Posted on

Léa Zana founder of Vaiselle Boutique

Vaiselle (meaning dishes in French) was launched during lockdown, bringing joy to kitchen tables everywhere. We met founder Léa Zana for whom business is booming.

What led you to set up Vaiselle? 

I had worked in retail for years, firstly in Paris and then moving to Spain to work for Zara. I relocated to London 9 years ago for a job at Topshop, later moving to ASOS. I was working in footwear design, a business that is actually quite difficult as there are so many processes involved. I had always loved ceramics, something instilled in me from my grandmother and I felt the time was right to set up my own brand. I made plans during the first lockdown, and as soon as I could I flew to Andalusia in Spain and spent a month there sourcing the very best team of makers. I launched the business in September 2020.

You mention your grandmother, where does you inspiration come from?

I am from a family of girls. Setting the table was always a big deal at home. My grandmother grew up in the 1930’s and for her it was incredibly important, a moment of humanity and safety. At her house things were always beautifully presented, she would lay out a tablecloth and use specific cutlery for different dishes, a tiny butter knife, a certain fork for the melon etc. I suppose I am continuing that sense of care and attention whilst at the same time modernising it and having fun with it.

What’s the design process like?

I design all the products myself, from the shape to the patterns and colours. They are then handmade by artisans in Andalusia in small batches.

How has Brexit affected your business?

To be honest it has been hell. When you are importing it is a real challenge in terms of the added fees and the VAT on those fees. It’s definitely been my biggest challenge since starting the brand.

You’re now stocked in Liberty, which is a huge achievement. How did it feel?

Yes it was complete dream when the buyer approached me via Instagram. My collection landed 2 weeks’ ago, I just can’t wait to go into the store and see it when we’re allowed. It’s a childhood dream come true.

What are your plans for the collection?

I plan to keep it small and retain the shapes but play with new colours and prints. I want my customers to be able to build up their own collection.

What’s your bestseller?

The number one is the Oily Baby in red gingham. The colour is really bright, and actually it’s quite hard to find those type of olive oil bottles in the UK. My lilac and red Genie in a Bottle vase (below right) is also a huge hit. People can’t seem to get enough of it.

You’ve said you’re a terrible cook…

I am! I am terrible. With lockdown it’s Deliveroo all the way. At least with my plates I can make it look pretty.

Where are you from in France?

The countryside in South West France near Bordeaux. I then went to Paris to study, I miss it a lot.

Where do you go to find a French fix in London?

Maison Puget in Notting Hill. It’s a properly traditional French boulangerie-patisserie and it’s just amazing. The people who run it are all French. Their English is terrible. It’s not bourgeoise, it’s just like you would find in a French village. And their cakes are incredible – and big!

I also love Brasserie Zedel in Soho. It reminds me of Paris. The food is not fancy, but it’s what you’d actually eat in France. The bread is delicious. The chocolate mousse is to die for. And it’s got that great atmosphere too with the live jazz.

Where will you be going first when lockdown lifts?

Barcelona to see my Mum. I haven’t seen her for a year and a half. As soon as I can, I’ll go there.

 

Note: until Monday 29th March you can get 10% the following Bon Appetit Serving plate,

Posted on

Caring for Curly Hair

Curly hair really suffers from not being cut regularly. As it may still be a while before you get an appointment with your favoured stylist, here are some things you can do in the meantime:

Wrap your hair at night – we use the Silke turban which has an Elizabeth Taylor-vibe. Wrapping your hair at night may seem a bit extra but it will protect the hair cuticle from being roughened as you sleep. This is a far more effective way to combat frizz and hair breakage than simply using a silk pillowcase. Each to their own but we probably wouldn’t wrap our hair the first time someone new stays the night, so lockdown might be the perfect time to try this.

Start using a sulphate-free or at least a low sulphate shampoo such as As I Am Coconut Cowash. Normal shampoo can be too harsh on curly hair and strip it of its natural oils, making it frizzier and harder to manage. You probably also only need to wash your hair twice a week. If you’re working from home at the moment, now might be an opportune moment to try this, whilst you are not travelling on public transport and heading into polluted city centres.

