A Novel Idea...

When imagining my future house it tends to go a little something like this: sprawling country mansion, acres of land, Range Rover in the drive way, shabby chic interiors, Farrow and Ball neutrals on the walls and lots of quirky little pieces dotted around the house from Moroccan bazaars, Parisian antiques houses and family-run shops in little Netherlands villages. Not too much to ask, right?

And while the country estate and Range Rover may have to wait a decade or two, having come across the fabulous Jasmine Way website, I can already start building my collection of unusual home accessories.

Founded in 2008, the team at Jasmine Way have spent the last three years travelling through continental Europe and the Middle East, in search of unique and distinctive pieces from small suppliers, thus ensuring an element of exclusivity in each and every one of their products.

As the resident bookworm at Amazing PR HQ, one of my favourite finds on offer from Jasmine Way has got to be this Cardboard Stool Bookworm. Created by Stefanie Keppler and Ingo Fremmer, founders of a German design studio, this unusual stool certainable won’t be able to buy from Ikea. And never having excelled in DIY, it’s thankfully very easy to assemble, can be used as either a stool or a side table, and can be dismantled after use if lacking in space. And at just £23, it’s an absolute steal, so check out their website and snap yourself up a unique treat for that future dream home of your own.

Fine Cell Work

As the daughter of a literacy teacher at Huntercombe Prison, the idea of rehabilitating inmates is something frequently touched upon in my household. With unemployment figures at their worst for decades and the job market saturated with middle-class graduates and skilled professionals unable to find work, it’s hardly surprising that many inmates go on to re-offend. And with the stigma of a prison sentence and a frequent lack in qualifications, it can be a bleak and depressing future for anyone wanting to turn their life around post-prison.

And so, Fine Cell Work, a charity that teaches prisoners the art of sewing while serving time, does a fantastic job of providing a much needed skill that prisoners can utilise both in and outside prison. Founded in 1997 by Lady Anne Tree after decades of campaigning for the right of prisoners to earn money, Fine Cell Work has grown from a bedsit in Bloomsbury to a registered charity which has over 60 volunteers training over 400 prisoners in 29 prison across England.

Proving that the extraordinary can happen even in as austere an environment as prison, Fine Cell Work volunteers train prisoners in paid, skilled needlework to foster hope, discipline and self esteem. And with seventy per-cent of convicted prisoners spending an average of seventeen hours a day in their cell, the therapeutic aspect of learning to sew can be just as important as acquiring a new skill.

Such is the success of the charity that all their classes have waiting lists within the prisons and over 2,500 items were sold in 2010, including cushion covers, quilts and tapestries. Each creation takes approximately one-hundred hours to make, and each stitcher embroiders for, on average, twenty hours a week. And with over 10,000 commissions completed since the charity began in 1997 for clients including The V&A, The Tate Modern and The Royal Palaces, Fine Cell Work is proof that with a lot of determination, dedication and hard work prisoners can piece their lives back together stitch by stitch.

The fantastic pieces produced by Fine Cell Work are all available to buy online; commissions are welcomed and having recently been showcased at the London Design Festival, they are also featuring tonight on BBC 2’s The Culture Show at 7pm. We think both the cause and the concept are incredibly worthy and hope that you do too!

It's A Man's World!

Since my first time I had the responsibility to buy a present for my brother’s birthday, I have dreaded buying presents for men. It always seems so much more difficult to decide if something too simple or too unneccesary. Once again this week as I am in need of a gift, I am approached by the impossible decision of what to choose for a present. Thankfully, I have found a brand that combines simple and classy into one fabulous gift.

Otis Batterbee is a men’s accessory brand based in London that designs a large range of products made in England. All the products are created with quality construction, good design and use of the best possible materials. There is no way to go wrong when buying a man a smart pair of cufflinks or a quality wash bag. These gifts always fit the occasion and the man.

The available products include grooming accessories, fine pocket squares, fabric covered cufflinks, lavender filled eye masks, travel cushions and the item I like the most, durable wash bags. Specifically, the Medium Waxed Grand Tour in Navy is going to be my next gift!

Next time you are searching frantically for a gift for your occasion, tone down your stresses and browse the ‘Made in England’ products of Otis Batterbee.

De-clutter your wardrobe with the Underbed Organiser

The arrival of London Fashion Week can only mean one thing - summer is officially over. And I, for one, am somewhat relieved. Don’t get me wrong, I love nothing more than the catwalk of summer fashion - being able to throw on a tea dress and  sandals is always a joy. But lets face it, there has been but a handful of opportunities to showcase our summer wardrobes this year, which is why I’m looking forward to packing up my flimsy dresses and denim cut-offs to make room for my chunky knits and cashmere cardis. Unfortunately, however, a decade long shopping addiction has left me with such a vast number of clothes that my poor wardrobe metaphorically groans under the enormous weight of it all.

Which is why I was thrilled to come across The Holding Company’s Underbed Organiser. It has two space saver vacuum bags inside, perfect for when you’re short on space, big on clothes. It’s pretty easy to use – simply fill with clothes (it’s also great for packing up duvets, towels, or anything bulky), and using the nozzle of a Hoover suck out the air and hey presto! as if by magic the Underbed Organiser will shrink before your very eyes. And even better – you’ll never have to pass up the opportunity of buying that must-have dress or jacket due to lack of space again!

My Tiger Bag

When it comes to bags for life – y’know, those canvas or heavy duty plastic affairs, readily available at check out points in supermarkets, one rarely thinks of such accessories as the height of chic. They’re there to serve a purpose – and a worthwhile one at that – but certainly don’t win any brownie points in the world of fashion.

So hoping to do my bit for the environment without wanting to make a sacrifice in the style stakes, I was delighted when I came across My Tiger Bag – an online retailer selling a beautiful, reusable bag with extra kudos for its tiger design and stylish metallic finish.

They come in four colours – blue, bronze, gold and pink – and as well as using material that comes from recycled plastic bottles, a donation of fifty-pence from the sale of each bag is made to the WWF Save The Tiger Fund.

Combining green living and fashion with a charity donation makes the My Tiger Bag a real must have for anyone with a conscience - for this season and beyond. Get yours before they become extinct - and at just £5 a pop, they’re in danger of doing so very soon!