www.handpickedcollection.com

We loved Bill Prince, deputy editor of GQ, tips on buying presents for men. According to him, it’s not about projecting your own tastes or ideas on what he needs.  Yes, his manky flat might well lack a jug or utensil jar, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to be jumping with joy to receive [...]

We’ve talked before about our new corn starch ‘scrunchie’ packaging that can be composted. A green ethos is something we try and bear in mind with everything we do, and we’re always adding new environmentally friendly products. Our bestselling Wind-Up Radio and Pump-Up Penguin Torch are two of our favourites. Battery powered toys are the [...]

I put my new bouquet aromatique (The Vert, I’m a huge fan of green tea) in our downstairs cloakroom. About half-an-hour later the scent had got a bit overpowering. Turns out, you really don’t need to use many of the rattan sticks if you’re only wanting to scent a small room. Two should be adequate. [...]

We’re running a competition for our Doodlebook. We’ve used it to leave a romantic message (that’s Managing Director Jo, the rest of us aren’t nice enough), got the children to get artistic on Father’s  Day, gone all graphic during a boring phone conversation, and written up a menu at a dinner party, complete with photograph [...]

We’ve been really inspired by Handmade, Gorgeous Things to Make with Love. Some of the ideas look complicated – though I’m still keen to give the Advent calendar a whirl – others really easy. The bunting is a case in point. I bought some  cheap skull & crossbone fabric (my three boys are going through [...]

I held a party for my newly married brother, who married a New Zealander. We served Kiwitinis – fabulous, recipe to follow in another post – and used Handpicked’s slate cheeseboards to serve  canapés. Food was pretty simple; sausages, smoked salmon blinis, cheese straws – but everyone asked who we’d got in to do the [...]

Q&A with The Handpicked Collection’s Jo McGivern
Posted by Anthony on November 3rd, 2008

Having been immersed in luxury PR for, oooh, ages, Jo McGivern knows the good life when she sees it.There’s only so many press releases and launch parties a girl can take, however, so finding that she had no time to look for the [...]

We’re really pleased with our new packaging. Getting products to customers in one piece is obviously incredibly important, but it’s a shame so much packaging ends up polluting the environment. We were keen to be green, so experimented with rolled up newspaper, recycled inflated bags and various nasty non-biodegradables, before Customer Services Manager, Marilu, discovered [...]

Creative Director Amanda Fox is currently on holiday in Devon. For the third time in a row, her two weeks is under something of a cloud, and a grey and thundery one at that. However, she’s refusing to let rain stop play, and excitedly emailed Handpicked towers with her holiday report. ‘Everyone tends to race [...]

If you’re near a National Trust property this weekend, check whether they’re taking part in the open days in support of the National Gardens Scheme.  As well as a good old snoop, you’ll also have the chance to quiz the people who make it happen with the head and trainee gardeners taking your questions. So if you’ve ever been nervous about [...]