If you use a lot of products in your hair or live in a hard water area, you’ll also need to use a clarifying shampoo, such as Bumble and Bumble’s Sunday shampoo once a month. This will remove build up and mineral deposits.

For daily conditioning, you will need a lightweight conditioner which will moisturise your hair without weighing your curls down. Aveda’s Be Curly Conditioner is our favourite and as with most of Aveda’s products, it also smells wonderful.

Once a week, you should apply a deep conditioner and leave it on, with a shower cap, for fifteen minutes or more before rinsing it out. We love Cantu’s Deep Nourishing Hair and Scalp Masque with Rhassoul Clay. Philip Kingsley’s legendary Elasticizer also works brilliantly and there is an amped up version, Elasticizer Extreme, for very coarse or porous curls.

Regular, terry towelling bath towels will maul your hair so now is the time to switch to using a microfibre towel, such as Kitsch’s Eco-Friendly Hair Towel, to dry it. It’s also a good juncture to cut back on blow drying your hair as this – even when you use a diffuser – can be pretty damaging for your hair. It’s the back of our hair that takes ages to dry and this is somehow easier to hide on Zoom than when being hugged in real life meetings so we are taking the opportunity not to blow dry it at all.

Once your hair is 50% dry, you can begin styling. You may need to experiment with different products to find the ideal combination. We favour Cantu’s Comeback Curl Next Day Curl Revitalizer followed by Aveda’s Be Curly Curl Enhancer. The latter is a genius product containing a blend of wheat proteins that expand when your hair is wet and retracts when your hair is dry to lock in curls and waves.

If your frizz and flyaway ends still need taming after styling, smoothing a small amount Charlotte Mensah’s Manketti Oil should do the trick.

Posted on

Winter beauty must-buys

To cope with the harsh winter elements, up the ante on your skin protection.  Here are our top tried and tested, must-buys for the winter season.

This sticky cream gives you a slight sheen so a little goes a long way. Great as a barrier cream on top of your make-up to give you extra protection on a very cold, windy day.  Safe to use on everyone from babies to adults.

If you’d rather something more grown up, then this is definitely the adult alternative and it’s not just for skiing.  Supporting the barrier function of the skin, it helps protect against the cold weather by strengthening your skin’s acid mantle.  Top tip, allow 5 minutes for it to sink in before applying your daily SPF cream.

We love this cult balm cleanser which cleans, exfoliates and moisturises.  It isn’t as thick as some other balms and leaves the skin feeling clean but definitely not stripped.  We use at night to take our makeup off and cleanse the skin.

We’ve tried a fair few hand creams from Chanel to Neutrogena but this one really is our favourite.  It initially feels quite heavy but soon sinks in and is by far the best to counter all that extra hand washing and disinfectant. Even better, the cream contains no parabens, fragrance, metals, talc or mineral oil and the packaging is 100% recyclable.

If you suffer from chapped lips, then try this newly launched 2-in-1 lipstick balm that both hydrates your lips and adds colour.  There are ten shades to choose from, each infused with hyaluronic acid and c-peptide, to help keep your lips from drying out in the cold weather.  So popular there are waiting lists for the lipsticks on some beauty sites but not on the direct Charlotte Tilbury platform.

We keep trying other foundations and tinted moisturisers but coming back to this one – we’re now on our third tube. It’s the texture we love – it’s moisturising but not sticky, adds glow but isn’t shiny and looks extremely natural but has enough coverage to even out our skin tone.

And for our rather grey January pallor, we also add a touch of this moisturising sheer blusher that makes you feel like you just walked in the door from a bracing winter walk.

Posted on

Books for teens

There has been a slew of brilliant young adult fiction that has just been published or is about to be released. Put the screens aside and get your kids to bury their noses in some of these exciting page-turners.

14+ years

You Have A Match – Emma Lord (Published February 15th 2021) £13.26 
A feel-good coming-of-age story from the bestselling author of Tweet Cute. It’s all summer camp and crushes and a buried family secret that threatens to change everything. Gripping and full of relatable teen angst.

