculpture by artist Sophie Woodrow. If he likes the weired and the wonderful this Lion Hybrid Figure might be right up his street. £360

For the aspiring sailor or captain, this wonderful limited edition, hand-printed book by artist Alice Pattullo was selected for the Guardian's Gift Guide this year and Kate Carter the editor commented 'its more like a work of art than a book', £16

Detail of the Sailor Book

An inspiring alternative to the everyday wallet. This over sized One Penny coin wallet is made from embossed saddlery leather and lined in suede. Perfect for loose change and will fit a credit card and folded notes, £29

Another T-Shirt by Bonbi Forest designer Lee May Foster. A lovely illustration of a storm cloud with text that reads 'It Came Howling on The Wind' - as featured in the Independent's Gift Guide

For the dapper man who likes a silk scarf/cravat to wear with his jacket, this hand printed silk scarf would be perfect. It arrives in a smart black box wrapped in acid-free tissue paper like the old fashioned way silk scarves were wrapped.

A dramatic limited edition print by Alice Pattullo which depicts the maritime myth of the seven whistler birds which foresee danger, £45

A fun gift for those who like clever craftsmanship and the Edwardian circus. A two part mobile bauble which is hand printed and laser cut from beech ply by Royal College of Art graduate Daniel Heath. Limited edition, £28

Does he love coffee? This hand printed linen tea towel makes a great framed print and is almost too nice to use to dry the pots, £9

Another T-shirt by Lee May Foster, this time featuring a lovely winter star filled with forest scenes in a lovely deep purple colour, £25

A striking cushion by Daniel Heath. Soft needle cord is printed with his signature circus print and filled with a feather cushion. £75

Handmade Bags for the Party Season!

Following on from the success of African designer Dolapo James’ clutch bags this summer, we commissioned her to create a limited edition collection of five clutch bags specially for the winter party season.

So in the blazing heat of Lagos’ vast textile market, Dolapo new just the fabric she wanted for the cold British winter. Passionate about the heritage of West African fabrics she selected these bold designs which feature gold accents and have more than a nod to the 1930’s which, with the traditional snap clutch shape, give the bags a distinctively vintage feel.

Fully padded and lined in contrasting fabrics. Large clutch bag £59 exclusively available in the Bag Department

Look Who's Shopping!

When shopping I always take a sneaky peak at what my fellow shoppers are buying. This could be in a department store, antique shop or even the supermarket. In fact, the other day I was in the queue at my local grocery shop when I saw someone in front of me had found the Christmas Stollen cake that I had missed, I abandoned the queue and went and found one for myself!

The Shop Floor Project is filled to it's virtual rafters with tantalising objects and we estimate it would take nine hours to look at each item. So to offer a little help and inspiration we asked three of our 'professional shoppers' to choose a selection of their favourite gifts...

Buying a handmade gift needs a little planning...

If you want something extra special this year, something that's been made just for you, then it's a good idea to plan a head a little. Below is a selection of objects from the shop which are specially made to order and that will be delivered in time for Christmas.

We're also offering FREE RECORDED DELIVERY on ALL orders on any items in the shop placed from now until midnight on Sunday 14th November. Just type in the word BERRY in the discount box at the checkout to redeem the offer.

Hand - beaded Red Merian Butterfly Necklace, £80

Hand-beaded Butterfly Hoop Earrings, £150

Elsa - hand thrown earthenware jug in Small or Large from £38

Christa - hand thrown earthenware jug in Small or Large from £38

The Power Flower Necklace, £265

Fabric Bird - Blue Tit £140

Fabric Bird, Song Thrush, £140

Flying Gold Bird Necklace, £79

Leather Stripey Carrier, £140

Pigeon Wing Lamp, £595

Circus Cushion, feather filled, £75