Wish list: Andrew Ludick dishes

Picture 1: Andrew Ludick uses white earthenware which he pinches to create unevenly shaped bowls and jugs, and then decorates with coloured slips. These small dishes by Ludick are sold as a pair. Each piece is treated as a blank canvas so no two are alike and they measure 12 cms in diameter and 4 cms high (approximately). The pair pictured are €80, but you can get a lovely gift from €40. Check out andrewludick.blogspot.com or www.irishdesignshop.com

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Picture 2: Siobhan Steele was showcasing her work at the recent Ballymaloe Big Shed craft fair — and we just loved it. She says her craft is inspired by abstract line and patterns found in nature, particularly silver birch: “I am relating the lines of the tree to the circle of life, and the ups and down we experience going through life.” Find her on Facebook and see more of her ceramic work.

Picture 3: A nice alternative for gift wrapping this year — Vivienne Westwood has designed a limited edition scarf for Lush — who have been wrapping products in scarves since 2005. The scarf offers a way you can help reduce the 227,000 miles of Christmas paper the UK throws away each year — enough to go around the world nine times — and can be re-used in a number of different ways (as per the Vivienne Westwood SS14 LFW show). The scarf will be available in camel and light pink and will retail at €17.95 with all profits going to support the Climate Revolution and the many charities and NGO’s that work towards this cause.

Picture 4: Travelling with kiddies anytime soon? Then be prepared to pack an extra passport — these adorable Teddy or Doll passports can be personalised for your child’s favourite travel companion. Irish designed and produced, it can make getting on a plane even more exciting for your little one — or provide a welcome distraction if you’ve got a nervous traveller. This won’t work for granma, though.

To order a passport log onto www.teddypassports.com and upload a photo of your teddy (or dolly), input Teddy’s name, place of birth and the child’s (owner’s) name and they’ll post the personalised Teddypassort to you, including an official Teddypassports membership sticker, plus a letter from Teddy, in a beautiful, specially designed envelope for safe keeping. If you don’t have a photo of the Teddy or Dolly to hand, you can buy a teddypassport gift token online at www.teddypasspports.com

Picture 5: Good ole Raymond Blanc, cute chef that he is, has only gone and developed a bakeware range that he reckons will help zealous chefs bake like professionals. It would take more than a fancy caketray now for me to produce something on the non-poisonous side, but fair play to him for trying. The range includes 11 essential baking items which are oven safe to 240°C and guaranteed for a lifetime of baking. Prices start at €12 for a 9x5 loaf tin. Available from www.raymondblanc.com and Meadows and Byrne throughout Ireland.

Picture 6: The great thing about herbs is you can gather them all inside when the weather turns. I love pots of thyme and rosemary and basil thrown around the kitchen. These Orla Kiely herb pots, let you display them in style. A pack of 3 is €59.95 from Kilkenny stores nationwide. www.kilkennyshop.com

Picture 7: Black and white photographer, Giles Norman, has a number of Christmas gift ideas this year. We like this calendar of Kinsale, €35. Photographs can be personalised with a special message and the collection is available at his gallery in Kinsale, Co Cork, and online www.gilesnorman.com