Concrete Rose – Angie Thomas, £5.59
The follow-on to the phenomenon that was Angie Thomas’ The Hate U Give. Set seventeen years before the events of her previous novel, this is another hard-hitting story of contemporary Black experience in America. Powerful and important, this should be required reading for older teens with inquisitive minds.
The Gilded Ones – Namina Forna (Published February 4th 2021), £7.37
An epic fantasy set in West Africa that has been gathering rave advance reviews. Sixteen-year-old Deka lives in the ancient patriarchal kingdom of Otera and when she discovers she is an Alaki, a near-immortal, she realises she will have to fight to survive.


First Day of my Life – Lisa Willliamson, £10.65
A heartwarming, witty book about friendship and all its inherent complications. It’s GCSE results day – Frankie is about to be faced with a huge challenge and her ex-boyfriend Ram is the only one who can help – but they are both in for a BIG shock.

The Cousins – Karen M. McManus, £6.48
Rich, beautiful and close. Four cousins have it all until, well, they don’t. They must embark on a heart-thumping quest to discover the dark truth of their family. But some secrets are better left alone.


 
11-13 years

Shackleton’s Journey – William Grill, (Published February 3rd 2021) £11.19
A stunningly researched and illustrated visual re-telling of Shackleton’s landmark expedition. William Grill’s spectacular drawings, coupled with fantastic historic detail, will have children of all ages glued to the pages. In fact, this is a book for the whole family. It’s mesmerising.


The Last Bear – Hannah Gold (Published February 18th 2021) £10.65
Imagine making friends with a polar bear. This charming debut novel is an adventure story, a celebration of love between children and animals and an important battle cry for the future of our planet.
 
What We’re Scared of – Keren David, £6.55
Lottie and Evie are twins but they couldn’t be more different. Lottie’s a dreamer. Evie’s a fighter. However when their mother gets a high profile new job and starts being trolled online the girls must unite. A taut thrilling tale of sibling rivalry and friendship.


I Swapped My Brother On The Internet – Jo Simmons, £5.68
Which child hasn’t wanted to do this in the past few months? The hilarious adventures of Jonnie, who discovers siblingswap.com and decides to replace annoying Ted, his older brother.


 Voyage of the Sparrowhawk – Natasha Farrant, £6.49

Published last year this recent winner of the Costa Children’s Book of the Year is surely a new classic. Set in the aftermath of WWI this is a good ol’ fashioned adventure that will have them on the edge of their seats.

If you can’t keep up with the demands of your little bookworms or need some literary inspiration for children, teens or yourself, Clemmie’s Lockdown Libraries are just the thing. She will choose five books perfectly suited to your reading taste and send them beautifully wrapped. Visit www.vellumlibraries.com.

Posted on

Colour Pop Shop

In this very grey week we’re badly in need of colour. Add some zing to your lockdown with these picks from beanies to blenders and trainers to teaspoons.

Merino wool beanies in a rainbow of colours, £30 from Colourful Standard:

Paleta candles, handmade in Mexico City in colour-blocking pink and orange, £25 from The Conran Shop

Insulated lunch box to take to the park or wherever, £225 in electric blue from Anya Hindmarch

We know it’s early, but we can’t wait to see some daffodils. Order 50 stems from Cornwall, £19 from Cornish Blooms

The most satisfying 100% acrylglass spoons, €54.95 for all 13 colours, or mix and match 6 spoons for €25 from Maison Bibi

Boyfriend style cardigan in 100% cashmere with neon trims, £190 from Gussy and Lou:

Keep warm with a BaaBaa Sheep sheepskin hot water bottle cover, £70 from Reset Select

 

Atomic pink Nike running trainers will put a spring in your step, £114.95 from Nike:

French Terry hoodie sweatshirt in apple green, £55 from Arket:

Brighten up aperitivo hour with these handblown Italian wine glasses, £35 from The Edition 74:

Chunky wellington boots with coloured stripe, £55 from Boden:

Waterproof cross-body or belt bag, designed for being on the move. £29 from Lululemon:

For fans of Queens Gambit, acrylic chess set, £595 from Jonathan Adler:

 

Splat tripod for zoom calls and FaceTime, £24.95 from The Tech Bar:

Soups and smoothies never seemed so appealing. D&G x Smeg food blender, £699.95 from John Lewis

This cream smells like sunshine, Brazilian Bum Bum Cream £44 from Sol de Janeiro:

Red down coat, £165 (was £275) from Bimba y Lola:

We’re loving the new Hotel Magique collaboration with Anthropologie. Milou Neelan’s designs adorn bedlinen, bags, jugs, notebooks and this Splash of Magique print, £348 from Anthropologie. If you go directly to her site there are free phone screensavers to download too.

