spread the word...

We’ve been asked by many of our small business sellers to create a button for them to add to their websites and blogs which links to notonthehighstreet.com, to enable their fans and customers to shop their products as easily as possible. So we’ve done just that. Our lovely creative team have designed a range of different buttons (above) that can be added to other websites and blogs to link back to the site.

If you’re a fan of one or more of our sellers and you’d like to add one of these specially-designed buttons to your blog or website, you can find them all here.

Posted by jenniferbaldwin on 14 February 2012
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an interview with Alice Tait

We caught up with one of our sellers, acclaimed British illustrator Alice Tait, to discuss Roger the Dachshund, Portobello Road and commissions for Vogue magazine.

Alice in her studio with Roger the Dachshund

What is your background?

After graduating from Bath Spa University about ten years ago, I got my first big break doing a book cover for Penguin, and then a series of illustrations for The Times. I spent my first few years running around London with my portfolio by day and working in a busy restaurant by night. Gradually the illustration took over and I found myself drawing full time. I had a good studio space at Great Western Studios, near Ladbroke Grove, where I was surrounded by artists, dogs and mayhem as inspiration, and my career really took shape from then on.

What inspired you to start The Alice Tait Shop?

Around this time I was living the Notting Hill dream, walking along Portobello Road to my studio every morning, and I decided to create a print range I could sell to the locals and visitors. One of these designs was my ‘Map of London’, which was really popular and has led me to create lots more maps. My work was receiving more and more publicity, and increasingly I was getting emails from people who had spotted them and wanted to buy prints, which led me to finally set up The Alice Tait Shop.

What are your inspirations for your prints?

My first print designs were inspired by my Portobello walk into work – hence the popular ‘Alice and Chloe’ and ‘Antiques Shop’ prints. But now I simply enjoy drawing the world directly around me: anything from the different coloured ink pots on my desk to the faces of strangers in the street. My dachshund, Roger, is a constant companion and I’ve put him in nearly all of my pictures, so look out for him too! At the moment I am doing a drawing every day for a year.

Two of Alice’s prints, inspired by Portobello Road

What is your favourite print from you range?

Ooh, that’s a toughie – I love them for different reasons! If I had to choose then probably the ‘Homing Pigeons’; I am always sketching pigeons, and I noticed that much like people, pigeons tend to look like the town they come from. So this print has a posh pigeon from Henley and a not-so-posh one from Ramsgate.

What are your most exciting commission to date?

I was commissioned to produce an illustrated world map for Vogue for their recent December issue, which was great fun to do as I had lots of exotic locations to put on the drawing. Also look out for the new James Corden’s autobiography which has just been released, as I did the handwriting on the cover. And I was thrilled to design the wallpaper for the new Waitrose Cafés, any excuse to draw cakes all day…

Alice’s commissioned illustration for the December 2011 issue of Vogue magazine

See Alice’s full range of prints here.

Posted by jenniferbaldwin on 23 January 2012
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Elfing about...

This year we wanted to visit some of the many small creative businesses that make up notonthehighstreet.com in a bid to learn more about them and lend a hand during their busiest time of the year. We were keen to see first-hand what it takes to get an order made, processed and dispatched. The businesses who sell with us don’t necessarily have a large infrastructure to support them so we became Christmas elves for the day. Here are some of the people we visited…

Lucy Phillps visited Jo Jenner from 3 Blonde Bears in Sussex. In one day, Lucy helped pack over 150 orders (and ate amazing homemade soup!).

She also visited husband and wife team Vicki Smith, founder of sgt.smith and Jim Lockwood, founder of layereight. Lucy spent the day folding orders for Humorous Iconic T Shirts and Personalised Dinosaur T Shirts, packing them up for delivery and drinking copious amounts of tea in between. ‘It’s not that I didn’t appreciate the work that went in to it, but I didn’t fully realise the attention to detail required for each order and the sheer volume of orders they deal with each day with such a small team.’

Lucy Wood spent the day working for Hersey & Son Silversmiths. They produce high-quality sterling silver tableware, gifts and jewellery, using traditional silver spinning techniques. The skills required take around five years to perfect – so sadly she wasn’t able to help with the actual making of any items but packaged up the orders and watched intently as they skilfully spun the silver and hammered, engraved and polished each item with complete dedication.

Our production manager Jenny went out to visit the very talented Designer-Maker Laura Long. She works from Cockpit Arts Studio – a shared studio space in Holborn – that supports several of our sellers. Jenny was trusted to have a go at some stitch work and spent the day sewing tiny felt carrots contained within Laura’s Personalised Bunny in a Box. You can see Jenny’s handiwork above. Not bad!

