It's time for my #Christmas2021 gift guide! I thought it might be a good idea to guide you through the work I've made over seven years of @indy_prints and then share some other small businesses. [a thread] 👇👇👇
@indy_prints Before I get to the good stuff, I want to note that it's been a difficult year for many of us, and while you might have less to spend, I hope you that when you do spend you'll consider supporting these small businesses, rather than the shareholders of big corporations.
I've been buying my presents from real people for a few years now and it feels so much more satisfying. I'd be grateful if you would join me.
Okay. Preaching over, now the goods…
[All of the drawings in each of my collections is available as a giclée print, poster, mounted print, card and magnet.]
Is your favourite Scots saying one you've kent since you were a bairn, or one ye've just foond? Whatever is the case, my Scots Sayings collection has plenty to choose from. indy-prints.com/collections/sc…
While some see tartan as twee, countless designers have been inspired by these woven wonders. Celebrate our colourful cloths with over 300 tartans in this collection. indy-prints.com/collections/ta…
Sorry, there's going to be a fair bit of my face here.
Scotland is known for its breathtaking beauty. There are over seventy views in the landscapes collection, that will allow you to reminisce from the comfort of your own home. indy-prints.com/collections/la…
My politics collection brings together various pro-indy messages and statements. The collection began during the #indyref campaign and has grown since. indy-prints.com/collections/po…
From our tartans and traditions, to our writing, music, languages and so much more, the culture in this collection has come to define Scotland around the world. indy-prints.com/collections/cu…
Some visitors to Scotland have been rather mixed up and wrote a review to prove it. The Overrated Scotland collection features some choice quotes from those reviews. indy-prints.com/collections/ov…
Have you ever wondered how Scotland would be different if just one thing was changed? My 'What if…?' collection explores if it would it be just a wee bit different, or in a wholly different universe. indy-prints.com/collections/wh…
The Scots names for animals show just how distinct the #ScotsLanguage is. With 50 animals in my beasties collection, it also shows links to other northern European languages. indy-prints.com/collections/sc…
My Scottish Icon collection features iconic Scottish faces (well, duh) on Scotland's iconic fabric (yay!). I've paired each icon with one of their clan tartans, to create vibrant celebrations of Scotland's cultures. indy-prints.com/collections/sc…
@scotslanguage …and that concludes, I think, my @indy_prints collections. As I (hope I) mentioned up above, all of my drawings are available as giclée prints, posters, mounted prints, cards and magnets.
Now on to the small businesses where I'll be shopping this Christmas.
Based in Edinburgh, Leigh Rogerson makes very pretty Celtic-revival jewellery. I've gifted many of her pieces and have one planned for myself. etsy.com/uk/shop/LeighR…
From her Midlothian studio, Jenni Douglas makes a wonderful selection of Mid Century art prints, cards, jewellery and more. One of her pieces is right in front of me as I type this! jennidouglas.co.uk
If you or your dog need some colour in your life, Collared by Mark is the place for you, with a range of Tweed items for dogs and humans. bymark.info
Edinburgh's Aye Pickled have a very tasty range of pickles and ferments. There's some in my fridge right now. ayepickled.com/collections/sh…
Clearly Edinburgh is the place for fermenters because The Edinburgh Fermentarium also have very tasty pickles and ferments that are lovely additions to and sandwich. edinburghfermentarium.co.uk
You'll want to check out books by @EverDundas@sarasheridan and @Jenni_Fagan – every good home should have some. Please be sure to buy from a local bookshop.
Edinburgh's Curiouser and Curiouser is one of my favourite gift shop and best of all in these covid times, they have a website too. @CuriouserShopcuriouserandcuriouser.com
Moving out of Scotland for wee bit, if you share my love of Brutalist architecture you must visit Space Play's shop. I have several of their mini concrete buildings. @spaceplaystudiospace-play.co.uk
Also down south, Bronwyn Gwillim makes gorgeous jewellery with repurposed plastics. The textures and colours are wonderful. bronwengwillim.co.uk
And finally, if Scottish Independence is your bag, Gordon MacIntyre-Kemp's Scotland the Brief (designed and illustrated by yours truly) is a handy pocket-sized guide to the majesty of Scotland's economy. (Minimum order of 25 copies) @believeinscotbelieveinscotland.org/product/scotla…
@believeinscot No, wait, there's more. If possessions are too consumerist for you maybe you want to support a good cause. Here are some I support.
It's more important than ever to support @RNLI in the face of outright right-wing extremist agitation. rnli.org/support-us/giv…
A more specific body is Medical Aid for Palestinians, who look after people in one of the most repressed areas of our planet. @MedicalAidPalmap.org.uk/donate/donate
Scottish Women's Aid have been helping women in Scotland since the '70s and continue to provide essential support to this day. @scotwomensaidwomensaid.scot/donate/
I know you want to know what my top 50 films of the 420 I watched this year are, so here's a thread. 👇👇👇📽️📽️📽️
50. Bachelor Mother (Garson Kanin, 1939 / Ginger Rodgers & David Niven). A salesgirl is bundled with a baby and must keep him to keep her job. A slightly ludicrous conceit played brilliantly by Rogers and Niven. A delight, with a good few laughs and a lot of smiles.
49. Two-Lane Blacktop (Monte Hellman, 1971 / James Taylor / Warren Oates) Four people race two cars across many states. The film becomes a meditation on wanderlust, where we pull alongside the racers for a brief 101 minutes. The open road is myth, the drivers will never find.
Drop the cringe for a moment and join me for a thread about tartan. We all know about clan and family tartans, but do you now what came before them? 1/
If we were to go back a few hundred years, we'll not find the system of clan tartans as we know it now. Before the clan codification of tartans that started in the early 19th century, particular tartans were mostly associated with single weavers. 2/
Naturally those weavers were in specific locations. And so to begin with, most tartans were known as being from a distinct district. 3/
Can ah hae yer een for a wee minute tae threid aboot tartan? We aw ken aboot clan an faimily tartans, but dae ye ken whit came afore clan tartans? 1/
If we were tae gang back a few hunner year, we'll no find the system o clan tartans as we ken it noo. Afore the clan codification o tartans whit stertin in the early 19th century, particular tartans were maislty associated wi single weavers. 2/
Naturally yon weavers were in specific locations. An sae tae begin wi, maist tartans were kent as bein frae a distinct district. 3/
Thanks tae awbody whit replied tae this. Ah cannae believe the amoont! Ah mak it tae be aboot 73 names o beasties. Yer aw amazin!
An bi the wey, does awbody ken why yon English 'earwig' is cried clipshear, forkie tail, hairy gollach, horny gollach, horny gollacks and forkie gollach. Ah mean, that's juist greedy.
Something that no one ever asks me is 'where do I come up with the colours for my work?' I'm going to explain it anyway and illustrate it with an example. ¡THREADALERT! 👇👇👇
Harry Lauder used to follow that with 'an if ye can say that, yer aw richt'. These days, I feel more like if you can type that, yer aw richt. Trying to make 'night' fingers type 'nicht' is a bugger. Anyway. The colours.
Racists sicken me. All of us – and our government – must make it clear that Scotland is no place for them. Immigrants and refugees should be welcomed in Scotland. Their addition to our country can only enrich.
Let me be clear. Scotland is one of the most prosperous countries in the world. It became so largely from its role as part of the nation that created and ran the world's largest empire.
That empire, the British Empire, in 1923 spanned a quarter of the world and its population. A QUARTER OF THE WHOLE WORLD. It's almost impossible to comprehend.