The Lacquer Company x Miles Redd large lacquer stacking tray, £450 from MATCHES:

 

Posted on

Salt Pigs

Do you have your own Salt Pig?  Characterful, charming and useful (they need to be earthenware so they keep the crystal salt fresh), they are an everyday object of joy.  Here are our favourites:

Monster Pinch,


Gold salt pig (also available in cobalt blue),

Stoneware Salt Pig,

WM.Bartleet & Son small salt pig,

Handmade ceramic salt pig,

Handmade stoneware salt pig with spoon, £38 from Charlotte Storrs

 

Posted on

Top London Walks

A few ideas that just might beat another loop of the park. Obviously do stick to the guidelines and stay local and in your household/bubble or meet 1:1.

Chelsea Physic Garden re-opened on 24 January for exercise, which includes walking. You’ll need to book a ticket ahead, and even Friends will need a pre-booked time slot. It’s one of the loveliest places in London to see the snowdrops, you can pre-download the Snowdrop Trail here. They should be in flower from now until the middle of February. And wherever you are you can join in with their Spring Flower Photography Competition – there are top prizes to be won like an SLR digital camera and RA membership in three categories, Over 18s, Under 18s, Under 12s.

I stumbled upon Agatha Christie’s house (below) in the first lockdown. It had such character with its crowd of windows, you could just imagine the author writing away up in the attic. Thanks to the National Heritage website you can enter your London borough and discover all the Blue Plaques in your area. Follow a walking trail spotting the famous names as you go.

London’s cemeteries are often more peaceful than the parks. Most are free to access, but to visit Highgate Cemetery you’ll need to book a timed slot. The West Cemetery with its Chapel, Colonnade, Egyptian Avenue, Circle of Lebanon, Terrace Catacombs and the mausoleum of Julius Beer is usually only accessible with a guided tour, but during lockdown they’re allowing people to roam at their leisure with a ticket (£10). This also gives you access to the East Cemetery where you can spot the graves of Karl Marx, Henry Moore, George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans) and many more notable people.

The City is one of the quietest places to walk and there’s so much to see. Head for the serene church gardens. St Dunstan-in-the-East was damaged in the Blitz and instead of being rebuilt it was transformed into a public garden in the 70s. And nearer to St Pauls, Christchurch Greyfriars is now a rose garden.

We’re still getting so much use from this fold-out map, A London Floral. It highlights London’s green spaces and gardens with over 80 to choose from – including plenty that we had never heard of. Discover your local ones now, and then venture further afield once we’re allowed. £6.99 from Finch Publishing with illustrations by Clover Robin.

 

Posted on

La Montaña Candles

Handmade in Spain, La Montaña candles might just be the closest we’ll get to a holiday at the moment. There’s First Light with wild mountain flora, Siesta with lavender, juniper and thyme, and our current favourite Winter Oranges with Valencia orange and warming clove. Instead of gambling on which you’ll like best, might we suggest their Home Fragrance Discovery Set. This includes the complete range of 9 different scents so that you can spritz about the room before investing in a full size candle. As a treat for our readers they have shared a special discount code with us meaning the whole set is just £5 including P&P (instead of the usual £25) until the end of January. Use code LITTLEBIRD at the check out. Plus, anyone who buys a Discovery Set then gets 20% off their first candle or diffuser.

Posted on

Amanda Gorman

If you need uplifting, do watch 22 year old Amanda Gorman, who yesterday read one of her poems The Hill We Climb at Joe Biden’s Inauguration.  Suffering from a speech impediment as a child, Gorman became LA’s youth poet laureate at 16. Three years later, while studying sociology at Harvard, she became the youngest ever National Youth Poet Laureate. She has already published a book and her first picture book for children comes out this Spring.  She has promised to run for President herself in 2036, when she would first be eligible.  Watch this space!