Jo visited Gina Axell, founder of rosiebull designs. When Jo arrived, Gina and her daughter (who works there on her days off) were already busy at the sewing machines, fulfilling order after order for the Personalised Glasses Case. Jo helped cut out the glasses pattern and sewed buttons on to each case. ‘There are so many stages involved in making the cases and it’s so labour intensive, but it was really fun and we had a good laugh.’

Anna visited Noollibird who makes gorgeous stamps (that we’ve been decorating our gifts and cards with in the office) and works from her kitchen table in Brighton. She makes all the stamps herself and mounts them on wooden blocks which are cut for her in the UK (and then stored in her study). Anna packed and dispatched some orders during her visit and was even let loose to assemble a few stamps.

Liana paid a visit to Designer-Maker Sarah J Miller whose slogan ceramics and textiles are much loved… (the ‘I Am Not Awake’ Mug is a Monday morning staple). Founder Sarah works in a shared studio space and Liana was put in charge of the packaging and the printing of dispatch notes and gift notes, which gave Sarah some much-needed time to make some of her ceramics. Liana said of her day, ‘It was really, really fascinating, if not a little exhausting. It’s also really made me appreciate how much hard work our sellers put into getting Christmas orders out.’

Harriet visited Sally Beerworth who runs the Joy of Ex Foundation; set up to assist people with their legal and counselling bills following a divorce. ’This is the shot I took after a hard day’s work. There were so many orders for her Joy Tote Bag, I was like a real elf and lugged post bags on my back to the post office – but I had an amazing day!’

Posted by jenniferbaldwin on 19 December 2011

we are proud to sponsor...

Discovering the unique and original comes second nature to us at notonthehighstreet.com, so this year we are hugely excited to be supporting East London Design Show, an event that itself supports small creative businesses and fresh design. We are delighted to see a selection of our sellers playing a key part in it. The event runs from Friday 3 – Sunday 5 December in the rather beautiful Shoreditch Townhall, and is designed to be a brilliant Christmas shopping fair that caters for all the family. The Crafthouse Cafe, decorated by notonthehighstreet.com, is on hand when you require some well-deserved tea and cake and a sit-down, and you can help create a knitted paper chain while you chill.

notonthehighstreet.com is also hosting two awards this year, for best notonthehighstreet.com seller at the show and for best newcomer.

Find out more about the event here.

We are pleased to offer notonthehighstreet.com customers 2 for 1 tickets. Simply click here for your voucher.

Posted by jokite on 19 November 2010

we've got the doodle bug!

We love to celebrate innovative designs from our partners, and one new product in particular is experiencing great success. The doodle duvet cover by Stitch designworks has been awarded Best New Product at Top Drawer, one of the most prestigious trade fairs in the UK. The doodle duvet is a 200 thread count, white cotton single duvet cover designed to resemble a giant piece of file paper. It comes with its own pack of eight wash-out colour pens, for drawing a masterpiece, writing a story or leaving a message – then the duvet cover can be easily washed to start all over again!

Chrissie Probert Jones, founder of Stitch designworks and creator of the doodle duvet cover, said the product was born from her passion for both textiles and stationery: “I just love the idea of going to bed under a blank sheet of paper to decorate at will, and then be able to wash and change completely. I love the slightly subversive side of giving people permission to draw where they normally shouldn’t and the freedom of totally wash-out colour so there are no limits to what you can do – a really positive addition to your interior and one you won’t tire of!”

We have a sneaky suspicion it might be the most talked about children’s Christmas present this year…

Posted by jenniferbaldwin on 22 September 2010

an interview with Abigail Bryans

What inspired you to create your business?
I began Abigail Bryans Designs ten years ago. I found myself in the position of being on my own – with my three very small children and needing to earn a living. I looked at various jobs that would possibly work around school hours, but knew deep down I wanted to use my creativity to make gifts. Over the years I had pottered and painted things and sold them to friends, from mini photograph frames to furniture. It was a friend that said ‘don’t be frightened to fail’. Hearing those words spurred me on to make a business work with something I love doing.

Describe your product range and what makes it unique?
Distressed wooden signs with warm and quirky sayings. The signs are painted in a vintage cream, distressed and waxed and hung with a piece of twine. Each one is unique and can also be personalised. I also make necklace hooks and key rings that can be personalised and painted in the same style.

What is your best selling product?
The ‘Champagne is the answer’ and ‘I must remember to put my wife before the football’ are my most popular signs. I have also had so many fantastic requests of personalisation from customers. They always make me smile!

