The List #01

A twice-monthly curation of second-hand finds and little life-enhancers. I forage, so you don't have to!

Welcome to the first edition of The List! A twice-monthly curation of second-hand finds and joyful gifts/ lifestyle bits, for my paid subscribers. Think of it as the visual arm of Books + Bits. There’ll be clothes, foodstuffs, beauty, interiors - anything really that catches my eye and hails from an independent brand (No Shein; no Litfad.)

Boy, have I loved compiling this. I’m basically just making public what I do for my friends/ self on a daily basis: in lieu of scrolling social media, I scroll Etsy, eBay and their merry friends and make endless lists of things I love.

I’ll be keeping a keen eye on price point - above all, I want to make sure my reccs give good bang for their buck and hold their value. ‘Good value’ is not the same as ‘being cheap’ incidentally - because most mass-produced things are very cheap but bear a weighty cost.

Please do let me know via e-mail or in the comments if there is anything you are hunting for, or want to do see more of. Happy scrolling!

1. Glassworks thick fleck socks I take real everyday joy in thick winter socks and at £7 these are well-priced and come in a rainbow of colours. Perfect with Crocs, clogs or peeking out the top of a pair of boots. Only thing to note is if you are sensitive to wool they may itch (for a non-itchy but pricier version, try Toast.)

   

2. Acorn vase by Ilex Studio I am obsessed with these vases, designed by small London-based studio, Ilex. (They also do an avocado version, pic of it growing below!) They’re a brilliant present for someone tricky and the design makes for the perfect minimal houseplant for someone who prefers a cleaner look in their home. Plus it’s a wonderfully low maintenance plant - ideal for those of us (hi) with blue fingers. I bought my brother the original, clear version but they’re now doing coloured ones which look awesome. I was amazed how quickly the acorn grows! Which makes it a very rewarding little present, particularly if you have kids around.

   

3. Kaweco Sport fountain pen My husband bought me one of these mini fountain pens for Christmas and I can’t over-emphasise the nostalgic, simple joy in returning to a fountain pen (and crucially, a fountain pen that doesn’t leak - my Parker was regularly staining my entire hands blue aged 10). Especially one that is charmingly petite, robust and can be used with a rainbow of ink cartridges. I’m currently using the bottle green ink, which I have decided is more uplifting than blue and less aggressive than red, and I’m flirting with the hot pink next. In my dreams I write with a vintage Mont Blanc, but the thought of losing that is too terrifying. This one is well-designed and at £16, less of a risk.

4. Pommery red wine vinegar This charming oldy-worldy bottle of vinegar is my favourite thing to gift hosts who don’t drink. (Everyone can tell when you’ve re-gifted the mint Matchmakers.) I love the look of it so much (the wax seal!) I would legitimately buy it just to keep by the cooker and admire.

   

   5. Vintage Indian reverse glass paintings I adore vintage glass paintings. They are well-priced, lend a sweet little nod to nooks and crannies and are beautifully colourful. I have a little gold phoenix by my bedside and my daughter has a teeny yellow horse. They’re the kind of things you often find at random rural vintage fairs, but online, Minnie’s Vintage on Etsy has some beautiful ones for under £20. (I love the little ladybugs, below.) Just beware when you buy glass paintings online that you ask for them to be securely wrapped in tons of tissue paper or bubble wrap, as they shatter easily.