Jess Brown Dolls

I am slightly obsessed with dolls at the moment as I want to buy Wren a doll for Christmas. It will be her first doll so I want it to be special. I've been looking into all the different options available - rag doll, vinyl doll, Waldorf doll, soft-bodied doll - the list is pretty long and confusing! One thing has become apparent though and that is that most dolls are weird, ugly creatures that I don't want in my home! This is certainly not the case with Jess Brown's beautiful rag dolls though. I love their wide starry-eyed gaze and heart-shaped mouth, their tea-stained bodies and their cashmere hair cropped close to their heads. Jess's dolls are handmade from scraps of high quality vintage fabric and if I was buying a doll for myself (not a one and a half year old) these are definitely what I would choose.

www.jessbrowndesign.com

Kids: Cabbages & Kings

With winter coming, my thoughts have turned to wrapping up my little ones in lots of woolly layers. Cabbages & Kings collection of colourful leg warmers and infinity scarves are perfect for this, as they can be thrown on top of everyday clothes to add extra warmth. Also, because the pieces are unisex and can be worn by several age groups, they are great for sharing between siblings – something I am increasingly having to think about…

The range was launched this year by Alexandra Gizela, a former model who was inspired to create her own line of accessories when she couldn’t find any that she particularly liked for her own children. Fascinated by Andean culture, specifically the centuries long traditions of weaving and hand-knits, she decided to make this the starting point for her collection.

All the accessories are hand made by Peruvian artisans in a fair trade environment. The weavers work in collaboration with a network made up of community groups, churches and non-governmental organizations to strengthen the local economy and community. The result is a collection of beautifully made, fair trade and fun, kids accessories.

www.cabbagesandkingsny.com

Moving Mountains

Moving Mountains is a brand new design studio that produces bags and jewellery with a refined sense of simplicity and artful functionality. Designer Syrette Lew originally hails from Hawaii but is now based in Brooklyn, where she uses her skills as an industrial designer to create beautiful clean-lined handbags and accessories.

I love quality basics which are designed to last a lifetime and Moving Mountains fits that bill perfectly. The Compact bag is a careful study of shape, volume and proportion which is just big enough to hold all your daily essentials. The Suspension necklace is equally considered, with a single cord of waxed cotton interwoven through a solid brass bar hanging gracefully in the balance.

With plans to expand into men's accessories and home goods, I look forward to seeing what the brand does next.

www.mvngmtns.com

Mother

Fans of vintage workwear should head to Mother, who sell a fine selection of smocks, aprons, dresses and dungarees. The pieces are all beautifully styled and either secondhand or handmade with vintage fabrics.

I like to wear an apron most days when I am working around the house as whether I am cooking, cleaning, potting or on Mum duties, I find that dressing for the job helps me get that little bit extra done.

The range at Mother is stylish and practical so I am definitely tempted by a few of their designs. The Clover dress or Travail apron could well be winging their way to me soon...

www.etsy.com/shop/xMOTHERx

Jessica Ogden at The Apartment

As a quilt and rug addict, Jessica Ogden and Lee Bemjamin's recent exhibition called 'Lily's Castle in the Sand' at The Apartment in Copenhagen is pretty exciting. Featuring Ogden's quilts for APC plus a menagerie of appliqued and patchwork animals, the pieces look right at home in gallery/boutique The Apartment.

theapartment.dk

Kids: Waddler

Born out of adventure, Waddler create beautiful Fair Trade children's knitwear produced in Bolivia.

When designer Marina Scrymgeour and Philip Thompson's little boy was just a year old, they left their London life behind and moved to South America. Travelling far and wide across the continent, they found themselves drawn toward the Andean region that lies between Argentina, Peru and Bolivia.

"Our son spent his first years picking avocadoes in a tropical garden, riding bareback with gauchos and dining on the Andean speciality: roast guinea pig. He saw the forests come alive with Ceibo blossom in the winter, watched fireflies light up his bedroom in spring and clapped his hands at alligators lazing in the hot summer sun." Waddler's clothes are inspired by the magic of this life.

Now based in Fife, Scotland, the couple maintain their links to Bolivia by visiting regularly and working closely with the local farmers and knitters. Their clothes are made of baby soft alpaca and come in adorable styles including cute romper suits, pierrot jumpers and knitted bombacho pants. They are the perfect clothes for having an adventure in.

www.waddler.co.uk