Knitted Cacti by Lily France | Lancs (UK)

An ideal desktop addition, Rebecca Iris Slack's knitted cacti were first created as a thoughtful moving in present for her partner who wanted a cactus in his new office. After scouring the web for the prickly gift but returning no results, Rebecca looked to friend and knitwear designer, Lily Kate France, to create a a trio of cacti. The result was this charming set made with Rowan Aran yarns.

Read more on Rebecca's personal blog, Love Bex

'Materials Matter' 2014 Calendar by Labour & Wait | London (UK)

To complement their fondness for timeless, functional products for everyday life, East London design shop Labour & Wait has recently released their new calendar for 2014 aptly titled ‘Material Matters’. In cohesion with their shop, which since 2000 has dedicated its focus on sourcing the best possible traditionally crafted products for home and life, the self-published calendar celebrates the unique characteristics of twelve of Labour & Wait’s favourite materials: Wood, Ceramic, Glass, Cardboard and so on.

Appearing in a well-considered series of still life, the calendar features a selection of simple, utilitarian objects that are often overlooked but deserve further scrutiny in their design, function and form in daily life. The calendar, which includes the wooden clipboard, is a great office or home addition, be it to save a date or merely to keep ahead of each month as it passes. Available from Labour & Wait online or at their bricks and mortar shop on Redchurch Street.