We Make is a group of craftspeople, artists and generally handy individuals who have formed a collaborative movement to promote their pieces both online and off.  On Saturday the We Make crew will be holding their fifth fair at Chelsea Town Hall in London (5th December, folks), with eighty sellers showing their wares and some special events too.  Iconic jewellery label Lady Luck Rules OK! will be holding a special ‘Speed Crafting’ section and there will also be limited edition art works available – an ideal Christmas present.  The event sponsors, The Make Lounge, will be helping people create Christmas decorations too!

If you’re in the area and fancy popping along, it could be the perfect start (or finish) to your Christmas shopping.  Plus we can offer you free entry (normally entry would be £2, which is ludicrously affordable anyway, but if you’re looking for a deal we’ve got one for you!) – the first twenty readers to email wemakelondon [at] googlemail [dot] com and mention Desirable.co.uk will be given free entry – but make sure you do it before Friday evening!  Doors open at 11am and close at 5pm, and there’ll be some familiar faces – designers like Hannah Zakari and Laura Fallulah will be there.  Make sure you pop by and say hello!

We’ve selected some of our favourite designers, craftspeople, online retailers and independent brands to be scrutinised under the Desirable spotlight.  We ask them four simple questions – ‘Who are you?’, ‘What is your design or buying ethos?’, ‘What are your Christmas gift recommendations?’ and ‘What’s in your bag?’  (we’re very nosy).

So now, for your enjoyment, is one of our favourite independent crafty brands, Bonbi Forest:

Who is ‘Bonbi Forest’?

Bonbi Forest is me Lee May Foster, an artist and maker of things who lives by the sea in deepest, darkest Cornwall.

What is Bonbi Forest’s design ethos?

My screen print and jewellery designs have their roots in my drawings and paintings which feature many a critter, creature and scape of trees, sea and sky. In my work I like to explore patterns, rhythms and stories, and the connection of people to nature. The wild world shapes us and we shape it. In my work you will see that I like shapes and I like colours.

What are Bonbi Forest’s Top 3 Gift Ideas for Christmas?

My raw edged cotton Owl Pattern scarves (£12.00 GBP each, shown above in pink, yellow, olive green and blue) are a great gift and have been popular with teens and older ladies alike. It’s all about how you wear it – wrapped around and around again, or lovely and long…they are super for adding some pattern detail and colour to the winter days and are lightweight enough to see you through into spring and as a cover-up in summer…and who doesn’t like an owl in a pattern anyway? Most people like owls and patterns.

Indie gifts for men are a little harder to find than those for the ladies, and my mens tees have always been popular as gifts. I actually started making them when I couldn’t think what to get the men in my life and they are all still asking if they can have more. Favorites have been the Howling on the Wind tee (£20.00 GBP, shown above), Alphabet Owl and The Butterfly Catchers…

Lastly, if anyone wants to get me a present for Christmas I am coveting with a big heart these necklaces ($175.00 USD, shown above) from American jewellery designer Laura Lombardi (in fact anything from her Etsy shop would be awesome).

Lastly, what’s in your bag?

The most important things that I carry everywhere are my sketch/notebook and a bunch of pens. I don’t have a preferred notebook (the Desirable team love this V&A one available at Debenhams, £8.00 GBP, shown above) but I love the Staedtler pens (£9.99 GBP from Amazon.co.uk, shown above) for everyday use as they come in a crush proof pack of different colours so they are ideal for scibbling ideas and kicking about in my Tardis of a handbag…

I always have a hand cream with me. I’m pretty fickle as to exactly which tube or pot I happen to have in my bag, but my favorite all time brand (for all skincare) is Liz Earle (Heavenly Hands Pack, £14.25 GBP, shown above) It’s wonderful stuff and the active ingredients are all natural, which makes sense seeing as we are natural beings…

I’m also growing out my fringe at the moment and some days my flyaway mane just won’t keep out of my eyes (not good when I’m trying to make pictures) so I also always have some grips with me. They are a little boring though and I like to add a little cuteness and wear a big silver snap hair clip on top of them (try these, available at Accessorize, £6.00 GBP, shown above).

