MMX

Roman numerals for our era are just too snappy. Back in MCMLXXXVIII when the BBC ran copyright info at the end of each show, it read more like the curse-words from comic strips.



The media have been spoiling us of late with their take on the cultural highs-and-lows of the decade and, though I should resist the temptation to make my own list, it's certainly sad saying so-long to Polaroid Instant Film. I went Polaroid potty a while back, especially with the beautiful SX-70.

Season's Greetings!

Independent Choice

I Choose You! made the Independent's Best Children's Books for Christmas list. It's always nice to get favourable copy... hitherto, most reviews have been of the '...and it fits in your handbag' variety.

Joanna at Silver Jungle was insistent on a point-of-sale container and, while I'll admit to initial resistance, I'm pleased with the result. However it's displayed, I'm also pretty pleased with the roll-call of stockists, which include...

Barbican • Bird • Bolingbroke Bookshop • Broadway Books • Cornerhouse • Daunts • Eden Project • Elphicks • Few & Far • Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge • Frank • Forty Four • Foyles • Green Apple • Koenig Books for Serpentine Gallery • Magma • My Little Eco • National Museum, Liverpool • Olive Loves Alfie • Owl Bookshop • Paul Smith • Queen's Park Books • Saachi Gallery • Salts Mill, Saltaire • Stanfords, Covent Garden • Tales on Moon Lane • Tate Britain • Tate Liverpool • Tate Modern • Waterstones Piccadilly

...and us online.

Plan UK

Just like Beyoncé I prefer not to talk about my charity work, though rummaging through some old stock boxes for last weekend's sale bonanza, I was disappointed not to find any of the cards we'd once designed for Plan UK. Luckily they still retail from their online store and at £4.75 for 10, they're a pretty affordable fund-raiser.

Weekend Wonderland

London will become a veritable Venn diagram of bargains next weekend with seasonal sales on both sides of town...

East
As if they weren't busy enough with a third London outlet, one of our first and foremost stockists, Tatty Devine, will be adding their name to the star-studded list of stall-holders at Mangle's Xmas Sale. On offer will be t-shirts; prints; cards; books; bags; children's wear; accessories; tea/coffee; cakes and music. All from the likes of Marcus Walters; Ryantown; Luckybird and General Pattern (work pictured below). Oh, and us too.



Mangle Xmas Sale
Tab Centre, Tabernacle Baptist Church
3 Godfrey Place, Shoreditch, London E2 7NT
Saturday 12th December, 11am until 6pm, Admission free

West
Great Western will be showcasing their purpose-built (and now thoroughly heated) site with this inaugural open studio event. I'll be joining painters, sculptors, designers, illustrators, jewelers and makers as a guest exhibitor with my usual bazaar of goods from 50p.

I'll be especially curious to see Kate Gibb's pristine space. Her old garret, while not exactly Grey Gardens, nestled in years of layered source material and deeply embedded ephemera... fortunately captured on film for posterity.

The Great Western Studios
65 Alfred Road, London W2 5EU
Sat 12th & Sun 13th Dec, 12-6pm, Admission free