What is your home like?
I live in a four bed roomed terrace house in south London with my three children and a lovely lodger. It is a busy and compact work place, juggling homework and sign painting around the kitchen table. It is a place of laughter and life.

What impact has notonthehighstreet.com had on your business?
notonthehighstreet.com has totally transformed my business. It has taken the onus off me for marketing and has reached a much, much bigger audience that I would never have been able to do. I have felt so supported by them and encouraged. They have been amazing. It has been totally one of the best decisions I have made regarding my business! As the recession was hitting other places, by sales through notonthehighstreet.com kept on coming in, which was so encouraging.

What are you lusting after on notonthehighstreet.com?
Such a good question – what am I lusting after on notonthehighstreet.com; many many things! Everything! But definitely the Union Jack Chair by Foxbat Boutique. I can just see it sitting nicely in front of my desk!

What are your ambitions for the future?
What are my ambitions – I would just love for my designs, which originated from something so small to be sold around the world – and to be enjoyed everywhere, from here to Australia! And for me to still be able to make them all! I would love a gorgeous little workplace where all my dust could settle away from my kitchen! Sadly my garden isn’t big enough to build something – but maybe one day – watch this space!!

Posted by jenniferbaldwin on 01 September 2010

an interview with Susiemaroon

The award-winning, Edinburgh based, independent eco-label Susiemaroon is the brainchild of artist and designer Susie Brown. We asked her a few questions about her life, and how Susiemaroon was born.

1. What inspired you to create Susiemaroon?
As a small girl I always wanted to be a sculptor, and up until graduating from art school I intended to pursue a career in this area. I had always enthused about design and over the early years of my professional career I realised that I was much more comfortable and inspired by creating homeware and fashion accessories. Fine art and design have so many connections – especially sculpture, the area in which I studied. I think Susiemaroon and it’s products are just a natural progression in my creative expedition.

2. Describe your product range
Design-led home and fashion accessories created using responsibly sourced materials produced in Scotland, and leather from a family run Scottish tannery that specialises in tanning Wild deerskin. The skins are sourced from Scottish game-dealers who are closely monitored by the Deer Commission Scotland. These hides would otherwise be discarded as a by-product of the venison industry and sent to landfill.

3. What is your best selling range / product?
The Biro Bookmark seems to be the darling this month!

4. Where did you start your company and where do you work now?
Susiemaroon began life in the corner of our living room in our then one bedroom flat on the South side of Edinburgh. In around 2008 I moved Susiemaroon HQ to a studio on the other side of the City. I didn’t really ever settle properly there and so in 2009 we moved again and I now have a great little studio on the lower level of my house and my partner, a musician, has his studio on the upper level, surrounded by all of our inspiring junk… we love it!

5. What kind of support have you received along the way?
My family are amazing and completely supportive of every move I make. They have helped me financially and offered words of wisdom when they are most needed. I have also been backed by the Princes Trust and NESTA, both fantastic support networks for young creative businesses.

7. Describe where you live / the style of your home
I live in an upper colony house in the east end of Edinburgh city. The houses were built between 1850 and 1910 for artisans and skilled working class families. The house is a little rickety which fits our (what I like to call) junk-chic approach to interior design.

8. What are the benefits of being a designer-maker?
You are never, ever bored…

10. What impact has notonthehighstreet.com had on your business?
notonthehighstreet.com has been great for Susiemaroon. When you find an online business that has a high profile, but still takes the time to correspond with independent designers, giving tips on how to improve online presence, you know you have come across something special.

11. What are you lusting after on notonthehighstreet.com this month?
The Dollybird Mugs by Big Tomato Company are so playful. My cup of tea exactly (pardon the pun!).

12. What are your ambitions for your company in the future?
I would love to build on the success that Susiemaroon has already achieved. I am keen to collaborate with interior designers to create pieces for specific spaces and have always wanted to design a stage set for dancers. Here’s to the next busy five years…

Posted by jenniferbaldwin on 12 July 2010

Christmas comes early for Rufus

I received a lovely gift in the post the other day. Not for me, but for my dog, Rufus – yet I was just as excited as if I’d received a goodie bag for myself. I knew Rufus would be delighted – his life revolves around tricks and treats! He’s so well trained now, and so eager to please, that even if we accidentally drop a dog treat on the floor, he never dives in and wolfs it. Instead, he starts doing every trick he knows in succession to see which one will work! It’s most amusing. On this occasion, his command was to ‘sit’ or ‘lie’ in pose for photos: he waited obediently for his treats but as I messed around with my iPhone snapping photos of him looking woeful, the temptation was more than he could stand. A sneaky lightening move left my carefully styled arrangement looking rather bare. I shouldn’t have pushed my luck.