Apart from those things I usually just have a bottle of water, my old phone, a hairbrush (the Desirable team like this one by Trevor Sorbie, £5.00 GBP at Boots, shown above) and an apple in there (and loads of old receipts!)…

Thanks so much for letting us have a nose through your bag and your range, Lee May!  To check out Bonbi Forest, click here!

Yet again, I find myself returning to the V&A for inspiration.  Quirky homewares? Check.  Artistic ceramics that are gorgeous and practical? Check.  Beautiful jewellery and accessories? Check check.  What more could a girl want?

A: Contemporary Yellow Chinese Teapot, £60.00 GBP

B: Cobalt Wreath Bracelet, £525.00 GBP by Bijoux Heart

C: Ark Print, £35.00 GBP

D: Turban Jewel Paisley Decoration, £6.00 GBP

E: Elephant Teacosy, £45.00 GBP

F: Lady Flying a Kite Mug, £10.00 GBP

G: Blue Ceramic Flower Necklace, £125.00 GBP by Maria Diana

H: Arts & Crafts Peacock Brooch/Necklace, £70.00 GBP

I: Kids Frog Face Bowl, £12.00 GBP

J: Bug Cufflinks, £200.00 GBP by Roger Doyle

K: Travel Journal, £15.00 GBP

L: Jade Pinch Vase, £60.00 GBP by Jonathan Adler

You’ve probably seen these around – they’re hard to avoid, especially as they more often than not state the obvious:

A: Wooden ‘Relax’ hand-carved letters, £30.00 GBP at Next

B: Heal’s Flocked Letter Range,* £15.00 GBP per letter at Heal’s

C: ‘Home’ Small Wooden Letters,* £19.00 GBP by Anusha at NotOnTheHighStreet.com

D: Scriptorium Paperweights, £7.87 GBP each at Anthropologie

E: ‘Home’ Letters Wall Art,* £19.50 GBP at Marks & Spencer

F: Metal Words Wall Art, £9.99 GBP at Dunelm Mill

G: ‘Love’ Bronze Letters, £10.00 GBP at Next

H: ‘Welcome’ Ceramic Letters, £20.00 GBP at Next

I: ‘Life is Good’ Metal Wall Plaque, £12.00 GBP at Next

Okay, okay.  Normally when we think of the Royal Horticultural Society we think of old fuddy-duddies in army-green wellingtons guarding their daffodils with a militant dedication, but the truth is that actually the RHS is kinda cool.  Their prints would look gorgeous on any wall, and some of their gifts are positively delightful:

A: Sutton & Sons Catalogue Print 1867,* £15.00 GBP

B: Fruits De Soleil Mugs,* £5.99 GBP ea

C: Four Leaf Clover Pendant,* £13.99 GBP

D: Lily and Peony Bath Essence,* £16.99 GBP

E: Mulberry Scented Candle,* £3.99 GBP

F: Flower Press Kit,* £4.99 GBP

G: Cherries Shoulder Bag,* £13.99 GBP

H: Tomato Print Tea-Towel,* £6.50 GBP

Collecting locally-made art can be incredibly rewarding, especially as it helps to support a local artist who might help you to see your world in a slightly different way.  There are loads of great amateur artists out there who sell their works online – Etsy is my waterhole of choice for browsing – and many fantastic pieces go for an absolute steal.  Check these out:

A: ‘The Night Was Young‘, $870.00 USD by K. Burchill at Acacia’s Gallery (London)

B: ‘North Norfolk Coast Road’, $30.00 USD by Christian Bird (London)

C: ‘Strange and Magnificant’ Large Print, $75.00 USD by Freya Art (London)

D: ‘Hidden Edinburgh’, $30.00 USD by Starry Blue Sky (Edinburgh)

E: ‘Sandwood Bay Eider Duck’, $12.50 USD by Jess Lovell (Edinburgh)

F: ‘Poster No 26′, $12.00 USD by Graphic Nothing (Manchester)