The Queen's Diamond Jubilee

I must confess to not being much of a Royalist as long as you discount a more than passing obsession with Princess Diana over the years. It seems so ludicrous in this day and age that one family could be chosen from among us all to head up the country - no matter how much Prince Harry seems like a good bloke to go for a drink with.

That said I am dangerously close to uttering platitudes such as 'the Queen does a wonderful job' and 'isn't she great for her age' which I think she does and is. I also love a good pageant and the idea of all those boats bobbing about on the Thames does bring a tear to my eye. I would really love to be on one on the day - slightly self conciously waving a flag.

Lucas Bond's commemoration of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee brings all these conflicting thoughts together. Saluting the occasion but not actually being very Royal. 

I love the Royal Standard Flag and inspired by the Standard's colours Kate Thornton has designed the Jubilee Series of Bird Prints exclusively for Lucas Bond to commemorate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. The map extracts in each print follow the pageant's progression along the River Thames and the birds have regal associations. Lovely.

'Sayings In Stitch'

Andrew Tanner's new 'Sayings In Stitch' collection features regional sayings from across the British Isles on a white china mug with the words produced in cross stitch.

Supported by The Arts Council England to celebrate Tanner's new collection which is titles 'Souvenirs Worth Giving'.

Other sayings include 'Lovely Jubbly', 'Grim Up North', 'Ay Up Me Duck', 'Southern Softie' and 'Chin Wag'. The mug is 120mm x 90mm including the handles, is Made in Great Britain and are £14 each.

http://www.lucasbond.com/store/category/48/299/Mugs/

Another year, another blogger...

Lucas Bond enters it fifth year of trading with a good deal of excitement about the things we have planned for the year and a modicom of trepidation about the prevailing economic climate.

As an independent retailer there could be a tension between believing that the reduction in personal spending is a good thing (we all have too much don't we?) and the need to keep in business. Not just surviving because frankly that is a bit boring, but really thriving and growing. How will we do it? Well, Lucas Bond is about finding and selling products that have longevity and a valued place in your home. Things you look at and think that they were worth the money.

So this blog will focus on our gorgeous products, their story and the experience of being an independent retailer in our current economic times. It aims to be interesting, quirky and have some humour about it. I suppose you will let me know if that is the case.

So here is to a Happy New Year.