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

Christmas arrives at The Shop Floor Project!

We've been secretly working away since May finding collections that we think make perfect gifts for Christmas - precious things which are worth putting under any tree. Prices range from £10 to £500 and every object in the shop is beautifully made and is something to treasure.

The winter wonderland feeling starts in the new shop window with it's snowy scene and takes you into the shop where you can explore the 2010 Gift Guide, see what our Christmas Shoppers have chosen, read about the new Designer of the Month and have a browse around the Bauble Room.

We know it's a little early so we won't go on about Christmas cards and last minute shopping - there's plenty of time for that - but for the early birds amongst us, we thought you'd like to see what we've been up to!

Start your festive exploration here