‘For there is always light, if only we’re brave enough to see it,  if only we’re brave enough to be it.’

Posted on

Beautiful patchwork quilts

Is there anything more cosy and cottagecore, than sleeping underneath a patchwork quilt?  We’ve rounded up our favourites including some new stockists.  You’ll have to snap them up quickly though as in our experience, the prettiest ones sell out fast.

Alexandra Tolstoy’s shopping site has just introduced their first collection of antique quilts, starting from £1,000, including the history of each piece and date. Bear paw quilt from c1880s,

Join the LibertyCraftClub’s Emporium Quilt Projects and make the Merchant Brights Quilt and/or the Turod Quilt (below) with free downloadable PDFs to help you make your own quilt at home.  LibertyLondon also sell quilt kits with their own house fabrics such as this

This pretty vintage double patchwork quilt (£150) has now sold out almost immediately Maison M put it on their site but do get in touch with if you’d like them to source others for you.

This site has a selection of vintage quilts such as this mid-19th Century handmade crossroads in pink quilt, from around £1,000.

The will be online from 7pm on Friday 29 January until 7pm Sunday 31 January. One of 50 exhibitors to look out for is who will be selling a selection of antique French quilts. Floral lovers, be quick!

Also just launched are these hand-printed, reversible quilts in various colours.

Posted on

Our new favourite tv series’

After an epic binge of the brilliant Lupin this week, one of the newest additions to Netflix, we found ourselves exploring the vast library of foreign language programmes that are available on UK streaming services.   Here are some of our favourites, old and new:

Lupin (French) – Netflix (see the trailer here)

We found this series extremely gripping and breezed through the five available episodes. Loosely based on the books by Maurice LeBlanc, Lupin follows a gentleman thief trying to exact revenge on a ghost from his past. More episodes are due later this year.

The Bureau (French) – Amazon Prime, 5 seasons (see the trailer here)

This critically acclaimed espionage series has taken in huge audiences worldwide since its first season in 2015. With an American remake rumoured to be in the works, it’s a great time to start watching the original. 

Dix Pour Cent, also known as Call My Agent (French) – Netflix, 4 seasons (see the trailer here)

We’ve had so many friends recommend this popular French comedy, with the fourth series premiering on Netflix this Thursday, that this is next on our must-watch list. Centred around a talent agency, episodes include cameos by well-known French actors such as Isabelle Huppert and Monica Belluci. One of the main actors, Camille Cottin, is the lead in the French adaptation of Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Fleabag, called Mouche.

Tehran (Hebrew) – Apple TV, 1 season (see the trailer here)

A fairly recent addition to Apple TV, Tehran follows an Israeli agent attempting to sabotage the Iranian nuclear program. Gripping. 

Fauda (Arabic & Hebrew) – Netflix, 3 seasons (see the trailer here)

Yet another Israeli series focused on spy-craft, Fauda follows an undercover army unit immersed in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Fauda is Israeli for “chaos” and there is plenty of tension amid the chaos in this series.

Posted on

A Prize Draw for £150 to spend at Potage

We are delighted to have teamed up with for a very special give away. Enter our Prize Draw and you could win £150 to spend on their delicious handmade meals. Potage do all the hard work for you and yet produce the sort of meals you might have cooked yourself if you had more energy. Dishes include heart-warming curries, lasagna and fish pie, as well as their legendary chocolate brownies and new sticky toffee pudding. All you need to do to enter is go to our Instagram page:

1). Like this post
2). Make sure you are following both @alittlebirdcom and @potage_ on instagram
3). Tag someone you’d like to nominate to receive the prize

If you don’t have Instagram but would still like to enter you can email us contact@a-littlebird.com and your name will be entered into the hat. The gift voucher can be used for any items on the Potage website with delivery nationwide. The winner will be picked on Friday 22 January 2021. Good luck!

It’s goodbye for now…

The team at A Little Bird are taking a break to recharge and make some exciting changes behind-the-scenes. We look forward to seeing you again soon.

CONTINUE TO SITE

A Little Bird Told Me…

SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER TO STAY IN-THE-NOW. ONLY LANDING IN YOUR INBOX ON THURSDAY MORNINGS AT 11AM.