Many thanks to Mrs Twee’s Dog Bakery who sells on notonthehighstreet.com through seller Colloco. Rufus is a big fan!

Posted by sophiecornish on 23 June 2010

squ-eel for Heidi

It was a delight to see Heidi Mottram featuring in today’s Metro, for all you non-Londoners who might have missed it. Her stunning eel skin bags and purses have been a huge hit on notonthehighstreet.com ever since she joined us, and we love them in the office for their softness, satisfying shape and vibrant colour palette. As graduate from London College of Fashion and Central St Martin’s, she has worked with many of the most famous fashion designers, and continues to develop the use of eel skin so keep an eye out for upcoming new designs.

The perfect gift for your best friend, or to add to your wish list…

Posted by jokite on 17 June 2010

an interview with Nation Pottery

Designer and fashion illustrator Cheryl Denby started creating unique ceramic gifts for special occasions in her own family and friends’ lives when she found mass produced, anonymous gifts simply weren’t enough. Demand for her bespoke hand-painted treasures grew, and Nation Pottery was born. We talked to Cheryl and asked her about her business, and the pros and cons of being a small independent seller of unique, handmade products.

1. What inspired you to create Nation Pottery?
When I got to my mid-twenties, landmark celebrations started happening all around me. Friends getting married and babies being born, big family anniversaries and birthdays… and I simply could not find gifts that were personal, ethical, and as unique as the occasion. I started illustrating and hand-painting pottery in my spare time for special gifts and as the pottery spread, so did the demand!

2. Describe your product range and what makes it unique?
Personalised pottery with personality sums it up! Hand-painted to order earthenware plates, signs, dishes, mugs, and money boxes all painted, dip glazed and fired by me in my small scale studio. Each piece is unique as the design incorporates your special names and dates, so it is a true original. I also offer a wide range of glaze colours so you can tailor your gift to suit wedding themes or nursery colour schemes. I also do pieces for the home such as room names and, most recently, personalised pet bowls.

3. What is your best selling range / product?
My Personalised Mr & Mrs Coasters are my most popular product at the moment with it being the wedding season.

4. Where did you start your company and where you work now?
I started the company in my old house in the city centre of Plymouth. It was a tiny cottage and I actually painted in an old closet with no windows! We built a kiln room outside in the 8ft square courtyard. I now paint in a studio in the Tamar Valley, with a stunning backdrop of Kit Hill in Cornwall and share the view with my neighbour’s seven alpacas!

5. Describe where you live / the style of your home?
I live in a Victorian terraced miner’s cottage in the Tamar Valley. Luckily it retains a lot of its original features and being a bit of a magpie myself it’s full of interesting new and vintage finds.

6. What are the benefits / disadvantages of being a designer-maker?
As an artist and sole trader, getting that immediate feedback and endorsement when you get return custom is fantastic, as you know it’s all down to your hard work.

Knowing my supply chain is another benefit. I think as consumers we should all be more interested in where things come from. Even down to my packing tape which is made of recycled paper, I want to be as nice to the planet and the people on it as possible.

Disadvantages are aplenty too though. Mainly fighting your corner as a small scale operation with a conscience, when people are used to ‘pile it high, sell it cheap’ imported goods on the high street. It can be really demoralising. That’s why notonthehighstreet.com is a great marketplace for Nation Pottery.

7. What are your ambitions for your company in the future?
That the business can grow with us as a family and the pottery named Nation (my 91 year old Nan’s family name) has the longevity and vibrancy of its namesake.

Posted by jenniferbaldwin on 15 June 2010

hey baby!

Like most people, we’re always gushing over anything baby-related, which is why we felt we had to share these pictures of two of the cutest babies ever wearing products from notonthehighstreet.com. One of our sellers Manuka Baby, who sells Merino wool and pure organic cotton clothing, bedding, and sleepwear, sent us in some of their gorgeous range to try out.

Six month old Petra is wearing the Layered Warmth Honeycomb Merino Wool Vest, which is available in three different sizes, from newborn to one year old. The vest is woven in a honeycomb pattern from super-soft 100% pure New Zealand Merino wool. Merino wool is said to help your baby to regulate their temperature – keeping them neither too hot, nor too cool!

Another of our favourites from the Manuka Baby range is the Sleepsac. Unfortunately it is baby-sized (it would really come in handy for power naps at your desk) so we asked another of our little friends, ten month old Christine, to try it out for us.

Perfect for traveling, this little sleeper allows you to quietly transfer your little one from the car-seat to pram to cot, and they’ll be none the wiser. Also made from Merino wool, the Sleepsac will fit your baby from newborn to two years old.

Posted by jenniferbaldwin on 08 June 2010

über-cool office space for Retrophenia

Well it goes without saying that we wouldn’t expect anything less from Retrophenia! But it is great to finally see the shots of their new office, showcasing their wonderful range of retro furniture and home accessories, shown off in their full glory. It’s great inspiration for creating an office space at home too, and for cool gift ideas for hip dads this Father’s Day.

Posted by jokite on 02 June 2010

Something Wonderful has happened

Another of our partners has broken into the publishing world, by having their work featured in a new coffee table book. Something Wonderful Design has been included in a new book called Impressive, published by Gestalten. The book is a celebration of artists who combine graphic design and craft, and showcases works from hundreds of different designers who are inspired by their passion for traditional techniques. The book features the ‘LOVE’ print from Something Wonderful Design, which is available from the site as a greeting card and a canvas.

Impressive is available from Amazon and the Gestalten website.

Posted by jenniferbaldwin on 19 May 2010

an interview with Fingerprints

Fingerprints make a stunning range of contemporary jewellery and keepsakes with a classic but quirky twist. Designer Tabitha runs a friendly family business, working with a small team of designers in her London studios. We asked her to reflect on her business and her partnership with notonthehighstreet.com

1. What inspired you to create Fingerprints?
I started Fingerprints in April 2002. Whilst at home with my youngest child, Mia, I began making jewellery as a hobby. I absolutely loved it and found myself spending more and more time making beads and designing new pieces of jewellery that I gave to friends as presents. The response was very positive so I kept going and started to feel a real sense of destiny – that this was something I was called to do. The name came about when a friend pointed out that my fingerprints were all over the hand-crafted clay beads I had made! I loved the concept and the name reflects that each piece is made by hand, unique and reflects something of me as the maker!

2. Describe your product range and what makes it unique
Fingerprints specialises in one-of-a-kind designs, made by hand. We make both classic and quirky jewellery and accessories in a broad range of vibrant colours using sterling silver, semi-precious stones and polymer clay. Each piece of jewellery has at least one component within it that we have made by hand using this clay so it has become a signature for Fingerprints designs.

3. What is your best selling range or product?
My jewellery range – Personalised Petite Puff Heart Pendant, and the Personalised Favours.

4. Do you have a good work / life balance?
As a mum, I really value being able to choose when and how I work so that I can put my family’s needs first. Selling online through notonthehighstreet.com has been one of the ways that I have been able to have more choice regarding my working schedule.

5. Has notonthehighstreet.com had a positive impact on your business?
Joining notonthehighstreet.com has proved to be one of the best decisions I have ever made concerning my business. The sales it has generated have transformed the way that Fingerprints operates. During a tough few years of trading due to the recession, our sales through notonthehighstreet.com have continued to soar and have become our most consistent source of sales throughout the year. I am very grateful to notonthehighstreet.com for their hard work and continued efforts to boost sales.

6. What are your ambitions for your company in the future?
The success we have experienced has meant that we are expanding our Purity Collection – a range of accessories designed with Christenings, Baptisms and Weddings in mind. The Purity Hoop Earrings are already available on the site. We are also developing our personalised jewellery ranges to allow customers more options to choose from so they can ‘design’ their own pieces of jewellery and make one of a kind pieces completely unique to them. We recently launched new range of personalised gifts such as colourful key rings and decorations.

Posted by jenniferbaldwin on 17 May 2010

new home for Bombus!

We’re always excited to hear news from our partners, and when we heard that Bombus were moving to a lovely new studio, we were thrilled. Based in Faversham in Kent, Bombus is run by Amelia and her team and they have just been treated to a brand new home.

Bombus make beautiful customised vintage furniture and home ware, and have been working with us since the year notonthehighstreet.com began. The personalised vintage map heart is their best seller and it’s easy to see why it’s such a popular gift – choose a destination close to the heart of your recipient, and Bombus will find a vintage map of that area and make it into a beautiful heart for framing. It’s a beautiful and delightful piece for the home that is suitable for so many gifting occasions.

Due to the intricate nature of their work, it’s vital that Bombus have the right working environment where they can lovingly create each product. Their new space will accommodate for the rapid growth of the company, and for new staff to create new and exciting products. We can’t wait to see what their new inspiration leads to!

Posted by jokite on 13 May 2010